pour one out for our ghosts

There's gonna come a day when you'll feel better
You'll rise up free and easy on that day

How unexpected that a morning like this would follow their night before, yet as you look up at the woman sitting astride your lap you cannot find it within yourself to feel guilty, or even ashamed. You're... happy, well and truly happy, for the first time in a while.

Gods, that's a terrifying thought.

She suggests a tour and even though your body is aching for more of hers, you find you're in no rush. You have time, you're realizing now, time to learn this woman and all she is, to experience different facets of her. Running your hand back into her hair, you chuckle up and shrug your shoulders. "As you wish," you reply easily, pulling her close for another kiss before gently easing her off your lap.

You stand and stretch, rolling your bad right shoulder and then casually draping your arm over hers. "Here ya can see th'kitchen. Note that th'riginal appliances are all in place." With your other arm you make a sweeping gesture, demonstrating the rather modest room she is already well familiar with while turning to see her impression, mischief in the lilt of your brow.

And float from branch to branch, lighter than the air
Just when that day is coming, who can say?

zephyr

and I loved you so much it was making me sick

His sudden formality is a refreshing injection of humour into an evening that was far too solemn and sad, and Vai leans into it, smiling against his lips and rising to her feet so that she can be shown around the kitchen anew. Gasping softly, as if truly seeing it for the first time, she leans against Zeph and nods along, like it’s the most interesting part of the house (it isn’t - and quite frankly the most interesting part is doing the talking, so it doesn’t matter where they go).

”Very chic. Almost minimalist, you might say,” she gushes, dutifully playing her part - not that she has one single fucking clue what chic and minimalist are meant to indicate - and trying to sneak a peek down the back of his towel while she’s at it.

There's gonna come a day when you'll feel better
You'll rise up free and easy on that day

"Mmm, 's considered a model'a what a kitchen oughta' be." Stove, oven, basin of water sink. Everything you could possibly need. The way she leans into your bit only fuels your playful side, the once-rampant silliness emerging from behind your adult stoicism.

"Movin' on we'll find the livin' room, or as I like t'say, the social center." Literally all you've done is turn yourself and her around - it isn't a big house. You guide her across the invisible threshold into the other room, pointing to the features: a couple chairs, a well-worn sofa, and a coffee table littered with half-finished wood carvings and sketches. As hard as Sam works to keep things clean, you're still something of a mess. "As y'can see, it's a cultural center. Lotsa art gets started here, an' none of it gets finished."

And float from branch to branch, lighter than the air
Just when that day is coming, who can say?

zephyr

and I loved you so much it was making me sick

”And it’s doing a fine job, if I do say so myself,” Vai says of the kitchen, turning with him and pulling a face that’s meant to be pleasantly surprised as he leads them across an imaginary threshold and into the living room. The wood carvings and sketches catch her attention, and she nudges Zeph a little. ”Quite the artistic genius must live here,” she informs him with a smirk, admiring his little social centre.

”Actually, it’s meant to be a trait of all great artists that their work remains unfinished. You have to wait for inspiration to strike, you know.” She stops to sneak a peek at a sketch as she continues, but there’s still the rest of the tour to get through, so it’s probably best not to get too distracted for now.

There's gonna come a day when you'll feel better
You'll rise up free and easy on that day

"Yea, Ki's pretty talented." You deflect the compliment with only a slight blush, feeling very self conscious at having your work on display. Usually the only person who comes through is Sam, and you gave up trying to clean for him a long time ago. Especially since he does a much better job.

"Guess I'm an expert then." The living room exhausted, point a thumb at the door in the back, and another at the base of the stairs. "Bathroom. Ra- Red's room." Not Ray's room anymore. The ghostly image of him reemerges, and you have to pause a moment, your smile faltering before rising back up.

