Challenges.
Lilith relished the freshness that surrounded her as she dipped her body in the pool. Erros advised her to start swimming regularly, as swimming does build up muscles without straining the body too much. Today was the day Nolen and Miles would start training her and she was excited, yet a little bit nervous. As she awoke in Nolen's bed this morning he was nowhere to be found, so she went alone, thinking that maybe something important was going on.
She sighed in content as she moved through the water. Five lanes, then a short break. She tried different swim types as well and found it working well. It was straining after some time, but she felt her muscles working and that was good.
The next goal she set to herself was diving one lane, therefore she did not hear nor see Miles and Nolen enter the room.
"She's so cute."
Miles chuckled as he agreed.
Lilith reached the end of the lane, gasping for air once her head was above water. She wiped the moisture off her face and attempted to get the hair glued to her skin out of the way.
"Hey there, sunshine."
Her eyes shot open, hair all over the place she stared at those two perfect men looking down at her.
"Hey," she smiled and climbed out, approaching them, to peck each men on their lips, "Are you here to peep on me?"
"Only partially," Nolen said and Miles laughed.
"Exactly, you peep the other part." This smile of Miles was going to be the death of her. But he was right.
There they stood, those buff, beautiful men, in nothing but swimming shorts.
"That might happen," she smiled sheepishly and glanced away before she was lost in her staring again.
"I don't mind," Nolen spoke.
"Me neither." She could hear the grin in Miles' voice.
"So what's the plan now?"
"Erros warned us to not push you too hard." Her eyes met those of Miles. "He gave us a list of possible work out techniques, some exercises and stuff."
He handed her a document and she read through the words. She looked up, eyeing one then the other. "I have no clue what any of these things are."
"We do." She smiled at Nolen and took his hand.
"So I've got two hot personal trainers now? Jackpot."
Miles laughed and Nolen tilted his head away shyly, squeezing her hand.
The other man put his arm over her shoulders pressing a kiss to her forehead. "Count yourself lucky. We'll be all over you today."
She smiled cheekily. "I'll look forward to it."
"We hope you don't change your mind." She looked up at Nolen. "Working out is still exhausting even if it's for beginners."
"We'll see." She grinned at them cockily. "Maybe I'm a natural."
Shortly later it was clear that she was not.
Panting heavily she dropped on her bottom. Miles grinned loosely as he sat down beside her, while Nolen handed her a bottle of water. She gulped several mouthfuls down her throat and leaned back against the wall.
"Fuck," she whispered.
"How about we'll take a break for now?" Miles asked and she nodded.
"Yeah, I mean," she paused to pant and made a gesture, "I could go for another hour but sure."
Miles chuckled on the outside, Nolen on the inside.
"Warmth would help to relax your muscles. The soreness won't be so bad then," Nolen informed.
"You're not talking about the whirlpool." She looked from one to the next. "You really mean the whirlpool?" Nolen nodded and Miles grinned. She straightened suddenly, glancing from one to the other with wide excitement in her eyes. "Really? Can we go?"
"If you want that, sure."
Both of them felt their chests swell in delight as they watched her joyous giggling.
"Will you take her?" Nolen asked. "I'll make a quick snack and join you then."
"You're too nice." Lilith smiled warmly as she cupped his cheeks, pressing a soft kiss to his lips.
"For you, gladly." He stood, pecking her head before vanishing.
Miles stood as well, offering his hand to help her up. With a smile accepted and they walked to the whirlpool. Those exercises were stuff for beginners? She already felt as if she could sleep for days after this one session of working out.
"Don't you wanna change back into your swimming suit?"
"I won't move anymore than necessary after that." Miles laughed out and she rose a brow, trying to act cold. "I'm serious."
He cracked up more and she finally joined him as he led her to the stairs. She stepped into the warmth that spread through her limbs and felt as if the strain melted off her bones. "God, that feels awesome."
A loose smile covered her lips as she leaned back, relishing the jets massaging her flesh.
Miles sat down beside her, putting one arm around her as he pulled her against him. She smiled as she rested her head on his arm, closing her eyes. The warmth bubbling around them put her body at ease and the ache was slowly washed away.
