narnia au;

[illuminescent]

how did you get here? through a wardrobe, or through death, or maybe a portal gone terribly astray. a ring. the roar of a lion. in the bottom of a cup. because you were looking for something, or missing something. no matter how you got there, this is where you belong.

Comments

[curlytop]

No.

[He laughs and moves to sit on the bed.]

No, then we couldn't get married. I was just thinking about that. A lot of what we have is like parabatai.

[illuminescent]

I do not understand. Is it not already a marriage of a sort?

[She move to straddle him, and it's still not sexual, even though they're both naked and she's still drying off. There is something that is so perfect about being like this. Together, and intimate, without any rush for sex.]

[curlytop]

Ehm...sort of?

[Parabatai are difficult to understand, and George has never been one.]

It's not meant to be romantic. If you're too close to your parabatai that way, you'll go mad.

But the rest of it is like a marriage.

[illuminescent]

That seems rather nonsensical.

I would rather be married.

[curlytop]

So would I.

[He curls his arms around her, fingers tracing circles over her back.]

I think it's more like family. Like a brother, sort of.

[He kisses her shoulder, ducking his head with a smile.]

And I definitely don't want to be your brother.

[illuminescent]

Certainly not! I have more than enough in the way of brothers.

[She presses her cheek against his shoulder, too. Hello.]

[curlytop]

[He kisses his way across her shoulder and up her neck.]

And I think I can live without a sister.

[illuminescent]

Could you live without a wife?

[An important question, as she raises her chin so he can kiss her throat.]

[curlytop]

[His lips trail lazily over her skin.]

Yes.

[He lifts his head to look at her.]

But I couldn't live without you.

[illuminescent]

[She rests her head against his shoulder.]

You could.

But please-

You can hold me, we can sleep.

[curlytop]

[He kisses her forehead.]

Aye, if you'd like.

[He slides back on the bed with her still in his lap, one arm around her to keep her steady.]

[illuminescent]

[She moves with ease, he's on the mattress and she's on top of him, and she feels whole. Complete.]

When we return home, I will make a fuss. I promise. I wish for you to be able to sleep in my bed always.

[They still do, now, but sometimes they can't. George has to be somewhere else, for one reason, or another.]

[curlytop]

[He tugs a blanket over them but makes no move to dislodge her.]

I would like that. Not to be secreted from your chambers before dawn each morning.

[illuminescent]

But you are so charming, half awake, your curls all in a disarray.

[She's teasing; she doesn't actually think it's all that charming. She hates it more than he does, she thinks.

They're coiled together now, tightly as can be.]

[curlytop]

And now when you see me that way, you'll have the time to enjoy it.

[He nuzzles her hair, smiling into it. He's not optimistic about their return to Narnia, but he does, at least, have some hope.]

[illuminescent]

Mm.

[She says it and presses her nose to his shoulder.]

Just so. But I still feel bereft.

[curlytop]

Bereft of what, mo chridhe?

[He tucks his arm under his head, stroking his other hand over her back.]

[illuminescent]

We shall have to lie in tomorrow.

[curlytop]

[He laughs softly.]

Is that right? Are you expecting to need the extra sleep?

[illuminescent]

You always wake too early!

[He lives to wake up before Lucy.]

[curlytop]

[He laughs softly.]

Everyone wakes before you, mo chridhe.

[illuminescent]

No, not everyone-

[She shakes her head a little, but she pillows her head against his chest, and then she does fall asleep, comforted by the constant thud of his heartbeat.

The next day she wakes up before he does, somehow. She gets up and makes friends with the owner of the tavern's wife, and suddenly the news of the nuptials is echoing through town, and everything is being arranged; flowers are brought out from farmhouses and someone finds a lamb for a feast, and Lucy is laughing because everyone is so generous to these strangers who just came here to get married.

She comes to wake up George a little while later.]

George!

[She's laughing.]

[curlytop]

[It's a testament to how on alert George has been since leaving Cair Paravel that he sleeps through Lucy waking and the beginning of preparations. When she wakes him, laughing, he sits upright, surprised by how light it is already.]

You're awake.

[His voice is sleepy and amused.]

[illuminescent]

I was alone!

[She laughs, because she's almost never alone anymore, she almost always has someone with her. But there is almost no danger here, she thinks. No one here knows who she is.]

I have arranged so much, come look, look!

[She tugs him to the window.]

[curlytop]

[A rush of adrenaline floods George's system at the thought of having left Lucy alone. But she's here and safe, so clearly nothing happened. He lets himself be tugged to the window, snagging his breeches on the way.]

What in the Angel's name did you tell them?

[He's not sure if he should be delighted or terrified.]