Dusk and Desire - A Mattheo Riddle Story

Nora's Perfect Routine

Nora was in the middle of a lovely morning nap where she dreamt that she was floating in a river of chocolate while the sun shined lightly on her body when she woke up to the feeling of a hard body pressing her into the cushions.

"Argh!" she screamed, pounding onto her stocky boyfriend's chest. "Get off me, Matty! I can't bloody breathe!"

He gasped overdramatically. "Are you calling me fat?"

"Yes! Now get your fat arse off me!" 

Her boyfriend just grinned before bending down and kissing her cheeks. There was a mischievous glint in his eyes that made Nora both nervous and, to be honest, horny. "I just want to love my girlfriend on her break."

"By breaking me?" Nora huffed. "My coaches will murder you if you break my ribs from sitting on them."

Mattheo rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah. Like they wouldn't send their star chaser to St Mungo's in a golden caravan. You probably have slaves to feed you grapes after each practice."

Nora grinned and ruffled his curls. "Why would I need slaves when I have you?"

His eyes turned dark and when he spoke, his voice was like husky velvet that went straight to Nora's legs. "I'll be your slave anytime you want, baby."

As much as she really wanted to go where his head was going, she couldn't. She had too much to do today and her legs were going numb. "Matty, please? Can you get off me?"

He groaned far too dramatically for a man who was second to the Dark Lord before standing up, the sour look on his face replaced by one of his familiar smiles. "Want breakfast?"

Nora nodded and continued to lay out on the couch, her sore muscles aching. Though she was technically on one of the breaks in the middle of the Quidditch season, it didn't feel like she was. She woke up every morning at the crack of dawn—to the many groans of Mattheo, who tried his best to hold onto her while she struggled in his grip—before going on a run and doing some free weights in the backyard. Then, she'd take a morning nap, almost always waking up to Mattheo giving her affection. They'd eat breakfast together before Nora went out to a nearby field to practise while Mattheo checked in with his brother (and boss). Their nights were spent cuddling and making love before they fell asleep and did it all again. It was a familiar routine, one that she loved endlessly. Nora's mind loved routines. She loved how she knew how her days would go, what turns to expect around the corner. They slotted into her life like a puzzle she happily completed. And there was no better routine than one spent with Mattheo.

It took a while to get used to life as a professional Quidditch player but after three years with the Holyhead Harpies, Nora felt like a natural. Her life during the season was hectic but she wouldn't trade it for anything. Matches every Saturday while the weekdays rotated between a variety of things like training, strategy meetings, team meals, weightlifting, cool-downs, and a whole host of other things. The Harpies spoiled her, giving her a life with a nutritionist, a personal trainer, an assistant, and even a witch dedicated to relaxing her muscles in an ice bath. But Nora was most thankful for the end of the night when she walked into the townhouse only to go straight into Mattheo's arms.

True to his word, he was her biggest fan. Their home was littered with all sorts of memorabilia and merchandise. He was the first one in the stands every game with a giant sign, face paint, and her jersey. Someone was always with him, whether it be his brother and his wife or one of his friends. On the biggest games, they were all there, each of them decked out in matching t-shirts that Nora knew Mattheo made. Even when it seemed like her world was too busy to even breathe, he was there, patient and rubbing her back with a smile on his face. When she spent three weeks every summer at training camp in Spain, he didn't bat an eye, sending her a letter every day to remind her of how much he missed her. Throughout it all, Mattheo was the rock Nora didn't even know she needed.