Night Watch I: Eliza, Ward of Andrew

*Eliza’s POV*

Mick glanced discreetly behind me at the two of them, continuing his entertaining blow-by-blow. “Oooh, Andrew grabbed Chris’ arm… now he’s blushing like a schoolgirl! Are you sure you don’t want to interrupt them, before Chris steals Andrew away from you?”

I snickered. “And interrupt your narrative? T’would be criminal!”

Mick peeked at them surreptitiously again. “Hmm… Now Andrew looks relatively content, I mean, for him, but Chris looks nervous, he’s mussing with his hair like an ass. All right, I’m calling it. Let’s get you introduced and on your way, before they get married.”

I followed Mick over to the pair, and in a fairly routine manner, I was presented to each of the Motionless, starting with Chris. I couldn’t help but notice that each of them had a transparently obvious gander at my knockers. I glanced in Andrew’s direction after meeting the fellow named after yarbles, and he looked fit to burst. I was so proud of him, though, as he hadn’t said a word!

When Ghost was exceptionally exuberant with his ‘greeting,’ I think everyone saw Chris go and coddle Andrew, presumably to cool him off. I had to stifle a giggle. Mick was right; they made the prettiest pair! You’d be fucking hard-pressed to find a taller, more angular pair of dark, brooding men.

After Chris returned and finished introducing me to the Motionless, all while glaring at them very authoritatively, Mick took the initiative to get Andy out of the Guild before he detonated. I followed Mick, crossing my fingers. Andrew caught up with us at the door, still faintly grimacing.

I decided to slightly breach decorum and be the first to speak, lest Andrew make an ass of himself. “Thank you, Mick, for taking the time to-“

The doors swung open, one colliding with Andrew’s shoulder. “-Oomph!”

The young man, Vinny, whom I remembered from the Commons, came walking hurriedly into the Guild, and Mick scowled at him. He made it in a few paces, looking puzzled at Mick’s displeasure, before seeing Andrew with his now doubly sour expression. Instantly a look of terror overcame him and he looked ready to bolt.

Mick, startlingly lightning-quick, grabbed Vinny firmly by the nape of his shirt. “Allow me to introduce the youngest of the Motionless. This is Vinny.” He looked at Vinny expectantly as he spoke. “Vinny, this is Night Watchman Eliza. She is Second Officer Andrew’s ward, and we can expect her to accompany him on missions, per decree of the Council, understood?”

Mick released his hold as I extended my hand. Vinny glanced at Andrew, who just glowered down at him silently. The young man was almost as tall as I was, and he reluctantly reached out and took my hand, shaking it once, firmly, before letting go. “Pleasure, Watchman Eliza.” He didn’t look at me at all, much less my boobs. Poor kid.

Andrew cleared his throat, crossing his arms, and Vinny scuttled off into the shadows. Mick rolled his eyes. After watching him go, Andrew extended a hand to Mick. “Thank you, as Eliza said, for humoring our visit.” Mick nodded as he shook Andrew’s hand, then I followed Andrew out the door.

I waited a solid fifty paces, maintaining my composure and good posture, thoroughly the deferential ward. Then I quickly surveyed to make sure no one was around before grabbing Andy’s ass, making him squeal like a little girl. “You did so well, Second Officer!”

Andy blushed. “That was awful! I’ve half a mind to go home now, and forget anything else for the evening. I don’t enjoy being humiliated-“

Again checking for foot traffic and finding none, I decided to be bold. I picked Andy up against his protests and slung him over my shoulder, carrying him a ways, then pushed him against a nearby tree, pinning him with my bust and a knee.

Andy’s exasperated expression as he looked down at my boobs, betrayed but still interested, was priceless! “It takes a real man to not be threatened by that kind of bullshit, Andy.” I looked up into his indignant, bright eyes and put a hand in his dark locks. “You know I’ll always go home with you. Not because the Council says I have to, but because I wouldn’t have it any other way. You’re what I want; I love you-“

Andy’s eyes were still heated as he bent to kiss me, more urgently than usual. Just the touch of his lips set a fire in me, the brush of his tongue stoking the flames. I found myself groaning into Andy’s mouth, earning myself a deep chuckle.

Andy pulled away, now smiling, the corners of his eyes crinkling. “You’re a bloody handful, you know! Now I’m thinking about going home for other reasons-“

I tugged on Andy’s vest as I walked back towards the walkway. “-Now, now, Second Officer! I was hoping for an evening full of adventures and surprises! Now you try and tempt me with seduction?”

Andy snorted. “Hardly! You were tempting me! You smooshed me against a tree with your flawless breasts; you’re merciless!”

I clucked at him. “I was simply trying to make a point, using the weaponry I had available, to which I knew you were vulnerable. I don’t know that you’re a melon-man per se, but you seem to like the twins.” I noticed Andy’s face was turning red as we walked and he wasn’t catching my eye. “Andy, it’s ok that you like them-“

Andy waited until we had passed someone to respond, and kept his voice down. “Eliza, I do think you are beautiful. But what makes you attractive to me is not just your chest. You are so much more than your bosom. I feel ashamed that you’ve noticed-“

I rolled my eyes. I had just been joking around; leave it to Andy to take it as an insult to his character. “-Please don’t worry about it. I want you to like them the way you do.” I took Andy’s hand. “Don’t be ashamed. It makes me feel good, all melty and shit, that you, you know, find parts of me appealing-“

“-But that’s just it! I don’t just find parts of you desirable; I’m drawn to you as a whole, Eliza!” Andy’s face got even redder. “I just, I’ve never seen, I mean… I’m not accustomed, uh…” Andy bit his lip, fussing at his hair with his free hand. “You’re very gifted. Your bosom naturally pulls the eye.”

“Andy, most Fae women don’t have huge racks, that’s why I’m so used to people staring.” I sighed. “I’d be happier if you were more comfortable with liking the-“

Andy turned to look at me, surprisingly intense. “-And I would be happier if you would accept, within those barricades you have built, that I am in love with you, Eliza. I am not going to leave you, reject you, or hurt you. If you had no breasts, I would stay by your side, because I want no other, no one else will do.”

He kissed my hand, and I was a bit stunned. I blinked and managed a stupid-sounding, “Uh?”

Had I said something? I felt guilt, stabs of fear, and confusion… Andy smiled down at me, looking a bit melancholy. “Hey, you still willing to go by the Library?” I nodded, still trying to sort out my thoughts internally, and Andy smiled. “Good.” Andy lowered his voice again. “Though, remember, don’t ask questions until we return to the shelter, alright?”

Of course I agreed, but my curiosity was definitely piqued. What was so mysterious about the Head Librarian that I couldn’t ask questions? I really wouldn’t have thought of the Library as an extremely vital place to visit for a Watchman who was new to the Village. I was just dying to know what it was that made this Library more than a repository for books!

Notes

this weather is totally destroying my will to live.

the manson concert getting rescheduled was a bummer too, though of course i wish corey taylor a swift recovery.