Responsibility

[Kaile Vera]

Curious green eyes met half drowsy chocolate brown. Kaile shook her head from side to side in the negative. "Nope." She told him. "No holes on my hide." She'd continue with a crooked grin. Tipping her head back, she allowed him some space, lifting it away from his shoulder. His question distracted her from the gingerly trace of her fingers along his waist. Instead it drew up, where she would push back the long length of her bangs to show a pale scar over the bridge of her hairline.

About an in long, it had been the result of the crash on belsavis. "But I got this when our transport crashed. Thing cracked in half like an egg." She told him.

"Lost a lot of folk..." Her face would scrunch in a contemplative mask of somber remembrance. "Ended up stranded over a month in the wilds 'for someone found our emergency beacon."


[member="Asmus Janes"]

 

[Asmus Janes]

[member="Kaileann Vera"]

His face scrunched up in a sad little look of sympathy for a moment. There was a flash of confusion as, for just a second, he thought she'd implied her head had cracked like an egg. His hand followed hers, fingers idly traced the scar, then ran through her hair slowly. It traced around, his palm brushing her ear and then his thumb finding her jaw. His hand slid down to rest where her neck met her shoulder.

"I'm glad luck had me run into you," he sighed. She had such very large eyes, easy to get lost in. He liked to touch and feel, but he was also a very visual person. As her held her eyes, his lips turned up ever so slowly into a smile.

 

[Kaile Vera]

Kaile's smile grew wide, the apple of her cheek blooming. There were tiny little crinkles at the corner of her eyes; laugh lines that hadn't seen much use the past week. His hand lightly pressed at her shoulder, heavy and warm.

She gave a slight wiggle of her nose, and a light laugh. As sweet as that was, Kaile knew well the series of events that had led to meeting Asmus in the first place.

Luck or not, it didn't paint the circumstance any different then.

"You believe in luck then?" she'd ask him, bringing her hands up under her chin where she held up the blanket.

[member="Asmus Janes"]

 

[Asmus Janes]

[member="Kaileann Vera"]

His eyes lit up and his smile drew up at her own expression. He adored the sound of her laugh, had never expected to hear it at one point.

"Sorry, it does get chilly up here," he said quietly. He wasn't sorry, he was very aware of the warmth of her against him.

"A good question. There's luck, there's chance, but is there fate? Don't know. I like to think I make my own choices, even if I don't know where they'll lead," he said slowly, his emerald orbs never leaving her eyes.

The brief flick down to her lips was the first clue. The hand on her shoulder slid bag up, fingers drawing her hair back. The other gently pulled her closer once again. Asmus audibly sighed as he leaned in, tilting his head to the right. If she let him draw her in he would kiss her so tenderly, as if she was the most delicate thing in the verse.

 

[Kaile Vera]

He's going to kiss me.

That singular thought swept through Kaile's mind as she beheld the softening expression upon his face. A girl knows when such an act leads up to it. At this distance, it was just a matter of a few inches for him to incline his head. Kaile knew Asmus' intent as soon as she caught him drop his gaze to her lips, when she felt her body get pulled nearer. His touch was almost unbearably light, whispering over her jaw, trailing up the side of her neck and into her hair.

Though they were nothing compared to the soft, warm touch of his lips upon hers a moment after. It was a gentle onslaught, as if drinking ambrosia from the cup of her mouth. Gingerly, tenderly so. It was quiet unlike anything Kaile had ever experienced before. Maybe it was because she was already half asleep. Maybe it was because of the dim lit ambiance with nothing but air recycler humming in the background now. Or maybe it was the way that Asmus lightly drew her in, as if she would break. As if savoring every second he could while he supped at her mouth.

It took Kaile a bit to remember to breathe. Eyes half closed, she indulged in the sensation, kissing him back after a few seconds of enjoying the attention. Unlike the one from the night before, this one lacked the passion but had something else behind it. That head swimming sensation that made her tingle with bubbly toes.


