[SE] hotline

I don't know what I'm looking for

Vesper feels the shift in Thal immediately—not in her body, which still rests warm and languid against him, but in her thoughts. That hazy pleasure begins to fracture, not into anything sharp just yet, but into awareness, into defenses slowly being pulled back up like armor re-fastening itself after a battle. And yeah, he gets it. He’s already rebuilding his own—quietly, without rush, but inevitably.

Still, the offer of private lessons is enough to drag a low, lazy grin across his face, even before the teasing images from her mind flicker through his own. He doesn’t reply right away, just lets the silence stretch as her words replay in his head, smirking as he imagines himself showing up to those ‘lessons’ with nothing but a coin pouch and a smile.

"Gonna start keepin' a tab, then," he murmurs, his voice rough but laced with the same teasing lilt. "Hope you accept payment in blood, bruises, and bad ideas."

The smirk fades slightly at the return to their would-be voyeur. Her discomfort at the memory of Vox’s presence tastes bitter in his mind, clashing with the afterglow like salt on a burn. He doesn’t like it. Doesn’t like the way her mind tightens in response to the thought, or how she starts to distance herself, even subtly. When she tugs at his hair, his eyes flicker open, blue and steady. "Wasn’t my idea to have him show up," he mutters, reaching up to catch her wrist in one hand. "I was just interested in seein' how good you were at multitaskin'."

but I swear to God I'll find it

Code 100% taken from the queeeeeeen herself, Sky <3

Silver dollar, golden flame
Dirty water, poison rain
Perfect murder, take your aim

His initial silence makes her think he might refuse her, surprising considering how much he'd been enjoying their experience only moments before, but she is a woman, and women always tend to overthink things. So, until she hears the final agreeance - although Thal will never admit it - she holds her breath, trying to decide how she'd kill him for such an offense if only to bury her embarrassment along with his dead body. 

But lucky for Vesper, those idle thoughts don't go any farther as he discusses possible payment methods. Her smile twists a little sharper, her fiery personality melting back into the sultry hum of her words, even as they remain soft amidst their quiet moment. "You're in luck. Those are my favorite kind." He can probably guess why. She pauses, considering before she adds coyly, "Although I also accept coins, compliments, and casual sex." Not in that particular order.

Frowning at the way Vesper gets defensive over her teasing jibe, Thal is tempted to start an argument about it being his fault just to see how their chemistry translates in a verbal sparring match. Maybe that's because she gets the sense that they would have great angry sex after that, easily able to picture the way they would be tearing at each other in a blinding rage and frustrating lust. However, as much as she would like to try that today, her body might just literally explode in flames. Instead, she decides to file the idea away as his words offer an escape from the topic of Vox. 

The tension of her muscles eases slightly without her noticing, too distracted by his grasp on her wrist. She turns her head so that her chin rests comfortably on his chest, her blue eyes meeting his through the bits of untamed hair that fall over her face. "Well, there are plenty of others way to do that." A small quirk of her lips gives away the implication, a blazing heat already returning to her eyes.

I don't belong to anyone,
but everybody knows my name

Thalassa

I don't know what I'm looking for

Vesper’s thumb brushes idly along the inside of Thal’s wrist where her pulse still beats fast beneath his fingers, even after everything. He feels the heat building again behind her gaze, the subtle pull of temptation rising like embers caught on a new breath of wind. And despite the slow drag of exhaustion through his limbs, despite the faint bruises blossoming under her nails and the rawness that still hums through his body—gods, he’s tempted.

Her words ripple through his thoughts like sparks skipping over oil, and he smirks, low and lazy, his gaze hooded beneath the curve of lashes as he lets his head tip back slightly against the stone. "Careful, Thalassa," he drawls, her name a soft drag across his tongue. His fingers don’t let go of her wrist just yet—no, they keep her there like a tether, a soft restraint that speaks to what they both know he’s capable of, if he were to roll her back beneath him. "You keep lookin’ at me like that, and I might just forget how spent I am."

A slow breath slips out of him as he glances past her toward the sky overhead, catching the shift of light through high clouds, the sea breeze tugging faintly at their scattered clothing. His voice softens—still wry, but less teasing now. "We should probably clean up before the wrong kind of wildlife stumbles on us. Or worse. Vox comes back with popcorn."

