Completed Winter's Breath (Jorin Erithan)

[Rinya]

Despite the snarky attitude Rinya had adopted, she rather enjoyed the attention Jorin doted on her—even in a teasing format. She would never admit it out loud seeing as Jorin felt it of course and the last thing she wanted to do was add to his ego. He already knew every touch sent sparks through her body and made the room heat almost instantly—especially his kisses. He put everything he felt into every kiss he gave her and it was impossible to deny him the result, just as it was impossible for her not to return each kiss... or even deny him one in the first place.

Her husband did not ask anything of her but one promise. The promise that she would never again block their bond. Honestly it was the easiest promise he could have ever asked of her considering the pain she had gone through over their spare week of separation. Jorin may have considered himself presumptuous in the fact that he freely kissed her—he had mentioned it once when the understudy simply stole a kiss from her—but really Rinya did not see a problem in it. It was a wonderful way to show each other their feelings regardless of where they were, and Rinya thoroughly enjoyed the fact that Jorin had trouble keeping his hands off her.

"No secrets wasn’t what I had in mind Jorin." Rinya smirked at him. They had already agreed on that philosophy what seemed like ages ago, but the bond alone would tell her if he tried to hide something. Granted there was no telling what, but neither of them could actually get away with it. Though Rinya was rather certain that despite only having known each other going on three seasons, that she would be able to tell the subtle differences in his attitude even without the bond. It was hard to believe that it hadn’t even been a year with him.

Technically ‘with him’ wasn’t even entirely correct. While their bond had been instant, the actual amount of time they had spent together as a couple was barely half that. Rinya wasn’t even sure if it should be counted from their first kiss—or when they actually decided to admit their feelings for each other without the round about hints, jealousy, and occasional shy kiss. It didn’t really matter of course in the long run, but it was a simple thought that she considered often while they lay in bed together just enjoying the others company.

But while Rinya enjoyed just cuddling in bed with her mate, she rather loved this side of him too. He never showed this side to anyone but her. Yes he was capable of laughing and teasing others, but he was always so cautious about it—afraid that he may offend someone. With her she got to see a side of him that only was ever present when they were alone. A man unafraid of what he wanted and had no issues pressing her to get it either. She supposed in the long run it helped that she was so willing as well. To watch him be so free... there wasn’t anything she wouldn’t give to keep him this happy.

So Rinya grit her teeth and refused to give in so easily. She could feel his want and it made resisting him all the harder—mostly because she never actually had a reason to other than this, just to tease him right back. Jorin for his part didn’t rise to her own bait and continued on with the lesson despite his disappointment. Rinya observed the letter on the book and Jorin beat her to the next set of words ready to leave her mouth. She could nearly spell is name with the letters she had learned thus far—there was only one letter left that she didn’t know. He smiled easily at her and for a moment Rinya thought perhaps he had decided to back off on the game a little.

And she couldn’t have been more wrong.

Rinya figured his hands would wander, they always did. He was usually never so—direct until this point however. Drawing around her breasts and across her stomach, but never directly applied to such a sensitive area. Handling his desire was hard enough on her concentration, if the letter itself wasn’t so easy to remember she was positive she would have never remembered it.

Her back arched against her will at the touch of his finger, and the more times he twisted his finger around her breast the faster her heart beat against her ribs. She could barely hear his words about the letter ‘o’ being simple as his voice held one of her favorite tones—it mimicked the need scaling across the bond. His left hand pulled her up against him and Rinya groaned slightly as she reveled in the feeling of being so pressed up against him. By the time his finger even reached navel she was panting heavily with her eyes squeezed shut tightly. Her whole body felt coiled and tight and the only thing she could actually focus on was his touch.

Rinya wasn’t even aware that Jorin had to gather self control of his own, considering he did the only thing she was wishing for further in the back of her mind. He pressed his lips to hers and she moaned in the back of her throat as one hand came to the back of his neck to hold him there. As much as Rinya hated to admit it, she knew she broke first. The ache that had been slowly building across her body pounded fire through her veins and Rinya nearly whined when he finally drew back from her, leaving her gasping for breath herself.

She barely had thought of mind towards reading as he pressed her hand to his stomach with a look that told her what he wanted. But his question was completely different than what the bond told her. Rinya could feel her fingers twitch against his skin and she bit her bottom lip as she shook her head slightly. "I can’t." The words were barely choked out, but honestly she wanted nothing to do with the lesson and everything to do with her husband. While there were a million things that filtered through her mind at once, but only one action she wanted to do.

Her fingers ignored the whole point of the lesson to trace the letter into his skin, instead shifting just slightly downward to grip him like she had the night before. "Jorin..." Rinya moaned his name, though she knew she was begging him without so many words. Rinya herself was not big on pride, but there was no place for it in their bed.

Color Space

[Jorin Ertihan]

x

Jorin would have never dreamed of teasing anyone else the way he did Rinya. It simply wouldn't have occurred to him. As far as he was concerned, she was the only one he could be so open with. Even with Kirsi or Alia, Jorin knew that friendly camaraderie could only go so far. And truthfully, he had little incentive to tease them. Certainly he thought they were interesting people but he did not have the same connection with them the same way he did with Rinya.

Despite her words, Rinya did seem to understand what he was trying to say with the whole 'no secrets' thing. She mentioned it wasn't what she had in mind, and Jorin just shrugged a bit. "I know," he commented lightly, "but still." The whole 'no secrets' thing wasn't just a philosophy intended to avoid potentially catastrophic misunderstandings, but also a determined testament to their mutual trust.

The fact was, Jorin wasn't comfortable hiding things from his wife, which he put down as a good thing. Deception was not naturally something he was good at, but he could pull it off it the need arose. He was, after all, an actor, trained in tricking the audience into believing whatever emotion he decided to plaster onto his face that day. Lying, then, was simply the art of making one's words match one's face.

For his part, though, Jorin knew two things for sure. First, even if he wanted to lie to Rinya he could not. The bond would inform her immediately, and the only way to prevent that would be to block the bond; something they agreed to never do again. And second, there were no circumstances under which Jorin felt lying to his wife was justified. As such the 'no secrets' philosophy developed rather naturally and organically from the fact that their relationship was already so open.

Their teasing was continuing apace, and Jorin knew he was rather pushing it with what he was doing. Truthfully, had Rinya given any indication to stop, and indication she was not enjoying the attentions he was lathering onto her body, he would have ceased immediately. Regardless of whatever desire he was experiencing, Jorin loved and respected his wife first and foremost. He would respect her choices, even if they resulted in him not being able to fulfill the desire burning in his veins.

But Rinya's actions spoke otherwise. Her back arched against his fingers as he drew the 'o' around her breasts, even as he hear her breathing become more ragged. Every reaction he drew from her sent shudders of pleasure through the bond to him, and it only spurred Jorin on further. When he pressed them close together, his wife's groan mingled with his own as the pleasant sensation of contact with her shot through him.

His wife had squeezed her eyes shut, her muscles tensing every time his fingers passed over them. Whether it was her stomach or her breasts, Jorin could feel the heat building inside both himself and his beautiful wife, who was clearly losing control just as rapidly as he was. Their kiss was as passionate as any they'd shared before and Jorin knew that their lesson was quite likely now at an end.

