The First Steps

[Rosaleen Quinn]

Click. Click. Click. Click. Click.

The sound of her boots echoed in the halls about her as Rosaleen patrolled the hallways of the castle, a longsword strapped to her hip along with a dagger on the other side. She was wearing doe-skin colored pants that hugged close to her legs, her brown boots zipping up overtop of them up to her knees. She wore a simple white shirt with some ruffles down the chest and on the cuffs, an underbust corset tied tightly about her midsection. The lacing of her shirt was undone a little at the throat, allowing her necklace to show through with its distinctively green gem. Her flaming red hair flowed down her back in a ponytail, a few strands still rebelliously hanging on either side of her face with a couple dangling just so into her eyes. So it wasn't traditional garb, but it was what she could manage to put on and no one had quite spoken to her about dress code yet so she figured she was safe for the moment.

It was a rather calm day on the surface, but she wasn't stupid. Tensions were beginning to rise within the castle amongst many a party and half of it went right over her head since she really was just a guard at this point. Not that she was complaining, she was ecstatic to be back in an active sort of duty. So what was this discomfort that she felt then? She was worried about Gavin, that she knew for a fact. He had been swamped lately with work, though they had gotten to spare a couple of times since the first time. She had not forgotten his words in her tavern and they still made her blush like some school girl which frustrated her to no end. She was a grown woman, not a child dammit all! But still... Was she attributing to the tensions in the castle? It was not like she and Gavin were entirely discreet with their friendship. She had passed Brendan a couple of times in the halls and she swore he gave her the dirtiest looks every time. He clearly saw her someone who wasn't worthy of either being there, or of speaking so easily with the king.

Was this ok? Was it ok for them to carry on as they had despite all the looks and negative energy? She knew she really shouldn't fraternize with her king, but... She couldn't just ignore it now or wave it away under some other banner. There was affection between them. It was really that simple. She slowed in her pace a little as she fell into deeper thought, subconsciously maintaining her pings to the dragons pulse as she continued on her way. Her father had spoken to her after she returned to the pub from escorting Gavin back to the castle, and even he wasn't oblivious. He was rooting them on even if he knew it was a break in tradition. Maybe it was some kind of pride in his daughter? Well, besides the fact that he of course was proud of her. What in the world was going to happen in their country?

[Gavin Etheridge]

Bach was good for many things, and at the moment, helping the young King sort his thoughts. The long bow was sawing at the cello's strings as Gavin played, Gavin almost not realizing that he was bowing as though he were cutting off someone's head with a hacksaw at the crescendo. Oops. Things had been tense these last few weeks, unfortunately, and that always meant for restless days and nights with less sleeping. Gavin was trying to mend the fraying cords that remained of his family, wanting desperately for them to become strong together while the world seemed to be falling apart. Carraig needed some source of strength to hold it up, but what could he do when most of the feeligns of tension were from that family he loved and missed so much? There was this constant weight of disapproval from Brendon and Maria, even though they'd been improving their ability to stomach each other, if only slightly. But there were so many faults with Gavin's choices, and they had caused more than one fight; Brendon had even burst into the office to make it clear how far astray he felt Gavin had gone from what he should be doing.

Duty versus desire. The cost of the crown was high, and part of the price was knowing that whether it was a friend, a child, or a love, he had to be willing to sacrifice them all if there came a need. And he'd been failing at that. Gavin knew that he'd let nothing in the world touch his beloved daughter, threat of war or not. His bodyguard who had defied all odds was his best friend that Gavin loved so dearly, and now he was becoming afraid to let her do the sacred duty Artemis was born into, trained for, and swore an oath to as a young woman. Gavin was selfish, he knew. He would not sacrifice those he loved most to save himself, even though as King, that was his duty that he could not shirk. He'd been busy lately, buried under work, and avoiding people almost as he tried to wrap his head around the things he felt, hoping that some distance would simplify them. It hadn't. Gavin knew she was in the palace daily, guarding from within when she wasn't on the grounds training. He'd become aware how he'd stop working to listen when she walked past his office or he could hear her talking to someone else. Pushing himself away from Rosaleen was torture, the singing guard filling every room he was in when he was alone, a thousand miles away, and as close as breathing.