[member="Asmus Janes"]

 

[Asmus Janes]

It wasn't the blanket or the press of bodies that had warmth spread to every corner of him. A jagged shard of ice interrupted the spread for a moment in a flare of concern that she wouldn't kiss him back. It melted just moments later. This wasn't the desperate, seeking press of parched lips from this morning. He savoured every touch of her soft, sweet lips. Butterflies flapped their dance as his hand slid behind her head, his thumb pressed behind her ear and his fingers delicately held around the back of her neck.

All sense of time and their surroundings seemed to fade beyond the periphery. This wasn't just a new experience for Kaile. Asmus had never lost himself so fully in every sensation of someone else quite like this before. The closest he could match to the euphoric sensation was losing control of the ship. Breath lost, world spinning as G-forces pulled at him and he struggled to regain the helm. There was no struggle to regain control here as he slowly drew his tongue against hers and pulled her in closer with his arms.

[member="Kaileann Vera"]

 

[Kaile Vera]

Kaile fell against him, encouraged by the squeeze of his arms. There was a slight awkward shift of her legs, scooping her up upon his lap as he scooted his back against the seat. It elicited a small chuckle, a small reprieve she caught her breath. It wasn't hers for long. His tongue slipped between her lips again and repeated its closer examination-- caressing her tongue, her teeth, the roof of her mouth.

He took her breath away.

She made a slight hum in the back of her throat, canting her head slightly to the right. His fingers tangled into her hair, cradling her head. Kaile's fingers went sailing up over his arms, skimming over his shoulders until they went around his neck. Lips sensitive and tingly, she let him lead. Such an odd thing for her to do, but it just felt so... nice. No, beyond nice. As if she was walking on air.

Her right hand went sailing down, cupping his cheek. The swipe of her thumb would be a slow, lingering caress over his cheek bone, and the Lorrdian delighted at the contrast of sensations it gave her. From the smooth softness of his skin, to the faint rasp of his cheek, and beyond to have her fingers sink into his hair.

Just... lost.

[member="Asmus Janes"]

 

[Asmus Janes]

[member="Kaileann Vera"]

The only thing that broke into his awareness as they kissed was a slight tightening of her grip on him and shift of her weight. His arm slipped down from her neck to her waist to take a slightly firmer grip to avoid her falling from the chair. There was another reprieve for breath as they shared another chuckle, foreheads pressed against one another and eyes fixated on one another.

Unfortunately taking the grip stopped his hands from Exploring as her own did, instead he focused on the sensation of her hands as they ran over him and through his hair, savouring every touch and caress.

His tongue withdrew, lips parting to draw in a stuttered breath, but never leaving contact with her before plunging back and tongues resumed their dance. Fingers splayed his hand kept it's firm grip but slid up and down her waist. Asmus was just as lost in the moment, and unlikely to resurface until the next alert sounded from the console.

 

[Kaile Vera]

[member="Asmus Janes"]

An alarm that was a l-ooong way off.

Handsy Kaile was handsy, but she wasn’t the only one. She could feel the flex and press of his fingers along her waist, how they ran up and down her flank, collecting the fabric of her shirt into his hands only to smooth it back down.

It was an exploration of the scoundrel, a heady map of the varying contrasts and medley of sensations. The softness of his lips compared to the light rasp of his clean shaven upper lip. The silk of his inky brown hair and the warmth of his body. The flex, press and squeeze as he drank from her lips until all Kaile could taste was him.

Those tingles of pleasure were like a light feathery touch that ran up her legs, over her belly and past her chest only to settle at the shell of her ear. It wasn’t lust. No, maybe even barely desire? It was just… an enrapturing. Up went her arms over his, and she lifted herself up slightly to press and tumble forward against him. Soft curves angled along the firm wall of his chest, her hair waterfalling forward along the sides of her face as she kissed him in turn.

Fifteen more minutes and they would be at their objective...

 

[Asmus Janes]

[member="Kaileann Vera"]

Fifteen minutes could be a long time or pass very quickly. Asmus knew the laws of relativity and how they applied to real and hyperspacetimes, but the perception of the passing of time was far more sensitive.

