Completed [Windswept Condos] Homestead (Rinya)

[Jorin Ertihan]

Season of Fall, Day 23, 513 AV

Jorin could feel surprise and not a small amount of disappointment welling up in him as Rinya was the first to pull away from their kiss. It was usually the other way around, and Jorin tried to follow her retreating lips but gave up when it was clear that Rinya had something on her mind. He was somewhat comforted by her stroking fingers, which as usual left trails of fire on his skin. Then with a sigh she pulled him into his bedroom.

Jorin wordlessly followed, his insides twisting a bit as he sensed Rinya's hesitation and a hundred other emotions that flitted by too quickly to process. She clearly was torn about what she wanted to talk about, and when she offered him a seat next to her, Jorin sat down on her right, putting his right arm around her shoulders.

"I really hate her Jorin." Rinya began, and Jorin sighed. Well that was no surprise. He figured Rinya didn't just go around punching random people, or he'd hear about that. Besides, Farline for whatever reason seemed to want to make it her life's mission to collect as many punches from his mate as she could.

"She’s... fake. All she wants to do is mess around in your head! A predictable toy." Rinya continued, her tone a mocking imitation of Farline's. Jorin's heart twisted some more. So that was how Farline saw him. He'd suspected for a long time that Farline didn't truly love him. If she did, it should not have been that easy to dump him, right? But a toy ... maybe he was a toy back then. He was so much younger, he'd never been in love before. He'd been so blind; or maybe he just didn't want to see.

Jorin listened in silence as Rinya described how Farline wanted Rinya to do the same; to use him and discard him. It didn't make Jorin angry so much as sad. Every word added to his sorrow: did Farline really think so little of him? Was he that much of a chump?

But one thing Jorin was certain of; Rinya would never behave like that. She was short-tempered sometimes, and she had a quick sarcastic tongue, but he was absolutely certain she would never just use and discard. He'd wager his life on it. He could see now why Farline's attempts might anger her to the point of violence. Which just saddened him more.

When Rinya quoted Farline, Jorin shut his eyes, brow furrowed as his heart dropped into his shoes. So pathetic. He chuckled quietly. Maybe he had been pathetic. He could only remember what he thought, what he felt, so he didn't know what he looked like looking in from the outside. And he realized, looking back on things, he probably did look like a fool. A patsy. A gullible, foolish chump. What else to describe someone chasing a shadow?

"It was instinct even the grotto. Protecting you, even though hitting her was more for my benefit than yours. I just hadn't wanted to admit it yet—that you were my mate. But she..." Rinya trailed off, as though she couldn't think of what else to say. And indeed, what else was there to say?

Jorin squeezed Rinya a bit tighter to himself, resting his chin on top of her head. Then he released her and took her hand, just holding it for a chime or two, letting a heavy silence fall between them. Then he spoke.

"I think... I think I must have known, to some degree," he whispered. Bitter disappointment swirled with overwhelming sadness inside his gut.

"You know, as you talked, I tried, Rinya. I tried so very hard to remember, to recreate what I used to feel for her. That day when Farline and I first met, the emotions. But I couldn't. It wasn't there anymore. All I got was an echo. A shadow of what once was." Jorin said this with a hint of wonder in his voice. Wonder at how a feeling that was once so very strong could just be... gone.

"I was so young... just fifteen. I suppose for a Kelvic it would be the equivalent of being only a year or so old? Maybe a little more. Anyhow, she was the first female to pay any real attention to me." Jorin chuckled humorlessly.

"I guess I was a toy back then. Because I didn't know any better. What I said to Farline in the hospital was true. I did think that, if I loved her enough, that someday she'd love me back. So maybe somewhere inside I knew she didn't love me. But I'll admit I never suspected she..." Jorin's voice trailed off as he stared into the wall. His eyes were very far away.

"So pathetic, huh?" he sighed eventually, with another humorless chuckle. Jorin turned to Rinya, pain written all over his face and flooding across the bond.

"I wouldn't blame you at all if you thought the same of me," he sighed. "After all I let it go on for so long... I should have seen it. But I didn't. I didn't want to see it. So blind. So pitiful." Jorin spat the last word at himself. Maybe Farline was right. Rinya deserved a much better mate than him...

[Rinya]

Day 23, Season Fall, 513 AV

If Rinya had been looking at Jorin, she would have never finished telling him. It was bad enough that Jorin’s feelings caved in a spiral. But Rinya was never good at being gentle with this sort of thing. By the time she had trailed off, Jorin was a myriad of too many emotions, though pain and sorrow were easy enough to pick out from the rest. While Rinya had known that this was going to hurt Jorin, she hadn’t actually taken into account how much.

