This might be the last time... [Tags: Veyani! (Mature)]

S'jiro was smiling still, as he dashed across the Weyr with Veyani in tow. The Bronzerider led them through lesser used corridors and snuck them past the area of the Candidate Barracks where S'jiro knew that Indylari was still changing into fresh clothes; and the whole time, they went (relatively) undetected. It seemed as though nearly everyone at the weyr must have tried to pack themselves into the massive Gather Hall.


It was exciting, being like this with Veyani. It was daring and at least a little adventurous, even if they were playing more than actually, truly trying to avoid detection. Still, it was forbidden him by his parents that he ever see Veyani again, and here he was, running with her, like in some giant game of hide and seek, desperate not to be caught. And if they won their little game, they could be together. They could be happy.

Being with Veyani did make him happy. He loved her more than anything. She was all of the beautiful sunshine in his life; and her light became the reason for the deepening shadow upon his face. Because, now that she was being taken away from him, he understood just how much she meant to him.

Faranth, why can't this night just last? Why can't it just go on forever? He wondered.


Rounding a corner, S'jiro drew Veyani into him, pressing his lips against her own in a kiss that was brief due to his own breathlessness. At that point, he peered across the distance to the stairs leading upward toward the private weyrs, one which was his own, drawing the Candidate along behind him again, and with a continued sense of secrecy.





As they made it to Zemarith's ledge, the Bronze rumbled his welcome, but S'jiro gave him a quick mental reassurance before making sure the dragon would keep an eye out -and if anyone asked via dragon-link, he and Veyani were not here.

With that security measure in place, S'jiro took them through the door of the inner sanctum of his weyr, and shut it behind them. With only the faintest glow of light coming from the hearth, where the fire there had nearly died out, they were left in almost complete darkness.



The strength of the Bronzerider's hand relaxed its grip on her own as they caught their breath. S'jiro's smile waned, wanting to fail him, but hadn't been lost completely yet. So, he turned to face Veyani, putting her back against the door where he could let her feel his own body pressing close to her, but he didn't let go of her hand yet.

"I'm so glad we're here. Together." There was a deep and honest truth imparted in those words. Honestly, he thought he might never get a chance to be with her again. Not even to say goodbye. This was better, though, being here with her. He'd have one final chance to show her how he felt.

And if every move he made was right, she'd remember it...

She'd remember just how much he loved her...

And then, when they met again, it would all be over.

After trying to run inthe heels for about two paces, she hopped on one foot, taking one shoe off and then the other, then in bare feet, ran after S'jiro. She was able to keep up with him, reaching for his hand as they ran. Giggling here and there, though he seemed to want them to be quiet, Veyani couldn't help it.

The blonde girl didn't miss much though, like how this was some kind of game for him and that he didn't want people to hear or see them. Maybe she should have taken that as a sign in and of itself as to his mental state. However, Veyani was more focused on what seemed like a completely free S'jiro. He was uninhibited and happy. Veya couldn't remember him ever looking so happy.

She felt hot although not necessarily from the running as his proximity to her had closed. As she was pulled in for quick kiss, she reciprocated as she could. She wasn't out of breath per-say but her breathing was heavier, causing her chest to move up and down. Following S'jiro up the staircase to the dark weyr, she felt more than saw the Bronzerider.

Her breathing quieted once they stood in the darkness for a moment. Unable to really see that well, she gasped in surprise as she was pushed up against the door. Veya didn't know how to take his words as he was pressing closer to her and with her hand as his prisoner, she was being touched in plenty of places to begin to feel the familiar pang of desire when he was near.

Even if it was too dark to read his face, there was something cryptic in his words. She couldn't quite work out why it felt that way so she let the feeling go. "I am always happy with you." She said in response but didn't leave it there. Of course she had told him before and probably would again but it never hurt to say again. Maybe eventually he would understand the depth of her feeling? She hoped he would.

"I love you." She said staunchly, as if he might not believe her. Maybe he didn't. If he did though he obviously didn't understand what it meant because of the events of the evening. She wasn't angry but she wondered. Veya was not a dumb or blind farm girl, whether he wished to perceive her that way or not. There were things adding up in her head and not making sense. She wanted to push them away, maybe he had reasons for everything. Even the half-hardheartedness behind his smile, caused an uneasiness to settle in her mind.

