Flutter

[Lovely]

February 15, 2010
10:30 p.m.
follows: Butterflies are free


The ruckus of the afternoon was nearly forgotten already and the shifts had switched twice now so Chris had time to meditate and get his anger under control without being disturbed. He came back to the infirmary to check on their newest arrival to ensure her own levels were back to normal and that maybe she was feeling up to talking a little. He knocked on the curtain rail and waited, hoping she wasn't still sleeping.

Nisari was wide awake, since she'd slept for a few hours in the afternoon, been healed and fed a few times, she was feeling better but she was now alone and awake. She was staring off at nothing, her thoughts wandering to all sorts of things when she heard something knocking. She moved in the narrow bed, trying to see what was going on. "Hello?" Her voice wasn't very loud since she didn't want to disturb anyone or get in trouble for being nosey or something.

She'd see the same face from the beach, cleaned up this time with an attempted shave though there seemed to still be a shadow of dark whiskers around the smile. "Hey. How are you feeling? Thought I'd check the nerves. Still rattling or better?"

Her face lit up with the smile that curved her mouth up. "Hey." She replied, genuinely happy to see him again. "I'm kind of all better all over.. they're really good here." She giggled quietly and waved him closer, scooching over a little and patting the bed for him to come sit down and visit awhile.

He hesitated with the smile curved up in indecision whether it was a good idea for him to be that close again. What had happened though wasn't her fault and Rob wasn't where'd have any idea, even though in his drugged up dreams, he probably did. Chris only thought about it a moment and stepped in quietly... barefoot quiet... and sat down beside her. "They are really good. I tried to tell you... well I tried to tell him... nevermind. Yes they are. Look at you, you're... can I say perky?"

"You just did." The smile didn't fade away and she was quite a bit perkier than she'd been that afternoon. "I'm totally wired right now.. I'm all awake and it doesn't hurt to move and look.." She pointed at her mouth and then licked her lips so they glistened. "..I can really lick my lips again.. you never think about that being so important or that someday you won't be able to do it and you'll want to so bad and you'll miss it so much."

"That's really special. I hadn't really thought about it. It's pretty.. when they shine like that." He said, a lot more shy than he'd sounded that afternoon. He did notice something he hadn't earlier though, maybe because she'd been behind him and staying out of reach otherwise. He pointed to his own mouth as he asked, "Is that why he wanted you to keep it closed? Because your tongue's different?"

Her hand went up to cover her mouth and her eyes widened, it was a brief moment of normal reaction and then she remembered that it was 'okay' here and her hand lowered. She blushed and smiled shyly. "Yes.. that's why. It's pretty obvious and not so easy to hide."

"Don't hide it. It's pretty special too," he chuckled a little. "Sorry, I guess it's not that easy, not when you're told 'no' and 'can't' and 'don't' all the time. I remember what that's like. Don't show off, Chris, and get down off that roof before you hurt yourself. Thought I was superman, but I couldn't be superman there. Here it's a different story."

Her legs slid up and curled, so she could lean over her knees. "Yeah.. it is. I never got to be 'just me'.. I had to sneak off and even then it felt like I was doing something wrong." She turned her head to smile at him though and she looked him up and down a little. "Superman, huh? Yeah.. I can see that."

He looked up as she smiled, giving him a working over with those eyes. "What? What can you see? I'm not Superman. I'm a monkey with mashed potatoes in his head. What I did today was pretty stupid and could have really gotten you hurt. I'm sorry. It's just...," he curled the words back and tried not to let them build back up again. "The wreck must have been pretty scary, huh?"

"If you hadn't done what you did today??" She stared at him in disbelief and shook her head. "You saved my life.. You tried to protect me and defend me.. you didn't do anything wrong. Rob was the one acting like an ass.. he was being a total idiot and just.. well kind of crazy. I mean, I know in some ways he was trying to protect me but he went beyond that to something.. it was irrational, mean.. I don't know.. " She sighed and her head shook some more, she looked back over at him. "It's just what?"

Chris chuckled and glanced back up again. "I was trying to protect you and went beyond, getting irrational and mean. You really wanted me to kick him, didn't you? I tell you I almost did. Then I almost thought about leaving him there to bake a little longer. Just because of one thing he should never do and I pray he never does again. But, I'm guessing he's done it before, maybe a lot of times?"

"Yeah.. I guess you're right.. the whole situation was.. well it probaby could have gone alot better." She sighed and turned her gaze away from him shrugging at his last question. "Doesn't matter really.. "

That told him plenty and it made his jaw set. He bent down around to have her still see him. "Hey. It matters to me. I don't want him to hurt you again, Nisari. Plain and simple, he's not going to."

[Lovely]

"That's the nicest thing.. " She took a deep breath and blinked the sudden well of tears in her eyes. "Why? If not him.. it'll be someone else. Probably someone who hates me just for what I am. " She shook her head a little again and tried not to look at him though she couldn't keep her gaze away from him. "Why does it matter to you what he does?"

