Archive of Our Own

As the sun was setting, the conversation changed topic several times but never stopped; the bottle of wine got lighter and lighter. Finally, Cecil and Alice had successfully finished their first "case" and shared their first, and hopefully their last, drink as co-detectives. Cecil could tell he was feeling the effects of the alcohol, looking at Alice, she seemed a little more dazed than usual. It wasn't unusual for Alice to seem off in a daydream, especially when in the fields; Cecil found it cute. He couldn't help it, especially now with the wine allowing his thoughts to roam. Cecil let out a deep exhale as he stood up from his seat; he felt the effects of the wine more strongly now. 

Alice looked up at him lazily and smiled, "Time to head home?"

"I think so," he sighed. "Thankfully, everything in Rigbarth is close."

"Yep, and we get to be neighbors!" Alice smiled as she rose from the table, a noticeable rosy tint forming on her cheeks.

Cecil noticed the blush, trying not to think much of her words or expression, "It's just the alcohol." He collected his thoughts as they left the Lackadaisy.

Before they could even reach the northbridge behind the restaurant, it began to rain buckets. "Come on!" Alice was first to react, grabbing Cecil's hand and running towards the Inn in the opposite direction. They dashed inside the front doors, clothes already wet from the rain.

"Hey, guys!" Murakumo was at the front desk, "You here for a room?" His tone changed to one of curiosity.

Cecil followed the inn keeper's gaze to see Alice was still holding his hand tightly. He slipped his hand away and walked up to the front desk, flustered, "I don't think so. We were on the way home when it started raining. Can we take cover here for a bit?"

Murakumo gave a big smile, "Of course! Oh-" his brows furrowed, "but it might be a while. Misa told me there was a typhoon on the way; it looks like it came a little early."

"That's right!" Alice chimed in as she walked up to the two, "Captain Livia mentioned it, and I totally forgot." Alice's expression turned into a rather dramatic frown, catching Murakumo's attention.

"Is she okay?" He whispered to Cecil.

"Um- well, we just had drinks at the Lackadaisy." He chuckled nervously before adjusting his cap, only to notice it was soaked.

"Yea, I'm not surprised she can't handle her wine." Murakumo laughed, "All great heroes need at least one weakness." He picked up a pen and began writing on a piece of paper, "I wouldn't mind lending you both a room, but I only have one, and it's a single bed. I'll make it free, though!"

"It's fine, Murakumo! We don't-" Before Cecil could finish his sentence, the booming sound of thunder startled all three of them.

Murakumo handed Cecil a key, "It's the last room on the left. I'll bring in an extra futon. If Martin gives you an earful tomorrow, I'll let him know I made sure you guys were safe here."

"Thanks," Cecil took the key, his nerves slowly turning his stomach. He figured Martin wouldn't even be home and at the Smithy like the last typhoon, so he wasn't worried about that. His concerns felt a lot more dire with the thought of spending the night here with Alice.

"Thank you, Kumo!" Alice was now acting cheerful, "Come on, Cecil." She grabbed his hand again, leading him in the direction of the room. Now, his stomach was doing full-on flips, but he couldn't speak up.

Murakumo watched as Alice pulled Cecil along until they entered the room, "About time," he chuckled, "I better be in the wedding."

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When they made their way through the door, Alice let go of Cecil's hand and immediately jumped on the bed, sighing. "The beds at the Inn are so nice."

"Yea, Murakumo says his parents only buy the best for their guests," Cecil replied, his voice feeling like it was getting caught in his throat. Then a knock was at the door.

"Futon Delivery!" Murakumo said in a cheery voice as Cecil opened the door. "Just let me know if you need anything." He winked at Cecil.

Confused by the sudden gesture, Cecil grabbed the futon, thanking him before closing the door and laying the bedding on the floor. As he unrolled it, he noticed two plain tee shirts and two pairs of sleep shorts with a note saying to change before they caught a cold. "Murakumo is way too good of a host." He saw smaller handwriting at the bottom of the letter mentioning something about the nightstand but didn't pay it much mind.

"Is that for us?" Alice was now right by Cecil, looking over his shoulder.

Cecil jumped, "Alice! You scared me." He held his hand over his stuttering heartbeat, "Geez! I think the wine made my observation skills worse."

"Me too! I feel so strange. Like I can't even think straight." Alice sighed. She reached over his shoulder, grabbing one of the pairs of clothing. "It was so fun, though. After case drinks aren't so bad, I just feel so foolish for forgetting about the typhoon." Her expression turned sad again, feeling guilty for their current predicament.

"It's fine, Alice! I don't mind staying here!" Cecil attempted to comfort her.

"Are you sure? Isn't it weird spending the night here..." Alice's face started to turn red, "just us two?"

Cecil immediately turned away from Alice, grabbing the other set of clothes. He was trying to hide his own blush and control his fluctuating heart rate. "N-No! I-It's fine! You've been here with my brother, so-" he felt his heart drop to his stomach as the words slipped out his mouth. He heard Alice shuffle, but she didn't appear in front of him; she had turned around too. Both of them were too embarrassed to face the other.

