Scraps - Morning Breath

Sometimes I really hated mornings. Not like most people did, I suppose. I had no problem waking up and getting going. Or being alert and on top of things and just generally aware, for that matter. 

In fact, that's exactly where my problem laid; that I was awake. 

For as long as I could remember I had gone to sleep and woken up so routinely -- for work, school, my own obsessive scheduling, what have you --that my internal clock had no idea what sleeping in even was anymore. It was literally impossible for me to just waste the day away in bed like so many others seemed capable of doing. At least, I couldn't waste my time like that asleep.

So, even though it was my honeymoon. Even though I had no work to worry about. Even though I had literally no stress or tasks set for myself at all, I was awake. 

I sighed and glanced over at the sleeping form of my new bride. Jules slept as she always did, hard and solid. Somehow that girl had the easiest time laying her head down and mimicking a log for eight hours without a problem. She wasn't a heavy sleeper, really, it would be easy enough to wake her if I was inclined, but when she was asleep, Jules was asleep. 

Wish I could be like that, I mused to myself. 

Getting to sleep had always been an issue of mine. It was nigh impossible to slow my brain down, especially with the millions of things I was generally juggling in my life. Being able to lay down and fall asleep without any hassle, that seemed like a damn superpower.

Wonder how my wife does it… I paused in my thoughts and looked down at Jules again in a kind of stunned wonder. Huh. I blinked a few times as the thought settled in. My wife. That's still… Huh. It's something, isn't it? 

The smile that blossomed on my face was enough of an answer to myself. We really did it. We got married. I let out a muted laugh, shook my head and ran a hand through my hair. I got married. Who could have seen that coming? Definitely not me. 

With another amused chuckle, I leaned over and into Jules -- still blissfully sleeping on her side, unaware of me and my thinking -- before kissing her neck. My lips lingered at that spot, feeling the strong, steady thump of her pulse against my lips. I hummed and nuzzled my nose against her skin, taking in that light and sweet Jules scent that I loved so much into my nostrils. As always, her scent brought a shudder down my spine as a heady, intoxicating sensation washed over me. 

There was a piece of me that silently hoped Jules would stay asleep. That I could snuggle back into her and maybe trick my brain into switching into some kind of unused vacation mode. Maybe I could lay in her warmth and get so drunk on her that I just passed out. 

I knew that there was no such luck to my hoping, though. 

Jules stirred against me with a whimper and then, without even looking at me, moaned out a pitiful response. "It's too early for that. Need breakfast first."

I let out a quiet chuckle and leaned over to kiss the top of her messy bed head. "You overestimate my stamina, Honey."

Jules looked up at me with bleary, half lidded eyes. "I know my Bear," she told me matter-of-factly, just as her mouth stretched into a beautiful, sleepy smile. 

"Oh? Is that so?" I challenged her playfully. 

"It is," Jules assured me as she laid her head against my shoulder with a content hum. 

I mirrored the sound thoughtfully and dropped another kiss to the top of her head. "Hm… What do you know about your Bear?" I asked her, my voice cautious as much as curious.

"She's insatiable," Jules deadpanned with a quick, stony look into my eyes. 

That lasted all of one second before Jules was giggling until her amber eyes shone with mirth -- which made me smile more than her accurate assumption of my character ever would. 

"Perhaps," I drawled and twisted a lock of Jules' hair around my fingers loosely.

"I also know that she's very dedicated and relentless." Jules looked away from me with a contemplative expression painted across her features. "If she wants something, she's gonna go out and get it. No matter what."

"This is true," I muttered. With a thoughtful hum, I dove my fingers into Jules' hair completely and began to scratch her scalp; to a delightful hum from Jules herself. 

Jules let out a low hum of relaxation, quickly followed by a raspy groan. "She's also very good at distracting me."

I smiled widely, my expression going absolutely predatory, and gripped her hair tighter in my fingers before I uttered out a growling, "Mm-hm." 

Jules put her hands on my chest just before I could kiss her, an apologetic smile playing on her lips. "Five minutes?" 

"Huh?" I asked in a confused voice.

Jules pointed to her mouth with a little shrug before sitting up. "Morning breath."

I set Jules with a stoic face, my mouth drooping into a frown as my brows pulled into a heavy line over my eyes, before I scoffed, "You're joking, right?" 

Jules' brows lifted into her hairline as she glanced me up and down with her own face of disbelief. As if she couldn't believe that I of all people wouldn't ask this. "When have I ever joked about something like this?" 

"Well, yeah," I sputtered, more appalled that my wife -- my wife -- would deny me kisses more than anything. "But that was before. I mean, c'mon, Jules. We're fucking married."

"Yeah, well," Jules glanced to the side and stuck her nose up. "That doesn't mean I want you to taste the tacos I ate last night mixed in with stale morning breath."

"What if I want to though?" I asked and cocked one brow up in question. 

This seemed to completely catch Jules off guard. "Huh?" 

A devious smirk crossed my face and the next moment I was pouncing on top of Jules with a growl in my throat. "C'mon Jules! Gimme a taste!" I said, none too quietly, while making obnoxious kissing noises. 

Jules screamed with laughter and threw her head from side to side, making it impossible for me to catch her lips in mine. That was alright though. Half of the fun in this game was the struggle. 

There was something about that battle between us. The one where we both ended up panting and sweating and staring each other down intensely. Nothing got me wet like that did. 

With a content hum from my lips at that thought, I slid my hands up Jules' arms and pinned her wrists to the bed. Jules only fought against me for a moment before she let her hands go limp with a harumph. To anyone else that was a sound of frustration and defeat. Coming from my wife though? That noise meant something entirely different. 

I looked down at Jules -- both of her wrists in my iron grip, completely helpless with me on top of her -- and grinned. A moment later, I dipped my head down and laid a single, lingering kiss on her lips. When I pulled back a fraction, Jules had parted her lips and whimpered softly. She was singing a whole new tune now. 

"Alright, go brush your teeth," I whispered and smiled a little wider before kissing her forehead. 

Jules blinked in surprise as I released her grip and sat up, swinging my legs off the edge of the bed as I did. I could hear her groaning and flopping her limbs on the bed in protest behind me, just as I was stretching an arm above my head. All of it was an act of course, another part of the play, and Jules was falling into it perfectly. 

"But…" Jules said and sighed in defeat. She must have known that this was only the beginning, and there was no point in fighting. Yet. 

Like mom used to say, choose your battles, Honey. 

"This isn't over though…" Jules muttered as she passed me on her way off of the bed. "Not by a long shot."

As I watched her walk into the bathroom, with an extra swing in her hips, I couldn't help but chuckle and bite my lip. It wasn't looking like I would be getting much sleep, but if nothing else, it was bound to be an entertaining honeymoon. And if she stays like this, it's only gonna make the game today that much more fun. I was sure my grin couldn't get any wider as I considered this. Goody. 

"Let the games begin then," I muttered under my breath as I rose to follow my new bride into the bathroom to do just that.