Chapter Text
Stelle had never been so nervous.
Why she was so nervous, she wasn’t sure. It’s not like this is the first time you’ve spent the day with Aventurine, she reasoned with herself. But the problem was that it was the first time that they were calling it a date.
She’d arrived at Clock Studios 20 minutes ago, a full hour before they’d agreed to meet. Despite Stelle’s many protests, March had insisted on getting her ready — after a thoroughly agonizing conversation about her newfound relationship status. So here she stood, wearing an outfit borrowed from March, pacing out her jitters. At least the white dress she’d been forced into was fairly casual, especially with her jacket over it.
“I hope I haven’t kept you waiting long,” came a familiar voice from behind her.
Heartbeat spiking, she turned to see him. She should be used to his charm at this point, but she wasn’t — if anything, she was more affected now. Somehow, his multi-layered outfit reminded her of just how little he’d been wearing when they’d last parted, and a blush warmed her face. Swallowing her less savoury thoughts, she reminded herself to answer him. “Don’t worry, you’re still early.”
“Not early enough to beat you here, though.” With a smile, he cupped her cheek and softly kissed her. Unlike before, he didn’t ask if it was okay to kiss her in public, or try to hide them away before touching her. Anyone could see them, and he did it anyway. Part of her wanted to shrink away, but she fought against it. They had agreed: they weren’t hiding their relationship. She would have to get used to being seen with him. Knowing that didn’t make it any easier, though. When they parted, she was sure her face betrayed her nerves. “You didn’t have to dress up for me, but you look lovely,” he murmured against her lips.
Smiling slightly, she sighed, “Oh, but I did. March wasn’t taking no for an answer.”
Chuckling, he said, “Ah, that explains everything. How did she take it?”
Putting a hand to her temple, Stelle thought back to the conversation she’d had after arriving back at the Express.
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”You were soooo insistent that there was nothing more going on between you two, and here you are not even 2 days later admitting I was right!” March had been boasting for the last 15 minutes, so pleased with herself for proving Stelle wrong. “This is what you get for not believing me. Next time, you’ll know better than to question me!”
Groaning, she begged, “Okay, okay, you were right! Please, show mercy!” She couldn’t even lift her head from her hands, she was so embarrassed.
“Hmph. Only if you give me all of the details,” she bargained. “AND let me dress you for your date.”
Already regretting having told her about that, Stelle lifted her head and reluctantly agreed, “Alright, fine. But nothing too crazy, we’re just going to the theme park.”
With a wicked glint in her eyes, March nodded. “You’ve got a deal.”
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“Honestly, it could have been worse.” Relaying the details of their evening had only been mildly mortifying. It had been much easier when she was just telling March how good the sex was — though this time, she’d actually toned down that part, too. While she was always down to share the explicit details with her best friend, the previous day had been… more intense than usual. Some things were best left unshared.
Squeezing her hand, he answered with a smirk. “I’m glad she took it well. I was worried that I would have to prove my pure intentions.”
That made her snort. Brows raised, she questioned, “You, pure-intentioned? That’s funny.”
With a hand on his chest, he replied with mock upset. “I’m hurt that you think so poorly of me, love.”
Rolling her eyes, she reminded him, “I never said that it was a bad thing.” Looking him up and down, her thoughts once again strayed to the distinctly-impure. “If you were too innocent, you would make me look bad by comparison.”
She was confident she hadn't revealed anything in her gaze, but Aventurine read her like a book, as always. “My, are you having naughty thoughts about me, Miss Stellaron?” Despite the surprise he put in his voice, the heat in his stare displayed his true feelings.
Alright, keep it in your pants, Stelle. You’re here for a normal date, remember? “We should probably go inside…” Looking towards the entrance to Clock Studios theme park, she added, “We can pick this up later.”
Wrapping an arm around her waist, he smiled, letting the burning desire in his eyes calm to embers. “Of course, love. Lead the way.”
