Adrift: Sea of Dreams

He wasn’t sure if he fell asleep or if he was drifting. However, whatever it was, a familiar scent drifted to his nose. A smell he only really connected to one person. Breath hitching a little, his eyes fluttered open and…

“....Ro…” He breathed.

Not the same Ro that he had been talking on the phone call. Nor was it Rozyus either. But rather a Rodessa that he hadn’t seen in a long time. Unbidden, he reached out and ran his fingers over her soft hair, half expecting her image to fizzle away, but she was there, and she felt solid under his fingers. Even with his heart twisting with mixed emotions at the sight of her, he couldn’t help the fond smile tugging at his lips.

Then her eyes fluttered and he froze, paralysed. He could only watch, breath trapped in his lungs, as the eyes slowly opened, sleepilly meeting his own. As if it was an ordinary day, she reached up, gently laying a hand on his cheek, the pad of her thumb brushing over his lips before leaning forwards pecking them tenderly with her own. Once, twice, until a trembling sigh escaped his lips, his body relaxed as she pulled back, her lips curling into a smile.

“Been up long?” she asked, a note of teasing in her tone. “Or have you been watching me all night?”

Huxian snorted slightly, amusement shimmering in his eyes as he met her gaze again. Relaxed as he was, the words came out on their own. “As much as I’d love to have said I had, last night was...ah...quite physically demanding.”

He wriggled his eyebrows, if only to get her to snort. It did. Accompanied by a slight playful push of his shoulder and a wry stare back. “You say that,” she quipped, eyes wracking his form for a moment, “yet you’re ‘up’ and raring to go.”

He shrugged, shamelessly, leaning forwards to nudge his forehead against hers, nose rubbing hers cheekily.

“Well, it’s morning,” he noted, “And there’s this wonderful little vixen nuzzled so close to me with this tantalising scent…”

He pulled her closer, nuzzling against her neck and breathing the scent there. The tiny part of him that recalled falling asleep sorely missing the scent. Huxian had no problem letting himself breath it in that little bit more, especially since it made Rodessa shudder pleasantly in his arms, a sleepy chuckle, almost giggle escape her lips.

“Y-you know they’ll burst through that door any moment now,” she breathed shakilly, “I’m surprised that my father didn’t last night and -ah!”

Huxian couldn’t help but grin at the squeak that escaped his lover as he nipped the tender love mark he made the night before (Was it? It felt like so long ago…) running his tongue over it to sooth the mark, even as he could feel her shuddering against him.

“I made a deal with your mother,” he explained once he was sure he had her eager once more. Not to disappoint, she wrapped her legs around his waist and squirmed so she was straddling him, her hips rocking, though whether by instinct or desire he wasn’t certain. All he knew was it was excruciatingly slow. Biting down a growl, He bucked his hips, only for her to ground down with surprising force. Swallowing back a yelp, his eyes met hers, only to find an almost predatory lilt to her gaze that made his breath hitch. As if sensing that slight weakness, she leaned down, capturing his lips in a long, lingering kiss. However, the moment he his hands went to her hips, she slapped them away, wiggling her fingers as if to silently tell him no.

It was so rare that she got like this that he could feel his heart speed up, the longing grow that bit stronger. However, he forced himself not to splutter, instead scoffed out a huffed “Minx.”

“You called?” she chirruped cheekily. “Can I help you, my lord?”

A laugh bubbled in his chest. Gods, no wonder his old friend would give him such disapproving looks from time to time! They’d taught each other so many bad habits. It had to have been driving the old wolf into conniptions!

Still, if she wanted to play...Well, foxes weren’t known as tricksters for nothing.

The only warning she got was a sly glint in his eyes before his fingers bypassed her hips entirely and snaked up to her ribs. Her expression flashed into alarm as she realizes what he was about to do before she was squealing with laughter as his fingers danced over her ribs and under her arms. Advantage over him lost, he flipped them over, pinning her against the bed and blew a raspberry against her stomach, making her squirm, trying to get out from under his hold.

“Want me to stop~?” he sang songed, grinning mischievously.

“Don't, Hue, dont! Hahaha!” Rodessa blustered helplessly, “Stop, I'm gonna-!”

“Hm….Well, what do I get if I do?” Huxian purred, heaning over her, his tails lashing payfully.

Rodessa tried to stifle her giggling to give him a serious look. “I-If you’re a good boy, I might treat you to….s-something when the mission is….is over, regardless of the outcome.”