The way in which Veyani spoke the words to him took his breath away. He couldn't help but press closer, slowly laying his lips upon hers, for a kiss. It was not long-lived, but it held no less ardence than any other kiss he'd ever given her.

Nuzzling his head against hers so that he could appreciate her scent, S'jiro wrapped her in an embrace at the same time, pulling her just away from the door so that he could do so. And holding her there for a long moment, it was tightly that his arms enfolded her. Quietly into her ear, he uttered, "Since you came into my life, my world changed unknowingly. My heart feels so complicated. And for that, sometimes I miss the way it used to be." There came a pause in his words then, while a soft chuckle rolled off his tongue.

"Though this dream is far fetched -that we should ever be together- I guess even just thinking about it is a kind of happiness." Though S'jiro didn't mean it to sound perhaps as cryptic as it might, he supposed there was no way around whatever assumptions she might make of it. So, with that, the Bronzerider loosened his hold on her enough that he could kiss her again. And again, it was brief. Because again, he went back to holding her. "Why is it, that all I want to do is hold you? All I want to do is love you. Forever. Never letting you go. Even though in loving you, you bring out my every weakness. You silly girl. You don't even know it."

S'jiro was smiling affectionately as he said those things, though she would not have seen it since he had her in his embrace again. It was likely that she felt his smile, though. The Bronzerider chuckled again, obviously teasing her, as that was generally his method of affection, "You've always been so obnoxious. Even going so far as to steal my reading spot, where no one else would ever have dared." And when those words were said, laughed a little more freely. Since he figured she might try to push away from him just then, he held onto her even more tightly. As though he would never let her go. 

He breathed into her ear again, "Vey. I love you."

Veyani watched his reaction thinking perhaps she would see something there that would confirm any suspicions about what he was feeling. He didn't hold himself back from pressing in closer or kissing her. As he spoke into her ear, the warmth of his breath tickled the hair there. Smiling at his chuckle, she figured he didn't mind things being complicated in fact it seemed to her he rather enjoyed complicated.

"We are together." Veyani said, not knowing why he would ever settle for dreaming when it was reality. Again something was not jiving the way it should but she could not pin point the reason and he wasn't really in any mood for discussion. Considering he was right back to kissing her and then holding her tightly to him.

"I told you why before. We belong together. If you think either of us will ever be the same again, you are very much mistaken. There will never be anyone for me but you." And vice-verse. She wondered at the intensity of these moments. She couldn't help sense something was still not right. Not as it should be and try as she might to let it go, the thought something was wrong kept coming to the surface.

He wasn't unhappy. No because he was smiling and chuckling and teasing her the way he always did. Veyani giggled in response to his teasing, "You have no room to talk...stubborn and rude as you are..." As she felt herself being crushed into him she knew without a doubt something was terribly wrong. S'jiro did say what she thought he said. He loved her. Words like those were so few in the world. She clung to them without speaking for a moment. Allowing him these moments of holding her.

Her brown eyes were filled with compassion, as she pulled back to look him in the eyes. "S'jiro, let me ask you something and please be honest with me. Is something wrong?" She was obviously concerned. If he turned this around on her because this was her response to I love you, well then he could but she knew it would be only to deflect the conversation. She was more empathetic probably than he realized, "I sense some strange...foreboding feeling from you."

Finding that his heart was warmed by Veyani's small laughter, it was far too infectious to him, not to smile at. The smile only began to wane when he thought of her reply that there would ever only be the love for one man in her heart; and that man was him.

Secretly, S'jiro hoped that perhaps she didn't really mean those words, or perhaps the young love inspired in her heart was fickle enough that she would be able to move on after he ended things between them. For, even if he lived in a marriage that was loveless until the end of his days, he wanted to know that there was still a chance that she could be truly happy. But, he would have to just wait and find out.


When at last, she finally accused him, feeling that something was amiss tonight, he continued to grin just faintly, bringing his hands to rest at either side of her arms. "The only thing that is wrong with this night, is that my mother ensured I attended the Masquerade with Indylari -when it's obvious that I would much rather have attended with you."

