More Than expected: (Closed Thread)

[The_gladiator]

Taurean shrugged, a movement that she could probably feel. “I don’t plan on letting them kill us, I figured any plan would have to start there.” His fingertips stroked her shoulder as they spoke, his other hand brushing caresses over her hand where they were joined.

“I have half a mind to hunt them down from behind and kill them, if they’ve passed us.” He mused, revealing that though they were sharing an intimate moment, he still made his living as an assassin, negotiation wasn’t his go to move.

 

[BlondeAmbition4RP]

She felt him shrug and gave a short, soft chuckle at his 'plan'.

"If death wasn't on the agenda, you certain could have fooled me with everything your escape route put us through last night," she teased, enjoying the feel of his soft strokes over her shoulder and hand.

She didn't seemed bothered by his talk of wanting to kill their pursuers, her body remaining relaxed as she laid against him.

"And the slave ring? What of it?" she asked him curiously, "You mentioned last night that you'd been hired to disband it. Who is your employer? How much are they paying you? Do you think they would hire another on?"

 

[The_gladiator]

“You’re still alive, aren’t you?” Taurean replied to her jokes giving a playful nip to the back of her shoulder. “I could have left you to their tender mercies. However, if I had you wouldn’t be getting to enjoy this moment together, which at any other time would be pretty high on a list of fantasies to be honest. Although, it would be even better if I was feeling bare skin all over you, but beggars can’t be choosers.” And he nipped her shoulder again to let her know he was teasing.

“I will continue my mission to shut it down. I am being paid well enough. Are you suggesting you’d like to be my partner? You do realize what happens with most business partners of mine, right? Most of them are dead, Shyra Lath wants my head, although hell hath no wrath and all that.” It wasn't so much that Taurean didn't give answers to her questions, but he seemed to never give full answers and often his answers left the listener with more questions than when he started.

 

[BlondeAmbition4RP]

Celaena shivered slightly at the feel of Taurean's playful nips upon her shoulder, smiling at his teasing remarks, though it faded slightly in mild annoyance when, as she was quickly realizing was his typical fashion, he failed to answer her questions in the straightforward way she desired.

Giving a little huff, she released her hold on his hand and turned within his arms to face him, one hand holding onto the blanket to keep it around her as she did and being sure to keep her gaze trained upon his.

"I am not like most others, and I'm not Shyra Lath either," she told him pointedly, "You yourself said we worked well together before, and 'well enough' to deal with all of this mess must be well enough indeed. If I can't steal my new riches with the Despurdens, perhaps I can earn them as an assassin with you."

 

[The_gladiator]

He was a bit disappointed when she let go of him, but couldn’t say that he was displeased to have her face him. Although he was much more aware of his arousal pressing to her stomach than when it was against her bottom.

“You are certainly not her.” He said quietly hand sliding up to brush her cheek softly. “She would have knifed me by now.” That last comment was dry and made him chuckle darkly. He seemed to be contemplating her words as his hand slid back down around her waist his other idly tangling through her hair. “You make some interesting arguments.” He paused and then blew out a sigh, his breath tickling her cheek as he did so. “The Duke of Irzham.” he finally told her. His words perhaps explaining his hesitation. It was a big deal for one such as himself to take an official contract from the legitimate human authority, especially one to hunt down his former employer.

 

[BlondeAmbition4RP]

Celaena had tried to keep her expression serious, but the bit of annoyance showing within the depths of her expressive deep-blue eyes quickly softened as Taurean touched her cheek. Then it faded entirely as he contemplated her words and his arm moved back around her as his fingers tangled in her hair, the long pale strands mussed from sleep and her time in the river the night before and falling about her face and shoulders in slight disarray.

She did her best to ignore the feel of his arousal pressing against her belly as she waited for his reply, the feel of his breath against her cheek making her shiver slightly. When he named his currently employer, her eyes widened and her lips parted slightly with surprise.

The Duke?! She understood his hesitation now, and almost felt a little badly for pressing him.

Almost.

"So would you consider taking me on as your partner then?" she asked, then pointed out, "Taking down a sex ring ran by the Despurdens will be no simple feat. Seems to me like an extra set of hands could be useful."

