abraxaslogs | [ CATCH-ALL ] the wishes I've made are too vicious to tell

That's what caught your attention?

[ The serious façade breaks, and she can't help but laugh, shaking her head. ]

You are so weird.

What do you want to drink?

[Of course that's not the first thing that's caught his attention; but the humor seems to land, regardless, and Sephiroth's smile quirks a little keener at the edges.]

Am I spoiled for choice?

[He has been in this world; his drink of choice back on Gaia was little more than whatever could keep him hydrated at the time.]

Something strong.

[ She does enjoy seeing him smile; it feels satisfying, especially when it manages to be so obvious. He might've almost laughed!

Ciri snickers, stepping a little closer just to tease him, flicking her dress up around her thighs to brush his leg with the ruffles when she spins quickly enough for the skirt to billow. ]

I'll spoil you if you ask nicely.

[ She's in the kitchen in no time, pulling down a bottle of vodka from a high shelf. The Witcher household does not believe in shot glasses; the vodka is served in a regular pewter mug, straight up. They don't believe in mixers either, apparently. ]

[Oh, this woman. Utterly wicked with a smile like that, teasing him in an airy way with the ruffles of her dress. An elegant spin, and his eyes can't help but trail down to how it flares out around her legs and hips.]

I...

[Then she's disappeared into the kitchen, and Sephiroth swallows down whatever words he had, warmth bubbling up in his chest. While she brings out the vodka (he hardly cares if they're to drink it in a mug; what does he know about how alcohol is supposed to be served?) he wanders over to the dinner table to grab a bowl for himself. Vodka and... stew? Sure, why not.]

[ She saunters back to the table with the cups and the bottle, setting both down, and then grabs them each a bowl. There's already bread on the table, as well as a pat of butter in its tray, a small salt cellar.

Ciri sits across from him, and raises her cup. ]

I'm glad you came over.

[She doesn't have to wait on him, but she looks so glad to do so, he can't bring himself to say as much. Instead, once she sits and raises her cup, Sephiroth mirrors the gesture.]

We don't get to do this enough.

[Though with his evenings more open, opportunities should present themselves with some frequency.]

Indulge in time alone, I mean.

We could do it more. When we're both in the city, anyway.

[ She slides her foot across the table, nudging her toe against his ankle. ]

What do you think?

[He takes a sip, just as the toe of his boot nudges back, playfulness hidden under the tabletop — fitting for a man like him.]

About the drink, or spending more time with you? One of these two should have an obvious answer, Ciri.

[ She catches his ankle with both feet and a huff of a laugh, releasing him after a just a moment. ]

Indulge me.

[His smile is warm as his ankle’s caught, and it doesn’t fade away once he’s released.]

Spending time with you is paramount.

[Such a declaration, easily said. But Sephiroth has had time to think about this in quiet moments to himself, lost in thought as he often is.]

I’ve been deprived of… plenty, before this world. Deprived of having someone like you with me. I want to make up for it, as much as circumstances will allow. If you’d have me.

[ She relaxes, though she doesn't pull away entirely; that steady contact beneath the table continues, casual and easy.

Paramount, he says. It sounds so formal.

Ciri's devilish grin softens into a more sincere smile, something almost shy, but warm. It's interrupted only slightly by the way she pulls her lower lip between her teeth, the gesture an absentminded nervous tic. She chews on it there a moment, struggling between wanting to sound nonchalant about it all and how much she actually cares. It makes her anxious, so Ciri takes a moment to consult with her wine cup again. ]

I'll allow it. [ She says it teasingly, but there's a nervous, eager energy just beneath the words. ]

In fact, I was considering how much I'd like to have you tonight. Here.

--well. In the bedroom, not on the table. Should be considerate.

[Airy as the reply is, Sephiroth knows there’s weight behind it. He likes the look of her, too, trying to stave off shyness — or the consideration that must be flitting through her head as she worries at her bottom lip. He has enough sense to only smile, though, and not comment on it.]

I’m honored.

[That she’d allow it.

And then she mentions him staying overnight— using the bed, not the table, and Sephiroth’s brows raise. Embarrassment is not nearly as keen as it once was, but she still catches him off-guard; not to mention putting lurid images in his head with a throwaway comment. The table...]

I’d be lying if I said… I hadn’t been thinking about it since. [Thinking about what? Staying the night? The things they did to each other before, and how they might repeat it somewhere a bit more comfortable? Both.

Time to take a long pull of his drink.]

It’s been a distraction, you know. Remembering what we did. I’ve skewered too many training dummies in half during the day.

