All That's Best of Dark and Light - rachel_shanz
Title: All That's Best of Dark and Light
Author: rachel_shanz
Pairing: L/V
Work Count: 1403
Rating: R
Spoilers: Season 1
Notes: Thanks so very, very much to shizam23 for the rush beta job.
All That’s Best of Dark and Light
Betrayal in the Sunshine
In May, it’s new and as innocent as the two of them know how to be. Their first kiss is surrounded by sunshine, the second by cool darkness, with the stars above them reflected in their eyes. He leaves bright yellow flowers in her locker and she smiles when she finds them. He smiles when she presses him up against a tree behind the school and thanks him with her soft lips on his and her tongue tracing designs in his mouth. They skip class and meet on the bleachers to kiss until the bell rings and they have to go back to furtive glances and knowing looks.
He is finding something in her, a kind of hope that he thought he had lost forever. It’s a hope that blossoms further with each giddy kiss and secret smile. She can feel the pain of their past being brushed away a little more every time he touches her. It falls to the floor like the grass that clings to their clothes after another lunchtime meeting by the tree that she is starting to think of as theirs.
It’s still May when it all falls apart. First, on the beach, with hurt and betrayal staining the warm sand like the blood that seems to follow them everywhere. Then, on the railing of a bridge for him and in a smoke-filled nightmare for her. Later, when he comes to her door, he is expecting harsh words or nothing at all, but instead she smiles, and tells him she was hoping he would come. So he wraps her in his arms and doesn’t let go, even when she says there’s something he needs to know. Then the words that spill from her lips tear him apart and they both cry until they’re out of tears.
Peace in the Black of Night
In July, they go back to the beach. They hold hands as the waves wash over their bare feet and spread forgiveness over the old betrayal. She brings a blanket and they sit down to look at the stars. She points out real constellations and he makes up fake ones just to hear her laugh. They have both paid a heavy price for their freedom, but when she sees him like this, unguarded and happy, she knows it was worth everything and more.
Their kisses are deep and slow and her hands burn against his bare skin. He asks her if she’s sure and when she murmurs that she wants him, he knows that she is. He undresses her slowly, trailing warm lips over salty skin. She gasps when his mouth covers her hot flesh. His tongue slides over her, mesmerizing and torturous, until all she can do is scream his name as the world shatters around her.
Then it’s her turn to take charge. She makes him lie still as she explores his body with her hands, running her fingers lightly over him until she is sure that she has memorized the feel of every inch. He watches her in awe and, when he tells her she’s beautiful, his sincerity brings tears to her eyes. She smiles down at him as she raises her hips and guides him slowly inside her. Their eyes meet as she starts to move above him and they meld together like golden lava. When she comes apart again, she takes him along for the ride.
Pain in Bright Colors
In September, they go back to school. She’s more nervous than she will ever admit. He’s trying to convince her that school is overrated and they should just stay home in bed. It doesn’t work though, and they end up walking through the door hand in hand. She ignores the people who turn to look, he stares them down until they turn away. He kisses her at her locker, and she is surprised when no-one chimes in with a smart remark, even after he’s walked away. She’s even more surprised by the smiles directed at her in her first class. Suddenly, the reason for the unexpected niceness hits her and she almost laughs. Of course - it’s all because of him. No matter what his father had done, he was still the reigning king, all his new infamy did was get him a bigger crown. His subjects would never risk his anger by being anything but nice to his new queen.
Before lunch, she finds a bright red leaf in her locker, and she tucks it between the pages of her book before going to meet him at their tree. She leans against his chest and tells him about the people who greeted her like she was actually a person and wonders the reasons why. He kisses her neck and asks her why it bothers her. She claims that it doesn’t, but even she’s not sure that’s true. Then his mouth meets hers and everything outside the two of them slips from her mind.
