Another World

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Lucien listened the best he could to Markus. He knew he had a lot to learn still and he was trying to soak in everything as fast as he could. He nodded to the older man and was waiting for him to continue when Leila showed up. He knew she couldn't be lying about being sick because he remembered what she had said about the side effects of Makii. She did look pale too. His face twisted in a mask of concern. Something very serious was going on and he wasn't sure what it was but he all of a sudden felt sober. He said his apologies to Markus and took off to follow her home.

He weaved his way through the crowd again, this time more alert and was able to dodge invitations to dance and such more efficiently. Once he broke the mass of people he saw her in the distance going inside her apartment building. He jogged over and took the stairs two at a time to reach their floor. Opening the door he stepped inside quickly. Once he found her he wrapped his arms around her, holding her close to him. She felt somewhat cool on this warm of an evening so he sent a wave of warmth through her as he held her. "What is wrong? Did the alcohol not settle with you or is there something else?"
 
Leila felt a bit dizzy as she went through the crowd, but she made it, thanks to Tumn coming to her side almost the second that she walked away from Lucien. The dragon always knew when she needed him, thank goodness. He helped her up the stairs to the apartment too, when she swayed. Too much Makii - or, to be precise, too much liquor mixed in with the Makii she drank. She managed to unlock her door, though, so she was already inside and bracing her hands on the back of the couch when Lucien came up and walked over to her.


Can't lie.. What do I say?


"I want to lie down. With you. Please?" she asked softly, turning to face him as she wrapped her arms tightly around him. Tomorrow would be soon enough to tell him that they had to leave the city. For tonight, she just wanted to be comforted. She laid her head on his chest, just hoping he'd say yes and not push her away.
 
Lucien was moderately shocked when she asked to lie down with him but wouldn't shun the opportunity. He wrapped one arm securely behind her back and the other under her knees and hoisted her up slowly. He carried her to her room so that she could be comfortable in her own bed. After laying her down on her back gingerly, he crawled onto her bed beside her, laying on his side and propped his head up with his hand. His other hand snaked around her waist, lightly caressing her stomach.

As he lay there looking down at her, he knew there was something not being said. He wondered if it was the same thing Markus had started to tell him. He wanted answers but didn't know if he would get them if he tried asking so he kept mostly quiet. "Is this better?" he asked. He resisted the urge to lean down and kiss her, the memory of their last kiss at the top of his mind. He didn't know how she would react to that right now. He brushed strands of hair away from her face. He hadn't even gotten to ask what his markings meant but right now he didn't care.
 
Tumn trotted into the bedroom ahead of them and curled up in the corner, snoozing almost immediately since he was so full of treats from people - and he had gotten into the Makii himself. Leila slid her arms around Lucien's neck and rested her head on his shoulder when he scooped her up easily, not even squeaking from being startled as she normally would have. She just closed her eyes as they moved, opening them only when he laid her down on her bed. Once he had joined her, she snuggled up to him and relaxed a bit.


"Yes. Thank you, Lucien. I love you," she said simply, then froze when she realized what she just said. Blushing, she clasped a hand over her lips and looked away. Oh, dear. So much for being more confident. Apparently she was just going to speak uncontrollably and say things that she wasn't even sure about yet. Or, at least, she had thought that she wasn't sure.


"I-I.. uh.." she stuttered, having no idea how to change the subject from that.
 
Lucien blinked a couple of times as his brain just kept repeating what she had said. He felt like he had been waiting forever to hear those words but he hadn't. He wasn't sure if it was the alcohol speaking or if she truly meant it but she was embarrassed by it. Did that mean it was true or that she thought it was a mistake for saying it? He wasn't sure so instead of worsening the situation he figured actions spoke louder than words. If she didn't truly want him she would push him away. He gently pulled her face back so his eyes could meet hers again and then he moved her hand away from her lips.

"Laveti aroonz," he whispered to her as he captured her lips with his. He pulled her closer to him, kissing her softly but deeply giving in to his urge. His lips opened her mouth to him so that his tongue could tangle with hers. He no longer cared about anything that was going to be said or that should be said, he just wanted to enjoy her, silently praying that she wouldn't pull away from him and reject him.
 
Leila looked up as Lucien tipped her head, her expression anxious and worried. Was he going to be upset? They had known each other, what, three or four days? She shouldn't even be thinking such things! Before she could stutter out some sort of apology, he whispered something to her that she didn't understand and kissed her. She didn't react for a moment since she was stunned that he wasn't angry, but then she slid her arms around him and started kissing him back delightedly. After several moments of wrestling his tongue, she pulled away, though not out of his arms.