 

[The_gladiator]

Taurean had never been happier than in that moment that elves could not read others thoughts. An extra set of hands would be wonderful just about now, but not for the reasons she was thinking or suggesting. Color tried to creep into his cheeks, he knew it. He took a long deep breath and forced his mind off of that, not wanting it to show in his face.

Gray eyes met hers. It was a color of eyes unheard of among the high elves of Kierielle, which came like her with blonde hair and blue eyes, or like his family black haired and green eyed. The gray was formed from the human and elven blood mixing. He took a deep breath again the action pressing him a bit closer to her unintentionally. “You may be right,” he said softly, “I have tried to do this alone for some time. I have been to distant lands, got caught up in other business the despurdens were involved with, where they were starting to start a war. And now I’ve come full circle, back to where I started. Irzham Major. Well, ok, it started in Irzham Minor, but this is where the Despurdens were born, so back where I personally started.” He realized that he was rambling. “Yes, you can work with me on a trial basis, but know me if you betray me, I will kill you. If you get in the way I will leave you if I don’t kill you, and you follow my lead when the shit hits the fan.” He actually gave a nod of respect to her, “That last one I’ve seen you do, just letting you know that’s my expectation.”

 

[BlondeAmbition4RP]

It was the first that she had taken the time to truly gaze into his eyes, and in such close proximity. Their shade was remarkable, like nothing she had ever seen. Her sight was good, even in the darkness of the cave, yet even so she found herself suddenly wishing they were outside, wondering how they might look in the daylight with the sun's rays hitting them.

She wasn't certain if it was just her imagination or not, but they seemed less icy now than they had been as he gazed at her and started to ramble, a reaction that she wasn't entirely unused to from men in response to her presence. She smiled in response, even as he listed off his rather serious 'expectations' should she choose to work with him. She nodded in return.

"Very well. Consider my expectations the same then," she agreed.

 

[The_gladiator]

“Yours are the same, hmm?” he flashed her a slight smile, that twitch of lips he had shown her in the boat. “I’d like to see you try to kill me.” It could have been mocking but given the trademark almost smile it was probably more teasing. “It wouldn’t even the first time someone tried to kill me while I was naked even.”

Taurean wasn’t sure where to go from here. “So, do we shake on the deal, kiss, how do “business” partners who happen to be mostly naked together consummate their partnership?” he asked, and now was definitely teasing her.

 

[BlondeAmbition4RP]

Celaena's smile reappeared at the sight of that slight, almost smile of Taurean's that she recognized from the river, smirking at his teasing and at his remark about someone having tried to kill him while he was naked before. Now that certainly sounded like an interesting tale. She would have to remember to ask him to share it with her later.

She gave a little laugh at his teasing question of how they should 'consummate their partnership', her eyebrow arching as she smirked at him again and leaned forward.

"Is 'Brandon the Blackhearted' trying to ask me for a kiss"? she teased back, her lips just a fraction away from his own.

 

[The_gladiator]

Her breath tickled against his lips and he could actually feel his body betraying him as goosebumps prickled over his skin. He was aware when she had turned over her arms had gone around his waist to his back and she was touching bare skin. However, most of his focus was on her lips, so close to his.

“No, Taurean is the one who is respectful enough to playfully ask. Brandon would just take what he wanted, I mean if you believe the stories about him that is,” he said softly. Was he just stating facts or was he goading her into completing that motion, to taking that step?

He didn’t initiate the kiss, yet, but his left hand did slide more fully into her hair, and his hand on her lower back pressed flat against her skin, spreading out to touch as much of her skin as possible.

 

[BlondeAmbition4RP]

Celaena smiled to herself as she felt the goosebumps raise upon Taurean's skin beneath her hand as they rested upon his back, knowing her teasing did indeed have an effect on him despite his seemingly calm and collected remark that followed. She smirked in response to it, not missing the way that he was seeming to goad her on. The smug look on her face wavered however when she felt his hand move within her hair and his hand spread out upon her back, a noticeable shiver running down her spine this time as he touched her bare skin there.

"I'm beginning to question the stories about him more and more by the second," she murmured, her hands sliding up over his back.

 

[The_gladiator]

Taurean had had to go higher on her back to find bare skin, but now he had found it and his palm radiated heat over her skin. Her own touch drew a hiss of pleasure from between his lips.

“Many of the stories are true, other things are persona,” he replied honestly. His eyes met hers again. Even with the red glow of infravision in the dark, he could still see the blue, but unknowingly mimicking her thoughts of earlier, he wondered what it would be like seeing her eyes this close in the light, when they would be their true-blue shade.

