Completed Winter's Breath (Jorin Erithan)

[Rinya]

Jorin didn’t actually seem entirely surprised when she returned the kiss. She could feel his lips curl upwards into a smile and she resisted the urge to simply just continue kissing him, but she needed to gather herself up and try and put things in order. In the very least Jorin told her he was fine and seemed to enjoy her attention to him as well. But his emotions were still swirling and Rinya was tempted to argue with him over it. He wasn’t just ‘fine’, something was bothering him. It only took a tick for the façade finally dropped and he gave her a weak smile.

Rinya frowned as Jorin mentioned he wasn’t at his best. At first she wondered if he was referring to dealing with Rhys. Those memories were especially fuzzy, but she could certainly remember anger and jealousy flying across the bond. And that wasn’t something she was likely to hold against him, considering how Rhys certainly crossed all the boundaries that should have been fairly clear to him. Rinya didn’t care if he had supposed reason for trying to strip her—it wasn’t his place. In some sense it was almost like betrayal. She had trusted Rhys and he simply ignored her choice. If it had been a strange man she had wanted to go to she could have understood his refusal… but it was Jorin. Even if they were not married or even intimate—Jorin was at the base of all things her friend.

But Jorin wasn’t focused on Rhys. He flipped her onto her back, leaning partly over her as his hand slipped down to her thigh. It took quite the concentration to not let the act bring up a natural reaction to his touch. His emotions spiked again as he grumbled over making progress from Farline, and Rinya forced a sigh down from escaping her. Somewhere during the whole exchange Farline’s words apparently wormed their way into his head… again. She knew that she should probably be upset with him about it, but he was so distressed and frustrated over the whole thing. It had been a promise he made to her, but she knew better than anyone that removing someone like Farline from their mind wasn’t easy.

Jorin simpled sighed that he would just have to continue working on it and Rinya just sighed and nodded with him. "It’s okay Jorin. I understand." Either he would be upset over the idea that she was just okay with it, or he would be grateful. She would stand to her words no matter how he felt about it. Jorin was still there for her despite all the venom running through his head. And he seemed rather intent on pushing the thoughts out of his head as well. She could feel appreciation as he stared down at her tenderly and her face reacted instantly, a bright red flush spreading across her cheeks. "What?" Rinya squeaked out shyly.

Jorin simply answered her by leaning forward to kiss her. He slipped his tongue into her mouth with a small groan and Rinya shuddered beneath him. The memory of the vivid cold enveloped in her entire body was quickly fading. Despite the slight headache wrapped around her mind, she couldn’t help the natural reaction to his presence—especially with her skin pressed against his. It wasn’t as if it was a new feeling—they slept naked together for quite some time now without full blown desire—but it was nearly impossible when they carried on like this to ignore.

Desire between the two of them always flowed as easily as the love. The two made for a combo Rinya had quickly become addicted to. The warm brush of his skin to hers was quickly turning hot. His hand skimmed across her thigh to her buttock and Rinya moaned against his lips as he pulled her into him. He broke off the kiss with a gasp and Rinya caught herself following his lips. She didn’t want to stop kissing him. But a thought shifted into her head as he pulled away, one she really didn’t want to think about.

Jorin asked her if she was up for the desire starting to spread throughout both of them, and Rinya wondered why he wasn’t more upset about the whole fact Rhys had tried to strip her in the living room of their own home. His wandering hand and twisted little attempt at making her mind go blank wasn’t quite enough to shake the thoughts. She knew it bothered him—and despite the fact she wasn’t entirely in her own mind—he could have easily blamed her for it. Especially since Farline’s nasty little words had been swimming around his head. His needy moan mixed with his kiss made her squirm under his hand, but she couldn’t help but feel she had done something very wrong.

"Why aren’t you mad at me?" Rinya mumbled weakly, not from her past condition or his attentions, but because she was actually afraid of the answer. Reminding him of it could likely backfire on her, but she wanted to assure him—perhaps just for her own sake. "About Rhys I mean. I didn’t want…" Rinya shook her head. She couldn’t do this with him if he felt she been ever so slightly unfaithful to him. And while logically she knew he wouldn’t even start something like this if he felt that way—Rinya needed the reassurance for herself. The idea she had been unfaithful—no matter how ridiculous—would eat at her until she heard it from him.

Color Space

[Jorin Ertihan]

x

Rinya's simple statement that it was okay, that she understood, brought him relief. Jorin sighed, leaning forward and pressing his forehead against Rinya's and groaning a bit. "Thank you," he breathed, gratitude obvious in both form and across the bond. "I'm really the luckiest man in the world," he chuckled, leaning back a bit to look Rinya in the eye as he said it.

"I'm sure most girls wouldn't be nearly as understanding. I love you, Rinya." It always boiled down to those three little words, but then again they said everything that he needed to say. And Jorin knew if he needed to say anything more than just "I love you", he could always just kiss her again.

Rinya was willing to give him time, Jorin realized. His wife was understanding because she loved him, and trusted him, and believed in him. Jorin could feel the certainty across the bond, her conviction and he knew she was as sure as he was that he would eventually excise Farline from their lives. It just took time, he supposed, but it was time he was willing to spend.

Rinya's gentle moan as his roaming hands wandered her skin made Jorin's desire flare even more. He knew this could quickly spiral out of control, and he barely had the presence of mind to ensure that his wife was even up to making love that night. As it turned out, when their kiss broke, he could sense something across the bond that... well it wasn't quite hesitation.

Jorin could not actually pinpoint what the emotion was, but Rinya forged on ahead and asked him why he wasn't mad at her. Jorin cocked his head to the side and looked at Rinya a bit askance, confusion rippling inside as he wondered what exactly she was talking about. Why should he be mad at her? Then she mentioned Rhys and Jorin realized that she was afraid he would blame her for what Rhys did to her.

"Rinya, listen to me," Jorin soothed, even as he felt a twinge of fear from Rinya as he said the words. He made sure to make them as gentle as possible but he knew she was afraid that she'd been unfaithful.

"I won't deny that I was incredibly jealous when I saw you... well... half-nude and pressed against Rhys' chest, with your shirt in his hand and his arm around your waist," he sighed. "I can't help myself. I know it's selfish of me to say, but you're mine, and I just... I can't help but want you all to myself. I love you with every part of me and maybe it's selfish but I just can't share you, Rinya." Jorin shook his head.