"G-Goodnight, Lucien," she stuttered softly, intending on simply turning over and going to sleep. It was an innocent enough intention since he had done the same thing to her the first time he kissed her.. though, admittedly, that had been a lot less intense and they hadn't slept together after. Still. She meant to say goodnight and let it end, but she had only pulled away enough for their breathing to still mix when she spoke to him. In moments she had pulled him back in close to her and was kissing him again.
 
Lucien was so confused by her sometimes. She didn't pull away at first, she let him kiss her and kissed him back. Then pulled away whispering good night. Then pulling him back into the kiss. He wasn't positive she knew what she wanted. He figured he would let her lead so that she would be comfortable with the situation but the more he kissed her, the more his hands wandered, his fingers finding their way under her shirt so that he could feel her soft skin beneath his palm. His body pressed into hers as he pushed her onto her back so that he blanketed her small form with his larger one.

He drifted on a rising tide of lust and love. He let the feel of her skin and the fire of her mouth take him over. Electricity arced from Leila to him. Flames rushed over his body and poured like molten lava into his veins. His every nerve ending leapt to life, craving her. His fingers tangled in her hair, his mouth devouring hers, wanting more, needing more. He pulled back only to rest his forehead on hers for a moment. He looked down into her eyes, hungry and aching for her, his breathing rough and his voice deeper than normal, "What do you want Leila?" He wasn't going to continue unless he knew it was what she wanted.
 
The combination of Makii, liquor, inner feelings and stress, all combined with the warmth of Lucien's body next to hers and the soft touches that made her relax.. It all got dumped into this mixing pot that dictated her actions. Normally it'd be called logic. Clearly that was tossed out the window for the night since she didn't have the faintest idea what she wanted. She could easily feel Lucien's hands wandering, but it was so gentle and warm and relaxing that she didn't care. Instead of pushing him away, she just kissed him more and more.


"Hm?" she questioned breathlessly as he stopped and asked her a question. It took her a minute to really put together what it had been, her mind scrambled with the sensation of his fingers tangled behind her head and his body hovering over hers. She wasn't sure how to answer him. What did she want? "I want you," she said simply, which was true, but her voice was a little uncertain because even though she did want him, she didn't know if it was a sexual desire or if she'd be satisfied with a hug. She was about to say something else, when her stomach turned and she bolted to the bathroom to be sick in the toilet.
 
Lucien let her go at first thinking she might be running from him and then heard her being sick. He mentally kicked himself. She had said she was sick when she left the party and he had let his lust and love for her take over his reality instead of taking care of her. He calmly walked into the bathroom and grabbed a cloth off the shelf. He ran it under cold water and then, lifting her hair, he pressed it to the back of her neck. He knelt down beside her and placed his open hand on her stomach. Closing his eyes he let his healing magic flow into her, warming her and settling her stomach by counteracting the acid. "I am sorry zar-rey lyndza. I wasn't thinking. I should have taken care of you better. Why don't you rinse your mouth and I will make you some mint tea to sip on."

He stood and stalked from the bathroom angry with himself for his misjudgment. He grabbed the same pot he had used for his tea and filled it with water. Setting it on the table to warm, he found a mint tea package and started dunking it into the water and squeezing it out like he had started before. He waited quite awhile, longer than he had last time and the water still didn't heat. He adjusted the pot on the table trying to find the exact location he had set it in before but it still wasn't working. The water was still room temperature. He literally growled at the contraption wishing he knew the secret to turning it on. She was going to be asleep by the time he got this done.
 
Leila had her hands on her knees and was shaking when Lucien came in. She wanted to tell him not to worry about it and to just go so that he didn't have to see, but she was sick again before she could even get the words out. Coughing miserably after, she felt something cold on the back of her neck that felt wonderful. She straightened a little and watched Lucien as he placed his hand on his belly. Almost immediately she felt a little better - at least she wasn't going to puke all over him.


Nodding, she watched him walk out and flushed, then brushed her teeth thoroughly and rinsed it all out. She changed out of her bikini top and skirt, trading them in for a pair of thin pajama pants and a white tank top that she had put in the bathroom earlier. When she walked out, she saw Lucien standing with the pot on the table and blinked before laughing.


"I'm sorry, Lucien, I forgot to tell you. Before when your water heated on the table, it was because I saw you and helped you from the bedroom. It's not actually a cooking device, I was just teasing. Come here," she said, picking up the pot and carrying it over to the stove. She carefully explained how to use the burners and what every knob and button was for, even explaining the oven beneath it and the fan above if anything smoked. She had the pot warming by the time she was done, and she rubbed her eyes tiredly.


"And don't worry about the whole not taking care of me thing. You were taking care of me, and I enjoyed it," she added, hugging him gently.
 
