#it’ll grow out fast but still…I wanna feel good about it when it’s newly cut too

[vydumaj]

I hate searching for “short hair” images and getting bobs and page cuts…even some shoulder length…tempted to just show a hairdresser a picture of pose era kino and say I want it like that

[boogiewrites]

A Girl Walks Into A Bar 15

Characters: Declan Harp x Bella Fiore (OFC)

Summary: Modern Declan harp AU. Declan and Bella finally find personal and professional satisfaction together.

Warnings/Tags: Mild Language.Drinking. Date Night. Flirting. Music. Sexual Content.  

Click on my screen name then go to Mobile Masterlist in my bio for my other works and chapters. Please leave a like, reblog or comment if you enjoyed this! It makes me want to write more of what you want if you let me know!

The week between their date and the first night of the music shows at the bar goes by quicker than either expected. Bella worked, then went to the bar after to help set up her end of this whole endeavor. The construction didn’t help matters when it came to testing a sound system, but they had the day to work out any kinks, and she suspected there would be a fair share. The rest of her time was dedicated to getting the word out about the show. She’d texted, called and messaged everyone she knew that might be interested. She put out ads online and in hard paper publishing’s, on the radio and hung flyers. She put in the footwork and the thumb work, putting blood and sweat into the success of the idea. Bella helped with building, cleaning, ordering and planning. Anything she could. They spent a lot of time together that week, but it was in a strictly professional capacity. Too tired, stressed and distracted at the end of the night to even think about moving their physical relationship closer. They were both thankful for the mutual understanding between one another. They’d both been exhausted by the time the crews left, sharing a kiss only after they were alone, which she appreciated greatly. They both had too much on their minds to think about much else except the bar and the show.

So the night of finally comes for the tired but excited entrepreneurs. A lovely sunny Saturday was quickly turning into a hot night in the newly renovated bar. Declan might’ve let Bella talk him into a bit much. Between his excitability about the idea and wanting to impress her, he’d made more changes in the past week to the bar than it’d seem in over a decade. He hoped this would be a success before, for both of their sakes but now covering the costs was another reason to worry. He did have to admit standing in thecleam and more modernized wooden dive , it looked good.

A new point of sales, the register now one touch and fast, the touch screen and metal out of place among the rest of the aged wooden bar. New temperature controlled taps finished bringing them into this century, everything cleaned and dusted and polished and up to code. She even talked him into buying snack food to sell. Small menus they’d curated and she designed were sat out on tables, a few new booths, black faux leather and new metal bar stools mixed with the old wooden ones gave it a touch of modernity but it still kept the vintage and dive feel. He’d appreciated her attention to detail during the process, not wanting to change what it was, just make things easier on him in the long run with technology and durability.

Bella trots about in heels and a tight dress, the same dress as she’d worn on her date. But this time in black, her comfort color. A sheer and flowing kimono covered with roses over a black background masked her curves and kept her flirty but professional. There was wiggle room when working in the music industry with what was considered professional and not, and Bella liked riding that line. She had a pen in her hair and a clipboard in her arms as she directed bands and their crews, turning what used to be the kitchen into a temporary green room.

Besides the physical bar, Declan hadn't had to worry about much else. He’d loved watching Bella work. Seeing her with her no nonsense expression, scolding men who weren’t performing up to her standards was really doing it for him, he admitted. He mused and polished the bar top, a nervous habit, and watched her with fondness in his hazel eyes. He felt his nerves for the night pass, replaced with a school boy like fascination as she moved around his space as if it was hers.

The stage was set, the boys tended to in the green room, some friends of hers from way back in her days of performing, and Declan’s part of the work was caught up.

“Bella! Can you come here when you get a second?” He calls out from the back room with the same casual tone he’d yelled it at her so many times over the past few days.

“Yeah just a sec!” She answers absentmindedly, checking off tasks on her thorough list. She sashays into the back to find him waiting, a smile on his face without anything in hand for her to address.

“C’mere.” He calls softly, taking her hand and pulling her behind the door to the stairs to his apartment. It was a brief moment of sanctuary he’d been craving. The hustle of the bar quieted by the door, a moment without prying eyes to decompress. “I didn’t think I’d get another chance to talk to you alone.” He took the clipboard from her hands and placed it on a stair gingerly.

“Is something wrong?” She asks with curious eyes.

“I hadn’t gotten a chance to thank you.” He answers in a warm, deep tone, leaning in to wrap his arms around her. She understood his intention with the way his mouth turned up in the corner. A soft smile she’d only seen on him with thru we’re alone. She let her guard down, having to slip out of boss mode to return the affection.

“Don’t thank me yet.” She shook her head as he leaned in for a soft kiss. “Still have to see who shows up.” She murmurs against his lips.

He could tell she was nervous, and granted, so was he. But he had total faith in her abilities after watching her all week. “Even if just a handful do I still need to thank you. For everything this week. You didn’t have to step up like you did.” A calm and reassuring tone matches his expression as she finds herself much more pliable and soft than had been since the last time she was in his arms.

“Of course I did.” She insists with a nod of her chin his way. “Not gonna let you look bad now am I?” She grins and kisses his cheek.

“I look bad standing next to you... lookin like this.” A brief but strong enough squeeze of her hips was enough to get his point across.

“Never.” The shake of her head sold her dramatic enthusiasm. ”You do look good though.” She smirks and looks him over, fingers trailing over the strong arms he was showing off with his deep side cut old Sabbath shirt and jeans that fit him suspiciously well.

“So do you.” A brief muzzle of nose to nose. “Very… sexy Stevie Nicks.” He praised.

“Just so happens to be exactly what I was going for.” She smiled proudly.

“I know there’s a lot going on tonight, but I had one more thing to ask you.” His eyes turn a bit soft and he fussed with a wild curl of her hair.

“Shoot.” She invites.

“Even if it’s super late… and we’re both too fucking tired to do anything… I’d like you to stay with me tonight.” He suggests with a sweet whisper, his posture almost sheepish.

“Like, sleep here you mean?” She clarifies.

“Yeah.” He pauses with a brief moment of questioned judgement. “Is that-?”

“No! That’s… fine that’s… that’s good. I’d like that.” She reassured him so casually he exhaled loudly in relief. “It’ll give me something else to look forward to tonight.” She beamed a killer smile, a genuinely affectionate one that makes him hum happily.

“Before I let you go… do you wanna make out?” He asked childishly, making her chuckle and wrap her arms around his neck. “I haven’t got to really kiss you all week.” He adds with more sentimental inflection.

“And I wanna thank you for not doing this or anything else in front of anyone else.” Her voice is deeper, her face relaxed. “Not that I’m like, ashamed or something I just prefer keeping work and play separate you know.”

“I assumed.”

“And I’ve went and mixed the two as much as possible haven’t I?” She grins and grazes his nose to hers.

“Fraid So.” He hums back with content, a small kiss to start and it grows hungry as it always does for them. A small moment to melt into each other, hands in hair and over needy bodies to hold off the hunger for another evening.

“Missed that.” She whispers when they part, his forehead to hers.

“So did I.” He gives her a less romantic, more playful smooch to make her smile.

“Hopefully we won’t be too exhausted to continue that after we close up tonight.” Her words were suggestive but her tone wasn’t convinced.

“One can hope.” He nods with high brows.

“Either way. We’ve got all day tomorrow together.” She happily adds with a kiss to his cheek.

“Mmm. That we do.” A few quick kisses to her cheek, jaw and neck make her give up that giggle for him. He gave her a squeeze before they parted, one last time before they were professional again. “Let’s go get em baby.” He mutters with a cheerful face before they break the seal on another little love bubble they’d created.

———

Declan, Mike and Bella Knick back celebratory shots for making it this far and to ease the pre show jitters. They all stand and look at each other, anxious glances and blinking eyes before facing the truth.

“Let’s fuckin do this.” Declan booms loudly and slaps his hands on the bar top sudden to cut the tension.

Bella smiles at his enthusiasm. “Don’t scar em off before they even get in the door ya lion. Roarin and carryin on.” She teases as she walks to the half stained glass and barred door. “Here we go.” She whispers to herself to pass from her true self to hostess before opening the door.

