Flashback [Valkalah's Tears] Two Souls and a Half-Dhani (Aren)

[Asen]

Asen couldn't help but laugh at the Akalak's reaction. Really, she couldn't. "Yeah, you great big lump, you did deserve that! What, you can't 'old onto a lil' ol' halfbreed? I'm barely half your size!" she called, taunting him.

She managed to dodge the first of the sandballs, though the second hit her squarely in her bare stomach. It stung, but she recovered from it. Even though Aren had one eye closed and his depth perception was off, he still had a good enough aim to compete with her.

"Come on, you big blue baby! It en't that 'ard to 'it a scrawny lil' halfbreed, is it?"

The blonde knelt and scooped up two large handfuls of sand. She packed them together and sculpted it so it was a rough sphere, drawing a bead on her azure target. She utilized both arms and hurled the massive ball at Aren, swiftly scuttling out of the way of any retaliation.

The half-Dhani took a moment to brush off the sand coating her legs and midriff, not realizing just how bad her own aim was and leaving her vulnerable.

"Come and get me, Aren!" she yelled, dancing comically on the riverbank with flailing arms. Another, far smaller sandball was thrown at the Akalak before she darted in the opposite direction of where she had been standing.



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[Aren]

"You may be half my size, but you're twice as slippery!" Aren swiftly retorted, his face contorted with obviously feigned insult. He wanted to smile, but knowing that this was a distinctly bad idea, the giant refrained himself. Not wanting to risk more river muck down his throat, he merely offered an impish, tight lipped smirk. One of the blue giant's eyes was still covered in sand, and though he had wiped it off with the back of his forearm it was still not in very serviceable condition. Luckily, his aim had not been too far off -despite his disadvantage- and, bolstered by the confidence of having struck Asen with at least one of his attacks, the Akalak knelt to gather another pair of sandy projectiles with which to resume his assault. While his hands were large enough to grasp material required for missiles of significant mass, he opted for the ability to shape smaller balls quickly and with a single hand apiece. As Aren looked up, hoping to use his good eye to get a bead on his target, he just barely had time to react to the large mass he spotted headed straight towards him. Turning to one side, his arms brought up in defense, the huge ball of sand disintegrated upon impact with his body. Globules of dirty, brownish gunk seemed to spray in every direction, and some inevitably managed to connect with the side of the Akalak's face. Waiting for the substance to slowly drip off and down his skin, Aren began to suspect that he might be fighting a losing battle here. The Dhani girl seemed rather adept at using improvised weaponry, whilst he was trained and practiced with using very specific tools. Still, he wouldn't give up until it became evident that winning was not possible, the consummate warrior thought, determined to see the war through. Abandoning his protective stance, Aren spat out fresh remnants of the horror which once again found itself assaulting his tongue. After a couple of expulsions he looked up yet again, eager to repay Asen for insisting he continue to sample the rare delicacy that was Bluevein Sludge. Just as his vision began to focus, however, another sandball swiftly struck him right on the forehead. Of course, some of it invariably found its way into his mouth, yet this time the Akalak did not react with the same apparent disgust and repulsion of a moment before, and instead simply stood there, allowing the substance to drip between his parted lips. His eyes had seemingly glazed over, and they looked to be devoid of not just emotion, but in fact any life at all. After a moment of this eerie stillness, however, a roar suddenly erupted from the giant's throat, as he threw his head back and spread his arms, "Gaaaaah!" No longer did he believe that victory could be achieved without significant casualties, assuming it could be achieved at all, and so Aren decided that the only move he had was to fight the war on his own terms, as opposed to Asen's. Breaking out into an abrupt sprint, the warrior made a beeline straight for his half-Dhani adversary. If she didn't flee immediately, he'd probably have to endure several direct attacks, but so be it. Seeing no other choice, Aren knew he had to pursue this path with relentless determination.

[Asen]

Asen decided that sand looked rather nice dripping down the Akalak's sculpted form, though she'd have to aim lower than his face. It didn't look so nice when it got into his eyes. In fact, it almost looked painful. She was lucky enough to only be struck in the stomach -- or rather, he was kind enough to not aim for her head. She'd have to repay such kindness, because tasting the river didn't seem very fun.

She was ready to jump out of the way of his next attack when she noticed that he hadn't reacted to her most recent sandball. No, instead he was almost perfectly still except for the subtle signs of life. Those signs failed to reach his face, which held a blank expression as sand dripped into his mouth. She cringed. How was he tolerating that?

The half-Dhani was about to speak his name when Aren let out a roar. She herself became frozen, startled by his sudden actions. She was like a rabbit before a fox; moving was the last thing on her mind.

The azure warrior was charging her. Instinct kicked into high gear. Her eyes went even wider than they had been before and she twisted around. "Aaahh!" was her response to his roar.

