[ Surprisingly, of all things, its her fingers brushing over his tail that gets him to stir. It shifts, scales rubbing against the bare surface of her skin... to think that those same scales were used in such a manner last night. He owes an apology to all those who were felled by a lash of his tail in the past. ]
Hn...
[ Still, for better or worse, he was successful in sleeping off his pent-up desire. There's a low rumble to his voice as he turns over, eyes just slightly open as he glances in her direction. ]
...
[ ...For a moment, there's no reaction. Then, with the realization of where his tail is, his eyes widen.
...he still says nothing, but his tail slowly starts to recede and unwrap from around her as he promptly looks away.
[ The moment his eyes settle on her, she becomes deeply, deeply aware of just what a state she's in. Her shift is still in tatters and the result is her looking somehow even more immodest than if she'd been left completely bare and that's not even getting into her dishevelled hair and the steadily increasing flush covering her face and down her neck. She parts her lips wanting to - she doesn't even know. Apologize? Pretend nothing had happened? But then the warm weight of his tail unfurls from around her and as he looks away, she realises - oh. he's embarrassed too.
She stares for a moment, then has to press her lips together to suppress the smile threatening to curl up the corners of her mouth. The Mors King, the terrifying creature she'd been sent here to fend off... is embarrassed, just like she is. It's almost...
[ As if they can pretend nothing happened... even if he'd really like to. Just one look at her was enough to make the memories come flooding back, and he's sure that would be the case even if she wasn't dressed so provocatively.
Which is, of course, his own fault. ]
...You're quite the woman, you know that?
[ He lets out a sigh. It's not like he can really talk... though he does have the excuse of this being the whole purpose of her staying here anyway. ]
[ This time a smile does touch her lips, even if it's only a sheepish one. He's not mad at her, at least... ]
Is that so...
[ She's has no idea if it's supposed to be a compliment or a complaint, so that seems safest for now. She carefully sits up, keeping the ruined shift clutched around her as best she can - there's a not unpleasant soreness between her legs and she blushes all over again at the feel of it. It's funny - what they'd done last night had been exactly the sort of thing she'd been so afraid of when she'd first arrived here. But now... ]
Was it... [ Pause. Swallow. ] Were you... satisfied?
[ They both know he wasn't. But it's the closest she can come to asking whether or not that was a single moment of madness or something she needs to anticipate again - whatever form of anticipation it takes. ]
[ As usual, there's no response at first... just silence, as if he's contemplating his answer, but... ]
...yeah, seeing you fall from grace was quite entertaining.
[ Ultimately, what comes out is the sound of his usual jeer as he sits up and grins at her. God, fuck, does she realize that trying to cover herself up with so little is pointless? It actually kind of makes it worse. ]
...Though I suppose from now on you won't be satisfied with any less. Don't worry, if nothing else, your fall will at least be a pleasant one.
[ You know what they say... when you have no idea what to do, the best course of action is to double down. That's what they say, right? ]
[ Something warm and a little shameful unfurls in her chest at that, though she does her best to tamp it down. Last night had been so, so intense, and she knows without a shadow of a doubt that if she's given the chance again, she'd take it - even though that surely makes her the worst, most unforgivably impure Saintess there's ever been. If she can even call herself a Saintess anymore after begging so eagerly for a monster's attentions.
But...
He's right.
There's no way she'll be satisfied with anything else anymore.
Again, she waits for the shame - maybe even the guilt and the disgust. Shouldn't she feel violated? Dirty, used, ashamed? All that really crests is a sense of spiteful satisfaction - Fragaria sent her here to die, after all. How wretched a girl must the Saintess be that they'd be so much more horrified by what she'd done last night?
She swallows hard again and nods. ]
Then I'll do my best not to disappoint you.
[ She pushes the covers back, making to slide out of bed to prepare herself for the day like usual but - ]
... Ah.
