**A/N this part was written especially for VeloySR595, & MarinaCasares in order to end this story on a more satisfactory note. Plus it only seemed fair that it should include Arthur's point of view, considering what's about to go down. Hope you enjoy!
Btw, thank you all so much for the well wishes, and for your patience during my absence -- my vision is slowly improving but I'll apologise in advance for any typos; I'm still struggling to see clearly, but I needed to write again in order to keep my sanity!
I hope you're all keeping safe out there. Sending positive vibes to you all xoxo

⚠️ Contains fluff, a teensy bit of angst, and heavy NSFW!

--3rd person POV---

"Happy, is that you?" His mother's voice rang out the second he stepped foot into the hall.

"Yeah ma." He responded wearily. "Who else would it be?"

"You didn't come home last night."

Arthur felt a stab of guilt at her statement. Even though his mother was still capable of getting herself from room to room, and fixing cereal or toast for herself, he still felt wretched for having left her to her own devices all night, without a word.
He was her care provider after all. She depended on him.

"Yeah, sorry about that mom. It's because I--"

"Shouldn't you be working?" She interrupted, as he entered the living room sheepishly.

"Oh, yeah. About that." He took a seat in his usual spot on the couch, and looked at her solemnly. "I...well, I...I took some time off."

Her thin eyebrows drew together in bewilderment. "You took some time off?"

Fuck. Now he felt even more of a screw-up, having to lie to her.
But if he told her the truth then she'd only worry about money, and he didn't want that. Perhaps if he could buy himself a little time then he could find work someplace else.

"Y-yeah. I need time to work on my jokes and stuff." He brightened, remembering he was booked-in for open mic night at Pogo's. "Oh, and I'll be doing my first routine next week at a comedy club downtown. How about that? Pretty neat huh?"

"Hm." She murmured, disinterestedly. "Did you check the mail before you came up?"

His smile faded, the brightness within him dimming as a result of her lack-lustre response.

Fucking Thomas Wayne.

He was all she seemed to live for. Actually, who was he kidding? This wasn't living, this was simply existing, but the centre of his mother's existence always had been, and always would be, Thomas Wayne.

"I checked the mail." He sighed, feeling suddenly deflated. "Nothing, as usual."

She sighed heavily, her bony shoulders slumping with disappointment. "He mustn't be getting my letters."

Arthur hated seeing his mother torturing herself like this.
He was tempted to tell her that she was labouring under a misapprehension, that the likes of Thomas Wayne wouldn't be interested in a past employees' letters.
Her obsession wasn't healthy, it had taken over her life, but he feared that if he tried to drum it into her it would break her heart. Without her obsession, what else did she have to live for?

"He's a busy man, mom. He's running for mayor. He probably doesn't have time right now."

"He'll make a wonderful mayor." She smiled wistfully, her eyes growing misty. "Everyone says so."

"Everyone who? I doubt that everybody thinks so."

"Anyone that matters does. The people on the news do."

Arthur really didn't want to go over this again. This conversation was getting old, and he had other things on his mind right now.
Money; or lack thereof, was one of them.
But even that was put on a back-burner, as thoughts of (y/n) took precedence over everything else. Even the incident on the subway the previous night seemed insignificant in comparison.

He smiled to himself, considering her beautiful face, her gentle smile, the way she'd touched him, held him, and kissed him so tenderly.
She'd even understood his reasons for shooting those bastards who'd attacked him, and that meant more to him than she would ever realise. Sharing that dark secret with her was one less weight lifted from his shoulders, and she hadn't judged him.

"Mom..." He leaned forwards, sitting on the edge of the couch. "I didn't come home last night because....I met a girl."

His mother's gaze was focused solely on the television screen, but she eventually turned to glance at him, a slightly incredulous look on her face.

"Where would you meet a girl?"

Her tone was challenging as well as disbelieving, and it filled him with intense irritation; making him feel defensive as well as hurt.

"I met her at work. I've known her a while, we were friends." He explained, somehow managing to maintain his patience. "She's amazing, mom. I think you'll like her. I love her."

To his vexation she turned back towards the television, huffing a little.

"You don't know what love is, happy. You're too young to know."

Arthur scowled, his temper spiking.

If it wasn't for (y/n) I wouldn't, he wanted to say. Because you've never shown me any kind of love, or warmth.

His jaw tightened and he bit his lip, forcing his anger down; not allowing himself to vent his frustrations.

"I'm thirty three years old, mom, I'm hardly too young." He said instead, his voice low and simmering with malice. "I know how I feel, I do love her. And she loves me."

"Are you sure about that?" She enquired, raising a cynical eyebrow. "What about your laughing?"

