Come A Little Closer Baby | Ash

[Dakota King]

It was really all over. The danger and immediate threat was gone. Dakota saw it for herself as she walked with Ash back to Rusher so they could get out of the forest. But it was over and it felt like there was no longer anything between them. The trip back seemed to take forever, but they were finally back at Dakota's cabin and she was leading Ash back to her room. Once they were inside, she closed the door behind them as she went over to her medical supplies. "Make yourself comfy on the bed," she said as she grabbed various medical supplies.

Once she had everything she needed, she carried them over to the bed as she sat down next to Ash. She grabbed one of his arms and started tending to it with hydrogen peroxide and butterfly-style bandages. She would do this to every one of his wounds until he was patched up to her standards, not the low standards of the infirmary.

(tag: Ashley Bates )

[Ashley Bates]

Ash had left the clearing with hardly a look back. The girl, Audrey, was dead and that was about as finally as things could be. That said he did spare a thought for his broken bow which had seen him through so many life threatening situations. Fortunately Dakota was there and she overruled any reservations he might have had about leaving his old weapon behind.

The flight back to camp predictably seemed to take much longer than it really did. He loved Dakota and she loved him back and that realization made a normally easy flight much more difficult than necessary. Still, they eventually did make it back to camp and if he held Dakota a little closer than usual on the ride then that was just his way of making sure that this moment was real.

Once safely in her room Dakota locked them in and instructed Ash to make himself comfortable. True to his word Ash took a seat on the bed and laid back playing the willing patient. He watch Dakota as she made her way around the room collecting the supplies she needed and when she joined him on the bed He offered up his injuries to her without fuss.

It was interesting to watch how she cared for each cut and scrape. She paid so much attention to his injuries cleaning each one, bandaging it and moving on to the next one. Ash found that he didn’t mind the attention and as she worked he spoke up for the first time since they had gotten back from the clearing. “This reminds me of the first time we met. You fixing me up after a pegasus accident. Do you remember it?”

[Dakota King]

Dakota tended to each wound, making sure it was all cleaned up before she bandaged it up and moved onto the next one. She sort of got into a pattern, more like a trance, as she cleaned Ash's wounds one by one. At least she wouldn't be dragging out the stitches. That would make this moment a more painful one. She looked up to Ash as he started to say something, half-expecting for him to complain about some pain.

But he didn't. Instead, he spoke of the first time they had met. She laughed slightly as she shook her head. "Of course I remember it. You have a habit of banging yourself up really good, don't you?" she said with a smirk before she went back to cleaning his wounds. "I might have to keep a closer eye on you if this is going to become a habit of yours."

[Ashley Bates]

“Maybe I’ve just found a nurse I like fixing me up.” Ash said as he watched her. It was true that injuries came with the territory of being a demigod but these past few months had seemed more life threatening than most. Everything he and Dakota had been through together culminating in a vengeful fight for both of their lives had been rough going with injuries for both of them but for his part Ash wouldn’t have anyone besides Dakota at his side with the antiseptic and bandages.

“I don’t think I would mind the extra attention if you think you’re up for the job. I’ve been told I’m quite a handful.” Ash had survived for so long on his own it was hard for him to accept that he needed help sometimes. Since he had met Dakota though he had found what it was like to have someone who was on his side, who was there for him, and now that he knew that he didn’t want to let her go. In sense maybe this was as much him letting go inhibitions as it was for her admitting her feelings. “Besides, someone has to keep me going if I’m going to keep riding to your rescue.”

[Dakota King]

Maybe I’ve just found a nurse I like fixing me up.” Dakota smirked to herself at that comment as she finished up fixing him up. Thankfully, there weren't too many wounds and all of them missed the major arteries. “I think I'm up to it as long as you promise me you won't get into anymore conspiracy theories with homicidal maniacs.”

And with that, she finished up cleaning his last wound. “All done,” she said as she started cleaning up all the supplies she had scattered about the bed. “And don't worry, I don't part the damsel in distress role frequently so there's no need for saving me often.”

[Ashley Bates]

“I’m hoping to keep my dealings with homicidal maniacs to a minimum thank you.” Ash said as she continued patching him up. The excitement aside he hoped that camp would be done with the conspiracy theories for a while the only problem was he had a sneaking suspicion that a camp full of demigods never got much of a rest. That being the case it was probably wise to keep from making promises he might not be able to keep.

When she finished cleaning and bandaging his wounds Ash didn’t even look down to examine her work. All things consider he was no worse for wear but right now he had eyes for only one person and she was sitting on the bed in front of him. “That’s too bad.” He said as he pushed himself up off the bed and moved a little closer to her. “You make an awfully cute damsel. One that I don’t mind riding out to save.” Sitting up in front of her on the bed his arms slid around Dakota’s waist and tugged her closer so that she was only a breaths distance away. “Now what was that I heard you saying back there? I seem to remember it started with ‘I’ and ended with ‘you’. I think I need a little refresher.”

[Dakota King]

Dakota smirked to herself and shook her head as Ash said he was okay riding out to rescue her. She managed to clean up everything and put it on her nightstand before she felt Ash's arms around her waist as she was tugged closer to him. She was close enough to him that there was barely any space between their lips. But then he said it. She had half a mind to tease him a little, but considering she almost lost him earlier that day....

