Completed Red is my favorite color [Eosi please]

[Leo Varniak]

Leo tidily set down his fork and knife parallel to each other to signify he was done, all the while marveling at how quickly they could switch from passionate exchanges to more ethereal discussions - and back again, most likely. There was an entire musical scale they could play at a moment's notice, if only they pressed the keys. Her familiarity with logic was certainly a big help. She moved as easily across the strings of reasoning as through the branches of a tree, and even though their mental processes differed, they were always able to meet halfway. Leo's hands slipped away from the plate as his undivided attention returned to Eosi.

The idea of her taking residence in his heart pleased him, and he smiled at it. He'd already told her how that heart of his would have quite a bit of growing to do before it could accommodate her full size, but he might have underestimated the power and flexibility of that one muscle. She was already making herself at home there and rearranging the furniture around. How uncommon a gift she had, and how blind to it she was. Leo meant the allegory for both of them, and he thought he would be able to tell her which color her eyes really were. He sensed the chance to do so right away, when she asked him a question she must have nurtured for a while. The eternal one, 'why me?' Curiously, Leo had never asked himself why Ivak had chosen him. It wasn't even a matter of blood right. Leo had always known no-one else would be able to do it, and now it fell upon him to show Eosi how no-one else could have been able to do what she had.

"If you had met me three years ago, you might have gotten a very different impression of me, love." He had no wish to idealize himself or his mistakes, let alone in front of her. She could see him now in all of his newfound size, but deserved to know about the times when he had been small and twisted. "This quest has changed me completely. When I still went by my old last name - Varniak - I was a little ball of wasted potential, hardly a fearless leader. Keeping to the shadows, I burned myself in frustration and ignorance. There was nothing appealing to be found in me if not the vague promise of better things to come. I wouldn't have been able to understand you back then, nor you me, and we probably would have walked past each other without looking back. It makes me especially grateful for the timing of our meeting."

He seemed to relax against the back of the chair as he considered her question in full. His eyes regarded her with badly concealed amusement. "There's also the matter of having spent the last three years on the run, chased by Rhysol, sailing the seas, hiding my intentions from the Inarta, turning into a disembodied energy being, and sightseeing around Kalea on foot for two seasons." He enumerated the events softly, not wishing to be overheard by the server. "None of which are particularly conducive to belonging to another, as you put it. Still, even with more time and more peace on my hands, I'm not an easy man to have around, and what I touch tends to ignite. It is a very rare woman who can handle me evenly, or at all. My circumstances are such that no-one can touch me and stay unchanged. That you can do so without fear speaks more of your virtues than mine. You have quite a few that I know... and a few more that I can only suspect for now." He narrowed his eyes, getting slightly more playful as he went along.

"I think you, too, needed your colors told. Two mirrors reflecting each other are like doors to infinity, and you can make a man want to save the world just so he can be in it with you." He took a sip of wine, wondering if the imagery wasn't, in fact, dictated by the alcohol. He hoped it wouldn't interact with his mark in strange ways, but it was a learning experience nevertheless.

[Eosi]

Leo set aside his silverware, indicating he’d finished his meal. Everything had passed so quickly. Eosi could scarcely believe she was the same woman from earlier, the one doubting, questioning. He’d been remarkably patient with her given the fact he’d traveled so far in his own skin. His reality was vastly different from the rest of the world and yet it was his. It could be difficult to retain such empathy given those circumstances. What was truly remarkable however was the sheer magnitude of their conversations. They waxed poetic, they revealed truth and they flirted like a couple of irresponsible teenagers. She realized how badly she needed to reflect. When he was around, Leo just engulfed everything. Including, but not limited to rationality.

"If you had met me three years ago, you might have gotten a very different impression of me, love." She arranged her fork and knife in the same fashion, concluding her own meal. The serious young woman folded her hands neatly on the table, and leaned forward intently. "This quest has changed me completely. When I still went by my old last name - Varniak - I was a little ball of wasted potential, hardly a fearless leader.” Eosi did her best to mask the onset of surprise. He had another name? Zaital wasn’t his actual surname? It would take years to know up from down with Leo, it seemed.

