broken thieves

twenty-three

I'm warm. So, so warm, even with the soft breeze floating through the open doors to the balcony. The party continues out there, the sounds of music and laughter drifting up to the room, but I don't want to leave the safety of Blake's arms and the bed. Not yet.

My head is on his chest, my fingertips tracing the tattoos and scars left on his body. His own hands are in my hair, drawing circles on my shoulder, running up my spine. I'm surprised his gentle touches haven't lulled me to sleep, but there's not one part of me that wants to skip this moment. I'd stay here forever if I could.

I hear Blake sigh. "Do you want to know something?" he asks. My fingers pause against his skin as I raise my head a little, giving him a questioning look.

"What?" I ask, lowering my head.

"I stopped smoking," he tells me. I can hear the smile in his voice. "I haven't had a cigarette in about a month now."

My lips turn up, too. Even though I admittedly sometimes found it hot, I've never been a fan of him smoking, so to hear that he's given it up is a bit of a relief. "Good," I say. "I'm proud of you."

"It wasn't easy. But it feels better now."

I press a kiss against his chest. His skin is still hot and it's enough to make me want to go again, but there's a party we need to return to. Rolling away from the cocoon of warmth we had created, I sit up, clutching the sheet to my bare chest.

"You have a birthmark on your back," Blake murmurs. I feel his fingers graze the pink splotch on my back and feel self-conscious all over again. It's located somewhere on the left on my spine and isn't too big, but it's rare that anyone gets to see it. But now Blake's seen everything. Which I guess isn't such a bad thing. "I didn't even know."

"We should get going," I say, tucking my hair behind my ears. No doubt the crown braids are messed up by now.

"Okay," Blake says. But he sits up, too, and brings me in for a heavy kiss, hand travelling down my back.

"We have to go," I say, pulling away and fighting a smile. "Someone will start looking for us."

He chuckles, kissing me once more. "Okay." He gets up, the duvet falling away from his completely naked form, and goes to retrieve his clothes off the floor.

After I've put my underwear back on and strapped the dagger to my thigh-- just in case-- Blake helps me back into the dress. Then we leave the room, hand in hand, and return to the party outside.

Maeve waves me over, still clearly drunk from earlier as she stumbles slightly as if the movement of her arm shifted the balance of the universe. As I walk over, I watch as Elodie tries to keep her upright, staying something to her. But Maeve ignores her, making her way closer to me and lazily wrapping her arms around my neck.

"Come on, Maeve. We need to get you some food," Elodie says, giving me an apologetic smile in greeting.

"Shhhhh," Maeve hushes, eyes closing. "I'm talking to my bestie."

"But you--"

She's cut off by Maeve dropping a hand across her face. "Shhhhhh," she says again. "You're a very pretty girl, Ellie," she pauses, hiccuping. "But Aurora needs me right now. I'm like... like her guardian angel. You know?"

Elodie and I exchange an odd look, before she obviously gives up trying. "I'll come find you later. Stay out of trouble."

"Okay, Mum," Maeve says, a bit flirty, but Elodie's stalked off before Maeve can even get the two words out. Finally Maeve lets go of me, looking at the table behind her. "Now, what to drink next?" She picks up a random champagne glass, the bubbling liquid spilling a few drops over the top, before she turns to me, almost spilling it over my dress, too. "Want one?"