That Damn Imp Ch. 08

The store hadn't yet opened for the day, the morning light just beginning to peer in through the windows. Puck floated above the counter, looking over Koshka's wares, eying them curiously. Much of it was ordinary for the numismatic enthusiast. Off to the sides were coin-collecting supplies on the racks, and along the counters were various coins on display boards, while older coins other valuable items sat under the glass.

Of course, the only thing he really had eyes for was the proprietor of the store, and she would be here any moment...

o0o

Koshka stilled as she felt a tingle at the back of her neck, alerting her to Puck's magical presence, and took a deep breath. She had a date with Malcolm tonight. True to his word, Puck had left the blonde entirely alone, and while it certainly relieved her, it also honestly surprised her. The Puck was known for finding loopholes to work his mischief, but she had no complaints from her boyfriend, and she didn't sense any spells wrought upon him.

She'd decided to head down to the Jewish deli several blocks down for breakfast, and was sauntering up the sidewalk with coffee and a small paper bag. She unlocked the door and entered the store, giving Puck a dry 'good morning' as she set her breakfast and newspaper down on the counter, seemingly unruffled by his presence. She was determined to not let the imp ruin her good mood.

"Good morning to my most favorite demon in the world," he replied, grinning as he gave one of the display boards - bearing Presidential dollars among other American coins of similar value - a casual look-over before gazing around innocently. "You don't seem too surprised to find me here."

"You didn't even attempt to hide your aura," she reminded him with a smirk as she went to the windows to slide the bars back from them. The currency that Puck were admiring took on a sharper sparkle the morning sunlight hit their polished surfaces. "So what brings you around to this dusty old shop?" she asked as she sat down behind the counter.

"Oh just checking out what it has to offer," he teased, quirking his eyebrows. "How about you? I thought you'd be taking the day off. Spending it with.. what was his name again? Mike? Bob? Tom?"

"His name is None Of Your Business." she replied smartly. "And yes, I have a date tonight." She smirked faintly at him. "So what mischief have you been up to lately?"

"Really? I thought it was Malcolm," he teased, winking. "And you know... enjoying wine, women, song. Occasionally stalking you. Not in a creepy way though," he put up a hand protectively, grinning behind it.

She gave out a small snort. Perhaps it was because of her relationship with Malcolm, but she was actually surprisingly tolerant of Puck's company now - at least, at times. "Good. Because believe me, I would know if you did." She glared at him for a moment, before relaxing. "No matter how much you visit, you're not going to convince me to have a threesome with you. I'm sure Malcolm would put you to shame, anyway."

"Yeah," he rolled your eyes, "your pet human is going to outclass me. Please. And besides, who said I was looking for a threesome? Eventually, it's going to be just you and me."

"Pet human? You're cute." She took a sip of her coffee. "Besides, I could give Malcolm more years. Or even immortality. Perhaps I like him well enough to not let him get old and wrinkly."

"Yes, pet human. What would you call him? A toy?" At the mention of immortality, he scoffed, crossing his arms. "Why give it to him when you already have me? All this sexual tension... what do you need a mortal being for? It's not some weird human fetish, is it?"

"He satisfies me, and that's all I'm telling you," Koshka replied with a throaty purr. "Believe it or not, some humans do have their uses."

"I know they have their uses. But when it comes to the bedroom, you're going to get way, way more fun out of someone like me," he grinned. "Or, if you'd rather somewhere other than the bedroom, come on... take me into that back office and let me prove it." Puck ran a hand firmly down the front of his loose pants, his eyes going half-lidded, the mischievous grin never leaving his face.

"You have your uses, too. You bring an occasional smile to my face," the redhead replied, sitting back and enjoying the sight of Puck as she sipped her coffee. It wasn't cheating, if she wasn't going to do anything and hadn't asked Puck for this, was it? "You make very much of that particular toy, don't you?" she asked, her gaze resting on his groin. "But I'm in a committed relationship, so that's that." She took a bite of her bagel.

"I'm not asking you to break that commitment. I'm just asking for the opportunity to show you a really, really good time. You could go right back to ol' whats-his-name afterward," he shrugged, the dimple in his cheek illustrated by the shadow cast by the sunlight.

