Flashback Almost is the Worst (Ina)

[Orion Michaels]

The Goldengrotto 9th of Spring, 510 AV 9th Bell Gods….what happened.. Orion felt like he was sitting in the sea, thanks to the spinning and swaying felt in his head. As he forced his eyes open, a look of bewilderment grew upon his face. He didn’t recognize this room. What in the world was he laying on? Why the petch did his head hurt so much? Was that a hammock? “H-hello?” He voiced his question to no one in particular as he rolled off the rough sack he was apparently using as a pillow. The fingers of his right hand pressed against the ground as he rose from one knee to a fully erect position. The ground was almost moving beneath him, and he wouldn’t keep steady feet, leaning against the wooden wall. Trying to get his bearings, Orion took a deep breath, and that’s when it hit him. Salty. The Suvan. Redhead…beautiful redhead. “Edreina..” That was it. He was..well, he was down to his undergarments. All he could smell was the sea. But she was nowhere to be found. “Ah..my head hurts so much…did we have that much fun?” He put his hands on his head and closed his eyes tightly, trying to push the pain out. At the same time, he could still taste her lips on his. Judging by the fact that she was nowhere to be seen, and that he’d earned himself quite a shiner on the back of his head, they probably hadn’t finished the deed. But where was she? Unsteadily, he wandered over to make his way to the deck. His clothing was up there, and if he recalled correctly, they were completely soaked from the impromptu swim he had taken the previous evening. Edreina Whitewave had jumped in, teased him, and helped to the (relatively) dry boat. It was all starting to come back to him. It had been an absolutely ridiculous evening, with running, falling, awkward moments, and it had a perfect trajectory until he fell over that petching hammock and knocked himself silly. “How embarrassing..,” he muttered, shaking his head as he emerged from below deck. Squinting from the brightness of Syna’s rays, he glanced around, the soothing sounds of gulls, ocean spray, and a gentle breeze touching his senses. It was a beautiful day, one that would have been a wonderful one to wake up to after a romp with a lovely woman. Instead… “There she is,” he remarked quietly, walking over to the Svefra who’d decided for some reason to sleep on the deck alone. He was about to kneel down and wake her when a thought crossed his mind. Had she slept up here because she was mad at him? She was the aggressor in initiating their almost-fun the evening before, and he’d messed it up like some idiot. He’d just leave her, sleeping like some goddess, if he could. Swimming the distance they were out from the shore though would spell certain death for the unskilled man. He had no choice but to wait on her to wake, or to speed it up on his own. Nothing was gained without first taking risk, right? “Hey there, Miss Whitewave,” he said, reaching down to gently shake her shoulder. “Couldn’t imagine waking up and seeing this face beside you? I’m not sure if I should be hurt or honored?” He grinned, removing his hand and rubbing the back of his head instead. “Though I think I’ve dealt with plenty of hurting, wouldn’t you agree? Good morning, Edreina.”

[Edreina]

Edreina had been awake the moment that his clumsy steps started across the deck. But, she kept her eyes shut, breath slow, just in case he was interested in making his escape without bothering with her. She was anchored just paces from the docks, an easy enough paddle, surely, even for one so inept at the ways of navigating water. When he approached her from behind and paused, obviously thinking something over, Edreina had to fight to keep from rolling over and looking up at him, just one last time. But, to her vast surprise, Orion reached down to wake her gently. “Hey there, Miss Whitewave. Couldn’t imagine waking up and seeing this face beside you? I’m not sure if I should be hurt or honored? Though I think I’ve dealt with plenty of hurting, wouldn’t you agree? Good morning, Edreina.” Edreina attempted to "wake" as slowly as she could, stretching out languorously before rolling onto her back, running a hand through the hair that lined her forehead and yawning - did not have to fake that one, by the way. "Morning, Orion." She smiled up at him again before stretching her arms out above her head and arching her back up off the deck, working away the soreness from sleeping upon it. "Your clothes are aft..." At the look of confusion that arched one of Orion's lovely brows, she jerked a thumb towards the rear of the ship with a smile, indicating where his clothes had been lain out. "Gimme a minute to wake up and I'll take you to shore." Not waiting for a reply, she stood and stretched again with a groan, rolling her head so that her trapezius muscles loosened along with her shoulders. Utterly nonchalant, she removed her outer clothing and, without pausing, jumped off the side of the ship into the Suvan. Being a Svefra, there was no better way to awaken the senses than the cool, morning water. Drifting lazily beneath the waves for a moment, she felt the sleep leave her eyes and her limbs. When her ill-prepared breath began to wane, Edreina rose to the surface and paddled quickly over to the Goldengrotto, hauling herself into the boat with ease. It was one of those days where she just wanted to swim and then lay on the deck and then swim... all day. But, she had another to take care of. Looking up at Orion from her sprawled position on the deck, Edreina grinned, slightly unsure. "Sorry... it's the best way to wake up." Standing, she ran fingers through her hair until it was partially dry and rather fluffy, looking like pure copper in the sunlight. "Now about you... Orion Michaels..." She put her hands on her hips and smiled wryly. "How's the head? You won't collapse once I get you to shore, right?" She bit her lip as she teased, already heading over to the tiller, annoying city-clothes forgotten.

