Re: Land of the Morning Star [Menel & Laven]

by **Menel** Thu Sep 03, 2015 12:49 am

"I told you I had some sensitive spots." Of course at the time he'd thought that Laven had sensitive sides also. Though now he knew better; that Laven had been sensitive because of the injury that Menel had given him. Menel's own aches were slowly receding, the elf's weight a comfortable one on his chest. The other man even tilted his head into Menel's fingers. So that the swordsman could feel soft skin and softer hair beneath his fingertips.

In the back of his mind he almost felt as though his hands were to rough to be touching something this soft. It mingled with the small swell of pride that Laven had doubted even for a moment that he might win. If he had offered a challenge, then he could ask for nothing more than that.

Silently he watched Laven consider what he wanted for his prize, and when it finally rolled off of the elf's lips he lifted a pale eyebrow. Now it was Menel's turn to consider. It wasn't that he had a wealth of secrets to choose from. In fact he had the opposite problem. The only thing that he truly kept secret in his life Laven already knew. Even the darkest truth of it he had admitted to the elf which left him with almost nothing to tell the other man. Laven even knew at least some small part of how he'd earned the marks on his back...

Menel finally tilted his head smiling softly. "I don't have many secrets really. And... I'm not sure I'd say it was a secret but... I've never told anyone." He rubbed his thumb over Laven's cheek. "You told me the name of your blade but I don't think I told you the name's of mine."

He made a small amused noise. "If I wasn't so comfortable I'd give you a proper introduction but... The one I wield in my right hand is Asha'din, and her twin is Kasha'din. I'll let you have a proper look at them sometime." He wondered if the elf would notice. That Kasha'din was a touch heavier than Asha'din. Or that Ashadin was a touch sharper. His fingers trailed over Laven's ear. He didn't tell Laven that Kasha'din was the one that he had killed Michael with. Or that there were times where he almost could feel the blood on his blade, weighing it down even more than it already was. "Is that what you had in mind?"

by **Laven** Fri Sep 11, 2015 10:14 pm

Laven made a soft agreeable noise, opening his eyes and tipping his head so that his cheek and ear were pressed against Menel's chest. Menel's voice reverberating through him like he was feeling Menel speak more than hearing him. "I look forwards to a proper introduction, then." He laughed softly and ran his knuckles over Menel's jaw before resting his hand loosely on the swordsman's shoulder.

Red eyes blinked and Laven sat in the stillness, fingers idly brushing over the material of Menel's shirt while he enjoyed the quiet. It was nice, just being around someone and not needing to converse but able to slip in and out of it as thoughts to be shared came to mind. He felt his hips warn him that the position he was in wasn't meant for long term sitting, and with a tiny grunt he shifted to lay out flat, side against the floor and chest against Menel's chest.

"What were you going to ask of me if you'd won?" He murmured, closing his eyes again and sighing. A small smile tugged at the corner of his mouth as he tried to guess out of curiosity. "Certainly not for more clothing, I'd wager." He flashed Menel a grin before tapping a finger lightly on his chest. "Care to fill me in, then?"

by **Menel** Fri Sep 11, 2015 11:01 pm

Laven shifted to make himself more comfortable and Menel shifted subtly as well so that they were both comfortable laying on the hard floor. There was always a certain amount of complaint from the body when laying on an even hard surface, but it was something Menel was quite accustomed to. Besides, Laven made it infinitely more comfortable.

The elf's fingers slid over his chest and Menel found himself smiling lazily, fingers sliding into Laven's hair. Carding his fingers through it, the strands were incredibly soft. For a long moment he considered Laven's question, finally smiling broadly. "I was going to ask you to make me dinner." He had the grace to look a bit embarrassed. It was the truth though, Laven was an excellent cook and he would have been lying if he didn't admit that he hoped that he'd get a chance to taste it again.

The swordsman let his blue eyes linger over the lines of Laven's face, his thumb tracing Laven's ear and then back into his hair. "I suppose it's not very original, but you're a really good cook." He grinned and chuckled gently. "And admittedly... it's been a while since I've been able to eat my fill of so much good food. Though... I think really I should be the one taking you out."

His smile became a touch wider. "Maybe I'll cook for you since I'm under house arrest."

by **Laven** Mon Sep 14, 2015 4:33 pm

The elf raised his eyebrow in response to Menel, quirking the corner of his mouth in a cheeky smile. "I seem to recall you mentioning just this morning that you were a terrible cook, Menel." He reached over and tapped Menel on the nose. "As if I was going to let you just... waste away in my home without feeding you." Laven snorted delicately and returned his hand to Menel's chest where it was more comfortable.

"Though if you'd like to take me to dinner some time I'm not going to turn you down." Menel stroking his hair was surprisingly soothing, even as the sensation of having his ear teased made him flush just a little and lick his lower lip. He chanced a peek at Menel from where Laven was lounging half on top of him, meeting his smile with one of his own.