Framed in her hair, blanket wrapped around them, he felt even more cut off from everything that wasn't her. Pulse quickened and breath came in short, quick bursts. He wished they'd had longer that morning to stay so very close in the darkness.

The hand at her waist slid under the shirt to feel her skin, flirting with the line of her waistband before curving around and down with a gentle squeeze. It came to rest lightly on her thigh. It was getting awfully warm under the blankets.

He let out something between a meal and a moan as he pulled back for a moment, chest heaving as he sucked in air. Face flushed he regarded her in an almost curious manner. His gaze seemed fixed to hers, but strayed to follow the lines of her features. No words came or seemed necessary.

 

[Kaile Vera]

No words, but that blasted alarm sure did make and entrance.

One would say that it was almost as loud as a klaxon with how it blared throughout the cockpit, echoing with a sudden blast. The truth was that it wasn't really that loud at all, just that the two were so enraptured with the other that it only appeared to be so.

So much for the softening of her expression, that kiss-drunk smolder of her eyes, and the distinct flush that colored her cheeks in awakening desire. That odd tingling sensation in the pit of her belly along with her disheveled thoroughly kissed expression slingshot-ed forward into wide-eyed alarm and panicked dismay.

While Kaileann wasn't known for her clumsiness, it didn't help that she gave a sudden jerk. With the alarm a persistent nag in the background all thought went towards the knowledge that they had to go make the next jump. Her legs tangled against the blanket and in her rush to slide off, she lost her balance. That free fall sensation took over, prompting her arms to scramble for purchase.

That purchase was [member="Asmus Janes"] himself as gravity took over.

 

[Asmus Janes]

[member="Kaileann Vera"]

"Woah..." if Asmus hadn't already been disorientated he might had kept them both in place. Unfortunately he'd rather lost his sense of direction, head swimming, so when his arm went for the side of the chair it flapped around in mid air.

"Oof..." a tangle of limbs and blankets fell into the narrow space between chair and console. He looked back over his shoulder, around them and then back to Kaile. A look of mirth spread across his face and he laughed.

"Alright, alright..." he started to disentangle himself, but she was so very close again...he started to kiss her.

"I'd best...get that...before...oh kaile...flattened like pancakes...right!" he mumbled between kisses before hauling himself halfway to his feet, blanket came with him draped over his shoulder. He paused there, grasping her arms and putting them around his neck before holding her waist. With one smooth motion he hefted her to her feet with him. He didn't even look away from her as he reached to the side and pulled back the hyperspace lever. That didn't bring them out, they were heading to very specific coordinates

"Hi there again," he said to her.

 

[Kaile Vera]

[member="Asmus Janes"]

The lopsided grin along with the half silly ‘hello’ elicited a faint giggle from the strawberry blonde. With her arms around his neck, pressed from breastbone to hip, with his arm around her waist, there was little distance between them.

Very little.

“Hi there…” Breathless, and more than a little flushed and tingly all over, Kaile slowly bit down on the corner of her lip. A tell. Interest and attraction. In the back of her mind, though there was that worry. One that was quietly being smothered as the fingertips of her slender digits went curling around the locks of hair at the nape of his neck.

Worries or not, she had three days left. Three. Afterwards she’d be left on Denon and heading off to Sullust for Retii to reassign who knows where in the verse. Trying to do the right thing was difficult enough. Trying to stop the heady feel good sensation of Asmus’ kisses and the subsequent blank mind left in its wake was another.

In the end, Kaile was only human and a creature of affection and tactile connections.

So up on tippy of toes. A slow slide and tightening of her arms around his neck. Then the slow, deliberate nibble of the fullness of his lower lip as the Lorrdian flipped the tables and began a charting quest of her own.

 

[Asmus Janes]

[member="Kaileann Vera"]

The rather rude awakening from the alarm had brought him out of the reverie he’d shared only with Kaile. There was something in the way she bit her lip that instantly yanked his attention back to her. It evoked a deep yearning and the voice at the back of his head trying to remind him about the micro jumps suddenly seemed very quiet indeed.

