mature content

Juniper stuck her tongue out for the same doctor that'd drawn her blood. It was in the early hours of the morning.

Her arms were covered in a special ointment and thick bandages from her wrists to elbows.

"There's a large amount of damage here," the doctor hummed to himself.

Raphael saw Juniper roll her eyes up to the ceiling.

No shit, he could practically hear her voice.

Her neck was a dark shade of purple. Large hand prints were defined in the bruising and Raphael had to stop himself from tearing the room apart. There was already a hole in the wall besides him.

"You'll heal quickly, quicker if you keep from talking too much. Just for tonight try to keep speaking to an absolute minimum for the pains sake. For the rest of the week just take it easy, I'm going to send you home with some elixirs and pain killers."

Juniper nodded once, showing a thumbs up.

The shadow demon leaned back on her hands, watching the doctor describe the instructions. She didn't listen but she was aware that Raphael was absorbing all of the information.

As he spoke, she pushed herself up. Sniffling quietly, she felt sorely uncomfortable... unsettled by what had happened.

It was like a hard slap in the face, the reminder that things weren't sunshines and rainbows with her mate. That there was still people trying to kill her.

Juniper wrapped her arms around herself, looking at the door for a moment. She wanted to walk out the door and into the car to wait for Raphael there.

But she glanced back at him, as he asked questions about her medications with a hard stare on his face.

Juniper sighed quietly and shuffled over to the berserker. She walked straight into his side, tucking her face into his arm while pressing her chest to his.

He glanced down at her, mildly surprised before winding one large arm around her.

"Thank you," Raphael nodded in thanks while grabbing the meds.

Tugging Juniper into his side so firmly that he was practically carrying her weight, he walked them both out.

The car ride was silent, Raphael was half tempted to fill the silence but as Juniper clutched his hand he decided against it.

Her eyes drooped a little, fatigue written all over her face as she hadn't gotten any sleep and the circumstances were extraneous.

"Let's go to bed," he instructed immediately as he opened her door when they got home.

She dragged her tired eyes up to him in her seat. Juniper wrapped her arms around his neck, Raphael didn't need anymore instruction to lift her up. He wrapped her legs around his hips and carried her inside.

Bear barked loudly, hopping up to sniff Juniper.

"Hi dog," Raphael spared him a greeting for Juniper's sake as she couldn't at the moment. He tossed his keys onto the hook, rubbing his hand up Juniper's back and walking upstairs, the dog on his heels.

Her shallow breaths fanned his neck, her face stuffed in it.

"Stay?" she asked quietly while pulling back to look at him.

He nodded immediately, setting her on the bed.

Juniper sat for a moment, unmoving as her face was unreadable.

He was about to say something before she stood up, grabbing pajamas and walking into the bathroom without another word.

He sighed, stripping slowly to his boxers. He sat heavily on the bed, wondering if he should put on different clothes to sleep in for her to be comfortable.

Before he could act on the worry, he saw her come back. She walked straight towards him, gripping his hand as she sat back on the bed. She wore one of his t-shirts, kneeling besides him while shuffling close.

He watched her carefully, before she straddled one of his thighs and held his shoulders to keep his attention. As if it would be anywhere else.

Juniper opened her mouth to speak softly. She was unable to get her voice to go above a whisper, the strain in it was audible.

"I'm causing trouble," she forced out. "I should leave- safer for you," her words were choppy for the sake of her throat.

Raphael snarled, "You're not fucking leaving!"

She winced at his tone. Glaring at him and poking at his chest as if to emphasize her words and who she was putting in danger.

"Don't give me that bullshit!" he snapped. "You're safe with me! You're not leaving my side, obviously I can't trust anyone else to protect you."

She opened her mouth to speak again.

"No, Juniper." He barked out, "You're not leaving me."

His tone softened as did his angry gaze. "Do you think I can't keep you safe... is that it?"

Juniper swiftly shook her head, she knew Raphael could take care of her if necessary.

"Then what's the fucking problem?!"

She sighed frustratedly. He was acting as if she wanted to leave.

"They don't kn-know you're the father, y-you could ... could still get o-out of this without getting hur-hurt."

He huffed out a large breath as he rubbed his face.

"It's my future kid too that they're so scared of," he snapped. "I don't want to get out of it. You're it for me, Juniper. So cut the shit, don't ever ask me to leave again."

She shoved at his chest a little at his rude tone.

He looked up at her sternly, she grabbed his face and made sure he watched her nod her head nonetheless.

Raphael grunted, leaning forward and kissing her gently.

A breathy noise erupted from Juniper, who deepened the kiss.

Soon enough, Raphael was pushing her down. He hovered over her as he pressed a hand to the small of her back as she arched into his warmth.

Both moaned into each other, Raphael pulled away. Their low lidded eyes met as he took his time to look over her face. He brushed a blue strand of hair behind her ear.