"It matters because of what you are, which is a beautiful, living creature, not something to beat on or possess. You were given wings and you're meant to use them, not hide them. Venge told me about them. I'd like to see them and I'd like for you not to be afraid to show them. That matters to me more than anything. It just does." Passion or compassion, his eyes were warm and she'd find the touch of his fingertips just as soft and warm if she let him brush away the tear he reached for.

Her face tilted toward his fingertips as he brushed away a tear and she let her eyes gaze deeply into his for a long moment. "Venge said he thought you'd look after me.. if I decided to stay here..." Nisari licked her lips lightly, pausing and wondering if he would deny it or confirm that prediction. There was a soft sound behind her as her wings pushed out through the slits in her back slowly and unfolded to stretch and flutter a couple times. They were not as fragile as the smaller variety but just as vibrant and beautiful.

It was like he'd discovered an easter egg or a forgetten present under the tree. Chris's eyes lit up more, amazed, adoring of the colorful display as she unfurled for him. "How does it feel to be able to do that?" He was nearly holding his breath, whispering in awe as he reached out to touch one, but held back, remembering stories he heard when he was little, if you brushed their wings, they wouldn't be able to fly anymore. "They're ... sorry, but they're gorgeous. I don't mean to put you on the spot."

"It hurts a little when they push out.. because I don't get to do it very often." She was blushing and her smile was sweet, shy and warm. "It's really.. I can't even describe how it feels to be able to do that.. " She watched him looking at the wings and they fluttered as if she were batting her lashes. "You can touch them, they aren't as fragile as the wings on normal butterflies." She was bold and welcoming of his curiosity and yet all shy of his compliments and how animated he was at the sight of them. "You really like them?"

"But I mean, to know that you can, you're allowed to here?" Chris ran the lightest touch over the top edge of the one closest to him and he couldn't even describe what it felt like except... "It's like silk. Totally smooth, cool, almost wet feeling," but his finger tips didn't feel damp though they glistened a little from the irridescence. He wondered if she could feel his touch and he backed away more, not wanting to overstep her comfort. He nodded. "I do really like them. See, they shouldn't be hidden unless you need them to be. Can you fly with them?"

"That's the undescribable part.. to be able to and not be afraid.. it's nice but that word doesn't even really touch it." She watched him back away a little and she felt a small tug of sadness. "They do get in the way sometimes.. you know going through doorways and stuff.." She kind of teased and even laughed quietly, she wanted to bring him closer somehow, she didn't like that he'd pulled back. "It sort of tickled when you touched them... it was.. really neat. No one has touched them like that.. they tried to take them off once when I was younger.. that hurt alot. I can fly.. never gone far or high, mostly hovering and gliding. I sort of think someone might spot a really huge butterfly trolling around the flower garden." She laughed again, still quiet as she reached to try to grasp his hand so she could see his fingertips too. "..I think it's why I'm so light.."

"Fluttering," he said, the chuckle a bit sad remembering that it was Rob who'd said it and didn't even appreciate why or that she could do such a thing. She reached out for his hands and he let her capture them. Despite the strength in them, they were gentle and warm. "I couldn't fly ten feet down from the roof with these things. Broke my leg and didn't hear the end of it til I was sixteen. But... give me a tree or a rock and a way up, and baby, I'm there."

Nisari smiled, holding his hands and examining them with a gentle curiosity, her fingers lightly traced over his. "You have strong hands.." Her eyes flickered up to his face and she didn't seem in a hurry to let go of his hands. "Do you like being up high? Like in trees and stuff? I like being outside.. I never jumped off the roof and broke my leg though."

He took a guilty breath over his teeth, perhaps admitting more about himself than he felt he should, but here it didn't matter. They lived how they lived and Tripp said it himself to each of them... as long as their work was done... "High... take that however you want... yes. Up is my favorite place to be," he said, chuckling again a moment later. "Take that however you want too. I'm not inside much, no. And I know the difference between a tripwire and a snake hole."

Her head tipped a little at his comments and she looked at him with a slightly confused expression on her face. A moment later she nodded, though it was a slow motion of her head. "I see.. why did you lie to us.. to Rob? I mean why not tell us when you met us on the beach you were part of a military group? Why pretend you were something else?"

[Lovely]

"I didn't lie. I said we were camping up the beach, just not how. Would it have done any good to scare either one of you? Think of what you are and what you would have thought if I even mentioned the doctor before I got you in the gate. I'd have lost you before I got a chance to know you and Rob would have thought he could have saved you both. I had no idea about your gifts, but that's something I've learned along the way. Don't assume someone does or doesn't, just play it careful until you know."

"Fine. You misled us.. it's not much better. Rob probably wouldn't have acted like that if he'd known.. I don't know.. maybe he would have.." She sighed heavily and started to pull her wings back in so she could lean back. "It's just really hard to deal with things when you don't know what's going on and hard to trust people if you think they are trying to trick you. We were both exhausted and really worse for wear.. I just feel bad about all the trouble that was caused."

