WARNING: THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS MATURE CONTENT!!! 

'Look,' Hadrian murmurs. His voice tickles my ear, my spine, shivering through my nerves. I can almost sense how close his lips are to my neck. 'Look at the sky, Ness.'

I can't focus on anything. I want to tell him that if he wants me to comprehend anything right now, I need to take a dive into the cold lake. But I don't. I can hardly speak. Because for the last half hour, I've been perched on Hadrian's lap. We'd had to eat like that. The food was delicious, even with the added stomach-nervous fact of being on Hadrian's lap, and I'd done my best to ignore the way my heart flipped every so often. Hadrian enjoyed his torment immensely, until I reversed it on him and fed him. Then he'd turned red and hastily looked to the scenery.

His legs are solid and firm underneath my behind...and...I try not to think of anything else solid and firm. His body is like a warm coat wrapping around me, and his arms seem much larger from where they envelop my sides. He's curled one around my middle, casually holding me tightly. I can't breathe, but not because of his grip.

There's so much heat in my face. How can he look at scenery? My entire body feels like water. I shake my head in frustration, when I become distracted by his hands.

He points to the sky, and finally, I follow.

The darkened sky has given way to an abundance of stars and a low hanging moon that looks like an orb. Then— I gasp.

A trail of light flies into the sky coming from the ground. It reaches the stars before exploding into a burst of tiny colours, pirouetting away from one another. Entranced, I watch as another shoots into the sky beside it, but this time, it's a shower of red instead of gold. Over and over, these lights shoot into the sky, forming shapes that look like falling raindrops of gold, or zigzagging halos of white. Some curl and spin on their way upwards, others rise from the ground as a group before crackling into nothing.

'Amazing,' I whisper, as a particularly large red flame bursts in the sky, sending showers of purple and pink all around. Hadrian leans forward, and I assume he's watching the fireworks, until the next explosion of silver reflects in his eyes. When I turn, he's looking at me.

Again, a shower of sparks in the sky shines in his eyes; his bright blue irises are suddenly lit by green and gold.

'Amazing,' I whisper again, but now I'm looking only at him.

And then I smile.

His face changes. Hadrian goes very still, until only the breeze ruffles his hair. Alarmed, I move backwards, shifting off his knee and standing up. The boat rocks, splashing the surface of the water, sending light dancing across its surface.

Hadrian grabs my hand. He's still uncharacteristically quiet, tense. I'm positive now that something is wrong. But— what? What changed so quickly?

The hand that grips mine shakes. He's scared, I realise. Panic claws through my chest.

'Ness,' he says, and the name barely makes it beyond his lips. He clears his throat and starts again. 'Ness, I...I need to apologise to you.'

My hand flinches back on automatic, but Hadrian keeps hold of it, enclosing it within his warmth. Panic is giving way to something else, something akin to falling from a large height. His eyes do not leave my face.

'What for?' I whisper. I barely register the glow of the lights, the red hues and the cascades of stars. My eyes see only his.

He licks his lips. I follow the movement.

'When you first arrived I...' he swallows. Takes a breath. Continues. 'I told you that you wouldn't last a month. I told you that I wanted you gone. I told you that I didn't want you to stay.'

'Oh,' I say, my voice distant. 'You did.'

'I lied,' he says.

'Oh,' I say.

'I lied about wanting you gone. I lied about not wanting you to stay.'

'Oh.'

'Ness, everybody knew you were going to be special. I knew it. Cerberus knew it. Jefferson knew it. Char knew it. Sybella knew it. I didn't want to know it. Easier to push you away and go on like I always have, than face the idea of losing someone to Hecate again.'

I swallow. My face feels odd, like I'm making a happy expression.

'I never thought you could get to know somebody in a month,' Hadrian says. 'And I was right.'

I inhale, sharp as a knife sinking through flesh.

'Because I could never know you in a month,' Hadrian continues. 'There is so much more to you than this moment; I need a lifetime. I need a thousand lifetimes to know you.'

Hadrian moves. Fluid, graceful, like a shadow following its caster. Such a small movement, and it changes everything.

Hadrian kneels.

On one knee.