”Keeping to the shadows, I burned myself in frustration and ignorance. There was nothing appealing to be found in me if not the vague promise of better things to come.” Eosi chewed at her lip. He represented himself as a monster. He asserted there was nothing appealing. It was true that he’d traveled a long way to become the man she gazed upon. It was more than potential for him. It was heartbreak and wisdom and lessons learned.

”I wouldn't have been able to understand you back then, nor you me, and we probably would have walked past each other without looking back. It makes me especially grateful for the timing of our meeting." She nodded alongside that statement. Eosi hadn’t always been the most pleasant individual, even at her best. The decline of her mother had bent her double with grief. In her youth, she was a single-minded hothead with a keen tongue and a heavy heart. Certain things had changed. At one time with the epiphany of the Djed Storm, Eosi might have shot him in the heart. That had been her thinking; hurt those that hurt you. What a fool she’d been.

Of course, he reverted to teasing her. The Azenth was making a habit of it. "There's also the matter of having spent the last three years on the run, chased by Rhysol, sailing the seas, hiding my intentions from the Inarta, turning into a disembodied energy being, and sightseeing around Kalea on foot for two seasons." His eyes twinkled as he spoke, articulating each item as if iterating the obvious. She’d pay him back in kind when she had the chance. Her brand of revenge was all-smiles these days, amplified all the more by her man of flame. "None of which are particularly conducive to belonging to another, as you put it. Still, even with more time and more peace on my hands, I'm not an easy man to have around, and what I touch tends to ignite.” Why in the world did that serve to entice her?

Eosi could see how he might be a handful. They both were destroyers at heart, wildfire, sweeping change. She knew he’d be a certain way simply by knowing herself. Yet it was all the easier to manage for that. ”It is a very rare woman who can handle me evenly, or at all. My circumstances are such that no-one can touch me and stay unchanged.” Perhaps that was true. Her nodding continued at the suggestion that he shaped all around him. Even in the brief time they’d spent together, she too felt it. Eosi was already shedding her skin. ”That you can do so without fear speaks more of your virtues than mine. You have quite a few that I know... and a few more that I can only suspect for now." They were back to flirting again, it seemed. Eosi gave him a wink, the butterflies settling back into her gut. They were finished the meal.

"I think you, too, needed your colors told.” Leo took another sip of wine. Impressive. “Two mirrors reflecting each other are like doors to infinity, and you can make a man want to save the world just so he can be in it with you." The responding smile was shy, sweet. The innocence was returning, innocence she never before knew. He was coaxing these qualities forth from her breast. How was he able to do it? Her body was an instrument only he could play; with expert fingers he plucked at her strings, and out came the most beautiful sound. It was sublime.

The server cleared his throat. How did he get there? ”Here is your bill. Feel free to pay at the counter.” He stalked off without a backward glance. They truly must have rubbed him the wrong way. He didn’t even offer dessert! Eosi gave a direct look. ”Shall I pay half?” Her inquiry broke the silence. There was no way he was footing the bill. Not without a fight, at least. Eosi brandished her coin purse warily from under the table.

”Leo,” she whispered, looking on him fondly. ”I am glad I met you.” She brimmed with emotion. ”You will have me for the rest of our days. Death will claim me first.” The sincerity was overwhelming. It needed to be said. It was her own personal vow.

[Leo Varniak]

There was silence from her this time, but it felt far from reticent. On the contrary, the prevailing sensation was that words were really unnecessary at this point. Eosi listened, and Leo knew every single word was getting through. She waltzed between surprise, acknowledgement, empathy, complicity, and naturally love with heartfelt honesty. Later on there would be time for a reaction, he knew. She was never one to offer her opinion in haste, at least not when it truly counted. Her life had changed so suddenly - as had his, but he was probably more used to change - and she needed time to adjust. All Leo could do was make the transition as easy and filled with joy as he could. And to be sure, he did not lack goodwill in that direction.