Alice took a deep breath, breaking the short silence, "Y-Yes, but we were in separate rooms. Plus, it's different...this time." Alice felt like her face was burning, tears forming in her eyes. The wine was allowing her emotions to roam a little too freely, reminding her of the rejection she felt when Cecil asked her to go with his brother to this very Inn.

Cecil let out a heavy sigh; he had fought to push out thoughts of what may have happened that night before. Cecil didn't want to admit he was relieved, and he didn't want to admit how jealous he was of his brother despite being the one who encouraged the overnight stay. He already had this revealing and overly personal conversation with Terry. Cecil tried to speak up, but the words evaded him.

"You know. I only set that up for you." Alice mumbled, only loud enough to barely reach Cecil's ears.

Cecil's eyes widened, his voice faltering, "For me?" He quickly turned to her, Alice's back still facing him as she avoided his gaze.

"You seemed upset that he was so tired. I mean, he works way too much." Alice's breath was shaky, "So I thought I'd help. I didn't want you to be so worried over-"

"Alice? Can you turn around?" Cecil's voice sounded more steady than before.

Alice turned slowly, her face as red as a tomato. She knew it was the alcohol letting this all slip out, yet she couldn't stop it. Wanting to tell him the truth, what little she was allowed to about herself despite what it could reveal, "Yes?"

Cecil felt his heart jump to his throat, "Thank you. I know I thanked you back then, but thank you this time for thinking of me." His nerves took over, and he quickly shot his gaze to the ground between them. Misjudging the force of the movement, his hat tumbled off his head and to the ground.

Alice picked it up, handing it back to him. "You shouldn't thank me for that. I was just butting in."

"I like it when you butt in. You always end up helping me out; even just chatting with you is nice." Cecil felt the words slip past his lips before he could even think to hold back. The wine seemed to have an effect on him still. His words hung in the air, neither saying anything for a good minute until Cecil broke the painful silence, "We should get changed. You should change in the bathroom, Alice. I'll get changed out here."

"Yea," was all Alice could say; her voice seemed to be stuck in her throat. She stood up, making her way to the bathroom to change.

Once Alice closed the door, Cecil buried his head in his hands, mentally cursing himself. "'I like when you butt in?' Why would you say something like that." He let out a deep breath, trying to control his quickened heartbeat. Deciding not to beat himself up for too long, he took off his boots and socks, which weren't too soaked through. He walked to the coat rack near the door, placing his hat on a hook and his boots on the ground nearby. While near the coat rack, he removed his jacket and unbuttoned his vest to hang there to dry. He made his way back to the futon on the floor, picking up the new change of clothes, changing into the shorts first before unbuttoning his white button-down shirt last. Suddenly, he heard the click of the bathroom door and looked up to see Alice in a shirt slightly too big for her, her collarbones exposed. The sight causing his whole body to heat up.

"Ah! I'm sorry," Alice turned around quickly and went back into the bathroom, nearly slamming the door. She felt her heart hitting against her lungs at the sight of Cecil unbuttoning his shirt. Alice had seen him shirtless in a swimsuit but seeing him remove his clothes was too much for her to take in with the wine still in her system.

"Hey, I-I'm done."

As she opened the door, she started apologizing, "I-I'm so so sorry, Cecil. I should have asked or something I-"

"I told you it's fine." Cecil chuckled nervously, trying not to look at her exposed collarbones again. "You can open your eyes, y'know." Alice opened her eyes, not realizing they were closed to begin with. Cecil was at the table near the wall, laying out his clothes. "Give me any of your wet clothes; we can let them dry here."

Alice handed Cecil her casual clothes, thanking the gods her underwear was dry. "Thank you. I wouldn't have remembered to let them dry at all. We should definitely avoid another drink between detectives, maybe just dinner?" She giggled, trying to ease the awkward atmosphere with a casual conversation.

"Agreed, I feel like my brain is all muddled, but I think I'm slowly sobering up," Cecil sighed. "It's just a shame I don't have much of a tolerance. It'd be nice to have one less thing for Martin to worry over me about."

"Well, I think you're handling yourself way better than me." Alice walked over to the chair next to the table, sitting while Cecil laid out their clothes. "I've been way too emotional and a bit clumsy; I nearly fell in the lobby," she laughed.

Cecil looked at her, eyes widened with concern, "What happened?"

"Oh! Don't worry!" Alice laughed nervously, embarrassed with her sudden confession. "The thunder just really frightened me, which it never does...but I guess I just scare easy when drunk."

"Are you sure you'll be alright?" Cecil was worried; they weren't in the comfort of their own homes, and the typhoon would only worsen.

"Yea, I'm sure I'll be fine," Alice sucked in a breath, "I won't be alone, at least." She felt her heart hammering against her chest, "I mean, you're here, so it's not as scary as it could be."

Cecil felt his jaw clench, trying not to overthink what she was saying, "Yea... I'm here." He finished laying out her last piece of clothing with shaky hands, turning immediately to the futon on the floor. "Well, we should try to sleep off the wine and hope the typhoon is gone by morning."