His expression flickers, one brow arched with mock dread, though he doesn’t move yet. Doesn’t seem in any particular hurry to return to reality, especially not with the way she’s still sprawled across him, her skin slick against his, her gaze sharp and burning and already threatening round two.

And gods, he might just let her win again.

but I swear to God I'll find it

Code 100% taken from the queeeeeeen herself, Sky <3

Silver dollar, golden flame
Dirty water, poison rain
Perfect murder, take your aim

The drawl of her name across his lips draws her gaze and she releases a fang to bite her own, similarly tempted. A spark of amusement melds among the heat in her eyes, the quirk of her lips spreading to a full out grin that reminds him how things ended up playing out just minutes before despite the grip he may have on her wrist. Her voice is a soft purr of dangerous promises. "Vesper. I'm not the careful type." And she certainly wouldn't mind being beneath him for the second go-around; but she can also feel the aches of her body, and rocks still hurt Ancients enough for her not to be thrilled with the idea of those same tender spots being pressed against the solid ground - no matter what pleasure it may ultimately bring her. Meaning that her promises will have to wait for another day. 

Sighing through a minor pang of disappointment, Thal has to drag her other hand from behind him to prop it beneath her chin, a stopping place before she eventually plans to lift from his chest. For the time being, it gives her enough of an angle to follow Vesper's gaze up, the sunlight too filtered by the hazy clouds to hurt her eyes. The lack of purplish hues or humming static make the topic less abrasive, although her eyes narrow all the same, a threatening look upon her face. "I'll turn his popcorn to ash if that happens. Maybe then he'll get the idea." A snapping flick of her dark tail emphasizes her point before it resumes a slower pace, just content in having said her piece. For now.

Her free hand begins a casual tracing of a freckled constellation that shifts across his sweat-slick chest, the fingers chasing each star like a pack of lazy wolves following the thick scent of their orgasms. The tilt of her head is oppositely feline as she looks to Vesper, her playful smile returning. "What was that about cleaning up?"

I don't belong to anyone,
but everybody knows my name

Thalassa

I don't know what I'm looking for

Vesper hums low in his throat, a half-laugh and half-growl of appreciation that rumbles against the press of Thal’s hand on his chest. Her tracing fingers leave a trail of heat behind them, and if he hadn’t already been utterly wrecked by her, the way she looks right now—lazy and smug and sharp around the edges—might’ve been enough to do it all over again.

His grip on her wrist finally loosens, thumb brushing one last time before his hand drifts down to rest low on her hip, fingers splaying there like he has no intention of letting her go entirely. "Silly me," he murmurs, words dragging slow from his lips.  His gaze flicks down to where her fingers trail across his chest, chasing his constellations like the stars are hers to claim. "Mm. That," he says, tapping a knuckle lightly against her hand, "was me tryin’ to be responsible." A pause, his mouth twitching into something far too pleased. "It’s not my strong suit."

He exhales, long and slow, finally shifting beneath her just enough to nudge her gently upright with the hand at her hip. Not a push—more a suggestion. "If we stay here much longer, I’ll end up dragging you into the damn ocean just to cool off." His voice is low, rough with the ghost of what they just did, the memory still hot on his skin, and the girl on top of him even hotter.

but I swear to God I'll find it

Code 100% taken from the queeeeeeen herself, Sky <3

Silver dollar, golden flame
Dirty water, poison rain
Perfect murder, take your aim

Regaining possession of her hand, Thal lets it join her other arm, draped comfortably across his chest to absently trace and travel across his skin. His touch on her hip distracts her from paying very close attention to his words, but she catches the ending, letting out a low laugh. "Responsible is just another name for boring." At his overconfident smirk, she has to wonder what his strong suit is. Maybe it's his willpower to suggest they separate.

Shifting slightly with his movement, she's almost thankful for the assistance it provides, the nudge she needs to get her moving. Her back is both wound tight and satisfyingly weak as she arches upright, arms pushing off his chest as her skin peels away from him, still pleasantly warm and damp. It doesn't tingle anymore, but she immediately feels the lack of his touch, a soft sigh passing her lips. "Does that mean I'm going in alone? Pity." A gentle tsk of her tongue vocalizes the dramatically downcast pull of her features as she finally separates herself from him to stand.

