After dinner was over and the children were in bed Alma and Esmé went back to their room. Esmé got out the rope and got onto the bed.
"You're sure you're alright with this?" Alma asks as she gently took it from her hands, Esmé hesitating before nodding.
"You can tell me to stop at any time, and I will." Alma said gently. Esmé nodded and pressed a gentle kiss to her lips.
"I know. I should take this off first." Esmé said as she went to remove her clothing.
Alma gently helped her undo her shirt, placing soft kisses down her neck as she did.
Alma gently helped her wife undress before tying her wrists to the bed, checking in with her multiple times to make sure she was still alright. Alma made sure that the bounds weren't too tight either. "Want me to do your ankles too or just this for now?"
Esmé thought for a moment and shook her head, Alma easing off her ankles as she straddled her, looking over her.
"I love you." Alma said as she placed kisses down her neck and chest. She made sure to check in with Esmé one last time before continuing.
"Please keep going." Esmé said desperately.
The older woman hummed and placed another kiss on her cheek, Esmé digging her talons into the rope as she did.
Alma pressed kisses down the younger woman's body, skipping her center. "Alma.. please." Esmé moaned.
"You'll get what you need in a moment." She says in a hushed tone, smiling down at the woman.
~~~~
Alma was still awake, reading her book by the lamp on her nightstand while Esmé was asleep. She looked over her for a moment, seeing the scratches covering her back and the rope burn on her wrists.
Esmé had said she didn't mind, and she'd enjoyed it, but Alma was still worried she'd hurt her. With a sigh Alma set her book aside and brought the woman into her arms.
Esmé leaned further against the warmth, a small sigh being heard from her as she got comfortable. The older woman gently pressed a kiss against her shoulder, then on her back.
Alma held her wife closely, enjoying her warmth and smiled as she relaxed against her, enjoying being with her.
Eventually she shut the lamp off, laying back down and hugging her close as she dozed off.
Soon morning came, Alma waking up when the sun beamed through the window. She slowly opened her eyes and finding Esmé still asleep, her wrists sore from the previous night.
Esmé woke up a bit later, Alma was looking over her wrists at the time. "Hey love." Esmé smiled at her.
"Does anything hurt?" Alma asks and Esmé looked at her confused before she looked over herself. "Be honest."
"Yes, but it doesn't mean I didn't enjoy it." Esmé says softly with a smile, placing a small kiss on the woman's nose.
"You're sure? I didn't want to hurt you." Alma said gently.
"I know, but it's not too bad, plus I had a wonderful time. I don't regret a thing. It was a lot of fun trying that."
Alma hummed but searched over her for any signs of discomfort but got none.
"At least let me give you something to help with the rope burn." Alma says.
"Alright." Esmé said with a smile. "But you'd better not blame yourself for any of it."
"I suppose it's too late to warn me." She says with a light chuckle and Esmé gently cupped her face, pressing a few light kisses to her forehead and then her mouth.
"I'll be right back then love." Alma said gently, leaving to go get her some an ointment that helps with rope and carpet burn.
She took a seat on the edge of the bed, not realizing she was just in her bra and underwear, and gently took the younger woman's hands, resting them on her thigh.
Alma applied it carefully to her wrists, being gentle as it was sore. Esmé pressed a gentle kiss on her lips, leaning her forehead against hers as Alma finished up.
"Would you like a bath?" Alma asks and Esmé smiled.
"Yes, but wouldn't it have made more sense to put that on after I get one?" She says with a playful smile and Alma scoffs.
"You should shift so I can clean your feathers. There's still some loose ones I wasn't able to get."
"Sounds good to me." Esmé smiled, standing and walking over to the bathroom to start the tub.
Alma walked over to get the shampoo and setting it aside, pulling up the woman's bra strap when she seen it slide down her shoulder.
Alma helped Esmé into the bath once it was ready. "Do you want bubbles?" Alma asked her with a smile.
"Sure." She says with a smile before shifting, Alma chuckling at the bird puffing her feathers out in the water.
"Pretty bird." Alma said with a smile as she ran her fingers through her feathers.
Esmé chirped when she felt her gently rub the soap between her feathers, moving her head around to see her remove some of the feathers that fell out.
"Darling, you need to hold still." Alma says with a light chuckle.
Esmé squawked and looked up at her, tilting her head with a coo. "You're adorable sweetheart." Alma smiled down at her.
The older woman gently ran her hands under her wings, Esmé spreading them for her so she could work on them until she heard a knock on the bathroom door and Ayn came in, unaware Alma was in just her pants and a bra.
Ayn froze when she saw Alma sitting there. "Woah." Ayn said, staring at Alma's chest.
"Ayn, out." The woman says firmly and Ayn hesitated for a moment until Esmé sent her a loud squawk.
"Oh hey birdie, what are you doing in there?" She says with a grin.
"Ayn." Alma scolded, holding a hand over her chest. "Get out."
"But- dear god you're hot." Ayn said, red in the face and unable to look away.
Esmé flew out of the bath and went flying towards her, Ayns eyes widening and she dashed out of the bathroom, Alma chuckling at the soaked bird that was puffed out and now sitting on the floor with a glare.
"Fine! I'll find another chest to stare at!" Ayn said as she rushed away. "Where is Isabel?" She muttered as she left.
"Well thank you Esmé." Alma smiled at the bird, picking her up and putting her back in the bath, pressing a kiss to her beak.