Alice felt like the warmth in her cheeks was slowly spreading to her chest, "O-Okay."

Cecil straightened out the futon in the middle of the room, fluffing the extra pillows he got from Murakumo and fanning the blankets straight. "I'll sleep in the futon; you should sleep in the bed."

"B-But I can-!"

"Nope." He made his way to the light switch near the door and turned to smile at her, "I won't switch." With that statement, he turned off the lights and made his way back to the futon.

Alice pouted at him; he was always too generous. She turned on the lamp placed on the nightstand, but before she could protest to Cecil again, the sound of thunder erupted. A flash of lightning illuminated through the window into the room, causing her to startle and let out a small yelp.

"Are you okay, Alice?" Cecil quickly made his way to her, careful not to trip in the dim lighting.

"Yea, it just startled me. I've literally fought monsters that shoot lightning before." Alice groaned, "I'm definitely not drinking that much ever again if it makes me this nervous."

Cecil noticed she was shaking; instinctively, he reached for her hands and held them. He had never seen Alice like this; Cecil felt guilty that he was a little happy, knowing he was probably the only one who got to see her in this new light. He was trying to think of what to say, but his words kept getting jumbled, trying to hold back saying anything that showed how nervous he was as he focused on her hands in his.

"Can you sleep by me?" Alice whispered. 

Cecil's eyes shot up, his face turning crimson as he quickly let go of her hands to cover his expression, turning his face to the side. "Th-That's kind of-"

Before Cecil could finish his sentence, Alice quickly held up her hands, frantically waving them in front of her as she tried to clear up the misunderstanding. "No-Not like that! I just meant, uh, can you put the futon closer?" The lightning was no longer causing her to shake, her nerves taking over.

"OH! Yes!" Cecil said a little too loudly; he quickly went to the futon, still avoiding her gaze as he tried to pull himself together. He positioned the futon next to the bed, in front of the nightstand. Alice sat on the bed, mentally scolding herself until Cecil spoke up again, "Like this?"

"Yes." Alice let out an uneasy breath as she contemplated how this was an awful idea, "Thank you."

"No problem," he said shyly as he slid under the covers, "This is probably the most I can do to help Rigbarth's ace ranger, anyway."

"That's not true. We're partners now, so we help each other out all the time." Alice whispered, embarrassed with the view of Cecil lying so close to her.

"Oh," Cecil felt his face and chest heating up again, pulling the covers over his mouth, "Yea, so far, day one has been eventful, huh?"

Alice giggled nervously, getting under the covers of the bed now. "Yea, but it's been the best day I've had in a while, though."

"Good. I'm glad." Alice leaned over to turn off the lamp; Cecil noticed her exposed collarbone again as she hovered above him for only a moment. "Gentlemanly behavior, gentlemanly behavior, gentlemanly behavior," he repeated over and over in his head like a prayer. They said their goodnights, letting the silence sit in the room with only the howl of the wind and the sound of the rain to be heard.

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Though hours passed, Cecil found himself unable to sleep. Even with all the sounds outside the window from the weather, he felt like all he could hear was Alice's soft breathing from the bed. He couldn't see her, but he was curious as to what her sleeping face looked like. Her lips parting as she breathed gently, her shirt disheveled from tossing and turning to reveal her mid-section. Knowing where his thoughts were going, Cecil threw his arms over his face letting out an annoyed groan with himself.

"Cecil?" The sound of blankets shuffling came from the bed, and Alice's hand dropped down to him. "Are you awake?"

Cecil took a deep breath, trying to keep his thoughts in check. "Yea, I'm just having a hard time sleeping." He gently took her outstretched hand in his, hoping it was okay to hold her hand like before, just wanting to touch her.

"Me too." She laced their fingers together. Cecil melted at this small movement, the feeling of her pulling him ever so slightly to her. He heard her shift in the bed again; suddenly, the light from the lamp flickered on, and when he looked up, he saw her hovering figure again. She moved back to the bed, laying on her side so she could see Cecil. "Much better, now I can see you," Alice gave him a lazy smile.

"Yea, much better," Cecil grinned back, feeling goosebumps riddling his skin at the sight of Alice looking down at him, her half-lidded eyes reflecting pools of green. Then he felt another gentle tug on his hand, so soft he felt like he must be imagining it. Then another pull, barely stronger than the last two.

Alice felt her heart hammering into her lungs, the heat of her blush taking over her skin, making her dizzy, "C-Can you come c-closer?" The sentence barely left her mouth, but she knew Cecil heard her. His eyes focused on her lips as if seeing them would help him believe it. He lifted himself into a sitting position to get closer to eye-level with her. Their faces were only a few inches apart.

"Is everything okay?" He meant to ask her sincerely while looking into her eyes, but his breath caught in his throat. The dim light allowed him to see her facial features clearly despite how dark the rest of the room was. He kept wondering if the alcohol was still taking over, but part of him knew he had sobered up hours ago. He didn't have an excuse for the warm fog he felt spreading from his chest to his head.