When he’d suggested going on a real date the previous night, Stelle had offered up the theme park idea without much thought. She’d spent a lot of time helping with the repairs, and she’d been meaning to bring him along. But now, she was feeling a little shy about it. “Are you sure you want to see the movie? We could go to Golden Hour, or see something at the Theater, or–”
He cut her off, “I’m sure.” With his arm around her, he only had to turn his head to press a kiss to her forehead. “I’ve been looking forward to it all morning.”
“Okay, if you’re sure…” Fighting her reluctance, she kept going forward. She expected him to release her, but he didn’t — his arm stayed firmly wrapped around her, tight but comfortable. He kept pace with her perfectly so that he didn’t have to let go for even a second. It was vaguely embarrassing, but she also liked it. She hadn’t expected him to be so clingy. In the past, he’d held her hand in public, but it had felt different then. Although, thinking back, it really wasn’t different. Aeons, you’re an idiot for not realizing sooner. How many times had he done something like that? And how many times had she reciprocated? March was right, she was completely oblivious sometimes.
As she reminisced about her own idiocy, they arrived at the main screen. A small crowd was gathered, the credits rolling as the last showing ended. Among the viewers, she saw a few familiar faces. Black Swan smiled at Stelle as their eyes met, waving her over.
“Why hello, Stelle. This was a great movie, I enjoyed it very much. I normally don’t want animations, but I can tell that there are secrets hidden behind these stories.” While she spoke, she glanced at Aven’s arm still wrapped around her waist. She smiled at him, eyes crinkling, before turning her attention back to Stelle.
Face warm, she laughed and said humbly, “Oh, it was nothing. All of the content was already there, I just helped edit it together… But I’m glad that you liked it.” The unexpected praise made her feel awkward.
With another smile, Black Swan produced a set of gold divination cards out of thin air. “How about a reading? This time, I can look at what the future holds for the two of you,” she offered with a nod towards him.
Looking towards her date, she raised her eyebrows in question. Still holding her, he shrugged as if to say, why not? She somewhat reluctantly agreed, “Okay, sure.” As she said it, the cards fanned between them, slowly rotating above Black Swan’s hand. Stelle remembered the last time that she’d done this, how she’d been instructed to choose a card instinctually. Holding her hand above the cards, she shut her eyes and focused, trying to feel any pull. She wasn’t sure if she actually felt anything, but after some time, she opened her eyes and selected the card under her hand. “This one,” she said as she plucked it from the air.
As the Memokeeper took the card, her fingers brushed against Stelle’s. She let out a small gasp, smile widening. Flicking her eyes over to Aventurine, she murmured, “Oh my, such powerful memories. I wasn’t even trying to peek.” With a coy smile, she looked over the golden card. “Ah, of course. With that in mind, I see a very fortuitous path ahead. I hope this is reassuring for you.”
It took her a few seconds to process exactly what she meant — what she’d likely seen from her recent memories. Her mouth opened, but no sound came out. After letting her sputter for a few seconds, Aven grinned and replied for her, “Thank you, Memokeeper. Nothing remains hidden from you, does it?” He chuckled, seemingly unfazed despite Stelle’s mortification. She may have recounted many of the details of her sex life to March, but that didn’t mean she wanted someone to literally see it.
With a knowing smile, she nodded. “It seems that way. My apologies.” Although she apologized, she didn’t look particularly repentant. She half-turned, looking over her shoulder as she left. “I’ll be seeing you on the Express, Stelle. Enjoy your date.”
Watching her go, she sighed heavily. “Well, that was thoroughly humiliating. Ready for the movie now?” She was happy to just pretend that conversation had never happened. She looked at Aven, who seemed to have just remembered their actual reason for being there. He eyed the large screen with a smile, though something behind his eyes seemed hesitant. Before she could consider it any further, it was gone.
“Looking forward to it,” he said smoothly, squeezing her before stepping away, taking her hand instead. Despite her previous worry over the display, once he was gone, her side felt cold. She didn’t get a chance to say so, though — the movie had begun. Her eyes watched the screen, but she found her mind wandering. It was hard to force herself to pay attention, given she knew the content inside and out. Instead, she thought back to all the times that they’d acted distinctly not casual these last few weeks.