"She knows about my condition, and yes I'm sure. She told me!" He snapped.

"Don't yell at me." Her voice quivered slightly, making him feel bad.

"I wasn't yelling. Sorry."

He rose and went into the kitchen, reaching for the little orange bottle of pills.
There was so many. Seven different medications to be exact, and none of them ever made him feel less anxious, less depressed, or more lucid. They didn't help him sleep, or feel relaxed.

(y/n) made him feel all of those things though. He couldn't remember having slept so soundly than he had falling asleep in her arms; the warmth of her body making him feel safe, comfortable, and wanted.

She wanted him. Truly wanted him, in every sense of the word.

The contented smile returned to his face as he took himself off into the bathroom to take a shower. It remained firmly in place as he washed, shaved, and got dressed.

He put on his dark burgundy suit, with matching vest and tie.
He wanted to look as smart as possible for (y/n). Perhaps if she finished her gig early enough then they could go out for something to eat afterwards.
Money was problematic, but he wanted to do something nice for her. To show her he wanted to court her, not just get her into bed.

Arthur had always been a bit of an old fashioned romantic at heart, and now finally he would be able to treat his new lover with all the respect, care, and attention she so rightly deserved.

"Listen mom, I'm uh...I'm not going to be home tonight, okay?"

Penny looked up from the oatmeal she was eating, and eyed him dubiously.

"Where is it you're going?"

"(y/n)'s place. She has an apartment over in Bedford Park."

"Do you have to stay all night?" She questioned, between spoonfuls. "What about Murray?"

Arthur sighed, patting his pockets in search of his cigarette lighter. "Isn't that what you do when you're dating someone, stay over? I'll set the video recorder to tape Murray."

"Don't forget to mail my letter before you leave. I hope he gets this one. I'm sure the mailman is throwing them away."

Feeling guilty for leaving her again overnight, Arthur had an idea which he thought might placate her, and relieve his guilt a little.

He flicked the ash from his cigarette into the ashtray, then took another long drag on it; exhaling the smoke slowly as he spoke. "Tell you what, tomorrow I'll take it down there myself and leave it for him. He must have a secretary or something."

His mother paused, the spoon mid-way to her mouth. "No happy, you need to give it to Thomas. Don't leave it with some assistant, you can't trust them. The letter is important."

"Okay ma. I'll do my best."

>>------------------------------->>

Taking the bus into the city, Arthur found himself daydreaming about (y/n) and all the things they could do together. Long walks in the park, afternoon picnics, evenings spent at Pogo's, Saturday trips to the movies, and so on.
He leaned his head against the window; still smiling contentedly to himself.
He didn't know what he'd done to deserve (y/n), but he thanked whatever Gods he could think of, despite not being particularly religious, for her having come into his life.

Why him of all people? He really couldn't wrap his head around that. There were other men that worked at HA-HA'S. Des, the male stripper, was a handsome, well-built guy who had more than his fair share of female admirers. And yet (y/n) had scarcely ever looked twice at him. It could be argued that Des simply wasn't her type, but Arthur struggled to accept that he himself was. Unless her type was skinny, shy men in their thirties.

When he finally reached Gotham Square, it didn't take him long to locate the Plaza hotel.

On a whim he'd decided to surprise (y/n) as she came out, rather than wait at home for a phone call. He'd wrestled with the idea all evening, worrying that it betrayed his eagerness to be with her, and he feared she might find it off-putting.

But in the end his feelings had won. He loved the very bones of her, and wanted to keep her safe. Even though she promised to take a taxi, Arthur couldn't rid himself of the thought of some upper-class businessman harassing her. Pressing his luck, and trying to force her into giving him more than just a simple kiss on the cheek.

Arthur himself had been an exception to (y/n)'s rule, which he knew must've made him special. No kissing on the lips was her strict policy, up until her having kissed him on his birthday. She hadn't been working of course, but the way they'd been kissing, really kissing, had shocked him and thrown him off-balance.

She had wanted to kiss him. Him, not any other guy she'd performed birthday greetings for. To say it was unexpected would be a monumental understatement.
But the thought of some drunken client trying to force her into doing the same, or even worse, made bile rise at the back of his throat.

Staring up in awe at the impressive structure of the grand building in front of him, Arthur felt momentarily saddened. It saddened him to know that he would never be able to afford spending the night with (y/n) in a luxurious hotel such as this.
The Plaza was the most prestigious hotel in town; frequented by Gotham's most elite members of society. It was used for important functions, had expensive tea rooms and a restaurant that served dishes which cost more than Arthur's suit had.