She dipped her head beneath the water, hair messy. She took a deep breath, enjoying the comfortable feeling.
"You're so beautiful." She looked up to him, noticed how his eyes were on her; gaze sincere.
One palm found her cheek, caressing her skin as his lips curved. Not his smug, confident smile. It was way softer and warmer. Her cheeks heated up, not only due to his hand, but by his affection.
"Thank you," she whispered.
"Thank you for coming into my life." Her eyes were about to water as she pulled his head down to her, their lips meeting in the most mellow touches.
Both of them melted against one another, their kiss consisted of pure tenderness. They rested their foreheads against one another for a moment, both smiling as they released the other.
Lilith resumed her previous seat, one hand taking his as Nolen joined them shortly after with a tray in his hands. Her eyes were wide as she looked at the neatly prepared Sandwich alongside a bowl of freshly cut fruit. She flipped one side of the brown bread and smiled.
"Avocado, ham and egg. You like that best, right?"
"I do." Nolen sat at her other side and she pressed a kiss to his lips before beginning to eat. "You're the best."
His chest warmed up at her gesture, he failed to keep himself from glancing at her every now and again.
"Is there something left on the list by the way?"
"You want to continue? Are you sure?"
She met Miles eyes and smiled. "Depends on how exhausting it would be."
"Don't push it, Lilith." She swore to see a touch of concern in the soft green of Nolen's eyes. "We can continue tomorrow."
She took each of their hands and groaned. "But I wanna spend more time with you."
"Like the attention?" The smirk on Miles' lips was dangerous, but she did not want to look away.
"Maybe." She shuddered slightly as he chuckled.
"You're so cute."
She blushed at Nolen's remark, tried to find a way out of this situation that was not embarrassing her further. She sat between two very attractive individuals who seemingly never stopped complimenting her and she failed to keep her mind straight.
Why do they have to be this charming and this handsome? And with both of them having their attention solely on her she could not stop her thoughts from wandering.
"Naughty girl thoughts are the best." Their heads turned at Fellon who approached them with a grin, hands in his pockets. "Right, Queen?"
Her motion stopped mid bite as she stared at him, before swallowing. Fellon chuckled at the lack of response from her and climbed on the edge of the whirlpool, about to get in while still being fully clothed. Lilith meant to say something, but remembered something. With a dark smirk she watched him.
'Are you thinking those naughty girl thoughts decrease with you being here? It's gonna be quite the contrary, you know?' Fellon halted, eyes wide and lips slightly parted. 'If my mind was naughty before, it will only get worse now. Such a pity black isn't see through.'
There was no movement in his body. But his body did move. He fell over straight into the pool and stayed under water for several seconds before Miles pulled him up.
"What's that about again?" he asked, eyeing Lilith that laughed out loud.
"Fellon gets what he deserves for reading my thoughts."
The man suddenly moved again and rose his arm swiftly, splashing water around him as he pointed at Lilith. "You are really fucking sneaky, ya know? You could fucking kill me with that."
'Just like you are killing me with this grin of yours.'
"Dude, you literally can't drown as a vampire, you know that, right?" Miles sighed at Felton's lack of response.
Once again he froze and Lilith laughed out, watching how Fellon almost fell over once again.
"You will pay for that," Fellon spat and she could not stop laughing.
'How? Are you going to punish me?'
Fellon's features distorted even more as his muscles tensed. "Actually, yes," he answered in a low tone after a few seconds, before confidence and volume resumed to his voice, "sleep in my bed tonight and you'll see."
This time it was Lilith that looked at him wide eyed without moving. After a moment the courage Fellon had left him as he realized what he said. She blinked a few times, gulping before she found her ability to speak again. Wanting to keep his privacy she chose to think instead of talking, though. 'I thought you don't like the thought of that.'
Fellon grunted as he glanced away, crossing his arms.
Nolen and Miles looked at one another. "Do you have a clue what's going on?" Nolen asked.
Miles shrugged with a smile. "They do that sometimes," he shrugged, "Don't worry about it, bro."
"Sure, bro."