Lucien felt completely ignorant and was quiet while she explained the stove and oven to him. He took in every detail and committed it to memory so that he may be more effective in the future. He grabbed two tea cups and placed the tea bags inside with the string hanging over the side. Waiting until the water was boiling, he very carefully poured the steaming liquid into both cups. He placed them both on the table, reaching into his pouch for a sapphire. Her arms wrapping around him sent a million flames licking across his skin and then it was gone. He pulled out her chair for her.

"I think I was moving too fast which is why you got sick. I do apologize," he said without meeting her gaze. He felt like a scolded dragon, her being sick the reprimand. "I will not be so foolish in the future." He sat beside her and dusted his stone, sprinkling the powder into his cup and swirling it around with his magic. He stared down into his cup watching the sparkles float around until they finally dissolved. He was so ashamed of himself he couldn't look into her eyes. He didn't know what was there but he knew that it wouldn't be good. The starkness of his actions was a mistake, she hadn't been ready for the intensity of them.
 
Leila pulled away from the gentle hug and just watched Lucien in confusion. He wasn't looking at her and was apologizing again even though she had just told him that she enjoyed it. Maybe she had misunderstood and he was ashamed that they had both behaved that way. So, that made her at fault too. She frowned sadly and looked down at her tea as he set it in front of her. Toying with the string of the tea bag for a minute, she finally looked back up and him and noticed that he was avoiding looking at her still as well. She had really messed up.


"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to. Things got out of hand, I guess," she murmured, then looked back down. Appetite for tea gone, she left the cup there and got up to wander back to her room. He'd likely not want her sleeping next to him now, she assumed, since it was obvious they couldn't control themselves.
 
Lucien sighed sharply. This couldn't keep happening. He had made her upset yet again. She hadn't even touched her tea. And it was all because he was too shy to let her know how he was feeling. He had taken too much from his father. When he was younger he noticed that the only time his mother truly looked like she loved his father was when he was being soft and tender with her. Maybe that would work in this case. It was his last ditch effort and he hoped it wouldn't go badly.

He stood and walked after her. He caught her hand before she made it to her room and pulled her back to him gently. His hands framed her face so that she could not look away from him. He got lost in her eyes for a moment before he spilled his emotions. "Leila, I have never felt so strongly about anyone until I met you. In a short amount of time we have shared so much. We don't know everything about each other yet but I want to learn everything about you. And I want to share with you anything you want to know. You fascinate and intrigue me at the same time. My thoughts are never straight when I'm around you. I crave your physical touch and I adore kissing you. I guess what I'm trying to say is I'm falling in love with you. And I don't want to move any quicker than you want to because I couldn't stand it if I pushed you away." Every word he spoke rang true from his heart. He hoped that she wouldn't take offense to anything but prepared himself for the worst.
 
Feeling incredibly guilty and sad for how things had gone, Leila just hung her head as she walked. How awful. She sighed and had nearly reached her door when Lucien took her hand from behind. Pausing, she turned to face him and looked up as both of his hands cupped her cheeks. She was worried that he was going to be upset with her, but as he started speaking, she realized that this was entirely not what she was expecting. A blush colored her cheeks as he went on, and after he fell silent, she just stared at him for a moment.


"Lucien.. Earlier, when I said that I loved you.." she started, then paused for a moment before smiling with a deeper blush. "I meant it," she whispered softly, looking up at him as she barely resisted the urge to kiss him. She yawned a little and blinked, having nearly forgotten her exhaustion.
 
Lucien froze when he stopped speaking and she stared at him. He was afraid she wasn't going to say anything. Elation hit him like a strong gust of wind almost forcing him from his feet. She had been serious earlier. He couldn't speak at first, he just showered her face with tiny kisses everywhere, lastly hitting her lips, lingering there for a moment. He couldn't wipe the large smile from his face to save his life. He scooped her up in his arms and brought her into her bedroom. He set her on her side and lay down next to her, still wrapping her in his arms.

"I don't know why you make me so happy Leila but you do and that's all that matters. I hope I can make you happy too." He nuzzled his face in her hair, gently caressing her cheek with his thumb. He wasn't going to try anything else tonight unless she initiated it but he figured she wouldn't. She looked tired beyond belief and he would just let her rest.
 
Leila laughed as Lucien kissed her all over, kissing him back when his lips touched hers. She snuggled into his chest as he picked her up, her body remaining close against his as he laid down. So, she wasn't going to have to sleep alone after all. The thought relieved her, and she smiled as she looked up at him. His words, caresses and nuzzling all told her that he really did love her. He had meant it too. It wasn't just a passing fancy - at least, she didn't think that it was.


