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There: another swoop of her quill, and another signature was scrawled in wet ink on lavish parchment. Kimbetheli took a moment to review her handiwork, let her eyes skim the words she had written, and found them satisfactory.The redhead set this latest document, the fifteenth in a stack of twenty, to the side, and took a deep breath, leaned back in her armchair. Her fingers were beginning to cramp after transcribing so many documents and scouting so many applications and contracts; she’d been in the office all morning working on these papers. She was no stranger to it, had gone through this process more than once in recent years, but that never made it easier. Turning in her seat to catch a glimpse of the sunlight streaming in the window behind her only made her feel sourer instead of offering comfort or reprieve; the weather was pleasant, very pleasant, and at this rate, she wouldn’t have time to enjoy it. She hated the waste of a good day.But her paperwork wasn’t purposeless; with the end of the Fourth War and her own return from the fabled Shadowlands there were plenty of records to update, finances to move around, and even inductees to consider. Without a war, many of the younger adventurers in Azeroth found themselves without purpose, or without payment, and struggling to find suitable occupations or diversions. While The Brotherhood of the Stag had taken the helm primarily as a military force the last few years, its members, herself included, vastly preferred its more…expeditionary pursuits: treasure hunting, bounty work and militia activity or exploration, and now with the peace treaty firmly in position, Kim, and many others it seemed, if the recruitment numbers were any indication, were ready to return to their roots.Part of her was eager to get out in the open, familiar world again. The Shadowlands had been a daunting prospect, even for her, normally curious and fearless, and although her travels there proved fruitful and integral in protecting Azeroth, and the very order of life and death(she still could not believe all she had seen, some days) it had been…enough. Although adventure called to her like a songbird, as it had most of her life, she could start to feel a weariness in her bones, in her soul, that had nothing to do with the fel scar running down her back, and the magical aches in her veins after a fight. It was a different kind of weariness, that had been building for a while, and now, was becoming difficult to ignore.Perhaps it would be better to wait, before running off into the wild blue yonder again. She knew her husband would emphatically agree. He was a busybody too, and overly curious, with eyes bigger than his stomach so to speak, but as the years went on, as they encountered more and more danger, and faced more losses, more misfortune, even he had developed some slow-growing aversion to adventure. He wasn’t nearly the flippant upstart he was when she had met him; he had aged, in a way that went beyond the physical, and had become a more serious, more burdened man. But she didn’t love him any less. Kim supposed she had changed much too; she remembered being wide-eyed and naïve, enthusiastic to hear and see and always do more and more, when she first joined The Brotherhood. She remembered hours spent harnessing her powers as a warlock, learning all she could to better serve her friends and her community. She still loved doing so. Sitting at this desk, bearing the mantle of leader was testament to that, but her perspective on the world and all in it had certainly shifted over the years. Experience did that, she supposed. But experience didn’t mention anything about all the paperwork.Kim blew a dismissive raspberry at her own distaste for her voluntary task, and re-dipped her quill in ink, prepared to work on the next document. She had barely written three words before there was a sharp rasp on the door, a couple of knocks in a familiar beat, and the heavy oaken door swung open.Jonathan, more commonly known as Blerple(a nicknamed gained in his time spent with gnomes as a youth, and fondly maintained since), staggered in, a stack of documents on his arm, and his dark hair windswept and disheveled. He was frowning a little, lips pulled into a pout which was so at odds with his chiseled face, his high cheekbones made sharper over the years, and the prominent dark spots under his eyes. He seemed a teenager all over again when he wore that expression, despite the one or two grays beginning to sprout in his beard, and Kimbetheli felt a surge of fondness beholding him that far outweighed any pleasure she could feel from sunshine.