The bar wasn’t small by any measure, but the amount of people that showed up made it seem like it might’ve been. The speakers covering the music before the bands started cutting any awkward silence, the drinks and conversation going all mingle to create a good atmosphere. Bella stepped in to help take out orders when she could, focusing on Directing people and handling hospitality while Mike and Declan were swamped at the bar.

Among the bumping of shoulders, the dull roar of music and voices, she realizes She’d missed this. The rumble and buzz of a crowded club felt Nostalgic and comforting. The vibration of the music through her body while she moved about made her feel younger, more alive. She felt a moment of pride for her work and gratitude for having found the gem of a bar. She even felt Fond for the bad day that sent her there, and the drunken night that lead to all this.

It doesn’t take long for the tension to build between Declan and Bella. It was effortless on their part. As She was hovering and helping them, he kept getting sight of her and meeting eyes. They’d pass chest to chest, back to back behind the bar and she’d give him a wink no one could see while her tits dragged across his torso. He’d shoot her a look, and she knew exactly what it meant. An almost threat she felt like antagonizing. Both moving about the space they would pass each other, he’d give her a deep “hey baby.” In her ear when he could.

The crowd gets rowdy, as crowds do, and she ends up getting pushed around a bit and into him a few times. He was keeping work in mind but also, maybe staying near her unconsciously. He’s thankful when she gets shoved right into him so he can comfort her. “Hey, careful baby girl.” He warns with warm and sure hands to her body that make it react. Another low purr in her ear adds weight in her chest as she tried to focus on work and not the huge, sexy bartender that was trying to get in her panties. Not that he had to try very hard. His swoon inducing genuine smiles and his flexing bare arms were cause enough to distract her. She kept it together as she always did, but it certainly did add a bit of spice to the evening she was more than excited about.

“Boys are taking a break after this song Bella!” An old friend who was helping with sound and stage yells at her and she felt the butterflies arrive. They break her steamy day dreams to give her another sort of tingle and rush. She hadn’t performed for a crowd in years. She’d always loved it, but there was more money in being the person running the machines for people who were on stage. It hadn’t stopped her from fantasizing about doing it from time to time. It was a high she had yet to find a way to replicate.

The boys announce their break and give her an introduction. An old friend and very talented woman who was nice enough to do a set and let them take a breather she was generously called. The crowd is fairly disinterested, as was standard, but there were certainly a lot of them.

“I’ll be filling in the down time for you guys, with my friends tonight. We’re gonna start slow, let you get your drinks and snacks, go take a piss, all that.” her on stage presence demanding and confident she fell right back into it with a calm Demeanor. “Be sure to try to the Ale special. It’s my favorite and The Trading Post is one of the few places you can get it in the city. So go hit up that hot bartender and he’ll give ya what ya want.” She laughs with a charm that all women react to. A few ‘woos’ and Declan grins broadly, waving his distractingly thick arms.

“Nice and easy, take a break yourselves, gonna start with some Kacey Musgraves.” She says with a bow, starting with an acoustic guitar first. Slow Burn fades into Golden Hour and Declan is bewitched. He wished he could just sit and watch her, her voice was sweet but raspy, it melted him like butter with the sentimental words she sang. Every time she’d sing she’d surprise him somehow, and every time he was smitten.

“We’re going with the legend, the legs, Miss Tina Turner now. Kick it up a notch, wake the blood back up. Proud Mary.” She speaks the intro, “...gonna start this song out easy. Then we’re gonna end it rough.” And she delivers. A song most everyone knew, enjoying the soulfulness of her voice and then being taken into a double time, loud performance with her moving and dancing and singing, swinging her head and getting everyone’s attention again.

“And to wake you the fuck up the rest of the way!” She calls out, hair a mess and a sheen of sweat on her she roars right into Ace of Spades and the crowd eats it up. Her growling out and her rasp giving her the means to deliver the fast and hard song. She plays her guitar like a dream and Declan stops and stares. He’s never seen her do THAT.

“Holy shit.” He mouths with a slack jaw.

“Ya girls fuckin got it dunnit she lad?” Mike laughs with a slap to his back.

“Yes she fuckin does. God damn.” He answers in awe. “I’m gonna take a break, gotta ask her where the fuck this came from.” He mutters with open arms as her head hangs with her hair wild and waving, fingers picking and playing in a flash.

It ends with a hard note and the crowd now fully invested again gives her applause she happily takes. She hears a familiar loud voice by the front by the stairs.

“FUCK YEAH BELLAAAAA!” Declan’s large lungs scream out and she whips her hair to one side and gives him a disarming smile. She didn’t mind the support at all. She steps off stage after the other band returns and Declan is there to squeeze her so hard her feet leave the ground. “I’m buying you a drink! That was amazing! I didn’t know you could do that!”

“I haven’t in a very long time.” She responds with a beaming smile her self fulfillment clear in her eyes.

“Let’s get you sat down.” He offers over the noise of the crowd and uses his big frame to carve a way to a small booth you couldn’t see the stage from. To her surprise he sits first and pulls her in on his lap and she happily accepts. With the crowd now absorbed back into the showroom and their conversations of praise to her from strangers cease and they’re left with one another again. He motions to Mike to bring over drinks. “You were so fuckin good baby. Seriously. I mean it. Fuckin amazing.”

“Shots and an ale.” Mike says proudly. “Ya fuckin killed it out there, lass. Good on ya.” He gives her a happy nod she thanks him for.

Declan gives her a toast to the glass shot glasses that clink as they nod and throw them back. With an exaggerated exhale he wraps his arms around her, one on her hip to keep her in place, pulling her close so she puts an arm around him, face still content from the performance. The other hand rests on her bare thigh, his lap big enough for her to crawl into and bend her legs over his own. “You were so fuckin good up there baby.” he speaks in a deeper, slow tone that makes a more suggestive smile flare across her lips.

“Thank you.” she gives him a brief up and down glance. “You’d get a good uptick in sales from my little shout out?” she gives him a cheeky grin, her hand moving to push back a strand of hair that’d fallen from where he’d tied it back.

“Yes you sneaky little thing.” he gives her a happy low rumbling laugh, a tiny little pat to her ass that makes her nose wrinkle, giving in to her laugh. “What about not mixing business and personal? Huh?” he teases with his nose coming close to grazing hers.

“Eh. Me playing isn’t business.” she dismisses with a shrug. “That’s just fun. Plus it got everyone's attention didn’t it?”

“I think that was you that had all that. They were loving it.” he adds supportively, both speaking soft and low and only to each other. “I know I did. You sing like a...horny angel.” he chuckles.

The explanation makes her shoulders shake in a laugh and gently touch the side of his face. “I like that description.” she nods. “Except for that angel part…” she shrugs. “Pretty spot on actually.” she gives him a sly smile that turns into a flirtatious one that covers her whole face.

“I disagree but I am VERY intrigued.” he wiggles his eyebrows and he hears that little giggle from her that makes his chest flutter.

“I don’t think you’ll be calling me an angel after tonight.” she speaks quietly and peeks her tongue out from between her lips.

“Mmm that so?” his voice swings low, she can feel a distinct rumble in his body under hers.

“Mmm Hmm.” she nods, her hand now tracing the outlines of his sleeves as she looks him over with a hunger in her eyes. “Keep these shots in me and it’ll be especially true.” she tilts her head in support of her statement and smirks. “Or hell…” she shrugs, “Who am I kidding? With you? Stone cold sober I’d be inclined to behave sinfully.” her voice is just loud enough for him to hear when he leans close, getting a wiff of her sweet perfume and the tickle of her hair against his skin.

“I”m hearing nothing I don’t fully support.” he coos at her, eyes gazing over her face and lingering at her lips set in a seductive pose.

She lets out a sigh that surprises him, her hand moving to his chest, running back up to his shoulder and neck and back again as she bites her lip. “Maybe it’s the performance high. Or that shot on an empty stomach but…” her eyes return to meet his that are deep and dark and only make the fire in the pit of her stomach burn more intensely. “I weirdly don’t feel at all shy to admit that watching you tonight has done nothing but distract and make me realize just how fucking sexy you are.” her lip snarls ever so slightly with her delivery, her fingertips light on his bare skin as he feels a tensing between his legs. “Or how every night since our date I’ve thought about how it felt with you on me on that couch.” Her voice is so soft and demanding of him.

