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Althaea caught Orias’ eye as the Irregulars wrapped up their meal of the Shona’s Special Victory Stew, which was really their regular rations in a warm broth, with carrots and potatoes, but everyone appreciated it anyway. He raised a brow and she nodded slightly towards the stairs.
Ookami was curled up next to the fire, his fur drying in the shadows of the flames. Laz abandoned his bowl and crossed his leg next to Ookami, scritching gentle behind his ears. Bree started gathering everyone’s bowl, still too wound up to sit still after the intensity of the battle. Kenna sat closer to the edge of the fire, watching it with glazed eyes. She was the hardest to read, out of all of them. Althaea excused herself and climbed the stairs to her room.
Orias wasn't sure what she was asking him, but he followed shortly after, excusing himself for bed. No one paid them any mind. It had been a long day.
Orias had the room at the end of the hall, Laz had the room on the left, Althaea in the right; Kenna and Bree has the rooms closer to the top of the stairs. All the doors were open, except for Althaea’s. Orias hesitated. Did she want him to knock?
The door was closed, she probably didn’t want to be disturbed.
Orias went to his own room and shut the door. The room was essentially bare, except for the bed and a table with a basin and a ceramic of water. The tiefling sat on the bed, the weight of the day heavy on his shoulders. He leaned against the wall, resting his eyes for a moment.
Next thing he knew, there was a soft knock on the door. Orias rushed to his feet and opened the door.
Althaea stood in the doorway, wearing nothing but a white tank top that appeared to have been ripped into a crop top, and black underwear.
“Do you sleep in your armour, Orias?” Althaea asked, almost smiling.
Orias blinked, realizing he has fallen asleep before taking off his armour, “No I try not to.”
She stepped into the room and shut the door behind her, Orias’s hand still on the doorknob. He was pulled closer, his arm almost, almost wrapped around her waist. If only he would let go of the knob and rest his hand on her hips.
Instead he jerked away from the close proximity and started talking off his clothes. He shucked off his breast plate and fiddled with his arm guards.
“Let me help you,” Althaea offered, easily unbuckling the strap, letting it drop to the floor. Orias watched as she made efficient work of the other arm band. Her fingers lingered over his wrist, tickling. Quickly he retracted his hand, making her glance up at him to see if she had made him uncomfortable.
“Orias, I want to talk to you,” She swallowed, looking back down at her hands, one gloved, one free.
“Of course Al-” He cut off sharply when she sank to her knees in from of him. She looked up with wide gray eyes, shining like little moons on a clear night, and almost smiled again. The sight sent his blood rushing south. But then she unbuckled one of Orias’s leg braces and Orias struggled to finish the rest of his sentence, “Althaea, you can always talk to me. I did offer.”
“I know.” She said, her fingers linger around his ankle this time, shooting sparks over his skin. Orias turned to sit on the bed, trying not to blush. Althaea rose and sat beside him, pressing her leg against his.
“What’s on your mind?” He asked softly.
“A lot,” She huffed with a sad smile. Her eyes looked worried, overwhelmed.
“You don’t have to say anything you don’t want to. And you can go at your own pace. I’m here to listen, Thaea.” Orias whispered.
Althaea looked up at him, tears brimming under the gray moons and she laughed again. “Of course, Orias. You’re perfect, that’s why I’m talking to you.”
“I’m far from perfect Althaea,” Orias warned with a somber voice. But he was perfect, at least to Althaea. He was strong, and determined, and kind, and loyal. And he had morals as steady as a mountain. And he was beautiful, with glowing golden skin, and his warm black eyes that reminded her of a puppy’s eyes.
“I’ve been alone for so long, Orias. I just- it’s odd, I think that's the right word, to be around you all. And I love each of you so much. You are all like family.”
Orias nodded thoughtfully. He thought back to his time in Vasselheim. And his life before that. He’d never truly cared for people like this, and it scared the shit out of him. “I’ve spent a great deal of time alone too. It must have been difficult for you.”
Althaea looked down at her hands again, thinking carefully before she spoke, “I had a family, that I loved very much. In Syngron, for a while, and then we left. My father, my brother, and my sister. They were my whole life.”