Rinya confessed she couldn't draw the letter as he'd asked her to do, and he honestly didn't care about letters either at that moment. He just nodded, gasping as she gripped him. Her fingers were soft and gentle, and as usual her ministrations were very welcome and he couldn't help the surges of pleasure that shot through him just from the contact. His hips moved of their own accord, trying to encourage her as she moaned out his name.

Unable to stop himself, Jorin's hands stole forward, one wrapping under her arm and drawing her closer to him and the other returning to her breasts. By this point, Jorin knew his head was as clouded as hers, and he just groaned out Rinya's name as he touched the sensitive skin. The 'o' was nowhere to be seen as he traced nonsense patterns, followed by simply caressing her breasts, knowing full well how weak Rinya was there, how sensitive.

Desperate for more contact, Jorin tried valiantly to ignore the feeling of his wife's hand gripping him as he sprang up slightly in order to lock lips with her. The heat from his desire burned through him like wildfire as he slipped in his tongue with a groan. "Rinya, I want you..." he mumbled against her lips. Even when the kiss ended, he only took enough time for them to breathe before he dove in, resuming the kiss almost immediately.

It was official. Jorin had officially given up all pretense of a lesson. The poetry book sat forlorn and forgotten at the edge of the bed as its owner was far too busy touching his wife everywhere to pay it any attention. Indeed at that moment Jorin would have been hard-pressed to remember which letter they'd stopped at, except every time he looped his fingers across Rinya's stomach and bellybutton, or caressed her breasts lovingly, he was immediately reminded.

As it turned out, Jorin ended up kissing Rinya three or four times, each time more intensely than the last, only stopping for them both to draw breath before diving in again. He made no secret of the fact that he wanted to drive them both wild. There was no going slow this time; the impatience surged across the bond as he kissed her hungrily.

As Rinya's hand was gripping him, Jorin decided to steal a hand of his own to a familiar place he'd long since memorized. His wife had made sure he was well taken care of last night, being very careful to ensure his pleasure before taking any for herself. And while he was very happy to let her do that for him, especially since he knew how happy it made her to know she'd done something so very right, he still wanted to take care of his woman this time.

It didn't even take any thinking. Having already done it a few times, including once in near pitch-dark where his eyes had been almost useless, Jorin had no problem finding what he was looking for. The combined pleasure was threatening to overwhelm but Jorin held on for dear life, both figuratively and literally as his other hand went from caressing to gently but firmly gripping his wife's shoulder.

But what struck Jorin wasn't so much the desire that was surging through them both at that moment. Desire was something he knew came from the fact that he loved any form of intimate contact with his wife, and mating with her was by far the most intimate contact he could have. Nor was it the pleasure, since they'd learned many ways to give one another pleasure over the past two seasons.

No, it was the love that struck him. It never failed to impress Jorin, that even in the throes of deepest passion, they could still love one another so strongly. Indeed, Jorin arguably felt more love during times like these than any other time. He was wrong. They weren't trying to remind each other, like as though they might forget.

It was simply how they felt for one another.

It really shouldn't have surprised him. After all, he knew simply from the love that always hummed across the bond even when it was fairly quiet that they would constantly project their emotions. And so it wasn't so surprising that the love peaked right alongside the desire during their periods of greatest passion.

And so Jorin continued to press forward, looking to drive his wife as wild as she was driving him. "Rinya..." he breathed out, voice almost gone as the desire flooded through him. He wasn't even sure what he was asking of her. Or perhaps he did but the words were gone. The only thing left was Jorin, and Rinya, and all the emotions that swirled and crashed into them both as they locked into an intimate embrace.

Despite the pounding of his heart, Jorin's feelings swelled and soared. He heart felt full with the knowledge that his wife was enjoying his attentions as much as he was enjoying hers. "I love you," he finally managed between gasps, even as his wife's attentions drove his breath away. They were only three small words. The two of them must have spoken - and heard - that same phrase at least hundred times by this point. Yet somehow even despite that, the words never failed to have the same effect.

On both of them.

x

[Rinya]

Rinya's reactions to Jorin's touch were never new, at least not in her opinion. Even when they were innocent touches, she reacted—just in different ways. But Jorin was most certainly not heading down the innocent path. The more her back arched or the harsher her breathing got, she could feel his desire grow further. One thing Rinya really could never understand was why anyone would do this with someone they didn't love. Granted the bond gave her so much more information than if she loved someone that she wasn't bonded to, but it some ways this was so addicting—just reveling in the emotions she brought out of him. The love was ever present, but it was purely intoxicating when it mixed with his want and need.

His moving fingers made her hiss however as they landed on her breast. Somehow from the night before things had shifted so very suddenly. Last night he had been extra careful with her, and she knew entirely why as well. Having been ill he didn't want to make things worse, but now... he knew exactly what he wanted and how to get it out of her. Even if Rinya had half a mind in that moment she wouldn't have resisted—she wanted it just as badly as he did. The only problem was trying to get a hold of it before they both ended up overboard.

Jorin slid his tongue against hers, barely able to mumble out the words that he wanted her against her lips before drawing in just enough air to press yet another kiss to her. Rinya could tell despite her physical hold on him that she was barely keeping up. He may have been the one teasing her, causing her to crack and give into him—but he was the one running so very far ahead of her. Not that her body wasn't keeping up... there was certainly no issue there. Every touch and kiss had her panting and moaning incoherently against him, but mentally as he scattered her mind with his affections, Rinya realized she could barely do much but hold on and move her hand with his hips.

Still his words caused her moan desperately against his mouth and kiss him hard in an attempt to give back clearly as good as she got. His goal of driving her wild in the very least was working. Rinya shifted against him the best she could to try and touch him further with her free hand, but Jorin ruined the pretense by slipping his hand from her breast down further and Rinya cried out his name against his mouth. She was still amazed that despite how many times they did this, each time felt a little different. They loved each other no doubt as the bond echoed constantly even now with it, but the raw desire and need between them was blinding this time around.

It almost felt as though they had been apart for years and this was their only chance to be together again. Rinya knew it was of course a ridiculous notion—neither of them had any intention of going anywhere... well perhaps he did, but for the moment he wasn't and that should have been all that mattered. Except his need simply ripped through her and made it her own as well. There was no way to get close enough at the moment even with him gripping her shoulder and holding her to him. It made moving for her difficult considering she was trying to react to his touch with her own hips as well as pay attention to his own pleasure.

He breathed out her name and she shuddered against him. Jorin might not have known what he was asking of her himself, but to Rinya it didn't even matter at that point anymore. She could only focus on the two of them, and the ache that had flared into an inferno. Jorin gasped out the three words that they both said daily—and Rinya couldn't stop herself. She pressed her face against his shoulder and cried out his name as she broke apart in his arms once again, the shock of need between them far too much for her to handle any further.

But oddly enough for as much as she enjoyed the pleasure racking through her, as she came down from the high she noted two things. One was that she had unfortunately let go of him as she had fallen apart in favor of gripping his own shoulder. She wasn't sure when she had done that actually, considering she was barely able to keep any conscious thought... a far cry from the night before. The second was that the ache that was usually in the very least soothed—wasn't. In fact it seemed worse now than it had before.