"What trouble would that be? Trust is earned and if you don't trust me right now I don't really blame you since I beat up the guy you're marrying... well, okay he beat himself up, but he does care. In a weird, warped sense of caring that involves more fists and yelling than anyone needs, but he cares. I'd have done the same thing if I was him... and you were my girl. I'd fight like hell to keep you to myself." He hadn't tried to pull his hands away, but she leaned back and he wondered if she might be trying to hide from him now. "I'm sorry. I probably shouldn't have brought it up like that. I just meant... he's a pretty lucky guy and when he's healed up, I guess you get to go home."

"You didn't get in trouble for the fight?" She asked, expecting he might have even if he had been trying to help her. Weren't there like totally strict rules about that in the military? "Are they going to.. like press charges against Rob? You know, like Venge said when he broke it up.. something about assaulting .. it's a little fuzzy cause I was all woozy then.. " She sat back against the pillows to try to be a little more comfortable and gave him another small smile. "I'm not sure if we'll be getting married anymore. This whole situation has.. sort of changed things. Maybe that's just stress of the ordeal or cold feet talking but I'm not sure he's the right one for me."

He laughed a little. "No... and no. Venge... well he's an odd bird. He was just trying to get him to stop swinging and listen. Attention through superior firepower... almost worked, too. He's a little off the deep end, but he's got a good heart. He wasn't kidding about the soldier part, either, though it's an entirely different army than you know." The rest of what she'd said brought a dozen other things to mind, all ending with the same result. "Would it be bad of me to say 'good' about you holding off on the wedding plans?"

"I see.. sort of.." She didn't know much about the army just what 'everyone' knows which is surface stuff and ideas from what you see on tv or movies or the news. She licked at her lips again and motioned to the bottle of 'water' that was on the stand next to her bed. "Can you open that for me? They left it for me to sip on if I was thirsty but I haven't had any yet.." She was avoiding answering his last question for a moment. "No, it's not bad.. but why would you say it's good that I'm thinking of not marrying him? I'm not talking about postponing it.. I'm thinking of cancelling it."

"I'd be happy to," he said, then reached for the bottle, realizing what it was they'd left her that wasn't water. He broke the seal on it for her but didn't give it to her right away, thinking about what she'd just said. "I think it's good because I don't think he's right for you either. But... who am I? Just a dumb ape. What do I know."

"A really sweet guy, who stuck up for a girl he didn't even know.. " She answered softly, biting at her lip now rather than licking it, she blushed a little and looked away shyly. "..it really meant alot to me that you did. Not alot of people would.. you have a big heart and you're not dumb."

"Thanks. I'd do it again in a heartbeat," he said, looking at the bottle he set back down. "You don't need that yet. I don't think you'll need it at all, but somebody around here decided you might, probably Venge. It's got a little more kick than tap water, I'll put it that way."

"Oh.. is it like one of those suped up waters they sell? You know, all the vitamins and energy stuff in them?" She asked with a little more of a smile and trying not to be so shy. She couldn't help it, he was so cute and sweet and nice to her.. and she was supposed to be engaged and in love with someone else.. it didn't feel so much like she was though.

He nodded slowly and turned to face her more, watching her open up more in front of him like she was showing her wings, but better. "Except better. It's meant to enhance instinct and perception, like putting sixth sense in a bottle. You know those little feelings you get, when you know you're right or you know something's about to happen, that charge you get? That's what it does, but it takes it a step further and deeper and pushes every button you have. I mean every one. A few sips for someone as light as you... we'd need a private room for a week. I considered giving it to you just now without telling you, but you know what? I don't want the bottle to do it. I'm kinda hoping that maybe ... you don't think you need it either."

She was alternating between looking at the bottle and him, half confused by what he said, partly worried, and a little scared. "You.. you're saying.. that it's like.. spiked? Like.. they were trying to drug me or something? Why? Why would they do that?.. and why would you tell me about it.." It made her wonder if anything had been put into her food and what would happen if she didn't drink the special suped up water like they'd obviously wanted her to do. What would happen if she did? The needing a private room for a week comment worried her as well, maybe more in a way. "What do.. they want from me? What do you want from me?"

[Lovely]

Chris shrugged and pulled the bottle back into his hand, taking a sip of it himself. It wasn't watered down and maybe showing it wasn't poison would reassure her. "First, what you want is straight answers and I'll do the best I can." He took another sip and gave her the bottle to consider for herself. "What they want? A corner of the world that understands what we are. They have it. This whole island. What they want from you, me, others like us, is to join them in the fight against the rest of the world that refuses to let us be what we are. What they want from you depends on what you see and feel.. and I'm guessing, what you feel about me."

When he tried to hand her the bottle, she wanted no part of it, she didn't even want to touch it, curling her hands in toward her chest, though she listened to what he had to say. "I.. don't think I understand.. that doesn't explain why they'd drug me.. or why it matters about how I feel about you.. can you tell me what you mean by that?"

"What I mean by that? What do you mean what do I mean?" He chuckled, but then he knew the answer which wasn't fair when she genuinely didn't. "It means after what they saw today, someone thinks I should keep you here for myself and screw Rob or anyone else for treating you like you are in a zoo, on display for someone to poke at with a stick. You belong here, Nisari. That's what it means. This isn't a zoo, this is the freedom to be what you are and to become everything your gifts can give you. What they want from you.. is to find someone here you just might want to share all that freedom..," he gestured with the bottle and set it down where she could take it or ignore it. He turned and leaned around her feet, hovering near her knees. "And uninhibited strength, passion, and desire with."

