Work Text:
They had slipped out the back of the bath house and into the drizzling rain. The hour was nearly midnight and they’d been walking through the darkened alleys of Treviso for a few tense minutes. The late-night public had receded into their dwellings to escape the rain, leaving only the few individuals with great purpose to wander the street. They would be easy to spot, safer to attack with no witnesses or bystanders intervening. But, Rook was more concerned about her companion, who had asked exclusively for her company on this scouting mission. Unfortunately, Lucanis’ suspicions were turned true as they had discovered Illario, his dear cousin, and Zara Renata, his tormentor, were entwined in a sick romance and conspired together against the Dellamorte family. Before she spoke, she watched Lucanis’ shoulders gradually slow their jolting, and she considered her words carefully.
“Lucanis? I’m sorry about Illario,” she whispered gently, just louder than the hush of the rainfall against the cobble pavement. She watched with regret as his shoulders tightened again, rising with a deep breath that filled his chest. He waited a long moment before replying, mincing his words.
“I need to confront him… -to put an end to all of this treachery,” he muttered over his shoulder, maintaining his usual coolness but Rook could see it bubbling up. He continued.
“If he’s working with Zara, then he knows where Catarina is, or even what’s happened to her - what he must’ve done to her…” He stops short in the rain, and Rook nearly runs right into him. His breath leaves him in one angry swoosh and he starts up again, ignited.
“After everything she’s done for us, he would betray her?! The last of our family, of our legacy?! And with that crazy, blood witch - after everything she did to me? He-” he turns halfway to Rook, but stops and his words crumble in his mouth as he makes realizations.
“He set me up… he turned me over to the Venatori… made me into this demon,” his voice breaks. He grits his teeth, and closes his eyes as they echo with amethyst, a whisper of Spite. He settles his shoulders resolutely and hangs his head, scrambling to fight back Spite and regain himself. His pain mangles his beautiful features, furrowing his brow and twisting his mouth, and Rook feels her heart twinge. Gently, she places her hand on his shoulder and moves in close.
“He will pay for this. We’ll take them both down, but first, we’ll need the team. We can fight them together, and hopefully find Catarina,” she consoles him, and he winces at the end. But he’s looking at her now, and his dark eyes are clear from Spite’s stain.
“Teia and Viago need to know. I will speak with them first, then we can plan to infiltrate the bathhouse again. Next time we come back here, there will be blood,” he hisses through gritted teeth. Rook nods resolutely and offers a reassuring smile.
“That’s a plan I can always count on. Though, based on what we just witnessed, it’s going to be a lot more blood than we necessarily want,” she jests, then punctuates it with a dramatic shiver. It just barely cracks the shadow across Lucanis’ face and he relinquishes a non-commitmental snort. He reaches out and tugs at the fabric of her belt, a familiar action and a most welcome morsel of physical contact.
“Good thing you like to wear red,” he remarks, referring to the long red shawl she styled her light armor with. She chuffs in response and pats his shoulder with an easy grin, as her stomach flip-flops. They start down the road again, and Rook glances up at the rain which begins to dampen her long, silken hair. It flicks her nose and chills the skin where it splatters. Teia and Viago were a good walk across town, and she neglected to bring a coat - no, good for style or mobility!
She glances jealously at Lucanis, in his heavy, leather coat, probably completely oblivious to the drizzle of the cool rain. No matter, she would tough it out, as long as he wasn’t compelled to offer his big, warm coat like the total gentleman he was. Then, she’d simply have to politely decline, until he, of course, insisted. Then, she’d bashfully slip his coat around herself and revel in the delightful warmth his body provided vicariously. The rich scent of leather would surround her, and with the subtle turn of her head, she’d inhale the musk of his cologne that lingered on the collar. Or at least, that’s what he would do if they could only graduate from stolen glances, soft blushes, and the playful-but-professional banter.
She found the smile on her face receding into disappointment, and she thought she’d better distract herself before she got all doe-eyed for seemingly no reason. She turned her head to ask Lucanis about the gondolas, but found him already looking at her. No, he was watching behind them. Her brow furrowed and she went to turn her head, but jolted as his fingers gripped her arm.
