Private Talking trees

[Delvin jeth]

Nitya Xeraic

Oralis prime was a planet that delvin had originally disregarded as any other planet originally with little importance when he initially heard about it. It wasn't until the arkanian geneticist heard about the "talking trees" as the scientists explained it peaked the darksiders interest keeping his darkside presence hidden. As to not draw unwanted attention to himself hearing that the jedi had a presence on the world as he was here for science and science alone he didn't want to be dragged into conflict.

He had been on the planet three days prior and true to his nature he had been studying the trees everyone of those days. Running non harmful tests on the trees which most of the other scientists found odd. That an arkanian geneticist found something like this fascinating but today delvin was out exploring aven reach. Looking at their architecture it was a thing of beauty even to him the blend of living wood and solar latticework was something to appreciate.

He wore loose fitting white scientist coat with black pants and shoes and a white button up shirt. His shoulder length snow white hair draped around his shoulders his purple eyes scanning the area as people walked around him.

 

[Nitya Xeraic]

The people of Aven Reach moved with the gentle rhythm of the forest—soft footsteps across lattice-grown bridges, low conversations drifting between the sculpted walkways, the faint hum of solar-veined wood pulsing like a heartbeat beneath the city's living architecture.

Nitya moved through it quietly, her presence like a stone dropped into a still pond—subtle ripples in the Force, perfectly controlled. She seldom left her hermitage except for supplies or conversation with the city elders, but today the current of the Force had tugged at her in a way she'd learned not to ignore. Something… new had arrived. Curious. Focused. And carefully hidden.

Her glowing yellow eyes lifted, scanning the crowds until they landed on the Arkanian moving along one of the outer bridges—white hair, long coat, his attention drifting not toward the people or the shops but toward the living wood beneath his feet.

Ah. Not lost. Not sightseeing. Studying.

The Force around him was quiet, muted in a way that suggested intention. Someone who knew how to dim his presence. Someone who did so for a reason.

Nitya stepped closer, her boots making nearly no sound as she approached. She stopped several paces away, giving him room—not intruding, simply there, her aura calm and centered as the forest breeze.

"You've chosen an unusual place to study," she said softly, her tone even and unthreatening. "Most overlook the trees entirely, except to remark on their beauty." A pause—long enough to be respectful, short enough to show genuine interest.

"But you aren't a tourist. You've been here several days, haven't you?" Her eyes narrowed just faintly, not suspicious—simply observant. "The trees speak to those who listen. I'm curious what they've said to you."

She remained perfectly still, hands folded lightly in front of her, every line of her posture open, calm.

"May I ask your name, traveler?"

Delvin jeth

 

[Delvin jeth]

Nitya Xeraic

Delvin felt her approach but didn't look away or acknowledge it until the woman spoke which made him turn to face her. "What can I say trees that can communicate with eachother is a rather rare phenomena in the galaxy I came to see how they do such communication" he said being honest. To the woman he had no reason to lie here it was what he was doing after all as he stood there listening to her speak "although the trees beauty pales in comparison to your own" he said honestly standing there calmly with nothing to hide and no hostility just pure honesty she was attractive to the eye however she decided to take that was up to her.

standing there "i have been here a while this is my fourth day here" he said still not moving "they speak of harmony through life and peace" he said honestly. As he looked at her "my name is delvin jeth may I ask your name?" He asked back with hidden mild curiosity in his voice for the beautiful woman before him.

 

[Nitya Xeraic]

Nitya felt him before he even turned.
Not sharply, not like a warning—more like the moment dusk settles over a forest. A presence drawn inward, shadowed but not threatening. Darkness without teeth. Controlled.

The compliment made her blink once, slow and deliberate. Her glowing eyes softened, the faintest shift of warmth in their golden hue.

"Honesty seems to be a habit of yours," she said gently. "And… noted."
A small acknowledgment, nothing flustered or dismissive.
Just truth meeting truth.

She stepped closer, studying him with her steady calm. He was striking in a way she did not need to say aloud—white hair, violet eyes, the refined symmetry common to Arkanians. A beauty that carried calculation rather than vanity.