“You look tired,” she said, smiling softly, taking in her husband’s familiar face, the glint in his green eyes. She set her quill to the side, relieved, honestly, at his distraction.He’d been down in the main hall and out on the grounds all morning, seeing to the influx of new guild members. Blerple wasn’t necessarily fond of so much face work, being a rogue, but he hated paperwork even more, so he could stomach a handful of tours and quick conversations with newcomers to escape it. Kim always argued his handsome face was the Brotherhood’s best form of advertisement, which he vehemently denied, but could tolerate in practice, to make her happy. He looked handsome now, in his dark blue tunic, his guild tabard proudly displayed on his chest. He sported a cloth handkerchief, his signature mask, around his neck. He was hardly seen without one; Kim often joked that it grew out of his neck instead of just wrapping around it. His tan skin betrayed a hint of red on his cheeks today as well, the remnants of a sunburn from earlier this week.Blerple scoffed, tilting his head dismissively as he made his way across the room, steps light as ever, barely audible despite his heavy leather boots. “We’re all tired,” he replied, skirting around the wooden desk on the far side of the room, and joining his wife.He dropped another stack of papers on top of the massive slab of mahogany and heaved a sigh. The rogue took in the wide expanse of parchment and the stacks of coins aside, the half-empty mug in the corner, and the record books, and could almost feel himself growing more weary at the mere sight. Kim had always been a diligent worker, but he did not envy her position at the moment.The woman in question hummed in agreement at his words, brushed a tired hand over her own eyes; she hadn’t realized how worn out they were. She left a faint smudge of ink on the side of her face with the action, unaware of the stain on her fingers.“I think I have to agree there. Recruitment and member initiation might be my least favorite part of this job,” she sighed, taking her eyes off of her work in favor of looking up at him instead.Blerple disagreed immediately though, and leaned down a little over her chair and into her space. “That’s a lie; you love new recruits,” he insisted, and he gently tucked a tuft of her long hair behind her ear, let his fingers savor the smoothness of the strands a moment or two before retreating, resting on the arm of her seat instead.Kim let out a breath of laughter at how well he knew her; He was right, after all. Sure, the never-ending paperwork and responsibility of record-keeping on her shoulders, on top of delegation and council meetings and Light knows what else could be taxing, and exhausting, but finding new recruits, offering a place of comfort and utility and community to young adventurers, like she had been once, was always rewarding.“Well,” she sighed, idly playing with the ornamentation on his belt, glad to have him in her grasp again, after a morning apart. “You’re right, I do love them. Seeing new faces around here always brings me joy.”“Shiny new faces, full of promise, hope, and no small fraction of stupidity,” Blerple teased, sighing in mock appreciation, though he knew she wouldn’t take his ribbing to heart; she never did. Besides, he had been a young, stupid recruit once too, back when Varbath Lightshammer led the Brotherhood, and the world seemed a lot less complicated, so he could be forgiven for thinking snide thoughts about the new group of adventurers milling about the Hall of the Stag.He took a step closer, cupped Kim’s cheek and brushed a thumb over the smudge of ink she’d placed there. He couldn’t help but grin at the sight of her, at the way she rolled her eyes fondly at his comment. Almost all of his grins were for her, and had been for years.“It’ll serve them well enough,” Kim insisted, leaning further into his touch. There was a hint of amusement in her voice. “Being stupid gives you the advantage of ‘dumb luck.’”“True enough. I’d say ours ran out a while ago though,” Blerple sighed wearily. Luck was hardly ever on his side, he thought, especially in recent years. The older he got, the more difficult things became, and the less equipped he felt to handle them. But he always managed somehow, they both did.“Mmm, not sure,” Kimbetheli replied, a mischievous glint in her blue eyes. She couldn’t help but tease him, wanted to keep his mind from wandering towards unpleasant thoughts, as she knew they would, with such a subject. “There might be a bit left for you.”“For me?” Blerple asked incredulously, sufficiently distracted, and drawing his hand back from her face. He leaned his weight on the desk instead, by way of his hip, and crossed his arms, his brow furrowed. “You’re the one who gets us into trouble all the time.”“Oh do I?” his wife replied, pushing back her chair and standing. She let her hands drift up his hips, past his arms, and to his face, cupped his cheek with one hand and gently tapped the long scar that slid down beneath his left eye to the corner of his lips with the other. “And which one of us came home after months of radio silence with this?”