He couldn't have said how long the meal had taken. Leo had somehow lost all notion of time. They had spoken at length, but maybe not that much. It felt strange to be sitting here now, and the fuzzy feeling from the wine was not helping. It hadn't gotten to the point of hindering him, but it certainly wasn't an aid towards rational thought. A meaningful silence fell between them as they simply enjoyed each other's presence for a moment. Not every instant needed a tapestry of words. He basked in the secret innocence of her smile, certain in the knowledge that it was his and his alone. No-one else would be privy to that gentle twinkle on her seemingly severe face, just like his disarmed expressions would be hers to own.

He burned her smile into his memory until a deeply unpleasant sound caused it to melt away. Leo's head turned suddenly with vague hostility in his eyes at the interruption of that precious moment. The food wasn't half bad, but the service had left much to be desired; or maybe, if he were being honest, he'd have admitted that, right now, the presence of any being outside Eosi was much like a foreign body embedded in his chest. Still, the quiet aggression did not seem justified. It felt very much like they were being herded out of the establishment for no reason other than the clothes on their backs. Leo doubted the Glass Gull would be seeing much of them ever again. As it was, he gave a curt nod at the server, resolving not to tip him in the least.

He did his best to keep his cool even in the face of the bill. The total came down to sixty gold mizas. An average man could support himself for half a season with that money! It wasn't like they had eaten Velispar or anything of the sort. He blinked, the world's inequalities and unfairness standing before his eyes in full force. While some people struggled to make ends meet, others could dine here on a whim just because of birth. It certainly wasn't an official part of his divine mission, but he felt it might become his duty to do something about this some time in the future. While he ruminated within, Eosi offered to shoulder half the price. Leo made a honest review of his financial status and concluded he didn't really have a choice. "I guess this is what two people in an egalitarian relationship would do," he said, but his grin was a little embarrassed. "We could have fed fifty men with this." He was reminded of the Dek in Wind Reach, constantly underfed and at risk of death.

He was about to rise from his seat when Eosi's whisper stopped him on his tracks. Never before had anyone spoken such sweet and meaningful words to him. Each was worth going through a Valterrian for. "Even death will have to think very carefully about claiming you as long as I'm around, Eosi. I don't know what the future holds, but it will be worth every second." He stood up slowly, carefully, hieratically. "Love will make us magnificent."

And with that, he offered her his hand to help her up if she so wished, and together they would proceed to the counter. Leo begrudgingly paid his half after producing the required amount from one of his pockets, never looking directly at the person in charge; he feared they might be intimidated by the fire behind his eyes. Once this painful passage was dealt with, they finally stepped into the sunlight again, much to Leo's relief. It wasn't exactly late; time had marched on to some unspecified point in the afternoon, but there were a couple bells of light left to the day. "What would you like to do now, my love? A walk, perhaps?" He couldn't refrain from biting on his lip. "Or..." It came out only half-voiced. There was no need to articulate any further, or he might simply slip up and confess he couldn't take it anymore. He needed to be alone with Eosi, and if given the choice between that and air, he would have simply held his breath for as long as he could before bursting.

[Eosi]

The look he shot the server burned with displeasure, and thinly veiled at that. It was hard to say if the man retreated from distaste or fear. Leo truly was a lion at times. That characteristic was strangely attractive. Many men squandered hours attempting a masculine façade and yet here and now her partner exuded it effortlessly. After the server’s swift retreat, they were again left to their own devices. With a sure hand, he slid the paper receipt within the reach of his gaze and nearly blanched. To be fair, she’d warned him. Still enthralled, she observed his reactions. Eosi was on a mission to decipher each passing thought when she could.

It moved through aghast to somewhere within the confines of tolerantly amused, and he glanced up. "I guess this is what two people in an egalitarian relationship would do," he said. The re-occurring mention of their equality pleased her. With a self-assured grin she began fetching her half of the coin, fingers probing deeply into the purse that hung from her belt. ”You’re too kind,” she whispered with suppressed mirth. "We could have fed fifty men with this," he continued to lament. ”Ever the pragmatist,” she thought aloud. She embellished the remark with a winning smile. That was something she truly could appreciate. But it was hard not to lavish affection on the man. He was a thing of beauty from surface to core.

