the wolves are watching

first off, you should know, that my light's on but i ain't home

“I think that’s a beautiful idea.” He purrs against her skin, letting the amused smirk grow along his lips from where they brush against her skin. The panther shift comes out and her hands smooth over the spotted, smooth fur, Sunjata practically purring with the touch. His head nuzzles in and she nuzzles back, her words arising some bit of amusement from Sunjata as he snorts, leaning into the kiss.

He withdraws, to peer at her through his half lidded gaze, lips brushing by her jawline as he moves to rest his horned head against the pillows. “I’d imagine it would be a warning.” He hums thoughtfully, tongue poking out to run along his lower lip as his hands continue their idle strokes. “A warning that specifically states that the Madame has a dragon.” Here he tips a wink, a Cheshire grin spreading across his lips as his fingers find the pearls again.

up high, but i stay low

SuNJATA

Maeve

"I thought you might agree." She purrs right back, pressing herself closer to his warmth as her fingers continue to work through the fur along his shoulders, not seeming to mind one bit. Especially not when that soft rumble starts in his chest, giving away just how pleased he is with the attention. He snorts and she giggles, drawing back so she can look down at him as she braces herself against his chest. Her weight hardly anything against him as he continues to cradle her close to himself.

Her brow arches at his words, head cocking to the side, "A warning, huh?" Then he offers his explanation and her smile grows to match his, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "That I do indeed and what a good dragon he is." Maeve coos, bending down to nip playfully at his bottom lip before she's capturing them in a sweet kiss. She kisses him languidly, taking her time with it and licking into his mouth, tasting him all over again as she sighs. Her hand comes up to cup his cheek, thumb brushing lightly against the stubble that grows there as she pulls back to gaze down at him, adoration swirling in the soft green of her irises. "Do you want a drink? I think I have some spiced rum stashed away somewhere."

Not that she really wants to get up or move from his warm embrace, but a drink does sound good right about now. Especially if they're planning on going again. Why not get a little looser. A little warmer. It would just make their time together better. It would only serve to relax them more. This was about indulging in each other after all.

I admit that I'm a little messed up
but I can hide it when I'm all dressed up

first off, you should know, that my light's on but i ain't home

She braces herself against his chest and he smirks lightly to her, leaning back as he peers up at her. His words are met with the raise of her sculpted brow and Sunjata’s explanation comes quick. He doesn’t have time to respond to her as she leans down, nips at his lower lip before pulling him into a kiss with her. It’s a slow, sweet, gentle one that the Attuned finds himself clutching her a bit tighter until she pulls away.

A dark brow raises at the mention of drinks, though, a rogue and charming smirk spreading along his features. “I would love that.” He hums to her, leaning in and pressing a soft kiss to her cheek before he’s pulling away from her completely, drawing his arms away from her so that she might stand and go search for the stashed away rum.

His limbs are still heavy, but he takes one and readjusts in the bed once she’s gone, sitting up a bit more and tucking the one arm behind his horned head, idly glancing around the room before he finds her again as she searches for it. The fur on his arms pulls away back into his skin and he’s simply left as is aside from the horns, all scars and tattoos on display as he simply seems to lounge.

up high, but i stay low

SuNJATA

Maeve

He holds her more tightly, drawing her close to himself as they share that kiss. A kiss that leaves her flushed and wanting already, but he accepts her proposal for a drink, pressing an even sweeter kiss to her cheek. Sunjata finally releases her so she can find that bottle of rum. Maeve climbs out of bed after untangling herself from him, making a bit of a show of stretching, knowing he can see her. That he's watching her. Maeve glances back at him from over her shoulder, tossing him a little wink before she's moving through her room with ease. She reaches the little kitchenette, spotting the rum up on a shelf and she has to stretch to grab it, rising up on her toes to pluck it from its resting place.

Maeve turns back to him, a triumphant smile on her face as she shakes the bottle at him, the contents sloshing softly inside. She doesn't bother with glasses, instead moving to the edge of the bed and climbing back in, crawling towards him on her knees before she's flopping back down beside him. The pillows embracing her as she curls against his side, yanking the cork from the bottle. Maeve takes a swig before passing it to him so he can do the same. The last time she had this rum it was with Aurelia. When the smuggler told her that she was a mistake. For a moment, her eyes grow distant as she snuggles back against his side. Her arm settles back over his waist, fingers tracing lightly over her skin

I admit that I'm a little messed up
but I can hide it when I'm all dressed up

first off, you should know, that my light's on but i ain't home

Oh, he watches her stretch, drinking in the way her tattoos stretch and pull, the way she seems to practically show off. He remains content to lounge though, offering a small quiet laugh as she glances over her shoulder and winks to him. She slips into the kitchenette, stretching up on tiptoes to reach the rum she’s got, and pulling it down with ease. A dark brow raises in a playful challenge as she grins back to him and shakes the bottle, another quiet hum of a laugh leaving him. “How perfect.” He hums playfully, not moving away from the perch he has as Maeve arrives back at the bed.

