Chapter 8 - Summer Heat

WARNING - MATURE CONTENT

Qian sniffed, pinching the bridge of her nose as she leaned back and let her ankle rest on the top of a pillow. The servants gave her somewhat lighter robes but they were still heavily embroidered much to her dismay. At least she got out of attending dinner too.

It was late and everyone had retired mostly. Vy had thought about trying to find Siam, but he knew he wouldn't want company right now. He did however want to check on Qian and see how her foot was doing. He knew his father hadn't checked on her. After dinner Koto had gone with Bao Ma to lay the kids down. If he was honest with himself, he was glad that his father was being kept away from her.

He knocked on the door to her room. Hopefully she wasn't asleep.

She picked her head up slowly, grunting softly as she shifted her body sorely. "Yes?" She called. The whole day was gone but eating lunch and then dinner in her room wasn't completely bad.

"May I come in?" Vy asked quietly.

She heard his voice and sat up quickly, realizing it was him. "Y-Yes." She told him, trying to shove the blankets back a little.

He grinned slightly and opened the door. He pulled inside and shut the door. "Are you feeling better?" he asked.

She watched him step inside and it was far more relieving to see a friendly face than she had expected. "A bit, though I'm certain most of my distress is beyond a doctor's aid at this point." And she didn't want to be completely honest with him but she did want to be truthful to a point.

He didn't want to pry if she didn't want to say anything more. He could guess though. He hadn't forgotten what she'd wanted to do earlier. "Still want to go see the water?"

She perked up at the mention of that. He'd still take her? "Of course I do." She moved her foot, wincing a little sorely as she placed her feet on the floor. "Right now, right?" She asked him, looking up and smiling. At least this would be the day's highlight.

He smiled at her enthusiasm. "Yes," he told her. "Don't put pressure on that foot. I'll just carry you." It would be faster that way and far less painful for her.

"Carry me?" She blushed a little. "No, that's fine. You don't need to carry me. I-I don't want to impose…" She waved her hand to him.

"How will you be able to enjoy the water if you hurt your foot further?" He asked her. If she insisted further he wouldn't push it.

She thought about it a moment and she felt her stomach squeeze tightly at the idea. "Okay, but… Just till we get there." She blushed.

"Of course," he said. "Are you ready?"

"U-Um," she looked over her clothes and then down at her feet. Barefoot wasn't so bad. She curled her toes in a little, thinking about her robe and about how loosely it was tied. "Here." She wrapped the robe closed around her legs and held it there. "I'm ready." She looked up at him.

He nodded before bending down to pick her up. She was light and fit nicely in his arms. Vy was reminded of one of the conversations at dinner and thought it just another thing preventing them from- From what? Weren't they just friends? Two people who took comfort in the other's company. He started for the door, carefully opening it so as not to hurt her. He was very careful about it.

She almost wanted to wrap her arms around his neck but instead she carefully placed them over her stomach as he picked her up. She drew in a tight breath and felt her heart squeeze a little especially with his face so close to hers. It was hard to not look away as he carried her out the door. "How did everything go at lunch? And dinner…? I know I wasn't able to attend either but I still feel like I should have been there…"

It was hard to keep the silence between the two of them. The more she thought about him holding her, the more she just wanted to envelop herself in the warmth and that caring nature of his. She knew that whatever she did though was going to have terrible consequences but even more so before any of that, she still wasn't sure whether or not she could completely trust his motives either. It seemed like people like her were merely pawns to big royalty and aristocrats. Even a politician… How could anyone in a position of power not see the things that they could have if they could get her to bend even a little?

It didn't stop it from hurting though… She secretly wanted it. The thought that she even wanted it irregardless of the consequences scared her a little too. She knew she valued her life but at some point she also questioned just how far she could press her limits here since no one else seemed to abide by any sort of moral let alone lawful convictions either. Everyone did their own thing even if it was in the shadows anyways. Could she be much more different? It hardly felt that way.

