[Third Person Pov]
Lucian woke the next morning with the sheets tangled halfway around his waist, sunlight filtering faintly through the room. Resting atop his chest, her arms loosely draped around him as if she belonged there, was Thalia. She lay against him with an easy, unguarded comfort, her breathing slow and even, her cheek pressed over his heart as though listening to it beat.
One glance was enough to tell the story of the night before. The upper half of her clothing had been discarded somewhere on the floor, forgotten in the haze of warmth and closeness, while Lucian's chest and neck were littered with dark, unmistakable marks. They stood out vividly against his skin—bruises, faint bites, and scratches he hadn't bothered to heal, either out of laziness or quiet pride.
Absentmindedly, Lucian ran his fingers through Thalia's hair. It had grown longer than he remembered, thick strands slipping between his fingers as it now brushed past her shoulders and nearly reached her back. The repetitive motion lulled him into a rare state of stillness, his thoughts drifting away until he found himself staring at nothing in particular, mind blissfully empty.
That calm haze shattered when he felt warmth press against his chest. He glanced downward just in time to see Thalia place a gentle kiss over his pectoral, lips lingering as if she were savoring the moment.
Lucian sighed softly, looking at her with fond exasperation. "Did you not get enough last night?"
Thalia's face flushed immediately, warmth creeping up her cheeks as she shot him an indignant glare. "When you put it like that," she said, "it sounds like we did something insane."
Lucian snorted and gestured toward himself. "When I look like this, it seems like we did something insane." He motioned to the evidence left behind—marks on his neck, bites along his shoulders, and faint scratches trailing down his body. "You animal."
Rather than looking ashamed, Thalia wore a distinctly proud expression. "Despite not crossing that line," she replied smugly, "there was definitely plenty of touching and caressing. So it's not like we're completely innocent. Still, don't make it sound like we did something irreversible."
She paused, then murmured casually against his skin, tracing idle patterns along his sternum. "Not to mention… you seemed very into it."
"Says you, you she-devil," Lucian shot back, sliding one of her legs over his thighs to keep her close. "If I remember correctly, you're the one who started it."
"Bullshit!" Thalia protested, laughter lacing her tone as she propped herself up on one elbow. "All I did was kiss you. You're the one who started getting handsy, and then things escalated."
"And yet somehow," Lucian replied dryly, "I'm the only one wearing the evidence." His eyes betrayed him, however, wandering openly over her form.
Thalia noticed immediately. With a teasing smirk, she pulled the sheets up to cover herself—then deliberately posed along the bed, framed by rumpled fabric and morning light.
"I wouldn't mind being marked by you," she said softly. "In fact, I'd welcome it." She let the back of her hand trail slowly over her neck and down her body, movements languid and deliberate.
"Or are you too much of a coward to get a taste of this?"
"…."
Lucian stared at her for a long moment before sighing.
"Thalia," he said flatly, "be honest with me. What kind of drugs have you been smoking?"
She turned her head away with a huff, clearly flustered. "Despite how I act," she muttered, "I am a girl too, you know." Her cheeks burned as she admitted, "I want to be desired. I want to be acknowledged by the guy I like. I want to feel beautiful."
Lucian's lips curved into a slow smirk as he shifted, bracing his weight above her. His hands settled firmly at her hips as he spoke, voice low and steady.
"There's no need for you to feel beautiful," he said. "You already are."
He lowered his head to her shoulder and bit down just enough to make her gasp. Thalia winced, then sighed as Lucian soothed the spot with his tongue, his touch gentle where his teeth had been firm. He pressed soft kisses along her shoulder, trailing upward toward her neck.
Thalia tilted her head aside, granting him access without hesitation. Her eyes slipped closed as she leaned into the sensation, warmth pooling in her chest as Lucian claimed her attention completely.
"How are you feeling now?" he whispered near her ear, his lips brushing along either side of her neck, leaving dark bruises in their wake. "Do you feel desired?"
"So desired…" she breathed, arching toward him, her covered chest pressing against his.
Her stomach twisted as a familiar burning sensation ignited deep within her, and it became painfully clear that what she craved in that moment had nothing to do with hunger.
Thalia's hand cradled the back of Lucian's head, her fingers threading slowly through his dark hair. She released a soft, contented sigh as her touch drifted down along his neck and jaw, her palms guiding his face back toward hers with gentle insistence. Lucian followed without resistance, drawn in as naturally as breathing.
His hands slid beneath her, bracing himself as their lips met with quiet, rhythmic smacks. The kiss wasn't hurried or desperate—it was unguarded, instinctive. Their bodies shifted together as if guided by an unspoken rhythm, each movement answered effortlessly by the other.
Their lips parted only to meet again, over and over, and somewhere between kisses a grin began to form. It lingered at first, barely noticeable, then slowly grew wider with each passing moment until neither of them could quite suppress it anymore.
Laughter bubbled up between them, soft giggles muffled against each other's mouths as they stubbornly refused to pull away. Every attempt to regain composure only made it worse, until the laughter spilled freely from them both. They finally turned their faces away, breathless and grinning, laughing without restraint—jubilant, carefree, and completely at ease.
Lucian leaned over Thalia, his arms braced on either side of her, effectively boxing her in without meaning to. When she looked up, she found herself framed by his strong, muscular build, his messy bed hair falling into his eyes in a way that only added to his otherworldly charm. Morning light filtered into the room, catching on the chain around his neck and making it glint softly against his skin.
Lucian's lips curved into a casual, satisfied grin.
"Now this," he said lightly, "is the kind of morning I wouldn't mind waking up to every day."
Thalia exhaled slowly, her voice low as she replied, "If we start doing this every day, that line will be crossed by the end of the week." She glanced away briefly, then added with a faint smile, "I'm barely holding myself back as it is."
Lucian's expression softened, guilt flickering across his face. "Sorry," he said quietly. "You know why we can't cross that line just yet…"
Thalia rolled her eyes and cut him off. "I didn't say that to reproach you. I get it," she said, then sighed. "I was just saying."
She lifted her arms and looped them loosely around his shoulders, drawing him closer. Her voice dropped to a whisper as she leaned in.
"A girl can only hold out for so long before she starts getting ravenous and forgetting all about consequences."
Lucian stared at her, momentarily stunned, just as Thalia flicked her tongue teasingly across his lips. She immediately burst into giggles at the sight of his flushed cheeks, clearly pleased with herself, before tugging him down so he lay against her.
"Anyways," she said lightly, still smiling, "since we can't cross that line just yet… would you at least hold me?"
Lucian didn't hesitate. His arms wrapped around her naturally, pulling her close as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
"How many times do I need to tell you?" he murmured. "You don't have to ask. I'll always be here to hold you."
Thalia pressed her cheek against his cheek, her smile soft and content. "I know," she said quietly. "I just like hearing you say it."
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