Living Armor Boyfriend: Coeval 2 (complete)

Female Main Character (cis) x Male Monster (nonbinary)

My dad never let me test the boundaries of my power inside the house. Outside, it was free-for-all. He loved having me grow tall so we could pick apples or clean the roof. He’d have me grow small sometimes so I could find things. I suppose I understand why now. Going big in Holly’s keep, I’m getting chandeliers stuck in my hair, dragging a multitude of cobwebs along with me. Also, the place is full of party guests, so that makes it a little difficult to move around.

“Don’t hit the food!” Coeval runs ahead of me, snatching morsels off the spread.

“What are you doing?” I demand.

“Having fun!” He raises a goblet and a turkey leg. “It’s a party!”

“I’m trying to find my mom and keep track of my sisters. Where are Lydia and Edith?”

I hear screaming, and as I turn I see Lydia riding on Morrow’s shoulders as he races through a crowd, trailed by a bunch of children.

“Found Lydia,” Coeval laughs as he pours wine into his armor.

I shoo away the guards as they try to chase Lydia down, but eventually the chaos spills outside into the halls until we’re almost alone. The kids are still following Lydia around while they prematurely rip open presents that Morrow tosses from the tree.

I return to normal size and join Coeval, who is still enjoying his personal feast with some of the house pets. Several dogs are panting around him, and cats have hopped freely onto the table. “I’ve been wanting to try cake! My father used to brag about it often.” He has a fistful of red velvet cake in his hand, which he offers to me. “Try it! It’s decadent.”

I move his hand aside. “I haven’t seen Edith in a while. We need to go find her.”

Coeval smears icing onto my lips and chuckles. “I’m sure she’s alright, no need to worry. She has Epoch with her. What danger could she possibly be in?”

“What have you done to my home?”

The voice sends chills down my spine. As Holly comes into the room, I feel quite strange. I’m happy to see my mother, even if she has grown quite large. I’m also afraid; it’s been so long since I last saw her, and my father’s exit from the keep was less than ceremonious. “Winifred, my dear!” Holly comes towards me, shrinking in size as she approaches. “Calm your siblings this instant.”

I look around anxiously, then back at her. “I think things have calmed as much as they can right now..”

Holly smirks, tilting her head as she approaches me. “My, my, you certainly have grown.” She reaches out, slipping her fingers under my chin, turning my head this way and that. “You are quite lovely. Have you married? Am I a grandmother?”

“No, I’m not. No children,” I say in surprise.

Holly sighs as she places her hands on her hips. “Good for you. You inherited your father’s libido, it seems.”

I look at her, awed by how beautiful she still is, yet shocked to see some aging in her face. I had always imagined her being young forever. She and Lydia could be twins. It’s uncanny.

“Oh, my.” Holly smiles in Coeval’s direction. “You have one too.”

“One too?” Coeval takes my hand as he approaches.

“Edith had one of these handsome creatures with her. Where did you girls find them? I would love to add one to the collection.” She winks and gives him a girlish wave.

Coeval laughs and waves back. “Afraid there’s only three of us, fine lady. And we’re all taken.”

“Oh, pooh,” she giggles. “I suppose I’ve gotten soft in my age.”

“And what would that be? Twenty-five?” Coeval jests back. He gives my hand a gentle squeeze, and I’m not sure why, but it makes me feel reassured.

Holly looks back at Morrow and Lydia with the kids. “My god,” she whispers. “I haven’t seen Lydia since she was a toddler.”

Her expression is genuine, rather than a pretty mask. As a child, I used to watch her because of how pretty she was. I suppose in her youth she worried more about seeming pretty than anything else. Now I wonder if she has let that go. “Why don’t you go talk to her? I’m certain she would love to finally talk to you.”

Holly glances at me, and a soft smile appears on her face. “You three were my first children, and I fear I’ve done too much - or perhaps not enough - for the three of you. Edith made that clear when she left. And your father did.” She sighs heavily and looks sorrowful. “And Lydia - well, she came with challenges. Not her, mind you. I think, had I been in the right mind, she would have been a delightful child. But because I had a hard time recovering, I became a different person after having her.”

I’m surprised by this. Lydia’s father never said anything like that. He only told us that he left because Lydia proved to be a difficult baby. “If it was something out of your control, then...”

Holly gives me a look. “I was not the best mother to you three. I can understand why I was the villain in your story for so long. Hell, stubbornness kept me from trying to be a good mother. I’d like to try again, though. Edith is willing, but I need you too, Winifred.”