"Yea," Alice managed to whisper to him, her voice shaky as her throat clenched, almost like it was trying to spare her from speaking out. "I-I just thought... maybe the floor was cold." She tightened her hand around Cecil's, internally begging for him not to make her say it; his hand only squeezed back in a wordless response. Alice's eyes fell to his, only 3 inches left between them, swearing she could feel his body heat. The dim light behind him left her unable to see his facial features, unable to tell what he may be thinking right now. She felt her resolve slowly crumbling at the uncertainty; she could barely make out his eyes looking back at her. She wanted to close the distance, but while every inch of her urged her to move forward to him, it also left her frozen. She closed her eyes, trying to find one tiny ounce of courage left over from the wine that had long since left her system. 

Then she felt his lips on hers as if he could hear her internal pleas. His kiss felt so soft as if he was scared to break her. It lasted barely a second before Cecil pulled back, his nose touching hers. He let out a weak sigh, the warmth of his breath lightly brushing against her face, looking into her eyes for any sign of rejection, disgust, or anger.

Alice could see he was searching for something; in answer, she squeezed his hand again, then moved her lips to his, closing the short distance between them again. Their eyelids fluttered close, trying to take in what they felt. Never letting go of each other's hand, Alice tugged his hand gently, urging him to meet her on the bed. Though he wasn't resisting, he stayed still on the futon, only pushing his head forward to deepen the kiss. Alice parted her lips, allowing him to find a new position on hers, trying to get closer. The new sensation was ever so slight, but Alice felt a warmth pool in her stomach, an ache for just a little more. Anything he would be willing to give her.

Cecil wanted to get closer, wanted to believe he could. That the pull on his hand and how she kissed him was Alice wanting more too. What little self-control he had left was screaming for him to stay put on the futon while every physical inch of his body pushed him to where she was, begging him to close the distance between the rest of their bodies and explore this desire more. Suddenly, her tongue brushed against his bottom lip. Grabbing the covers with his left hand, he anchored himself to his spot, pleading with his resolve to hold out a little longer as her tongue passed his lips to brush against his gently. Again, he felt a soft tug from their intertwined fingers before their lips separated for a second time. Their noses touched as they both let out an unsteady exhale, too scared to open their eyes. Cecil felt like he was about to break, breath shaking as he spoke words meant for only her to hear, "Y-You have to tell me...please." He didn't want to just assume it was okay for him to do this, that his feelings being pulled out in the open were acceptable and welcomed. "Please," he whispered again, pleading for her to tell him what to do next.

"Cecil...please." Alice exhaled, her sentence caught in her throat, forcing itself to stay unspoken.

"I asked first," Cecil let out a faltering sigh.

Alice barely opened her eyes, just enough to see Cecil's eyes still clenched tightly shut. She could feel his hand trembling in hers, almost to the same rhythm as her own racing pulse. Alice gently tugged his hand again, the same movement she wished he could understand without words but once again, he just squeezed back in response.  

He was just as scared as her, afraid to go further and discover how deep their affection for each other truly went. Afraid to find out what they knew all along, their relationship had grown past just friends or colleagues.

Alice's heart hammered against her chest, her whole body aching from her pent-up nerves, "Just please get on the bed."

Cecil opened his eyes, backing his face away from hers only slightly, looking for an expression of uncertainty on her face, but he couldn't find an answer to his question. He let out a shaky laugh, squeezing her hand for reassurance, "You'd tell me if you were a dream, right?"

"If it made you stop, no." Alice took a deep breath, trying to ground herself and show how serious she was; she was scared that he'd mistake her restlessness for hesitation. 

Cecil quickly dissolved that worry, his lips crashing into hers, and for the first time since they touched, he let go of her hand. She reached out to grab it again, not wanting to let go of their first touch just yet, but he just deepened the kiss while her reaching hand could only hold onto his shoulder.

Cecil slowly rose from his spot on the futon; without breaking the kiss, he followed her pull on his shoulder to the bed. He felt the bed creak under his knee as he moved to her, positioning himself between her legs, letting his body hover over her. Deepening the kiss, he slipped his tongue past her lips; the sensation once again left them both dizzy. Alice let go of her grip on his shoulder, and her fingers lightly traced their way down his arm. Missing their hold, he grabbed her hand again, lacing their fingers together before resting their entwined hands on the pillow.

Their kiss became more earnest and needy; before either could pull away, the other pulled them back into the embrace. Pleading for the kiss to continue, silently praying that their movements were reaching each other in a wordless struggle to convey their unspoken affection, the desire to be even closer. Cecil could no longer hear the conscience that had kept him anchored to the futon earlier; he could only think about Alice. The soft-touch of her lips, her fingers squeezing his every so often, her soft pants escaping in the small moments their lips part before finding each other again. All of it felt overwhelming, like every inch of her was consuming his senses.

