Completed [Wright Memorial Library] How curious... (Matthew)

[Litani]

Timestamp: 15th day, Fall Season, 505


Litani closed her eyes, put her book down, and started to rub the bridge of her nose with one hand.

Get me out of here! she thought to herself, silently muttering at the impossibility of the knowledge that she was trying her damnedest to master. Get me out of here... get me to the sea. Get me to a harp. Get me some green plants in my hands, something to measure or weigh, some philter to pour... Get me back to Alder... Alder. Her teacher. She sighed. She couldn't go back to Syliras - not yet, and certainly not without mastering what lay in the book on the table before her. 'Advanced Anatomy', the book read, when in truth it was really less of a biology book and more of a treatise on all of the reasons why an aspiring medical student might consider committing ritual suicide.

Does it really have to be written so horribly?! They spend 4 pages describing what I could say in one sentence, and 2 chapters describing what could be distilled down to a paragraph - and be more descriptive, and less complicated! It's like they want students to fail to understand.

Frustrated, she slammed the book shut and shoved it aside. She took a deep breath.

I am here, now. The library is quiet... the book is impossible!... but I am here, now.

The mantra always calmed her mind. And, if her guess was correct, she would soon need that calm mind - there'd been talk of a potential student meeting her here, someone just starting out on the journey she'd begun so many years before. It seemed like a lifetime, even if it was less than a decade. She smiled softly; some part of her truly enjoyed the act of teaching, sharing knowledge as it had been shared with her. So much about her pursuit of medicine was wrapped up in the ideas of helping and healing others... Teaching and tutoring was a natural extension. With a slow breath, she reached for her mug of chilled tea and sipped lightly, waiting in curious silence.

Visually, the young Konti was merely a woman with a few unusual details about her appearance, but otherwise uninteresting. She wore simple clothing - sandals, a linen blouse, and the kind of split skirt that a woman wore if she wished to ride. Her hair was tied back from her face and she had no jewelry to speak of. The only ornament of any kind was that which the Gods had placed there naturally: the tiny rivers of iridescent scaling that began at the crown of her head, flowed down the edges of her face and tumbled over her slender collarbones to disappear beneath her shirt; the webs of her fingers bore similar scaling patterns, though they were infinitely smaller and more delicate, and not at all obvious if she kept her fingers closed. Oh yes... and the beautiful, intricate mark of Rak'keli that wound itself around the last two fingers of her left hand. The Healer's winged serpent. Beside this, she appeared nothing more than a blonde, blue-eyed student sitting at a table in the great library of Zeltiva... waiting quietly, wondering what this newest mind would wish to know.

[Matthew]

He was well-known for dressing up for just a trip to the library. However, he actually did have more of a logical reason to go this time. He was here to meet someone, and he really wanted their help. They had been described to him out of a few different choices, and she had been his favorite. She didn't have a connection to his family, or to any of his other teachers. She was someone completely new and somewhat foreign, at least to him. He had heard her name around town and likely seen her as well, but that was it. Hopefully he would be able to convince her. Cool blue eyes glanced around shelf after shelf of books, trying not to stop to read any of the spines. He adjusted the scarf around his neck, the thin red cotton twisted and styled to look a bit more like a tie. A black vest hugged his toned figure, the scarf tucked in, with a light brown button-up shirt finishing off the professional look. Belted black slacks held to his V hips, and the young man was painstakingly primped, with styled hair and the slight scent of husky perfume wafting from his tall frame. He walked slowly, confidently, with a little bit of grace to his slinky movements, adding something of a feminine quality to his natural good looks. It was a practiced look that had just recently become second nature. While he hadn't had much practice in actual scenario's, he had feverishly done everything time after time again in front of a mirror. He wasn't naturally alluring with his gait, instead being the sort to gain it through pure hard work. An odd approach, but one that worked. He strode quickly through the few students that were here, nodding and offering polite smiles to the few he knew from classes. He didn't have eyes for any of them though, and instead quickly passed them by. After a few rounds of the first floor, he hadn't found what he wanted, and quickly headed to the next. He wanted to improve his medical skills, and there was one person he wanted to teach him. Upon reaching the top of the stairs, his eyes just happened to turn and catch exactly who he was looking for. With light hair and simple clothing, the Konti fit the descriptions he had been given. Not to mention the scales, and the un-natural beauty that he could sense. He wasn't normally one who noticed attractive women, but here she was, her quiet simplicity doing little to hide stunning looks. So the Konti went, from what he understood. Moving with the same grace and confidence he had before, Matthew wound up at her table. A quick scan of the book that was near her caused his lips to arch with a bit of amusement, the tome actually the first one he had studied for his profession. Standing by the table and clearly in her view, he made eye contact, softly speaking with carefully and properly pronounced words. "Hello. I am Matthew, a student of medicine. I was asking about for personal tutors, and a few teachers spoke warmly of you." He smiled, offering a hand for a shake, eyes glancing at the book she was reading. "That is a good book. A bit... wordy. But it has information." She would probably be able to tell from his voice that he had the same issues with it that he did.