[Orion Michaels]

Orion tried not to stare as the red headed beauty began to stand in all of her splendor. Not that he was terribly successful at it. That bump on the head had only put a temporary pause on his desires, but he wasn’t quite all back, so for now all he could do was watch and hopefully not come off as –too- much of a creep. “…Aft?” When she motioned to where his clothing was, a look of realization came across his face. It must have been some sort of seafaring vocabulary. He’d be useless if she actually needed something done, wouldn’t he? “Ah, thanks..” He stepped gingerly over to where she’d lain he clothing, as though he was going to fall or the deck was going to give way under his weight. She said something to him, but the blue eyed man was a little too focused to really notice and only then realized what she’d announced when the splash of someone diving alerted him to it. The serious expression on his face gave way to one amused. Grabbing his shirt and pants he walked over to the side of the Goldengrotto and peeked over to watch as she paddled around in the sea. Orion couldn’t help but appreciate the view before him. The Svefra were an amazing people, weren’t they? Brash, forward, and unconcerned with nudity. Actually, to Orion it seemed she was more than unconcerned, she was fond of it, and there would be no complaints from the young man about it. There was nothing unlikable about the scene before him. “Edreina, we’ve barely exchanged a dozen words and most of them are about getting me to shore.” A wicked smirk pressed to his lips, the same one that had graced his face during so many moments the previous day when their passions nearly merged. “Am I thank unpleasant of company? Or do you just not want to take advan-“ Orion had begun to advance on the freckled woman, her sea and sun kissed skin teasing him with every stride. He’d planned for his own way of waking up, much better than a swim in the ocean if you asked him, and by the way she looked, and how she would never stop biting that blasted lip, he couldn’t imagine much resistance coming from her. Only, as with everything between these two, it was clumsy. So very, unbelievable, laughably, clumsy. Out did his feet slip from underneath him as the ship angled just slightly up as a slightly larger swell raised one end of the vessel higher. That coupled with a slippery spot sent Orion crashing back down to a now all too familiar deck. “Y’know, maybe I should just stay down here, Miss Whitewave. I’m likely to hurt myself or you if I stand.” He sighed, rolling over on his back to gaze up at the morning light, well her, but mostly the morning light. He didn’t appear to be cut out for the sea life, that was plain enough. It was his first time on a boat, but it couldn’t have gone much worse. “Perhaps it is best you return me to shore, before I embarrass myself any further.” He couldn’t do anything to hide the tint of red that assaulted his cheeks. He was so out of element, and in more ways than he could imagine. “So no, I won’t collapse on shore, but as for on your ship? I can promise you another fall or two, I’m sure.”