Her words caught him off-guard, judging by his open expression. "Even death will have to think very carefully about claiming you as long as I'm around, Eosi. I don't know what the future holds, but it will be worth every second." Chills crept up each vertebrae, raising the hairs on her skin. Again her teeth caught and chewed her raw bottom lip, the flesh whitening. He rose from his seat with some measure of grace. "Love will make us magnificent." It already had. It was unanticipated but not unwelcome. Eosi felt timid as a lamb. He offered his hands and greedily she took it, raising from her seat at long last.

Together they approached the counter and paid their share. The storm had not quite passed regarding the check, as Leo glowered at the clerk. There was an impulse to roll her eyes. The accountant in her had withered at the sight of it, but the woman in her was immune such things. There was a time and place for decadence alongside everything else and she had to admit that the experience was worth every penny. He could steal every gilded coin she earned and it would mean nothing still. Wealth was transient. Happiness was the more precious commodity by far.

The exit into the sun’s gracious embrace left her grateful. Syna held a unique place in her observances, being the one and only deity she’d actually met. The woman shined happily down upon her and she did the same, smiling up at the joyful sun. "What would you like to do now, my love? A walk, perhaps?" Leo redirected her attention to the task at hand. "Or..." His suggestion wafted suggestively off into the open air. Suddenly it all hit her in force, at the sight of the bitten lip. Yes, “or.” That was what she wanted, badly. The arousal came in earnest. Just a single utterance and she was ready there and then. Eosi’s gaze was laced with the surging need. She could take no more trifling, no walks or idle chatter. With force she half dragged him to the nearby building, across the threshold of Godiva’s Refuge.

The woman sitting at the front gave a startled glance as Eosi wordless pulled Leo past her and down the hall. The door swung upon as she turned the key in its lock and thrust him inside, disengaging to snap it shut behind them. The dwelling was tidily kept, a testament to her organization of the mind. Her heart raced at what was about to transpire. It took but a moment to gain some composure. With long strides she moved to stand before him. Very sensually, one finger pulled the string to her cloak free. It pooled at her feet, rumpled and forgotten. There was a lingering moment where they faced off, her gaze boring holes through him.

Eosi imagined him undressed, suddenly. The vision was too great and she was quickly overcome. One slender hand slid up the inside of her thigh, grazing the source of her womanhood. The slight contact sent her visibly quivering. Her lips parted and she blazed, alight. He’d take her or she’d go crazy. There was nothing else in the world she wanted more. Perhaps he was frozen, or perhaps he was drinking her in. There'd be one way to tell. He'd be hearing much more as they progressed, but she would give him a taste.

"Leo," she rasped. Again her hand moved, this time closer to her sacred core. The contact ellicited a small moan. "Ah," she breathed. If he didn't get to it, she would.

[Leo Varniak]

All it took to burn a forest to cinders was a single spark, if the timing and circumstances were right. Wind, dry ground, old wood all played an important role in the cascading reaction leading from the smallest flame to the most devastating inferno. Unsurprisingly, it was exactly the same for people, especially those who, by their own nature, tended to burn brighter and stronger than the rest. A single word, and a very common one at that, was all it took for Leo to inflame Eosi. She set fire to him with her gaze in turn, and no further explanations turned out to be necessary between them. They just knew. His suggestion of taking a walk only extended as far as crossing the street to the safety of her room, and the subtext was easily understood on her part.

He let himself be dragged, though in truth he could have walked side by side with her after the first instant. He simply enjoyed her pulling things out of him; it was a game they both liked to play, apparently. How he had to come to love that pull between them, strong but never forceful, gentle but never subdued. The rules had been clear from the start with no need for either of them to make a list; it was her turn now. In a matter of instants they stepped into Godiva's Refuge, where they flew past the woman in charge as if she hadn't even existed in the same reality, some forgotten ghost from centuries past. There might be gossip in wait for the pair, but neither of them honestly cared. Flames were never meant to be hidden for long, or they would simply die, untrue to their purpose.

He waited for what felt like an endless amount of time as Eosi unlocked the door to her quarters. He let himself be shoved into the room, taking pleasure in the fact she was doing this to him, a man most would be terrified to even cross on their path, let alone touch. The room struck him as tidy but a little impersonal, as to be expected of something only recently inhabited; a feeling of new shoes in need of a little more use. He turned around just in time to witness her closing the door and locking it with a strange sense of inevitability, as if sealing a promise that not even the gods could break. Time seemed to slow down then, all motions taking place in sync with his heartbeat. His mark tingled as if on actual fire. He watched her remove her cloak and let it fall rustling, caressing her body as it met its doom on the floor, forgotten.