"I'm Nitya Xeraic," she offered, inclining her head.

Her gaze lingered on him a heartbeat longer than necessary.
Not discomfort—simply curiosity.

"You hide your presence with purpose," she continued softly. "But not out of fear. Not deceit." Her eyes narrowed just slightly, thoughtful. "Your nature runs… darker than most who visit this world. But it is a quiet darkness. Contained. Listening."

She lifted her chin slightly, almost inviting.

"You may relax it, if you wish. I am not disturbed by the shadows a person carries."

A breath of wind passed between them, stirring her hair.

"Now… tell me what the trees have told you, Delvin Jeth."

Delvin jeth

 

[Delvin jeth]

He watched the woman before him studying her movements and her mannerisms he wasn't the best when it came to people. So he had to study them to read on what other saw naturally he could tell she took the compliment well better than he thought the compliment would land. If he was reading her right as their eyes locked he thought he felt something but was unsure of what it was.

"I see no use in deception and lies especially when I see a woman who's more beautiful than any other I've seen before" he said gauging her response. What he spoke was true but he also didn't get out that much spending most of his time studying wierd phenoma. Or in his lab doing work.

" Nitya Xeraic a name fitting of the woman who has it" he said standing there as people walk by looking her over it made his heart skip a beat for half a second which surprised him not enough to show on the arkanians face. But Still he took a step closer his muscles hidden under loose fitting clothing listening to her speak he let his darkside aura out it held no rage no lust for power it felt controlled tamed. Calm even just then he saw the wind rustle her hair it made his heart skip again for some reason he didn't like the sensation at all but felt comforted by.

"The trees tell me to seek companionship and leave the dark" he said standing there honestly looking at the woman before him.

 

[Nitya Xeraic]

His presence had settled now, no longer hidden, no longer dimmed. Darkness, yes — but quiet darkness. The kind that lived like a shadow at dusk rather than a storm at midnight. Nitya felt it curl around the edges of the forest's energy, not smothering it, simply blending, searching.

When he spoke once more with that direct, disarming honesty of his, she exhaled softly — the closest she came to a laugh.

"You are very forthcoming, Delvin Jeth," she murmured. "Most who come here speak with caution. You speak with certainty." It wasn't reproach. Or encouragement. Just truth — offered gently, like a stone placed neatly on a path.

He stepped closer. She didn't step back. Instead, she let the space shift, adjusting with a quiet ease. Her glowing eyes lingered on his face a moment longer than politeness required — not openly admiring, but quietly taking him in.

When he fully released his presence, she sensed it wash through the air like a tide. Controlled. Tamed. A darkness that had learned patience rather than hunger.

"You hold the dark the way some hold grief," she said, voice soft. "Close. Contained. Familiar."

She tilted her head, studying him.
"It doesn't disturb me."

A breeze rustled between them, brushing strands of her hair across her cheek. She didn't tuck them behind her ear. Instead, she motioned toward a narrow path that wound between the living structures of Aven Reach.

"If it's tea you want," she said gently, "it is not served here."

Her tone warmed a fraction — subtle, but unmistakable.

"My home is a short walk through the forest. A small temple. Quiet… but comfortable enough for conversation."

She took a single step down the path, then paused and looked back at him over her shoulder.

"You're welcome to join me, Delvin. Only if you wish."

The invitation held no pressure. No push. Only openness — and the first true spark of connection.

Delvin jeth

 

[Delvin jeth]

Nitya Xeraic
"Honesty is the best virtue" he said standing watching the air rustle her hair seeing her hair rest against her cheek he got the urge to move it behind her ear as he looked into her eyes. Taking in the woman's features he resisted the urge to mover her hair as of right now just taking in the woman before him she was quite the specimen.

He was glad she wasnt frightened by his darkside aura and even more glad she didn't attack him on sight for it. It almost seemed like she welcomed it to a degree which he was glad for which surprised even the arkanian.

The warmth in her tone although fractunally increased was unmistakable even to delvin "tea sounds wonderful especially with such captivating company as yourself" he said as he watched her begin to walk the path.

