Placeholder Touch the Waves

[Sunette]

His hand landed with such grace against her cheek, an immediate increase in the contact between them. It was like instinct and that pulled at something inside of Sunette. It had never been this natural to be around someone before. Never. Her heart began to soar, but only for a moment. Without words, he took over the wheel again, Sunette releasing him from her grip to allow him freedom to do whatever it was he needed.

He laughed, his focus moved from her to the sea. A wave landed against the ship, moving it a bit more than Sunette had been ready for. She bent her knees, arms out a bit, keeping her balance enough to remain standing. He was unaffected other than the look of apparent joy that had taken him over. The passion he felt for the sea was so admirable to her, her eyes glued to him as he controlled the vessel under them with a certain edge to him.

They came to a halt shortly, and her favorite (only known) Svefra dropped a large piece of metal into the water. He motioned to the side of the ship, Sunette taking the hint and taking her place next to him on the ground near the ale. He didn't take the ale, though. He grabbed a bottle of wine-- a drink she preferred for sure.

"I get the need to have a moment."

She chuckled, her shoulder bumping against him lightly. I can tell. I don't mind, though.

" I can't even remember my firs' time lookin' at ta ocean. T'was born on it, ya know. Mos' are born on the land, but me Pod... me people ar' almos' always born on the sea. We live on it. Live with it. Fear it... Love it."

I was born in a cave. I hadn't even seen the sky until I left to come here. I've been on the sea before now. Traveled by ship shortly… but… not like this. Not in the day. Not even in the twilight. It was a moonless night when I got on a ship for the first time. I really can't explain how amazing it is to be out here right now. I didn't think you'd really do this for me.

"T'is my pleasure, Sunette. Ye're a lovely woman, after all. I jus' can't say no to ya, can I?"

She readjusted, leaning her head against him as her eyes watched the horizon wiggle with the waves. Something about him pulled her in like the undertow, and she wanted nothing more than to be swept in by it, by him. Sure, she recognized that this was coming on a little strong in such a short amount of time. Maybe it was the sea… Maybe the waters had a magic to them, creating some sort of romantic illusion that the Symenestra just couldn't fight off.

I'm glad you can't… You're an interesting man, you know it?

[Tydus Tempest]

Born in a cave? Curiosity set itself into the sailor's features as he listenedc to the young woman's tale. She had sailed before, which was news to him, given that she seemed to be as fearful of the concept as enthralled by it, yet her sea legs were undeniable. Though, sailing in the dark? It sounded like such an unlikely story, given the difficulty of making an entire journey without some form of light to guide them, though the Tempest supposed that with the lighthouse, one could theoretically find their way.

To Tydus, it seemed for naught, for half of the fun in journeying was finding one completely surrounded by the dazzling water, and enjoying the world around the boat as much as the journey itself. It sounded pointless, and even painful, but the Svefra kept the assessment to himself. Tydus managed a light smile as she pressed herself against him, surprise making its way upon his features, but he did not push her away. Rather, he reached for his mug of ale, bringing it to his lips and allowing the rest of the alcohol to pour down his throat, the lightheadedness blurring his thoughts as the world around him swirled.

The sun made its way along the sapphire sky, spilling its radiance across the horizon, dazzling the Tempest's eyes, warmth spilling onto his sun-kissed skin, the combination of which, with the woman so close to him, produced mixed sensations. Part of him wanted to take the woman, which was, of course, the intention of taking her out to sea, to woo her to an extent, but part of him merely wanted to pass the day by. Obviously, the former had a stronger than the latter, and it sparked in him, a grin materializing upon his features as Common spilled from his lips, his tone exuding confidence that overtook the slight slur in his speech,

"Is 'tat so, lass? Well, I think yer interesting, too. Beautiful with a mix of venom in ye, I can see it. I think..."

A stall took place in his words, the Tempest allowing her to interpret them as she so desired before he leaned in to press his lips to the top of her head, fingers traversing the smooth skin of her shoulders and upper arm, a deliberately slow touch placed, the contact bearing tingles along the Svefra's fingertips. Alcohol had its way of heightening sensation, and the Tempest was more than willing to allow it to take him.

