high_seas | La passion, la passion, how I love la passion

[The sky is truly beautiful, clear and filled with stars, the kind that would allow one to spend hours counting constellations... If they knew the ones that exist here. But even if he had known about them, his attention keeps being called by Selphie just as his thoughts.

His own memories linger on that time on the beach, on her with a bikini... They could go swimming again, though none had swimwear, they could do it without any clothes.

Somehow his thoughts seem to keep ending with both naked and possibly close together, like the nights before except that this time it would be special. This time it would be truly wanted. At least for him. For her, though, it would be just another reason to hate herself, wouldn't it? Would she despise him? Hate him? Would she hate just him or the others too? Namur and that other guy, Crooker or something, she had been around them the previous nights, hadn't she?

It's not a comforting thought, but he almost hopes that Aya slept with her before, at least that way her virginity would have gone to someone she loved. Even if it made his stomach twist to think of them like that.]

Have you... Did you have fun today?

[He almost asks about the previous days, but that would include the nights and... He's not sure he wants to know. No, he definitively doesn't want to know. Not when he can't go and kill them for doing that with her.

Even if he's far worse because he is willingly pushing them both to such a situation. Or at least putting them in risk for ending like that.]

*While Ikki's thoughts were focused on the sea, Selphie was looking uo at the sky. She wonders what it might be like, if she had the nerve, to jist grab his hand throw them both to the ground, spending time lying together looking at the stars, then turning to explore one another instead.

It's only when he asks her a question that she snaps out of ir, aware that she had been staring at the line of his jaw, at his lips*

Oh! Today! Em...Well, I had a long long lie in in bed and then... I spent most of the day cleaning. A lot. The ship is - very clean.

*She'd needed something to help keep her mind off things, but it had turned out that scrubbing the ship only half helped*

Did you have a nice day...?

A long lie in bed?

[He can't help but tense at that and he looks at her with obvious worry and a hint of jealousy that he hopes will go unnoticed.]

Were you hurt? You're not wounded in anyway, right?

[Other than emotionally, probably. Last night he sensed her with Namur, he stopped paying attention and doesn't know what they did, how far they went... But he prays that Namur wouldn't have hurt her, the fishman wasn't like that but... Ikki wasn't the type to go and sleep with people yet the island had caused it to happen, so there is no way to tell if the pollen wouldn't make Namur violent or something.]

Hn... It was decent, I suppose.

[He turns his eyes away from her, but only for an instant. It's not really new for him to keep finding his gaze attracted by her, but tonight it's more insistent. And each time he looks at her the same questions roam his mind, why is she there and not in his arms? Why isn't he kissing her, taking her, giving her everything in him?]

I spent most of it hunting a native who had sold a defective gas mask. He swore that it was just one and that he didn't know about it not working, I'm not sure if that's right but the rest masks he had seemed to be fine. So I just roughed him up a bit so he's more careful and got my money back.

[As opposed to just kill him.]

No. Not wounded...

*She bites her lip and looks at their feet as they walk along the sand, wondering if she can somehow walk a little closer to him. She shifts to walk beside him close enough that their shoulders are almost touching, but she keeps her head hanging for another moment. It had been more like hiding beneath her covers than a comfortable sleep*

Just...needed a bit more rest, I guess.

*When Selphie turns to him their eyes meet quickly and she finds herself blushing, and bashfully twisting some hair round a finger. Her eyes widen at the mention of the defective masks*

Really?! Well - I think he could do with some roughing up!

*But she shuts up before she says anything else, not wanting to talk to Ikki about the previous nights, because she doesn't want him to think bad things of her*

["A bit more rest" doesn't sound as comforting to him as it should. It makes him wonder about her previous night, about what she and Namur did that would leave her so... Tired. It leaves a nasty and bitter taste in his stomach, even more so when he thinks about how Namur and all the other Whitebeards have probably had tons more experience and know very well what they are doing. Unlike him. And he can't help to think that if she has really done something with the others... She will compare them to him and realize even more how big the mistake of ever liking him was.

Still, despite his fears and hesitations, the moment their eyes meet and a blush spreads over her cheeks, he finds that he doesn't care. He wants her, needs her. And if at the end she decides that she made a mistake falling for him before... So be it. It's not as if he doesn't know it already, even if part of him wishes that she would repeat that mistake so he could keep her forever this time.]