“Everytime I look at you I think about that couch.” He admits with a quirked brow. “Everytime you get close I have to touch you.” They share lingering glances between them, his mouth slack and taking in her soft expression for him, her biting her lip and wanting to sink her teeth into him. The sexual chemistry between them was undeniable and they didn’t have to wait long. “God I wanna kiss you so bad right now.” He whispers and she reaches up to touch his cheek.

“Then do it.” She leans in and whispers.

“But there’s people, I didn’t know if-“

“I don’t care.” She shakes her head and gives him an approving smile. “I want you too.” A breathy confession from her as her thumb rubs over his cheek bone. “Fuck what they think.” She nods her head back towards the crowd. “They don’t matter.” Her lips ghost over his as she gives him permission and an alternative sweetness he was growing to really love.

It doesn’t take him a second longer before leaning in to take her mouth against his. His arms instinctually move around her tighter, a hand on her under her shawl feeling the soft jersey stretch of the fabric of her dress. The other on her bare thigh, the heat between them searing.

She doesn’t pull away, only deepens it as his eyes roll behind their lids for the public display of affection from her. Deep rounds with teasing tongues and tense hands that roam ever so slightly they give in and forget anyone else is around them. It does eventually end but not without their foreheads together, two aroused expressions shared that told them that no matter what they would be taking this further tonight.

—————-

Counting the money in the till, still sober enough to do so after celebratory shots on the raving success the night had been. Bella, who’s seen him shut down the bar so many times does it for him. Locking up, Turning off signs, sweeping and wiping down as he counts and figures out the new POS system he’d installed. He uses his personal laptop for now to do his spreadsheets, saying they’ll get a company one soon. It looks as if they would be able to afford it with how things went. Between easily remembered amounts, he watches her. In just her dress now, shawl forgotten, laid over her purse in the back on a counter he sees her body stretch and jiggle and finds himself quickly forgetting about the money in his hands and the numbers on the screen.

Bella only had a quick conclusion on her mind. Getting everything done as fast as she could to get back to being close with Declan. An excitement in her muscles, a tension in them that was exhilarating. Finishing, she moves to the bar top, lifting herself up and plopping down on it as he finished his part of the rituals.

“Does Mike usually stay to help you with all this?” she asks, feet swinging off the edge of the bar.

“Yeah. But I told him to get lost.” he grins, laying another stack onto the counter.

“Good.” she gives the same smile back, even though they don’t look at each other. “Looks like you did pretty well tonight.” she remarks, a supportive nod of her head his way.

“WE did VERY well actually.” he lets out a soft chuckle. He puts everything with the receipts and notes into the money bag, concluding the count.

“It’s not easy moving around behind this bar.” she keeps her eyes to the ground, letting him concentrate, not knowing if he was finished or not. “Especially with more than one person. Since you’re so ...big and all.” a grin with her clear intentions spreads across her face.

He stands with his head tilted slightly, looking her up and down, an expression that was dark, giving way to a subtle smile as he moved forward. His hand drug across the bar surface, not lifting when he meets the skin of her thigh. A rather cocky smirk on his face as he moves chest to chest, both hands now on her legs, a slow rub up to her hips and back, easily slipping into a more sensual mindset.

“Am I?” he gives a sarcastic remark that makes her beam up at him, a closed mouth smile and eyes that now had the same intention as his.

“Mmm Hmm.” she nods slowly, hands moving up his arms, feeling the flex of them under her fingers. “Must be really… hard. Doing this by yourself.” her voice has dropped a few octaves, same as his. Hands now to her backside, hers in his hair as he yanked her closer, now held on the edge of the counter.

“So fuckin’ hard.” he leans in and almost groans as he watches her chest rise, any innocent intention in her eyes now gone.

“Are you?” the same cheeky response as he had earlier.

He only nods, hand moving to her face before closing the space between them, his body wasn’t going to let him waste any more time.

The kisses grow at a feverish pace, deep and indulgent. Desperate to be as close as possible, her hips even out with his, feeling the friction they craved. Her legs swinging back before wrapping around his waist, her heels hits the control panel for the speakers and music begins to play. He makes no acknowledgement, kisses traveling to her jaw and neck as she lets out a small chuckle.

“Oops.” she shrugs and he grunts in response, pulling her closer.

He shushes her, taking her mind back to where he wants it with a biting kiss, and she eagerly responds with her own noises.

“We’ve even got mood music now babe, you gonna make me wait much longer?” she whispers in his ear before taking his lobe into her mouth.

“Ungf. No.” he responded in an almost animalistic way, hands sliding under her quickly, adjusting his grip.

“You gonna fuck me on this counter or are we gonna make it upstairs?” her voice a breathy exhale against his neck as she placed little sucking kisses, feeling him tense beneath her.

“Upstairs.” he grunts again, picking her up, her letting out a tiny noise of surprise at being lifted and carried.

“Mmm. What a gentleman.” she grins between kisses, a hefty bounce as he carries her, his boot opening the door as he stomps up the stairs. She was extremely impressed with him physically already and he wasn’t even naked. The sounds of Trampled Under Foot certainly didn’t hurt the rush of feelings they were both experiencing. Her suggestive words turn quickly to eager sounds between rounds of kisses as he kicks open his door, something that made her body tense with pleasure at the witnessing of it. With another boot to the metal door, slamming it shut, anything besides the raw sexual need they both felt for each other was forgotten behind it.

They had built the emotional chemistry, then came the sexual, and that they had in spades, and now they had the time. His apartment was all exposed brick walls, the only light outside the bedroom coming from the street lamp through a window in the kitchen. Once they passed the barrier to his bedroom, she found only a single neon sign on that cast the room in a mood setting red glow. The decor was minimum, his sheets black and soft, bed unmade and clothes strewn over an old worn chair in the corner by a closet with no door. It screamed bachelor pad but she rather liked the casual, rustic, industrial aesthetic.

She takes in the red glow, the faint buzz of a vintage restored sign above his bed as he wastes no time and lays her back, feet just dangling over the sides. He moves fast and yanks his shirt over his head, eyes hungry as they watched her sit up on her knees and peel off her dress. A low rumble from his rapidly rising and falling chest as he gets his first good look at her. Almost bare except for the black bra and panties, the low light still held plenty to see as her curves were backlit in a silhouette that made him reach down and readjust himself in his tight jeans.

She reaches out and gets her hands flat on his torso to run down his belt, practically drooling at the sight and feel of him. Before she can go further he takes her by surprise and knocks her onto her back, feet kicking up in the air as he returns to the greedy kisses they’d paused before. He had to feel her before she touched him, he hoped he would last and not disappoint after the painful build up to their first time together. He gets to feel her warm olive skin give under his harsh grip she only responds in favor to. But soon she gets impatient for him.

“Mmph Declan.” A panted out and needful voice makes his eyes roll behind their shut lids.

An “Mmph?” Of his own in response, giving her room to speak as his lips move to her chest.

Her hands return to his belt and begin the metallic noises that signal something good to come. “I just want you tonight. There’ll be time for slow later...” she whines and shifts her hips under him, “no waiting just… fuck me.” Every part of his body responds to her breathy and surprisingly polite request of him.

“You sure?” A deep groan that makes her muscles deeply twitch inside her. Fingers on her bra clasp as she nods quickly and gets her hands into his undone jeans. “Whatever you want Bella.” He coos as he raises and she finishes the job, quickly but not bashfully tossing her bra across the room, watching him toe off his boots and lose the jeans.

With a bitten lip and hungry eyes she shimmy’s out of her panties, also wildly abandoned to the depths of his room. He palms himself over his tight boxer briefs and hums at the sight laid out beneath him. Every part of her was soft and silky and thick. Two muscular and hefty thighs framed a soft and chubby pair of pussy lips that her fingers disappeared into as she looked up at him.