As he spoke his fingers slid through her hair, unable not to, it was soft despite all they’d been through.

 

[BlondeAmbition4RP]

“Many of the stories are true, other things are persona.”

As he spoke and his fingers slid through her hair, her eyes closed slightly as she breathed a soft sigh of pleasure at the feel of his touch, then opened them again to look at him once more, her gaze searching his.

"How will I know the difference of which are truth and which are persona?" she asked him softly, the fingertips of one of her hands slowly tracing lightly down the ridges of his spine.

 

[The_gladiator]

He bit his lip so he didn’t moan at the feeling of her sensitive fingertips exploring his skin. “I suppose you will have to ask, or dig a bit deeper,” he said, just above a whisper.

His breath brushed her cheek as their lips were close again. He wanted to tell her how good her touch felt, but figured that his reactions were making that obvious. “Very few have ever separated the myth from reality,” he finally added.

 

[BlondeAmbition4RP]

"I see..." she she breathed in reply before growing quiet for a moment and her eyes lowering from his as she seemed to contemplate his words, her fingers absentmindedly traveling back up his spine and then over to the upper section of his back and shoulder, letting herself enjoy the feeling of his skin beneath her fingertips since he too seemed to be enjoying her touch.

As she did her fingertips happened to wander over the raised skin of his scar at the center of his tattoo. She paused for a moment, realizing what she had done, but then slowly her fingertip gently traced over the outline of the raised skin and then slid around to the front of his chest where the matching mark was, touching it just as softly and tenderly as she had the other.

"Tell me something real then, Taurean? Something that you have not told another," she asked him softly, her eyes lifting up to look into his again, "If you do not want to it is alright.."

 

[The_gladiator]

Taurean wanted to stiffen as she touched that particular place on him, but he didn’t. He breathed through it. He did get goosebumps that followed her touch all the way around his side to his chest.

“You seem to be wanting to know about that,” he said softly, his hand coming from behind her to rest atop hers on his chest. “You touch the symbol of my weakness. Because I was weak, they died.” He said softly. The sexual tension dissipating as he spoke, but the intimacy did not, if possible that intensified. “I will never be that weak again.” Though he wasn’t sure that was what she was looking for it was stark, the truth according to him, the world as he saw it.

 

[BlondeAmbition4RP]

Celaena was shocked when Taurean opened up to her and revealed what he viewed to be the truth behind his scars, the way he viewed them and apparently the way that he viewed himself as he had been back then.

"No.." she she whispered softly, but adamantly to him.

She left her hand upon his chest where he held it against the scar, her other hand sliding from around him and smoothing up over his chest and to the side of his neck, moving up to cup the side of his face to keep him looking at her as she spoke.

"What happened that day was not your fault, Taurean."

 

[The_gladiator]

Taurean met her gaze, fire and resolve in his eyes. He could only shake his head in denial of her words. He wished that he could have felt her touch like that on his cheek under other circumstances, it felt nice.

The shields slid into place; it was uncanny to watch. It was like he gathered the comfort of the persona around him. “I thank you for your words, I cannot agree with them, however. I put myself through a lot to make amends for their deaths. I can only hope that if there is an afterlife that if not proud of me, they accept the work I have done to avenge their loss.”

Though the shields had slid back into place it was clear that it wasn’t easy for him. He let her hand go, though it seemed reluctant. His hand resting on his own hip, suddenly feeling guilt for the liberties he had taken touching her.

 

[BlondeAmbition4RP]

Celaena watched as one moment Taurean's eyes were alive and blazing with emotion, full of fire and more mesmerizing than she had ever seen them, and then the next... nothing, unreadable. His walls were back up, the 'Brandon' persona firmly back in place.

He pulled his hand away from her and she knew the disappointment must have been visible upon her face. She almost regretted having said what she had, but she couldn't, not really. She had meant what she'd said and she would not take it back. She hesitated, reluctant to pull away from him herself.

"I'm sure they are very proud of you, Taurean," she told him sincerely, the pad of her thumb softly stroking over his cheek for a moment before she finally pulled her hand away, carefully turning and rising from the hammock as she held her blanket around her, "We should probably get ready and go check to see if your 'friends' have passed us."

