A/N: I wanted to. That’s it. That’s the whole reason. I don’t apologize for this being ridiculous because it’s completely self indulgent and basically just me spilling out ideas that won’t stop plaguing my every waking moment.
Ronan was on that precarious edge of consciousness and sleep leaning more toward the latter finally after an endlessly long day of shadowing his queen as she walked through the entire castle taking care of various housekeeping matters, issuing military movement orders, appealing to nobles, and the continued meet and greets with a variety of foreign diplomats and royals who made their intentions known that they’d love to wed the new queen. And after all that had been done, he had to meet with the other knights and guards to discuss the changes in the security of the castle, mainly the tightening of it. He didn’t even get to eat until near midnight, and once he was done scarfing down his food he could barely bring himself to wash up quickly before he entered his quarters and collapsed on his bed, exhausted.
So, finally, Ronan was close to unconsciousness. And then his door opened. He lifted his head, ready to tell whoever it was to leave him the fuck alone, when his eyes found Charlotte quickly closing the door behind herself with one hand as the other held a nub of a candle to provide some light.
“My lady?” He asked, watching her spin around so fast to face him that the small flame nearly gave out. “What are you doing here?”
“Couldn’t sleep,” She explained, leaning her back against the door. “Do you mind if I stay a while?” She asked quietly. Ronan shook his head and forced himself to move to the far side of the bed. Charlotte stepped further into the room and set the candle on the bedside table before pulling off the robe she’d thrown over her nightgown and climbed into the bed when Ronan lifted the blanket for her.
He sighed softly as she squirmed around until she was curled up facing him with and arm thrown over his middle and her legs tangled up with his.
“Comfortable?” He asked when she finally settled.
“Remind me to have softer beds made for you and the other knights and guards...”
“So sorry, not all of us can have a bed fit for a queen,” He chuckled when she mock punched him for the taunt. “Why couldn’t you sleep?” He asked when things fell quiet. Charlotte didn’t say anything right away and he turned his head down to press his lips to her hair. “Nightmares?” She gave one quick twitch of her head in affirmation.
“I’ll only stay for a little while,” She promised. Ronan shook his head and wrapped an arm around her waist.
“Stay as long as you want. I don’t mind,” He assured her.
“I don’t want to bother you, I know you’re tired-”
“Charlotte... It’s okay,” He said.
“Okay,” She shifted closer and he felt her soft exhale spread warmth over his chest. His fingers drew idle swirling patterns along the back of her hip and he felt her relax in his hold. In no time at all Charlotte was breathing deep and even, peacefully asleep.
Carefully, Ronan lifted his head focused on the flame of the candle until it snuffed itself out. He settled his head back against his pillow and closed his eyes, listening to the soft exhales of his queen, he fell asleep.
A/N: This is just a scene I have planned, but from a different POV cause I felt like it, so. This is just a very rough draft blurb and it’s entirely unedited cause fuck editing it’s like 2:30AM rn and I ain’t about that coherent shit lmfao.
He was crouched down, staring into the fire for longer than what made her feel comfortable and she frowned, regretting how she’d yelled at him earlier. He’d only wanted to make sure she stayed healthy, after all. With a huff she finished straightening the blankets on the bed and then turned to him, wrapping her arms around herself.
“Are you okay?” She asked quietly, and she watched as he stood.
“Fine, just thinking,” He said, his voice calm and measured. Her fingers tapped at her ribs for a second but she didn’t push.
“Okay, are you hungry?” She asked next. He hummed, clearly not listening, and her frown deepened before she walked over to him. She stopped at his side and faced him. Looking at his profile, made golden by the light of the fire she decided not to bite her tongue. “What are you thinking about?”
“Things,” He said absently. She reminded herself quickly that she was feeling remorseful, and that hitting him wouldn’t make it seem very sincere.
“I’m sorry for yelling at you,” She offered up. Finally, he turned to look at her with a bewildered frown creasing his brows.