'If you... said that without thinking and didn't mean it, I understand. You don't have to if you don't want to.'
Fellon avoided her eyes, but something told her he had heard her thought. He rose to his feet, climbing out of the pool with his entire form soaking wet. Without speaking another word he left, dripping water with every step.
"Uh, is everything cool?" Miles asked and Lilith met his eyes.
"I don't know." She looked from one to the other. "You... feel each others feelings, right? Was he hurt?"
"No," Nolen said, "he is confused."
"Maybe a little frustrated as well," Miles added.
She nodded at them and leaned back against the pool, thinking about Fellon. She never lied to him. She was drawn to him, found him attractive and yes, she wanted to share a bed with him. But only if he wanted that as well.
"Don't worry." She looked up as Nolen spoke, his hand taking hers. "Fellon is not mad at you or something. He's just..."
"Weird. My best friend is the most weird person ever," Miles smiled and rubbed her arm. "Besides it is a confusing time for him. He never found a woman interesting before, you know."
"I see," she said and smiled softly before closing her eyes.
"Guess we better call it a day for your training." She wailed at Nolen's remark and Miles chuckled.
"There is always more time tomorrow, cutie."
She opened her eyes to glance at him.
"We'll be all over you every day from now on." She turned to Nolen and found him bending to her as his lips found her head. She smiled softly until Miles skidded next to her, pressing a kiss to her head as well.
The men looked at one another, both grinning in their own way at seeing Lilith shift slightly.
"Do you need to try to embarrass me?"
Her question earned a chuckle that will end her. Nolen wrapped one arm around her waist while Miles put it over her shoulders.
"It's cute, so yes."
Lilith sighed somewhat frustrated but could not keep the smile from her lips as she relished their proximity. She spent some more time with them in the pool and then joined them in the gym as the men began their workout. Her eyes were wide as she watched them lifting weights that seemed as if they would crush her if they were placed on her body. And oh, she could not pull her eyes away from their flexing, bulging muscles.
There was no end to their strength and endurance, it seemed. They followed the same routine, a merciless one. Deadlifting, one armed push ups and pull ups; those two did everything that seemed to be impossible to her without the tons of added weights. And that on a daily basis.
She sat on a bench, subconsciously biting her lip as Miles sweaty hair fell over his face messily and Nolen puffed a harsh breath while pushing the weights up.
Yes, she could not help it.
Once they were done with their workout they were planning to hunt and she wished them a goodnight. She was getting tired anyway and headed to her room. Lilith put her hand on her doorknob, about to enter.
"Hey."
She halted and turned to Fellon with a smile. "That has to be the first time you actually greet me."
His features remained the same; serious yet somehow sad. The smile left her lips as she turned around fully, not bothering to close her door. They stood in silence for a few moments, Fellon's features tensed as he tried to search for words which he did not find. "What are you up to?"
She blinked a few times and glanced at her door before meeting his eyes again. "I was about to go to sleep."
He pushed himself off the wall and approached her, eyes never leaving hers as he stopped right in front of her. She looked up at his intense expression and her breathing shuddered.
His voice was husky, low and she felt his words on her skin. "Then go to sleep."
She opened her mouth without intending to say something. She turned, reaching for her door she was blocked by his arm that pulled it shut. Meeting his eyes revealed insecurity in him. He squeezed his lips together as he stared into her darkness as if awaiting an answer.
She smiled softly as she stepped closer, wrapping her arms around his torso as she rested her face against the crook of his neck. He froze, eyes softening as his eyelids twitched. It took him several seconds until he was able to move again. She showed no sign of letting go and he was confused. Did she wait for him to hug her?
Awkwardly he patted her back until she raised her head. "Don't you like hugs?"
"Uh. I may like them. I'm too weird for hugs, though."
She giggled and squeezed him. "Bullshit. Just put your arms around me."
"But... how?" He raised his arms around her without touching her and moved them higher up and down quickly. "At what height, how tight, what do I do with them then and the most important one, fuck."
She took a step back and took his arms, pulling them around her back, before she resumed hugging him. "Now wrap your arms around me."
