---

She appreciated his humor and his ability to be able to press things into the back of his mind, unbothered in the moment or at least a good enough actor to seek as such. She, however, was not so good as masking her emotions and she was only feeding off the energy he was giving. It was easy when it came to him. Easy to feel warm, easy to feel reassured, home—safe. In such a short amount of time she was able to put her trust in him and be confident that he would not hurt her, not intentionally anyways, and that was enough to make her feel at ease in his presence. 

At his faux bow she laughed softly, rolling her eyes as she slowly descended from the comfort of where she sat. His joke did not fall on deaf ears, cursing a smirk to press against her lips. ”I still say that housekeeper knew what she was doing. She wanted to offer you her other services instead of tending to the room,” she huffed. ”Follow me,” her small hand would glide along his own, intertwining her fingers within his own to lead him towards the steps of her home. It would be the first time he saw it, luckily it was tidy or else she would have been embarrassed. 

She opened the door with her opposite hand, the living room was the first room they were met with. It was well lit, cozy, the fireplace taking up a majority of the space. It had been years since she ignited it, the fear that her house would catch flame still lingered. ”Are you hungry? Thirsty?” she was unsure about the day he had before he came to see her, and she was sure he would need his energy for later if it was already spent due to being famished.  

Despite his answer she poured him a glass of water anyways, bringing it to the living room and handing it off to him before sitting on the couch. Her gaze lingered on him, taking in his handsome features, his wild hair, the way his eyes stood out against the dark space. If he had to go she would miss him, his face already burned deep into her memory. 

---

”I still say that housekeeper knew what she was doing. She wanted to offer you her other services instead of tending to the room,” again came the easy, light tenor of his laughter. A playful chuckle as he abandoned the flourish of his bow. "'Magine if I would've gotten started." The quip was carnal, all heat that he could do little to with hold with the memoir, with the reminder of their last meeting still seared within his mind. The words, heavy with implication, were still spoken just as light as the prior sound that left him. "Coulda just pressed her ear to the door, hm?" The grin that accompanied was relaxed, as much as his posture as he stretched out like a cat. Like the lion embroidered upon the precious medallion he still carried. His teasing was short lived, however, as she huffed lightly.

”Follow me.” The order was accompanied by the glissade of her fingertips against his own hand, catching between his, and he would give them a slight squeeze as she lead him forward. It would be the first time he'd seen her own home, and while there was a fervid burn, it wasn't all carnality. Instead, there was a well of curiosity, one that served a good distraction from the previous affliction. The door opened into the roomy expanse of her living area. He didn't bother any attempt to stop his roving eyes from exploring the space. Somehow, without knowing the exact hows and whys of it, it fit his expectations. The large mantle and hearth within seemed.... keenly untouched. Even though the winter air was avaricious and wound its way in behind them, he couldn't help but duly note that the distinct lack of ashes or soot within the hold where heat should emanate.

”Are you hungry? Thirsty?” He would tilt his head, glancing to her from the peripherals of his gaze. "If you have anything handy to drink, I wouldn't say no." Then again, he couldn't recall the last time his thirst felt quenched. It almost always felt as if his throat were raw, dry, but it was also a malady he had long gotten used to. "Would you like for me to start a fire?" He called, hearing the distinct pour of liquid. Unable to help himself, he would add after, "'Less you want me to warm you up."

The comment was made as he heard her returning to the room, and he gratefully took the offered water. His eyes found her attention lingering upon him, and he did nothing to hide from it. Attentive cerulean remaining locked upon the umber of her own face as he swallowed down the glass of water. It wasn't until he was finished that the cup fled his lips, and his thumb brushed the corner of his mouth, clearing away the stray few droplets.

---

He had a quick tongue and he painted quite an image. Faina puckered her lips as she thought about the housekeeper trying to act in secret, her ear pressed against the door to hear the squeaking of the bed and the moans that surely would have been flowing from her lips. She said nothing back, instead a soft smirk painted her features as the image now lived in her head as she undressed him witu her gaze alone. Up until this moment they had evaded one another not due to the fault of their own actions. Each second she wanted more, but it was stolen every time. At the thought she stood from the couch, moving toward the door to ensure it was locked and bolted tight. ”If they knock, we ignore,” she instructed, ”and then they will be welcome to press their ear upon the door.” She rose a brow at him playfully as she knew very well she would not be getting any unknown or unwelcome guest. He was the first to have seen her house and thankfully she was not embarrassed of it. Living alone gave her much free time and with it she made sure to keep a cleansed living space. 

”The fireplace has not been touched since I moved here,” she heard his mention of it while she was in the kitchen, but for the sake of having to explain why she found it best to take him up on his second offer. ”And how would you do that?” The words left as a hum, putting the glass on the end table as she also took his from his hands and placed it beside her own. She removed her coat which she placed on the coat rack beside the door and would return back to him swiftly. Her hands pressed against his chest lightly, giving him a small push towards the couch. ”Make yourself comfortable,” in the moment she had forgotten the thought of war and the potential that he would be leaving, finding this was their moment and they ought to take advantage of it. 

