Lily stepped into the quiet interior of Iov's room, a place she was no stranger to although up till now their activities here had been strictly platonic and proper. That he had led her here, and not to her own suite, was encouraging - she hoped. She didn't think he would bring her here to let her down gently.
As he closed the door behind them, she stood, a little nervously, wishing he had kept hold of her. Looking up at him she could only think of one thing to say.
"Iov, I - I'm sorry. I wish I had told you earlier. You don't know how much I wanted to share it with you, not... not him."
There was no excuse for her secrecy; she had done what she felt needed to be done, and she couldn't take those actions back. For the sake of her marriage, for the sake of their Pack, she had given away something that would have been precious to him. If he felt he had betrayed Liam, Lily had betrayed Iov twice as badly.
"I'm so sorry."
She had broken things between them; it had been her choice. She knew his feelings were still there for her. He had said as much. But could he forgive what she'd done? Was there anything to be salvaged from this mess their lives had become?
Alone (Attn: Lily - Private)
You don't know how long I have wanted
to touch your lips and hold you tight, oh
You don't know how long I have waited
and I was going to tell you tonight
But the secret is still my own
and my love for you is still unknown
Alone
- Heart
Hammer and Lily walked back to his apartment slowly, it wasn't very far from where Xeph's apartment was located, but it gave him enough time to try and relax. He took her hand and tucked it around the crook of his arm, pulling her closer to him. Luckily they had not passed anyone on the way, but he had been prepared to keep her close to him if they had.
Finally they reached his door and he disengaged her long enough to open it, pushing it open for her with his hip. Hammer watched her as she entered and could not help himself as his eyes took in the curves of her shape, trying not to get ahead of himself as he remembered how soft she was underneath. Even the rustle of her skirt made his skin burn. If he didn't say something soon, he might not be able to say anything at all.
'Lils?' It had been since right after she had become pregnant with their son that he had called her that nickname. Never in public, usually barely above a whisper, he called her it now hoping she'd understand where in his heart she still resided.
'I understand why you didn't tell me, but...' Hammer tried to clear the disappointment from his voice, 'Part of me wishes you had.'
Saying that now was easy even though he knew his reaction back then would have been one thousand times worse than just a few minutes ago, but he felt like he deserved to know.
Lily
13 years ago
Iov Hammerthynn
13 years ago
"Iov, I - I'm sorry. I wish I had told you earlier. You don't know how much I wanted to share it with you, not... not him. I'm so sorry."
As soon as she finished, he pulled her close and kissed her. Hammer literally felt his knees buckle as he remembered her soft lips and the warmth of her body against his. He made no pretenses about this kiss being a chaste one - it was if he had saved it all up for this one moment. Every bit of the man he always wanted to be was in that kiss. It was passionate, but not tawdry, rough but sincere. His hands came up into her hair and he whimpered as he tangled his fingers in her curls.
Pulling back gently, he reluctantly released her lips but kept his forehead pressed against hers.
'You don't ever have to apologize to me, Lils. I love you, I always have - from the first moment I saw you, from when you sent me away, and when you told me we had a son, I love you.
As soon as she finished, he pulled her close and kissed her. Hammer literally felt his knees buckle as he remembered her soft lips and the warmth of her body against his. He made no pretenses about this kiss being a chaste one - it was if he had saved it all up for this one moment. Every bit of the man he always wanted to be was in that kiss. It was passionate, but not tawdry, rough but sincere. His hands came up into her hair and he whimpered as he tangled his fingers in her curls.
Pulling back gently, he reluctantly released her lips but kept his forehead pressed against hers.
'You don't ever have to apologize to me, Lils. I love you, I always have - from the first moment I saw you, from when you sent me away, and when you told me we had a son, I love you.
Lily
13 years ago
Lily gave a little sob as Iov bent toward her. Her body reacted as it had when they were both much younger, as it had every night in her dreams ever since, and she tilted her head to meet him as her arms wound themselves around his neck. She leaned against him, relieved to the point of tears to feel him there, solid, strong, rough and real, forgiving and loving.
When he released her she closed her eyes, the light touch of their foreheads together the one thing that reassured her that this wasn't a dream too. Tears continued to flow, a lifetime's worth that she could never have shed in Liam's presence.