Sand sprayed in every direction around her feet as she plunged them into the soft granules and attempted to run away. Unfortunately she'd twisted too far and her legs became entangled with each other, sliding across the damp ground and out from under her.

Asen yelped and landed on her face, finally getting a taste of her own medicine. She didn't want to waste a tick in getting away from Aren, scrambling across the sand while attempting to remove the flavor of the Bluevein from her tongue. The blonde rolled onto her back, lifting her arms in defense should an attack come from above.

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[Aren]

There was a distinct sense of satisfaction which boiled inside the Akalak's stomach when he saw Asen fall to the sand, yelping like a kicked dog. It wasn't that he had enjoyed frightening her, which hadn't really been his intention, but rather that he was surprised to see a less cocksure side of the girl. The half-Dhani struck him as the type to lack most (if not all) the social frills expected of her gender in most places, but it was nice to see that behind the obviously toughened exterior lay something a little softer. As the giant came upon her, already somewhat out breath from the exertion of running hard across sand and ankle deep water, he seemed to launch himself at Asen's supine form. He didn't actually land on her, however, as the Akalak placed his hands near the sand on either side of her shoulders. Blue arms acting as columns which supported Aren's massive weight, the pair found themselves face to face separated by only a few inches of empty space. Sand still dripping off his face, he rapidly shook from side to side in an effort to get rid of the remaining particulates that clung to his skin. His lips having curved almost imperceptibly upwards, the Akalak offered his captured prey an apology, "Forgive me, if I scared you." He knew that Asen was probably not the type to easily accept such an apology, or even admit that she had been frightened, but Aren felt like he had to give it anyway. He had enjoyed her reaction, but also couldn't help but feel a little guilty for having provoked it in the first place. The warrior's golden gaze found itself focused on the Dhani's striking azure eyes, for some time. Realizing that this was the case only after a moment too long of silent gawking, Aren forced himself to turn his face away from her. Bending his arms slightly, the Akalak prepared to push himself off the. She had likely endured him on top of her for long enough, the Akalak thought, although he'd freely admit to himself that he'd much rather stay right where he was.

[Asen]

Blue filled Asen's vision as the Akalak dove at her, the girl emitting strangled squeaks and yelps. Her (boring) life flashed before her eyes in what she thought were her final moments. She was waiting for the immense weight to descend upon her frail form and flatten her into the sand, leaving naught but a pale imprint...

But nothing came. Her screwed-shut eyes slowly slid open to greet Aren's blazing gold ones. He was so close. She found herself at a loss for both words and breath, marvelling at the power that radiated from the massive warrior. He was a Night Lion toying with his prey, allowing it to admire the sheer might of its hunter before its end.

"No, no. You... You didn't scare me," she murmured, unable to tear her gaze from his face. He had the self-control to do so, regrettably, and she felt the need to stop him from leaving. What could she do, though? She had not the brawn nor the silver tongue to keep him there.

The blonde put one hand on his shoulder as if to stop him, though considering her thin frame it would be impossible for her to hold him back. She enjoyed the way he'd hovered over her. Despite the animalistic aura he'd given off, it was almost protective.

Asen didn't want to go too far just yet, lest she scare the Akalak away. A gesture of thanks in return for the fun they'd had, that would suffice. If he wished for more, he could have it; it was all up to him. She sat up and laid a gentle kiss on his cheekbone.

As the half-Dhani lowered her back to the sand again, a smile graced her pale features. She had to act calm, collected, though she was bursting with embarassment. Absolutely flustered, she was. The girl who was perfectly fine exchanging flirty glances with men and women alike and allowed subtle suggestions to slip off her tongue. It was nearly ridiculous.

Who was she, to kiss an Akalak? Of course it was only on the cheek, but nevertheless. She was no Nakivak, she had no intent on becoming one. She had no idea she was even barren, so she would be worthless to the Akalak race in terms of reproduction. Akalaks were her superiors, and yet here she was throwing sand at one of them and acting as though she was his equal.

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[Aren]

