pontificus | ( duplicity ) inbox

[A hand runs along the side of her cheek. There was likely more he could do or offer her as terms, but nothing came to mind. It didn't matter, they could decide more as time went on. At least for now, he had a reason for hope, no small thing in his life.]

I love you, Lucrezia.

[He leaned his brow against hers, soaking in the intimacy and her presence.]

I hope I prove worthy of you.

[She touches his cheek gently before leaning in to kiss the corner of his mouth. She doesn't know if she loves him, but she knows she cares deeply for him and wants to see where this can go. So she holds herself closer to her.]

I have never doubted that you wouldn't be.

[He was willing to wait and see if her feelings became clearer. For now, there was this and this would be enough. His arms wrap around her, cradling her against him as he felt himself breathe more easily.]

If there is anything else you want as terms or boundaries, tell me.

[Her hands land low on his waist as he brings her in for a warm embrace. She is glad they can settle on something. It is as close to courtship as she can imagine here, and she cherishes what he's giving her, freely and of his own volition.]

Nothing I can think of. It will be hard knowing you are with another, but I know what this place asks of us. I cannot fault you what you are made to do.

[He knew when he asked her to stay that she would ease his darkness, but he never thought it would be this. One brief conversation and suddenly the color is returned to the world.

He can feel the heat of her hands through his shirt. That warmth blossoms in him, gnawing its way to his groin.]

I won't parade anyone else in front of you. It will be discreet. [Not that it made his jealousy any better.] It's no easier for me. Knowing when we're not together, you might be with someone else.

I know. [She knows he won't willingly hurt her. But it is going to be tough for the both of them. Lucrezia holds him close, treasuring the time she can have with him.]

We will just have to be open and honest with one another. Otherwise the jealousy will simply eat at us.

[He nodded, knowing that there was little chance of avoiding jealousy altogether. Gods help him, but he even envied her brother (though he wasn't ever going to address or think about the reason why.)]

Aye, I promise to tell you the truth about whatever you want to know or ask me. But you've got no reason to be jealous. There's no one like you.

I will envy whoever is lucky enough to have you as a Dominant. [She knows he once asked her though she still has her contract with Cesare. It is not because she does not want to contract with Jon. There is just a much larger game at play here, and signing with another would have to be the last option between her and Cesare. Otherwise she knows it simply would not work between the two of them.]

But you are kind to say.

[He meets her eyes sadly, wishing it could be different. The obvious solution would be to contract with her and her alone, binding them in some form of commitment, but she was contracted to her brother and he knew that there was little reason to press for her to sever that. Whatever was between her and Cesare, they meant to stay together and he accepted that.]

We have this. It's a contract for us.

[One more binding than the city, at least on his end.]

You can set whatever terms you want for me to have in contracts. If you don't like someone I suggest, you have the right to tell me not to contract with them. If you'd rather I not live with them, but instead find them somewhere else, tell me.

You don't have to be jealous.

I do not want a contract with you-- I would want more than. [A contract is what this place puts on them, but what she wants with Jon is something more natural, not when there are contingencies and stipulations written in. It seems so mechanical.]

We will work it out.

[She has faith in that.]

Let's try and eat, shall we?

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