Chapter Text
It had been a hell of a couple of weeks for Chloe Cornell. Even after wrapping up the whole Carnival situation, chaos seemed to be the new normal for her in Wayhaven. Between the mundane world of small-time policing and being stalked by various unsavory supernaturals or Trappers, her work-life balance was at an all-time low. Which, she had to admit, was why she was so thankful for special moments like these; time alone with the man who made her feel...cherished. Happy.
Hokey piano music and stuttering images from a German silent-era vampire movie flashed on her television screen. Felix embraced her tenderly as she snuggled up even closer to him on the loveseat. Half-empty alcopops and a bowl of caramel popcorn lay forgotten on the coffee-table as she sighed in contentment. Ah, another perfect date night. How many had they had together? Four? Five 'official' ones, at least? It was kind of hard to keep track seeing that Felix was more than eager to turn any given patrol or mission into a romantic evening together.
"Look at this guy", Felix chuckled into her temple, pointing to the bald, snaggletoothed figure on the screen. "Walking around in broad daylight carrying a. Damn. Coffin. Not suspicious at all!"
Chloe giggled into the crook of his neck. "I guess Count Orlok figures if he just plays it cool, no one will be the wiser. 'Just taking my coffin for a walk - nothing to see here! Just a man and his coffin!'"
She felt his chest shake with amusement as they laughed together. "That's why I love watching these old movies", Chloe admitted, "There's never any end to the comedy gold."
"Hey, Cookie," he said, nudging her. "Remember when you asked the rest of the team if we slept in coffins?"
Cookie. Felix first started calling that (because she was 'sweet' and 'looked good enough to eat') when they first started dating. Basically poking fun at her mild-but-totally-reasonable apprehension about Unit Bravo's liquid diet and her 'tempting' freak blood. She used to feel a sort of fond annoyance when he called her that, but now the endearment never ceased to bring a goofy smile to her face.
She tilted her head to gaze up at him. His amber eyes caught hers, their expression warm and playful.
"Well, can you really blame me for not knowing better?", she asked. "I grew up on Gothic novels and Hammer Horror - I really had no other frame of reference", she responded. "I will say that I'm super relieved that you guys don't, by the way. Having to sleep in a box of 'the earth you were buried in'? That would be a hell of a lot of laundry and vacuuming!"
"Mmmhmm", he replied, nodding thoughtfully. "But you know what would be the worst part?"
"What's that?"
Felix shifted to face her, his strong arm sliding down from her shoulders to encircle her waist. "Not having enough room in there to be able to hold you like this", he purred, drawing in even closer. Proverbial butterflies danced in her belly. Damn, he was smooth.
"You know, they DO make two-person coffins", she quipped back, immediately regretting it. Really, girl? You're going to talk about funeral arrangements right now?
"Oh yeah? Well, I still think a bed is the best way to go. Both in terms of comfort..." he said, brushing a few wayward strands of red hair from her face, "And range of movement."
Chloe's normally pale, freckled cheeks flushed with the power of a thousand embarrassed gingers. Well, just one singular ginger. Felix, as usual, seemed to take special pride in flustering her.
"Yeah, I figured that would make you blush!" he grinned, before resuming his sultry tone. "How do you manage to look so adorable and sexy when you do that?"
The sweet sentiment did nothing to to calm the raging heat on her face. "Dunno - just sounds like a weird vampire kink to me", she deadpanned, causing him to chuckle once again. "Probably something about my delicious riboflavin-flavored plasma rising so close to the surface."
"Cookie, you make my plasma rise to the-"
"BABE! Don't you dare finish that corny...pffbtt! Hahahahahaha!"
Together, they guffawed and tittered like a pair of lunatics that just wrested control of the asylum. At one point, she let out a goose-like honk, causing Felix to laugh even harder while Chloe wiped tears from her eyes.
Breathless and full of mirth, she sank back against Felix's chest, nestling into to him. "Mmm...we really have the best dates, don't we? Even if half the time you're teasing and flattering me in the same sentence. That's quite a skill, you know."
She felt her boyfriend's lips curve against her skin, before pulling away to affectionately pepper light kisses on the tip of her nose, the apples of her cheeks, her chin.
"I don't even have to try when I'm around you, Cookie. You just inspire me", he drawled, his lush, gorgeous mouth hovered so tantalizingly close to hers.
Instinctively, Chloe's eyes began to flutter closed. When they did, he planted a soft kiss against the corner of her mouth. She sighed dreamily and slid her hands over his shoulders, giving him a similar peck, before tilting her head so that she could kiss him properly. And, oh, how right his lips felt. She marveled how the touch and taste of him never failed to make her feel both comforted and giddy, relaxed and...and...
She lost her train of thought when a gentle flick of his tongue parted her lips. She opened for him, the taste of him familiar but still meltingly seductive. As she quietly whimpered against his soft mouth, he began to caress her. Gentle hands glided over her back, skimmed her sides. His movements slowed as they reached her hips. He reluctantly broke their kiss to pause and regard her - his eyes dark with desire. A thrill of anxious excitement coursed through her at the sight of them.
"Speaking of...sleeping arrangements" Felix began and paused, biting his lip "...Well, I have to admit they've been on my mind a lot recently."
Chloe was certain he could hear the resonating thump of her heart against her rib-cage. He reached down to take her hand. Their fingers laced together.
"Have they been on yours, too, babe?", he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.