Vy sighed. "Lunch was- eventful." He frowned, remembering Siam's reaction and him cutting his hair off. "It was mostly just my father and uncle talking about everyone like they weren't there." He looked out to the water. At least her room wasn't far from the shore.

She didn't feel the need to press that. "At least it's over." She told him, feeling the breeze catch over her face. She closed her eyes, letting the smell sink into her senses. "Can I sit at the edge of the shore?" She asked him.

He was glad she didn't ask more about it. The whole thing had been extremely uncomfortable.

He smiled a little. "Of course." He carried her to the edge. The water lapped up to his shoes. "Is here alright?" he asked her.

"This is fine," she told him, looking out at it. "It's so clear and pretty." She breathed.

He sat her down gently before stepping back to toe off his shoes and remove his socks. Vy let his feet press into the sand as he went to sit next to her. "It is," he answered. The way the moon played off the rippling water was so beautiful. He bet it was cool and would feel nice against his skin.

She reached out towards her feet to feel the wave coming in but it didn't get close enough to touch her. She looked down at the sand. "Vy…. Do you spend time with other women?" She asked him, trying to shore up her own insecurities.

He watched the wave come in and stretched his feet out to try and touch it. The question wasn't surprising. "No. I never really- wanted to, I guess. I was either running around with my cousins keeping them from getting into too much trouble, playing tiles with Baba, or in the archives."

"Don't you think… maybe you might give others an impression if they saw us then?" She asked him quietly, afraid to turn and look at him. She leaned forward, holding her ankles as she started out into the water.

He looked back at the water then. "Probably," he said just as quietly. He sighed. "I- can't help what people will think." He frowned. He wanted to say more, but it stuck in his throat.

"Really?" She asked him, "Because I think the more we spend time together the more I just realize how-" she stopped and covered her face. "I'm… I'm trying really hard to not let this get to me but I'm struggling really hard to feel comfortable here." She sat back up, turning her face away so he didn't see the few tears coming down her face. She wiped them away, blinking before looking up at the night sky.

He felt his stomach twist. He bent his knees and crossed his arms on them before laying his chin down. "I know how difficult it is. I-" He saw her teary eyes and frowned. "I'm only trying to make it a little easier." He looked back out at the water.

"I don't really belong here," she told Vy. "I wish… I wish I could go home. If it weren't for my looks I wouldn't even be here right now. Honestly I wish I didn't look like this. It's brought me nothing but trouble." She rubbed at her eyes a little before looking at him and then back to the water.

He looked at her. How could he fix this? How could he help her not feel so terribly about her situation. He couldn't take her back home, unfortunately. Why did he have such a need to make her happy though?

She got up a little and she pushed herself off the ground enough to stand so she could walk and she started towards the water till it rolled up onto her ankles and it felt nice and cold despite the chill it gave her. She picked up her robe just enough when it got to her calves and she bent down to sweep the water back with her hand and flick the droplets off. "Don't you ever wonder what it's like to get to live in the water without having to ever leave?" She asked him.

He stood up then and started to undo his robes. He had a black undershirt and matching trousers under his layers. He folded them and laid them far enough on the shore that they hopefully wouldn't get wet. He secured his hair back out of his face some more. He wanted to swim. He wanted to feel the cool water, but mostly he hoped she'd join him. He turned to her as he stepped back. The water rushed up and up to his ankles. "Join me?" he asked.

She looked at him a moment, studying his features before she became mindful of his presence and she was more aware of him than ever when he took off his robes. "Um… Sure." She felt her breath catch as he stood before her. Her throat felt dry as she reached out for his assistance as she took a gentle step forward till the waves came up over her robes and dragged them into the water. She held the wad of cloth tightly in her hands, picking her injured foot up as the water rushed back as she tried to steady herself on the tip of her toes.