Rinya wasn't sure if it was affected by his wild need, or the simple fact that they were not joined as she wanted to be when she broke, but it didn't change the fact that she only wanted him more, the ache still raged across her body. She was out of breath however and Rinya didn't know what else to do but grip his shoulder and try and pull him on top of her in the best hint she could give him. Partly she wondered if he could feel it—that her release hadn't been close to what she actually wanted. "Jorin now." Rinya could barely growl the words out at him, but she was certain he would get the idea. After all he was always better at reading her intent than her words. Leaning up she pressed lips to his despite her lack of breath, pressing her tongue into his mouth.

Color Space

[Jorin Ertihan]

x

For Jorin, there wasn’t anything quite like touching his wife. The passion and desire that surged whenever he did never seemed to get any less intense, regardless of the number of times they coupled. Jorin steadfastly held to the belief that they technically could control themselves, if they wanted. After all, Jorin no longer slept clothed or alone any longer, and despite spending every night nude and cuddled up to Rinya, they mostly spent their evenings talking or just enjoying each other’s company. Wild passion such as what they enjoyed the night before - or what they were currently in the throes of - were actually not as common as quiet ones of simple love and happiness.

Nonetheless, Jorin could not deny the sheer pleasure he derived from the effect his touch was having on his wife. Her grip on him was making it difficult to think, especially as she began to move in tune with his hips, but he redoubled his efforts and continued to pay attention to her breasts and navel, making sure to lather on attention to her entire body even as she paid attention to his. It was an intoxicating thing, and Jorin knew he was hopelessly addicted to his wife by this point. Everything from the pleasure surging across the bond to her moans and hisses sent fire and electricity all the way to his core.

By the time he had pressed his tongue into her mouth, Rinya was almost entirely just reacting. She moaned against his mouth as he groaned out his want, her own mounting desire the only answer he needed as he pressed them closer together. Rinya eagerly kissed him back, the desperate need in her moans becoming more urgent as she pressed herself closer to him while trying to touch him further. When Jorin stole his hand further down from her breasts, he couldn’t help but smile as she cried his name into their kiss, the fresh surge of pleasure washing over the bond like a tidal wave.

Jorin knew that pleasure of this magnitude was only really possible for him because it was specifically Rinya. The pleasure was not just physical but emotional. He felt it not only where her soft fingers wrapped around him, but deep in his heart as well. In many ways, their souls were just as naked, just as vulnerable as their bodies, as least when they were with one another. It was why the physical act was more than just mating or coupling for them. It was making love, in every sense of the words.

Perhaps that was why the three simple words had such a prodigious effect on the both of them. Because they weren’t just words, just like their mating was not just mindless coupling. Every time they said it the bond filled with the emotion, surging in intensity as they poured their heart and soul into assuring the other that their love was what was most important to them. Jorin had been serious when he’d told his wife that she was his whole world, and he knew she felt the same.

Rinya had shattered at those words, her face buried in his shoulder as her hand released him to grip his shoulder. He could feel her tense as she gave him what he was looking for, the pleasure washing over the both of them as desire, need, and love mingled until neither of them knew or cared which one of them originated it. Jorin hardly heard her cry out his name into his skin as he was too busy pulling her close, squeezing his own eyes shut and just enjoying the sensation of feeling his wife come apart in his arms.

It honestly didn’t matter to Jorin that she had released him when he’d caused her to break. Just as he knew she derived pleasure from giving him pleasure, as she had done last night, they both knew that he just as readily derived pleasure from pleasing her. Jorin loved to see his wife shatter, because it told him that he had given her pleasure and happiness and that alone was worth any price to him. But one thing Jorin noted was that unlike usual, when Rinya’s desire abated slightly after shattering, in this case it no only failed to do so, it became even more fiery and urgent.

Jorin couldn’t help but respond immediately when his wife used her grip on his shoulder to try to pull him on top of her. He shuffled until he was between her legs. He gently ran his hands up her thighs, past her navel and to her breasts, caressing them gently before going further up to frame her face. Rinya’s voice was full of need as she growled out that she wanted him now. If her words had not been clear enough, the desire that surged across from her, and the desperate need that drove her kiss, removed all doubt as to what she wanted from him.

Jorin couldn’t help groaning against her lips as she chose to invade his mouth. He was glad that she was no longer shy about kissing him like this. It was a type of kiss that was so intimate he knew he’d never kiss anyone else like this, much less feel the same even if he did. But even despite the heat and passion of their contact he knew that wasn’t what she really wanted. When she began to make an impatient noise from the back of her throat, urging him on with her hips, Jorin broke their kiss with a gasp before steadying himself and entering her, reveling at the sheer pleasure that scored through both of them at the action.

As was usual, his wife almost immediately wrapped her legs around his waist as he hiked her hips up a bit, looking for the right angle as he began to move. Despite the passion that was burning through his entire being, Jorin tried to take it slow at first. His hips moved at a slow and deliberate pace, but his wife’s impatience sizzled with his own and he knew he couldn’t maintain it. They took it ‘slow’ the day before, though in reality it wasn’t so much slower as gentler. But today, with the burning passion and the fact that his wife was no longer recovering from an illness, Jorin just couldn’t hold himself back.

As his hips sped up, he couldn’t stop the groans if he tried, and they mixed with Rinya’s own moans until the sounds of their love filled their small bedroom. How it was possible they could still have the energy to continue mating even after the passion they shared the night before was something that Jorin might have been curious about, if it hadn’t been for the fact that the pleasure from their joined bodies wasn’t driving him just as wild as his wife.

Jorin did have the presence of mind to dote more attention onto Rinya’s body. He knew she enjoyed it when he touched her everywhere, and truthfully he loved doing it too. It was why he so enjoyed teasing her, so he lowered his head near her neck, breathing in her scent and giving a strained smile when she automatically tilted her head to give him better access. He kissed and licked and nipped his way down her neck and collarbone while his hand explored her breasts, navel, and sides, roaming in no discernable pattern.

No words needed to be spoken. Jorin was fairly certain his wife knew he wanted to shatter with her. In the end they didn’t actually care who broke first, as long as they both did. But by now they had achieved a comfortable understanding that they both so greatly enjoyed breaking apart together that he no longer needed to ask for it. He could feel their pleasure mount and he knew that he was not going to last very much longer.

”Rinya...!” he moaned loudly. It was the only warning he could give her as he could feel the intense rush of his shattering overwhelm his senses. Not for the first time, Jorin’s entire world shrank down to two people at that moment, and he could feel their shared pleasure bounce between them, so intense he nearly blacked out for a moment. Nothing else he’d ever experienced even came close. Jorin felt a sense of joy, knowing that he could give his wife such pleasure, especially when he remembered that her father had not even told her she could experience it during mating. Jorin knew for a fact that he could not enjoy this act if she wasn’t also enjoying it.

As their breathing and heartbeats slowly returned to normal, Jorin pulled them into a slightly more comfortable position, cuddling her close as her leg found its way between his again. Jorin had long since forgotten about the poetry book, which had fallen onto the floor at some point during their love making. It didn’t really matter; he was not really in the mood to retrieve it anyway. Instead, he opted to draw the last letter he’d taught her into her skin, though thankfully this time he chose the ‘safer’ location of her forearm instead of her breast.

