"...I did not think today would be so difficult, not after the mess of last night... and yet here I am, in an unfamiliar form, confused and frustrated, with more questions than I could possibly bear to tackle all at once..."
"How do I change back?"
"Why does everyone feel compelled to ask such stupid questions?"
"How does this impact my base abilities and attributes?"
"Why do the Grey Ones never cease their instigations?
"How does this affect how others perceive me?"
"Where am I going to find the instigator behind the bombing?"
"How am I supposed to drink liquids like this?"
"Why do I feel like going home to the Halls would be a bad idea right now?"
"Ssss.. fuck..." Ryuko groaned, clenching the gash left on her side while her legs shook from overexertion.
"Actually got me pretty fuckin' good..." Ryuko murmured as she already could feel her blood trickling from between her fingertips before she looked around, surveying the damage done to her home. Then, she could hear a soft squeak.
"Oh shit! Lily!?" Ryuko gasped, putting her blade aside the wrecked desk as she looked around for her. Luckily for her, Lily was right around the corner, curled up while her tail was tucked under her.
"Oh thank god! Come here, sweetie." Ryuko cooed, scooping her up with her free hand as she held the terrified kitten close. "It's okay, baby. Mama's got you." Ryuko hummed softly, trying to calm her down while giving her soft kissed to assure her that she was safe.
In the unfolding chaos Roka found herself deeper and deeper in, these were things she craved. Things which had often been lacking but suddenly seemed entirely absent. The overwhelming need for it drove her into the kitchens, somewhere she always found peace. Cooking, baking, it was meditative for her. Something she could so do without having to think, focus, worry. Everything could melt away and all that remained was the alchemy of turning simple ingredients into something people loved, something that brought joy to others.
Shortbread cookies.
That’s what she wanted to make.
Snurbleberry shortbread cookies.
It should have been easy.
The cookies only needed a handful of ingredients. The recipe was one she’d made more times than she could count.
So why had she spent so long staring at the the empty mixing bowl in front of her, hand hovering helplessly over the bag of flour?
Hissing frustration, ears flattening into her hair, Roka plunged her measuring cup into the flour aggressively and scooped out what she needed. This was ridiculous. Utterly unacceptable. She knew how to make cookies, and these were fairly simple! It wasn’t like she was tackling a tiramisu macaroon. It was shortbread. Driven by her annoyance she blustered through the kitchen, collecting the simple things she needed. Confectioners sugar. Vanilla. Butter. Salt. A small container of dried snurbleberries. A fresh orange. On she went, and when she’d settled everything in a tidy row she plowed through making the dense dough, trying to lose herself in the normally soothing actions and only finding her thoughts plagued by unrest.
By the time a tin of finished, cooled cookies was sitting on the counter, waiting to be lidded and dropped off at the intended destination, Roka felt no better than when she’d first entered the kitchen seeking respite. The cookies looked alright. Pale gold rectangles that were speckled throughout with morsels of snurbleberry and little hints of orange from the zest fruit. But she’d tried one already, and it was aberrant. It wasn’t bad, It wasn’t like when she’d lost Toby and her food suffered, sorrow tainting every mouthful she served.
It wasn’t bitter or salty, like when Marl had vanished from her life.
The cookies tasted… Muted. Dull. It was as though someone had watered them down, washed out the flavour to leave behind only traces of it. She couldn’t give this to the intended person, no. She’d have to try something else, and leave these unmarked for whoever found them on the counter to consume. Perhaps no one would know she’d made them. Perhaps no one would realize she was even lurking about just yet. At least… Not until she could sort out all the strangeness that she found herself suffocating under.
Sighing, the tin was lidded and the cookies left on the company counter, a snackrifice to whoever found them while seeking something sweet.
And with that the FFXIVwrite of 2021 is done! Thank you to @sea-wolf-coast-to-coast for making it happen once again, and as always it has been a blast to get to know my characters through writing silly drabbles of them.
He normally found himself looking upwards often when he wasn’t spending his seemingly endless energy by doing anything he wished. Of course, unless he was ordered to do so otherwise by his Master or his king or anyone who was a cut above him.
If he wasn’t doing battle; serious or training, both being rare enough, he would be roaming the hallways of the base. Sometimes he headed to the cafeteria, sometimes he hoped someone would happen to pass him by, maybe see a development to take place and finding himself involved... Or simply then be in his room sewing the free time away, which would be of the only few times one could see him be truly quiet and concentrated.
Yet... On the times he was calm, there was one last little oddity not many had been able to catch all too often. One perhaps would consider it insignificant or not worthy of mention, but the fact it kept him also quiet and calm? Then in contrast to any mishap he could cause or take part in, those were the ones worth noticing.
(♪)
“Ah... It’s really so... Bluer today.” The paladin would softly speak to himself, gazing out and upwards out of a window, “Lots of clouds, a gentle wind from what I can tell from how that is moving over there...” His all too known smile was gentler, more serene.
‘To think it wasn’t possible to see this sky a few years ago.’ Then he was thinking to himself, ‘We are still fighting as we still aren’t done; we are so, so far from done... But at least the fact we can see the big, open like this again...’ A sigh both happy and sad, ‘That means we’ve come at least a bit far. And we should be proud of it.‘
‘How long will it last? How much longer until this whole world can have it back like it should be? Everyone being able to enjoy what being under it is like in full? I just don’t know. Nobody knows.’ The thought and the uncertainty was a bit scary for sure, yet... ‘...But I have no doubt about it. One day we will be able to gather under that big blue one more time at least, enjoy ourselves and celebrate we have won for good.’