He seemed strangely quiet then, but it was more like the silence of the audience holding their breath not to disturb an engrossing play. A glaze had descended upon his eyes, giving them a vitreous quality, but the furnace still burned behind the glass. As she touched herself and called his name, he knew it was time for him to enter the stage. He crossed the distance between them in a single stride - one instant he was there, the next he was simply everywhere. He already knew what he wanted, and the way he wanted it. He pressed himself against Eosi, his mouth instantly seeking hers in a direct continuation of the kiss from earlier, as if everything else in between had been a dreamlike intermezzo. Holding nothing back, his left hand was gentle and would remain that way, darting around her neck to trace the circle of the Invalti mark on her skin; but the right hand was ever the more daring. Even the country that needed no maps could use its very own explorers, after all. Moving unpredictably - nature abhors a straight line - his fingers enjoyed the outline of her shapes, probing the nature of her round softness before journeying down her side headed towards more intimate territories to study.

Leo's mind was in shambles by now, his own readiness being manifest to both of them, but there was still enough left of him to have things the way he wanted. And what he wanted was to bring her to the edge of madness and see what she would become then. He was certain Eosi had to be one of Ivak's as much as he was, and this would prove it. At the risk of going insane with her, he would see what lay at the core of her desire. It wouldn't take long at all - he had already been on the verge of seeing it once before. And if Ivak was by any chance witnessing this, the god would no doubt feel pride for the truest prayer of all that was being dedicated to him, the hymn to the all-consuming flame.

[Eosi]

All at once, she was in the midst of the eruption – a languid, slow-boiling thing. One hand traveled near and the other far, working out a perfect harmony. Eosi’s hand balled in his hair, while the other mirrored his example, seeking provinces unknown. Their lips moved together, hers parting to taste the sweetness hidden there. His southward journey elicited a symphony of delight. Shedding skin, fingers sought the edge of fabric to make way for bare flesh. Her hands danced along his network of buttons and seams, eager to pull apart the last vestiges of a barrier. He strained against her, altogether as eager as she. That pressure, the promise of fulfillment devoured sense and threw away reason.

Belts fumbled and clattered away. Passion boiled on, too rapid to be contained. Shifts were tossed aside. Her teeth sought purchase to bite the lip he’d always bite and his taste was deep, aromatic almost. Her tongue passed between teeth and sought entrance, as their hands traveled grasped, danced along. Hers found leverage at his most sensitive; where he kept his pride, his identity, there in the sacred confines of his physical being. There would be victory for her. She would show him a new way, a new release.

Bundles fell to the floor, of layers and layers until Eosi stood unclad for the first time before him. Gooseflesh rippled down her entire form, the shock of their disrobing providing a timeframe to simply appreciate, enjoy. Frozen again, but this time... To see that excitement exposed. To see all of him. It was too much. She was on him again, this time seeking a different goal. Had ever a woman touched him such a way? Like a great cat she prowled forward, descending to her knees. She would give him this gift. She reached up, grasping one of his hands, so that it might tangle in her hair.

Fingers clenched. She knew her own worth; this was sublime for him. There was the desire for Leo to own her, to pull at the root of her locks so tightly they might begin to come free. But that was not for that night. This was for his pleasure alone. Her gnosis gleamed up with each expression, the movements agonizing and slow. It would drive him to the brink and she’d cease the effort, disengaging from his responsive form. There would be none of that, not so soon. Instead, she rose to face him again, where he’d surely seize control. You could only fan oxygen for so long onto a spark. The inferno was rapidly approaching.

The kiss, the entangling lips. His flesh was blazing like an open stovetop. They were truly free to roam and the possibility was too great to ignore. Fingernails grazed up his back, ever so lightly before digging in. Small noises escaped, running rogue from her lungs. They were quite as vocal as had been promised. Whimpers and groans. Her mind was all but melted, visceral… There was nothing but supplication to the act of love. All else was nothing more but a dream.

