Fear

[Danger Arceneau]

Morning came rising up and brought the bathing light upon what had yet to be discussed. Admissions of what had been left unsaid didn't wipe away the reality of the concerns Danger still had. Of her fear. A fear that they had everything against them, and so much to lose when it came to Lily and Rose.

Tangled up within Alric's embrace, Danger felt she would love nothing better than to simply fall within that sea of comfort he provided, that temptation of happiness. Yet, she could not stop that underlying fear from snaking under her skin, from latching into the rear of her mind, ever present, ever watchful.

Biting her lower lip, she sank her head back against the pillow. For once, she would seemingly awaken before the Tetan. Her time in introspection would result in the light tracing of her forefinger along the line of his temple in an idle, but touch comforting drift of her fingerpad. It was much a need and desire for a tactile connection between Alric and she as much as a self comforting gesture. A caress meant to not only express affection as much as relay the necessity to be able to do so.

There was no doubt that she loved him. It was apparent in her touch and in her manner. Perhaps that is why she was heavy with concern. While she had come around to the Tetan's insistence that she remain by his side, it didn't stop her worry.

The girls were ever still present in her mind.

 

[Alric Kuhn]

[member="Danger Arceneau"]

He felt the touch of his temple, pulling him from his sleep.

It was an automatic thing, though rare. Danger usually woke up after him. It had been that way since he could remember, and he could remember a very long time. For a moment he simply laid there, tucked beneath the covers and within Dangers warmth. There was a calmness to that, a wave of relaxation that he couldn't have defined even if someone asked him to do so. Only after another minute did her stir. His back stretched out, his legs unbending and his arms stiffening slightly to pull Danger closer.

His face nuzzled against soft flesh, beard scratching as he did so.

Had he known her thoughts he likely would have offered her a tighter embrace, a kiss, words of love and reassurance. Yet he did not know Dangers thoughts, and so instead he pulled her close, pressing his face into her and holding her in a tight embrace.

 

[Danger Arceneau]

[member="Alric Kuhn"]

Danger felt Alric stir beside her.

Mornings held their own typical routine. The thought of it made the corner of her mouth perk in a faint smile she could not help but give. The rare occasions she ever managed to wake up prior to Alric were tiny glimpses into a vulnerable side of the Tetan. Maybe it was the way he naturally drew her closer into his embrace. Maybe it was how his face would nuzzle against her skin like a child. Or maybe it was just that in these precious moments, they were both carefree, seemingly without a concern in the 'Verse.

It was just she and he, tangled in each others arms. Why couldn't I simply leave it as that?

The press of his lips would sleepily warm the valley he lay between, the rasp of his beard a slight ticklish sensation that would prompt a subtle mammaquatia of movement. The trace of her fingers would continue to map down his temple and over to his cheek, where the caress of her thumb would linger momentarily.

A heavy sigh would exhale from her then. Cursing herself for her ability to drive herself crazy by over analyzing, Danger gave a half turn and wrapped her arms around Alric. Snuggling close she attempted to lay her worries to rest. But it was a wretchedly hard thing to do.

Her vacation was to end soon, as was Alric's. Then they would both get back to the routine of things. Maybe that would put things more into perspective. Maybe.

 

[Alric Kuhn]

[member="Danger Arceneau"]

He smiled into her as she drew closer, his lips tugging upward for half a second.

Alric's hands began to sail down her body. Slowly shifting and pulling away from behind the small of her back. There was something to be said about waking up like this, with a bit of joy in his heart and a beautiful woman in his bed. It made him calm, even though he knew he was still on his least favorite planet in the galaxy.

His hands gently moved over her back and to her side, one pulling to just above her hip and the other coming to rest just above the joint of her knee. He let them sit there for a moment, then suddenly he pressed his fingers into her. It was a gentle press, and was met with a sudden raspberry of Dangers skin. Alric began to tickle the Trade Queen, his fingers gently pushing into her side and just above her knee, his lips pressing against soft skin and blowing air out.

A good way to start the day

 

[Danger Arceneau]

[member="Alric Kuhn"]

Danger would give an immediate start.

She would jerk against his grip, the fluttering, tickling sensation running up from the back of her knee and along her ribcage. "What are you - stop!" she would chortle out, attempting to wiggle out of his grasp and from his offending fingers. Yet the Tetan was determined to lay claim to the bundle of sensitive nerves that would make the Queen of Trade give a rather uncharacteristic and unladylike snort and squeal.

She would scoot out of the way in a sway of curves and a bat of hands, attempting rather futility to have Alric stop. It served its purpose none the less, what manner of worries or concerns instantly disappeared from her mind, replaced by the need to prevent herself from laughing until she embarrassed herself. Her legs would slip and slide against his, giving a half roll back onto her back to try and get away. The only result was that he now would skim his hands and the digits of those persistant fingers along her belly and up her ribcage.