...It is then he rises from where he was sitting, “It should be safe to this time especially, no?”
“!!” An affirmation came from his trusted steed seconds after. This time? they were in the exact same wavelength. This wasn’t the first time, but the mood was more than right to do this once more. Before anyone noticed, he opened the window he dared bust up a little just to allow him escape every so often, how it had gone unnoticed for so long? It was surprising.
As soon as he found himself setting foot outside, he took a deep breath and stretched.
“...I want to take Master or someone to enjoy this sensation with me at least once. The feeling of freedom and forgetting about everything as everyone should at least once.” The wind caused his cape to flutter behind him as he took it all in once more...
A big whistle rang out from his lips.
“Let’s go, hippo! Let’s dream a bit and enjoy how hard we’ve worked once more at least a bit!” As it rushed to his side and the paladin climbed on, then began soaring ever higher, and higher... They both had made it to the moon once, so going dangerously ever beyond was okay, it still truly was.
Eventually, it came to a steady aimless float after being so high up, so close to the clouds he could practically touch them...
But that is when he lies down on the back of the hippogriff to look just a bit beyond and extend one palm upwards, as if trying to reach for something, then hand balling up into a fist, as if reaching to grasp something.
“Even failures of a hero like myself get to enjoy this... And I will always want to share this kind of feeling with everyone.” He then spoke again, “Sometimes everything is hard, but I still believe anyone needs a truly good reason to be sad, “That’s why Master, my king... Many who believe in somemone like me. I will always want to keep my hopes and dreams with you this high up. I believe we can do it... I’ll always do my best to keep all of your hearts held high.”
It is then he rolled onto his front, a small sniffle escaping him.
“...Truly, I am so, so lucky I get a chance like this again to do a lot more right. I sure got my head in the clouds and can amount to so little... But even screw ups like me sure can try to spark those who also wish to come this high, no?”
“Then... I’ll always keep my head and eyes up here... Until I’m forced to look down... Until then...” In the end, even he was asking himself deep down if he was making any sense...
But did it really matter? No. Not so much. Those were the dreams and goals he himself had; his hopes. Something so truly incredibly pure nobody would be able to deny.
Even if he had not much power to make it more than just that and uphold them, or so he believed, it mattered little. In the end, it was purity of heart that could truly move souls itself and much more...
The time was the middle of the afternoon, the location was the middle of nowhere in every sense of the word, inside an unnamed forest no one but a stranded soul from an unfortunate travel incident should be inside of. In the heart of it, there was Ragna, lying in the middle of a grassy field in a clearing, but...
In a big circle all over his figure, a huge patch of green dried and died, exactly around where he lied, as if the life of it had been drained and ruined permanently. The reason he was so far out and far away from any civilization... Was this. He currently was undergoing through the incredibly dangerous and unstable process of the Blue Grimoire; the incubating Black Beast -- Yamata no Orochi currently corrupting his body and soul further.
His whole body felt as if it was in hades, his head pounding with an unbearble headache, his very soul on fire as his right arm pulsated and was letting terrible, menacing energy from within as the beast was taking his body over further; taking more of his humanity. It enhanced the abilities and powers he gained from it all, of course, but at this cost. And it was not just some very painful process as his very being became more eroded, that would be too easy to endure the reminder of the reason why he has to be put down before his natural end comes.
...It was because the demonic serpent could always use this time; this opportunity to break out, overtake it's vessel's body and go into a rampage. Of course, Ragna would never allow that, he endured such suffering all by himself and went places incredibly secluded such as this just in case to undergo this hell.
However... This time... It seemed everything would take a turn for the absolute worst. It seemed the corruption of his entire being had started to go to stages too high for him to contain. Or he had simply been too weak to fight it this time around. The man rose to his feet, the last of his resistance giving way, the beast was knocking at the door...
As he lifted his right arm, starting to yell to high heaven in incredible pain, wicked energy starting to drain all life in a growing radius. His veins shone a dark red brightly as the aura enveloped his body... It spiraled out of control as his screams then began turning to roars, his body felt as if it would break apart... Until with lightning crackling all over, heads of the beast formed from the aura as his whole apperance changed.
His right hand taking the shape of a huge claw, his teeth grew bigger and sharper, they were now fangs, his voice was no more and was officially replaced by nothing but hungry growls and screams of the beast he now ressembled. It stood in place as it absorbed the life of nature around it just by merely standing in place.
But it did not wish to waste time. It hungered. Of course it did. It wished to resume devouring humanity. As more of the heads formed, 'he' would then... begin literally dissolving. His body, everything into some form of liquidated mist and entered the earth.
This was a method for travelling fast Ragna could also make use of, but chose to never utilize, now it was being demonstrated, however. But where was it heading? The outskirts of the biggest city it could find, and moving in the fashion it was... It took no longer than half an hour, following nothing but the memories of it's vessel. Why the outskirts and not just storm the settlement directly?
The answer was rather simple, it wasn't a monster without a brain, thus... As 'he' stood there, back going into an arc, a thunderous roar still hundreds if not thousands of miles away would be able to be heard by all the humans. As literal tremors rocked all the way from 'his' location to the target, the warning of sorts had been made.
