Love is just a word
Category: Pink Sheep RPG
Stephen was not in a good mood. It was almost Christmas, which meant two weeks of parties at Carisbrooke and 'family bonding,' if you could call it that. Balls and dinners, teas and informal gatherings, they all made him want to slit his wrists.
And Cassie, the one bright spot he'd been counting on to help get him through the week, was deserting him. All in all, Stephen was not a happy man.
She hated leaving Stephen to spend what was supposed to be the happiest time of the year with the family that tormented him. What Cassie really wanted was to bring him with her, to show him how a real family spent time together. It was too soon for that, though. Such an invitation implied things about their relationship that hadn't even been hinted at yet.
"I'll miss you," Cassie promised, knowing she sounded like a schoolgirl as she nuzzled his neck. "I'll owl you all the time and we'll have our own Christmas as soon as I get back."
"You're leaving me," he growled with a pout. He sounded like a petulant child, but at that moment, he didn't give a flying fuck.
Squeezing him tighter, the corners of Cassie's mouth turned down. She felt horrible. "Do you want me to stay home?" Her family would be very disappointed, but they'd get over it. That's what families did. At least, families that didn't take pleasure in making their youngest child feel unloved and unwanted. It would be strange not to be with them, but maybe Stephen needed her more than they did just now.
Stephen sighed and turned his head to press a kiss to her forehead. "No, love," he murmured, "you should be with your family. I'm being a right bastard, I'll just... miss you while you're gone."
Cassie tipped her head up to capture her boyfriend's lips before he could pull away. "I could always hide naughty snaps around your flat so you could find them while I'm away. So you're not so lonely?" she teased. Jokes aside, though, she was going to miss Stephen a lot, too. Since they'd begun seeing each other exclusively hardly a day had gone by that they didn't see each other. It would be strange not to have him near her for so long. Not to mention the two weeks without making love. That would be downright painful.
"I won't be at my flat during the week," he groaned, scrubbing his hand over his face. "I have to spend the week at Carisbrooke. Mother has events scheduled every single bloody day."
"One of these days we'll have to teach you the word 'no'. Only you can't use it when you talk to me. At least your nieces will be there. You can squire them around. I bet they'd like having Uncle Stephen all to themselves." A soft smile spread on her face and Cassie brushed her fingers lightly over his cheek. "You really are great with them. It's one of the things I love about you."
Stilling, Stephen pulled her hand from his face, his blue eyes catching hers. Had she just...she'd just said she loved him. Merlin. The crazy fact was that, even though it should've scared the living shite out of him, it really didn't. "One of the things?" he asked lightly. "What are the others, then?"
"Well," she began, a little surprised at how easily her little declaration had gone over. Relieved, but surprised. "I love the way your hand feels at the small of my back when you lead me into a room. I love the pride on your face when we're out together and how safe I feel when I'm with you. I love that you're such a good man in spite of your family. And, of course, the more obvious things."
"Such as my prowess in the bedroom, my killer wit, my deity-like physique... care to go on?"
Cassie snorted. At least he wasn't so grumpy anymore. "No. I think I've inflated your ego enough. How about we just say I love you, and assume it encompasses all your virtues, yeah?"
Lips twitching into a small, true smile, he reached up to cup her chin, strumming his thumb over her cheek. Words seemed inconsequential at that moment, so instead of speaking, he leaned in to give her a soft, slow kiss.
She soaked in the feeling of Stephen's lips on hers, his body close, committing it to memory for when they were apart. When they separated, Cassie glanced at her watch and frowned. "It's getting late. I should go." She didn't want to go.
He didn't want her to go, and he told her so. "I don't want you to go."
They were leaving early in the morning for their holiday, the whole family. Still, her things were packed, Cassie reasoned. She'd just need to make sure she returned home in time for the portkey and maybe a quick shower. "Maybe just a little longer," she said, sliding her hands over Stephen's shoulders.
His lips twitched in a small smirk as his hands slid underneath her shirt. "Let's make the most of our time then, shall we?"
Summary: Stephen and Cassandra part for the holidays, and three special little words are said.