”I know, I know,” he chuckled as he drew the letter a few more times before reaching down and placing her hand on his chest with a smile. ”I’m a terrible tease. But I can’t help it... I want you, my love, more than words can express. Still,” he sighed, ”we should probably continue with your lesson. You never did show me that you remembered the letter ‘o’.” Jorin threw Rinya a troublesome grin. ”If you’ve forgotten, I might just have to show you again,” he smirked, as he leaned in for a somewhat softer yet no less passionate kiss.

x

[Rinya]

Like everything else, Jorin was unable to actually deny her anything she desired. And it was just as true now as ever. As her mind uncloudy--mostly--from her high and the ache urged her to simply be with her husband in the most intimate ways, Jorin did not bother resisting her grip. Instead he responded instantly to her request and settled himself between her legs, though he did not enter her right away. His hands trailed across her skin starting at her thighs and trailing upwards slowly. Despite the wild urge to be with him, Rinya remained fairly still beneath him and enjoyed the feeling of him caressing her.

But her kiss seemed to encourage him regardless. Jorin groaned against her mouth and deep down she knew he was pleased by her initiation of the kiss. She usually was still very shy about kissing him as such unless the desire clouded her head--that or he beat her to it. Jorin was always kissing her, and Rinya wasn’t bound to complain about it but it left little time for her to actually react and show him just how badly she wanted him too--how much she desired to be that close to him. And not simply just through the act they were currently locked in.

The moment of simply enjoying his hands however passed and Rinya felt the ache burn through her body again. Rinya pressed her hips upwards against his in a silent request as she groaned at the feeling. This time Jorin didn’t wait and fulfilled both their desires as entered her. The feeling caused her to gasp and her legs reacted without her thought as they wrapped around his waist with the help of his hand. Rinya could feel his attempt physically at trying to take his movements slow, but she knew that it wouldn’t take long for either of them… and she longed to share the pleasure with him this time.

As he increased speed and groaned in response, Rinya could vaguely hear herself whimper and moan as well. Her mind was quickly turning blank between the pleasure reverberating between them and her hands trailed across his back, sides, and chest trying to enhance his own desire. Jorin just responded in kind by dragging his free hand across her body as well and pressing his lips to her neck. Rinya tilted her head to the side in order to give him more reach, trying to keep some presence of mind to at least make this last. They were burning through each other so very quickly.

Jorin moaned her name and Rinya cried out his right back. She felt him tense above her and Rinya let herself go, gripping his back tightly as she broke apart beneath him. It was what she had craved before, to feel him come apart with her, and this time she was rewarded. Rinya wasn’t aware of anything else but him and the feeling of pleasure between them. She wasn’t even entirely aware of him falling on top of her until they had laid there for several chimes and Jorin shifted above her.

Jorin adjusted them both into a more comfortable position and Rinya curled against her husband in the old familiar way. Rinya had almost fallen asleep to his slowing heartbeat when she felt his fingers trail across her skin again. At first she didn’t have enough mind to actually put the symbol to mind, but as she focused further she recognized the letter as the one that finally made her break under his teasing. It felt as though she got a burst of energy and she lifted her head to gape at him slightly.

"You’re plain evil." Rinya hissed playfully, and Jorin simply chuckled that he knew he was a terrible tease. He pulled her hand to his chest and Rinya grumbled lowly. She felt pleasantly drained by this point, but apparently her husband had no issues informing her that he simply couldn’t help himself. Rinya had no doubt that he would always want her just as she would him. But in the very least he seemed to be able to focus this time--insisting that they continue on with the lesson. He threw her a grin, trying to bait her into having him show her the letter once again. However tempting the offer however, Rinya huffed at him lightly, but accepted his kiss none the less, allowing the emotions to soften her teasing slightly. "Trust me… I quite remember the letter ‘o’ very well." In an effort to show that she had been paying attention--somewhat--she traced the letter over his heart lightly several times. "It’s not that difficult of a letter to learn my love."

Taking a deep breath Rinya decided to push further and she also went about tracing the letters ‘m’ and ‘n’ across his chest as well to prove that despite the distractions he had successfully induced on her, that she did indeed remember the three letters he had attempted to teach her thus far. Sighing contently, Rinya then started at the beginning, tracing the letter ‘a’ into his skin and continued onward. "So my evil mate… think you can focus enough to show my a few more letters? Because at this rate you won’t be leaving the house anymore than I will." Rinya cocked a brow at Jorin.

Part of her wished that he would indeed just spend the day in bed with her, teaching her letters and cuddling while she tried to rest. It was very appealing to drift in and out of sleep pressed up against him, but she realized that he did indeed have work and probably quarterstaff training to attend to as well. Rinya very well knew that if she asked him to stay he would--but that wasn’t honestly fair in her opinion so she kept the request to herself. "What letter comes next love?" She asked lightly in an attempt to ignore the pleasing thought of spending the day with him.

Color Space

[Jorin Ertihan]

x

Considering the sheer number of times they had done this already, including the very night before, one might be forgiven in thinking that the intensity of the act might have dissipated somewhat. Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, it arguably became more and more intense as time went on, likely because every single time they learned something new about the other.

There seemed to be a mutual understanding that he was very pleased his wife initiated a kiss. Especially that sort of kiss, since it wasn't something she normally initiated. Jorin never held that against her; he knew he usually got to it first and besides, his wife was still pretty shy about initiating kisses in general.

But it was part of the transformation that was happening for them both. She was opening up more and more as their relationship and bond deepened, and now it seemed she was comfortable enough with simply being with him that she could kiss him without having to worry that he might think she was going too far. And he wouldn't. Rinya was always first in his heart, he'd accept her affection no matter what form it took.

If Jorin had been able to put rational thought together he might have had the self-consciousness to be embarrassed by the fact that he was so unable to take it slow. He really did want their pleasure to last, but they burned through one another so quickly, like as though they were long-separated lovers that had only just reunited, rather than a married couple who saw one another every single day.

Nonetheless, Jorin couldn't deny the sheer enjoyment that they both experienced, from this most intimate of acts. Some part of Jorin that could put together thought was very pleased that they managed to break together once more. It was something they both wanted, and somehow they were able to communicate it despite their passion stealing the words from their breaths.

Rinya's own wandering hands had laid fire across his skin, and their moans once again filled the room like it had the night before. In some ways this was the best part of mating with Rinya. The sweet tension as the pleasure mounted, the sight of her gasping and moaning his name, her love mingling with his as they both held onto one another for dear life. It was intoxicating and he never wanted it to end.

But it did, and like every time before, Jorin could feel his wife break with him. It was a surge of intense pleasure and love, and honestly also relief. Both Rinya and himself had finally gotten what they wanted - to feel the other shatter with them. It just wasn't the same when they touched the other, and caused the other to shatter alone. While pleasurable in its own right, it only seemed to make them want one another more.

And the soft pleasant calm that followed their intense shattering was just as pleasant in its own way, settling over them like a blanket as they came down from their high. Jorin felt the contentment wrap around him as they shifted so that she could curl up against him in her usual fashion.

Granted, it wasn't as... impressive as shattering with his wife, but Jorin still loved moments like these just as dearly. Without the passion clouding their heads, the softer emotions were allowed to run free, and the bond filled with it in a way that made Jorin's heart warm as he pressed his wife closer to him, even as he started drawing 'o's on her skin.