Everyone still knew it quite well, and the beast wished to catch them running, panicking... It loved when all the delicious morsels ran away with futility. It gave them... Half an hour, the city had gone on full alert, knowing the readings, the presence -- everything. As soon as the arrival was made, the shock when it was discovered the weaponry was no longer even making remotely a scratch, the panic was the best dressing to add to the first snacks as he stood there, watching their awe...
Keeping it surprisingly clean yet messy, in a blinding fast cleave of his claw, the first soldier was brutalized, split beyond half... Then wasted no time in beginning to literally devour all it could by stuffing 'his' mouth. It was delicious, ah... How it missed this taste greatly. The rest of the military forces simply dropped their weapons and issued the escape order. For the whole city. Which would prove pointless for at least ninety percent of it. That was the moment it took place: From the heads; the body of the beast itself in actuality behind began spawning...
The 'Remains'.
Other miniature multiheaded serpents, what seemed to be oversized feral dogs, wolves, tentacle beasts whose tendrils ended on sharp and big enough mouths... They were all part of it. All of those monstrosities. And now they were going to chase down all the possible food. Increasingly. Of course, everything they devoured? It all was essentially moved towards -his- stomach; as if it was just another maw devouring the meal, ultimately.
Buildings would began falling to the main beast heads slamming in them, the ‘remains helping along too. Fires would start by blasts of energy being fired from the aforementioned heads, a sea of flames would increasingly began to envelop the city as it sunk into absolute chaos. No human life was safe.
Wherever anyone tried to hide if they weren't caught running? One of the remnants would sniff them out to devour them in bloody fashion; from the throat then to the main dish below, some from the face into the head or the latter itself... It did not matter how, they all did nothing but kill and eat... and eat... and eat... A bottomless pit of a monster.
Screams of terror and unimaginable noises of begs of mercy, cries, bodies being torn open as some were played with... The scene was nothing short of the definition of a hell. A hell that would come to an end that night after a whole day of rampage.
As if by only miracle, a torrential rain would begin pouring down not long after it finally came to an end. On perhaps the ultimate irony of sorts, 'he' stood in a huge crater where a big church used to stand. As the beast roared out and recalled all of the remnants, it seemed it was finally satisfied. This time.
Of a population of five digits... It was reduced to three digits overall. At least. The only fortunate ones able to escape were those on the opposite side of the arrival, near the outskirts of it.
As 'his' gaze became fixated towards the sky, one last thundering roar left the beast, as it knew... It's time was up. As if it was an illusion, it began disappearing into the air and back into the right arm it appeared from, leaving Ragna finally back in control, as if equally none of it ever happened. Of course, he collapsed in the middle of said crater, absolutely blacking out for hours on end; for the rest of that night until next morning.
That morning, he slowly rose to the sound and feeling of a more calm rain. He was confused, groggy... He could barely stand, head hurting and his mind clouded, unable to remember what he did as he tried to stand up and eventually succeeding... Then to immediately see his reflection in a clear puddle not far away. His face, his mouth... They were caked in blood; that taste and the sensation he ate beyond what he could imagine of -that-...
He vomited then and there. And in great amounts. Most of the discharge was red, full of remains of what still was in there, it seemed as it wouldn't stop... And when there finally seemed to be a pause? As soon as he was able to have enough air for himself...
A scream of true horror that echoed in the deserted, destroyed city ensued as he fell to his knees, he knew what happened and it was all his fault, essentially. He remained on his knees, in place and in panic for a solid hour before he realized it was better to move, soon enough they would come to scan this area, and it was better he didn't get found here, otherwise... He feared what he'd do again that moment. Slowly picking himself up, Ragna dragged his feet as he held his right arm, which felt heavier than ever before, he didn't feel as he could move it an inch despite nothing being wrong with it.
He wanted to run, but he couldn't, he did not have enough motivation for that, even... Only take the sights of the actions as well as to continue to deal with the weight of it all.
Crying in fear and despair, he wanted to disappear... But he couldn't. It wasn't that easy regardless. He would one day pay for all this, but he couldn't yet, he could only continue to exist with even more weight and this further added trauma.
All while he tried his best to believe he still was human. That he wasn't a monster.
a/n: @ashandnovels posted a request for smut to her inbox, so I decided to try and deliver.
A Saintly Muse
Devin, any chance you’d be free to do me a massive favor?
Furia tapped the message into her phone and waited. She wasn’t the only one trying to solve the issue, but she might be the most certain that someone would respond affirmatively.
[SMS] Always.
The reply, as well as the speed with which he sent it, made her grin.
You’re a saint.
[SMS] You just figuring that out?
She texted him the address. “I’ve got someone on their way,” she announced to the room full of artists. A sigh of relief rolled through the open airy space. She realized that perhaps she should have mentioned the what of the favor she was asking.
No. But it’s definitely more than just the purple.
I hope you’re good with having a lot of people staring at you.
[SMS] And what did I just volunteer for?
I found a figure drawing class. We need a model. Ours had an emergency come up.
[SMS] Sounds relatively painless.
Sí. Though you might catch a chill. Furia grinned at her phone. But I swear I’ll warm you up after if that happens.
[SMS] You never mentioned compensation.
You know me. I take care of my friends.
[SMS] Be there in ten.
She slipped her phone in her pocket. “I’ll be back in about ten minutes. Going to wait for him downstairs.” Her announcement received a few affirmative nods and relieved looks. Several phones were put away and people went back to unpacking their supplies. Others went to setting up the dais in the center of the room.
