At this, Anahera lets a smile curve on her lips. He is an Istrian noble, after all, and men like this always want to be demeaned or humiliated— at least in her experience. She chuckles, though. Charles Vanderbee is a tish outside of the norm from what she’s observed and she knows better than to trust what’s on the surface. “Let’s make this interesting. I’ll bet you five hundred gold that he’s an absolute top.”

“Where in all the disc are ya gonna be pullin five hundred gold? Last I checked, you have forty silver and a shaker’s wortha copper.”

“I told you if you go through my bag one more time…!”

“Well, it weren’t once. I’ll take it. Five hunderd.”

“Better be ready to pay up.”

“Like we’ll ever get to find out.”

five years later

“Aren’t you a good girl? You work so very hard, dearest…”

Savon stands, pale-faced in front of the door at the end of the hall. Anahera smirks at them, a spark in her eye that says I haven’t forgotten. Both of them have to be careful not to make any noise and risk alerting the couple in their inn room of eavesdroppers. Whoever gets caught gets the ire of Briar and no one wants to shit on the honeymoon phase of the newly reunited couple.

So Savon can’t even argue with Ana on it.

“Oh! F-feels! So good! Yes! Briaaar!!“

“You can’t come yet, beloved. I’m not done with you yet.” It’s not fair that the virgin couple get to have wild monkey sex right now while Savon has to come up with five hundred gold!!

The proposal had started as a joke, something he knew made his teacher uncomfortable and argumentative. It was meant to be a joke about the sheer amount of work she put into him versus the rest of the magical novices in her care. She was always running after him and talking to him and smoothing over arguments. Always trying to reason out his logic.

Thandi is just that sort of person. He’d never seen anyone left behind in her tutelage, and she refused to let him be the one to slip away. His title meant nothing to her. His money doesn’t attract her. His property is useless to her. And she finds him funny. Charming, even. And he was learning she wasn’t so much daft as much as she is inexperienced. 

There was something about her that made him want more. An urge to put the same care she put into him back into her. Maybe with some interest. But there are a few things they disagreed about. Such as their children being raised by a nursemaid and governesses. Or the importance of his presence in the family. Or… a variety of things. 

Charlie smiles to himself, remembering the moment he actually proposed. He had gotten into an argument that lit a fire under everyone else and lost the will to engage further as Sefu told them to knock it off. He ended up doing what he always had done: disappearing into the forest, finding a place no one would look. And normally, no one would.

But she always did.

Thandi had come up after him, or attempted, and he helped her down. She smiled at him. She reached out to give him a cautious pat. And he had broken down into a panic attack. Rather than leaving him behind in that, she was there. She walked him through it. She let him lose himself for a bit, resting his head on her shoulder as she stroked his hair to comfort him.

Something clicked in him right then. This should be his. This sort of person is what he wants. The sort of person who will brush off the dirt and stay despite him. So he proposed seriously. And she had said yes.

The next day had been absolutely blissful. He admired her from afar. But she didn’t really seem to pay him any mind. He wondered if she had realized he was serious. So he bestowed a token in the form of a peony bracelet. And now he could feel her properly, get used to her warmth. Presence. Touches. 

Ah. Here she comes now.

She doesn’t look happy.

“Fuck, Thandi…!” Charlie breathes, quiet so not to draw attention to his tent. His toes curl, his back arches, and he releases a splatter across his bared belly. He bites his lip to stifle a moan, exhaling loudly instead. A few more pumps, Thandi’s ring pressed firmly to his cock, assures him that he is finally done. He feels lips on his petals, though, and his body threatens to—

“Charlie?” Thandi has ducked into his tent and her eyes grow wide as she sees him in…! Such an indecent pose! Shirt open, cock in hand, stomach covered in his own cum! She freezes there, hand squeezing over her bracelet. She gapes.

“S-Sorry, I…!”

“Does it hurt?”

He blinks at her. Her face is red, and her eyes can’t pull away, but… she shows none of the disgust he expected. Especially from masturbating to thoughts of her. He grabs a rag, wiping himself down. “No, it doesn’t,” he says quietly. He tucks himself away. “I’m sorry you had to see… that…”

Thandi bites her lip, now moving to sit beside him. “You… still… want that with me, don’t you?”

“Y-yes, dearest. I do.” He avoids her eyes, feels her squeezing on her bracelet.

“And you.. still… love me? Even when I can’t?”

“Of course. I would be an absolute moron not to love you as much as I do!”

“May I…?”

Thandi raises her hand, laying it upon his chest gently. Where his cum was only moments ago. She leans her head against him, running her fingers down to the hair under his belly button. Her hand runs back up, learning the feeling of his skin. Thandi lets out a small sigh as she wraps her arms around his middle. It makes Charlie laugh.

“Thandi, dearest, what are you doing?”

“You seem lonely.” She nuzzles the dip in his chest. Smiles. 

“I was. But I’m home now.” 

Thandi squeezes him tightly. “Welcome home, honey. Love.”

“Honeylove? That’s a new one. I do like it.”

“You!!”

“Me what? I’m sorry to say, Thandi, if you call me a scoundrel, recall I lived with some dignity. I’m your scoundrel.” He wraps his arms around her, relishing feeling her against his bare skin. It’s lovely. She is warm and soft, and he finds his embarrassment melting away. She accepts this part of him, the part he has trouble with accepting for himself. 

Her giggles and nuzzles make him feel alive. “My scoundrel. I like that. I like it a lot.”

“Good. You’re… stuck with me.”

“That’s what I was coming to ask you about, actually. I… If we can’t… even kiss… I want to at least…” Charlie shifts so he could see her face, but she holds tight. They both know she’s blushing. “Find some other way to be close with you. I… want to sleep with you.”

“Heh.”

“Charlie! Not like that!” Thandi loosens her grip as she giggles, slapping his chest lightly. It’s almost more of a caress and he gets to see her blush grow even further.

“Thandi, you’re cute!” He tips them both over, hugging her to him. She nuzzles his chest, wriggling as he opens his shirt to wrap around her. It sends her in another fit of giggles and he squeezes her. If only he could kiss her. Soon. Soon. 

Her hot breath evens against his skin and she curls into him, silent now. He holds her as she does her best to… wrap her head around it. Sometimes it takes time for her to process. And she hadn’t prepared for what she saw. What she’s seeing. What she’s doing. So he holds her and wishes he could kiss her problems away.