[Leo Varniak]

Leo's mark felt like it was about to burst any time now. Feeding off Eosi's emotional upheaval and channeling it right into him, it instructed him on what to do in turn to elicit even greater heights of flame. He could only imagine what might happen if she were to receive enough blessings from Ivak; being able to bounce and multiply emotion off each other in a potentially boundless way was a maddening prospect. There was something incredibly destructive about the thought, and Leo's instinctively checked for flammable, wooden objects in between kisses. It didn't last long, as the red wave quickly submerged him for the last time.

He fumbled with laces and fabric, somewhat frustrated with how inconvenient clothes could be. The temptation to just burn everything was strong, but the creamy skin underneath served as a constant reminder of both the prize and the risk. She was so strong and so frail. He admired her toned muscle and felt certain she could have overwhelmed him physically. Everything about her was driven and efficient. Every motion maximized a payoff towards a definite goal. There was the lack of unnecessary movement typical of a trained warrior, and a part of him felt that she was, indeed, fighting a peculiar battle as they went. It may not have seemed that way, but what was left of his analytic heart recognized soldiers marching double time, ambushes, raiding and pillaging, the capturing of strongholds, and battalions converging on the enemy capitol. There was a sweet war of attrition being waged here.

His throat gave a low lion's growl upon being touched so deeply. Before long, his own quest reached completion as the last remnants of fabric were shed on the floor and they stood in front of each other in their truest skins. Eosi would be able to see the rest of him, then. While Ivak's mark stretched across his back, there were other marks to be seen on the front. An oak leaf made show of itself just above his heart, a mark of peace rarely seen outside of Syliras. Then, to the right of his navel, a more abstract sign in the form of an arch: a dot surrounded by an arc signifying a wave of possibilities originating from any event.

And there was the terrible one, halfway between his neck and right shoulder. It looked like a straw man, a stick figure drawn by a childish hand, made of four strokes - one for the head, one for the arms and two for the legs. Still, it gave off a disquieting feeling by just looking at it. Leo was self-conscious for an instant, lifting his hand to cover it as he shook his head. He could not articulate any complex thought right now, but the gesture read like the promise of an explanation as well as an invitation not to gaze into this thing. Leo suspected he knew the kind of spectacles Eosi would see if she did.

In the end, the best thing he could do was forget about the entire thing, and Eosi certainly knew the perfect way out. Leo's eyes widened as she advanced on him and descended into submission. His hand took hold of her hair out of sheer instinct, and then he learned a lesson about the subtly shifting nature of power. Who had the power, really? The one standing, a part of him slowly dying of joy in between shivers, or the one administering? The loss of control took his breath away. She could have done anything to him right now, and it both exhilarated him and made him furious. She could have ended him at her own leisure and they both knew it as he clenched his teeth. He could not have done anything about it; pride and pleasure would have stopped him from even uttering a word. It was like Ivak's cage, and by the time she showed him mercy, Leo had sworn revenge.

His eyes were blazing by the time she rose and they entangled once again. A barely controlled animal fury, potent but not violent, had taken over him, and he ate of her as she ate of him. He would leave a few marks for her to remember him by. A part of him wanted to reciprocate the gift, but now was not the time. He knew what she wanted and he was ready to oblige her on his own terms. He drove her towards the bed then, slow and steady and unstoppable, forcing her into a fighting retreat. A hand on her chest pushed her down, admitting no rebellion. His arms pinned her own into place - there was no escape from the fire. Slowly, he loomed over her to claim what had become his by right. His eyes locked into hers - where they planned to stay until the end if he had his way - he began giving his own lessons in the ways of power, punctuated by a slowly growing rhythm. There was still fondness to his kisses, but she would soon learn what it was like to handle a true flame.

[Eosi]

His figure was hale and lean, roped with wiry muscle. She devoured every last detail with greed, her gaze lingering at the gnosis atop his heart. They were deceptively close to tattoos, most especially the one near his lean stomach. He seemed anxious, nervous. It was with pleasure then that she took his breath away. The feeling of his body shuddering beneath her, digits furling in her hair… It pushed her further, further still. So, as she ascended from her worshipful pose, he was on her; indeed, the anticipated firestorm was crashing down. Teeth clenched down between kisses, the pain sending her into small spasms of ecstasy. The sudden onslaught overwhelmed her and seeing his chance, he turned the tables.