Vy smiled. He pulled her close, lifting her a little to take the pressure of her foot. "You'll drown if you wear all of that." He wasn't trying to get her naked. He was sure she had a lighter under robe of some sort. It would help her to not have so much weight when she swam. Plus if she has something not totally soaked by the time they were done the better.

She looked at Vy and she felt like it was hard to breath for a moment being so close. She stared at him a long moment, bewildered before she looked down at her robes. She blushed a little, trying not to feel embarrassed as she undid the front a little and it started to fall over her hand and into the water. She shimmied her arms out of the sleeves and pulled the second robe off till she was in her soft white camisole underneath. It was thick, thankfully so it wasn't revealing but it sharply revealed her shoulders as the sleeves were merely simple bands of fabric no larger than an inch.

She had bloomers on but they were short too. The fabric ended just barely above her knees and she was holding onto her robes and pulling the wad of clothes up to her chest. "I…" she felt her chest squeeze. "I um…. I think this should work." She looked down at the water, afraid to see his expression. Would he stare?

He took her bundle of robes and folded them into a somewhat decent pile and tossed them further onto the beach. "Come on," he said, turning to move deeper into the water. It was the perfect temperature. Cool enough to be comfortable, but warm enough to not send the body into a shivered shock. He looked back at her. She looked so beautiful and innocent.

She looked back up after he tossed them back into the beach and she slowly edged forward. When the water started to get up to her waist she felt the heat from today slowly cool off. "Oh," she breathed, sucking in a short breath, feeling herself relax a little as she started to wade further into the water. She leaned into it, letting it catch her cami till she was submerged up to her neck, swimming out behind him. She kicked her legs and winced at the throbbing as she tried to push herself out after him and she instinctively reached for his arm to calm her nerves over her ankle.

He moved his arm to take her hand and pulled her close. "Don't over do it," he breathed. His heart hammered in his chest at how close she was.

"I-I'm not…" she protested, looking up at him quickly as they were close again. Her heart was hammering in her chest at how flustering it felt being this near him.

Vy's breath caught a little. He felt such an incredible urge to lean in and kiss her. He pulled back a little and ducked under the water. It felt good on his heated cheeks.

She pulled her head back as her hair dragged under, drenched and she was relieved he pulled back. She tried to paddle her good foot, keeping hold of him as she gently pushed the other down to push herself up and she breathed a sigh of relief, sinking into the water again as she tried to regain her bearings.

What was she doing? What were they doing? She felt flustered trying to justify it to herself but she wanted courage. She wanted to defy the courts just as much as they defied her very existence, rejecting her for who she was to try to replace the image of a porcelain statue as beautiful as can be but merely silent and easily taken by the things around them.

"Y-you swim often?" She asked him. She knew that it was lame but she couldn't help but try to reconcile her foolish and sinful thoughts.

Vy tried to regain himself. It was so hard though with how strongly he felt for her. This wasn't going to last long or they would meet hell's wrath forsure. Oh how he wanted her anyway, despite it all.

He pulled back up, his hair slicked back from his face soaked with water. "I don't actually. I love the water though." He would spend more time in water if the palace had easier access. "Do- did you? Back home at least?"

"All the time," she told him, smiling sheepishly. "Honestly it's what I did the most." She watched his hair drag back behind him and she laughed a little. "I love it but I haven't had the chance to swim in a long time." She breathed, shrugging her shoulders a little.

Vy smiled hearing her laugh. "I've only been around water a few times." He moved around and ran his hands through the water. He loved how it felt rushing between his fingers. His feet kicked lightly keeping him afloat.

"If my ankle weren't hurt, I'd show you a real swim." She told him, letting herself relax as she slowly floated up to the surface. She sighed, smiling as her eyes closed.

"I probably wouldn't stand a chance," he smiled. "You've had more experience."

"Mm," she smirked. "I could swim pretty deep." She breathed in, feeling herself sink a little and she felt the water recede as she came back up again and looked over towards him. "If only the river glowed the way the water did back at the oasis near my village." She breathed. "It's so pretty at night." She felt the waves rock her as they moved past her and she felt herself go up and then back down. "You wouldn't believe how great that place is. You just have to know where to go there. It seems sleepy but I really mean it, it's one of the hidden gems not many know about." She wanted to show him.