[Litani]

She looked him over straight away, that much was clear. The appraising look was a quick flick of eyes, swift and measuring, but it ended gently enough with a meeting of his gaze and a calm, subtle smile. The kind of smile that one wore upon a first greeting - practiced, measured, friendly. And, in her case, seemingly genuine. "I was told you'd come," she replied, pushing her chair back gently and rising fluidly to her feet. She stood a good 5'10, taller than most other women and certainly taller than most of the petite Konti... if Matthew had even seen another. "A pleasure to meet you."

And then, in the customary human fashion, she extended her right hand for a casually intended greeting. The gesture was offered with a slow intake of breath and a certain steadiness about her eyes; inwardly, she steeled herself against what she knew was coming, what her Gift afforded her. Their touch would offer her a glimpse of his body, telling her the truth of it quite independently of anything he might show or say - his health, his physical needs or cravings, his injuries. Left long enough, and with enough familiarity, she could sometimes read more but... this was only a handshake. And she'd become accustomed to bracing herself against such human pleasantries.

He must be a rich man's son, she thought to herself silently, watching him as she waited to see if he'd take her hand. A teacher, perhaps? One of my teachers perhaps..? Oh petch it, I wonder if he's... no. He can't be. He's far to lovely to be his son. And, as her mind mulled over these things, she caught herself with just a trifle of a bemused smile darting about the backs of her eyes. "My name is Litani, " she said then, cordially continuing the introductions. She laughed slightly as he referenced her book and nodded, agreeing easily. "Sometimes I wonder if the professors genuinely try to confuse us!"

...best to put a student at ease, in any case, but all the more one like him. He's coming to me for information, best to find common ground, show him that we are the same in some ways. Best not to intimidate with knowledge... certainly not one who walks the way he does.

"I believe I understand why the authors feel the need to explain things in a certain way but... sometimes I feel that so much is lacking! As if there is a wall there, preventing the masters from teaching their students effectively. Some must certainly be gathered from practice but..." She cut off then, shaking her head, brushing her free hand in a gesture of dismissal and then one of invitation - dismissing the thought but inviting him to stay, offering the chair across from her. "May I inquire, Matthew, what is your focus of study exactly...?"

The question was simple, honest, and straightforward. But something about the way her eyes watched him carried a note of... discernment... perhaps, that might not usually be anticipated. She was on guard, in some fashion, however open and accepting she outwardly appeared to be. It was subtle but it was present. Maybe her race, maybe their age difference, maybe their gender difference. Whatever it was, she held herself attentively and listening, but there were libraries of unspoken words locked behind the blue eyes that looked back at his.

