It's a feeling we always chase

Maea

And time it waits for no one
It heals them when you die

He shivered under the touch of her hand, and his fingers trailing up her spine and into her hair left a trail of aching, lightning charged skin behind. It was like she had never been touched by him before, like it was the first time she dared explore him. All nerves and emotions, so tentative, so hesitant.

She felt him smile against her cheek, then nuzzle closer. His voice was quiet and very close to her ear, the thought he offered so... nervous? Was Sunjata unsure? King of the night, with bedroom eyes and more notches in the bedpost than even he cared to count? Yet the almost question worked like a charge on her - as if she wasn't completely attuned to everything he did already - and Maea's breath caught, her body tensing and relaxing under his hands.

"I think... I'd like it... if you did that," she breathed, heart beating faster. Was this what it meant to be seduced? To have her mind robbed of all thought but him? She still felt regret at what she had done, for the stolen kiss, but... ah, it was utterly shameless, but she couldn't stop thinking about what it would feel like. To have his lips brush over hers.

And soon you are forgotten
A whisper within a sigh

SUNJATA

the flood

anyway, you say you're too busy
saving everybody else to save yourself

The one thing that was constant in his life was the need of consent. On his end, on anyone else’s end, that was his rule. The one he never broke, at least not intentionally. And so as he gives her his thought, listens for her own, keeping her close as he can and breathing in the scent of her and sharing what warmth he can… He waits, patiently – because he waited before, for so many times, what’s a few moments longer?

She gives him her thought, and he hums in agreement, turning his head slightly – letting a ghostlike trace of his lips over her cheek as he withdraws his head just enough to search her face, ensure that she wants to give in as much as he does, the rampaging storm of his soul, unsure and uncertain… And then he continues to tangle his fingers within the silky white strands of her hair, nose brushing by hers as he tilts his head down a small amount.

And he gives in, nearing her lips with his own, a soft and gentle kiss – nothing like the fierceness he had before. This one is tender, it’s gentle, it’s part of his exhaustion and simply wanting to dive in at the same time, that war rampaging through his soul at every toss and turn.

and you don't want no help, oh well
that's the story to tell

Maea

And time it waits for no one
It heals them when you die

It was a rule she respected, a rule har admired him fore above all else. The reason why her heart ached and her tongue curled with shame now, because it was a rule she had broken. Violated, in the worst possible way. Maea didn't deserve this tender touch, the sweet, burning trail his lips painted over her cheek, light as a ghost, as a sigh.

Her eyes spoke of regret, that she had broken something so precious. Of longing, for what she had no right to ask for. That he even wanted to touch her again was more than she ever thought possible, and yet..  

His nose brushed hers, and his fingers was in her hair, and then his mouth was on hers. A rush of hot breath, a soft caress of lips... Her own were quivering, from warmth pooling in her stomach, from need and shame and humility that he could forgive her enough for this to be possible.

Her fingers tightened in his hair, so carefully, and with a soft sigh on the verge of tears, she leaned Into the kiss. Eyes closed, all senses focused on this one point of contact.

And soon you are forgotten
A whisper within a sigh

SUNJATA

the flood

anyway, you say you're too busy
saving everybody else to save yourself

He searches her gaze, briefly, sees the regret that flashes within them. And honestly? They both hadn’t really been themselves. Too drunk, giving into too much emotion. He had become someone he hated, the fact the regret that crosses her face with it is enough of an answer for him to know that she hated herself in that moment too. And where did they go from there?

He presses his lips against hers, tentative and soft, resting and feeling it out, until her fingers curl and tighten in his hair and she melts into him. His arms hold her closer, tighter against him, and he can feel her lids close with the brush of fluttering eyelashes on his cheek.

So he deepens the kiss a small amount, unable to help himself — the whiskey on his breath, mixing with the same on her own. Before he breaks away a small amount, hand lifting to run through her hair from her scalp to her neck, searching her face for something though he doesn’t know what.

and you don't want no help, oh well
that's the story to tell

Maea

And time it waits for no one
It heals them when you die

His mouth firmed over hers, deepening the kiss for a moment, then withdrew. Maea opened her eyes again, and found him searching her face, though she wasn't sure what he was looking for. Couldn't quite put words into what she felt herself. Kissing him was as wondeful as it always had been. Nothing about that had changed. Warm, sweet, exhilarating, leaving a desire for more. She had been aching for him all this time, and that hadn't changed either.

But the guilt remained. Not so easily washed away. Not the kind of thing you could kiss better.