"I don't mind though, the cooking." Laven waved his free hand vaguely before dropping it to smooth his knuckles against Menel's shoulder and neck. He suspected it has been a very long time since someone had worked on the tense muscles in the swordsman's shoulders and back. And with all the scar tissue there it would need more attention to keep the area more flexible. "Which is to say, I like it, and I like making the people who eat my food happy."

by **Menel** Mon Sep 14, 2015 5:12 pm

Menel had the grace to look just a touch embarrassed but chuckled gently. "I might not be a very good cook but that doesn't mean I'm not willing to try." He was more than willing to make an effort at it, and he'd survived on his own cooking for the better part of his life so he could at least manage to make food that was edible... Most of the time. "It seems rude to just expect you to cook for me all the time. I should do something at least to earn it."

Well at the very least he could wash dishes. That way he could repay Laven at least a little for his kindness and hospitality. His blue eyes twinkled with just a touch of mischievousness when he caught sight of the light pink color that spread slowly over Laven's cheek. Noting the way it made the scar on his cheek stand out just a little more.

Laven dropped his fingers near Menel's neck and the swordsman tilted his face slightly away to allow better access. The elf wasn't wrong in his assumption that it had been a very long time since someone had eased the muscles there, or anywhere on his body. There were very few times he'd allowed himself that kind of luxury and the last time had been after a particularly brutal fight when he'd been covered in enough bruises that he wouldn't have been able to move much without it. The idea of being unable to train had driven him to give into the need.

Blue eyes half-lidded in relaxation, his fingers following the course of Laven's hair. It was a doubly soothing for him. Laven's fingers eased away tension, and the soft hair beneath his fingers did the same for Laven; and that also soothed him. He smiled in the glow of the laziness he was not accustomed to. His life was so often moving forward eternally. Never resting in one place for very long... "I would be happy to eat anything you make." His voice had dropped an octave, almost purring in tone because of how indulgently at ease he felt. Purposefully he slid his finger over Laven's ear again, teasing it as if almost by accident but thumbing the lobe at the end in a way that was obviously intentional.

"Though you don't have to cook to make me happy Laven." The elf made him happy in a hundred small ways that surprised him. His lips were caught in an endless smile. "I am happy just like this."

by **Laven** Tue Sep 15, 2015 9:08 pm

It wasn't hard to catch the wicked light in Menel's eye as he teased Laven's ear again, but Laven couldn't even scowl at him. Instead he laughed out a soft sound and ducked his head, his breath and voice pressed close to Menel's chest but separated by the shirt he wore. "Tease," He chuckled, his lips curling up into a pleased smile against the soft fabric.

Laven worked on Menel's tight and knotted muscles a little longer, his fingers clever as they dug in and soothed away the bursts of dull ache as knots loosened. He was quiet as he worked, though he hummed softly in response to Menel's praise. The angle Menel was laying made any more work Laven could do to his back impossible, so the assassin ran his hand up from Menel's shoulder to his neck, fingers warm and light against the skin there.

"You make me happy as well, Love." Laven smiled, shifting once more and putting his free hand on the floor close to Menel's chest before he rose to his knees and leaned in to press a soft kiss to Menel's jaw. "But that doesn't mean I don't want to cook, for you or otherwise." he chuckled and looked down at Menel, his pale hair coming undone from the sparring and now Menel's gentle ministrations. The loose hair softened his face, framing his bright eyes and hiding his ears from view.

He looked down at Menel for a long time, a small smile on his lips as he took in the pale scruffy hair that seemed impervious to taming, tan skin that clearly weathered the worst Polemos could fling at him in terms of climate but was still handsomely clear. Laven's thumb brushed over Menel's cheek in a soothing gesture before his hand swept up, carding through the short white hair and laughing. "But if you're serious about helping then we'll see about dinner, how does that sound? At the very least it's always helpful to have a second pair of hands."

by **Menel** Tue Sep 15, 2015 10:03 pm

Laven pressing his head against Menel's chest meant that he missed the arch of the swordsman's pale eyebrow and the quick of amusement on his lips. He couldn't resist really. Laven found so many ways to embarrass him and seeing Laven's cheeks light up gave him a sort of joy that was entirely new and unfamiliar to him. A deep rumbling sound echoed in his chest, his head tilting slightly back. Laven couldn't reach to terribly much of his back or muscles the way that they were laying but he enjoyed every effort that the elf made.

Menel looked up at Laven, at the hair that was spilling down around the other man's face. Laven was so beautiful... His crimson eyes dark and bright at the same time, his smile... He could have spent months in contemplation of that smile. "Do I?" His question was soft. The smile on Laven's lips was clear, but he wasn't sure what he'd done to make Laven happy.

The swordsman chuckled in response to Laven's laughter. "Of course, I'll be happy to help you anyway I can. I'm pretty handy with a knife." He offered a slightly cheeky green, shifting his fingers subtly so that he could sink his fingers into Laven's hair more fully. Dinner was still hours away yet, and Revina was still upstairs somewhere doing whatever she was was doing. He wondered if Laven would be interested in wrestling with him a bit more.