Alice felt her desire pooling in her stomach, the warmth spreading at an uncomfortable speed. Her legs started to fidget, needing a way to get closer. Her free hand found its way into his hair as his tongue grazed her bottom lip. Alice felt her thoughts melding to one cohesive need where its only motive was him, getting closer, feeling more. Alice's hands pulled him in; she was becoming needier. 

She let go of his lips before cautiously kissing his exposed neck. Cecil let out a low hum, releasing his hand from hers and placing it on her side, grounding himself. Her kisses were feather-light and sweet as she trailed them to his ear and back down to his collarbone. Her hand left his hair, pushing her elbow against the bed as leverage, pressing herself closer to him while her other hand slowly moved the collar of his shirt out of her way for better access.

Cecil touched her shoulder gently, getting her attention to stop. Alice moved away from his neck and leaned back on her arm to look at him. "Maybe you should tell me it's a dream." Cecil said, his breathing labored, "I'll stop." He looked at her; his blue eyes bore into her, a mix of concern and desire fighting for dominance over his conscience.

"I don't want you to stop, though," Alice breathed out; her heart felt like it was reaching her throat.

Cecil leaned forward, resting his forehead on her right shoulder as he let out a heavy exhale, "That's not fair. You're making me think this is-" he paused, taking a deep breath, "more than it actually is." Closing his eyes, he waited for a response, but Alice was quiet. He raised his head, sitting up in the process. His blue eyes were swimming in the light from the lamp, and the ends of his light pink hair looked nearly golden. Alice felt her breath hitch in her throat at the sight, his lips red from their kiss. "Why are you doing this with me?" Cecil quickly looked down again, trying not to show how desperate he was to know Alice's true intentions.

Alice, once again, found the words stuck in her throat; she didn't want to speak her desires into existence. Not while she still needed to protect Rigbarth and figure out if she was willing to take on Gideon. Her guilt was pooling over, threatening to eat away at the little courage left that started this exchange. Alice knew she wanted to be with Cecil, but not just physically. She wanted the endless conversations, the understanding silence, the faith they shared in each other, the bond they've developed over this past Spring. Every last bit she wanted to own and keep for herself.

Yet, her feelings got the better of her and led her to this. She refused to voice her affections for Cecil, so she settled for the physical warmth. She was craving it; she wanted anything she could have from him. She was desperate to keep lying to herself, to keep quiet and just let this play out, but she loved him. She fell for him so quickly, so effortlessly. Alice looked forward to each day in Rigbarth, all because of him. She sat up, her heart threatening to pound through her chest, "I love you, Cecil."

Cecil lifted his head, his eyes wide in shock, "Say it again."

"I-I love you," Alice held her breath, her vision blurring from the tears slowly forming against her will, unable to make out his expression.

"Again." He leaned towards her, cupping her face in his hands. Before she could respond, his lips were on hers. As the kiss intensified, Cecil moved one of his hands into her hair, the other wrapped around her waist, pulling her into him, chest to chest. She could feel his stuttering heartbeat pressed close to her own. Without letting go, he murmured into her lips. "Tell me why."

Alice raised her head to look to the ceiling, running away from the kiss to speak, "What do you mean?" She shuddered as his lips settled on her exposed neck instead.

Cecil felt a smirk reaching his lips as he peppered kisses on her neck leading to her ear, "Why do you love me?" he whispered. His brain fogged with an overwhelming warmth that had long plagued his entire body, taking over what little rationality left to hold back with her confession.

"C-Can we please do this another time?" The sensation of his breath gently grazing her ear leaving goosebumps down her spine.

"Now's a good time," Cecil smirked.

Before Alice could protest, Cecil kissed her again, leaning her back onto the bed, pressing their bodies together. Cecil trailed kisses from the corner of her mouth to her jaw, making his way to her neck again; he kissed and sucked her skin gently, listening for her reaction. When she let out a small moan, he continued down to her exposed collar bone that kept grabbing his attention the whole night. He moved her collar out of the way just like she had done while he kissed, bit, and sucked on her exposed skin.

Alice let out shaky moans, his name slipping through, "C-Cecil!" 

He hummed to acknowledge his name, working his way back to her mouth, searching for her tongue again. His chest thumped with every noise and twitch she made just for him. Alice loved him. She said she loved him. Cecil felt like he was drowning in happiness, the warm feeling making his mind hazier and hazier.

Alice moaned into his mouth, her hips bucking into his own, causing Cecil to shiver at the new contact. "S-Sorry," she panted against his lips before she nuzzled into his neck, trying to hide her flushed face.

As Alice started kissing his neck again, Cecil spoke, "It's fine. Everything you do feels good." 

Alice's hands now found their way to the bottom of his shirt; she slowly traced her fingers across his lower abdomen, listening for his reaction before moving up to his bare chest under his shirt. She left his neck, leaning back to see his flustered response to the skin contact. She traced her hands back down to the hem of his shirt; he raised his arms, giving her access to take it off. Clumsily, she got his shirt off, and he quickly pushed his body back against hers, pinning her between him and the bed. His skin was burning hot from her touch, one less piece of fabric between them. Alice's head began to swim in stimuli, trying its best to take in every inch of skin she could feel on hers.

