adelphoi | (no subject)

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[ never before has alisaie so deeply, keenly known what it is to feel bittersweet.

arriving on hydaelyn again, surrounded by the familiar walls of the rising stones, eorzea's peoples and lands safe, restored, full - is it not what she had dreamt of since first she awoke in that icy pod? since she looked out over a wide vista of stars and attempted to process the fact that her home was gone? mourning an entire world had been a monumental effort, and when the news had come that their homes could yet be salvaged she had never been more relieved.

that relief, of course, had been soon followed by a sweeping despair. they were to return home, and only home, the natha had a duty to fulfill, to see to it that everything was restored exactly as it was, no exception, no compromise. for the greater good, they had insisted, and alisaie's heart had broken clean in two. she had made so many connections, so many close friends, she had carved a life out for herself on el nysa and -

- and prompto. to lose him forever was an ache she could not bear. she had already lost so much, so many, and to lose him.. of course she fought. she railed and shouted herself hoarse, she petitioned the natha again and again, begged, but they would not be moved. and so she was home again, surrounded by familiar walls and familiar friends, but on her clothing she could still smell prompto's skin, the sensation of his last kiss clinging to her mouth like a ghost.

a week of stunned grieving was all she allowed herself, but alisaie would not be defeated. traveling to other worlds.. it is possible, she has seen it done. the ascians, the warriors of the first - all had traveled between the planes, and alisaie was entirely certain, with all of her heart, that his eos was one of the many echoes, the worlds connected to her own by the sundering of the mothercrystal. prompto was gone and yet he still somehow felt so very close, just out of reach of her touch, her voice, her heart.

the pregnancy, of course, had been.. entirely unexpected. the natha had rendered them sterile, but she can only assume that they had reversed it some time before their restoration of their homes, long enough for him to quicken within her womb and leave her with a soul to remember him by, a sweet child with her own dark eyes and prompto's fair hair, and smile, and laugh that breaks her heart to hear. but gods she loves him, this little sunshine boy who thrives on touch and love, who sleeps well and smiles often and gives her the extra drive she needs to work, to finish, to find the way to drive open the doorway between their worlds. it is unstable, and unable to linger for long, it is entirely possible that this is a one-way trip, that she will never be able to find her way back, and that is all that stalls her. prompto is her heart, her husband, the mother of her child - but hydaelyn is her home, her family is here, and the thought of leaving her brother behind forever, leaving urianger, and the scions..

gods, it is nearly enough to unmake her, to convince her to abandon her work.

but they remind her, all of them, that prompto too is her family, that their child deserves to know his father, that if she does not make this step she will never see him again. she will.. simply have to do it again, to find a way to keep the doorway open. and if she has not, at least she has said her goodbyes, she has made her peace, and decided what it is that she needs.

and so that is what brings her here at last, to eos, where the air is thick with darkness, where the aether is in upheaval. gods, this is the home he had returned to? this is where he has been? the atmosphere is heady and oppressive, the roads swarmed with terrible daemons. she had made the right decision.

finding him, however, was much more difficult. finding her way to a well lit station had been difficult enough in a foreign world, and she had learned quickly to arrange her hair to cover her ears, avoiding questions she does not have the time to answer. but soon enough she had learned of him, where he was, and how to arrive there - to a city called lestallum, the last great bastion against the doom hovering on the horizon.

alisaie's heart is pounding when she arrives before the worn wooden door, in a narrow staircase with yellow walls, the paint peeling and the light harsh. she's ruffled and dusty with travel, exhausted and anxious, smelling of sweat and chocobo but once she had arrived in the city she could not bring herself to wait another second before searching him out, finding him. hefting the sleeping child higher on her hip, alisaie presses a kiss to his pale blonde head, taking a deep, stilling breath.

and she knocks. ]

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[ She's not the only one who has missed her in this bed. As Prompto enters the room a few minutes later, a baby swaddled up in each arm, he stops for a moment past the door just to watch her. The sight of her there is familiar and nostalgic and welcome, and you guessed it, he's tearing up again. His smile holds back any tears, however, as he steps forward to lower the twins gently into the bassinet before at last dropping heavily onto his side of the bed. ]

...Wow. Some day, huh?

