He'd been in the living room, hand to his eyes and taking a few moments to appreciate the quiet and comfort of what was now as close to 'home' as this place could provide. Not because of anything it offered, but because of who resided here with him. And right on cue--
"Gilia."
His hand drops, eyes lifting to the sight of the sleepy monarch before a cup of wine was pressed into his hands. Knowing better than to fight her when she was in a mood to tend to him, he relents with a small, tired smile, and shrugs out of the coat and vest he'd had on for the day. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to stay so late. We've had more inpatients than usual, given the flooding."
And more deaths, too. But those are harder to think about, just now.
With a familiar pattern, but no less meticulous than ever, she tosses the coat over one shoulder to keep it off the floor, and with both hands-free, goes about folding his vest. Smooth movements, even when tired.
Though she shakes her head. "I knew you would be busy. People need you now more than ever, and I would be selfish to keep you all to myself, no matter how I want to." The vest folded, she set it aside on the table and began with the coat. "All I ask is that you come back to me when you can so I can make sure you're eating enough and to work out all your sore muscles."
She knew how he ached. His scars, his body holding together such a horrible injury. That she could make sure, perhaps uniquely so, that it would ache less.
His skin prickles slightly when the warmer fabric comes loose, and the cool air of the apartment suddenly made him keenly aware of where sweat had soaked into his shit over the course of the day. Of course his body ached, in all the ways that were by now familiar to him, ways he'd long learned to push to the back of his mind.
As Gilia turned away to tend to his clothes, Anduin's footsteps carried him closer, a hand lifting to sweep her untidy mass of blond curls to one side.
"You really don't know how many times you've gotten me through the day without realizing it," he murmurs, lips curving slightly as he bent his head to press a gentle kiss to the curve of her shoulder. "Like the stars in the night sky, leading a weary sailor home."
Her eyes shut, slow with the exhale of sheer contentment. Fingers pressing on the table surface, shoulders relaxing in his careful touch. The summer air was tinged with the rain, filling her senses as much as he took up her thoughts. One simple embrace and she knew how she'd always be his.
No need to fight it, not anymore, as her head tilts to let him go where and as he pleased. "If you are not careful, the star shall never let you go." A happy smile at the thought.
Anduin chuckled, nosing the edge of her jaw before pressing another kiss there, as well. They're both tired, her obviously having just been sleeping and him halfway there, but it's good. These quiet moments where he loops an arm around her waist and pulls her close, and the chaos and noise of the day just drifts away.
How simple and easy the world seems when she is in his arms. All its troubles and fears, are the outside of this little harbour of their embrace. She turns her head back, just enough to nuzzle back against his temple. The curve of his jaw where he was just that much taller than her, that she could comfortably curl into him.
"Every day I think I cannot love you more, but yet I find a new way come morning." The sigh is deep, content. Not an inch of her wants to pull away, go anywhere at all. "Come, sailor, you have found your star, and she has a bed for you to rest in. I know you need it."
She hooks her own back, as she takes him through the rooms into the bed, the lace of her gown whispering on the ground around her as she walks. Allowing herself the one little peek back over her shoulder to smile at him before she carries on.
Once there, it's about as bossy as she allows herself. Though she suspects he does not mind, when as she peels him out of his clothes, it is done with a half-dozen lingering touches and the quiet smile where even like this, exhausted and not at his best, she appreciates every part of him. Nothing seductive or teasing beyond the lingering kiss she returns to over his heart, just that - he is beautiful, and he is her love.
Until she's got him down to just his underwear. Too hot for much else in the summer nights, then gestures him to the bed with a tilt of her head. "Lay down. Face down. You are holding all your worries in your shoulders again. I will work them loose."
The sheets are comfortingly cool, save the spot she'd been resting in, and it's so much of a relief already by the time he's off his feet and on his stomach that he lets out an audible groan.
Before, he might have argued that she'd been working all day as well, and she must be just as tired. He's since learned the error of his ways, and relents, surrendering to her tender mercies as his arms curl beneath the pillow beneath his head.
"...no more so than usual," he murmurs, the smallest of defenses mounted just the same.
She cannot help the smile at that. "And yet, somehow, you manage to carry the world."
Moving to join him, she pulls her bedgown up her legs as she gets onto the bed to join him. Taking up the familiar spot where she goes to straddle across his hips. Settling herself over him, making sure to push her sleeves up her arms, then she sings a soft note to call the water to her. Bringing it over into her hands, rolling it between her fingers as if to work it more malleable, and perhaps that was true in a way. Embuying the water with her magic to make it easier and less taxing to work with.