Rinya hissed that he was evil, but her playful tone and cheerful smile told him that she loved his attentions regardless. He of course knew how much of a tease he was. He'd long since given up pretending he didn't; though there was a time he genuinely had not realized he was a tease to her. "Well, I do happen to like playing villains at the amphitheater," he joked back to her lightly, nuzzling her neck slightly with his nose before kissing her lightly there.

"I'm glad to see you remember," he smiled, as she traced the rune a few times near his heart before placing her hand flat against it. He knew she loved to feel his heartbeat, its soft thumping her lullaby every night. But she was right, 'o' was one of the easiest letters to learn. It was basically just a big circle.

She proceeded to draw the other two letters he had taught her across his chest, before going on to proudly display her memory by drawing the other letters too, starting with 'a'. Jorin couldn't hide his pride in his wife. She might not have thought it was much but she had picked up quite the collection of letters so far, and she managed to get them all right.

"I'm not sure I would be so upset if I never left the house, love," he grinned back at Rinya's light teasing, her cocked brow not hiding the fact that she clearly wouldn't have minded if he never left either. But they both knew he'd have to eventually; he couldn't afford to lose his work at the Amphitheater again, and he'd developed something of a habit of going to the Kendoka every day and it would feel strange to break it.

"But you've done a fantastic job," he complimented, stroking her face gently with one hand as he smiled at her. "And you never once complained about my teaching!" Jorin laughed, leaning forward to give her a quick kiss when she asked him what letter followed. Nodding, Jorin looked about for his poetry book. Where had it gone? He actually forgot where he'd placed it, until he remembered that he must have shoved it to the edge of the bed when they began coupling.

Temporarily releasing Rinya, Jorin searched the far end of the bed until he found the somewhat battered book laying haphazardly on the floor, clearly having been kicked there by an unwary foot. He didn't remember doing that, but then he wasn't really concentrating on the book when he was mating with his wife. Shrugging slightly, he plucked the tome off the ground and snuggled back up to Rinya, grinning when she almost unconsciously shifted her body to be more comfortably curled up next to him.

"The next letter is 'p'," Jorin explained, pointing out the letter for her to see in the poem. "You'll notice that the word 'past' begins with it. As far as letters go it's not particularly complicated, but nonetheless more so than 'o', I suppose." Jorin drew the letter a few times, this time 'behaving' and drawing it onto his wife's forearm and palm, rather than her sensitive stomach and navel. He'd be lying if he said he wasn't tempted to do so, but he knew if he did they'd never get past another letter.

Jorin grinned at Rinya after he was finished drawing the letter a few times. "See?" he crowed slightly, even as his eyes twinkled as he shot in for another warm, loving kiss. "I can behave when I want to." Taking his wife's hand in his, he brought it up to his chest and nodded. "Now let's see how well you've learned this one," he prompted gently, softly stroking the back of her hand as he said it.

x

[Rinya]

Jorin mumbled a joke about enjoying being the ‘villain’ at the amphitheater, and Rinya wanted to retort that she still couldn’t imagine her husband being some kind of a ‘badass’ even if it was just a play. But he pressed in close, nuzzling her neck and left the lightest of kisses to the skin in a way that made her heart clench. It was the simplest of actions really but the meaning behind it meant everything to her. The action meant just as much to her as the act they had completed even with the vast differences between them. Though she was positive if they weren’t already so spent, that the action alone could have very well sent them down that path as well.

Rinya closed her eyes and just let the emotions fill her. While the bond may have been consistently filled with love, that didn’t always mean they had time to just focus on what they were feeling. It was a constant presence that made Rinya over the moon happy, but there were times like these where she could revel in it and not worry about someone else interrupting the feeling. It was especially strong the closer they were physically as well, and she always felt the strongest when they were like this--cuddled up next to each other regardless of previous actions… not that she would discard those either.

Tenderness was still hard for her to come by outside of Jorin’s presence however. Rinya found it was much easier to be kinder to people, but she still carried that air of mistrust quite often. In the very least she counted it as a point that she didn’t run from people in general anymore. Part of her wondered if it was Jorin’s influence--or if perhaps she had begun to mirror him slightly. Her father had warned it could happen, but it certainly didn’t feel like anything he had described. That she would lose who she was because of the bond.

Honestly Rinya felt the same as she always did deep down. She still had her fears of abandonment, still loved her archery. It was simply that she wasn’t as… hard as before. She wasn’t living half a life trying to figure out what the whole point of trying was in the first place. Jorin made it easy to be softer--and that did not make her weak. Rinya knew she was still mostly pessimistic unless it truly came down to Jorin. It was amazing how optimistic about them she had become. Such a drastic change from the previous season when she ran at the first sign of trouble between them because she wasn’t sure if she could survive the pain of losing him.

Honestly she was fairly positive even if she lost him and physically survived that the softer part of her was very likely to die with him. She was dangerously wrapped up in him in all ways… unlike her father or Nickolas, losing Jorin could very well destroy her. In that aspect her father had been very correct. The longer she spent with Jorin, the worse it would. But for the first time in her life she was more than willing to accept that consequence, just to be with him as long as she could. Besides, it was far more likely he would just simply outlive her. He wasn’t known for taking dangerous risks in the first place.

Rinya snapped out her daze as Jorin smiled at her, obviously proud that she remembered the rune despite the distractions. She hadn’t even realized she had focused out, and she actually had no idea for how long--though it was likely it wasn’t all that long. Her hand had come to a stop over his heart and she could feel the beat of it under her skin almost as if it was her own. Actually… it rather was hers, just more in metaphysical sense than anything else. Jorin grinned at her, expressing that he wouldn’t mind in the least if he ended up staying at home.

Her mate reached up to stroke her face, commenting that he thought she was doing a fantastic job at learning the letters thus far. Rinya tilted her face into his hand, enjoying the simple touch once again. After a tick he laughed out loud about how she never complained about his teaching habits. She knew he was joking of course, but in all actuality his pride in her made it all the more easy to learn. She wanted to do well not just for her sake, but his as well. "I like making you proud." It was a far more serious comment than it needed to be, but it was the truth. Rinya lifted her head to look up at him for a moment and he caught her in a quick kiss before he began glancing around for something.

It wasn’t until Jorin actually pulled away from her that she noted what he was probably looking for. The book she had been learning from was missing and if they were to continue learning they would kind of need it. Reluctantly she released him when so he could fetch the book and actually managed to keep herself from making any sort of embarrassing sounds over the temporary loss of heat. Rinya never pictured herself being so… needy, but Jorin certainly brought it out of her with his spoiling touches and feelings. In the back of her mind she wondered if she was even capable of acting like this with anyone else. Probably not--Jorin’s patience with her seemed never ending and his purely gentle soul was vastly unique. At least in her opinion.

Shaking her head slightly, Rinya curled back into her husband as he opened the book back to the page they had been working on. He proceeded on with the letter ‘p’, and Rinya did her best to focus back on the lesson at hand. He drew the rune into much safer parts of her skin, joking lightly after another kiss that warmed her inside to out, that he could actually behave when he wanted to. Rinya couldn’t help the snort she released at the comment. "I’d like to see it before we end up twisted around each other trying to drive the other wild with moans and touches."

Rinya could feel her cheeks flood with color slightly. She had never actually spoken to him like that even during teasing--despite the fact that the comment was bluntly true. Clearing her throat she glanced down at her hand across his chest and began to trace the letter ‘p’ against his skin.