Unable to finish her thoughts, she felt his hand touch her bare skin near her hips, his fingers barely grazing her hip bone. His hand trembled as he moved under the hem of the shirt. They both held their breath, Alice with anticipation, Cecil's caught in his throat. His newfound confidence faded at the thought of seeing Alice's unclothed body beneath him; if he continued, would it really be okay? The idea of Alice changing her mind, taking back her confession, rejecting this. Losing any bit of his relationship with her because of his own selfish wants; it terrified him. Only this morning, the thought of being partners on a case, just working together, was enough for him. He was getting greedy; he lowered his head, touching his forehead to hers. He wanted to ask if they should stop, but before the words left his mouth, Alice leaned forward, quickly removing her shirt in one motion, revealing her white bra.

She was mentally cursing herself for not owning anything cuter or a different color. Too nervous to see Cecil's reaction to her exposed body, she wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him into an embrace. The feeling of his bare skin on hers caused her spine to shiver; it was exciting. She could hear his staggered breathing, the heave of his chest rising and falling as it met hers.

Cecil snaked one arm around her waist, pulling them closer together, while his other hand lifted her head to look at him. "I love you," he said, kissing her gently, "I just realized I didn't say it earlier." He laughed nervously, looking down to see her looking wide-eyed at him. He let out a shaky breath, "I'd only do this with you, Alice." The arm around her waist trailed up her back, Cecil cursing all the romance novels he read for never mentioning how to take off a bra as his fingers fumbled clumsily with the clasps.

Alice let out a giggle, reaching behind her back to remove her bra for him. She let it drop to the side of the bed, avoiding Cecil's gaze on her bare breasts. Before she could ask him to stop staring, his left hand found its way to her ribs, his fingertips gently grazing her skin as he inched up to cup her left breast. Alice gasped at his touch, her eyes closing shut reflexively.

She relaxed slowly as he leaned into her, his right arm gliding down her side and resting at her thigh. Alice leaned back, pulling Cecil with her to the bed, her other hand wandering towards his waist, lacing her fingers into the waistband of his shorts. His breath hitched at the feel of her intimate touch, feeling a shiver jolt up his spine. His lips found hers, his tongue grazing her bottom lip, urging her to let the kiss deepen. The kiss felt intoxicating, but his desire overwhelmed his senses, urging him to taste more as he trailed the kiss down to her rosy nipple. Alice gasped at the new sensation of his mouth on her exposed chest, "Cecil."

Hearing his name leave her mouth made his heart pound harshly against his ribs. Wanting to hear more, he swirled his tongue around her nipple. Alice whimpered, his name passing her lips again as his teeth gently grazed her sensitive skin. His mind became muddled, and the warm fog he's felt all evening had completely taken over. All he could see, hear, feel, and taste was Alice.

Alice's fingers still laced in his shorts, she found her grip on his boxers and tugged them both down to expose his erection. Cecil raised his hips to assist in removing what was left of his clothing, his attention to her as he moved his mouth to her other breast to lavish it with the same treatment. Alice hesitantly wrapped her hand around his arousal, earning a low groan from Cecil. Just as her moans left Cecil eager to please, his held the same effect on Alice.

Experimenting with the movement, she stroked him slowly. He gasped, a shaky exhale causing him to release her nipple from his mouth, turning to look at her. Their desire radiated between them; before Alice could get swept away, she continued her rhythmic pumping causing him to inhale sharply, trying to hold back a moan. She picked up the pace, wanting to hear more.

"Alice...please," her name barely passed through his panting lips. The sight of him slowly unraveling in her hand filled her with satisfaction, but before she could revel in it any longer, he placed his hand on top of hers, stopping her movement. Lacing his fingers with hers, moving her hand to the side as he kissed her deeply, their lips melding together again.

Confident that Alice had given him the approval to explore their irrepressible affection further, Cecil continued investigating her body. His mouth trailed down her jaw, her collarbone, and along her torso, stopping just before her waistline. He grasped her waistband, sliding her shorts and underwear down her thighs as he nipped at her newly revealed hip bones. His teasing caused Alice to squirm, allowing him to do away with the remainder of her clothes, discarding them to the ground.

Every inch of Cecil longed for her as he glided his hand to her thigh; his breath hitched as he took in the alluring sight before him. With his hand still in hers, he felt the familiar tug that started this passionate exchange. He looked up, seeing Alice's other arm covering her eyes, unable to look at him, feeling far too exposed. 

Cecil gently squeezed her hand again, kissing her knuckles in reassurance before letting his free hand caress her thigh, inching toward her slit. His finger slipped between her folds cautiously, and he felt Alice's leg twitch, her grip on his hand tightening. Slowly, he pushed two fingers into her entrance as he kissed her thigh. She let out a weak gasp, her back arching slightly. Before Cecil could ask if she was okay, she moaned, "Feels good." 