"But, listen. You did nothing wrong, okay? Nothing wrong at all. I know you didn't want it, and I would never blame you for it." Jorin's voice was gentle but insistent. He leaned in to give her a soft kiss to try to encourage her to believe that he never blamed her for any of it.

Truth was, Jorin had seen Rhys put his arm around Rinya's shoulders at Beautyfest, escorting her around and taking a few small liberties with her that Rinya put up with because of her promise and because of the setting. Yes, it set Jorin's teeth on edge, but he was able to mostly handle it with grace.

But what Rhys had done to Rinya earlier that day was far beyond the pale compared to Beautyfest though. One does not simply strip a woman in her own home, in full view of her husband, no matter what one's intentions were. Jorin suspected it was intended to be a challenge to himself of some sorts, but in the end it simply made Rinya some sort of prize to be passed in between the two of them.

And that was something that did make Jorin angry, but not at Rinya. He wasn't even sure he was even upset at Rhys anymore. Oh sure, he hated that the man had stripped his wife in their own home, but ultimately Jorin found that what he'd said to Rhys was true. Jorin simply didn't care about Rhys any longer. No, what he was angry about was once again the whole Akalak mindset that his wife was just a pet, instead of her own person with her own wants and desires that should be taken into account.

And Jorin wished desperately that there was something he could do to change it, but in the end he knew there wasn't. Mindsets were very difficult to change once established, and the Akalaks had a long time to form their opinions. He knew that as long as he and Rinya lived in this city, she'd always be seen in that light, but at least he needed to assure her that he didn't see her in that light.

From his current position, Jorin realized he had a fair amount of access to his wife's neck and breasts, so after patiently waiting for her to reply, he just smiled down at her and began planting soft kisses down her neck, working his way to her breasts while propping himself up with one hand as the other explored her skin, going from caressing her breast to trailing down her chest to her stomach.

"I love you, Rinya," he insisted between kisses. "I will always love you, and I will always trust you. That's why I'm not mad at you. And it was never your fault, anyway." Jorin's words were slightly muffled as he paid special attention to Rinya's breast, and he smiled up at her as he worked from one to the other and then back up to her neck, kissing and licking the whole way. His entire body felt hot and his hand that had been wandering Rinya's stomach came up to cup her face, gently stroking it as he leaned in to press a hot kiss to her lips.

x

[Rinya]

Jorin’s relief flooded the bond and Rinya sighed as well as Jorin pressed his forehead to hers. Rinya breathed in, taking in his scent simply from his proximity. He was so grateful that she was willing to give him the time that he needed. She reached up to framing his face with her hands, holding him to her. "Your welcome." It was the only thing she could think of to say actually. In fact it probably sounded very much like she was mocking him, except she lacked the tone for it. That and Jorin would know better bond or not, that she wouldn’t do that to him anyway.

At least not in a teasing tone, and this wasn’t something she was bound to tease him over. Farline was very much a problem in the relationship. She had years to poison Jorin and make him believe that everything he was… was useless. Pointless. And that made Rinya’s heart ache. The worst part was Jorin might not be who he was now because of it… might not appreciate her the way he currently was—or even love her. The most she could do for him right now is be patient and hope for both their sakes they could remove her presence together, even just a little.

Jorin however seemed freed—if even for a moment—over the fact she was willing to give him that time. He chuckled that he was the luckiest man in the world, that most girls wouldn’t have been nearly as willing to give him time or understanding. She smiled softly at him, shaking her head partly in denial. "I wouldn’t say it’s luck. I just… you love someone you don’t just run because of something like this. I did my running—it wasn’t worth it." Rinya did her best to shrug. It just seemed like a simple equation. To leave her husband because he wasn’t capable of removing years of venom in a few months was ridiculous. So long as he wanted the woman out of his mind, she would give him the time to do it.

He was confused at first over her question, before his face lit with understanding. Rinya waited, her heart pounding rapidly in her chest. Jorin’s voice was smooth, and Rinya could feel it across the bond. He was trying to calm her before she ended up thinking the worst. He admitted that he had been jealous—with every reason—to find her pressed up against Rhys. It really did sound like quite the scandal the way Jorin described it and Rinya couldn’t help but wince at the mental image. She honestly could only remember bits and pieces of it… which made it all the worse. The only thing she knew for sure was she put up a fight.

"Well I’m not exactly good at sharing you either." Rinya mumbled. Considering she was possessive of him even before they were together, she knew all too well how hard it was to stand there and watch someone else have hands on someone you wanted. Jorin however insisted that she did nothing wrong. She nodded slightly, trying to calm her racing heart. Rinya was incredibly relieved that her loyalty to Jorin wasn’t something that waivered without her right state of mind.

"I’m glad." Rinya breathed out, staring up at him softly. "It…" She sighed heavily. In the long run it didn’t matter, but it would have eaten her alive to know she had betrayed him—even if he didn’t view it as her fault. But if there was one thing she was certain of was that Jorin would have told her the truth. If she had made a move at Rhys, no matter how much it may have hurt him to admit to it. There wasn’t much to say however as relief swept through her.

Jorin himself had other ideas. He smiled at her before he leaned forward. For a moment Rinya thought he was going to kiss her again, but he shifted to the side at the last moment, his lips landing directly to her neck. Rinya let out a long sigh, this one of contentment as Jorin placed soft kisses down her neck towards her breasts. Along the way Jorin murmured against her skin that he loved her… trusted her. The words warmed her as his lips trailed fire. "I love you too Jorin." Rinya hummed softly, her upper back arching slightly as he moved across her breasts.

"Jorin…" It was a soft moan he drew from her, despite the heat that was filling her body. Her hands couldn’t remain stationary—especially since they were both equally unclothed. Her fingers pressed against his chest, tracing the muscles beneath the skin that she had become familiar with. The muscles beneath his own hand clenched between anticipation and the pure electricity his touch always trailed with. Rinya released a breath she hadn’t even realized she had been holding in as he made her way back up her skin.

It was tempting to call him a tease, but she was enjoying his attentions far too much. One of her hands trailed low on his stomach, but stalled there as she traced soft circles into his skin. The other trailed from his chest to his back and into his hair as he cupped to her face to kiss her again. Immediately she returned the kiss, a needy moan erupting from her throat. For once however she refused to be impatient. Her back arched again, trying to close what little distance was between them. "I want you."