My hand still held in his.

His eyes still on me.

My heart starts slamming in my ribs once more, alive again.

'Will you marry me?' Hadrian asks.

The world rushes back into colour. Red and gold and purple, vibrant and awake. None so stark and clear as the blue of his eyes, though. Nothing as distracting and magnetic.

Hadrian's expression is of hope. 'I promise there will be adventure. The occasional sordid kiss in public, and the odd jump into the unknown. No more lies about how my stomach doesn't flip whenever it senses you're near, or how I don't want to spend every night by your side. And I will love you, Nerissa.'

His throat bobs as he swallows, still staring up at me, waiting to hear a noise.

I force out a question I need an answer to.

'Will you love me for who I am?' I say. For a moment, I survey the scene: Hadrian on one knee, clutching my hand, hopeful, waiting— and me, rigid, shielding my heart in case.

'Not because I can bring back spring,' I clarify. 'Not because I'm part of the spell. Because those can change. My character flaws— stubborn, overly confident. Are you sure you want that?'

Hadrian's worry ceases into a smile, gentle and slow. 'I am certain,' he says. 'Will you marry me, Nerissa?'

'Yes,' I say, and I'm grinning and laughing, and then I'm saying over and over, 'Yes! I will marry you!'

Hadrian rises to his feet and takes a step forward. His hands curl around the small of my back as we rush at one another, and then my lips meet his.

A roaring triumph echoes in my ears. I throw my arms around his neck as he deepens the kiss, tilting his head to meet mine. We are flush against one another, our hands scrabbling for contact, our mouths opening. His tongue rushes over mine, and gasping, I push myself into him. His answer is to pull me closer, his hand stroking my lower back.

Heat floods my body. A fire alights in my core, and all I can focus on is Hadrian's hands, his tongue in my mouth, both hot and sexy. I'm dimly aware that the exploding lights are still whizzing and screeching into the sky, but my eyes are shut, creating bright flashes against my lids.

'More,' I whisper against his mouth. 'More.'

His hands run over my backside, and he grips me firmly, pulling me onto his thigh. I sigh, letting my own hands run down his chest, his hips, his bum— feeling muscle and tenseness and anticipation. We kiss urgently, greedily, tasting each other and touching. Then, my hand runs over his torso, his smooth stomach, his hips—

—and meet hardness. In surprise, I blink up at him, realising too late that he's already large, and my accidental touch has halted us.

His eyes bore into mine, our faces half an inch apart, and he whispers, 'More.'

And he silences any answer with his mouth over mine. So, curious and lusting, I reach back against his crotch and press my hand against his crotch through material. Hadrian shudders in pleasure, his eyelids flickering, before he opens them and sets his eyes on me once more.

This time, there's a devilish meaning behind the stare. His hand creeps up my front, to my chest, questioning, and I nod against his lips. Permission given, Hadrian's hand reaches up and takes my breast in his hand.

I inhale sharply. I'm not even naked! I find myself thinking. Not even naked and I'm this excited!

I find myself doing other things too. As he rubs his hand over my nipple, I push against him, pressuring him to carry on. When he squeezes my nipple gently, I let out a breathy sort of growl. His responding deep chuckle has me unbuttoning his trousers. I pull them down, revealing his tight black underwear. To pull off his trousers, I have to take off his shoes and socks. When he's standing in his black underwear and shirt, I nod appreciatively. His legs are strong and muscular, and I run a finger along them. Still not enough, I take off his top too, feeling down his shoulders and caressing his chest.

'You're all about equality, aren't you?' Hadrian murmurs as I reach back to him, my hands planting back firmly on his hips. I sigh, half listening, half anticipating what I want to do.

Finally, he's standing almost bare in front of me. It's beautiful.

'Yeah,' I reply, 'Of course.'

He has such a nice, trim body. And he's still grinning. Why does that make me want to grin, too?

'That's good, then.'

My dress is pulled off over my head. I let out a small shriek, suddenly standing in my shoes and underwear. Automatically, my hands cross my body, as if to cover myself— and then I stop. I let down my guard. And my arms drop to my sides, my shoulders draw proudly back, and I raise my chin to stare at my husband-to-be.