[ Oh, uh. She really can't go anywhere in this state, can she? ]
[ He chuckles... but as he turns away, his heart is anything but amused. If anything, it's a raging storm... because despite everything, despite everything...
...he finds himself looking forward to it.
Disarray is the only possible result from having that mixed in... as when faced with the feelings he still has for her...
What would she say...? Would she be upset? Furious with him? Come to think of it, he rarely ever saw her get mad. Upset, sure. Frustrated, with him frequently... but she'd always smiled at him again eventually. If she were to see him now, how would she react? Aside from being horrified at what he's become, that is. ]
...Hm?
[ He hears the noise she makes and glances back at her, confused. ]
...What? Don't tell me you can't walk, I didn't do that much.
[ Though her brain unhelpfully decides to pipe up with speculation of exactly how he might accomplish that before she firmly quashes the thought. ]
Um. It's just, my clothes are a bit...
[ She holds out a piece of the shift, torn beyond saving, with a brittle little smile. It's the same one she's been wearing since she came from Fragaria, made of a cotton blend that probably cost enough to feed a small family for a month - and just a second under the Mors King's claws was all it took to reduce it to worthless rags. ]
I can probably manage without one under my clothes until it's replaced b-but...
[ She really can't walk around naked until she's bathed and dressed...! ]
[ He raises an eyebrow at her, genuinely a bit baffled. Certainly, walking around like that is... well, it's certainly bold but it's not as if there's anybody else to see her... aside from himself.
That, in and of itself, poses it's own problems... but most easily solved by simply averting his eyes. ]
...What, choosing now to have some shame? Deal with it.
[ Though it is at the very least A Little Bit that ]
It's too cold in here for me without anything at all. And it'll be even worse once I've bathed. So...
[ What even is she expecting him to do here, anyway? She has the horrible suspicion that he really might just leave her to suffer through this on her own, and wouldn't that be the perfect payback for her behaviour last night... ]
[ It would be the perfect payback, but... is it really that cold? He supposes she did mention it last night, but...
He squints at her, considering whether or not he lets her suffer through this as payback, but in the end... ]
Ugh... fine. You can manage at least getting to the bathroom, so go take a bath. I'll bring you something.
[ It's an acceptable compromise. He gets a bit of payback, but he still gets her a change of clothes... hey, why the hell is he caving so easily anyway!? ]
[ That's... unexpected. ... Or on second thoughts, is it really? For all he complains and makes a show of treating her poorly, has the Mors King ever actually failed to accommodate her in all the time she's been here? Tormenting her would be as easy as keeping her half starved and denying her a place to sleep or bathe but he's done none of that. The worst he's done is assign her chores like the maidservant she'd offered to be and made a show of shallowly indulging in her body at night. Last night had been the only time he'd truly crossed the line in that regard... and it was only because she'd asked.
Something has changed. Something has shifted and Ai isn't quite sure what to make of it yet. Instead, she just dips her head with a murmur of thanks and slips out from under the covers, tattered shift and all. As expected, the cold air on her skin is unpleasant but not unbearable, especially when she knows she has a hot bath to look forward to. Quietly thanking whoever attached the bathing area to the Mors King's chambers, she hurries over into them, trying not to think too hard about how much of a disgrace she must look like this. ]
Of course I'm sure. Now get going before I change my mind...
[ Or before he comes to his senses... one of the two. Still, chances of him coming to his senses must be slim, because his eyes drift to her yet again as she runs to clean herself up, and...
Well, she's not wrong about looking disgraceful, but his eyes remain fixed on her all the way until she vanishes into the bathing chambers. ]
Shit...
[ He finally tears his eyes away and sighs, looking out at the perpetually darkened sky through a nearby window. ]
[ Like almost everything else in the castle, the baths really are fit for a king - or a dragon. Even as a Saintess back in Fragaria, treated with the same revrence as any noble, she's never seen facilities as luxurious as this. The bath is huge and deep, set low into the floor and far down enough that if she cared to wade out into the water, she's certain she'd end up swimming. Wherever the water comes from, it comes out piping hot and smelling of herbs and flowers she can't name, filling the air with sweet, fragrant steam. She supposes it must be magic keeping it all functional - no need to chop wood to keep the water warmed and certainly no attendants running to and fro. It means she has privacy, which is nice.
