Vault

Sixty-Six

This chapter contains slight adult content

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"You're actually here," Karl mumbled as I stirred from my sleep, "it wasn't a dream. You actually came home with me."

"Good morning," I mumbled.

"Good morning my love," Karl smiled before he leaned down to press a kiss against my temple.

"Have you struggled sleeping this past week too?" I asked quietly, still not opening my eyes.

"I barely slept at all, I can't sleep without you anymore," Karl admit, "I'm so sorry for everything Ava."

"I know," I cuddled deeper into his side, "doesn't matter anymore. All that matters is now."

"I don't know how you can say that. I hurt you, I hurt you so badly and you're just willing to put it all behind us," Karl sighed, "I don't deserve you."

"Stop. It's us together against the problem. Not you and I against each other," I reminded him, "I love you."

"I love you. I am going to spend every day forever making everything up to," Karl promised.

"You don't need to, we're okay," I assured him.

"I know, but I'm going to anyway."

I pulled back from Karl, intending to go take a shower, but he drew me back into him tightly, holding onto me. He placed his lips against my head, savoring each second.

"I love you," Karl mumbled against my skin.

"I love you," I mumbled back.

"I'm surprised you put this on," Karl admit as he looked at the princess ring sitting on my finger.

"You gave it to me, why wouldn't I put it on?" I asked.

"Because I was a dick," Karl sighed.

"Stop, everything is okay now."

We laid together for a while, just drinking in each second we had together. Karl finally let me go, hell bent on making us breakfast to eat in bed. I laughed as I could hear him making a ruckus in the kitchen, likely having no idea what he's doing. I got out of bed, finally going to take a shower. The water was burning against my skin, but it was comforting. Grounding almost.

When I stepped onto the cool tile floor, a towel wrapped around me to keep me from shivering, I looked over my reflection in the mirror carefully. I look absolutely fucking awful. I mean, I always thought I looked pretty bad, but I look dead. I dressed in one of Karl's t-shirts, not bothering to put on more than that. I'm at home, I can lounge around in my underwear and a shirt if I want to.

"Breakfast is served, Beautiful," Karl smiled as he walked back into our room.

"Thank you," I smiled as I turned to face him from where I was still standing in front of our closet.

"Y-you're wee-welcome," Karl stuttered as I watched his eyes trail down from my face.

I smiled sweetly before I sat down on the edge of our bed, waiting for Karl to come sit next to me. He placed our breakfast down on top of our dresser before he came up to our bed, not sitting next to me but standing directly in front of me.

"Breakfast?" I asked.

"I'm not hungry anymore," Karl shook his head as I felt his hands gently touch my hips, "at least not for food."

"What?" I questioned before Karl leaned forward, slotting his lips against mine.

His hands gripped my hips, pushing me back to our pillows before he leaned over me, never pulling his lips from mine. He nipped at my bottom lip slightly pulling it back between his teeth.

"You're so beautiful," Karl panted as he pulled back from me.

"Shut up," I mumbled as I reached to cover his mouth with my hand.

"No, I mean it," Karl gazed down at me intensely.

His fingers wrapped around my wrist, pulling from his face before he met it with my other wrist and pinned them above my head. He leaned back in, pressing his lips just below my jaw. I don't know what has gotten into him, but I like it.

He kept my hands pinned above my head as he moved lower towards my collarbones.

"Baby," I let out, breathy, as his free hand trailed over my thigh and under my shirt to my torso.

Karl hummed in response as his hands moved higher before they landed on my chest, kneading over my skin. I moan in response before I can restrain it, feeling Karl smile against my skin. He finally releases my hands and I immediately wrap them around his shoulders, holding him close to me and carding my fingers through his hair.

His hands and mouth persisted, keeping me locked beneath him and moving gently over my skin. Another soft moan left my lips as I felt him bite a bruise to my neck before he moved back to my lips. I could feel his shirt slowly lifting off of my body.

Once I was exposed beneath him, Karl smiled at me before he removed his own shirt and leaned back into me.

"Tell me if you want me to stop," Karl spoke lowly.

"Don't you dare," I nearly while as I arched my back to get our bodies as close together as I could.

Finally. Literally finally. Only took a major fight that nearly ended our relationship. It was... different than I expected, but in a good way. Gentle, tentative. Karl laid down next to me, pulling me close to him as both of our chests rose and fell rapidly in attempts to catch our breath. He buried his face into my neck, rubbing soothing circles into the skin on my waist.

"I love you," I panted.

"I love you," Karl spoke into my neck, "sorry, I didn't plan on that happening. But I walked in and you just looked so incredible."

"Don't apologize, I liked it."

"Good," Karl smiled, "our breakfast is probably cold now."

"That's okay, it was worth it," I laughed.

Karl pulled a blanket up over our bare bodies before he cuddled back into me. I ran my fingers through his hair, gently scratching against his skin as I heard his breathing slow and steady. I smiled at his soft snores falling from his lips where they rested in the crook of my neck. I love him, so much, and I can't believe I almost lost this. Never again. I let myself slowly fall asleep to the sound of his light snores as I delved into dreams of our future together, completely taken by this man.