He fought her over to the bed, meeting only token resistance. Swiftly, he pinned her arms, emulating his own previous captivity. There was implacable lust in those hard eyes. He’d take and take and yet nothing would slake his need. It pooled at her core, the excitement nearly and literally spilling over. Knees unlocked and that basest truth revealed. Fingernails bit down onto the flesh of his hands. The initial gasp melded into a primal growl as he took that which defined her. Eosi’s heart roared in her ears as they assumed the first delicious cadence. Hot blood raced along every corridor, every capillary to its southward destination. It was comparable to a symphony, the first movement’s notes evenly paced while flutes lilted sighs and sweet melodies. The song of love resounded as her lungs groped for air.

But the pace began to fly with time, their shifting skin and dancing hips finding a new beat. It was wilder yet and her supple form began to rebel. Her wrists strained against his, seeking dominance. Muscles began to coil as they reached a staccato. He’d drive her to the ultimate end and they’d crash together. Her voice, a stranger, urged and pled for more. Tactical to a fault, reason returned in a short flash. The music reached a tumult as she moved to one side and broke free. With incredible speed, she did him the same courtesy as they switched places. They slowly began anew, his hands granted their freedom to roam.

The lioness let loose as her head snapped up toward the sky, tumbling red locks arching up and back. Chaos ensued, the rhythm resuming its scramble. She took what she wanted, her powerful thighs driven by unfailing strength and stamina. He would be angry, she knew. The turnabout was an unforeseen event. One hand braced against his chest, the view splendid from below. Violins hit a more rapid speed, a deep bass cello pushing them along. His name spilled out of her now, unable to be contained. They were aligned perfectly. Ivak himself knew the design. Never had she felt so complete, so utterly whole.

Ragged breath as the brass whine of a trumpet… Her vision went red, red, red. Something was happening, something unexpected. Eosi felt herself slip away. The symphony was reaching the third and final movement. Where were his hands? Her vision faded a halo around his face, their eyes never once making falling to retreat. In that combined gaze there stood a promise. Yes, always.

[Leo Varniak]

He reveled, he truly did, in savoring his dominating position, imagining it from every angle. It felt all the sweeter because it was not just anyone pinned underneath him, but such an incredibly gifted and strong-willed woman. He didn't have to watch his actions in fear of hurting her, for his attitude towards women had never run in that direction, but within those boundaries his need for command was incredibly powerful. He himself hadn't known that until now, and the supreme reason he so loved every reversal was the anticipation of a counter-reversal. Eosi was matching him point for point, making their union at the same time a struggle and a bonding of the highest order.

The fire burned stronger within him than any other man alive, no-one could doubt that. He was no stranger to fevers, yet this was certainly the greatest heat he'd ever experienced. Not even the magma flowing in the veins of the world could compare. Droplets of sweat fell from his body onto hers as they writhed together, playing their frenzied rhapsody. The voice boiling from his throat didn't sound like his, so far removed from his usual, rather inflectionless tone. These were the tones of a man possessed, no doubt, a man living Ivak's tenets on himself like he hadn't thought was possible. There could be nothing more untainted and pure in his eyes. Bereft of any mask, having abandoned all pretenses, they were showing each other their true selves, beautiful in their single-mindedness.

He enjoyed watching her struggle against his domination, muscles bulging, hands trying to escape control and nails digging into his hands. It only added to his fervor, but his instinct knew why she was doing it. He understood. Still, knowing her reasons did not mean he would bow to them. If she wanted something right now, she'd have to take it from him. Pull it out of him. He showed his teeth in something resembling a grin, grateful for the struggle. At times of peace, the warlike man attacks himself. Times of war were always better. He knew he had the advantage here and now, more leverage for his joints, more weight and gravity conspiring in his favor; but in the end, it was just arrogance. Arrogance and the distraction caused by the feeling of inevitability slowly building up in his core. Eosi broke free when he was too focused on his body to notice or prevent the escape. It surprised him as he landed on his back, feeling the intense warmth and the scent left there by his love.