"Do you agree? I mean.. is that what you want.. for me to stay here with you? To.. share all that with you?" She glanced at the bottle again, her tongue flicking over her lips and then she looked back down to Chris where he hovered over her. He taken a couple of drinks from the bottle as if it was no big deal, she wasn't sure what to think of that or any of this. "What about Rob? What happens to him? Does he get to go home and how is he suppose to explain where I am or why I didnt come back with him?"

Something different shone in the depth of green as he watched her now, how her tongue brushed her lips, how she considered his movement, the glance to the bottle and back. Unwavering he whispered, "How many times have you gone to sleep, wishing you could make him feel what you feel?"

She opened her mouth to give him some sass about not answering a question with a question when it suddenly dawned on her and her eyes widened a bit, her mouth staying poised and open for a moment longer. She sort of gasped and leaned forward a little. her fingers curling and uncurling. "He's.. not going home." She wasn't asking this time, she knew it, there wasn't any way they would let him leave knowing she was here, knowing they were here.. which meant.. even if she said no, she wasn't leaving either.

"You might want to drink it to help you sleep, Nisari." Chris leaned closer, surrounding her, filling the space she cowered in with her revelation.

She laughed quietly. "Yeah.. or maybe I don't want to sleep... besides if it does what you said it does, It won't put me to sleep." He filled the space around her with his tall muscular frame and rather than being more afraid it actually made her feel more secure.

"Why don't you want to sleep?" The laugh wasn't expected and made him curious enough to stay where he was. From the corner of his eye he saw how her fingers flexed and stretched. "Okay. A straight answer for you then. What happens to Rob is mostly up to you."

"Because I'm scared... who knows what might happen if I go to sleep." She told him honestly looking to his face, to those warm gentle eyes of his. His last staement sent a tremor of panic through her and she started to shake her head. "Why is it up to me? I don't want it to be up to me.."

"Shhh... shh, it's okay." He rose his hand up and rested it over hers, smiling a little as he pulled himself up to sit in front of her. "You don't need to be scared. That's why I'm here. I'm not hurting you and I'm not letting anyone else do anything to hurt you either. Okay?"

His hand was warm over hers and she slowly turned hers so she could wrap around his. "Okay." She believed him and she didn't have a reason not to, he'd been honest with her and he'd stuck up for her with Rob. "Will you stay with me?"

"Whaddya know... your very own teddy b... mm... monkey," he sighed, shaking his head. "Sorry. Sure. I'll stay. Just try to sleep, okay?"

"I'm really not tired." She said quietly, holding tightly to his hand. "I really was wide awake before you showed up.. I haven't suddenly gotten sleepy in the course of our conversation." Quite the opposite in fact, she was far from tired now. "What will happen to me? I mean.. it's pretty obvious I'm not leaving.. even if I said I didn't want to stay with you.. I'm not stupid.. I'm just uninformed." She didn't like not knowing anything or having any real answers to base her reactions on, it was making her kind of tense with too much 'might' and 'possible' running through her head.

"No, you're not stupid and you're right, you're not leaving. I'm sorry. Best case is, you live your dreams here. Love, long life, strong friendships, family and anything else you've ever wanted. Decent case, you work and work more and put up with what you will, but live comfortably. I'm not going to let you have anything less than that, so don't even worry about what the worst case is. Most of us are soldiers, sure, but look around, all the other things we do here and what needs doing. There's something, and someone... here for you, I promise."

She shook her head looking away as her eyes welled up with tears and those tears started to slip down her cheeks. "You can't have dreams, friends, family, love, or live, if you're not free. You have only what someone else thinks you should have or allows you to have.. you don't have anything real if you don't choose it for youself."

In the blur of her tears she'd see him change again, holding her hand with grey fingers and watching from behind the same eyes that blinked back tears that felt what she did, what she'd said and understood it well. Chris tugged gently, wanting to hug her, but not wanting to break her worse. "If I can find a way to get you home, is that what you really want?"

She turned to look at him and gave a faint smile, reaching out to touch his face. "I want to have the choice to stay or go. I want to stay with you because I choose to, because I like you, because it's what I want.. not because I can't go home.. or to avoid something else. I won't say something worse cause it makes it sound like you're something awful and you're not."

[Lovely]

"Sounds like you made your choice and maybe just need a little convincing," he muttered under her hand, turning a little to kiss her palm. His eyes shimmered beneath tears that weren't going to fall, fixing on her as he rose and came closer than before. "Maybe I am something awful... or just maybe..."

"Maybe.. what?" She asked softly as he rose and came even closer, which made her press back against the pillows, not knowing what he was about to do or what he meant by what he said.

The image of the ape softened and turned pale again. Chris shook his hair back from his face and shoulders and followed her back until she wasn't able to move any further, staying close to study her eyes, the curve of her cheek, the scent of her hair that still smelled a little like the sea. "Maybe you're already convinced." He sounded assured of it as he brought a kiss to the lips he'd watch her glisten so gently, so sweetly.