[Sunette]

"Is 'tat so, lass? Well, I think yer interesting, too. Beautiful with a mix of venom in ye, I can see it. I think..."


When he said he could see the venom in her, she immediately became worried that she was dripping poison from her fangs, and moved her hand to cover her mouth. She parted her lips slightly, pushing the skin of her palm against her teeth in almost a subtle wiping motion. Nothing but saliva-- Thank Viratas. This would be difficult if the chance of her accidentally killing him were higher. But luckily, right now, it was slim.

His fingertips danced across her skin, goosebumps popping up all over her porcelain skin from his gentlest of touches. His lips pressed to her forehead, and her eyes closed at the sensation, mind racing. If I don't do this now, I probably never will.

With that thought, she moved in. Her lips moved to mold against his in a quick kiss of passion, her clawed hand going up to caress his neck with her silken skin. She made sure to not scratch him with her black talons, not wanting the pain to absolutely destroy what she'd already worked toward with him. She could taste the ale on his lips, but it was nothing more than a distraction from the taste of death that probably lingered on her own.

She held the kiss for but a few moments before pulling away, inches between their faces.

Have you ever been with someone that could accidentally kill you?


She moved the hand that held his neck to his face, running the back of her nails against the side of his face. Her eyes watched her hand run across his perfectly tanned complexion, smiling softly at the situation that was at hand.

Or that you could just as easily kill?

Her gaze returned to him, her lips in a smirk. It was true; One wrong kiss and her venom could end him, but he could just as easily crush her bones with one thrust. The pairing was destructive in the worst way possible. Was she ready to give in to a craving for physical affection if it meant she could die?

How much do you know about Symenestra physiology?

[Tydus Tempest]

The woman's lips had pressed to his, locking with his in an embrace of passion that he more than willingly reciprocated, his lips entwining with hers, parting them as he sought to meet her taste. Dulled by the ale, the Svefra could still feel the mark of death upon her kiss, but for Tydus, it was life.

There was a time that the Svefra had felt the fear of death in Laviku's ebb and tide, so the moment she asked her question, an answer immediately formed in his mind. For a time after the decimation of his pod and with it the life he held so dearly, he was destroyed. A shell of a man, a wastrel of a Svefra with only fear for the waves that crashed upon the hull of the Tempest Winds. He had turned from seafaring pirate (if even that), to a sorry, unworthy and depressed shell. But, he had conmmuned. He found a love for the sea again with each ship that the pod 're-acquired', with each piece of hope that sprung towards him. Tydus caught it all, basking in it and restoring his faith. He was not going to turn his back on the sea, for it never turned its back upon him.

Laviku never made promises of success or a long life. He was not a God to be loved, but a deity to be respected. What one could come to love, however, was the tapestry of world that was his creation. The roaring tides were not simply waves of destruction to be feared and cowered from. No, they were the ocean's music that crashed upon the ship, producing a symphony that called to the heart of each Svefra. And that was what Tydus was. A Svefra. Before being a businessman, before being a pirate. Before being a lover or a sleuth, a manipulator and a con man. Before any of his aspirations and ambitions, Tydus was Svefra. Even in death, the Pod had embraced the sea. In storm and in calm seas, the Tempest pod never lost their faith in the sea that rejuvenated their bodies and cleansed their souls. For without the sea, they were nothing. Without the sea, they were forsaken and left to rot in a world of land that was unfamiliar to them.

So when the woman asked her question, Tydus immediately had an answer, a profound realization that he had come across in this moment more than any other, but had slowly been approaching.

"I can say that I 'ave, love. Teh' sea is a Master harsher than any other. A lover and a destroye' beeyon' all possible understandin. Me people, teh Svefra live on it, we wade in teh pool of uncertainty and damnation, for we can' imagine another life beyond teh' tides. A've seen others who forsake t'is life, and end up as shells wit' little more than excuses and a grim disposition. T'is an entirely diff'ren form of deat', but one much more concerning than the physical one."

