FALLING SLOWLY ||Complete||

Caim

“May I?”

 His fingers run up and down her arms trailing sparks on their wake and his breath trickles the back of her neck. Ha Jin shivers, cold only a distant memory, but heady with the allure of his touch. The silvery light ripples around them an inviting languid brightness that beckons her towards the water.

“So…” her protest is only halfhearted. “It’s cold.”

“Um hmm?” He mumbles nuzzling the back of her ear, finding that sensitive spot to nibble which makes her throw her head back and lean on him. “I’ll keep you warm.”

“What if Yo turns up now?”

“Ha Jin -ah,” his tone is playfully admonishing, but at the same time deep enough to curl her insides. “I’m not foolish enough to give my brother my lock codes to waltz in any time he prefers - and Yo is coming from the analyst - we have time.” His hands slide through her fingers and pause, waiting for her to make a decision.

He always gives her the reins; her So, who waits and waits and waits and still allows her to set their pace. She turns in his arms overcome by the emotion and trails her index down from his forehead.

“I’ve missed you…” her words are whispered secrets that darken his eyes. He nibbles at her fingertip when it reaches his lips. “I thought I’d lose you.”

“And I lost you - so many times.”

His fingers thread through her hair and lightly tug, reaching for her lips with a thirst ages old. Her arms wind around his neck and she stands on his feet, her lips parting in a sigh when his teeth graze her lower lip, soothing the sting with a tender suckle. His fingers are deft on the knots of her dress, the crimson and gold outer layer rustles in protest as it slides to the tiled floor to pool at her feet.

“Careful - that’s designer -” she mutters into his mouth, tasting his brief smirk. His thumb traces the shape of her cheek bone and he dips his head, deepening the kiss. There are no traces of the urgency from their last kiss, no lingering regrets, instead of the rough desperation each caress of his lips leaves a trail of simmering passion aimed at tender exploration. Even when he draws back, his taste lingers on her tongue.

“Come to water…” his lips press against her shoulder, as the last flimsy layer slides down her arms. “Let me take care of you.”

She feels drunk on him, on his earthy scent, on his kisses that leaves her skin heated and tingling. She sinks into the water, only to find it blissfully warm. So comes after, his hands on her shoulders sliding down her arms, fingers lacing through hers to lift both their hands to rest against her midriff.

She feels so small in the vast expense of water - so exposed with only the water clothing her skin as his fingers glide over her in an exotically intimate dance. A shudder of part delight and part unease runs down her spine - the images come unbidden - they have done this before. Only it was a pool of dark water littered with floating petals - there were rings in his fingers, cold against her skin as they molded her curves. That moment felt like a ray of stolen sunshine - he was a man she had no claim over - she was a woman unworthy of a king and a conversation with a different man burdened on her conscience.

“You said I shouldn’t greed over both throne and love and now you are the king’s woman - what am I to make out of that?”

He feels her stiffening and his hands pause. His kiss against her temple is reverent and soft.

“Why Ha Jin - ah, is this too much?”

When she turns the water splashes, she clings to him desperately, arms swathed around his waist and lips pressed against his heart - skin to skin, until she could possible get no closer. She doesn’t voice her fears of losing him, doesn’t recount her nightmares where circumstances push them away and away from each other. Instead she smothers the ominous feeling that the closer they get it feels like the moment before they swing away.