[ He glances over at her, reaching over to take one of her hands in his, threading their fingers together.

Some day indeed. ]

[ there's a particular feeling, that lovely sensation that occurs when you drop into bed after a tiring day - that peculiar, satisfying sinking sensation, like you're being pulled right down into the mattress, and into the warm arms of slumber. it's what alisaie is feeling when he enters, and she's so swaddled in that wonderful feeling that she does not notice him until he's dropping down beside her heavily enough to bounce the mattress a little.

delightfully groggy, alisaie lifts her eyelids a little and offers him a sleepy smile, her fingers squeezing in his own, but it's only a moment before she's scooching in closer, wiggling up against his chest and into his arms. ]

Mm.. that is putting it lightly, I should say.

[ After a month of sleeping alone he will readily accept those sleepy snuggles, his arms moving thoughtlessly around her to keep her near. Gods, he's missed this, the simple comfort it is to sleep next to the person you love, the person you trust more than anyone else in the world. It may not last long. The girls will be up soon enough demanding a midnight snack, but for now, this is perfect and lovely, and Prompto buries his nose in her hair, breathing her in, the scent of her bath still clinging to her. ]

I'm so glad you're here.

[ In so many ways, and for so many reasons, but it bears repeating. It always bears repeating. ]

[ she's missed it, too - she has missed all of this, their bed, their home, their togetherness, the feeling that the two of them together could take on any threat. he'd been by her side throughout her entire recovery, of course, he'd kept her strong with his presence, kept her laughing with his smiles, but they are stronger still now that they are healthy and together again. the darkness all around them presses in as heavily as it ever had, but here, in their home, they have some semblance of peace and warmth, they have a family.

a family that has swiftly grown by two.

smiling against his collarbone, alisaie slides her hand free of his, but only so she can lift her arms and sling them comfortably around his neck and shoulders. ]

I know.

[ she whispers against his skin, inhaling the sweet, familiar scent, her fingers slipping into his hair. that little twinge of guilt strikes again, but she pushes it away as best as she can. ]

I will always be here.

[ no matter what pulls them apart, for however long, this is where she belongs, here with him, with their family. ]

[ She'll be here, and so will he, and there's no doubt in his heart that they will both do everything in their power to stay together as a family. They not only do it for each other, but also for their children now. That warm thought lingers in his heart and mind as he drifts off to sleep, peaceful and serene until the babies wake them a few hours later.

For the chaos the girls bring into their life, they settle into a pattern easily enough, both of them taking their turn to get up with them and see to the infants' needs, but gods, are they tired. It takes a week or so before Prompto stops feeling like a complete and utter zombie, and while he still isn't sure he has a grasp on this whole parenting-a-toddler-and-two-babies thing, at least he has Alisaie as his partner in this through the whole thing. It's exhausting, but he learns quick, aaaand at the very least, girls don't pee in his face. That's something he couldn't count on some kids not to do!

He starts to feel himself returning to some kind of normal a week or so after the girls have come home from the hospital. It's been a surprisingly easy evening. Louie went down without too much of a fight, and the girls have stayed on their schedule, napping peacefully in their cribs in the next room. That's an event in itself that has Prompto's mind on...some things they haven't been able to do for awhile. Aside from the, you know, several years the were separated, this is probably the longest they've ever gone without having sex. Even the pre-marriage embargo can't compare. Maybe, just maybe, if she's not too tired, tonight can be their chance to reconnect in yet another way.

So as Prompto steps out of the bathroom, fresh in his sleepwear, he gives Alisaie a meaningful look — that, uh, she probably doesn't notice, since she's sitting on the bed, reading a book. Well, if she's not to tired to read, then maybe...!!!

He slips quietly down onto the bed and beneath the sheets, still giving her the bedroom eyes, as she continues to...read her book. ]

Y'know, I think we're starting to get this parenting-three-kids-thing down!