He took her words as a sign to continue, slowly moving his fingers in and out as her breathing quickened and her hips slightly bucked for more. The arm covering her eyes was now gripping the pillow behind her head, trying to keep herself grounded. Cecil worked kisses along her thighs and hips, careful not to interrupt the increasing rhythm of his fingers. He wanted to hear her moan his name again, wanted to make the girl he was so in love with feel good.

As he trailed his kisses, his mouth found its way to her clit where he flicked his tongue, earning a stifled moan. Alice had covered her mouth, trying not to cry out at the added sensation, warmth pooling where Cecil touched her intimately. He began swirling his tongue around her bud, looking up for her reaction while his fingers continued to push in and out of her, faster and faster. She felt like she was coming undone, her climax fast approaching as she clenched her eyes shut. She called out Cecil's name, nearly pleading as she felt her orgasm hit, squeezing his hand in hers tightly.

As Alice panted heavily, trying to catch her breath, she felt Cecil's fingers slowly leave her entrance, leaving her feeling slightly empty now. She felt heat rising to her cheeks, embarrassed over her sudden yell. She felt Cecil shift, opening her eyes to see him sitting up; he raised her hand to his lips, kissing each finger one by one. "You're so beautiful," he whispered into the back of her hand, "I love you so much."

She let out a shaky breath, her body slowly regaining strength, "I love you too." She tugged their entwined hands, urging Cecil to come closer to her. He settled between her legs again as Alice sat up to meet him halfway. Letting go of his hand, she placed both of hers on his face, her thumb lightly caressing his cheek before her lips touched his gently, nearly as soft as their first kiss. 

"Can we?" she murmured into his lips, barely breaking their touch. She hoped she wouldn't need to blatantly ask or explain what she wanted after all they'd already done.

Thankfully, Cecil seemed to understand right away; he backed away as his eyes widened. Cecil felt like he was just struck with a paralyzing attack but tried to push past his nerves. He sighed, "Okay, but I need to say something." Cecil could not meet her concerned gaze, "I don't know what I'm doing. Romance novels can only help me so much. So I-"

Alice started giggling before he could finish explaining, laying her forehead on his shoulder. "I don't know what I'm doing either. I'm actually relieved; I was starting to think I was the only inexperienced one," letting out a sigh into his neck.

Cecil felt a blush rise to his cheeks, "I already told you; you're the only one I'd do this with." He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close. His heart beating wildly in his chest, "Are you sure, though?"

A verbal answer never left her lips. Alice took his face in her hands again, kissing him passionately, pulling him on top of her. She could feel his erection rubbing against her core, the sensation making her dizzy as she kissed Cecil passionately. 

Cecil pulled back, leaning over to the side, "Hold on." He had remembered Murokuma's note mentioning the nightstand drawer, hoping his overbearing hospitality included embarrassing items such as condoms. Cecil's hunch was correct; he wasn't sure whether to be thankful or worried since he was sure this wasn't a complimentary everyday item, remembering the Inn Keeper's wink to him at the door. Cecil let out an exasperated sigh, deciding just to be thankful as he closed the drawer, but he accidentally knocked the lamp over, unplugging the only light source in the room. "Oops."

Alice giggled, her hand finding his arm to lead him back to her despite the lack of light. "It's fine. Our eyes will adjust."

Cecil sighed, slightly annoyed with his clumsiness, "I rather see you right now than wait."

"Then come closer." He felt her hands wrap around his shoulders, pulling him till they were chest to chest again.

"You really are too cool," Cecil let out a nervous laugh, feeling defeated since he had already ruined his chance to act cool and collected in front of her. Suddenly, he felt her lips touch the corner of his mouth, so he moved to meet them with his. He felt Alice's body shift beneath him, trying to position Cecil between her legs. He followed her lead, his arousal rubbing against her's again, both of them gasping at the feeling. He felt her push her hips into his, the movement sending his head spinning.

"Cecil. So can we?" her voice whispered to him.

He took in a deep breath, "Okay. But you have to tell me if it hurts."

"I promise."

Alice felt her eyes instinctively close at the sound of the condom wrapper opening; her breath caught in her throat with anticipation. She suddenly felt his hand on her forearm, sliding up to meet her palm, intertwining their fingers once again. Cecil's other hand was on her waist, rubbing circles on her hip bone with his thumb. Opening her eyes, she tried to let her vision adjust, only seeing his outline so far. His voice was trembling slightly, "I love you, Alice." She felt him kiss her jaw, his kisses trailing to her lips, kissing her lovingly. Before Alice could say it back, she felt her slit parting for him as he entered her slowly. As he inched in, the discomfort increased as she stretched around him. She squeezed his hand tightly, panting between the kisses he gave her as she tried to adjust to the new sensation. She felt his hips meet hers, fully sheathed inside her now.

"Are you okay?" Cecil's voice came out strained and dripping with concern, holding himself still as if it took all of his willpower. "Did I hurt you?"

"I just need a minute," letting a shallow breath out, Alice could now see Cecil more clearly.

