Arthur's lips closed over hers, his tongue demanding entrance into her mouth. He wasn't soft or gentle as his fingers clenched her hair, pulling her head back, while he squeezed her face with the other hand. His kiss was meant to be cruel, an assault on her senses, and she realized exactly what his intention was: the bastard was trying to scare her. Maybe he thought this would make her cower down, run away, but he was a fool if he really believed that.

Wrapping her fingers around his neck, her fingernails forcibly digging into his skin as hard as possible, she pulled him in even closer and bit his tongue. He groaned, the sound primal and enticing, fuelling her desire more.

It was a struggle between them, a fight to gain dominance over the other. He may have been stronger, but she wasn't afraid to play dirty. Lacing her fingers through his hair, she tugged at his scalp, very probably hurting him. In retaliation, he bit down on her bottom lip. The sensation was simultaneously painful and erotic; she tasted blood in her mouth. And just when she could no longer bear the pain, he softened his grip and eased back slightly. Sensing the distance between them, Ariadne opened her eyes to look at him. Despite the darkness, she was able to clearly distinguish his face; he was staring at her intently, desire and frustration stamped all across his features.

"Ask me to stop, Ariadne."

His voice was husky, raw with such potent need she felt it shoot through every vein in her body.

"No," she said with a defiance that clearly surprised him.

A small smile played across his face, and he gently swiped her bottom lip with his thumb – lingering on the same spot he bit earlier.

"Always so stubborn..."

"Arthur, don't you dare go soft on me now."

He chuckled. "Soft? No need to worry about that."

She pulled him close and latched her mouth onto his. She kissed him, desperate and pleading for more, with all the pent-up emotions she'd kept buried all this time, and the need to possess him and be possessed by him increased with every second.

He was hard, his erection heavy against her thighs. And as much as she wanted to unzip him and wrap her fingers around his cock – something she's fantasized about all too many times – she knew now wasn't the time to indulge in slow foreplay. Not when every nerve in her body was screaming out for instant gratification.

Almost as if he read her mind, Arthur reached up, pulled her panties down in one swift motion, and helped her step out of them. There was nothing elegant or gentle about the way he picked her up next. She struggled to wrap her legs around his waist while pulling his jacket down at the same time. After fumbling with his zipper and trousers, he finally pushed into her.

She lolled her head back, clinging to him as her body slowly adjusted to the sensation of having him inside her.

She'd wanted this - him - for a long time, had ached for him. A part of her often wondered if they would ever cross the friendship barrier but she never imagined it would happen with the start of an argument in a back alley somewhere. Everything about this should have felt dirty and wrong, but it didn't. Being with him, right here, right now, like ithis/i, felt like the most natural and perfect thing in the world. She didn't even want to consider what that said about her.

"Ariadne. Look at me. Please."

She opened her eyes and the explosive emotions in his gaze suddenly terrified her, overwhelmed her, but when he thrust into her excruciatingly slowly – and she knew he was taking his time for her benefit – she felt the anxiety easy away and the pleasure start to take over.

He moved languidly at first, purposely, something she knew that took a lot of effort on his part, and the pressure started to build within her, and as he sped up his rhythm, she found herself moaning and screaming for more. The rough surface of the wall behind her was rubbing against her back, probably bruising her, but all she felt was Arthur. Arthur wrapped around her, driving into her, claiming her and she clawed his back, scratched his neck, anything that brought him even closer to her.

Soft whispers passed through his lips, filling the air around them, seducing her not only with his body but also with his words. She was already wet, slick, hot, and getting more excited as he described how much he needed her, wanted her, all the ways he'd fantasized about fucking her. She was his. Only his. He said things she never imagined Arthur was capable of thinking let alone expressing to her.

Lost in a haze of frenzy, and so, so close, her breaths were laboured, her heart racing wildly, and just when she thought this feeling of ecstasy couldn't get more intense his fingers found her clit and started stroking her, teasing her, moving in sync with his cock and his mouth that suckled on her neck.

Her orgasm was explosive, waves of intense pleasure flooding over her, and she was completely caught up in it, only slightly aware of his teeth nipping her as he reached his own peak. His fingers continued to circle her clit while he held her body trapped against the wall, trailing wet kisses across her skin.

At this very moment, she didn't think she could ever move. Didn't even want to. She wanted to stay here with him, forever, just the two of them.

"Are you okay?" he asked, his breath hot against her skin. "Did I hurt you?"

"Don't say anything. You're going to ruin the moment."

He chuckled before grazing her forehead tenderly. Apparently she wasn't the only one who was sated and exhausted as he balanced his entire weight on her, as if he was unable to support himself with his own legs. The close proximity between them felt almost as intimate as actually fucking him, and she didn't think that was possible.

"Word of warning, Arthur. If you knocked me up tonight, you'll have to marry me."

He smirked, nipping her chin. "Keep dreaming."

This time she was the one who laughed, and reached out to kiss him tenderly.