Her smile slowly froze as she rested her chin on her hand. "And there's that. See, the thing is, I like my sex to come with commitment. You're a flirty little imp. I shall not impede your... activities, but I will not be a notch on your bedpost."

"Can I be one on yours?" he suggested. "I suppose if you really want commitment, we can work something out. Maybe we fool around a couple times a week, then you go back home and play around with your toy. Sounds like a decent commitment to me."

She gave out a soft chuckle. "You're cute, I'll grant you that. It helps me tolerate your company, but you do have some growing up to do."

"I've been growing up for thousands of years," he huffed. "Though if you think I'm cute now, you should see me naked."

"I'm sure if you were naked, I would have a hard time looking away. Which is why I must ask, no, demand that you remain clothed," she scolded, and realized the barest fraction of a second too late what she had just let tumble from her lips. Her eyes widened slightly, and she saw a warm, happy twinkle in Puck's own.

"I knew it," he pointed at her, grinning. "You are into me. You might as well just run with it. It's going to happen eventually." He sighed, floating higher into the air. "I want you. And you want me. Why don't we just stop fighting it?"

"Who said anything about wanting you?" she shot back as she tore her gaze away from his cute pointy ears, and that handsome smile, and those twinkling blue eyes, to resolutely look down at the newspaper. She cared for Malcolm, and would not entertain thoughts of cheating on him. Yet she'd known Puck for over a thousand years. He'd had plenty of time to charm her, and there had been times when he'd come closer than she wanted to acknowledge. "I can admit that you are an aesthetically pleasing person, without actually wanting you." she pointed out before taking another bite of her bagel.

"Uh huh. Keep telling yourself that. But I know why you don't think you'd be able to tear your eyes away from me if I was naked..." Puck grabbed the waist of his pants, teasing as if he was going to lower them. Sliding his hands away, he folded them behind his head. "It'd be easier if you just admitted it, you know. You can want me without doing anything about it. Though I really wish you would just go with it. Would put an end to all this tension."

She didn't respond, instead swallowing her bite and taking a swig of coffee.

"Good bagel?"

"Made fresh every morning by a lovely Jewish grandmother," she said with an approving nod. "There have to be plenty of redheads out there, take your pick." She knew Puck wouldn't, of course, but she wasn't one to be teased and simply take it.

"I have picked. That's why I'm here. You're way hotter than the rest of them. And you already have a thing for me, so that's appealing," he quirked his eyebrows suggestively. "You know I'm not just here womanizing, right? If I wanted some cheap bimbo, they're all over the place. I'd much rather have a smart, classy, and sexy lady." He wiggled his eyebrows, and she could almost swear that she felt her heart skip a beat.

"Well, I am flattered. Sincerely so. Especially since I know I've been a bitch to you in the past. Is that what makes this so fun for you? The challenge?"

"It did... for a few centuries. Now it's the knowledge that I'm challenging you. See," he grinned, "I know you want me. But you're trying really, really, really hard not to act on it. And I'm patiently working toward that moment when you just say 'fuck it' and jump onto me." He floated closer, bobbing on the air, his hair floating slightly behind him. "You could just do it now, you know. We've got the place to ourselves."

"As I said, I'm in a committed relationship. I don't share your... flighty, flirty whimsy. I know this may be hard for you to believe, but Malcolm does very well despite the fact that he is not fae or demon. You should give humans more credit."

"He does very well? You sound like you're describing a kid that's getting an A in math. I'm way better than 'very well'. I'd rock your world."

"Malcolm rocks my world," she assured hm, raising an eyebrow

"I thought he 'does very well'," he teased. "I think you're just saying he rocks your world to try to win this argument. But you can't. You're never going to know how great I am in bed until you just give in and go a few rounds with me."

She gave out a small laugh. "I can't argue with that. I can't judge how good you are in bed since we haven't done that, but I think I'll stick with what I know. Give it up, imp. Malcolm's here to stay."

"Like I said," he his arms crossed over his chest again, "he doesn't have to go anywhere for us to play. But fine," he sighed, "stick with what you know. Even if what you don't know would be way, way better."