[(This is couched as a joke, of course. As though he cares about his training regimen comparatively.)]

[ Her smile pulls up sharply into a wicked smirk. ]

I'm flattered to know I'm that distracting. Though perhaps it's not such a compliment when they've got you fighting dummies all day. I could cut one of those in half as a child! What is the military wasting resources on?

[ She leans forward to serve herself some of the food and bread out on the table, takes another drink. It's mostly a cover for how she's trying to keep casual about the topic when she's not sure how to approach it without getting embarrassed. ]

...I did have a pleasant time though. Despite-- you know. It wasn't the ideal situation. [ What with the influences of those beings obviously affecting them. ]

But I enjoyed our time together, even so.

It's flattering when you know that my concentration is rarely broken.

[At least when it comes to fighting, training; one of the very few things he found pleasure in before his arrival in this place. There was very little room for distraction in his mind, but Ciri has wound through his thoughts more often than not, in ways he cannot help but indulge himself in.

Sephiroth helps himself to a bit of freshly baked bread, still warm.]

No, it wasn't ideal, but I feel the same way.

[Though perhaps if they had waited for an "ideal" time, it never would have come. Given the state of the world, even a small moment of peace like this one hardly feels guaranteed.]

But maybe this time, we can try it without crossing blades first.

[ She pushes the butter dish toward his side of the table automatically, the little jar of spices to flavor it if he wants. This feels so... relaxing, somehow. Comforting. Sharing a meal with someone whose company she enjoys, the light buzz of the wine, the soft crackling of the fireplace. It all feels very homey in a way she's long resigned herself to knowing isn't something she'll have -- and now, here she is, and she has all that and more.

This place, for all its frustrations and uncertainties, still feels more like home than anything she's experienced in a very long time. ]

...hah. [ A soft laugh escapes her. Ciri reaches over to break off her own piece of bread to nibble on. ]

We can try it. If it's no fun, we'll just bring the swords out again.

[ Her lips quirk, clearly teasing. But there's something more to it too, her attempts at being snide not entirely covering the shy eagerness, or the want in her eyes. ]

You know... we have the place to ourselves tonight. Don't think anyone will be home until morning.

[Sephiroth could say the same. This place is the closest to "home" he's ever had the pleasure of experiencing. It's not only safe, for Shinra provided him safety amid its steel walls, but it is grounding. His existence does not feel like a job, like a mission to be fulfilled; it simply feels like he might be appreciated for living, not working.

He picks up the little jar of spices, turning it over in his hand, the coziness of the whole exchange imbuing itself even in Sephiroth's mind.]

No fun? [He does laugh at that. Adds a little bit of the spice to his meal.] If we label it "no fun", then we've truly failed in some aspect.

[Green eyes lift to meet her. That hint of eagerness is reflected back, subtly, in kind.]

So you want to take advantage of the time to ourselves. I suppose we should see... whether or not we can make it "fun" or otherwise.

I think it's worth trying out. Just to make sure.

[ She tries not to blush when his eyes meet hers, and doesn't really succeed, though she does manage to keep her voice light despite the way her heart rate is picking up already. ]

Actually, I remembered recently... I won a prize, many months ago, at the peace talks summit. [ That ultimately went nowhere, but she's not keen on lingering upon that subject. She presses on, despite the heat deepening the red in her cheeks. ] A potion meant to be used... for fun. Supposed to make everything feel a little better.

We could share it. If you want.

[ By this point, her facade at playing all this cool is totally shattered. She has to look away, fidgeting with her cup. ]

[A potion used for... fun? Can you hear the gears straining in his head?]

...An aphrodisiac? [He blurts it out, surprised that such a thing would be given away at the peace talks, and only belatedly realizes her look turning embarrassed, skewing away from him.

He suddenly feels it, too, feeling warm across his cheekbones.

Sephiroth clears his throat.]

I don't know what kind of message that sends, given out as a prize by officials. [It's weirdly amusing. He looks down at his food.] But it would be thoughtless to waste it.

[ At least she's not the only one feeling awkward. She spots that blush, and feels a bit more comfortable about her own. ]

...hm. I hadn't considered that.

[ About whatever message they were sending. Probably none. Just showing off some sort of alchemy. It probably says something that it hadn't really made an impression on Ciri -- and that she'd kept it, though she hadn't really had any occasion to use it. In fact, she'd largely forgotten about it, until the prospect of sharing it with Sephiroth suddenly hit her recently. ]

O-only if you want to. I just thought of it.

[ She shrugs, trying too hard to be casual about it.