“God baby you’re… fuck… look at you.” After the bra was tossed, and although it was a very sexy one, he was happy to admit, it’s disappearance revealed two natural and weighted breasts, even and bouncing, silver bars catching the light he thought the rest of her couldn’t also be as perfect. He was never more happy to be wrong. “You sure you don’t want any foreplay? Because FUCK I just want to bury my face between those thighs.” He rasps, hand now wrapped around himself through his boxers.

She gives him a seductive smile that makes his balls tighten, fingers in small circles, mostly hidden but he could see the light on the slick of her. “I’m sure.” She purrs, lifting the two previously hidden fingers and showing him the sticky remnants left. “I’m so fucking wet for you babe...” her long lashes bat up at him and he wants to eat her alive. He couldn’t have been happier she wasn’t being reserved or even remotely shy. She then put the fingers on display into her mouth, sucking them dry and he involuntarily releases a growl through a tight jaw. “Just fuck me already.” A playful nod of her head before sitting up and batting his hands away to finally have her eyes on him. And she was not let down.

“Fuck me…” She whispers, revealing a cock she would have written a song about. She takes both her hands to hold the heavy, uncut girth of him. Everything framed by dark thick hair. He was well over 6 inches, she could tell that much, possibly nearing 7, but what was even more impressive was how thick he was. She wanted to wrap her mouth around him and taste him, but she’d already proclaimed there’d be time later. She gets distracted, and who could blame her with a cock like his in her hands. Running over it before going to his balls which makes him emit a deep sigh.

Her silence and awe on her face clear he feels his ego rise. He’s never been insecure, for good reason, but seeing the lust burn clearly on her face filled him with a deep satisfaction. Taking himself into his hand and slowly pumping, a low and entirely confident voice purrs down at her. “Like what you see baby?” A smirk that made her want to smother him between her thighs rests on his face as she looks up at him.

“You know I fucking do.” She challenges him with snarled lips before reaching to yank his boxers off the rest of the way, scooting up the bed as he slips them off, seeing the animalistic prowl towards her before taking control of her mouth with his. His hands find her center quickly, and even though she’d proclaimed no foreplay, she didn’t fight him as his fingers explored how she was put together. Mapping out her clit and making her toes twitch before he sinks one, then two fingers into her. With a steady push behind them and an easy curve he gets to watch the first waves of pleasure pass over her face. She didn’t melt and sigh like he was used to seeing women do. Her eyes do roll back, but her lips snarl, teeth clenched as she moans for him with a tilted back head, legs splayed wide and welcoming. She was soaked, there was no denying the fact but he continues a few strokes before a third finger joins to test how she’d be able to take him. With a tiny whine, eyes returning to his with a more submissive cast to them he eats up her small moans as she adjusts. “Shit.” She swears out of nowhere fully grabbing his attention as he quickly removes his fingers and his eyes already full of apologies for her. “No, I’m fine. I forget the condoms in my bag downstairs.” She rubs her face with one hand, voice exasperated.

“Oh.” He lets out a snort of relief. “I’ve got us covered, don’t worry.” He shakes his head and she gets to see the great expanse of him reach into the bedside table and stretch above her. As it always went, he rolls it down over his length and she once again gets to marvel at him and how he can fill the tight cover.

It had been years since Bella had slept with anyone. She had plenty of toys and was no stranger to them, which helped in this particular situation, but her toys were not him. Even though not monstrous, and thank goodness for that, he would be the biggest guy she’d ever been with, and she knew there would be pain before pleasure. Luckily for both of them, she was a fan of both sensations.

“Ready baby?” He asks with a gentler turn to his low roar.

“Fuck yes.” She gives him a lusty glance that makes his heart react in a funny way, pressing forward with the winning attention his cock was demanding where it stood hard and proud and eager.

Settled between her legs, he raises to his knees to guide himself. An up and down over her thick pussy lips, glistening with wet for him she lays on her elbows to watch him, hand lowering to be helpful to spread her lips apart for him, his heavy head rubbing against her hard clit and revealing her soft pink center. As soon as he presses into her, he feels the resistance and knows he’s mentally going to have to prepare to go slow. He leans over her, still pressing as he can sense the discomfort she’s feeling. “If it hurts you-“

“Keep going.” She shushes him, fingers to his lips before pulling him flush against her, head notching in as her knees spread and fall back for him. With slow, deep kisses of intertwining tongue and moans it helps distract them for a moment, a slow push and in and out of himself.

With a few inches of progress she’s starting to relax, and is so appreciative of his patience. But she lacks that trait. “Fuck you’re so tight babe.” An almost defeated hoarse whisper escapes him as he hangs his head into her neck.

“And you’re so big.” She replies with a still happy sounding exhale. “Keeping goin, I want it all.” Her fingers dig into his back, no nails yet as she feels the pain and let it melt into pleasure as he sucks away at her breast. He fills her up so completely she feels as if he’s in her stomach when their hips finally meet again. A louder moan now, an exhale let out they didn’t know they were holding in. A slow drag out causes her to shudder beneath him. A moan that starts low and ends with a needy pitch makes his eyes roll back.

He’d imagined these sounds, and now he had them. more importantly he had her, skin to skin and nothing else between them, he had her all to himself and he felt a deep need to keep her that way. “You okay?” He asks against the bend of her neck, feeling her nod enthusiastically.

“Yes, fuck, more.” She whines, turning her head before crashing her mouth into his, hands in his hair as she gives over completely. With a masculine moan he pushes back in and causes her to interrupt the passionate kisses with an arch of her back and an open mouth. ”Oh my...fuck.” A guttural prayer from her lifted chin as her eyes fully roll back and he gets to soak up every bit of her animated reactions. He pauses again and she whines for more, her hand sliding between them to rub her clit. “Don’t stop anymore, just fuck me Declan, you feel so fucking good.” Her voice is hoarse and direct, her kisses much the same they follow, his hands now on her thigh to hold her steady, feeling them tense and shake with every pump. She was starving for his kisses, teeth tugging on his lips and growling in retort when he’d part from her. She was writhing under him, back arching and hips pushing back on him, there was nothing subtle about her like this. He felt bare with her in more than the physical way.

He met every buck of her hips and kiss of her mouth as she sought him out with growing desperation. She’d never felt so full before, physically or emotionally from sex. He was meeting her passion with his own matched, both arching and bowing against the other as the growing tension between them is fueled by their friction. With his hand gripped into the covers by her head, she raises her free hand to push the hair back from his face. She knew she wasn’t ending the night dissatisfied and found her mind wanting to focus on things besides her own pleasure for once. With guys before they were mostly there for themselves, but not Declan. He’d been there for her in every capacity thus far and she knew in bed he’d be no different. She uncovers his ruggedly handsome face. His pinked lips swollen from her assault on them, that heavy brow over shut eyes as he panted and kept the pace up with her needs and requests for more, faster, please harder. With every exhale they moaned and heaved together.

She feels a familiar build in her center. “Holy shit. I’m close already.” An almost laugh escapes her, a fully abandoned smile on her face as he opens his eyes to take in the view beneath him as he finds she’d been doing to him. She was caught off guard by him, hadn’t built up her expectations on purpose so she wouldn’t be disappointed but he was just...awesome. In the true sense of the word. Awe inspiring. With thickness she’d never had before, the pain she’d feel tomorrow was a world away, there was only right now for both of them, nothing else mattered.

Soon she couldn’t focus on anything but the growing tension between her thighs. He’s diving into his hips as she bucked up to meet him, elbow firmly planted into the mattress for traction as her fingers work quickly around her hard clit. “Yes. Just like that.” She praises through a bitten lip as she pulls her legs apart and back as far as she can, his hand moving from his hold on her thigh as he holds one of her knees back towards the bed and feels himself bottoming out inside her. He was determined to last through this, feeling her wave after wave tightening around him. “Fuck…” A groan that ends in a squeak, her mouth open and eyes not met with his. “Just like that.” She nods and her eyes stare fearlessly Into his. ”Yeah. Make me come baby. Make me fuckin’ come.” a challenging chin up at him and he feels a raw need to give her what she wants. A growl from his chest builds and she tightens at the sound alone. “That’s it Declan.” Another wicked smile and nod, her nose wrinkled in challenge to his low brow and tight jaw, hitting into her deep, causing her eyes to flutter back between rounds of her talking. “Make me come all over that big cock.” She moans, losing her composure.