[Matthew]

He was already approving of the woman in front of him. Her smile matched his own, calm and polite, and nothing more. Even her gaze was much like his, a little quick scan with his blue eyes, analyzing for information and returning right back to her own. While he was a few inches taller than her, it wasn't by much, putting them nearly on eye level. With a small nod and a quiet "The pleasure is all mine, Litani." Long fingers reached out to take hers, and he gave her small hand a firm shake. The muscles in his figure rippled as he did, his body practically putting on an instinctive show. Their fingers clenched briefly, and his body then spoke to her. The body of the man was near perfect. It did not seem to need a single thing. It was well-fed with healthy food, worked out on a regular basis, and constantly groomed and primped. He seemed to be a near blank slate, with just the image or idea that his body was in pristine condition. He had worked very hard on keeping this way or he was simply incredibly blessed, that much was obvious. He sat as she offered the chair, nodding politely at her recommendation of the book. She was wise, and it was obvious. His exact problem with the book had been what she said, and it was a delight to know that his normally-bright mind hadn't been handicapped on that particular day. Chewing his lower lip in a small show of focus, he kept his eyes on her own, mulling over her question. He noticed the look of questioning in her eyes... or rather, the look of something in her eyes. At first he had thought it was questioning, but then it seemed to shift. Then it seemed to shift again and again, revealing something beyond his power to understand. He studied the blue windows for a few moments, wondering how to respond. Was it a challenge? She was straightforward enough, but obviously there was something else there. The corner of his lips perked in just the slightest smile, and he spoke, answering her question in soft and elegantly pronounced words. "I am studying medicine, though also studying the workings of the mortal mind on the side. My focus is to simply be the workings of the human body. A general overview, if you will. In particular, I am looking to learn the anatomy." He paused a moment, then continued on, his eyes and face completely and utterly serious. "Pressure points, pleasure points, critical points, and any other sort of areas and or places that can be focused in order to give some sort of pleasure. From mild enjoyment to climax." It was out, completely blunt and completely plain, his face never changing once. Even the small little smile had vanished, replaced with a firm jaw and a straight-lipped look. He was serious. Knowing his request was completely obscene, he reached deep into his stomach, slipping a finger into his Djed and swirling it into motion. It misted a bit, and he leaned forward, Hypnotic aura brushing over her figure. He merely teased suggestions into the air, nothing direct, just simple feelings. The feelings of how serious he actually was. "This is, of course, a purely scientific interest. Do not take me in the wrong way. Do you still feel up to the task of helping me learn this?" He tilted his head, curious, actually finding himself hoping she was.

[Litani]

The reality of a perfect body washed over her senses as she shook Matthew's hand and she found herself processing the information on at least two discrete levels - one of appreciation, of feminine response that made her eyes darken and sparkle just the slightest degree - and one that held all the professional detachment of a physician-in-training, such as she was... ascertaining his lack of need, his lack of injury of any kind. The ghost of a smile whispered over her lips but melted into the cordial greeting of one person meeting another for the first time. The gesture of the handshake lingered not a second longer than it needed to, and the information passed to the mind of the Konti without remark. Either she was good, or she was guarded. Or both.

As he sat, and as he told her his intent, she blinked. She wavered for a moment before taking her own seat again and, as she did so, the look she was giving him started to change - this beautiful male was approaching her to learn anatomy...? How many jokes could there be here? Who set him up to this, who was trying to get at her? ...and then he went on. And he was serious. She eyed him, tilting her head slightly, trying to read across the distance between their eyes. You've got to be kidding, she thought to herself. What's a man like you need to learn anatomy for? Find yourself a tavern girl and figure it out!

Surely he had no need of her. Surely this was a ruse, a ploy to illicit some response from the reserved Konti, the one who held nothing so sacred as her studies. She smiled quietly, slamming up the walls of her mind that had kept her safe against so many things before. She took a breath to respond to him, formulating a cutting rebuttal that would shut down any pretext of anything beyond tutor and student, between them. But then he did what he did, and she felt what he did. She did not know what it was, but something pressed itself against her senses and shifted her, awakening feelings in response - feelings of awareness, of alertness to desire, feelings of all the things that made her a skilled medic... and an idiot of a woman. She felt that he was sincere and the aura that surrounded her nearly had her convinced that his intent was nothing more than to learn. Nothing to hurt her.