His fingers raked gently along her scalp, down to her neck, and on reflex she leaned into the touch, goosebumps rising on shoulders and arms. Maea drew in a soft breath, tried to gather her thoughts.

"I'm thinking... that I want to make it up to you. For before..." she breathed, searching his gaze in return. "But I don't know how..." What could she say, or do, to really apologize for forcing him? It was such a steep debt... could it ever be repayed? Forgiven? Certainly it should never be forgotten, Maea had never regretted anything more in her life.

And soon you are forgotten
A whisper within a sigh

SUNJATA

the flood

anyway, you say you're too busy
saving everybody else to save yourself

He doesn’t know what he’s searching for either, but he leans somewhat into the pillow, continuing the gentle strokes along her scalp and hair, soft and long, watching the goosebumps raise along her moon white skin while he listens to her. Another thought for thought, it sounds like, and he mulls over what she has to say.

To make it up to him? He offers her a small smile to that, focusing on the strands of white that drift through the comb of his fingers. “We weren’t really ourselves.” He says quietly, as though it doesn’t matter to him. It still does, in some deeper part of him that he keeps boxed away, that same part of him he hides away until he gets pushed over into it.

But he thinks on it anyway, knowing she won’t say that’s a good enough answer. “I just want to figure things out, give you what I can when I can…” His gaze slips back to her face. It’s difficult when she’s around, because all he wants to do is give into her — to give her love and every bit of him he can, giving into that part of him that had used her as an escape, to keep from thinking on his own problems when he could drown them out with her mind, body, and soul.

and you don't want no help, oh well
that's the story to tell

Maea

And time it waits for no one
It heals them when you die

Indeed, it sounded too much like an excuse. Another 'I'm fine' when it wasn't the whole truth... and the slight wrinkle between her brows confirmed that Maea wasn't satisfied with that alone. It was possible that it wasn't even something that could be 'made up' for, but... She had to offer. Had to ask.

But Sunjata went on, said he wanted to figure things out. She got the feeling he wasn't just talking about the argument or the kiss, but of everything. This whole scenario, what they had, what they were and could be... perhaps that was putting too much into so few words, but it's what she thought of when she nodded.

"I want that too. To figure things out. And give you what I can, when I can..." She smiled softly, her eyes lingering on his face. Flitted down to his lips, then away. Back to his mouth, when she couldn't chase the longing away. Maea shifted her head a little closer, drawn in.

"Can I... kiss you.. again?" she asked. Shy, timid. Her fingers trailed down from his hair to the back of his neck, where they drew slow circles over his skin. Aimless patterns, with no purpose but to touch...

And soon you are forgotten
A whisper within a sigh

SUNJATA

the flood

anyway, you say you're too busy
saving everybody else to save yourself

He watches her soft smile, lips quirking slightly on his own as well, an agreement and a middle ground met to try and work with. It was something, everything, and yet nothing at all. Perhaps exactly what he was looking for right now. And he watches while her pale gaze dances between his own lips and steel eyes as well, remaining still for the moment.

But she drifts closer, asks to kiss him again, and he leans into the touch she gives him along his neck — raising those goosebumps along his shoulders again. His arm tightened around her, the other continuing the trace of her hair before settling along her hip as his thumbs draw small circles along her skin.

“Yes.” He tells her quietly, exhaustion still laced in his form, but there’s a spark of amusement within the steel of his eyes, in the way his soft smile shifts to something akin to a smirk. But he doesn’t move, he lets her take the lead this time, seeing as she’s asked so nicely.

and you don't want no help, oh well
that's the story to tell

Maea

And time it waits for no one
It heals them when you die

Was he laughing at her? Here she was, serious enough to cry bloody tears of remorse if he asked it of her, and when she asked politely - like she should have that day too - it was met with amusement? A smirk?

"Rogue," she mumbled accusingly. But then his hand trailed down from her hair to her hip, and his arms tightened around her, and any fit of peeve was drawn from her by the lazy circles drawn over her skin.

Maea breathed out a slow sigh, that wasn't entirely steady, and leaned in. Brushing her nose to his, softly, before her mouth found his. Her lips ghosted over his, touch featherlight at first. Hesitant, searching..  aching with want, but still careful. The opposite of that other time. Ready to ease off at the slightest hint of reluctance on his part.

And soon you are forgotten
A whisper within a sigh

SUNJATA

the flood

anyway, you say you're too busy
saving everybody else to save yourself

She tells him he’s a rogue and his smirk grows a small amount, head tilting slightly as if it’s the same as a shrug. He knows what he is, knows the little shifts of his face and the way he smiles or lingers his look in one specific spot might make people react. But he waits for her, nonetheless, letting her test it out and see just how apologetic she is.