In the next breath, he spoke again softly, "I've missed you over the last couple of days. We didn't get to see eachother at all. And I had to pass up the chance to ask you to go to the Masquerade with me." Not to mention, he did actually feel guilty for leaving her without a date for it. He had been looking forward to really treating her to a fantastic night together.

This time they had together right now, then, would just have to suffice.

His mother? Well if she had control over this event what was to prevent her from extending her influence in the future? Veyani did not like his mother much at all. She was like S'jiro when she had first met him, only a million times worse. Somehow she knew she would simply have to trust him, even if the words seemed honest there was something flimsy about them. Veyani though was always an optimist.

"I admit, it would have been better if you informed me of the arrangement before I arrived but I'm sure that couldn't be helped." She wouldn't ask him about his behavior or any questions having to do with Indylari, his engagement or his family. Veyani wanted to simply believe he was trying to meet his parent's requests for now. Also, she did not want him to think she wanted him to feel guilty for earlier. That was not her intent.

Nuzzling her face into his shoulder, "Couple of days, it felt like longer." Veyani admitted, before kissing him. "I know." She said, keeping him from explaining any farther. She knew he wanted to be with her. What she did not know was whether that desire was stronger than his loyalty to his family, the money and the power.

"Now, I believe we left off..." She stopped talking in order to place her lips on his, for a long passionate kiss. Holding her tightly as he did she wasn't able to move much else but her head.

Lips pressed in fervid osculation, that was all it took to distract him from wherever their brief conversation may have been taking them. Either way, if she'd pressed him further, S"jiro was unwilling to answer her anything else. The Bronzerder had brought her here to spend this time together pleasantly, not talk about other things.

The Bronzerider let his hands find the back of her dress then, where the lacings pulled her bodice taut about her small frame. Of course, he took little time removing her gown, so that it fell into a pouf at her feet, all the while, never pausing in their kiss.

He did pull away though, for just long enough to scoop her up into his arms and turn to take her to the bed where fresh white linens and that ultra-downy comforter were spread across its surface. When they reached it, he set her down with care so that he could get to removing his own masquerade wear. Of course, since neither of their masks covered their lips, he didn't bother removing either just yet. S'jiro was more worried about other aspects of their bodies.



Where he'd sat Veyani on the bed, his dark eyes never parted from; they were transfixed upon the girl as if so mesmerized. The Bronzerider was soon dressed down to his dress slacks and belt though, and in a whirl of motion took Veyani's arm to bring her back to him where he stood, twirling her so that her back pressed against his abdomen, and she could feel him begin to harden between the legs.

While the Bronzerider's lips grazed over her right ear, pecking little kisses there every so often, his hands smoothed down her sides, appreciating her delicate skin and just how soft it was to the touch. His hands went slowly to her abdomen, holding her against him with some bit of pressure there, while the other continued stroking upward along her stomach.

There was no need for further discussion that evening. She couldn't think straight anymore anyway at least not with his mouth on hers and his hands working to removed her from her gown. Veyani never knew what to expect with him, other than to expect everything to be pleasurable.

Surprised when he lifted her into his arms, she felt her heart pounding harder. To be so close to him was intoxicating. More than intoxicating when he did everything he could to physically show her how much he desired her. She could see his desire even when he was away from her, building and building. She saw how he could barely stand for them to not be touching for an instant.

Her own eyes perhaps reflected this feeling so that when he pulled her back to him, she moved where he wanted her to as if she were made of clay. His desire rising, seemed matched by her own. As he touched her and pressed her against him so that she could feel him, her breathing quickened.

She let her hands stroke his arms as he touched her. Veyani's neck turned away from his ear kisses as they increased her mounting pleasure. Veyani began to feel herself tremble with the onslaught of feelings emanating from various regions of her young body. She heard herself moan lowly, barely audibly.

With Veyani in his arms and drawn against his body, S'jiro felt as though he were in the one place in all the world, that he truly wanted to be -with Veyani. He tried to imagine that this moment could last forever. He tried envisioning that he could be with her like this, just holding her, for as long as he lived.

It was almost too difficult though, to keep dark thoughts of how he would eventually have to make her hate him out of his mind. It made him want to completely envelop her with the love he had in his heart for her, because the thought of having to hurt Veyani made him nauseated. It made him feel disgusted with himself, and like he wanted to make it up to her somehow. The Bronzerider couldn't tell Veyani about the thoughts running through his mind right at that moment though. He wouldn't let that dim future diminish what they had right now.