Just then a voice interrupted his thoughts, and Arthur turned quickly to see the impeccably dressed doorman looking at him expectantly.

"Can I help you sir?"

Arthur quickly did a double take, looking behind him to ensure the man was specifically addressing him.

"Oh, uh, I...I'm just waiting for someone. My...girlfriend." He grinned, his chest swelling with pride. It felt overwhelmingly good being able to say it.. "She's working here tonight."

"Is the lady in question a member of staff?"

"No, she's an entertainer. There's a party here tonight. She should be finished anytime now."

The doorman cracked a smile and nodded knowingly. "Ah yes, the Wayne's function."

Arthur blinked.
The Wayne's were here? Surely this could be an opportunity to deliver his mother's letter.

"Perhaps sir would care to wait inside? There's a comfortable waiting area in the lobby."

"Really?" Arthur couldn't believe his luck. "I-I yeah, sure. Thanks."

The man pulled the door for him and he stepped inside, smiling gratefully.

The interior decor was exquisite; all soft lighting and polished marbled floors. The waiting area consisted of opulent armchairs and a chaise' lounge, as well as a mahogany coffee table; complete with a solid marble ashtray which sat atop it.

He took a seat, sinking into the plush fabric, and pulled out his pack of cigarettes. His hands were shaking slightly due to the excitement he felt.

As he waited and smoked he watched diligently; noticing the way guests at the party seemed to wander between rooms. They appeared to be in high spirits; some had glasses in their hands, other's cigarettes.

A night manager sat behind the reception desk, and two security guards stood in position by each door. That could be problematic, Arthur reasoned, as they'd seen him come in and sit down, which meant he obviously wasn't a party guest.

Still, he decided to chance his luck.
Finishing his smoke, he stood and straightened his tie; thankful that he'd chosen to wear a suit.

As he made his way towards what appeared to be the main function room, the security guard held up a hand; blocking his entrance.

"Sir, are you on the guest list?" He asked.

Shit.

"I'm with the entertainment." Arthur replied, trying to sound confident.

The guard raised a sceptical eyebrow. "The entertainment is over. I'm afraid you'll have to wait here."

The entertainment was over?

Arthur opened his mouth to speak again, just as the door swung open with perfect timing, and (y/n) came out.

"Arthur!" She exclaimed, her brow furrowing in surprised confusion, but her beautiful lips stretched into a broad smile. "What are you doing here? Wow. Look at you, you look...amazing!"

"I came to meet you." He beamed, all thoughts of Thomas Wayne temporarily forgotten. "I didn't want you travelling alone so late. Plus I thought maybe we could get something to eat."

Linking her arm through his, she led him towards the desk. "Oh, that's so thoughtful of you sweetie, I have had a little something but--"

"Oh, you've already eaten?"

"Only one or two canapés and a lobster vol-au-vent." She rolled her eyes. "I was ready to leave like, half an hour ago, but Mister Wayne insisted I stay and have a drink. I tried caviar too, and d'you know what? It was disgusting. You gotta laugh right, their food is basically just expensive shit."

She giggled but Arthur suddenly halted in his tracks, which compelled her to fall silent.

"You okay, sweetie?"

"You had drinks with Thomas Wayne?"

(y/n) shook her head. "No not Thomas, it was Dale Wayne. Apparently he's some cousin of his, and they're business associates."

"Oh. Was Thomas Wayne there?"

"No. I don't think this kind of party is his thing. It isn't formal enough you see. Kissograms aren't exactly a classy form of entertainment."

"Don't say that. You're classier than anyone here." Arthur gently cupped her face, running his thumb over her bottom lip. "You don't let the men touch you, and you only kiss the client once on the cheek. Not like those so-called exotic dancers."

"Oh yeah, and where have you been watching exotic dancers, hm?"

Arthur's face grew pink. "I haven't, I j-just heard some of the guys at wok talk about it. I've never--"

"Oh sweetie, relax I'm just teasing you." She placed a finger against his lips. "And as for being classy...this get-up is hardly classy."

Unfolding her trench coat, she flashed the blouse which was part of her 'sexy secretary' outfit. The top few buttons were deliberately unbuttoned; exposing a fair amount of cleavage. The sight made Arthur's blush deepen from pink to red, as heat coursed through his veins.

He couldn't form the words for an appropriate response, as his brain seemed to cease functioning.

"So, do you wanna get something to eat?" (y/n) asked, smiling up at him fondly.

Arthur shrugged. His mind now suddenly racing, as if it had reset itself and gone into overdrive.

"I don't know. You've already had something, so there's no point going if you're not hungry. And you'd have to keep your coat on the whole time."

She surprised him then by threading her arms around his neck, her gaze never leaving his face.

