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English
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Published:
2022-10-14
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990
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1/1
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Romance and Respite

Summary:

"We're here now," Laudna continues, planting a kiss behind Imogen's ear. "Besides," she nips Imogen's earlobe, "now we have every excuse to make up for lost time. Don't we, my girl?"
Imogen turns in Laudna’s arms, her eyes full of unapologetic want.

OR

The one in the bathhouse.

Notes:

Another shorter one for you! I hope you enjoy. We've got one left from the backlog and then I need to think of more ideas (lol!) Thank you again for all your kindness and for sticking with these! <3

(See the end of the work for more notes.)

Work Text:

Bells Hells' return to Jrusar is a swift one, thanks to Keyleth's abilities and generosity and the grateful troupe return briefly to Eshterhoss before electing to take some time to breathe, rest, and recouperate. So to the bathhouse they traipse.

Imogen has not left Laudna's side since they woke up from their journey through Laudna's most painful memories and she woke with rattling breaths and a pain in her eyes that Imogen can only guess is similar to her own after a waking nightmare. Completely forgetting herself, she had drawn Laudna into a kiss so life affirming and so full of all the things she has been needing to say for so long that the rest of their friends actually deign to avert their gazes to give them some privacy. She is effectively glued to Laudna's side; they are always touching in some way, shape or form. And while Laudna takes a day to rest, they talk. Tentative whispers in the candleglow of their borrowed room in the Castle of Whitestone turn tender and more bold until they're both left sharing salty kisses as tears tumble down their cheeks.

It doesn't take someone as perceptive as Orym to understand that things have shifted between the two of them, well, besides that kiss. Either way, it is a very welcome sight to the rest of Bells Hells.

 

When they arrive at the bathhouse, the steward asks the group if they’d like to use the public baths or book private ones. Imogen turns to Laudna and tilts her head.

Want to share one with me?

Laudna’s lips tick up at the sides into a knowing little smile and she nods, pressing a light kiss to Imogen's forehead. Imogen hands the steward the gold and takes Laudna by the hand, calling over her shoulder that they’d meet the others later.

 

Now Imogen is leaned up against Laudna’s front while the latter plants lazy kisses against her neck as they enjoy the quiet.

"If you'd told me what we would go through together when we first met, I wouldn't have believed you." Imogen sighs, her mind wandering toward recent events once more. Laudna hums softly.

"Me neither," she mumbles against Imogen's freckled shoulder.

“So much has happened,” Imogen says it like she’s only just realising it now, and Laudna pulls her in closer when Imogen's voice wobbles a little at the end.

"It really has been quite a journey, hmm?"

Imogen lifts their entwined hands out of the sudsy water, examining them thoughtfully. Her heart swells when she sees the ring.

"I'm sorry I took so long," Imogen says sadly.

Laudna hushes her.

"You have nothing to apologise for, my darling."

Darling. Gods, all this time and Imogen still never gets tired of hearing it.

"We're here now," Laudna continues, planting a kiss behind Imogen's ear. "Besides," she nips Imogen's earlobe, "now we have every excuse to make up for lost time. Don't we, my girl?"

Imogen turns in Laudna’s arms, her eyes full of unapologetic want. Laudna pulls Imogen into her lap so she’s straddling her hips and kisses her, hard. Imogen winds her fingers into Laudna’s hair as they makeout, smiling into it as Laudna runs her tongue over her bottom lip before biting it gently. Imogen gasps softly before deepening the kiss.

Something shifts then. Laudna’s hands on her skin are more insistent, more intentional, and when one of them squeezes around the tender flesh of her ass Imogen groans a little too loudly, rocking her hips reflexively.

“Do that again,” Laudna purrs into the kiss and Imogen’s eyes nearly roll back. She does it again, whimpering into Laudna’s open mouth as she rubs herself against her hip. “That’s it. Keep going,” Laudna encourages with another squeeze, pulling her up closer to her middle.

The little wanton noises Imogen is making are delectable as they bounce off the tiled walls. Laudna savours them like they’re precious as Imogen grinds on her stomach, arms wrapped tightly around her shoulders as she pants and moans as quietly as she can into Laudna’s mouth. They're both breathless with desire as they kiss sloppily.

Imogen’s movements get more desperate as she messily humps against Laudna’s abdomen, solely focused on her own release while Laudna whispers soft encouragement and praise in her mind.

You’re so gorgeous, Imogen, radiant even. Yes, my good girl, take what you want. Laudna purrs in Imogen's mind. She licks a long stripe up the valley between Imogen’s breasts and up the column of her throat, biting softly when she reaches just below her jaw. Mmmmh, mine.

Yours, Imogen projects back, whimpering aloud. She knows Laudna mostly says possessive things like this for her benefit, and it really just serves to turn Imogen on even more. She grinds in short, focused thrusts now and Laudna wraps an arm around her waist to keep her pressed against her abs.

Imogen has to bite down hard into Laudna’s shoulder to stifle the cry that makes its way to her lips from deep inside her as she comes undone in Laudna's lap, her nails digging into her back as she clings to her for dear life. She twitches and rocks through it and Laudna takes her chin and presses their tongues together in a messy kiss. Imogen slumps forward into her, letting her hold her as she catches her breath.

They share a shy laugh when Imogen pulls back to look at Laudna. She presses their lips together once more, sweetly this time.

"I love you," she mumbles against Laudna's mouth. "I love you so much."

Laudna grins into the kiss, her arms tightening around Imogen's waist before she whispers, "and I you, dearest one."

 

The tail end of their bath is peppered with more soft affirmations and even softer kisses, and Imogen cannot even bring herself to be embarrassed when Fearne wags her eyebrows at them once they meet their friends outside the bathhouse.

Notes:

NB: I include this in the backlog because I initially wrote this for their return from the Heartmoor, but adjusted it this morning to fit our current timeline :)