And it’s soft, tentative, but he can tell there’s that tether that she’ll latch onto and slip back from the moment he decides he doesn’t want this. Oh, but he does. So when she pauses and seems unsure, he tilts his head into the kiss slightly, deepening it with a slight hunger, hand at her hip continuing its stroke with his thumb but the hand grows a bit more possessive.

That tension within him begins to grow tighter, and he runs his tongue along her lower lip, tauntingly and slow, waiting to see just how far she’ll let him go. How far before she pulls away? He toes that line again and again, wanting to burn with her while he can.

and you don't want no help, oh well
that's the story to tell

Maea

And time it waits for no one
It heals them when you die

She was ready for him to withdraw soon enough, like he had just now. To keep it cool, chaste, friendly, take it slow. But he eased into the kiss, just like she had, only this time it was with a hunger she knew too well. The way his grip tightened on her hip, the slow, taunting test of his tongue as it licked along her lip, as if daring her to pull away. Or give in. Maea knew where this would end if she didn't retreat now, because, really? None of them knew how to take things slow.

And she was done playing it safe.

As her lips softened under his, to part and let his tongue into her mouth, her fingers slipped back up into his hair, nails raking gently along his scalp. Her other arm closed tighter around his back, pulling him in, pressing her body up against his. The smoldering embers in her finally showing through, as she gave in. Gave up, left reason and thought behind, to focus solely on him.

And soon you are forgotten
A whisper within a sigh

SUNJATA

the flood

anyway, you say you're too busy
saving everybody else to save yourself

And just like that it’s almost back to phase one, the way he could ignite her and she had the ability to ignite him too. He hums against her lips, an approving sound as her lips part to deepen the kiss. And he gives into her as well, focusing solely on the way her hands move into his hair, the way she pulls him closer to her.

Both of them possessive in this moment, wanting to take and take until there was nothing left. He didn’t mind it, not as he delves into the feeling of her soft skin beneath his calloused and scarred hands, the way she absorbs his body heat. The hand that rests at her hip gives a gently squeeze, pulling her lower half against him the best that he can while his other hand trails up against her spine, delicate and soft.

He breaks the kiss then, shifting to kiss along her cheek, along her jaw in that slow blazing trail to her neck — pressing soft kisses to the space beneath her ear. He partially shifts those fangs again, raking the tips of them gently along her neck, giving her time to change her mind if she wanted to. Giving her the choice.

and you don't want no help, oh well
that's the story to tell

Maea

And time it waits for no one
It heals them when you die

In the end, giving in was so easy. All she had to do was let go and surrender to the sensations he stirred up within her. From the first, it had been impossible to resist, and this time was no different. From the sweet taste of his mouth and the feeling of his tongue tangling with her own, to the way his hand squeezed her hip, pulling her hips towards his, it was all she wanted, all she needed. Maea kissed him back, a soft buzz starting in her blood that was part tiredness, part whiskey and candle light, and all Sunjata's hands on her skin. Warm, gentle, a little rough.

She arched her back into the his hand where it trailed up her spine, her hand in his hair tightening again. His lips trailed off from her mouth, över the cheek and to her neck, and with a soft, breathy hum Maea tilted her head back, to give him access. The teeth scraping her neck, the tender skin beneath her ear made her breath catch. Her knee rose up to hook over his hip, and she shifted slightly, tried to ease herself in beneath him.

"Don't stop..." she breathed, a little lightheaded. Gods, how did he do it? So little, and already she was practically melting in his arms.

And soon you are forgotten
A whisper within a sigh

SUNJATA

the flood

anyway, you say you're too busy
saving everybody else to save yourself

Her back arching presses her chest against his a small amount more, and his mind focuses on the feeling of her, of how he pulls her closer with less care than initially. Her hand tightens in his hair and he hums a quiet approval to her when she hooks her leg around his hip, slinking in a small amount beneath him. And he shifts his position then, moving to hover over her ever so slightly, trailing those fangs again along her neck.

She tells him not to stop and he nearly purrs for her, a smirk crossing his face when he presses a fuller kiss to her neck. “I love it when you do that.” A gentle purr, a smirk as he bites softly, a little tauntingly. He can’t help the way his hand at her hip pulls her against his again, thumb hooking into the clothes there. His other hand abandons her back to prop him up as he leans over her a small amount, continuing the blazing trail of kisses and bites against her neck.

“What do you want?” He whispers in her ear, a breath of hot raking air, a soft caress with the growl of his voice.

and you don't want no help, oh well
that's the story to tell