From the very beginning, there had been signs. Little things from him that, in retrospect, clearly meant more; his tell revealing the true intensity of his desire that first night, his gentle insistence on washing her hair every night, his uncanny ability to pick up on any minor cue of hers. Many times, she had written things off with simple excuses. But really, he had hesitated when she’d told him she only wanted a casual fling. During their first Golden Hour outing, he’d been trying to open up, telling her about his homeland without prompting. She could even pinpoint exactly when it had become undeniable: after her migraine. Before then, he’d called her by her name, or ‘Miss Stellaron’, or ‘darling’ if he was feeling particularly teasing. But once he’d taken care of her — once she’d pleaded with him to stay — he’d taken to calling her ‘love’. At the time, she hadn’t put the pieces together, hadn’t thought that it was any different than another nickname. But it was. How many times had she questioned his actions, but continued to deny they meant anything? She should have come to this realization a long time ago.
Not to mention, her own tangle of emotions should have been clearer. Why else would she have gotten so attached to a stupid sapphire ring, besides that it reminded her of him? She remembered thinking that it was weird how readily she fell asleep around him, having never done so with a hook-up before, but she’d been quick to brush it off as exhaustion. When he’d discussed his plan in Aideen Park, she’d felt close to panicking at the thought of him dying. It had been more than simply wanting him to live; the idea of living in a world without him had been unthinkable. That wasn’t something that you felt about an acquaintance, let alone one who’d tried to kill you. And when he’d joked about her only keeping him around for sex, she hadn’t immediately agreed — it should have been true, but it wasn’t. On a few occasions, she had gotten close to a breakthrough. But it had been too easy to write off as simple lust, even when she’d realized that she was far too attracted to him for reasonable sense. Fuck, no wonder March was so annoyed with me — I’m a moron.
Blinking back to reality, she quickly assessed what was happening on screen. They’d gotten to act II, where Scammer Cup was crafting advertisements for Dreamville. During the editing process, a certain Stoneheart had come to mind during this section. She might have come to terms with her feelings for him, but that didn’t make him any less of a trickster. Poking his arm, she leaned over to whisper a Hey look, it’s you, but looking at him made her pause.
At first glance, he looked to be casually paying attention to the movie. But as she looked him over, she realized it was a well-curated mask. He wasn’t gripping her hand tightly like he had when he’d been jealous; instead, his fingers shook where they touched her. His breathing was uneven, chest rising and falling too shallowly. And most tellingly, the neutral expression on his face couldn’t completely hide the panicked way his eyes were darting back and forth. Wait, what’s wrong? The movie was rated family-friendly, with all the darker themes too hidden to be scary. But with the way he was looking at the screen…
Wait, the screen.
Shit, she was an even bigger idiot than previously thought. It was here that he’d nearly died — where he’d been hit with Acheron’s blade and brought to that tainted Nihility space which still plagued his nightmares. She may have repaired the environment from the lingering damage, but that didn’t change its history. To her knowledge, he hadn’t been back here since; of course it would set him off. Cursing herself for not thinking this through more, she gently squeezed his hand until he looked at her. He tried to hide it, but now that she’d put it together, it was clear that he was having a panic attack.
Putting a reassuring smile on her face, she carefully extracted them from the crowd, doing her best to not draw too much attention. Once they reached the edge, she sped up a bit towards the quieter section of the park. She kept going until they were far enough away to not hear the movie carrying in the wind. Then she found a bench and gently sat Aven down, keeping hold of his hand while she crouched in front of him. “Hey, it’s gonna be alright. Just try to breathe through it, okay? I’m right here.” Rubbing her thumb across the back of his hand, she was weirdly thankful for her own experience with panic attacks. Never thought I’d say that. But it gave her an idea of how to help him, so she would count it as lucky today.