Blue eyes dialated so quickly that the change was visible as he kissed Laven's lower lip softly. "Do you want to go another round?"

by **Laven** Tue Sep 15, 2015 11:23 pm

Laven went from laughing softly at Menel's grin and leaning in to savor the gentle kiss Menel placed on his lip to raising his brow and quirking his mouth into something much drier. Menel was still petting his hair and seemed disinclined to stopping any time soon much to Laven's growing approval. But he has also shifted subtly in more ways than one, eyes dark and voice low in his chest as he looked Laven over.

It made Laven's heart thump just a little harder in his chest, being looked at like that. It had been a very long time since anyone had cared to view him as anything other than a commodity or a well payed tool of some type or another. It really wasn't any wonder that Menel was making him happy when he was treating Laven like he deserved affection and companionship. Laven dropped a lingering kiss on Menel's mouth in thanks he didn't plan on expressing any time soon.

In response to Menel's question the assassin lowered his lashes and swung a leg over Menel's waist so that he was sitting on Menel. "Another round? But I already have you pinned don't I?" He practically purred the words as he dropped the hand that had been ruffling Menel's hair and pushed himself into an upright position with his palms flat on Menel's chest. Sitting as he was Menel could easily displace him, but the wicked curve of Laven's smile and way his fingers idly stroked the fabric under his shirt said he didn't think Menel would try and tumble him off without warning.

"Besides, what if it ends with you on your back again? Not that I minded the view."

by **Menel** Tue Sep 15, 2015 11:44 pm

It seemed like a lifetime ago since Menel had been able to hold someone that he cared about in his arms. Even then, it hadn't been like this. Laven's playful teasing was something that was entirely new to the swordsman, and he wondered a little if Laven did it purposefully to make him smile. If their positions had been reversed, he knew that he would have been sorely tempted to do anything he could think of to bring a smile to Laven's lips.

The elf changed their positions once again, straddling him smoothly and Menel's pale eyebrow arched, lips twitching into a slightly crooked smile. Like Laven, he couldn't help thinking that it was a rather tenuous position. It would have been child's play to roll Laven over and pin him onto the ground. Besides, looking up at Laven through the fall of lavender hair was a sight which he was more than happy to linger on.

Though the elf moving had necessitated that he move his hands somewhat which is how he found himself with his fingers on the other man's hips as the elf pressed palms into his chest. "Well, you certainly do now." Menel stressed the word teasingly both to indicate that Laven hadn't before, and also to point out the obvious fact that reversing their rolls was well within his capabilities.

The truth was that it was wholly tempting to do just what Laven seemed to think he wouldn't. He let the thought roll over in his mind, blue eyes dark with the joyful thought of upending Laven. Of the flicker of surprise that would for a moment steal the wicked smile on the elf's lips. The thought was easy to read on Menel's face.

"I don't mind a good challenge, or ending up on my back. It's rather comfortable down here actually." His lips spread into a broader smile. "The question is... Are you ready to end up on your back if I succeed this time?"

A low chuckle rolled out of Menel's chest. "Or I suppose you could stay up there. You seem pretty comfortable yourself." The swordsman's thumb rolled over the smooth line of Laven's hip bone. Suddenly thinking of the other night. Of Laven's fingers spilling beneath his vest and the warmth of stealing Laven's lips beneath the bloom of fireworks. That thought like all the others was written in clean lines on Menel's face as his lips parted just slightly. "I seem to remember that from last night too."

by **Laven** Wed Sep 16, 2015 12:44 am

Laven narrowed his eyes at Menel's expression and the feel of the swordsman's hands on his hips. His expression was just as mischievous and he pursed his lips into a wry smile before leaning just a little closer to Menel's face. Red eyes blinked slowly as he brought one hand up to smooth from Menel's chest to his neck, fingernail running up the line of Menel's throat to be felt. Oh, he could see the wheels turning in the swordsman's head, trying to weigh the pros and cons of tumbling Laven off of him.

It was charming, this little moment of thoughtful aggression. Menel could easily hurt Laven, and Laven had already proven that he could hurt Menel many times over. But if they did try sparring again... Laven had a good idea that it would be more brutal and far more challenging. They were feeling each other out, and Laven had no illusions that Menel could knock him on his back with ease.

Laven wasn't against the idea if he was honest with himself.

"For you? I'd end up on my back anytime." The words were murmured close to Menel's mouth, close enough that Laven's lips could have brushed his if the elf hadn't pulled back. He ran his hands down along Menel's arms from shoulder to wrists, thumbs rubbing circles into the tendons there. "I do really love this view though." He laughed and let go of Menel's left wrist to push some of his pale hair away from his face, pausing for a moment with his hand resting along the line of his neck.

Seeing the way Menel's eyes watched him like he was something astounding and breathtaking had Laven dipping back down and pressing his mouth against Menel's. He held the swordsman's head, thumb under his jaw and tipping it just enough to make the kiss seamless. The hand on Menel's wrist squeezed once more before returning back along the length of Menel's arm and ending on his chest. It was a warm and grounding as it smoothed over the muscle there, Laven breaking the kiss after a long moment and smiling down at Menel with blood dark eyes and a knowing smile.

"Let show you what I wish I had been able to do, last night."

With another kiss, the assassin pressed close to do just that.

~End~

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