She did like him, he was different and sweet, and there was an attraction she didn't know how to explain or what to do with... he was nothing like Rob, at least in her eyes. With everything Chris had told her about things here, she wasn't sure what to think or what he was going to do when he came up so close, but then he kissed her... She started to kiss him back, shyly and then realized that she shouldn't be and tried to move to break it off.

She pulled back but didn't push him away. Something in the kiss felt strange and tingled like the clear nectar that was pulsing lightly through his blood. He licked at it and grinned. "Do you still want me to stay?"

"I..." She blushed and her hand went to her lips, running lightly over them. Her face showed how conflicted she was, part of her wanted him to stay, wanted him to kiss her again and then the other part of her reminded her that regardless of if Rob was a jerk, she was engaged to him. She couldn't answer Chris because she didn't want him to go but couldn't tell him to stay. Her hand lowered and she stared down at the ring which sparkled on the third finger of her left hand. For a moment she swore it burned her finger but that was just in her head. "I.. shouldn't want you to.."

"But...? I see." He watched her curl into her thoughts, staring at her hand. There wasn't a lot of space, but he curled next to her. "Then I'm not staying because you asked me to. I'm staying because I want to." His hand slid up to her cheek, turning her attention to the sparkle in his eyes instead, stealing another kiss and not letting her pull away quite so easily this time.

She shifted a little as she felt him curl next to her, trying to make room for his larger form even though there wasn't alot of space. She tried to turn from the kiss but felt how he held her cheek and decided not to fight him too much this time. His kiss made her heart beat a little faster and harder and she didn't want to admit that she liked it as much as she did.

He stopped and watched her, licking the tingle on his lip again. There was something in her kiss that was different, wickedly enticing. He brushed her hair lightly back, stroking it down over her shoulder. He shouldn't want her to, but he did. He reached past her to grasp the bottle that had been ignored. If she wouldn't drink it, he would. He took another sip and licked the potion over his lips to glisten them like she had hers with her own nectar. "Humor me," he grinned, tempting another kiss.

Nisari shivered ever so slightly with his gentle touch, stroking her hair and following it's length down over her shoulder, her eyes drawn to his mouth as he drank more from the bottle and then following his tongue as he licked his lips. She was smiling a little, totally distracted and thinking he had.. ".. a beautiful mouth.." Part of her thoughts came out in a soft whisper, her mouth parting slightly in a subconscious longing and invitation for his mouth, for the kiss he asked for.

He nodded. Hers was - very. He took another small sip and delivered a cooling kiss that was already setting him on fire. The liquor held the sweetness of berries and chocolate, the sharp pierce of strong alcohol and the cool breath of the ocean to soften its bite and invite another sip and another. He shared the one sip to start and watched a moment longer, playing with her hair on her shoulder.

She gasped softly at the flavor of the kiss and sip he shared with her, her laugh was like a soft whisper as she stared back at him. "It makes my mouth.. tickle.." She didn't know how else to describe the odd tingle over her lips and tongue. "It's like.. fruit.... and candy.. and.. fermented.." She reached up to run a finger over his lips. "Does it make your mouth tickle too?"

He kissed her finger and tried to trap it with his lips briefly. "Makes more than my mouth tickle," he chuckled. "It takes everything, wakes it up, shakes it up and makes it just feel absolutely..." He sighed, not finding any one single word to call it. He offered her the bottle for her own sip, as much or little as she wanted.

She watched his face, his eyes mostly for a long moment, with her hand lightly over his on the bottle -poised to take it but not doing so at first. The hand with her ring felt heavy and she curled it into a fist then let it go flat against Chris's chest. "You really want me to stay here with you.. don't you?" It wasn't as if she hadn't believed him before, just now it sank in more and touched a deeper place within her. He just really wanted her to stay with him. Keeping her hand over his she gently pushed the bottle lower and looked at him somewhat shyly as she opened her mouth a little and let her tongue unfurl fully and naturally. It sank down into the bottle like a supple straw that she had built in and she took a drink from the mixture. She only meant to take a little but feeling it and tasting it like this, her eyes closed and she started to drink more.

"Yeah, I really do," he muttered, awed with the delicate creature she was and watching with a soft smile as she began to enjoy what he was offering her little by little. He didn't force her to drink it and didn't take it away.

She drank down about a fourth of the mixture before pulling her tongue out of the bottle and resting back a little on the pillows, staring at Chris with a soft smile. "Wow..." She breathed out, not quite laughing though her eyes sparkled with it.

"Now you understand," he whispered, letting it trip and flow through her. He stole another mouthful of it, but didn't take it away from her. The rest was hers to finish, but he didn't want her to feel alone in the surge of the mysterious concoction. "Wow... is only the beginning," he added, his hand moving to her knee and tracing lightly down the slender curve of her calf underneath, coaxing her gently to stretch out beside him.