Once outside, she pulled the collar of her coat up a bit, to help fight off a bit of the chill in the icy weather. Slush was everywhere, and every car that neared announced it presence with a mushy, wet sound. It just made her feel the cold even more. Fat, wet flakes fell and stuck to everything. Furia could even feel a few of them melting in her hair, turning to cold drops that slipped down to her scalp until she couldn’t feel them anymore. Letting her head tip back, she watched the dark swirling clouds move over head. They looked far more ominous than the chunky flurries that fluttered about the downtown street on a crisp breeze.
“Getting your fill of snow?” an amused voice called out.
Furia turned and smiled at Devin. “Something like that.” She pulled herself away from the wall and greeted him into a hug. Stretching up on her toes, she kissed him softly. “Thank you for doing this.”
“It could be interesting.”
She grinned at him, but didn’t let him go quite yet. “I’m sure I can talk them in to letting you leave the sunglasses on, too.” Her laughter widened her smile.
Devin went straight for the ribs, earning a squeak, but also freeing himself from her embrace.
“Troublemaker,” she scolded. Her hand found his. “Come on. The studio’s upstairs.”
Whatever it was about elevators, they were still a thing for her, because once the door closed, she inched back into Devin’s personal space. He didn’t seem to mind at all. In fact, his arms draped around her, encouraging her to move even closer. The kisses that followed began playfully enough, but swiftly deepened. When the car chimed the arrival at their floor, they were both a little flushed and perhaps eager to shed their coats.
Furia let him enter the studio first, then grabbed onto the collar of his jacket from behind to help him out of it. She hung his coat over hers near the door.
Nearly twenty heads turned with their arrival, all of them zeroing in on Devin with measured and inspecting glances. There were some nods, a few raised eyebrows, and more than a few blushing smiles from the men and women gathered for the session.
“Devin, everybody. Everybody, this is Devin. He volunteered to fill in for Bartholomew.”
A chorus of welcomes, thanks, and other assorted sentiments followed.
“I’ll show you where you can change,” Furia offered, slipping her hand around his elbow and giving it a little tug.
“This is a bigger class than I expected,” he said over her shoulder.
“The classes are free. So, they end up drawing a bigger crowd.” She kept her voice low, as if they had suddenly stepped into a library, though she couldn’t determine why.
They could only walk single-file down the hallway, it was dark and barely wide enough to accommodate Devin’s broad shoulders. The changing room wasn’t originally meant for that purpose, as he would probably be able to tell by the fact the closet was lined with cleaning supplies on the far wall. There was a hanging rack and a cushioned chair, but the room definitely was not designed as stripping room.
Furia led him into the room, because it was the only way she’d be able to get back out without having to shimmy herself across the width of his body. Since he was nice enough to come by and sit for them, she didn’t want to make it embarrassing for him by sending him out there all hot and bothered. Though as soon as the idea popped into her head, she kind of really wanted to do just that.
She bit her bottom lip and let him enter. “There’s a robe right here,” she said, pulling the door part way closed to show him the hook on the back of the door. “Hopefully, it will be long enough.” Her gaze moved from the pale purple robe to Devin and back a few times, before stopping on him finally.
“I’ll make due,” he assured her.
A part of her wanted to offer to help him out of his clothes, but self-control got the better of her. Though she did not leave without stealing another quick kiss. It deepened more than she’d intended, when he caught her face in his hands before she could pull away. If he wanted more, she’d acquiesce contentedly.
When it did break, she patted him on the chest. “Don’t take too long. Artists get testy when they are kept waiting,” she teased, giving him a wink.
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
Furia wandered back down the hall, thinking that perhaps calling someone she knew might not have been the best choice, at least not for the two of them. More than likely she was going to spend the next hour thinking about everything but her lines while ogling him. She even considered moving her spot, so that she’d be behind him. Of course, that wouldn’t help either. Then she’d just spend the entire time thinking about how she’d want to nip her way down his spine.
Get a hold of yourself. The scolding voice in the back of her head, really wasn’t all that convincing. You’re an adult. Furia chuckled at herself. She knew damn well that age wasn’t a factor in whether or not she could keep her mind focused on the art while staring at a man she knew biblically. Having been there, ridden that did not preclude her from wanting to find herself in his arms again. Hell, whenever she’d drawn anyone she slept with, having them sit for her in the buff always ended the same.
This time around it was almost completely guaranteed, since she’d set it on the table with the invitation. She hadn’t cleared up the argument in her head by the time Devin peeked around the threshold of the door.
Furia held out a hand and gestured to the dais draped in warm looking blankets and pillows in a muted gray. “Make yourself comfortable,” she said with a playful smirk. When he neared his pedestal for the afternoon, she tugged at the collar of her dress to remind him he needed to leave the robe behind.
“Of course,” he replied in a delicately amused way that suggested he might not be wholly comfortable with the idea. Even so, Devin made a show of it; one that enraptured Furia and several others. His hand moved slow as he tugged the tie loose. When his robe shifted open, her tongue peeked out over her bottom lip.
It wasn’t her that gasped when he flicked the fabric over his shoulders and let it slide down his arms and to the ground with a flutter, but she understood the sentiment. Devin was a beautiful man, dressed and not. He was definitely a subject apt to be captured from every angle in a mix of mediums, which he would be today. She bit her bottom lip, appreciating the way he draped his long frame across the little stage set out for him.