But it also means it's quiet enough for her to think, which is decidedly less so.
What exactly is she doing here? Even with the hot water lapping at her, she's still all too aware of that pleasant soreness between her legs. Last night should have been an aberration, a terrible mistake she should be trying to scrub out of her skin even now. Instead, when she thinks about the promise in his sneer and the prospect of another night like the last, something deep in her gut twists and clenches with something that is, undeniably, anticipation.
It really makes no sense. Again, she searches her heart for any sense of shame or debasement but she finds none of it. Maybe he was right to call her dirty - ah, there's really no maybe about it, is there?
She sighs and sinks down in the water up to her chin, untied hair floating loosely around her. If she was a real Saintess, maybe this would be when God or anybody would give her some kind of sign or guidance. But of course, if she was a real Saintess, she wouldn't be in this mess in the first place. ]
[ Oberon still remembers when the bath was designed. It had been Titania's idea, really. Said something about how it wasn't right that the bath couldn't fit his dragon form... but his true form at it's full size would've required something rather absurd in terms of size, which even with magic, was simply unreasonable.
Still, with the level of control he has over his own form, downsizing was easy enough... and at his smallest, the goal of making a dragon-sized bath was finally feasible.
Honestly, he still thinks it was more trouble than it was worth... all the intricate magic at play just for the sake of a luxurious experience, and yet she had looked so proud of it once it was done that he couldn't help but— ]
Coming in.
[ He at least announces himself before pushing the doors open, striding in with the first dress of hers that he could find. Still, he doesn't seem to pay any mind to the loss of her privacy as he sets it down off to the side for her later. ]
[ She'd been anticipating his arrival but if the way the water splashes around her as she jolts up in response to his voice, he still manages to startle her. She turns to face him, loose strands of damp hair sticking to her cheek and neck, and flashes him a slightly sheepish smile. ]
Thank you. ... Sorry to trouble you with this.
[ As if it's not his fault in the first place that she needed the help, but she'll keep that to herself. It probably goes without saying.
She swallows and tries to fix her smile into something a little more natural, though there's no missing the slight flush rising in her cheeks. ]
If... you'd like to wash up as well, I can make sure to hurry.
[ Shit. She's too alluring... well, she was already that, but she's somehow getting even more alluring... was she really ever a Saintess? Or is she actually a temptress that Fragaria sent him in the guise of a Saintess?
...no, no they definitely considered her a Saintess, even if they were completely wrong. There goes the out of discovering that there's magic involved... not that it was ever an option. He's a dragon, he's immune to that kind of magical suggestion.
So the problem lies with him... and with that in mind, there's only one thing to do in that case.
Brute force the attraction out. ]
No, that won't be necessary.
[ After setting her clothes down, he starts to stride... towards the tub, stripping off his own clothes in the process. ]
[ On pure instinct, the instant she sees his shirt starting to come unbuttoned, Ai whips her head around and fixes her gaze firmly on the water, ears burning. In all the time she's been here and every entanglement they've ended up in, she's never seen the Mors King so much as shirtless before and it feels like the proper thing to do to avert her gaze.
... Of course, proper went so far out the window last night that it's probably halfway back to Fragaria by now. And, well, after last night, surely there's nothing left that would shock her. She's already felt what it's like to have his teeth at her throat and his claws in her thighs and his tail... um...
Okay, maybe thinking about that when they're about to be in the bath together is a bad idea. But she at least allows herself to turn back and peek coyly over her shoulder to watch him undress. Even though she's aware of her face burning, she tells herself that this is just fair and just payback for how often he's ogled her in her state of undress. ]
Are you certain...? I don't mind making myself scarce if you don't want to wait.
