Chapter Text
“Bibooooo.” Nerissa whines into the sheets, red eyes opened blearily. There's a crust of drool on the corner of her mouth, and her talons snag against the oversized shirt Bijou wears when she tries to pull her back. “Don't leaveeeee, it's too early to be awake. Come back to bedddddd, babyyyyyy.”
Bijou chuckles, voice coming out rough from a night of good sleep. She stretches her arms over her head, groans low in her throat at the multiple soft cracks that sound from the action.
“I have an early meeting out of town, Rissa.” Bijou snorts, doesn't really make a move to step out of the loose hold.
Nerissa shakes her head, leaning forward to stab her bony chin into Bijou's back. “It's two AM, and your ride doesn't come pick you up ‘till five, at the earliest. Come back to sleep. Quoting Hamilton won't let you get away from me.”
The gem grins, lets herself be pulled back, into the greedy arms of her raven, Nerissa sighing into her hair with a soft trill. Bijou sighs into the crook of Nerissa's neck, wings buzzing soundlessly behind her, unable to leave her clingy bird's hold.
“You know I don't need too much sleep, right?” Bijou mutters, blinking slowly at the nails that scratch down her hair, sharp talons rubbing softly at the metallic sheen of her wings. “Only four hours is fine, I don't need a full eight hours.”
Nerissa grunts, disgruntled and more than a little annoyed, wings curling possessively around Bijou's small form and leaving no way for her to escape. “Biboo, I love you, but please shut the fuck up. I just managed drift off, and I will not sleep without my gem in my arms.”
“Really makin' a hard bargain here, Rissa. Careful, and I might just never sleep anywhere else.” Bijou mutters dryly.
She runs rough fingers up Nerissa's bare waist, the compromise of sleeping together if she wore something. She circled a finger around the strap of a sports bra, chest gem flickering at the soft trace of happiness the tickling brings forth. It's nice, Bijou cuddles closer and Nerissa hugs her tighter.
There's a small huff above Bijou, air blowing at her crown, before sharp talons cup under her chin and tilt her head to meet lidded wine red eyes glowing hazily. Bijou's breath hitches, cheeks pinking at the almost intoxicating swirl of desire and possessive fondness dripping from Nerissa's lazy smirk.
“Good.” Nerissa rumbles out, the haze of sleep entirely forgone for something primal and animal. She tightens her grip on Bijou, pulls her close to press their foreheads together, and Bijou's breath catches. “You belong to me, my gem. No one else gets to have you in their nest, not when I found you first. I can keep you safe, and I can take care of you. You don't need any other nest to roost in, only mine. Only me.”
“Okay.” Bijou breathes out, tracing a finger down Nerissa's spine, grabbing a fistful of dark feathers.
Nerissa giggles, dewy sleep clinging to the laugh lines around her eyes, leaving her smile softer than usual. Flirty smirk tucked away, Nerissa laid bare in all her loving glory, and Bijou tastes devotion on the back of her tongue when her raven kisses her hair.
“Now go to sleep, I wanna wake up next to you in the morning.” Nerissa yawns, nuzzling closer like Bijou wasn't punched in the heart.
She smiles, throwing her leg over Nerissa's waist, cuddling closer into her warm fluff, wings curling around her like a safety blanket. “I get up at five, Rissa. You sure you wanna wake up with me?”
“Shut up.” She grumbles, bumping her forehead to Bijou's temple. The gem laughs quietly, and any annoyance that sours Bijou's tongue is sweetened by Nerissa's satisfied happiness. “I want to see you sometime before you leave in the morning. Now go to bed so it comes faster.”
“Technically speaking, it's already morning.”
“Shut up and sleep, morning is when I say it is.”
“Okay.” Bijou acquiesced with a soft smile. “Night, Rissa. See you in the morning.”
Nerissa hums, presses a lazy kiss to Bijou's crown. “G’night. Don't let anyone but me bite you.”
“Greedy.” Bijou whispers into the quiet night when Nerissa's soft snores become the only sounds in the room. “Sleep well, you greedy bird.”