It was driving him mad, and it wasn't fair. Gavin's family insisted they knew best what he needed, but since when had Gavin ever been known for holding to each and every tradition? The limited pool of nobility in Carraig was dull, as were the nobility and socialites of Creta; they were just as dull but with a funny accent. No, Gavin knew what he wanted. He knew that the consequences would get more than a stormed office and a seethingly pissed Brendon. But sitting here day in and day out, keeping himself away, busy and not knowing entirely.... Not knowing if the affection was only imagined by him because he was lonely, or if those feelings Rosaleen stirred every time she smiled were really there. She smiled and he melted. Her laugh captivated him. Her scent.... Gavin sighed silently, putting the bow down and moving the cello to the side of his chair. He'd made his decision, even though the freedom of choice wasn't really his. He'd get hell for this, but he'd rather end up slapped and with a definitive answer than spending more nights lying awake and wondering and wheedling out of even talking to Artemis about it.

Click. Click. Click. Click. Click.

The echoes of heavy boots resounded softly in the tall arches of the halls and became louder as Gavin silently opened the door to the sunroom. Gavin looked to either direction, trying to see which end of the hall they were coming from, and whom. The castle was large and had a decent staff constantly running around; surely one of them knew where Rosaleen was. Sure, he could just have someone go get her, but for now Gavin wanted this to be as private as possible. Last thing he wanted was for everyone to start a new circuit of gossip right off the bat. His own footsteps were quiet, walking north when he stopped suddenly. Serendipity had a funny sense of humour, and Rosaleen was there, patrolling on her own. Gavin pulled his speech aid from his belt, turning the volume to just loud enough for Rosaleen to hear him in the empty hall. "Rosaleen." Steeling his resolve, Gavin approached the guard, smiling lightly, though even he couldn't hide that he was still feeling tense and a bit worried as his fingers tapped the keys. "If you have a few moments, I was wondering if I could talk to you about something." He immediately winced inwardly, knowing that probably didn't come out the way he'd wanted it to as he resisted the urge to take her hand and escort Rosaleen himself.

He hadn't been eating well or sleeping much; the dangers of having a lot on your mind. The only good news in this was that hopefully Rosaleen wouldn't know that bit of gossip or be able to figure out those details. Gavin took another breath, typing once more, trying to swallow down everything that battled in his head right now as he turned back in the direction of the sunroom he'd come from. "Would you join me, please?"

[Rosaleen Quinn]

Footsteps were approaching her. Rosaleen had to snap out of her thoughts as she perked up to the sound, "watching" the extra ripples that were created in her sonar as they led back to a figure walking towards her. They were a bit fuzzy and indestinct until they were about fifteen feet from her, the sight of them slowly coming into focus. The rest of her senses became stronger as she cocked her head to the side, her brows furrowing slightly as they drew closer. It was a man judging by height and stature, with a.. preference... Gavin. She knew that gait, the faint smell of resin that lingered on him from when he played his cello. Was everything alright? She slowed to a stop as she bowed her head to him with a small smile, something in her spine prickling at the air about them. He was very... tense. Or something, there was a lack of ease about him like there usually was. Something was weighing upon him, and it wasn't just his duties.

"Rosaleen." "Yes Gavin?" She asked, looking up as he drew closer to her. At this distance she thought she could detect a smile, but she wasn't really sure. She really had to work on her alkahestry so that she could see details like facial expressions better. "If you have a few moments, I was wondering if I could talk to you about something." Oh? That... sounded troubling. Her smile did not falter or fall, however, and she instead just nodded once. She was only on patrol, it wasn't like she would be missed if she was absent for a few moments. But what did he want to talk about? Was it about the rumors that flew about involving them? Or was it a matter of state? Did he need her to run off to Creta again for information or some such? Or was it.... She had to resist blushing at this particular thought. Was it something of a more personal nature? She managed to maintain her expression despite her whirling mind and increased tempo of her heart.

Something was wrong. He was hesitating more than usual. Everything screamed to her that something was off, but what was it?! "Would you join me, please?" Rosaleen's lips tightened as she swallowed any nervousness that was beginning to creep in, nodding one more time. "Of course." She followed him back into the sunroom without another word, quietly closing the door behind them once they were inside. And it was only then that she turned to him and relaxed a bit, worry creasing her expression as her green eyes seemed to stare at him. "Is everything alright Gavin?" Please let him tell her what was wrong, she wanted to fix it. Or beat it into a pulp if someone was giving him shit.