In November, she can’t take it anymore. The Royal Court apparently finds it easier to disregard everything she’s done, everything she has fought for, than to admit they might have been wrong. They have reduced her to being only his girlfriend, and that is one thing she can’t handle. He just sees that they treat her like they did when she was one of them, but she can feel the difference, and she would rather have open hatred than this quiet hostility. He doesn‘t understand why she cares what they think, and, honestly, neither does she. So she just shakes her head silently and tells him she needs time. She kisses him softly and turns to leave, but he pulls her back, just like he did the first time. This isn’t a sweeping romantic production, but a rough and desperate plea. He can’t be without her. If she’s gone, he’ll be all that’s left, and he doesn’t think that’s enough to keep him attached to this earth. She clings to him for a moment, and there are tears tracing her face when she pulls away, but she pulls away all the same. He watches her walk away, dead leaves swirling a colorful pattern behind her as she disappears from view.
Hope in Dark Clouds
In January, it’s been nearly two months since they’ve spoken. And this time she’s the one knocking on the door and expecting to be ignored or harshly turned away. She is the last person he’s expecting to see, and he almost doesn’t open the door. But then she says his name and there’s something in her voice that makes him reconsider. So he opens the door and steps outside to meet her. She pulls her jacket tighter around herself and asks if they can go for a walk. He just nods and follows her down the steps.
They get halfway around the house before she says anything. Once she starts talking though, it’s like a floodgate has opened and she can’t stop. She tells him that she misses him and that she’s sorry. She tells him she was stupid and afraid. She tells him about the peace she lost when she walked away from him and how badly she wants it back. She tells him that, without him, her dreams are filled with blood and smoke, and her waking hours with fear that tragedy is going to cut her like an ice cold blade at any moment. She tells him all of the things she hopes they can be and all of the things she knows they never will. She talks until she’s out of words and, only then, does she look at him.
As soon as their eyes meet, he has her in his arms. He’s drinking her in like water and she’s holding on to him like he’s going to evaporate at any moment. He presses her against the wooden fence and trails his lips down her throat as she moans his name. Their clothes seem to melt away and they don’t notice the cold as her legs are wrap around him and he thrusts inside her. It’s fast and frantic and right. When it’s over, he leans his forehead against hers and tells her that he loves her. She kisses him and tells him she’ll never leave him again. They both know there are no guarantees, but, for now, the words are enough.
Author: rachel_shanz
Pairing: L/V
Work Count: 1403
Rating: R
Spoilers: Season 1
Notes: Thanks so very, very much to shizam23 for the rush beta job.
All That’s Best of Dark and Light
Betrayal in the Sunshine
In May, it’s new and as innocent as the two of them know how to be. Their first kiss is surrounded by sunshine, the second by cool darkness, with the stars above them reflected in their eyes. He leaves bright yellow flowers in her locker and she smiles when she finds them. He smiles when she presses him up against a tree behind the school and thanks him with her soft lips on his and her tongue tracing designs in his mouth. They skip class and meet on the bleachers to kiss until the bell rings and they have to go back to furtive glances and knowing looks.
He is finding something in her, a kind of hope that he thought he had lost forever. It’s a hope that blossoms further with each giddy kiss and secret smile. She can feel the pain of their past being brushed away a little more every time he touches her. It falls to the floor like the grass that clings to their clothes after another lunchtime meeting by the tree that she is starting to think of as theirs.
It’s still May when it all falls apart. First, on the beach, with hurt and betrayal staining the warm sand like the blood that seems to follow them everywhere. Then, on the railing of a bridge for him and in a smoke-filled nightmare for her. Later, when he comes to her door, he is expecting harsh words or nothing at all, but instead she smiles, and tells him she was hoping he would come. So he wraps her in his arms and doesn’t let go, even when she says there’s something he needs to know. Then the words that spill from her lips tear him apart and they both cry until they’re out of tears.
Peace in the Black of Night
In July, they go back to the beach. They hold hands as the waves wash over their bare feet and spread forgiveness over the old betrayal. She brings a blanket and they sit down to look at the stars. She points out real constellations and he makes up fake ones just to hear her laugh. They have both paid a heavy price for their freedom, but when she sees him like this, unguarded and happy, she knows it was worth everything and more.