Fellon did not move, his arms hanging in the air, halfly touching her. She waited patiently for him to unfreeze and once he did his stiff arms closed around her rather tight. She tried to keep her breath from stalling but failed.
His arms left her immediately and he jumped back, back turned towards her.
He mumbled something so lowly, she was unsure whether he said something at all. She stepped to him and hugged him from behind, squeezing him softly.
"You did nothing wrong, you know?"
"I did it too tight," he said in a tone she never heard from him before.
"That's okay. Just try again."
He squeezed his eyes shut, muscles tensing before he attempted to loosen himself as much as he could. He turned around and slowly wrapped his arms around her with his fists clenched tightly. The way he engulfed her was a lot softer this time and she smiled as she leaned against him. He swallowed thickly, eyes flickering around.
"So, uh. Is that... it?"
"Yeah. That's a hug, Fellon."
"Oh. Good. Guess I can scratch that from my to-do list."
She raised her head to meet his eyes, her own filled with sorrow. "You never were hugged before?"
"Aside from when you did that before, no. That was my first... successful hug. I fled from this shit for centuries."
She squeezed him and nuzzled her face against him. "You deserve a hug every day."
"I have no clue what to respond."
"Do you want a hug every day?"
He was silent for several moments. "Uh... I guess?"
"Good. You'll get a hug every day from me, then." The corners of his mouth twitched and his chest flooded with warmth. She released him and smiled warmly. "So, about going to sleep."
He cleared his throat and raised his head with a confident facade. "Yes. It will happen as I have told earlier."
"Okay. Show me your room then, I'm tired."
"Fine."
He began walking and she followed him up the stairs. She could have expected the door next to Miles' room would led to his. She followed him inside and was surprised to find his room look nothing like she expected. There was almost nothing that hinted at his personality, expect for the chaotic state; clothes all over the places. All furniture seemed rather basic. A bed with messy sheets stood next to a plain wardrobe that stood open, revealing the interior to be entirely black. He had a desk that held a few maps with illegible scribbling on them and a set of keys, most likely to his motorcycle, were the only personal items she could find. Aside from that the room was pretty much empty, yet dark in color.
"I expected your room to have more character," she mumbled.
"I'm never really here. Don't like being locked up." He leaned against the wall with his hands in his pockets and watched her. "Only here to sleep."
"Is that why you're always outside?"
"Yeah. Being alone in a room's the same as being locked up in a cage."
She gazed at him briefly before taking seat on his bed. His eyes were still on her without anything seeming to change in him.
"Won't you join me?"
"I will. Beware, though. I sleep naked." Her eyes widen and her mind flooded with possible imaginations. His lips stretched into his dangerous grin and he laughed darkly. "Naughty girl thoughts. That was a joke." He stepped towards her with the amusement still in his face. "I leave my underwear on."
She had no time to react as he pulled his shirt over his head and let it drop to the ground, his eyes finding hers as if they never left hers.
She swallowed and attempted to not stare at his form now that she finally got a look at him with light. He was very skinny, bones sticking out from his skin but had an amount of muscles on him. She blinked a few times as she followed the veins on his arms down to his hands that fumbled his pants open. He had a few tattoos as well, she noticed. She spotted two human skulls on his chest, a noose on the side of his abs and a few scratchy looking letterings on his torso as well as a pair of torn open eyes on his arm.
Her orbs shot open to his, finding him staring down at her with his grin even wider than before.
"You really are naughty, huh?"
"Can't help it." She chuckled somewhat nervously. "You're just too handsome."
The grin left him and he swallowed as he stepped out of his pants. Before she had a chance to say anything else he was out of her view and she felt his weight next to her. Turning she saw him laying on his back, hands behind his head he watched her.
"So how does this shit work?"
She climbed next to him and smiled softly. "Sharing a bed?"
"Yeah. I have no fucking clue," he said and looked away.
"That's okay." Her voice was low and understanding and he swallowed, muscles tensing. "I mean it can happen in different ways. We can cuddle or we cannot. What do you prefer?"
"What would this... cuddling be?"
"It's like a hug that doesn't end."
"The shit. This doing cute shit is weird as fuck."