[Gavin Etheridge]

Tiredness from not sleeping right was slightly evident under his eyes and making Gavin doubt himself more, part of his mind immediately starting to panic and insist that he needed to ay nevermind and change his mind about the whole affair, but the rest of him knew he'd never be satisfied with that. Gavin was a man of action, and the only solution rested in knowing one way or another, and was entirely dependent on the answer of another. As Rosaleen shut the door behind them, Gavn glanced to it. Generally people knew that if he was in here playing, he was either entertaining company, or thinking, and either way not wanting to be disturbed. But right now there was no sound coming from his cello, and so that mgiht be interpreted as more welcome to someone interrupting him... which Gavin wasn't keen on right now. He wanted privacy. Stepping over to the stereo in the wall cabinet, he hit play on the CD player, adjusting the silence gently burst into a violin playing alone. Sure, it was Hilary Hahn, but nobody in the hall passing would question it since he played as well (just not as masterfully). Music adjusted, it would act as a buffer to help shoo people away from the door, and to muffle out the sounds of quiet conversation.

"Is everything alright Gavin?" Well, that was the fifty-pound question, wasn't it? Slowly Gavin turned back to Rosaleen as he took a seat on the little sofa, leaving the chair he'd been playing his cello at before empty and facing him across the coffee table. Gavin shook his head lightly, patting the sofa cushion next to him as he tried to gather his thoughts enough to plan his next step. He had Rosaleen alone now and she knew he wanted to talk to her, but the getting of an answer would only come with everything in the middle and asking. Oh yeah, the hard stuff. The King's smile was faint but being married by the worry and doubt eating at his mind and weighing on him. Frankly he looked like he could do with a hug, a glass of scotch, and a decent night's sleep.

Gavin looked to Rosaleen, quiet for a moment before he reached for his speech aid as he tried to relax himself again. This wasn't some stranger, or some foreign dignitary there to make deals. This was Rosaleen. This was someone Gavin cared about and trusted, and someone whose input could weigh more to him than anything another politican or his family said, and that... was a little scary. He smiled faintly, glancing up to her as he typed. "You know the rumours that have been circulating around the palace and town lately, right?" He knew she had; everyone else had. That his gaze lingered on her just a little too long; that they stood just a little too closely together; that the formalities between them dropped just a little too much. Sure, that was all true, but it still had an impact. "I was wondering how you felt about them. Nobody has been harassing you because of them, right?" Awkward as they were, Gavin supposed asking those two things first would tell if if it was a good idea or not if he could ask what he really wanted to know.

The king fidgeted slightly beside her, his mind still racing with thoughts clashing against each other. "My family has been rather vocal about them with me, so I was wondering what your thoughts were since I have a few ideas about them myself." Gavin's smile warmed a bit, still unsure but working to swallow the doubt down and work himself up to what he wanted to know so badly.

[Rosaleen Quinn]

Gavin was clearly not ok in the least bit, so when he shook his head to her question, it only made her lips purse more. What was eating at him so? She had never seen him like this, though it wasn't exactly like she had gotten a chance to see him recently. She had no doubts that his family had a part to play in that, at least by extension. She tilted her head a little as she saw him move towards the CD player, music blossoming in her ears shortly thereafter which barely registered in her ears since there was the more pressing matter at hand. One, and foremost, was Gavin's well-being. Second, was Seamus but that was a matter that could wait. She had to furrow her brows and concentrate as she saw him pat the couch to really see the gesture, wondering if her alkahestry was beginning to fail her already. Her steps were slow as she approached the couch and sat down beside him, trying her best to read his expression but it was difficult at best. She did not need to see the bags under his eyes, or the faint smile to know he was being eaten away by something.

"You know the rumours that have been circulating around the palace and town lately, right? Oh.... Was it about those things? Was that what was troubling him so? It was true, she had heard them all about her when people thought she wasn't paying attention since they seemed to forget that she had really good hearing considering she was blind. "Yes, I have heard them." What else could she say? It was a very sensitive topic at best. She continued to "look" at him, but she was very tempted to let her alkahestry fall silent. It always happened when she was around him and they were merely sitting like this. She... didn't feel the need to be able to see. She knew it was because she was so comfortable with him, and she trusted him implicitly. But then again she didn't want to miss an action of his just because she let her pings fall into silence. "I was wondering how you felt about them. Nobody has been harassing you because of them, right?"