"It's November, leaving the coat on isn't a problem. This outfit wasn't exactly designed for warmth. And yeah I've eaten a little, but you need to eat too. Besides you're all dressed up, I'd hate for it to be for nothing."

"It's hardly for nothing." He smiled, gazing down at her. "It's all for you."

He saw the affect his proclamation had on her. Instantly her (e/c) eyes seemed to twinkle with happiness, and darken with desire. They became misty; as if she were about to cry, whilst simultaneously flashing with heat and passion.

"Shit. I love you Arthur Fleck." Straining upwards she placed a soft kiss to the delicate skin just below his earlobe, and smiled as she felt him tremble. "If you haven't eaten then we're going for food. But if you have...then maybe we could skip dinner. I quite fancy moving straight on to dessert."

Arthur caught on to her suggestiveness, but wasn't confident enough to trust his naive instincts. Was she definitely implying she wanted to go back to her apartment and have sex? It would be wrong of him to assume so, regardless of how much he wanted it.
He was at a loss. He'd never done this before. It was all so new to him.

"Uh, when you say dessert...? Does that mean-- I mean, is that--?"

"I mean you, sweetie." She clarified, playfully nuzzling her nose into his neck. "You are my dessert."

"Ah, o-kay." He swallowed roughly, despite there being no saliva left in his mouth. His tongue almost got stuck to his teeth. "I just wanted to be sure."

"So, have you eaten?"

His large hands slid from her back down to her hips, and gave a gentle squeeze. "I'm...hungry for you, (y/n)." He declared, surprising himself.

"Ooh, Arthur. Look, you're making me blush!" She fanned her flushed cheeks with her hands; wafting in an attempt to cool herself down. "Well in that case....taxi?"

"Sounds good to me."

As (y/n) ordered a cab, Arthur's attention fleetingly drifted back to his mother, and the promise he'd made her. His fingers delved into his inside jacket pocket and pulled out the small envelope. His mom's neat handwriting stared tauntingly back at him; flooding him with guilt once more.

His green eyes slid over to the main function room door, as all the while he idly played with the letter.

"Cab will be here in ten. Everything alright, Artie?" Her eyes came to rest inquisitively on the letter he was toying with. "What's that?"

"It's uh, a letter for Thomas Wayne."

"Thomas Wayne?"

"Yeah, I promised my mother I'd deliver it. She says it's really important. D'you think that maybe....maybe his cousin would pass it on to him? That is, if I can get passed the guy on the door."

(y/n) chewed her bottom lip thoughtfully. "I guess its worth a try. But I doubt security will let you in, sweetie."

Arthur nodded resignedly. "Yeah I guess you're right."

"But I could give it to Dale." She offered, kindly. "I'm pretty sure they'll let me back in. I'll say I forgot something."

"You would do that? Do you think he'll do it though? Pass it on to Thomas?"

She smiled in a way that disturbed Arthur a little. It looked forced, and could easily be likened to a grimace.

"Oh I'm certain he will. He was, uh, shall we say, very friendly. Perhaps a little too friendly if you catch my drift. But hey...I can maybe use that to our advantage."

Arthur's brows creased into a worried frown. "Did he try to flirt with you?"

She waved her hand dismissively then held it out to take the letter from him. "It's okay, don't worry I'm used to dealing with men like that. I can handle him."

Arthur contemplated her words carefully, his mind flooding with unsavoury scenarios involving his beloved (y/n) and a rich, powerful man like Dale Wayne.
He was obviously a typical sleazy businessman, who had the dangerous potential to abuse his position of power. He could be the kind of man who's wealth and sense of entitlement led him to believe consent wasn't necessarily needed.

Arthur shuddered at the thought of (y/n) being cornered by such a viper. He didn't doubt she was capable of handling herself but...he didn't want her having to cozy up to such a man, just to ensure he'd pass the letter onto his cousin.
Worst still, what if Dale expected something in return for the favour?

"No." Arthur blurted, tucking the letter back into his pocket. "It's okay. I'll take it down to Wayne's office building myself tomorrow."

She frowned in confusion. "Are you sure? I don't mind--"

"I mind." He shook his head. "You already have to deal with sleazeballs like that as part of your job. I don't want you having to put up with another just 'cause my mom wants some dumb letter passing on to Thomas Wayne."

Her heart melted all over again.
His protectiveness was deeply touching. Bordering on possessive but it made her feel cared about. His consideration almost moved her to tears.
No man had ever cared for her in such a way before, and it was alien to her but refreshing. Once again, Arthur had proven himself to be a caring, attentive partner.
One who was worthy of her time and affections.
The kind who she'd been holding out for for the past year. The kind she'd never truly believed she would find.