Yeah, I gave him a good one... I still want to know who makes the masks, though, if the seller really didn't know they didn't work then the problem comes from wherever he gets them...

[His words keep trailing off as his eyes travel over her face to the finger playing with her hair. He has the impulse of hugging her and burying his nose in her hair taking advantage of her height, to fill himself with her scent. As he imagines how her hair would look spread under her as she laid down, blushing as he explored her body, his eyes follow the path he would follow in his exploration. The line of her neck, the joint where her shoulder and neck meet... He wants to bury his face there as well and maybe bite or suck until a mark was left. Proof that he was there, that she was his at least once.

She isn't an object to possess, but she's pretty much a treasure, far more precious than one made of money and jewels. A treasure that he found once and didn't take when he should, so someone else came and took it instead. But he's a pirate, isn't he? He could also try to do it, to take that precious treasure away, back with him.

He takes a deep breath as he manages to tear his eyes apart from her body and her mind away from the images of what he would do, where he would touch, where he would kiss and lick. Ikki looks at her again, at her face before he hesitates, biting his tongue once. No, he shouldn't say it. He shouldn't. It's not fair.

Life was never fair anyway.]

I should have never let you think that I wanted to break up.

Maybe whoever makes them just really sucks at it... But, I woulda thought someone would have hounded him down by now...

*Because surely their crew are not the only people in this world to have been affected by whatever it was. The pollen, the curse, however people saw it. She doesn't say anything more than that, also distracted by Ikki himself. Selphie often looked at Ikki and liked what she saw, but tonight she couldn't get over how drawn to him she was. The way he was looking at her made her heart beat faster. But, she thinks, surely she was imagining things.

Although, recently, she knows the kinds of images he's been capable of having about her. The way his eyes linger on her make her want to lick her lips, feeling flushed as she stands so near to him. She was ready to move even closer, to try and find some way to accidentally touch, but then he speaks.

Selphie stops walking, suddenly standing still, her lips parted open in surprise. Her eyes widen too, gazing up at Ikki's, her expression full of uncertainty and even hope*

Wh-what do you mean...?

I don't think they care, the natives probably all have masks that work correctly after all. And if they cared for the safety of visitors they would have warned us all.

[That way they wouldn't have been affected unless they wanted to. They could have chosen with whom spend their nights without masks.

And he would have hidden somewhere to never dare to take the chance, to say what he has been failing to say for a long time.

He stops when she does, turning to face her, her expression is serious and honest. His eternal frown twitches a bit as he looks at her eyes and her expression. Would he dare to think that there's hope there? Or is it mere shock hidden the inner disgust she feels? He licks his lips before he speaks again.]

It hurts. Even since that day, it still hurts, to be around you and know that you're not for me. It hurts to just be your friend and nakama.

That day... All I wanted was you to stop being hurt because of me, I wanted us to be happy and fine, like we had been before. I thought that maybe the problem was how we had started. I was more worried about what you expected from me, about what your idea of me was, than about being with you, because I thought that if I kept failing your expectations you would just leave. I wanted to start over, to forget about romance novels or expectations and just, be ourselves, be together.

But you thought I meant to break up and... I thought that you wanted to leave already, that you just wanted an excuse to run away to someone else. Someone better. And I just let you go without saying the truth. I should have never done that, I should have told you, I should have keep you with me.

[He doesn't realize that he has stepped closer and closer until there's basically no space between them, not until his hand finds her face, caressing it tenderly. He's not good with words, he has never been and that Selphie was quick with assumptions didn't help. Her impatience didn't allow him time to express himself as he should and his lack of social skills didn't allow him to find the right words that would fix everything.

Someone once said that even bad things happen for a reason and that some good could be taken from them. Ikki isn't sure if that's true or not, but that bloody flower and the previous nights, while awkward and mistakes, had helped him find some courage to go after Selphie. And being left without his senses for a few days had made him realize the best way to show her what he means without words. Slowly, he expands his Cosmos, reaching for hers and connecting with it, so she can feel everything that he's feeling. Everything that he hid from her those days they were connected. He does it slowly, of course, because if he himself feels at times overwhelmed by them, she will probably be sweep away if he shows her all of them at once.]