He found himself looking at her silhouette from each of her sides without moving it took him a second hearing her voice as he snapped back to reality as he then began following her. "I'm sure its far more comfortable than you give ir credit for plus spending time with a woman of unparalleled beauty could make any situation more comfortable" he said. Being honest as he walked by her side following her lead to their destination.

 

[Nitya Xeraic]

The compliments came easily to him—too easily, in fact—and though Nitya kept her expression composed, a subtle shift of awareness passed through her posture. She didn't withdraw; she let the words settle like leaves drifting into still water, allowing them to touch but not overwhelm.

"Honesty is admirable," she said gently as they began walking, her tone warm but still even, "provided it does not rush ahead of understanding."

Not a reprimand.
Not a refusal.
Just a quiet reminder that she moved at a different pace.

Her glowing eyes remained forward, navigating the narrow forest trail with practiced ease. The filtered sunlight dappled her skin, catching in the faint luminescence of her Zorren heritage. The breeze brushed her hair again, but she made no move to adjust it, letting the strands rest against her cheek. She sensed the impulse in him—to reach, to touch—but felt him restrain it.

That restraint… meant more than the words.

When he spoke again, offering another admiring phrase, she inhaled slowly, letting the air cool her thoughts before releasing it.

"You are generous with your praise," she murmured, glancing toward him from the corner of her eye. "Though I admit, I'm not accustomed to being called captivating."

Her tone carried a hint of quiet humor.
A soft deflection, gentle but unmistakably present.

"As for the comfort of my home…" She let her gaze return to the winding path ahead. "It is simple. Solitude shapes a place differently than company does. But if you find comfort in the quiet—or in conversation—then it will serve its purpose."

Her steps slowed slightly to walk beside him instead of ahead, the shift subtle but intentional. She didn't deny him closeness, but she didn't invite anything overwhelming either—just a calm, steady presence walking beside his.

"And Delvin," she added, her voice softening in that fractional way he had noticed before, "beauty is not only found in faces. It is found in patience. In tone. In the way someone listens." A tiny breath. "And in honesty… when it is tempered with respect."

The forest opened just then, revealing the small stone temple tucked between ancient trees.

She paused, letting the view speak for her.

"Welcome," she said quietly, stepping aside to gesture him in. "To where I keep my peace. And where we can share tea… at a pace that suits us both."

Delvin jeth

 

[Delvin jeth]

Nitya Xeraic

Delvin walked with her through the forest path he spent too little time in nature if he was being honest he spent most of his time in a lab under artificial lighting. This was a welcome change of scenery this whole planet was he didn't realize how much he missed fresh air and the company of someone who wasn't a scientist he didn't expect to find it in what he suspected was a jedi.

She was pleasant company probably more pleasant than the geneticist deserved but he would take it not feeling ashamed or sorry for himself at all as they walked "the scenery here is amazing you are lucky to live here" he said honestly.

Walking with her it felt kind of surreal he was used to icy tundras not forests as he listened to her speak "I am sorry if my praise has been too forth coming and direct I merely spoke my mind nitya I am sorry i meant no disrespect" he offered.

He would make a mental note of that going forward for her benefit if they ever met again. He continued to listen to her speak "I spoke as a geneticist about your looks and it demeaned you i will correct myself going forward and try to respect your wishes" the arkanian said looking at her as they walked. He genuinely meant no disrespect and didn't realise he might be objectifying the woman beside him.

He had noticed that she had slowed down to walk beside him. Then noticing her stony temple he smiled "its very rustic flows almost perfectly with nature you chose a perfect place if I may say so" he said standing there.

Taking in the scenery and the sounds of the forest he let a smile creep to his lips "this place definitely fits for a peaceful place" he offered it wasn't his idea of peaceful but saw the value of it.

"What kinds of tea do you have nitya I would love some" he asked as looked over to her.

 

[Nitya Xeraic]

Nitya listened without interrupting, her steps steady along the forest path as Delvin spoke. The filtered light through the trees cast shifting patterns across the ground, and the forest's quiet welcomed every word he offered as though absorbing them into its calm.

