[Kabrin Road] The Year of Wildfire (Hadrian)

[Kendall Saarinen]

Kendall smiled at Hadrian, nodding at his words. The mage had a skill at breaking through the Azenth's anxiety. It was just one of the many things that made Kendall love him. His calm voice, his logical mind, his familiar scent. Although Kendall claimed he craved home all of these things were becoming home to him whether or not he noticed. As the pair sat together Kendall tried to relax. Every once in a while his grip would tighten on Hadrian's for a moment as a memory came to him. His body would tense but sound of Hadrian's voice could level the blond out once again. If one was watching his aura it would have been a spectrum of colors ranging from the hues of his fear and anxiety to the shades of his feeling of calm. Through both emotions one would stay constant, his love for Hadrian. "What happened to you?" Kendall had heard of both Sahova and Alvadas but had never been to either. He knew there was no need to worry since his lover had not gotten killed. It still saddened him that there had been a chance that he would not have been. "What did you do in Alvadas and Sahvoa?' Kendall wanted to keep Hadrian talking. He liked to listen to his voice. It was calm and relaxing, at least to him. A shy but playful smile came to Kendall's lips. "And the pleasure was all mine."

[Hadrian]

"I went to Sahova to do a bit of research, but I was nearly killed there on the docks by crazed golems. Instead of apologizing, the Animator in charge of them blamed me for it... She actually died in an accident. True death. She was a Nuit. But when they questioned me, I got to meet a couple of the powers that be, which probably paved the way to my brief stint as a research assistant for a Maledictor. Learned to test magic charms and create them too. It's mostly grisly work the way they do it, but interesting. I didn't stay too long. "Stopped in Syliras for a while. My mother died, so I... I suppose I ran away to Alvadas on a whim. It was not around my remaining family, which is where I needed to be at the time. I'm not sure how it helped... But an illusionist tried to take over the ship crossing the Suvan Sea. We managed to incapacitate him and return him to his people for judgment. Then... well, Alvadas... nothing is what it seems, and constantly changes. I couldn't quite get the knack for living with that uncertainty, which is a failing on my part, I think. Too controlling..." Every word thrummed hypnotically. His skill was still low, weak, but all he was attempting to do was nudge Kendall toward calm, his own aura stroking Kendall's, his voice soothing the ears, his hand rubbing along Kendall's forearm.

[Kendall Saarinen]

Kendall listened as Hadrian spoke, slowly calming thanks to the hint of hypnotism in his words. The feeling of his lover's cool touch urged him to fall into Nysel's realm. It was the first time in a while when he felt as though it was safe to sleep. Hadrian's words were like a lullaby, urging him to relax with every syllable. Animator. The word shot through Kendall like a bolt of electricity. The blond moved closer to Hadrian, placing his head on the mage's shoulder. "Just keep listening to Hadrian speak." He needed to calm himself down again. Kendall's eyes turned up to look at Hadrian. "I'm sorry about your mother. I am sure that was hard for you." The blond did not know much about Hadrian's family. At most he knew small bits that the mage offered in idle conversation. Of course, Kendall did not talk much about his own family either. The Azenth wanted to keep them out of his mind as much as he could for now. When Hadrian had finished talking Kendall reached up to kiss his cheek. There were still small embers of fear and anxiety within him but the more Hadrian talked the closer he felt to peace.

[Hadrian]

He felt the shock run through Kendall at the mere mention of an animator, and so he bit back what else he wanted to say, about how he had learned the rudiments of animation from a Nuit named Jilitse in Syliras, how he wanted to pursue more within the field to better understand what had been done to Kendall in the hopes that he could reverse it if the evil one refused to cooperate, but they managed to capture Kendall's old body. Another time. Today was not the right day to say anything. Perhaps he was learning wisdom where women were concerned; women and Kendall. When Kendall said something about his mother, even though it was a perfectly good and acceptable thing to say, the doors within him closed a bit and the flow stopped up, accumulated. He knew the Azenth in his lover would feel that, so he tried not to clam up, but push those doors open again. "Thank you," he said simply. "It was. It is." The kiss on his cheek pushed the doors open a bit more, and his eyes watered a bit for the dead. More show than normal, but he just forced himself to breathe so he wouldn't fall apart when Kendall was the one in need of support just now. One little problem with their relationship was that selfsame Azenth, because whenever Kendall yanked open his inner doors, lust spilled out along with everything else. All the little lusts that he ignored or denied, built up over the years and now had their object in Kendall. That made it difficult not to be aroused, even at possibly the wrong moment. "Um."