I smile softly at her. All the while Coeval keeps hold of my hand. “I’d like that.”

Holly’s eyes brighten. “I’ll set up rooms for all of you.” She smiles up at Coeval. “And for your handsome friends.”

Coeval laughs jovially, laying his free hand in his chest. “Close to your room, am I right, my lady?”

Holly winks at him. “You silly thing. How dare you read my mind?”

I give her a look. “I’m keeping you two separated.”

My sisters and I end up staying in the Keep, at least until the holidays are over with. After that, we’ll decide what we want to do and where to go. I do notice Edith and Holly clashing quite a bit, but they at least try to remain civil. Their personalities are so similar, though, that it isn’t a shock to see such a thing.

This is also the first time in a while that I haven’t felt like I’m in the middle of things. I don't have to run after Edith or Lydia, I’m just sort of left to my own devices. I spend most of my time in the library. I suppose I inherited a love of reading and study from my father. I’ve been tracing our history, following our family tree through the ages. The Saint Nicolas family is much bigger than I expected, but I’m not surprised considering how much Father Klaus got around.

Coeval and his brothers have also been enjoying life in the Keep. Their father was a knight, and it’s a joy for them to learn about his way of life and training before he met their mother. Who, I have been told, is a lava basilisk who possibly controls the Kringle Peaks, and will wake when the end of the world is near. I’ve decided it’s best not to ask questions, and simply imagine her as a warm and sleepy lady.

I didn’t stay in the Keep long as a child. While my father was quite fond of Holly, he was never as interested in women as he was in men. He described his time in the keep as a selfish exploration of his sexuality, rather than true tenderness. He left because he had broken Holly’s rules, taking me only because Holly was pregnant with Edith. My father has grown up since then. He’s happily married to Lydia’s father now, and one of the best educators in the North Pole. People come from all around to study in his library. I see hints of him here in Holly’s library. His notes are scribbled in many of the books I pick up. It makes me happy to know our minds are so similar.

One evening, I’m sitting before the library fire, filling my notebook with ink. I’m drowsy, but I don’t want to put down the book in my hand. As I’m beginning to doze, something warm touches my cheek. “I knew I’d find you here.” Coeval chuckles. He walks around the sofa and sets a cup in my hands. “I brought you something. Part coffee, mostly chocolate, and lots of cinnamon.”

“Just what I needed.” I take a sip, and cinnamon and froth smear on my nose and upper lip. I sigh dreamily at the rich flavor. “Thank you.”

Coeval sits down beside me, picking up the book I had been reading. “Enjoying yourself?”

“Very much. I suppose you’ve been having fun jousting and playing with the guards?” I say with a laugh.

“Oh, it’s all fun. I much prefer sneaking into the kitchen and trying out all the food and drink I can.”

I smirk at him. “Not becoming a glutton, are we?”

“Don’t patronize my dream!” he teases. He lifts his visor so I can see his eyes. I can almost see his mouth and the shimmering scales along his face. Some days he appears more solid than others, but most of the time he just looks like billowing smoke. “My dad used to tell us stories about the feasts he and his fellow knights were given when they returned home from battles. I loved how he described everything.”

“How did your father come to meet your mother?” I snuggle up closer to Coeval. He’s warmer than the fire.

He sighs softly. “Oh, how does a man meet a woman?” He looks down at me as I rest beside him. “She was terrorizing a village, and he was sworn to slay all evil. She loved his eyes, he loved her scales. They made love in a cave and agreed to fake their deaths.”

I furrow my brow at him, and he laughs happily. “I’m telling the truth! Poor dad, he always had a thing for giant scaly women.”

“Interesting fellow,” I murmur.

“He was the absolute best. I miss that old fool.” Coeval puts his arm around me, and we lounge together on the sofa. “How do you feel about scales?”

“Depends.” I rest my head upon his chest. “What kind do you have?”

His hand rubs up and down my back, so warm it makes me melt. “Winifried, my dear, I have exactly the type of scales you like.”

I smile and wrap my arms around him. “Oh good! I was worried.”

Coeval’s hand slows on my back. “Do you mean it?”

I’ve never heard him lacking in confidence before. I sit up to look at him. “You’re serious.”

“How could I not be? Around you, Winifred, I am more myself and less myself than I ever thought possible. Dad warned me that finding the right person would be confusing and exciting!”

I smile at him. “I never thought I’d see you be uncertain.”

He places his hands on either side of my face. “Constantly, but I know how to flow with it. Except for now.”

I lean in, giving him a kiss where I last saw his lips. “Be certain, Coeval. I would love your scales even if they were just skin.”