Her breath came in a soft gasp of surprise and delight, his fingers felt so nice against her skin and her leg just moved how he guided it, there wasn't even any resistance in it. She really didn't need any more of the drink, what she'd had for her was like most people drinking a full bottle of it. Her eyes drifted over his face and she felt relaxed but not at all sleepy, it was like having a few drinks.. that really nice happy feeling. "What comes after wow?" She whispered, reaching her fingertips to stroke over his cheek. "Does it come here?.. no.. I mean.. do I have to stay here? Can we go.. somewhere less.. hospital-ly?"

His eyebrow arched with the perfect idea, someplace in mind away from camp, away from the others, up high.. some place on top of the world for them. "How would you like to spread your wings under the moonlight?"

Her smile and sigh were both sweet and soft as she nodded to his idea, her thumb running lightly over his lips. Gently pushing herself back up a little, she leaned to kiss him, it was a light touch, hardly there and then gone only to return half a breath later a little more firmly.

[Lovely]

"Someplace less hospital-y, coming up... way up. C'mon," he smiled, reaching after another kiss, but stopping short. It could wait a little while for them to get where he was taking her.. and her tatters. "Hell, one little sheet won't be missed, right?" He tugged at the corner of the cot to pull the sheet free to take along with them.

"If they wont miss me.. they wont miss a sheet.." She leaned to pull him in for the kiss he hinted at and then held back. One little kiss wasn't going to hurt anything right? and when he was so darn kissable.. "Mmmmm."

He hummed against her lips, happy to have them there and make his tingle more, but he pulled away again. "Wait or we'll never get out of here. Not that I mind, but we might wake your neighbors," he reminded her quietly. He tugged the sheet free and started to wrap her with it as he moved off the cot.

She pouted and then smiled, helping him wrap her up so she could sneak out with him. She was excited, scared, energized.. she wasn't thinking about anything more than him and going off somewhere to explore more of what the drink was doing to them and how he made her feel when he was close... or even better when he kissed her. His comment about her neighbors made her pause as she was scooting off the cot. "You're not going to get in trouble.. are you? For taking me out of here?"

"Mmmm... god I hope so," he shook his head and winked. "No, I won't. You're checked out already and under my care. Of course with the understanding that if you have a relapse, that you get something ... real sweet."

She giggled, she didn't shy away or pull back or think about how awful it was for her to be feeling and thinking what she was while she was supposed to be engaged to someone else. "Mm.. you're sweet.." She bit her lip a little and took a moment to make sure she was steady enough on her feet to go with him before she reached out for him again.

"Sea breeze, gets a little cool at night," he said, helping wrap the sheet around her like a goddess. "I'm not sweet, I'm furry, and I'm taking you someplace really special."

Her eyebrow arched a bit and she set her hands on her hips. "I think you are.. at least to me.. and that's what counts most.. when it comes to what I think of you.. right?" She grinned at him and held her arms out to the sides to show off her new garb.

The drape of cloth was far from elegant but on her with the irridesence in her eyes and smile she glowed like the moon itself as far as he was concerned. "Right," he agreed, deciding that the invitation was too good to ignore. With her arms out, he leaned down around her to hoist her, claim her, run off into the night as far as he could take her, maybe further. "I'm hoping you're thinking what I'm thinking or I'm gonna be one bruised monkey," he said, hoping not to bruise her.

"Oh goodness... I've been scooped!" She was giggling softly and squirmed a little to get more comfortable and then lightly slapped him on the butt. "Only one way to find out, let's go!"

It was difficult to move quickly and not transform himself in the process. Chris shuffled her out past Sol.

The man gave him a look as if he was going to try and stop them but instead he got out of the way, waving slightly at the girl slung over Chris's shoulder. "Please don't break anything," he sighed, hoping to get some rest after a difficult day.

Nisari waved at Sol as Chris carried her out of the caves which served as the infirmary of the camp, she gave the blonde healer a smile to assure him they didn't intend to break anything. "Are you gonna be alright, carrying me like this?" She asked Chris, feeling the difference in the air on her legs as he stepped outside.

"Just fine. But...," he stopped and set her down to let her see what he had in mind. Fluttering and floating didn't mean she wasn't afraid of heights. "Lights are low at night. Not much needed with the ones who see better in the dark anyway. So, not a lot to mess with the view. Look up." The stars were sharply etched overhead with no city lights, no smokey haze and hardly anything overhead to keep them from being seen for miles out over the night-colored water.

"It's pretty." She said softly, gazing up at the sky but still not knowing what he had in mind or why he'd stopped. It was more than pretty but she didn't think she had quite the right words, having never seen a sky so clear. "Um.. I don't get the 'but'.. " She confessed that she didn't understand what he'd meant or hadn't told her yet.

Once her eyes were adjusted to seeing the outlines in the thin light, he had her look back toward the rocks they'd emerged from. "Now... turn around. Up there, just past the camp.. do you remember the falls I mentioned? Only way to get there is climb or fly. Think you can hold on?"

"Um.." Her voice was soft, nervous again as she licked at her lips. "How.. high.. what's up there? Do we have to sit at the edge.. I don't know.." She shifted, looking worried as she thought about trying to climb to the top of some waterfall.. which she could actually hear.

"High. A couple hundred feet at least and no, we're not going to be near the edge. Don't be scared. I'm going with you and I'm not letting go," he said, smelling the fear from her and the indecision.

