Rose-Tinted Mornings (During Time Skip/M Probably ¯\_(ツ)_/¯)

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When Aveline awoke she couldn’t remember falling asleep. The day before had felt like a hazy and demented dream bathed in red, punctuated by crushing despair and soaring joy. But she couldn’t remember falling asleep, not like this. With her hair still in intricate braids and stripped down to the simple white cotton of same chemise dress that she had worn yesterday. She’d had plans for his freedom. Simple plans, but still plans that she had failed to follow up on.

Too much had happened she thought, drawing her hand up to touch the bruising and scrapes around her neck. What had her mother done? What had his Majesty done? Aveline’s gaze turned to the pressure dipping the bed beside her, turning to see Roland sleeping there.

Her breath caught in wonder, reaching over to brush her fingers against the curls in his hair. The touch confirmed that she hadn’t dreamt this at least- Roland was free. Free and real. Ignoring the thudding pain in her lower back she pushes herself up, barely able to catch her breath, leaning over to press her lips to his forehead and comb her fingers back through his hair. Her chest burned as she looked down at him, eyes blurring with tears and smiling broadly as she continued to pet his hair back. She should let him sleep, she knew that, but joy was seeping back through in the emptiness in her soul.

Roland was free. Whatever happened next she could handle, now that he was by her side again.

[Roland]

It was the day after, Roland had dreamed of returning home to Aveline so many nights during his incarceration. He'd had a variety of hopes and...plans for the return, but the previous day's events had put a damper on those plans. Instead they simply returned home, sat together on the bed and talked and embraced each other. All they wanted was to simply be in each other's presence. Then after they'd spoken they'd slept.

He awoke to someone touching his head, and for a moment he grew unnaturally still ready to defend himself. Then awareness flooded into him and he realized it was Aveline. For about a minute he stayed still enjoying her touch and pretending to be asleep.

After the minute he slowly reaches up and wraps his large still muscled arm around his wife and pulls her close to him. "Good morning my love." He whispers softly as he squeezes her softly, being careful to avoid her stomach. "I am home."

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Aveline smiles down at Roland, eyes watery as he opens his eyes. “Roland-” her voice catches, ducking her head shyly. “We’re home.” she shifts, heaving a leg over him before leaning down to kiss him. The last time she was able to do this, she realizes, her stomach was much smaller. Now it ballooned between them, keeping her further from him than she’d like.

Aveline pulls back from the kiss after a moment, fingers still stroking through his hair. “Good morning.” For a brief, blissful moment her memories of the trauma from the day before were gone. All that mattered now was him, and taking care of him. She bends her head, pressing a line of kisses from his forehead to temple to cheek. “Did I wake you up too soon?” she asks, looking back down at him. She desperately hoped not. “How did you sleep?”

[Roland]

Roland smiles fondly as Aveline greeted him. Even the flash of worry that crossed her face helped him feel reassured as he stared up at his wife. At least this worry is about my rest, not my safety. He mused as she leaned in and kissed him. As she places the final kiss he reaches up and touches the small of her back. "If that is how you are going to wake me up then I don't mind regardless of the time." He says with a smile. A lot of the initial awkwardness in their exchanges had faded over the course of their time together, Roland almost managed to deliver the line without looking embarrassed at all.

To help coverup the red that was attempting to show through his now well trimmed black beard he leans forward and rests his head on her growing bosom. He holds her close for several seconds. "I missed you," he whispers, though the tenderness of the moment was potentially ruined by the presence of a familiar pressure right behind where Aveline was sitting atop him.

"That was the best I've slept in months." He assures her leaning up to kiss her again while his hands drifted up her back. He wanted to say so many things,to apologize, to reassure, to comfort, but for the moment Roland just wanted to enjoy the present and not think about everything that had just happened.

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Aveline’s worried expression cracks into another shy smile, reaching back to tuck back errant braids over her ear. Her fingers reach back out, brushing her thumb against the dark circles under his eyes. He looked older than before, but so much had happened to him. At least he had returned to her whole, in more or less the shape he had been taken away from her in.

A laugh bubbles from Aveline’s lips as Roland nuzzles against her chest, bending her head without thought to kiss the top of his head. “That tickles.” she whispers, her voice gently rasping against his hair. “We missed you too.” she pulls her hand up to stroke his hair again, fingers combing through the tangled strands. When he pulls back up to kiss her again she falls into it, fingers curling tighter in his hair until her back begins to twinge again. She has to pull back from the kiss sooner than she’d like, a whining sort of noise escaping her.

“Just a few things have changed.” Aveline shifts a little in discomfort at the moment inside her belly, letting out a controlled breath. “Hang on, I need to-” she reaches down to adjust his arms, settling back down with her back against the mattress. A usual smile from her- worried but bracing against it flashes over to him. “This is the biggest… any part of me has ever been. It’s- it’s different.” Weird and uncomfortable and different. Despite that and despite the marks around her neck and the stress, there was some kind of glow about her. With him back and the marks faded, this would probably be the healthiest she’s ever been.

[Roland]

Roland tensed slightly as Aveline suddenly showed discomfort, but it disappeared almost as quickly as it had come when he realized what the cause was. "A few things certainly have changed.[/i] He admits as he looks over at her. He sits up fully and watches her with a soft gaze as she breaths in and out. For the first time he could feel his worries slip away. He no longer had the fate of the kingdom on his shoulders, hell he was barely involved now.

