[Infirmary] Zeltiva Puppet Theatre Part IV (Satevis)

[Minerva Agatha Zipporah]

Tock tucked her babies into her backpack, giving them each a kiss on the head before closing the flap. Then she smiled up at Satevis, feeling a little giddy at the way he was looking at her. When he asked about the shirt she giggled and shrugged, lifting up the strips of cloth hanging down from the tied knot. When she glanced down at herself she realized belatedly how much flesh she was showing. Toned midriff, tanned cleavage... she didn't normally expose this much skin. She also wouldn't normally care, since she was neither modest nor a prude. But considering the effect it seemed to be having on that certain someone, she made a mental note to buy some more low-cut shirts. Biting her lips, she met his eyes and said, "Well, my shirt were dirty, an' I jus' done gots the one... I done needs ta get out an' buy some new clothes when I done gets paid. An' 'is was jus' lyin' 'round, an' it smells like ya an'..." Her face turned red as she realized what she'd just said. She didn't make a habit of thinking about the words coming out of her mouth. She stepped closer to him, her fingers tugging on the shirt Satevis was wearing to pull him closer. "If'n ya don't like me wearin' it," she whispered in a husky tone, "I can always taker 'er off..." She looked up at him with a mischievous twinkle in her brown eyes. She was still quite hyped up on the excitement of the show, combined with the rush she was getting from the way Satevis was looking at her. It was making her feel... Like she didn't want to hang around the Infirmary where so many young, prying eyes were around.

[Satevis]

His eyes darkened briefly at her words, breaking away from his control long enough to trail appreciatively down her form. It appeared that despite his best intentions at keeping his thoughts pure, they seemed to be straying again. He turned his eyes back towards hers, focusing on keeping them there. His eyes were locked in an expression of intense focus, the same focus he used when performing magic, or when he was trying to solve a difficult problem. Tock was something that was difficult to figure out at times, as were his own feelings in regards to her. But he was still thrilled that the play had gone so well, and relieved that it was over. He wasn't in any particular mood to think, so he decided to simply go along with it for once. After all, his patron deity was known for his wild moods. "That won't be necessary," he finally said. "...This is neither the time nor the place." His tone had the barest hint of an implication in it--one that seemed to imply that if it were the time and the place, he might answer a little differently. As if to emphasize the point, the corners of his lips turned up in a small smile. "But...that does leave me with some slight difficulty," he added, glancing at the sky. "Night will be falling soon, and then I'll be in need of something to wear..."

[Minerva Agatha Zipporah]

Tock giggled at the reaction she got from him. He was so cute when she was making him uncomfortable and unsure of himself. She was finding she rather enjoyed it. It made her keep wondering just how far she could push this, and she was starting to understand why other girls put so much effort into making themselves look pretty. But she didn't want to push things to the point that she actually made Satevis feel strained in any way. Teasing was one thing, but she wasn't going to be mean about it. And despite all her teasing remarks, she wasn't actually ready to bare all or spread her legs for him just yet. Not that she wasn't curious. So she decided to tone down the teasing a little bit before she got herself into trouble and it led to something she wasn't ready for yet. But that still left the question of the shirt dilemma, and the question of how they were going to top off the evening now that the show was complete. "Well my shirt's a bloody mess," she said, "an' she's the only one what I done got. But I s'pose if'n we go back ta yer room, I can cleans 'er up an' give ya back 'is one," she shrugged. "'En we can finds some way what fer ta celebrate..." she scrunched her nose cutely at him, giggling. Okay, maybe she was still going to tease him a little.

[Satevis]

Satevis managed once again to regain control of his thoughts before they strayed too far, but it was a close call. Tock had a way of making him think or do things he wouldn't have done before. He supposed his thought from two nights ago had been correct...he really couldn't deny her anything. He was smart enough, though, to not make that fact public. He didn't know what Tock would do if she discovered just how much influence she had on him. In a way, it was unsettling. He was so used to being in control. For as much of his past life as he could remember, he had kept a tight rein on his thoughts and actions. As an Ethaefal, he had spent most of his time keeping himself from dwelling on the Ukalas, had kept his thoughts and words under the same tight control as he had always had. Feeling that slip through his fingers unnerved him somewhat, but it was also slightly...refreshing. It had been so long since he had just...let go. He knew the situation couldn't be allowed to get out of hand, though. That was one thing he held firmly to. So when she teased him, he kept his eyes on hers, stopping them from straying. He smiled in response, though. "That would be...acceptable," he said. He moved to help her into her crutches and froze, realizing something. He hadn't noticed it earlier--her change in appearance catching him off-guard, but her crutches were missing. "Tock..." he said, turning towards her. "What happened to your crutches?"