Well now, then there was that. "My family has been rather vocal about them with me, so I was wondering what your thoughts were since I have a few ideas about them myself." He fidgeted beside her and before she could really think about her actions, she reached out and placed her hand on top of his, holding his gently as she gave a reassuring squeeze. It did not matter that her heart was beginning to race in her chest, her mind was rather clear. "I have received some glares here and there, or at least I sensed they were so. Brendan certainly loathes my very existence, but there isn't a lot that he can do about me being here, now is there?" She chuckled softly, her body turning to face him more as it was now that she closed her eyes. She could not read his expression anyways, but.... she wanted to read his body language and aura now. Without seeing him. So her pings stopped, and darkness enveloped her once more. She sat up a bit straighter as she allowed her head to bow a bit, taking a deep breath as she began to answer, "I do not care if they hate me, but I do care if they harass you. It is not my place to interfere with royal affairs since I am but a guard." Her thumb began to stroke the back of his hand as her heart pounded like a drum in her throat. "I believe you are entitled to your own happiness and not the whims of family or tradition. Everyone is whether they are a king or a commoner."

She was rambling. She knew she was rambling. Bugger it all! She did not realize it, but she was beginning to blush ever so faintly, taking a shaky breath as she had to fight against the nerves in her stomach. "I usually ignore such rumors for it is idle gossip meant to entertain fishwives and scullery maids. They cannot harm me even if they choose to judge me for my actions or feelings. The only ones opinion or thoughts that matter to me involving this, is yours." She was speaking like this to her king. She shouldn't say these things, encourage him to break the traditions that they had followed for so long, but her heart had long out weighed her logic and reason at this point. She smiled weakly, trying to make her hands stop trembling so that he wouldn't feel it. "I'm sorry, I rambled on a bit. I hope that answered your questions."

[Gavin Etheridge]

For all the cartwheels his stomach was turning, Gavin might have thought he was a teenager again, or taking those deep, terrified breaths that he took a few minutes before his coronation to take the crown. Why was a simple yes or no question so heavy to him, and something to make him so uneasy? It wasn't like fighting with his family was anything new. Gavin's mother had long-since given up on trying to keep her son confined within the walls of tradition; Gavin's cousins were more than enough to try and keep him in line for what everyone thought he should be doing (even when Gavin ignored them completely). Keeping a female Sciath to guard him, adopting Sorcha and naming her a Duchess, initiating the space program... even down to letting a blind fighter sign on with the Faolchú, even though selecting those elite soldiers was Fiachra's department. But Gavin knew what the real concern with Rosaleen was; if she'd only been a soldier and interacted with the King as much as any of his other soldiers (barring Fiachra, Toss, and the people that kept the whole mess ticking), it would have all been fine. Gavin knew what they were seeing, and the rumours simply stated it until the whispers were loud enough to echo and irritate the Prince and Princess enough to chew on Gavin's ear about it more than once.

But for all the nervous fidgeting that Gavin was struggling with, it was funny that an act as simple as a hand moving over his own and squeezing gently was enough to still the young king's mind entirely. He was lost, in that moment. Lost to exactly where he was. The resounding echoes of rumours and complaints of the royal family were quiet; the conflict between desire and duty were still; all that was was right here, the universe suddenly confinced to this sofa, in this moment, with only Rosaleen as the universe itself. "I have received some glares here and there, or at least I sensed they were so. Brendan certainly loathes my very existence, but there isn't a lot that he can do about me being here, now is there?" Rosaleen chuckled, and Gavin couldn't help but smile a little. That was very true. He'd signed off to have Rosaleeen back as active duty, and Fiachra hired her for his forces persoanlly. Palace guard duty was just the luck of the draw. "I do not care if they hate me, but I do care if they harass you. It is not my place to interfere with royal affairs since I am but a guard."

Even though Rosaleen's head lowered slightly, no longer looking directly at Gavin, feeling her thumb being to brush over his hand caught and demanded all of his attention. "I believe you are entitled to your own happiness and not the whims of family or tradition. Everyone is whether they are a king or a commoner. I usually ignore such rumors for it is idle gossip meant to entertain fishwives and scullery maids. They cannot harm me even if they choose to judge me for my actions or feelings. The only ones opinion or thoughts that matter to me involving this, is yours." For a moment, Gavin's heart stopped before resuming at warp speed. That was the best answer he could have hoped for, just not the one he'd expected or counted on. Gavin's smile warmed as his fingers moved to squeeze Rosaleen's hand in return. "I'm sorry, I rambled on a bit. I hope that answered your questions." He nodded, even though he wasn't sure if she'd pick up on it or not. he was too elated to think properly for a moment, until he realized that responding to Ros meant he'd have to let go of her hand, which he didn't want to do, until an idea came to mind. Slowly her hand was turned over to show her palm, the top of her hand held in Gavin's hand as the other touched her palm with his index finger. Letters slowly traced themselves onto her skin, taking time to let at least most of them register.

