Flora & Fauna

.

The ticklish feeling of Quince's claws around the curve of my ear and her fluttering wings tapping my cheek pull me out of sleep. And what good sleep it was. The warm, honeyed sensations still fading from my senses lets me know who the dream was about, even if I can't recall the details.

"Happy birthday, Flower," the sprite whispers in my ear.

"Can I have more sleep for my present?"

"No," Claude's deep voice answers from the other side of the room. "Get up."

"Ughhhh." I groan as I sit up, feeling Quince cling to my shoulder to stay attached as I move. "Fine. I'm up."

"This is yours."

I squeak in surprise and my eyes snap open at the feeling of something being plopped onto my lap. When I open my eyes, I see a white box held shut with pink ribbon sitting between my crossed legs.

"Happy birthday," Claude says with a shrug when I look up at him.

Quince takes one side of the ribbon while I take the other and we both pull it free. The box unfurls to reveal a bright pink cake with fake strawberries made of red and green sugar dotting the ribbon-like squiggles of extra frosting. I gasp, too happy to care that Quince dives forward to snatch one of the berry decorations and flies off with it, and look back at Claude.

"It's so cute! Thank you!"

He fails to hide the smug smile tugging up one side of his lips and scoffs. "It better taste good too. Considering how much it cost."

"Are you going to have a slice with me? Being my husband and all?" I quirk a brow at him.

"Funny. And no. I'm busy today, so come downstairs and open your present so I can leave."

"Oh, how romantic. You can't even bring it up to my room for me?"

"It's heavy as fuck. There's no way I'm carrying it up those stairs. Come on. Out of bed."

I sigh and set down the reclosed cake-box long enough to pull on a silky robe that matches my ocean blue sleep-slip. Claudius leads me down the curved, marble staircase as I yawn and hug the box in my arms. At least it's quiet. Maybe part of my present is that he sent the house staff home for the day so I can at least spend some time on my own and decompress from the days of travel. It would be nice to have some quiet between that and all the events we have this week.

"So, what'd you get me anyway?" I mumble.

"Well, since you're so picky-"

"Oh, I'm picky?"

"We're both picky. And the only things I know of that you like are neon globs of sugar and this."

Turning the corner into the living area, I gasp and feel my arms fall limp at my sides.

"Hey!" Claude barks in reprimand as he catches the cake box before it hits the floor and sets it on the coffee table. "This was expensive!"

"How are you here?" I breathe out the words, unable to speak them louder in case it's another dream. Something easily scared off.

Andrius smiles awkwardly from where he's standing in front of the fireplace and shrugs. "Happy birthday?"

I run the last stretch toward him. Andrius hands easily grab my waist and pick me up to let me hug around his neck. Our hands twist equally in each other's hair as we hold desperately onto the realness of one another. Swinging from the bottom of his tail is Quince, gnawing on the strawberry-shaped sugar. The sprite grins when I notice her and flings herself off the swing of his tail to fly away into another room with her treat. Claudius clears his throat and the sound alerts me to how close he is suddenly standing to us. And and I relax our hug enough for me to drop to my tiptoes, though my nails sink possessively into the fabric of his shirt.

"I... I don't understand. How are you even here?"

"It was his idea, actually," And nods toward my faux-husband.

Claudius shrugs when I look at him. "I had a layover at a station near Prophia anyway. The real present is that I bought him a ticket for one of those train cars that accommodates centaurs."

"I told you they were expensive."

"And yet, somehow, I underestimated it."

"Wait! Wait, wait. You two talked?! When? Where was I?"

Andrius laughs and kisses my forehead. "He has nothing if not good timing. He came up to the workshop while you were in the house getting dolled up. That night we had a double-date with Laith and Delilah."

"You little sneaks!"

"A 'thank you' would also suffice," Claude snarks.

I giggle and And releases me so I can throw my arms around Claudius. "Thank you," I murmur genuinely. "Really. This is the perfect gift."

"Yeah, yeah, I'm the best, I know. Get off of me." He gently pushes my shoulders until I release him, then holds up one finger in preemptive reprimand. "Ground rules. Number one: Any furniture you break, you buy."

"I did offer to replace the-" Andrius begins.

"You. Quiet." Claude immediately interrupts. And and I glance at each other and have to purse our lips to not burst into laughter as he continues. "Number two: Obviously I can't have any of the staff seeing you, so they're going to be gone. I assume you two know how to cook and clean for yourselves?"