“Hey,” he protested, lips forming a pout. “You know that wasn’t my fault. I swear I didn’t lose the damn hearthstone, it disappeared.”It had been years now since the unprecedented event, which prompted a chain reaction of misfortune that sent him from what should have been a simple scouting mission in Northrend on a lengthy and frankly ridiculous return journey to Stormwind. He hadn’t shared all the details with everyone; Only Kim and their second in command and long-time friend Pielde knew about the entirety (and cause) of his adventure, and he was loathe to talk about it ‘til this day. Frankly, it was embarrassing, and thinking back on it only ever made him feel ill.Kimbetheli could make light of its memory now, but truthfully, those months spent apart, worrying, wondering, praying to hear from him again were abysmal. The timing of all of it was less than ideal too; the Legion invasion had been steadily ramping up, the campaign becoming more grim by the day, and she struggled to bear the burden of leadership without him, in that time. But that was years ago now, and he came back to her, and had barely left her side since, which she was very thankful for. A scar marring his handsome face was more than a fair exchange for the pleasure of him returning to her, she thought. And really, the scar only enhanced his features. It made him look wizened, and intimidating, and dashing. He bore it well.Kimbetheli smiled at him, at his attempt to argue her point, the mirth clear in her eyes, and patted his cheek. “Mhm. Guess we’ll never find out for sure. But maybe I can admit that I’ve gotten us into a pickle or two,” she said, squinting guiltily.“Or two?” he replied, raising a brow at her. “More like a million.”It was only partly exaggeration; Kimbetheli, in all her good-naturedness, had a habit of dragging them into situations which he insisted were more trouble than they were worth. He could not even count the amount of times she’d stopped to help a wayward individual or pulled them into some difficult situation, or put herself in harm’s way for another, and while he could admit the reward of a job well done (and bonus incentives such as gold and other honors) could be fulfilling, he much rather would have a sense of peace, thank you.But peace didn’t suit her. It didn’t suit him either, if he were honest, or at least, it avoided him. They were always getting into trouble, and now were in charge of two hundred or three folks who were also always getting into trouble, so there was no escaping it, really. He supposed he deserved it, for all the grief he caused old Varbath as a plucky teenager, pickpocketing his way up and down the Eastern Kingdoms and getting into more than one tiff with his best friend Pelmather. Light, he missed them both.Kim could not deny her penchant for attracting trouble either. People were drawn to her, in all aspects, and it could be a blessing and a curse, depending on the day, and she had a difficult time saying the word ‘no.’ If someone asked for her help, she was hard pressed to deny them, and being so helpful, so easily swayed, could have its repercussions. That didn’t mean she had to admit to it though.She playfully pushed his face away and laughed a little, flipping her long red hair over her shoulder. “Let’s say half that and call it a day.”Blerple wouldn’t accept that. Smirking, he locked his hands around her waist, pulling her back towards him. “Lowballing it? That doesn’t seem fair. You really gonna treat me like that?” he asked.The brunet leaned down a little, until their faces were inches from each other. He took in the blush on her cheeks, her pink lips, turned up in such a beautiful smile and practically begging for a kiss, and the way her lashes framed her big, blue eyes. For the millionth time, his heart skipped a little beat for her.“Like what?” Kim replied innocently, raising a brow at him playfully.Banter with him always came so easily; really, all conversation came easily with him, easier than with any other. They could always see eye to eye, even if it took a moment or two in debates, and being able to speak her mind, anytime and everytime, and to know her words were appreciated, and heard, was one of her favorite things about their relationship. They listened to each other. They heard each other.She rested her hands on his broad shoulders now, relished in the heat his body radiated even beneath his clothes. He was always warm. She liked that. She could stay in his warm and familiar arms, just this way, forever, truly. They always felt like home.“Like this. Criminally. You’re clearly mistreating me, or taking advantage of me. Or both. Light, do you even love me? It’s hard to tell sometimes,” Blerple complained, though the subtle fox-like grin never left his face.He loved being dramatic, didn’t even have to try most often, because he was a bit of a complainer to begin with, with a sharp tongue most days, if provoked. Dramatics, and snideness, and sarcasm usually came quite naturally to him, to the chagrin of others. But it was all in good fun really. Most of the time.Kimbetheli, for her part, always found the humor in it.