She crawls up and flops beside him and his arm moves to wrap around her to keep her close, to share his warmth now that she’s stepped away and her skin had gotten that slight chill to it. She takes the first swig and hands it to him, Sunjata taking a healthy one himself, before he hands it back to her should she wish for another one.

He notices that she draws silent again, though, and his arm squeezes around her with a gentleness. He lets the taste of the spiced rum settle along his tongue as he settles in with her. “You okay?” He asks softly, his voice still slightly hoarse, still thickly accented, his gaze focusing on her face.

up high, but i stay low

SuNJATA

Maeve

His arm slips back around her, drawing her into his side and warm embrace, chasing away the chill that seems to have suddenly settled in her belly. Maeve takes the bottle back from him, lips pursing as she takes a breath when he gently inquiries if she's okay. Her face turns up towards his, dejection swirls in the soft green of her irises and she debates telling him. They've been honest with each other thus far. Not hiding from each other when the pain flares up and gets to be too much.

She swallows thickly, fingers tightening around the neck of the bottle, "I just remembered the last time I drank this." Maeve starts, a humorless laugh bubbling up in her chest that's growing tighter by the second, "Someone I met brought it to me... We- we had talked about trying things out. Getting to know each other and all that." She draws in a breath, raising the bottle to her lips and taking a long swig, relishing in the slight burn.

"And I thought things were going well. They were until they weren't and they left. Not before calling me a mistake and saying they shouldn't have- have been with me." Maeve drops her gaze, tucking herself closer to his side as if it would make the pain go away. As if he could make it go away. That sting of rejection. The heartache. "It's stupid and I shouldn't let it get to me, but..." She buries her face against his shoulder, squeezing her eyes shut as the sting with tears she refuses to shed.

"Sorry... I didn't mean to kill the mood." They were having such a good time too. Why did she have to go and ruin it? Maeve presses a kiss against his throat to distract herself, letting him take the bottle back from her.

I admit that I'm a little messed up
but I can hide it when I'm all dressed up

first off, you should know, that my light's on but i ain't home

He can see the dejection in her gaze when she peers back up at him, snuggling in against him, and his brows draw a bit closer, pinching with confusion and curiosity. She isn’t okay, and he’s not sure why that is. But she delves into explaining as she takes the bottle from him and all he can really do is offer her gentle strokes of his hand against her skin, along her arm, her side, trying to soothe the sorrow away.

And to be honest? Sunjata can’t help but to purse his lips slightly – the reaction, something so similar to what Sunjata’s done in the past, what he’s refusing to do right now, gives him some sort of insight as she buries her face against his shoulder. His hand raises to her hair, gently stroking it as he figures out what to say, turning a bit more toward her to tangle his legs with hers. “It sounds like they might have been scared.” He admits quietly, shaking his head to her apology.

He does take the liquor though, raising the bottle to his lips as he figures out the best way to say the next bit. “Sometimes people are shitty with words and try to push people away.” He pauses to flash her an apologetic smile. “Like I do.” A tattooed shoulder rises and falls in a shrug, his arm tightening around her as she presses the kiss to his neck. “I’m trying very hard not to keep that up, though.” He shrugs again, taking another sip from the bottle before he’s bouncing her head up a bit with his shoulder so that he might be able to distract her from it.

up high, but i stay low

SuNJATA

Maeve

His words hold a truth. Aurelia had been scared. Scared of how Maeve would react to her confession of her past, but Maeve hadn't reacted poorly to her. She had been understanding, accepting, and willing to leave that in the past. Except that hadn't been what Aurelia wanted. It doesn't mean she deserved the hurtful things that the woman had said in return. She wasn't a mistake. Being with her wasn't a bad thing. She had to believe that.

Maeve's lips twitch into a slight smile as he provides her with a comfort she so desperately craves at the moment. That she needs. His touch is gentle, running over her skin even as his arm tightens a fraction more around her before he's reaching up to run his fingers through her hair. Maeve closes her eyes, savoring the feeling and even pressing up into it before he's carefully jostling her with his shoulder. She lifts her head, eyes opening as she meets his gaze, "You haven't pushed me away." And he hasn't. Hasn't even really tried. Not even the night she stayed and he had his nightmare. He's kept her close and that means something.