{I really want to take you away and keep you with me forever.}

*Selphie frowns gently when he talks about the masks and the locals, and she shifts her weight uncomfortably, glancing off along the beach*

That isn't fair. They shouldn't mess around with people like that. It's really serious...

*That Ikki had gone and tracked the guy down to beat him up made Selphie think that whoever he'd been with had perhaps not been who he wanted. She hoped, very jealously, that this was the case. Even if it hadn't been quite so pleasant for him.

As she speaks, Selphie struggles to hold his gaze, closing her eyes and enjoying the feel of his hands on her face. She tells herself desperately not to cry - Ikki hates that, she knows that, and she wants to seem strong to him, not stupid and week. She does manage to flutterher eyes open from time to time, trying to process all of this. Her heart felt ready to break her ribs, swelling with the truths he was telling her. At least they sounded like truths, they felt like truths*

I wanted - I wanted more than anything for you to stay. I wanted us to talk things over. Figure it out. I just wanted you - to stay with me but... But - it wasn't about that. It wasn't about anyone else. I was just..so certain that you hated me..that you wanted nothing to do with me...

*As he opens up his Cosmos to her, Selphie is overwhelmed by the feeling, and she hopes that he can see and feel how closely her own mirrors his. Months of hiding, or pretending everything was okay, but the fierce adoration and passion that lies there beneath. Like a dormant volcano, she can't help but think*

Oh...oh Ikki...

*Her own words can only manage his name, and she murmurs his name again as she wraps her arms tightly around him, holding him closer, holding herself closer still, gaining a proximity to him that she desperately missed, as would be clear by her embrace*

I thought it was. Or that it was just a matter of time before you found someone better after we broke.

[And it had been that way, at least from his point of view. She had found Aya. There's no reproach to her in his thoughts, but there's an intense feeling of jealousy towards the other man. A feeling of betrayal because there had been a moment when he had thought that Aya would hate Selphie and be unfair with her after what happened. But instead he had taken her away and whatever part that was left in Ikki that thought that maybe after some time they could try again, was killed with that.

Now... Now he doesn't know if they can try again. But he doesn't care either. He wants to be with her, he needs her. Tonight, tomorrow, every day. And he's desperate enough, he's in love enough that he doesn't care how it happens, even if she's with him just for a few minutes before running to someone she prefers... But does she really prefer someone else? He can sense her own feelings, everything that she also kept hiding from him and everyone else.

He feels again electricity as her arms wrap around him and her body presses closer. And he wants nothing more than to press her even closer to himself, to push her down and explore her body, make her his as she makes him hers. He remembers the taste of her lips and finds himself licking his own again, feeling thirsty and hungry, not for food or a drink but for her. He keeps opening his Cosmos, showing her how much she's in his mind, in his heart, how much attention he pays to her. How much he needs her even if they argue. How much he loves and wants her, all of her.

His lips hover over hers, just inches apart, the hand that has on her face now gently threads through her hair as his other hand finds her waist and presses her even closer. Another deep breath and his body feels as if it's screaming for her, he almost feels frustrated that he's taking so long. But this isn't like the other nights. This is special. This is Selphie, the girl he loves, the one he truly wants. And he wants to savour this, just in case she will change her mind in the morning though he keeps that fear to himself.]

Selphie... I'm really going to do it. Tonight, I'm going to take you and make you mine, s-so...

[His throat clenches, refusing to give her a chance to back away, to leave. But he's not his father and this isn't just the flower. He won't be a monster to her.]

So if you don't want to or have doubts or anything... Stop me now.

{Because I don't think I'll be able to stop myself later.}

I didn't want...anyone else...

*Selphie holds him somewhat closer, looking into his eyes, then at his lips, even his neck. And back to his eyes, her gaze open and honest. She hopes that this Cosmos is allowing him to really feel the intensity of her own thoughts and feelings, but there's a hint of darkness when she considers the jealousy he feels, and that alone makes her hurt.