"Matthew," she murmured quietly, clearing her throat, trying to clear her head. "I may not be the best teacher." She laughed softly, self-depreciatively. "I can share with you what I know but..." But what, idiot? Her inner monologue, never kind to start with, was especially derisive today. But what? You don't know the first thing about it. Not the way he wants to know, anyway. ....and what in the name of the bloody blue blazes does he need with me anyway?! He's gorgeous. Look at him. How can he not know everything he needs to know already? Someone should've taught him by now. ...yes, well, he won't want it from me, in any event. "My people may well be different from yours," she said then, struggling to garner some sense of stability. She felt compelled to answer, yet reluctant somehow. Again, she cleared her throat delicately. "May I inquire as to why you wish to know these things?" As she asked, she almost immediately regretted it and as much was evidenced by how deeply the skin of her features flushed scarlet. Interesting, perhaps, was the way the light-reflecting scales contrasted with the delicately pink flesh, but she made herself hold his gaze steadily... instead of looking down and away, as she very much wanted, shyly, to do.

[Matthew]

His body was, in short, one of the more important things he owned. This should be a natural assumption for most, but there were many who didn't seem to take care of it. Regular exercise, a healthy diet when the food stores of Zeltiva would allow it, and so many more little simple things should be basic instinct. For him, it was instinct, and then educated awareness. Having studied medicine opened up his eyes to a lot more things about his own body, and made him that much more painfully aware of how much he needed to take care of it. That was also why his hair was so lush, why his lips were full, and why his skin was soft. He took care of everything. It was near obsessive-complusive. Whatever the case, the fact that she had just read his body went completely unknown by him. She was good, not even giving a clue that he should have at least suspected something. She blinked at him, and he blinked back at her. The surprised response was expected, and the fact that she didn't slap him or laugh at him was much appreciated. He kept his head tilted to the side in a curious manner as the wheels seemed to turn behind her eyes, noticing that she had tilted her own head as she tried to read him. He leaned forward just a little bit, folding his hands on the table in front of him, crossing his legs underneath. He didn't try and make his gaze complex, just met hers with a steady and unwavering eye. While his eyes didn't tell a vastly detailed story, they didn't hold any intricite lies either. It was a simple sort of gaze, much like his blunt words had been. Simple, but so simple that it was almost complex? He saw the sharpness suddenly flare to life in her eyes, and braced himself, still stroking feelings into the air that would remind her that he wasn't trying to be cheeky or creepy at all. That is was dead serious. Just in time, the look seemed to pause, and instead she decided to speak. Nodding understandingly, he tried to explain himself, words elegant and firmly-spoken. "I worded myself incorrectly, I apologize. I wish to know the workings of the mortal body. Your own, my own, and whatever other creatures might exist out there." He shifted in his eat, rolling his shoulders, a few creaks and pops echoing out as he stretched his suddenly stiff frame. He noticed her blush, and furrowed his brow, briefly wondering why she would blush. It was a professional conversation, was it not? His logical mind eventually did make the leap, reminding Matthew that it was a bit of an intimate topic. Clearing his throat, he nodded at her question, asserting that he had no problem. "You may inquire anything you wish. Can I trust privacy between us?" He let the question linger in the air for a moment, requiring that she answer it in a satisfactory manner before he continued on. "My family believes I am studying to become a doctor. I am not. I am studying to become a harlot." There it was, out on the table, the one thing that could ruin his future if he wasn't careful on how he played it. Why he would want to do this was left completely up to her imagination. "But not a simple harlot. A better one." He leaned forward even closer, blue eyes intense and deep. "The task that harlots most commonly do is a simple one, when looked at from a scientific standpoint. The workings of the mind, of the body, of arousal and lust, they are all functions of mortal minds and bodies. If I could understand these things completely and fully, then I could manipulate a body to wherever it wants to be." The words lingered in the air as he paused, intense and focused. Blue eyes searched her own for some tidbit of understanding, for some sort of acknowledgment that he wasn't completely out of his mind. He felt he had a point, here. No one approached such a simple profession with the level of education and drive that he did. He had plans beyond that of a simple harlot, but it was a starting point.

