undone affection

Maeve

No one else in the whole of Caido can read her like Harper. No one aside from Remi, but even that is only aided by the fact that he can feel her emotions with a single touch. Harper has simply had time with her. Years and years to learn what every expression means. All it takes is a single glance from him to know where her mind is.

Their foreheads touch and she sighs, eyes drifting closed for the span of a breath as she basks in this moment with him, Jude holding on to one of her fingers and cooing happily. "It's absolutely beautiful. Thank you for showing me.." A part of her wishes that they could keep it just for themselves forever, but others would eventually find it. They always do. He draws back enough that she can look around again, watching the light dance across the water and her skin, and reflecting in his eyes along with the love there.

"Let's stay in the shallows. Hold him for a moment so I can change?" The Nightshade carefully removes Jude from his harness and passes him to Harper so she can take it off along with her shirt, leaving her in her bathing suit top as she places them both on the rocks. Her shorts go next and then she's reaching for Jude once more. "This weather has been unusual. I'm hoping it snaps soon, though. Otherwise we're going to have issues."

the only heaven I'll be sent to
is when I'm along with you

Harper

As if it would ever be in question that he would show her the marvels of the world, but that’s just how Harper loves. Beautiful things he finds on patrol come home to be lined up in her windowsill, imported goods are traded for and left on her bedside to be discovered, and places like these that are within traveling distance are shared with her when time allows. “Of course,” he murmurs for lack of a better way to put all of that into words, and when she asks him to hold Jude he happily does so, pressing idle kisses to his son’s round cheeks as she takes off her outer layers.

Handing Jude back when she reaches for him, he hums softly in agreement and slowly lowers himself into the shallows until he’s sitting in the soft silt and sand below, water only to his waist. “At least it’s warm enough in here.” The rest they can tackle day by day. Together, as they always do. Jude squeals with delight as he’s lowered into the water between them, balanced on Maeve’s thigh so he doesn’t go too deep, and Harper watches them together with a profound love pouring out from his warm, happy expression.

When you're lost I'll show you the way back home
I'll stay until the morning comes, and show you how to live again

Maeve

The rest of their day is spent sharing these quiet moments. Stolen away in little nooks and alleys, hidden from prying eyes, neither of them queen or councilman for the day. Simply Harper and Maeve. It's the start of something new. Tender and evergreen. A love that would blossom into the sweetest of blooms. Neither of them aware of what awaited for them in the months to come. The unrest that would stir up their family. Old loves coming to call and scars tearing open once more.

It didn't matter. Not now. Not when they had this moment. This utterly perfect moment hidden in a cavern of crystal stars, Jude's laughter bouncing off of the walls as the crystals refracted across their water and over their skin, weaving between them and bounding them together as it wrapped them in its light.

No, nothing else really mattered at all.

~FIN <3~

the only heaven I'll be sent to
is when I'm along with you