Never Trust Appearances

[Kaleb Morrington]

Kaleb frowned into his toast. Charity? Why couldn't he just be nice? Maybe she still thought he was still after more than just simple, living, human contact. He chuckled.

"No charity here love, just me being nice." Kaleb stretched, grunting when his bones popped into place. " Besides," he said with a grin, "you're too innocent and cute to ask for 'favors'." Kaleb said, wiggling his eyebrows so she'd get the idea of what he meant. She met his eyes, then looked away, and he could have sworn she was blushing. He ducked his head slightly, trying to see, and failing.

"You know, I'd really like to kiss you again." Kaleb mused after a bit, his eyes intent on her face. He leaned his head against his hand, elbow on the table, his free hand drumming a tune on the wooden surface. "But I don't want to upset you, so I'm rather at a bit of a loss here. Any hints?" he joked, eyes glittering.

[Fyra]

She bit into her own toast, unable to look at her breakfast companion without color rising to her cheeks. So she just wouldn't look at him. Perfect plan, right? Not really. She could see him in her mind, dark hair, green eyes, his playful wink and his crooked grin. Unable to really get away from him, she couldn't keep herself from remembering that morning, what it had felt like to be against him without even a single scrap of cloth. Her cheeks heated more and she tried to beat her mind away from those thoughts, especially after his comment about her being innocent and cute.

Silence reigned for a few moments, and then his voice sounded once more. Fyra blinked, freezing as he spoke of kissing her again and slowly raising her head to look at him, toast in hand, a spot of jam smeared over her lower lip in a splash of color against her pale skin. Dark eyes riveted upon him, she couldn't come up with a clever answer. What's happened to me? I used to do so well at this flirting thing. It's like he's playing a totally different game! She swallowed, blinking swiftly and managing to mumble "Uh... well, Ma always said it was better to err on the side of caution..." She couldn't meet his eyes. The thought of kissing him made her think of just a short while ago, when he had, and she had felt like melting. She wasn't sure whether that was a good thing or not.

[Kaleb Morrington]

"My Mum said the exact same thing... I didn't listen, and I rather think I've done well for myself." Kaleb murmured, his eyes intent on the jam on her lip. He reached out and brushed a thumb, wiping it off before sucking the digit clean. "Tasty." He commented, trying to sound breezy before leaning back in his chair with a groan.

"Being proper's no fun." Kaleb commented as a way of starting a conversation. "I mean, really. You've got to dress and act a certain way, gotta talk a certain way, can't do this, can't do that..." He sighed and shrugged. "Just no fun I'm telling you."

[Fyra]

His eyes were on her. She knew it. She could feel it, making her cheeks heat. As her eyes came back up to look at Kaleb, his hand was reaching out, finger swiping across her lip. Her lips parted, as though to speak, but no sound came out. Fyra took another bite of her toast instead, and then another. Chewing the bread took up at least some of her thought as she tried to pretend that he hadn't just boldly done such a thing. A polite man would have pointed it out to me before doing anything. But I shouldn't expect such from Kaleb... He's a street-boy. I'm lucky he's got the manners he has...

Her eyes dared to raise slightly to look at him, sprawled so relaxed over his chair. His voice was smooth and even, tinted with humor. It made her want to relax as well. But he was speaking of how propriety was unnecessary. She swallowed. "But if we didn't, then what would keep everybody from falling into total chaos? Rules like what is proper or not help us keep behavior in boundaries that allow things to remain orderly." Fyra took the last couple bites of her toast, another smear of jam appearing, upon her upper lip this time, and she stared at her plate for a moment, now having no excuse to not reply to Kaleb at all.

[Kaleb Morrington]

"Mhmm... this is true. But without a little discord, we wouldn't know what proper was." She had another smear of jam on her lip... It was distracting him... and it gave him an idea.

"For example. Proper would suggest I end this conversation with the proposition of going out to dinner or some ball or a walk or some sort of nonsense. However, if someone hadn't been roguish enough to suggest it waaaay back in the olden days, we'd still be doing the whole "thou shalt not see my ankles" nonsense." Kaleb was moving easily now, getting up slowly, easily, a predators glint in his eyes. Good thing he was looking at the ceiling in an act of nonchalance.

"Proper would suggest I tell you you have another smattering of jam on your lips." Kaleb's voice husked over as he bent, caging her in with his arms as he braced himself on the arms of the chair, his eyes holding hers. "My nature, however, suggests I just clean it off for you. Hope you don't mind." Gently he kissed her upper lip, gave it a small lick before simply covering her mouth with his once more.

[Fyra]

Fyra didn't want to admit that he had a point with his little speech. He was moving now, and for a little moment, she didn't look at him, not sure if she would be able to help herself. When she did, he was continuing speaking, coming around the table, looking at the ceiling. The polecat-shifter took a deep breath. Yes. Ask me on a walk...that would be good. Maybe let me get to know you a bit better. I do like you, but there's boundaries.