Color Space

[Jorin Ertihan]

x

It was a different sort of love that Jorin was feeling, both from himself and from his wife. The love from before that they had felt at the height of their passion was wild, untamed and fiery. It was most certainly love, just of a different sort. But this was different. When he kissed her ever-so-lightly, there was a surge of tender emotions that made both their hearts clench. Warmth spread throughout Jorin's body, and when Rinya closed her eyes to just enjoy the feeling, Jorin sighed and did the same.

His little joke about liking to play the villain caused a slight twinge of scepticism from his wife. Possibly because she still couldn't see him in that role. The truth was, Jorin would never actually want to be a villain, not for real anyway. He was much too gentle a person to enjoy such a thing, and moreover the kind, fun-loving Jorin was the man his wife fell in love with. He would not want to change that for the world. But he couldn't deny the appeal of playing the role of villain in a play. In such a controlled environment, where the lines were pre-set and the actions pre-determined, being the villain was more about playing a role he normally would never get a chance to.

Jorin loved playing the 'bad guy' mainly because it seemed it was always them that got the best lines, the most interesting counterplay with the hero, the deepest character development. Basically, short of being the main character himself, Jorin preferred being the primary villain because it put him center stage, right where he loved being. He sought that stage not so much due to an over-inflated sense of ego but more because he liked to entertain. And while a bit part in the third act might entertain briefly for the two chimes he was reading his ten whole lines, the simple fact was that such bit parts - while important to the play - were hardly challenging or rewarding.

Jorin didn't think Rinya fully realized the impact she had on him. The full importance her very existence was to his soul at this point. Before her, there wasn't anyone he trusted enough to simply let down all barriers with. As he'd told her, he always had some sort of mask up. She was sympathetic, but he didn't think she realized how soul-crushing it was to never show one's true face to anyone. Jorin figured that if he'd never met Rinya, it was quite possible that one day, he might well have given up, and become the masks he was wearing. That the real Jorin inside would have been forever lost.

But with Rinya, Jorin knew he was always safe. She'd never judge him, never tell him he was not living up to his 'potential' nor insinuate he was not good enough in some fashion. And it was her complete acceptance of who he was, and the pure love she always sent across the bond to comfort and assure him, that allowed him to accept himself, at least for the most part. Jorin still had doubts every now and again, and he suspected he always would. But he almost surprised himself with the realization that he no longer had any problems being 'just Jorin' anymore.

Rinya responded to his touch just the way he knew she would, with love and acceptance. Rinya always responded to his touch in some fashion, and she was always happy to receive it. If it had been a season ago, Jorin might have been a bit wary, simply because it perhaps was presumptuous to simply touch her just because he could.

But now that their relationship had progressed to such a degree it became almost second nature. Rinya cuddled up to him every night almost instinctively, and he suspected that he couldn't prevent himself from kissing her at random intervals if he wanted to. Their love wasn't just an emotion, it was a connection. Something that linked their souls together almost like a second bond. It strengthened and reinforced the bond they already shared, and they made for a potent combination.

"I will always be proud of you," Jorin insisted, when Rinya admitted she liked making him proud. Continuing to stroke her face, he smiled softly at her. "No matter what, I always will, because I will always love you. You're my everything." Jorin didn't see the words as particularly romantic. They were simply the truth. He spoke them with the same conviction he would "two plus two make four". Rinya was his everything, and he was simply putting it out there as a statement of fact.

Jorin could feel Rinya's discomfort from his brief absence. She did not make any sound to call him back, but nonetheless he could feel it across the bond. And Jorin knew he was feeling it too. It was rather sappy, really. They were only separated for a maximum of two or three chimes as he sought out his wayward book but it felt much longer. It was a minor miracle they could survive their normal days, when they were apart for several bells as he went to the Kendoka and the Amphitheater while she worked at the Warren.

But Jorin returned to her side as quickly as he could, and Rinya seemed quite attentive to his lesson now that he was drawing on 'safer' locations on her body. His off-hand statement drew the expected snort from his wife. Another man might have found her snort unladylike and objected, but Jorin found it so very Rinya that he wouldn't have her change it for anything. She followed it up by mentioning... oh my.

Jorin felt blood rush to his cheeks at her rather blunt words. Not that he was upset or really embarassed; everything she'd said was entirely true. But both of them knew it was the first time they'd ever spoke of their activities in such blunt terms. Coughing slightly, Jorin shrugged his shoulders. "I can't promise that," he grinned slightly, even as his blush deepened. "I love to touch you, Rinya. I love when we are joined so intimately, because it lets me show you everything I feel for you."

Jorin reached out, as she traced the letter 'p' onto his skin, taking her free hand and holding it gently while looking her right in the eyes. "You remember our first time, love?" he asked, with a slight chuckle. "Even then, when neither of us had any idea what we were doing, and I... finished far too soon, we could still feel it. The love. I said it then, right? That love would show us the way." Jorin leaned in, pressing his lips against his wife's and poured his love into the act. It was, as Jorin was beginning to realize, her favorite kind of kiss. The kind she seemed to enjoy the most, because they best represented the depth of the love they shared. Even without the bond, Jorin knew this one kiss would have told her everything.

When they finally seperated, Jorin was flushed with emotion, grinning like and idiot and feeling happier than he had in a long time. He couldn't explain why, other than the fact that he was spending a tender moment with the woman he loved the most and the world was not taking it away from him for some random bull-shyke. Jorin sighed when he realized he'd dropped the poetry book again. He would have loved to just continue to kiss Rinya and to hai with their lesson, but he did need to go to the Amphitheater eventually. Giving Rinya a game smile, he reached for the book - thankfully this time close by enough to pick up without having to leave her side - and flipped through the pages.

"Excellent work on the 'p'," Jorin smiled at her, though he corrected her slightly as she drew it onto his skin. "However, the looped part of the letter should be more cup-shaped than round," he explained gently, not a single trace of judgement in his voice. In truth she got it pretty close, but he knew his wife didn't want to get it 'pretty close'. She wanted to get it right. And he was determined to help her.

After watching her correct herself, Jorin nodded. "Very good," he praised, beaming at her. "That's perfect. In any case, let's move onto the next letter, 'q'. Now this letter's a bit strange. It is almost always followed by another letter, 'u'." Jorin pursed his lips and thought for a moment. "Actually, truth be told I can't think of any words where 'q' isn't followed by 'u'. Since those two letters are so intimately tied, I will teach them to you as a set."

Searching through the book of poetry, Jorin realized not only was 'q' unusual for having a sister letter that pretty much always followed it, but that they were quite rare. It wasn't common for him to use the letter in poetry since words that had the letter in it were sometimes difficult to find rhymes for. Eventually, he hit upon a short poem that had been written during his early years. He winced slightly as he re-read the older poem, and sighed slightly.

"Well... this one isn't so great," he groaned. "I wrote it a long time ago. Please forgive its brevity." Jorin grinned. "And its awfulness," he added lightheartedly. Then he read the words on the page.

"The pen hovers above the page
I quiver with expectant fear
As one by one the marks are made
And judgement draws ever near

I wring my hands behind my back
And pray for a passing score
To see a smile upon the face
That frowns forevermore

Four then five, the hand then stops
No longer does it move
Down does my heart now drop
My inadequacy proved

Tomorrow is another day
Or so my father said
Yet why is it that those four words
Fill me with such dread?"