Huxian tried not to grin at the fact the mischievous glint in her own eyes and the stifled chuckles betrayed her. And the fact she stuck her tongue out at the end. He swooped forwards and caught the tongue between his teeth playfully, giving her one last tickle before leaning his weight against her, letting go of her tongue as he rested his head on his hands, his elbows either side of her face. “Oh? What do you have in mind, giggles?” he teased.

“Well,” Rodessa said, absently circling a finger on his chest, likely as much she she could try to push him back if he started tickling again as to seduce, “I made connections in the mundane world. There’s this really cute, all inclusive hotel.” She looked up at im with hooded eyes. “Just the two of us,” she breathed. “For a week. No distractions. And we could do whatever we want. Fine food, great alcohol, soundproof room...Suppose it really depends on how much or little you want to be pampered.”

He knew something must have shown on his face, because that smirk that danced on her lips was just that little bit too self satisfying. Like a cat that had the canary just within reach of its trap.

Honestly, though, it wasn’t a hard bargain. The idea of the two of them having the time together, without the disapproving gaze of Rodessa’s father, or the knowing looks from her mother (as much as he loved both of them to death, it did get a bit waring) and a pampering hotel where they could do anything they liked after a hard day, especially after Rodessa’s first trial mission for Pandora...well, it seemed almost too good to be true.

“Where’d you find this place?” he asked curiously, as he lowered one of his hands to toy with her locks, letting them slide through his fingers.

“I have my ways,” Rodessa hedged. “Besides an old friend owes me, for, uh… housekeeping… yeah.”

“And how assured you are of that,” Huxian said, dryly, trying not to snicker at her shifty expression. He leaned down, nuzzling his nose against hers. “Well, who am I to turn down such an offer? A week to do anything I like with you? Sounds like heaven, little minx. Though…” he felt a laugh splutter passed his lips as the expression of outraged horror Engetsu was sure to give flashed through his mind. Laughing, he pressed his head against her chest to smother the giggles. “H-how’re we going to get that one passed Enji?”

“Well, the old man will be on a capaign to investigate some secret agency or whatever,” Rodessa explained, her lips quirked into a grin against his ear. “I think its one that ravels Pandora.”

Huxian paused to think for a moment, trying to think of the many different small agencies that dealt with the supernatural, but nothing came to mind. Al least, nothing that had the same goal. Though there was one group that he knew had at one time or another viewed Pandora as it’s adversary.

“...Phoenix?” he asked. He could feel her hun in agreement as she absently toyed his his hair, scratching near his ear in a way that made him almost purr.

“Yeah,” she nodded. “You read the report, right?” At his hum, she continued, “They’re not reforged, but there’s rumours people baring their seal are lingering. So the old man and mother’s also going to be doing some...housekeeping.”

That was….slightly worrying. But if it were that serious, then Pandora be giving the heads up to even out layers like him, who only really had connections through other agents, such as he was connected to Engetsu and his family, both biological and his ‘Night Parade’ and was occasionally an aid to them, like a consultant who would occasionally pick up jobs that fell in his territory. As it was, it was only the odd report that mentioned them which helped keep him up to date, just in case he was called upon.

That being the case, there wasn’t anything that would stop them from being able to have that time together.

“Sneaky,” he chuckled approvingly. “I’ll be sure to ‘take care of you’ while they’re busy, then. And, if you do well on this little expedition we have coming up, I’ll have to make sure I reward you, too.”

“Oh? Well, now I’m looking forwards to that,” she nuzzled against his bicep, looking p at him through hooded eyes and lips quirking into a smile as she placed a light kiss against the muscle, her eyes never leaving his.

“MM,” Huxian hummed in agreement, shifting to he could catch her ear in his teeth, nipping it gently before breathing promises into it in a tone he knew would make her shiver. “So much to do to praise you, and so much time to do them,” he ran his tongue over the rim of her ear. “Ah, I’m spoilt for choice of just where to begin, my little minx.”

She smiled, hooking her leg around him to pull him that bit closer so his body was flush against hers. “I’ll return all that you give, my lord.”

“Promises, promises,” Huxian chuckled, curling his hand around the back of her head and closing that that tiny bit of distance to catch her lips against his, coaxing her mouth open to deepen the kiss.