All she could think of was that line from that movie: draw me like one of your French girls.
“Comfy?” she asked once he seemed to have found a spot that worked for him. “You’re going to have to be still for a while, so find a position that works for you.”
He nodded and shifted around until he was hunkered down against the pillows that seemed to be bearing him aloft like a cloud. His smile, though, was anything but angelic. “This work for everybody?”
He received a myriad of hummed and more coherent positive responses.
“Just remember to be still,” a gruff voice from the back of the room called.
“Got it,” Devin replied.
“Do you have any ear buds for music or something?” Furia asked as if she’d only just remembered how boring sitting could be. She couldn’t listen to music when she did it; she always moved with the beat no matter how hard she tried. “I’ve also got audio books,” she added.
“Let’s go with that.”
Furia set her sketch pad aside and dug through the bag at her feet. The headphones would automatically sync with her phone when she took them out of the case and handed them over. “Any particular genre?”
“Surprise me.”
Devin might regret that choice. A cheeky smile spread across her lips and she bit her bottom lip. She couldn’t resist toying with him just a little. Shaundi had found the hottest read recently and Furia thought this would be the perfect time to share it with Devin.
Once he nestled the little devices in his ears, she started the book for him on the first chapter, skipping the title or the introductory information. It would begin calm enough with delicious, rich language teasing and stretching his mind into a thoughtful location before veering it toward something more lush and surprising.
Furia sat back again and resettled herself. Pulling the book back onto her lap, she tapped the end of a charcoal pencil against her bottom teeth as her thorough study of him bordered on freely ogling. Her hazel eyes moved from the tips of his toes to the sunglasses perched atop his head; she took in every inch of him in a new way. While she’d made lengthy appreciations of his body before, she’d never noticed that bulging curve of muscle at the top of his knee or the way the accent of his abs curved toward at the bottom of his ribs like a tiny little smile-shaped dimple. His gaze was direct, focused on her she realized when her eyes met his. She couldn’t help the smile that shifted across her lips, there might have also been a trace of a blush on her cheeks at him having caught her studying him—even though that was the entire reason he was there.
He flashed her a quick wink. Furia couldn’t help but wonder if the way he had his hips shifted might just prove uncomfortable and leave him with a cramp. His attention proved as focused as everyone else in the room, though Devin stared at her and they all stared at him.
The pink on her cheeks probably deepened a few shades, if the warmth of her face was any indication. She bit her bottom lip as she finally set the tip of charcoal pencil to her paper lightly. It was intense, yet somewhat unnerving to find him looking at her every time she glanced up.
Swallowing at a nervous lump in her throat, she straightened her long legs out in front of her. Gravity played along, letting the fabric drag down toward the floor, baring them to the high mid thigh due to the extreme slit in the loose skirt.
Noticing the shift in his gaze, she decided that two could definitely play this game. There was nothing innocent or accidental in the way she shifted her legs against one another, how she crossed and uncrossed them, or the trail that the end of her pencil drew over her decolletage as she studied him time and again. All the while, he just laid there like the undeterred specimen of loveliness that he was, allowing himself to be captured in every inch of his glory by a dozen and a half strangers.
The hours flew by with minimal progress on her sketch. Furia usually didn’t have this problem, of course, it wasn’t every studio sitting that she had the subject staring at her like he’d seen her naked, or might be remembering her that way.
As the time moved toward a close, some artists packed up and left. Others lingered after gathering their materials to finish up. When the time was called by the studio manager, Devin was allowed to finally move. When he sat up, Devin discovered why Furia had offered the exchange she had. Clearly, by the way his motions slowed, his muscles were likely screaming. Furia knew the sensation; she’d sat once or twice herself and it had been murder each time.
“Doing all right, Osito?” she asked. Furia was in no rush to pack up. “A little stiff?”
“You didn’t warn me about that,” he countered.
She grinned at him. “Sorry about that. I was more worried you’d balk at lounging about in your birthday suit in front of a room full of strangers. Didn’t even think about the downside of being completely still for a few hours.”
By the time, he got to his feet and pulled his robe on they were almost alone. A few artists lingered, as did the studio manager, who was leaning in the doorway.
“I can lock up for you, Ray,” Furia offered, closing her book and setting it on the low chair she’d claimed before the plans of the day included another boss.
“Appreciate that.” He turned almost instantly and headed for the door.
“The running joke is that Ray has a second life that he runs off to after every studio,” she told Devin, explaining the reason the man so easily abandoned them there. “Some of them are convinced he’s a hit man or some kind of crime boss.” Clearly the idea amused her, if her smile were any judge.
“And here I was thinking you were just trying to get me alone in order to take advantage of me,” Devin said with a hint of a pout.
“Oops, you found me out,” she purred, strolling toward him with her hands clasped innocently behind her back.
“Did I?” His hands found her waist and pulled her close. She hummed against his lips when he kissed her. “Is there another class any time soon?” Apparently, he was good with the prospect.
Furia shook her head. “Nope. Not until tomorrow at 9 in the morning.”
He just hummed in reply as she ran her hands up his bare arms.
“So, I could keep you here all night long as my own private muse.”
“Oh, well if that’s what the art requires, how could I stand in the way?” He was so close, she could feel the shift of every word against her lips, but he just held the scantest bit of distance.
“You are so damn adorable,” she chuckled, pulling gently at the back of his neck to get his lips on hers.