Theres a dull ache in her legs that she has to adjust to, trying not to make it obvious as she shifts her weight to test how steady she is before beginning her trek towards the water. The gentle sway of her tail and her hips should be invitation enough for Vesper to follow her, but just in case, Thal peeks over her shoulder, the roguish glint in her blue eye catching a glimpse of him before turning to the black sands that mark her path to the waves lapping at the shore. She feels the familiar call in her chest, beckoning her closer with each step.

I don't belong to anyone,
but everybody knows my name

Thalassa

I don't know what I'm looking for

Vesper doesn’t move right away. He watches Thal instead, head tilted slightly, eyes half-lidded with something that sits too comfortably between satisfaction and longing. The moment her skin leaves his, he feels it—like the absence of warmth from a flame that had been too close for comfort but far too addictive to snuff out. Her sigh echoes faintly in his chest, and the corner of his mouth tugs upward. His fingers flex where she’d been, ghosting over the empty space, and when she stands—hips swaying, tail flicking like punctuation on a sentence meant only for him—he huffs a quiet, rueful laugh, dragging a hand down his face.

"She’s gonna be the fuckin’ death of me," he mutters to the sky, not even pretending to sound put out.

Vesper rises with a fluid roll of muscle, shadow and sweat clinging to his skin like he’s still wearing her. He doesn’t bother with the clothes scattered nearby—only steps toward her, barefoot and unhurried, the soft hush of the tide pulling them both forward.

He catches up just as the waves begin to lick at her ankles, and without announcing himself, he steps flush behind her, his taller frame casting a long shadow that folds into hers. One hand slides low against her hip, fingers pressing into salt-slick skin, possessive in a way he doesn’t try to deny. His other hand rises slowly, deliberately, spreading across her chest, palm warm over her sternum as if he could feel the beat of her heart against his own.

He doesn’t move further—yet. But the threat is there in every slow inch of contact, in the way his breath skates along her ear as he leans in to speak, his voice a low rasp drenched in sin and smoke. "You are gods damn trouble." His lips curve into a smirk against her skin.

but I swear to God I'll find it

Code 100% taken from the queeeeeeen herself, Sky <3

Silver dollar, golden flame
Dirty water, poison rain
Perfect murder, take your aim

The cold water crashes over her bare feet, a little chilly for her Ancient bones as she grips her toes in the sand. It makes the warmth that appears flush to her back all the more enjoyable, a pleased grin ghosting across her features when his arms snake around her body. A low chuckle starts in her chest, lost in the soft sound of the waves that rush by their legs. 

Vesper's dark voice tickles against the inside of her ear like shadows, a tingle spreading deliciously down her spine, already flaring the heat in her stomach. It's quicker to take this time without her fighting the instinct at every turn and Thal can feel the quiet crescendo of her heart, anticipation wetting her lips. 

As if confused by his words, her head tilts to hear him better, all soft features and 'perplexion.' An innocent hum rings out from her. "I have no idea what you mean." But the way her hands come to settle over his proves that she knows exactly what kind of trouble she is, especially as she leans her head back into his chest, pressing his grasp tighter around her. The tines of her horns don't quite reach to scrape against his skin, but her tail weaves seductively between his legs, gentle brushes and faint touches playing up and down to tempt him.

I don't belong to anyone,
but everybody knows my name

Thalassa

I don't know what I'm looking for

Vesper's eyes half-close at the first press of her back to his chest, her body slotting against his like she’d been made to fit there. The water chills his feet, but it’s her—her heat, her shape, her scent—that floods his senses, drowning out the salt and sea spray with something far more potent. His thumb traces idle circles against her hip as she hums her innocence, her voice playing mock-sweet in his ear, and it drags a slow smirk from his lips.

"Mm. No idea at all, huh?" he murmurs, voice curling dark and amused as his teeth graze lightly over the shell of her ear. "Then I must be imagining the way your tail's flirtin' with my patience."