T-H-A-N-K-Y-O-U Yeah, he probably should have just reached for his aide and typed it out or told her what he wanted to try, butfor a change he really wanted to be able to communicate by himself as himself to one of the few people Gavin knew he could actually be himself around. He moved his hand away, finally reaching for the aid to tap out words with one hand, the other not ready to let go just yet. He had another question, but spelling it out would take too long. "May I move your hand?" There was a lingering pause as the mechanical voice droned out the words, Gavin's smile not faltering in contrast to the monotone voice, his cheeks only growing slightly warm when Rosaleen's hand was lifted by his own, her fingertips carefully placed on Gavin's cheek. He could be himself around her, and she seemed to see him for who he was, and just as he'd wanted to spell out the words to speak for himself to her, Gavin wanted Rosaleen to see him for herself.

[Shula Brighton]

{BUMP}

[Rosaleen Quinn]

Had her heart ever thumped this loudly in her chest? It may as well have been a drum to prepare them to go off to war it was so loud and resonated so strongly! Could he hear it? Hell, could he feel it from where he sat beside her? She hadn't been like this since.... Well... for many a year now. Rosaleen had to admit she almost forgot what these feelings felt like, what it was like to recklessly charge ahead and damn the world for caring or trying to tell her otherwise. Would his family attempt to have her arrested for her relationship with him? For the two of them daring to feel the way that they did? And was it bad that she honestly didn't care if they did? Let them arrest her. Let them try to tear her down or away. She was a grown woman capable of making her own decisions no matter the consequences. At first she had wanted to regain the ability to fight for her country so, and she had received it. But what of after that? Why exactly had she decided to apply for Faolchú? Had it been to truly return to active duty? Or was there an underside to that coin that had not occurred to her at the time?

No. It did not matter now. What mattered now.... was where they went from here. This was a turning point in their relationship and she was curious, and a little nervous, to see how they would proceed. She tilted her head ever so slightly at the shift of air from him nodding, though she wasn't quite positive what the motion was. He may have very well been shifting in his seat, although... She wanted to assume that it was a nod. Her brows furrowed ever so slightly as he began to move her hand, though it wasn't like she was going to stop him from doing so. Out of anyone and everyone that she knew, he was among those she trusted with complete and total absolution. Before now, her father was the only one she would actually allow herself to be completely blind around. But now? She had accepted Gavin into that fold.

As she felt his fingertip trace against her skin, the knit in her brows began to relax as she realized exactly what he was doing. The letters formed clearly as if they had been written with golden light within her mind, her pulse increasing rapidly as the color rose in her cheeks. Heh, there was more than one reason why she was sometimes called Rose for short. For him to write on her hand... to not use his aide.... It was like her not using her alkahestry. It was a sign to her of just how much he trusted her, how much he.. cared... Oh as if she couldn't tell already! But it was one of those things that was distinctive in its implications. You could not mistaken it for something else, not in this situation. A soft smile spread across her lips, the blush still there in her cheeks. "You're welcome." Her voice was barely above a whisper for her emotions were washing over her like great waves from the ocean of life. One could almost say they were overloading her senses with how they roiled about and made butterflies swarm about in her tummy.

She could feel the difference in pressure as he moved to reach for his aide, cocking her head in its direction before the clicking of keys confirmed that thats what he was doing. "May I move your hand?" Her brows began to furrow ever so slightly again as she turned her head as if to look directly at him though her eyes were closed. "Of course." She was his puppet to move as he sought fit though perhaps that wasn't the best analogy her mind could come up with. Warm flesh greeted her touch as he guided her to touch his face. Surprise was what washed over her next as she began to carefully, delicately explore the contours and lines of his face. She was like a painter carefully tracing and studying her model to truly gain the full effect, drawing herself an accurate mental image of him as opposed to the rather vague one she saw with her echo-location. Never would she have imagined that this would ever happen... Yet here it was, her fingers slowly taking him in. Her smile may as well have matched his as she only felt extremely touched and.... calm. Like this was right.

Her hand lowered slightly as the tips of her fingers traced over his jawline, then his lips, completing the circuit that was his features. But she did not move her hand away. Instead, her hand returned to the side of his face so her thumb could stroke the skin of his cheek in gentle, affectionate motions. "Thank you." She whispered to him for they were the only words that she could bring herself to say. Anything else she might attempt to speak would probably turn into gibberish or get caught in her throat, hopefully the latter of the two.