"You, Arthur Fleck, are frickin' adorable!" She grinned, pulling him in for a hug.

As they made their way to her apartment, Arthur stole glances at her from the side of his eyes. She sat beside him on the back seat of the cab; the scent of her perfume filling his nostrils.

She was so beautiful, he still couldn't believe that she was his. And soon they would reach their destination, and then he could make her his completely. The thought terrified him and thrilled him in equal measures.

They sat in comfortable silence, but both knew it was just a matter of time before they arrived at (y/n)'s apartment, and the unresolved sexual tension between them was already palpable.

When they reached her apartment she made coffee, which they sat and drank together on her couch.

(y/n) chatted away easily, and nobody would've suspected that she was secretly feeling a little nervous.

Why now? She wondered. Last night she had been more than prepared to take Arthur's virginity, and yet all of a sudden she found herself feeling nervous on his behalf. She would need to be patient with him, and reassuring.

Arthur's own mind was now  focused on nothing else.

In the cab he'd still been thinking about the letter and how he'd opted to pass up an opportunity to do something for his mother.
But the way he saw it was; his mother simply wasn't worth it.
What had she ever done for him? She took no interest in his life, and had completely disregarded him when he'd tried to talk to her about (y/n).

Well, why should (y/n) suffer the humiliation of Dale Wayne's flirtations on behalf of his mother; who'd never done anything to show that she cared for him?

(y/n) cared about him. She had proved it. She loved him.
There would've been a time when he wouldn't have known what to do with such love. But now he was prepared.

She wanted him. He wanted her. It was just a question of who made the first move and when. God knows, Arthur had been patient; due to nerves as well as not wanting to ruin the moment by being too eager, but holy shit he couldn't handle the allure of sexual promise any longer.

(y/n) had said she would take a shower once she'd finished her coffee, but she didn't get to finish the hot beverage. Arthur all at once found it impossible to contain his feelings, his desires, his emotions. Considering she'd taken her coat off and was sitting in her revealing outfit, he was amazed he'd been able to keep his hands off her for as long as he already had.

"Mhm, A-Arthur-!" She squealed, surprised but delighted.

He was suddenly all over her; his body, his hands, his mouth.

He'd never been the one to initiate a passionate kiss before so it was awkward, obviously inexperienced, but it made her pulse race nonetheless.
His lips slid across hers and their noses bumped, making (y/n) giggle.

"S-sorry I--"

She silenced him by bringing their lips together again; hers parting as she teased him into a response, and after a moment he was kissing her with confidence again, as if he'd been doing it for years.

His lips were so warm and firm as they caressed her own, the tip of his tongue teasing, making her want more. She held onto him tightly; encouraging him to keep kissing her.

It was so easy to lose herself in him. To surrender all conscious thought to sensation. When they kissed it felt as if the world stopped spinning, and reality ceased to exist.

(y/n) slipped her arms around him and drew him even closer; pulling him down with her as she lay back. Unlike Arthur's tiny couch, hers was long and wide, and offered plenty of room for them to lay down facing each other; their heads resting on a cushion.

His heart thumped in his chest and a slight tremble ran through his body as she began to unfasten the buttons on his vest.

Things were moving fast and it wasn't exactly how he'd imagined it would be, but he ran with it regardless; caught up in the heady snare of lust.

Once his vest was open she ran her hands over the silky fabric of his shirt, before slipping them beneath it so she could stroke his back. He pulled her against him as they shuffled their legs around until they found a comfortable position; with one of his knees between hers.

His obvious erection nudged her hip, and a groan rumbled up from his chest.
Desire rushed through her, and she responded just as eagerly; not even attempting to stifle a low moan.

It had been a long time since  (y/n) had wanted a man like this, and in truth she'd spent many nights wide awake in bed since the end of her disastrous relationship; alone and missing the warmth and comfort that only a strong embrace could provide.

She pulled her lips from his to suck in a breath when she felt his large hand cup her breast. Damn, she longed to be in bed with him, without several layers of clothing separating them, but the heat of the moment was too sensually alluring. Making it impossible for her to barely move, let alone suggest relocating to her room.

"Shit, Arthur." She breathed, as he lowered his face to kiss the side of her neck, then make his way down over her collarbone, until he reached the swell of her breast.

He groaned in response, as his groin came into contact with the centre of her body, and instinct compelled him to rock his lower body against hers.
With a slight movement of her hips, she slid her leg up over his and held him tighter, so that he was pressed against her in just the right place.
He continued to buck gently, rubbing their groins together and emitting soft grunts of pleasure.