“Don’t,” he warned in a hushed whisper.
“Venatori?” Rook guessed easily. Lucanis glances back over his shoulder and curses.
“Mierda. Yes, and they just saw that. Let’s get off this street and try to lose them,” he suggests, and pulls her forward quickly and into the first opening on the right. Rook’s mind starts to swim as his palm and fingers wrap around her arm, and strongly pull her along. Focus, focus, she bids the girlish squeamishness rising inside her.
She trusts him to know the streets better and disappear within them, so she follows obediently as he directs them diagonally from their path. They start to head towards a more populated area, but Lucanis suddenly spins her around and they veer down a narrow corridor. Must’ve been populated with Venatori, Rook thinks.
The pathway starts to dip, and then a narrow staircase leads onto a bypath next to a canal. They stooped low and quietly, sliding along with narrow planks while the water below whispered from the sound of the rain piercing it’s surface. It was starting to develop into a true rain, making the boardwalk slick beneath her boots. They approach a stairway leading off the boardwalk, and Lucanis peers around the wall before ducking back.
“Theyre like roaches,” he grumbles. The boardwalk doesn't extend much further past the staircase.
“Roaches hate fire. Let’s torch these Bug-atori’s and get back to base,” Rook requests, but Lucanis shakes his head at her.
“You do that, and all the Venatori in the area will come rushing here. How many do you think you can handle in a wet, street fight?” he asks sarcastically.
Rook grins. “Depends on how close they stand together,” she smirks wickedly. “Besides, if they’re already out here looking for us, they already know we were in the bath house. Killing ‘em just means less Venatori.”
He rolls his eyes at her, but there’s no real annoyance in his eyes. “Someday, you’re going to bite off more than you can chew,” he warns affectionately. Rook mockingly snaps her teeth at him in response, which almost pulls a chuckle from him as it splits his lips into a smile, but he turns his head to check their adversaries again.
“Okay, there’s one for each of us. I’ll take the further one. And, Rook? Quietly, I’m begging you,” he pleads. Rooks mouth smirks and another quip rises on her tongue, but Lucanis points a raised eyebrow and she snaps it closed, rolling her eyes. “Yes sir,” she mocks deeply instead, missing the goosebumps that rise on his arms.
Back to business, Lucanis stoops lower and unsheathes his dagger from his coat, and begins to silently creep up the stairs. Rook doesn’t know where the enemies are exactly, but she trusts Lucanis’ lead. She gets the further one- no, the closest one because he has the further one. Right? Well, too late to ask now. That was more her style anyways. She goes to pull her spellblade from her hip as she takes the first stair, but the dark tricks her eyes and the step slips under her foot. “SHIT!” She barks reflexively. Lucanis flinches at the top step as Rook’s boot squeals and she scrambles to find purchase on the slippery cobblestone.
He bolts into action with the element of surprise ruined, dashing forward as the Venatori make noises of surprise, Rook flies up the stairs after him. At the closest target, she sends her spell-orb forward and the fiery sphere clocks a Venatori in his forehead, catching him off balance. Lucanis’ dagger is already embedded in his yelping throat before the Venatori can stabilize himself, and the second body slumps. Lucanis drops the gurgling corpse to the ground, where it joins the former Venetori in quickly bleeding out.
Rook catches her orb and chuckles awkwardly. “Ya know, a flaming meteor still would’ve been way coole-”
“We need to go,” he interrupts, forgiving her clumsiness instantly. He takes her by the wrist again and leads her into the main street and along the buildings. He’s scanning the darkened, lonely street for signs of trouble and the rain is coming down in a sheet now, which helps to hide their noise. But soon, they pass the entrance of an alley with three more venatori coming down. Before they can even draw their blades, Lucanis is pulling her to run. Dropping his grip on her, he leads them both down another winding path and up a stairwell. The Venatori are hot on their heels, swords drawn and feet slapping the wet pavement, splashing up puddles beginning to build up in the streets.
