#springagainafter

They’re still panting, the buzz of the third (maybe? she’d lost count) still spinning between them, Kaidan’s steady heart thundering under her ear and Aedan gives him one last kiss, tasting ozone on his lips, before she slips away from him. It ought to startle her when he turns back towards her, his hands grazing over her sides, his lips along her collar bone, the soft underside of her chin and her eyes widen in the dim light thinking we could but...it’s just him cuddling. It’s... God, he’s warm and his voice, gone rough and soft against her ear is so damned soothing as he murmurs and it lulls her into relaxing back against the slightly stiff, thin pillow.  She shuts her eyes for a moment as his fingers stroke down her hip, palming the curve.

It’s...nice. Probably his arm is going to fall asleep, under her shoulders like that but when she brushes the tip of her nose against the edge of his forehead, he chuckles sleepily and it dazes her all over again, the warmth in that sound as he snuggles her closer against him and she goes, curls towards it. Towards him. Almost resenting what’ll be coming any second.

She isn’t sure how long she lays there, the satisfied thrum lingering, letting her muscles fall slack under the pleasant heaviness of his arm.  She lets her fingers stroke down the curve of his tricep, following the smoothness of a scar, a swirl of hair before she blinks aware again, startled that she’s so...comfortable but oh can’t have him wandering the corridors alone.  She ought to go check and make sure the coast was clear for him to…they need to get ready for Ilos.  

They ought to...she should...

His breathing goes just a little heavier, rhythmic.  She waits...waits for the itch under her skin that will make her push away but instead there’s the little smile she feels flickering across her face when he nuzzles in.  This close, she can see a little triangle of freckles at the corner of his eyebrow in the faint running lights of the cabin, the way his dark eyelashes lay in a perfect semi-circle against his cheekbone, the way his breathing is as steady as he is and she finds herself breathing in cadence.  

Her hands fall slack and away from his arm, the soft crispness of the hair behind his ear; her eyelids flutter shut for just a second.  Tucked against him, even her hands are warm. For just a second, she is so...safe, here with him.

The thought spikes through Aedan like an electric prod and Kaidan murmurs soothingly as he feels her stiffen, even in his sleep.  His hand comes up to find hers and he squeezes and something curls in her chest under his fingers, quiets the alarm if not the shock.

Even his sleep, he’s trying to reassure her, back her up. Just like every other day since the first time they dropped on Eden Prime. 

He’s got her.  And she’s...so damned comfortable. She’s never been warm here, not one night in this cabin that she hadn’t been chilly.

-OK I’M READY TO FIGHT EVERYONE LET’S GO *more shots* (well if i was a drinker I would shot, as it is, I’m just eating peanut m&ms and glaring at my ipad lol)

-everyone gets presents! OH THANK GOD i thought Katie’s task was about to be pregnancy not just the something blue ok we’re cool

-Alex clearly in Crisis which is not helped by the engagement ring “what are you going to do??” “seriously start re-evaluating my life choices” poor man “i’ll just add it to my list of things to do besides saving my law firm”

-GONNA BE NICE TO VIOLET AND PUNT MALLORY INTO A TREE YEAAAAAH

-ahahaha “LAST CHANCE TO CHANGE YOUR FIANCE” nice i can just restart at book 3 then THANK YOU PIXELBERRY

-”i want alex to be my maid of honour” “WHAT. HE DOESNT KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT BEING A WOMAN” jess please

-ok the wedding planner is already 100x more enthusiastic than I need please chill Carmen....of course she’s related to chaz, even if by marriage

-alex you can’t just threaten to kill someone like that oh boy

-why is mallory here someone push her off the boat already I WAS HAVING A NICE TIME