Jorin tried to shrug off the poem, even though it was clear that it affected him. "I... wrote this in Zeltiva, actually," he confessed. "It was one of only a handful I was able to save from my poetry book the night of the big summer storm. I guess I was feeling somewhat... melancholy at the time." Jorin shook his head, snaking a hand around Rinya's waist and pulling her flush up against him, deriving enormous comfort from the feel of her skin against his.

"It's... it's alright, love," he insisted. "It was a long time ago. I have something better now," he added, looking down and kissing her cheek softly. "You," he specified, even though he knew she was well aware what he was talking about. Then he chuckled when he realized he still hadn't pointed out the two letters.

"So, you see this word, 'quiver'? It begins with 'q' and 'u'. Like I said, pretty much all words that have 'q' will be followed by 'u', though there are words such as 'upon' here, that begin with just 'u'." Jorin drew the two runes onto Rinya's arm a few times, before taking her hand and placing it onto his chest. "Your turn, love," he prompted.

x

[Rinya]

Jorin insisted that he would always be proud of her as he continued to stroke her face. Rinya hummed slightly, lifting one hand to rest on his without the intent of stopping the motion. It wasn’t unusual for Jorin to claim such feelings, but it warmed her every time he did. In fact not bells ago he had called her his whole world--which of course went hand in hand with ‘everything’. She never actually thought she would believe such words from anyone, much less a male after all the stories her father had tried to fill her with, but even if she wanted to deny his words the bond wouldn’t allow it. His honesty burned through the bond just as strongly as his love.

"I know that." Rinya mumbled half heartedly. It wasn’t that she at all doubted him either, but in some ways it was hard to explain. She wasn’t so much worried about offending him anymore, but trying to explain there were moments where his pride over her progress swelled nearly as strongly as his love for her. It of course didn’t help that while his words were not necessarily meant to be romantic--they were regardless. How much she meant to him put into words always seemed to steal her breath away.

His face flushed like hers at her--description--of what his teasing always led up to. Though it was incredibly calming to know that he wasn’t flushing in embarrassment or the like, though she did wonder if it caused him discomfort. There was nothing across the bond that indicated such, but some feelings were easier to avoid than others. After a tick he coughed and shrugged his shoulders, grinning at her while his face just turned even more red, that he couldn’t help himself. Showing her how much he loved her in a physical sense was something Rinya really did understand, but it didn’t stop her own face from flushing red either. "Well at least we can both agree on that one for sure. I swear you intoxicating..."

It wasn’t something she had ever said out loud to him, but that didn’t matter. He felt it often enough even if he didn’t understand that emotion as clearly as he did love… then again he probably felt it himself seeing as he couldn’t keep his hands off her either. Jorin suddenly shifted the topic just slightly, bringing up the first time they had been together. "It did…“ Though she had no idea why finishing too soon should have bothered him. Honestly their first time was all purely experiment and even then he had made sure she was taken care of. And every time they had joined since then just showed how much he learned about her.

But Rinya didn’t get a chance to really respond otherwise as Jorin leaned forward to press a gentle kiss to her lips. The very kind that made her heart leap in her chest and not strictly from desire. Sighing against him contently, she kissed him back and ignored the fact--for as long as she could--she probably needed to breathe. Jorin pulled back first, leaving her gasping slightly as he grinned at her. He looked--and felt--pleasantly happy and Rinya couldn’t help but smile gently at him. His happiness made glow and if she let herself over think it, she’d believe that she hadn’t actually done anything to earn that happiness, despite knowing better.

So she redoubled her efforts on the lesson instead. The letter she drew across his chest not quite correct and Jorin lifted his own hand to hold hers and show her the correct way of drawing the letter across his skin. "Right got it." Rinya nodded slightly. It wasn’t uncommon for her to loop a letter incorrectly, or when trying to list out the whole alphabet she had learned thus far, that she would occasionally miss one. Jorin just held onto his patience and did his best to correct her without making her feel as though she had actually done something wrong. Jorin knew she wasn’t a glass doll that would break with stern words--she just didn’t believe he had them that often towards her. The one fight they did have didn’t last long because of it.

Jorin moved on after a chime or two of letting her trace the letter ‘p’ correctly with the letter ‘q’... and apparently ‘u’ as well. "Does ‘u’ follow ‘q’?" It certainly didn’t sound like it from the way he was talking. He flipped through the book to find an example of the letters next on his list, and it didn’t take long for him to choose a poem. He groaned, instantly trying to play off the poem for one he had written years ago and Rinya rolled her eyes slightly.

Though in the long run she really wished she hadn’t. The poem itself wasn’t terrible--it was entirely enlightening actually. It didn’t take anything to know exactly what the poem was about, hai even if she hadn’t known of his father it would have been obvious. Jorin’s fears of inadequacy shown through the words like a light and Rinya watched Jorin try and shrug the poem off as if it was nothing. Bond or no bond, she felt its affects on him. Jorin tried to explain that it was one of the few poems he was able to save after the loss of his original book

"Jorin..." She tried, but he just shifted her closer. It was difficult to try and retaliate against the words, considering all she knew of his father was that he was constantly pushing Jorin to ‘be better’. Those words didn’t make sense to her though… how could he be any better? He was a kind, gentle, loving soul that deserved everything he wanted from life. Mathematics alone could never make him happy--partly for the fact that Jorin didn’t really enjoy it. His passion was in acting and he was a wonderful actor.

Jorin tried to shove along, insisting that he was alright--that he had something better. Her. Rinya sighed slightly shaking her head as he tried to continue the lesson. "You are not a failure Jorin. No matter what anyone says." They were just words… blunt ones at that. Not very comforting in the least and Rinya cursed herself inwardly for not being able to tell him just what she saw in him every day that kept her coming back for more.

So she did what he often did. Leaning up on her elbow she shot forward to kiss him. A cross between passion and tenderness--the very things that made him who he was. Not just passion for acting, but all the ways he showed her he loved her. And all the tenderness that went right along with love from his very soul. Rinya had no idea if she got the idea across, but it was the most she felt she could do--short of trying to distracting him. But the lessons did need to continue so Rinya pulled away reluctantly and reached up to stroke his face this time. "I love you… more than I can say."

Settling back into his side, Rinya watched as he pointed out the letters ‘q’ and ‘u’ in the word quiver. Once again he showed her the runes across her skin and Rinya watched intently before he moved her own hand to his chest to mimic the movements. Sighing quietly, Rinya did as she was asked--tracing the letters across his heart slowly to ensure she did them correctly. "’Q’ is almost like a backwards ‘p’." It seemed like a strange comment, but it was likely to help her remember in the future if she was correct.

Color Space

[Jorin Ertihan]

x

It never really occurred to Jorin to not be as romantic with Rinya as he was. Perhaps to someone different, the logic would be that since he already had her, he had no reason to continue to woo her, every day. But that was not who Jorin was. It had nothing to do with earning 'points' with his woman. He loved her, and he wanted to show it to her any chance he got.

Some might have called it sappy. That he was somehow less of a man for showing such affection for a woman he had already claimed. Truthfully, they very well might be right. Jorin never denied that he might not be as 'good' as other men; it came with his ingrained fear of inadequacy that had followed him all his life. And it seemed to be true that 'harder' men seemed to attract women like fruit in the sun attracted flies.