“Oh be quiet, you big baby,” she sighed, but that familiar grin washed over her like molasses, sweet and soft and comfortable. She pressed herself closer against him, her own smile softening as his grasp on her waist tightened automatically in reply. She leaned up, standing on her toes a little, to kiss his cheek.“Great, now comes the name calling,” Blerple lamented despite the sweet kiss (which he very much enjoyed), and leaned forward to press his forehead against her shoulder.The angle hurt his neck a little, because of their height difference, but it was worth it for her soft fingers playing with the tufts of hair at the nape of his neck, and being able to inhale her sweet scent; she always smelled faintly of citrus and sugar, courtesy of her favorite oil. Her long, red hair fell forward, like a curtain, shrouding half of his face, hiding his visage from the world, and he couldn’t help but exhale softly through his nose in relief, and melt into her touch. He hadn’t realized how taxing the morning’s proceedings really were, how many conversations and irritations had grated on him until this moment, when he could be this close to his lover, his other half. He could take comfort in her touch once more, in her sweet demeanor, which gave him more sustenance than anything else.Kim always made him feel good, mentally, physically, spiritually. Being in her presence was calming and comfortable, in the best way. Before he met her, he had never quite felt settled. He was happy enough, or tried to be, but there was an echoing chaos lingering in the back of his mind at all times, full of regrets and insecurity, and he did not know how to silence it, until she made the way forward clear. He was endlessly grateful for that.And he had changed her for the better too, had given her heart a home, had connected with her in a way no other had before. He protected her, served her, as much as she served him. She could not imagine her life without him, and the Brotherhood, and all he had shown her of the world, back when she navigated it in solitude. Kimbetheli felt many emotions these days, good and bad, but thanks to her loving husband, she never felt lonely.“I know, I’m truly the most evil woman alive,” she admitted, giggling softly. She leaned her head against his, her arms wrapped around him, and closed her eyes, soaking up this moment of peace, with just him and her, all alone.They weren’t strangers to rude interruptions; privacy was surprisingly difficult to come by for a renowned rogue and his wife, both heroes of Azeroth, so any moment during the day they could have to themselves was a blessing. Even nights weren’t without difficulty. More than once over the years there had been a knock on their door for some emergency or other which could not wait. The quiet hours in the morning, when they were lucky enough to lie together, warm in bed and dozing, were her favorites. But this moment, now, hidden away in their office, wrapped up in his arms, paperwork out of mind, was just as wonderful.“A true dark mistress,” Blerple agreed, the words muttered against her neck, his lips ghosting over her skin. “Luckily, that’s just my type.” There was a hint of heated suggestion in his tone, which she was quite familiar with, and loved to hear. His voice was always low and suave, when he was feeling romantic, and it never ceased to thrill her.She hummed pleasantly in reply, pulled back only far enough to turn her head to face him, inches between them. “Your dark mistress demands a kiss.”He was more than happy to oblige. He renewed his gentle grasp on her body, let his big hands frame her hips as he leaned forward, pressed their lips together. He kissed her slowly, ardently, smiled a little when she pressed herself against him and let him straighten his back once more, stood on her toes instead to close the distance.Kim was always an enthusiastic kisser. She loved the intimacy of it, being so close, being connected, tasting sweetness on his lips, being able to drink in the small moans he would let out if they kissed long enough. She wanted to hear them now, and she deepened the kiss, her hands bracing his shoulders, her tongue sliding over the seam of his lips.Blerple melted under her attention as always, parted his lips slightly to let his tongue graze against hers. There were never words necessary, or even thought, when it came to kissing her. They fit together perfectly, always found a rhythm of push and pull, knew each other’s bodies as well as their own. He lifted a hand to her neck, brushed his fingers over her fel scar, partially hidden by her tunic’s neckline. She had been self conscious about it at the start, but soon enough