"Don't be scared he says.. haha.. I'm not scared.. I'm terrified." She took a few panted breaths and tried not to be scared, though she was shaking a little. "How much room is up there? Alot? I mean we won't be close to the edge at all?" She wasn't sure she could go up that high, but he seemed like he really wanted to take her somewhere special and that was it for him.

"Close your eyes," he whispered, coming down close to her, reaching out to her hands and guiding her with his voice. "There's room to get in all kinds of trouble. I won't let you fall, Nisari."

"What about falling for you?" She asked, blushing and realizing she couldn't take it back now that she'd said it out loud. She believed him when he said he wouldn't drop her and she closed her eyes, she was still scared but she was trusting him completely.

[Lovely]

Her eyes were closed and her instincts were telling her more than she knew consciously. He kissed her softly and turned, guiding her hands to his shoulders, helping her learn to use other senses than her eyes. "Climb up and hold on tight, okay?"

"Holding tight wont be a problem!" She laughed nervously and carefully climbed up, wrapping her arms around him, tightly. She kept her eyes closed and sort of burried her face in the back of his neck and shoulder.

He took off as soon as she was nestled against him, taking a foot-hold in the rocks in front of them and launching upward. She was lighter than most of the gear he hauled up for maintenance, almost like she wasn't there at all except for the scent and the warm breath on the back of his neck. Across a narrow ledge, he swooped around the front of the rocks and moved his way higher and closer to the water's spray. "Don't... open your eyes. Not until I tell you. Hear the water? Reach out to it with your ears, your sense of smell, how it feels on your skin as we get closer and higher."

"No." She said, muffled against him and she burried as far and as close as she could. "I'm not reaching out with anything.. I just want to pretend we're not where I think we are.." Her fingers actually dug in a little as she gripped tighter and did her best not to completely freak out. She could feel the sway and movement and didn't want to think about how high they were going and how high they were now. Her voice was shakey and paniced and she didn't want to talk, she just wanted to cry, but she was trying hard not to.. she was trying to be brave for him even though it wasn't working well.

"You're with me. That's what matters most." He slowed down a little to gauge a small hop across a larger crevice. They were nearing the top as quickly as if he'd sprinted across open ground.

"I'm sorry.." She sniffled quietly from where she stayed hidden, hoping she wasn't ruining this for him. It was just that way up high terrified her and she didn't really know why. Lower branches of trees were one thing but she'd never been able to climb up high.. somewhere there was a distant memory of falling and she whimpered softly trying not to think about that right now.

"Don't be sorry," he chuckled a little. It was a long way up, but it was too beautiful not to share. One last hop and he was pulling them up over the top ridge with a rope railing that was bolted into the rock for security. He took her several feet from the edge and knelt down close to the ground so she could unwind or ball up or simply hold on still. "We're here."

"Don't let go.." Her voice was still shaky as she felt her way around him to shift in front of him and curl up against his chest, her eyes were still tightly closed. "I fell.. when I was young.. I didn't remember until.. we were coming up here.. I fell from up high.. " She explained what she'd discovered about why she was so afraid. "I think it was a tree.. I can't remember clear.. I don't know how I got there.."

"I'm not letting go," he said as she shifted and balled up in his lap and he sat down to hold her. "You're not in a tree anymore and you won't fall."

"Can I open my eyes now?" She asked softly, relaxing just a little as he held her, her head resting down against his chest. She felt strangely safe curled up in his lap, despite how he'd brought her up so high.

"Whenever you want to." He kissed her hair and played with the sheet that was tangled around her.

"I'm still.. scared.. but I feel safe.. like this, with you." She smiled and opened one eye to look at him. "Kiss me first?" She tapped her lips and waited to see if he would.

Chris tugged at the sheet a little more and leaned in close but not kissing the trembling lips she tapped, instead taking a gently gliding brush of his own over her neck, whispering over her skin. "And second?"

She sighed softly, sweetly as she shivered a little from his attention over her neck. "Ohhh ... I hadn't thought that far.." Nisari smiled, leaned back a little in his arms, stretching and uncurling from the ball of fear she'd been in before.

"Good. It's better if you don't. Just go with it, you know?" He'd gotten a corner now and peeled the cloth down away from her. "I think we need this over here," he whispered, brushing his cheek past her ear.

She wasn't paying attention to the sheet as much as just enjoying the feeling of being close to him and the tremors that he sent through her with his breath over her skin. It was so much better than trembling in fear.. her hands lifted and ran up his chest slowly to his shoulders. "Hmmm?" She turned to try to follow his gaze to where and what he wanted. "Oh.. " She giggled and blushed at being caught in her distraction. "Mmm sure.. if you want.." She gently shifted so he could unwrap her more and pull the sheet away from her.

"I do," he assured her with a rough whisper that lost itself to the splashing of the falls near them though she could feel it in his breath on her shoulder. The pale sheet caught the moonlight and breeze, billowing out in a blue sail above him as he snapped it out to stretch it out beside them. "Nice. Though this is better," he said after flattening it out and turning back to her.

