Black Sapphire | Xaden Riorson | S/H

! LIV !

・・・　・・・　・・・

     "Step back." His words brush my lips for only a moment before he's pushing on my shoulders. My head reels and my eyes flutter to stare at him. There's a small blur on the edge of my vision for a moment, signaling my active heart that's only beating harder now.
     "What? Xaden." He presses into the leather jacket on my skin just a bit more and I worry he's missed the small plea in my tone.
     "I need you, (N/N)," he hums, and the invitation of Tyrrish makes my eyes drift closed for a moment. "Right now. I don't need anyone, so I'm doing my best to deal with this. If you don't want this tonight, that's fine, but I'm going to need you to walk out that door right now, because if you don't, I'm going to strip you bare in a matter of moments."
     I blink slowly at him, or worse, at the switch back to Navarrian, the small cut in a veil of intimacy that I can't distinguish if it's kind or stabbing my heart.
     "Walk away or stay, but either way, I need you to take a step back." His voice is so mellow, I might almost think he's begging.

     I shuffle away and he stands from the bed before me. He towers over me like the mountains and by the gods I wish I could speak Lucerish so I could whisper it in his ear.
     I need him all the same. I do, so I smile at him.
     "If you plan to strip me bare in a matter of moments, you'd better start soon." I watch him for the tiny fraction of a second it takes for the words to process in his head, the tiny fraction before his mouth is slammed back into mine and his hands are pressing into my chest to unlatch every button across it. The crack is forming again and I want to watch him break one more time. Forever, even, but I need one more time.
     I should fear him. Every rational piece of my brain is reminding me of the danger he poses, of how I could be an enemy of the state, of how I knew to fear him when I got here. I didn't let my contract get in the way of my own life, didn't like my emotions get me close enough for the kill, but for some reason, I don't fear him now. Even when I can't see a thing he's doing, only feel his scolding hands pushing away the only protection I have off my shoulders, somewhere in me, I know he wouldn't hurt me.

     Who knows how long it takes for him to get me undressed? I certainly don't. I only know he was efficient, taking the cloak off at the same time as my leathers, and that him pressing his thumbs into the hemline of my pants is one of the hottest things he's done so far.
     Maybe I shouldn't help him if I wanted to prove his lack of skills but that's not the point right now. The point is that I want his hands on me, in me even, and I'll kick away whatever garment dares to slow that down.
     I'm not focused on the clothes. I'm focused on the rhythm of his tongue swiping under my teeth, the pulse of his heartbeat in his lips, the burn of his hands groping my unprotected skin. My fingers latch onto his arms like I might faint even just from his kiss and I couldn't promise I wouldn't, but I will force myself awake with every fiber I possess to keep him.

     The daggers sing when they drop to the floor, raising a choir and mixing our weapons in a heap we'll have to untangle later. Xaden's hands roam for only moment longer before they're in my hair.
     He hums against my lips as his fingers undo the thin leather straps holding my braids. They tumble out of their hold with little help, at least until he begins to rake his fingers across my scalp, and I groan into his mouth. I hadn't realized my head was so sore.
     He pulls back, breath so hot against my face I swear I can see it. He steams like the dragons and his eyes are as hungry.
     "Have I ever told you you're beautiful?" There's that word again, that stupid Tyrrish word that makes my knees weak. Beautiful like those almighty enough to get stained glass windows in their honor, and he calls me that of all people.