When he apologized, something in her expression softened—just slightly, but enough to shift the air between them.

"You did not disrespect me," she said softly. "You simply spoke in the way you know how. But beauty… is more than observation. It is better felt through patience than through declarations."

A quiet breath escaped her, not quite a sigh—more like the release of something held gently.

"And I appreciate your willingness to adjust. That speaks more highly of you than any compliment."

Her tone wasn't chastising.
It was warm, grounding, and quietly appreciative.

As the temple came into view—its stone softened by moss, its wooden lattice intertwined with living branches—Nitya paused beside him. The forest breeze brushed against them, carrying the scent of sap and cold earth.

"I am fortunate to live here," she admitted, her golden eyes tracing the outline of her secluded home. "The forest has a way of reminding me of what matters. Of what endures."

His comment earned a faint smile from her—gentle, fleeting, but real.

"Rustic is a kind way to describe it. Peaceful is better."

She led him up the smooth stone steps and pushed the carved wooden door open. Warm light spilled out, carrying the faint aroma of herbs and dried leaves. The interior was simple but harmonious—woven mats, carved shelves, and a small hearth where a kettle already waited.

Delvin's question about tea drew her attention back to him, and her tone warmed noticeably.

"I keep several varieties," she said, moving toward a neatly arranged wooden box on a low shelf. She opened it, revealing small containers labeled in a delicate hand. "Mountain mint from Oralis Prime. A smoked leaf blend from Taanab. A calming root tea from Jedha."

Then she lifted a small tin that looked older, the lid worn smooth from years of handling.

"But this one is my favorite."

She held it gently, almost reverently.

"Juniper tea. From Commenor. Before the Empire took the world."
A faint glow of memory touched her eyes.
"My mother ruled in the Juniper Province for a time. We lived there when I was young. The scent… reminds me of those days."

She offered the tin toward him, inviting him to breathe in the fragrance—soft, woodsy, bright.

"If you would like to try it, I would be glad to share it with you. It is… comforting. And rare."

Her voice was warm now.
Not flustered.
Not distant.

Just quietly open.

"Or if you prefer something else," she added, "I will make whichever you choose."

Delvin jeth

 

[Delvin jeth]

Delvin stayed beside her and listened to Nitya Xeraic speak as they walked up to the temple and her home remaining silent listening to her voice. Especially as they entered her home it was homey and quaint he wasn't sure how to put it into words Especially how to say it without sounding offensive or mean as the scenarios ran in his mind as he sat down on a chair. His face neutral "your home is lovely and smells amazing" he said honestly.

Nature did have a way of reminding one of how things worked in a way a lab never could he listened to her speak about her choices of tea. Aswell as her favorite tea he smelled the tea "it smells amazing but since it holds such sentimental value to you I'll let you savor every cup" he said as he sat down. He wouldn't deprive her of something that held such sentimental value especially due to the fact she was being such a gracious host so far and he felt there might be something between them.

Or atleast there might be in the future as he sat there "I will take the tea from taanab if its not to much trouble" he asked looking at her her eyes they showed she was reminiscing about past times with family. He wasn't sure what to say about her family situation he didn't have all the information and didn't want to speak out of turn "our lives may change but sometimes change can bring forth future that might be better" he said honestly sitting there watching her.

 

[Nitya Xeraic]

Nitya moved through her small kitchen with quiet familiarity, the kind born of years of ritual rather than convenience. Though the temple was simple, every item had its place, and every movement had its purpose. The faint aroma of steeping herbs began to blend with the natural scent of the wooden beams and river stones she had used to build the home.

At Delvin's words, she glanced over her shoulder — not startled, but with a small warmth softening the lines of her expression.

"Thank you," she said quietly. "It has become a place that reflects the way I live. Stillness, and small comforts."
Her gaze held his for a moment. "I am glad it feels pleasant to you."

When he declined the Commenori juniper tea, something subtle flickered behind her eyes — not disappointment, not offense, but a gentle kind of acknowledgement. She turned back to the teapot, the steam rising in calm, pale swirls.