Though as Jorin spoke about trying to recreate his feelings for Farline, it took everything she had to just stay where she was. That wasn’t exactly something she wanted to hear really. Even if it was just him trying to remember, she really would have preferred not to know. There had been a time when Farline was something to him, and at one time that had made her happy. At least until she found out what kind of person his first love really was. So Rinya kept her eyes glued to floor, willing her hands to remain still so she wouldn’t fidget.

"I was so young... just fifteen. I suppose for a Kelvic it would be the equivalent of being only a year or so old? Maybe a little more. Anyhow, she was the first female to pay any real attention to me."

Rinya barely kept a snort at bay. Being young was one thing, but Farline didn’t just pry on young boys in love for the first time. She used everyone she could get her hands on. And somehow Jorin was turning this in on himself. As if he was just asking for it—by being his bright and loving self.

"So pathetic, huh?"

He was looking at her, she could feel it, but Rinya kept her eyes turned forward. Practically a living statue frozen in a moment… there was something in his voice she didn’t like. Something that Farline put there. It seemed like time had slowed somehow. Everything they felt separately mixed in her gut. Rinya wasn’t able to grasp onto anything to make him stop.

"I wouldn't blame you at all if you thought the same of me," he sighed. "After all I let it go on for so long... I should have seen it. But I didn't. I didn't want to see it. So blind. So pitiful."

Rinya firmly latched onto a passing emotion. It could have very easily been sorrow or pain. Rinya was used to having Jorin think lowly of himself on occasion. It happened to everyone, but this wasn’t acceptable.

”Shut up!” Rinya snapped, finally looking at him in a glare. The pain on his face momentarily stunned her. It was one thing to feel it, but another to see it. But it only slowed her for a moment. Wrenching her hand free from his, Rinya stood up. She wasn’t entirely sure where her mind was taking her, but she just… let it. She looked almost ready to flee from the room though, but in the last second she pivoted and faced him. Her fingers twitched at her side, completely at a loss of what to do.

”If you are such fool than what does that make me huh? The stupid bird she claims to call me? Fine I’ll be the stupid bird, I really don’t care. You’re mine” Rinya realized she was fairly snarling at Jorin, of all the emotions she could latch onto it had to be her frustration didn’t it? And maybe just a little possessive too.

Before Jorin could even reply to her words, Rinya moved. Her possessiveness—that she couldn’t actually entirely blame on her animal instincts this time—Rinya literally shoved his arms out of the way so she could actually sit on his lap, her knees resting on either side of his hips. Her hands came back to his face, fingers hooking onto the back of neck as her thumbs stroked across the scruff on his face, Rinya softened a little.

”You can’t blame yourself over what happened to you when you were younger. She’s the only one to really blame. But as I’ve told her, it’s rather sad of her. Because she spends so much effort in fooling people—eventually all that work is going to fail. She’ll be alone. And I can’t imagine anything worse than dying alone and uncared for.” Rinya murmured softly, still stroking his face.

It was a very hard thought to think about actually. If Jorin was any different than who he was—then she might very well be alone. It was a selfish thought, but it made her ache none the less. So in an attempt to make the feeling go away for the both of them, Rinya tugged his face to hers and she kissed him.

This kiss was different though. While she felt charged as always when she kissed him, she realized belately that it was more needy. A cross between trying to make him feel better, and the fact that out of everything—she needed him. Her fingers moving from his neck into his hair and she held on, like he might actually disappear if she let go.

[Jorin Ertihan]

Season of Fall, Day 23, 513 AV

"Shut up!"

Jorin blinked in surprise at Rinya's reaction to his words. When she saw the pain on his face she seemed to hesitate, but then plowed on, standing up and clasping and unclasping her hands at her sides. Jorin could feel panic rising... was Rinya about to storm out of the room, perhaps into her own and lock the door? Or even out of their home?

"If you are such fool than what does that make me huh? The stupid bird she claims to call me? Fine I’ll be the stupid bird, I really don’t care. You’re mine."

You're mine, she had said. Jorin felt... happy. Happy to be wanted, happy that she'd want him so much she'd lay claim like that. In the end, it didn't matter what Farline thought. What mattered was that Rinya saw value in him. And really, it was Rinya's evaluation that mattered.

Then, Rinya was on his lap, hooking his neck with her hands and pulling in close. She comforted Jorin more than she realized. Truth was, Rinya never needed to say anything. Just prove that she loved him through little actions like this, and Jorin would be reminded, time and time again, that she saw him as someone worthwhile. There was a least one person in Mizahar who did, and the most important person no less.

Jorin listened as Rinya told him not to blame himself for the past. It was a bad habit of his, to be sure. He'd always blamed himself, because his father had always taught him that "it is always your fault, because you could have always done more." Undoubtedly, his father never meant for that to be taken to the extent Jorin tended to. He probably meant more that excuses were useless.