She muttered the words against his lips for two reasons. One, it was an answer to his question—as if it was even a question anymore. Two, because she enjoyed the instant reaction the words brought out in him. They went in perfect harmony with her love for him.

Color Space

[Jorin Ertihan]

x

Rinya's acknowledged Jorin's gratitude, framing his face softy with her hands and he just smiled back at her. If it had been anyone else he might have suspected they were either being sarcastic or perhaps just humoring him, but he knew his wife would not do that to him. Besides, Rinya wasn't the type for mean sarcastic jabs. She was a very direct woman; if she wanted to insult him she'd do it straight to his face - not that Rinya had ever deliberately insulted Jorin that he could ever remember.

Jorin felt a flash of heartache from Rinya as he mentioned Farline and he sighed internally. Her poison was as subtle as it was vicious, it seemed, as it hurt not only him but his wife as well, if only by proxy. Jorin knew Rinya was feeling the heartache for him, and it made him wish he could just... wish away Farline's influence. Throw her off like a bad habit. But it wasn't that simple, or that easy to throw off years of Farline's barbs in a mere half-season.

Rinya tried to deny that it was luck though, insisting that it was simply what someone did when they loved another. She mentioned that she had run before, and that it wasn't worth it. He supposed she was referring to their one week of separation, where it seemed everything had gone wrong in the span of only seven days. It was amazing how many things one could petch up if only one was distracted with thoughts of a bondmate one couldn't feel anymore.

"Even so," Jorin insisted, bringing up one hand to place over Rinya's on his cheek, "I still think you're amazing. You're patient, and kind, and loving. You're everything I ever needed, ever wanted. For me to have found you, for you to love me in return... I still think I must be the luckiest man in the world." Jorin said the words with conviction, secure in the belief in his good fortune to have found the one woman on all of Mizahar that he could have ever wanted.

Rinya's relief at knowing that she hadn't done anything wrong struck Jorin almost with physical force. He hadn't realized how scared she was until he felt the force of her relief, and only when the bond informed him of it did he realize just how scared she was that she'd done something unfaithful while not in her right mind. To be honest, Jorin would not have held such an action against her even if she had.

Certainly it would have hurt to witness, but he was certain in their love for one another and would have understood that she wasn't in her right mind. But she had not. In fact, even when she was at her most vulnerable, when her mind was confused and she was nearly helpless, Rinya still only wanted him.

"I'm glad too," Jorin reassured her, when she couldn't finish her sentence. "I would love you no matter what, but I won't deny that it warmed me to no end to know that even when you weren't in your right mind, you would still choose me." Jorin smiled gently as relief flooded his wife. He was glad to see the worry drain from her; he hated to feel anything but positive emotions from Rinya.

Jorin knew that technically, he hadn't yet heard an answer to his earlier question of whether or not Rinya was up to coupling with him. But her flushed face and the surges of desire across the bond answered for him, especially when she hummed that she loved him as well and moaned his name at his touch. Whenever Jorin was near Rinya's heart, either with his lips or with his hand he could feel it beat wildly in her chest in tune to his own. Jorin couldn't help but smile against her skin. Only he could make her feel this way, and that fact made him very happy.

Rinya's own hands wandered and roamed his chest, as she explored muscles she clearly knew by heart. Anticipation was filling the bond as he felt her muscles of her stomach clench almost involuntarily at his teasing, his wife making little gasps every time he passed across her sensitive bellybutton. He loved causing this sort of reaction from her; every time he did she just seemed more beautiful and loving.

But it was Jorin's turn to gasp and have an instant reaction when Rinya spoke three words, telling him that she wanted him. He supposed he knew that already, given the reaction her body was having to him, but he could feel the passion and love behind her words across the bond and he knew she didn't just want him physically but emotionally as well. His wife wanted all of him and the force of that desire, want and need hit him almost like a physical force.

Jorin couldn't help himself. He embraced his wife as close to himself as he could, helping her arching back to eradicate the distance between them as he closed his eyes, the better to feel her skin against his. His head rested in the crook of Rinya's shoulder as his free hand went from stroking her cheek to wrapping around her waist to draw her up to him.

"I want you too, my love," he breathed against her ear as he ran his fingers down the soft and silky skin of her back, before pulling back slightly so that he could resume his kisses. There were a million places he wanted to touch his wife but he decided to take it slow. Not only because they had already discussed that they wanted to take it slow at some point, but also because he wished to be extra gentle with her in consideration for her recent illness.

Jorin's hand passed across her stomach again before going to her thigh, absently rubbing the skin there with his thumb and enjoying the shivers of desire he was sending through his wife's body. He decided to enhance the sensation by returning to her neck, kissing her there before remembering something that had happened when they mated right after marrying.

Jorin's tongue darted out and he licked her skin there, gently but firmly, smiling at Rinya's reaction to his bold behavior. He couldn't deny that he loved to tease his wife; they loved one another with vigorous passion and that made the teasing all the more titillating for them both. Jorin's hand wandered to Rinya's, taking her hand in his as he leaned back to look her in the eyes. The gold of her eyes stared back at him almost dreamily, and he could feel all sorts of happy emotions across the bond.

"I can't imagine anywhere I would rather be now, than right here with you," he insisted, with full conviction, and leaned in to kiss her yet again. Tonight it seemed was to be the night of kisses, as he poured all his passion and love into the act. Every kiss they shared was different. They each said different things. Whether it be love, or desire, or comfort, or some combination of the three, each kiss had a different message, a different meaning.

Yet each one had the same base. The same core foundation of love, respect, and trust. It was the cornerstone of their relationship, the very reason they worked despite all logic saying they shouldn't. They trusted each other. It was why no amount of Rhys's or Farlines could tear them apart. Jorin moaned against Rinya's lips as he intensified their kiss, loving the softness of her lips, and the pleasant jolt he felt from the sensation of her tongue against his as he slipped it into her mouth.

Even when the kiss broke off, Jorin couldn't help the feelings that spread throughout his body. It wasn't just desire he felt for his wife, and they both knew it. He loved her, and that feeling was only intensified by the fact that she wanted him so badly. Jorin would be lying if he said that he didn't feel a tiny bit impatient himself, wanting to experience that deep connection with his wife as quickly as possible.

