Skedaddle

[Emora Deen]

Laya smiled at him. "Good morning," she replied, skooting closer to him and wrapping her hand around one of his. "Did you sleep good?"

[Soran Nightblade]

"For some reason," Telanis said, smiling at her. "How are you feeling?"

[Emora Deen]

Laya thought. "Better," she replied after a few seconds. "I am feeling better. Adonis went to get breakfast. I'm not sure if he meant just for himself or for all of us. I really don't want to leave the room though. I like it here, just lying here with you. Its nice."

[Soran Nightblade]

Telanis's smile grew broader at her mention of Adonis. "We can stay here as long as you'd like," he said. "You can rest, today. I'll be with you." He put his arm around her and embraced her with warm enthusiasm. "My brother should be better, now. Last night, he was more himself than I've seen him in years. It may be that he's finally healed!" The optimism glowed in his voice. Of course, there was a great deal he didn't know.

[Emora Deen]

Laya sighed at Telanis's embrace. "Resting sounds nice," she admitted. She smiled at him, finding him the sweetest most kindest person she had ever known. She was happy to have him as a friend. Laya tilted her head forward and kissed his cheek gently.

"Adonis is treating me nice..." she mused. But, she saw his hands and his arms. Something wasn't right. He wasn't healed, but she couldn't dare tell Telanis that when she didn't know for sure.

[Soran Nightblade]

Telanis smiled to himself at her words. Since when had it become so hard to imagine his brother being nice? Thinking about it was like having a weight lifted from him.

They were interrupted by a knock at the door. "Captain's meeting in five minutes on deck," someone called from the other side of the door before walking off down the corridor.

"We may have to get up after all," Telanis observed. "I wonder what the crew will think happened last night?"

[Emora Deen]

Laya groaned, rolling until her face burried in the pillow. "I don't want too," she muttered. Mostly because she knew that man would be on deck. "If we must, we must."

Laya slid out of bed and stood up stretching. She reached her hand down for his and pulled playfully. "Let's get it over with so we can continue to be lazy."

[Soran Nightblade]

Telanis smiled and let her lead him up. It was a relief to feel the floor relatively still under his feet, compared with last night. He reached up and stretched. Gaining his bearings, he pulled his shirt over his head and began stripping down calmly.

[Emora Deen]

Laya watched him pull the shirt over his head and start to strip. She resisteed the urge to watch, cheeks flushing. She'd seen him naked several times, but watching him might drive her to do something Adonis would deem "hurting him". Though, she could hardly call the thoughts running through her mind hurting him at all. It surprised her, that given the events of last night, that she actually could think of such a thing.

But, Telanis was different. Anything with him would be different than what that vile creature had wanted.

Laya smiled sheepishly, sweetly, and turned towards the bags, looking for the one that belonged to Telanis. "Here you go," she said, turning back to him and setting the bag behind him on the bed.

[Soran Nightblade]

"Thank you," Telanis said, reaching out for the bag. A faint blush darkened his cheeks as he thought of her and the feelings he sensed from her, however faint. He unclasped the bag and found underwear and pants to wear. "It's very warm, isn't it? This feeling?" he murmured unbashfully as he began to pull them on. He looked at her curiously. "It feels very important. And vulnerable. That's why people can be hurt by it. Why Adonis is afraid we shouldn't share it. Right?" No matter how much he thought about it, he couldn't bring himself to understand how such a thing could bring about corruption.

[Emora Deen]

Laya sat down on the edge of the bed and watched him dress. "It is very warm," she agreed, smiling. It filled her with strange bliss, warmth that danced around inside her. "And to some it is important. To me it is important." Laya brushed her hair behind her ears.

"You are sharing yourself with someone, laying every part of your body and soul out for them, it is pleasurable and beautiful," Laya mused. "But, there are some people... like the one who hurt me. They enjoy taking that. They enjoy using it to bring pain. That is how they gain their pleasure from it. Adonis is afraid that I will hurt you like that I think. Or he is afraid that we will share our souls and I will tear yours apart."

Laya reached out and brushed her hand over his arm. "But, I would never do that to you." She smiled up at him.

[Soran Nightblade]

Telanis's face lost some of its color as her words clicked. Afraid that we'll share our souls, and I will rip yours apart. The logic was eerily familiar, and his brother's mindset never seemed as clear as it did at that moment. Laya was able to see into it so clearly where he could not, even though he'd known his brother forever. "That won't ever happen," he promised her earnestly. "I would never suspect you of such a thing," he reaffirmed her words. "Just because it happened once does not mean it is the rule."

[Emora Deen]

Laya smiled softly. "No, it won't happen. I love you. You don't hurt someone you love," Laya told him, standing up. She stood in front of him, and having made up her mind, she leaned forward and kissed his cheek softly. She drew back slowly, her eyes flickering up to his. She leaned forward again and kissed his lips just as gently as she had kissed his cheek, like she was afraid if she pressed any firmer she would shatter him.

"But, Adonis won't understand, Telanis. I don't think he'll ever let us be together like that again," she replied. "That is fine, I guess. I am just glad he is allowing me to be near you at all."

[Soran Nightblade]

Telanis's eyes drifted half shut as her lips touched his. He could feel her soul in that brief touch, warm and gentle. "I will talk to him. I will help him understand," he said, even though he himself was still just learning about it all. He pulled his shirt and boots on as he spoke. "Let's see what's happening on deck," he proposed, offering his arm.

[Emora Deen]

Laya wasn't qutie sure how that conversation would go, and she was a little afraid to find out. "Okay," she finally breathed, looping her arms with his. She threw on a smile. "Let's see."

Laya left with him to head on deck, where the morning sun was warm and bright, the sky a clear blue. The ocean smelled of salt as it always did, but the waves were calm, as things always were after storms.