Then letting it curl up into a ball in each hand, she leans over to press it delightfully cool against the broad expanse of his back. Those impressive, yes, but tired muscles. It isn't gentle, it won't do much if she just tickles him, and he needed that extra dig in to really help it loosen up.
So she begins to increase the pressure of the water and her hands, waiting to hear that noise where it's relief but sore for the tension in them then ease off to begin to work out in circles. Kneading into his skin with slow steady ripples that isn't painless, unfortunately, but would do good by the time she's done.
He's known pain in his life, far worse than this. The agony of recovery in Pandaria, as he had to force his limbs to obey him in order to stretch muscles that screamed in protest as he tried. Sometimes hurting comes before the healing.
So he does his best not to tense up as Gilia digs into those knots of tension woven into his muscles, working them loose with steady -- if not gentle -- hands. This aches too, but in a way he knows means recovery, and if his fingers clench it's an easy enough thing to hide under the pillow.
It's always the worst part, those little noises of pain, but best to just get it over with. Though she does give him moments to break, in between, leaning forward, to kiss his shoulders as the skin flushes pink with the blood rising to the surface. The long fall of her shoulders brushing against him before she straightens.
As bad as everything has been lately, she knows regardless of whether he admits it or not, he worries and carries it deeply. Every life he has to fight for, keep going, even with the sky doing its worst to snatch them.
"You helped people today. You saved their life. Perhaps in ways you do not even know."
Some days, it's all of them. Some days they get lucky. But lately?
He tries to put it from his mind before he starts to tense up again, closing his eyes as he feels Gilia's hair brush his back, her lips against his scarred skin.
"No. Not all of them." A soft agreement, not fighting him. The world fought him enough. Caused him enough pain. If people reacted to his determination to be kind like they did her, it would wear him down. And did she not promise to be a harbour? Her sailor, taken into a warm embrace.
Her thumb curves under his shoulder blade as she pulls up, working the little tight bundle of knotted muscles, digging in, then dragging out, over and over until she feels it loosen.
"But you learned. From each of them, you learn. That is what we all do. I know, in your care, no life is ever truly meaningless, nor unmarked. You carry them with you, and you make sure, that it will not be in vain. The love I know you carry for each in your care means that it shall always be so."
Stops, her fingers smoothing flat as she leans to press herself warmly against him.
"And if there is a day you cannot remember how to love, I will love you all the more, to remind you how to, so you never have to feel alone."
Her words carried truth, not a balm but reassurance of what he already knew, the foundation on which he did everything. Knowing at least one person here believed as he did provided more comfort than any platitudes could, just as the painful ache gave way to release and relief under the roll of her fingers. Anduin let out a quiet sigh, turning his head to look up at her as best he could.
"You are very busy. These things slip through the cracks, I know."
She would never ask to come first, for the same reason, he would never ask to be first for her. They both knew their duty, and she was content, to simply be the place where home could be, and warmth could be. Gently touching him, coaxing over him in slow brushes of her hands.
"But this is what wives are for, reminding husbands of the little things."
That lets her tease, just in private, just between them, when she nuzzles up to his ear and nips at the shell of it with a soft giggle.
A soft noise of surprise is her reward, Anduin's shoulder twitching upwards as he lifted his head to laugh quietly in turn. Already he can feel the way his limbs feel more loose, even though they promise to ache come morning.
"Once again I find myself unable to argue against your wisdom. Though I am curious what are husbands for, then?"
She makes a very long hum, as she goes back to work. A moment of silence as she finds another little knot and repeats the same process, but this time, a little further out, and she takes care of the scars. Making sure she takes care to warm the area up, the torn and healed tissue kneaded to soften it, get the blood flowing around it.
"Let me see, well it is important for them to kiss their wives, every day, at least once." Yes, very important. "And to tell their wife she is a perfectly lovely creature, whom they desire most, too. Especially when they just wake up and do not look completely their best." Her head leans back the other way. "And every so often, they should pick her up and take the time to just be happy, together."
At that his hand lifts, fingers reaching back to trail over her own, squeezing gently just the once. "I'm always happy, when I'm with you."
The smile on his lips is an honest one as he settles back down again, allowing her to continue her work, the scent of lavender drifting up from the pillows and lulling his eyelids a little lower.
"The last time I was this happy was...years ago. A lifetime, it feels like."
It is always such a gift, to watch him find peace in her embrace. That she could offer him such respite in a world that could be so unforgiving. Slowly, slowly, kneading him and working him comfortable again.
"Ruling takes much from us. Happiness always feels to come secondary."
For all the differences from his world to her own, she knew this one was the same. The bone-deep weight of exhaustion that came from having to worry about the whole world. Why she insisted on these moments, most of all.