[Kendall Saarinen]

A feeling of pressure built within Hadrian after Kendall asked about his mother. The Azenth could feel it. He felt the urge to ease the door open again but to his surprise, Hadrian eased it open on his own. A small smile formed on Kendall's lips at the feeling. He always believed that he did not contribute to Ivak's cause as much as other Azenth did but in his own way he was dispelling pressure. Hadrian was like Kendall's own volcano and the Azenth would continue to urge him toward emotional stability. He wanted to open the doors that had been locked not just for Hadrian but for Ivak. Kendall looked up at Hadrian and he could see as well as feel the tears that clung to his eyes. "Hadrian…" The blond wanted nothing more than to help Hadrian like he had helped him. Slowly, he leaned forward, pressing his lips against his lover's. The kiss was short and when Kendall pulled away he simply looked into Hadrian's eyes, searching. Hadrian was the only one who he let look him in the eyes. The Azenth knew there was not judgement in Hadrian's pools of blue. He did not gawk at Kendall's heterochromia like so many others did. "You can talk about her if you want. You can cry." Kendall did not want everything to be about him and his raging emotions. He wanted to know Hadrian's too. More than his studious persona and the lover he had fallen in love with. He wanted to know his pain, his sadness, even his rage if he was feeling it. "I love you and if you are sad I want to be there for you. I want to know your happiness and love just as much as your sadness." Kendall settled into Hadrian's shoulder again, breathing in his familiar scent. "That is what love is. Taking everything your lover is, not just the good but the pain as well." Hadrian's muttered word caught Kendall's attention. Kendall could feel things releasing in Hadrian like a hallway of doors slowly opening one by one. With this release emotion was bound to be released, even those that Hadrian had no intent of releasing. Kendall kissed his neck, a small smile on his lips. "I can't live without you. Set my goals around you. Takes a little extra time but it all works out. You're a shining ember, I'll be shining armor. Just look up into my eyes, I won't let you down. Let it go. Settle into me. Let it go, let it all go. Except for me. I'm the one you found. Just hold on. Hold onto me now." Poetry seemed to speak well for the pair. When words and actions were not enough they spoke the words of poets to one another. Kendall looked at Hadrian, a loving smile warming his features as he urged him to lay down on the forest floor. The blond now looked down at Hadrian, a complete switch from how the pair usually looked while laying down. "You have clearly seen the full blunt of my emotion. You can show yours too. It's only fair." Kendall's smile turned a bit nervous before brightening again, leaning down to plant another kiss on Hadrian's cool lips. "If you feel comfortable that is."

[Hadrian]

Hadrian didn't really know what to say about his mother and her death. He had loved her in his cool, distant way, much the same way she had loved him and her children. Perhaps the pattern of his own affections had followed the example he learned from her, and he wondered how things might have been different if his father had been an Azenth. But he wasn't even sure he had more tears for his mother, as they hadn't been close. Perhaps someday he would discover them buried deep within, or Kendall would grow in Ivak's regard and his reach would increase. But for now, the nearness of his lover shunted thoughts of his dead mother away. Kendall was hot flesh and passion under his hands, much better and more immediate than pale ghosts and cold memories. He laughed, low and sultry, at Kendall's earnestness. "You say that and I believe it," he said, voice husky with desire, "but you always distract me with this..." His mouth claimed Kendall's, exploring its familiar taste and warmth with as much fervor as if it were the first time, and he pulled his lover's hand toward the sure sign of his excitement. At least this might distract Kendall from his own edginess too.