"You are considerate," she said after a moment, setting a cup before him. "But you needn't refuse something simply because I treasure it. I keep it to share. Sentiment grows through the company, not protection."

Her tone was soft — not chiding, not pressing — just honest in a way that flowed naturally from her.

Still, she poured the Taanab blend he'd chosen, the warm herbal scent grounding and earthy. When she sat across from him, the glow of her Zorren eyes softened with the light of the small lantern beside them, casting a gold halo across her features.

His comment about change settled lightly in the air between them.

"Change is constant," she agreed, fingers wrapped around her own cup, absorbing its warmth. "Sometimes gentle. Sometimes violent. But… necessary."

She studied him for a breath, not invasive, just attentive — noticing the way he sat, the way he watched her, the quiet tension beneath the calm he showed.

"Most people fear change," she continued, "because it asks them to release what they've held too tightly. But you—"

Her head tilted slightly.

"You speak of change as though you are hoping for it."

A pause. A soft, contemplative breath.

"Or perhaps waiting for it."

She didn't press further. Instead, she lifted her cup, inhaling the scent before taking a slow sip — leaving the space open for him to answer, or not, at his choosing.

Her tone remained warm, steady, and without expectation.

"Either way," she said gently, "you are fine here. For as long as you wish to stay."

Delvin jeth

 

[Delvin jeth]

Nitya Xeraic

Delvin sat there watching the jedi woman work taking in the sounds of her home amd the relative quiet of it unlike his lab. That was mostly sterilized steel and machines with test subjects in stasis this was a welcome change. "Small comforts can make a life worth living" he said honestly sitting there.

As she handed him the tea he accepted it gracefully as he listened to her speak about wanting to share the tea she loved. "Sharing is kind especially something you hold dear but I will not deprive someone of what they hold dear even if they dont mind sharing" he said honestly.

As they sat there he looked over her features that the lamp hit the light was gracious but he didn't say anything as he sat there he sipped his tea it was good.

"In science one comes to experience change want change" he said sitting there. "Change means results no matter what that result is good or bad" he continued speaking plainly and unemotionally as he took a sip of his tea. Speaking in facts as he was told he did often too often for most people it earned him a few enemies and fewer friends over the years.

"Sometimes unexpected change leads to technological or medical advancement" he said honestly. As he whent to pick up his cup " I wouldn't impose by staying to long i do have to get back to my lab soon I have a few experiments being run by my assistants" he said.

When he picked up his cup next his hand slipped and he spilled tea over his shirt causing a large stain his chest burns as the tea that stained his shirt. Burned his skin as he tore his shirt off revealing his muscular build below his shirt and the redness of his skin below "sorry about being inconsiderate and indecent" he said as he cleaned his chest off with the clean part of his shirt.

 

[Nitya Xeraic]

Nitya listened the way few people did — with her full attention, without interruption, her hands wrapped around her own cup as though anchoring herself in the warmth. As Delvin spoke of change, of science, of results and consequences, something in her expression eased. It was the first time he had spoken to her without framing his words around her appearance, and she recognized the shift.

"I appreciate this," she said quietly, her voice soft but certain. "Hearing you speak about what matters to you, rather than what you see when you look at me."

There was no accusation in the words — only gratitude.
And perhaps a small, almost unseen tenderness.

"I prefer knowing a person by the shape of their thoughts."

She lifted her cup again, sipping slowly, eyes half-lowered in a thoughtful, peaceful manner as he continued. She listened to every word, the steady cadence of his scientific reasoning soothing in a way she didn't entirely expect.

"You speak of change the way I speak of the Force," she murmured, a faint golden glow catching in her eyes. "Not as destruction or upheaval, but as transformation. Something that reveals truth, even when the truth is uncomfortable."

She was about to say more — until his hand slipped.

The cup toppled.
Tea spilled.
And instinct overtook thought.

Nitya moved before she realized she had moved.

She set her own cup aside with a quiet, decisive click and came to her feet as the hot liquid splashed across his chest. A flicker of concern broke through her composure, her gaze snapping to the spreading stain and the angry red beneath it.

