Chapter Text
They had Airik. He was worse for wear but they had him. Kit and Elora hadn’t left his side since they began the equally long journey home, he didn’t speak much, but otherwise he seemed fine. His hair was cut short, even shorter than hers, and Kit noticed and he tended to have a glazed look in his eye if someone wasn’t speaking directly to him.
She knew he needed time, and probably to be home safe, but she longed to be able to do something to help him. She joked with him during meals until a smile pulled at his lips, she sat with him when he didn’t want to talk but still needed company and she gave him space when he and Elora needed to have a private conversation.
This was one of those moments. Elora had sat next to them, grabbed Airik’s hand in hers and leaned in to whisper something in his ear. That was Kit’s cue to leave. She sat her cup down and excused herself. She was surprised with how much she had grown to like Elora, and how much she liked who her twin was with her, she seemed to bring out the best in him.
The leaves crunched under her feet as she leaned against a nearby tree. She scanned the group, eyes naturally searching for Jade but she wasn’t there. She furrowed her brow, worry coursing through her.
She pushed off the tree and took a small step forward. Jade would have told her if she were leaving the camp and more importantly Kit should have noticed. She blinked and pivoted making a full circle trying to see what direction she could have left in.
She opened her mouth to ask the others if they knew where she went but before any sound could escape her lips a figure appeared behind her. She jumped when a hand grabbed her arm and tugged her back, “Boo,” Jade whispered into her ear and Kit grinned as her breath caressed her skin.
“I was wondering where you got off to,” Kit said and leaned further into her, to her great displeasure it wasn’t the warmth of Jade’s body she felt but instead the jagged cut of the firewood that Jade was carrying with her other arm. She grunted and Jade chuckled sidestepping around her to drop the firewood closer to the group.
Kit didn’t follow, instead she watched, she always enjoyed watching Jade move. Her movements were smooth and calculated, she did nothing without thought. Kit could see her muscles working under clothes, her legs flexed as she knelt to the ground and her arms tensed as she set the wood down in a semi organized manner. She stood in one fluid motion and turned back to her and smiled.
Only then did Kit realize how blatantly she was staring, Jade tucked her chin and if it were lighter out Kit was sure she would’ve been able to see the blush spreading across her cheeks even at this distance. She released a breath as Jade made her way back over to her.
Jade nearly walked past her, but stopped at her side, close enough that their shoulders brushed. She leaned her head in closer to her and Kit’s eyes flickered to her lips. She nearly groaned when she saw Jade’s tongue dart to wet them. “Take a walk with me Princess?” She asked.
What she nearly said, what she had wanted to say, was that she would do literally anything Jade asked of her right now but she didn’t. Instead, Kit nodded a little too eagerly and followed behind her as she led them deeper into the woods.
Jade linked her hand with the princess’ as they walked in companionable silence. She knew Kit was watching her the same way she knew that Kit was beginning to worry about where she was when Jade came back with the firewood.
Kit hadn’t seen her yet, but Jade saw her. She saw how tight her shoulders got, she saw how she ran her fingers through her hair ( a movement she was dying to mimic) as she frantically searched the camp for her. She couldn’t help but mess with her just a little.
Kit had spent the last month and a half of the trip taunting her and teasing her relentlessly. Not that Jade didn’t enjoy it, she definitely did, a little more than that even. She had longed for the princess for so long that she didn’t think it could get any worse than it was. But oh was she wrong.
Kit now had full permission and access to flirt with her unabashedly when they were together, and knowing that the princess reciprocated her feelings, that she loved her, changed everything. Because now every look was a plea, an unanswered question that pulled Jade into her.
A breeze blew through the air, the beginning signs that the seasons were changing and even more proof that they needed to end this quest quickly. Kit shivered next to her. She released her hand, and Jade faltered just for a moment until Kit’s hand snaked it way up her arm and she linked them together. Her other hand came up and gripped her on the forearm. She nestled closer to her and Jade was filled with an undeniable fondness.
Kit sidled up closer to her and relaxed into her warmth,” Weathers changing,” she commented.
“All the more reason for us get home quickly,” Jade hummed, not exactly able to focus much with her princess on her arm.