[Minerva Agatha Zipporah]

'Acceptable.' Tock suppressed a frown. That was hardly the reaction she'd been going for. She might have to step things up a notch. She knew she was having an affect on him. The way he'd greeted her when he first saw her all made up had proven that. But this stoic side of him... it had a certain mysterious, sexy charm to it, but it wasn't as much fun as when she knew she was really making him sweat. Though when he stood all straight and tall like this, with that firm set to his jaw... He looked noble. Regal. Like a man who belonged with the Gods. Like a man who... ...who was out of her league. The thought gave her paused, but she didn't have time to explore it. "I done left 'em at 'ome," she said in response to his question. "I dun need 'em no more..." To prove it, she put a little weight on her foot, only wincing a little. "Ow..." she muttered. Okay, maybe she still needed them a little, but she was tired of being so limited. She was proud of her creation, but as hard as she had worked on the crutches, they didn't work as well as actually walking. "Oy, 'ere," she said, stepping up to Satevis and wrapping her arms around his neck. "'Ow's 'bout ya carry me, love, aye?" She giggled and slipped around behind him, hopping up onto his back so he could carry her piggyback. She leaned forward, her breasts pressed against his back, her breath tickling his ear, her cheek brushed against the side of his face. "C'mon!" she said cheerfully. "I ain't too 'eavy, is I?" With her arms wrapped around him she felt the muscles in his chest. Stoic, regal, and damn did he feel nice. Though it would be even better once he shifted form. In his Ethaefal form he was just... rawr.

[Satevis]

Satevis gave her a concerned frown as she winced, and automatically reached out to steady her, but it looked like it wasn't as bad as he'd feared. Her foot really was healing well. He suspected that by tomorrow, she wouldn't even need him to age the injury every night any more. The thought gave him pause. This arrangement between them had come up because of Tock's injury. He found himself looking forward to meeting her every night. Now, though, she was almost healed. He wouldn't have any reason to visit, so what would happen then? She wouldn't need him anymore... He felt angry with himself at the thought, because it was incredibly selfish. Of course he wanted Tock to heal. He had never liked seeing her in pain, and he knew that she was counting down the days until she was free of this injury. He just... He didn't want to stop seeing her. It was another surprising development in what was fast becoming the complicated mess of his feelings for Tock. He wondered how she felt about the situation, or if she had even thought that far ahead. It was almost impossible for him to say what was on Tock's mind at any given day... But that was a conversation for another time. The Ethaefal smiled slightly in response, adjusting her weight so it rested more comfortably on his back. Satevis wasn't exactly what someone might consider physically strong, especially during the day, but he could manage to carry her to the dormitory. His travels and his current sword training had given him that much. "No," he said when she asked if she was too heavy. He knew that there was only one right answer to that. "Not too heavy at all. I'm sure we make quite a sight, though." The last was said in a joking manner, but it was true. They did make an odd sight, heading back from the Infirmary to the Living Quarters. If he was being honest with himself, he would have to admit that he rather enjoyed the feeling of her pressed up against him like that. Thoughts... he warned himself. Don't let them stray...

[Minerva Agatha Zipporah]

"Aye," Tock replied, "I likes it when people stare." She giggled and started kissing his neck. She had him in a rather compromising position just then. He couldn't stop the kisses without dropping her, and she knew he wouldn't do that. She couldn't walk on her own just then. So there was nothing he could do to stop her lips from grazing his flesh, rising slowly higher until they brushed his earlobe. There was nothing he could do to stop her from taking that earlobe between her teeth and nibbling softly on it, as she let out a soft moan into his ear. There was nothing he could do except, hopefully, enjoy it. When they reached his room she reluctantly lowered herself down, then plopped onto his bed. She started toying with the buttons of the borrowed shirt, looking up at him playfully. She felt her breath catch, and she bit her lower lip, wondering. There were still a lot of things she was curious about. Yet also lines she wasn't sure if she was ready to cross. She didn't know where her own shirt was. She had forgotten what she'd done with it. So as she teased the buttons of the borrowed shirt open, she found herself wondering what to do about the whole shirt dilemma. She still hadn't figured it out by the time she was reduced to only a single button holding the shirt closed, thus revealing a fair bit of creamy flesh. Leaning back on the bed, she gazed up at Satevis, her fingers toying with the last button indecisively. "So..." she said softly, clearing her throat. She felt her face heat a bit and lowered her eyes. She felt caught in an uncertain moment between what good sense was telling her and what the rest of her was yearning for. She could push for something more, and face the fear that she wasn't ready for that, or she could find something else to do or to talk about, and risk ruining the moment. She decided to search for some point in between. She glanced at the window and said, "Sun's goin' down..." She was still toying with that button. "Even if'n we done wash my shirt, she won't be dry 'fore ya need 'is one. So's she done looks like one o' us's gonna 'ave ta be topless..." She still merely toyed with the button, not undoing it. Not offering to be the topless one. But she didn't button back up, either.

