The Drow Queen of Glaley [Very NSFW]

[Coquette Blacquin]

It costs her something. But she doesn't want to lie to Bull. So when she finally manages to wet her dry lips, she whispers, "No. That was me." 

[The Iron Bull]

There's no hesitation, even with all this still unresolved and fresh. With three long strides, Bull is there, holding her close to his warm, broad chest.

[Coquette Blacquin]

She presses her face to his chest just so, shivering a little, taking comfort from his warmth. "I'm so scared it will happen again, Bull. And Cedric doesn't even want to be pregnant at all. He usually keeps all of us safe, takes blows so we won't have to, but he's threatening to go away until the pregnancy's done."

[The Iron Bull]

Not really thinking about what he's doing-- or more importantly, the station of who he's doing it to-- Bull bends his legs, then lifts Coquette up in half-bridal carry. "Is thatta thing you can do? I mean, any of ya every done it before?" he asks curiously as he moves them both over to the extra-large sofa chair set aside for his use.

[Coquette Blacquin]

"Cedric used to be different," she says quietly. "Someone different, I mean. Maybe I was, too. Everything feels really hazy from back then, like my life wasn't quite real before Varisia. I don't... I worry if he tried to go away for a while... he might go away forever on accident. I don't know how any of this works."

[The Iron Bull]

"What? You weren't..? You that's, uh, that is... Cindy and Cedric and, uh, whatever you called those other two," Bull settles on awkwardly, "they're... new? I mean, sorta new. Relatively new, given we're talking 'bout yer whole life and all."

[Coquette Blacquin]

"Um, yes," she agrees. "Well... before, I was... there were two. Silver, and... and myself. And Silver rarely spoke, so it was mostly just me. I was... some bad things happened to me, and... I didn't realize how much I leaned on Silver. I think Cedric has some of his memories of that time. I barely recall any of it myself. And then my father sold me to Varisia to be her wife, and... I got a fever the first night here. When I woke up after that, everything's clearer, and Cedric and Little Bitch and Madam Noire were around."

[The Iron Bull]

"Fever?" Bull adjusts Coquette a bit on his lap so he can see her face better. "So this is because of an illness?" He frowns a little. "There was a cook, back at the fight'n pit I was at before here, had a fever a'fore I started there. Ever after, he talked to himself a lot." He winces. "Well, shouted mostly. Bit, well, simple too. But that ain't you, so... Guess it ain't the same. Sorry."

[Coquette Blacquin]

"No, because before, it was me and Silver, and we didn't have an illness first. He just sort of... appeared one day. I used to think he was more of an imaginary friend. Someone I made up. But I realized eventually that... well, to be honest, I realized looking back that he was controlling my body when I thought I was in control, that I let him be in charge so I could curl up and cry in the privacy of my own mind. An imaginary friend can't do that. You can't usually keep walking around talking to people while you're bedridden with tears. So... Don't look at me like that, I know it sounds bad but... I promise I've had happy times, too."

[The Iron Bull]

"Deserve more of'em," Bul mumbles into the top of her head as he curls around her protectively, knees rising, arms holding. He's more or less gotten used to, even grown fond of, touching her to offer support and comfort. He's seen her naked hundreds of times, seen her having sex, bathing, tied up and even, on one very mutually awkward occasion, masterbating. Which had, for some reason, felt more personal a moment than her having sex with her wife or husbands. Had to bathe and tend to her more than once as well, mostly as aftercare-- he'd grudgingly admit that Varisia is pretty good about that sort of thing-- but also twice when she got sick.

He's not acted on the love and desire he feels for her, but he's also stopped trying to hide it. He says the words but rarely, but his love often shines out clearly in his actions. His desire is another story; Bull is no languishing fool from a poem, keeping his body 'pure' for her or anything stupid like that. He's had some flings with people in the city, though never anyone connected to the Household or them personally. 

[Coquette Blacquin]

"Cedric agrees. I think that's why he-- first Silver, and then Cedric, I think that's why I have him. So that I'd have someone like you to protect me before I had you to protect me. So there'd always be someone on my side."

[The Iron Bull]

"He, uh, he can hear me, right? Hear us both talking? Good, good. Right. Umm. Cedric isn't up for being pregnant, yeah? Which, I do get, see pregnant people in various stages, even helped with a delivery once-- Well, okay, I fetched some linens, then sat on the dad to make sure he didn't bolt. Bit of a wuss he was. Right, anyway. But he's worried about leaving ya alone, yeah? Well..." Bull kisses her forehead. "Not alone, are ya?"

[Coquette Blacquin]

"He's worried," she replies softly. "I know you can protect me, but he worries about how close Sia and I are getting. I guess the idea of everything being okay freaks him out."

[The Iron Bull]

Bull hums softly, considering that theory some. "Well, all fairness, I'm not entirely sanguine about it neither. She's heaps better, sure, but given that she's jus getting to 'possessive bitch with a temper' after 'better' is kinda telling. I mean, yeah, not gonna deny she dotes on ya, that she worries and likes ya. Or that she seems to legit want a daughter something fierce. I full believe that she's honest on that, and on that she'd love'em real nice. But jus 'cause she's gotten better doesn't mean she didn't start-- or rather, that five years in, she was beat'n and raping ya and--" and more, ta you and ta--  "And yeah." This close, Coquette literally on his lap and nearly cocooned by his arms, chest and head, she can't help but feel the trembles in his body as he finishes.

[Coquette Blacquin]

"She didn't understand," says Cindy softly. "She tries her best, but she only knows how to control people with force, not how to be gentle. She's learning."