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Aurora Shepard could hear her friends stirring downstairs, finally waking after a long night of partying. It was a well deserved break, but unfortunately, reality was going to come crashing back down soon. With a groan, she rolled over, tucking her face into the warm body beside her, refusing to move until someone came upstairs and physically pulled her from the bed.
The person beside her moved slightly, draping an arm over her body gently, stroking her hip with a stray finger. The touch made her shiver with delight, each brush against her skin enticing her in ways that she couldn’t afford to be in that moment.
Not with all of those people in the kitchen at the bottom of the staircase.
Biting her lip, Aurora rubbed her nose against the scratchy fabric of a shirt, trying not to laugh at the protest that left her boyfriend’s mouth.
“Ten more minutes, Mom.”
Instead of responding with words, Aurora started kissing his chest, moving up towards his face with a snail’s pace. With each touch, her fingers inched his shirt up slightly, her own fingers playing with the skin of his abdomen. He pulled in a sharp breath as she brushed a soft kiss against his collarbone.
He groaned. “You’re killing me.”
She raised her head just enough to press a quick kiss to his lips. “There’s more of this if you want it.”
Joker opened his eyes a sliver to look at her. “You can’t trick me. I know what getting out of bed means. I’m not that stupid.”
Aurora raised an eyebrow. “Who said anything about getting out of bed?”
The smile that graced his face was the only answer she needed. Carefully, he turned on his side to face her, a devilish gleam in his eyes. “You should’ve led with that.”
Aurora’s laugh was cut short as his lips met hers again, his hands finding their way through her choppy blonde locks. It didn’t take long for those lazy kisses to turn more passionate. Years of being friends had turned into years of yearning crushes until they finally admitted their feelings for each other. Now, the passion that had lain dormant for so long sprang to life whenever it could, usually at the most inconvenient of times.
Joker shifted his body closer to hers, getting as close as he could without hurting himself. He pulled away briefly to catch his breath, pressing his forehead against Aurora’s. Without his presence, Aurora didn’t think she would have the strength to fight this war. It was all too much at times: the responsibility, the death, the burden of so much destruction… but Joker had been with her from the beginning. He had never abandoned her.
And she would never abandon him.
Together, they would face what was coming and if she survived this war, Aurora wasn’t going to leave his side ever again.
Bringing one of his hands to her lips, she pressed kisses along his knuckles, marvelling at how easily they fit together. Before Jeff, she’d never entertained the idea of a romantic relationship. She was a soldier, a commander, a spectre. She had so many people depending on her. She couldn’t afford distractions.
Her death at the hands of the Collectors had changed her. It had changed everything.
Aurora glanced up and saw that Jeff was watching her quietly. With a smile, she met his eyes. “What?”
He hesitated, brushing her hair out of her face as a distraction. “I know I’m not the most serious person, but this is different, Rori.”
“I know that, Jeff.” She briefly touched his lips before pressing a kiss there.
“I… I love you. I think I always did. I don’t say it enough and-” He paused and closed his eyes, almost as if he needed to pull himself together before he could continue. Aurora waited, knowing it was easier if she stayed silent while he thought. Finally, he opened his eyes again, this time he looked upset as he remembered what they’d lost. “After you died, I never thought I would say it at all. To anyone. We lost two years and I- don’t want to lose anymore.”
When he kissed her this time, it was softer than any kiss they’d shared before. It ended far too soon in her opinion. Aurora buried her face into his chest once more, listening to the steady beating of his heart. A heart he chose to entrust to her. “When this war is over, you better be waiting for me.”
Joker’s arms tightened around her slightly, his lips brushing over her hair. “I’ll be here, Rori. Until the very end.”
She couldn't think about what might happen once they landed on Earth. She might not make it. Joker might not either. But knowing they had each other to live for …
For now, it was enough.