Her fingers moved from his neck to his face, sharp fingernails caressing his cheek with a slow, easy transition. The unfamiliar sensation could best be compared to rubbing one's face against a thin spear of granite, a most curious, if disarming sensation. But, it was her next two questions that set him off, a chuckle escaping his lips as he pressed forward, capturing the woman in yet another kiss before he whispered against her lips,

"Are ye afraid of me then, lass? T'ink I could kill ye in a romp on teh sea? T'is possible, but death in the throes of passion souns' like teh right way teh die, don't ye think? Sounds like teh only way to truly say yeh lived. I don' know nothing about Symewhastra physiology, lass. In truth, I still don' know what teh blimey 'ell ye are. But, yer a friend to me now. Tat much I can decide for certain. A lover even, if tat's what ye wan, too."

[Sunette]

"I can say that I 'ave, love. Teh' sea is a Master harsher than any other. A lover and a destroye' beeyon' all possible understandin. Me people, teh Svefra live on it, we wade in teh pool of uncertainty and damnation, for we can' imagine another life beyond teh' tides. A've seen others who forsake t'is life, and end up as shells wit' little more than excuses and a grim disposition. T'is an entirely diff'ren form of deat', but one much more concerning than the physical one."

Sunette didn't really understand the passion he had for the sea, the belief that without it he would die. She knew, too, what it felt like to be a shell and return from that darkness. Feeling that void herself, she still couldn't agree that a physical death wasn't worse. She'd seen what it was like to die. She'd caused it in the past. She'd caused a slow, painful death.

Both were temporary.

Dying inside was living day in and day out in the haze of a false life, like nothing was real and nothing mattered. But the reality was that you could either climb out of it or reach the second kind of death. You could still function being dead on the inside, you could hide it, you could still have moments of joy no matter how rare they were. You could still smile.

Physical death, especially from Symenestra venom, was slow and painful. Once it had you in its grasp, once it was inside of you, your body would freeze and begin to melt on the inside. You would be awake for every agonizing second of being turned into food. No moments of joy. No smiles.

Her bleak thoughts were interrupted by another kiss from her sea dweller, the Symenestra returning it eagerly once more. His giggle and short retreat were followed by soft words, his breath tickling her lips.

"Are ye afraid of me then, lass? T'ink I could kill ye in a romp on teh sea? T'is possible, but death in the throes of passion souns' like teh right way teh die, don't ye think? Sounds like teh only way to truly say yeh lived. I don' know nothing about Symewhastra physiology, lass. In truth, I still don' know what teh blimey 'ell ye are. But, yer a friend to me now. Tat much I can decide for certain. A lover even, if tat's what ye wan, too."

Symewhatstra. Sunette began to laugh in a way she hadn't been sure was possible, the daintiest of bellows coming from her throat. She managed to laugh hard enough that she fell over onto her side, falling away from him.

Symewhatstra! HA! Oh Viratas, that's hilarious!

She managed to stifle her laughter after another moment, wiping the tears from her eyes and hoisting herself from the ground and back into a sitting position, but this time it was a straddle on his lap. Her nails returned to the side of his face, slowing running up and down as she watched the slow movement.

Symenestra. We are… delicate. Light bones to keep us fast and help us climb, but they keep us fragile as well. An injury that would break a human bone would kill us. Even our stomachs are fragile.

She opened her lips slightly, allowing her fangs to show through. They were small at that moment, but still prominent.

We produce a venom. That's why we have fangs. It's corrosive, turning whatever we're eating into something more suitable for our bodies. It also has… a paralyzing effect.

Her eyes met his, her stomach dropping a bit as she admitted this to him. She felt like an animal, something ferocious. How could she word delicately that if she accidentally killed him, she would eat him?

…For living prey. We, as a race, don't condone the consumption of larger prey, but… it occasionally happens.

A sigh passed through her lips, her hand caressing the side of his face tenderly.

I'm not afraid of being hurt by you, I'm afraid of hurting you. Be sure you make it clear what you mean by a lover, because we may see the word two different ways.

