[Whoever dares knock on the door, be it Gav, Otto, or the Founder himself, is going to be frozen on the spot. They can thaw while they think about what they've interuppted.
Luckily, Jill's thoughts are far from them. All she can think about is Clive, how warm he is, firm and solid muscle wherever she rests her palms, and how his kiss tickles before it stings.
She's never been more aroused in her life.
As her eyes flutter closed, she wishes she were able to keep her breathing even at all, or maybe stifle the moan that escapes her, but she's powerless under his mouth.]
Clive...
[She's not sure what she planned on saying, but she should be applauded for remembering how to speak at all.]
[ Something flares in the pit of his stomach; reciprocal arousal, hot and immediate. For a brief moment, he considers flipping positions and bearing down on Jill, her back to the bedsheets with all that lovely hair pooling around her. He wants to dip lower, to put his mouth between her chest, down to her navel, between her legs. He wants to make her call his name over and over with his face buried in her.
The moment comes and goes, but the heat doesn't. He scours his teeth one last time over the bite he'd left, then peels back slowly, blue eyes softened by affection and wanting. ]
Jill. [ Their noses rub together briefly. Clive sighs, his breath a rasp in the back of his throat. ] ...Now we match.
[They've always matched. A moon to a sun. Jill feels drunk on him, the wine long forgotten by her blood. After such a miserable and harsh life he has so much sweetness and kindness to him that it breaks Jill's heart just as much as it fills it. She could spend the rest of her days giving him tue love and softness that he deserves and it would never be enough and she'd never tire of it.]
We do. It's a pleasure. [Literally. She smiles at her own quip--he's a bad influence--and steals a quick kiss from his lips, playful.] Do have any other requests? I'd like to hear them.
[ It's a pleasure, she says, then follows it up by asking Clive if he has any other requests, as if he hasn't been fantasizing about putting his mouth on her in that very moment. He can't help but flush― is she reading my mind?, is an absurd line of thinking he doesn't care to follow― and clear his throat, as if he's been found stealing leftovers from the kitchen. ]
None of them are... [ He trails off. It occurs to him that he could have just lied and said no, but he's a terrible liar, so. RIP. ] ...polite, so to speak.
[ "I want to make you come multiple times" is kind of much, he thinks. They haven't even defined this fragile, precious thing they have between them yet. ]
[Inviting herself into his lap wasn't exactly polite. Jill watches the color rise to his cheeks and bites her lip, trying to stifle the bubble of laughter that wants to escape.]
I imagine not, no. We're...
[She can't read his mind, but they are of a similar mind. They've gone years without talking about what they are, and now...
Jill's impressed that they're keeping up the tradition.]
...Bound to each other. [ Is how he tries to finish that sentence. ] Body and soul.
[ It's as Jill said: no matter how the Fates have conspired to separate them, they've always found their way back to each other. They're tied, inexorably― or, at least, Clive wants to think so.
Still a little flushed, he traces Jill's lower lip with his thumb. ] Jill. The words I wanted to say... I thought there would be a better time for it. But I'm not afraid to speak them now, if you want them.
[What he says instead is almost better than those three little words. Jill looks at him, eyes full of adoration. He's everything she could ever want or ask for.]
I already know them. And I hope you know I feel the same.
[She finds one of his hands to hold in her own, bring to her chest, over her heart. She wouldn't be surprised if he could feel how quickly it beats. It's not fear or anxiety but the rush and thrill of being so intimate with the person she holds dearest.]
I have for a very long time.
[He can say them or keep them for a rainy day. What matters is that they feel them, and Jill is fairly certain they both do.]
[ A relief, that they both know what the words they haven't spoken are. Palm pressed to Jill's chest, he feels her pulse rabbiting against his hand; his own heart matches it, which he hopes she can feel from where her fingers are coiled around the thin skin of his wrist. ]
I know. But I've made you wait too long to hear those words, nevertheless.
