Lazy Cues

The weekend arrived without much fanfare; another week down and another day off for the team. Adrienne took out Lilith with Mimi to have a shopping adventure, Icarus was no doubt travelling with Apollo somewhere distant for the weekend, which left Aria and Ferdinand with another day to themselves to explore their relationship.

It was a careful dance they had been having so far, and Aria wasn’t minding it too much if he were to be honest. It was very new, a more stable relationship and all they entail, but also new in how they were being treated with the same care one would handle fine dishware. It was… nice, and made him feel delicate and not particularly someone who could accidentally ruin perfectly-fine things with the tip of his bare finger. Sometimes though, and only sometimes out of respect for boundaries, Aria preferred it when Ferdinand let their guard down just a tad. It was cute, but not in a condescending way. He was always stressing his sincerity whenever he expressed his adoration for Ferdinand’s small cues and when they became flustered. It was a learning experience, and one that Aria was gladly soaking in. He was more than an oddball themself, after all.

Aria had Ferdinand caged in atop the kitchen counter, a hand in his hair and the other on their waist as they made out. Things weren't all that heated, it was only the middle of the day, but relationships always made Aria greedy for affection and stolen kisses and he was slowly building up his boldness to make sure his partner felt just as good, if not better.

He felt a hand trail down the front of his shirt hesitantly and he grunted in approval, only to start giggling and causing Ferdinand to pull back with a concerned look. "Am I doing something wrong?" Ferdinand asked. Aria quickly shook his head and took Ferdinand's hand where it found itself resting against his abdomen. "Nothing wrong, I'm just uh, ticklish there." Aria explained, clearing his throat and feeling his face heat a little in embarrassment.

Ferdinand got a look in his eyes, one that Aria had logged mentally as a look he gave when he has calculated something perfectly and was thinking how best to apply the math. He gulped.

"Ticklish, are you?" Ferdinand asked, taking his free hand away from the small of Aria's back to trace a line across Aria's stomach delicately and repeatedly. Aria snorted, trying to hold in more laughs and failing helplessly. "Y-Yes, and it doesn't help that you touch me as if I might shatter." The brief mischievous look Ferdinand wore was gone, and a flash of guilt and something else appeared. Well that just wouldn't do.

Aria leaned in to his ear, his gloved hands hiking up Ferdinand's shirt just enough to make contact with the sides of his hips. If he felt Ferdinand shiver slightly, he wouldn't comment on it.

"I'm serious. Don't hold back for me, I won't disappear."

Ferdinand surged forward and crashed their lips together once more. Aria sighed happily into it, his released wings ruffling and casting sparkles into the air around them. 

Time. They just needed time to get this right, Aria knew this in the back of his mind where his thoughts weren’t preoccupied with steadying Ferdinand’s weight as he carefully lifted him without breaking contact. Ferdinand barely gasped, but Aria heard it. Perhaps he wasn’t used to being lifted like nothing yet. Oops. Aria would have to file that away for later. He turned them around and started walking them out of the kitchen, toward the stairs, and only then realizing the shade of bright red adorning Ferdinand’s face. Oh, they definitely were not used to being carried “Grab the bottle of wine, would you?” Aria asked, pulling away mere centimeters to gesture toward the island counter. Ferdinand reached behind and grabbed it, giving Aria a quizzical look. “What? I’m the boss of this establishment, and I say we deserve a nicer break than stove-top toast.” Ferdinand kept their questioning look. “Won’t the others be back soon?” “Not for a few hours at the least.” 

He grinned, but Ferdinand already had his more stoic expression plastered on. “Oh, well, I mean if you don’t want to it’s fine! We can stay down here and watch a movie. Your pick, you know I can handle horror by now.” Ferdinand’s eyebrows scrunched. “No no, I would like to… go upstairs. I would actually like to try something with you, if that’s alright.” Their eyes weren’t meeting Aria’s, and honestly, thank goodness they weren’t because he was sure he looked dumb in that moment and possibly lovestruck over hearing his partner express a bit more. His eyes softened and he nodded, shifting Ferdinand to get a more secure hold of them and continued walking toward the stairs. "Only if that's what you want." Ferdinand scoffed and looked up, "Now who's treating who like glass?"

---

Sunrays casted against microscopic dust particles flying in front of the skylight window in Aria’s bedroom. Aria watched them idly for a moment before wrapping his arm around Ferdinand’s middle again, nuzzling into the crook of his neck. The silks and soft linens of his bed pooled all around and over them. A corner of the blanket was stained from the wine bottle being neglected at some point, but nothing that couldn’t be fixed. All was quiet again, Aria lulling into sleep while feeling the steady rise and fall of Ferdinand tucked next to him.

Ferdinand suddenly sat up in his hold. 

"Oh, I nearly forgot."

"Hm?"

He hadn’t opened his eyes yet, but they snapped open as soon as he heard Ferdinand clapping enthusiastically. “Wh… Ferdie?”

“Oh my god.”

Both froze, sleepy haze gone at hearing a voice outside the bedroom door.

“Adri? What’s wrong?”

“Oh nothing Lilith! Just realized I forgot something outside. Help me with it please?”

They didn’t move an inch until they heard both pairs of footsteps scurried back down the hallway and down the stairs, distantly hearing the front door slam. They looked at each other then, unsure of who was more flushed at the moment. Then, just like that, the tension broke with Aria’s melodious laughter and Ferdinand giving a crooked smile. “Ferdie, why on earth did you clap?” Aria asked, calming down his laugh to be able to speak. Ferdinand tilted his head to the side. “I was told that was proper etiquette to do after sex.” “You were told what?” This man is going to be the death of me. Ferdinand pursed his lips. “I see. I was fooled.”
Oh, no no, Aria didn’t like this look, the one where Ferdinand started to look despondent over not understanding. He sat up with him, folding his legs underneath himself. “It’s alright, min leka, I was just confused at what you were doing. Who told you to do that?” Ferdinand’s eyes narrowed. “Your sister.” Aria’s eyes also narrowed. “Adrienne.”

Aria sighed and laid over the blanket on Ferdinand’s lap, reaching up to cup their cheek. “I’ll take care of her. I’m sorry she keeps messing with you, she usually means well but sometimes when she realizes she can meddle she gets…” He trails off, trying to think of the word, but Ferdinand shrugs. “I have noticed, but it seems to backfire since you are kind enough to always correct.” “Well of course I would, min leka. I don’t intend to hurt you, ever.” Ferdinand looked away, as if Aria couldn’t notice most of their blushing tells by now. “You always get… sappier, after our time up here.” Aria smiled wide. “Doesn’t mean I don’t mean every word.” From the angle Aria caught sight of the corner of Ferdinand’s mouth lifting, and that was satisfying enough for him. He tapped on their shoulders to lay them back down against the pillow, feeling tired all over again.