"Yes," we answer in unison.

"Good. Number three-"

"How long is this list?" I ask.

"Quiet. Number three: No leaving the house together or having guests for obvious reasons. You mentioned you have an errand to run?" Claude points and raises a brow at And.

"If it's not too much trouble, yeah, I wanted to make a stop at the leatherworker in town."

"There is a leatherworker in Prophia," I note.

"That guy is a dick and he overcharges."

"Anyway," Claude interjects. "That's fine but don't take her with you and try to keep the trip short."

"I remember the hidden pathways from last time. I'll keep it quick."

"Good. And this doesn't mean we don't have other responsibilities while you're in town, Flora. I convinced everyone that we wanted to have a quiet evening together for your birthday, but we still have to go to dinner with your dad and my parents tomorrow night. And we have the charity ball after that. I expect you to be ready to leave when I meet you here so we're not late."

"Understood. I'll be ready to go. Frumpy conservative dress and all."

Claudius nods. "If you need me, I'll be at Mar's place. Quince has her own schedule for checking in here in case you have any messages to send."

"No more rules?" I inquire, trying not to squirm happily at the feeling of And's hands snaking around my waist again.

"That's it."

"Hey," I ask before he can turn away. "When's your birthday?"

"July twenty-third. And I expect something nice."

"I'll get you the biggest strawberry cake I can find."

"Ew. Gross. No. I want chocolate."

"Fine." I roll my eyes. "The most chocolatey cake Leaven has to offer."

Claudius takes his jacket from the arm of the couch as he heads for the door. While he finishes pulling it on, he turns back to wink at And. "Have fun with our wife."

"Please stop calling her that."

"No," he answers, waving over his shoulder as he exits the estate. The lock loudly clicks into place behind him as his key turns in it.

I bite my lip and crane my neck to look up at And. When he catches my eyes, he instantly looks away and blushes.

"So," he begins, then clears his throat when his voice comes out gruff, "You want to split that cake?"

"Is that what you want?" I ask, not correcting the silk drooping off my shoulders. "Cake?"

"I feel... kind of nervous, to be honest."

"Really? Why?" I tilt my head and run my hands up under his tunic, my fingers gliding over the smooth planes of his muscles and dipping into the lines between them. His chest shudders at my touch and he sandwiches my hands against him with his own.

"Being here again? Nothing is really, well, built for me, you know? And it's the first birthday you've had with us being together. It feels like... a lot of pressure."

"Well... for whatever it's worth, your touch has never left me disappointed before."

Andrius' golden hair waves as his pointed ears involuntarily flick forward. His expression remains impassive as he glances down at me. "Really?"

"Really. But," I pull my hands away and look over my shoulder at the white box sitting on the sofa, "don't let me pressure you. We can just eat cake and listen to some music if you-"

The weightless sensation of my feet leaving the marble floor as the centaur easily picks me up makes me squeak a sound of surprise that immediately dissolves into laughter. A mix of our hair, gold and copper, get in the way as our mouths find each other. Since his hands are busy, I swipe the strands out of our way as our kisses deepen.

"Well," he says between kisses, his voice going husky, "if I have that excellent of a track record. I suppose it would be silly of me to be nervous now."

I smirk and hug him tighter, nuzzling my face into the crook of his neck. "Did you bring our leather stuff?"

The affection suddenly pauses and I look up to find Andrius staring wide-eyed beyond me. "Oh... fuck. I knew I forgot to pack something."

"Oh no," I mumble as I begin to look around the room.

Andrius' gaze follows my own while he bites his lower lip. "How are we going to do this?"

"It would be pretty funny if we broke another couch."

He laughs and shakes his head. "He did a nice thing for us, so maybe we shouldn't."

"I guess for my birthday present you'll just have to stay sane enough to lay-"

"Oh! Your present!" Before I can protest, he lowers my feet to the marble tiles and trots away to pull out a backpack hidden behind the opposite end of the couch.

As he fishes through the contents, I shimmy my shoulders until the silk layers slide from my skin. I wait quietly until he stands upright again with a gift box wrapped in floral paper in his hand and his starting at the sight of me makes me snicker.

"Stop trying to distract me!" And tries to glare but it falls apart where his mouth curves in a tempted smirk. "Open your present first so I can stop worrying."