"I love you too, Iov. I didn't want... you to go. It was... so hard. But Aidan... needed you. More than I."
Her words were punctuated and separated by soft sobs. Until now, her life had been a living nightmare. The lies, the secrets, the insanity, they'd all worn her down until she hadn't thought she'd be able to stand.
Controlling herself she whispered, "Is it really over? Can we... can we just 'be,' even just for a little while?"
It was all she wanted. All she needed. And she couldn't help but wonder if they both might not be due just a little pleasure.
When he released her she closed her eyes, the light touch of their foreheads together the one thing that reassured her that this wasn't a dream too. Tears continued to flow, a lifetime's worth that she could never have shed in Liam's presence.
"I love you too, Iov. I didn't want... you to go. It was... so hard. But Aidan... needed you. More than I."
Her words were punctuated and separated by soft sobs. Until now, her life had been a living nightmare. The lies, the secrets, the insanity, they'd all worn her down until she hadn't thought she'd be able to stand.
Controlling herself she whispered, "Is it really over? Can we... can we just 'be,' even just for a little while?"
It was all she wanted. All she needed. And she couldn't help but wonder if they both might not be due just a little pleasure.
Iov Hammerthynn
13 years ago
Hammer touched her face gently, wiping the tears away as she sobbed softly. How could someone so fragile, so beautiful see anything but a monster in him? She had deserved so much more than life gave her, more than he ever could, but he could not refuse those soft lips or brilliant green eyes.
"Is it really over? Can we... can we just 'be,' even just for a little while?"
Hammer held a finger up and walked off toward the direction of his bedroom, his hand leaving hers at the last possible moment. Quickly he made his way to his night stand and opened up the top drawer. Pulling out a plain wooden box with worn, gold hinges, he opened it and retrieved his prize.
Returning back to Lily with the item clasped in his hand, he gave her a broad smile as he knelt down onto his knees.
'Not for a little while,' Hammer then took her left hand and slipped the item from the wooden box onto her ring finger, 'what about forever?'
It was a gold Jameson coat of arms crest ring that belonged to Hammer's mother, Mary Jameson. She had married into the family, as per tradition, as a young woman - much younger than Vigo at the time. She was a dutiful wife and suitable enough for Vigo and almost immediately she became pregnant with Hammer, as per tradition, only she was nothing like any other Hammerthynn wife.
Upon gifting, the Hammerthynn boys became their father's responsibility and Vigo upheld tradition by teaching him everything there was to being a protector. There was no one better than Vigo at this job, but before the gifting, the boys were their mothers responsibility and Mary did her best to love Hammer and show him what real love was, despite Vigo and his domineering, and before she died she gave Hammer the ring he slipped onto Lily's left ring finger.
It was all Hammer could eek with his now choked up voice. Lily knew she had died before Hammer's gifting and she had to know what giving her this ring meant to Hammer now.
'Marry me, Lils.'
"Is it really over? Can we... can we just 'be,' even just for a little while?"
Hammer held a finger up and walked off toward the direction of his bedroom, his hand leaving hers at the last possible moment. Quickly he made his way to his night stand and opened up the top drawer. Pulling out a plain wooden box with worn, gold hinges, he opened it and retrieved his prize.
Returning back to Lily with the item clasped in his hand, he gave her a broad smile as he knelt down onto his knees.
'Not for a little while,' Hammer then took her left hand and slipped the item from the wooden box onto her ring finger, 'what about forever?'
It was a gold Jameson coat of arms crest ring that belonged to Hammer's mother, Mary Jameson. She had married into the family, as per tradition, as a young woman - much younger than Vigo at the time. She was a dutiful wife and suitable enough for Vigo and almost immediately she became pregnant with Hammer, as per tradition, only she was nothing like any other Hammerthynn wife.
Upon gifting, the Hammerthynn boys became their father's responsibility and Vigo upheld tradition by teaching him everything there was to being a protector. There was no one better than Vigo at this job, but before the gifting, the boys were their mothers responsibility and Mary did her best to love Hammer and show him what real love was, despite Vigo and his domineering, and before she died she gave Hammer the ring he slipped onto Lily's left ring finger.