Vy pulled his hands forward to keep himself up as he moved his feet out. "I'd love to see it." He truly would.

"I think you would," she snickered, "though you might not want to leave once you see it for yourself." She couldn't help the grin on her face when she looked over at him. "Honestly, I don't know anyone who wouldn't after they saw that place." She breathed in and then out again, feeling herself relax but she was tired still from the day. Well worn out. She tried to keep floating but she tired of it, easier than she expected but she hadn't been swimming in over a month now.

Her smile faded a little and she tried to paddle lightly to stay afloat but started to come back upright. "Of course I'm not as fit as I used to be." She breathed, pushing her hair from her face as she tried to swim a little back towards Vy.

He saw how tired she was and straightened up to catch her arm. "Are you ready to head back?" His voice was low.

"No," she told him honestly, feeling the waves wash over her as they bobbed lightly in the water. "I'm just a little worn down," she tried to play it off lightly, not wanting to leave. "Just a bit more than we can go to the shore. It's nice, it's just my ankle. That's all."

He nodded and loosened his grip of her, but didn't quite let go. He didn't want her to get too far away in case she was more tired than she wanted to admit.

She sighed a little and floated a little closer, letting her shoulder lightly touch his chest before she laid her head on her shoulder and sighed. "I'm not going to drown," she breathed a laugh at him, poking fun a little. "But I'm glad you're concerned."

"I'd hope not," he smiled.

"How can I when you're holding onto me so protectively?" She asked him, laughing a bit as she blushed. She felt her skin prickle a little at the thought and the cold finally started to take hold of her. "Oh, um… I mean… You know, because of my ankle." She laughed a little. "I'm not trying to muddy things. I promise."

His smile faltered a little and he let go of her. His hand hovered close still. "No… I mean I know."

She didn't move away either but she felt him distance himself and she almost hated herself for mentioning it. "Um…"

He lowered his hand taking her 'um' as being nervous about his closeness. "I-" he stopped. He didn't know what he was going to say.

"I'm… I'm sure you know. I'm just a bit er… more myself. I hope I'm not embarrassing you or anything." She tried to salvage their conversation, but also how they interacted. She didn't want him to drift further away.

"You're not embarrassing me. I'm-" He sighed. He wanted to be honest with her. "I'm just trying to remember my place." He looked at her. It was just so easy to relax around her though. He caught himself getting closer than he should, but it felt so natural. His heartbeat quickened and he wondered if it was because he was nervous or anxious.

"Place?" She asked, blinking. "Oh. Yeah. That. I-I know… I just… sometimes it seems like it hardly matters." She looked away.

Vy hesitated for just a second before he took her chin to turn her face to look at him again. "I wish it didn't," he whispered. It was bold. He knew that, but it was the truth.

Her eyes met his at that moment and she couldn't tear her gaze away. "I-I'm, I'm sorry?" She blushed a little at that as she felt her ears tingle and she held onto his forearms firmly.

He saw her cheeks flush. It was adorable. She was so beautiful. He wanted to kiss her. He felt he rather needed to at the moment. He looked into her eyes. "May I kiss you?" He asked. He wouldn't do anything she didn't want, no matter how bold he felt. He felt his cheeks burn just a little. There was no taking it back now.

"Vy," she blushed a little more, her gaze finally tearing away so she could look away. "What would your father think?" She stalled, nervous but she wanted to. Why was she stalling? Wouldn't it be… she looked back at him and stared at his lips a moment as the water bobbed up over their necks and she felt the cool chill air make her shiver a little as she swam closer into his arms.

He continued watching her. His hand moved from her chin to her cheek. "I don't care what he thinks." At least right now he didn't.