For a little while after that, they lost themselves in each other, kisses, toying with each other’s hair, nuzzling each other and mutterings of sweet nothings as they enjoyed the feel of their closeness, interspersed with soft chuckles and playful slaps to the arm if Huxian managed to sneak in a corny flirt that still made Rodessa laugh even as she scolded him, though that was often interrupted by a sneaky kiss or nipor stroke to make her shiver and lose train of thought for a moment. Though there was once or twice she caught him before he could finish off his comment and gave as good as she got in return.

They were smothering giggles with kisses when the door slammed shut and they froze.

“Well,” A familiar female voice spoke up, causing Huxian to look around quickly to find the girl’s mother standing in front of the closed door with a raised eyebrow and a barely hidden smirk. “Aren’t you two having fun? But it’s the morning, and these walls aren’t sound proofed, you know.”

Rodessa’s face flushed crimson. With a yelp, she dived under the covers. Meanwhile, Huxian huffed, yanking up the blankets to cover his modesty as he glared at his friend. He was less flustered by being caught out, but it still didn’t mean he wanted to be watched by his friend and his lover’s mother.

“Gods Woman,” he groused. “Will you knock?”

“I did,” her brow raised further, tone desert dry. “Twice. I even opened the door, stood inside and cleared my throat and neither of you heard me.”

And maybe you didn’t think we were just ignoring you for a reason so you’d go away? Huxian was tempted to snark in return, but bit back the comment. Honestly, they hadn’t really been paying that much attention. Huxian certainly hadn’t been paying attention to his usual instincts since he had been more interested in pleasing Rodessa.

Instead of digging himself in further, Huxian sighed, running his fingers through his hair, a half frown on his face as his claws met snags from the bed tussling. “What is it then,” he grumbled distractedly as he smoothed out the strands as best he could. “We were getting to the good part.”

Under the sheets, he felt Rodessa pinch his leg in retaliation for such openness with her mother, a sound of a deflating balloon reaching his ears in her embarrassment. He tried not to snicker.

If the Valkyrie heard her daughter’s sound, she didn’t make note of it. Instead, she crossed her arms, leaning against the doorframe. “Oh, nothing. Just wanted to let you know breakfast ends in an hour, the briefing been moved to two and that one’s father will be hounding her with paperwork until the end of the day. Oh, and your team will want updates on the mission you were asked to participate in, so you really only have a few hours for the….uh…’skinship’ and getting the fuck ready, Mr and Mrs I’m’a-skip-the sunrise-meeting-because-we’re-both-in heat Couple.”

“Watch your fucking language,” Huxian grumbled back, unable to stop himself from a tease at the woman, before sighing. As much as he’d love to argue, he knew he couldn’t. They had responsibilities and the last thing any of them wanted was to be caught in this position by Engetsu. “Sorry,” he sighed. “We’ll be there in a moment.”

“Hm….” Her eyes narrowed playfully. “You’d better be. There’s only so much I can do to keep that wolf distracted. Oh, and I know she’s been gone for half the year, but don’t overdo it before a mission. Right, Ro?”

Huxian offered a lazy salute, while Rodessa’s muffled voice from under the covers murmered a mortified “Y-yes, ma’am.”

“Good,” The woman tossed her head and straightened, turning to the door. “Then I’m off. Enjoy yourselves!”

With that, she opened the door and headed out, whistling a jaunty tune as she left, the door clicking shut behind her.

For a while, both of them were silent.

Finally, “...Well, if that wasn’t a mood killer…”

A mix of a huff and a snort sound from under the covers. “Told you.”

Well, there was no way they could get back to what they were doing before, now that there was the distinct possibility of interruption by homicidal wolf demon, so, sighing, Huxian encouraged the blanket ball to open up, sneaking a last lingering kiss from her before reluctantly slipping off the bed.

“Wanna take a shower together?” he offered. While it was impossible for them to get back into the mood, it didn’t mean that Huxian didn’t feel any less a desire to care for his partner. Helping to preen and primp her for the day and receiving the same attention seemed like a nice way to start the morning, especially considering they would be having a rather busy few days ahead of them.

The shy smile she cast him lit her face brighter than the morning sun through the blinds.

“S-sure.”

Smiling back, he held his hand out for her, gently helping her from the bed with the ease of lifting a feather, gently setting her on her feet. Hand still clasped in hers, he lead the way to the bathroom. Like the Valkyrie had said, it had been a long time since he had spent time with her. Huxian wanted to make the most of it. Any time he spent at her side, be it in a carnal dance, a loving embrace or simply in comfortable companionship, was time to be cherished.

Rodessa was a treasure, after all. One that was worth more than all the gold in the world.

[END]