"What are you worried for?"

Petal-red flushes his cheeks before he answers. "That it's... I don't know, uninspired? And I know we're still figuring out making reachable space for your clothes and things at my place, so I didn't want to get you anything too big or hard to travel with, you know?"

"All of that makes sense to me. It doesn't sound uninspired." I hold out a hand and he places the box in my palm.

As I pull open the folded ends, Andrius nervously steps from one hoof to the other, then immediately stops when the sound is louder than either of us are used to against the marble. I bite the inside of my lip to hold back my laughter, then give up when I hear him barely stifling his own. Under the paper is a rectangular box of faceted glass, about the length of my hand. I flick open the metal latch and gasp at the sparkles against the dark velvet cushion.

"I love them!" I beam up at him and bounce happily on my toes. "Will you put the necklace on for me?"

Relief floods his features and he twirls a finger to tell me to turn around. I bundle up all my hair and one of his hands reaches around to my front to take the dainty gold necklace holding a heart-shaped diamond pendant. A perfect twin to my ring. With my free hand, I tilt the box in my hand and watch the light glint off the matching drop earrings.

"This, uh, this might be an odd thing to say but, I really like that you like the things I give you. And that you tell me."

The click of metal at my back lets me know he's clasped the necklace, and I gently center the stone at the base of my throat as I turn to face him. "Of course I like them. And why wouldn't I tell you?"

He makes an awkward expression and rubs the back of his neck. "In my... previous relationship, it wasn't as simple. I mean, she'd thank me but, then there were always notes about what could have been better. I guess it left me with some weird anxiety about presents."

"Oh," I coo sadly as I finish sliding the earrings through my lobes. "Well, I really do love them. And I hope Laith didn't try to set you on fire with his mind this time."

Andrius laughs and tilts my face up with a curled finger under my chin to peck a kiss on my lips. "No, he didn't. I was decisive enough this time that I did not inspire quiet, seething wrath."

"Come on," I say, taking his hands in mine and pulling him toward the low table between the couch and fireplace. "Nothing says lazy, cozy day like cake for breakfast."

"Very sunshine holiday of us," he agrees as he smiles and happily follows my lead.

.

The oil lamps on the end tables, since we can't have any of the drapes open, and Andrius' body pressed to my back enclose me in so much warmth that I don't bother redressing as we lounge together on the intricately patterned rug. And's abandoned linen tunic is draped over the arm of the couch behind us. An uneven chunk of the pink cake is missing where it sits still in its box on the coffee table. I crunch on the last remaining sugar-strawberry as Andrius finishes the last tiny bite of the extremely saccharine treat that he says he can stomach.

Gripping his fur at my back, I begin to sit up and turn toward him. "So, do you- Ah!" I slide down to the floor before he can catch me. When I look at my hands and see them stuffed full of fluffy gold, I gasp and gape at him. "I'm so sorry! Did that hurt?!"

"What?" He opens my hands and blushes when he sees the fur. "Sorry. When it gets warm, I shed and, well, just... Ignore that." Before I can say anything, he takes the clumps and blows them away.

I flop forward, burying my giggles in his chest.

"No, no." He carefully pushes me upright again. "You were being sexy and flirty, go on."

"I think I need a minute," I manage through trying to catch my breath, feeling my cheeks flush hotter.

Andrius' hands envelope my shoulders and gently press me down until I feel the rough, woven texture of the rug at my back. Our lips meet and I open my mouth to the flavor of dark, molten sugar that goes from his tongue to mine. Arching my back to find more of him brings to the forefront of my mind the memory of grass at my back, water lapping at my ankles.

"You know what I'm thinking about?" I sigh as we separate to breathe.

"Tell me."

"When we went swimming, right after we first met, and you kissed me while I was resting on the shore."

He hums contentedly between kisses against my throat, making my jaw clench with the effort required to squirm away from the ticklish sensation. "And? How did you feel then?"

"Flattered," I answer, spreading my hands over his back and pulling him closer. "A little nervous too, though I'd never have admitted it. I already knew that I... I liked you. It made me feel less silly, to know that you at least liked me enough in return to kiss me like that."

His calloused hands rasp against the sensitive skin of my thighs as he grips them and pulls me closer, spreading me against the cushioned curve of his lower chest. "I was thinking about when we first met too."

"Really?"