[Kendall Saarinen]

There was feeling still buried in Hadrian, Kendall could feel it. It was clear that the topic of his mother and her death was a tender one. One that even Hadrian could not figure out. While Kendall wanted to help him to figure out those feelings and bring them to the surface there came a point where emotion just needed to recede back behind it's barriers. Feelings were tricky and very fragile. Kendall could have kept pushing, digging further into the emotions that Hadrian wanted to shoo away. Like a bubbling volcano, the Azenth could have urged him toward emotional eruption. The blond knew how drastic changes emotion tolled on a person though. Hadrian's mother could wait regardless how how badly Kendall wanted to know about her. Hadrian's kiss was full of passion, so much that even the flames on Kendall's wrist could feel it. A small giggle bubbled from his throat as Hadrian's finger's wrapped around his wrist, easing his hand lower. A blush colored his cheeks as a shy smile warmed his lips. His fingers grasped at the edge of Hadrian's shirt, helping the hydromancer rid himself of the article of clothing. "We can talk later then…" Chimes passed as Kendall worked to release pressure, a different pressure than he had been working with earlier. Kendall could feel that Hadrian needed it, his mark could at least. When the pressure had lessened Kendall laid beside his lover, running his feverish fingers over the skin of his chest. All he wanted was to be close to him. He made the blond feel safe. With a smile he cuddled up close to him and pressed his nose into his dark hair, taking in the soothing scent of his lover. His lips were close enough to Hadrian's ear so when he spoke, even though it was hushed, the mage would be able to understand every word. "I may not be able to dispel volcanos but at least I have you."

[Hadrian]

As the sweat of effort began to dry and a feeling of peace and well being settled over him (along with a smug self-satisfaction of successful lovemaking), Hadrian could again concentrate. Kendall had a way of making him forget what he was about, calling the full intensity of his regard upon the slender, well-formed body, the innocent face, the lovely, mismatched eyes. He could lose himself so easily... even now... "I hadn't realized there was a volcano within me until I met you," he admitted quietly, nuzzling his mouth against the sweat-damp blond hair at Kendall's temple. "Perhaps it's just you." He chuckled, voice rough from their exertions under the forest's canopy. "I hope I release the pressure within you too..." There was so much still to do before they got to Ravok, he remembered, mind easing into that glowing afterward, picking up things he was keen to forget when the urgency of their travel overtook his mind. There was the matter of Morphing, for one thing, which would prove important especially if they could not capture this Animator and force things back the way they were.

[Kendall Saarinen]

Kendall's mismatched eyes closed softly, a smile light on his lips as he felt Hadrian's lips against his forehead. Who could have imagined that a year after his horrible accident he could be laying on the forest floor with Hadrian? Every moment made him want the mage more and to have him closer. His lips parted showing a boyish grin. "There is so much inside of you." A burning hand trailed by a wrist marked of flames came up to rest against Hadrian's chest. He could feel his lover's breath and his racing heart. "It is all locked up in here but…" His eyes searched Hadrian for the right words to say. There was a risk in letting Hadrian know of the emotions he had picked up when his mother was brought to the surface. "It is all so beautiful. Your emotions may be buried but they are strong." At Hadrian's next words Kendall nodded. His anxiety and the symptoms that came with it were seeming to fade in the background. Hadrian was a beautiful distraction. "You do. Everything about you…" Kendall paused, trying to find the words he wanted. What has there to say about the person who made every worry seem to fade at a touch. A voice that caused every anxiety to wane. The Azenth decided to let his actions speak for him, pulling himself closer to the mage. A small, content smile lightened his features as he pressed his body against Hadrian's and guided his lips down to his own. There was something beautiful about laying with him in the dark and uncertainty of the forest. It was more spontaneous than Kendall had ever been but tonight it seemed as though Hadrian and Kendall were both moving forward, feeling things that were buried deep within. Every part of Kendall seemed to be calling out for Hadrian. His mouth wanted the touch of Hadrian's lips, his hands itched to feel his lover's smooth skin underneath them. "I'll figure you out someday… but at your pace." The words were almost strained as Kendall pried himself from Hadrian's lips to speak. "I want to rid you of your pressure if you are willing to let go of it."

[Paragon]

Kendall : Kendall Skill XP Reward Running +1 Philosophy +1 Seduction +2 Rhetoric +1 Lore: Hadrian's Past Other: N/A Hadrian : Hadrian Skill XP Reward Observation +1 Reimancy +1 Rhetoric +1 Seduction +2 Lore: Hadrian: Slayer of Tears Other: N/A Fantastical thread as always - you two have such vivid characters, I found myself sucked in to hear their stories. Great effort - if you have ANY questions or concerns about this grading, don't hesitate to PM me.