They wind through the streets, hopping up ledges and sliding through the streets. One of the Venatori start to heckle them with labored breath, mocking them, and another joins in. Rook considers how easy it would be to turn on her heel and melt their smug faces off, but she trusts Lucanis’ judgement. With the Aantam presence in Treviso as well, perhaps they would get into more trouble than its worth.
Rook follows Lucanis around a corner, her boot heels skidding out from under her. She catches herself on the wall, but dread pierces her heart when she realizes she doesn’t see Lucanis. She breaks into a frantic jog, then yelps when he jumps out from a narrow shadow behind a large merchant cart and pulls her in. Her body is tense, but as soon as she recognizes her companion, it dissipates. She doesn’t mind his leather-clad fingers over her mouth, or the dull ache on the back of her head, as Lucanis’ body presses hers into the wall. He shields her body with his, using the dark grey of his coat to cover their bodies in the shadows. He watches the entrance of the alley, which is hardly wider than her shoulders, as the three Venatori come running past. They stop in the open, surveying their options, and one of them pushes his peer forward, and the other behind. They split themselves apart and Rook watches the main Venatori start to circle the more open street center.
She struggles against Lucanis’ hand, and he removes it with a start. “He’s alone, we can take him,” she whispers, trying not to watch his throat bob as he swallows. Lucanis leans in to whisper even more quietly, and Rook shivers as his breath ghosts over her cheek.
“We won’t have time to shuffle out of here and surprise him. Shh,” he bids her, the rain dripping off of his hair and onto her lashes. A glance around the narrow corner proves him right. The two of them barely fit inside pressed together. It’d be too loud, and she’d have to be patient, which she wasn’t. If it were truly a life or death situation, then it’d be easy.
But, with his arm next to her head and his other hands floating over her hip, and his chest pressing her helplessly into the wall, she was finding it more and more difficult to tolerate the heat rising in her chest. He was warm, under his coat, and it radiated into her. She realized her palms were pressed against his sternum, and he didn’t seem to notice as she felt the faint rhythm of his heart, thumping beneath his armor. She couldn’t help staring at him, absorbing the details of his facial hair, memorizing every dark freckle or mole or crease, the depth of his narrowed eyes and the dark lashes that ringed them, the soft swell of his chest against hers as he caught his breath, the droplet of rain that strolled down his temple and caught in his beard, and - oh - the soft, pink curve of his bottom lip. She was about to lean forward and nibble that lip when a loud crash echoed in the street corridor, and a barrel went rolling by. She scoffed, the rain covering the sound.
“Are they ever going to find us?” she droned, as their enemies became increasingly unimpressive. The Venatori is joined by his lesser, who is drawn by the sound, and the main one begins to shout and point. They turn to back-track, and the corridor becomes quiet, but Rook remembers there were three.
“There’s one left,” Lucanis echoes her thoughts, and when he finally turns to face her, she hears him suck in a breath. Their noses are within inches, and when he meets her eyes, her cheeks turn pink but she doesnt want to look away. He holds her gaze, eyes flickering over her lips so fast she almost misses it. He blinks slowly once, twice, then licks his lips and pulls back. “We can get out of here…so long as you’re silent,” he teases, and she catches the glint in his eye.
“I think we both know how that’s gonna go,” she smirks, and doesn’t notice the rhythm under her palm stumbles.
“You could benefit from the art of subtlety. When we get back, I’ll teach you how to sneak like a Crow,” he vows, and something about it sends a shiver up her spine. Her lashes flutter a little lower and she catches herself watching his mouth. With a couple of hard blinks, she’s solidified her brain enough to form a reply and meet his now smug-looking gaze.
“I’m stealthy,” she mutters stupidly, lips parting in anticipation.
He tilts his head and shakes it slowly, the smirk harder to contain now. “Not based on what happened about 5 minutes ago. Unless, you’re only clumsy around me?”
“Well, maybe you have that effect on-” Me, say me. “-people.” You coward, she curses herself, but she can’t muster any of her own venom with how he’s looking at her right now. She really liked when he teased her back. Usually, she was the one making him blush and stutter. But, oh, it was nice to be on the receiving end this time. He hums and his eyes travel all over her.