"An here we have.... the stairs." You say this in the tone of one demonstrating a great wonder, waggling your eyebrows at her. The stairs are wood and decently crafted, a little worn from years of use. "Banister's made'a driftwood I gathered. Leads up t'the bedroom, but I'm sure there's nothin' ya'd wanna see up there..." Again the teasing voice, your hand slipping down to squeeze her ass.

And float from branch to branch, lighter than the air
Just when that day is coming, who can say?

zephyr

and I loved you so much it was making me sick

”Ki?” Vai wonders, tilting her head at him and smiling at his sudden bashfulness. ”I’d also say you were an expert. Not just at art, though.” The smile lingers on her face as he turns to show her the other rooms, though it fades at the falter in Zeph’s voice, the witch giving his arm a gentle squeeze. Once he’s come back to himself enough to show her the créme-de-la-créme of the stairs, Vai has already set a foot on the bottom step before seeming to reconsider.

”Oh no, I imagine it’s terribly boring up there. We needn’t bother,” she says airily, making as if to turn back around, before tilting her head to Zeph. ”Then again, I suppose the tour wouldn’t be complete without it, would it?” And the hand squeezing her ass definitely helps to make the decision, Vai tugging playfully at the front of his towel, as if threatening to strip it off.

There's gonna come a day when you'll feel better
You'll rise up free and easy on that day

"My girl. She's around here somewhere. Keep an eye out fer grumpy lizards." Ki would take this as an opportunity to be an asshole and pop up. But the coast remains clear of angry chameleons as well as red-headed puppies, so it seems you're safe for now.

Though certainly not safe from her.

Her playful tone has you nodding sagely, and you've almost turned away when she grabs you by the towel. Raising an eyebrow you obediently step forward, spinning her toward you and wrapping your arms around her waist. "Hey now, keep that up an' I'll start t'think y'got ulterior motives."

Which she does. And you do. You also have a terrible plan.

"Up we go, then!" It's the only warning before you bend your knees and lower your arms to just below her ass. And then you stand, attempting to fling her over your left shoulder (not the right, you're not crazy) and carry her very ceremoniously up the stairs in a romantic move that will certainly not end in disaster.

And float from branch to branch, lighter than the air
Just when that day is coming, who can say?

zephyr

and I loved you so much it was making me sick

”I’ll certainly do that. I bet she isn’t grumpy though, so much as tired of picking up after you,” she says with a bright smile, bouncing her eyebrows as if to ask just what this ulterior motive might be. Vai would say she has no idea what he’s talking about, but it would be a filthy lie.

Speaking of picking up though, suddenly he’s seizing her around the waist and flinging her over his shoulder - and Vai isn’t one to scream, but the surprise does bring out a shocked peal of laughter, and then the stairs are shrinking away below them as Zeph heads to the upper floor.

”You can go off a person you know,” she accuses, not sounding like that’s the case even a little. ”You’re just lucky you’ve provided me with such a good view.” So saying, Vai’s already reaching down to try and grab his ass - and his towel - in revenge.

There's gonna come a day when you'll feel better
You'll rise up free and easy on that day

It is a good thing you're fairly active, because if you fell down right now it'd be rather unfortunate for the lot of you. But she fits easily against your shoulder, and you know these stairs like the back of your hand. So instead of screams it's only laughter that serenades the pair of you to the second floor.

"Oy!" you exclaim as your towel is torn away, falling to the floor and leaving you entirely nude. Stepping over the towel and into the bedroom, you manage to make it to the bed before depositing her down upon it.

Naked as a baby you stand before her, your excitement already clearly evident in the half-erection your spot. "So," you murmur, raising an eyebrow, your lightly scarred body on full display, "Here it is. Like what ya see?"

And float from branch to branch, lighter than the air
Just when that day is coming, who can say?

zephyr

and I loved you so much it was making me sick

Zeph will hear Vai’s laughter turn into a purposeful and exaggerated cackle as she succeeds in whipping off his towel, letting it drop to the ground for him to step over. And she’s not complaining as he carries her into the bedroom, staring quite cheerfully at his ass until he deposits her on the bed and gives her something better to look at. Leaning back on her hands, Vai slants a crooked smile in his direction, blue eyes wandering slowly down the length of his body.

