Let's Play!

Ansel smiled awkwardly..

"Newton is delighted. The kids are, too. He's got the bits I'm not wearing and the kids are eating something chocolate instead. "

He shared with a slight shake of his head. Silly dragon.

"I'm surprised he didn't tackle you to claim the parts you're wearing too "

"I think he was just glad the kids didn't get to keep the twinnkies so was sparring me his form of a bath. "

He offered with a chuckle.

Willow smiled.

"Well, don't let me stop you."

She lowered herself back down to cuddling donut cat, though she definitely snuck a peek. She harbored a secret trill of delight inside when he took his shirt off. Heavens above, she loved the look of his muscular back and shoulders as they worked. Six packs and perky asses were nearly a dime a dozen in this region, but this part of him? That was art.

Suddenly realizing her secret might not be so secret now, she blurted a compliment to get in front of her own embarrassment.

"You're so handsome! "

Ansel glanced backyard, flushing a bit in delight and flattery as he looked at her.

"Thank you. "

He shared with eyes considering her a tiny while, happiness unfurling inside him as he crossed his arms across his chest.

"I can not imagine higher praise than the appreciation from my lovely wife's lips. "

He really did adore you, it was curling off him like steam as it easily filled the room.

Willow's cheeks burned.

"That's kind sad. I'm sure i could think of a better compliment than just that."

You know, if she wasn't so completely preoccupied with ogling you.

"You're..."

Oh no. Why did she suddenly find herself with only the vocabulary of a sixth grader?

"... sexy."

Yeah, she was way too flustered from getting caught with her hand in the cookie jar to do better right this second. She groaned at her own lameness and pulled the pillow over her face to hide her shame.

Ansel let a dark chuckle free, crawling up to the bed over her.

/ Oh? Tell me more about what you think about me? /

/ now you're just picking on me./

Willow pushed the pillow up a little to peek at him. She grinned with sudden inspiration and leaned up so her mouth was near his.

/I could just eat you up./

Instead of a kiss, she playfully licked a bit of icing from his cheek.

Ansel groaned.

/By all means, I'm not gonna stop you. /

He urged enthusiastically.

Willow hesitated for a moment. Oops. She hadn't meant... she had just been looking, but she also didn't want to leave him frustrated and disappointed. So, with a gentle push to turn them over, she let her mouth wander his body, leaving a little trail of kisses as she searched for the bits of dessert.

However, once she'd been upright for more than a couple minutes, it quickly became apparent that she didn't have the physical wherewithal to do anything more than take care of him. The lingering fatigue in her muscles was replaced by an ache like one might have the day after a rough workout, even without especially exerting herself.

That said, she still gave what she could, licking her lips afterwards.

/ what do you know? The real thing was just as good as the picture made it seem. /

Ansel shifted, catching her chin before she went beyond mid way down his chest, gingerly pulling her up.

/ My love, I can flirt with you without it going further. I am perfectly alright. /

He reassured, not wanting her to touch him because of any sort feelings like he felt from her right now. It just didn't feel so....ok.

Willow studied his face a moment before lifting her chin free so she could lay back down.

/ alright. /

She didn't mind stopping if he had changed his mind from his initial request. She reached out to let the back of her forefinger trace his jaw affectionately.

/ you really are handsome, though. I still have no idea how I managed to land someone so far out of my league. /

This time she was gentle and sincere instead of making the mistake of playing games she had no intention of finishing.

Ansel wrapped his arms about her, kissing her eagerly.

/ It's me who is the lucky one. I'm forever thankful to have such a gift from the heavens themselves to call my own. /

Willow squirmed.

"You got goo all over me !"

Ansel chuckled, grinning.

"All the better to eat you with, my dear. "

Obviously he was joking but it was sweet all the same?

"I guess that's what they mean by'pick your poison'," she pouted

Ansel laughed, kissing her nose.

"Let's get you wanted up, sweet thing. "

He laughed, sitting up.