[Gavin Etheridge]

There was no hiding the magnificent flush Rosaleen's cheeks held this time, the rose colour deep against her pale skin even after Gavin had let go of her hands to move them to his face. In fact, it might have even darkened. He smiled, Rosaleen's hands cupping his cheeks, her skin warm and dry against him. It was strange, writing on her hand like that. He'd never done that before for anyone. He'd never needed to. Axel was trained to read sign for the prince he cared for, and Artemis was trained the same. Even when he didn't sign to Artemis, she'd always had a knack for reading Gavin's expressions and body language and almost his mind. The other staff members had his aid to listen to if they couldn't read sign, and Sorcha had the aid, as well. Gavin couldn't think of any time he'd been without some means to communicate or a need to write on someone's hand, but that... only seemed to add to it.

The way Rosaleen was smiling wasn't an act as her hands explored with the gentility one might touch the paintings and statues too old and delicate for the museums to display. What did he look like to her, Gavin wondered. He knew that her alkahestry gave her the general shapes and locations of things, but he was never sure how much detail it gave. It gave enough for her to be more than a fair match for fighting as long as the weapon was solid enough. But touching his face to show her what he looked like was rather different. Could Rosaleen see him now, line for line? As her fingers brushed his lips, Gavin felt is heart druming in his ears, sending his thoughts racing. Dear God, if anyone opened that door, there'd be hell to pay. Even as Rosaleen's hand stilled and came to rest back at its starting point on his cheek, Gavin could feel his resolve crumbling with every stroke of her thumb. The door was closed. Ranks and titles had been cast aside, leaving something more sincere exposed.

Gavin held onto the hand that wasn't pressed to his cheek, not wanting to move away from the touch at all. This... was probably a bad idea, and Gavin knew he'd get all kinds of flack for it later if this came up. Even if nobody outside knew what was going on in here, that didn't stop people from guessing and talking. But at the moment, that could wait, and he'd worry about that fight when it came up. Rosaleen's palm still turned upward, his fingers moved once again, spelling the letters incredibly slowly, almost unsure if he should be spelling them out. M-A-Y....I. He left a long pause between the words to make sure there wouldn't be any running them together, his face turning into the hand that held his cheek, kissing Rosaleen's palm. He waited, waiting to read her reaction and his, waiting to see if the world would conveniently knock on the door or fall through the roof. But it didn't, leading Gavin to press another slow kiss to her palm. Lips trailed downward in slow centimeters, somewhere between touching and not as he kissed her wrist, lingering at her pulse.

He paused, watching her closed eyes, his finger moving again to trace letters on her palm. K-I-S-S. Such a simple word, and a simple action, and yet? It was powerful enough to turn men into heroes and calm great beasts into a gentler state. Leaning forward, her scent was enough to make him drunk as Gavin closed the distance between them, kissing the curve of Rosaleen's shoulder. His own cheeks were flushed, and Gavin hoped he was still managing to spell correctly, though he couldn't help but wonder if the letters were even registering anymore. Or if it mattered. He'd surrendered entirely, lost and moving closer as his lips met skin once more, pressing against the side of Rosaleen's neck. Upward like a laddar kisses moved from her neck to her ear, and God, what he wouldn't have given in that moment for just a breath of a voice. Just to ask permission in her ear for just a moment as his mouth left the bottom of her earlobe to inch along her jaw and up, resting finally on the corner of Ros' mouth.

Y-O-U. Gavin's hand finally let go of Rosaleen's, instead moving forward to slip around her waist as the other raised to briefly touch her cheek, fingers combing backward into her hair. Another slow kiss teased at the corner of Rosaleen's mouth, Gavin waiting for a 'no' of any kind, be it verbal or physical. He knew he should probably pull back and tlel himself no; he was the King of Carraig and had duties that he had to adhere to. Rules and traditions that even he was having a hard time breaking without it causing a backlash from his family or some of the more traditionalist people in the nation. But for the life of them Gavin couldn't find the will to do so. His mouth pressed against Rosaleen's, lips sleaing the air as he pulled her closer to him, putting a physical and emotional definition to a silently-voiced need: desire. Desire that burned and ached but that had been ifnored, pushed aside, and fetted off as something else was finally acknowleged and surrendered to entirely, Gavin its slave until he finally pulled away, dotting her lower lip with a smaller kiss. He stayed close, however, not wanting to let go or pull away entirely, but waiting for the other shoe to drop, hazel eyes locked on her face as he waited.