[ He says, which inching ever closer to her side. ]

[ alisaie has the experience, at least, of having raised an infant before, so she is a little more prepared than prompto is, but it is nevertheless absolutely draining to look after two newborns and a toddler. louie is a good boy, at least, but he is still a child, and the end of the day often sees both prompto and alisaie exhausted.

with time, they develop a decent enough schedule and routine that it becomes easier, thankfully, even if it can never truly be easy to be a young parent. at least she now has the energy to do a little studying before passing out, which is a win, as far as she's concerned.

she's fully absorbed in her book when prompto drops down onto the bed beside her, and while her head tilts toward him her eyes remain on the page. ]

Mm..

[ she agrees, not paying attention at all. ]

[ ...Yeah, he hasn't caught her attention one bit. Well, he knows how to change that! They've been through this routine before, anyway, and if he's in the mood, he can usually get Alisaie in the mood, too. Usually.. But it's been long enough since they've had sex that she probably can be enticed easily enough!

...Or so he hopes.

As a grin curls his mouth, Prompto tucks close to her side, one arm slipping over her middle to hold her close. Immediately, he nuzzles to her throat, trailing soft kisses along that sensitive sweep of skin beneath her jaw. If that's not enough to tip her off: ]

Hm...I've got somethin' else you could study, if you want...

[ it's his penis ]

[ all right, yes, he has her attention..

eventually. she still has to finish this paragraph. but once she does she sets her book into her lap and glances down toward him, where his face is buried to her neck and shoulder. ]

.. is that so?

[ she asks, wryly. it's his penis, isn't it? she's pretty sure she's studied that as much as anyone ever possibly could. ]

[ Aha, at last she has cottoned on to his advances — or, at least, she's paying them the least bit of attention. He can work with that! ]

Mh-hmm. You're already pretty familiar, but it's been awhile. Wouldn't want to get rusty, would you?

[ He says, while nuzzling up along her jawline to her ear, nipping suggestively at her lobe while one of his hands skirts up her nightdress, just along her thigh. He knows how to get her going, even if she's a little distracted. She won't be distracted for long! Heh...heh... ]

[ normally, this would work very easily. alisaie is more or less almost always dtf, which is probably why they have three kids already, and to be honest, he's no the only one who misses sex. it got a bit more difficult to achieve in the later stages of her pregnancy, when she was as big as a house and literally always crabby and uncomfortable with two babies sitting on her internal organs, so it's been.. a pretty long time, tbh. poor prompto deserves a bone.

and yet, when his hand creeps up her thigh, rather than smile and purr as she usually might, alisaie yowls and smacks his hand away. ]

I think not, ser - !

[ In the back of his mind, he might have been wondering if she wasn't in the mood, if she was still too tired and this was asking too much tonight, but even then, he isn't expecting a reaction like that. She's usually pretty gentle when she has to let him down! And yet here she is, swatting away his hand, and he startles, jumping back like he's touched a live wire. ]

Wh-what? [ He looks stricken. Well, at least she's killed the mood... ] But...wh-why? Did I do something wrong?

[ He's been trying to be such a good husbando lately! But maybe he hecked up somewhere and didn't realize it. He can make amends!!! ]

[ HE SURE DID!! ]

No! No, no -

[ he is the perfect husbando!! but when your vagina is still a recovering warzone, your reactions can be.. strong..

nevertheless, she's quick to take his hand again, pressing a kiss to his knuckles - a nice chaste one, okay, don't get the wrong idea, prompto. ]

'Tis just that I.. am not ready.

[ she doesn't want to spell out how wrecked her downstairs is.. ]

[ She doesn't want to spell it out, but that only makes him more perplexed. She's not...ready? For sex? They've been ready for sex after they knew each other for like, a month, he has no idea what to make of this.

And his confusion shows in his expression, his brow furrowing like he is attempting to work out some kind of complex math equation. I'm too lazy to link the gif, but you know the one. ]

You're not...ready? [ ???? ?? ????? ] ...D'you want me to go down on you first?