His arms pulled tight around her as her fingers buried in the hair at the back of his head. Furia melted into his embrace, her body molding against the warmth of his. She could lose herself in this, his touch, his kiss, but maybe not until she locked the door. At least she realized it before someone just wandered into the studio.
Breaking the kiss, she relaxed her hold on him. “If we’re staying, I should probably lock up. Sitting for a crowd is one thing.”
A little grumble hung in his throat. He’d been lying naked thinking about having her legs wrapped around him for hours. What would another minute hurt? “Hurry back.”
She stretched up and pecked him before slipping out of his arms. “You know it.”
“Can I peek?” he called over his shoulder, noticing her sketchbook.
She stopped and spun in place. “Um. Maybe later,” she said, not sure there would be a later. She felt a bit weird denying his curiosity, but she was trying something new, something she wasn’t quite confident in. Besides, she hadn’t finished him yet, which is surely what he wanted to see. Confident he wouldn’t sneak a peek, she turned back to handle the door. At a jog, she rushed back into the studio to find that Devin had laid himself out on the dais again like an angel resting on stormy cloud.
With a grin, she admired him, then opted to even the playing field. Gathering her dress up in her hands, she pulled it over her head and dropped it on the floor near the robe he’d worn into that room. Her eyes didn’t leave his, except to place soft kisses near his ankle, then another on his shin. She nipped at the inside of his knee as she crawled toward him with a slow, measured pace dripping with intent. Devin sat up and took her face in his hands, bringing her lips back to his again for a kiss.
Furia moved to his insistence, letting him lead. She pressed against him when he pulled her down with him. Held him close when he rolled them over. His lips trailed down her neck, then traced a line that could have followed the neckline of her dress if she’d still been wearing it. It felt like the same path she’d traced multiple times that evening already, only softer and interspersed with sharp nips that left her cooing.
“Thought about doing that for the last hour. You and that damnable pencil,” he scolded. His fingers teased behind her back, making quick work of the clasp. He leaned over her and slid the straps of her bra over her arms. His fingertips grazed her skin with a hint of reverence, an artist in his own right appreciating his subject. His eyes moved over her hotly and all she could think of was feeling his mouth on her body again.
“Devin,” she sighed. There was a trace of wanton need in her tone, which she didn’t even try to disguise. Her fingers threaded through the hair just above his ears.
Perhaps because he heard the plea in her voice, or just because he couldn’t resist the allure of her bare skin, Devin blazed his own new trail along the curvy swell of her breast. His hand skimmed her ribs, cupping and squeezing her breast as he wrapped his mouth around her nipple. The pressure of that gentle suck, the flicker of his tongue, then the graze of his teeth just intensified the wantonness she’d been tending the entire session while he’d been laying there in front of her on display.
She buried her hands in his hair, more in encouragement and a desire to anchor herself in that sensation. “I’ve been thinking about getting my hands on since you walked out here,” she admitted
“That explains why you kept inching your skirt higher and higher,” he countered. The flat of his tongue pressed over her flesh.
“I was hoping you’d notice.”
He straightened against her, the heat of his body searing against her skin. His kiss demanded her full attention. “How could I not?” He brushed her hair away from her face, cradling her head and teasing his tongue into her mouth.
Furia had no answer to that question, save to keep kissing him. Her leg slipped over his hip and she shifted against him. He’d managed his self control for the last hour, and now with the studio emptied and the door locked, Devin had abandoned every single shred of it. He grabbed her ass and pressed hard against her, wrenching a low moan from her. She moved in tandem with him, until he broke the kiss.
With a bit of a rush, his mouth teased down her body. Anticipation coursed through her with every spot he kissed or tugged at with his teeth. He knelt between her legs, his hands tugging at the waistband of her panties. She lifted her hips, then raised her legs to help him strip away that final barrier between them. He caught one of her legs, and rested it against his chest. Soft wet kisses pressed against her ankle, along the length of her calf. He concentrated on her knee longer than she thought absolutely necessary, but his attentions were enticing.
She leaned back and allowed him the chance to tease her. As he crept along the length of her thigh, she let a hand sweep over her own skin. In its own way, it was another taunt targeted at him. Teasing her nipple to a taut peak earned her a sharp bite to the inner thigh, which prompted a vocal keen. It was the most delightful kind of oneupmanship. When he reached the apex of her thighs, her nails skimmed over her ribs, leaving pink trails in their wake.
Soft kisses quickened her breath and she couldn’t take her eyes off of him as he hovered there, teasing her with every breath and the promise of his proximity. A smile played across his lips, then he planted a gentle kiss right over her clit. She couldn’t help but shudder. That first gentle touch opened a flood gate of sensation. He touched her softly, languid licks and little pecks. The more vocally she responded, the more adamant and pressing his attentions became. She came with his fingers curled inside her and his lips wrapped around that engorged bundle of nerves that exploded in a flood of sensation; her hips moved of their own accord riding out a wave of pleasure against his tongue as he worked her over her peak.
A growling satisfied chuckle crept along her belly, paired with kisses. His hand did not abandon her body until she pulled his mouth back to hers wordlessly.
He settled himself between her legs, and despite the lingering softness in her limbs, she draped one leg over him and pressed her body against the length of his hard cock. Sated, yes. Desperate for more, also, yes.
“You know,” she laughed, when his lips were on her neck again. “I thought I’d at least get you home first.”