[Edreina]

Edreina cringed when she heard a thunderous thud upon the deck, knowing that such a sound could only stem from one instance. Turning slowly, she was not even slightly surprised to see Orion sprawled across the deck once more. Shaking her head, she walked over and leaned over him, eclipsing the sun with her head and hair. "Darling, at this point I wonder if you will even be able to make it to the docks." Damn it that blush is adorable... Edreina bit her lip, anchoring it to keep from kneeling down and kissing him right then and there. She had never kissed someone upside down before... The vibrantly maned Svefra stood and shook her head again before she could betray herself. Without a word, she donned her damned and restrictive clothing with a yawn and finally made her way to the tiller, nearly forgetting to raise anchor with her current mindset. It took her only a few minutes to navigate to the docks and find a place to tie off, but those minutes felt like hours as she was keenly aware of the man watching her. After finally caring for her ship, she loped across the deck to Orion's side, sinking quickly with her long, freckled legs crossed beneath her. "Well I would certainly hate to keep you from the long day of adventure and conquest you have planned." She winked. "So, when you are ready, I will help you get your sorry but on dry land where you can begin to swagger about once more." Oh she could not help herself sometimes. Something about the morning light, or maybe the fresh Suvan water had invigorated Edreina filling her with renewed life that coursed through her limbs so powerfully she found it hard to sit still. She wanted to be up and about and exploring. Just doing something. Moments ago, she had only wanted to return to the Suvan's cool embrace. But, as Syna sashayed ever further above the horizon, she felt a certain restlessness. Perhaps, this uncontrollable surge of energy is what fueled Edreina's spontaneity. She watched him with dancing blue eyes, corners of her lips elevated with oncoming mischief. Just as he was about to speak, she moved forward in one quick, smooth motion. Suddenly, they were very close, breath mingling as their shadows became a single form in the morning's amber light. With her hands on either side of Orion's head, she smiled, looking him directly in the eye this time as she captured her lip gently between her teeth, teasing him. "But... If you decide you would like another... adventure... with me, I'd be more than happy to oblige." Feeling incredibly bold, she took the instant of hesitation as Orion was further removed from his element - Had it truly been just last night that she was the one blushing and at a loss for words? - to lean in just a bit closer, nearly close enough to kiss him, to skim her nose along his stubbled jaw. Edreina deeply hoped that she was being at least a hair on the side of seductive, tipping the balance away from creepy. Afraid to do any more, she rose to her feet, smirking despite herself and the leap of faith she had just taken. She offered him a hand, part of her - a Southern part which had finally decided to wake up and was now insisting on various activities with all of its might after last night's disappointment - was hoping that Orion would take her by that hand, haul her down to the deck, and make a scene that early-morning passers-by would not soon forget. The other part just hoped he would not be so off-put by her behavior that he attempt to stand on his own.

[Orion Michaels]

The Svefra’s comment only caused him to blush further. At least she wasn’t dumb, right? Edriena could get her kicks out of Orion’s plight, watch him struggle to find any semblance of balance on a sea which very clearly rejected him. Even worse, she decided that now was the time to clothe herself. Didn’t she realize that was the only benefit of being on this cursed water? What could he do if not enjoy the view? “Oh what could have been,” he muttered quietly, his lamenting washed away by the salty waters. If not for his misjudgement…if not for his clumsiness… He remained quiet as Edriena guided them to shore, towards what was likely to be an ending to their fun. The Svefra, in his minimal experience, weren’t known for their attachment to any particular place but the sea. She’d drop him off, and given a day, he’d be forgotten about. Not that there’s anything particularly wrong with that.. After all, Orion couldn’t remember so many names, so many faces… He scoffed slightly at her statement, a grin returning to his once somber face. “Adventure and conquest? I’m sure to be bedridden after my adventure last night. I’ll never be the same after that collision with the deck.” So she was ready to get rid of him. Life would go on, though the taste of those lips would linger onward, if for a few moments more. Suddenly, there she was, just inches from his face. He saw the look in her eyes before she did, but before he could react her hands were on his face. His eyes closed and he leaned forward instinctually, a soft sigh escaping him as she caught his lips with her teeth. Energy coursed through his spine as desire filled every inch of the young man. She teased him so. But just like that, she was gone from his space, back to her feet. He’d caught some of her words. No, he’d caught enough of her words. They were almost an insult. Everything with her was offer and then..slide away. Though some of that was his fault, he knew. Still, when offered him that hand to stand, there was really only one option. Grasping her fingers in his, he pulled down, dragging the freckled woman down on top of him where he could hold her in tight embrace and push puffy pink lips against hers. It nearly sucked his breath away, the ting of passion which danced upon his lips. All but numb to the gentle breeze and the salty scent, all that he really cared for right now was Miss Edriena Whitewave. Besides, he didn’t have to work today. He could do something crazy, right? Maybe it was too much, maybe it would send her running, and he could just move on with his life. Or maybe it would be an actual adventure. “You have enough food for a brief companion? If you really want to see adventure and conquest, I believe we’re in the wrong place.” He nipped gently at her neck before loosening his hold on her. “The sea really feels endless. Why don’t you show me what’s out there?” With that, he shifted his weight and rolled to the side, trying to reverse their fortunes. With her pinned underneath him, a wicked smirk spread across his lips. The wets strands of her hair all over, those lips that wouldn’t give him a break, and those eyes of a blue indescribable. They were too much. “Or we could have an adventure right here, if that’s more your style . . . “