But he'd promised himself he would be gentle and take it slow, so he brought his hand up from Rinya's thigh and traced lazy nonsense patterns onto her stomach, right over the sensitive spot he knew was her weakness and he smiled as he enjoyed the anticipation and surges of desire that flashed across the bond each time he did it. No matter how many times they did this, Jorin never tired of feeling Rinya's instant reaction to his touch.

With a somewhat mischievous grin, Jorin decided to move his hand further down, past her stomach to a place he'd long since memorized. His touch was gentle but relentless as he found the spot he knew by heart, and as he continued to press on he lowered his head to plant loving kisses up and down her collarbone, sometimes straying to her breasts as he did so.

So much for taking it slowly, he thought. But still, he loved the reaction his wife gave him when he touched her. It was something he knew she only permitted him to do, a reaction she would give to only one man in all of Mizahar. And he treasured this fact, like a precious gem, because he knew how rare it was for her to trust so completely. Jorin could feel waves of pleasure crash against him across the bond from his movements, and it gladdened him to know he could produce such sensations in her.

"Oh Rinya, I love you..." he moaned, voice filled with desire and need as he felt their love mingle across the bond. Once again their emotions were mixing to the point that he couldn't tell whose they were anymore. And it truly didn't matter because they felt the same thing at that moment. Pure love and pleasure, combining to make a potent mixture that was both addicting and intoxicating.

x

[Rinya]

Jorin seemed absolutely insistent that she was amazing. Truthfully she wished she had the words to return the sentiment. It was easy to think Jorin was all the qualities he listed in her—and more. The problem she hated was it never sounded nearly as romantic as when he said it to her. She always stalled over the words, stumbling as if she was confused and trying to force the words out. She was much better at getting her point across through touch than anything else. But even that was no substitute for words. Sometimes it was just plainly nice to hear them.

"No more amazing than you are." Rinya shrugged her shoulders slightly. In the very least Jorin never had to doubt her words. They were thoroughly laced through the bond with the very same emotions as the words. "I know the poison is hard to leech Jorin, but you really are. My patience is nothing compared to yours. You’ve put up with a lot from me since we met—and you love me regardless." Any other man probably would have never seen it being worth the trouble to work her out of her own little shell. In fact she was rather certain only Jorin’s gentle nature was capable of it.

Her choice—at choosing him before Rhys—meant nearly as much to him as it did her. A reassurance on both their parts she supposed. If there was any way to prove just how much she wanted him—in all ways—there probably could not have been a better test. But granted she was only confused, she could tell the difference between the two men. She could still feel right and wrong… but the fuzzy moments had left her scared. The chance that she couldn’t tell the difference had been heavy in her gut until he words insisted that she had done nothing wrong and in fact still leaned heavily towards her own mate.

Rinya partly wondered if that had been instinct. The bird half of her was as attached to Jorin as her human side. Different reasons of course, but it didn’t change the fact that her whole being solidly chose Jorin for her mate. As Jorin moved kisses across her skin and made it harder to think, she could feel his happiness—his joy. She of course couldn’t pinpoint why… there was probably a million reasons for it directly in the moment, but she reveled in it none the less. He was happy with her and in the end that’s all she ever wanted to do for him. Make him happy.

Her words had the effect she was looking for however. Jorin let out a gasp and Rinya couldn’t help the grin that spread across her face, a cross between mischievous and joy of her own. He understood exactly what the words entailed and he seemed unable to stop himself as he moved his hand from her face to slide down her side until he could grasp her waist and pull her flush up against him. An echo of a thought from earlier rang through her head. That she did not fit to Rhys like she did Jorin, and not simply because of their size difference. The feeling of being completely pressed against his warm skin drew a groan from the back of her throat.

But Jorin had to lean away far too soon for her liking. He could have stopped there, and just held her like that the rest of the night and it would have made her happy. But he seemed intent on continuing his kisses across her body. His hand roamed from her stomach—causing the muscles to clench once again and make her gasp—to her thigh and Rinya couldn’t hide the shiver that passed through her. It had nothing to do with the cold from before, but the fact he was so close to where she wanted him to be—and yet still too far.

Rinya jumped slightly under the press of his tongue, causing her to hiss with the desire that pulsed through her. Jorin was still finding weak spots across her body, and every time he found one he made sure to exploit it. It was Jorin taking her hand in his that caused her to blink back into thought as he leaned forward. Jorin’s insistence that there was nowhere else he would want to be than with her caused the breath to rush from her lungs. If it wasn’t for the kiss he pressed to her lips, Rinya was rather sure she probably would have ended up in tears—happy ones. The only thing she could do was kiss him back desperately and hope that he understood that she felt the same.

The trace of impatience caught between them relieved Rinya slightly. Despite the fact that Jorin was going far slower than usual—and much more gentle—they both knew it could easily spiral out of hand. Rinya blamed it on the fact that they fed off the other’s desire. It clouded their heads and made it nearly impossible to take it as slow as they would have liked… though at the moment Jorin was doing a wonderful job of ensuring every part of her felt loved. Even more so when his hand finally trailed from her stomach to the spot that sent pleasure jolting through her body.

Rinya’s hand moved from his hair to grip his shoulder tightly, her hips moving instinctively to press against his hand as she moaned from the sudden attention. In the back of her mind Rinya knew that this sort of position he had over her left her open and vulnerable. But not once in her time of being with him did she ever think he would try to hurt her—physically or emotionally—while they did this… or any other time for that matter. Her trust in him wasn’t something misplaced and he proved it over and over again.

But it was him moaning her name and that he loved her while he touched her that nearly set her off. There was something about the sound of his voice when he moaned that she loved. Maybe it was because even if she did not have the bond, the sound of him saying her name with such desire and need would have told her everything anyways. But she didn’t want to break apart without him. So sucking in a deep breath, Rinya gently shoved his fingers away from her before pressing him over onto his back. Slowly, partly to catch her breath, Rinya sat up until she could slide herself between his legs. She stared down at him tenderly, feeling her heart race only for a completely different reason than fear this time.

Reaching out, Rinya placed her hands against his thighs. It was a vague memory from their first teaching lesson, but he seemed to enjoy her touch along his legs. Her fingers traced circles and abstract letters into his skin as she leaned forward to place her own soft kisses around his chest, starting at his heart and working her way up to his neck. "Jorin…" Rinya breathed against his skin, nipping gently just beneath his ear as her left hand trailed from his thigh across his skin until she could grasp him. She was gentle but persistent in her own right, shuddering above him as his own pleasure shot through her. The fingers of her right hand still stroking the skin of his thigh as she trailed kisses further across his skin, nipping here and there along the way to the other side of his neck.