[ WOULD THAT HELP??? ]

[ facepalm.jpg.........

she should have known that she would end up having to spell it out anyway. life is hard. ]

Absolutely not.

[ she's quick to answer again, her hands crossing into an X position, no, no, and no. though gods, it sounds nice.. she'd sure love to lie back and be treated like a queen while he does all the work on her, but unfortunately that is not in the cards for her. if only she had super healing speed or something.

alisaie sighs so heavily her shoulders droop. ]

Prompto, I only mean - [ she rubs the bridge of her nose. ] - giving birth is very.. traumatic. To twins, even moreso.

[ she feels so sorry for her poor mother.. ]

[ Give him a moment. He still needs to do some piecing together here. Having twins...tramautic...his eyebrows shoot up.

Ohhhhhhhh. ]

Sooooo, you're way messed up down there still, huh.

[ That. Makes sense. He knows a woman's body is capable of amazing things in the process of giving birth, but she still pushed two humans out of her vagina, it only makes sense that it would be, uh, in rough shape after something like that. But that means...it could still be awhile before they can be intimate again.

He tries not to let himself deflate too much — what's important is that Alisaie is comfortable and heals as she should. He can keep it in his pants until she's ready!

Instead, he leans forward, pressing a gentle kiss to her lips. ]

Copy that. Whenever you're ready, you just say the word, okay? I won't bug you until then.

[ Well, he won't bug her about sex, anyway. ]

[ there we go. the boy finally understands!! she's so proud. mostly though, she's relieved. alisaie releases the breath she'd been holding, both hands falling into her lap again, but when he leans in to hit her with a sweet, soft kiss, she can't help but smile.

prompto might be a complete moron sometimes, but he's gentle, and sweet, and kind. he's gone just as long as she has without sex, so she knows it cannot be easy for him, especially if he was expecting to get it tonight, but he's still understanding nonetheless - and disappointed, too. she sees the way his shoulders droop like that!!

so she gently knocks her shoulder to his, her smile blooming, the hand in her lap climbing over the blankets between them to rest on his knee, tickling the inside of his thigh. ]

Though of course I can.. give you a little help, if you like, for being so sweet and understanding.

[ does the good boy want a handy?? ]

[ Ah, it's times like these where his sweet and genuine nature really pay off. Prompto's whole face lights up — sure, it's not a full-on bang, but it will sate his thirst for the time being, which was more than he was expecting a moment ago. She knows just how to placate him... ]

Think I can work with that...

[ He's just gonna stretch out and tuck his hands behind his head. He knew he was a good husbando!! He lets her take the wheel, er, figuratively speaking in a couple of ways, and he is like clay in her capable hands. He would be more than happy to return the favor if he could, of course, and when they are finally able to have sex again he'll make sure to treat her extra, extra special. But for now, he tenses beneath her touch and she plays him like a puppet, pulling his strings and driving him wild. Gods, it's good. He's missed this.

By the time he is satisfied, his heart is racing and his skin prickles comfortably, heat and pleasure clinging to him. Relaxing back against the sheets, he leans up to press a kiss to her jaw, his cheeks rosy, his smile deep and content. She done good... ]

Mmm...y-you're so good to me. [ A huff of laughter as he finds her eyes again. ] I can offer you...a backrub? Footrub? Whatever kinda rub you want...

[ Look, he might not be able to sex her up right now, but still, he wants to return the favor to some degree!! ]

[ it's simple, really. prompto is notoriously easy to please, and even if he weren't, it's been weeks since she last laid her hands on him - she could give him a quarter of the attention she offers and leave him satisfied, so it's really no great effort on her part.

.. even if it leaves her a little envious. he's having a great time, which she loves, but she won't get any in return, which is pretty disappointing, especially when touching him gets her all, you know, in the mood. at least the very idea of anyone's hands below her belt is enough to kill any desire that might blossom while she works.

at the very least, it gratifies her to be able to give him even this much, and though it might not be what he'd originally wanted, prompto still seems quite happy by the time she finishes him off, which is the best she can ask for, really. he goes all gooey and boneless for her, which she always loves, it's like he's a cute little puppy who will do anything she asks, ever. a soft giggle bubbles from her lips, and alisaie wriggles down to press into his side, bumping her nose playfully against his cheek. ]

How am I to choose?

