Calamity Falls | Wattys 2019

XXXV

The glass exploded beside Leopold's head. His eyes widened significantly. He had not expected Calamity to act like this.

"You went how long without eating?" She screamed, eyes blazing. She armed herself with another glass to throw at Leo.

"It isn't that big of a deal! I didn't want to leave your side! I didn't want you to wake up while I wasn't in the room!" Leopold attempted to defend himself.

Calamity narrowed her eyes. "So now it's my fault?"

"That is not what I said. I understand that it was irresponsible, and I apologize. Please put the... weapon down," he tried to quell her anger. "I will eat now." He took a bite out of an apple. "See?" he said, mouth full.

"Don't talk with your mouth full, pig," she scolded. She sat down the glass and crossed her arms, glaring menacingly at Leopold.

"I'm not a pig; I'm a wolf," Leopold informed warningly.

"And I'm a demon. We don't always act like our species," Calamity bit back. "Eat."

Leopold rolled his eyes and did as commanded. After finishing the apple, Leo watched Calamity walk over to the oven and light the fire. She went to a sink and washed her hands before grabbing some materials to begin cooking a meal.

"Any requests?" She asked, her anger momentarily forgotten.

Leopold crossed his arms loosely on the island before resting his head on them. "No, I'm fine with whatever you want."

Calamity glanced at him, slightly surprised. The wolf didn't know what he wanted to eat. "Little girl stew? What about grandma potpie?" She joked.

Leopold gazed at her in astonishment. "Did you just make a joke?" He chuckled lightly.

Calamity scoffed. "Don't sound so shocked."

He smirked. "But I am."

She simply hummed in response.

Leopold watched the steady sway of her hips as she maneuvered around the kitchen gracefully, grabbing this and that. She made a dough that she began to knead ever-so carefully. He watched her hands closely, zoning in on all of the little movements. Leopold felt his gums begin to ache again. He needed to tell her soon.

Leopold straightened up as he heard the steady chopping of the knife Calamity used on some apples. Calamity began to combine all of the ingredients in a dish he knew very well--apple pie. She made the grid on top that Leopold never really understood before finally sticking the pie in the oven. Why she chose apple pie, he didn't know.

"Calamity," Leopold called.

"Yes?" She asked removing a stray hair from her face, rubbing flour on her face in the process. She frowned when she realized her hands were covered in flour before puffing out a breath in an adorable way. She went to the sink to wash her hands off. She turned back around to face Leopold as she wiped her hands off on a towel.

"We need to talk about marking."

Calamity froze. That was not what she was expecting. She looked up slowly, eyes wary. "What about it?" She asked in a professional voice.

Leopold couldn't tell what she was thinking. "I need to do it soon. My wolfish side is growing restless. Every time we touch my gums ache. I'm afraid that I'm going to lose control. I don't want to pressure you. I know how you feel about it, but I am having such a hard time controlling it anymore," he admitted.

Calamity sighed. She didn't know what to do with that information. She was not even close to ready for that kind of commitment. To the wolves, a mark was basically your marriage certificate. "What can I do to help keep the urge at bay?"

"I don't know. When you to touch me the urge is strong, but when you don't it's even stronger. It almost feels as if this feeling thinks that you'll want to touch me more after being marked," Leopold confessed. "Just please don't treat me any differently because of this. I can't stand it when you distance yourself from me."

Calamity's eyes softened before realization flashed in her eyes. She ran back over to the oven to retrieve the pie. She released a sigh of relief. "Thank God. It isn't burnt."

In fact, it was perfect. The golden brown crust was the perfect shade of yum. Overall, it looked perfect, just like the girl holding it with a small smile.

Leopold grinned. "I love you."

Calamity's eyes swelled with confusion. "I know. You already told me that." She tilted her head to the side innocently.

"I won't ever stop telling you that either," he promised.

Calamity leaned over the island and gave Leo a lingering kiss on the cheek. She smiled kindly. "Please don't."

Calamity began to dish out the pie when an uninvited visitor waltzed into the kitchen.

"Don't I get any?" Sable asked offended. He reached over to get a slice of pie.

Leopold stopped him with a growl. That was supposed to be just for him and Calamity, and he did not want to share.

"He doesn't bite, does he?" Sable joked dangerously.

"Not yet..." he mumbled.

Calamity's lips peeled into a thin line. "One piece Sable. Then you go to bed."

Sable scoffed. "I'm not a child, Calamity."

"I beg to differ." Calamity took a bite of her pie.

"I thought the only person you begged was Leo."

Calamity choked, invoking a violent coughing fit. A blush climbed its way up Leopold's face. He had a feeling that the roles would somehow wind up reversed, but the idea of her begging him for anything was dreadfully enticing. Leopold rubbed her back as she took a drink of water. Leo couldn't help but think of what she would look like on her knees--begging.

"That is a dreadful thought, you perverted little demon. Do not speak such indecent words, especially around me. You may be comfortable with sexual interactions, but I am quite the opposite," Calamity scolded.

"I never said anything about anything sexual," Sable defended with a smirk.

"Your insinuation was rather clear and unappreciated. I will not be begging Leopold for anything anytime soon, sexually or otherwise."

Leopold pouted. As he expected. She was too prideful to ever do something like that willingly. He would be satisfied with just getting to ever have sexual intercourse with his prude of a mate.

They each finished off their pie. Calamity stood and cleared the dishes, washing them quickly. She began the trek back to her room with Leopold following extremely close behind. Calamity arrived to her door and turned around.

"You can go back to your own room now," she told Leopold.

He looked disappointed. He thought that they would spend the night together as they had before.

Calamity grabbed his collar and smashed his lips onto hers. She broke it off far too quickly. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight, my dove."

Leopold went back to his room, and changed into his nightwear. He laid in his bed. Time ticked on, but no matter the position or how many sheep he counted, he could not go to sleep. He finally decided that he would risk angering Calamity.

He stood up and made his way to Calamity's room. He raised his hand to knock on the door, but the door was opened before he could make contact. Calamity stood there, understanding clear on her face.

"Just come in. I need you well rested for training tomorrow." She walked away, leaving him to close the door behind them. Calamity laid in her bed under the blankets.

Leopold eagerly climbed in beside her. He was unsure what to do at this point, but Calamity was not. She slung her arm across his lower abdomen and put her head on his chest before closing her eyes. Leopold relaxed quickly and placed his arm around her, easily pulled into the thralls of sleep.

But neither of them were aware of the maid that had seen the wolf king enter the chambers of the demon.