The Cursed Tyrant and His Reluctant Queen

Ignis's fingers caress my forehead while moving a lock of hair that escaped from the braid. His eyes follow his hand, and he observes my face with the same curiosity of a predator.

He bows down and pecks my cheek, pressing his lips for a second before retreating.

Ere I have time to think he's done, his lips return to caress my face again. He moves down, reaching my chin.

Oh, is he teasing me? He'll eventually kiss my lips, I know. But he wants to make me suffer before that.

Instead of reaching my mouth, his attention moves lower on my neck.

When he presses his soft lips a centimetre under my ear, I shiver.

Ignis moves back to check my face and then kisses me again on the same spot. He chuckles at my reaction, and his breath sends thrills to my shoulder.

It's as if he found a new land or discovered a new type of weapon.

However, this is not what I was expecting when he said we would kiss. What is he doing?

His arm surrounds my waist, and he pulls me closer. His head sinks in between my neck and shoulder, and he inhales deeply. After a few seconds, he returns to kiss my sensitive skin.

This time, his lips are burning. It's just a peck, for goodness, why am I reacting like this?

He leaves a trace of light kisses, barely touching me until reaching my ear. His teeth graze my lobe, and his hot breath makes me even more conscious of his presence. He bites my ear and pulls, light like the wind.

A moan escapes my throat. I can't hold it, nor can I stop Ignis.

«What... What are you doing?» I manage to say.

My body heated up during the last couple of minutes. So much that I feel hot waves crossing my back, moving upwards, and transforming into shivers when they reach my shoulders.

«You said you would let me kiss you,» he explains. «That's exactly what I'm doing.»

His voice is calm as if all of this excites only me. His eyes smile when they meet mine, and his fingers on my back don't move. He's not caressing me, that's right. He just grabbed.

He is keeping his word in some weird way.

«I thought we would just kiss,» I try. «This is too much.»

«Too much?» he repeats, dumbfounded. «What is not too much?»

He's asking it, now? He never touched my lips from the beginning!

What is the meaning of all of this?

«I thought we would kiss for real,» I explain. «Not this!»

«Kiss for real?» His lips curl upwards, and he seems oh-so content. «If that's what you want...»

It's not what I want but what we agreed on.

His free hand, the one not around my waist, reaches my face. He caresses my cheek with a finger before pressing his lips on mine. It's just the same as when we got married: my face starts burning, and my stomach is invaded by butterflies.

However, it doesn't stop here.

Ignis moves back and whispers: «relax» before returning to kiss. His lips capture my lower lip, and he lightly sucks until I moan again.

I move back, surprised by his suddenness. Is this how people kiss? What in the world...

But it's not that bad.

I like this burning feeling. And I like how my belly is warming up.

I take a deep breath and close my eyes, getting ready to do this again.

When Ignis's lips reach mine for the second time, I do the same thing he's doing to me. Oh, how soft.

He just shaved, so his chin is smooth. His breath is hasty even though he's doing his best to hide it.

«Open your mouth,» he utters.

As I do it to ask for explanations, his tongue invades my mouth.

I open my eyes and move back by an inch. I stare at Ignis while he sighs and straightens his back.

He sits on the bed in silence.

Now, I feel as if I've done something wrong.

«What was that?» I ask.

«It's how married couples kiss,» Ignis explains.

He reaches out for my hand, and he forces me to release the sheet. I haven't even noticed how I was clutching it. My knuckles are white from the pressure.

«But you don't need to do it if you hate it.»

«I don't... I don't ha-hate it,» I stutter.

How can I explain what's going on inside me? It's so confusing. I'd stop and continue at the same time. My brain can't process enough to decide which options are better.

Ignis brings my hand to his lips, and he pecks the back. It's just an innocent, short contact.

«You don't have to do anything you don't want to, Veronica. I won't force you.»

«You didn't,» I point out. I agreed to this.

Even if I didn't know what his words meant, I did say I would let him kiss me. But still, all of this... If only I started panicking later, it would have lasted a bit longer.

«I said you could,» I add. «So, you're not forcing me to do anything.»

«But you don't like it,» he sighs.

«No!»

«No?»

«It's not that bad,» I murmur. I look down at my knees, wondering how to get out of this embarrassing moment.

«So, you wouldn't be this afraid if I did this again?»

«I'm not afraid.»

Ignis sighs. This time, of relief and not surrender.

«I overstepped my boundaries; forgive me.»

«You didn't,» I correct him. «After all, we are married.»

«Veronica, you're making me want to kiss you again.»

«Why not?»

I shrug as if it didn't make any difference.

«I should sleep. Wake me up when you're tired.»

I nod, observing how he lies down on the bed. There's no contact among our bodies, but I can perfectly feel his warmth.

If only I move my hand a little, I can touch him.. However, Ignis needs to rest.