Color Space

[Jorin Ertihan]

x

Jorin could feel Rinya's own love and appreciation along with her words as she told him that he was just as amazing as she was. He supposed they both felt they didn't deserve the other. It was a common sentiment that he felt from Rinya whenever she got into one of her more pessimistic moods. Jorin just chuckled slightly and smiled at his lovely wife, making sure that the constant love he was transmitting to her infused every word.

"Like you said, Rinya, I don't 'put up' with you any more than you put up with me. I love you. Just as you chose me, I chose you." Jorin leaned down for a brief but loving kiss, to punctuate his statement.

Jorin felt the joy that Rinya experienced when he reacted to her words. It was interesting how the bond made communication between them almost as natural as their desire and love. Certainly all it transmitted was emotions but that was enough. Enough for them to understand one another in a way so much deeper than mere words could communicate. He did not need to have a window into Rinya's head to understand where the joy was coming from, and the mischievous grin that spread across her face only confirmed it.

Jorin loved the feel of Rinya's skin against his own. It wasn't just the physical aspect either, though indeed the silky smoothness and pleasant warmth was so very comforting that he literally was no longer able to sleep without feeling his wife pressed up against him. And he knew she felt the same; the both of them hated space between them and that was why they so often embraced tightly whenever they mated.

Every movement and reaction from both of them seemed so natural. Like they belonged together, two halves of one whole similar to the Akalak souls. Except they were two souls in two different bodies, that had somehow merged so perfectly that Jorin felt the same jolts of anticipation and pleasure his wife did when his hands passed along her stomach and thigh. The gasps and shivers that went through her made Jorin react as well, his own breathing become more uneven as he continued to explore his wife's body.

Not for the first time, Jorin was quite glad he'd mapped out his wife so completely, locking away all of her weak spots in his memory so that he would know exactly where to touch her, and how, in order to give her the most pleasure. He loved to tease his wife, it was true, but mainly because every time he managed to tease a shiver or gasp from her, the pleasure she felt surged across the bond to him as well. And honestly even if they never had the bond, simply achieving such an effect on the woman he loved would have been more than reward enough for him.

As Jorin knew, Rinya immediately reacted to his touch as her hips almost unconsciously pressed her against his hand. Her hand went from his hair to his shoulder as she opened herself to him physically, mentally and emotionally. All barriers between them had fallen, whatever few barriers might have ever existed before. Rinya was completely at his mercy in that moment, and Jorin loved her all the more for it. She would only ever be this vulnerable with him, in part because she knew he'd never take advantage of it.

But when Jorin moaned Rinya's name, she took a breath and gently pushed his fingers away, and Jorin just smiled as she sat up and pressed him until he was on his back. As usual, Jorin surrendered control to his wife immediately, going from being in control and gently teasing her body to lying on his back, smiling up at her and being just as open and vulnerable to her as she was to him.

There wasn't any true 'leader' between them, Jorin mused as he leaned back and Rinya looked down at him with tender love on her face. It was a true constant now, the love across their bond. Regardless of what they were doing, or where, or when, the love never faded. And it was that alone that told him there was no leader. Their love wasn't about who was in 'control'. It was about how they felt about one another.

Jorin knew there were relationships where arguments erupted about who loved the other more. That one partner loved far more than the other one did, and that it wasn't 'fair'. To Jorin such arguments had a fatal flaw. Love could not be quantified in such a fashion, at least in his opinion. One could not measure love any more than one could measure joy, or desire.

Perhaps it was the bond, or maybe it was the fact that he loved Rinya so completely, but for Jorin the very idea that one of them might love the other 'more' was absurd. Love could not be measured like water or sand. Could not be weighed like meat or fish. Love was something both ephemeral yet real, and there was no scale or counting system in existence that could produce a meaningful measurement for how much someone loved someone else, only that they did.

Rinya ran her fingers gently across his thighs, sending shivers all the way through his body. His wife, it seemed, was also learning his body just as he learned hers. His body automatically reacted to his wife's touch, but so did his mind, as he felt his thoughts begin to cloud under the pleasure his wife was giving him.

She leaned forward to plant a kiss over his heart, before working her way up to his neck and breathing his name. Jorin wanted to reply, but his answer was cut short when she nipped him slightly under his ear, another weak spot she'd found and was clearly very intent on exploiting. Jorin couldn't stop his reaction if he wanted to, crying out Rinya's name in yet another needy moan as his hands reached out, the left one gripping her shoulder gently but firmly, and the other pressing against her right breast.

The fingers of Rinya's left hand closed around him and Jorin could not prevent the jolt of pleasure from surging through his soul, his right hand squeezing Rinya's breast slightly as he felt the sensations just rippling across himself and across the bond. He knew Rinya was experiencing his own pleasure just as he was experiencing hers earlier. However, he was so lost in all the sensations his wife was producing in him he was only vaguely aware of her shuddering above, as he could only truly focus on where she was touching him, and where he was touching her.

Rinya's kisses were hot against his neck as she alternatively kissed and nipped her way to the other side of it. Taking a page from her book, he tilted his neck a bit to give her better access as he hissed and gasped in pleasure, feeling the heat of desire surge throughout his entire being. It was incredible and he never wanted the feeling to stop.

"R-Rinya!" he cried out, voice full of desire, even though he had no idea what he was trying to say. The combination of pleasure, desire, and love had driven nearly all thought from his mind, and it was quite possible the name of his wife, his mate, his love was the only coherent word he had left.

x

[Rinya]

It seemed now that it was an easy choice—choosing Jorin. Rinya however could remember a time when the choice had not been so easy. She had been so torn between personal abandonment issues and the fear that she just wasn’t cut out for this kind of affection. Even when she had first met Jorin it had been her belief that he deserved so much more than she could give. Someone with a longer lifeline than her—that could tell him how much she appreciated and loved him. It took some time for Rinya to learn that it was ok that she couldn’t describe her emotions as well as others.

