Another World

Chapter 22

A/N: A huge thank you to everyone who was kind enough to leave such wonderful comments - it really means the world to me. I apologise for not replying to all of them, but time does not seem to be on my side of late and I feel so bad for not even having time to read other fanfics that I've been wanting to get to for a while now. Hopefully the next few days will be dedicated to reading.

So now we delve into the M rating of this story, and I can't tell you how nervous I am about it. It's nerve-wracking for me to write intimate scenes, and I always feel that I never do it justice. So please be gentle with your critique.

Anyway, here is the next chapter - I hope you enjoy it :)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Later that evening, Thranduil stepped into the living room to find Charlotte seated on the sofa, staring intently at the television screen and a tub of something cushioned between her crossed legs. She was dressed in fuzzy, lime green pajamas with caricatures of bananas with nightcaps nestled on their heads. Where did she find such items of clothing? he thought to himself, not for the first time.

Thranduil came to sit next to her, but she barely glanced his way, her attention currently captivated by the movie that was playing. Thranduil watched as she scooped something white and creamy looking from the tub and absently plopped it into her mouth.

"What are you watching?" he asked after a few moments of silence passed between them, save for the sounds coming from the television.

"The Addams Family. I like to watch it when I'm feeling a bit down," she replied after swallowing her mouthful of whatever she was eating.

Thranduil turned his attention to the screen, which now showed dark images of what he presumed to be this 'Addams Family'. Then a seductively alluring woman with pale moonlit skin and sleek, flowing black tresses glided down the stairs, and Thranduil found himself becoming utterly engrossed with the movie from that point on. So much so, that it took him a whole twenty minutes to realise what Charlotte had actually said. He guessed that her current mood stemmed from the departure of the larger-than-life Carl. He would be hard-pressed to willingly admit that a small part of him did, indeed, miss the unconventional man.

"Are you missing Carl?" he asked.

Charlotte dipped her spoon back into the tub and hummed in agreement as she ate another mouthful. Pulling the spoon from her mouth, she swallowed and said, "Yeah, I am. Carl is...Carl is Carl," she sighed with a shrug.

Thranduil watched with keen interest as she attacked the contents of the tub with renewed vigor.

"What are you eating?"

"Ice cream. The perfect thing for emotional eating." Charlotte glanced up at the elf sitting next to her and suddenly became acutely aware of his body pressing against hers, his heat radiating through the layers of clothing between them. "Have you ever had ice cream before?"

Thranduil shook his head once, the movement slow and deliberate. "No. It is not something found in Middle Earth."

This didn't seem to surprise Charlotte.

"Would you like to try some?" she asked sweetly, which caused Thranduil to narrow his eyes in suspicion. His little spider was up to something. But he decided to play along and see where this would lead.

Thranduil inclined his head in affirmation and Charlotte's grin broadened. This had clearly been the answer she had been hoping for.

Charlotte shifted and Thranduil suddenly found her straddling his lap. He had a brief moment of startled hesitation before his hands came up of their own accord to rest on her hips, his thumbs automatically stroking against the material of her pajamas. He waited with bated breath to see where she was going to take this. Part of him was erring on the side of caution and hoping that she would go no farther than merely straddling his lap. He doubted he would have much will power to halt things before they progressed to the point of no return if she decided to pursue this more. But another part, a darker part, was thrilling with anticipation, and he knew he would become a willing participant.