But that disappears entirely when his lips move closer to hers, and all of her energy and her feelings are focused on him, how close they are. As he tells her what he wants, her eyes flutter half closed and she makes a soft sound like a whimper of pleasure. Her skin feels flushed and warm, her heart beating fast. She knows though that there's something she should say, something that she doesn't want to admit in case it makes him change his mind, in case it puts her off, but she figures he needs to know. So she opens her eyes and looks at him shyly. When she speaks her voice is a timid whisper*

Ikki...I-I've never...

[Maybe they should talk about things. More calmly, addressing everything that there is to be addressed. But it's hard to do so when all his being is begging for her. If it's the pollen's work, tonight it's far more vicious than before, or maybe it's as he thought, maybe it's simply because it's Selphie. Maybe this time the pollen is just giving a louder voice to what was already there.

He wants to kiss her but refrains, keeping their lips just so close and yet apart. It's taking all his will to not give in, but he wants to be sure that she wants it. Pollen or not, she can still refuse, but if he actually gets a taste of her again... He probably won't be able, nor want, to stop. And he's afraid of that, it's part of why he feared this, not because of disgust towards her but because of how intense his emotions were. How raw his desire was. Until her, he had never felt anything like that, the only feelings as intense as it were hate and anger. But he won't give up, he will be slow, careful and gentle.

He won't make her cry in the morning like his father did.]

What is it, Selphie?

[It's not a rejection, but it's not permission either, so he remains as he is. Caressing her hair and pressing her close, breathing in her scent due their proximity. He has no idea what she wants to say and can barely think straight to figure it out, so he waits, even if it hurts, even if it drives him crazy.

Back then, when this desire first awakened, he had needed time. To adjust, to understand, to stop fearing... He had ended getting that time, at the cost of losing her and seeing her in someone else's arms. Now he's ready but... If she needs time, he will give it to her. Even if it takes everything in him to step away from her if she asks so.]

*Feeling his lips so close without touching hers was painful, and she licked her lips, excited by being close to him, tantalised but needing him to make first move. She senses that he wants her, but she's too afraid to make the first move, just in case it really wasn't what he wanted. Selphie takes a small breath, then lifts her face so that her lips were close to his neck and his ear*

I... You should know... I haven't...done - I want...

*Selphie wonders what Ikki thinks she's been doing with her previous two nights, and she really didn't want to think what he had done. What matters is that they're both together right there and then. Still, she needs him to know that she is giving herself to him in a way she'd never given herself to anyone else before. But it was difficult, and she blushes in her embarrassment. Despite the fact she'd never been with anyone in that way, she feels a need to help him know what she's thinking, and it comes out nervously, softly*

I want you, Ikki...

[He does his best to not think about what she did or didn't do. Just as he does his best to not think about what he did. All that matters for him is the present now, the feeling of her body against his, the emotions that they had been hiding for so long like stupids...

Still, when she says that... When she confesses about her inexperience, he's shocked. It makes him pause and lean back in order to get a better look at her face, his expression betraying his surprise and slight confusion. He had been sure that she had done it, if not on the island maybe before with Aya. Back when they broke up he had been so sure that she wanted that level of intimacy right away that it made sense to think that. But she hadn't and now she's there, saying that she wants him.

As the idea settles in, there's a wide wave of relief in him. She hasn't given herself to anybody. Until now.

There's a loud sound, a growl and it takes him a moment to realize that he is the one who produced it. He was used to growling in annoyance or anger, but this time the sound was different, filled with desire and possessiveness. He leans forward once more, only pausing for a second, right as their lips brush.]

I love you.

[Finally, he closes the gap and kisses her. Despite his desire, despite the frustration and urging, the kiss is slow and almost lazy, but also deep. His tongue is begging for entrance in her mouth right away, determined to get a long and slow taste of her. Despite that, the way he keeps pressing her against him makes clear that he's very "hungry".]

*When she sees that look of surprise and confusion, Selphie knows that she's blown it. She's either said the wrong thing or just really put him off. Biting her lip, Selphie glances aside, head beginning to bow. But her attention snaps straight back to him - knowing Ikki as she does, she recognises that this is not the kind of growl she used to hearing from him. This particular growl sends a shiver of excitement down her spine. But it's when he says he loves her that she really melts.