it simply became another part of her. His other hand drifted to the small of her back, and then the curve of her ass, accentuated by her decorated trousers. Kim wore robes more often than pants, and really, he loved her in whatever she wore, but he could admit having such easy access, being able to study the familiar curves of her body in detail without even removing her garments, was certainly a little extra sweet.She tugged at the clasps on his shoulders, where he normally affixed his cloak, to pull him in closer once more. Blerple hummed softly at that, gasped against her lips to catch some air before kissing her again, taking pleasure in the feel of her plush lips, the heat and slide of their saliva mixing. He kissed her a little more hungrily, until she let out a soft little moan of her own.It was easy to get carried away, with a quiet room, and just the two of them, and a convenient flat surface behind his very back. If the way Kim shifted, slotted one leg between the two of his and renewed her kissing was any indication, she was having the same thought. Could it be helped? They were both under stress, and desperately missing each other, despite being in the same building. They’d been through too much in recent days, the memory of their arduous and frightening campaign in the Shadowlands still fresh in their minds, to bear any significant distance from each other.“We need a vacation,” Blerple thought out loud suddenly, the words murmured against Kim’s lips.“Mmm, that’d be lovely,” she sighed, and the tone of her voice made his temperature rise a fraction.He became transfixed by her beautiful eyes for a moment, the long lashes framing them, and the way they had darkened a little in the heat of the moment. Heat was starting to crawl in his own veins as he admired her, and the thought of a long vacation, somewhere far away with just the two of them, conjured more than one pleasant image in his mind.The rogue let his hands drift up her sides, and move to cup her breasts, his green eyes making his intention quite clear. “For now though…” he started, a bit of hope in his tone.“For now…” Kimbetheli echoed suggestively, tugging on his handkerchief to pull him down close enough to kiss again.He wasted no time meeting her lips, this kiss quickly turning more heated, with his hands exploring her familiar body, and her just as eager, licking into his mouth, her right hand sliding down his chest, his abdomen, and moving towards his belt buckle. She had enough practice undoing it with one hand, but opted for two, as he in turn tugged her tunic down further to expose her shoulder, enough for him to leave a trail of kisses down her neck. His teeth grazed her soft skin gently, as she undid the loop on his belt, and she let out a little moan. He was definitely looking forward to hearing more of those shortly.Could he be blamed for his enthusiasm, for the way his hands wandered across the length of her body, tangled in her long, soft hair? With each passing kiss his desperation for her, to be ever closer, to belong to her as much as she belonged to him grew. It never took long for anticipation to build, for even a simple touch, or an open-mouthed kiss to be pleasurable. And she was so responsive to any of his ministrations, always wanting more and feeling soft and inviting in his grasp, and insistent, leaving chills down his spine with reverent touches, a sense of singularity in her focus which made him feel seen in a way no other had.She took a step forward, pushing him that much more back on the desk, almost forcing him to sit on its edge properly, and fit herself between his legs, renewed her efforts to untie his belt. The heavy buckle of it clinked against the edge of the desk, and a surge of excitement filled both of them, left them grinning against each other’s lips. His hands slid under the edge of her tunic, pulling up, and up and—Rat-tat-tat.Suddenly, there was a knock at the door, somewhat timid, but loud enough that they couldn’t possibly ignore it. It was startling, at least enough to snap them both out of their romantic revelry, and they jumped slightly at the sound, as anyone caught in a compromising position would. Blerple sighed sharply in exasperation while Kim grimaced, the defeat clear in her eyes and in her stalled hands. Of course they were getting interrupted, again. She shouldn’t have expected otherwise, on such a busy day, with so much to do, but still couldn’t help but feel surprised, and a little annoyed. There would be no peace henceforth until this evening, when the business was said and done, no matter how much they wished it, and certainly no gratification.Really, they should have known better, trying to slip away from it all for so long. While they had trustworthy officers to rely on, there were some things that simply required their attention, their approval, and there was no way around that, especially with so many in different corners of Azeroth at the moment, overseeing the end of smaller campaigns and business contracts. Their responsibilities would always catch up with them, no matter how much they wanted to run away and hide together. That wasn’t a bad thing; for all the grief their positions could give them, it was fulfilling, leading together, being in their line of hero work. They would not have led The Brotherhood so long if that were not the case.Still, calling the interruption a disappointment was a bit of an understatement at the moment.Kimbetheli shook her head, readjusted her husband’s belt with a dejected sigh as another knock echoed on the door.