She took a chance to glance around them and then took in a deep breath, telling herself to stay calm and that she was safe with him. Nisari smiled as he turned back and she reached to cup his face in her hands. "Thank you.. for bringing me up here.. even if I'm a big scaredy cat."

[Lovely]

Chris pulled her hands down to thank him with her undivided attention to the fact that they were here, unseen, unheard and alone in a world to themselves, letting her feel his heart and breath in his chest. If he said he wasn't afraid, he was lying and she'd feel it in rapid beats under her fingers, and the skips as he gazed over her and the tears and rips where her skin peeked out.

She studied his face as she felt his breath and his heart beating under her hands, where they rested against his chest. What was he .. afraid of? She stepped closer to him seeing the way he looked her over and she smiled, a little unsure if what she was doing was right. Her hands were slow to slide down to his waist and she took another step, watching his eyes. They were a breath apart now and she brushed against him as she leaned to kiss him.

He felt another skip in his heartbeat as she brushed against him, enough to slip past the reins on his self control and let the ether of their master sergeant's 'devil's brew' take its course. His hands took theirs over her shoulders pulling her into the intensity of the drink's effect in his kiss. Yes he wanted her stay... right here.

It was strange but it was like she was drawn in and told by his kiss that he wanted her to stay.. maybe it was just her imagination or the effect of the drink, or just what she wanted to 'see'. She sighed and kept kissing him, chasing the feeling, wanting to be wanted, to be needed and desired, to be loved so much he couldn't be without her. Rob had never felt that way, had never made her feel that way. An hour with Chris and she was begining to feel it, to feel like he might feel that for her. It made her dizzy, it made her ache, she wanted to be lost in him.

His fingers curled into the tattered blouse as he held her tighter, pulling against the strained threads, begging them gently to let go and give her to him. His other hand slid down to her hip, wanting to pull strings and curl her around him.

Her hip rubbed back against his hand slightly as she stretched up to press more deeply into the kisses she couldn't get enough of. The shredded shirt had seen much better days and didn't have the strength to stay together against his tugging, it split and came away from her skin.

He dropped the torn pieces from his hand and caressed her back gently, careful of the wings he knew where there but reckless and eager to take his kisses over the rest of her.

She stiffened slightly when his hands started to caress over her back and then relaxed a moment later. She was wearing only the tattered pair of panties now and yet didn't seem to mind the lack of clothing or cover. Nisari pulled away from the kisses to reach her hands to his arms and guide them up so his hands brushed the slits where her wings 'hid'. "They're sensitive.. like the side of your neck or ears on some people.. Rob.. he never touched my back.. " It was like Rob had been disgusted by it and afraid of her differences.

"I can think of a few other places," he said, teasing her neck with kisses as she mentioned it, maybe testing or challenging her to explore as well though his fingers stroked ever gently over the slits hiding her wings. He wondered if she meant it was the same kind of thrilling 'sensitive' he thought as his fingers at her hip pushed aside the remaining threads that kept him from her.

The way she breathed and her eyes fluttered might answer his wondering, her lips parted in a near silent gasp as his fingers brushed and explored. Her knees felt weak and wobbley now, like they could barely hold her up and she swayed a little, holding his arms a moment to try to keep her balance. Her fingers curled and slowly caressed up his arms to his shoulders and she leaned against his chest, still feeling dizzy. Her lips brushed over his skin amost accidently at first.

"Come down here," he suggested, leaning toward enjoying their patch of pale blue on top of their world where the sheet waited, rippling lightly with the breezes.

"Okaaay.." Leaning was bad when you were dizzy and she stumbled a little, feeling the world pitch and sway and she only hoped he wouldn't let her slam down as she suddenly sank.

He had hold of her as she fought against gravity a moment. "Easy does it. See? Not letting go... I got you," he muttered, suspending her in his arm as if he'd dipped her there in a sultry tango.

"Woah." She whispered with a smile, sort of dazed by the sudden dip and the way he held her so gently and securely. "Thanks." She slowly reached to kiss his neck, not feeling quite ready to move too much. "I'm such a light wieght.. I guess." She figured the drink had alot to do with why she was suddenly so dizzy, thankfully now that they were down on the sheet it seemed to be passing.

"No, just a-flutter, that's all. Blame the brew if you want, but I'd rather you blamed me," he smiled, trying to send her spinning in other ways, stroking her leg like he had on the cot.

"I'll blame all the good dizzies on you." She smiled softly, biting at her lip as he caressed her leg like he had before. It felt so nice and he was so much sweeter and more attentive than Rob had ever been.. which might explain why Rob had never ended up quite this close with quite so .. nothing between them. Nisari's leg shifted for Chris like it had back on the cot, moving where he coaxed it as she sighed softly. Her hands were gently exploring over his torso, curious and light and then more firmly over his shoulders and arms.

"Feel free, Nisari." Free to be what she wanted, do what she wanted, explore, feel, or simply lay here quietly and watch the stars, he'd do all of that with her and more.

She laid back, smiling up at him, she didn't want to think too much, she just wanted to enjoy the time they'd have before everything came crashing in and down on them. "That's something.. I've never felt." She told him softly.