A singular being once more, he tried a quick disengagement but all the factors that had helped him so far were now playing against him and he accomplished nothing. Her legs were far more powerful than he'd given her credit for; and there were many good things to be said about it. Soon he was seized into her spell and most intents of escape drowned by her towering presence, deadly in its perfection. He cursed silently as the temptation to simply let things run their course grew within him in parallel with the ultimate need. His hands had taken on a life of their own, it seemed. He knew it wouldn't be long at all now.

Suddenly, though, a lance of clarity shot through his muddied mind. He knew what to do, and his eyes shone with resolve. "Eosi," he somehow managed, and he unleashed his mark as he'd warned her he would, eventually. She had pushed him way too far, and there would be consequences. In fact, he released the power on them both; raw release electrocuting them as it enveloped them inside a cocoon of divine power. Leo's hands shot up, reaching behind Eosi's shoulderblades and dragging her down into his embrace. It would be an annihilating experience for them, but they wouldn't be going through it separately and alone. This was a powerful teaching for them both, the zenith of their union, and something deeply sacred to Ivak. A revelation, as was the purpose of most religions.

[Eosi]

His touch was everywhere, seeking and enjoying. Her body truly was an instrument and it was ringing out a crystalline scale at his hands. She began to quake, a slow ascent to madness. It was the promise of utmost bliss. Eyes made their own variety of love, her emerald and honey hues entwining in space with his jet and pitch. It grew louder, the cacophony of their voices fusing into some discordant harmony. Something passed over his gaze, some thought. Did she know, truly? There was no true recognition, but yet a feeling. Just a sense, a sense that she knew what would transpire.

"Eosi," he gasped, yanking her onto his form. White light pierced her vision and her body began to convulse. It was unearthly pleasure, like nothing she’d ever felt before. Every nerve bristled with delight. Her mind was ripped violently out of the moment and down the rabbit hole she went, descending into some dark paradise. Remembered gratification was amplified, melding with the face she now knew so well. There was another wave as she truly hit her end, this time a titan hammer blow on her conscious mind. The combination of both experiences nearly crushed her. Words could not define the spectrum of pure pleasure.

Her body seized against his and her lungs contracted in little gasps, desperate for breath. It was a full minute before it began to subside, her wasted form falling still. She was aware that she was in her room, that they were still interlocked. That her name was Eosi, but just barely. The silver line that kept her tethered had nearly been cut. It wasn’t quite so serious. Still, she was uncertain if a mortal woman had ever felt the way she just had. Perhaps Ivak granted such a gift to Kova in their amorous union. Leo was truly her god, in a way. In that unique way.

There was no effort on her behalf to disentangle. Their warm, interconnected bodies lie inert across the bed. Time passed, though how much she could not say. ”Oh…” Her voice finally escaped in a whisper. She drew back to survey the face of her love. ”You rotten bastard,” she managed with a chuckle. Still, it was much appreciated. Softly she planted a kiss on his lips. It was sweet, a simple peck before withdrawing. She radiated light, her face glowing with euphoria. Eosi his lover, the little sun. Her hand grazed his chest.

”Brilliant,” she uttered. Gathering her scattered wits, she attempted to formulate a coherent sentence. ”Don’t be afraid to do that more often.” There was no way she would let him slide. In time she might even adjust to the mind-shattering sensation. It would be a mutually beneficial pursuit, she thought with a grin. Still, there was more she wanted to say. Her mind groped for something appropriate, some way to express the boundless love she felt. ”Leo,” she began anew, still searching. ”There is no other physical form so perfect than yours, perfect for me.” It was true – they fit. ”There is no other mind, heart or soul.”

An ache began to resonate. It was creeping through her limbs. It was time unfortunately, to separate. Their frail mortal bodies were not made for such abuse. As she moved, a hiss escaped gritted teeth. The feeling was double-edged; it was pleasure and pain. Their union could not last in the carnal sense. Not until it began again. That idea sent her smirking. One fingers idly traced the oak leaf, her thoughts trailing along. ”Who gave you this?” Her curiosity was insatiable.