The way he kisses her is unlike anything she's felt for a long time. Eyes closed, Selphie reaches a hand up through Ikki's hair at the back of his head, the other keeping her steady as she holds onto Ikki's belt buckle. Her entire body gives over to him and she groans through the kiss, her own response intense and slow, while her tongue teases along his. It's too incredible being there with Ikki, kissing so deeply on the beach, that she stops thinking anything and instead she allows herself to fall victim to the hot, desperate intensity of her feelings*

[Would he feel this way even if she had given herself to someone else? Yes, there's no doubt in his mind for that, because right now he doesn't care about anyone else but them both. Maybe tomorrow he will worry, maybe tomorrow she will wake up and realize that despite everything she loves Aya more... But now Aya doesn't exist, no one does, except for them both. It's true, though, that knowing that he will be really taking her for himself, makes him all the more impatient and needy.

Part of him fears that she will snap out of it and decide that she wants to stop before the night is over. But rushing wouldn't be good, especially with her being inexperienced, if he wants this to count, if he wants this to be a night that she won't forget... He has to take his time.

And he does exactly that, kissing her with passion and deeply but a very slow rhythm. Maybe it's cruel of him. To want this to be a time that won't ever leave her mind even if she decides that she doesn't really want to be with him, but cruelty isn't really new to him. His tongue dances against hers lazily, calmly pushing into her mouth and exploring it as if he had never kissed her before, it has been so long that it feels as if he hasn't. He's glad to see that the taste is just as he remembers, somehow sweet but not too much and terribly addictive. Just a kiss is enough to set his body on fire, like it had months ago, but this time he's prepared. This time he knows what it means and wants it.

This time he won't make her cry.

He breaks the kiss, slowly moving away from her mouth, leaving a trail of little pecks in her cheek and jaw as he finds her neck. Breathing in her scent, he licks and kisses the skin there, leaning forward as he holds her firmly. Even now he keeps opening his Cosmos so she can feel everything, see everything, it's the best way he can think of to show that this isn't just the flowers. That this isn't just today. And that she's a stupid for thinking that she's not wanted or needed because as far as he's concerned? The life he has without her doesn't count as a life at all, and he would prefer to go without air than without her any longer.]

*As he kisses her in such a way, Selphie feels herself go genuinely weak at the knees. It feels as though her body has melted away and all that is left is this kiss. She sighs gently through the kiss, a sure sign of just how good it feels. To keep herself steady, her hands hold tighter to him, one at the small of his back, the other at his belt, pulling their hips together. She has no other thoughts and feelings - only Ikki, and the incredible way he is making her feel. For all she is enjoying the kiss, there's a fiery impatience inside her too, moaning gently for more.

When he breaks the kiss, Selphie half opens her eyes, glsncing up at Ikki through her lashes. She feels a little breathless, smiling as he kisses her cheek, but hoping that their evening is far from over. That much is made clear when she feels his mouth against her neck and she moans into the night air. Her hands clutch at him, one snaking up his back. She feels his Cosmos, amazed to know how badly she's wanted and needed, and aware of jist how much she returns those feelings*

[Electricity runs up and down his body with the sounds she makes, a groan of impatience of his own responding to her moans.

He should stop. He should stop and just bring her back to the ship, to one of their rooms and lock the door. But he's not sure he can get that far right now. Not when he just wants to push her down now and take her there. It's not as if there's anyone else around, and with the flowers and all, the island is probably pretty debauched as it is.

Still he manages to tear himself away from her neck, just long enough to whisper in her ear.]

Should we try to return to the ship? Or we could just stay right here.

[Under the starry night sky, with the sound of the waves in the background... He knows nothing about romance but the setting should fit the idea in his opinion. Anyway, he returns to kissing and licking every patch of skin he can access at the moment, waiting for an answer if one ever comes.]

*Her reply takes a few moments, because she's struggling to ariculate anything. Right now, she's all feelings and senses. She tilts her head to allow him more access to her skin, licking her lips as she supresses another moan. Words aren't making sense to her - just the sound of his moans and his voice, the feeling of the weight of his body against hers, the delicious scent of him so close to her. Finally, though, she does her best to respond, opening her eyes again to gain their surroundings. Not too far is an outcropping of long tall grass, also shaded by some stone, as if the island was designed for situations like this - a private place that is reasonably comfortable*

Here. Over there...