[Rosaleen Quinn]

Rosaleen had to pause as she suddenly felt his hand touch her own, more of a recognizing of the fact as opposed to surprise or discomfort. She was anything but uncomfortable right now, in fact she wasn't quite sure if she had ever been so at ease before. Though maybe at ease wasn't quite the right phrasing since her heart was beating faster than a snare drum at this particular moment and she swore that she should faint from how quickly it beat within her chest. She only turned her head slightly towards the one that he moved, that he began to write on once more in such slow and almost hesitant strokes. May I.... May he wh-- She could feel his head turn beneath her palm, her entire expression taking on a rather strange calm as she felt the softness of his lips against her callouse hand. Her eyes opened even though it made no difference, still widening in the surprise that only made that pounding in her chest echo more and more within her ears. How much blood was pumping through her body?! She swore there had to be more of it as just that simple little kiss sent a rush down her spine.

This..... Truly, she was not dreaming? Gavin... She had a flash of a memory of when they first met, when he recruited her for that first job that launched her back into the military. It was as if with each little kiss he placed sent another memory careening back into her mind. From times that she had spent with him, to her previous relation before him, to how her life had been before... Gavin. He was at her shoulder, only vaguely aware of the word that had been written upon her palm as her eyelids closed to half-way. She was trying for the life of her to find some kind of resolve to say that they shouldn't do this, for some kind of reserve that would give her the strength to resist at what her heart cried for. But it just... wasn't... there. There was no reserve of energy to warn her of the consequences that she hadn't quite seen yet from his family or the world. There was no little voice that even attempted to disagree with her or tell her to stop, for there was no stopping this as he drew ever closer. The moment he kissed her neck, she stiffened as it was like an electric shock was run through her, exhaling in a slow breath.

No. There was no way that this wasn't happening now. Her eyes closed again as the simple contact of his lips to her neck made a shiver run through her. His hot breath on her ear made her lips part ever so slightly, sending whatever little train of thought she might possess off into space. There was nothing but them in the world, nothing but how he drew ever closer and how her heart cried out for this. She was in love with her king and there was no ounce of denial left within her as he kissed the corner of her mouth. That final word traced along her palm before she could feel how his body shifted, sense how his muscles tensed and relaxed when his arm slipped about her. She did not fight, instead only bending into the embrace as her other hand paused at his stomach before sliding up to come to rest on his chest, the other sliding down and around his back. Her breath did not feel as even as time seemed to slow, that singular moment hanging there until she felt that softness upon her lips. And it is most certainly true that when you lose one of your main senses, the others grow stronger. A simple touch of fingers was enough to certainly catch her attention, but a kiss.... Even a small, soft one that may only last two seconds was enough to melt her down to her core.

Her hand pressed into his back in the slightest, her nose dipping forward to brush against his even as he left that peck. Her breath came out in a slow stream as she tried in vain to calm how her heart had become thunder within her soul, wishing with all her might that she might be able to open her eyes and be able to actually see him and his expression at this moment. That she might get to see whatever look might be within his eyes. But she found herself leaning forward as she returned that kiss, returned the affection and desire he had so clearly revealed to her seconds before. She did not kiss him with unbridled passion, no... it was a very soft kiss that was held there suspended for several seconds, her mind calming to a single line that remained calm and still. She did not pull away immediately, moving slowly as she had to exhale slowly one more time, but the smile upon her lips was unmistakeable. She... had never been happier.

[Gavin Etheridge]

There had been no resistance. No words of common sense from either of them to encourage Gavin to stop, even as he met Rosaleen's mouth and dotted it with his affections. It was funny, the ways one gets around what everyone sees as a handicap. Rosaleen used her alkahestry to "see" and her other senses he assumed were heightened naturally to help bolster her own capabilities. Gavin could sign and use his machine, but it was the nonverbal communications, he found, that were truer to conveying what he felt, thought, and wanted. How he could make conversational noises with his violin, how just using expressions could get Artemis to laugh and talk to him. And in this case, how gentle kisses that climbed an incredible woman's arm, shoulder, neck, and mouth spoke of what he'd been wanting to say.

Her hand was on his chest and the other around his back. Rosaleen stayed close, returning the gentle kisses, just as reserved without feeling entirely restrained. Their breath mingled, the smile on the King's face calm, relieved, yet elated. Rosaleen had willingly responded in kind, not because he was her King, but because he was Gavin. By now, she knew. At least, he hoped Rosaleen knew. He was Gavin and King, yes, but he wanted to be her Gavin. That thought alone was terrifying and freeing, sending his stomach into cartwheels. Restraint. As he pressed another faint kiss to Rosaleen's lower lip, gavin's hand moved up to cup her cheek. He was holding back, and Gavin knew he'd be doing more than a little penance later. But for now, it was entirely worth the extra beads. Even the Hell from his family was worth it if Gavin could get an answer to the only question his kisses may not have asked all the way. They silently voiced desire, yes, but desire had many facets and led to many things.