"So that was your sneaky plan all along. "

"Well. Just dumping you in the bathtub seemed less subtle. "

He laughed.

Willow smiled a little and went with him.

"Even more because I've already done that once today. "

"Yeah..... but this time I can be sure you're getting all the pampering. "

And he could have all the peeking.

"You're the one that likes pampering, " she reminded him as she got in.

In contrast, she was trying very hard NOT to peek.

Ansel grinned, nodding as he opted to climb in with her, pulling her into his lap, tilting her chin to look at him.

" You're very right. But also, what bath could not be made pampering with you in it? "

"Lots of them. I could put water in the soap or push the ducks over the edge or bump the cold tap. "

Just to name a few evil things she could do.

Ansel chuckled.

"The ducks might be sad, but the rest would be fine as long as I've got you in here. "

Willow slipped down so she was sitting on the tub bottom between his thighs, her body resting back against him with the water up to her chin. This helped. The fatigue didn't budge, but that faint ache eased as she relaxed to match him.

"Saying such sweet things about someone who has no intention of being interesting. Mmm... I might just stay in here forever. "

"Well, if you'll tolerate my changing the water every so often, then I suppose that we can make it work. "

He chuckled, smiling as he kissed her temple

"Sounds like a lot of work. "

She was happy enough to stay there until she drowned a bit and accidentally snorted the bath water when her head drooped.

"I think I'm done now, " she told him between coughs and gasps.

Ansel smiled a bit and laughed, kissing the top of her head.

"Alright. Let me help you into bed, my love. "

Willow stuck her arms straight up.

"Okay. "

No hesitation at all.

Ansel laughed, carrying her lovely wife with him to bed bedroom to dry and dress. He'd even tuck her into bed with donut cat. He'd clean up in the bathroom real quick and climb in to snuggle his sweet wifey as he kissed at her.

He slept for about ten minutes before he woke to all the smoke detectors going off.

Willow hadn't fallen asleep, so she had that advantage on him for leaping out of bed first. She was so scared, but she left him behind as she sprinted for his children. Apparently she was still capable of acting quickly under the correct circumstances?


/ what the hell?/ asked a groggy and unhappy Nora.

Ansel was very confused until he spotted Taylor on a chair holding a placemat, fanning for her life. He glanced back to the floor and shook his head as he moved to step over the shattered candle and wax mess on the floor. He reached up to pull the alarm from the ceiling and disconnected everything to gift the house with silence.

"You alright? "

He asked of Taylor as he mentally let the others know everything was OK and to head back to bed.

For the first time, she actually looked flushed.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I'm real sorry about that. "



Nora went back to sleep right away, but willow didn't return.

Ansel nodded and kissed her forehead.

"Alright. It's ok. I'll have the ladies come clean this up real quick so you don't get hurt."

He reassured as he went now to find his wife with worry over her wellbeing

"No, that's okay. I can clean it up myself. I can do that much to be square for the fuss in the first place. "



Willow was fine. She was sitting on the floor slumped against the wall in the kids' hallway, just staring at the carpet. Her heart was still beating fast and her body was exhausted. She even told him as much.

"I'm unharmed. "

Ansel picked her up, kissing her tenderly.

" I am glad you're OK physically. "

He snuggled her close to his chest as he carried his depleted precious wifey back to bed with him.

"I love you. "

Willow wasn't really cuddly like she had been before, but she didn't fight him either. She just lay there with resignation as she waited for him to fall back asleep. After he'd been out for half an hour or so, she slid out of bed, changing her clothes, and creeping out of the house.

Two hours later, the Willowbeast returned, standing by the bed and studying him thoughtfully. If he stayed asleep, she'd climb back into bed herself after a few minutes.

Ansel woke close after she left, but without sensing distress he'd nestle back in to sleep the night away. Though she would find him cuddling Donut Cat in her absence.

She was just Willow again by the time he woke. She had slept a little, but now she just lay there staring at the wall. Her mood this morning, however, was abysmal. When she felt him stir, she turned and buried her face into his chest.

/being awake is the worst./