Arthur was so immersed in the sensations; revelling in the exquisite friction, he found himself struggling to think clearly. He ought to stop this now, otherwise he might lose control. But instead he found himself grasping her butt so that he could hold her flush to him, as they continued to grind against each other lustfully.

That was until (y/n) couldn't take it anymore.

She pulled back, and Arthur looked down; his hooded eyes watching with joy and disbelief, as she fumbled his pants undone, at last.

"(y-y/n)..." He exhaled unsteadily, as she freed his erection. "God, you turn me on so much."

"Mhm, you turn me on too." She whispered seductively. "I'm so wet for you, Artie."

"F-fuck."

She covered his mouth with hers; her lips crushing his against his teeth, swallowing his moans as she stroked him with firm, quick pulls.

She wanted to take him in her mouth, to taste him, to pull him on top of her...

But suddenly his body shuddered to a halt....as he came in her hand.

Utterly mortified, Arthur wrenched away from her in a panic. "Dammit. I'm so sorry, (y/n)." He muttered. "I didn't mean to—I got carried away. Shit! I'm an idiot. This is so fucking embarrassing--"

"Hey, hey. Artie, don't worry. It's okay to get carried away. It's perfectly natural. Don't beat yourself up over it." She stroked her free hand over his hair. "You liked it, right?"

Reluctantly he raised his eyes to meet hers. "Y-yeah. I liked it too much, unfortunately."

Laughing, she kissed him gently, then leaned over to grab some tissues from the box of Kleenex that was conveniently sitting on the coffee table.

She wiped her hand, as Arthur hastily cleaned himself up, before hurriedly stuffing his waning length back into his pants in shame.

"I'm pathetic." He grumbled, resting his head in his hands.

"No you're not, don't say that!" She reprimanded, taking his face in her hands and forcing him to look at her. "You're perfect! Do you hear me?"

"I didn't want to be a disappointment to you."

"Arthur, you're not. You could never disappoint me." She insisted, reassuringly. "And the night is still young yet."

His smile slowly returned as he visibly brightened at the prospect.

"Listen, I'm going to take that shower. Make yourself at home. I won't be long." She paused at the door, turning back to look at him. "You are staying over, right?"

"If you still want me to."

(y/n) raised a suggestive eyebrow. "Of course I still want you to, baby."

Baby.

The new pet name excited him beyond belief. It was endearing and sweet, yet sexy as well. She had a way of saying it that made his blood stir. He wanted to hear her say it again, and again. He wanted her to cry out; calling him baby with a ragged gasp as he pleasured her.

It occurred to him then that he hadn't done anything to pleasure her. To sate her own desires. He'd been too caught up in his own lust to even think clearly, let alone act.
But now he was determined to, at the very least, return the sexual favour she'd afforded him.

He headed straight to her bedroom and quickly undressed; his hands shaking with barely contained anticipation as he folded his clothes neatly over a chair.
Then he slid beneath the covers, and waited impatiently for the sound of the shower turning off.

(y/n) entered the room fifteen minutes later; wearing nothing but a towel and a smile.

She stood for a moment, processing the sight of Arthur sitting up comfortably, looking relaxed and perfectly at home in her bed. He was smoking a cigarette; the ashtray beside him still containing the butts of the ones he'd smoked that morning whilst sitting beside her.

All the unpleasant memories that had lingered here of her ex were suddenly forgotten. Replaced with Arthur's gentle presence, as if he'd always been there. As if he belonged there. It gave her a warm, fuzzy feeling inside, that made her feel happy, and strangely at peace.

No sooner had she sat on the edge of the bed; towel-drying her (h/c) hair when her new beau suddenly sprang into action, putting her in mind of a big cat that had been waiting for the right moment to pounce.

"Artie!" She giggled. "My, aren't you an eager boy."

"I have the most beautiful girl in the world, why wouldn't I be?"

Her heart hammered a frantic rhythm as he pulled her to him. Her breathing quickened, and her breasts heaved with each breath.
Arthur seemed fascinated by them; his gaze fixed as he slowly moved his hand upwards and loosened her towel.

He breathed out rapidly, then sucked in another gulp of air. "God, you're so fucking beautiful (y/n)."

Her heart swelled with joy at the compliment; stretching her kissable lips into a wide smile. "You're not so bad yourself, sweetie."

Arthur blushed, and refrained from disagreeing with her.
At least she had seen him shirtless before, so that was one less thing to fret about. He wouldn't have to worry that she might recoil in horror at the sight of his protruding ribs.

"Can I--?"

She followed his gaze downwards, and nodded. Allowing him to slowly tug each side of the towel apart.

