CHAPTER 157: TIME OFF 4*

{Sophie}

Sophie hammered the last nail into the fence post, wiping sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand.

The sun was brutal today.

Aaron stood a few feet away, inspecting her work with an approving nod.

"Not bad. You haven’t lost your touch."

Sophie flexed dramatically. "Please. I’m still a country girl at heart. All that academy training just made me stronger."

"Stronger, huh?" Aaron grinned and handed her another plank. "Then you won’t mind finishing this section too."

Sophie groaned but took the plank. "You’re a slave driver."

"I prefer ’efficient manager.’"

They worked in comfortable silence for a while, the rhythmic sound of hammering filling the air.

Sophie’s arms burned, but in a good way. It felt nice to do something physical that wasn’t combat training or running from assassins.

Just... normal work.

She glanced toward the house and spotted Lune sitting under a tree in the distance, easel set up, completely absorbed in whatever she was painting.

[She’s been out there all morning.]

Sophie hammered in another nail, then stepped back to admire her work.

"Done."

Aaron inspected the fence, tugging on it to test its sturdiness.

"Good job. Go take a break. You’ve earned it."

Sophie didn’t need to be told twice.

She grabbed a rag from the porch, wiped off the worst of the dirt and sweat, then headed toward the tree.

Lune didn’t look up as Sophie approached. Her brush moved across the canvas in precise, deliberate strokes.

Sophie stopped a few feet away, trying to see what Lune was painting.

The angle was wrong. She couldn’t make it out from here.

"Can I see?"

Lune’s brush paused.

"Not yet."

"Come on. I’ve been working my ass off all morning. Let me see."

"It’s not finished."

"I don’t care."

Lune sighed, then tilted the easel slightly.

Sophie’s jaw dropped.

The painting was... her.

Not doing farm work. Not sitting under a tree.

Sophie, naked, lying in bed with sheets barely covering her, one hand behind her head, the other resting on her stomach. Her expression was sultry, inviting, her lips slightly parted.

And the painting moved.

The Sophie on the canvas shifted, stretching languidly, her chest rising and falling with slow breaths.

"Holy shit."

Lune’s ears turned pink.

"It’s a study."

"A study."

"Yes."

"... Of me naked."

"...Yes."

Sophie grinned.

"Was the kiss that good?"

Lune set her brush down carefully.

"I don’t know what you mean."

"You absolutely do, painting me like that."

"I don’t know what that means either."

Sophie laughed and crouched down beside the easel, studying the painting more closely. The detail was incredible—every curve, every shadow, the way the sheets draped across her hips.

"This is really good. Like, really good."

"Thank you."

"When did you even start this?"

"This morning. After breakfast."

"So you’ve just been sitting here thinking about me naked all day?"

Lune’s blush deepened.

"Sophie, it’s purely academic."

"Sure it is. Just, uh... Let me know when you get to painting my dick, alright?"

"Goodness."

"What? I wanna see it!" Sophie cackled. "Gotta make sure it’s accurate, ya know?"

They sat in silence for a moment. Sophie watched the painted version of herself shift position, rolling onto her side.

"You know," Sophie said, "I didn’t think you’d be into this kind of thing."

"What kind of thing?"

"Physical stuff. Kissing. All that."

Lune picked up her brush again, twirling it between her fingers.

"I wasn’t sure I would be either."

"But you are?"

"... I suppose so."

Sophie scooted closer until their shoulders touched.

"What changed?"

Lune stared at the painting, her expression thoughtful.

"I didn’t know what it felt like."

"What did it feel like?"

"I... suppose the word is ’intimate’." Lune’s voice was quiet. "Fiery. I’m not like most people, Sophie. Most things feel muted to me. Distant. But when I watch Aegis... and when you kissed me, it was... clear. Present. Like everything else falls away and there’s just... that."

Sophie’s brows shot up.

"So... in short, you liked it?"

"Yes."

"Wanna do it again?"

Lune finally looked at her, those purple eyes meeting Sophie’s. It seemed like she was considering it, for just a moment. And then...

"Yes."

[Hell yeah!]

Sophie leaned in and kissed her.

It was brief—just a soft press of lips, warm and easy.

When she pulled back, Lune’s expression hadn’t changed, but her breathing was slightly faster.

"What did I tell you about eyes?"

"Right... Closed."

"Attagirl."

She leaned in again.

"Sophie!" Aaron’s voice called from the house. "I need help with the—"

Sophie groaned.

"Seriously?"

"—water pump!"

"I’m coming!" Sophie stood reluctantly, brushing dirt off her pants.

Sophie jogged back toward the house, the moment already fading into the back of her mind, while Lune stared blankly at nothing and brought two fingers up to her lips.

---

{Aegis}

Night fell.

Aegis lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, listening to Sophie brush her teeth in the washroom down the hall.

[Why are we even pretending we’re going to sleep in separate beds?]

She’d thought about it earlier and decided it was pointless. They’d just end up tangled together by morning anyway.

