Archive of Our Own ^beta

It was a calm night in Ne-no-Kuni, its sky clear from obscuring clouds and their saddening emotions: in that limpid night, Lil could only contemplate that vibrant spectacle of bright stars. Moon breaking through her hair, she stood on the balcony connected to the Devil's room, gleefully enjoying a moment of peace; after all, it wasn't often that Lil could manage to surrender herself to some quiet, just letting her thoughts run free like an unruly flow.

The warmth of the bed she had been previously resting on still lingered on her skin, a pleasant reminder of the good evening she had spent with her husband: passing time together with Satanick was a rarity for her, her own private occupation keeping her away most of the times, but when they managed to meet – be it to support each other or just to enjoy a date together – Lil found herself captivated by the devil each time, his gaze filled with a clear earnest that amazed the succubus: she was pleasantly smitten with Satanick.
As much as love wasn't a word she usually used, the special affection she felt for Satanick was undeniable, her feelings so strong that she always came back to him, no matter how far away she went.
And the devil never judged her lifestyle as well, welcoming her back in his arms each time, with the same cheeky smile he reserved just for his close ones. Her husband was the only reason to consider that place her home – a wanderer soul whose spirit always stayed by Satanick's side.

These were the thoughts that filled Lil's mind as she stared at the lively town from her privileged spot, her hair dancing behind her back together with the gentle but chilly breeze that occasionally rose, one that made the succubus shudder and yet not uncomfortable enough to drive her back inside the bedroom.
She didn't move away even when the noise of steps approaching her reached her ears, her eyes still focused on the scenery whilst a pair of strong – familiar – arms wrapped her body, the only acknowledgement being a soft smile curving her lips upward;

"Don't you feel cold?" Satanick whispered, his words sounding almost like a mumble: it was clear he had just woken up from his slumber. Like a lazy cat, the devil buried his face between Lil's hair, sluggishly resting his cheek on her shoulder as if in need to be closer to the woman.
Surely, it should have been a surprise how someone as depraved as Satanick could have such an adorable side to his personality, but over the long period of time they have been together, Lil had learnt the intricate psyche of the charming man she called her husband, and without any doubts she cherished each of its nuance.

"Why? You want to warm me up?" Lil replied, a hint of smugness in her words to hide their corny nature, while stretching a hand out to caress Satanick's hair, her touches somehow comforting to the devil, who simply let out a pleased groan. There was no maliciousness behind the succubus' actions, and overall it was a peaceful moment between two lovers. No wonder Satanick took his time to reply, just rubbing his cheek against the woman's neck at every caress, before sighing out: "It would be my pleasure."
And although a series of neck kisses followed his words, his manners were clearly sappy, mushy in a sense, enough to entice a chuckle from Lil, whose hands abandoned her soft strokes to simply guide Satanick closer to her, as if being in his arms wasn't enough contact to her.

In a way, as she focused her attention back on the view, Lil was convinced that the town looked more fascinating than before, Santanick's presence able to make anything more captivating, especially since to her eyes; it had to be a special talent of his, to be able to touch the strings of her heart other than the ones of desire.

"What were you looking at?" Satanick suddenly asked, his sleepy tone getting overshadowed by the strong curiosity he was feeling, so much that he took a peak from behind Lil's neck at the city.

"The moon is beautiful tonight."
A breathtaking view that the woman could share with her dear husband. She didn't need to turn around to know that the silvery light was making the devil's eyes shine, like actual amethyst under the moonlight, exactly how she could perceive the smile on Satanick's lips as he slowly slid his hand over her arm, all the way up until he reached her hand, which was still delicately holding his hair.

"That's because you are here," he whispered and intertwined their fingers together, a gentle and soft gesture, maybe a bit sentimental, but nonetheless a way to accentuate the passion backing his words.
Lil was flattered, her lips parted to let out a breathless sigh as Satanick pressed a kiss against the back of her hands, and without thinking twice about it, she turned around, loving gazes meeting, two hearts beating in sync.
And it was like she had read Satanick's mind for he smiled at her and pulled her closer, arm finding its way around the woman's hips, and Lil sharpened her gaze.

"Shall we dance?"
An invitation, a breathless solicitation that could be mistaken for the sound of the breeze blowing between the two of them. Immersed in the grace of the moonlight and inebriated by each other's presence, Lil rested her free hand on Satanick's shoulder, placidly agreeing to the dance: there was no need for words between them.