His eyes are popping. Like, popping. I hadn't understood the phrase until now. His eyes rake in my lacy, small black underwear, and his mouth opens, closes, opens again. Slowly, I take off my shoes.

And then I hold out my hand and flash him a brilliant, welcoming smile.

'My name's Nerissa,' I say, 'I'm the lucky, blushing bride of Death.'

Hadrian takes my hand, laughing. 'When we first met I can't believe you didn't catch on who I was.'

'It's not like you wear a name tag!' I nudge his hip.

He smirks. 'I remember your face when you first saw me and you did know who I was. You look like you'd swallowed a marble.'

'I thought you'd kick me out for sure,' I laugh, and he pulls me into him. Our bare chests touch, and I take in a breath. He feels so warm, my brain tells me.

'I think we can safely say I never kicked you out,' he murmurs, and he leans forward to kiss me again. We wrap our arms around each other and, bodies aligned, move as one.

As we kiss, I end up back on his lap as he pulls me onto it. 'I thought I told you to stay there,' he murmurs in between kisses.

I take him very literally. I straddle him fully and wrap my legs around his body. 'Close enough?' I whisper into his ear, before kissing down his neck. Hadrian shudders again, in pleasure, and I feel his penis throb underneath me. My response is immediate; my nipples harden through my underwear, and a dampness settles between my legs. Hadrian, sensing this, moves his hands; one to cup my breast, the other to stroke the top of my hips. I groan, kissing him more ferociously, so that his hands snake slowly downwards. His fingers deftly part my labia, and then dips inside.

Wetness floods through me, and I pulse in enjoyment. Hadrian leans back to watch my face as his fingers work harder, stroking my clitoris in short, rhythmic motions. I spasm, groaning and begging for more. His other hand unfastens my bra, and my breasts tumble free. Again, he stares in frank desire before his lips find my nipple. I writhe in need.

I manage to pull some sort of rational thought through my head, and my hand finds his penis once more. It's fuller and tenser than before, and my hand, delving into Hadrian's underwear, wraps around it. I feel his hips move in shock and delight as I move my hand along him, teasing him, feeling his own wetness.

Then, in a small second, we both pause. It's not even a second, probably half a second, maybe less— enough to meet one another's eyes. Enough to see the same thoughts. Enough to ask the same question.

'More?' we both whisper. And then, laughing, we both nod.

Smiling still, Hadrian grips my legs and lifts me up. Then, he lays me along the length of the boat, which was comfortably decorated in blankets and pillows. He ensures that I'm comfortable, that I won't get burned by candles, and then, he reaches into the basket of food, and pulls out a box.

Inside, a silver ring of emerald vines and a flower awaits my finger.

I gasp. 'For me?'

'I had it made for you,' he murmurs, and a flush creeps up his neck. I notice that his chest reddens too— something I wouldn't ever have seen if he wasn't nearly naked. 'The vines and the flower are supposed to be us. The flower is a daffodil. They're one of the symbols of the Underworld and...'

I realise how his hand is trembling. I lean forwards to kiss him, and hold out my hand.

'Well then,' I say, 'Shouldn't I try it on?'

Until now, I hadn't realised how bare my ring finger had felt. Now, it felt as though Hadrian's ring had always meant to be there. I cradle it to my chest and take a moment to cherish the scene.

Hadrian puts the box down and when I open my eyes, he's staring at me once more. My hand cups his cheek, and I pull him on top of me.

'More,' I say, and his kisses are more distractions as we remove the last items of clothing from one another. Hadrian reaches into the pre-stashed bag, and pulls out a packet. I redden when he opens it, and pulls the thin sheath down across his penis. It's this small gesture that he's protecting us that makes me hot and flushed. Suddenly, there's no space between us at all.

No air, no distance...and no clothing. Hadrian rolls atop of me, cradling me beneath his hard, muscular body. His chest presses against mine, and I feel my nipples peak. I entwine my legs around his, and he shifts, so his weight is pressed against his elbows.

