Interlude [h.s]

seventy-two

The next day goes by with the knowledge that good things are about to come. Soon Harry and the Revolution will come to new terms and Alouette will be able to see her sister again—and he'll be able to get back to the Palace, too. There's a little longing in her heart. She wonders how that will work. Will Harry allow her to see him again? She can't bring herself to ask, though, because nothing is set in stone just yet, and she doesn't want him to think she's rushing it.

She makes pancakes in the evening, and Harry actually eats them. She doesn't know if he eats them because he doesn't hate them or to be kind, but she goes with the second one—Harry doesn't strike her as the kind of person that would make any kind of personal sacrifice simply to make someone else feel better.

"Can I call tomorrow?" she asks in the evening, when they're lying in bed.

He raises an eyebrow. "Eager to go back home?"

She gives him a shrug. "Some people actually have a life and things to do, you know." She laughs out loud right after, cause there's some absurdity in telling a man known as the President all over the country about her supposedly busy nine-to-five, and he doesn't miss the irony of it either.

"I'll have to find a hobby, then." His finger slides up and down her arm. "Or I could tie you to my bed so you'll never leave. How would that work for you?"

Curiosity perks up in Alouette, but she has no intention of letting him win. "How about I tie you to your bed and take over the country instead?" Her hand is on his chest. "How would that work for you?"

"Remarkably well, actually."

She lets out a surprised chuckle, and he presses a kiss to her lips.

"It must be the second time I tell you not to underestimate me," he comments. His fingers are still sliding up and down her arm in a relaxed, slightly curious way. He doesn't seem to mean much by it, but still... Alouette has to remind herself they need to do some shopping. Urgently. Very urgently. "If you hadn't only bought eggs..." Harry starts, and she interrupts him.

"You're always so skilled at breaking out of apartments, and yet you never do it when you should."

He laughs, and she does as well. "And here I thought you wanted me to be good, for you."

She presses a kiss to his jaw. "Don't tell me you've never heard of breaking rules for good reasons."

He flips them over so that he's on top of her. "It sounds to me like you want to—"

Alouette turns off the light. "To sleep." She chuckles. "Goodnight, Harry."

He leans his forehead on her shoulder. "This is simply pointless and cruel."

"Consider breaking out of the apartment the next time." She thinks about it for a moment. "Do it when I'm distracted, too, so I won't have to worry about pretending to be mad."

He leans up on his elbows, staring at her in the faint multicoloured light coming from the window on the side of the room. "Now, why would you pretend to be mad?"

"Because you'd be breaking the rules."

Harry lets out a hum and leaves a trail of slow kisses down her neck, teasing her just enough for her cheeks to grow warm. "It doesn't sound convenient to me. I think I'll wait a few days and tie you to my bed instead." He bites lightly over her collarbone, and her fingers tangle into his hair.

"You've got it wrong, I'm the one that's supposed to tie you to the bed." She can barely pay attention to what she's saying, because his tongue slides over the mark to soothe her flesh.