[FIC]A Pleasant Proposition, Star Ocean 3, Nel/Clair, R, for cybersky
Title: A Pleasant Proposition
Fandom: Star Ocean: 'Til the End of Time
Pairing: Nel/Clair
Rating: R
Requested by cybersky here (unfilled request)
Notes: For day five of Fic-a-Day.
It was late at night by the time Clair finally finished going over the mission reports she needed to read through and stretched with a sigh, her spine cracking disturbingly when she arched it. She prided herself on her reputation as one of the most mature and professional high-ranking members of the Aquarian military but she did wish she could let that maturity slip every once in a while, at least where paperwork was concerned.
She tapped the reports into a neat pile, stored them safely in her desk and at long last was able to stand up and begin unwinding her scarf in the first step towards preparing for bed.
"Allow me to help you with that."
Clair jumped and whirled at the voice, only to relax with a smile when she saw who it was leaning against her doorframe. "Nel! How long have you been there?"
"A little while. I didn't want to get caught the path of fire when you were busy grumbling about Ala writing five pages trying to justify coming back from her reconnaissance mission with no information." Nel stepped into the room, kicking the heavy door shut behind her, and reached out to begin undoing the buckles holding Clair's armor closed. "I'd thought you were just ignoring me until you were done working. Peacetime is making you too unwary, Commander, if you didn't even notice the door opening."
"It's not the peace, it's the paperwork," Clair said, groaning and rubbing her forehead at having to think about it for even a moment more. "Even your mind would dull after reading through that entire stack. I think I should petition the queen to provide the soldiers who joined up during the war with basic writing lessons now that we don't need to worry about Airyglyph attacking at any moment."
"Well, for my own peace of mind I'm going to assume that some part of you knew it was me and it was safe not to pay attention. Sit down so I can get your shoes."
"Perhaps you're right," Clair said, resting her hand on Nel's head when she kneeled before her, the tips of her fingers twining into Nel's hair. "I can't imagine that I wouldn't notice you at all when you're near.
Nel slipped off one of Clair's shoes, caressing her ankle like it was something she treasured, then slid her fingers up Clair's leg until she could hook them under the band of a stocking and begin pulling it down, planting kisses against the side of her knee, her calf, her ankle as the skin beneath the silk was revealed. When that leg was bare Nel repeated her actions on the other, then moved up to Clair's gloves. "I've heard that your father's started a training camp to find you a husband," she said, softly running her thumb across Clair's palm and brushing her fingertips with her lips.
"Oh, please, don't remind me of that now, of all times," Clair said, squeezing her eyes shut with a strained expression. "Half of the men in our unit have signed up, and I can't convince them to stop."
"Maybe I should sign up," Nel said with a playful smile, beginning to untwine the ribbons from Clair's hair. "I'm sure I'd win."
Clair laughed, and reached up to touch Nel's cheek. "My father wouldn't want to approve of someone who couldn't provide him with grandchildren. Although being one of his battle companions could sway him in your favor."
"Even if he didn't approve, Her Majesty would."
"But the church would not."
"After everything I've seen, I find it difficult to care much for religion."
Clair didn't know much about what had happened to Nel while she was traveling with her friends who had not actually been engineers from Greeton. Everyone who'd gone off with them, including her own father whom she'd always considered to be completely unchangeable, had come back altered, picking up odd new ticks, a tendency to stare off into the stars, and a look in their eyes like they'd picked up half-a-lifetime's new knowledge over the course of just a few weeks, but none of them would talk much about it. One of the quirks they'd come to share was distancing themselves from Apris, something which Clair didn't mind but which could cause trouble for them someday if noticed.
"Nel, are you joking or being serious?" she asked. She couldn't even tell anymore, when just a year before she could have plucked every one of Nel's thoughts and feeling out of something as slight as the set of her shoulders or the sound of her breath.
Nel laughed brightly as she finally stripped Clair's dress from her and pushed her back onto the bed. "I'm not sure myself," she said, settling herself between Clair's legs, "but I do know one thing; I'd make you very happy if you were my wife."