He swallowed hard as his wide eyes raked over the vision in front of him. Her (s/c) skin looked so soft, so tempting. All he wanted was to acquaint himself with every velvety inch of her body, to see if she felt as exquisite as she looked. Which she no doubt did.

She felt her face heat up as the heaviness of his inquisitive gaze settled on her.
His pulse rocketed, his breathing becoming laboured as he gazed at her in unabashed awe. She was fully exposed and on display to him; her vulnerability, shamefully turning her on even more.

He hungered for her. It was evident in his eyes, his uneven breaths.
And now he was pushing back the sheets so he could lay beside her, revealing the fact that he was starkly naked.

Holy shit, he was so damn sexy. His slight body, his thinness, wasn't off-putting. Arthur was still every inch all man, and the thought amused her how Randall would turn green with envy if he saw the impressive size of his former workmates' manhood.

"I've...I've never done this before, obviously." Arthur spoke, bringing her back to the present moment. "All I know is what I've seen in movies...not those types of movies, I couldn't watch them with my mom in the apartment." He clarified quickly. "Just regular movies, so....you'll have to tell me how you like to be touched, or show me."

She smiled and combed a hand through his brown curls."Relax, sweetie. Touch me however you like. Just do what feels right. I'll stop you if I don't like it."

"You promise?"

"Promise."

Arthur stared at (y/n) for a long moment, then lifted his hand and ran his fingers lightly down her arm from shoulder to wrist.

She tore her gaze away from his face and watched his hand instead.
He paused, before brushing his fingertips over her hip, around her waist, across her stomach and ribs.

Goosebumps broke out on her skin and a shiver ran down her spine.
Even though he wasn't touching her intimately; watching and feeling him explore so carefully was incredibly arousing. She had full view of his hand as she watched his fingers slide lower, and she was the one to release a shaky breath as he brushed over the most sensitive part of her.

"Is this...okay--?"

"Oh, god! That's perfect, Arthur."

He grinned, watching her eyes flutter shut; her pretty little mouth falling open slightly as a result of his intimate ministrations.

Having her eyes closed immediately heightened the sense of touch.
Arthur's gentle exploration became more confident when he discovered, from her squirming and gasping, what felt good.

Holy hell.
(y/n) had had several lovers, but none of them had concentrated so determinedly on giving her pleasure; without a care for their own.

Driven by instinct, he took her breast in his warm mouth; swirling his tongue over her nipple, whilst his fingers continued to play her sex like a finely tuned instrument.

"God, Arthur!"

She felt him move, slowly bringing himself closer. Her eyes flew open to find him inches away, studying her face, until their lips met. His kiss was sweet and gentle, his lips caressing hers delicately.

But as the tension tightened between her thighs, she pressed more firmly against his mouth to encourage him to deepen the kiss. He hummed with pleasure as he kissed her more heatedly, and his fingers worked faster. Her pulse quickened further, and she felt the kiss everywhere; her body tingling with euphoric excitement.

She cried out his name as she came; her climax more intense and pleasurable than she'd ever known.

"You're amazing," She panted.

He didn't bother to object, in spite of his inability to take compliments well. Instead he pulled her beneath him, and lowered himself onto her.

(y/n) instinctively slid her legs apart a little to accommodate him, and he pressed between them.

She held him close, her hands resting at the bottom of his back. "Are you sure you want this, sweetie? I want you to be certain. We don't have to if you don't feel ready."

"I'm sure, (y/n). I want to. I'm more than ready." He paused briefly, before adding, "um, will you...do it? Please. I don't know how."

"My sweet baby." She craned her neck upwards in order to gently kiss him. "Of course, whatever makes you comfortable."

Arthur lifted himself just enough for her to reach down between their bodies and guide him. With a slight tilt upwards of the hips, she felt him slide smoothly inside, and the breath backed-up in her throat.

They moaned at the same time, Arthur gasping and shivering as she pulled her knees up more.

"I-I'm not hurting you am I?"

"Not at all, baby."

Inflamed, he began to move, slowly and awkwardly at first; every muscle and tendon in his body tensing and flexing with each uncoordinated movement.

"I love it when you call me baby."

He hadn't meant to confess that, but his mind was now a swirling haze of fractured thoughts and feelings; all of which became overpowered by the most intense physical pleasure he had ever experienced.

"Mhm, is that so?" She moved with him, which prompted Arthur into thrusting harder; his pace quickening as he raced towards orgasm. "Baby...tell me I'm yours."

"Oh God, (y/n)....you are mine. You're mine. You're-all-fucking-mine!" He chanted, his lips pressing against her throat.

