“I just wish I could touch you.” They were in the greenhouse, Lace’s room, once bare, now full of flowers. It’s like they’ve just bloomed from being around Lace, but Rook knew she’s put as much attention into the plants as she put into every part of what she did. “It’s just not fair. I mean…” Rook could almost hear her thoughts, replaying what she said, recalibrating. “Not unfair, necessarily, but just, I wish we could...”
“You know, I bet we could.” There had been training sessions, but still Emmrich had cautioned the both of them for reasons that Rook, in all honesty, did understand, but they did have some points of criticism; first item, they wanted to touch Lace. They understood, academically, the caution, but there had been some practice without Emmrich’s supervision. Stolen kisses in moments they could afford the possible distraction a sudden rush of lyrium to the system would pose. And Lace had gotten better at controlling herself. Even Emmrich had said as much, last time they’d sat down to go over the data.
Lace hadn’t seemed to hear what they had said, muttering to herself, so Rook tried again, a little bit louder. “We could. Touch.” They pushed up on one elbow, looking up at Lace, over by the windows, perpetual afternoon light lining her in gold. Her back was still towards them, but she’d put down the heavy watering can (Rook knew just how heavy that watering can was from experience, and the fact that Lace seemed to have no trouble with it despite how small she was compared to Nel did things to them they would not discuss in polite company).
Lace frowned before she asked, almost hesitating, “you mean…” She shook her head, mouth twisting in disappointment, “I don’t mean touching you for science, I mean just…” Another pause, recalibrating her words. “Not that I don’t love that you’re wi—” It proved something about the depths of Lace’s distractions that Rook was able to creep up on her, their hand on the small on her back pulling her closer as they knelt to kiss her.
It was the element of surprise. They knew Lace wouldn’t have been prepared, and were willing to take the risk. There was nothing imminently present that anyone else wouldn’t be able to handle just as well, and they knew what they were getting themself into. Still, the flash of lyrium from Lace’s lips pressed against their own took their breath away, a tingling in every extremity that sat on the edge between pleasant and pins and needles.
Hands tightened on the front of Rook’s shirt, and they lingered for a moment, fingertips wrapping around the placket. Rook sighed into the kiss, before peeling themself away gently, head spinning like they’d been turning pirouettes. “See.” Lace was staring at them, lips slightly parted, and Rook laughed breathlessly. “We can touch.”
Out of the two of them, there was little doubt about who was stronger, but still it was easy for Rook to pick Lace up, hands under her thighs, slotting themself between them. Lace giggled, and the way her hands felt on what little skin she could get to made Rook almost forget what they were doing. One step forward, and their thighs hit the windowsill, and they lowered Lace onto it, trying to keep from feeling giddy at the feeling of skin on skin, minute as it was.
They sat back on their heels, the grin on their face growing only more smug at the blush on Lace’s cheeks. She was leaned back on her hands, looking at Rook with a smile on her lips like a cat who got the cream. “You’re sweet. And an optimist.” She considered Rook, still at a distance. “I like that about you.”
“Someone’s got to be. And there’s nothing actively on fire that only we can handle.” Rook leaned closer, pressing their cheek against the soft span of Lace’s thighs, warm through the patchwork leather of her trousers. They closed their eyes for a moment, resting there, only opening their eyes at the touch of Lace’s hand on their cheek, the only point of real skin contact her fingertips, five points of warmth that turned to bright light as Lace relaxed a moment.
The sensation subsided, and Rook raised their head, meeting Lace’s eyes. They admired the steel behind the tender gaze. People underestimated Lace Harding, but Rook knew how much strength lay behind the sweet Fereldan farm girl demeanour. They knew how far she’d come from that first kiss in Rivain, and they couldn’t wait to break all that carefully built constraint apart, racing against the rushing of the lyrium they knew they would be unable to avoid.
Lace’s giggling bubbling through the room broke the reverent silence, and she shook her head at Rook. “You’re terrible. But you’re also not wrong…” She trailed her fingers over their jaw, one curling gently under their chin, the other resting on the corner of their smile. “And I really hope nothing gets set on fire because—”
Rook shifted, teeth gently closing around the tip of the finger at their lips for just long enough to break Lace’s train of thought. “Focus.” Their tone was light, flirting with serious, laughter in their eyes. “We can touch, as long as you don’t lose focus.” Rook pressed their cheek into her palm, looking up at her from under dark lashes, hands running up Lace’s legs, thumbs pressing gently along inside of her thighs. “The longer you stay in control, the longer I can touch you.” They stilled their hands, thumbs close to the tops of Lace’s thighs, rubbing lazy semi-circles as they made eye contact, eyebrow quirked in question.
Lace didn’t answer right away, eyes on Rook’s face, a flash of teeth white against her bottom lip. When Rook didn’t move, only their thumbs still in motion, pressing close and moving away, she shook herself a little. “That sounds—That sounds incredibly hot. Rook, are you sure that…” This time she caught herself before Rook could. “Nope. Okay, let’s do this.” She scooted forward, pulling herself closer to Rook, other hand behind their neck.
Her lips were still as soft as they had been when Rook had caught her by surprise, but the intent behind them on its own was enough to set their body aflame. They pressed closer to Lace, hands coming up from her thighs, before both were pushed back down again, flat against her thighs. Rook tried to pull away, but Lace chased their lips, speaking against them. “I have a better idea.” The promise in her voice made Rook swallow hard.