Might as well skip the charade.

Sophie padded back into the room, closing the door behind her. She was wearing a thin nightshirt that barely reached mid-thigh.

Aegis sat up.

"Get over here."

Sophie grinned and climbed into bed, immediately straddling Aegis’s lap.

"We gonna-"

"Just kiss me already," Aegis muttered.

Sophie’s hands tangled in Aegis’s hair. Aegis gripped Sophie’s hips, pulling her closer, grinding up against her.

[Fuck, it’s been DAYS. Actual days since I’ve had sex.]

Her cock was already hard, pressing against Sophie through her nightshirt.

Sophie pulled back just enough to gasp for air.

"Someone’s eager."

"Shut up."

Aegis kissed her again, deeper this time. Sophie rocked her hips, grinding down, and Aegis groaned into her mouth.

They broke apart, both breathing hard.

Sophie rested her forehead against Aegis’s, her fingers tracing patterns on Aegis’s shoulders.

"This is nice," Sophie said quietly.

"What is?"

"Being home. Away from all the noble bullshit."

Aegis hummed in agreement, her hands sliding under Sophie’s nightshirt to grip bare skin.

"No politics," Sophie continued. "No schemes. No one trying to kill you or ruin your reputation. Just... normal life for a few days."

Aegis’s hands stilled.

[Normal life, huh?]

She thought about the hospital. The white walls. The monitors beeping. The endless, suffocating boredom of watching days pass with nothing to do, nowhere to go, no one who cared enough to visit.

Normal life wasn’t all it was cracked up to be.

"What?" Sophie asked, noticing the shift in Aegis’s mood.

"Nothing. Just thinking."

"About?"

Aegis kissed her instead of answering, rolling them over so Sophie was beneath her.

Sophie laughed, wrapping her legs around Aegis’s waist.

"Okay, okay. No more talking."

"Good plan."

Aegis kissed down Sophie’s neck, biting gently at the junction of her shoulder. Sophie gasped, her fingers digging into Aegis’s back.

"You’re wearing too many clothes," Sophie breathed.

"So are you."

They fumbled with fabric, pulling Sophie’s nightshirt over her head and tossing it aside. Aegis’s own shirt followed.

Skin against skin.

Aegis’s cock pressed against Sophie’s thigh, hard and leaking. Sophie reached down, wrapping her hand around it, and Aegis hissed.

"Fuck."

"Eventually."

Sophie stroked slowly, her thumb circling the head. Aegis’s hips jerked forward involuntarily.

[I need—]

She kissed Sophie again, swallowing her laugh, her hand sliding between Sophie’s legs.

Sophie’s pussy beneath her dick was already wet.

Aegis circled her clit with two fingers and Sophie’s back arched, her hand tightening around Aegis’s cock.

They found a rhythm—messy, desperate, both of them too worked up to take their time.

Aegis pulled Sophie’s hand away from her cock and positioned herself, the head pressing against Sophie’s entrance.

"Yes," Sophie gasped. "Please."

Aegis pushed in slowly, inch by inch, watching Sophie’s face contort with pleasure.

[God, I missed this.]

Sophie’s legs tightened around her waist, pulling her deeper.

"Move," Sophie demanded.

Aegis didn’t need to be told twice.

She pulled out and thrust back in, setting a steady rhythm. Sophie moaned, her nails raking down Aegis’s back.

The bed creaked beneath them.

Aegis picked up the pace, her hips snapping forward harder, faster. Sophie met her thrust for thrust, their bodies moving together like they’d done this a thousand times.

[Which, honestly, we probably have.]

Sophie’s hand fisted in Aegis’s hair, pulling her down into another kiss. Their tongues tangled as Aegis drove into her, the sound of skin against skin filling the room.

"Close," Sophie gasped against her mouth. "I’m—"

Aegis reached between them, stroking Sophie’s dick at the same time.

Sophie came with a choked moan, her entire body tensing, her walls clenching around Aegis’s cock.

[Fuck—]

Aegis followed seconds later, burying herself deep as she came, her vision whiting out for a moment.

They collapsed together, tangled and sweaty and satisfied.

Sophie laughed breathlessly.

"Okay. That was worth the wait."

Aegis kissed her shoulder, still catching her breath.

"Agreed."

They lay there for a while, hearts slowing, the cool night air drying the sweat on their skin.

Eventually, Sophie shifted, rolling onto her side to face Aegis.

"Hey."

"Hey."

"You okay? You got weird earlier."

Aegis considered lying, but Sophie would see through it anyway.

"Just thinking about how people romanticize normal life. Like it’s some perfect escape. But watching days pass with nothing happening..." She trailed off. "It’s not all it’s cracked up to be."

Sophie studied her face, then leaned in and kissed her softly.

"Well," she said, "good thing we’re not normal then."

Aegis snorted.

"Yeah. Good thing."

They kissed again, slower this time, less desperate.

And for now, that was enough.