Huh? Don't be ridiculous. I'm not waiting, but I won't have you walk around the castle unclean. Otherwise I'd have tossed you in the dungeon.
[ He's glad she looks away, it means she won't be able to see the way his own cheeks briefly start to redden before he shakes his head, fortunately managing to disperse the flush of his pale cheeks before she decides to peek coyly over her shoulder... as if he isn't aware of her eyes on him the instant that they are.
There's seriously something wrong with him... he's a dragon, god damn it. This isn't even his true form, he has no reason to feel shame over it, especially since he'd hardly feel shame over her gazing at his true draconic form. Thinking this, he manages to keep the shame away... for however long that lasts. ]
...It's rude to stare, you know.
[ Said as if he hasn't done the same to her with his trademark smirk as he discards his shirt onto the floor, moving onto his pants next. It's not like he's built particularly large. He's hardly a physique to aspire to... aside from his lanky height, at least. Still, the more important part is what comes once his pants drop, and...
...there's nothing there. His lower body—and legs, for that matter—is entirely draconic and covered in scales, meaning that should her eyes drift between his legs, she'll find herself looking at what seems to be an utter lack of genitalia whatsoever.
He is technically reptilian in nature, after all. ]
[ As if there's any difference. And it's not like he can complain when he's done more than enough of his fair share of staring at her. So she continues to indulge shamelessly. The sight of his bare skin has her strangely fascinated as does the lanky build of his muscles. He'd always felt so solid pressed against her back that it's a surprise to see just how lean he really is - almost skinny. For a being with as much control over his form as the Mors King has, wouldn't you think he'd have chosen a body built for battle?
She makes no attempt to hide the way her eyes drift downward, over the flat of his stomach and to the dark smooth scales across his thighs and lower torso, but... uh... well, she doesn't mean for her eyes to stall, but... ]
... So you really aren't... quite the same, not everywhere.
[ It's an audacious observation, but she can't help herself. She knows full well after being pressed into him last night that there's certainly not nothing down there, but... ]
[ The simple answer to his build...? Well, for one thing, it doesn't really matter. His body holds the same strength no matter what shape he takes, and he'd never felt particularly inclined to adjust the physique of this form, as it was all purely aesthetics in the end.
That and... this form was just the most comfortable for him.
He frowns at her before scoffing and continuing towards the tub. ]
Don't be coy, you. It's the same thing.
[ He steps into the water a good ways away from her, his tail hanging halfway out of the water as he settles down against the edge of the tub. If she had looked a little closer, she might've found the closed opening from where what she had felt would come out of, but with any luck the steam and water will obscure it well enough. ]
Of course not. What, are you nervous of what's to come, now?
[ She should be, he thinks... though maybe she isn't. She was already so confident in the fact that he wouldn't cross that line last night, and well... they certainly crossed a line last night, but he still hadn't crossed that one. ]
[ Her gaze stays focused on him as he makes his way to the water and despite the topic - despite everything about this situation, really - there's nothing lewd about her gaze. It certainly can't be called innocent, but something about the curiosity and interest in her expression is genuine. He's so rarely even the slightest bit open to her that this rare glimpse of him feels...
At his question, she swallows again, hard enough to make her throat visibly bob. For a moment, she weighs whether or not to be honest and how honest, precisely, she should be. Then finally, she surprises herself with a short nod. ]
Yes... I think. [ It's the truth - both her answer and her lack of certainty in it. ] It's not as if it'd be my first time. But... you look so much like any other man most of the time, I guess I'd just expected you to be...
[ The rest of her words float away as if taken by the steam. Then, a question in return for a question: ]
Would it... hurt? If you're so different, I mean.
[ She can endure just about anything besides being hurt, after all. ]
[ He glances her direction. Not her first time... not only had she already admitted as such last night, but he'd already suspected as much from the day they met. Still, hearing her say it again...