The look in his eyes was similar to how he’d looked upon waking the other night, still half-asleep and fearful. Being at the screen had brought him back to his nightmares. As terrible as she felt for not predicting this, she kept that off of her face. Right now, all he needed was for her to be calm. If she started getting upset, it wouldn’t do him any good. So she projected as much calm as possible, murmuring soothing words and assurances. After some time, his breathing started to even out, the shaking of his hands stilling. When his eyes no longer held overwhelming anxiety, she shuffled over to sit beside him, waiting for him to speak first. “I, um, I’m sorry, love. I really thought I would be fine, but when I was looking at the screen where…” He trailed off, eyes growing distant.
Quickly, she reassured, “Aven, don’t apologise. If I had been paying more attention, I would have realized you weren’t okay sooner, but instead I was lost in thought. I feel awful for not considering whether being here would upset you. I’ve been there, so I should have known better. I’m really sorry.”
He laughed a little, giving her a soft look. “Why would it be your fault? I’m just as capable of considering my own limits as you are. It’s not my first time having a panic attack.”
“I mean, I guess you have a point, “ Stelle grumbled. “But still, I could have thought it through more.”
Dropping his head onto her shoulder, he said, “Maybe. But I’m okay now because you were here, so consider it even.”
Heart in her throat, she leaned her head into his. “If you insist.” They stayed like that for a while, listening to the distant sounds of people enjoying the park. She wished that it hadn’t happened like this, but the peaceful quiet between them did calm her down. Of all the things she’d written off, this should have been the biggest sign — when she was with him, she could find comfort even in their silence.
“Well, our date has been slightly derailed.” She’d gotten lost in thought again, startling when he spoke. His smile carried in his tone. “But, there’s still plenty of time to fix that. Let’s start over — we can go somewhere else, wherever you want.”
Wherever you want, he’d said. And, she supposed, they were where she’d suggested. This just wasn’t exactly how she’d imagined spending their time.
Since the Penacony Grand Theater had reopened to the public, she’d wanted to see a show there. General admission would have been fine with her, but she hadn’t been surprised that Aven had splurged on a private room. Admittedly, their view of the stage was quite spectacular, and the luxurious couches were surely more comfortable than the seats below.
However, it was quite hard to pay attention to the performance with his… antics.
“This isn’t really what I had in mind,” she hissed, arms crossed over her chest. This morning, she’d been so annoyed at having to wear that dress — now she desperately wished for it back. “Couldn’t we go one day without a wager?”
Eyeing her with a smirk, he hummed in consideration. Unlike her, he remained fully clothed. Damn him and his stupid blessed luck. “But darling, I thought you liked my… How did you put it? ‘Infuriating cockiness and gambling addiction’?” His wicked grin widened as he tossed his cards on the table, revealing yet another winning hand. “Would you look at that, a straight flush. I’m afraid that beats your three of a kind.”
It was his fifth win in a row. She’d already lost her jacket, dress, boots, and socks; she sat there in only her bra and panties. Meanwhile, he looked positively serene in his many layers. She glared, jealous of how warm he must be; her own skin was dimpled with goosebumps.
When she didn’t start removing the next article of clothing, he raised his eyebrows at her. “Don’t tell me you’re backing out? I didn’t take you for a coward, love.”
“I never said I was backing out,” she snapped. Standing up, she crossed the table to stand in front of him. When he glanced up at her, she reached around to unclasp her bra, holding it out in front of his face before dropping it in his lap. “Happy now?”
In the chill of the room, her nipples were already hardened. He was staring hungrily, but kept from touching her. “Yes, very. Shall I deal another hand?” He shuffled the deck between them, flicking his eyes back up to hers.
I have to win at least once. With renewed determination, she nodded, but didn’t return to her seat. Instead, she sat next to him, kicking her feet up onto his lap with a coy smile. “This room is too cold, I’ll have to play from here.”