*Honestly, she doesn't think they'll make it as far as the ship for now, not with the way she'sbreathing, chest heaving, almost panting in his arms and so utterly desperate for moreof him. All of him. She's calling the shots on being very greedy and selfish with him right now*

[The wait doesn't bother him, content as he is busying himself with her neck, adoring one side before turning and twisting to get to the other side. Eventually, he realizes that, maybe, his actions are making it difficult for her to answer, but it only causes him to chuckle against her throat, vibrating softly against her skin.

When she answers he's quite glad for it, he doubts they could get to the ship as well and with each passing moment that doubt becomes quite certain. He pauses for a moment, leaning back and away from her to check the place she was talking about.]

Perfect.

[With a smile, he returns to her lips, both hands moving down her body, caressing her back until they reach to her bottom. He takes just another moment to enjoy the feeling, clenching slightly her ass before he pushes up trying to get her to wrap her legs around his waist so he can carry her. There's no way he can pull apart from her long enough to get to the grass normally.]

*Selphie nods in agreement, her hands moving gradually round to his front, resting them on his waistband before snaking them up her body, fingers spreading to reach and touch the muscle of his stomach and chest. When he kisses her lips again, her hands move up to reach around his neck, holding herself to him tightly. She smirked through the kiss as she felt his hands behind her, and used this as an invitation to jump gently, wrapping her legs around his waist. Now that she has her hold on him and is closer to him, she takes the opportunity to nuzzled into his neck, her tongue and lips teasing the skin on his throat and reaching up towards his ear*

[He groans at her actions, humming in appreciation as he feels her teasing his skin. It makes it difficult to do anything else, or to remember to move to their chosen spot rather than just drop there and continue. It's definitively a trial for his patience and willpower.

Fortunately, Ikki manages to make his way to the grass, kneeling down slowly. He doesn't place her on the ground just yet, noticing how she ends on his lap in that position if she keeps her legs around his waist. They have barely done anything, but she must be able to feel how tight his pants are getting already. Tilting his head, he tries to catch her lips in another kiss before breaking apart with a smirk.]

I hope you're as energetic as always, it's going to be a long night.

[ooc: The night shall continue here]

[Of all the things his high stamina could come handy for... He never really expected this to be one of them, but he can't complain and it's not entirely his fault. It's really difficult to hold back when he's with someone as addictive as Selphie.

The sunrise surprises them in their chosen spot, finally sated and still awake. For now at least.]

Uh... Morning already?

[He hadn't really kept track of the time.]

*Selphie also seems completely unaware of how the time has passed. At least, she knows exactly what they were up to, and will remember it all well. But how it was that the sun was already rising amazes her. Snuggling her body close to Ikki's, she giggles at the thought*

Guess that's that saying... Time flies when you're having fun.

[There's a low rumble noise as he chuckles under his breath, turning to look back at Selphie. The small but visible smile on his face fades a bit as he looks at her, eyes falling on her neck and the couple of lovebites that she's sporting now.]

So... You had fun then? W-Was it good? Are you hurt anywhere?

[Because, now that the night is over and the effect of the pollen is starting to wear off, she may start to regret all this. Or realize how horrible he was and how little experience he has. Two previous nights don't really make one an expert after all.]

*The effects of the pollen might be wearing off, but the immense feelings of love and satisfaction are still very much lingering. She notices Ikki's concern and gently touches her neck where the skin is tender, but warm. She didn't feel pain there, or anywhere else, so she smiles reassuringly*

No. I'm not hurt.

*As she looks at Ikki now in the daylight, she holds herself to hin that little bit closer. Thinfs are different now, and she hopes too that Ikki isn't starting to regret their night together. She lifts a hand to place gently on his cheek as she looks him straight in the eye*

Ikki, it was...incredible. You made me feel so -

*She pauses, suddenly bashful, blushing as her mind thinks through the various things they did, and the intensity of feeling*

So...good.

*But in the emphasis she gives the word 'good' it's clear that this is a massive understatement of how she really feels*

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

Time-skip to the morning

no subject

no subject

no subject