The man's white shirt was still unbuttoned from their previous deed, his hair messy from laying down, but there was still a certain elegance in his behaviour as he took the first step, holding Lil close to him while guiding her body to move with him. There was no music, the rhythm dictated by distant noise of twirling leaves and the faint background noise coming from the bustling town.
It was a private performance, one that was reserved just for them, just using the moon as witness.

Until the very end, it was her and Satanick, alone.

Lil was smiling, nodding along as the devil began humming to accompany the sound of their footsteps, and with her heart full of delight she twirled into his arms, their hands still tightly interlaced, as if unwilling to let go.
His amethyst eyes glistened, her cheeks flushed, and once again it felt like nothing else mattered other than their present.

As their bodies seemed to melt together, Satanick leant closer to Lil's face, just enough to leave a soft kiss against her forehead. Carnality was common – to be expected – in their relationship, but Lil more often than not found herself pleasantly awestruck by the soft kisses and hugs her husband surprised her with, their tenderness able to surge an uncontrollable warmth through her body.
And that night was no exception.

"My dearest," she whispered, her hand sliding from the devil's shoulder to brush across his cheek. Their movements were slow, mesmerizing in a sense, and Satanick simply hummed along, eyes shut as he tilted his head against the warm hand of the succubus, so ro enjoy her warm touch.
Hips swaying in their slow dance, Lil silently admired the way Satanick's dark locks fell over his eyes, hypnotically appealing when in contrast with the man's pearly skin, which seemed to shine under the moonlight.

Enticing;
There was no better word to describe him at the moment.

Tiptoeing to be closer to his face, Lil slowly freed her hands, just to wrap them behind the devil's neck, and even before the man could open his eyes, the succubus pulled him to plant a kiss on his lips. And Satanick held her close, very much so, never questioning her actions once. Both his arms slid down to fully embrace her back, their movements slowing down until the dance became a mere swaying from one side to the other, like flowers in the wind.

Blessed by the complicity of the moon, Lil was completely his.

A chaste kiss, a pretty different one from what they were used to, but nonetheless intense. At that very moment, they were free from valueless worries, no chains to hold them back from that pure paradise. Their bodies felt warm, especially where their lips touched, and the breeze didn't feel as chilly as before; all the insignificant details seemed to fade away in the background, pushed in a corner of their mind.
The only thing that mattered was how right it felt to just be there, holding each other with the same frenzy and trepidation of newly found lovers while their lips caressed each other with feather kisses, barely imperceptible but capable of stirring wondrous emotions.

And even as they broke away from the kiss, these feelings didn't leave Lil's blissed state of mind.
Rather, it seemed like they only grew the moment her gaze was met by Satanick's twinkling eyes, which sparkled more than the stars hanging above them.

"You are right, the moon is particularly beautiful today," the man whispered, a soft smile spreading across his face, one that was so filled with earnest that the succubus found herself smiling too, “but you are prettier, more than the moon or stars can ever wish to be.”

What a corny man.

"So romantic today," Lil replied, and in that moment she came to the realization that they were still moving back and forth, a slow dance that felt more casual than their previous one. And soon enough, as a comfortable emotion spread through her body, Lil set her head on Satanick's shoulder and closed her eyes, so as to better enjoy that soothing sensation while swaying with her husband, accompanying his movements by snuggling even closer.

At the heartwarming reaction, the devil couldn't help but to plant a soft kiss on top of the woman's head before resting his chin against it, his eyes filled with joy as he muttered: "What can I say, my wife knows how to put me in a good mood."
She supported him, she comforted him: like two fitting pieces of a puzzle, they seemed to be made to be embedded in each other's arms.
Satanick was aware of thereof and so was Lil.

That is why, at the devil's words, Lil raised her face one more time to look at the man, her hands sliding down to rest against his warm chest, and when their eyes locked they both knew: nothing was going to tear them apart, not that night.
Hence, they continued to dance on the balcony, above the lively town and below a sea of stars, too lost in the moment to halt. Everything stopped existing outside of their embrace, nothing worthy of their attention if not each other's presence.
Thus, although the song whispered by the wind had already ended, Lil and Satanick danced to the lingering melody, whose notes echoed together with their heartbeats, fermented by each smile, each whisper of sweet nothings.

They danced because they were free to do so, exactly how they kept embracing each other all the while, specifically because – in the end – their love was freedom.