The ship didn’t care for what might distract its pilots. Right now she was carefully scanning her surroundings, confirming her position and calculating the next jump. When the green light came on the level would be pressed forwards again, or she would sit there in realspace and their journey would be delayed.

His hands slid up her back pulling her in and up. He had absolutely no qualms about his hands encouraging her as she pressed even closer. There was a short, sharp intake of breath as she nibbled on his lip and his eyes widened for a fraction of a second. That elicited a further, almost feral growl and his arms held her even tighter. The light stayed red, but he wouldn’t have noticed. His lips were already hypersensitive from the preceding quarter of an hour and that slow tug and press sent his mind reeling.

 

[Kaile Vera]

[member="Asmus Janes"]


A shiver ran up her spine as Asmus’ hands ran up her lower back, pressing her tight alongside him until she was flushed against him. Her curves crushed against his chest, his arms lifting her up with a growing fervor Kaile fanned with every nibble and tug of his lips she gave.

His low growl elicited a mewl and a half moan humming from her own throat. With a slight tilt from her head, both hands came down from their tangle of his hair and cupped his cheeks. Nudging his lips apart, she traced the line of his mouth, exploring further with her tongue and rolling against his own. The light on the console turned green, quietly waiting as it finished through all of its scans and gave the indication that it was ready to jump.

Kaile didn’t pay it any heed. No, she was too busy with her eyes closed, mouth latched to Asmus’s own and taking every little hint of pleasure he evoked as her gauge to deepen the kiss, draw back, or tease back into a nibble. By then, that rosy flush spread further along her body that just over her face, each second increasing in ardor as her hands began to sail down his neck and over his shoulders, feeling the sinewy muscles flex and strain under the fabric of his shirt.

Tick. Tock. The seconds would pass. That green light ever signalling its persistent state of readiness. Almost to the tune of another state of readiness between the two lost in each other's breaths.

 

[Asmus Janes]

[member="Kaileann Vera"]

I have never kissed anyone like this before. It was the first time that thought coalesced into words within his own mind, but that thought had persisted since he took that first step. Before it had run true because he had never before kissed someone in quite that tender manner. Now she approached the kiss with such fervour, changing the pace, her hands running over him and changing the touch to his reactions. She’d taken the lead in this dance, but he wanted nothing more than to immerse himself in this for as long as he could.

The green light didn’t even faintly register.

One foot slid backwards a few inches to stabilise himself. With a firm touch his left hand slid up her back to her shoulders, whilst the other moved down to just above her rump. With another soft growl he deepened the kiss as he loomed over her. He leaned her back, forcing her to slightly crane her neck up to hold the kiss, but he held her firmly in his arms as he did so.

 

[Kaile Vera]

There was a vague nag in the back of Kaile's mind that said -- girl, you should probably get some air now.

It also said, this is the cockpit of the Quin... you have to be doing something that is NOT him.. For the life of her, it wasn't really registering. At least not until [member="Asmus Janes"] was getting just as excited and handsy. The small shift and foot work managed to bump Kaile against the piloting console -- which immediately drew her back a bit as she took a breath.

"I -- ahh.. wha..." disoriented, her eye lids rose in mild alarm. Wait, oh that feels --

That solid green light acted like another alarm.

"It's ready!" she gulped out, eyes growing wide as her hands came away from him. Visibly flustered and embarrassed, Kaile made this awkward half dance in his arms to point at the hyperjump level.

"The jump!"

 

[Asmus Janes]

[member="Kaileann Vera"]

"Oh...right...yes..." he replied almost lazily. It took him a moment to draw his eyes away and look to the console. "Yes!"

His left hand stayed in the small of her back and his right reached across and shoved the lever forwards, bathing then in the bright cerulean of hyperspace. Asmus looked back to her, eyes burning with desire.