His words help to soothe that tightness in her chest, but a question lingers and despite herself she needs to hear him confirm that she's not a mistake. That he doesn't see her as one even though this has nothing to do with him. The craving for reassurance is almost overpowering. Maeve licks her lips, gaze dropping as she finally murmurs, "You don't think I'm a mistake, do you?" She looks up at him from beneath her lashes, pressing ever closer as she waits for his answer. Waits for him to soothe her worries and doubts like she knows he will. She knows he will because he takes care of her. Just like she takes care of him.

I admit that I'm a little messed up
but I can hide it when I'm all dressed up

first off, you should know, that my light's on but i ain't home

He offers her gentle, smoothing touches as her head rests on his shoulder, just for long enough for him to jostle her to get her attention. He meets her verdant gaze with a surprisingly bright steel of his own, a crooked smile crossing his face. “Mm, because I’ve been trying to be better.” He winks, moving to take the bottle from her so he can take another sip of it, holding it by the neck of the bottle as the cool glass rests against his stomach.

His gaze finds her again as she presses closer, their bodies connecting by skin everywhere they can touch, as he shakes his head to her question. “No, I don’t, Maeve.” He offers to her honestly, a small smile forming on his face. “You have been nothing but… Helpful and supportive through all of my bullshit.” The hand with the bottle lifts to wave it around, to gesture. She had helped him through these dark times, kept him sane enough with Hotaru’s departure, with Nate’s trip and his anxieties that his husband may never come back, with all of it. It’s something he can’t repay.

But his gaze slides back over to her, leaning down to press a rum soaked kiss to the crown of her hair, his other hand squeezing her tight and running his fingers along her skin again in gentle strokes. “It means a lot to me.” He finally settles on, bringing the bottle over to her to take from him before he continues to drown himself with it.

up high, but i stay low

SuNJATA

Maeve

His smile does wonders for her and she returns it with one of her own, tilting her face up towards his, "I know you've been trying. You're doing a pretty good job so far." Maeve hums softly, letting him pry the bottle from her grasp with very little resistance. Already she's feeling lighter. More herself. His steel grey gaze providing her a comfort she's come to expect from it now.

He soothes her with his words further, laying that worry to rest with such ease she almost questions why she even thought it in the first place. Maeve smiles softly, gazing up at him with adoration in her eyes as he waves the bottle about. She giggles, hugging him as much as she can in their current position, "You needed someone, Jata... I wasn't going to let you go through it alone." For whatever reason the Madame had latched onto the governor that first night. A night where they had both been so vulnerable. Aching in ways that weren't the same, but brought a similar pain. It bonded them. Whether they really meant it to or not. Everything else since then has only made the connection they share stronger.

She lets her eyes slipped closed as he presses the kiss against her hair, smelling the sweet spice on his breath and she melts with it. The last of that worry slipping away with each stroke of his fingers across her skin. Maeve believes every word he says, tucking them away in her memory. She takes a breath, words sitting on the tip of her tongue that she can't bring herself to say for fear that it'll change everything once more. You mean a lot to me. Instead she takes the bottle when he offers it, drawing a deep drink from it before she's leaning to set it on the nightstand so she has both hands free to cup his face, drawing him down for a kiss. "Thank you for putting up with my bullshit in return." Maeve murmurs before their lips meet. It's a soft kiss, tasting of alcohol and spice, a pleasant warmth already spreading through her body.

I admit that I'm a little messed up
but I can hide it when I'm all dressed up

first off, you should know, that my light's on but i ain't home

A pretty good job so far is honestly a bit relieving to hear given the conversations he’s had as of late. Between Deimos’ visit and the future visit from Ronin, well, it’s been a long couple of weeks since Nate’s been gone. That hole in his chest feels like a cavern, a gaping hole to the black abyss below into his darkness that he tries to not continue to let spread. Maeve’s become that cover for him, to place over it so he doesn’t have to look at it, so he doesn’t have to wear his exhaustion and sorrows on his sleeve. He still feels it, yes, but he doesn’t have to see it too. And it’s worked surprisingly well so far.

She gazes at him, though, and he watches her back with a small crooked smile. “Thank you.” He says a bit quieter, leaning in to press the kiss to her hair, allowing him this moment to be soft and malleable, to be something other than sharp edges and jagged glass, latching on and slicing through any of those that came near.