She looked back at him, and this time the tears flow, uncontrolled. Orias wiped away a tear, careful not to scratch her. Her eyes seemed to be searching his for something, and she continued, “And then I lost them all.
She swallowed, choking on a sob, clasping her ungloved hand over her mouth. Orias was patient, waiting for her to speak again. Slowly, he wrapped an arm around her, drawing her in to his large frame. His shirt was soft against her cheek as she rested her head on his chest.
“There was a fire. Just like tonight, and the ravagers. And the screams. Everyone was screaming. My father. Paelias. Sariel. I found my sister. But I couldn’t save her. I found Paelias and told him to run, run far into the woods, and I would find him at the river.
“But I never did. I looked for so long. Days. Weeks. But I couldn’t find him. Not even a body. He was probably picked apart by scavengers. I buried my father and Sariel, but Paelias - I couldn’t do that for him.”
She was crying harder now. Orias wasn’t sure exactly how to comfort her. No words could heal her wounds. She came to him to listen, to hear her, like no one else could. And maybe for physical contact too. Their hug, by the river, has seemed to change something between them.
Gently Orias kissed Althaea’s cheek, wiping away a tear. She swallowed another hiccup and wrapped her arms around his neck, dragging him closer. One arm fell behind her, to prop Orias up, but his other rested on her waist.
“Anyway,” She sounded breathless, trying to reign in her emotions. “I’m really grateful to have you guys now. To help me fight the ravagers and shit. Laz and Kenna and Bree and Gareth. And you Orias, especially you. I’m really grateful to not be alone anymore.”
And right now, Althaea just wanted to stop talking. She wanted to be shut up. She wanted Orias to kiss her.
So she kissed him. His lips are surprisingly smooth under her own. She bit lightly, smiling beneath his surprised sound. She ran her hands over his neck, toying with the soft ends on his hair. He hummed, almost like he was purring, a hard on growing in his pants.
He bent his head pulling back from the kiss, “Althaea, I’m sorry, just - what exactly are you asking me?”
“I don’t know, Orias.” She sighed, “I don’t want to think about it too much, okay? Can we just go with it? We can stop if you feel uncomfortable. I don’t want you to do anything you don’t want to.”
He nodded, planting another soft kiss on the cheek. Althaea gripped Orias by the horns and drags him closer, arching into him. She drew her tongue along his lips and he moaned lightly.
She leaned back and crawled further onto the bed. She stretched out, arching her back off the sheets as her head hits the pillow. Althaea wiggled her hips, “Come on Orias.”
He started to climb over her when she stopped him with a firm foot to the chest, “Without the shirt, sweetie.”
He blushed and threw his shirt off. “Your turn?”
She smirked and tossed her tank top onto the floor alongside his. “Absolutely, Daddy.”
Orias’ mouth dropped. The golden tiefling looked speechless, and really really turned on. Suddenly he’s was all over Althaea, his hands planted on either side of her face. “Say that again, Thaea.”
“Oh?” she said, equal parts surprised and turned on by his enthusiasm. Heat rushed over her body, a blush spreading up her chest. “Say what, D a d d y?”
Orias moaned into her neck, grinding against her thigh. “Gods.”
Althaea chuckled softly, “Wow Daddy, that really gets you going huh?”
“Shut up,” Orias whimpered, kissing along her jawline. Althaea jerked her knee into the air, hitching Orias further up her thigh. He was big. He moaned louder, “Fuck.”
“Come on Daddy, make me feel something.” Althaea whispered into his ear.
Orias began sucking on her neck, licking at the juncture of her jaw and throat. Gently he dragged his teeth down her neck, enough pressure to scratch, but not to break the skin. Althaea hissed, arching up again, locking her hand around his neck. She ground up against him.
Orais licked and sucked down her neck, leaving a trail of red marks. Orias sat up, trying to catch his breath. For a moment he just watched her, glowing and panting on his bed. Her light brown hair, with its messy braids, was splayed across his pillow. It would probably smell like grass and iron, like she did.
She was beautiful. Her eyes watched him with a fierce observance that made him feel hot all over. Her skin was pale and smooth, except for a few scars and freckles, and the dark color of her areola.
He licked her nipple, sucking and rolling across it with his tongue. Orias drew a slow moan from the half-elf below him.