When he looks at me, his eyes show a rare, vulnerable expression. My lips part— an invitation that he accepts. He eases slowly to kiss me, and his lips meet mine in a song of love and life. I kiss him back, with the same tentative emotion. My eyes flutter shut, and then all I can feel is the soft skin of his lips, the warmth of his hand as he cups my face, and the noise of the night falling around us. Alone in the world— but surrounded by the winds, shifting through the grasses in whispers.

My tongue snakes against his— and then we're talking in tongues, our bodies shifting imperceptibly in arousal. His hot tongue is roaming my mouth, sending shivers scalding my spine and kissing my toes. A breathy moan shutters from me, and Hadrian pauses.

I nearly blush in embarrassment, scared I've put him off— but no. In his eyes, a light shines. A powerful, confident emotion. He stops kissing my mouth— and instead moves to my jaw, my earlobe, my neck, kissing and nibbling until I'm squirming beneath him in pleasure. Then his hands start to drift again.

He strokes in the same way he kisses: slow, deliberate, methodical. He strokes my body thoroughly, reminding me of each part, before focusing on me. Poised above me, my legs wrapped around him, he waits. For the millionth time, I stare into his lovely blue eyes. Only now, I'm ready to give him an answer he never thought he'd be asking about.

'I love you,' he says.

'Then what are you waiting for?' I laugh, giving him a ridiculous wink.

Hadrian's hand tips under my chin so that I look into his eyes. 'I'm waiting for you to say it back.'

'But you already know,' I tease. 'How could I not be in love with my Hades?'

He covers me in kisses. Even lower ones, just to make sure I'm ready. I have to pull him back up. Then, finally, I feel his penis pressing against my entrance, and I arch into him.

'Ready?' Hadrian whispers.

'For anything,' I nod.

'Good...because I have no idea what will happen.'

'Hopefully something enjoyable,' I quip, but his smirk makes me wetter. He's loving having the control, and I find myself trying to shuffle and press against him. He kisses me again, and his tongue brushes tantalisingly into my mouth, and I moan again.

'Please,' I hear myself say.

I crumble the last of his teasing and resolve. He kisses me hard and pushes in deep.

A rapid pain swells between my legs, and his kiss softens it. When the pain fades, he draws back to check I'm alright. I remind him of how okay I am by bucking my hips, and I hear him gasp. He pushes again, his hips pressing against me as he fills me. My hands scrabble against his back, pulling him in. I can't describe the electric feeling arcing along my inner thighs, but it makes me someone else, someone raw and demanding and passionate. Again and again, Hadrian pulls back and pushes into me, whilst kissing me and touching me and telling me, over and over, how much he loves me.

I feel him deep within me as I start to go over the edge. My moans get louder, which only spurs Hadrian on. We're sweating and breathing hard, our hips grinding, our mouths heavy and desperate. Each time he thrusts and rubs against me, I build up to something big. I don't want it to stop, yet at the same time, I'm desperate to reach that place. Need to reach it. And I want Hadrian along there too.

I shift my hips in a way that makes him shudder in pleasure, and, aware of it, continue to do it. His head drops to my forehead, and he lets out a groan as I sway my legs onto his backside.

I realise he's building up to the same place, too.

Kissing him harder, we move more urgently, quickly, the two of us gasping and groaning into each other's mouths. The boat rocks as we move, swaying with our motion. I can't get enough of him, his body, the feel of him, and I claw him gently to stay inside me, forever if needs be. But I'm approaching fast, and Hadrian holds me and kisses me as he thrusts, sending a rushing eruption through me. The electric current sends jolts of pleasure as I orgasm.

'I love you too,' I manage to whisper.

As I finish, Hadrian's own completion begins, and I feel him throbbing within me, his muscles heaving and relaxing in gratification. We collapse into one another, breathing hard and kissing slowly, whilst the noise of the fireworks comes back to our senses once more. Then Hadrian pulls me into his arms, and I nestle against him, warm and happy.

In the darkness, we do not see the subtle changes from our actions. Surrounding our little boat, hundreds of waterlilies had grown on the surface, radiating out from us as the centre. 

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A/N: Please let me know your thoughts/comments and don't forget to like if you enjoyed! :)