[ Unfair of him, always. Depending on Jill to know, leaning on her and taking advantage of her kindness, too afraid of what he is and what he might become to burden Jill with it. Excuses, all of it. ]
...And I would have you wait just a little longer for them. [ He wants to say it properly, and not just because he's sex-brained; she deserves better than that, gods above and below. ] Not because I fear I wouldn't be believed, but because...
[ A light smile. ] ...I think it requires a bit more decorum than this.
[ His dad would be so disappointed if he knew his son made a love proposal after drinking wine and getting horny in bed, probably. Noble upbringing tells him to have some sense of propriety. ]
[And despite all the years and all they've been through together, this thing between them feels delicate. Not that it could break, or be lost, but in the sense that it's something they both wish to protect with all their hearts. It deserves to be treated with reverence. And it shall.
(No small part of her is giddy at thought of him thinking of the right time to say it, either!)
Jill presses their foreheads together, smiling, and she thinks her face will be sore from it tomorrow.]
[ Local outlaw spends sleepless nights thinking about how to say "I love you" to a woman who he's been in love with for his entire life. Not the proudest moment of Clive's life, but Jill is worth pining over― he wants her memories of "I love you" to mean something.
A hike of his brow, amused, and he shoots back with a gentle: ] I'm only a man. And you're worth every effort.
[ She should never feel like she isn't worth trying to impress. ]
[ There it is, the kind of laugh that he could bottle and keep with him forever. He leans in to press a kiss against the corner of Jill's mouth, playful, then thumbs along the mark that he'd left again. ]
I would prefer the shame and embarrassment to your disappointment.
[ Never. She's so convinced of that, in a way that he isn't convinced of it, himself: there are so many mistakes he's made to be where he is right now, so many people who have died and suffered for the choices that he's made. Once upon a time, he'd believed Joshua to be one of them― the memory of Phoenix's Gate still startles him awake some nights, soaked in cold sweat.
No need to make it maudlin, though. He pulls back, stroking soft hair and tucking a stray piece of it behind her ear. A little misty-eyed, truth be told. ]
Thank you, Jill. [ Born as a disappointment, but affirmed by the one woman he loves more than anything. ] Truly. You've always been the one guiding me towards the right path.
[Oh, she can see it in his eyes. Jill feels her affection for him grow. There's no ceiling for how much she adores him. There's infinite love in her heart for him.
She'll never understand how Anabella could look upon him, her own son, and not cherish him.
I love you, she nearly says, but bites her tongue with a wry smile. She won't steal the moment from Clive.
Instead, she puts her hands on his shoulders and gives him a pointed push. Nothing that will move him unless he allows it, but a clear indicator she wants him on her back.]
[ He's wiping the corner of his eye with a thumb when he feels hands on his shoulders― the implicit request is heard, but only after he blinks a little moisture out of blue eyes. He loves her so much, he really could cry about it.
A moment later, when he recovers from that moment of overwhelming emotion, he shifts under Jill's knees and slowly tips himself backwards. Careful not to jostle or make Jill lose her balance in the process, one hand remains settled at her waist to brace her as he leans back, and slowly relinquishes his balance to flop onto clean bedsheets. ]
[Her sweet Clive. She plants a hand on either side of his head, leaning over him, her hair a soft gray curtain. She smiles down at him for a moment, taking in the sight of him. The feeling of him beneath her.
And then she drops down to pepper his face with kisses. They're soft and gentle despite how quick they are.]
[ A moment to register what's going on later― the onslaught of affection is a bit overwhelming― he laughs, surprised but pleased, and tips his head to meet an incoming peck. ]
Jill, [ he whispers again, because the only coherent thought in his head is Jill's name. She's the only thing that exists right now, in this safe, comforting space, and he lifts his hands to sandwich her pretty face between his palms to stop her―
―just so he can give her a more proper kiss, mind. He parts her lips with his, and licks into the welcoming warmth of her mouth. I love you, too. ]
[That laugh was her mark. She laughs into his skin, thinking she never quite laughs as often as she does with him. It's always been this way. She's ready with a playful pout when he takes her face in her hands--but then he's kissing her like that and she nearly goes boneless.
She's the luckiest woman in Valisthea. No amount of wealth could compare to being loved by Clive.