"I will say that you do have a healthy sense of self-confidence." Though she had the feeling that he was not lying or over-exaggerating, and would be a good lover. For all his quirks, his confidence about his abilities came across as natural. The advertisement of his attributes was not idle bragging. That certainly was part of her dilemma.

"There's a customer coming." she commented,

"Well then, I better go. Tell whats-his-name I say hi, " he teased before starting to turn from her. Then, for a moment, his expression turned serious. "He's a lucky man." He lingered long enough gaze at her over his shoulder before he vanished.

o0o

Though a six month anniversary generally wasn't a huge deal, especially for people of her age, she thought she would do something a bit nice and fun, so she'd decided to cook a meal at her apartment for both of them, and watch the last couple of episodes of Game of Thrones. And then of course, who knew what might follow? She had a very good idea, of course.

She moved around the kitchen, checking on her food, turning the heat off so the soup had time to bask in its own juices. She'd done potato soup, a generally simple and much-loved Russian recipe with her own modifications, and a couple of Eastern European side dishes to go with the meal, and devil's food cake for dessert. She had a bottle of wine already set out, and was practically shivering in anticipation of Malcolm's visit.

o0o

Puck certainly wouldn't keep her waiting long. Though he could be mindful of the schedules of others, as Malcolm he maintained a punctuality that he knew Koshka respected. She had said to come at seven, and here he was at 6:58. Slipping out of his shoes and leaving them on the rug as had become habit, he slid his hand along his neatly-cropped hair before knocking the door.

Six months had passed since his first day with Koshka as Malcolm. There was no denying that he had come to admire the feisty woman even more than he had already. He saw an unguarded side of her, one that went deeper than her usual confident, often aggressive mien. Of course, he could only talk and interact with her as a human, and likewise for Koshka, but Puck easily saw a future with her. At least, with his Malcolm guise. They did plenty of things together, finding many mutual pleasures amidst their diverse interests.

For all the differences between the imp and the demon, Puck was more than pleased to find more similarities between themselves than he would have thought. What was that saying, familiarity breeds contempt? It was the opposite for him, as he delightfully acknowledged.

And now, he'd just gotten a concrete hint of how deeply Koshka felt for him. Though she had said it lightly, the fact that she had considered magically extending Malcolm's life both intrigued and worried him. He was about to reach for the doorknob to let himself in when the door opened, and there his lover was, ready to welcome him into her home.

He was pulled into a tight embrace, and he hugged her back just as warmly, burying his face against the side of her neck to pepper it with kisses. She pulled away, and he relinquished the wine bottle he'd been holding in his other hand. It was a rare vintage, but then the Puck had access to various treasures. He smiled faintly as she glanced at the label, raising her eyebrow.

"You sure do know how to make a girl feel good," she said with a smile before she set it down on the dining room table next to another bottle. "Come make yourself comfortable, dinner's about ready. Which one of these should we start off with?" she asked, glancing at their choices of alcohol.

"Surprise me," he replied with a casual shrug. "Get me drunk and take advantage of me, is that what you're planning?" he teased.

"Something along these lines, sure," she replied in a playful casual tone as she pulled him into the living area, lightly shoving him down to the couch and straddling him, making out with him for several moments before climbing off him and returning to the kitchen, leaving him flustered until he heard meows before the cats wound against his legs.

He took a few moments to scratch the cats behind the ears before making his way to the kitchen. Sliding up behind her, he wrapped his arms around and gave her tits a playful squeeze.

"Smells delicious in here. If I pull you into the bedroom for an hour, or just toss you down on the table, is it going to burn?"

"Yes, it will burn," she replied with a mock serious tone. "You know you can't leave things on the stove unattended. Much as I enjoy your cock, as you well know." She wiggled back against him. "I've never seen the cats like anyone so much. Sometimes i let them downstairs to roam through the store for a change of pace and they always hide or hiss at the customers," she said with a small chuckle as she stirred the soup.

"Animals like me," he shrugged before pressing his lips to her temple. Allowing her to turn attention back to the meal, he sat down at the kitchen table and watched. "Let me know if there's any way I can help. Otherwise, I'm just going to sit here and stare at your ass while you work."

"Men," she said with a mock scoff as she rolled her eyes. The table was already set, and she used oven mitts to transfer the hot dishes to the table. There was potato soup, braided bread, and chicken with a tasty balsamic marinade, along with steamed vegetables.