After a brief hesitation, he returned the smile and began dealing. She focused on keeping her thoughts entirely under wraps as she glanced at her cards: the ace and jack of spades. It was a good hand — the best she’d gotten. If the community cards favoured her, she had a chance. What was important now, though, was not letting that show on her face. She tried to read him, but even knowing his tell didn’t help her. He was too good. Glancing back at her, he simply said, “Check.”
At this stage, it didn’t tell her anything that he’d stayed in. When he’d played on the Stern, he never folded before the first cards were revealed. She debated raising, but worried it would show her hand too soon. Instead, she nodded and agreed, “Check.”
Looking down at her legs still planted across him, he leaned forward to flip the first three cards over. The three of diamonds, the king and queen of spades. Her heart raced; she was only one card away from a royal flush. That he couldn’t beat. Now things were serious — it was time to begin phase two of her winning strategy.
Before he decided his action, she shifted her feet to brush against the bulge in his pants. He sucked in a breath, shifting his attention from his cards to her. If you can’t read him, distract him. From the look he gave her, he knew exactly what she was doing; that didn’t prevent him from falling for it, though. She could feel just how much he liked this particular distraction. Chuckling, he said only a touch huskily, “Raise.”
That was interesting. She pretended to consider before replying casually, “Call.” When he moved to flip the next card, Stelle put more pressure into her caress, stroking him through his pants. His soft groan had her squeezing her legs together, already turned on. He kept his eyes on her as he flipped the nine of diamonds, his desire clouding anything else from his expression. The card wasn’t helpful for her, but she still had one more chance — the river. If any of the Aeons are listening, let that card be the ten of spades and I’ll be your most devout Pathstrider.
While she continued teasing him, he briefly looked at his cards. From the corner of her eye, she caught him ever-so-slightly twitching his hand against his thigh. There it is. She watched him like a hawk, waiting for him to make his move. After a pause, he met her eyes. “Check.”
Humming, she decided to take a risk. “Raise.” She was confident now — that card would be her ten. And if he happened to fold early, then it would be a win for her nonetheless.
He didn’t look back at his cards. He kept his eyes on her, surely trying to assess the likelihood of her winning. But she had locked down anything that would give her hand away. Patiently, she waited for him to make a decision, teasing him as he considered. Earlier she’d been cold, but now she was too focused on winning to notice the temperature of the room. She faked a shiver as an excuse to wrap her free arm around her chest, pushing her breasts together. His attention drifted downwards as she shifted, brushing her arm across her still-peaked nipples. Biting her lip, she let the smallest gasp escape her, watching him fight the urge to grab her. The feral look in his eyes was immensely satisfying. She might be weak to his allure, but it went both ways — he couldn’t resist her, either. “...Call,” he growled.
Stelle smiled as he finally moved to flip the river. The seconds seemed to last ages while she waited for her final chance to show itself. Then, it was there.
The ten of spades.
Victory flashed through her head, but she couldn’t celebrate quite yet. First, she had to see the look on his face when she finally beat him. He didn’t bother checking his cards this time. “Check.”
A wide smile stretched across her face. She supposed she could raise, but they weren’t playing for credits, so there was no real point in dragging it on further now. “Check.” She nodded to his hand, urging him to reveal the cards.
With a resigned expression, he tossed his cards on the table. The eight of spades and jack of clubs fell alongside the community cards. “I’ve got a straight.”
Flipping her cards in her fingers to show them off, she declared, “Royal flush — I win.” She leaned forward, pausing just before their lips touched. “You know the rules. Lose the jacket, gambler.”
He did as he was told, slowly removing the jacket and tossing it aside. She intercepted it before it fell from the couch, sliding it on before settling in his lap. It was a little big on her, the shoulders slouching on her arms. “That’s against the rules, love. You already lost your jacket.”
Smiling devilishly, she said, “That’s why I didn’t put on my jacket. Yours doesn’t count.” The fur collar tickled her skin as she pressed against him, whispering, “Unless you don’t want to fuck me while I wear it..?”