He watches her as she places the bottle back on the nightstand, before she’s cupped his face in both her hands, pulling him down into a kiss that he dives into with ease, both of his own hands free to wrap around her and keep her close, pressed against him. He doesn’t get a chance to answer her, so he chooses to answer in the kiss instead – a soft gentle coaxing of the idea of ‘you’re welcome’ and ‘anytime’ seeming to come through his body language.

He breaks from the kiss when he needs a breath, trailing them to her neck as his arms give her a soft squeeze, letting the alcohol in his system burn through him. His skin flushes with it, warmth like a furnace slipping from him, as he nestles into her.

up high, but i stay low

SuNJATA

Maeve

She gets the message as his lips mold themselves to hers, gentle pulls that work them towards breathlessness and she takes it greedily, savoring the feelings. Right now, in this short time, he is hers and she is his. However temporary it might be, they have this moment and the thought buoys her. Whatever is to come will still come. It'll be waiting for them outside of this door, but for now they have this and they have each other. The Flood draws her closer, pressing himself into her as if they might become one. As if she could actually fill that hole in is chest; curl up and live inside of it to keep him together. To keep him whole.

Eventually he has to leave her lips to breathe, instead blazing a new path over her throat, painting her skin with his kisses. His lips alight on the strand of pearls and her lips pull into a smile as he dotes on her. Maeve runs her fingers into his hair, nails scratching lightly at his scalp as her head tilts back to allow space for him to continue this trail he's set himself on. Skin meets skin, warming her up until she's burning just as much as he is. No chill remains. Instead a growing need takes root in her belly, urging her to hold to him more tightly and she doesn't fight the urge as her hands greedily roam across his skin.

"Say you'll stay with me until I fall asleep... Please... I just want you for a while longer." Maeve murmurs, a soft hum pushing past her lips as his lips find one of the many marks he's left on the pale column of her throat. She doesn't think he'll deny her the simple request as eager as he is to forget and play pretend for a little while longer. Maeve turns her head so she can place her own kisses to whatever skin she can reach as her free hand trails along his spine and their bodies become harder to untangle from each other.

I admit that I'm a little messed up
but I can hide it when I'm all dressed up

first off, you should know, that my light's on but i ain't home

Her fingers run through his hair as they break the kiss, his head finding its space in the crook of her neck, over pearls and along her shoulder, warm breath spreading across the expanse of marred skin there, pressing gentle kisses along the marks left behind from earlier. Her request is heard and he hums a quiet thought of consideration, his hands spreading along her spine to rub along the column there, from her shoulders all the way down to the small of her back.

“I’ll stay until you fall asleep.” He whispers against her skin, cementing it with another kiss, before he’s pulling his head away, tangling his legs with hers a bit more as he settles against the pillows. “I can’t stay all night, though. But I’ll stay until you fall asleep.” It’s a quiet vow, an easy one to make for him provided she doesn’t stay up all night.

He keeps one hand at the small of her back, the other running up along her side and over her shoulder, to cup her cheek, thumb brushing under her jaw. He scans her face, as if silently asking if they’re in agreement on that, before he dives in and presses another kiss to her lips.

up high, but i stay low

SuNJATA

Maeve

Even though she'll fight the exhaustion once it comes, Maeve knows she'll eventually sleep. She won't keep him all night. She knows that she can't. So with his promise made against her skin, she nods, eyes fluttering shut as he continues to lavish attention on her neck. When he finally pulls back, settling into the pillows with her on his chest, Maeve nods again, "I know... Just until I fall asleep." She confirms as he cups her cheek, calloused thumb brushing tenderly along the underside of her jaw. Then he's diving in for another kiss, licking into her mouth in a way that makes her moan into his, fingers tightening in his curls.

Maeve's free hand runs along his chest to his shoulder, finding his neck and then his cheek as she angles her head to deepen the kiss, savoring the taste of him. Occasionally her teeth find home in his bottom lip, nipping gently or giving a playful tug as they share breaths, neither of them ready to pull away from the other. Neither of them wanting to. It's so easy to picture herself here, wrapped up in his arms, sharing a bed, kisses, and whispered words. Perhaps in another life they could have been something together. Maybe they still could. For now she settles for this. This stolen moment in time that they have together.

Finally she has to draw back to suck in a proper breath, chest already starting to heave as it presses against his own, "How do you feel?" Maeve murmurs softly, unwilling to let her lips part from his skin for long, dipping to press a kiss to the corner of his mouth, his cheek, nose, forehead, anywhere she can reach. Tender presses of her lips against his skin, hair falling in a small curtain around their faces.

I admit that I'm a little messed up
but I can hide it when I'm all dressed up