"Looks great," he smiled softly, helping to arrange things on the table and dish out the food. "You really went all out. Glad we didn't let it burn."

"I know you like my cooking, and I do need to keep up your energy for sex." she grinned before she poured the wine for both of them, looking cute in a cashmere sweater and an elegant black skirt that showed off her calves.

"Good point, " he pointed at her with his fork, smirking. "This really is great," he gestured to the food. "You're a damn fine cook." Last time he was here, she'd selected items from Middle Eastern cuisine, again adding her twists to old Turkish and Iranian dishes.

"I don't subscribe to the whole notion of submissiveness for women, but I do enjoy cooking, so there's that," she said with a small smile. "How about some devil's food cake and Game of Thrones after dinner?"

"Do you even have to ask?" he kidded. "And you? Not believing in female submissiveness? I never would've guessed. Does that mean you're not gonna let me tie you up?"

"Well, if it leads to an orgasm, I might be willing to consider it," she shot back. The rest of the meal passed in companionable silence, Malcolm savoring the various flavors Koshka had worked into simple Slavic dishes.

After the meal, he placed his own dishes in the dishwasher, creating no undue labor for her. Leaning against the counter, he watched as she pulled out a container, lifting the lid to reveal chocolate in its glory. He grinned as she cut two thick slices and plated them up before sauntering over to the couch and placing the treats on the coffee-table.

The couple watched, relaxing as Jon Snow faced off against Ramsay Bolton to determine the kingship of the North.

Malcolm draped his arm across her shoulders, feeling her snuggle into his embrace as Daenerys and her dragons roasted the slavers' ships, making for a truly epic culmination to this season of Game of Thrones. They enjoyed their cake at a languorous pace, and he took the time to savor the sheer decadence of the rich, moist devil's food.

On the screen, Asha/Yara Greyjoy was flirting with Daenerys with that line about being open to anything, and Koshka chuckled. "With all the sex they've shown in this series, I wouldn't mind seeing these two queens together in bed,"

"Sounds to me like you wouldn't mind being in bed with them," he teased, nudging her playfully with his elbow.

"Well, I am... an experienced woman," she shot back flirtatiously

"How experienced?" he inquired, raising his eyebrows. As Malcolm, he'd been discreet about the subject of sex, not wishing to seem too nosy. She paused for a moment.

"More experienced than you might think. But always careful, mind you."

Of course, Puck mused dryly. She was playing it cool, like him. He definitely understood that, and would be careful about his comments on this intimate topic.

"Good to know," he nodded. "So... I take it you think you're more experienced than I am?" his tone suggested nothing more than idle curiosity.

"Probably," she said with a small smile.

Oh yes, kitten. After all, what is time to an immortal?

"But I can say in all honesty you're the best lover I've ever had," she added.

"The feeling's mutual," he nodded. "You're incredible. More than worth the wait." he stated with warm honesty.

She raised an eyebrow. "Worth the wait? As I recall, you did not have to wait very long. Half a day, in fact, from the first time we laid eyes upon one another. Quite an impressive first date."

Oh, fuck. He had to be really careful to not mix up his own history with the one he'd crafted for - and experienced - as Malcolm. He was quick to check himself. "I meant overall. The time I spent with other people." He waved his hand in a benign gesture. "Although really, if you had wanted to wait for that, I would have respected it. I must admit though, I'm glad you were so eager."

"I had a very good reason to be so eager. And you proved that. And then again. And again..." Her voice had dropped to a soft purr.

As the season finale wound to a close, with Daenerys and her army sailing across the Narrow Sea to Westeros, she trailed her fingers along his knee. "We've been lovers for a good while now... so I was thinking we didn't need condoms. I'm on the pill, no worries."

Mentally, Puck was doing cartwheels. He'd been patient, offering no complaint any time he needed to use the prophylactic And there were plenty of other things they did that made up for this relatively minor inconvenience.

Oh yes. About damn time, he mused. Already he was becoming hard. He took a deep breath, regarding her with an enthusiastic smile. He was certain she wasn't actually taking birth control pills, but he was hardly one to judge her for what was to one like her, a white lie. Especially given the magnitude of his own deception...