She put a hand on his cheek, his eyes softened as they met her loving gaze. "We don't have to, Fellon. I don't want to do anything you don't feel comfortable with, okay?"
He was silent for a long moment. "Do it," he muttered.
She laid down and carefully inched closer until she was right next to him. One arm wrapped around his torso as she placed her head on his chest, leg over his. She felt his body was stiff, felt his heart knock against her fingers rapidly.
"Are you uncomfortable?" she asked and raised her head to see his features strained.
"Yup."
She abruptly removed herself from him and sat up with her expression torn in regret. "I'm sorry."
Fellon sat up as well and reached out for her before she could stand. The grip on her arm was fierce but she did not care as she looked into his eyes.
She whispered his name softly and took his hand in hers. "I want to sleep here with you. But only if you want me to be here as well. If you feel uncomfortable and want me to go, just say it and I'll leave you alone."
They looked at one another for a few moments and his hand tightened even more before letting go. "I want you here."
Her chest flooded in warmth as her lips were captured by the most beautiful smile he could imagine.
"Okay." She ran her thumbs over his knuckles and squeezed it. "Do you want to cuddle? It's okay if you don't."
He did not answer verbally, only pushed her body back into the matress as he laid down next to her. They looked at one another and Fellon reached out, his hand running over her arm and his eyes followed the path.
She smiled as she inched closer, carefully reaching out to wrap one arm around him. It took a few moments but he lowered his arm on her back, holding her gently and she sighed in content as she rested her head against his chest.
"So," Fellon spoke tenderly, "cuddling is just hugging but while laying."
"Yup. That's one way of doing it."
"There's multiple? Fucking shit."
She giggled and his confusion grew along the warmth in his heart. "Well, the not ending hug is the base of cuddling. You can do it in different positions, though."
Almost out of habit her fingertips trailed over the dips of his torso, down the edge that build as his rips ended. She never believed Fellon to be as skinny as he was. His physique was still toned, but he looked a tad too slender to be healthy she believed. He looked kind of sick with these dark circles around his eyes, his cheeks fallen in and the pale tone of his skin.
"Comes from racing through the woods, climbing and stuff," he said casually. "And no, I'm not sick. I just forget to eat sometimes."
"That's possible? I thought vampires get immense thirst if they're not feeding."
"Yeah, but I don't feel that really. My throat always aches, but not because of that." His tone was calm and loose, as if he was actually rather relaxed. Before she could ask he answered her question. "I'll tell you someday. If a funny opportunity arises."
"Looking forward to it," she whispered and yawned as a shiver ran through her. Not a moment later the blanket was thrown over her and she smiled. "Thank you, Fellon."
He remained silent, though, he wished he would say something. He wanted to say something. Something that showed her that he was feeling certain things for her. Affection, gratitude, interest. He wanted to tell her he cared, but found himself unable to do so.
He was lost in the haze of his mind as he raised his head, pressing his lips to her forehead. She looked up and their eyes met; both filled with fondness as she smiled and cupped his cheek.
"Oh, Fellon." She raised herself to plant her lips on his and it took him several moments to move.
Goosebumps ran over her as she found his hand at the back of her head, pulling her against him as he captured her lips in fierce, yet slow movements. Her lips curved softly as she caressed his cheek, relishing the affection, the proximity. She loved the way his heat engulfed her, loved the way he held her.
They released each other but remained close enough for their lips to brush over one another before Lilith raised herself. They looked at one another and she loved this expression of his; a mixture of devotion and confusion. She pressed a quick peck to his lips before lowering herself against him once again.
She snuggled close and sighed happily as she felt his arm tighten around her to pull her against his body. Lilith was lulled into a peaceful sleep just a few minutes later, but Fellon laid awake like he often does. Only this time it was for something nice; he did not want this moment to end.
After an hour or so Lilith turned in his arm, showing him her back that now left a gap between them. Pondering for some time he glanced from the scars of her skin showing through her risen shirt to the mattress and finally skidded close against her, until her flesh was against his. He rested his head over hers, grip tightening slightly as he closed his eyes.
She was so warm, lovely and nice laying against him. Just as perfect as he imagined her to be.