"I feel the same. I think I remember a time when I laughed and it was easy. But it was a girl's laugh. Before everything else came, and I had to learn that women ought not to do such things."
He doesn't argue that she should laugh as she pleases. That he loves her laughter, loves her, and she should enjoy what little freedoms they are afforded. It's the way of her people, her custom, and he understands now the reason she holds herself in check so often.
Still. He closes his eyes and wishes things were different, for both of them.
"We've had to learn to be different people, here."
"We have. I do not think they always know just how different when they tell us to simply change, adapt to what other people do like it was ever that easy."
Finally, she stops working his back and moves her hand to simply rub down his arms to help the blood flow in his limbs. Wriggling back on his hips some to do the same along his spine and hips.
"But as hard as each day is, I know I have you to come home to. It's like a drink of cool water when my lips are dry and my throat is parched."
A soft groan eases out of him as the touch turns smoother, gentler, nerve-endings buzzing in a low thrum in a way that says he'll soon be well and truly out.
"You have me...and Jacob. And I have the two of you. I think we can handle most anything, so long as we have one another," he murmurs in reply. There's another too, but forming words around that is still--
"We can. I know we can. Hope shall be our most precious flower, I know, in this garden of ours. A gift I can never repay you for."
She knew he would not last much longer after such a long day, and the way that she was blessed it seems, to help him relax and find comfort. Finally, now that she is sure his body won't punish him so much tomorrow, she moves off him. Not forcing him up, but just laying herself down next to him.
"It is time for you to sleep, my love. Nothing else. Sleep and let me hold you while you do. That is all you have to do, here."
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no subject
"Gilia."
His hand drops, eyes lifting to the sight of the sleepy monarch before a cup of wine was pressed into his hands. Knowing better than to fight her when she was in a mood to tend to him, he relents with a small, tired smile, and shrugs out of the coat and vest he'd had on for the day. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to stay so late. We've had more inpatients than usual, given the flooding."
And more deaths, too. But those are harder to think about, just now.
no subject
Though she shakes her head. "I knew you would be busy. People need you now more than ever, and I would be selfish to keep you all to myself, no matter how I want to." The vest folded, she set it aside on the table and began with the coat. "All I ask is that you come back to me when you can so I can make sure you're eating enough and to work out all your sore muscles."
She knew how he ached. His scars, his body holding together such a horrible injury. That she could make sure, perhaps uniquely so, that it would ache less.
no subject
As Gilia turned away to tend to his clothes, Anduin's footsteps carried him closer, a hand lifting to sweep her untidy mass of blond curls to one side.
"You really don't know how many times you've gotten me through the day without realizing it," he murmurs, lips curving slightly as he bent his head to press a gentle kiss to the curve of her shoulder. "Like the stars in the night sky, leading a weary sailor home."
no subject
No need to fight it, not anymore, as her head tilts to let him go where and as he pleased. "If you are not careful, the star shall never let you go." A happy smile at the thought.
no subject
Anduin chuckled, nosing the edge of her jaw before pressing another kiss there, as well. They're both tired, her obviously having just been sleeping and him halfway there, but it's good. These quiet moments where he loops an arm around her waist and pulls her close, and the chaos and noise of the day just drifts away.
no subject
"Every day I think I cannot love you more, but yet I find a new way come morning." The sigh is deep, content. Not an inch of her wants to pull away, go anywhere at all. "Come, sailor, you have found your star, and she has a bed for you to rest in. I know you need it."
no subject
Both of them could use the rest.
"Very well. Lead on." His hand lowers to gently twine his fingers with hers.
no subject
Once there, it's about as bossy as she allows herself. Though she suspects he does not mind, when as she peels him out of his clothes, it is done with a half-dozen lingering touches and the quiet smile where even like this, exhausted and not at his best, she appreciates every part of him. Nothing seductive or teasing beyond the lingering kiss she returns to over his heart, just that - he is beautiful, and he is her love.
Until she's got him down to just his underwear. Too hot for much else in the summer nights, then gestures him to the bed with a tilt of her head. "Lay down. Face down. You are holding all your worries in your shoulders again. I will work them loose."
no subject
Before, he might have argued that she'd been working all day as well, and she must be just as tired. He's since learned the error of his ways, and relents, surrendering to her tender mercies as his arms curl beneath the pillow beneath his head.
"...no more so than usual," he murmurs, the smallest of defenses mounted just the same.
no subject
Moving to join him, she pulls her bedgown up her legs as she gets onto the bed to join him. Taking up the familiar spot where she goes to straddle across his hips. Settling herself over him, making sure to push her sleeves up her arms, then she sings a soft note to call the water to her. Bringing it over into her hands, rolling it between her fingers as if to work it more malleable, and perhaps that was true in a way. Embuying the water with her magic to make it easier and less taxing to work with.