"Stop! haha!" she laughed out, bemused as much as shocked at the sudden attack. One didn't simply tickle Danger Arceneau, it wasn't done! Much the less, to the point she gave a half snort mid laugh. A buck of her hips would attempt to shove him away, but he held fast, a wicked grin splitting his face in two and the bristle of his jaw making the most of the ample treasure that would lightly bounce with every squirm and wiggle she gave.

 

[Alric Kuhn]

[member="Danger Arceneau"]

There was a joy in hearing her laughter.

It was simple, affectionate even, and after last night it was exactly what both of them needed to make themselves feel better. His hands continued to sail over her body, pressing gently and grazing over her to make her laugh and snort. It wasn't something the Trade Queen was used to, it was likely something that no one had ever done to her. She tried to fight back, tried to tickle Alric in turn, yet she was met with only a stoic face and waggling eyebrows as he continued his assault.

Unlike she, he was used to this.

Having had two daughters growing up he was used to tickle fights, and over a twenty year period he had built up an immunity.

Danger was not so lucky, and as she wriggled, writhed, and squirmed beneath him she would find herself completely at his mercy. A mock evil laughter began to boom from his throat, echoing through the bedroom as his attack stalled for half a moment, letting her rest.

 

[Danger Arceneau]

[member="Alric Kuhn"]

The muscles on her stomach were sore from the laughter, and it took her a bit for her to catch her breath. Within the scuffle, she finally managed to grab a hold of his wrists, holding them at bay for a few precious seconds. By now he was nestled between her, the warmth of his body a temporary blanket as in the struggle the bedsheet had been kicked off.

There were tears in her eyes that she had to blink back, and she swore her heart was thundering so loud that Alric could hear it. Pulse would flutter at her throat, and a faint flush on her skin. Laughter was a welcome catalyst into relaxation, the tension waning from her limbs as her sole focus turned to simply breathing.

"You're like a kid at times." she would chide him, unable to help another chuckle, breathless in her speech. She didn't dare let go of his wrists, he might press his attack anew. So instead she eyed him warily, as that earlier mock evil laugh made her believe he would pounce on her again.

 

[Alric Kuhn]

[member="Danger Arceneau"]

He smiled at her. "I'll take that as a compliment."

Was he done for now? or was he lulling her into a false sense of security?

It was hard to tell at times, he had an incredible poker face that not many could read. Alric had once been told that he had a face that not even a Lorrdian could read, he'd been trying to test that theory his entire life. Maybe it was true, or maybe it wasn't. Either way, Danger would have a difficult time trying to tell what his next move would be. The grasp on his wrist would tighten slightly as he leaned forward, his lips pressing against the tip of her nose.

"You know." He mused outloud to her. "I could teach you a thing or two about it."

That was certainly true, Danger had a difficult time as it was relaxing. Maybe it was time she learned to let go and be a little bit...childish.

 

[Danger Arceneau]

[member="Alric Kuhn"]

Danger gave her nose a slight wiggle, the press of his lips upon the tip sending ticklish sensations up it. She had to fight the desire to sneeze, but managed to give a half chuckle in response.

"Now why would I care to act like a younglin?" she would counter, arching a brow. Her hands still held his wrist fast; she wasn't about to let him go just yet. None the less, a leg rose up and began to lightly slide against his thigh.

"What are the perks to such an endevour?" she'd tease in her husky tone, finally catching her breath and finding a measure of control. It was evident she was in a better mood than the gloom she had earlier and last night, the warmth in her eyes and the increasing relaxation in her limbs key indicators for it. In fact, a sudden rise of devilry flared in those green orbs.

"When there are far more interesting things to do when we are grown..." distraction was the name of the game, and Danger would follow that by guiding the sail of his hands over her body. Her hands would cover his own, bringing them to rest upon her with slight curling pressure.

Her quiet chuckle could be felt with the shake of her body. She knew she had him there.

 

[Alric Kuhn]

[member="Danger Arceneau"]

Alric smiled, a slight grin tugging at his lips just as his fingers began to curl and slightly press into her skin.

"Well, maybe not a youngling." He mused out loud. "But Teenagers?"

His lips pressed against her own and his fingers curled in a hard press. The look in her eyes was more mirthful than last night, the slight shake of her body and squirm of her hips told a very telling story. Perhaps he had quieted her fears for now, or perhaps she was simply ignoring them for now. Alric knew that eventually it would come back, but he was determined to be there when they would, he was determined to always be there. For her.