With some shuffling, Lace managed to get out of her trousers, thighs speckled with freckles splayed out on the cushions they’d put down for a place for Rook to read. She pushed Rook back onto their heels, and tucked her chin, dancing from coy to shy as she parted her thighs. Rook made a noise in the back of their throat, breathless as their eyes flicked from Lace’s face to her thighs and back, mouth suddenly drier than grave dust. “Yeah. I see how that would be b—” Lace nudging them with her foot stopped them in their tracks.
She raised both eyebrows, another giggle in the air. “This is why I had a better idea.” She pulled at the collar of their shirt, dependable, sturdy fabric, suited for a child of the Necropolis, guiding them closer, until they pressed their cheek against her knee. “Stop trying to distract me, you’re supposed to be distracting me in a different way.”
Rook tapped their fist against their chest, inclining their head with a grin. “Yes ma’am, right away ma’am.” They nuzzled against the soft flesh just north from where they’d been pressed to Lace’s knee, eyes flicking up to her face one more time. Lace’s eyes were heavy lidded, leaning back to watch Rook pressed themself closer, first nuzzling, then dotting kisses to pale freckled thighs.
They hummed to themself, pleased when there was no sudden surging power blowing their mind, and they slid one arm under Lace’s leg, hand on her hip, trying to cover as much flesh as they could with one hand. Lace squeaked adorably at the feeling, and Rook could feel a hint of the power under her skin. They stilled, waiting for Lace to regain her composure, looking up at her with fond eyes as her face twisted in focus, lips thinning as she took a deep breath. When she nodded, they leaned in.
There was fine hair coating the tops and insides of Lace’s thighs, ruffling lightly as Rook nuzzled against the soft skin there. Lips met skin softly, and slowly Rook traveled higher, pulling Lace closer to the edge of the windowsill. Her legs were parted wider now, the pads of fat high on her thigh soft and beautiful, and a hint of dark auburn beyond. In starts and stops, Rook closed the distance between themself and the top of Lace’s thighs, kisses slow as both their breaths grew longer and deeper.
The power was there , like the shifting of tectonic plates under the surface, and Rook knew just how much power it took to hold it back. The closeness felt intoxicating, on more than one level, a deep wave pulling at the center of their chest. Above them Lace was breathing heavily, openmouthed and a little unsteady. They pressed first their lips against the soft padding of her left thigh, and then their teeth, letting her feel the edge of them, and it tasted like sunshine on their tongue, vision flashing.
Lace took a steadying breath, and Rook followed her example as the feeling ebbed away. It took four breaths before she looked at Rook again, eyes wide, and reached for them. They drew closer, picking their path back up before the moment they had broken apart, lips careful again as they continued. High between her legs, Rook pressed their teeth against her thigh again, monitoring her reaction. When the power merely thrummed, making their head spin in the most pleasant way, they nipped, gently. The hand suddenly at the base of their horn was too much, and they muffled their moan against pale thigh.
Far away Lace sighed, fingers playing over the sensitive skin where Rook’s horns were growing back. “Come here.” She gave a gentle tug on the horn, and Rook went willingly where Lace led them. Their mouth felt dry, and they pulled on the hand holding them back to wet it, face pressed into coarse hair. Open mouth pressing against soft lips, and they had Lace swearing, her hips trying to move against their mouth, despite Rook’s hold on her hips.
The lyrium raw power of the Titans was intoxicating, but the heat of Lace’s cunt, the sweet tang of her arousal, the way she felt pressed against their mouth were all intoxicating in their own right. “Rook, you have to—” The flat of their tongue turned her words into a moan, and for a moment they could feel her grasp slipping. “Fuck.”
It was a little bit like getting too close to a Fade anomaly. It made you feel as if you were out of your body in the best kind of way, and Rook held on to Lace’s hips for dear life, their anchor in a stormy port. They pressed their tongue against her lips again, slowly licking her open, until they got more of her flavour on their tongue, bright like salt, slick enough to easily slide up and down.
Keeping their own focus was getting harder and harder, Lace’s tenuous grip on her powers and the way she sounded whenever Rook pressed their tongue against her hard clit warring to break them. Their world was narrowing with each breath, the only other thing in the world Lace, her legs over their shoulders, her taste on their tongue, the titanic power sweeping them off their feet in tandem. When another hand grabbed their right horn, steering their head, they moaned openly, pressed against Lace’s cunt, her callused hands hot as she rubbed circles at the base of their horns.
They were pinned in place, restrained only by two strong hands on their horns and the body of a Titan returned wet against their mouth. Desperately, they pressed their face closer, tongue working as their grip on broad, strong thighs tightened. Above them, Lace sang, a gush of wet against their mouth as their mind dipped under the force of the Titan’s song.
By the time they both regained their breath, the light hadn’t moved an inch, and they had curled in the perfect sunny spot, one of Lace’s arms draped over Rook’s soft stomach. She looked up, hair coming loose from her braids, and raised one arched eyebrow. “You know, I did notice that was still science. Sort of.”
Rook snorted a laugh, pressing a kiss to the top of Lace’s head. “It was. Does it make it better if I promise never to do it again, on my honour as a Watcher?” They hummed, self satisfied, mostly back on their feet.
The jab in their ribs was enough to stop their humming. “Hey now, I didn’t say that !”