...for some reason, he thinks he likes it. ]
...Probably, yeah. Not for me, but you'd break right away.
[ He says it... and honestly, he means it. There may be nothing to see right now, but that's just a deception. When it really comes out, and if she were to actually take him...
He can't imagine it not hurting. Can't imagine it not breaking her completely. ]
[ Ah. That was the expected answer and yet, somehow, it still makes her heart sink. Of course it would hurt. Even aside from whatever difference in size they would naturally have... as easy as it's been for her to forget, he's still a dragon. Her body absolutely isn't built to take his, even in this form. Really, all things considered, she's lucky that she was able to manage last night?
... It's a little bizarre for them to be sat here talking about it so frankly. In all that time that's passed, any of that sort of talk has been threat veiled in innuendo, the sort of thing meant to upset and unsettle her. And after last night, where it had seemingly become clearer than ever just how little say she has over what he does with her body, shouldn't she feel all the more unsettled?
But it hadn't felt as though she'd had no say. She had asked - begged, even - and the Mors King had indulged her. ]
... Then... what you did last night... [ she's uh. trying to be delicate about it. on this of all topics, somehow. ] Did that not... satisfy you at all?
[ His eyebrow twitches. Honestly, he figured they'd have to talk about it at least a little... but isn't this a bit much? If she doesn't stop thinking about it, then he's not going to be able to stop thinking about it either... ]
...Well, I wouldn't say that. Seeing your face as you fell to pieces was plenty satisfying.
[ He says it with his usual grin, using innuendo to both throw her off and avoid directly answering that particular question. Of course he hadn't. His tail isn't exactly an erogenous zone... in fact, it'd be really troublesome if it were. ]
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no subject
Hn...
[ Still, for better or worse, he was successful in sleeping off his pent-up desire. There's a low rumble to his voice as he turns over, eyes just slightly open as he glances in her direction. ]
...
[ ...For a moment, there's no reaction. Then, with the realization of where his tail is, his eyes widen.
...he still says nothing, but his tail slowly starts to recede and unwrap from around her as he promptly looks away.
He's not embarrassed, shut up. ]
no subject
She stares for a moment, then has to press her lips together to suppress the smile threatening to curl up the corners of her mouth. The Mors King, the terrifying creature she'd been sent here to fend off... is embarrassed, just like she is. It's almost...
Well. It makes things a little easier, anyway. ]
... Good morning.
no subject
[ As if they can pretend nothing happened... even if he'd really like to. Just one look at her was enough to make the memories come flooding back, and he's sure that would be the case even if she wasn't dressed so provocatively.
Which is, of course, his own fault. ]
...You're quite the woman, you know that?
[ He lets out a sigh. It's not like he can really talk... though he does have the excuse of this being the whole purpose of her staying here anyway. ]
no subject
Is that so...
[ She's has no idea if it's supposed to be a compliment or a complaint, so that seems safest for now. She carefully sits up, keeping the ruined shift clutched around her as best she can - there's a not unpleasant soreness between her legs and she blushes all over again at the feel of it. It's funny - what they'd done last night had been exactly the sort of thing she'd been so afraid of when she'd first arrived here. But now... ]
Was it... [ Pause. Swallow. ] Were you... satisfied?
[ They both know he wasn't. But it's the closest she can come to asking whether or not that was a single moment of madness or something she needs to anticipate again - whatever form of anticipation it takes. ]
no subject
...yeah, seeing you fall from grace was quite entertaining.
[ Ultimately, what comes out is the sound of his usual jeer as he sits up and grins at her.
God, fuck, does she realize that trying to cover herself up with so little is pointless? It actually kind of makes it worse.]...Though I suppose from now on you won't be satisfied with any less. Don't worry, if nothing else, your fall will at least be a pleasant one.
[ You know what they say... when you have no idea what to do, the best course of action is to double down. That's what they say, right? ]
no subject
But...
He's right.
There's no way she'll be satisfied with anything else anymore.