[Litani]

As he explained, Litani found herself listening - with interested ears, with eyes narrowed gently in true thoughtfulness, and with the depths of an inhuman mind trying to piece together the complexities of human motivation.

He asked for privacy and she nodded smoothly, not unaccustomed to the concept of discretion for how frequently one of her chosen profession would be called upon to give it. Her eyes reflected no measure of hesitation in this; he asked for her confidence and she simply gave it. Such was the manner of her people, perhaps, or some personal code she held to. Difficult to tell.

And then he said something which caught her completely and utterly off her guard.

In spite of herself, her eyes widened a slight degree and she stifled a laugh with a breath of shocked bewilderment. "You? But you're a..." Man. She left the word unsaid, as it was obvious. "And you're studying this?" She could not help but be somewhat taken aback, somewhat amused, but she also seemed genuinely curious. "How do you..." The words cut off. 'How do you study such a thing', she meant to ask, but the realized that the answer would be one of two obvious answers - by either doing what he was doing now in approaching her, or by doing something quite different altogether. Delicately, she pressed her lips together as she wrapped her mind around this concept of a male prostitute and her eyes skittered off to the side, dancing in blue gems of wild imagination and slight disbelief.

She felt the feelings he impressed, felt his sincerity. And something else hung around him also - some measure of detachment that she had not expected, something calculating and even. Well, it makes sense now, doesn't it? And so it did. In the back of her mind somewhere, she idly wondered what it took to bring someone to this decision in life... and what it would take to bestir their emotions as they sought to bestir those of their clients. She smiled quietly, wondering.

The deep look of his eyes was something she found difficult to match, at least at first. When she felt him looking at her, at first she avoided directly gazing at him, sparingly glancing and always quickly away... but after a moment or two, she seemed to get used to their beauty, seemed to settle. And something about his words intrigued her. "Well," she said at last, clearing her throat once more and glancing over him again, "you are certainly starting with an... adequate palette for such an artist, are you not?" The remark was meant as a sort of academic compliment, if such a thing exists - some acknowledgement that he could easily be successful in what he'd chosen to do, should he pursue it. She chuckled beneath her breath, a little surprised to consider the profession of a harlot as an art. But if not an art, then apparently a science? She wasn't quite sure how to take that concept. Still, it's an honest living, I suppose. The body has needs. Even the female...

On the gentle exhale of a breath, the Konti reached up with one hand to brush back a stray strand of blonde hair from her face. She was beautiful, yes, but she appeared to be the sort who was entirely unaware of such things. How she carried herself and how she spoke was a direct function of her spirit and her knowledge, as they had brought her to this point in her life, to something vaguely resembling success in the pursuit of medical knowledge. With that strong sense of character setting the framework of her mind, she took his words and his request and processed how best to respond. It was a short handful of moments, but finally, "And... to your mind... how best shall you accomplish these goals? Or perhaps more precisely, what do you desire of me?"

[Matthew]

