Archive of Our Own ^beta

A month had passed, since those event during that fateful night and the relation between the Goblins and Fairies was on a good term. At least better than in the last hundred years.

Promises and agreements were kept, so that the process of arranging the new castle for the Goblins went pretty well. 

To assure that thing would continue to be so smoothly, Princess Marianne ventured every other day into the Dark Forest to meet up with the Bog King to give her opinion on the progress, to look after her people who helped the Goblins and...to spent some quality time with said King. Which wasn't such an easy thing.

Even when they had shared their first private kiss a while back, Bog and Marianne were still very hesitant when it came to express their feelings or how to treat the other. The combination of their different cultures and expectations, together with their insecurities regarding love turned every conversation into an awkward disasters, which was frustrating for both of them. To their luck, they discovered a method to deal with this problem: Sparring.

The first time Marianne had suggested it, it had been a desperate try to escape another embarrassing try of them to have a private conversation. But after that, they had been so exhausted that they ended up snuggling very closely with each other and that when they needed hours to bring themselves to just holding hands. So it had become their routine for three weeks now to go some place where they were undisturbed and sparred as long as they could, before they ended up sitting side by side and enjoying each others company. Bog always choose very nice places for this, just as he did this time. 

Their fighting place of choice today was on the roots of a big willow tree with leaves that were almost transparent with a grey-blueish tone. Marianne had been about to ask why they were like this, but by that time she already had to evade a hit from Bog's scepter. It was amazing that Bog could still hold his ground so well and they had an intense fight, even when his arm was still slightly injured. Still it ended just like their first did, with a draw, not that they were bothered by it the least.  

They were giving tips to each other, what technique could be performed better or suggested a complete new move, while they walked over the roots to the trunk of the willow tree. The sun was setting and Marianne wondered, if the leaves of the tree were so weird, because they would glow in the night like so many other things in the forest did. Well, she would see it for herself very soon. 

When they reached the trunk Bog sat down on a comfortable spot on the roots and made sure to leave some room for her to sit down, too. But instead of sitting besides him, Marianne sat down between Bog's legs. She had already pondered the whole day, if she should dare such a move or not. Yes, she was just as hesitant about taking new steps as Bog, but at the same time she was more willing to risk it. The more they grew comfortable with each other, the more she carved for closeness, cuddling and not only sitting side by side. She just prayed that Bog would be okay with this.

Trying to cover her nervousness, she turned around and smiled up at Bog. "Hope you don't mind."

The Goblin King was too dumbfounded to react immediately. He blinked a few times down to her, before he shook his head to come back to his senses. "Ah...n-no. Of course not," he stammered and rubbed his neck with one hand. Marianne had to bite her lower lip, because of his adorable display of nervousness. Maybe it was mean, but she felt a bit better about her own when seeing him like this. 

With an appreciating nod she made it herself comfortable and leant against his front. Marianne had to smirk when she heard how he took in a sharp breath and his body went stiff. It was a good thing she was taking a bit of initiative here, but she surely didn't want to make Bog feel obliged to do this and getting uncomfortable. So she patted his knee gently and craned her neck to look up to him.

"Seriously Bog. If...if you don't want this, you can say it. I really have no problem to just sit besides you."

"A do want. It's just...This is....A'm not..." Bog sighed frustrated and tried another approach. "Do ye really want to?"

"Well, I wouldn't risk it to turn you into a nervous wreck, if I didn't really want to cuddle a bit with my favorite pinecone." It was astonishing how Bog's insecure behavior - no simple shyness, but fear that this...he can't really be that what Marianne wanted - boosted her own confidence in showing and telling him exactly what she wanted. She turned around in his lap to face him. "To sit together is nice, but by now I really would like to get a bit...closer? I mean, we know each other for a month now and it feels...right to do a next step."

At her first sentence Bog had ducked his head with a bashful smile, but now he looked down thoughtfully. Then his eyes went up to her face again. "Well, when ye are okay with it..."

But that wasn't quite the thing Marianne wanted to hear from him and she shook her head. "This is about us, Bog. About me and you, so we both have to be okay and ready for this." She then grinned up at him. "Don't tell me there isn't something you would like to do by now."

"Ah...about that...," he started and his gaze went from her face to her hair. Unintentionally she brushed that strand of hair out of her face that tended to hang loose. 

"My hair?" she asked with a breathless chuckle.

"It looks so soft." Marianne had to giggle, for his attention was now very much focused on her hair and his fingers were twitching. 

"Well, if you want to stroke it I wouldn't mind it in the least," she said, amusement still very audible in her voice. At that Bog looked back at her with one raised eyebrow. 