“What?”
“Well... I figured you were upset because-”
“Because you shared how you were feeling?” He finished. “No, I’m not-...” He sighed. “That’s not what I was thinking about, I promise.”
Promise or not, he seemed distant to her. But she wasn’t going to push the issue and risk upsetting him worse. So she pursed her lips and looked at the blank wall of the cottage with a bob of her head.
“Charlotte,” His hand cupped her cheek and she fought valiantly against the urge to close her eyes and lean into the warm touch. He guided her to look back at him and only when she met his gaze did he continue. “I promise. I’m not upset with you,” He insisted.
“Then what were you thinking about?” She asked before she could stop herself. He sighed, but his expression was more fond than annoyed. His hand slipped away from her cheek to fall back to his side and she clenched her hands to keep from catching it and putting it back where he’d had it.
“I don’t want you to get the wrong idea, or get upset,” He hedged.
“Then I’ll reserve judgement until you’re finished talking,” She offered quickly. He exhaled something close to a laugh and shook his head.
“It’s the judgement at all the worries me,” He muttered.
“Ronan-”
“I was thinking about what Dexter said to you,” He admitted, cutting her off. “And I was thinking that he may have been.... Not entirely wrong?” His expression twisted when hers did. She thought about it for a second and then slid one foot back under the cover of her skirts, in case she had to move away.
“What do you mean?” She asked, worried.
“About-.... About wanting more than just your friendship,” He sighed, running a hand through his hair as he looked at her, gauging her reaction. She kept her face carefully passive, even as her heart picked up rhythm in her chest.
“What would... ‘more’ entail?” She asked, taking a half-step closer as he watched her. She watched him in return and she could almost pinpoint the exact second where he decided. His expression didn’t change visibly but his eyes-his honey colored eyes-lit with intensity just before he stepped forward, into her space, and reached up. His palm slid across her cheek to cup her jaw and tilt her head up, and then his lips were pressing down on hers, and everything was narrowed down to the warmth of his touch.
The warmth of his fingers curling just slightly into her hair, of his lips moving against hers, of his soft exhale spreading over her cheek and chin as he pulled away. For just a fleeting moment she basked in the warmth that was Ronan SinClair, and then he was gone and her eyes opened and she felt as if she’d been pulled from the best dream she’d ever had. And she saw the contrite look his face and felt a pang of worry overtake her.
“I’m sorry,” He said quickly, and all at once she understood. He thought that in those seconds, that wonderful moment, he’d pushed his feelings onto her without her permission. He thought he’d stolen that kiss from her instead of her giving it to him freely, happily.
He took another step back and Charlotte reached forward without conscious thought, her hand caught the front of his shirt and latched on for dear life, reluctant to let his warmth stray any farther from her. And then she’s seeking more, as her free hand wrapped around the back of his neck to bring his head down the few inches separating them, and she was the one kissing him this time. Her kiss lacked the tenderness he’d shown her. Her kiss was insistent, with more pressure as her lips moved against his. She felt his muscles tense as he moved to pull away and she let him go, her cheeks warm with embarrassment at the errant thought of rejection which she ignored.
“You shouldn’t be sorry,” She told him. His eyes searched hers, looking for any hint of doubt, and when he found only sincerity he leaned in and captured her lips once more.
A/N: I just thought of this and it’s some Good Shit™ imo so I thought I’d plop it down right here. This is unedited because I ain’t about that coherent shit.
Ronan followed a disgruntled Charlotte down the hall to her chambers, listening to her various huffs of annoyance and disgust, without saying a word. He knew better than that, after all. The last thing he wanted was to give her frustration and anger a target. So he smartly stayed silent and shadowed her steps like any diligent protector would, up until he met her doorway.
“Ronan!” She called impatiently.
Alas, fate was not always kind to him.
He glanced down the hall and found no one was near enough to come to his rescue. In fact, no one was in the hall at all. Fate had definitely turned her back on him tonight.