”More and more every time.” Scooting to the edge of the bed, she reaches out to snag at his hand, tugging him closer to peer up at him. ”You’ll have to describe the room to me. I’m suddenly very distracted.” Distracted enough to lean in and trail slow kisses over his lower stomach, fingers ghosting over his thighs, purposely avoiding the increasingly prominent indication that his focus might be elsewhere, too.

There's gonna come a day when you'll feel better
You'll rise up free and easy on that day

It's a fucking rush to be looked at the way she's looking at you, as though you're the choicest piece of steak and she's readying herself to savor every smell and texture and taste. Just looking at her looking at you garners a response from your cock, the ever-ready ship already anxious to slide into port.

Patience.

Your eyes roll back as she begins to kiss you, a barely stifled moan of pleasure and frustration leaving your lips. Fingers twine in her dark hair, though you don't direct her: she's in charge, and she's earned whatever she fucking wants. Or whatever fucking she may want, if we're being exact.

"Mm, well..... t'start there's windows on every wall, half'a which're open." Much like the first time you couldn't give half a shit about this fact, being far too wrapped up in her wicked ministrations, but you're curious to see how sober Vai reacts to the threat of an audience.

And float from branch to branch, lighter than the air
Just when that day is coming, who can say?

zephyr

and I loved you so much it was making me sick

”Mm, that so...?” Vai hums against the soft curve of his hips, fingers blazing a trail around to playfully squeeze his ass, her smile something he’ll be able to feel against his skin. If it isn’t quite obvious by the utter lack of care in her voice, no, the witch gives not one single, solitary fuck about an audience. Let them watch, let them hear - they might just learn a thing or two.

”That’s a lot of windows. Go on. What else?” She’s being a filthy fucking tease and she knows it, as if trying to tempt the gentle fingers in her hair to tighten into something needy, something raw.

But ultimately, she wants it as much as Zeph does, and her patience probably isn’t half as good as his. One hand glides down the back of his thigh, sweeping around suddenly to grip the base of his cock, squeezing, moving in slow, luxurious strokes. It’s a tiny fraction of what she wants, but it’s a damned good start.

There's gonna come a day when you'll feel better
You'll rise up free and easy on that day

She curls her fingers around your ass and you tighten your hold on her hair reflexively, barely biting back another needy moan. The desire to buck your hips and press her down is excruciating, but you keep your head- for now.

"Mmm. Right." Focus on the room and you can win this war against your libido. "Well, there's more evidence'a artistic genius in th'corner, an' you'll find clothes everywhere except th- hnnnnngfuck."

Yeah, nothing to interrupt your train of thought like a hand stroking expertly against the base of your cock. "Tease," you groan, clearly not protesting. "Yet awful distractin', ya know that?"

And float from branch to branch, lighter than the air
Just when that day is coming, who can say?

zephyr

and I loved you so much it was making me sick

For Vai it’s a war she’s already lost, the witch gazing up at Zeph with smouldering eyes that track every flicker of restraint on his face, every stutter of breath, every almost-moan. She’s stopped listening to the description of the room, giving him a hard, slow squeeze, managing a small and knowing smirk. ”So are you,” she informs him in a breathy whisper, leaning in with a hot tongue to lap up the full, impressive length of him—

And rising to her feet as she comes to the head of his cock. He’s naked, gloriously so, and she’s still standing here in so many clothes. Pressing up on him, hips tight and snug against his aching arousal, Vai drapes her arms about his shoulders, leaning in for a kiss that’s as much about need, about desire, as it is about the sudden trust they seem to have put in each other.

”I want you,” she moans into his mouth. ”Lay me down and have me.”