He rested his forehead on hers, his breath tickling her face as he whispered, "O-Okay." He lifted her hand to his lips, kissing each finger again before leaning in to kiss her forehead, cheeks, jaw, lips, and anything that was within his reach.

"I love you," she whispered to him as he nuzzled into her neck, the discomfort finally melting into something more comfortable, pleasurable. She experimentally moved her hips slowly beneath him, pulling back and rocking into him once. The feeling of him sliding in and out was so foreign but intoxicating.

Cecil let out a soft groan into her neck. "Alice, a warning would be nice," he panted out. Cecil lifted his head from her neck, readjusting his hand on her hip. The hand on her hip pulled her into him, his shaft pushing deeper into her as she gasped. "Should I keep going?" He looked into her eyes, finally seeing each other in the dark now to make out his expression. 

Alice could tell he wanted to keep going but was holding back. She just nodded, another thrust coming soon after, earning another gasp from her.

"I was right; everything you do feels good." He gently squeezed her hand, rocking his hips into her again, back out, then in again. Over and over till he found a rhythm earning him the most moans and squirms from Alice. His hand slowly caressed her hip, making its way up to her breast to tease her nipple between his fingers. Alice felt herself slowly coming undone again, each push sending her closer to another climax. She could feel her face reddening as the heat pooling below made its way up, the wet feeling between them only adding to her embarrassment. She covered her face with her arm trying to hide, but Cecil grabbed that hand in his, lacing his fingers with hers. "I need to see you." 

Both of her hands were now gingerly pinned beneath his own on the pillow. He leaned in, kissing her deeply while the pacing of his thrusts increased, causing her breath to become uneven. Alice's brain became muddled as their kisses turned messier between the moans and gasps. Cecil let go of her hands, putting his right palm on the bed to brace himself above her, his other hand wrapping around her waist, lifting her hips slightly up. The new position hit an unfamiliar spot that left her head spinning, sending Alice over the edge. "Cecil!" She called out as she reached her peak, praying no one in the Inn heard. She instinctively reached for him, her fingers tangled in his hair; the other hand grabbed his shoulder for stability as her walls twitched around him.

"Alice, a little more-" Cecil panted out, his face slowly showing his own undoing. His eyes glazed over, his mouth slightly agape as he breathed unevenly, his hair now a mess from her hand tangling in his pink locks while small strands stuck to his forehead from sweat. His thrusts had lost their rhythm, losing all consistency as he approached his own orgasm. He came with a final push, nuzzling his face into her neck to leave sloppy kisses as a groan escaped his mouth.

They laid still for a moment, panting as they tried to control the heaving of their chests. Cecil removed himself from her slit, pushing himself up to look at her face, breathing still unsteady, "I didn't hurt you, did I?"

"No, I'm okay." More than okay, Alice thought to herself.

"Thank goodness." He sighed in relief, laying down next to her, "It felt like I was barely thinking straight. It all just felt too good." Alice's face blushed at the rather provocative compliment. His arms wrapped around her, pulling her to his chest as he kissed the top of her head. "I love you so much, Alice."

"I love you too." She said back, nuzzling into his bare chest.

He put his thumb to her chin, urging her to look at him, "Please date me with the intention of marriage."

Alice's face erupted into a crimson red at the sudden request, "M-Marriage? Isn't it a little too soon."

Cecil's expression dropped, "Are you really saying that after what just happened?"

"No! I mean, I want to date you, but-"

"Thank goodness," Cecil exhaled out of relief.

Alice hid her face in his chest, "Why would you mention marriage like that?!"

"Hm? But shouldn't I take responsibility?"

"I really didn't expect you to be the old-fashioned type," Alice sighed.

"I already said I wouldn't do this type of thing with anyone but you." He gently pushed himself up, throwing the condom in the waste bin near the bed and grabbing the blanket that had been kicked to the foot of the bed, covering the two of them as he laid back down.

Alice pulled herself closer to him, his body heat uncomfortably warm, but she didn't mind. "It's going to be hard not to think about this at work tomorrow. We work at the same place now," Alice giggled at her own comment.

Cecil's back tensed up, "I didn't even think about that. Do you think it'll be obvious?"

"Cecil," Alice sighed, "How would anyone be able to tell?"

Cecil looked at her with a severe expression, "Mr. Terry is super observant." Alice thought it over, remembering how Terry somehow knew she was an Earthmate and clearly knew about her feelings for Cecil. 

She looked up at Cecil, her eyes widening. "There's no way he could; we'll just act like we always have."

Cecil turned his head, mumbling into the pillow, "I don't think I can do it; I'm too happy. I already wanna yell off a cliff that we're dating."

Alice laughed, running her fingers through his hair, "Please don't. Scarlett would give you a citation for public disturbance. Let's stick to telling people in a normal conversation." Alice sighed, "Or we just tell Granny Yuki, and she'll spread it through the rumor mill, less work."

"I like my idea better," Cecil laughed as we raised his head from the pillow to kiss Alice. Placing a hand on her cheek, he narrowed his eyes, "Are you sure this isn't a dream?"

"Yea, pretty sure." Alice giggled.