"I think we could manage that." His lips would pull back from hers, smile still holding fast.

 

[Danger Arceneau]

[member="Alric Kuhn"]

A grin would part under his lips for a moment, and with a half sigh she let herself relax further against him. Her hands fell away from his, seeking instead to slide up the brawn of his arms and past his shoulders. There she traced over the muscles, wrapping her arms around him as she said with a quip, "Oh? And just how are teenagers supposed to act Mistah Kuhn?"

Her tone bled lighthearted, and yes, perhaps she did push away her concerns for the present time. Maybe it was the combined events of last night. Maybe it was due to the infectious charm the Tetan weaved over her. Maybe it was because his smile, his voice, the way he looked at her now that told a different tale. One that she hadn't really believed until he told her himself.

Her expression would soften, and this time, she would lift her head to lean up and take his lips for another kiss. "I'm all ears." she said with a half grin.

 

[Alric Kuhn]

[member="Danger Arceneau"]

He pressed against her one more time, letting his fingers curl just as he pulled back. "Well..."

Alric tried to remember back to when she was a teenager. His teens had mostly been spent in the nightclubs of Teta, with things getting rowdy and rather...well unrefined. He remembered quite well the things he got up to, how he acted. He could probably convince Danger to do some of it, but not all of it. Besides, he was probably too old to be doing lines of spice in a club where the music was loud enough to pierce the ear drums. That was better left to others.

"They get into places they're not supposed to." He kissed her again. "Do thing's their parents forbid them to."

Another kiss and a press of his fingers.

"What do you say, Miss Arceneau? Do you want to do a few forbidden things?" His voice was pure mischief.

 

[Danger Arceneau]

[member="Alric Kuhn"]

Her distraction proved to be a double edged sword.

It was getting difficult to follow his train of thought in between every kiss and caress. The tiny hairs on her skin rose on end, and goosebumps were left in their wake that had nothing to do with the cold.

Things their parents forbade them to do? A thought would draw back into her past. August Arceneau had been a harsh man, few in words and driven. He raised his daughter like a son after the death of her mother, even more so after Remi followed shortly after. There were more expectations to be met than items that were forbidden, but the few there were had struck Danger to the core. Noxu Za'tire had been one of them.

Raised on on the lower rung of the ladder, Noxu Za'tire was not the man August Arceneau had plans for Danger to marry. Ah, but she had been young and a fool in love with her childhood friend. To make his point, her father had shown her that Za'tire had been willing to be bought and paid for to leave her alone and hightail it out of Tatooine. Nevermind that she'd been pregnant at the time. The miscarriage that came in the prison cell of a Hutt's Palace and the bitterness that ensued thereafter served as the training wheels to a vengeful state that would mold her into what she was.

It was unlikely her token ideas about how teenagers acted out against their parent's wishes would coincide to those Alric would imagine.

Alric's kiss and then the stroke of fingers over a hardened pebble drew her away from her reverie. Blinking rapidly, she took a sharp breath and met the mischievous gaze of the Teten.

"I might be so inclined depending on if you make it worth my while, Mistah Kuhn." she'd drawl out in a honeyed rasp, her free hand diving into the inky peppered locks of his hair and brushing it away from his face. Leaning forward, she pressed a quick kiss to his lips.

"I've a countdown on my vacation. Time is precious don't you know?"

 

[Alric Kuhn]

[member="Danger Arceneau"]

"Well..." He trailed off as his lips sank into her for a moment. "Maybe we could sow some mischief."

Another press. "Play a few pranks...have a little bit of fun in a darkened stairwell."

It was hard to tell if he was serious, but as he pulled back from supple globes it was easy to see that he had a wide, childish grin on his face. He had always been of the opinion that fun should never be left out of life. Fun was something that everyone should have. There were different types of fun of course, and different times to have different kinds of fun. Now, right now, what they needed the most was to be a bit...childish. They needed to forget their woes, forget what they needed to do and instead do something that was simply...fun.

That was his intent, his mission for the day, and he would see it done.

Alric would arch his back, scooting slightly up Dangers body and kissing her neck as his hands fell from heavy globes and slipped around her back.

"You know you want to." He whispered.

 

[Danger Arceneau]

[member="Alric Kuhn"]


"Oh, do I Mistah Kuhn?" came her wondering chuckle, her hands coming up to wander over his back. There they would trace along the skin, feeling the shift of muscle and sinew against the line of his spine. The bed would shift and sink under his weight, the Tetan coming up to hover over her as his nose would sink into her hair. There he would nudge it away to brush his lips against the shell of her ear.

She could hear the devilish intake of breath as his grin grew wider against her skin, another hot press and light tug that would draw her against him. Danger would shut her eyes for the moment, enjoying the embrace.