And then, as he bent over, he pointed out that there was jam on her lips. His green eyes held her own brown gaze, and she felt frozen, the gleam making her fight herself with the want to kiss him again, to see what would happen, and her own modesty that kept her still with the prim voice of what a proper young maiden would do. That voice was swiftly silenced as he leaned down to clear the jam himself, and without even pulling away then kissed her again. Safyra froze momentarily, and then cautiously, let her eyes close, tilting her head so that it didn't feel so strange an angle. One hand came up to brush against the stubble of his cheek, her lips returning gentle pressure in her own, shy return.

As she pulled back, she looked slightly thoughtful. A few seconds later, she pressed her lips to his once again, tentative and untutored. Desire was a warmth curling in her body, and she found herself ignoring the small prim voice of her maidenly modesty, and finding curiosity speaking up once more.

[Kaleb Morrington]

She'd froze, as Kaleb knew she would, but then she did what Kaleb didn't expect - she kissed him back. Shyly and clearly without experience, but she kissed him back. While her eyes closed, his remained open, watching her softly, from beneath his lashes. Her cool little hand brushed his cheek even as she changed the angle of the kiss. Kaleb inwardly smiled, even smiled outwardly when she pulled back, only for his eyebrows to shoot into his hairline when she kissed him again. Experimenting. He realized before returning the kiss, showing her, guiding her gently.

He pulled back this time, moving easily, and scooped her up in his arms, only so he could sit in her chair with her in his lap. He cuddled her close, his forehead against hers. "Sorry love, I'm such a tall lad, bending over hurts my back." he murmured. "Not trying anything, just making this less of a strain on my poor old back." He chuckled, kissing her softly before pulling back, green eyes twinkling with delight and something else he couldn't put a finger on.

His hands, he gave himself credit for, didn't wander. They kept to her waist, small of her back, neck, etc. Nothing remotely inappropriate. Baby steps if ya wanna keep this one... he reminded himself even as he smiled a goofy grin at her.

[Fyra]

A small squeak escaped her as he scooped her up and settled with her on his lap. Her legs draped off of the side of his, and she let her lips break out into an almost giddy smile as he murmured something that she didn't listen to. It sounded soothing. Her stomach twisted itself in knots when he kissed her softly and she responded, shy still. But as she looked at his green eyes, sparkling with delight, she felt... Giddy... that's what it is. Like giggling and sunshine. Her lips curved upwards as she took note that his hands were staying in at least semi appropriate placements. If they were a little low on her waist, she told her maiden modesty that it was because of how they sat.

Her eyes gleamed with a mixture of tumultuous emotions. She was enjoying this time with him, just as she had enjoyed the night before, once they were warm. But there was a shadow of guilt in her. I'm cursed, am I meant to be happy, even if I'm cursed? She shifted a little, hooking her arm around his shoulders to help balance herself. Her breath was a little shuddery, unsure what to do now. Fyra swallowed, turning her head to kiss his cheek, and her own were bright with a blush as she managed to make herself meet his eyes.

"So... uh..." She looked at him and started to giggle slightly as she realized that he had done it yet again. There was simply no way to avoid manhandling. Shaking her head, she took a deep breath, trying to calm the butterflies in her stomach as she leaned into his chest, soaking up the shared heat. Her witty humor spat the phrase from her before she could catch it and edit anything. "Do you often find yourself in this type of situation, or is it as new for you as it is for me?" A low chuckle followed, her nervousness coming apparent in laughter.

[Kaleb Morrington]

Kaleb wrapped his arms around her, content, right up until she asked that question. Kaleb stiffened, the ghost of loneliness rearing its ugly head. "It's new, just not in the same sense as it is for you. I've been with women, yeah, but... they didn't mean anything. No one bothered to get close enough." Kaleb cleared his suddenly tight throat, squeezing Fyra a little tighter.

"So yeah, pretty new here. Kinda scary, eh?" Kaleb asked, looking down, trying to smile as though this were a joke. If she looked closely though, she would be able to see the raw terror in his eyes.

[Fyra]

She pulled back to look at him as she felt him stiffen, suddenly sobered. He tugged her closer even as he spoke, and her lips frowned a little in thought as she tried to understand exactly what he was saying. It took a few moments before she realized that while she had meant only a girl being in his lap, and being kissed by him, he had taken it a bit differently.