He felt desire clench in the pit of his stomach; each nerve rippling with ecstasy, and he fought it hard, but the maddening need for release was defeating his determination to make it last.

"Arthur! Oh, baby you feel so good." (y/n) cried.

Her hands on his back slipped on his sweat-slicked skin. He felt so incredible.
He filled her just right; hot and hard, desperate and wild. She lifted her legs; crossing them behind his waist, enabling him to bury himself deep.

"(y/n)...I'm going to...I'm going to come!"

"Aah, so am I baby!" She panted.

He pressed his face into her neck, moaning out her name.
He didn't move again. His body shuddered and he came, pulsing inside her.

He felt like he was internally exploding in a shattering burst of emotions and sensations.

So this was how it felt to be connected to another, emotionally and physically.
Damn, nothing on earth could have prepared him for it. For the beauty and vulnerability, and intensity of it all.

He didn't think he'd ever recover, and he wanted more already. The sense of rightness, of being so close in every sense of the word, was addicting and soul nourishing.
He felt complete. At peace. Wanted and needed.

(y/n)'s hot, racing breath fanned across his chest, and his coherency returned.
He duly noted he was still hard, so in spite of his exhaustion he managed to summon enough energy required to perform a series of slow, determined thrusts.

Grinning with satisfaction, he watched her as she reached her own euphoric peak; her expression one of pure, unadulterated bliss.

(y/n) writhed and shook beneath him as waves of absolute pleasure crashed through her, turning her limbs butter-soft.

"On my God, Arthur. That was...that was perfect."

"I wouldn't go that far." He chuckled, as he lifted himself from her and rolled onto his back. "I'm sure your other lovers were much better."

"No. Experienced, maybe. Considerate? Definitely not. You are amazing, Sweetie."

"You're the amazing one, (y/n). I never imagined I could have someone like you in my life, even as a friend, much less like this."

Scooting over in the bed, she snuggled into his side, resting her head on his chest.
She could hear the rapid pounding of his heart; yet to calm after their erotic exertion.

"I'm just me, Artie. I'm nothing special."

"Are you kidding me? (y/n) you might not realise it, but you're incredible."

"Shut up!" She giggled, playfully poking him in the ribs.

"You are! I'm so glad that I got jumped on my birthday, otherwise none of this would've happened. This isn't the sort of thing that happens to me in real life."

"Well it is happening, and...." She paused, considering her next words carefully. "...I don't want to lose you, Artie. Not now."

Beneath her he shifted, lifting his head curiously to look down at her. "Why would you lose me? (y/n) I love you. I'm not going anywhere."

"No, you're not." She replied, decisively. "That's why....I told the police we were together last night."

Arthur stilled. His heart felt like it had momentarily ceased beating, and he was fully alert now. All residual affects from their lovemaking dispersed. The sweet, tingling aftershocks that had been pulsing through him, making his body feel wired yet heavy with sleep, vanished abruptly.

The police?
She'd spoken to the police, and...and covered for him?

"W-what are,you saying? (y/n), why would you do that?"

He scrambled up on his elbows, his eyes wide with shock as he took in her oddly calm expression.

"They came by the shop not long after you left. They talked to some of the guys. They were questioning the ones who work as clowns. Randall must've mentioned you to them because they asked about our relationship."

"What did you say?"

She lifted her head, meeting his intense green eyes. "I told them we've been an item since your birthday, and that you were with me all evening last night. All the guys know we're dating, so they can corroborate the fact and it isn't a lie."

"But....but it is a lie that we were together. What if you get in trouble? They could find out the truth!"

The truth.

The grisly truth that he hadn't been with (y/n) all evening. That it had indeed been him who'd killed those guys on the subway.
That whilst she was here, innocently going about her business, he had shot a man point blank in the head. The other one twice in the chest, before chasing the third one down and shooting him three times in the back.

He had done that, and he couldn't believe she was willing to provide him with an alibi.
Christ, he didn't deserve such loyalty. But he would gladly accept it all the same.

"How are they to know?" She assured him with a confident smile. "I was home all day, so nobody can disprove it. Please don't worry, sweetie. You're safe."

A gentle smile curled Arthur's lips. He stared at her in wonder, as he wound his wiry arms around her and held her tight.

"I-I don't know what to say. I don't deserve you, my beautiful girl."

(y/n) pressed a lingering kiss to his soft lips.

"Oh yes you do, my sexy Scorpio."

They shared a brief laugh, then cuddled up beneath the covers. A soothing calmness settling over Arthur once more, as he held her tight; his warm embrace making her feel secure and restful.

And as they drifted into a peaceful slumber, both of them felt safe in the belief that everything was going to be alright, and would be, as long as they had each other.

End