[Tydus Tempest]

The movement of the conversation had long dulled the effect of the alcohol in his system, the woman's questions drawing the need for his mental faculties, her actions forcing him into an arousal that if she sought after proof of its existence, she would find physical evidence of. His mind was enthralled by the possibilities that the woman's body offered, the danger of it all only a further bit of encouragement to use the coils of rope and the woman's acrobatic talent to ensure that Tydus remained safe. After all, the Tempest scion enjoyed his games, and it wasn't the first time he had to improvise in order to please a lover. Tydus' mind flashed back for a moment as a certain scene played in his thoughts.

~Memories stirred, carting Tydus off into the ever flowing weave of the past. The waves of the shore crashed against the Waverunner's Fist as Tydus and a podsister prepared the reinforced net and cast it out to sea. In the dead of night, surely neither were bound to catch any sort of fish with it, but the possibility of experimentation on the water itself was an appeal quite unlike any other.

The ropes bound the net tightly to the water's surface, the Svefra and his lover for the evening grinning at one another before making their way into the webbing, hair and bodies beginning to intertwine with one another, the net pulling one down, then the other, a shifting, rotating embrace between the two taking place in the water. The ocean's waves dulled the heat of the throes of passion with cool, refreshing water.

Over the course of the night, the rest of the Pod ignored the moans that echoed in the starlight, too enthralled in their own endeavors and the possibility of sleep.~

A moment passed before the Tempest scion was cast from the throes of passion setting in his mind, his lips pursing for just a moment as he realized that the memory had not helped him in his current situation. It was difficult to focus at this point, desire and further insistence upon his desire manifesting in the form of djed, Tydus pulling it from the depths of his very soul as he listened to the woman droll on about the possible consequences of intercourse with a Syme... whatever she called herself. Tydus couldn't bring himself to properly translate it, and had not the faintest clue what the possible translation for it was in Fratava, so he decided to ignore it.

Rather, he decided to ensure the woman that there was nothing to fear. Djed wove into his touch as he pressed his fingers to the woman's neck, fingers dancing along the delicate vein that was the jugular to a human as he pressed his lips to hers. The touch was infused with an emotional response, the Tempest prompting her to feel awash with a calming sensation, Tydus intent on having her associate his presence with the feeling. Of course, it was ultimately up to her desire to resist the notion or not to see if it worked.

He didn't bother to assess it before moving straight into the next particular beat of Hypnotism, his lungs drawing a breath of fresh air as he whispered in the woman's ear, still keeping his hand to her cheek to remind her of his presence as he layered djed within his throat, a flicker of suggestion inlaid into a metered, measured tone,

"Yeh won' hurt me, lass. Trus' me, ye don't have to worry 'bout me... Yeh never do.

The suggestion prompted within her mind, not as the words he spoke, but as a thought he wished to imprint upon her:

He's right. Tydus is someone I can trust with his own safety.

He sought to take the edge off with his suggestion, and ultimately wipe her conscience clean, but in the end, he would not spring her desire for him with the aid of Hypnotism. After all, that was cheating.

"A lover is 'un a person confides in for a night, lass. A night of pleasure and a companion to fill the void of loneliness for the evenin'. Yer me friend, too. I stick to me friends, lass. Friends and lovers are not exclusive, but there's a bond ter."

[Sunette]

Fingers across her flesh once more, her skin tingling at his touch. Another kiss, only sending more chills up and down her body. He was achieving his goal-- Everything about him calmed her at this point. He didn't even need to whisper in her ear with his sweet hypnotism, but he did.

"Yeh won' hurt me, lass. Trus' me, ye don't have to worry 'bout me... Yeh never do."

Something about those words… She wanted to believe them. She let their warmth rush over her and convince her they were right. She wouldn't hurt him. She didn't want to. For once in her life, she felt that she was with someone she wouldn't have to worry about. She'd never had that; she'd always been overly worried (or overly interested, to be honest) about hurting her lovers with her venom. About killing them, about feeding her constant craving. But Tydus… Tydus was quelling every fear she had.

He's right. Tydus is someone I can trust with his own safety.

Those words echoed through her mind, melting her heart. She wanted him. She needed to have him.

"A lover is 'un a person confides in for a night, lass. A night of pleasure and a companion to fill the void of loneliness for the evenin'. Yer me friend, too. I stick to me friends, lass. Friends and lovers are not exclusive, but there's a bond ter."