"Delvin—"

But he was already stripping the shirt away, pulling the burning fabric from his skin. The motion was sharp, almost startled, and the air between them shifted.

He apologized. She barely heard it.

Her breath stilled.

Not in shock — but in quiet, unmistakable appreciation.

He was… striking. More so, without the barrier of clothing. The lamplight traced the definition of his shoulders, the sculpted lines of muscle, the pale contrast of his Arkanian skin against the warmth of the room. The burn drew her back to herself, though her gaze lingered a second longer than she expected.

"You are not being indecent," she said gently, stepping closer. "You're in pain."

Her voice softened even more, the tone dipping into something warmer.

"And you look…"
A pause — brief, but revealing.
"…completely uninjured by embarrassment, at the very least."

Her fingers hovered near his skin, stopping just short of touching the reddened area.

"May I?" she asked quietly, respecting even this small boundary. "I can treat the burn."

She held his gaze then — steady, golden, open — and in the soft lamplight, the appreciation in her eyes was impossible to mistake.

Delvin jeth

 

[Delvin jeth]

Nitya Xeraic

The burn hurt but he had experienced far worse as he stared down at the woman before him he had seen her reaction and her gaze at his muscles his abs pronounced. "If that is all you wish to due then go ahead but I believe your eyes might have decieved you" he said teasingly to her. As he looked at her in the lamplight her pale features accented by it he wouldn't make any sudden moves letting her heal him. "Getting to know someone by their mind is Noble and makes for a better connection nitya" he said watching her work on healing him.

"I must admit I didn't expect to find someone as intriguing as you when I came to this planet" he said honestly. There was only honesty in his eyes and the way he spoke as he looked into her eyes he looked to his burn it was gone "you work quick it's almost like it never happened" he said with a smile as he looked at her.

 

[Nitya Xeraic]

Nitya did not flinch at the teasing lilt in his voice; instead, her expression softened in a way that suggested she recognized it for what it was — not arrogance, not presumption, but an attempt to lighten the moment, to test the air between them without overstepping. The faintest breath of amusement touched her lips, something subtle and fleeting, yet warmer than anything she had shown him before.

"Believe me," she murmured as she reached for a small cloth and dipped it in cool water, her voice smooth and low, "my eyes do not deceive me."

The words came out gentler than she expected, shaped by honesty rather than intention, and she let them stand without retracting or clarifying. Instead, she eased closer, the lamplight catching the gold in her eyes as she inspected the reddened skin across his chest. Up close, the contrast between her careful, deliberate movements and the sculpted definition of his bare torso created an unexpected heat beneath her calm exterior, one she mastered quietly but did not deny.

She lifted a hand, hovering just above his skin before letting her fingertips settle lightly along the unburned edge of his chest. Her touch was neither timid nor bold, simply precise — the way a healer moves when they know exactly what they're doing. Warm light gathered in her palm, soft and luminous, spreading its glow across the reddened skin in a slow, steady wave that carried both relief and something gently intimate.

"You say the connection of the mind is noble," she said, her tone smooth and contemplative as she guided the healing through his skin, "and I agree. But there is merit in what the eyes notice as well. The way someone carries themselves speaks as loudly as their thoughts."

Her gaze lifted briefly to his face — only briefly, yet it held a depth that suggested she was seeing far more than surface-level intrigue.

"You are not an easy man to overlook," she added softly, "and not only because of your physique."

Her fingers drifted a little farther across his chest as she assessed the last remnants of the burn, the warmth of her healing slowly ebbing as the skin knitted smooth again. When the final ripple of light faded, she rested her hand for just one quiet moment against the newly healed skin — not out of necessity anymore, but out of a stillness that seemed to anchor them both.

His admission — I didn't expect to find someone as intriguing as you — lingered in the air between them, warm and unguarded. Nitya let the words wash over her, her calm not breaking, but shifting just slightly into something softer, more receptive.

"Neither did I," she replied, her voice low enough to feel like a secret the room itself was holding for them. "This world is quiet. I expected crystals, storms, solitude… not conversation. Not a connection."