She placed her palms atop his thighs, slowly moving them towards his hips as she leaned forward to lock him into a tender kiss, careful not to give him too much as she gently nipped at his bottom lip before releasing it. She was quick, not willing to give him a second to respond immediately as her hands then wrapped around his shoulders as she straddled him on the couch. Her thighs tucked around him as she leaned forward, one hand grabbing his chin as she moved it off to the side, exposing the nakedness of his neck. Her tongue trailed along the delicate skin, finishing him off with soft kisses that mapped to his ear. ”I’m freezing,” she whispered with a smile, offering more delicate kisses along his neck. 

---

She stood from her seat, and he would quirk a brow at her in feigned innocence as she clicked the lock on the door. ”If they knock, we ignore,” at that, both brows would raise and he had to fight the tickling simper that fought to consume his mouth. If one didn't know him, his impression of naivety was quite convincing. ”-and then they will be welcome to press their ear upon the door.” Despite his act, he could not hide the glimmer of mischief within his stare, finally unable to withhold his rugged smirk any longer. "Why, my good lady..." His intonation remained airy, reflecting the play at obliviousness in spite of his growing expression. "If I didn't know any better, I would say you planned to ravage me! Good heavens..."

”The fireplace has not been touched since I moved here,” the low admittance distracted him, albeit briefly as she rushed on. Though the thought lingered in the back of his mind, it would be a lie to say he could remain focused on such things in the present. Not when he was all hot blood and fever. ”And how would you do that?” It was a taunt, playful as she shed the warmth of her coat, and for a moment he almost further teased her, but intention was sealed as her hands placed firmly against his chest. He moved with her, settling onto the couch where she had previously rested.

”Make yourself comfortable,” she breathed, her hands warm upon his thighs, traveling up to the virile curve of his hips as she leaned forward. Her kiss was tender, soft, warm, just like she was. It ended with a nip to his lower lip, and he would hum in appreciation of the sentiment, eyes attentive as he watched her face intently. His simper only grew as she straddled him, fingers instead staring around his shoulders. His own found her legs where they rested on the soft cushion on either side of him, running up against the side of her thigh, all the way to her hips as he reclined beneath her. Then they traversed back down, the flat warmth of his palms now against the front until he captured just above her knee. His head tilted with her insistence, relishing in the trail of affection she placed against his neck. His sight remained fixed upon her from his peripherals as she did so, unable to get enough of her. It was only until she got to his ear, and the soft whisper there that the haughty smile would again catch his lips. ”I’m freezing.” A low rumble would leave him,  one that wasn't quite as impishly teasing as it was carnality. "Then please, allow me..."

The last words were accompanied by the shift of position, using his hold on her to pull her down in a sultry grind against the flush of his hips before sitting up. He would part his legs, an unspoken incentive to do the same to hers, the hungry heat of his mouth searching for hers. His hands ran the length of her bodice, from the sweet temptation of her thighs up to the svelte curve of her girlish shoulders where one would linger. Now it was his turn to part with her lips, a slight hiss escaping him from betwixt clenched teeth. How long he had waited for this. Gods be damned, he would savor it fully. His fingers wove into her hair at the nape of her neck, holding her tight to his chest as he relinquished another heavy breath against her ear. His other hand trespassed between them, thumb trailing between the swell of her breast before he palmed the right, kneading it heavily before releasing. It wasn't until he reached her thigh once more before he stopped, thumb rubbing tenderly against her inner thigh, inching ever higher until it caressed in a feather light, teasing touch against the apex of her thighs through the fabric of her clothes. "You just tell me when you're warm enough." He purred, the smile evident within his vocals without even needing to be seen.

---

then please, allow me.

The sudden movement made her yip, a small laugh accompanied soon after as he grind her against his hips. He held the weight of them both with ease, the firmness of his palm gripped the back of her hair ensnaring her fiery curls within the grasp of his fingers. She bit her lip subconsciously, her head aching to roll back but he would instead catch her lips with his own, tempting her with an unbreakable. She could feel her heart beat wildly in her chest, her tongue caressed the insides of his cheeks, but alas he would pull away. She pouted at him though he was not done with her quite then as his other hand traveled to her breast, gripping and massaging at it, but just as quick as it had come it also went. He made it a point to explore her curves, his fingers caressing the dressed skin as he inhaled her scent while feeling every part of her body. 

Oh how he was just teasing himself though. 

you just tell me when you’re warm enough.  

”Mmm still feeling a bit chilled,” she fake quivered though the touch of his finger against her thigh caused the area to pulsate not too far off. She wanted him, badly, and the constant back and forth banter that had always ended up in nothing was finally spilling over the brim of their cups. She shimmied herself up a bit to release the buckle of her pants, her hand then glided over the top of his palm to lead him toward the seam of them. She would then slip his hands inside past her under garments, and she was sure it was quite apparent he had been able arouse her so quickly. 

She would trap him into a kiss again while her hands explored the back of his neck. She too would tug at the fire red locks, wrapping them between her dainty fingers while breaking their kiss once more, nibbling on his bottom lip. ”Don’t worry about playing nice,” she cooed, knowing she very well was not going to either. Her hand left the comfort of his neck and slid down the front of his chest before finding the seam of his own pants. She slipped past the barrier, taking him into her hand while a soft moan rolled off her lips. ”Seems I’ve been missing quite a lot,” she purred into his ear, her hand working at him at a slow and steady pace, occasionally picking up the tempo, but she was sure not to overwork as she wanted to relish in every minute.