Tag: TBO-era

fluff

Charlie squeezes Thandi with all his might, spinning her as he laughs. It’s such an honest, open laugh that she’s surprised. High, giddy, energetic, strangely sweet.

When he puts her down, he buries his face into her shoulder. She feels his breath, hot and moist, along with his hair that tickles her ever so slightly. He gives that heavy, happy hum, “Hmmmmmn!” as he allows himself a smell of her.

It’s absurdly cute coming from a man who was satisfied throwing a tantrum in front of the entire Haven. He mumbles something into her skin and she laughs again.

“What was that, darling?”

“You smell nice.”

She feels her face get hot and attempts to laugh it off. “Thank you, Charlie.”

“Mmn.”

There’s a sort of comfort to be had from simply being in his arms. Warm, safe, reassuring. Thandi hugs him back and feels the tension in him relax, and they both sink deeper into one another.

fluff

Thandi feels something brush her legs and looks down to see the velvety head of a panther. He sits, purring, rubbing his face on her, wrapping one massive paw around her to keep her still.

Of course.

Charlie must be nervous. A man like him is unused to wanting affection, or giving it. It makes her smile to see him try a little more openly.

“Charlie, you can simply ask when you want a hug.”

The panther seems embarrassed, dropping his head and pressing blindly to her, tail whipping. Watching that tail lash makes Thandi laugh, and she gives him a deep scratch on the forehead before kneeling and massaging his cheeks.

His purr grows louder as she does this, and finally, she wraps her arms around his neck. Thandi feels the purr hitch before the forepaws of the panther pull her closer.

Briefly, she wonders if he would hug her as a man. She misses that.

tbo, fighting

Thandi reaches out to touch Charlie’s shoulder. He jerks away as if scalded and throws her a look over his shoulder, anger still sparking fiercely.

“What do you want?”

His tone stings, and Thandi pulls her hand back, hugging herself. “I was hoping we could… talk?”

“There’s nothing else to say. You. You insisted on moving ahead of us all and when I patch you up afterwards, you charge in again. You won’t listen to reason!”

“Charlie, I—”

“If you die, what am I to do?”

“I won’t—”

“You might die!”

“Let me speak, Charlie!” Her glare overpowers his and his mouth snaps shut. The silence presses close and Thandi takes a breath. “I won’t die. I’m much stronger than you give me credit for. You are all still learning, and I have you to—”

“I can’t always heal you!”

Her pulse is wild. He feels her fingers brush over the bracelet as she once more hugs herself. Everything goes blurry and Charlie turns his face away hastily, unable to stop the tears. Why is he so… sensitive about this? He’s… terrified. If he gets any more attached, what’s going to happen?

She tries again to touch him and he steps out of her reach and stalks off into the trees. It’s always like this. He’s not going to get through to her. And she watches him go. What else can she do when he’s so determined to be upset? She strokes the bracelet and feels the coils tighten now.

She feels the innermost coils shift and a tendril moves along her inner wrist, a now comfortable gesture. How much of it was from him and how much of it was the magic of the bracelet?

Thandi sits. His moods don’t always linger long.

tbo fluff

Charlie opens his arms to Thandi. “Come home,” he mumbles.

She wraps her arms around him, and he does the same with her. He’s solid, safe, warm. His breath on her neck tells Thandi that he’s arranged himself as always, face burying into her neck. There’s an impulse to kiss his cheek, but she instead clings tighter.

“Why do you keep saying that, darling?”

“Say what?”

“’Come home.’“

Charlie clears his throat, grip loosening. “Did you want me to stop?”

“No! No, no… it’s adorable. I’m just curious.”

Thandi is pulled close to him again. Feeling each other breathe, him protecting her, their heartbeat seeming to tie together. Charlie savors this feeling as he tries to figure out how to phrase his words.

“Because we’re both displaced. I thought perhaps it would be, er… sweet. To be home to you. As. As you are. For me.”

Thandi’s face goes red and it’s her turn to hide her face. She presses to his chest and he rubs her back as she lets the embarrassment ebb away.

“I… like that.”

“Charlie!” Thandi laughs as she feels him sweep her up and lift her, kissing her neck as they spin.

“What is it?” He sets her down, giving her a dozen small kisses as she giggles, wriggling.

“That! Tickles!! Darling!!” A small chuckle is the response she gets, hugged tight once again.

tbo pining

The first time they kiss, there’s only searing pain. It’s like pressing his lips to a hot iron, and he’s frozen there for a moment. His brain screams for him to pull away, but he doesn’t. Not until Thandi separates from him, sees the unbidden tears on his face.

She wipes the tears away as he recovers, and he smiles at her. It’s not what she expected, and he begs her for another kiss. Thandi denies him and he longs for her anyway.Love is pain, after all, he says. Thandi hates the gentle smile he gives her, despite what she inflicted on him. But he still hugs her. Nuzzles her. Loves on her. Begs for just one more kiss.

fluff

Oh, to be cherished. They lay in their tent together, Thandi with her head on Charlie’s chest as he sleeps. His hands are still on her, both protective and possessive. She nuzzles against him, playing with his buttons idly, slipping her fingers between them to stroke his bare skin.

It was best to do this while he was asleep; Charlie is absurdly ticklish, and he’d be stuttering already at this. But instead it’s just her and his buttons and the steady thumping of his heart. It’s comforting. She buries her face into him, thankful for how heavy a sleeper he is. Such a nice feeling, being clung to even in sleep. And his heart— he won’t say that he loves her, but she knows it only beats for her. Such a good sound. It lulls her back asleep in no time.

fluff, pining

How does he come to terms with this?

Charlie watches Thandi as she sits, book open, reading by the fire. He absolutely adores her, yes, and this much he realizes. But there’s something else about her that he can’t quite understand in himself.

Or at least, he’s very good at denying it.

He studies her legs, stretched before her, bare ankles peeking out from the white fabric of her dress. The dress that clung in a flattering manner, letting him see the curve of her hips and the line of her navel. And. Not to mention. The extremely deep neckline that taunted him day in and out. The sharpness of her collarbones, the cute rounds of her breasts, the graceful line of her neck.

He realizes that his hands are flexing, an odd open-and-close movement that he’s found himself adopting recently. It sort of overtly signals the longing he has for her body, the need for him to actually touch someone. He hasn’t wanted to in years.

Certainly he has, but outside of being throttled and inspecting patients, he’s mostly only touched Thandi. And he really only wants to touch her. And… be touched by her.

This isn’t a feeling he normally has while sober. So, why is it so strong with her? Why does she instill in him such a desperate want?

Thump. His ceaseless staring finally draws Thandi’s attention. She closes her book and moves to sit next to him, reaching out to push hair out of his eyes. The gentle touch alone is enough to send him above the clouds, and he smiles at her gently.

She glances down at his hands and gives him a knowing look before gently pulling him close, giving him a hug. The heat of her chest, the beating of her heart, her hand stroking his hair… it’s like everything else melts away. Charlie could sleep like this.

He wraps his arms around her and squeezes her. They stay in a silent hug for a while before they slowly part. His hands stay on her. Hers stay on him. He looks upset, knowing they would have to part already.

Thandi giggles. Right away, the sound makes Charlie’s mood jump and he pulls her in again. “You smell nice,” he mumbles.

“Oh! Thank you…”

“Please. Let me… just… hold on a little while longer…”

“…all right. But this is the last time tonight, got it?”

“Yes.”