Maria's secret desires took her to the library to study theatre. Brendon's took him to secret little trysts and one night stands that knew better than to tattle. Gavin's desire, though... He let out a small breath, letting the world slowly return to his senses, pulling away from Rosaleen slowly. God, what he wouldn't give for a voice, just for these few moments in time. Just for a whisper. His thumb moved to brush the edges of her mouth, fingers trailing her cheek before moving back even further to a more polite spacing. Restraint. There were so many reasons to hold back, most of them weren't fun, and some actually did almost frighten Gavin a little. In much the same way he knew he wouldn't know how to function if anything happened to Artemis, Rosaleen had become so very important to him in a short time; if anything happened to make her change her mind, Gavin wasn't sure how he'd handle it.

Though his body was still close and in her touch, Gavin's hands pulled away, reaching for his voice aide, his fingers hesitating over the keys. Part of him said it was a bad idea, not because he was her King and Rosaleen was his soldier, but because she was his friend and he cared about. He'd had so few people he'd opened up to in the way he just had. he was King. He couldn't afford to let himself enjoy dates and mingling the way he wanted; even on the nights he was in town and mingling, there was always that gap between he and his people. There always would be, except to those precious few. Could he really keep this quiet enough, though? If she said yes, would Rosaleen even want to keep it quiet? After all, love wasn't suppposed to be something to hide as though you were ashamed.

"Rosaleen." Gavin almost pulled a face, hearing the mechanical voice. It was such a moment-killer. Words of love were tender things, and an autotune filter just took something from them. He typed slowly, weighing what he was trying to say and stamping out the little voice that was worried about things the King really had little to no control over. "I said I had a few ideas in regards to the rumours about us. I was wondering if you would like to join me in putting truth to them?" He smiled, even if a little awkwardly, keeping the closeness as much as he could. Askinf for dates wasn't something he was particularly good at, and not something that anyone had really coached him on growing up. But he smiled all the same, hoping Rosaleen wouldn't mind the idea, even as he gave the power to decide and set the rules to her completely, whether she knew it or not.

[Rosaleen Quinn]

All those words that had been left unsaid, had just been said. The smiles they had exchanged, the laughs, the complete and utter peace that filled them when they were in each others presence... This... had led to its fruition. There was no denying herself this happiness anymore, no telling herself that it was against protocol or that she wasn't worth it. She was worth it. If this was what the cosmos was directing them towards, then by god there was no sense in denying it. She could feel his warm breath against her lips as he planted another small kiss to her lower lip, her head tilting upwards as if to follow up with one of her own but.... She stopped herself. Just because they had decided to nail a crack in the mirror of tradition did not mean that they should just shatter the whole thing in one fell swoop. Warmth at her cheek. As his hand made contact, she smiled softly and tilted her head slightly into that hand, opening her eyes in the slightest even though it wouldn't change anything. The world was still black to her.

Perhaps it was a natural reaction to this situation. You could practically feel the sparks coming off of them, like two magnets resisting the force that would pull them together. This wasn't wise, this wasn't advised, and this certainly would put her firmly against his siblings. She didn't even know how her companions on Faolchú might react to this. It was if he was tracing fire against her skin as his thumb traveled from her lips up the side of her face. Her own hand slid slowly up towards his neck, pausing on the side of it as they both backed away a little from those sparks that flew about. She sat up a little straighter as her hands lowered to his lap, resting on his arm as he reached for something. She could guess that it was his voice aide for it was the only thing it could be. She wondered for all of two seconds why he wouldn't just write it on her hand again, but then again that worked for shorter statements. He must have more to say than what could be simply written.

"Rosaleen." If his features changed at all, she wouldn't have known, her thumb running over his arm in absentminded circles as she listened to him type so slowly. He was weighing his words carefully then. "I said I had a few ideas in regards to the rumours about us. I was wondering if you would like to join me in putting truth to them?" Though she could not see his smile, she could certainly sense its presence for it fit his personality to after a question such as that. A smile of her own grew as one of her hands slid up his chest to cup his cheek gently, a soft chuckle rumbling in her throat before she leaned forward to place a soft kiss upon his lips. Just something brief, a show of tenderness before she answered him. "I would love to." She said softly as she brushed her lips once more against his own.

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