[Edreina]

Edreina found herself tumbling forward into Orion's waiting arms with a breathless grin. Any chance she had of regaining that breath was lost by the sudden attack of Orion's lips upon hers. Despite the fact that she was already at the end of her breath, Edreina was a swimmer and could hold it long enough to hold this moment until Orion pulled away. At which point she would likely take a deep, trembling breath though her nose, maybe snorting in a rather unladylike fashion if she was not careful. But that did not matter. Not at that moment. On their own accord, Edreina's nimble fingers danced upwards and into Orion's hair, pulling him closer as they kissed. It was everything that last night had been renewed and tinged with the desperation that is born of so many disappointments. Their lips seemed unwilling to part as they hungered more deeply for one another, bodies seemed to crave a connection, warmth of bare skin tingling wherever it met. It was so much more that Edreina had ever experienced. When they parted, Edreina gasping once to keep herself from blacking out, unable to hear much over the sound of her own heartbeat, it was as if the whole world had been brought into greater contrast. His eyes were so bright, dancing with a fire that they shared. “You have enough food for a brief companion? If you really want to see adventure and conquest, I believe we’re in the wrong place.” She did have rations below deck. Maybe they could- "Aaahhh..." The sound escaped Edreina's lips as her preoccupied mind was pulled back into the moment by the shockingly erotic feeling of Orion's teeth upon Edreina's fair neck. Oh he just knew how to get to her... And then he was sliding away, ever so slightly but just enough for Edreina's body to arch in protest. “The sea really feels endless. Why don’t you show me what’s out there?” Oh... Me and you... open sea... Edreina blushed brightly at the unending possibilities that lay there. And suddenly they were rolling, moving with the wave of the ship so that Orion was hovering over her. Blue eyes locked together, searching one another for that flicker of permission, her hands wandered upwards once more, fingers lacing at the back of his neck. Sitting up just enough that her shoulders left the deck, that her lips could skim down his jawbone to the point where his shoulder and neck meet, Edreina tried her best to hide just how much he was peaking her... intrigue... with every passing moment. “Or we could have an adventure right here, if that’s more your style..." The sharp gasp that pulled air across Orion's neck was chased by a shaky exhale as Edreina attempted to remain in control of herself. "Adventure is adventure. The where does not matter... so long as we're having fun," she slipped the last word in with a small smile against his neck, followed by a gentle nip. At this point, Edreina's flush skin would not object to being pressed against the warm wood of her own deck, nor would it oppose being bared beneath Syna's gaze. She let herself fall back against the deck, fingers still resting against the back of his neck, keeping him close. "But if you're feeling shy... We can always go on a short sail?" She bit her lip and looked up at him through her thick black lashes. "Could give you a... swimming lesson," she breathed, fingertips dancing down to the arc of his collarbone, at the base of his throat.