Thus, the conflicting emotions within him spurred on a renewed ardor; though he kept himself from speaking anything that might detract from their focus on one another. Even if it were only the words 'I love you'. But at that moment he suddenly felt unworthy of speaking them. All he wanted to do though, was reassure her that, over and over again, he loved her. And over and over again, that he would always love her, no matter what the future held for them.

S'jiro brought his lips to Veyani's neck, fondling her chest with the one hand that had risen that high. The other still held her around the middle while he kissed her, tracing a trail of affectionate pecks across her shoulder.

Initially, he'd intended on bending her over right there, but he wanted to taste her lips even more. Her kiss was something that he would miss...So, the Bornzerider turned her back to face him slowly, bringing his mouth to hers so that he could kiss her again. Again, his arms wrapped around her and he held her close to him, seeming to soak in the pleasure of having her soft body against his bare skin.

It might be said that the Bronzerider never seemed so serious, nor so focused on her, at any point they'd ever been together, or made love. But tonight, it was as though his eyes and hands, his whole body, desired to consume her. As though perhaps he were afraid to lose her. He simply couldn't let her go, and through that kiss, he'd barely given either of them a chance to breath.

Veya closed her eyes, taking in the feel of his touch and the smell of his skin. There was nothing so pleasurable to her than his touch. The fact hat she had no experience with anyone else was completely insignificant in her evaluation of how he affected her. Her chest moved up and down more now that he increased his attentions. There wasn’t much she could do at the moment but allow him to do as he pleased. He seemed so intense tonight. So very intense and focused but he had dodged her questions with half answers. There was no point in asking further. And she quite liked his focusing all of his thought on her.

Her desire was intensifying too, so that she began to feel a bit breathless. She was forgetting things now. Forgetting her concern, forgetting the Masquerade, forgetting everything but his hands and mouth and desire, she began to moan audibly but softly. When he spun her around, her lips locked on to his with an intensity to match his own. Feeling his skin against her was enough to send her into a more heightened desire.

If she could push him back onto the bed she would but he had her wrapped firmly into his arms. Breaking the kiss for a moment, she spoke his name with a near breathless softeness, “S’jiro.” And if she had known this would be the last time she would be able to say it to him, she would understand the affect it might have. At the moment though, she was naïve to his plans. All she wanted was to be with him now.

Somehow the masquerade seemed like nothing now. All she wanted was him, here with her, enjoying each other.

S'jiro's hands moved to Veyani's waist, where he held her as their lips continued to meet in kisses that broke periodically to speak heatedly. Veyani had spoken his name and he cherished the way in which it came from her lips. She spoke his name with such adoration and love. Again, all he could think about was holding onto her forever. No one seemed to love him like she did. No one understood him enough to get into stupid fights; over dumb things that they knew they still never agree on. No one could stand up to him and drive him mad the way that she did.

And what did it all mean? It meant that he was a monster for what he was planning. He was a sharding dimglow for allowing anything to come between them, and he knew it. But he could see no other way... he felt trapped by a fate that had long ago been assigned to him -perhaps from the time of birth.

He and Veyani had been born worlds apart. Regardless of how they both struggled to break free of where they'd come from, they would never be able to completely separate themselves from it. He had long been betrothed... and he and Veyani just happened to cross paths here, but his family had given him a stern reminder that this was all there was to it. He was betrothed, and had other duties in life that had been determined for him, which he had always been obligated to fulfill. He should never have thought to give their love any hope.


"Vey."

Again, S'jiro kissed her, but in that next moment, picked her up to lay her back across the bed, where he moved between her legs. Taking her arms captive over her head with one hand, the Bronzerider lay where he could kiss her again. And again, he whispered her name -his name for her, "Vey". But what he couldn't say, that he desired to say more than that, was that he loved her. Truly. Deeply. And without regret.

While they made love, S'jiro burned deep into his mind the memory of this night. He breathed deeply of her sweet scent -of her skin and of her hair. He memorized the soft feel of her smooth body. His attention to her was not too much unlike that during mating lust, though he did not seem as rushed. Tonight, S'jiro was taking his time with her. He wanted them to be able to enjoy one another, this one last time.