He kissed her briefly before muttering, "I was so-" he kissed her again. "Fucking scared."

Juniper nodded a little as he pushed his tongue into her mouth greedily. She mewled lightly as his hands brushed up her shirt.

His large hands brushed over her thin cotton panties as he rubbed her sides. He pressed his lips gently over her bruised skin while his fingers slowed over her underwear, toying with the lace.

"Want- need to make you feel good," he panted quietly. His words sent shivers down her spine as he was feeling the lust pool out of him.

"Let me ease the pain."

Her chocolate thighs squeezed together as the feeling of her mate so close to exactly where she craved him was almost too much.

She took gasping breaths while digging her nails into his tanned skin when his strong digits brushed over the crotch of her panties.

Raphael's eyes fluttered closed in satisfaction as he felt the damp spot on the fabric. "Already wet for me, gods you're perfect you know that?"

Juniper mewled quietly, back arching up at the way his words and praise made her feel.

Raphael's fingers were working wonders on her as her shoulders lost their tension. She sucked in a breath when he slid his hand into her underwear.

"Good girl baby," he felt her part her thighs.

She opened her lips as a loud moan traveled up her throat, his thumb pressing to her clit.

Before the sound could fall from her lips, a hand pressed to her mouth tightly.

Her eyes opened abruptly as Raphael's heated eyes stared down at her. A low whimper vibrated his hand as he circled his finger over her entrance.

He shushed her gently, a smirk tugging at his lips. "Gotta be quiet, gorgeous. Can't hurt your throat."

She inhaled sharply in protest but he continued.

"I promise next time I'm going to make you fucking scream. Just let me take the pain away, you gotta stay quiet this time," he was grinding his own hips against her thighs while growling quietly.

He sucked lightly on her jaw before abruptly pushing his finger into her, Juniper's eyes widened and she dug her nails into his shoulders.

"So fucking tight."

A low moan came from her chest as Raphael hissed and bit at her ear.

"Make another sound and I'm stopping," he growled while panting. She was clamped down on his finger, he eased his way in and out as her slick coated his hand.

His eyes rolled back at the thought of her wrapped around his cock, he pushed a second finger in.

"Tap my shoulder if you want me to stop," he muttered as she clutched his shoulders and the back of his head. Her eyes were shut tightly as she rocked against his hand, trying to grind her clit against the heel of his palm.

When she did no such thing, he shoved his fingers into her at a faster pace. She rocked her hips to set the pace, he curled them and watched her back arched.

"You're driving me insane," the berserker panted as he watched his digits fuck her. "I'd bury myself so deep inside you wouldn't know where I start and you end if I could," he croaked. Her walls clenched tightly around him.

Oh my god, she thought in her head while her insides were going haywire at his simple touches.

Feeling his long fingers inside of her, brushing parts she didn't know existed she could barely form words in her mind.

Please don't stop, she wanted to plead vocally. But his hand over her mouth halted it.

Her whines were muffled, jolting when he rubbed harsh circles onto her swollen bundle of nerves.

"Atta girl," he husked. "You don't want me to stop?" his tone was mocking as he knew the answer. He barely waited for her to shake her head quickly. "Cause you're all mine, yeah?"

Juniper's mind was swimming as moans and groans bubbled in her throat only to be halted by Raphael's hand. His fingers were long and thick reaching parts inside of her that she'd never been able to and stretching her.

She tugged hard at his hair when he began rubbing the pads of his fingers over that certain spot inside of her.

"Don't stop," she suddenly croaked quietly, desperately against his palm. "Pleasepleaseplease!"

"Fuck Juniper," he snarled but didn't stop. His fingers pounded into her harder.

Her eyes watered as he whispered filthy things in her ear, praising her for how well she took his fingers.

"You look so fuckin' good on your back for me. Gods, you're soaked. Common baby, cum on my fingers for me," he rasped as his fingers quickened their pace.

A small squeal came from Juniper as her walls clamped down on Raphael's digits. She gushed around them as she came, Raphael growled lowly, rubbing her through it while toying with her sensitive clit.

He groaned while tugging his fingers from her, she watched with low lidded eyes as he took his fingers in his mouth.

Raphael sucked them clean while tugging her closer to him, "Remember that the next time you ask me to leave."

She grunted tiredly, winding her arms around his neck to lay her head on his shoulder.

He rolled onto his side and held her close, she could feel his length twitching against her thigh.

She nudged it gently.

He sucked in a sharp breath, clapping his hand down on her ass before squeezing it.

"Ignore it," he muttered. "Go to sleep," he pressed his lips to her temple.

She was already half asleep through his sentence, when he glanced down a moment later he saw her snoring quietly against his collar.

Rolling onto his back, he brought her on top of him and finally let his eyes shut.

~

they took the next step! not my best spicy time in my opinion i may go back and edit it to make it better at some point but i'm content for now

how are we feeling about the development of their relationship?