The Taisho fire

Moutain Lion

It's time for a little doggie goodness.

He lounged, still like a statue; Gwen had forgotten how to breathe. Tōga lay sprawled upon his belly, stark naked, his feet dangling from the bed, head propped on his hands. His long silvery mane curtained the shimmering skin of his back, hard muscles dancing with the gentle lull of his breathing. Like a mountain lion, his power safely tucked inside until... Tendrils of energy swirled around him, brushing his skin, enveloping him in the indigo aura she now knew intimately.

Had his golden eyes not be open and fixed upon her, she would have sworn he was asleep. But his gaze told him he was anything but; it didn't stray from her form. Feeling, bold, Gwen crawled closer and, sliding her body next to his, nearly recoiled at the additional warmth. London was stifling enough at the moment, and he gave away more heat than a campfire. The call of his skin, though, hummed through her veins and she dared reaching out.

He watched, utterly still, when her hand brushed his beautiful tresses away. Long fingers danced in a featherlike caress across his spine, marvelling at the softness of his sun-kissed skin.

"So beautiful," she breathed, her hand caressing his nape and crawling down to settle on his lower back.

"I agree," he responded, his features utterly at peace.

She never thought she'd see him so relaxed. At the station, he could be vibrant and enthusiast, playful, worried, determined, or about to overthrow the whole world. But right now... he seemed absolutely content. Gwen looped her arm around his waist and tugged herself closer, settling her head over the rounded muscle of his shoulder.

She melted against him, marvelling at the sensation of his energy swirling around her, accepting her. It was but a faint hum at the edge of her consciousness, like a gentle caress. Gwen closed her eyes, and for a while, nothing existed aside from their little bubble of warmth. The young woman drifted off, completely at peace for the first time in years. Minutes flew, an hour, perhaps where consciousness became feeble as they basked in each other.

Eventually, a dull pain in her shoulder called her back to the world. Gwen stretched and rolled the joint around. At once, Tōga was sitting beside her, his hand palpating the muscle as she pulled the soft cotton sheet over her nether regions.

"I'm sorry for your shoulder," he rumbled, voice thick with sleep.

Gwen dismissed his worry with an incredulous scoff.

"Are you serious ? You saved my life, and took all those falling pieces in my stead. I am a walking miracle, all thanks to you."

A slight blush dusted his cheeks, and she marvelled that this genuine expression that made him look so boyish. Her eyes roamed the glorious expense of naked skin, only to land upon his knee – and clearly avoiding the inside of his thigh. In the heat of their previous activities, she had failed at spotting the bracer. Frowning, she remembered his limp.

The memory of their harsh landing in the grass, nary twelve hours ago, caused her brows to furrow. Gwen grabbed his warm hands and lifted them, finding a nasty bruise under his elbow – the one that broke the window. Then, she shuffled around him to take a good look at his back. Several bruises dusted his skin, especially across the right shoulder.

He had taken the brunt of it all, and protected her.

"We should put something on those." she stated, worry building as she inspected him from head to toe. Despite their passionate embrace, her touch was tentative. As if, now that lovemaking was over, they had become strangers once more. The truth was that Gwen still couldn't believe they had blurred that fated line in the sand.