As she’d predicted, his answering growl was deliciously dark. “I never said that.” His hands trailed under the fabric, grabbing her ass to grind against her. Their lips met in a messy kiss, both of them groaning at the contact. In her attempt to distract him, she’d gotten them both worked up; she was thankful for the private room’s soundproofing. He reached between them to undo his belt, pulling his cock from his pants. Tugging her underwear aside, he rubbed against her, feeling just how wet she was. The cold metal of his piercing dragging against her sent little shocks through her body. Back and forth, he teased her for several minutes before suddenly pushing her down onto him.
Moaning against his mouth, she let him set the pace. His fingers dug into her hips while hers gripped his collar. Every time he pulled her down, she felt him hit so deep. She pulled away from his kiss to gasp some air, sliding her hands up to hold his face. Flushed and panting, he was so beautiful that she could barely catch her breath. Having been freed up, his mouth moved to her chest, kissing her star from bottom to top. Looking at her intensely, not slowing his thrusts in the slightest, he said, “You’re so gorgeous, love. I still can’t believe that I’m the only one who gets to see you like this from now on.”
“No one else could make me feel as good as you do,” she replied breathlessly. “I don’t have words to describe how badly I want you, Aven. I’ve never been so attracted to someone, and I get you all to myself.”
Groaning at her words, he turned his head to kiss her palm. “I’m all yours, čerxaj, until you send me away.”
Looking him directly in the eye, she said clearly, “You’d better be prepared for a long ride, because I don’t plan on letting you go.” It had taken her long enough to admit she had feelings for someone — she had no intentions of going through that again. He was all she needed.
Eyes shuddering with unspoken emotion, he cradled her head in one hand and stood, dropping them into the table. His jacket splayed out beneath her, cards flying all in all directions. Without giving her a chance to catch her breath, he slammed his hips forward. As she cried out, he groaned, “Then I’ll be yours forever, love,” before once again capturing her mouth in a kiss.
She wrapped her legs around his hips tightly, the friction pushing her close to release. From the way he was cursing against her lips, he must be close, too. “Ah– so good, don’t stop,” she panted, tangling her fingers in his hair. Just a little more and she would…
Aven thrusted with extra force, groaning, “Fuck, Stelle, I l–” His cut off his words as he came, giving her the final push towards her own orgasm. Just as it had last time, the intensity spiked with him inside her. She was whimpering and tugging on his hair as he bit her shoulder, trying to quiet his own pleasure.
When they were both spent, Aventurine propped himself above her with a sheepish grin, still breathing heavily. “I, uh, may have forgotten we weren’t at the hotel and gotten a bit carried away…” He glanced down at where they were still joined. “I can find the closest private washroom if you stay here.”
Right, that’s a problem. Although, maybe it would be fun to tease him a little… Pushing him off of her, she waited for him to right himself before standing. Then she pulled her panties back into place and tossed his jacket back to him, collecting her own clothes. Looking over her shoulder at his confused expression, she pulled her dress back on and said, “No, I’m fine. Let’s go walk around Golden Hour.” Walking over to him, she leaned into his ear and murmured, “You like it when I’m full, don’t you?”
When she pulled back, his face was red, an expression of shock widening his eyes. Her mouth pulled up in a grin as he stuttered, “Are you ser– I mean, yes, but– you’re not actually going to… are you?”
Laughing, she kissed his cheek. “Look at you, all flustered now.” Consider this revenge for being so level-headed with Black Swan earlier. “Should I not?”
He looked conflicted. “Not if you want me to behave.” Behind the blush, she could see his carnality winning out. I mean, do I want him to behave..?
Grinning at him, she relented, “How about we go back to your room, and you can misbehave all you want?”
“I like that plan,” he answered with a relieved smile, sliding his coat back on. Glancing around the room, they hadn’t made too much of a mess — she wouldn’t have to feel guilty for leaving the staff to clean up after them. “After you, my lady,” he said with a bow that made her snort. Leave it to him to act like a gentleman after that…