Aren wasn't sure if he believed her claim that he hadn't frightened her, but he'd never be so arrogant as to outright reject the possibility. He'd never call Asen out on her claim, either, considering the very notion to be rude beyond measure. If she hadn't been afraid of him, he was glad, but if she had, it wasn't his place to pry the truth from her. It wasn't like Akalak were strangers to secrecy, or to hiding part of themselves from others, and they generally didn't appreciate when people tried to uncover those secrets. They were to be revealed in due course, or not at all; such was the nature of the burden all the giants of Riverfall shared. As the towering warrior was just about to free the half-Dhani under him from the vicissitudes of her fate, the girl placed a hand on his shoulder. There was force behind it, almost as if she was trying to stop him from going through with the action, although she didn't seem capable of producing the necessary amount to actually succeed. Yet, despite that, she did, making Aren hesitate. For a very brief instant the Akalak couldn't understand why she might stop him, but then he felt her lips gently brush against his cheek. Immediately he turned to face Asen, and he found his gaze once more locked onto those sparkling eyes of her's. There was no longer any confusion evident in his visage, and Aren suddenly began to notice the rather loud beating of his own heart. The Dhani's smile was infectious, and the azure giant found himself mirroring the gesture unconsciously. His face seemed to draw nearer to her own absent command, and he only noticed once there was barely any separation between them. Aren could feel the girl's breath on his skin, the proximity making him think that he might be able to taste the warmth radiating from her lips if he but drew a little closer. "What are you doing?" Seros' voice rang out like a cry in the night, paralyzing the Akalak from head to toe. "Have you so quickly forgotten?" The darker Other queried, intending to illicit memories that his brother would rather forget. How could he though, even without Seros' prodding. He remembered them. He remembered everything. All the things that he wanted to forget, he simply couldn't, yet all the things he desperately hoped he wouldn't seemed to slip further and further away with every passing of the long years of his life. Frozen with uncertainty, with trepidation and fear and regret, Aren's mind tugged him in two different directions. On the one hand he desperately wished for the strength to do what his lips were begging him to, and on the other he couldn't stand the thought of adding another soon-to-fade gravestone to what he morbidly called his cemetery of memories. Despite the fact that this was exactly what Seros had intended to cause, his brother's pitiful reaction immediately made the endeavor boring. Making a mental note to come up with fresh ways to torture him, the darker Other used the opportunity afforded by Aren's state of mind to exercise the minuscule amount of control he was allowed during these moments. He thought it'd be funny. He thought he'd embarrass his brother, but Seros lacked a fundamental understanding of most all of the social interactions that transpired between people. Aren felt his body move without his consent, realizing that his brother had played his trick only a fraction of an instant before his lips connected with the Dhani's, beneath him. She tasted like the cool summer breeze coming off a moonlit tide, he thought, like the endless and unknowable -yet ardently alluring- depths of the ocean. And, like the ocean, it was easy to end up consumed in the embrace of that sensation. Closing his eyes, Aren briefly lost all track of time as he submitted to the desire that had burned in him from the moment that Asen had kissed him on the cheek. Even if it was a mistake, even if he'd completely misread the girl's intentions, even if he'd regret the aftermath of this moment for the rest of his life... it would still totally have been worth it.

[Asen]

Even though Asen was throwing sandballs at the Akalak, he was doing the same right back at her. He was treating her as an equal and that satisfied her for the time being. He was smiling at her, for Siku's sake, and what a handsome smile it was.

She'd noticed him moving forward just a tick too late to react properly, the shock of colliding lips stilling her body and causing her heart to skip a beat before she relaxed. She hadn't really expected him to be so sudden and forwa- Okay, yes she was. That was the whole point of her kissing his cheek. She wanted more from him.

And boy, did she get more. The thing with kissing someone was that there was a rhythm, a pattern each person had. The pair would have to find the rhythm that fit each other, and that only came through hands-on experience. The half-Dhani smiled into Aren's lips and allowed her fingers to glide along his ribs and up his chest and neck until they settled on the back of his head to pull him closer into her.

She was an aggressive woman. What she wanted from someone, what she craved from them, she got it. Occasionally it required playing the little game of submission to lure them in, but in the end it was always hers. The area just below her belly grew warm and she bent her legs so her knees were propped up by Aren's sides. Oh, how she wanted him.

Asen broke away from the azure giant and stared into his eyes, her own burning with intense hunger. She couldn't push him back and it made her angry. He was still hovering over her and she needed him sitting upright or on his back so she could have her way.

The blonde extracted herself from beneath Aren and gave him a disapproving look. "Sit up, damn it," she hissed, creeping forwards across the sand to once more take hold of his face and drag him into another kiss. If he obeyed her orders and gave a few of his own, they would certainly enjoy each other's company. He wouldn't get away without a few bite marks and bruises, however. She could be quite rough.

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[Aren]

