Chloe woke to the pleasant melodies of the dawn chorus. Her eyes fluttered open languidly, as if waking from a pleasant midday nap. She sat up, but her body felt strangely heavy—not a feeling of lethargy or exhaustion, but a satisfying soreness reminiscent of the glowing ache of a hard day’s work.
The covers slipped away, revealing her bare skin, and a startled exclamation escaped her lips. Her mind raced back to the events of the night before, igniting a blaze of realization across her face. In a flurry of modesty and overwhelming emotion, she hastily retreated under the covers, curling up in the protective cocoon of the sheets.
As she cradled herself, her knees hugged against her chest, her face radiated an intense heat. She and Lloyd had crossed a significant threshold. There had been no time to prepare, no preamble, only a spontaneous outpouring of raw emotion and passion that guided their bodies in the night. The memory, now crystal clear in her mind, brought a mix of bashful reflection—along with an undeniable sense of satisfaction.
A warmth unfurled in her chest, filling her with a profound contentment. She was surprised to realize how little shame there was to the feeling. Chloe tentatively popped her head out, and allowed herself to relive the memories of the previous night. Lloyd, whom she had assumed to be indifferent to pleasures of the flesh, had proven quite the contrary. He had taken from her all that he wanted—as she had been more than happy to give.
Another surge of embarrassment rolled in, and back down under the blanket she went. The previous night’s encounter with Lloyd had been a surrender to raw, primal instincts, far removed from her usual levelheaded self. She was taken aback by how naturally and intensely her desires had manifested.
Suddenly, she felt something warm gliding over her side, settling onto her stomach. Startled, she kicked out her legs. Turning around, she saw Lloyd—as naked as the day he was born. His upper body, a sculpture of perfect contour, emerged from beneath the covers. His emerald eyes were unusually bright for this early in the day. “Good morning, Chloe.”
Chloe couldn’t help but be captivated anew by his handsome features—his well-defined nose, his sharp, angular face. The realization that this man had been her partner in the previous night’s intimacy sent a nervous thrill through her. “G-Good morning, Lloyd. How, um... How long have you been awake?” she managed to ask with a fluttering heart.
“Not much longer than you have,” he replied.
“Excuse me as I run away from home right this instant,” Chloe said, her voice stonily calm.
“Wearing nothing?” Lloyd inquired with a hint of amusement.
“Wearing— Right... My clothes, my clothes... Huh? Where are they?” Chloe looked around the room in a fluster.
Lloyd then sat up and gently rested his hands on Chloe’s shoulders. “How do you feel? You don’t...hurt anywhere, do you?”
Chloe’s voice barely rose above a whisper as she assured Lloyd, “I’m... I’m fine...” Despite his formidable presence the previous night, Lloyd had been incredibly gentle, constantly checking in with her to ensure her comfort. Chloe knew that the memory of falling asleep in his arms, enveloped in the warmth and contentment of their closeness, would stay with her forever.
“That’s a relief,” Lloyd paused, weighing his words. “It was my first time, so I was a little worried.”
“You were more than considerate,” Chloe replied gracefully, even as her voice dropped to a near-whisper again. “W-Was I okay? It was my first time as well...”
“You were great,” Lloyd reassured her, affectionately patting her head. “Adorable.”
Chloe whimpered. Being complimented was one thing. Being complimented for that was quite another. The mix of emotions—shame, embarrassment, joy—ignited a fierce blush on her cheeks. She looked down, only to be met with Lloyd’s gaze as he leaned in for a soft, passionate good-morning kiss. They relished the moment, their eyes closing naturally. When they parted, smiles naturally formed on their faces.
“Let’s get out of bed, shall we?” Lloyd suggested, holding up Chloe’s pajamas, seemingly pulled out of thin air.
“Oh! Thank you... And yes, let’s.”
Lloyd had work today. Shifting from the intimate reverie of the morning, she prepared to embrace the day ahead.
✦ ✦ ✦
Chloe’s morning unfolded seamlessly. She packed Lloyd a lunch, they ate breakfast, and Lloyd was off to work. After noon, Chloe made her way to Ciel’s stand for her daily shopping.
“Congratulations, Chloe!”
Ciel grabbed Chloe’s hands and swung them up and down—she had just learned the good news. The sheer size of the smile on her face let Chloe know that her joy for them was genuine.
“Thank you so much!” Chloe replied. “You did so much to set it up.” Thinking back, she realized if Ciel hadn’t offered her tickets, would Lloyd have found the right moment to propose?
“What are ya talking about, Chloe? Handing off two spare tickets is hardly a masterstroke of matchmaking.” Ciel placed her hands on her hips and laughed heartily. “You two would’ve found your way to each other with or without my invitation. I just sped things up a little, is all.”
“Y-You think so?” Chloe said, sounding unsure.
“I know so! My intuition hasn’t failed me once!” Ciel declared confidently. “All right! In honor of your engagement, Chloe, everything you take home today is free of charge!”
“Miss Ciel, no!” Chloe shouted. “I can’t keep taking advantage of your generosity...”
“Now why can’t you?” Ciel said, her voice growing serious. “Don’t make that sorry-looking face, sweetie. I’m happy from the bottom of my heart for you two. Words aren’t enough to express my joy, so I insist I give you a little something as well. Go on now, take whatever you want.”
If there was one thing Chloe had learned about Ciel over the course of the last few months, it was that she never took no for an answer. “I’ll take you up on that, thank you...”
“I knew ya would!” Ciel replied with a radiant smile contagious enough to uplift Chloe’s own face as well. She realized in that moment that to have someone who shared in her happiness, who felt joy when she felt joy, was truly a blessing in itself.