“Your mistake.” He leaned over her. “Over estimating my ability to resist you.”
Furia shook her head, she didn’t believe the claim, or maybe she just couldn’t. When she moved beneath him, he moved with her. “And it had nothing to do with the fact that almost everyone in this room was gawking at you.” He let her get him onto his back and she settled herself on his hips. With a slow shift, her body teased his arousal and with a little circle, she pressed her clit against the head of his cock. “I’m pretty sure your fan base might have grown this evening.”
“That’s not the only thing,” his hips rose playfully.
“I’m aware.” She abandoned him for a scant moment, stretching to the edge of the dais for her bag. Her own capacity for teasing, shortened considerably when he looked at her with that dark frenzy. “Guess we should address that, sí?” Sitting atop him again, she pressed more of her body against his.
For now, the condom stayed in her hand. She leaned over and kissed him hard. Her body hitched against his with a sense of desperation. She wanted him, wanted to feel him inside her, but she continued to deny them both.
His hand tightened in the hair at the base of her neck and he pulled her mouth away from his. His breathing was fast and deep when he pressed her forehead to his. “Fuck, Furia,” he growled, finding her gaze beneath the curtain of her dark waves.
“We’re getting there,” she teased with a laugh.
“I want you.”
She rolled her hips in a very deliberate motion. “I know.”
“Fuck me.”
Her lips found his again, and she gave in. Shifting enough to get her hands between them, she worked quickly to roll the condom down the length of him. She never broke the kiss, working blind. Lining him up, Furia sank down on him. The snap of his hips broke her slow, teasing motion and stole her breath. Clearly, he could only handle so much taunting, but she could not complain—Devin felt divine.
When his hips shifted downward, she moved in tandem, rising to make the inevitable meeting of their bodies all the more dramatic for both of them. Once she sat upward to show off her body for him, Devin’s hands held her thighs so tight she knew there’d be sweet bruises there in the morning to remind her of the pleasure they stole together that night. They’d be a tempting reminder of him, of how he made her feel, and what they’d shared.
She pressed her hands to his chest, which gave her the leverage to dramatically curve her body into every upward thrust of his hips. “Dios, Devin,” she growled. The way they moved pushed her closer, her hips pressing and grinding against his, chasing a fleeting tenuous sensation that would explode into uncontrollable convulsions of pleasure. Inching closer and closer, he seemed to sense it, or maybe he could just feel the tightening in her body. His hands moved over her skin in soft touches, sharp scratches, biting pinches. Then finally one hand clasped over her breast, massaging. When he teased at her aching nipples, the spark shattered with a silent scream brought the near constant wail of her moans.
The sporadic movement of her hips, the twitching of the muscles in her thighs, all belied the orgasm that shook through her. Furia collapsed against his chest, his arms encircling her immediately. His mouth found hers, and he fucked her though the irregular motions of her aftershocks. All the while, she moaned and whimpered against his lips, kissing him with frenzied abandon. Once a relaxed sense of control returned to her body, Devin rolled them over again.
Leaving a trail of kisses down her neck as he put a bit of distance between them once more. The angle he found, threatened to pull her apart again. Greedily, one of her hands scratched down his torso and found its way to her clit. Devin smirked at her, pulling one leg over his shoulder, which only made his stroke that much more pointed and seemed to direct every stroke against that searing spot inside her that throbbed. She knew she’d come again, maybe even before him.
Her eyes never broke his gaze. All flushed with a sheen of sweat glistening in the kind, soft light of the studio, he was as beautiful as ever. He felt even better. His lips pressed to her ankle, then nipped at the bony protrusion there.
“Oh, damn,” he growled when he felt it. The quiver that started around his cock, then spread through the rest of her like a Furia-sized earthquake. Their moans mingled in that open space, reverberating back to them. Her leg slipped down his arm as he leaned over her, thrusting harder and deeper with his own release, as if he could somehow fuck her right through the dais with enough determination. She clutched at his shoulders, keening incoherently.
He slowed, eventually stilling inside her. His body relaxed against hers, as their lips met again. This time the kisses were languid, decadent. She savored every lick, every taste of his mouth. Her fingers threaded through his hair as they laid there, still joined, at least for the moment. The heft of his cock inside her shifted as he softened.
There was a hint of reluctance, when his hand slipped between them and their bodies peeled apart. Both of them whimpered at the sudden, regrettable distance. Furia didn’t move at first, she just watched him sit up, then walk across the room and back. When he reached the dais again, she stood on the step, which almost evened out their height difference, and kissed him long and deep. He held her gently in his arms, touching her naked body lazily. She knew it wouldn’t take much for him to stir her up again, but she thought it might be best if that not happen here.
“Are you hungry?” she whispered against his lips.
He broke the kiss moments later to reply. “I could eat.”
The way he said it made her giggle. “Bet you could.”
His tongue flicked against her lips.
“How about I feed you, then you can have another helping of dessert?”
His arms tightened around her waist, and he lifted her off her feet. Moving her away from the dais, he set her on the ground not far from where some of her underwear had ended up. “Sounds like a plan. Your place, then?”
“Yeah. You can drive,” she said, wearing a telling smirk.
“No, not this time,” Devin chuckled. “Tonight we’ll have to see how you drive with my hand knuckles-deep.”
“Wouldn’t be the first time,” she taunted, slipping out of his grip to dress.
He pinched her on the rear, earning chirrup and a little hop away.