"Let’s face it… it wasn’t the hardest choice for either of us." Well… at first it had been for Rinya, but that eventually became a ridiculous fear on her part. Honestly she never knew if Jorin had been hesitant about them—it had never come up. Rinya had always been the one to show her fear over a relationship. Given how Farline had treated him, she was a little surprised he was so willing to give her a chance at all. But then, he was Jorin—he was resilient above all else, there were very few things that kept him down in the long run. Farline’s poison only affected him for so long in spurts.

It wasn’t surprising by now however when Rinya pushed Jorin away from her that he gave in willingly without any shred of fear crawling across the bond that perhaps he might have done something wrong—pressed too far and upset her. The first time she had done this, she could feel his apprehension and it didn’t take a genius to know what Jorin had been thinking about that time. Truthfully he had kept his promise—to never take anything she couldn’t give. The only thing he never took into account was that she was far more willing to give him anything she could. The fact that he was so willing to let her take control now and not wonder if he had done something wrong was almost calming—almost.

Rinya was just experimenting with him at first. There were many things Jorin had reacted to in their time together, but unlike him she had never taken the time to fully explore Jorin like he had her. If she let herself she could probably feel bad about that specific fact. Jorin was always making sure she was well taken care of any time they joined. Of course she knew deep down that he enjoyed that simple fact, but really Rinya let him control their couplings more often than not. But Jorin did rather seem to enjoy—in a different way—when she decided to take control as well.

So her fingers running across his thighs at first was merely an experiment to see if she could get a rise out of him. It worked better than she anticipated however as shivers seemed to come across him. If he could work more than one weakness at a time on her… then what was to stop her from pulling another? His reaction to her nipping at his neck wasn’t new, but it thrilled her to no end. He gripped at her as if she was a lifeline, moaning her name again. The sound sent another around of shivers of her own, especially when she realized that one of his hands seemed to instinctively find her breast… especially when he squeezed her breast due to her own hand.

It was incredibly difficult actually, trying to keep her patience about her. He was reacting so well to her and all Rinya wanted to do was let go of him and simply join with him. The closeness they both desired above all. His pleasure simply rippled across her and she wondered how he held it together when he caused the same reactions out of her. Perhaps he was just better at the self control than she was. She could taste his skin beneath his lips, hear him gasp and hiss at each nip she placed along his neck. It really was intoxicating—he was intoxicating rather. The further she pushed him, the more pleasure she could feel across the bond.

When he cried out her name however Rinya moaned sharply against his neck. For a split tick she considered giving in, but one simple fact held her back. He did always make sure she was taken care of first. After the night he had between the ghost of Farline and an overzealous Rhys… Rinya couldn’t help but feel that it was more than his turn. Lifting her face from his neck Rinya brushed her nose against his, never once pausing in her ministrations to the rest of his body. "It’s okay Jorin." Rinya whispered breathlessly, leaning forward for a brief but passionate kiss. If his mind was half as foggy as her got when he touched her, she knew he might not even be able to completely understand her, but that was alright by her standards.

Instead of releasing him she doubled her efforts, trying to make him break part under her. Her fingers of her free hand roamed across his body, across his ribs and down his sides to his thigh again… all in an attempt to find something that would bring him the most pleasure. Her lips returned to the side of his neck, laying hot kisses and nips along the skin. "I want you to come apart for me." Rinya murmured into his ear, doing her very best to ignore the harsh ache that had settled low in her stomach. For the moment he was much more important to her.

Color Space

[Jorin Ertihan]

x

For Jorin, it had never been a hard choice. Everything about Rinya felt right, like the two of them had been tailor-made for one another. They fit like a glove and it wasn't anything Jorin had ever experienced in his life. It was why he fought tooth and nail every time something threatened to tear them apart. It was why he had so desperately asked his wife to never block their bond again.

"Nope. Not in the least," Jorin agreed easily, with a warm smile for his wife as he said it. And it was true. When it came time to actually choose Rinya, Jorin knew there wasn't any other choice. Not if he was to follow his heart. He did not have such a deep connection with anyone else, not the way he did with Rinya. It all boiled down to one thing: Rinya understood him.

And it wasn't always the good stuff she understood. She also got the less impressive ones. She understood his deep-seated fear of inadequacy, as it mirrored her own fears about abandonment. They both apparently had quite the jealous streak which Rinya was more than understanding about. And when it came to sharing, neither of them were nearly as generous as they were about everything else.

In some ways, they had bonded over some of the darkest parts of themselves, but that was a good thing in Jorin's opinion. Rinya's fear of abandonment was probably never going to go away. Despite his best efforts to reassure her, Jorin knew his wife would always be afraid he might abandon her, and not because she thought he didn't love her but because the fear was so ingrained into her soul it was near-impossible to remove.

And, somewhere deep inside, Jorin acknowledged that his own fears on inadequacy were likely there to stay as well. Despite his own efforts to tamp down on it, he'd always be afraid of being not good enough for Rinya. The very thing that Farline had dug into, was a fear he'd always had, stretching all the way back to Zeltiva. Perhaps someday Farline would stop whispering in his ear, but the fear that he wasn't good enough for Rinya was likely to always be there.

But in such fear came strength as well. He knew Rinya derived strength from the fact that despite her fears of abandonment, he would always be there to reassure her that he wasn't going anywhere. He knew, from knowing his wife and also from the bond, that such reassurance - as small a thing as it might seem - was actually a tremendous comfort.

And similarly, though his own fears of inadequacy might never be truly laid to rest, he was able to derive strength from the knowledge that his wife wanted him. That every part of her wanted him, and no one else. Regardless of circumstance, in sickness or in heath, his wife would always choose him to be by her side, and that was something that went a long way in suppressing his fear that he was not good enough for her. After all, surely she would not have chosen him if she didn't think he was good enough.

Jorin's mind was rapidly becoming a blank slate, as Rinya insisted on continuing her ministrations while planting hot kisses along his body. The truth was, his wife rarely did what she was doing that night. And though he tried to subtly encourage it, he knew that she was in some ways still a bit shy about taking control during their mating. He really didn't mind either way; to Jorin, giving pleasure to his wife was just as rewarding as receiving it from her. And he knew she felt the same.

Still, he never failed to be surprised at just how good it felt. Rinya's ministrations were quite expert, courtesy of two seasons of experimentation on both their parts. It was a far cry from their clumsy first time, when neither had the least idea what to do to give the other pleasure. Though Jorin found that his words had been prophetic: love did show them the way.

