Work Text:
Maeve entered his study as quietly as humanely possible, his Red Guards escorting her nodding. They knew her by first name, by now. Shutting the large mahogany door made a louder noise than intended. Of course, it echoed throughout the nearly empty room, causing him to jolt his head up. Intense at first, his gaze softened on her figure. He quietly said her name to himself.
Her heels clacked against the floor, which echoed equally as loudly. She hesitated in the middle of the room, unsure if he had time to see her. Armand nodded, and she continued to his desk, picking up pace slightly.
“How can I help you, dear?” He inquired, smiling slightly.
Maeve smiled back, “Nothing in particular. Just wanted to see your face once more... before I pick up my work for this afternoon.” She grasped her hands together in front.
He sighed, standing up and circling around his desk. He looked not all together, slightly sickly and disoriented. But still, he held her face and gave her an endearing kiss. Pulling away, he ran his thumbs over her cheekbones affectionately. “You came all the way to my office to see me?”
“Of course, my love.” She made a face like it was obvious.
He chuckled, placing a kiss on her forehead and releasing her from his hold. “You look very pretty today, as you do all days.” He walked away to look out the window at her beautiful garden.
“Are you feeling well, Armand?” She asked, a tinge of concern in her voice.
Glancing over his shoulder, he responded, sighing, “I have a slight fever, and I can feel a headache approaching, like a forming stormcloud in the distance.” She joined him at the window, placing a gentle hand on his forearm for comfort. He turned his head and made eye contact with her, an expression of worry in her eyes.
“Maybe you should take a break.” She suggested. He raised a suspicious eyebrow, causing her to feel the need to expand upon her last sentence. “For just a bit. Allow yourself some fresh air?” She wrapped both her arms around his arm. A gesture that brought him joy.
The Cardinal returned his gaze out the window. “Is that an invitation to join you while you do your work?”
Maeve rested her cheek on his bicep, giggling. “If you want it to be.”
“You’re truly a persuasive creature of beauty, aren’t you?” He glanced at her, “I should have you punished for manipulation.” Armand joked.
She looked up at him, curling her lips into a smile slowly. “Punishing me…” She repeated, slightly mockingly, while shaking her head.
“I’ll join you in the garden in a few minutes. Okay?”
She released her hold on him, “Okay.” Maeve reached up, onto her tippy toes, and kissed his cheek. “Don’t forget.” She said slyly, quickly walking across the room.
“I may be old,” He started, “But my memory is still intact.” He turned towards her. She looked over her shoulder, laughing at him.
He sat back down at his desk and wrapped up his work, eagerly signing papers and reading over proposals. Armand found himself pulled towards the window, wishing to see her again, missing her even though he’d just seen her. Maeve was his sweet honey, the nectar of her looks and her body enchanting and addicting. It almost made him wonder if she has ulterior plans.
His thoughts were drowned out by the murderous headache stabbing at his nerves. He thought his eyes would pop out of his head and he’d be a sightless shambling mass. He wouldn’t know what to do if he’d lost his sight. He couldn’t bear the thought of never seeing her cute face again. She’d still love him if he had no eyes, right?
Armand sighed upon completion of his task. When he stood up, he immediately felt incredibly sick and lightheaded. He stopped himself from falling by slamming both hands down on his desk. He closed his eyes, breathing deeply to try and make the sickness pass. Once he was sufficiently convinced he wouldn’t fall, he walked out of his study and down the steps.
A blissful feeling of relief hit him when he stepped outside, the hot air filling his lungs. A sea of mid-summer flower scents cascading over him. Maeve appeared from behind a tall hedge, running her hand across the branches and leaves of it. He walked out to her, as he approached she looked at him and smiled.
“That was swift… Did you miss me that much, my love?” She asked as he clutched her hand and kissed her forehead.
He ignored her question. The answer was obvious to the both of them. “I won’t disturb you too much with your work.” He said, sitting down on a nearby bench.
“Worry not. You won’t be disturbing me.”
Armand breathed out, pinching and massaging the bridge of his nose. She glanced over at him briefly. “Is your headache worsening?”
“Indeed.” He shifted to rubbing circles into his temples, leaning over and planting his elbows into his knees. He watched her wield her work knife. She was trimming down the hedge to shape. Grabbing a problematic part of it and cutting at the most reasonable new growth. Maeve once explained to him that if you cut at the bud, it will grow back more appealing.
He leaned back, stretching and taking deep breaths. “Come here, for a moment.”
She drew nearer to him, forgetting she still had the knife in hand. “Yes, my love?”
“Closer.” He said. She stepped a single stride nearer. “Come sit in my lap.” Armand declared.
She grinned, looking down at her hand and realizing the fact about the knife. “Oh, goodness.” Maeve said to herself. “One moment.” She turned to return the blade to the cart. Armand grabbed her wrist, which belonged to the hand that held said blade. She turned her head, watching him take the knife out of it slowly and gently.
He carelessly tossed it onto another part of the bench, pulling her close. She rested herself in his lap, laying her arms across his shoulders and touching the back of his neck. He groaned, closing his eyes.
“My love, are you okay?”
“I’m unwell, but nothing that’s cause for concern. Just please stay here, for a moment.”
“Okay.” She examined his facial features in the sunlight. His eyelashes cast shadows onto his cheeks like spiderwebs. Experimentally, she ran her fingers through the hairs on the back of his neck. He seemed to enjoy it, leaning into the touch a great deal. Her hands moved up and past his ears, palms on his cheekbones and fingers rubbing his scalp. His soft, yet slightly wiry hair tickled the webbing of her fingers, much like how a feather feels. He opened his eyes, sighing in relief.
“Thank you, dear.”
She smiled, giggling a bit. “You can ask plainly next time.” Maeve leaned down, placing a kiss on his forehead. In return, he kissed her cheek. They mutually agreed to move to each other’s mouths, kissing each other sweetly.