In truth, she's still a little anxious, and had considered it would probably help. It's why she's had some to drink already too. ]

[The small tinge of pink does not leave his cheekbones, but Sephiroth does finally meet her eyes again.]

Of course I want to.

[It’s a little bit of a breathless admission, hindered by, yes, embarrassment— But there is no hesitation.

They only have to get past this hurdle of feeling awkward about broaching the subject, it would seem. This thought impels something else to strike him.]

If you think it will help you— If it will help both of us be braver than we are, then I’m interested. In trying it.

[ She looks a little relieved when he corrects himself. Smiles, just a touch shyly still. ]

Well, then. Perhaps we could both use a bit of additional liquid courage.

[ She assures him there's no hurry, though, insists they should both finish up with the food if they so wish. She feels in turn both anxious to get started and wanting to linger out here, increasingly overthinking it, then noticing she's doing that and taking another drink, the cycle repeating -- at least until she's a little drunk, warm and less nervous.

At some point, Ciri gets up from the table to go grab the little vial she had stowed away in her room and start dividing it between their cups. ]

[Sephiroth, as usual, never quite reaches the point of drunk, or even a little tipsy, but liquid courage is unneeded when—after she pours it into their drinks—he downs it in one go. Apprehension or excitement? It could be a bit of both, but in the end, the result is the same.

Once it hits, he is not so much overcome as he is— Well, eager. And it doesn’t take long, to feel a warmth start to flush him, to look at Ciri and remember in clearer detail the night they did spend together, struck keenly by the want to lose himself in her again. He moves before he realizes it, really; standing and crossing over to wherever she has found herself in the room, pausing just long enough to become cognizant of what he wants — like it should be a surprise to either of them.

Still, he tries—]

Ciri—

[But gives up on trying to say anything at all, instead reaching out to grasp at her chin with two fingers, lifting her face up to meet his lips as he chases after a kiss, first and foremost.]

[ She is far too giddy to sit still. They toast, a wordless clink of glasses, and drink. But when she stands to clear the table a bit before anything more happens -- the room swaying at the edges, pleasantly -- Ciri notices Sephiroth standing to follow her. ]

I'll just drop these off. [ she promises not to take long, doing just as she said and leaving the plates in the kitchen for later.

He pauses just beyond the counter to the sink, presumably waiting for her, an expression on his features that Ciri can't quite place when she turns back. ]

What--?

[ She doesn't get to finish. Sephiroth closes the distance with a conviction at once exciting and somehow comforting, with the certainty of the waiting being over, and none of the in-between awkwardness of trying to figure out how to begin. She's never been so good at that part, anyway.

Ciri doesn't kiss him so much as allow him to kiss her, reciprocating when he leads, surrendering when he pushes. Her hands drop to her sides, face lifting. Her mouth opens, and her eyes slide shut. ]

[It seems to be a trend that, when the initial awkwardness and self-consciousness between them is no longer an issue, it is so easy for Sephiroth to work on instinct. To listen to what his body wants in tandem with hers, and act accordingly, with such an ease that it’s sure to surprise him when he thinks back on such moments.

It was similar when they spent their last night together. Similar, but not the same, exactly — no unknown, outside influence shearing away at their inhibitions, but instead a real choice on their part. No run-down, abandoned home belonging to a stranger, but the safety of a place known, warm and inviting. In a way, it’s as though they have all the time in the world.

Even if Sephiroth, after letting the warmth of that kiss bloom all along the planes of his body, coiling heatedly just below his belly, isn’t sure how much time he really wishes to take. Already, his lips part and he presses into hers harder, teases with his tongue; already, his hand drops just to place against her hip, pushing back just enough to make her bump against the counter behind her.]

What if I— [He finally breathes out, just barely enough space between their parted lips to form words.] —just took you right here.

[Bold indeed.]

[ Any misgivings she might've had are entirely drowned out by the tingling warmth in her limbs, the heat of his mouth on hers. Any higher logic pushing her to consider it would probably be technically a better and more comfortable idea to insist on the bedroom has fled by now, replaced by the urgency of desire, and the pleasant unreality of this moment as it seems to separate from the confines of the physical room and the concept of time -- it's just them, just him and the press of the counter's edge at the small of her back, and the pounding of her own heart in her temples.

Ciri's lips are wet with his tongue. She breathes out, air mingling with his, eyes soft and hazy, watching him with pupils nearly eclipsing the green. It isn't shyness this time, but she blushes all the same. ]

We won't be interrupted. [ She promises, voice barely above a whisper. It's not a no. ]

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