He nods and his lips curve against my neck when my hands rake affectionately through his hair. "Do you know what the most frustrating thing was about that time we spent together?"

"Ummm... Thinking I couldn't survive sex with you?"

Hot breath huffs against my skin as he laughs. "Very close."

"That was my only guess."

"It was how wet your pussy got when you rode on my back," he whispers against my throat. I suck in a breath and my legs automatically clench tighter around him. "And I had to pretend I didn't notice, because I was so sure I could never have you."

Blood floods my cheeks at the memory and I bury my face in the crook of his neck. Andrius chuckles and tries to nudge me back to look at my face again, but he gives up when I resist. "I was so hoping while that was happening that you couldn't tell!"

"How could I not?" One of his hands releases my thigh and snakes around, trailing through the wetness spread on them until two fingers are sliding inside me.

I gasp at the intrusion and my hips involuntarily jerk to bring his fingers deeper. I open my eyes enough to peek down at his lower body, legs folded against the carpet. The shaggy, flaxen fur of his belly is wet in a line where the florid, wet flesh of his extended erection taps against it, impatiently begging for contact. I lick my lips and pull away enough to look into his eyes.

"Sooo, I know you already got me a present but, could I ask for another?"

"Anything you want." His answer is a hot, candied breath against my face.

"I need you to stay still and not lose control or make any quick movements."

Before I even finish speaking, he's frantically nodding along to my request. "Yeah. Yes. I can do that."

"Good boy," I praise.

Watching his lost expression, I lick up the column of his neck and revel in the sharp intake of breath that I feel under my tongue and in my hair. Keeping an eye on his trance, I kiss my way down his body. Under my lips I feel the transition from the delicate skin of his neck, to the tougher flesh of his strong upper chest, to the heavy winter fur of his lower body. One of his forelegs begins to kick forward, but pauses when I press a hand to the knee and push down. I've learned to recognize the signs of him losing control. In turn, the male he becomes when deep in that rutting daze has learned how to rein himself in enough to keep me safe.

As I continue dotting my lips down the center of him, his legs kick more and more defiantly. Under my hands, I can feel the tension in his muscles as he tries to keep them still. I give in and pull away, offering him the space to stand so his legs are busy keeping him upright. I reach out and gently wrap my hands around the hypersensitive flesh as I bring my mouth to the dripping tip. Most of his length has to be satisfied with the ministrations of my hands. The satiny slick drips down the corners of my mouth as I take as much of his cock in as I can manage, the girth of him forcing more and more moisture out as I go. My eyes drift shut, then snap open when I hear his hooves snap against the tiles. I pull away and turn to peer out from between his front legs.

Still sane enough, Andrius bows to drop his upper half onto his folded arms on the backrest of the couch. Even in the low light, I recognize the expanse of black, dilating pupils in his golden eyes.

"Are you okay?" I ask, pressing my thighs together and breathing out a fractured sigh at my own need.

And nods quickly, his eyes going half-lidded and his hair pouring over his face.

I bite my lip and walk forward on my knees. Licking down the length of his inhuman manhood, I keep one hand wrapped around to luxuriously stroke and relish the feeling of his arousal oozing between my fingers. I reach further back with my other hand until I reach the fur-covered, heavy weight of his balls. Andrius grunts out a sound of stunned pleasure as I carefully grip and massage one in time with the motions of my tongue, then slide my touch to the other.

His cock jerks, sliding automatically against my tongue as it pushes deeper. At the same time, his legs scramble backward, pulling away from me.

"Stop, stop."

I pull away and my tongue drags along one corner of my lips. "Is everything okay?"

"Yes, but..." He continues back until we're apart enough to look each other in the eyes, his flashing from black to molten gold. "I want to keep the th... thing."

"...what?"

"The thing that I... the- That I always lose."

"Control?"

"That sounds right." The shiny obsidian focuses on me anew and he bows, grabbing me around the waist.

"No," I reprimand with a pout.

"No?" he echoes in hazy confusion.

"On your back," I command and mirror his early gesture of a twirling finger.

In one motion, And drops me back to my feet and lets his legs swing out from under him. The tiles quake under my feet with the weight of him suddenly dropping onto his side, then rolling onto his back. With an impressed smirk, I take some pillows from the couch and shove them under his upper half. His shoulders shimmy to sink his weight into the added comfort.