Kit pulled them to a stop, they were a good distance from the camp, far enough to not be overheard at least, “are you planning on coming back to Tir Asleen with us?” She asked, her voice a mixture of confusion and hesitance. She had voiced on multiple occasions that she was willing to follow Jade anywhere and she already knew that Kit had no qwalls leaving Tir Asleen behind her, but actually making the plans was foreign to her.
“I figured I would have to, at least for a little while,” she said,” we can’t exactly let Airik, Elora, and Graydon return without us.” An honest to stars pout spread across Kit’s face. Jade had the sudden and nearly irresistible urge to sink her teeth into her bottom lip. She took an involuntary step closer.
“I mean we could,” Kit said, and Jade gave her a pointed look,” fine we won’t but the first mention of my engagement proceeding and I’m out the window again,” Jade chuckled and squeezed her hand affectionately,” and this time I hope you’ll be following me.”
“Without hesitation, princess,”
“Where do you want to go next?” She asked and she got the same look in her eye that she always had when she would gaze toward the barrier and dream of adventure. She always knew that the life of a princess would never satisfy her, that she dreamed of seeing the world and experiencing all that life had to offer.
“I don’t know. Anywhere,” she said,” where would you like to go?”
Kit took a deep breath and pursed her lips. They curled up at the edges right before she spoke, “ I don’t know, maybe we could go back to the bone reavers. Your sister’s kinda hot, I’m sure she could keep me warm through the winter,” Kit couldn’t even make it through the sentence before she broke out laughing.
Jade shoved her off her arm and whacked her hard on the shoulder. Kit dodged, anticipating her hit before she even swung. She laughed brightly as Jade chased after her, she couldn’t help the smile that grew on her face.
When she caught her she wrapped her arms around her waist and yanked her in. She was facing away from her but Kit twisted so that they were face to face. “We could get a little cottage, just the two of us,” she said and batted her eyelashes at her. That sounded much better to Jade than the first option, she pulled her in closer so that their bodies were flush together. “Or we could travel. Not set down roots anywhere but go and see everything.”
Kit wiggled in her arms and Jade yielded so that she could turn to face her fully. On instinct Jade put on hand on her waist, and marveled in the novelty of such a simple touch. Kit’s skin was covered by at least two layers of fabric but she could still feel the heat radiating under her hand and she could imagine how soft it would be to touch.
That was a dangerous train of thought and she knew it. If she started imagining things now she would never stop. She would imagine the way Kit’s lips tasted and how they would move against hers. She would imagine how the perpetual flush that spread down her neck any time Jade was near would travel down her entire body. And she would imagine all of the delicious little sounds that she could draw from her if she was blessed with the time and opportunity.
Jade sucked in a jagged breath as Kit slipped an arm over her shoulder and hooked it around the back of her neck. “What were you thinking about just now?” She asked
Jade flushed even redder, averting her gaze,” nothing good,” she choked out.
Kit hummed and Jade could feel the vibrations from where their chests were pressed together, “ nothing good sounds like a lot of fun,” she purred and pressed in even closer.
Jade wasn’t sure what it was about that particular moment, there had been dozen like this over the months of travel, but something about this one cracked her open.
Here she was holding the girl who she loved, and who loved her, in her arms and dreaming about a future together. One that seemed more possible every passing day. A part of her wanted to stand there and poke holes in all of Kit’s big plans, to point out every flaw and downfall that could throw their dreams off course, so that they could start the work to find solutions to them, but the other side of her wanted to forget everything about in the real world and kiss the her senseless.
She was sure if at all possible her heart would be melting out of her chest.
She took her free hand and placed her knuckle under Kit’s chin, lifting it, forcing Kit’s eyes to leave her lips.
She released a steadying breath before speaking, “ask me again,” was all she said.
She watched Kit’s pupils expand and her throat work up and down as she dug her fingers into her waist even harder, “Please,” Kit whimpered and as soon as the sound fell from her lips Jade surged forward.
Jade’s entire body burned at the feel of Kit’s lips on her own. They had kissed before, a lifetime ago it felt like, but this was different. That had been a goodbye kiss of sorts, between two friends who were dreaming of what might have been, but this was as everlasting as the sun’s arc across the sky and the waves endlessly breaking against the shore.