“Fuck Bells.” An almost overwhelmed moan from him washes over her. He hadn’t expected her to have a mouth on her in bed but he’s wondering why he hadn’t now.

Her words give way to moans, then a more helpless voice that makes him want to end it all far too quickly begging him, “Fuck. Yes. Fuck me. Fuck me, baby.” She chants as it takes over her entire body bit by bit. Rapidly spreading from her center everything spreads like fire into her thighs and up her spine. Her stomach tenses and she draws up, shaking helplessly as it comes wave after delicious wave. Her thighs clamp around him and he’s aware of how strong she really is.

She looked him boldly in the eyes as long as she could, giving over and head tilted up and pushed into the bed as her back arched and her hips and thighs trembled. With big gulping breaths, a forced moan each exhale that followed the waves, watched her underneath him with a ravenous fascination. He was used to women going limp, to showy porn-like displays to acting meek after orgasms, but that was not his Bella.

She comes back with dark eyes and a roar. Feeling full of blood and energy pulls her mouth to his by the back of his neck before demanding, ”On your back. I wanna fucking ride you.”

He was left with no room but to obey, and he really couldn’t have been happier to switch roles for once. Women before her were submissive and delicate, but Bella was quickly making him forget any existed before her.

With a quick exchange, she leans in and kisses him with teeth and tongue, a noisy and messy exchange. She wastes no time, taking him in with a satisfying exhale and hum, a smile that told him she had only good things planned for him.

He lays in awe for a moment, feeling the weight of her grind and hit against him, an involuntary moan coming from him and sounding almost weak.

“Touch me Declan.” She commands softly, grinding down on him, putting one of his hands to her ass and the other on her chest. “I want those big hands all over me.” She shakes her head and snarls her lip, taking his fingers that rest on her chest into his mouth for a captivating moment. She grabs ahold of his headboard, hands gripped tight for traction as she really goes to work on him. That loud and satisfying skin to skin slap as she threw her wide hips and hefty ass against him. He felt himself giving over quickly. She was so tight around him, now totally soaked to her inner thighs and hot in every sense of the word. He got to watch her curvaceous body move fluidly over his, hands tracing the outline of bouncing tits to her waist to tease her hips before she demanded. “Fucking grab me.” And he sinks his calloused fingers into the soft meaty hips that had been teasing him for months. “That’s it.” She gives a wicked smile and a satisfied hum. “I wanted to make you cum but you might make me again, big boy.” She confesses, flipping her wild hair to one aide, revealing her face giving him a wink he wasn’t prepared for.

“God…” He exhales. “You keep this up and I’m gonna cum soon.” He admits with downturned brows, licking his lips.

“Good.” Is her bossy response. She moves her fingers back to her clit, that still intoxicating skin to skin slap as he grabs her ass and directs her pace as she rides him. “Fuck you feel so good. So fuckin...big.” She moans, feeling it build again as she gives direct attention to the still throbbing bud. “Fuck I’ve wanted to come on this cock for so long.” She shakes her head, eyes shut as she speaks in rolling moans and whines. She opens her eyes and leans closer, more attention grabbing eye contact he gazed up into as he felt himself getting so close. “I wanna feel you.” Words close to a whisper. “Want to feel you throbbing inside this tight little pussy.” She sneers and issues in an almost polite tone for the words being said. “Fuck me Declan.” An almost whine from her swollen lips. “I want it so fucking bad.” She groans and clenches her teeth.

He makes a decision, and luckily it’s the right one. He pulls her by the back of the neck to his lips and growls. “Fucking come for me.” Into her mouth, forehead to forehead as he plants his feet into the bed and pounds into her. Her hand trapped between them and the other pushing on the headboard she bounces on him as she pounds upward and he sends her over the edge again. “Fuuuuck.” He growls. “Fucking feel you baby girl.” He moans and sees her mouth hanging open, small gasps as she shakes above him.

“Shiiiit.” She moans as both hands clamp onto her hips and he gives her exactly what she asked for. “Yes. Yes.” She nods and takes him like she was made for him.

“You fucking want it baby girl?”

A helpless and desperate “uh huh.” From her in response.

“Fucking take it.” He growls before her hands smack to either side of his face as she kisses him hard. Through moans and roars she keeps her lips on him. She wanted to eat him whole, to sink her teeth into him and taste blood. Just wanted everything from him in the moment of hearing him curse and say her name, watching his face go from lion to lamb.

They come down together, both trembling and bodies heaving as they tried to remember how to function normally again. He moves his hands gently, up her back and her hair to hold her and kiss her properly. Deep and slow, the sounds of wet lips together becomes louder than the moans eventually. The kisses are soft and dare she admit it, sweet. The love hormones were reaping havoc on their brains as they stayed suspended, him inside her and nose to nose. She tries and loses her nerve to speak her mind, resting herself on top of him, head to his chest. He lovingly rests a hand on her head and another on her back, holding her there.

“I don’t know if I can’t move.” She lets out a soft laugh against him.

“Lemme…” He grunts, moving them both to their side, her legs still wrapped around him and now on her chest partially, her almost on her back.

“Much better.” She sighs out, feeling her hips shift back into place.

“It was.” He lets put a deep hum and she finally meets his eyes after the deed.

She nods and finds herself brave enough to give him a smile that says more than her words would let her. “Yeah. It was.” He leans in for more of her lips. He couldn’t help himself. She looked so soft after being so hard for so long. With hands in each other’s wild hair, the kisses take longer and longer pauses until they both feel sleep coming for them.

She apologizes and says she gotta get up to pee. Always pee after sex. Those are the rules. So they finally part, even though neither want to. He throws away the very full condom after watching her waddle to the bathroom with a grin.

“Don’t like it when you leave but love to watch you go.” A deep sleepy voice teases as she crawls back into bed, him on his back and holding up the covers.

“Cornball.” She snorts, But cuddles right up to him anyway. “We gonna sleep in?”

“We earned it.” He says leaning down to kiss her forehead as he speaks against it.

“I’d say we most certainly have.” She agrees and lets out a yawn, followed by a fully satisfied sigh.

“Night baby Belle.” He gives another kiss after wrapping his arms around her.

“Night Declan.” She mumbled against his chest. “You were great tonight.” She adds sleepily, lips smacking as she snuggles into him again.

“So you were you baby girl.” With it all said and done, they both felt tired down into their bones, but how could they not feel fully relaxed after the week they had, and add the night and the sex on top of it. It was the deepest and best sleep either had had in as long as they could remember. Bella felt safe and satisfied. Declan felt whole and accomplished. And both felt far more than they bargained for for the other.

Please leave a like, reblog or comment if you enjoyed this! It makes me want to write more of what you want if you let me know!

@vale0413 @littledeadgirlwalking@jaegeeeeer @phillipkopusimagines-and-stuff @mjolnir96 @xmother-mortemx @this-isnt-madness  @thors-hair-extensions @divadinag

[yukiwrites]

Where Your Loyalty Lies [6/??]

Summary:  Kamui’s kidnapping didn’t go as planned – She managed to get away and ended up at Silas’ doorstep. They were raised as siblings, but she has always felt different; her fangs and red eyes and urges to run amok, what did they all mean? Will going to the castle as the Crown Prince’s retainer help her find more clues? Will the war between Nohr and Hoshido be the answer to everything?  

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Chapter 6: Choosing her own path

Kamui had received the first aid necessary for her ribs as well as a good dose of healing magic. If she took good care of it, she would heal in time to get home for their official Knighting ceremony.

Her injury didn’t stop Gallhard from bear-hugging both of his pupils once they met again at the reception desk. “I KNEW YOU COULD DO IT, LAD AND LASS!” He twirled them around and only stopped when Kamui protested under laughs.

“Ahaha-ouch, M-master!” She giggled, feeling her insides turning into mush by his strong grip.

“Whops, yer ribs.” He put both down and aggressively patted their backs, “yer injured but not dead, eh? WE PARTAY TONIGHT!”