Then letting it curl up into a ball in each hand, she leans over to press it delightfully cool against the broad expanse of his back. Those impressive, yes, but tired muscles. It isn't gentle, it won't do much if she just tickles him, and he needed that extra dig in to really help it loosen up.
So she begins to increase the pressure of the water and her hands, waiting to hear that noise where it's relief but sore for the tension in them then ease off to begin to work out in circles. Kneading into his skin with slow steady ripples that isn't painless, unfortunately, but would do good by the time she's done.
no subject
So he does his best not to tense up as Gilia digs into those knots of tension woven into his muscles, working them loose with steady -- if not gentle -- hands. This aches too, but in a way he knows means recovery, and if his fingers clench it's an easy enough thing to hide under the pillow.
"Nnngh..."
no subject
As bad as everything has been lately, she knows regardless of whether he admits it or not, he worries and carries it deeply. Every life he has to fight for, keep going, even with the sky doing its worst to snatch them.
"You helped people today. You saved their life. Perhaps in ways you do not even know."
no subject
Some days, it's all of them. Some days they get lucky. But lately?
He tries to put it from his mind before he starts to tense up again, closing his eyes as he feels Gilia's hair brush his back, her lips against his scarred skin.
no subject
Her thumb curves under his shoulder blade as she pulls up, working the little tight bundle of knotted muscles, digging in, then dragging out, over and over until she feels it loosen.
"But you learned. From each of them, you learn. That is what we all do. I know, in your care, no life is ever truly meaningless, nor unmarked. You carry them with you, and you make sure, that it will not be in vain. The love I know you carry for each in your care means that it shall always be so."
Stops, her fingers smoothing flat as she leans to press herself warmly against him.
"And if there is a day you cannot remember how to love, I will love you all the more, to remind you how to, so you never have to feel alone."
no subject
Her words carried truth, not a balm but reassurance of what he already knew, the foundation on which he did everything. Knowing at least one person here believed as he did provided more comfort than any platitudes could, just as the painful ache gave way to release and relief under the roll of her fingers. Anduin let out a quiet sigh, turning his head to look up at her as best he could.
"How could I ever forget?"
no subject
She would never ask to come first, for the same reason, he would never ask to be first for her. They both knew their duty, and she was content, to simply be the place where home could be, and warmth could be. Gently touching him, coaxing over him in slow brushes of her hands.
"But this is what wives are for, reminding husbands of the little things."
That lets her tease, just in private, just between them, when she nuzzles up to his ear and nips at the shell of it with a soft giggle.
no subject
"Once again I find myself unable to argue against your wisdom. Though I am curious what are husbands for, then?"
no subject
"Let me see, well it is important for them to kiss their wives, every day, at least once." Yes, very important. "And to tell their wife she is a perfectly lovely creature, whom they desire most, too. Especially when they just wake up and do not look completely their best." Her head leans back the other way. "And every so often, they should pick her up and take the time to just be happy, together."
no subject
The smile on his lips is an honest one as he settles back down again, allowing her to continue her work, the scent of lavender drifting up from the pillows and lulling his eyelids a little lower.
"The last time I was this happy was...years ago. A lifetime, it feels like."
no subject
"Ruling takes much from us. Happiness always feels to come secondary."
For all the differences from his world to her own, she knew this one was the same. The bone-deep weight of exhaustion that came from having to worry about the whole world. Why she insisted on these moments, most of all.
"I feel the same. I think I remember a time when I laughed and it was easy. But it was a girl's laugh. Before everything else came, and I had to learn that women ought not to do such things."
no subject
Still. He closes his eyes and wishes things were different, for both of them.
"We've had to learn to be different people, here."
no subject
Finally, she stops working his back and moves her hand to simply rub down his arms to help the blood flow in his limbs. Wriggling back on his hips some to do the same along his spine and hips.
"But as hard as each day is, I know I have you to come home to. It's like a drink of cool water when my lips are dry and my throat is parched."
no subject
"You have me...and Jacob. And I have the two of you. I think we can handle most anything, so long as we have one another," he murmurs in reply. There's another too, but forming words around that is still--
Complicated.
no subject
She knew he would not last much longer after such a long day, and the way that she was blessed it seems, to help him relax and find comfort. Finally, now that she is sure his body won't punish him so much tomorrow, she moves off him. Not forcing him up, but just laying herself down next to him.
"It is time for you to sleep, my love. Nothing else. Sleep and let me hold you while you do. That is all you have to do, here."