“Later,” she promised him, tugging the sleeves of her tunic back to their proper placement, pulling the edge down properly again, and pulling her hair back from her face.She felt (unsurprisingly) very warm and a little disorganized, a sense of giddiness still filling her, thinking on the situation, on the memory of what had just transpired, and what they very nearly got away with doing. It wouldn’t be the first time they’d gotten carried away in some inconvenient location; there were plenty of little places in Azeroth for a couple to hide away in, but the novelty of an impromptu tryst never wore off, even one that was over before it began. Her face was still flushed, cheeks a delightful pink beyond their regular rosy tint, and a bit of mischievousness lingered in her eyes, which only made her all the more attractive. Frustratingly so.Blerple dragged a hand down his own face and groaned softly, attempting to stymie his irritation at being pulled away from her again, and being so rudely interrupted in the middle of a very romantic moment. An interruption of his time with his wife in any capacity was cause for irritation, but time that very quickly had his heart beating faster and arousal spreading throughout him was especially unwelcome. Beyond that, he simply wasn’t quite ready to head back out there, to carry on with the day’s activities, and to leave the comfort of her arms. He could be sociable, when necessary, but these days, all he really wanted to do was disappear.But the promise of that night drove him to action, made him begrudgingly straighten his own garments and swing his weight up and away from the desk, standing properly once more, as Kim made her way to the door.“You know,” he sighed, brushing a hand through his disheveled hair to make it more presentable, “we could just run away.”Kimbetheli gave him a soft, wistful smile, her hand resting on the doorknob. Wasn’t that an idea? Just running off into the sunset together, leaving everything behind, if only for a little while? But both knew that could never happen, not really. There were too many people depending on them, too much to say and do, and truthfully, their responsibilities would find a way to catch up with them, as they always did. No, they would simply have to take care of business first, before indulging in pleasure. But maybe soon they would take that vacation he had spoken about. They certainly deserved one.“If only,” she replied, the longing clear in her voice. “Now get over here.” The redhead waved him over with her hand, and Blerple was at her side within moments, leaning down to accept a quick peck on the lips from her, a send off kiss, before she opened the door.The young recruit standing on the other side clutching a scroll blinked at them with wide eyes, either starstruck, confused, or embarrassed at whatever they had interrupted, or all three. The couple was used to that, in some capacity, being well known, public figures, really, but sometimes it was still unbelievable that they could illicit such a reaction by merely existing. Blerple snorted in amusement at it before expertly slipping around them, tugging on his handkerchief so the garment laid comfortably the way he liked. He took a preparatory breath, rolled his shoulders, and turned to Kimbetheli again, let his eyes sweep over her form appreciatively, already missing her touch.“Keep me in your thoughts, baby,” he said, only half joking, and gave his wife a charming little grin, and a little wink, before disappearing down the hall.Kimbetheli couldn’t help but smile sheepishly, perhaps a little dreamily, as she watched him depart, and she shook her head fondly at his antics, caught up in fantasies of the night to come for a moment. Watching him walk away always made her feel wistful, and full of yearning, though she knew it wouldn’t be for long. She wondered how she’d gotten so lucky, to find her soulmate, to be able to share a life with him, until she remembered the young adventurer standing before her, waiting to speak to her, and blinked away her sweet thoughts.“Here,” she said, and gently led them by the shoulder into the office, with a renewed sense of purpose, and eagerness to get through the day’s events swiftly, to be reunited with her loving man.