"So, it's nothing inappropriate or insulting to do for ye Fairies?" Now it was Marianne's turn to raise an eyebrow.

"Of course not, why would it be?" Bog had to shrug at that.

"For all that A know it could be taken as offense or maybe it's poisonous, which makes it forbidden to touch. There are spiders that have such hair," he added the last sentence, when she looked disbelieving at him.

"Okay, point to you. But I can assure you that most Fairies really like to be stroked and it's completely harmless." Marianne then grabbed one of his wrists and put his hand unceremoniously on her head. "See? Totally fine." She had to laugh at the look that Bog gave her, but that vanished quickly when he started to move his fingers over her head.

"It really is soft," he said with wonder and his hesitation became less, combing his claws gently through her hair. Marianne sighed at that sensation and closed her eyes. 

"You should feel it when I freshly washed it. Fairies have a lot of oils to take care of our hair and make it even fluffier." 

Without stopping his ministration he tore his gaze from her hair to her face again. "That's even possible?" Marianne had to laugh at his astonished tone. 

"Yeah, Dawn's hair is like that all the time. Like a fluffy dandelion." Bog had to snort at this very accurate description of the younger princess' hair. He got quiet, but after a few moments a grin spread on his face and to her displeasure he stopped with the stroking.

"Well, then A really hope A will have the chance to enjoy some fluffy hair from ye in the future, tough girl. Would be very lovely," he said in such a ridiculous charming way that Marianne had to bite into her cheek not to burst out into laughter. Bog could be charming, but not like that. That was only fun and she gladly took part in this little game.

"Hmm, maybe. When you ask me very nicely." she retorted in a purring tone and fluttered her eyelashes at him. Even when he was slightly blushing at that he managed it to give her an evil smirk.

"Ye know, princess. A'm actually not used to ask nicely when A want something."

"Oh, I know that. But you will get used to it, almighty Bog King." she said in a sassy tone and started to crawl backwards from his lap. She didn't break eye contact with him, so she could see when his smirk got a predatory edge to it.

"A doubt that. A have ma ways to get what A want."

Without giving her a chance to react, Bog grabs Marianne by the waist and pulled her into his lap again, pressing her back to his front. Marianne laughed and tried halfheartedly to escape his hold, but gave up completely when the claws of the hand, that wasn't holding her, not only stroked through her hair, but also started to massage her skull. Blissfully she purred and sunk back against his scaled chest. She could feel the chuckle from him more than she heard it.

"Ye like that?" he asked her in a low voice and she nodded slightly.

"Very much," she sighed happily and Bog hummed pleased, continuing his caressing.

Marianne had her eyes still closed, but slowly a blue glow lightened up the night around them and made her open them to see what was going on. Her intake of breath was filled with awe, when she saw that the leaves of the willow tree indeed were luminescent and emitted a beautiful light of blue and turquoise. A soft breeze played with the leaves and led them dancing around. Like so many things in the forest it looked like this was a product of magic and not simply nature. Marianne was so fascinated by this sight that she sat up to not miss anything of this display. 

Bog had eased his grip around her so she could move around and chuckled at her elation. He played a bit with some strands on the back of her head, before he leant forward and nuzzled his nose into her hair. Marianne made a quiet squeak of surprise at first, but then giggled when he continued tousling her hair with his nose.

"Ye still smell of lavender," he said in a low murmur that made her shiver in a nice way.

"Well, you said it would suit me. And after trying out a perfume I had to admit you are right," she answered as nonchalant as possible. The truth was that immediately after his comment, that he liked the lavender smell on her, she had decided to only use that kind of perfume on her. There was no necessity on her to do so, but Bog was indeed right and when it was also pleasant for him that was just a plus point. 

After her answer Bog had gone still, but when his wings rattled for a second he went into motion again. 

"Glad we both can agree on that." It really was unfair how low his voice could go, it even caused her to get goosebumps now. She tried to concentrate on the leaves of the tree again when Bog spoke up.

"Are ye cold?" Since barely any Goblin had skin like Fairies did, she had to explain to him what goosebumps was and how it was caused. At least one reason and the other she didn't want to explain now.

"Yeah, a bit," she lied and look anywhere but behind her to him. "It's still a bit chilly in the evening."

Bog hummed agreeing and a moment later she felt how his hands hovered over her arms. "May A?"

It was really adorable and so considerately from to ask for such a simple thing has touching her to keep her warm. Well, at least he had the courage to ask. Baby steps. The next was hoping he would do it in the future without asking.

"Of course you can," Marianne answered him with a smile in her voice and both leant back into a comfortable position. Bog hummed again and started to stroke with his calloused thumbs over her upper arm, causing her to get more goosebumps. Oh, this could end up being a vicious circle, one that Marianne wouldn't mind. 

