Black Velvet

“Are you certain we can even get her into this?” Ethan asked, staring at the black dress hanging on the wall in his classroom. He sat perched on the edge of his desk, a mug of mint tea clasped in his hands. “That dress she wore for the awards night was longer than this – and less revealing.”

Lyra hopped down from her spot on one of the students desks. Ethan's classroom was almost chaotic in the way it was laid out. The students were allowed to position their desks where ever they wished as long as it face where ever Ethan was teaching, meaning each class had a different seating arrangement. Lyra had dragged Ethan out during their lunch break to shop for the perfect dress for Madeline who had recently mentioned not feeling as sexy as she used to since giving birth to twins. Ethan had known Madeline back when he had interned at Constance, and Lyra had built up a close friendship with the woman. There was no special occasion coming up, but they both felt that Madeline and her boyfriend needed something special to help get Madeline feeling sexy again.

“Trust me, Ethan, she'll be feeling better in no time,” Lyra said, taking the dress down and folding it neatly over her arm. “Now, I'll go find the lady of honor, you go and find Jonathan.”

“Yes misstress,” he teased in reply, leaning over to place a friendly kiss to her cheek before Lyra left the room, trotting off down the halls of Constance to find the young history teacher. Knowing Madeline, she'd want to get home as soon as possible, so Lyra had asked Sebastian to try and stall her somehow. If he failed, or was too busy, Lyra's own brother was back-up. Alastar seemed apprehensive about it though, which meant the duty fell to David to coerce her little brother into being the one to actually keep Madeline behind. Morgan had already been convinced to take the twins off of Madeline's hands at the end of the day. He was probably already with them now, being the doting father that he was.

Lyra soon reached the staff lounge, but just before she got there, the door opened and Madeline stepped out. Rushing to the doorway moments later was David. “Maddie, wait! You can't go yet!”

The woman turned around and smiled sweetly at the older professor. “Don't worry, David, I can still tell you on Monday, or I'll call you later tonight. It's only a silly little story anyway. I should really get home.”

“But you don't have to worry about the twins. Stay for a little while longer,” he replied, before looking towards Lyra and smiling that boyish smile of his at her. “Welcome to the part, LyLy.”

“Only I get to call her LyLy!” yelled a voice from within the staff room.

David merely grinned wider. “Job done?” he asked.

Lyra nodded. “Job done. What happened to Sebastian?”

“Morhan attack on the English department. Knight in shinning armor Sebastian to the rescue. He apologises for being unable to covertly divert Madeline.”

At that, Madeline raised a brow. “Covertly divert me?” she asked, hand falling to rest on her hip. “What is that supposed to mean?”

Lyra jumped in, slipping her arm around the other woman's shoulder. “It means I have a surprise waiting for you. Since Morgan is looking after the twins, and the science department is busy, I wanted to try out some new dance moves with a partner as elegant as you.”

Being led away by the older woman, Madeline looked to her, a confused expression etched onto her face. “But...?”

She didn't get an answer, merely ushered into the girls changing room by the dance hall. Once in there, Lyra handed her the black velvet dress. “Put this on,” she said, then slipped out.

Doing as she was asked, Madeline changed out of her comfortable yet presentable clothes and into what felt like the tiniest black dress she had ever seen. Black velvet, the skirt ruffled and flaring out, yet barely reaching her knees. A plunging neckline that revealed more than Madeline had ever done before. Wondering why Lyra wanted her to wear something like this, she stepped out into the mirrored dance hall, blushing at the sight of herself in the mirror-lined walls.

But Lyra was nowhere to be found. Instead, stood in the center of the room was Jonathan, wearing a pair of black dress pants, black waist coat and a deep red shirt that brought out the colour of his brown eyes. The woman was around somewhere though, because music started to play. Without a word, but with a soft smile on his lips, Jon moved to stand before Madeline. Taking her hands, he guided one to rest on his shoulder and held the other in his own hand. In time to the music, the Scotsman pushed off with his right foot and twirled Madeline around.

Lyra obviously wanted to try out some new dance moves, but she wasn't the one dancing. Instead, it was Jon that was twirling her around, the dance a mix of tango and ballroom, with a hint of modern that brought them close together, Jon's hands drifting over her body in ways that Madeline had never imagined before when it came to dancing. It left her face flushed and her lungs breathless.

He smiled at her, a glint in his eyes she rarely ever saw. “A little birdie told me that you haven't been feeling quite yourself lately,” he said as he spun her around and pulled her in again, only with her back to his chest, arms crossed and linked at her front. “I can understand that giving birth can make a woman feel...less attractive, but to me you are the most beautiful thing I have ever seen.”

She leaned her head back, resting against him. He continued to sway them both, one hand drifting down her front. She could feel his fingers on her thigh, touching the fabric of the skirt. “But you didn't have to do this,” she replied.

Jon chuckled, nuzzling her hair. “Oh, I didn't. The little birdie did. Even taught me some dance moves.” Breath drifted down, whispering over her ear. “But I've added some of my own,” he breathed, tongue running over the lobe of her ear. The hand at her thigh gave a firm squeeze, drifting upwards and dragging the skirt with it, higher and higher.

“J-Jon...We're not alone...” She couldn't help but feel affected by what he was doing to her. The way he spoke so seductively in her ear sent shivers down her spine. She reached up with one arm, looping it behind his neck.

Hand pushed back down, bringing the skirt with it. Removing her arm, he pulled her around to face him, noses so close they were almost touching. Before saying anything, he leaned in and kissed her passionately, his tongue slipping into the warmth of her mouth. Pulling back, he pressed his forehead to her's, his brown eyes looking deep into her own. “Let's go home, Mads. But, keep the dress on. I like the black velvet.”