He didn't regret it. Asen had kissed him right back, and she didn't show any signs of stopping for a good long while. In fact, she was even so bold as to pull him in for a more forceful embrace, which actually surprised the Akalak for a moment. He had briefly forgotten that this girl who looked no older than sixteen or seventeen was actually nearer to half his age. The giant had felt her small hands running across his body, almost as a warning, but when the Dhani had gripped the back of his head, his eyes had jolted open. They did so just in time to see Asen's dazzling blue orbs staring back at him, right before she broke off their enjoyable exchange of saliva. He hadn't expected this either, having felt her legs getting comfortable around him. There was no way he'd accept a claim that she hadn't liked it, but if that was the case, what had she stopped? When the girl wriggled her way from underneath him, the look in her eyes suggested that perhaps that was exactly what might have happened. Maybe she had liked it, but simply not wanted it. It wouldn't be the first time the Akalak had felt someone else's desire, but forgot to account for their conscious mind and their ability to listen to it during these moments. Doing as he was told, Aren avoided that disapproving gaze in Asen's eyes. Could he have really misread the situation so badly? Just as he was about to offer the half-Dhani in question an apology, the girl forcefully grabbed hold of him and pressed her lips against his own. Again his eyes opened wide in surprise. "Wha-" The warrior tried to ask, tried to understand, but his mouth found itself occupied with more important matters. As he fell on his back under the impact of Asen's subtle strength, the taste of her flooded his mind again. This time, however, he didn't lose himself and his thoughts filled with the desire to have more than just a taste. He wanted the entire meal, now, and the whole damn cake, too. His hands finally coming into play for something other than propping his body up, they found themselves gently sliding up the back of the shapely legs which belonged to the woman on top of him. If she wanted them to stop, she was going to have to say something, because otherwise who knew how far they might go, or where they might find themselves in a few more breaths.

[Asen]

Yes, yes. This was where she was comfortable, this was where she thrived. When she and her partner were just beginning and Asen could take hold of them and bring them under her control. It was always fun with the incredibly aggressive ones, the ones who fought back against her dominance and pulled each other into a competition.

She enjoyed the impact of Aren's back against the sand, her hands slamming into the ground next to his head and sending up little sprays of the mineral. She may not be much of a seductress, but she knew she had the fire to match plenty of those in Riverfall. A carnal grin appeared on her lips, her pink tongue darting out to sweep across the soft skin before disappearing again.

The half-Dhani sat up, straddling Aren. Was there time for a teasing quip? Of course there was. There always was time for a teasing quip. "Who's on top now, eh?" she said.

A tick later she was hungrily tasting the lips of the Akalak beneath her again. He was so damn delicious. Her nails raked across the blue expanse of his chest at the touch of his hands caressing her legs and she broke away, panting.

With a disappointed groan she pushed his hands away, stopping him. "Aren," she hissed breathlessly, "Aren, we should take this somewhere else before someone comes along an' we get in trouble."

The blonde barely had a hold on her more primal urges. That one spark of cold logic was soon to be snuffed out by the overwhelming heat in her body. They needed to take each other elsewhere so they wouldn't be interrupted.

She almost succumbed to the lust that gripped her, forcing it beneath the surface again and dragging her nails down his sides with a soft growl.

Damnit, Aren.

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[Aren]

She wasn't stopping him it seemed, and since both of their mouths were otherwise engaged, it didn't look like Asen would voice any objections to the intrepid journey his hands were on. Before they could get where they were going, however, the half-Dhani changed the dynamics of their interpersonal geography. Biting the bottom of his lip with frustration, Aren was definitively not okay with this sudden stoppage of what she had been doing with her tongue, and he was certainly disappointed that his fingers hadn't been able to reach their destination. The Akalak wasn't certain how to respond to her teasing, at first, but he smiled when he realized that he had his own way of retaliating. His fingers continuing on their previously suspended path, Aren's hands eventually came to the point where the woman's legs met her back. Although she was sitting, there was a section of her upper glutes which he felt were all too exposed. And so, with a gentle smack -not to mention some shameless five fingered gripping- the Akalak gave Asen his reply to her question. She may have been on top, the warrior's cheeky expression seemed to say, but it was tactical flexibility that decided who had the upper hand in most battles. The Dhani girl unfailingly fell upon Aren a second time mere moments later; an action which he received smiling and eagerly. His hands, being so close to their original goal, also attempted to continue their excursion as if the earlier interruption had been nothing but an enticing distraction. Her nails raking across his chest told him that she was just as eager to feel the conclusion to their audacious enterprise as he was, and it was for this reason that her sudden disengagement threatened to drive him mad. "By Wysar's swollen balls, woman! What are you doing to me?!" The Akalak titled his head back, his jaw clenching, almost as if he hoped the heavens would provide some relief. She wanted this as much as he did, damn it; he no longer doubted that, so what was the matter now? Oh. Right. Lacking much sense of modesty or shame, Aren had absolutely no qualms with doing it right there on the sand. If they were discovered, so be it. This wasn't Syliras, after all. There were no knights here, with sticks shoved so far up their asses you could make out the wood every time they opened their mouths to threaten or warn someone. Still, the giant did not believe that he could survive another interruption, and so did his best to accept that Asen had the right idea, "My friend at the Kulkukan can set us up with a room. He won't chat us up too much and best of all... he'll do it quickly." Aren propped himself up on his elbows, waiting to see if Asen consented to this new plan, but when she raked him with her finger again he could feel what little control he had over his desires rapidly fading.