 

[The_gladiator]

When she stroked her thumb over his cheek, he suddenly wished he hadn’t cut her out so abruptly. She hadn’t deserved that even if he was just shielding himself from his own pain. Perhaps he should tell her that.

“You didn’t say anything wrong,” he said softly sitting up too the blanket puddling in his lap, leaving his upper body naked to her eyes, “Forgive me for my behavior.” It was clear that Brandon didn’t apologize much. “I work hard to keep the memories at bay, I did not mean to lash out at you or cut you off from the connection that was forming, it is just me trying to protect myself.” He sighed, I do not know if you know how much I have given to you. I have killed men and women who learned less personal information about me.”

He rose to his feet, oblivious to the fact that he was naked as the day he was born as he went to her, he awkwardly let his hand rest on her shoulder. “You listened, you touched me like I mattered, you frankly have caught me off guard and that is simply almost impossible to do. Thank you,” he said and leaned in to kiss her cheek, it was a very elven gesture, and a gesture that seemed to go against everything she might know about Brandon.

 

[BlondeAmbition4RP]

Celaena had begun to turn, starting to move to where she'd left her clothes to dry before and get dressed, but at the sound of Taurean's voice she stopped, his words of apology and his explanation surprising her and making her turn back to him. Then he rose, her lips parting with a breath and her eyes widening slightly for a moment as the blanket fell away from him, once more giving her a view of his impressive physique and manhood as he stepped forward and placed his hand upon her shoulder. She quickly lifted her eyes back to his face as he spoke again.

“You listened, you touched me like I mattered, you frankly have caught me off guard and that is simply almost impossible to do. Thank you.”

He kissed her cheek and she felt a warmth wash over her at the familiar gesture, one that she had not experienced since leaving Kierielle. She paused, obviously caught off guard by him as well, then after a moment stepped forward slightly. One hand holding up her blanket, she placed the other upon his chest and leaned forward to place a soft kiss upon his own cheek in reciprocation.

"You don't have to thank me for such things, Taurean; and you are forgiven," she told him softly as she pulled back again, "Thank you for what you have shared with me. It was never my intention for it to bring you pain.. perhaps it was wrong of me to ask for more when you had already shared so much."

She wanted to say more, to explain that she had only done so because she wanted to know him better. She wasn't certain if it was physical attraction to him, the mystique of his persona and the stories she'd heard, that they both came from Kierielle, or something else entirely, but she had not felt such a draw to another in a very very long time. She stopped herself however. Perhaps her own bit of a barrier and self-preservation.

 

[The_gladiator]

Taurean lifted the corner of his lip in a smile as he caught her looking at his body. He still made no attempt to hide it, though. He wanted to take her hand in his again as she lay it upon his chest and returned his gesture.

He wanted to find her lips with his own never more than in that moment as his eyes stared into hers. However, he still did not. Her words were kinder than he thought he deserved. “Life is pain Celaena,” he said softly actually using her name, “Especially the life I have lived,” he added. He didn’t know what possessed him to still speak to her in common, was it that elvish would be too intimate? He had demonstrated he spoke it fluently.

“Are you coming with me, or waiting here?” he asked as he moved to pick up his pants, putting them back on. “Still wet, but the chances that they’ll get wetter is high, so we shall deal.”

 

[BlondeAmbition4RP]

She wanted to argue with him, to try and tell him that there was more to life than just pain, that just because it had been that way for him before didn't mean it had to stay that way; but she didn't think he would have listened, and so once more she held her tongue.

"I will come with you," she told him with a nod as she too moved towards her clothes.

She couldn't help but smirk at his following remark about his wet clothes.

"Wetter?" she asked as she unraveled the blanket from around herself and set it aside before beginning to get dressed in her own still wet clothes, adding with an amused tone, "Not another repeat of last night I hope."

 

[The_gladiator]

“You know, I could think of worse things than to cuddle with such a beautiful elven woman,” he commented with his special almost smile for her. Seeming to deliberately twist her words about the night before. That was his way, to make small comments to see if he could get a rise out of someone.

He pulled on his shirt and then the leather armor he had worn. He dug into the belt pouch, and seeming unenthused about what he found in it sighed, “We seem to have eaten what food I had. Knew I should have grabbed the rest of your meal, when I took that kitchen knife, I used on one of the despurden guards.”