Silas smiled proudly, the corners of his mouth hurting. “And it’ll be on me!” He lifted the gold bag he’d gotten as a prize for winning.

“Bahaha!” Gallahard threw his head back in laughter. “My secret plan worked!” He joked before turning to the exit. “Le’s go, le’s go! I know a place with the tastiest mead ‘round here in the underground.”

Despite her injury, Kamui accompanied her master in chugging down one or two mugs while her brother let out worried noises every time she took a sip. “You can’t drink while hurt, Kamui! Your wounds will take longer to heal.”

“And how does it feel to be the one paying for that?” She giggled (if she let out anything louder than a chuckle, her insides would hurt) and poked at his ribs, where he was very ticklish. “It’s okay, Brother, I won’t overdo it. Tonight we celebrate! You should be happier for winning, Mr. Champion!” She teased, poking him even more.

“H-hey, cut it out! I’m being serious here—” He tried to scold, but ended up snorting because of the tickles and couldn’t hold a laugh in. The night was just starting and they had much to talk about now that they had their master’s approval.

Between mugs, Gallahard hiccupped how he had planned their knighting ceremony and how he had already sent pre-invitations to his chevalier acquaintances from his time at the army. All of them would bear witness of Gallahard’s approval of his squires and would serve as patrons to the newly knighted duo.

Seeing that the Lantanoir family was one of knights, the accolade ceremony at the royal castle wasn’t a requirement – and, in times of war, it was a cumbersome formality. Since a few years back, there were only two times a knight was to be brought before the king: If they performed an act of extreme bravery on the battlefield so they would be deemed a hero of war or; if His Majesty the King were to appoint a new retainer for himself or the royal siblings.

Immediately after the public ceremony to a collective of veteran knights, a written pledge would be sent to the castle anticipating the newly knighted’s arrival. Only then they would receive their orders, ranks, badges, uniforms and lodging depending on how many seasoned knights vouched for their skills.

And Sir Gallahard knew his fellow warriors well. He served under the King himself during his days, making his vouch a tremendous weight by itself.

They would return in seven days – their master needed to confirm the presence of the acquaintances that lived nearby before taking the five-day trip back home. He would also send a letter preceding their arrival so the Lantanoir household could start the preparations for the festivities.

“I can’t wait to see Father’s reaction to our knighthood.” Silas scratched the side of his mug after a few hours of drinking, already feeling sleepy and rather drunk.

“Wanna bet that he’ll cry?” Gallahard snorted. “He was a hardworking young lad when I ‘as training ‘im. He got really frustrated when his leg didn’t heal well.”

Kamui kept turning her mug around, finding it amusing. “We gotta do well on the ceremony. To make him proud.”

“Mhm.” Silas agreed, slouching on his seat beside Kamui’s, exhaustion weighting his eyelids.

Their master snorted. “Ya’ll boring drunks, lemme tell ya.” He had drunk at least five times more than both siblings but apart from his rosy cheeks, he was mostly sober and always ready for more mead. “Le’s head back ‘fore I hafta carry you both on me shoulders. The first night as a knight! Fancy pun, eh? Bahahah!” He threw his head back, surprising the half-asleep Silas into waking up.

The extra week they had to stay was a great help in Kamui’s recovery as well as a blow into her curious nature. She wanted to explore the capital and, most of all, its libraries. She was at the center of knowledge of the entire Nohr and had to house sit due to being over-confident.

“And even if I were to look into the books regarding mythical creatures, most of them aren’t for take out.” Silas informed her one evening after taking a tour at the Records Hall, the largest athenaeum second only to the Royal Castle. He took his pouty sister’s hand on his, “we’ll have all the time of the world to read them once we’re stationed at the castle, right? Cheer up.”

She pouted more, though remembering about their knighthood made a smirk grow on one side of her mouth. Kamui might’ve be more used to her own body, yes, but that still did not explain what she exactly was nor what to do to completely control it. However, what Silas spoke was true, or at least half-true. “All right, I’ll stay put and I promise not to worry about that anymore… for now.” She huffed, squeezing his hand. “Though we won’t have all the time of the world, Brother. We’ll be working.”

“Ahaha, that’s true!” He chuckled, getting up from his crouching position by Kamui’s chair and sitting on the one opposite of hers, waiting for the tea that was being brought in. “But as long as we’re here, we can absorb the information anytime.”

“Alright, Brother, you’ve convinced me. Let’s hope time passes by fast so we can quickly come back and finally start our lives as knights.”

Their Knighting Ceremony was scheduled to happen a month after the battle at the Pit, so they actually could stay a bit longer, but even though the Lantanoir siblings would love to bask in knowledge, they wanted to present themselves as knights before their parents as soon as possible. Thus they went home after Sir Gallahard was done with his visits.

“We coulda stayed more, girlie. Yer not completely healed from those ribs yet.” He said on their first day of travel, inside the carriage. Beside him, his youngest pupil scoffed.

“Psh, Master. You broke way more bones than just these and I recovered from them just as quickly, right? I think they’re thicker than they should by now.”

Silas and Gallahard both laughed, albeit in different volumes. “With THAT, I can’t argue!” The master said, still laughing. The trip back was filled with these much-needed light-hearted moments. Kamui and Silas both would need the memory of those days for the news waiting for them at home would be sure to change their lives once and for all.

Both youths started to fidget on their seats once the carriage entered the Lantanoir property. They talked about how they would present themselves for their parents and how they needed to rehearse for the ceremony, all under Sir Gallahard’s proud laughs.

“I bet if ye salute even before talking wid them, yer pop’s gonna crack! Bahaha!”

Kamui’s eyes glittered with the prospect of making her beloved family proud and the short minutes it took the carriage to reach the mansion’s front gates were filled with the siblings’ plans for entrances.

Eleonore and Leopold, alongside the butler Winston and the handmaid Clara were expecting the carriage outside of the open gate; Lord and Lady’s faces plastered with proud and eager smiles.

Before the coachman had a chance to reach the carriage’s door, it was kicked open by a grinning Gallahard. “Miss me?! Bahaha!” He guffawed, jumping out without using the steps. Lady Lantanoir’s shoulders sagged visibly while Leopold snorted.

“Welcome back, friend. I hear our children did well on the tournament.” Lord Lantanoir said, doing a half bow in acknowledgement to his former master.

“If they did well?!” He asked, curving his body forward before throwing his head back in laughter. “They did GREAT!” After saying that, he pointed to the still open door at the exact time Kamui followed by Silas jumped out in their training uniforms and immediately saluted.

“Sir Silas, reporting in!” The young noble said, his face a bit flushed with embarrassment. Beside him, his sister’s smile shone with pride.

“Dame Kamui reporting in!” The corners of her mouth almost hurt due to the size of her grin as both of them puffed their chests. 

Leopold had to press his lips into a thin line in order to suppress his emotion; his eyes as watery as they could get. The pride in his heart! Look at how those two young and inseparable children grew into!

Eleonore’s reaction was a bit more conflicted, albeit still overjoyed in the end; she had the issue about Kamui’s actual roots, her motivations and, of course, the letter they had gotten a few days before Gallahard’s. It was sealed with the Royal Stamp.

Nevertheless, she still brought one hand to cover her mouth in emotion, her eyes shining with tears. How proud they were of their newly acquired title! She felt her heart bubbling with emotion as she opened both arms to embrace her children.

“Welcome home, my darlings.” She managed to say despite the lump in her throat, walking towards both newly knighted youths.

“We’re home, M-mother.” Kamui stuttered as Eleonore’s warmth embraced her, snuggling her face into the Lady’s shoulder. Silas did the same, though he wasn’t able to speak due to the emotion.

After their welcoming at the gates, the finally-reunited family went to a tea room in order to report all of the happenings at The Pit as well as to ensure both Lord and Lady about Kamui’s recovery. “Ah, it will always pain me to hear about any wounds you suffer, my children.” Eleonore held Kamui’s hand while looking at Silas, her mind glaring at Sir Gallahard. “To watch my young children being hurt and not being able to aid them...” She murmured, squeezing the young woman’s hand.

“Forgive me for worrying you, Mother. I was careless.” Kamui apologized, lowering her gaze to their hand hold. “I cannot promise it will not happen again, though.” She suppressed a laugh, excited about her new life as a knight.