She drew her hand back slowly, brushing her palm lightly against her thigh to release the last trace of lingering warmth, and only then allowed herself to breathe fully again.

When he smiled and remarked on how quickly she healed him, she met the expression with a small, serene smile of her own — rare but genuine.

"It happened because you allowed it," she said gently, folding the cloth and setting it aside. "Healing is a partnership. Force or medicine, it works best when the person receiving it does not resist."

Her gaze drifted over him once more — not in hunger, not in haste, but in quiet appreciation she made no effort to hide.

"And you," she added, her tone a soft thread of warmth woven through the stillness of the room, "are remarkably easy to work with."

A pause — a breath — an unspoken invitation in her steady, golden eyes. "Would you like some more tea?" she asked, though the question carried more meaning than her tone suggested.

It was not just about tea. It was about staying. About choosing this moment. About choosing her company. And she left the choice gently in his hands.

Delvin jeth

 

[Delvin jeth]

Nitya Xeraic

Delvin watched her heal him and listened as she spoke he stepped closer to as she finished healing him. He looked into her eyes and had looked into them every step of the way as she healed him watching her as he picked up on ques he thought where there but wasn't completely sure about. "Why wouldn't I allow it when the person healing me is such an interesting woman who knows what they are doing" he said confidently.

She had peaked his interest which was hard to do in most cases on first meeting especially given why he was on planet. And their opposing ideals but he was interested to see how this ended and watch the journey to that end. "Most things are easier if there is no resistance but there usually is" he said as he looked her form over himself.

As soon as she said he was easy to work with he gave her a smirk then he gently pushed her against a wall his purple eyes looking into her golden orbs and smiled as he pinned her hands loosely above her head as he kissed her deeply passionately enough to set fireworks off for longer than one might expect a first kiss between people to go before he pulled back. Letting go of her hands "I'll try that tea you spoke so highly about" he said looking into her eyes the lamp light casting shadows apon his muscles giving them a shadowed outline as he looked at her.

 

[Nitya Xeraic]

The moment his hands lifted hers, pinning them gently above her head, she inhaled sharply—not in fear, but in surprise, in the sudden shift of energy, in the intensity she hadn't expected from a man who had spent the evening speaking in measured tones and careful honesty. And when his lips claimed hers, deep and confident and carrying a heat that contrasted sharply with the calm of her temple, Nitya didn't pull away.

For several long, suspended heartbeats… She kissed him back.

Her lips softened beneath his, yielding with a quiet, hungry curiosity that surprised even her. Her breath caught, warm against his mouth, and when she tilted her head just slightly to meet his more fully, her fingers flexed in his grasp—not to resist, but to feel, to react, to anchor herself in a moment she hadn't seen coming but wasn't ready to refuse.

When he finally eased back, releasing her hands, she remained against the wall for a heartbeat longer, chest rising with a shallow, quiet breath as she steadied herself. The lamplight caught the faint flush across her cheekbones, subtle but unmistakable.

Her golden eyes lifted to his—slowly, deliberately—and there was no confusion there, no uncertainty, only a measured, simmering awareness.

"That was…" She exhaled, the faintest tremor of surprise softening her voice. "…unexpected." A small, warm curve touched one corner of her mouth—rare, real, fleeting. "But not unwelcome."

Her gaze traveled briefly over his features, the shadowed lines of his shoulders, the burnished outline of his chest where his shirt had been discarded, before returning to meet his eyes again with quiet interest.

"You are…very bold, Delvin."

She stepped away from the wall, only an inch, enough to reclaim her breath without closing the space between them.

"And I find boldness…" A pause, long enough to be intentional. "…intriguing."

When he asked about the tea, she let a soft, low laugh escape her—gentle, warm, almost breathless. "Yes," she said, her voice steadier now but carrying a new undercurrent. "I'll pour the tea."

Then, meeting his eyes again, she added in a quieter tone: "But don't think I've forgotten that kiss."

She turned toward the kitchen alcove—not to flee, but to let him see the sway of her confidence returning, and the warmth lingering in her golden eyes.