Again, she waits for the shame - maybe even the guilt and the disgust. Shouldn't she feel violated? Dirty, used, ashamed? All that really crests is a sense of spiteful satisfaction - Fragaria sent her here to die, after all. How wretched a girl must the Saintess be that they'd be so much more horrified by what she'd done last night?
She swallows hard again and nods. ]
Then I'll do my best not to disappoint you.
[ She pushes the covers back, making to slide out of bed to prepare herself for the day like usual but - ]
... Ah.
[ Oh, uh. She really can't go anywhere in this state, can she? ]
no subject
...he finds himself looking forward to it.
Disarray is the only possible result from having that mixed in... as when faced with the feelings he still has for her...
What would she say...? Would she be upset? Furious with him? Come to think of it, he rarely ever saw her get mad. Upset, sure. Frustrated, with him frequently... but she'd always smiled at him again eventually. If she were to see him now, how would she react? Aside from being horrified at what he's become, that is. ]
...Hm?
[ He hears the noise she makes and glances back at her, confused. ]
...What? Don't tell me you can't walk, I didn't do that much.
no subject
[ Though her brain unhelpfully decides to pipe up with speculation of exactly how he might accomplish that before she firmly quashes the thought. ]
Um. It's just, my clothes are a bit...
[ She holds out a piece of the shift, torn beyond saving, with a brittle little smile. It's the same one she's been wearing since she came from Fragaria, made of a cotton blend that probably cost enough to feed a small family for a month - and just a second under the Mors King's claws was all it took to reduce it to worthless rags. ]
I can probably manage without one under my clothes until it's replaced b-but...
[ She really can't walk around naked until she's bathed and dressed...! ]
no subject
That, in and of itself, poses it's own problems... but most easily solved by simply averting his eyes. ]
...What, choosing now to have some shame? Deal with it.
[ What does she expect him to do anyway? ]
no subject
[ Though it is at the very least A Little Bit that ]
It's too cold in here for me without anything at all. And it'll be even worse once I've bathed. So...
[ What even is she expecting him to do here, anyway? She has the horrible suspicion that he really might just leave her to suffer through this on her own, and wouldn't that be the perfect payback for her behaviour last night... ]
no subject
[ It would be the perfect payback, but... is it really that cold? He supposes she did mention it last night, but...
He squints at her, considering whether or not he lets her suffer through this as payback, but in the end... ]
Ugh... fine. You can manage at least getting to the bathroom, so go take a bath. I'll bring you something.
[ It's an acceptable compromise. He gets a bit of payback, but he still gets her a change of clothes... hey, why the hell is he caving so easily anyway!? ]
Ugh... something is seriously wrong with me...
[ Or so he mutters under his breath. ]
no subject
[ That's... unexpected. ... Or on second thoughts, is it really? For all he complains and makes a show of treating her poorly, has the Mors King ever actually failed to accommodate her in all the time she's been here? Tormenting her would be as easy as keeping her half starved and denying her a place to sleep or bathe but he's done none of that. The worst he's done is assign her chores like the maidservant she'd offered to be and made a show of shallowly indulging in her body at night. Last night had been the only time he'd truly crossed the line in that regard... and it was only because she'd asked.
Something has changed. Something has shifted and Ai isn't quite sure what to make of it yet. Instead, she just dips her head with a murmur of thanks and slips out from under the covers, tattered shift and all. As expected, the cold air on her skin is unpleasant but not unbearable, especially when she knows she has a hot bath to look forward to. Quietly thanking whoever attached the bathing area to the Mors King's chambers, she hurries over into them, trying not to think too hard about how much of a disgrace she must look like this. ]
no subject
[ Or before he comes to his senses... one of the two. Still, chances of him coming to his senses must be slim, because his eyes drift to her yet again as she runs to clean herself up, and...
Well, she's not wrong about looking disgraceful, but his eyes remain fixed on her all the way until she vanishes into the bathing chambers. ]
Shit...