"Ain't we a little too old to be running pranks?" she'd ask, a finger poking at his ribcage in pointed emphasis. Her light chuckle would follow suit, as would the light nuzzle of her cheek against his. The rasp of his beard would tickle as much as give her shivers, little lightning bolts of pleasure that would race down her spine and make her belly quiver.

"Although on the subject of stairwells..." a mammaquatia of humor would illuminate under the glow of the rising twin suns.

"I might be so inclined dependin' on how much wiggle room we talkin."

 

[Alric Kuhn]

[member="Danger Arceneau"]

He kissed her again. "You can never be too old for pranks."

That was certainly true, at least in his experience. He had pranked Lily and Rose often when they were young, maybe it wasn't the same, but it was enjoyable nonetheless. Of course it had always been innocent things, small jokes or moving their stuffed animals when they weren't looking. There was something enjoyable about it, something so keenly childish that made Alric more than happy to conduct himself in such a manner. It was probably simply who he was, just a child on the inside.

"As for the stairwell." His teeth sunk into her neck, gently nibbling. "We'll see what we can find."

He was acquainted with the fortress, but he didn't know every nook and cranny.

Perhaps he would have to have Danger show him around, just so they could find the best place to...well, wiggle.

 

[Danger Arceneau]

[member="Alric Kuhn"][member="Alric Kuhn"]

Danger gave a slight squirm, trying to wiggle away from his advances that sent shivers down the length of her spine. A half chuckle bubbled out of her mouth at the ticklish sensation. His suggestions would amuse her, as much as they would distract her. Her mind would mull over for a moment at his offer, her hand lightly running through his hair as she would attempt to avoid another nip to her neck.

The mischief in his blue eyes was infectious, and for a moment she let herself fall for the little boy smile. The charm he still radiated as he would attempt to coax her to join him in his plotting. An amused exhale, and then a shake of her head came next.

I'm going to regret this, she mused.

A lean forward would brush her lips against his, her hands having caught his face to cup them close.

"Alright Mistah Kuhn..." another quick peck. "Let's see what kind of shenanigans you get me into."

 

[Alric Kuhn]

[member="Danger Arceneau"]

He grinned and pulled back from her.

"Excellent." A kiss was planted on her lips and slowly he pressed his lips again, then again, then one last time as he trailed his way down to her stomach and eventually stopped there. He lingered for a moment, pressing his lips against her navel and nuzzling before drawing himself up. He pulled the blankets with him, drawing them off of both of them as he pushed himself to his knees. For a moment, he stood there, watching her with a wide smile. "You should probably get dressed."

He winked at her, then did a half roll off the bed.

Alric took all of the blankets with him, wrapping himself in them and leaving Danger bare on the bed. The Tetan turned, looking at her, and gave her a very wide smirk, as though he was very pleased with himself.

 

[Danger Arceneau]

[member="Alric Kuhn"]


Two could play this game.

"Should I?" she would counter with an arch of her brow, sliding her legs up until her feet were flat on the bed. Tatooine was already warming up with the rise of the Twin Sun, and along the morning light that would fill the chamber, the rush of gooseflesh bare witness to the sunrise.

"But I find myself quite comfortable," hands went sailing south. Danger's eyes would glimmer with growing mischievousness, and her crocked grin would only grow wider as she caught the Tetan's attention. "We are still on vacation," a slow circular trace, and muscles would tense, "My days of sleeping in are numbered after all..."

There was mirth in her gaze and a heat in her eyes that would match a sweltering Tatooine summer. Oh she was being quite the little minx, every action conducted deliberately for a reaction.

"But if we must start this immediately..." her hand would slip away and she would draw herself up into a half sitting position onto the bed.

"I reckon I could get dressed."

 

[Alric Kuhn]

[member="Danger Arceneau"]

"I assure you, Miss Arceneau." He said it with a very wide smile. "There will be plenty of opportunities to get comfortable today."

Oh there was more than a hint laced in his voice, more than a subtle suggestion really.

He enjoyed the sight that she gave him, that subtle touch, the slow tease. Today would be a fun day, and he would show Danger that there was more than just one type of fun. A smile crept onto his lips again, and slowly he let the blankets fall to the floor. A wink from one eye, and slowly he turned about.

There weren't many of his clothes at the fortress, though Danger had packed some of them away for him when they had first left the skyhook. In fact, he was pretty sure she had brought more of his clothes in her suitcase than he had in his own. He supposed that was because she knew him far too well for his own good. Eventually however he managed to dig out some loose fitting clothes, a simple pair of pants and a t-shirt, something very comfortable.

They would need comfort to run away faster.