“Ronan!” She called again, sharper this time, truly impatient now. He stepped inside reluctantly and closed the door behind himself when he saw her posture. Her arms were folded over her chest and her face was a mask of near perfect neutrality. If it weren’t for the narrowing of her electric blue eyes and the subtle purse of her lips one would think nothing was amiss with her expression.
“Yes, my lady?” He hoped the title would have a positive effect like it normally did. She gave him nothing. “What seems to be troubling you?”
“You.”
“Me?”
“You left me at the mercy of Lord Faulner for half the night!” She huffed with a stomp of her foot for emphasis.
“I didn’t mean to, my lady—”
“Don’t you dare ‘my lady’ me. I ordered you to monopolize my time tonight but you left me defenseless as you went off to waltz with lady Kane of all people,” She frowned. Ronan wondered in a corner of his mind if what he heard in her tone was the slightest bit of hurt.
He wanted to apologize and explain that lady Kane and come up while his back was turned and dragged him into the dancing crowd against his will. But what he said instead was, “I don’t remember hearing you order anything of the sort.” And he was sure that Fate hadn’t abandoned him so much as tossed him to the wolves for her own amusement. Charlotte’s frown deepened and she turned away from him with a huff.
“It was strongly implied,” She grumbled, walking to her vanity. She roughly tugged off the bracelets she’d been wearing and reached her hands back for the clasp of her necklace. Her fingers couldn’t seem to catch it and Ronan walked up behind her to help before she got frustrated enough to just tear it off. He nudged her fingers out of the way and easily disengaged the hook.
“I’m sorry I left you alone,” He said.
“You should be. You know how much I detest that man,” She bit out as she tossed the necklace onto the growing pile of jewelry. She took off her earrings and added them as well before her hands reached up and pulled the pins from her hair. Ronan watched the snowy tresses tumble down her back until she spoke again. “I still feel his clammy hands trying to hold me,” She shuddered in disgust as her hands finally stilled, her fingers pressing against the cool surface of the edge of the tabletop.
“Where do you feel them?” Ronan asked.
“Against my hands. He wouldn’t let go of them no matter how I tried to pull free,” She complained. He reached out and took her hands in his. The familiar warmth of his touch burned away the feeling that she wanted to crawl out of her skin in an instant.
“Where else?” He prompted her, a gentle mischievous smile curling at his mouth. The bastard knew she’d be putty in his hands the second he touched her.
“Here,” She pulled one of his hands to her side where the northern lord had held her as he had all but forced her to dance with him. Ronan’s fingers stroked up and down her side in a slow soothing motion, his warmth slowly seeping passed the fabric of her dress to reach her skin.
“Where next?” He asked cleverly. He knew that, while slimy, Lord Faulner wouldn’t dare stray from anything polite when it came to touching the queen. He knew that now it was a simple question of where she wanted to feel his touch. Charlotte tipped her head to the side modestly, not saying anything but telling him everything all at once.
Ronan wrapped his arm fully around her waist and brought his other hand up to pull her hair aside so he could lean down and place his lips along her neck. Her soft exhale was gratifying but did not satisfy him. It did not satisfy Charlotte either, as she turned to face him. She wrapped her arms around his neck as her head tipped up. He pulled back just enough to stay out of her reach and she whined wordlessly at the unfairness of it.
“You’re mad at me,” He reminded her.
“I’ll progress to fury if you intend to tease me,” She warned.
“I can’t monopolize all of your time. You are a queen, you know. You have to mingle with the nobility at the very least.”
“I’m happy to mingle. So long as you’re by my side, protecting me from the vultures dressed up in vests and pants,” She pouted, trying to gently pull him down to her height.
“I’d hardly call them vultures,” He chuckled.
“Then what would you call them?” She asked haughtily.
“I’m not sure. I just know that calling them vultures is being unkind to the birds.” At that she finally laughed and he finally relented, letting her pull him towards her so she could give him a proper kiss.