His chest heaved, before his mouth formed a tight circle and he blew out that deep breath slowly. He bit his own bottom lip, eyes turning to the floor and the blanket curled around their feet. He fed off her own embarrassment as he struggled for words, but a reticent arm refused to let her go.

"I...well, never mind it's only a few seconds...i think," he lifted his eyes to her own again, hearing nothing but the thunderous beat of his own heart. He couldn't recall a similar situation that had left him this...flustered.

That free hand returned and there was an almost curious expression in his face as his index finger and gaze together traced a line down across her cheek. "I want you. I like you. Really like you."

 

[Kaile Vera]

Now there was a way to stun a girl.

Oh that first bit she’d heard before. In fact, by this time around, Kaile would be completely into it wondering why the partner in crime wasn’t wearing a little bit less. If both were consenting adults and he had a sense of humor and a great ass, Kaile was the first to hop on and be the next nerfgirl to handle that rodeo.

The second part? Kaile heard a little bit less but the sentiment would be reciprocated. Kaile was open when she was attracted to someone. When she liked them and thought they were nice and friendly, she was the first to say so. After all, she had already told Asmus that she liked him. That much was evident.

A girl does not let just anyone get a good grope at the goods without actually liking the guy. WIth Kurt, it had been that he had made her laugh and his scruffy face made her delve into the fantasy of getting ravaged by a Space Pirate.

This wasn’t fulfilling a fantasy. This wasn’t even just knocking boots to have a few hours of fun. Nor was it to knock herself out due to her insomnia. It was different.

That realization made her eyes grow like saucers and bite her lip; not on the corner this time.

It confused her a bit. Well she liked him too. And she did like him. But she was also off the deep end at losing everything she had. Kaile had heard about rebounds, never really thought of herself in that light. Could that be it? Could she be diving headfirst into this… whatever Asmus was because she was being needy? And if so… was that really fair.

It was a conundrum. Her body was telling her go go go! Her mind was caught in this half cloud of kissdrunk stupor fighting against her innate need to do the right thing.

“I…” she swallowed hard. The desire was there in her eyes. There was no way one could ignore the little tells that said Kaile was onboard. She wanted Asmus too. She really liked him as well.

Was that … okay?

“I like you too.” corner lip bite that swiveled to the center. “You got me twisted in knots Asmus.” she said honestly.

 

[Asmus Janes]

[member="Kaileann Vera"]

It started as a shy little smile, before the elation spread to the rest of his face and it transitioned into a broad grin. He gave a small nod. “Yeah, knots, yeah that sounds about right,” he said. As if to accentuate the sentiment his stomach decided to flutter around again. He'd seen the hesitation in her eyes, had been hanging off her next words. He was normally so sure of himself, always knew what to say and how to act. Kaile had easily eroded away that layer of charm and left him exposed. And she still liked him. He was lost again for a few seconds, watching the infinite blue vortex of hyperspace in her eyes.

Asmus pulled her against him, one hand cradling her head under his own before cafuning her hair. She'd feel his heart thundering in his chest. His other hand traced light circles across her back. Was he making a mess of this? The last day had been an unbelievable breath of fresh air, playing and joking. He'd acted almost instinctively when he'd kissed her the first time. Would she stay in touch from denon? Why did this feel so much like taking a step and finding the ground wasn't there? That first lurch as you realised you were falling, but without the sudden reprieve of finding the ground a moment later.

Stop thinking! That instruction came deep from within his psyche. It wasn't him to let something stew in his mind, to go round and round in circles. Once, long ago, he'd been sent on a talented programme by his school. Asmus had a fierce intelligence burning behind his eyes. It would be so very easy to get frustrated by the galaxy, to labour over every decision. He'd seen the downsides in some of those children. Neurotic, scared creatures. It had almost been a conscious decision to make himself who he was today. Jumping in with both feet with eyes closed. Not regretting the past but living now. It was at the same time the easiest and most difficult thing to do.

He softly kissed the top of her head, murmuring just for her: “stay with me again, later?” She'd have just moments to reply before his hand slid across her shoulder, up her neck and jaw to raise her chin for a kiss.