[Orion Michaels]

She was a beautiful woman, no other way about it. And she was there, in his grasp, blushing, squirming, and smiling, meeting each of his kisses with one more passionate than his last. Each time that she touched him, every gentle caress and every grasp of his hair only made him want to have her more. Who gave a petch if they were visibly docked? Who cared about this blasted salt water getting anywhere and everywhere? To see her freckled skin pressed against the wooden deck, crying with pleasure... "Oooh.." A soft moan escaped the young man's lips as her lips met his neck, teasing the sensitive areas along his jawline. Oh if they could just pick up where they'd left off last night before he'd knocked himself out like the idiot he was. Could they just give into their passions? He'd had a taste, and he'd wanted so much more. He wanted everything. He wanted her. He barely heard her speak to him, reply to him. How different were things than when they'd first met just the previous day? He wondered if she could even take a hint, and now she was dishing out as much as she received, even if there were moments of hesitation. Orion had grasped at the collar of her shirt, pulling at it to expose her right collarbone more fully to his assault of kisses. Lips danced across her skin, pausing only long enough to finally force a reply. "Let's get out of here." Lips pressed against her neck. "I don't care where we go or for how long." Gently he bit the skin just under her jawline. "I've got no expectation but to show you that fun I promised." He flashed a smile, relenting for the moment. Blue eyes wildly and lustily looked down at Edrina, only made more blue by the flushed tone his face had taken. Maybe all this was too much. Was it too forward? He asked a stranger to let him just travel with her. And he'd be nothing but a burden. At the same time, it looked like she desired him even more than he did for her. Maybe this could work? "Swimming lessons, huh?" He grinned leaning down until he was but an inch from her lips. "What are you waiting for, then?" Slowly, and almost painfully, Orion began to climb off the Svefra woman, never breaking their locked gazes. His breath had long since left him, and his heart was trying to force it's way from his chest. Gods this woman was powerful..

[Edreina]

"Let's get out of here." Edreina's head tilted back and she groaned quietly, not entirely finished with their current location as of yet. Sure, she had been the one to suggest leaving. That did not mean she entirely wanted to leave. The goings on of here suited her just fine... "I don't care where we go or for how long." Edreina was on fire. He must surely see it. When his teeth touched her skin, she gasped quietly, trembling as he found one of her many weaknesses. Her fingers twitched slightly at his back, fighting so many urges as the young woman attempted to remain in control of herself. "I've got no expectation but to show you that fun I promised." When no tormenting touch came, she looked up questioningly. Fun, hm? There was that word again. In his gemstone eyes Edreina saw a heat and warmth and a passion that mimicked the one that would be found in her roiling blue eyes. The purity of the lust, unmarred by any illusions of love, made Edreina flush all the brighter, pleased to be eliciting such reactions. By the gods she wanted him... "Swimming lessons, huh?" Edreina's breath hitched in anticipation, fighting the urge to lean forward and complete the kiss. But that would just send them spiraling down a path that was, in all honesty, too much for the passers-by to be a part of. "What are you waiting for, then?" As he went to get up, Edreina nearly let out a pathetic mewling that would have given away the extent of her wanting. She watched him stand, remaining on her back upon the sleek wood of her deck. Looking up at him, she stretched slowly, hands coming up to tussle her hair as her hips twisted to the side in order to release tension in her back. Usually, she would rise to her feet quickly and begin to heave away as soon as possible. But today, slower seemed better. She rose to her feet but continued to be bent in half, towards the deck, reaching for her toes in a nonchalant manner. Whether or not it was seductive was in doubt but the stretch felt nice and was helping the heat dissipate from her limbs and her torso. After standing, she sashayed slowly across the deck, using the ship's movements to heighten her own swaying walk, hoping it had the same effect as the night before. It took her only chimes to free the ship and set it drifting away from the mooring. With practiced ease, she opened the sails, used the jib to channel the air as she pleased, and the tiller to direct the ship away from Syliras. With the strong headwind, it took them about half a bell to sail so that Syliras was only a hard black line on the horizon. Still drifting, Edreina pulled out a large, heavy anchor and tossed it into the Suvan with a flump. Her fingers kept a hold on the long, thin rope as the anchor descended into the darkness. In the moment of silence, she closer her eyes and focused on the feel of the anchor as it was gliding smoo- A slight change in the feel of the anchor as it brushed something. Edreina stopped the rope and tugged, checking the tension. Nodding to herself, she walked around to the bow, firmly lodging the anchor in whatever it had become entangled before tying it to the bow cleft. Smiling brightly, Edreina turned to Orion who had somehow managed to keep himself out of trouble for the voyage. "I hate anchoring," she commented with a shrug, having usually been tied to another ship for most of her life. "Now... About those swimming lessons..." She stood with her hands on her hips, long-dry hair swirling about her as the uninhibited wind toyed with the little sailboat. The ship lurched abruptly and Edreina cringed. "Perhaps... you should learn how to stand on a ship first. Hmm?" She walked over and offered her hand, this time actually hoping that he would not pull her down. He had entered her realm, her domain. He would have to learn how to handle it before they attempted anything more... acrobatic.