Her tongue greets his, head tipping to the side as his had before, finding an easier angle to kiss him deeply, slowly. A contrast to the sprinkle of kisses on his face. She shifts her weight onto him, chest to chest, so her hands are both free to slide into his hair.]
[ Having Jill's weight flush against his chest is electric. Every nerve in his body sings affirmation, a chorus of yes-es as their mouths meet, part, then meet again at a different angle, tasting and claiming.
One hand slips off Jill's face and trails along her body, from her shoulder to her slightly-arched back, to the bare skin of her thigh. The shirt is barely covering her lower half now, and Clive makes a soft sound against Jill's lips when he feels his fingers brushing along what he knows is her rear, only covered by the soft, thin fabric of her panties.
His face goes hot again; in the five years since they're reunited, he has most definitely taken care of his personal needs to thoughts of Jill, but his clumsy fantasies pale in comparison to the actual feel of her. ]
[In normal circumstances, the thought of having her ass out in Clive's presence would mortify her. In these circumstances, where she's kissed him so many times, sat on his lap, and now has him beneath her in his bed while wearing his shirt? She feels only thrill.
That little noise he makes only makes her kiss him deeper. It's almost as good as making him laugh. Her mouth parts from his because she needs to breathe--and even the sound of her breath is amused, nose brushing his cheek before her mouth drops down to his neck again.
Might as well leave another mark while she has him pinned.]
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Luckily, Jill's thoughts are far from them. All she can think about is Clive, how warm he is, firm and solid muscle wherever she rests her palms, and how his kiss tickles before it stings.
She's never been more aroused in her life.
As her eyes flutter closed, she wishes she were able to keep her breathing even at all, or maybe stifle the moan that escapes her, but she's powerless under his mouth.]
Clive...
[She's not sure what she planned on saying, but she should be applauded for remembering how to speak at all.]
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The moment comes and goes, but the heat doesn't. He scours his teeth one last time over the bite he'd left, then peels back slowly, blue eyes softened by affection and wanting. ]
Jill. [ Their noses rub together briefly. Clive sighs, his breath a rasp in the back of his throat. ] ...Now we match.
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We do. It's a pleasure. [Literally. She smiles at her own quip--he's a bad influence--and steals a quick kiss from his lips, playful.] Do have any other requests? I'd like to hear them.
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None of them are... [ He trails off. It occurs to him that he could have just lied and said no, but he's a terrible liar, so. RIP. ] ...polite, so to speak.
[ "I want to make you come multiple times" is kind of much, he thinks. They haven't even defined this fragile, precious thing they have between them yet. ]
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I imagine not, no. We're...
[She can't read his mind, but they are of a similar mind. They've gone years without talking about what they are, and now...
Jill's impressed that they're keeping up the tradition.]
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[ It's as Jill said: no matter how the Fates have conspired to separate them, they've always found their way back to each other. They're tied, inexorably― or, at least, Clive wants to think so.
Still a little flushed, he traces Jill's lower lip with his thumb. ] Jill. The words I wanted to say... I thought there would be a better time for it. But I'm not afraid to speak them now, if you want them.
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I already know them. And I hope you know I feel the same.
[She finds one of his hands to hold in her own, bring to her chest, over her heart. She wouldn't be surprised if he could feel how quickly it beats. It's not fear or anxiety but the rush and thrill of being so intimate with the person she holds dearest.]
I have for a very long time.
[He can say them or keep them for a rainy day. What matters is that they feel them, and Jill is fairly certain they both do.]
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I know. But I've made you wait too long to hear those words, nevertheless.
[ Unfair of him, always. Depending on Jill to know, leaning on her and taking advantage of her kindness, too afraid of what he is and what he might become to burden Jill with it. Excuses, all of it. ]
...And I would have you wait just a little longer for them. [ He wants to say it properly, and not just because he's sex-brained; she deserves better than that, gods above and below. ] Not because I fear I wouldn't be believed, but because...
[ A light smile. ] ...I think it requires a bit more decorum than this.