One night? Oh, no. She wanted him for more than one night. She leaned in, her lips brushing against his as she whispered her question. She couldn't let this escape.

Have you ever considered anything… longer than one night?

Her lips traveled across his face, trailing lightly across his cheek before she planted a tender kiss by his ear.

Something… More?

[Tydus Tempest]

Something more.

The words echoed through his mind, his lips pursing as he visibly shook from the phrase. Tydus was caught amidst the surge of emotional distress as he thought about his life before the shipwreck. Tatianna surged into his thoughts, far more often and more present than the rest, a multitude of forgotten faces and flickering intention. Where memories of the pod lingered, there was only misery, shelved and resolved in the midst of Tydus' love for the sea and respect for Laviku. The Sea God's tides had taught him what it was to respect, the journey to the Tower of Laviku had ended with Tydus' renewed faith, though it was still, for a great deal of time after, still a persistent, destructive fear that tormented him so. Nightmares festered, tides rippled in his thoughts, the bloated corpses of his Pod scattered about the mound of shipwreck that persisted for weeks after the incident.

Stop... STOP. You've come too far to be dragged down again, Ty...

There was nothing he could do. Bloated corpses gave way to the scene of the shipwreck, his thoughts blurred of all else as the scene took hold in his mind.

~Burning sails filled the Tempest's nostrils as he looked around to see the charred faces of his podmates. One was impaled with a heavy harpoon, lodged to the mast and screaming out their last moments of life as flames engulfed them. The entirety of the Waverunner's Fist was sinking beneath him as Tydus looked around, tears shed from his eyes as he saw the only face that mattered to him. The woman's throat was torn to pieces by splinters thrown astray by ballista fire, but her face was utterly untouched save for droplets of blood that had splattered onto it.

The Lia was long gone, soaking in a pool of her own blood, but Tydus had approached her regardless, a scream of anguish tearing at his vocal cords as he reached forward to hold her. His arms and face were coated with the Lia's blood as a result, and he sought out her cutlass before leaving like a coward, abandoning the Pod and the Lia, Tatianna Tempest dead on the deck.

A different memory stirred, from the distant past, a frown materialized upon Tydus' features, though there was no whirling flashback accompanying it. Merely words that invaded his thoughts and brought a stinging, burning sensation to his eyes as he fought against tears.

Two years in the past...

"You've always been there, Tydus. From the little Tempest with no idea how to sail, you've turned into a man. One that's levelheaded and a use to the Pod beyond the normal piracy that we engage in. You have an eye for a future...

Three seasons passed.

"I know how you feel, Tydus. I can't... I don't know. You're too young, not a proper Svefra yet."

A year passed. Tydus recalled her face with these next words, the woman's thumb raised to her lips in a teasing sort of way before she had pressed her lips to his, "Maybe... Let me think about it, Tydus..."

Three days passed and with it, a return to the carnage of the first memory.~

Tydus stepped back as he looked to the Symenestra, horror materializing upon his features as he found her face to be replaced by that of Tatianna's. Tydus couldn't take it anymore, he lightly pressed Sunette forward, which allowed a measure of space that the Svefra used to slide out from underneath her. Once the Svefra rose from his place, he leaned over the ship's gunwale, allowing him to fall into the water.

Ocean's Sense overwhelmed his hallucinations, the memories ceasing as the luminosity of the lights of aquatic life stirred and danced in his vision. Bubbles were produced from his nostrils as spent oxygen, converted to carbon dioxide, escaped his lungs. and with the ending of the hallucinations, Tydus found peace in the water. He didn't rise until his lungs strained for the air that they required, his body rising so that his head sprung out of the water, his lungs expanding as he took a breath. He strove to hide the darkness that Sunette surely saw as he called out with a laugh,

"Wanna jump in?"

[Sunette]

Apparently a question about anything longer than a single night's worth of commitment was enough to drive the sailor to a dark place in his mind. He simple stared off into space for a moment, eyes showing that he may have been sitting with her, but he surely wasn't there. A look of absolute terror took over his features, worrying the pale woman in his lap. But before she could ask him what was wrong, he moved the Symenestra from his lap and stood.