Coeval chuckles softly, running his fingers through my hair, but they get tangled in my copious mass of curls. “I would love your skin even if it was just air.”

I kiss him again, taking pleasure in the warmth his body exudes.

“My hand is stuck,” Coeval says, struggling to get his hand free of my hair.

I yelp and grab his wrist to keep him from struggling. “Hold still! Hold still, you’re only making it worse.” I try to untangle his hand. I’m used to having things like combs and brushes snarled in my hair, especially when Lydia went through her hair styling phase. I manage to get his hand out, but my hair is quite messy from the struggle. “Come on, let's go to my room.”

“Do you know how many times your mother has said that to me?” Coeval laughs playfully.

“How many?” I say with a frown.

Coeval flinches. “It was a joke! I promise!”

“Good,” I squeeze his hand. “She knows better.” We go back to my chambers, where Coeval sits on my bed while I fix my hair. I comb it, then pull it up into a silk wrap. “You’re very quiet now.”

Coeval nods. “I’m nervous. I often imagined what it would be like when I finally got the chance to pursue my feelings for you. Now that I’m here, my mind is blank,” he chuckles. “I can’t quite latch onto one good thing to say at this moment.”

I sit down beside him on the bed, taking his hands. “You don’t need to say anything unless you want to. I just would like a private moment with the person I’ve fallen for.”

“Fallen?” he ventures timidly. “Fallen? Really?”

I can’t help but giggle. “Yes. What did you think?”

“I mean,” he clears his throat. “I knew that. It’s just so strange to hear it said out loud.” He keeps hold of my hands. “I’ve fallen for you too, Winnie. I fell for you not long after I first laid eyes on you.”

I feel a swelling of excitement and pride in my chest. “Really?”

He nods and gently touches my cheek. “Your hair reminds me of home, fiery and swirling.” He slowly moves his hand away. “Do you mind if I try something?”

“It depends. What are you going to do?”

“I’m going to get undressed,” he purrs. “Is that alright?”

My cheeks burn. “As long as you behave.”

“Oh! I will, no worries there. I am a very well-behaved boy.” He stands up, taking off his helmet so that he begins to flow out. He reforms outside the armor, which stands like a statue once again. His form is billowy and black, shifting slightly, but shows glimmers of the scales along his body. He has a nice shape, slightly thicker around his middle.

“Should I undress?” I ask playfully.

“If you do, I may not behave.” He kneels on the bed and lies down, posing on his side with his leg bent up. “If I have to be a good boy, then you have to be a good girl.”

I start to laugh loudly. I lie on the bed beside him, throwing my arms around him as he, too, begins to laugh. He holds me close, burying his face in the curve of my neck. “I want you to have more fun, Winnie,” he murmurs. “You’re always so serious. It makes me want to pull that smile from you.”

I hug him tight. “You just being around me makes me want to smile.” I stroke his face between my hands, feeling the smooth scales there. “But thank you. I’ve always had to be the big sister. Always the responsible one. Always the one who gets ignored.” I sigh heavily. “It’s nice to be noticed.”

“I’m the middle child, I know how to get all the attention.” He kisses me, pushing me down into the bed. He pulls away and I expect more kisses, but instead he chucks a pillow into my face. “Come on! I’ve always wanted to fight a lady.”

I scoff and sit up with the pillow clutched in my fist. “How dare you?” I say through sputtering laughter. “Are you really trying to start a pillow fight with me?”

“Not trying! I am starting a pillow fight with you.” He waves his pillow in the air. “Come on! Fight me, Winnie! Give me everything you’ve got. Don’t tell me that fiery hair doesn’t whisper down into your soul. Or don’t you have the guts to fight a spirit of the magma from which...”

I hit him, finding he’s actually solid despite the ephemeral appearance. He hits back, pushing me before bouncing away. I swing again, gaining ground. His pillow hits me, I hit him. We’re both fit to burst with laughter, until he falls off the bed with the most horrible sound.

I sit up and scurry to the edge of the bed. “Oh! Coeval, are you alright?”

He laughs harder and louder than before, picking himself off the ground. He stretches and pops his neck .“Nothing wrong with a tumble. Now then, where were we?” He looks me over, his three eyes glowing brightly. “Oh yes, I remember now.” He grabs me and kisses me, making me drop my pillow so I can hold him. “Having fun?” he asks me.

I smile shyly. The kiss has made me weak in the knees. “Yeah,” I say breathlessly. “What about you?”

Coeval kisses me again, laying me back down. “As much as I can stand.”