“I love you,” she whispered to him as she leaned in to kiss him gently. Her arms moved to wrap around his neck as she gently pressed up against him.

[Ashley Bates]

The events of the day had definitely not left Ash in the mood for joking. That wasn’t to say he would have gotten mad but he had almost lost Dakota once today and didn’t intend to take either of them being here right now for granted. Fortunately Dakota seemed to be in a similar mindset as him and instead of putting up a fight she humored him one more time by repeating those words he had been waiting to hear.

As she leaned in to kiss him and wrap her arms around his neck Ash held her close and enjoyed every minute of it. After a while he gently guided her down to the bed and laid her back as they kissed. He had always been sure in his love for Dakota but now he had that same certainty in her love for him. Still, this was all new and exciting to him and he wanted to take things slow. Breaking away rather reluctantly he took a moment to look down at her laying there and take it all in. “I won’t let you regret those words.” He said as he gave her one of his little half smirks. “But for now I think we’ve got some catching up to do and I’ve fought too hard to let you go tonight.” With that he leaned down to kiss her again and this time he hoped he wouldn’t have a reason to stop for a long time.

[Dakota King]

And Ash had no reason to stop kissing her that night. That night, they shared a bind deeper than they had ever known. It was exhilarating, but also reaffirmed their love for each other. It was several hours later before the kissing stopped and Dakota was curled up next to Ash. To think how her day began and what followed afterwards, Dakota wouldn't trade this moment for anything. She sighed contently as her eyes fluttered close. She experienced a lot of excitement that day and her body wanted her to rest. “I love you,” she muttered to Ash as she let out a content sigh.

[Ashley Bates]

Ash had wanted Dakota for some time and as they made love for the first time he found that the wait had been well worth it. Dakota was amazing and even though it was his first time he found that any awkwardness had no place with her by his side. The sex blew his mind but what was even more incredible was sharing this with her, a dream that had been a long time coming.

Afterwards they lay together in each other’s arms in the afterglow of their love making and Ash felt himself begin to doze. This was understandable considering the strain they had been under that day had been fairly substantial but just before he could slip away he heard that voice, sweet as ever, calling him back for at least a little longer. “Yes,” Ash said almost as if her statement had been a question. “You do and I love you too. Never doubt it.” There was confidence in his voice as he spoke. He was as sure of this as he ever had been.

“That was…amazing.” He breathed a sigh of his own and rolled over on his back to stare at the ceiling. There wasn’t much to look at in the darkness but pleasant memories of their activities that night still lingered and gave him more than enough to think about as Dakota snuggled against him. Gently Ash slipped an arm under her to pillow her head and tugged her even closer enjoying the feel of her skin against his. “I think I can say my injuries have been properly cared for.”

[Dakota King]

"That was amazing, wasn't it?" Dakota said as she smiled to herself. She was glad that her first time was with Ash and not with somebody else. With Ash, she felt safe and cared for. Plus loved, but that was an obvious one. She sighed once more as she felt her body wanting to drift off to sleep and it didn't help that Ash made a comfortable pillow. "I think your injuries need looked at the morning," she said with a bit of a smirk as she snuggled up even closer to him. "I think you were getting a little vigorous at one point. I should check to make sure it didn't open up scabs or made any of them deeper."

[Ashley Bates]

“Well who am I to argue with my nurse?” He said as he felt her make herself comfortable in his arms. If she wasn’t careful she was going to fall asleep like this but he didn’t think that he would mind too much. As it turned out Dakota happened to fit there just perfectly. “It looks like I’m going to have to submit myself to care until I can make a full recovery.” Ash ran his fingers through her hair enjoying the smell of that cinnamon shampoo she used. He could get used to falling asleep like this and it didn’t sound like Dakota would mind either. “The only question I have is, do I have to come by and make an appointment at the infirmary or do I get private examinations?”

[Dakota King]

Dakota smiled to herself as she shifted herself in Ash's arms just a bit. "Your nurse knows best," she said with a slight chuckle as she opened her eyes to look up at Ash. She smirked a bit to herself as she chuckled a bit. "C'mon... it's not that bad to be under my care, is it?" She shifted herself so she propped herself onto her side and elbow as she picked up her head as she looked down at Ash. She gave him a once over as her smirk grew a little bigger. "I think you can get away with private examinations," she said before she leaned over to kiss Ash once more.

[Ashley Bates]

There were many things that Ash could describe as being bad but Dakota’s love was definitely not one of them. Mostly due to his rather serious nature he didn’t even think that he could joke about it. As if to prove this fact he watched as she propped herself up and let his eyes drift down once more to see what the blanket left covered. “Not bad at all. I would gladly let you check me over any time you feel like it.” He watched her laying there thinking she looked very irresistible and realizing that he was definitely going to have to make some time for more of these private examinations they were talking about. Then she kissed him and Ash kissed her back wrapping his arms around her and tugging her back onto the bed with him. When they finally broke away Ash smirked up at her and said “I can think of a few places that are going to need special attention.” And with that he let the kissing resume.