It was all Hammer could eek with his now choked up voice. Lily knew she had died before Hammer's gifting and she had to know what giving her this ring meant to Hammer now.
'Marry me, Lils.'
Lily
13 years ago
How foolish had she been in her youth, Lily wondered, to think she had seen what she'd wanted in Liam; to have pursued him with such singleminded determination, only to have discovered what lay beneath the strong, aggressive exterior of the Alpha. How petty, to have looked upon a handsome face and an air of confidence and think she had fallen in love. It had taken years of hardship, years of abuse and neglect, for her to realize that beauty was truly within.
The hand that brushed her tears away was roughened and scarred. The face that peered at her solemnly would never be handsome, not beneath the scars, the frowns, the glares. The voice that spoke to her was roughened by years of issuing commands, barking orders.
But that hand was gentle, the face full of love, and the voice warm and welcome in her ears. maybe it had taken years, but Lily could say without doubt, without a single shadow of uncertainty, that she knew what love was.
And love was on bended knee before her, slipping a ring onto her finger, asking her to stay forever. What woman in the world could turn that down?
Her own knees gave way and she knelt with Iov, staring down at the ring and the delicately engraved crest.
"Iov, this is beautiful."
She was so caught up in it, in him, that she nearly forgot he'd asked her a question. When she looked up at him again she had the impression he might explode, until she realized what was wrong.
"Of course. Of course I will."
She couldn't say anything else... not how long she'd wished for this, how often she had wanted anything but the life she had lived. It was gone now, washed away in the tidal wave that was Iov, fixing things, making them better as always. Still kneeling with him she gently cupped his scarred, roughened face between her small hands and kissed him lightly, happy to take her time, happy to have time to take.
The hand that brushed her tears away was roughened and scarred. The face that peered at her solemnly would never be handsome, not beneath the scars, the frowns, the glares. The voice that spoke to her was roughened by years of issuing commands, barking orders.
But that hand was gentle, the face full of love, and the voice warm and welcome in her ears. maybe it had taken years, but Lily could say without doubt, without a single shadow of uncertainty, that she knew what love was.
And love was on bended knee before her, slipping a ring onto her finger, asking her to stay forever. What woman in the world could turn that down?
Her own knees gave way and she knelt with Iov, staring down at the ring and the delicately engraved crest.
"Iov, this is beautiful."
She was so caught up in it, in him, that she nearly forgot he'd asked her a question. When she looked up at him again she had the impression he might explode, until she realized what was wrong.
"Of course. Of course I will."
She couldn't say anything else... not how long she'd wished for this, how often she had wanted anything but the life she had lived. It was gone now, washed away in the tidal wave that was Iov, fixing things, making them better as always. Still kneeling with him she gently cupped his scarred, roughened face between her small hands and kissed him lightly, happy to take her time, happy to have time to take.
Iov Hammerthynn
13 years ago
Hammer felt his chest swell to epic proportions as she agreed, over fifty years later, to be his wife. It didn't matter how long he had waited; the years of loneliness after having never been able to forget about what they had shared over their short time together, ignoring his family as they urged him to find a suitable mate and continue the line in preparation for another Hammerthynn son to take his place, as Hammer had done to Vigo. It was worth it, all of it, for her.
Hammer wrapped his arms around her waist and stood, lifting her up as he still kissed her. Reaching down, he hooked his arm behind her knees and swept her off her feet, his lips never leaving hers. Carrying her, her weight as light as a feather, he deepened their kiss as he made his way back to his bedroom, kicking the door closed with his boot.
((OOC - ok they're old, it'll be like watching our grand parents do it, so fade to black! Hammer and Lily OUT!))
Hammer wrapped his arms around her waist and stood, lifting her up as he still kissed her. Reaching down, he hooked his arm behind her knees and swept her off her feet, his lips never leaving hers. Carrying her, her weight as light as a feather, he deepened their kiss as he made his way back to his bedroom, kicking the door closed with his boot.
((OOC - ok they're old, it'll be like watching our grand parents do it, so fade to black! Hammer and Lily OUT!))