He worked his way down until he rested between her thighs, and she thought again about how perfect he was. Right there, he looked absolutely perfect. He kissed the hem of her underwear and she bucked up against him. He could smell her through the fabric, almost salty, almost sweet. “Come on, please, Orias.”
Carefully he slid her underwear down her thighs and tossed them to the floor. She was really wet. His tail twitched playfully behind him.
His tongue slid down between her folds and she moaned loudly before clapping a hand over her mouth. They would definitely hear them downstairs if she didn’t. He swirled his tongue around her clit, holding her still with one hand across her stomach. She whimpered and begged from him to go harder, please, harder.
So he did. And she tasted divine, a particular salty that he didn’t know he would love. He ran his tongue further down, inside her, and she quivered, squeezing his head between her thighs. His other hand slid up the outside of her thigh, his claws lightly scraping over her skin. She was gasping and writhing, he hands scrambling between the headboard, the sheets, his hair, never staying still for too long. She sounded like she was dying - all the gasping and babbling drying out her throat.
“Orias, fuck, I need more.”
She flipped him easily, straddling his hips with her thighs. She ground down against his lap, feeling his hard length against her pussy.
She glanced up at him, “Daddy may I?”
He swallowed hard and nodded dumbly. Althaea yanked his pants and underwear down his thighs and threw them onto the floor with everything else. Her glove went next, exposing a roughly scarred hand. Althaea licked her lips, taking his length in her hands. She slowly licked up to the head, where is was black. She swirled her tongue around and Orias punctures holes into the sheets, cursing.
Slowly she worked her hands over all 8 inches, from where it was gold at the base to the dark head, her finger bumping along the ridges. She couldn’t take very much of him into her mouth, but her skill more than made up for it. Plus, let’s face it, Orias was easy and it had been a long time. It didn’t take long before he was pulling Althaea off, his face a burnt golden shade.
“Do you have a condom or anything?” Althaea asked.
“I have a spell I can use, after the fact,” Orias said, his fingers flexing in the ripped sheets.
That assured the half elf enough for her to climb back into his lap. She slid a finger inside herself, then another, and a third, until she was reasonable sure that she wouldn’t split in half when she took his dick. Orias watched her finger herself with a glazed look, blinking around the room, as if he didn’t think he should be allowed to watch her like this.
Slowly she guided his dick inside her, both of them gasping at the feeling. She planted a hand on the tiefling’s chest to steady herself. Althaea rocked back and forth slightly, taking a moment to adjust to his length.
She continued to rock harder, fingers going to her own clit until the sensation, the fire and the heat and the indescribable itch that she couldn’t touch with real fingers were all too intense and she came, falling forward against Orias’ chest. She clenched around him and the feeling threw him over the edge. He gripped the headboard tightly, half conscious about not wanting to hurt Althaea. His claws dug into the wood.
Slowly their breathing returned to normal, and Althaea climb off him. She curled into his side, resting her head over his heart. She listened to his heart beat a constant rhythm. Orias turned slightly, propping his head up with his arm.
“Dispel spirits,” Orias whispered, pressing a hand over her lower stomach.
“The fuck spell did you just cast?” Althaea burst out laughing. “Dispel spirits?”
“Hey, it works,” Orias grumbled, blushing again. Althaea laughed harder, burying her face in his neck, her breath tickling his ear.
“It better fucking work,” Althaea laughs. “My gods.”
They lay in silence for a while. Orias though Althaea was asleep, but her voice cut quietly through the darkness, “Orias, I meant it when I said you shouldn't think about this too much. I don’t know what any of this should mean. I don’t know what I want.”
He was thoughtful before saying, “Okay. I think that’s okay.”
“Thank you,” she said. Adding, as if a secret afterthought, “I definitely think I’d want to maybe do this again, if you’re comfortable with it.”
“I think I’d like that Thaea.”
“Good… Daddy.” and Orias groaned, hiding his embarrassment with a torn sheet. Althaea ripped the sheet away from his hands and planted a kiss on his cheek before burrowing back into his side. She wrapped a hand around his waist with a smirk. “Night.”
“Sweet dreams Althaea.” He smiled, running a hand lightly down her bare back.