[Satevis]

Satevis involuntarily tightened his grip on her as he felt her start kissing him, his frown deepening. He kept his eyes fixed on the ground in front of him, trying not to think of Tock and of what she was doing. It was hard, because despite all of his control, he was still a man, and Tock was being very tempting at the moment. Despite his best efforts, she was having an effect on him, one that would be evident when she kissed his ear and he sucked in a sharp breath. ...Gods above, this woman would be the death of him. He let Tock go when they reached his room, turning around to close the door. He kept his back to her, using those few moments to attempt to regain his composure. It didn't work as well as he liked. His mind was still filled with thoughts of her--memories of what had happened the first time she had kissed him, memories of what had happened just now, and stray thoughts of what could potentially be to come. He thought he had a good handle on his thoughts, though, as he turned around to face her. Of course, when he saw what she had done to his shirt, his control over his thoughts went right out the window. Despite himself, his eyes lingered a little overlong on the skin that she had exposed, trailing downwards and fixing on her hand as she played with the last button. His mouth went dry, and whatever protest he had died in his throat. One of us... he repeated to himself, thinking over her words. He stared at her a moment longer before snapping out of it, taking a step back and turning his eyes back towards her face. Alright, enough was enough. Two could play at this game. "Oh, really?" he repeated, glancing at the sky again. The sun was rapidly setting. His hands went up, tugging on the laces of his shirt and undoing them. "...I suppose you're right. Well...it's only proper that it be me, right?" He shrugged his shirt off, just as he felt the warmth of the change beginning to come over him. In the space of a few moments, his Benshira form was swept away, replaced by his Ethaefal form. His hair was much darker now, almost black, and his horns a combination of pure white and emerald green. He opened his eyes, glancing over at Tock. Satevis was painfully aware of the looks his Ethaefal form drew. Normally, they made him uncomfortable. But that didn't mean he was unwilling to use it when he had to.

[Minerva Agatha Zipporah]

OOCOoooooh, you are EVIL! Using racial abilities for seductive advantage... Where this was going, both in the immediate sense of tonight, and the more long term sense of their relationship, wasn't something Tock thought much about. She lived in the moment, and in this moment, she was having fun drawing reactions out of Satevis. She could tell he was trying to resist her, and that just made it a challenge. She hadn't thought about what the end goal was, but seeing an obstacle made her want to overcome it, even if she had the potential to regret what was on the other side. The look on her face as he turned back around showed she had him right where she wanted him... except she didn't know where that was. Liking her? Wanting her? She couldn't articulate it. She just knew that look on his face sent a shiver up her spine, and that was a reward for her hard work. Then it suddenly backfired. Her eyes widened as he took off his shirt, revealing quite a nice body. One that got even nicer when the magic happened. She didn't know what it was; the mystical power that wrapped around him, the exotic uniqueness of his altered form, or maybe just the horns and their raw, animal, and perhaps psychologically symbolic status. Perhaps it was the fact that he was completely different from every other man she'd ever met. Perhaps it was the feeling that he was divine, the way he stood there as a symbol of that unattainable perfection that mortals could never reach. Or perhaps it was just that he looked fine. Whatever it was, it made her breath catch and her heart race. She stared at him wide eyed, no longer in control of the situation, and, strangely, liking that fact. She normally controlled every aspect of her life, from work to school to getting people to give her her way. But right now, with this tall, exotic hunk of angelic man standing over her, she felt delightfully vulnerable. Without thinking about what she was doing, she undid the last button, letting the shirt hang open, though it didn't quite expose her. Trembling, she watched him with eagerness and anticipation in her eyes, and perhaps a touch of doubt, or uncertainty. Yet there was also trust. She couldn't find any words. The teasing and games were gone. She was just lost in the moment. Part of her wanted to make a move, and part of her was afraid to. So she just waited, leaning back on the bed with a touch of submission, and ignoring the part of her mind that was protesting against the urges. Desire was one thing, emotion another, and she was too inexperienced to know where the line was. She didn't know if Satevis would be a gentleman, or surrender to his own desire. She didn't know what he wanted. But just then she was ready to submit to his demands, whether they were to button the shirt back up, or to take it off...

[Satevis]

OOCSorry for the late post. Been a little busy >.< It would be so easy to give in right then. To walk up to her and let the shirt fall from her shoulders, revealing her to him. Certainly, the thought did cross his mind. Certainly, he was aware of the possibilities. She was beautiful and tempting, and he was attracted to her. And at this moment, away from prying eyes, no one would see. It would be...easy... But it didn't feel right. She deserved more than that. She deserved more than a night of uncertain feelings. She deserved for them to be sure of what they felt, before things got to that point. Otherwise, this could only end in disaster. A thought occurred to him...that it would end in disaster no matter what, but he ignored it. His own potential immortality was not something for him to dwell on now. He walked up to her, staring down at her with violet eyes clouded over with all manner of feelings--desire, uncertainty, regret...Slowly, he leaned down, his fingers lightly brushing the soft skin of her belly as he reached for the shirt, pulling it together and redoing that one crucial button. His expression softened as he looked into Tock's eyes. "You should not push me so..." he said softly, leaning forward and touching his lips lightly to hers.