He doesn’t stop her. Doesn’t flinch as that wicked appendage winds between his legs, tempting, coaxing, setting the tension low in his belly alight again. Instead, his hand drifts from her chest, fingertips trailing slowly down her sternum to her stomach, featherlight over her skin like the ghost of a promise not yet made good on.

His shadows shift restlessly at their feet, curling into the tide like smoke in ink, drawn to the pulse rising between them. But for now, he holds them back, his breath steady against the curve of her throat. "You’re a fucking storm in soft skin," he says quietly, almost like it’s a secret. His hand flexes against her stomach. He could drag his fingers lower—he wants to. Knows she’s still wet, knows just how easy it would be to press between her thighs and feel the proof of what he’s done to her all over again. It takes effort—real effort—not to give in, but somehow he manages to keep his hand where it is.

"Now get in the fuckin' water." His palm gives one final, possessive drag over her hip, then releases her entirely, stepping back just enough for the sea breeze to slip between them like a dare.

but I swear to God I'll find it

Code 100% taken from the queeeeeeen herself, Sky <3

Silver dollar, golden flame
Dirty water, poison rain
Perfect murder, take your aim

The innocent lilt of her tone and expression weakens with the shiver that his teeth cause, a low hum of 'uncertainty' bordering on a moan as her eyes drift halfway closed. "Not a clue." Her hands ride his as Vesper travels them lower down her abdomen, her breaths growing slightly heavier with anticipation. When they stop short, she has to keep herself from pressing them down to where she's beginning to ache between her legs, trying to be 'patient'. 

As his hold tightens, flexes, she wonders if he might give her what she wants, a lazy grin spreading across her face; but it slips away as he draws back to leave the cold ocean breeze against her back. It cools the spiking of her temperature a few degrees, and a calculating thought slips through the clarity, analyzing his 'command.' Thal turns slowly, her body on full display from the dark locks to her hardening nipples to the curve of her hips to the continued movements of her thin blue-black tail. 

She takes the dare, stepping forward so that she's within his space again, lifting her hand slowly to run it across his chest and down, trailing, lingering, teasing with the light brush of her fingers. A fanged grin is across her luscious lips as she tilts her head up towards his, her voice barely a whisper of hot air as she says, "Only if you come with me." Like the humming energy before a lightning strike, the silence that stretches before a storm, she hovers there a moment, tempting. Then the feel of her hand lightens as she steps back, deeper into the water. Even when the tips of her fingers lose contact with his chest, they remain outstretched, an invitation accompanied by the mischievous glow of her hooded blue eyes as the cold waters splash higher up her legs, a beacon of desire slipping into the ocean.

I don't belong to anyone,
but everybody knows my name

Thalassa

I don't know what I'm looking for

Vesper watches her turn with a hunger that isn’t even trying to hide itself anymore. The way she moves—bare, unapologetic, every line of her body painted in straeks of alabaster and salt—is a fucking siren song, and he drinks it in like a man dying of thirst. When her fingers brush down his chest, it takes restraint not to grab her again, not to pull her back against him and drown in her mouth until they both forget how to stand.

Instead, he stays still. Watches. Feels. Her heat, her grin, the promise behind her whisper—it all coils inside him, a slow-burn tension that lights the fuse of something far more dangerous than lust. But it’s the way she backs away that nearly undoes him. The way her hand lingers in the air, beckoning. The way her body disappears inch by inch into the water, waves licking up her thighs like they know what he’s about to do.

Vesper exhales once—slow and deliberate—like he’s letting go of something heavier than just breath. "Fuck," he mutters, under it all, voice low and wrecked as he steps into the surf.

The cold bites at him, but it’s nothing compared to the heat in his blood. He wades deeper, shadows swirling at his feet, wrapping around his ankles like silk. And then he’s there—reaching out to take her outstretched hand, threading their fingers together like it’s the most natural thing in the world. His other hand finds her waist, palm splaying over damp skin like a claim, not a question. The sunlight catches the drops of seawater sliding down her collarbones, the sharp angles of her jaw.