[ He finally tears his eyes away and sighs, looking out at the perpetually darkened sky through a nearby window. ]
What the hell am I doing, Titania...
no subject
But it also means it's quiet enough for her to think, which is decidedly less so.
What exactly is she doing here? Even with the hot water lapping at her, she's still all too aware of that pleasant soreness between her legs. Last night should have been an aberration, a terrible mistake she should be trying to scrub out of her skin even now. Instead, when she thinks about the promise in his sneer and the prospect of another night like the last, something deep in her gut twists and clenches with something that is, undeniably, anticipation.
It really makes no sense. Again, she searches her heart for any sense of shame or debasement but she finds none of it. Maybe he was right to call her dirty - ah, there's really no maybe about it, is there?
She sighs and sinks down in the water up to her chin, untied hair floating loosely around her. If she was a real Saintess, maybe this would be when God or anybody would give her some kind of sign or guidance. But of course, if she was a real Saintess, she wouldn't be in this mess in the first place. ]
no subject
Still, with the level of control he has over his own form, downsizing was easy enough... and at his smallest, the goal of making a dragon-sized bath was finally feasible.
Honestly, he still thinks it was more trouble than it was worth... all the intricate magic at play just for the sake of a luxurious experience, and yet she had looked so proud of it once it was done that he couldn't help but— ]
Coming in.
[ He at least announces himself before pushing the doors open, striding in with the first dress of hers that he could find. Still, he doesn't seem to pay any mind to the loss of her privacy as he sets it down off to the side for her later. ]
no subject
Thank you. ... Sorry to trouble you with this.
[ As if it's not his fault in the first place that she needed the help, but she'll keep that to herself. It probably goes without saying.
She swallows and tries to fix her smile into something a little more natural, though there's no missing the slight flush rising in her cheeks. ]
If... you'd like to wash up as well, I can make sure to hurry.
no subject
[ Shit. She's too alluring... well, she was already that, but she's somehow getting even more alluring... was she really ever a Saintess? Or is she actually a temptress that Fragaria sent him in the guise of a Saintess?
...no, no they definitely considered her a Saintess, even if they were completely wrong. There goes the out of discovering that there's magic involved... not that it was ever an option. He's a dragon, he's immune to that kind of magical suggestion.
So the problem lies with him... and with that in mind, there's only one thing to do in that case.
Brute force the attraction out. ]
No, that won't be necessary.
[ After setting her clothes down, he starts to stride... towards the tub, stripping off his own clothes in the process. ]
no subject
[ On pure instinct, the instant she sees his shirt starting to come unbuttoned, Ai whips her head around and fixes her gaze firmly on the water, ears burning. In all the time she's been here and every entanglement they've ended up in, she's never seen the Mors King so much as shirtless before and it feels like the proper thing to do to avert her gaze.
... Of course, proper went so far out the window last night that it's probably halfway back to Fragaria by now. And, well, after last night, surely there's nothing left that would shock her. She's already felt what it's like to have his teeth at her throat and his claws in her thighs and his tail... um...
Okay, maybe thinking about that when they're about to be in the bath together is a bad idea. But she at least allows herself to turn back and peek coyly over her shoulder to watch him undress. Even though she's aware of her face burning, she tells herself that this is just fair and just payback for how often he's ogled her in her state of undress. ]
Are you certain...? I don't mind making myself scarce if you don't want to wait.
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[ He's glad she looks away, it means she won't be able to see the way his own cheeks briefly start to redden before he shakes his head, fortunately managing to disperse the flush of his pale cheeks before she decides to peek coyly over her shoulder... as if he isn't aware of her eyes on him the instant that they are.
There's seriously something wrong with him... he's a dragon, god damn it. This isn't even his true form, he has no reason to feel shame over it, especially since he'd hardly feel shame over her gazing at his true draconic form. Thinking this, he manages to keep the shame away...
for however long that lasts.]...It's rude to stare, you know.
