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Isa

For the past hour, Isa had been receiving one of the best pamperings of her entire life.

When Ken had offered to run her a bath she hadn’t expected bath salts and candles. Nor had she expected him to join her; resting behind her so that he could rub her shoulders and massage conditioner through her hair.

She’d almost fallen asleep again, as he’d spoilt her. And then when he’d walked her to bed and lay her down and kissed her neck and chest and settled against her with her head in the nook of his arm, she’d felt so loved it almost brought her to tears.

Ken’s embrace was warm. And his heartbeat was strong. Perhaps it was beating a little fast, as he not-so-subtly sniffed her hair and kissed her cheek. But it made Isa feel secure. Like she could be soft and let her guard down.

Slowly, Isa ran her hand over Ken’s bare chest. She trailed her fingers over the freckles in his skin, each familiar dot leading her around his body.

His chest…. His stomach…. His arm…. His neck….

Isa let out a long, happy sigh, and wrapped her arm over Ken so she could press tighter into him.

The feeling of his skin against hers was bliss.

She wished they could just lay here together forever….

Another sigh escaped Isa, and she shuffled up so she could peck a kiss on Ken’s lips.

He was such a wonderful man.

Strange, perhaps.

And sometimes a little bit misguided.

But so full of love.

And endlessly patient.

She loved him so much, and wanted to just be with him.

It was time to bring it up….

‘Ken?’ she asked, softly.

‘Yes, ma choupette?’

‘I’ve been thinking…. Uh….’

‘You have been thinking…?’ Ken echoed, slowly. ‘What about, ma chérie?’

‘When was the last time we didn’t share a bed?’

‘Oh— Um…’ Ken bit his lip, clearly deep in thought. Then, he went pink in a sheepish blush. ‘About six months ago, when I uh… lied to you about… Becky fighting the, uh….’

‘The calamity,’ Isa recalled. ‘Hm… but, uh. After that, I don’t think we’ve spent a night apart, have we?’

‘Non,’ Ken agreed. ‘I don’t believe we have.’

‘Hm.. well… I was thinking maybe we uh…’ Isa swallowed, feeling….

Was she nervous?

God, she hadn’t felt nervous like this in years.

‘Perhaps, um…. Perhaps we don’t… uh…. Mm…. Maybe we would do well… sharing a bed. Room. Sharing… a bedroom?’

She felt Ken’s heart beat faster at her suggestion. And his entire body tensed as he rolled to look at Isa with wide eyes.

‘Share a bedroom?’ he asked.

‘Yes.’

‘How intimate.’

‘Inti—‘ Isa had to bite back her laugh.

They were currently laying together naked. After spending almost an hour in the bath together. And he was surprised by the idea of being intimate….

For a moment, Ken stared at Isa in shock. Then, he smiled. ‘Would I move in here, or you into mine?’

‘You have the on-suite,’ Isa stated with a humoured chuckle. ‘Plus I was thinking I could maybe… turn this room into a little office for myself. Like you have your study, and Becky has her workout room.’

‘Would you like to keep your mattress?’

‘I’d be nice. You wouldn’t mind?’

‘I find yours more comfortable,’ Ken admitted, his blush growing darker. ‘We could plan where we want to move the furniture tomorrow, and—‘

A loud thump sounded from just down the hall, and Isa heard Isabel curse loudly.

‘Oh my god, honey? Are you alright?’

‘I tripped on the rug!’ Isabel exclaimed, giggling. Then she gave a pain groan. ‘Ow! Ow…. Aw, jeez. That hurt…!’

‘I forgot you can’t see in the dark!’ Moon cooed. ‘Aw, honey…. I’ll turn on the light—‘

‘—No, no, it’s been broken for weeks,’ Isabel told her girlfriend. ‘Don’t bother with it. Just help me up.’

Has it? Isa thought. Isabel never mentioned, that….

And she supposed nobody else noticed; they all had darkvision, after all. All except for Isabel.

It was so easy to forget she was fully human and didn’t have the same eyesight as the rest of the family.

‘Three, two, one— On your feet!’ Moon said with a playful giggle.

Isa heard another thump that she could only imagine was Isabel being hefted up and dropped onto her feet.

‘There we go!’ teased Moon.

‘There we go!’ echoed Isabel.

‘There they go,’ mumbled Ken, dropping his head back down onto his pillow as the girls started down the hall towards Isabel’s room.

‘Hey, Moon!’ Isabel exclaimed. ‘Should I get a tattoo?’

‘Do you want a tattoo?’

‘I dunno. I don’t not want one!’ Isabel said, her voice fading into near-silence as Isa heard her door shut.

‘They are very loud,’ Ken commented.

‘Aren’t they?’ Isa chuckled. ‘I think it’s safe to say which side of the family Becky gets it from.’

Ken echoed Isa’s laugh, wrapping his arm over her and pulling her close into his side. ‘Oh, l’amour de ma vie. I love you so much. With all my heart.’

Isa felt herself blush as a kiss was pressed into the curve of her neck, and she closed her eyes. ‘You romantic….’

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