And then all thoughts of anything vanished as Rinya pulled him in and kissed him, her hands going from his neck to his hair, and Jorin's own hands wrapped underneath Rinya's arms and around her chest. His left hand landed on her back, and his right on the small of her back. The kiss had an almost desperate quality to it, like it was the last kiss Rinya would ever enjoy with him, and Jorin didn't know what else to do but to hold her tight and kiss her back.

Jorin could feel his own sadness, frustration, and depression fade away, replaced by a warm glow. The electricity and glow seemed to interweave and form a protective cocoon around him, keeping out all negative thoughts and bathing him in its pleasant warmth. He could feel the tingle spread throughout his body, originating from where their lips met and radiating outward.

Letting his own emotions loose, Jorin released everything he'd felt that day. The joy of Rinya's acceptance of getting their own place, the nervous anticipation of opening the door to their new home. Farline wasn't there, it was just Rinya and himself.

Rinya's need washed over him. It was like she was dying of thirst and he was a cup of water. Like she was drowning and he was a mouthful of air. Jorin countered with as much of his love as he could muster. He needed her too. Without Rinya, he felt cut off. Adrift. Like a boat without sails. A quill without ink. She was as much a part of him as his own limbs.

Jorin grabbed on even tighter, drawing them both even closer, pressing their chests against each other as he turned them both sideways onto the bed, still kissing her. his right hand was slipping further down, dangerously close. The intensity of the kiss meant he didn't realize he was doing that. It was like all parts of his body that wasn't his lips were now acting on their own.

Only the gods could have predicted what would have happened next. Perhaps their evening might have gotten more intimate. But those events were lost to time, because as he turned to continue the kiss even more deeply, a sharp pain in his left arm caused him to break off with a gasp.

Of course. His arm. Stupid petching arm. At that moment he'd have chopped the petching thing off for interrupting his fun. Wincing slightly from the lingering pain, he gave Rinya an apologetic smile.

"Thank you, Rinya," he breathed, genuine gratitude shining from his eyes. "For getting me out of my depression. For kissing me. For being the wonderful person you are."

Jorin grinned. All traces of his depression had vanished. The surge of emotions from the kiss had washed it away. "Come on," he called, as he got up, offering his hand to help Rinya off the bed. "Let's take a look at the rest of our new home!"

[Rinya]

Day 23, Season Fall, 513 AV

Rinya was intensely happy Jorin reacted instantly. If he had pushed her away and asked for time—she would have undoubtedly given it to him. But she wouldn’t have been able to hide the sorrow herself. If nothing else, Rinya wanted to make him feel better. And thus far every time he had kissed her, the worries in her head faded. Even if it was not a permanent fix, a happy distraction was better than wallowing in misery. He had listened to her in silence, and Rinya was so wound up in her frustration she could barely feel his emotions.

The moment Jorin pulled her closer however, Rinya’s frustration turned upside down. There was no longer any space between them, and Rinya felt herself burning from the inside out, her arms wrapped around his neck. Even as Jorin shifted them, one his hands moved and Rinya could feel a shiver slide down her spine. A vague thought in the back of her mind wondered what it would feel like if there were no barriers between them.

But even as quickly as the thought appeared, Rinya snapped back into reality in an instant. A flash of pain intruded through the haze, and Rinya knew Jorin had aggravated one of his wounds just moments before he pulled away. Rinya was left gasping, and the sudden closeness between them caused her face to go red—very red. Jorin however didn’t seem to notice—or chose not to mention it—and she was grateful for that. She had initiated something that had he not been injured could have turned out very different. A different she wouldn’t mind—just not yet.

"Thank you, Rinya," he breathed, genuine gratitude shining from his eyes. "For getting me out of my depression. For kissing me. For being the wonderful person you are."

”Well… I wouldn’t say wonderful” Rinya mumbled, but she had done what she set out to do at least. There was no trace of Jorin’s sorrow. She was sure it would probably surface now and again—after all Farline was bound to show up again. But if nothing else, Jorin at least knew what kind of game Farline wanted from him. Hopefully she wouldn’t have to hit the petching woman again.

Smiling brightly, Rinya reached out and grasped Jorin’s hand. He was warm—and still here. She let him help her off the bed, leaning up to press a quick kiss to his cheek before letting him lead her through their home.

[Caelum]

Thread Award Name: Jorin Ertihan. Skills: Flirting +3 Persuasion +2 Intimidation +1 Lores: Female Rivalry Farline's True Intentions Name: Rinya. Skills: Flirting +2 Observation +1 Intimidation +1 Unarmed Combat +1 Lores: Dealing With Jealousy Farline's True Intentions Notes: This was a lovely little thread. Jorin and Rinya are adorable and I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know them a little better. Please update your sheets to reflect housing ownership if you haven't already. Feel free to state Jorin with full ownership or split equal share with Rinya as suits your purposes. Additionally, please delete your post with this thread link in the Riverfall grade request thread. As ever, don't hesitate to PM me with any questions, concerns, or cobbler. Write on.