Cronkri: I won't let you down

Chapter 23: Kankri

The next few weeks had been spent getting accustomed to life in an apartment building with a roommate. During the day, Aranea would wake up first and be out the door, then I would wake up after that and eat a granola bar or something before getting to work on cleaning the place up. It took quite a few days, and the work was gradual-- tidy up papers here, dust and sweep over there, organize this bookshelf-- but the end result was worth it.

"I never should have doubted you, Kankri," Aranea said as she looked over the now incredibly clean apartment after work one day. "But now that this is done, you need to actually get a job so you can pay rent. I can't keep supporting you forever."

I nodded in agreement. "I know, I know. I just haven't found any good job openings, except working at McDonald's for minimum wage."

"At this point, you may as well go for it. You're well over-qualified from what I can see, and you need the money."

I sighed. "You're probably right. I'll see what I can do about it tomorrow while you're at work."

"Very well, as long as it gets done by the end of the month. Honestly, even just a week's paycheck at minimum wage would be at least somewhat useful in paying off the bills."

"I'll get on that as soon as I can."

About a week later, I had finally gotten new clothes and landed a job at McDonald's when Cronus came to visit me.

"Knock knock!"

I heard a familiar voice from the other side of the door to our apartment and ran over, swinging it open to reveal the most beautiful human being in all of existence: my boyfriend.

"CRONUS!!!!" I yelled, flinging myself into his arms and hugging him tightly. "I missed you so much!!"

He grinned and hugged me back, then set me down and walked inside the apartment. "I missed you too, babe, you have no idea. Nice place ya got here, by the way."

"Thanks. I told Aranea you would be coming so she's leaving work early to meet you." I left out the part about her suggesting she leave later that night so Cronus and I could "have a little fun time", as she put it.

"Cool. Can't wait to meet the girl who saved my boyfriend from the streets!" He immediately walked through the front room and plopped himself on the couch. I quickly followed him and curled up next to him on the couch, holding his arm and snuggling up to him.

"So how are things back home?"

He shrugged. "Alright, I guess. Your dad's still worried sick about'cha, but someone gave him an 'anonymous tip' that you're alright. At this point, I don't think he'd even care that we're seeing each other."

I scoffed. "With my dad, he'd rather I was dead than with another man."

"Eh, even so, he's still your old man. He's gotta care about you."

"I guess so..."

Cronus scooted me into his lap and I snuggled further into him, resting my head on his shoulder and wrapping my arms around him. He wrapped his arms around my waist and held me in place.

"And how's life in the big city?"

I responded with an incomprehensible muffled groan into his shoulder. "Incredibly stressful. You're constantly surrounded by people that you don't know, and you can't cross a street without someone honking at you..."

I probably went on for about five minutes just complaining about city life. Cronus laughed every so often and agreed with me on just about every point.

"That's normal for any city, not like you'd know. Your home town's pretty damn small, 'specially compared to Chicago."

"I can't even argue that. Not that I'm complaining though, I prefer my small town."

"Suit yourself."

I sat up in his lap and moved my hands to his shoulders, our faces only a couple inches apart.

"I-"

He cut me off with a kiss before I could say anything else. I kissed back eagerly, missing the feeling of his lips on mine after so long of being apart. This kiss was just as new and exhilarating as the first time we kissed all that time ago. I could feel his hands on my hips and our bodies pressed up against each other for the first time in so long. He broke the kiss for air and I went in for another one right after, thirsty for more contact. He eventually pulled away from my lips and started moving to my jawline and eventually down to my neck. My neck was the most sensitive part of me and Cronus knew it well. He took advantage of this and peppered kisses all over it, deepening them gradually until I was actually moaning out his name pathetically, begging for more, never wanting it to stop.

"Mmm..~ Cronus..~!"

"I've been wantin' to do this for so long.." he muttered between kisses, switching sides frequently. He even started grinding his hips against mine, only causing me to get louder and louder, not even caring who heard at this point. The world could go fuck itself for all I cared, all that mattered was Cronus, here, with me.