“Posh, this is not a joke, my dear.” Eleonore reprimanded, but the frown on her brow was fainter. “Regarding that, Kamui; Silas.” She looked from one child to the other before exchanging glances with Winston, who was obediently on stand by close to the door. “Winston, if you please.”

“At once, milady.” The butler swiftly took a letter out of his vest with one hand, a letter opener sliding through his left cuff at the same time. With five graceful steps he was beside her with the already open envelope -- it had the Royal Stamp over the sealing wax.

“We received this letter with the Crown Prince’s seal three days before we’ve heard the news about your triumph at The Pit.” Eleonore handed the paper to Kamui as Silas reached for the envelope -- it was addressed to ‘Sir Silas Lantanoir & Dame Kamui Lantanoir’. “It has made us extremely anxious since it had both of your names and titles despite the lack of news from your part.” She added as Kamui skimmed through it.

“Strange,” Sir Gallahard crossed his arms, glancing at the paper from behind his apprentice. “I know I sent the news on the followin’ day so it shoulda arrived four or five days later, as usual.” Something caught his attention on the letter and he stretched his neck towards it, stealing it altogether from Kamui’s hands. “Wait a minute.” He got up and quickly reread the entire letter, frowning at the end. “HEY CLAUDE, YA THERE?” He yelled to the door’s direction, surprising everyone in the room.

“What was the paper about, Kamui?” Silas nudged his sister and whispered close to her while an unamused butler entered the room. The young woman had stayed silent the whole time, as though in shock.

“An invitation... to the next royal ball.” The words outpaced her actions as her unfocused eyes slowly met her brother’s. “The Crown Prince took notice of us at The Pit,” her expression started to brighten, “and invited us to the next royal ball!” She almost screamed, happy for actually being able to catch the Prince’s attention as she had planned.

Eleonore visibly gasped as Leopold gripped at the chair’s armrest. Haven’t they forgotten about the hunt they were making all those years ago?! Before either noble could interject, Gallahard handed the letter to Claude. “Hey, ‘member that one invitation I got some twenty or was it thirty ‘ears ago? Darlin’ was still ‘live and kickin’ an’ all.” Without even flinching, the butler nodded with his characteristic smile, as though they were speaking of a recent event. “Indeed I do, Sir.” How old is he?! Immediately ran through all four nobles’ heads as they widened their eyes to the young-looking butler. He hasn’t aged a day ever since Kamui and Silas met him. “Right. Write it up for me, will ya? Same calligraphy an’ all.” The Lantanoirs turned their flabbergasted faces to the knight before Claude’s response made them all turn to him. “At once, milord.” Eleonore took one hand to her mouth so as not to gap it, while Leopold and the young adults had theirs wide open. With a swift movement of his hand, Claude made it seem as though a paper appeared out of thin air alongside an inkpot. He soundlessly reached out for Winston who promptly gave him a feather. Both butlers had been used to working together as the head of the staff of the neighboring mansions and almost never needed words to communicate. Claude set off to a desk in order to write as Gallahard turned to the stunned nobles, as matter-of-factly as possible. “This ain’t no simple invitation to a ball, see.” He started, not noticing or not caring about their surprised looks, hitting the paper with two fingers. “You musta noticed, offa course, that the usual invitations take the Lord and Lady’s names on the envelope, contrary ta this ‘un.” They all turned to the Master, listening closely as he went on: “If the Lord’s from a fam’ payin’ the shield money like yourselves,” he pointed to Leopold and his two apprentices, “they’ll put an honorary title or soma that jazz, too. But here,” his smirk grew with a clear idea of the Prince’s intention in mind, “here they specified not only the girlie an’ the boy’s names, but their status, even though they weren’t out in the chevalier ranks yet. It’s like the Prince’s demanding them to be properly knighted by the time o’ the ball.” “Lord Xander wants them to present themselves as knights before him?” Eleonore almost stuttered, her heart beating wildly inside her chest. Gallahard pointed to the lady and nodded. “Yah. An’ tha’s not all.” He reached out for something behind him, as though he had it timed: Claude handed the copy of the letter at the exact time his liege moved. “If ye check here,” the knight placed the copy and the original side by side, “ye’ll see that some lines ar’ different around her’ and her’,” he pointed with his chin to the lines, Claude gracefully using a presentation baton to pinpoint the location. “And that’s the prince’s signature on yours, but tha’s not the most interesting part.” He let the suspense sink in all the while Claude returned to his resting position to make them look again at the calligraphy. “The best part is tha’ usually it’s the Master of Ceremonies, some Abbington fella or somethin’, that writes the letters. Tha’s his writin’ here tha’ Claude’s mimicked. See tha the one you guys got’s a lot different?” He looked at both apprentice’s eyes before turning back to the paper. “This here was either written by the prince himself or by his stuck-up retainer,” he looked up, trying to remember the name, “some Rich-somethin’.”

“It is not unusual to have the Prince’s or even the King’s signature on an invitation.” Winston commented from behind Claude, who concurred.

“Yah.” Gallahard nodded, “’s why the best part is that he ordered it all special for the girlie an’ the boy AN’ signed it.” He handed one letter to each apprentice and crossed his arms, a proud smile on his lips. “This all can only mean one thing: He wants to put ye both under his command, and his IMMEDIATE command at that. Prolly a retainer or somethin’.” The Master placed one hand over his chin, in thought, “if I ‘member correctly, stuck-up’s partner kicked it some one or two ‘ears ‘go.”

Kamui momentarily forgot her original plan of finishing wars in order to find out what she was due to Sir Gallahard’s speech. Serving under the Prince himself!

Suddenly, the Master threw his head back in laughter. “Bahaha! Now le’s just hope that this Princeling’s better than ‘is dad, eh? So he won’t pit you two ‘gainst each other to have the survivor serve ‘im and all that.”

He truly meant it as a joke. However, having Kamui’s past and secret roots ever present in the back of their minds made both Lord and Lady Lantanoir flinch with the idea. King Garon was indeed capable of doing such a thing, even though they knew that Crown Prince Xander wasn’t.

Or was he? Was he aware of the hunt the nohrian army started right after the Battle at Cheve? He was their commander now, there was simply no way he didn’t know. What were his motives in calling both Kamui and Silas instead of just one?

Eleonore’s heart and face fell somber with these dark thoughts and Leopold turned to Winston, his frown deep and serious. “Winston, could you fetch that, please?” He asked, then hurriedly looked at the knight and his butler.

“At once, milord,” Winston complied, bowing. “Sir Gallahard and Lord Claude, if you please,” he moved one hand towards the door, “allow me to escort you to the wine cellar in order to choose a good drink for tonight’s toast.”

“Muh? Seein’ me out already?” He raised a brow, confused at the change of the atmosphere around the room -- father, mother and brother were pale-in-the-faces while daughter carefully read the letter again. He shrugged. “’kay, but don’t ya go refusing a royal invitation like that, eh? Capital crime and all.” He said before leaving, adding more worry to the family’s heart.

“Kamui, my daughter,” Eleonore touched the young woman’s hand, diverting her attention from the letter.

“Is something wrong, Mother?” After averting her gaze from the words, she met Eleonore’s worried frown and felt her heart fall. “You look pale!”

“My dear, do you remember what I told you three years ago? About the truth of your adoption.”

She had forgotten. How could she?! Even if she had been focusing only on The Pit for the last year it still didn’t meant that she could have forgotten her mother’s words from that day. How good they made her feel! And now... Eleonore’s somber gaze brought uneasiness to Kamui’s heart.

The young noble adjusted herself on the chair and put the letter over the table before squeezing her mother’s hand. “Forgive me for my earlier outburst, Mother. I am ready.”

“I know not of easy ways to say this,” Leopold started, making Kamui shift  her attention from the Lady to the Lord, “so we chose to speak of the happenings you remember first: You recall the day we made you travel inside the hidden compartment?”

“I do, Father. I was told to stay close to Mother the whole time after we left the carriage, then I had to look at a very scary man after we came back home.”