"Ye have hair there, too," Bog suddenly said surprised and she had to bite back a snort. 

"Yes, I have." She moved her hand over her stretched out arm. "Seems we Fairy have it to keep us warm, but it doesn't do such a good job with that."

"Naturally, it's far too little to be considered a useful fur," he agreed to her and stroke with his whole palm over the other arm. Marianne shivered in delight. 

"That's true, but imagine how ridiculous a furred Fairy would look like." When Bog didn't made a sound, she turned her head around and saw how he looked up into the sky thoughtfully. "You don't actually imagine that right now, do you?"

A wide and wicked grin spread on the Goblin's face when he looked back at her. "A'm very sure ye would look cute with fur."

Marianne gasped in pretended shock and put her hand on her chest. "I don't ever look cute, that is Dawn's department. Take it back." The last words were said with a growl to her voice and she tried to glare at him, while she tried to hide her amusement. 

Bog didn't falter under her faked glare and only shrugged with his shoulders, while he crossed his arms. "A won't, because A have to disagree tough girl. Right now ye look the cutest A've ever seen ye." 

The blush on her face surely was from rage about this words, not because Bog had called her cute without hesitation and it flattered her. Totally not. And she also tried not to pout. That would give him only more ammunition. But she lost her coolness when the grin of Bog turned into a full smug smile.

"Oh, that was your death sentence Bog King." she growled and turned around to launched herself at him. Bog hadn't expected to be attacked like that and in his attempts to defend himself, they lost their balance and tumbled of the root on the grassy forest floor. It was no deep fall and they didn't get hurt, so they rolled around laughing, until Marianne managed to pin Bog down beneath her with her legs and gave his chest a good punch. Of course it didn't really hurt him, but he still made an oomph sound and raised his arms in surrender. 

"Please, spare me. What can A do to earn your forgiveness?" he said in a faked pleading tone, while he tried not to laugh too much.

Satisfied with this victory and enjoying the view of Bog beneath her, Marianne put her hands on her hips and grinned down at him, while she tried to catch her breath. "Hmm, if you cuddle with me a bit more I might forgive you."

"Would be a pleasure for me. Hope ye don't mind some revenge beforehand," he grinned and before she could do anything, Bog had grabbed for her and pulled her down towards him. One second Marianne yelped in surprise and in the other she laughed, because he had started to tickle her. She tried to escape, but he had her in an iron grip and doing a headbutt would hurt her more than him. She had no other choice endure is tickle-revenge, but to her luck Bog was merciful today and stopped with it when she hardly could get any air from all the laughing. 

While Marianne tried to get her breath under control, Bog rolled them on their sides. His arms were still around her, but now in a gentle embrace and he snuggled against her back. When Marianne had calmed herself down again, she kicked against his leg.

"Stupid pinecone," she mumbled.

"Crazy lass," he growled back, but before Marianne could retort or kick him again, he gave her ear a kiss. And another. And then trailed from her ear, over her cheeks and to her lips. Marianne had no idea where this sudden boldness came from, but she surely wouldn't complain about it. When Bog leant over her to kiss her lips, she took his face in her hands and stroked his cheekbones with her thumbs. They kissed several times, all the small kisses blending into one long one until they had to stop for air. Oh, they really had to do this more often. Marianne loved that tingling feeling from head to toe she got from it.

"Ye still cold?" he asked her with a husky voice that only added to the fact that Marianne was quite the opposite from being cold. All that playing around, him being so near to her and the way he looked down at her with this enamored look of his beautiful eyes made her body go very warm. 

"Maybe a tiny little bit," she still said and smiled innocently, whereupon Bog chuckled.

"Well, then we have to do something about that." With those words he wound both his arms around her body and hugged her close to his chest, burring his nose into her hair again. Marianne sighed happily and relaxed against him, stroking over his arms that hold her.

While they were laying quietly in the grass Marianne started to think about when was the last time someone had hold her that close to them? It was a bit upsetting that only her mother and maybe Dawn came into her mind, but it didn't lessened her happiness about the progress they both had done today. She had wished for some more close cuddling and she got exactly that and even more. It was such a relive for her that it was so easy to let go of hesitations and just go and ask for the things she wanted to do and to her luck Bog also managed it to jump over his shadow. To be honest, she hadn't imagined that he would be such a good cuddler, with all his sharp edges and spikiness. Never was she so glad to be proven wrong before.

The happiness bubbled up more and more and so she couldn't hold herself back to start humming a calm melody, until the magic around them picked it up and Marianne could start to sing.