[ por que no los dos tho... ]

[ The rise and fall of his chest starts to slow, though his breathing is still shallow and laced with pleased little noises. He will give her a backrub and a footrub and also make her a batch of late night cookies. He also might fan her with a palm frond and feed her grapes, if she'd like. Right now, he'd do anything for her. ]

Mmmaybe just choose where you want me to start first...

[ He turns his head to bump his nose to her, a breathless laugh bubbling just against her lips. ]

Oooor if you just wanna kiss for awhile, too, that's cool with me...

[ ah here he is, enjoying his post-orgasmic bliss, ready to be gross and schmoopy for awhile. it's really kind of strange to be on the other side of it, without all of the rushing endorphins to help her along..

alisaie doesn't need much of an excuse to be disgusting with him, though, so she's happy to hook her arms lazily over his shoulders, dragging a kiss from one corner of his mouth to the other. ]

Only if you do not get too distracted.

[ kissing is lovely but she still wants that backrub ]

[ Look, he would be enjoying it even more if he could have finished her, too! Afterglow isn't as fun when you're the only one reeling from it, but at least she's being suitably schmoopy, even if that's going to make it even harder for him to keep his backrub promise. He'll get there...in a moment...but for now, kisses. ]

Mmm...I won't.

[ He says, getting distracted, kissing her languidly and tugging her bottom lip between his teeth, tongue flicking sweetly over it. ]

Just gimme a sec...

[ His words come muffled around the shape of her lip that he still holds in his mouth, before releasing her so he can drag soft kisses down her throat. This is the second time he's tried this tonight, but this time, he's not doing it to get in her skirt. This is a token of his appreciation, lavishing her with her favorite kinds of kisses. There are still a few things he can give her that she likes. ]

[ somehow, she expects that he wants more than a sec..

but who is she to resist good kisses? alisaie is not so easy to sway as prompto, but she is soft enough to appreciate moments like this. she hums against his mouth, her eyes fluttering closed, her right hand closing to glide her knuckles along the familiar line of his jaw.

then his kisses move down her throat, and while he might not be intending to work her up, that's kind of what he's doing anyway, kissing her in all of her favorite, sensitive spots like that!! she does not stop him, but a sound moves in her throat that is partly protest, but weak as a wet paper bag. ]

That is not fair..

[ Look, if she doesn't want good kisses, then she shouldn't give such good handies? Them's the breaks. He stops at the base of her throat, pressing a soft kiss to her collar bone before he nuzzles to her skin. ]

Heh...sorry. Guess I'm teasin' you more than I mean to.

[ He really isn't intending to work her up!!! But he can see how this is having that effect anyway, considering this is exactly what he was trying to do when he wanted to bang....

With one last kiss to her neck, he sighs and edges back at last, the pleasure starting to ebb away. Alright, it's time he holds up his end of the deal, and Prompto heaves himself upright, positioning himself so he can urge her to lean back into him. ]

You ready for that backrub, my lady?

[ she's pretty sure that he isn't sorry at all.. but she can't blame him, either, he's all hopped up on afterglow. she would be the same.

but soon enough he's moving on at last, and while she's still comfortably warm from his attentions, she's more interested in the backrub, for now. nine months of pregnancy, followed by a few more months of mothering is not so easy on the spine.

so when he makes room, she's quick to wriggle over and right into his waiting lap. ]

At your ready, good ser.

[ For a moment, when she presses up against him, he just leans into her, arms slipping around her waist as he breathes her in. He can't help but be gross and amorous right now, though he realizes fully that his lingering euphoria is the only thing standing between her and the backrub she so badly wants — and deserves!

So after a moment, he hums and pulls back just enough to glide his hands along her shoulders, working his fingers and palms over her tense muscles. ]

You've been workin' so hard...just relax.

[ He'll take it from here. ]