The bird shivered for a moment before settling into the water to let her wash the soap out of her feathers. Once she was finished, Alma drained the water and bundled her up into a towel, picking her up and carrying her to the bed where she sat her in her lap as she warmed up.
Esmé cooed as she looked up at the older woman. Alma grinned down at her as she ran her fingers through her feathers.
She moved closer against the woman, shivering a bit as she tried to warm her feathers.
"Let me put my shirt and jacket on and then you can stay in my jacket if you'd like." Alma says, sitting her down on the bed, bundled in the blanket.
Esmé got into Alma's jacket the moment she had it on. She cuddled up close against the older woman as she walked down the hall to head downstairs. As they walked past Ayn's room they heard Isabel and Balenciaga being rather loud, but they ignored it.
Alma merely smacked on the door which made them quiet. Satisfied with that, she went down stairs with the bird, spotting Miss Raven in the kitchen.
"Hi Miss Raven." Alma smiled at her.
"Hello dear, where's my daughter?" She asked, not glancing at them.
Esmé popped her head out that was originally tucked into her jacket and Alma laughed, Miss Raven smiling when she seen the tufts of feathers sticking up on her head.
"Aw, hello my darling." Miss Raven said with a smile. Esmé cooed at her and chirped loudly.
"Did you fall into the sink?" She asks with a chuckle, seeing the damp feathers and Alma pressed a gentle kiss to her beak.
"She took a bath and I had to help with her preening again." Alma said with a gentle smile.
"She isn't preening?"
"Darling you have to, that was one of the things we taught you at the academy." Miss Raven scolds lightly, Esmé burying her face back in Almas jacket.
"Sweetheart I'm not upset, come back here." Miss Raven chuckled. Esmé popped her head back out and chirped.
The mentor smiled and gently scratched her head, Esmé waiting a moment before gently biting on the woman's finger.
"Hey what's that for?" She asked with a smile.
"It means she loves you." Alma said with a chuckle.
"I love you too, dear." The mentor says with a small chuckle, Esmé moving her head to face Alma and then back at her mentor.
Esmé wiggled out of Alma's jacket and flew over to Miss Raven's shoulder, cooing at her.
The mentor smiled when she pressed her beak against her cheek, getting comfortable on her shoulder until Oliver came in with Charlie, the girl smiling when she seen the three.
"Oh my goodness, Ollie you never told me how cute your mother is as a bird!" She said excitedly.
Charlie came into the kitchen, Alma sending her a soft smile before glancing at Esmé who looked over the girl with a tilt of her head.
"Hello dear." Alma smiled at her.
"Hello! It's lovely to see you again. I adore your family. Everyone is wonderful."
"I'm glad to hear." Alma says with a smile, looking up when she seen Ayn come down, a few marks left on her collarbone that she quickly hid her shirt.
"Hey, kiddo." She says with a smile as she walked past them to get a cup of water.
"Where's Balenciaga and Isabel?" Alma asked with a small smile, already knowing the answer.
"Upstairs taking a much needed nap. They're very tired." Ayn said with a smirk.
"Hm, I see." Alma says with a raised eyebrow. Esmé looked between the two and flew over to her wife, trying to burrow herself back into her jacket.
"Whoa looks like she wants some of you." Ayn said with a smirk. Esmé stopped and looked over at the wight, squawking loudly.
"She's just cold." Alma says with an eye roll, holding her jacket open so the bird could bundle in.
"If you say so." Ayn shrugged. "Now I have something to get back to." She said, moving to go upstairs.
Alma looked down at her little bird and pressed a gentle kiss against her beak, Esmé pressing her head against her lips.
"You're such a pretty bird." Alma said as she looked down at Esmé.
"Your parents are the cutest!" Charlie said to Ollie, gushing over them.
Alma forgot the girl was there and a light pink dusted over her cheeks as she heard her talking about them as she walked off.
"She seems like a sweet future daughter in law." Miss Raven said with a smile.
"I like her." Alma said. "I'm glad Ollie has good taste in people, she's very nice."
Esmé kept chirping until eventually Alma cut her off.
"Darling I can't understand you."
Esmé seemed upset and glided down to the floor, shifting back.
"I was saying, he gets his good taste from me." She says, Alma chuckling when she seen her damp hair and gently ran her talons through it.
"I think he got it from me, actually." Alma said with a smile. She kissed the younger woman's cheek.
"Oh please." Esmé scoffs and Alma hummed, pressing a gentle kiss on her lips.
Alma smiled at her gently, wrapping her arms around her. "You're both adorable." Miss Raven said with a smile.
"That reminds me, did you stay with Miss Sparrow over the summer?" Alma asks and Esmé chewed the inside of her cheek before shaking her head.
"I'll share more of the story tonight." Esmé says simply with a slightly sad smile. "Now, who wants tea?"
"Me!" Ember says, racing into the kitchen.
"Well hello there darling!" Esmé said to her daughter. "You're as beautiful as your mother." She said as she hugged her tightly.
"Mom, put me down!" Ember complains but Esmé only grinned as she hugged her tight.
"Let me adore my daughter!" Alma chuckled at this.
"Come here, leave the poor girl alone." Alma said, bringing Esmé into her arms.
Esmé let her go but not without peppering her face with kisses, Ember trying not to laugh when she did.
"Mine." Alma said as she lifted the younger woman into her arms.
"All yours." Esmé smiled up at her.