Let someone else deal with the endless paperwork, impossible expectations, and sleepless nights. Though even as he though that a small twinge of pain passed through his chest, Roland had been a guard all his life, he wasn't sure what to do now that he wasn't one. However he quickly pushed those emotions away. He began to reach out to heal Aveline's neck, but quickly remembered that apparently exposure to mana was bad for most babies. I wonder if they applies to my children as well.

"Is there anything I can do to help you feel better?" He asks Aveline refocusing on the situation at hand and wanting to help her get comfortable. As he looked down at her though he smiled and said "well I don't think you have every looked more radiant."

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Aveline reaches up to catch Roland’s hand as it moves, unaware of his thoughts to heal her neck, and brings his knuckles to her lips to kiss them. A smile comes over her lips again, this time without worry as she shakes her head. “You can stay here, with me.” she moves his hand to press against her cheek, nuzzling against his palm briefly.

Her cheeks flush dark at his compliment- foolishly it had been so long since she’d heard him speak like that and it took her off guard all over again. Her eyes dart to the side as if trying to hide in embarrassment. “Flattery will get you nowhere, Roland.” is what she’s eventually able to say, despite it being an obvious lie, especially with her. She lets out a huff of a sigh, pulling his hand from her cheek and pushing it down to her stomach, pressing the warm palm of his hand against the worn fabric of her chemise. There’s a light flutter of movement against his hand and Aveline shifts again, squeezing his hand.

“He does this a lot.” she murmurs. “He’ll be strong.”

[Roland]

Roland sat up and enjoyed the feeling of Aveline's cheek on his palm as she nuzzled against it. His smile broke out into a slightly sheepish grin and she flushed and gave him a playful retort. Roland felt comfortable and for once in his life he decided to try and be a bit more daring. Instead of speaking more he simply leaned forward and kissed Aveline again, this time with more passion.

As they pulled away he murmured. "...hopefully that was better than the flattery then." He said feeling his cheeks heat up slightly and totally destroying suave confidence he had been trying to project. He always found it a bit strange that he could face down a horde of monsters or armed men with ice water in his veins, but the moment he tried to act smooth with Aveline he became embarrassed.

These thoughts were interrupted by the kick he could feel in Aveline's stomach...and Well hello there my little mage. He found himself thinking as he could sense some of the potential in the child...it really would not be long now.

"I am happy they are energetic..." Roland fell silent for a moment, feeling the small movements and staring into Aveline's eyes."But I think for just this morning I would like to take their mother's attention for a little bit." He chides as he circles around Aveline and pulls her gently onto his lap, careful not to move her too quickly. Then he softly kisses the side of her neck up to her cheek.

"I missed you." He whispers softly at the end of the line of kisses.

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Aveline melted into the kiss like it was their first, eyes fluttering shut and arms winding around his neck. Whatever embarrassment Roland felt was completely unnoticed by his wife- she stared up at him with a flushed face and eyes full of stars. At first she could only silently nod, her heart fluttering in her throat. She was, at long last, completely free to be herself and unhidden around him. Free of guilt. The dark cloud still lingered at the back of her mind however as her gaze dipped to watch him touch her stomach.

“They’re- ah. They’re very energetic.” Aveline shifted, watching his hand before realizing he was staring at her. She lifted her head to look back up at him, a distinct flush coming back over her at his words and gaze. He was always so gentle with her but lying underneath that gentleness was an intensity like rushing dark water under a sheen of ice. She wasn’t even sure he realized he was doing it.

Aveline nodded silently with shining eyes as he wrapped his arms around her and gathered her up. A shiver ran up her back as his lips pressed over the bruises on her neck, a soft gasp escaping her lips. Her fragile body shivered and burned with want and she found herself unable to speak at his words. Around him, she could never quite be the buttoned up and pristine and virtuous woman she was raised to be. So instead of words she reached for him, fingers knotting inelegantly in his dark hair, pressing her lips firmly and roughly against his.

[Roland]

Roland did not respond to Aveline's comment about their energetic baby, as he had mentioned wanted to enjoy the fact that he was alone with his wife once again. Roland had never expected isolation to wear on him so much, and he found himself missing things like dreamy gaze and the soft feeling of her skin. When he had been in prison one of the trick he'd used to keep centered and rational was immersing himself in pleasant memories, his times with Aveline being some of the most pleasant.

As she pressed her lips more firmly against his Roland drew even closer and his hands slowly moved up under Aveline's sleeping garments.

"Hey Aveline, is it okay for us to do this in your condition?" He asked attempting to hold himself back through sheer force of will, a will that would have seemed significantly stronger if he was not already beginning to disrobe her.

[Deleted]

Why was Roland moving so slowly? Aveline felt as if she couldn’t get close enough to him. Memories of their time apart and the sheer loneliness she had felt bubbled back to the surface and she clutched him tighter and kissed him harder to keep those memories from consuming her.

It would be okay, right? It would be okay. She had been told that once, long ago it felt like now, that she would still need to keep her husband happy through her pregnancy if he wanted it. What she hadn’t anticipated, however, was her need. Aveline nods rapidly, her thick braids bouncing off her shoulders from the quick movement.

“I’ll be okay.” She shifts impatiently, pulling her hands from his hair to grip at his shoulders. “I want-” her eyes dart from his chest back to his face and her hands rose, cupping his face in her hands so she could kiss him again. “I’ve been waiting so long-” her dark eyes flickered back up to meet his, clear and electric want transparent on her face. “I can’t wait anymore. I need you.”