Her smile answered his even as her eyes searched and found stark terror hidden underneath the soft laughter in them. Has he.. does he... he couldn't actually care, could he? But... Fyra blinked, looking down at his smile for a moment and then feeling the automatic urge to comfort him. He had taken her in and saved her from what had begun to look like a very bleak life. And in the few days that he had spent with her, she had found that her own kind heart may have been her undoing. At this point, he had been saved by her too. Even if it was just from cold. Fyra breathed deeply to keep from shivering in fear as she was prone too. Her hand came up to stroke his jaw, eyes swirling with too many thoughts. "It's terrifying... but almost in a good way..."

She wrapped her arms around his neck, pushing herself close to him, not sure whether she should kiss him or not. But hugs were easily given, and almost always appropriate. Warmth continued to spread through her though, all through her torso, springing from where his hands rest upon her, and softly radiating from where her cheek rested against his.

[Kaleb Morrington]

He was just murmuring in agreement when she hugged him, her tiny, lithe form pressed against his. Once more he beat down his usual habits, the sort that would have had him carrying her to the nearest flat surface and leave her screaming his name. No, that wouldn't do for her. He intended to keep her around for much longer than a single bloody night.

So, instead, he hugged her back tight before drawing back and kissing her with much more passion than he had the last couple times. Tangling his hand in her hair, he tugged her so he could show her how to kiss him back, his free hand coming down to her thigh, stroking it.

He broke the kiss, pulling back and quickly moving his hand up, breathing heavily. "Right... sorry about that."

[Fyra]

His arms wrapped around her, and her lips curved upwards once more. As he released the hug, she sat up straighter, eyes smiling in optimism. That swiftly shifted to shock as he drew her in once more. His kiss was heated this time, and the way he pressed her against him, one hand coming to caress her thigh, the other hand burying itself in her mid-length hair, made her grip his shoulders. She leaned into him, following his lead for the moment, intoxicated by this flurry of heat that was rushing through her. Her arms seemed to move of their own accord, twining around him, even as her body began to shiver, fear rising in her alongside... some other mixture of emotion that she wasn't sure of.

When he pulled back, apologizing, she was breathing heavily, hair slightly mussed from his hands, and her eyes alight with a gleam that she wouldn't have known how to translate even if she could see her own eyes. Swallowing, Fyra managed to smile at him, one hand coming up to touch her lips. It was electrifying, this whole kissing thing. Her lips felt... bruised almost, but in a good way. They pulsed with her racing heart.

She managed to raise her eyes to meet his as she tried to slow her breathing down. Her voice was slightly husky as she managed to form words, her mind trying to process what had just happened. "So, uh... Perhaps...would you go walking with me?" She blushed, unsure now from whether it was because of how improper she had been, or the ridiculousness of taking that step when they had somewhat skipped it anyways. But a walk would be nice. Otherwise, I will simply whole up in this house with him for however long...hiding from the world. She smiled a bit. "Perhaps you can show me some of the city from your point of view. I'm sure it's different than how I saw it." She tucked her hair behind her hair, glancing at him from underneath her lashes.

[Kaleb Morrington]

Kaleb grinned and chuckled. "Aye, I would love to take a walk with you. Where do you wanna go? To central Marn? How about looking at all the rich peoples houses? Laugh at their staunchly attitude... perhaps... perhaps I could even show you where I grew up." He smiled before scooping her up in his arms, spinning sightly before dipping her and kissing her soundly.

"Perhaps we can walk along the river, perhaps view the boats or climb a small mountain. We can sneak into the guard house." His eyes were vibrant, alive. He laughed again and hugged her. "And I'm manhandling you again, sorry." He said, grinning before gently setting her down.

[Fyra]

He had swung her around like she weighed nothing, his words making little sense when he throttled her mind once more, his lips upon hers. And then he was apologizing for manhandling her as he set her down upon her feet. Fyra giggled slightly, staring up into too-vibrant eyes. How did he get such fantastic eyes? Her voice was quiet and soft as she forced herself to speak. "It's alright... I think I'm getting used to it.' At least, she wasn't feeling like he would drop her at any moment.

She cleared her throat and attempted the straighten her hair. "Perhaps start with Central Marn? See where we end up from there? I certainly haven't been to the area where all the richer folk live..." She smiled lightly up at him, hiding the turmoil of strange feelings in her gut.

[Kaleb Morrington]

"Central Marn it is then!" And with that he grabbed her hand and lead her off. He hadn't been this excited in... Changers... a very long time. He pulled her closer, wrapped an arm around her waist, and helped her weave through the crowd, occasionally bumping into the occasional rich guy. In the end he helped her up a building, just on the fringes of the stores, one that managed to have a good view of the mansions and buildings.

"I used to run off, sit up here and watch the servants scramble to find me." Kaleb confessed, staring at the lot that his parents owned. He watched a dark figure stand at the window and felt his heart jolt. "There are days I just sit up here and watch them. Days when I dream I never left... then again I'd be a right prick if I hadn't left." Kaleb tilted his head. "But I'd be a rich prick."