But he also noticed just from general observation that such men didn't seem capable of keeping their women. Much in the way Farline burned through her men, come to think of it. But the simple fact was, Jorin could never bring himself to behave in that fashion. And before he met Rinya he was certain that due to the fact he could never bring himself to be that way, he would never find anyone who would choose him.

It was why Farline was able to dig her hooks into him so easily. He was so grateful for a woman to pay attention to him that he blinded himself to the fact that she wasn't really interested at all. Denial, it seemed, was one of the most powerful forces in the human mind. It allowed a person to even ignore reality itself, even when the evidence was right in front of one's face.

Jorin didn't reply to Rinya's half-hearted reply, opting instead to just nod. It didn't require a response; they both knew how he felt and the bond just reaffirmed it. But he did grin when she mentioned that he was 'intoxicating'. He leaned forward to nuzzle her nose while teasing her with an almost-kiss, before finally pressing his lips against hers.

"Well, so are you," he shot back when the kiss broke. "I can't imagine being with anyone else. You're the brightest star in my sky. You're the only star in my sky..." Jorin remembered that he'd put those lines in a poem he had written several seasons ago when he first realized his feelings for Rinya. He wished he could show it to her, but sadly it was one of the poems that did not survive the destruction of his book.

It didn't matter. He didn't need the poem. It would have been a nice romantic gesture, to show her a poem he'd written just for her, but he realized that didn't mean he couldn't still write a poem just for her. Jorin made a determination to write one, and pour all he felt for her into the lines. It was something he knew he could do, and he figured she'd appreciate it, especially when she'd be able to read it.

Rinya's reaction to their soft, gentle kiss and his subsequent happiness just confirmed it for him. Jorin knew that it wouldn't be easy. Any poem written for the woman he loved so dearly would have to be the best petching poem he'd ever written. Anything less would be an insult. He'd have to sit down and truly plan this one; no writing off the cuff. That always resulted in awkward rhymes and incomplete lines.

Rinya had decided to focus her attention back onto the lesson, and Jorin was glad for it. He wanted her to be able to read the poem he would write, and the only way she could do that was if he was able to successfully teach her. It was slow going, but then learning an entire skill from scratch was not likely to be a quick process. And besides, she was picking up the letters fairly quickly.

Rinya did not complain when he corrected her 'p', only acknowledging her mistake and putting extra effort into correcting it. Really, Jorin thought she was the best sort of student and he couldn't hide the swell of pride in his wife at how well she was learning. "Excellent work," he beamed when she got it right. Jorin was not one for harsh words in general. He knew some people taught that way. And indeed some people learned better that way.

From the sound of things, Rinya's father taught in that fashion, so perhaps he would have had better traction if he was more stern while teaching his wife. But it just wasn't his style; he preferred positive reinforcement and gentle encouragement instead. Besides, Rinya had done nothing wrong, even if she got a letter incorrect it was an innocent mistake. He saw no reason to berate her for something like that.

When Rinya asked if 'u' followed 'q', he shook his head. "No, love, it does not," he specified. "In the alphabet, 'u' is a little further down, but it helps to learn those two together because wherever 'q' is, 'u' almost always follows it."

Jorin wasn't sure it was such a good idea to read this poem to his wife. He knew she'd understand immediately what the poem meant, could feel across the bond how it affected him to hear it again. The feeling of inadequacy was difficult to erase, but her calling of his name brought him out of the darkness that the resurrection of this old verse had nearly sent him into.

She insisted he was not a failure, and Jorin sighed. "I know," he tried, even though his voice and his emotions indicated that he wasn't fully convinced. "I just... my father is a genius. In mathematics, there are few that ever reach his level, and most of them are his associates. He always told me that the child should always exceed his parent. I never did... I couldn't even finish his 'tests'." But the conviction behind Rinya's words was impossible to ignore.

And her kiss was even more impossible to ignore. Behind the simple action was all the passion and love she felt for him. A steadying hand to prevent him from falling down the precipice Rosik had pushed him to. He knew, deep in his soul, that she would never see him that way, and it went a long way in assuaging his guilt at disappointing his father. When Rinya's kiss broke, Jorin found himself following her lips. It was just so comforting to kiss her, and he knew exactly why that was.

"I love you too, Rinya," he replied. "In my father's eyes, I'm sure I'm a failure. A disappointment. But in your eyes, I'm not... and you are the most important person in my life." Jorin couldn't help the slight melancholy that sat in his gut when he mentioned how his father probably saw him, but he brightened when the topic shifted back toward Rinya and how he felt about her. He smiled and stroked her cheek gently, leaning in to kiss her softly again. It was a short but sweet, intended to show her that her opinion was the most important one in his heart.

Rinya had snuggled a bit closer when he pointed out the 'q' and 'u' in 'quiver'. She commented that 'q' almost looked like a backwards 'p' and he smiled. "That's right, it is," he grinned. "It's a good way to remember the letter, actually." Jorin made sure to pay attention as his wife carefully drew the two letters onto his chest. Once again, she had a cute frown of concentration on her face, and he couldn't help feeling the love for her again as he watched her try her very best to get the letter right.

"Good work, love!" he encouraged when she finished. "That was perfect," he insisted, as he snagged her waist to draw her up to him. The pleasant warmth, both from her soft skin pressed against his and from the love across the bond, spread throughout his body and soul. As far as Jorin was concerned, it was moments like these that were the most loving. No wild passion, no moans of pleasure, yet the love seemed the strongest nonetheless.

"I think you might like this next letter," Jorin commented, as he smoothed the page against his hand before pointing at the word 'near'. "The letter is called 'r', and this word here - 'near' - ends with it," Jorin explained, before smiling at his wife. He softly turned the pages until he got to the cover. There was his name written on the first page, in his neat and somewhat florid handwriting.

Jorin didn't need to say anything, but he traced the last missing letter that Rinya needed of his name into her palm. Once, twice, three times, before he brought her hand to his chest. He figured she'd want to write his name, and he gently encouraged her, running his other hand softly up and down her back, kissing her cheek gently and smiling. "There's another, very important word that begins with this letter," he commented gently.

He pointed to the name he had written just below his own. It hadn't been there originally. It was clear the word was a new addition; the ink it was written with was of a different quality and thickness. "Can you guess what this word is?" he asked. "It's the name of the woman that means more to me than anything else in the world," he said finally. He started tracing the letters into Rinya's skin, starting at her stomach and writing across her navel.

"Rinya..." he breathed. "'R', 'i', 'n', 'y', and 'a'... the only one you haven't learned yet is 'y', but we'll get there." Jorin knew that tracing his finger so teasingly on the delicate, sensitive skin of her stomach was somewhat cheating, but this was her name. For some reason it felt right to draw it there.

"I know, I'm being a tease again," Jorin grinned. "Forgive me...?" he pouted, before leaning in to kiss his wife. And like always he felt her react to the intimate action, as he dropped the book in order to reach out and wrap one arm around her waist, pulling her flush against him.

Jorin smiled against Rinya's lips as he felt the pleasant warmth of her skin against his, as he reached behind her hair with his other hand to hold the kiss in place. Jorin could feel his heart clench pleasantly with all the emotions that swirled between them, and he couldn't help feeling that this was how it was supposed to be.

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