She thought for a split second that he simply needed to breathe; perhaps she'd brought up a past she was unaware of. But, no. The Svefra dropped himself into the water. Sunette immediately jumped up, lurching toward the railing, hands holding the wood so tightly that her talons almost cut into the ship.

Bubbles appeared on the surface in random patterns, his air rising out of his lungs and back into the world. She had no idea what to do about this. She couldn't go in after him, seeing as she didn't know how to swim at all. Maybe she could jump in after him and know how to swim instinctively? No, that wouldn't make sense. When would Symenestra have needed to swim in the past? Why would that be an instinct she had? Could she climb on the side of the ship and hold on underwater and pull him up? Would she be able to keep a grip on the ship underwater?

Sunette just stood there, mouth agape as her panicked mind raced with ways to get Ty out of the water, thinking he was in trouble for some reason. Before she chose a course of action, the blonde man arose from the water, breaking the surface with a splash. The Sym woman screamed a bit, surprised at his sudden appearance. And his sudden change in mood.

"Wanna jump in?"

She simply stared through him for a moment, taking slow deep breaths as she focused on calming herself back down. Her answer was simple, matter-of-fact, and a bit bland in tone.

I don't know how to swim.

[Tydus Tempest]

Pffffft. Doesn't know how to swim? What kind of lubber wants to go out and sail, but can't hop into the water? Typical 'normal' nonsense.

Tydus' mood had lifted only to fall again, a frown pursing his lips under the water as he took several moments to get oriented. The movement had rushed blood to his head, a fixture of grogginess setting him on edge and bringing to light the darker thoughts that he had sought to deny. He hated the sensation. The feelings of dread that climbed into his being, dampening his light and sinking him into the reaching deeps of despair. Attacks passed, moments of helplessness were common, and the rank distaste for his existence never faded away, but Tydus lived on, knowing that he was too much of a coward to end himself and too weak to save anyone else.

He festered in the rank of distaste before he climbed out of the water, settling himself upon the deck of the casinor, firmly setting both feet upon the ground as he scoured the gunwale for the rope that connected to the anchor. A pulley mechanism existed to bring the anchor up with greater ease, and though the Tempest usually forsook its use, intent on strengthening his body with the use of the anchor's weight. This time, however, this was forsaken. Tydus worked the rope through the pulley, bringing the anchor up in the water, the force sufficient to bring the anchor up, and Tydus then hauled it out of the ocean. Rope was set in its coiled shape before he set the anchor onto the deck, moving past the woman with a shrug before he said,

"T'is getting late, lass. We're gonna start 'eadin back now."

The boat swayed now that it was released from the anchor's weight, the Tempest taking his time to lower the forward and small sails from their reeled state. Reaching for the ropes that hung over the mast, Tydus climbed up and slowly looped them into small holes at the base of the forward sail, connecting it to the mast before doing the same to the rear sail, checking twice to ensure that the sails were taut and in their proper place before they cast off once again. The boat had displaced slightly in Tydus' effort, forcing him to turn the ship's wheel sharply, pulling upon the ropes of the forward sail to temporarily reel it as the ship turned, making forward and subsequently, turning progress to the port side before the ship was facing the Riverfall docks once more.

It's not your fault that she made ye feel this way, Tydus. Ye tugged her along fer too long. Shoulda spotted her as the type to want it fer more than a day. Maybe t'was the magic, too. Gotta be more careful.

Tydus was learning more and more that Hypnotism was not to be used lightly, though he did so regardless, reveling in its use, for it and liquor were what made him feel alive. Regardless of his self-warning, he knew it would be for naught, for the Tempest scion enjoyed his games far too much to let them go from one mistake. Rather, he called out to Sunette, managing a smile as he said,

"More than a night, y'say? What'd ye have in mind?"

The answer was far too late, chimes having passed as either silence or the woman's ignored protests and questions had passed. He wasn't sure, because he had not been listening. His mood fell as Leth traveled through the sky. And at the very least, he wanted to rest. At the most, he'd go out for a drink and forget that the feelings had stirred up once again, those horrible bastards that they were.

Count: 626.