Rinya came forward from nipping on his neck, and Jorin felt a slight sense of disappointment. He liked her there, it felt so good and he knew she liked it too. But Rinya brought her nose close to his and whispered that it was okay, even as her hand never ceased its motion. The pleasure was mounting and he barely heard her words as she kissed him passionately. He groaned against her lips as he kissed her back, his hand on her breast squeezing with every motion of hers.

Rinya's hand decided to roam his body, and as she brushed her way down his side he could feel a shudder of pleasure surge through. It seemed his wife had found another weak point of his, which he was more than happy to let her exploit as she redoubled her efforts, and he knew that he was very close to breaking. Rinya had resumed kissing and nipping at him, but it was her telling him that she wanted him to break apart for her that finally put him over the edge.

Jorin squeezed his eyes shut as he shouted out Rinya's name, all the pleasure she had been so intent on giving him erupting in one moment as he could feel the release from shattering wash through him. He couldn't help but pull his wife in close, both arms wrapping around her shoulders and eradicating the distance between them as he broke for her, and just for her. The sensation thundered through the bond and he held onto Rinya for dear life.

It seemed an eternity passed as they laid there, Rinya's body pleasant and warm in his embrace. If Jorin had been thinking, he'd realize it was a bit ironic that he was deriving so much comfort from her warmth, given that it was Rinya whose body temperature had dropped precipitously earlier. Nonetheless, as he came down from the high his wife had brought him to, Jorin cracked open his eyes and smiled at his beloved wife, as the love that was ever-present across their bond surged once more.

"Thank you, my love," he breathed, drawing her up close so he could kiss her. He supposed there would be people out there that might get tired of always kissing, but Jorin was not one such person. And he suspected his wife wasn't either. The kiss was soft and gentle, filled with tender emotions that he felt for her. They both knew how they felt for one another yet these kisses never failed to make Jorin's heart clench pleasantly every time.

As the kiss broke, Jorin couldn't help but smile, the action brightening his entire face as he felt the happiness that could only come from knowing that his wife was pleased she'd given him such pleasure. Between them, it truly didn't matter who was giving and who was receiving. In the end, his pleasure was her pleasure, and vice versa.

Even so, however, Jorin wanted to be with his wife that night. To feel them join in the most intimate way that a man and woman could be joined. He gently rolled them until she was on her back, as he shuffled a bit until he fit snuggly between her legs. Somewhere in the back of his mind he noted just how well they fit, not just physically but emotionally too. He looked down tenderly at his loving wife, leaning forward a bit and steadying himself by planting his right hand on the mattress, as he grasped himself with the other one to guide him.

"Rinya... my love, I don't think I can wait any longer," Jorin grinned, even though he was quite sure she was well aware of this fact. Jorin leaned in to give her a long, passionate kiss first, tongue swirling inside her mouth as he poured warm love and hot desire into the act. When it broke, he gave her an encouraging smile as he pressed forward, entering his wife and gasping at the pleasure the action produced for both of them.

As he began to move his hips, Jorin never broke eye contact with his wife. The pleasure mounted rapidly, but he knew he wanted to savor these moments so he made sure not to move too quickly. It was once again a far cry from the first time coupling with his mate, when he'd barely had the self-control not to break apart in the first few ticks. He would be embarrassed by it if it hadn't been for the fact that it had been so pleasurable for them both.

Jorin moved his hips just so, however, aiming to hit the spot his fingers found earlier, as his wife wrapped her legs around his waist in an effort to assist. Jorin barely had the presence of mind to give her a somewhat wanton smile as he leaned down and pressed his forehead to hers. He would kiss her, but they were both becoming short of breath, and so he continued to move, eyes half-lidded as his mind became filled with nothing but the feeling of their love and pleasure combining across the bond, and the sensation of where their bodies joined.

x

[Rinya]

It was honestly difficult to focus past everything Jorin was feeling—much less the effect it had on her. He wasn’t entirely surprised by her taking control, but it was rare that Rinya remained in control. She supposed while Jorin had gotten used to what she would accept, deep down Rinya was still a little afraid that he may find something she did offensive. Like him, she had never touched anyone else like this before. Part of her still feared hurting him, or even asking something of him that he couldn’t give. It was a ridiculous thought obviously, but it still existed none the less.

Of course she never actually noticed when he tried to encourage her. She took his suggestions with ease, but in the long run she never actually took into account that he wanted her to take more initiation over him. Though if he was going to react to her touch like he was, Rinya had the feeling she was going to start taking more initiative from now on. At least she wasn’t entirely blind to what gave him pleasure. Every time he reacted to a nip to the neck or the movement of her hand Rinya filed it away much like Jorin probably did. She noted his disappointment even when she wandered from his neck to kiss him.

Rinya couldn’t have imagined trying this their first time together. She had wanted so badly to touch him, but she had been confused by the feeling... much less the other feelings he had sparked in her. They had existed before from their... enthusiastic kissing, but it had become so intensified. The sad part was it had only gotten stronger the longer they were together. He didn’t seem to notice her words, but he responded to her kiss with a needy groan that left Rinya panting against him. His fingers continued to give attention to her breast and Rinya felt her patience slowly chipping away with every sound he made, every indication she had done something very right.

He seemed to rather enjoy the feeling of her fingers trailing across his ribs, as every time she made a pass he shuddered harder beneath her finger tips. But it was her words—her request—that seemed to finally break him. Jorin never seemed to be able to deny her anything, and this was just another request he seemed all to happy to fulfill. For the first time Rinya’s mind was clear and unaffected by her own shattering as in the past as she felt Jorin break apart beneath her. His hands released her, only to wrap around her shoulders and pull her right back to him. Rinya moaned at the feeling of his pleasure sliding through her. It was well worth the wait—despite the fact she had considered stopping all together. She was glad her self control held out.

Rinya honestly expected the ache that had built to begin to fade, especially since for the moment Jorin’s desire had temporarily waned. She lay across him, trying to catch her own breath as her face nuzzled into the side of his neck she had been paying such attention to. With her chest pressed against his, she could feel his heartbeat slow down and the heat of his body could have drawn her back to sleep if it wasn’t for the persistent ache. After what felt like forever Jorin finally shifted beneath her, opening his eyes and smiling at her, as he thanked her. Rinya simply shook her head. She hadn’t done anything for him that he had not already done for her. But she kissed him back none the less, enjoying the tender emotions that filtered from both of them. Her favorite kind of kiss.