[ Said
as if he hasn't done the same to herwith his trademark smirk as he discards his shirt onto the floor, moving onto his pants next. It's not like he's built particularly large. He's hardly a physique to aspire to... aside from his lanky height, at least. Still, the more important part is what comes once his pants drop, and......there's nothing there. His lower body—and legs, for that matter—is entirely draconic and covered in scales, meaning that should her eyes drift between his legs, she'll find herself looking at what seems to be an utter lack of genitalia whatsoever.
He is technically reptilian in nature, after all. ]
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[ As if there's any difference. And it's not like he can complain when he's done more than enough of his fair share of staring at her. So she continues to indulge shamelessly. The sight of his bare skin has her strangely fascinated as does the lanky build of his muscles. He'd always felt so solid pressed against her back that it's a surprise to see just how lean he really is - almost skinny. For a being with as much control over his form as the Mors King has, wouldn't you think he'd have chosen a body built for battle?
She makes no attempt to hide the way her eyes drift downward, over the flat of his stomach and to the dark smooth scales across his thighs and lower torso, but... uh... well, she doesn't mean for her eyes to stall, but... ]
... So you really aren't... quite the same, not everywhere.
[ It's an audacious observation, but she can't help herself. She knows full well after being pressed into him last night that there's certainly not nothing down there, but... ]
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That and... this form was just the most comfortable for him.He frowns at her before scoffing and continuing towards the tub. ]
Don't be coy, you. It's the same thing.
[ He steps into the water a good ways away from her, his tail hanging halfway out of the water as he settles down against the edge of the tub. If she had looked a little closer, she might've found the closed opening from where what she had felt would come out of, but with any luck the steam and water will obscure it well enough. ]
Of course not. What, are you nervous of what's to come, now?
[ She should be, he thinks... though maybe she isn't. She was already so confident in the fact that he wouldn't cross that line last night, and well... they certainly crossed a line last night, but he still hadn't crossed that one. ]
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At his question, she swallows again, hard enough to make her throat visibly bob. For a moment, she weighs whether or not to be honest and how honest, precisely, she should be. Then finally, she surprises herself with a short nod. ]
Yes... I think. [ It's the truth - both her answer and her lack of certainty in it. ] It's not as if it'd be my first time. But... you look so much like any other man most of the time, I guess I'd just expected you to be...
[ The rest of her words float away as if taken by the steam. Then, a question in return for a question: ]
Would it... hurt? If you're so different, I mean.
[ She can endure just about anything besides being hurt, after all. ]
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...for some reason, he thinks he likes it. ]
...Probably, yeah. Not for me, but you'd break right away.
[ He says it... and honestly, he means it. There may be nothing to see right now, but that's just a deception. When it really comes out, and if she were to actually take him...
He can't imagine it not hurting. Can't imagine it not breaking her completely. ]
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... It's a little bizarre for them to be sat here talking about it so frankly. In all that time that's passed, any of that sort of talk has been threat veiled in innuendo, the sort of thing meant to upset and unsettle her. And after last night, where it had seemingly become clearer than ever just how little say she has over what he does with her body, shouldn't she feel all the more unsettled?
But it hadn't felt as though she'd had no say. She had asked - begged, even - and the Mors King had indulged her. ]
... Then... what you did last night... [ she's uh. trying to be delicate about it. on this of all topics, somehow. ] Did that not... satisfy you at all?
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[ His eyebrow twitches. Honestly, he figured they'd have to talk about it at least a little... but isn't this a bit much? If she doesn't stop thinking about it, then he's not going to be able to stop thinking about it either... ]
...Well, I wouldn't say that. Seeing your face as you fell to pieces was plenty satisfying.
[ He says it with his usual grin, using innuendo to both throw her off and avoid directly answering that particular question. Of course he hadn't. His tail isn't exactly an erogenous zone... in fact, it'd be really troublesome if it were. ]
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