A desperate sound escaped the back of her throat as Kit moved her lips against hers, she almost didn’t realize she had been the one who made it. Her hand moved up and cupped her cheek, tracing her cheek bones, trying to memorize the feel of her skin.
Kit broke away with a gasp and Jade sucked in a greedy breath, neither of them went far. Jade barely had time to fill her lungs before Kit’s mouth was back on hers.
Her entire body shuttered. She would never have enough of this, she was an addict, exactly as she knew she would be as soon as she gave into her baser desires.
Her brain ceased to function when Kit’s tongue licked its way into her mouth. She moved without thinking, and took a single moment to thank whatever guard had beat the training into her to always be aware of her surroundings. It was because of this training that she knew exactly which tree was closest for her to push the princess against.
They stumbled back and Jade slipped her hand into Kit’s hair. She pressed her palm against the back of Kit’s head, using it to stop her head from snapping back when Kit collided with the tree rather forcefully.
Kit groaned against her lips and grabbed at her, her hands fumbled as she desperately tried to pull her closer. The princess smiled against her mouth as she slipped a hand under her tunic, her warm fingers exploring the smooth expanse of skin. Jade shivered and lost herself in the feelings of her hands and her lips.
It wasn’t enough.
Kit hitched her leg up and wrapped it around her hips. A moan escaped her mouth as Kit writhed against her. She pressed her lips back to her’s in an attempt to smother any more sounds that might fall from her, suddenly aware of how close their group was and how loud she wanted to be.
How loud she wanted Kit to be.
With practiced ease she lifted the one leg Kit still had on the ground, it never ceased to amaze her how light her princess was, how easily she could lift her and move her.
Kit kissed like she fought and Jade found herself able to anticipate her next move. It was a dance between them, a push and pull that left Jade feeling light headed and slightly drunk.
After what felt like an eternity Kit broke the kiss, “Jade,” she breathed against her lips.
Jade smiled, she couldn’t help, for the first time in her life her entire world was in her grasp.
“Princess,” she mumbled, knocking their noses together and letting her eyes flutter closed as fingers threaded through hair.
“ I love you,” she said as she began to mouth her way down Jade’s neck. She would have crumbled if not for the tree holding them up.
“I-“ she whimpered when Kit sucked aggressively at a particular spot under her ear, “ I love you too,” she finally got out.
“Good,” she smiled, “ because what I'm going to say next is going to make you really mad.
Jade pulled back, she couldn’t get far before Kit’s legs locked around her waist trapping her in,” What?” She asked warily.
Kit eyes traced over Jade's features, jumping from freckle to freckle like she was counting stars, when her eyes finally snapped up to meet her’s, she smirked, “I won,” and then pressed a kiss on the tip of her nose.
Jade blinked as she tried to comprehend her words. The words came back to her in pieces, from a night so long ago when she had nearly lost Kit and then had her back in her arms. A challenge uttered under the stars, a challenge that Kit had taken ever so seriously in the days that followed.
“I could drop you right now, you know,” she countered, not bothering to hide her grin.
Her fingers tightened in her hair a millisecond before Kit tugged, hard. Warmth surged down her neck and into her stomach as her chin was yanked up. For the first time in both of their lives Kit was taller than her and Jade found herself admiring the view even as delicious pain radiated from her scalp.
“You wouldn’t dare,” she purred.
Jade surged forward and sunk her teeth into her bottom lip. She sucked it into her mouth as a strangled sound escaped her lips. “You are wearing far too many clothes right now,” Kit complained, when she finally released her.
Jade wasn’t sure if her mind was spinning or she had somehow gained the ability to sense the Earth’s rotations.
She wanted and she longed and she yearned but in the end her old training and resolve won out.
“I will not bed you for the first time against a tree princess,” she whispered, just a hair's breadth away from her ear.
“Ok,” she said, grinding against her,” what are your opinions on the ground?”
Kit’s eyes were dark and she wanted to drown in them.
“Sorry, not there either,”
She sighed but she didn’t seem like she had expected anything else.
“Can we keep kissing then if I promise to behave?” She asked and then to truly wear Jade’s nerve thin she leaned in closer and whispered, “Please,”
Oh sweet mercy Jade was in so much trouble.