Stephen was not in a good mood. It was almost Christmas, which meant two weeks of parties at Carisbrooke and 'family bonding,' if you could call it that. Balls and dinners, teas and informal gatherings, they all made him want to slit his wrists.
And Cassie, the one bright spot he'd been counting on to help get him through the week, was deserting him. All in all, Stephen was not a happy man.
She hated leaving Stephen to spend what was supposed to be the happiest time of the year with the family that tormented him. What Cassie really wanted was to bring him with her, to show him how a real family spent time together. It was too soon for that, though. Such an invitation implied things about their relationship that hadn't even been hinted at yet.
"I'll miss you," Cassie promised, knowing she sounded like a schoolgirl as she nuzzled his neck. "I'll owl you all the time and we'll have our own Christmas as soon as I get back."
"You're leaving me," he growled with a pout. He sounded like a petulant child, but at that moment, he didn't give a flying fuck.
Squeezing him tighter, the corners of Cassie's mouth turned down. She felt horrible. "Do you want me to stay home?" Her family would be very disappointed, but they'd get over it. That's what families did. At least, families that didn't take pleasure in making their youngest child feel unloved and unwanted. It would be strange not to be with them, but maybe Stephen needed her more than they did just now.
Stephen sighed and turned his head to press a kiss to her forehead. "No, love," he murmured, "you should be with your family. I'm being a right bastard, I'll just... miss you while you're gone."
Cassie tipped her head up to capture her boyfriend's lips before he could pull away. "I could always hide naughty snaps around your flat so you could find them while I'm away. So you're not so lonely?" she teased. Jokes aside, though, she was going to miss Stephen a lot, too. Since they'd begun seeing each other exclusively hardly a day had gone by that they didn't see each other. It would be strange not to have him near her for so long. Not to mention the two weeks without making love. That would be downright painful.
"I won't be at my flat during the week," he groaned, scrubbing his hand over his face. "I have to spend the week at Carisbrooke. Mother has events scheduled every single bloody day."
"One of these days we'll have to teach you the word 'no'. Only you can't use it when you talk to me. At least your nieces will be there. You can squire them around. I bet they'd like having Uncle Stephen all to themselves." A soft smile spread on her face and Cassie brushed her fingers lightly over his cheek. "You really are great with them. It's one of the things I love about you."
Stilling, Stephen pulled her hand from his face, his blue eyes catching hers. Had she just...she'd just said she loved him. Merlin. The crazy fact was that, even though it should've scared the living shite out of him, it really didn't. "One of the things?" he asked lightly. "What are the others, then?"
"Well," she began, a little surprised at how easily her little declaration had gone over. Relieved, but surprised. "I love the way your hand feels at the small of my back when you lead me into a room. I love the pride on your face when we're out together and how safe I feel when I'm with you. I love that you're such a good man in spite of your family. And, of course, the more obvious things."
"Such as my prowess in the bedroom, my killer wit, my deity-like physique... care to go on?"
Cassie snorted. At least he wasn't so grumpy anymore. "No. I think I've inflated your ego enough. How about we just say I love you, and assume it encompasses all your virtues, yeah?"
Lips twitching into a small, true smile, he reached up to cup her chin, strumming his thumb over her cheek. Words seemed inconsequential at that moment, so instead of speaking, he leaned in to give her a soft, slow kiss.
She soaked in the feeling of Stephen's lips on hers, his body close, committing it to memory for when they were apart. When they separated, Cassie glanced at her watch and frowned. "It's getting late. I should go." She didn't want to go.
He didn't want her to go, and he told her so. "I don't want you to go."
They were leaving early in the morning for their holiday, the whole family. Still, her things were packed, Cassie reasoned. She'd just need to make sure she returned home in time for the portkey and maybe a quick shower. "Maybe just a little longer," she said, sliding her hands over Stephen's shoulders.
His lips twitched in a small smirk as his hands slid underneath her shirt. "Let's make the most of our time then, shall we?"
Summary: Stephen and Cassandra part for the holidays, and three special little words are said.