[Orion Michaels]

What exactly is it which you are doing, Orion? You could take this woman here, you could take her below deck. You could just go insane and petch until neither of you had anything more to give, and then get up and do it all again. Who cared if anyone was around for it? Only they would matter in that sweet moment of tangled passion. Those lips, that skin, those eyes. And here he was, the shykehead retard who was stopping it all to go for a sail and a swim. Was he really as much of a playboy as he boasted? Able to drop any woman's drawers with the simplest of glances. Leave them quivering with the slightest brush of his fingers. Leave them screaming for more with the touch of his lips. Wait. He still did all that stuff. Nothing to worry about here. But why wasn't he taking it? Orion watched her, grinning all the while, as she stood, a deflated look on her face. Maybe that's why he wasn't. Give and take. Build desire until it boils over and consumes them both in a flurry of kisses and flailing arms. Hopefully it wouldn't happen when she was doing anything vital with the ship. "Stand?" He gave her a mock look of incredulity, as though it was such a crazy idea for Orion to have to actually get up. "When I've got this amazing view from down here? What an absurd idea." He grasped her hand and allowed her to pull him up, though the hunger in his eyes flashed again and he greedily stole another kiss as he stood, his hand slipping from hers and meeting his other in embracing her quickly. It was half lust. The other half? Orion desperately wanted to refrain from falling again. "See, I've got this under control, Miss Whitewave. Nothing to worry about here. Now, just make sure you don't move without warning me, or I'm likely to end up with my lips on the deck instead of you." The sway of The Goldengrotto was so much easier to ignore whilst one was laying down or sitting. Now that he was standing, Orion was all but certain he would be splashing down soon. The water was refreshing the last evening, even if he had to result to desperate flapping of his arms and legs to stay afloat. "Next lesson?" He grinned, knowing fully well he was nowhere near ready for this one. Sea legs he did not have. Could you really teach that?

[Edreina]

Again her heart was set racing as Orion pulled her close and captured her lips with his for an instant far too short. When he pulled away, Edreina had to fight the urge to pout at him like a child who has been denied something sweet. She adjusted their position minutely, so that their hips were flush and they each had a foot between the others'. Smiling up at him, she bit her lip, momentarily having trouble deciding how best to explain something that came so naturally to her. "It is not something that can be taught, really," she admitted, shrugging her shoulders. "Being able to stand at sea is something that you feel. Here." She pressed her hips more thoroughly against his for an instant. "And here," she placed a hand against her flat stomach as she spoke, smirking. "Nothing unexpected happens at sea. Every swell, every trough, they are foretold by a motion before. You must simply learn the rhythm of the ocean." Her hips automatically adjusted her center of balance each time the ocean rocked the Goldengrotto swaying forwards and back, side to side. All the while, her shoulders remained relatively in place. "And then there are your ankles. When you walk, it is on the balls of your feet. You body naturally wishes to remain level. You just have to let it." She smiled and then took a small step backwards, begging that he should do the same with her wide blue eyes. "You must be quick on your feet to survive at sea. One moment, the place you had wanted to step may be inches lower than it was when you began the step. By remaining on your toes, you leave more room to cushion an unexpected step instead of jolting your knee and sending you tumbling about." She grinned up at him then shook her head. It was so queer for her, teaching a child that was taller than she. Again she took a step, but did not stop at just one. Gingerly, she began to lead him across the deck in an odd sort of dance. Each time he faltered, she would alter her stance just slightly so that he would not bring them both sprawling across the deck once more. Despite how lovely that would be... When they reached the tiller, Edreina grinned in jubilation. True sea legs took many days aboard a ship to master, but he was doing well for his first time. "You've done wonderfully!" She praised, leaning up to steal a chaste kiss before taking a step back, so that their hands chained them together and he was standing entirely on his own. "Now..." her smirk darkened with an odd sort of glee. "About that swimming lesson..."