“Subtlety doesn’t suit you,” he whispers, “your passion is your strength. You like to face your problems heart first, head second.” His breath fans across her face, and she can’t stop the dumb, goofy grin that spreads across her face. He had a way of turning her brain into soup. She wasn’t feeling the least bit shy as her mind replayed the inevitable end of this encounter.
“Mmm hm,” was all she could hum, just waiting for him to find the right moment to close the gap. She hoped she was a picture, wet lashes and clothes, glossy eyes framed with long lashes, flushed from cheek to breast.
“Maybe all you need is a wardrobe change,” he says after clearing his throat, and its just enough to break her trance. “For a Shadow Dragon, you sure are flashy,” Lucanis teases, lips pulling back to reveal wolfish teeth as his thumb strokes the fabric of her bright red sash wrapped around her waist. She barely recovers from that little ministration, and manages to produce a snort.
“Says you,” Rook smirks. Her fingers grip Lucanis’ collar and yanks it, rattling the silver chain attached to his coat. “-with all your rich leathers, skull adornments, and silk shirts.” She teases, but her laugh dies in her throat as her breath mixes with his. Her grip on his collar pulls his breath from his body, and his dark eyes flutter. They last in that stance for moments before he presses his lips together and swallows, but doesnt recede yet.. Usually, Rook would relent and follow his lead but some wickedness in her wanted to push him. Maybe it was his breath on her lips, but she wanted to tease him. Fortune favors the bold.
“If it’s really a problem, I can always… take it off,” she whispers coyly, though she doesnt have the courage to meet his gaze, and her cheeks burn red. She rubs her thumb on his lapel absently.
He almost chokes on his chortle as the color rises on his skin, too, desperate to maintain his composure. He looks from side to side as his face shifts through emotions, but he flinches suddenly and presses his lips together. Rook watches with great understanding as Spite likely hisses in his ear. But, he composes himself and manages to form a reply.
“I’m sure all of Treviso would like that,” he chuckles, following his old patterns, retreating. Rook squares her jaw and softens her gaze, emboldened. She strokes his chest slowly with the back of her finger, looking up through her lashes.
“And, what would you like?” she whispers, pressing him as directly as she’s ever been. She loved the dance they did, but she was going to scream if she had to endure this much longer. She glanced at his mouth, and he glanced at hers. Lips part and she can practically taste him. He was warm, and though the rain was cold, it was not the source of her trembling. She’d let him close the gap, following his lead, taking things at his pace. She held her breath.
As his dark eyes fluttered, lashes lowering so far, lips parting and breath halting, he swallows hard and glances back down the alley, as his mouth snaps closed and he releases a hard breath through his nose. He dips his head, almost knocking her forehead, and looks around for the right words. His mouth flops like a gaping fish, like he’s trying to find a good enough reason not to kiss her. It’s enough time for Rook to pity him, and she smiles wistfully.
“Theyre like rats out there. C’mon, we can take em. I’ll just summon oooone little meteor, and then we hightail it for the casino, sending fire and daggers behind us,” she smiles, trying to relieve the tension. It works partly, because he can look her in the eye again. And she loves the way he looks now, hair wet, eyes dark and dangerous.
“That is a very bad idea,” he states simply. In reply, she lays her head back against the wall to observe him, the column of her throat bared, where she looks at him under her lashes and raises an eyebrow.
“What is it with you and bad ideas? Don’t you want to have fun?” she teases, and her voice drops into a sultry tone as she rubs her palm soothingly against his chestpiece. It thunders hard underneath, though his face betrays no emotion, yet there’s color blooming on his skin. He sucks in a breath for a reply, as his eyes darken. She feels the weight of his body begin to press into hers, and water drops roll off of his nose and onto her collar. The heat in his gaze has her skin tingling, her stomach in knots, and a heat that rolls through her from head to toe.
“Rook…” his voice is low and earnest, a warning that applies to him as much as to her, “you like to walk a little too close to the edge.”
She melts, lost in him and totally boneless. All the pretense and guarded flirtation falls away, as she realizes she wants him to know how she feels. She can’t stop thinking about him, and she wants to be good to him. Her face softens and reveals all her tenderness, all her longing. There is nothing in this world right now, but him.