He waited for her to struggle through her words and thought process, leaning back and folding his hands again. Watching patiently, he let his mind wander, trying to recall who he had told of this besides her. From what he could remember, she was the first one he had shared his plans with. Everyone else in Zeltiva knew who he was, all because of his family. Anyone educated would be a danger to him and what he had to do, simply because they were familar with his name. This Konti though, she seemed just as educated as anyone else, but wasn't anything more than another student. Or someone who had once been another student. No connection, honesty in her eyes when she had agreed to his privacy, and she hadn't laughed yet. She would be the one who all the others were compared to once he told them of his career choice. Chewing his lower lip, he nodded at her comment, also appreciating that she referred to his choice as an art. He had only thought of it as a science, but he supposed he could see the art in it as well. Really, if he could find the art in it and become an artist, that would make him even better. He bite his lip even harder, tugging at the flesh, his thoughts churning around in his head. Was that something he would be able to do? He had long ago made the choice to keep himself very seperate from his work. Considering it his artwork was something that would make it much more intimate. Her beauty was noticed again as she cleared her hair away from her pretty features. He had studied a little bit on the attractiveness of each of the races, and Konti were quite commonly at the top of those lists. It was hard to find such materials in the current world, but there were a few interesting romance novels here and there. Konti seemed to be standard fantasies. Seeing one now, he could understand why, especially when compared to the everyday human female. This Konti was just simply above. The last words out of her mouth managed to get a reaction from Matthew, his blue eyes shimmering with amusement as the corner of his lip turned up. "What do I desire?" He raised an eyebrow, keeping his eyes steady on hers, wondering if she saw the humor in what she had said. After a short moment, he continued on, voice still a bit amused. He wasn't so sure why he found it funny. He rarely found things funny. "First, I want to learn the body. The most basic and primal thing I will probably be having to do is sex. If I want to give good sex, I need to know every single point on the body that will make someone feel any sort of pleasure. That, and the weak points, for those who like feeling at the mercy of a man. You know more about the body than me, and can start me in the right direction. Most people, when they study the body, study the things that can heal and hurt the body. If I go and tell any random professor that I need help learning how to make any woman moan with a touch, then that would raise eyebrows. You don't know me, but you know medicine and now you know what I want to learn." Pausing to take a breath, he gave her a little time to react or contribute, and then added on his last words. "So, teach me. Do you know of any books? Do you remember anything from your own studies? What do you think is the best way to go about this?"

[Litani]

If there was humor to be seen in what she said, the Konti either didn't see it or didn't remark upon it; her eyes, as she watched him for a response, were as steady and sincere as his own had been when he spoke of what he wished to learn and why he wished to learn it. Why would it be untoward to ask a prostitute what he desired? Perhaps in some way it was... but no less so than approaching a stranger and asking to be taught such a thing.

...and with this thought, the pale-complected Konti began to take a shade of color once more.

Still, if the content of their conversation troubled her, only a few subtle mannerisms gave her away - the blush, the way she stumbled over a word or two, the occasional dart of her eyes. Clearly, she was trying to take this as seriously as he did, yet without letting it get to her. To what degree she was succeeding was anyone's guess.

As he pronounced the particulars, Litani found herself swallowing a tightness that she hadn't expected. Her eyes blinked, they stayed with him, and she nodded attentively... trying to be as detached as he was about all of this. If he's serious, he'll need to be wary of disease as well, she thought dimly, in some scattered corner in the back of her mind. She almost didn't want to think about it. But he's so... damn... beautiful...!

And then the practical side kicked in.

Oh get it together. He's too young for you by half, anyway, and Gods only know where he'll be in a few years. Maybe this is a passing phase. Maybe he'll grow out of it. Maybe he'll be...

She stopped herself then, purposefully stopped herself from thinking any farther down that track. Her tongue darted out over dry lips and she shifted her posture slightly, considering him, considering herself. Those lips parted to speak then but she caught herself shy; words died where they should be born and she suffered a moment in silence, then cast a smirk up at him. "You know the best way to learn such things," she said quietly, barely breathing the chuckle of the words. "But... I know a few things... yes. Books? Ehhh... I suppose? ...but I am a difficult one to ask, Matthew. The way I've learned the body is quite different from the way that you must learn it."

Having said, she extended her left hand across the table top, palm up, shielding herself internally in the event that he should touch her. She glanced down at her hand, then back up at his eyes. "When I touch... someone - a patient, a friend, anyone... you - I am able to just... tell things about them. I can read into their body and tell what they want... tell the best way to heal them, tell what they are lacking or what their body needs." She paused briefly, affecting a slight smile as her eyes glanced down; she truly did not wish to be off-putting or strange, yet the presence of her Konti Gift was all too present in her mind and she could think of no way to describe how she'd arrived at her own knowledge without confiding this in him. She hoped that, despite their difference in this way, it might provide insight. Somehow. She went on, speaking softly, "You asked for privacy with me, so I now ask the same of you - it is not known that I can do this. Nor do I wish it to be. I wished to be judged for my merits alone, not for what the Gods have seen fit to give me..." She turned her hand over on the table and laid it palm-flat, showing him the intricate marking that Rak'ekli had placed on her last two fingers. "Rak'keli's mark. It makes me able to heal simple wounds, purify disease... not life-saving, perhaps, but significant... I was born with the ability to understand the body, and charged with the capacity and obligation to heal it." she said then, and suddenly hesitated. Her fingers curled. "But what... what you're looking for?"