[ His dad would be so disappointed if he knew his son made a love proposal after drinking wine and getting horny in bed, probably. Noble upbringing tells him to have some sense of propriety. ]
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[And despite all the years and all they've been through together, this thing between them feels delicate. Not that it could break, or be lost, but in the sense that it's something they both wish to protect with all their hearts. It deserves to be treated with reverence. And it shall.
(No small part of her is giddy at thought of him thinking of the right time to say it, either!)
Jill presses their foreheads together, smiling, and she thinks her face will be sore from it tomorrow.]
You needn't try to impress me too much, Clive.
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A hike of his brow, amused, and he shoots back with a gentle: ] I'm only a man. And you're worth every effort.
[ She should never feel like she isn't worth trying to impress. ]
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[She must have lived all those miserable years with the Ironblood so that he could find her. So that they could be together.]
But... I only mean there's no way to disappoint me.
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－a bemused laugh. Warm and genuine, unburdened by fear of judgment. ]
Come on, Jill. [ As if they're still children. ] There must be a way.
[ Surely she respects herself enough to refuse him if he's being an idiot (or so he prays). ]
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Surely there is, but none that you would ever manage.
[He'd have to harm Torgal or a child or an innocent--and she knows he'd never. He'd sooner run himself through.]
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[ He could. Would he? No. But he could, and he hopes that Jill will react appropriately to the matter, which is with mortification.
Obviously, this is a joke; he just wants to make her laugh some more. ]
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Shame and embarrassment would take you before I could express any disappointment.
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I would prefer the shame and embarrassment to your disappointment.
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All these years and you've never disappointed me, Clive. It's nothing I ever consider.
[He's too good, too noble.]
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No need to make it maudlin, though. He pulls back, stroking soft hair and tucking a stray piece of it behind her ear. A little misty-eyed, truth be told. ]
Thank you, Jill. [ Born as a disappointment, but affirmed by the one woman he loves more than anything. ] Truly. You've always been the one guiding me towards the right path.
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She'll never understand how Anabella could look upon him, her own son, and not cherish him.
I love you, she nearly says, but bites her tongue with a wry smile. She won't steal the moment from Clive.
Instead, she puts her hands on his shoulders and gives him a pointed push. Nothing that will move him unless he allows it, but a clear indicator she wants him on her back.]
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A moment later, when he recovers from that moment of overwhelming emotion, he shifts under Jill's knees and slowly tips himself backwards. Careful not to jostle or make Jill lose her balance in the process, one hand remains settled at her waist to brace her as he leans back, and slowly relinquishes his balance to flop onto clean bedsheets. ]
Jill?
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And then she drops down to pepper his face with kisses. They're soft and gentle despite how quick they are.]
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Jill, [ he whispers again, because the only coherent thought in his head is Jill's name. She's the only thing that exists right now, in this safe, comforting space, and he lifts his hands to sandwich her pretty face between his palms to stop her―
―just so he can give her a more proper kiss, mind. He parts her lips with his, and licks into the welcoming warmth of her mouth. I love you, too. ]
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She's the luckiest woman in Valisthea. No amount of wealth could compare to being loved by Clive.
Her tongue greets his, head tipping to the side as his had before, finding an easier angle to kiss him deeply, slowly. A contrast to the sprinkle of kisses on his face. She shifts her weight onto him, chest to chest, so her hands are both free to slide into his hair.]
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One hand slips off Jill's face and trails along her body, from her shoulder to her slightly-arched back, to the bare skin of her thigh. The shirt is barely covering her lower half now, and Clive makes a soft sound against Jill's lips when he feels his fingers brushing along what he knows is her rear, only covered by the soft, thin fabric of her panties.
His face goes hot again; in the five years since they're reunited, he has most definitely taken care of his personal needs to thoughts of Jill, but his clumsy fantasies pale in comparison to the actual feel of her. ]
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That little noise he makes only makes her kiss him deeper. It's almost as good as making him laugh. Her mouth parts from his because she needs to breathe--and even the sound of her breath is amused, nose brushing his cheek before her mouth drops down to his neck again.
Might as well leave another mark while she has him pinned.]
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