Leopold’s lips twitched in pain, remembering not only that day but everything Lord Ixyan’s made them go through before that. “Yes, my child,” he nodded, then proceeded. “Let us go further back. Do you remember the day you first woke up here?”

That was a trick question. Kamui had woken up a number of times before completely sealing away the memories of the Battle of Cheve. She replied with the same tune as before, closing her eyes so as to make a mental picture of the day: “Yes. I woke up startled by something and saw how surprised Brother was before he grasped my hand again.”

Lord and Lady exchanged quick glances. “And before that...?” He asked, but received a slight shake of head as response.

“It is a blank; forgive me.”

“Do not apologize, my dear.” Eleonore rubbed her thumb over Kamui’s hand. “You do, however, remember your history classes, correct?” She asked and received a nod in response. “The Battle of Cheve -- could you tell me about it?”

“Hmm...” She raised her eyes to search her memory, “His Majesty Garon set out a trap for Hoshido’s King, Sumeragi, and decimated the hoshidan envoy in battle at Cheve.”

A double, careful knock at the door interrupted before Kamui could open her mouth again. “Milord, milady, I have returned.” It was Winston. Leopold authorized his entry while Eleonore turned to Kamui.

“The story we’ve always spread about your past was that you were orphaned at that battle, you are aware of that.” The Lady affirmed, receiving yet another nod of agreement. “What you are not aware of, however, is the side of the battle you were on.”

Realization sank in before Kamui could shift her gaze to the small box Winston brought with him and started opening as his lady spoke -- it contained a golden and seemingly expensive hoshidan hairpin.

“I’m... hoshidan?” She widened her eyes at the pin, looking from it to her parents.

“We do not know whose child you were or if there were more children with the envoy apart from you and a servant boy -- the one who brought you to our lands.”

Eleonore’s words hit Kamui with a pang of pain in her head, making her flinch. “Gkh!” A boy who came with her? She was with the hoshidans? Why... why that all sound so distant yet so familiar? That hairpin... she remembered a warm hand putting it on her head...

“Kamui!” From beside her, Silas touched her shoulder, his face the most pale out of the nobles in the room. The young woman’s ears were deaf to any outside sounds.

“-is it rea- wise to bring- along?” Voices from a distant past tried to make their way into her head, flooding it with incomplete memories. “Besides, he s-ld be brin-as well--’ll -Hoshido and Nohr -amui.” 

“Who... are they?” She brought one hand to her face, the other clutching her heart.

“Did you remember him?” Silas’ mouth spoke before his mind could accompany, “did you remember the green-haired boy?”

“Green...?” Kamui repeated the word, using it more as a chant to bring her memories rather than remembering it per se. “Green... K-Kaz...? Akh!” Her head hurt again and, with the pain, a waterfall of memories.

Four playmates. Two red-haired girls and two long-haired boys. A warm yet sad embrace -- the letting go of hand whose warmth still lingered on her until they left. A warning before a shout. The smell of burning flesh alongside the grazing and piercing of arrows.

A voice pleading forgiveness.

“Kaze!!” Kamui shot up altogether, almost knocking down the chair she sat previously. “What happened to him?! Kaze, oh no; he was so hurt!”

“We did all we could to save him,” Winston said with grief; it was his staff which worked on the boy at first, “but his wounds were too grave...”

Before the butler could finish the sentence, Kamui’s eyes welled up with tears, her hand unconsciously grasping Silas’ poofy sleeve. “He did so much for me...” she huffed, feeling the strength of her legs fail as she sat back on her chair, the hand now gripping at her brother’s shirt. “I remember a volley of arrows and a man... and Kaze taking the hit for me. Then pain,” she reached for the scar at her forehead, thinking of the ones on her back, “then apologies.”

Kamui’s lips trembled, not able to finish the sentence before she threw herself on Silas’ chest -- the one who has always welcomed her tears -- so she could finally grieve her servant and friend’s death.

“Kaze...! Oh, Kaze!” She cried, sniffling as she remembered his voice always making sure that she was awake and well. ‘It’s going to be okay, Lady Kamui. Even if I have to give this life of mine, I will take you to safety!’ He’d said while her consciousness drifted in and out during the night.

He was so much more hurt than her -- he carried her small and certainly heavy body for hours in an unknown terrain and land; to collapse only when he knew he’d found someone who could take care of her.

Silas hugged his sister, remembering the day he made his promise, tears also falling from his eyes. Finally he could let his friend rest in peace. Finally he knew his name! “He made me promise, Kamui.” He whispered amidst her sobs. “He made me promise I would protect you in his place and now you can f-finally... finally pay your respects to him.” His voice cracked.

“Brother...” Kamui lifted her head to meet his eyes, then pressed her lips into a thin line so as to muffle a sob. “Oh, Kaze...!”

Eleonore sniffled with the display, using a handkerchief to dry her tears before they fell. Beside her, Leopold’s mien was grave. “I’m afraid that is not all, my child.” It broke his heart to add more grief into the scene, but Kamui needed to hear the truth.

“Pold, maybe we should wait--” Eleonore touched her husband’s shoulder, but Kamui raised her eyes to the married couple and sniffled before drying her cheeks with the back of her hand.

“Mother... please. I-I need to know everything.” She gulped, tears unshed on her eyes and hands by her brother’s chest. They trembled as much as her speech and she needed a few seconds to blink so she could set her unwavering gaze again on Eleonore.

The Lady frowned, but resigned herself into respecting her daughter’s wish. “Very well,” she glanced at Leopold before nodding.

He took a deep breath. “Right after we found you both in our lands, we discovered that the nohrian army was hunting down any hoshidan survivors. If it weren’t for Silas making Clara carry you to his room, they would have found you in the room they found the boy... He was already gone when Lord Ixyan’s soldier, Hans...”

The significant pause made Kamui understand. And Loathe. “Go on, Father.” She encouraged, her tears dry.

Leopold cleared his throat and loosened his cravat. “After that, the hunt continued for weeks and months.”

“It’s made us fear to ever making you show yourself in public lest they recognized you by your unique features, my dear.” Eleonore finished the sentence, her lips trembling. “Oh, just the thought of letting you out in society one night only to wake up to the nohrian army demanding your head on the next day!” She sobbed, hiding her face under the handkerchief. “I simply could not bear it.”

Surprise. Regret. Disgust... and now love. In the span of a few minutes, Kamui’s heart has been through so much. Once again her eyes welled up, one hand finally leaving Silas’ shirt and covering her mouth in emotion. They couldn’t be her birth family, but they loved her just as much.

Look at what they’ve gone through just to protect her! They almost entirely disconnected from their family, friends and court altogether just so she wouldn’t be in danger. They made her train under their wings so she wouldn’t be recognized in Gallahard’s main mansion.

They treated her as a daughter from the moment they decided to take her in. She felt terribly bad for misunderstanding their love for distrust during the early years of her life; but most of all, she felt thankful. “Mother... Father...” She sobbed. “Thank you so much for taking care of me for so long...”

Leopold felt his eyes itch with tears and had to cough a smile before taking his wife’s hand. “Know that we would do it a thousand times over, child.”

“We mustn’t be happy yet,” Eleonore choked a sob before finally raising her tear-stained face from the handkerchief. “Now that you know the truth, my dear, we can express our concern: You are going right into Nohr’s heart; where the first order to hunt down the hoshidan survivors came from.”

Lord Lantanoir nodded, sniffling away the tears which previously sprang in his eyes. “If they were looking for you specifically, your outward appearance will be a giveaway from the moment you step into the castle.” 

“And if it is not,” Eleonore continued from where her husband stopped, “you will still be fighting for the King who ordered your fellow countrymen dead.”

Kamui furrowed her brow, her eyes focusing nowhere in particular, her mind a clutter of information. Hoshidan. Kaze. Training. War. Hunt. Her beast. The Prince’s call.

“I... need to be alone for a while.” She said after a few minutes of silence. Silas hesitated in taking his arms away from her, but respected her decision. The knight-to-be got on her feet and silently exited the room after Winston opened the door to her.

She headed to the place she had her first thoughts of choosing knighthood: Outside the servant’s home, at the forest’s entrance. Perhaps being at a place so important as that could help clear the fog in her mind.