And then her mouth was too busy to continue speaking.
Fandom: Star Ocean: 'Til the End of Time
Pairing: Nel/Clair
Rating: R
Requested by cybersky here (unfilled request)
Notes: For day five of Fic-a-Day.
It was late at night by the time Clair finally finished going over the mission reports she needed to read through and stretched with a sigh, her spine cracking disturbingly when she arched it. She prided herself on her reputation as one of the most mature and professional high-ranking members of the Aquarian military but she did wish she could let that maturity slip every once in a while, at least where paperwork was concerned.
She tapped the reports into a neat pile, stored them safely in her desk and at long last was able to stand up and begin unwinding her scarf in the first step towards preparing for bed.
"Allow me to help you with that."
Clair jumped and whirled at the voice, only to relax with a smile when she saw who it was leaning against her doorframe. "Nel! How long have you been there?"
"A little while. I didn't want to get caught the path of fire when you were busy grumbling about Ala writing five pages trying to justify coming back from her reconnaissance mission with no information." Nel stepped into the room, kicking the heavy door shut behind her, and reached out to begin undoing the buckles holding Clair's armor closed. "I'd thought you were just ignoring me until you were done working. Peacetime is making you too unwary, Commander, if you didn't even notice the door opening."
"It's not the peace, it's the paperwork," Clair said, groaning and rubbing her forehead at having to think about it for even a moment more. "Even your mind would dull after reading through that entire stack. I think I should petition the queen to provide the soldiers who joined up during the war with basic writing lessons now that we don't need to worry about Airyglyph attacking at any moment."
"Well, for my own peace of mind I'm going to assume that some part of you knew it was me and it was safe not to pay attention. Sit down so I can get your shoes."
"Perhaps you're right," Clair said, resting her hand on Nel's head when she kneeled before her, the tips of her fingers twining into Nel's hair. "I can't imagine that I wouldn't notice you at all when you're near.
Nel slipped off one of Clair's shoes, caressing her ankle like it was something she treasured, then slid her fingers up Clair's leg until she could hook them under the band of a stocking and begin pulling it down, planting kisses against the side of her knee, her calf, her ankle as the skin beneath the silk was revealed. When that leg was bare Nel repeated her actions on the other, then moved up to Clair's gloves. "I've heard that your father's started a training camp to find you a husband," she said, softly running her thumb across Clair's palm and brushing her fingertips with her lips.
"Oh, please, don't remind me of that now, of all times," Clair said, squeezing her eyes shut with a strained expression. "Half of the men in our unit have signed up, and I can't convince them to stop."
"Maybe I should sign up," Nel said with a playful smile, beginning to untwine the ribbons from Clair's hair. "I'm sure I'd win."
Clair laughed, and reached up to touch Nel's cheek. "My father wouldn't want to approve of someone who couldn't provide him with grandchildren. Although being one of his battle companions could sway him in your favor."
"Even if he didn't approve, Her Majesty would."
"But the church would not."
"After everything I've seen, I find it difficult to care much for religion."
Clair didn't know much about what had happened to Nel while she was traveling with her friends who had not actually been engineers from Greeton. Everyone who'd gone off with them, including her own father whom she'd always considered to be completely unchangeable, had come back altered, picking up odd new ticks, a tendency to stare off into the stars, and a look in their eyes like they'd picked up half-a-lifetime's new knowledge over the course of just a few weeks, but none of them would talk much about it. One of the quirks they'd come to share was distancing themselves from Apris, something which Clair didn't mind but which could cause trouble for them someday if noticed.
"Nel, are you joking or being serious?" she asked. She couldn't even tell anymore, when just a year before she could have plucked every one of Nel's thoughts and feeling out of something as slight as the set of her shoulders or the sound of her breath.
Nel laughed brightly as she finally stripped Clair's dress from her and pushed her back onto the bed. "I'm not sure myself," she said, settling herself between Clair's legs, "but I do know one thing; I'd make you very happy if you were my wife."
And then her mouth was too busy to continue speaking.