"You do make me happy, Lucien," she murmured softly, listening to his heart beating as she closed her eyes. The pulse was like the world's best lullaby, and she felt herself starting to drift as he continued to give her those gentle touches. She yawned one last time, sliding an arm around him. "I love you," she mumbled in a slight slur, falling asleep so quickly after that she didn't even know if he replied.
 
Lucien sheltered her with his larger frame. His protective streak was only getting wider. He smiled as he caught her words and whispered that he loved her back in his ancient tongue. She was asleep and peaceful in his arms. He rested his head against hers and closed his eyes. It took him awhile to fall asleep, thoughts swirled in his head a mile a minute. He still was unsure what Markus had needed to speak to him about. It seemed urgent and important but the man obviously knew his need to make sure Leila was alright so he let him go. He supposed he would find out in the morning. He finally drifted off to sleep.

When he woke the next morning she was still wrapped protectively in his arms. She wasn't awake yet, he could tell by her even breaths and serene look on her face. He ran his fingers very gently through her hair, wanting her to wake naturally. As he looked at her face he absorbed every detail, her lashes splayed out as crescent moons, the rise of her high cheekbones, the curve of her sensual lips as she smiled in her sleep. He wondered what she was smiling about. He could probably ask her and get that adorable flush to come back to her face making her cheeks all rosy.
 
Leila had the strangest dreams that night, ones quite unlike what she was used to. She was in the woods, walking along alone. In the back of her mind, she knew that Tumn was around somewhere, but it was just a lazy walk and she knew he'd find his way back to her if he got lost. Her destination had been the lake, but when she got there, it was just a big empty crater. After that, her dream had changed and she saw images of herself and Lucien standing atop the mountain. She recalled how amazed he had been, and the thought made her smile.


Tumn got up and stretched as he sensed that Lucien was awake. He got up on the bed and opened his jaw very pointedly, nipping at Lucien's legs in his demand for food. After a few minutes, he hopped down and trotted out to the kitchen, assuming Lucien would follow and oblige him with a feast. He plopped his hindquarters down and waited, staring at the bedroom door. After a few minutes, there was a knock at the door. Leila stirred a bit and opened her eyes, still half asleep and not realizing somebody was knocking.
 
Lucien glared at the door, wanting to be there to watch Leila wake up. He leaned down and kissed her forehead whispering, "I'll get it." He scooched off the bed and put on his shirt on the way to the door. He looked back at Tumn, "Just a minute boy, let me get the door then I'll fix you something to eat." He figured that was why the dragon had been snapping at his leg, basically saying feed me or I'll eat your leg.

He unlocked the door, placing his foot on the back side of it just in case he had to hold the door shut. He opening it quickly but only part of the way, relaxing the instant he saw Markus. He smiled and opened the door wider, stepping to the side with an outstretched arm. "Good morning Markus. Please come in, I was just about to fix something for breakfast. Hungry?" He waited for the older man to enter and then shut the door, relocking it and showed him to the kitchen. He opened the door to the refrigerator and started going through ingredients he might be able to use. "You wanted to speak about something last night, apologies for leaving you before we could discuss. Leila is feeling better this morning and should be joining us as soon as she wakes up fully." He swore nothing could break his happy mood this morning.
 
Markus smiled and stepped inside, glancing toward the bedrooms before looking back at Lucien. He wasn't very surprised that Leila was still asleep, considering how much Makii that she had the night before. Chuckling, he shook his head and held up a hand to decline the offer of food, then sat in one of the kitchen chairs. Tumn came up and started nosing Markus' pockets, coming out with a small bit of jerky that the older man had brought over just for the dragon. He gobbled it greedily, tail thwumping against the floor like a happy dog.


"That's alright. I was actually kind of hoping to get here before she was up and about. The things I wanted to talk to you about aren't exactly happy topics, and I'm sure she wouldn't bring them up to you herself. Partially because of what they are, and partially because I know considerably more than she does about a few parts of it all," Markus said, leaning back in his chair a bit as he watched Lucien look for things to make.


Leila had barely nodded at Lucien's whisper, stretching all along the bed. She curled around his pillow with a sleepy smile, delighted that it was still warm from him laying on it. After a few moments she heard voices - Lucien's and one that sort of sounded like Markus. She yawned and stretched again, then flopped out of bed and to her feet. Running a hand through her mess of tangled hair, she toddled out and gave Markus a barely-awake smile.


"Well good morning, Leila. I trust you're feeling well?" he asked, clearly amused. She nodded and wandered over to dig out a teacup while Markus nodded toward Lucien. "I was just discussing taking Lucien out on a walk to see the parts of the city that you two haven't looked over yet. Give you a chance to wake up more and dress?" he went on, sneaking Lucien a wink as Leila nodded again and pulled out a tea packet.
 
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