He leans in, close enough that their mouths nearly brush, his breath warm against her lips. "I do like comin' with you," Vesper murmurs, his wolfish smirk indicative of how little he cares about this predictable line, before he's twisting around and leaning back, tugging Thal against him and down into the surf.

but I swear to God I'll find it

Code 100% taken from the queeeeeeen herself, Sky <3

Silver dollar, golden flame
Dirty water, poison rain
Perfect murder, take your aim

Her eyes drink in his approach, just as hungry as his. Sea mist splashes against the flexing of his muscles, his tall figure moving with the same ease as the constellations across his body. Stepping carefully back to draw him in, the heat in her body momentarily steams the water around her, silhouetting her form in the rising waters and the sky behind her. 

When his hand finally reconnects with hers, Thal pauses, letting him close the distance between them. The interlocking of their fingers along with the firm palm against her waist makes her feel like dancing, a seductive tune filtering through her mind, manifesting in the hum of her voice as she imagines what it might be like to actually dance with Vesper. She recalls what her last few dresses looked like, all sexy corsets and lush fabrics that whispered like desire over the floor. Something tells her she wouldn't be wearing it for long in his presence. 

She's swept away from thoughts of dresses and seductive dances when his breath dips down to mix with hers, drawing her in with the drawl of his words. As he pulls her down with him into the water, she lets out a gasping hiss at the cold, her legs immediately go to wrap around his waist - to anchor her in the shifting currents and steal his body heat, not even caring if they end up under the waves. Thal hooks her elbow behind his neck, bringing her face within kissing distance of his. She doesn't give in to her wants just yet, letting the water run down her body to rock gently in the motion of the ocean, her heart feeling at home in the water despite the chill setting in her limbs.

I don't belong to anyone,
but everybody knows my name

Thalassa

I don't know what I'm looking for

Vesper grunts softly at the sudden weight of her, the smooth flex of her legs wrapping tight around his hips like it’s exactly where she belongs. The cold of the ocean vanishes beneath the contrast of her body pressed to his—slick, strong and unrelenting. His arm loops under her thighs without thinking, the other bracing against the small of her back, holding her steady even as the sea churns around them.

The kiss doesn’t come. Not yet. And gods, that restraint burns.

He can feel it in the tension of her muscles, the proximity of her lips, the way her breath brushes his cheek with every near-miss, like she’s baiting him. Testing how long he can hover at the edge without breaking as if their entire morning hadn't been a lesson in just that. His jaw clenches, his eyes locked on hers through the salt and the shadows. And then, in a voice that rumbles straight from his chest: "You’re makin’ it real hard not to drown us both."

It’s a half-threat, half-plea, though there’s no real risk—not unless she keeps looking at him like that. He leans in close again, his nose brushing hers, the hand at her back shifting lower until his fingers slip just beneath the curve of her ass as he uses his body to brace against the waves before sinking down onto his knees lest they get swept entirely out to sea.

but I swear to God I'll find it

Code 100% taken from the queeeeeeen herself, Sky <3

Silver dollar, golden flame
Dirty water, poison rain
Perfect murder, take your aim

Thal is absolutely being a tease, and she'd love to play the same game they did before, to watch him lose that cool again; but the water is very cold, and her patience is all but spent for the day. She can feel that Vesper is just as ready to get on with things - the feathering of his jaw, the tightening of his hold around her, the dark storm of his own eyes. It makes her so hot despite the ocean lapping at her arms and back, pulling him closer as he settles onto his knees. 

As much as she loves a man on his knees, close to begging, Thal has already gotten her fix for the afternoon and the desire is easily unraveling her restraint, making her hasty, needy. She flexes her thighs around him, dragging her chest up his as she arches her back. The whisper of her breath over his mouth is dangerously warm, dripping with undisguised lust. "Maybe we should be quick then." 

There's only a hint of a smile on her face, a drop of playfulness amidst the ocean of her mind before she seals their lips in a kiss, lightning-quick but still soft. Her stubbornness makes her play with the fire of her own temptation even as her desperation can be felt in the grabbing of her hands to anchor her mouth to his. The gradual ministration of her mouth moves in time with the waves like they're the song that she's always been meant to sing. It calls for Vesper to be the duet, adding to her melody like the thunder following her lightning.

I don't belong to anyone,
but everybody knows my name

Thalassa