with this ring, I thee wed

[tiltingwithlips]

Man and wife.

They are at last man and wife, he hers and she his -- the Lord and Lady Percy.

It has been quite a day.

When the festivities are finally done, they have burned a great many candles, eaten a great deal of food, danced many a dance. Elizabeth is the one who finally takes Harry's hand, covering a yawn, and tugs him towards the door of the hall. The remaining guests raise a cheer and a cup as the couple head upstairs to their rooms.

Kate leans on Harry as they ascend the stairs, loose-limbed and smiling from exhaustion.

Comments

[tiltingwithlips]

Breathless: "What?"

It's hard to focus. She inhales, swallows.

"That -- that, yes. And what thou didst before--"

[valiantrebel]

"Which?"

He rolls his thumb again.

"This?"

Or perhaps she meant the kissing with teeth.

[tiltingwithlips]

Judging by the shudder and the way her hips jerk again, the answer is all of the above.

But maybe especially what he's doing with his thumb.

[valiantrebel]

Not too fast, for all they both wish it, not so soon--

If a thumb is good, two fingers, one already wet, must surely be better.

(He rubs against her thigh as he moves, and even that little touch is a maddening promise.)

[tiltingwithlips]

She gives a heartfelt groan and buries her face in the crook of his neck. The building heat, the -- sensation, the pressure is unlike anything she's felt before. She doesn't quite know how to handle it. Thankfully her body seems to have its own ideas on the matter.

[valiantrebel]

Harry is thrown for all of a moment: he had -- he had hoped for a particular next step, but she's close enough, it would be a shame to interrupt.

Then he remembers how much time they've got, tonight and after, and he contents himself.

The key now is to keep it steady.

"Kate--" (and he's breathing a little hard himself) "--how now?"

[tiltingwithlips]

"How now?" she echoes, breathless and distracted, her voice somewhat muffled against his skin.

[valiantrebel]

He laughs and turns to kiss her temple. "Yes, I am asking thee."

(Maybe there's still time. Maybe -- no, no, he is -- taking his wife into account.)

(There's time later.)

(Oh God, she's wet and lovely now.)

[tiltingwithlips]

For an answer, she moans in his ear.

"God's me, Harry, wilt thou chatter even now?"

[valiantrebel]

"Tush, then stop me!"

Hungryurgent kissing is a good way to do that.

[tiltingwithlips]

She shivers, kissing back, and reaches down blindly to put her hand over his and press his fingers just where she wants them.

[valiantrebel]

Perfect. By the devil, God yes. She's made him harder and hotter than even before. His own hips roll needfully against her thigh; if not for her hand on his, he might lose track of them both.

[tiltingwithlips]

Another shudder. She doesn't know just what she's striving for, but she knows she wants this, this, the pressure here and the heat here and -- and--

Whatever it is, it's so close, she wants it, God in heaven--

[valiantrebel]

The shudder runs from her to him; the wave of it, the feel of it under her skin, sends him mad, sends him seeking out her jaw, her throat, her ear with his mouth and teeth, his hand for her hair, his--

"God, oh, Kate--"

[tiltingwithlips]

"Wilt thou -- still be--"

She interrupts herself with a gasp, clutching him close. There. She doesn't know what's happening, but it's happening, it's happening with a vengeance, it's here and she doesn't want it to stop--

But it does stop, after a few seconds, leaving her panting and shaky and blinking at Harry.



"Wilt thou still be talking," she finishes breathlessly.

[valiantrebel]

--no.

No, because he's laughing, and planting both hands on either side of her, and kissing her while she's hazy with afterglow.

(Not least because he still must distract himself.)

[tiltingwithlips]

She hums against his lips, soft and happy.

"Heaven save me, Harry, what didst thou?"

[valiantrebel]

"That--" Another kiss. "--is not nearly the whole of it."

(Please be ready, please be ready--)

[tiltingwithlips]

"'Zounds, is there yet more?"

(She might be teasing. A little.)

[valiantrebel]

"Villainess! Put thy hand where thou thinkst more could be."

(He might be grinning a wicked grin.)

[tiltingwithlips]

Kate tsks and puts her hand on his cheek. "Art thou grown so ungentle so soon? I thought to have some goodly years of wedded life ere I became thy villainess and not thy wife."

[valiantrebel]

"Does this mean thou wilt keep thy hand so high?"

He'd really rather focus on the second part of that thing he said.

[tiltingwithlips]

"Oh, thou hast my hand already," she says -- scoffs, really. "Ask not for it again."

Which belies the fact that her other hand is, in fact, trailing down his chest. But she's taking her time about it; at the moment, she thinks she could be happy simply touching every inch of his skin.

[valiantrebel]

A long, slow breath, in and out. Her hand on his skin steadies him.

"For what, then, shall I ask thee?" he murmurs.

[tiltingwithlips]

"I could not say." She steals a kiss and runs her palm over his side. "Methinks thou hast all of me."