Their kisses are deep and slow and her hands burn against his bare skin. He asks her if she’s sure and when she murmurs that she wants him, he knows that she is. He undresses her slowly, trailing warm lips over salty skin. She gasps when his mouth covers her hot flesh. His tongue slides over her, mesmerizing and torturous, until all she can do is scream his name as the world shatters around her.
Then it’s her turn to take charge. She makes him lie still as she explores his body with her hands, running her fingers lightly over him until she is sure that she has memorized the feel of every inch. He watches her in awe and, when he tells her she’s beautiful, his sincerity brings tears to her eyes. She smiles down at him as she raises her hips and guides him slowly inside her. Their eyes meet as she starts to move above him and they meld together like golden lava. When she comes apart again, she takes him along for the ride.
Pain in Bright Colors
In September, they go back to school. She’s more nervous than she will ever admit. He’s trying to convince her that school is overrated and they should just stay home in bed. It doesn’t work though, and they end up walking through the door hand in hand. She ignores the people who turn to look, he stares them down until they turn away. He kisses her at her locker, and she is surprised when no-one chimes in with a smart remark, even after he’s walked away. She’s even more surprised by the smiles directed at her in her first class. Suddenly, the reason for the unexpected niceness hits her and she almost laughs. Of course - it’s all because of him. No matter what his father had done, he was still the reigning king, all his new infamy did was get him a bigger crown. His subjects would never risk his anger by being anything but nice to his new queen.
Before lunch, she finds a bright red leaf in her locker, and she tucks it between the pages of her book before going to meet him at their tree. She leans against his chest and tells him about the people who greeted her like she was actually a person and wonders the reasons why. He kisses her neck and asks her why it bothers her. She claims that it doesn’t, but even she’s not sure that’s true. Then his mouth meets hers and everything outside the two of them slips from her mind.
In November, she can’t take it anymore. The Royal Court apparently finds it easier to disregard everything she’s done, everything she has fought for, than to admit they might have been wrong. They have reduced her to being only his girlfriend, and that is one thing she can’t handle. He just sees that they treat her like they did when she was one of them, but she can feel the difference, and she would rather have open hatred than this quiet hostility. He doesn‘t understand why she cares what they think, and, honestly, neither does she. So she just shakes her head silently and tells him she needs time. She kisses him softly and turns to leave, but he pulls her back, just like he did the first time. This isn’t a sweeping romantic production, but a rough and desperate plea. He can’t be without her. If she’s gone, he’ll be all that’s left, and he doesn’t think that’s enough to keep him attached to this earth. She clings to him for a moment, and there are tears tracing her face when she pulls away, but she pulls away all the same. He watches her walk away, dead leaves swirling a colorful pattern behind her as she disappears from view.
Hope in Dark Clouds
In January, it’s been nearly two months since they’ve spoken. And this time she’s the one knocking on the door and expecting to be ignored or harshly turned away. She is the last person he’s expecting to see, and he almost doesn’t open the door. But then she says his name and there’s something in her voice that makes him reconsider. So he opens the door and steps outside to meet her. She pulls her jacket tighter around herself and asks if they can go for a walk. He just nods and follows her down the steps.
They get halfway around the house before she says anything. Once she starts talking though, it’s like a floodgate has opened and she can’t stop. She tells him that she misses him and that she’s sorry. She tells him she was stupid and afraid. She tells him about the peace she lost when she walked away from him and how badly she wants it back. She tells him that, without him, her dreams are filled with blood and smoke, and her waking hours with fear that tragedy is going to cut her like an ice cold blade at any moment. She tells him all of the things she hopes they can be and all of the things she knows they never will. She talks until she’s out of words and, only then, does she look at him.
As soon as their eyes meet, he has her in his arms. He’s drinking her in like water and she’s holding on to him like he’s going to evaporate at any moment. He presses her against the wooden fence and trails his lips down her throat as she moans his name. Their clothes seem to melt away and they don’t notice the cold as her legs are wrap around him and he thrusts inside her. It’s fast and frantic and right. When it’s over, he leans his forehead against hers and tells her that he loves her. She kisses him and tells him she’ll never leave him again. They both know there are no guarantees, but, for now, the words are enough.