There was nothing like knowing she had made her husband shatter. It was a twist between pride and joy, and Jorin undoubtedly felt it. He rolled them off to the side until they returned to their previous position, only this time Jorin made the move to land himself between her legs and Rinya easily adjusted herself to let him. It seemed as though Jorin was more than ready for another go and Rinya did her best not to squirm beneath him. The ache throbbed across her entire being and the anticipation from holding off for so long made her insides clench as Jorin grinned down at her, informing her that he couldn’t hold back any longer. She wanted to mutter something along the lines of ‘thank the gods’, but her voice had left her. The most she could do was nod in agreement as he leaned forward to kiss her. Rinya couldn’t help the impatient whine that emerged from the back of throat as he slid his tongue against hers. If he made her wait any longer she’d wasn’t sure what she’d do.

Rinya pressed her head back into the pillow beneath her head as he entered her, drawing out a long groan from her. There was a cross between impatience again and simply just enjoying the feeling of being one with him. Luckily for her Jorin was the one in control now and he didn’t make her wait long. He shifted his hips to move and Rinya didn’t even have to think about it. Her legs wrapped around his waist eagerly as her breath caught in her throat. He was staring at her—the very look that alone told her everything. That she was everything to him."Oh Jorin..." She could barely get the words choked out from the cross between relief of joining with him, and the pleasure he brought.

Somehow he managed to give her a smile, leaning forward to press his forehead against hers. Instead of clinging to his shoulders or gripping the sheets beneath her, Rinya reached to frame his face much as she did earlier to hold him to her. She panted and moaned with each shift of his hips, though if she had even the slightest state of mind she would have noted he was moving much slower than usual. For once she didn’t care, she was simply enjoying the feeling of being joined with her mate... her husband.

Color Space

[Jorin Ertihan]

x

Jorin had never experienced anything like what he had with Rinya his entire life. His relationship with Farline had not prepared him for the closeness, the love, and the trust that came with being with a woman that loved him so fully and completely. Even though mating and giving one another pleasure was only one aspect of their relationship it was still a very pleasant one, and one that Jorin enjoyed immensely.

If he'd been able to think rationally, Jorin probably would have guessed his wife was memorizing his body like he had memorized hers. The knowledge that Rinya was as determined to give him pleasure as he was for giving the same to her would have warmed him. But he was too lost in the sensations Rinya caused in him to think at all, and the blanking of his mind put him into a pleasant fog where the only thought he could maintain was how much he loved her.

Jorin could feel Rinya's desire even after he had broken apart. The fact that his wife wanted him so badly actually made him both happy and proud. He loved her, of course, but still the fact that a beautiful woman like her would just desire him to such a degree filled him with joy. He wanted her too, and he knew that the desire was an easy thing to fulfill, though he suspected that the both of them would never actually be sated with one another. Rinya had been right - if they allowed themselves to, they could do this for days.

He also felt her mixture of pride and joy for having made him break for her. It was something Jorin wanted to do for his wife, honestly. He knew she wanted to show him that he was the most important thing to her, that his pleasure meant more to her than anything. And he understood that this was how she wanted to show that to him, and he had wanted to give it to her. And he was happy too. He was happy because she was happy.

Jorin suspected they fed off of each other's emotions, not just pleasure and desire, but joy and love too. Because of how much they cared for each other, Jorin knew his joy was her joy, and so whenever one of them was happy like that, the other would be too, and that emotion would bounce across the bond until both of them would be filled with it.

And Jorin could feel Rinya's impatience as he rolled her onto her back and told her he couldn't wait any longer. She clearly couldn't wait either, and so he teasingly kissed her instead of entering her first, enjoying her impatient whine that bubbled up from the back of her throat. But the truth was he was on the breaking point himself, wanting to feel that intimate contact so badly he knew if he waited any longer he'd go crazy.

The moment of contact was a surge of pleasure for them both, Rinya reacting just the way Jorin knew she would. Her head leaned back and she groaned, and Jorin felt a fresh surge of desire. Once again the emotion was so intense he wasn't sure whose it was, but he was fairly certain it was a mixture of both of them. As he began to move, Rinya wrapped her legs around his waist to encourage him and he didn't need any more than that.

Rinya managed to moan out his name as he continued to move, and he could feel them both getting close to the edge. It wasn't something he wanted to happen just yet, so he held off and kept his pace steady. Instead of like usual, where Rinya would hang onto his shoulder or grip the sheets beneath her, she decided to frame his face with her hands as he pressed his forehead to hers, emitting soft moans with every movement of his hips.

Jorin almost marveled at the fact that he had any control at all. His wife's flushed face, her obvious pleasure at their contact, and the desire he felt surging across the bond was enough to drive him crazy with want for his wife. He wanted nothing more than to speed up the motion of his hips, to bring them both to the edge, but he wanted to savor this contact with her. Because it was something so special, so uniquely them.

"Rinya..." he breathed, trying to gain some semblance of coherent thought but failing miserably. It didn't matter. He was sure she could feel it, all the various emotions he had for her. They always seemed to intensify whenever they were so intimately connected. His love, his trust, his desire. All rolled into one package that he made no effort to hide, and he could feel the same from his wife.

As their pleasure mounted Jorin found himself desiring for them both to break simultaneously again. It was something they'd tried to replicate every time they mated since their marriage. On some occasions they succeeded. On others they missed the mark. But it was still something Jorin loved to do, and he was sure with enough practice they would be able to do it fairly consistently.

Jorin took his free hand, the one that wasn't steadying himself on the sheets, and cupped it over Rinya's, smiling at her as he gave her a breathless but tender kiss. He never ceased the motion of his hips as he did so, but he wanted her to know that he wasn't just feeling pleasure at that moment, but love as well; though she certainly knew already.

Then Jorin sent his hand downward, giving attention to Rinya's breast once more as he leaned down and whispered in her ear, "My love... together..." His voice was strained from the sheer pleasure of their act, but he wanted to feel the intense surge of everything when they were able to succeed in breaking together.

It was one of the most incredible sensations he'd ever had, and he wanted to share it with her. So he continued to show love to every part of his wife's body; hand exploring her breasts as his lips found her neck and collarbone once more, kissing and licking and nipping at her soft delicate skin, smiling at his wife's reactions to his touch even as the friction between them threatened to drive them both over the edge.

x