“Don’t start something you can’t finish,” she warned.
this has been a dialogue thing thats been playing in my head for like days now
its a little unpolished and i used script format bc i dont want to get tied up in pURPLE PROSE so these are teh bones of it
i feel like i need to work it over but w/e here u go
SCENE
Kings Holm Palace Barracks courtyard, about mid-noon, sun is high and shining and it appears to be spring time. Rauta Skoll and someone else idk who else is there standing by a fence. Rauta leans against it casually, shirtless and popping little grapes in his mouth. Skoll sits at one of the fence posts, both watching a training ring a couple hundred feet away. In the ring is Iske, giving pointers to a few warriors using a sword to correct their arms and stance. Iske is also shirtless, but coated in sweat and his hair up away from his neck.
Skoll: I think its hard for me to grasp how cold it is where you guys are from.
Rauta: Oh yeah?
Skoll: Yeah like, I guess its kinda just strange cus its like….when you hear ‘tundra’ it paints a clear image in your head but if you’ve never been there I guess its like…..can’t really grasp the reality of it. I mean we get snow here, but not like up there.
Rauta: Mmm. Yeah we get ice. Falls from the sky more than snow I think. Keeps you ‘vigilant’. I’m not gonna say I miss it, even if it is a little sweaty down here for my tastes. Where my family is from I’m not even used to seeing the sun every single day. S’weird.
Skoll: [chuckles] Its not that hot, we’re not even into summer yet. Sometimes it’ll feel like the sun is two inches away.
Rauta: [playfully] Oh goodie.
[they watch Iske wipe sweat from his brow and roll his neck a little bit, affected by the weather. Even if it is mild.]
Skoll: …..he really seems affected by it more than you.
Rauta: YEAH thing is I’m not affected by much. I feel like I’m always shirtless but Iske isn’t. I don’t really think that its just the weather thats bothering him either.
Skoll: Mm. I guess that makes sense. It must be a really weird transition.
Rauta: Yeah but I’ll live. Iske may seem like the guy who’s not ready for change but he’s been really good about accepting it.
[he pauses in thought and pops another grape into his mouth as he watches Iske silently looking over the troops.]
Rauta: But I can tell hes bothered. He can be a bit dramatic to changes, but its because hes incredibly insecure.
Skoll: …...so hes….
Rauta: Flexing. Yeap. Big time. He’s trying to show off and hope nobody realizes how uncomfortable he is.
Skoll: …...huh. See I kinda got that vibe but I didn’t want to say anything or overstep somewhere.
Rauta: Nah you’re fine. He doesn’t like people knowing that about him at all. He likes to stick with what he knows cus he knows what to predict and expect, you get it. Used to, you couldn’t get him to do shit, but lately hes uhh-
[Iske looks up from his training and makes eye contact with Rauta. He has his eyebrows perked a little bit, as if subconsciously asking for validation. Rauta grins broadly and waves playfully at Iske. Iske’s expression runs a little embarrassed smile as he waves back. Rauta blows him a kiss, Iske responds to it by rubbing his cheek fondly before returning to work]
Rauta: I dunno, I’m proud of him.
Skoll: Awww look at you guyyyys. Big bad warlords givin each other flowers ‘n shit in your lil honeymoon phaaase~. So why air out your husband’s little dark secret?
Rauta: [without looking at Skoll continuing to watch Iske and grinning] When you put it that way it sounds insincere of me, but I do it cus it makes him easier to take. You’re gonna learn that he is all nerves sometimes, and it can get pretty overwhelming. In fact a lot of him is.
[Rauta hushes his tone and leans a little further over, but does not remove his gaze from Iske]
Rauta: Between you and me, sometimes he gets so wrapped up in what he thinks others think and believe about him that he can be really hard to sway unless you have proof. It drives me crazy because it really feels like sometimes he just won’t listen to what you say. No matter how reassuring you think you’re being, it feels like he just wants to be tied up and miserable in his delusions of worthlessness. Like he cannot believe it. It gets so frustrating trying to convince him of something he can’t hear and it starts to feel like he can’t believe me or doesn’t trust me and what I’m saying.
[Rauta looks contemplative as if it pains him to say these things, but shakes his head more reassuringly. Skoll looks to him, offering a sympathetic look.]
Rauta: Just when I think I can't take any more of this, I take a step back and I look at him and I think about how it must feel to be him. He can’t help that he can’t see what I want him to see, that he has to constantly prove himself. There is a great deal of pain being an enemy with yourself, and he just needs someone around to show him and prove to him that what he sees in himself isn’t the reality. And he always comes around. He tries. And that is doubly important that he tries to see what I see and believe me. And I know that being there for him when he is impossible shows him what he needs to see the absolute most, and that he will always be there for me when I’m being impossible. Not just me but others too. Its given him great patience in other people.
Skoll: [looking a bit relieved that that came to a clean conclusion. He chucks a small soft rock at the dirt] Marriage isn’t easy, huh.
Rauta: [visibly relaxing] Yeah I could also wax poetic about how its about loving someone at their worst and shit, but listen. You got that. It’s worth it. Love is worth it. Which is why in Skoggsden you can marry like a billion times and it always means something. It’s always magical and enchanted and whatever.
[Iske shouting at a warrior in the distance “PUTS YOUR FUCKING BACKS INTO IT. USE YOUR FUCKING ARMS.”]
Skoll: I can see what you mean by a little overwhelming.