She took a deep breath and started to withdraw the hand from between them. Something about her seemed so abruptly changed as to be palatable; she dodged his gaze rather than meeting it, and her shoulders shifted as if uncomfortable. "Matthew... the only knowledge I can give you is that of books..." Her voice trailed off - how does someone explain this? She forced herself to finish the thought: "That which I know, I know academically... or by cause of birth.

She was all but confessing to him, whether he knew it or not. Some part of her hoped that he wouldn't figure it out, but some part of her wished he would. And just how exactly would a virgin teach a prostitute, anyway...? Inwardly, she whispered a laugh at the odd irony of it all, even as her mind reeled with thoughts unspoken.

[Matthew]

He absorbed every little movement of her body, focusing his attentions. What was her body trying to show him? Nervous signs? Distracted signs? He couldn't tell. He wasn't that good at reading someone. He soaked it all in nonetheless, blue eyes darting from tell to tell. The tongue brushing her lips, the shift of her figure, the blush of her patterned cheeks. She was nodding at the appropriate times as well as keeping her eyes focused throughout most of his words. She looked like she was taking him seriously, making this the third or fourth time that he had checked to verify that. Him, who was usually confident in everything he did. His eyes narrowed for a brief moment, the wheels churning even faster behind that aqua gaze. The workings of his own mind fascinated him just as much as did every new and foreign person that sat in front of him. Shifting in a way that matched her own shifting, he readjusted his folded hands, running graceful fingers back and forth over each other. It was a minor form of fidgeting, but one nonetheless. Her suggestion was one that he had thought of, and he nodded his head, the thoughts behind his gaze slowly dying down. "I have thought of this way. I have tried, but definite results would require repeated attempts. Physical education would take hours upon hours to commit a body to memory. It is hard to convince a woman to do that, and to keep it quiet. I am too well-known in the school, just by association of family." His face flickered with annoyance for a split second, but then it was gone, back to the clear slate he was so very disciplined in wearing. "I do plan on visiting both Syliras and Ravok to practice there, however. I'll take a season or two every couple of years to go on these vacations. I still want to be as prepared as possible." He was the type of man who had thought this out as much as possible. He had a plan, he had a method of execution. He simply needed to make sure he was capable of carrying all of his ideas out. He glanced down at her hand as she offered it, tilting his head (a common habit for when he was curious) to the side. The explanation she gave caused his mind to pick up again, considering all the implications. What an interesting gift to have. It was near useless to him, as lust and sex were rarely a bodily need. They were desires of the mind and heart, though perhaps there were some in the world who truly needed the intimate touch of another body. At her request to keep it private, he snapped out of his thoughts and gave a single nod accompanied with firm words. "Of course. You have my word." The reveal of her mark nearly cut his words off, but he managed to complete his sentence while staring at it with admiring eyes. Completely forgetting what she had just told him, he slowly reached out and ran a fingertip down the intricate design. It was beautiful. The confession that spilled out of her lips was caught, and nearly instantly understood. His gaze studied her own, still as annoyingly unwavering as ever. Chewing his lower lip (yet another common habit), he took a few moments in order to gather himself and find out how to proceed. "If the body needs what I offer, is that something you can sense? And exactly how much book knowledge on this subject can you offer?" His body leaned forward, an idea coming to his head. The light aqua of his eyes turned to dark and churning seas, and the feeling in the air shifted. His magic swirled, but instinctively, not at all meant to manipulate. He had handled both of her confessions with professional ease, seemingly unaffected and true in his promise to remain private. Everything was so very black and white with the man in front of her, but what was that feeling in the air? That complex sensation that could practically be tasted? His Djed danced with delight, more than happy to move to his whims. It took his ideas and pushed them into his Hypnotic aura, filling the air with them. The air itself swirled. It swirled with sensuality, a clear sign something was brewing.