[ Distantly, it occurs to her that rumors have a farther reach than any weapon she has known. Soon, those whispers won't be contained simply within these walls; soon, they will spread beyond the ears of servants and guards, and eventually — inevitably — tumble into the hands of their friends, their allies, perhaps even their enemies.
She isn't prepared for it — what they might say, what they might do, the looks of curiosity or betrayal or disapproval — but she has learned, quite quickly, that the world hardly cares whether she is ready for what it has in store for her. It remains a nagging thought at the back of her mind, trying to worm its way to the front, even as the wet warmth of Nikolai's mouth startles her into a twitch.
Even as the smile crosses her mouth, pursing and twisting it until she has no choice but to concede to that dimpled turn. ]
If they're trying to imply I'm some sort of seductress, they're giving me more credit than I deserve.
[ But then it's more amusing for them, she supposes, to imagine those insane scenarios. To paint them as people they aren't, than to truly look into them and see them for what they are: human, flawed, just like them. Not the strange, fantastical creatures they have made them out to be. ]
The proper way for me to behave is — [ For a moment, she leaves him in suspense, just long enough to slip beneath the covers and shiver at the sudden burst of warmth it provides. Her fingers free themselves from his mouth, just to roam over his cheekbones, an affectionate touch as much as it's a devious one — spreading the slickness of his saliva over his own skin as she wrinkles her nose at him. ] — however I want. Put that in the manual.
no subject
She isn't prepared for it — what they might say, what they might do, the looks of curiosity or betrayal or disapproval — but she has learned, quite quickly, that the world hardly cares whether she is ready for what it has in store for her. It remains a nagging thought at the back of her mind, trying to worm its way to the front, even as the wet warmth of Nikolai's mouth startles her into a twitch.
Even as the smile crosses her mouth, pursing and twisting it until she has no choice but to concede to that dimpled turn. ]
If they're trying to imply I'm some sort of seductress, they're giving me more credit than I deserve.
[ But then it's more amusing for them, she supposes, to imagine those insane scenarios. To paint them as people they aren't, than to truly look into them and see them for what they are: human, flawed, just like them. Not the strange, fantastical creatures they have made them out to be. ]
The proper way for me to behave is — [ For a moment, she leaves him in suspense, just long enough to slip beneath the covers and shiver at the sudden burst of warmth it provides. Her fingers free themselves from his mouth, just to roam over his cheekbones, an affectionate touch as much as it's a devious one — spreading the slickness of his saliva over his own skin as she wrinkles her nose at him. ] — however I want. Put that in the manual.