Delvin jeth

 

[Delvin jeth]

Nitya Xeraic

Delvin locked eyes with her after their kiss ended she had enjoyed it just as much as he had from the looks of it. His eyes held amusement and a bit of relief "good to know maybe there might be another in the not so distant future then" he teased as little bit of a smirk formed on his lips. As he watched her and her reaction her blushing made him chuckle internally as he did not expect to meet someone like her or did he expect her to to illicit such things from him.

When she said he was bold he gave her a rather large smile "you haven't seen anything yet" he teased as he stepped closer to her "intriguing is a very intriguing choice of word" he said as he kept his eyes on her.

He watched her go into the kitchen alcove with confidence swaying as she did so. He followed and before she got to the tea he would spin her around and gently push her against a cabinet set looking into her eyes one of his hands traced her form from her hip to her cheek his eyes locked to hers. As he leaned in for another kiss this one would be just as passionate as the last but he wouldn't pull back he would remain in the kiss until she pulled back. His arms wrapped around her waist holding her gently.

 

[Nitya Xeraic]

The second kiss stole far more breath from her than she had prepared for. The moment Delvin turned her and pressed her back against the cabinet, the smooth, deliberate certainty in his movements rippled through her like a current finding a long-dormant channel. She felt his hand slide from her hip to her cheek, warm and confident. Instead of stiffening or hesitating, her body answered him instinctively — a soft exhale against his mouth, her palms finding his waist, fingers curling lightly into the fabric there as though anchoring herself to the moment.

His kiss was deep, insistent, full of unguarded intention. And gods help her, she met it with a quiet hunger of her own. Her lips moved with his in a slow, deliberate rhythm, not rushed but undeniably receptive, tasting him, learning him, letting him feel the way her breath warmed each shared exhale. When his arms wrapped around her waist, she didn't shy away — she pressed subtly nearer, letting the heat of him settle against her, her hands sliding up along his sides to his back, steady and sure. She didn't cling… but she held him, and that was its own kind of admission.

When she finally drew back, it wasn't a retreat so much as a pause, her lips hovering close enough that the faintest shift would bring them together again. She breathed softly against his mouth, golden eyes half-lidded and warm, her pulse steady but unmistakably quickened. Their foreheads nearly brushed, her hands still resting against him, not moving away.

"Delvin…" she whispered, and his name carried not hesitation but an awareness of him, of herself, of the fire sparking between them.

She held his gaze, letting him see the pull he had awakened. "You are very forward," she murmured, but her lips curved slightly as she said it, the kind of smile that belonged only to someone who wasn't displeased in the slightest. Her thumb traced a slow, thoughtful arc along his side, a small point of deliberate contact that revealed far more willingness than any bold declaration could.

"And very confident," she added, eyes dipping for a heartbeat to his mouth before rising again. "Most men would hesitate before taking such liberties with a woman they've only just met."

She leaned in a fraction, enough that her cheek brushed his for the briefest moment, her breath warm against the corner of his jaw. When she spoke again, her voice was deeper, softened by the lingering closeness of the kiss.

"But I didn't stop you," she confessed quietly, openly. "And I didn't want to."

Her fingers slid up his arm, slow and unhurried, following the line of muscle beneath her touch as though committing him to memory. There was no tension in her posture, no guardedness — just a calm, growing heat and the unmistakable sense that she was choosing this deliberately.

"I'm interested, Delvin," she continued, tone low, intimate. "More than I expected to be, more quickly than I intended." Her hand settled at the back of his shoulder, her body still close, still warm, still very much drawn to him. "But I like intention. I like to feel each moment… rather than be swept blindly through them."

She tilted her head, brushing her nose lightly against his in a gesture both tender and inviting. Her voice dropped to a murmur meant only for him.

"If you want to kiss me again… then do it because you want the moment, not because you want to overwhelm it."

Her lips barely grazed his as she finished, a feather-light, deliberate tease that promised far more than it denied.

"I'm not going anywhere," she whispered, eyes burning softly into his. "And right now… neither should you."

Delvin jeth