“At least I’m not afraid to fall,” she confesses, staring straight into his eyes. She doesn’t realize how she’s gripping his coat, or the stillness of her breath, or that her tongue darts out against her plump bottom lip.
Lucanis watches her lips with rapt attention, the noise of the world falling away, with only his heart thundering in his ears. No demonic whispers crawl across his subconscious, no Venatori interrupt from the sidelines. Just her, with blown out pupils, a deep blush, and the most tantalizing pair of lips he’s ever seen. He leans forward, eyes fluttering shut as he lowers his face to hers, and feels brave enough to try.
“At least, I know I’m doing it.”
Rook’s head feels full from the heady entanglement, trembling in the rain as his lips finally -finally - descend towards hers. The world could start spinning any minute and she wouldn’t worry while held this tight. Instead she closes her eyes and awaits, lips parting. But, as soft skin brushes her mouth, Lucanis jolts and sucks in a breath, reeling back.
“I-!” he chokes on his words, scrunching his face as a demonic entity rattles his brain. His fingers clench her waist, and his other hand curls into a tight fist. “I-I should…” he trails off, as he pulls back and Rook softly opens her eyes.
Rook is lost in the fog, eyes swimming with tears of anticipation, her head so full that her ears feel muffled. She feels him tense and pull backwards and her breath falls from her in shallow pants. Blinded in the haze, she doesn’t begin to reason as her mouth waters and her hands slide up his chest and around his neck, nearly pulling him by his ears. Whether she pulls him into her, or herself onto him, she doesn’t care, but at last, she slots her mouth against his and she transcends.
Lucanis grunts as they meet, and though he’s slow on the uptake, when she moans with satisfaction into his mouth, it snaps whatever chord was holding him back. From the wall, his hand finds her face and tips her to an angle he likes, and presses her hard against the wall. His hand on her waist grips with bruising strength to pull her chest into his, as he lays his full weight into her. Rook wraps her arms around his neck and pants into his mouth as their hips collide, and she considers just wrapping her leg around his hips.
He is intoxicating as his lips press and slide against hers, and she’s seconds away from devouring him. Her face is tingling and her body trembles. She doesn’t know what to hold onto, as her fingers tangle themselves in his clothes and the hair at the nape of his neck. His chest rumbles before his tongue slides forward and licks against her bottom lip. Her knees shake and she opens her mouth immediately. When he licks her, she goes weak in his arms and hums her pleasure against his mouth. She’s getting hungrier and hungrier, as every kiss just isn’t enough to make up all their lost time. She’s waited so long and now she wants it ALL. Her fingers curl in his hair and he loses his breath, so he nips her bottom lip and all of her blood rushes to her head. Did she just whimper?
He grasps a handful of hair and pulls her head back to nip at her throat. She can’t help the long, high pitched moan that it pulls from her, and immediately regrets it when he freezes, tongue still pressed against her jugular. She senses she’s made a mistake, but she can’t tell what. She feels drunk. Lucanis pulls her spellblade from its holster on her opposite hip, and before she can react, he tucks his face back into her neck and sinks his teeth in. The sound that's pulled from her is entirely feminine, and it draws the last Venatori into the opening of the alleyway, who promptly receives a spellblade launched directly into his chest.
Rook pants as she comes to her senses and blinks away the lust blinding her vision. She’s suddenly cold from the rain, and exhausted. Lucanis looks down at her fondly and presses his lips between her eyebrows in a chaste kiss. “Now, theyre gone,” he declares proudly and chuckles as he checks her over. He pinches her cheek and leans back.
“Someone made a mess of you,” he chuckles with a mad glint in his eye.Rook is still recovering, but manages her own breathy laugh.
“Usually, I’d have something really clever to say, but someone melted my brain, sooo,” she chuffs, resetting her bambi legs and finally drawing in a full breath.
“To the casino, then? And, we’ll pick this back up at the lighthouse?” he suggests with a devilish brow.
“If you do that to me in the privacy of the lighthouse, heaven help you,” Rook laughs breathily.
“Noted,” he replies provocatively.