"You're rather frivolous." She murmured leaning a little till their noses almost touched and she breathed out a little as she looked down a moment, contemplating their lips meeting. "You're going to get me in trouble." She leaned closer, closing her eyes till their lips just barely touched. Could she do it?

Vy's heart was pounding as she moved in closer. He let his eyes close, feeling her lips so close to his. Her breath on his lips had him unable to answer. His lips parted just a little and his top lip barely touched hers.

She felt her heart rate at that. It felt so… she leaned in closer, letting their lips connect full before she slowly pulled away. "Is… that alright?"

He kept himself still and his eyes closed even though she had pulled away. It was such a quick kiss. He placed his forehead to hers. "Yes," he said quietly.

She felt her body flush with soft waves of warmth that gave her chills. She wanted to ask what he thought of her but her nerves treated her a little. "This is our secret then, right?" She asked him quietly, biting her lower lip.

Vy breathed finally. "Yes," he said again with a small smile. He pulled back to look at her. He reached letting his thumb pull her lip from between her teeth. He imagined himself biting that lip. His cheeks heated again at the thought.

She fidgeted a little, trying not to get too excited that he was touching her but the freedom and affection he gave made her feel elated but drawers into the sweet emotions he was giving her. She wanted to keep going but she knew this was something that could even bite her back later and she tried to be aware despite her continuing feelings for him. "Can you say anything else?" She teased softly, laughing a bit. She was short for words herself.

He blinked. "Are you alright with this?" He asked her. He read her expression. She hadn't pulled away or told him to stop. She seemed eager and apprehensive. Well he was too.

"I-I am… I'm a little worried." She told him nervously, shivering a little. "A-Are you… sure you want to do this with me? We could get caught. I mean… I-I know it's not particularly good for me if they found out but I…" She chewed at her upper lip.

"I'm sure," he couldn't keep fighting his attraction to her. He knew it would be bad for him too if they got caught. He reached for her again petting back her hair. She was shivering. Was she cold, or scared. "I will stop if you tell me too."

It startled her a moment when he pet her hair back and she stopped shivering a moment to look up at him again before shivering harder. "S-Stop?" She looked at him blankly, taken back. "Stop what?" She asked, a little dumbfounded and nervous. She'd never felt this way around any of the boys back at her village.

He hesitated again and tightened his hand as he pulled it away from her head and into the water. "Pursuing you." His nervousness climbed higher then. Was he just taking advantage of her? He hadn't felt this way before and wasn't sure what he was doing, but it was taboo. She was his father's concubine. He had no right to even try to pursue her, but-

So he was pursuing her. She felt her heart leap a little and she stared at him, unable to help the small smile on her face. "What exactly do you think I am?" She asked him, her breath catching. What was he saying? No. He couldn't have been… The whole time? Her face burned a little from her smile and her cheeks hurt as she tried to dip her face into the water a bit when she looked down. Agh, it was agony. Was he teasing her as some salacious royal or was he truly being sincere? Even if he was! He was still-

He was kind of taken back by her question. "I-" Was she smiling or was she upset?

Her stomach tightened into hard knots and she bit her lip. "Vy, I'm…" What? Spit it out? Her teeth chattered a little as the cold started to overtake her, making her lips a soft purple tint before a soft blue took them and she looked up at him, shivering cold as she had stopped moving as much. So much for a swim.

He was nervous about where the conversation was going now and he felt his stomach twist almost painfully at the thought that things could not go on like they had been. He saw her lips and frowned. "Come on. I'll take you back to your room so you can warm back up." He didn't look at her as he helped her back to shore.

She nodded, not disagreeing as they came back to shore. When they got back to the shore, she looked around for her robes but realized they had been tossed back from the shore. The waves had stretched higher, leaving them a heaping wet bundle on the beach and she rubbed her arms before turning back into Vy.

When the soft breeze started, she felt her clothes cling to her and she turned her whole body in to stand against him. "It's much colder here," she tried to laugh a little at the end but couldn't hold her smile.

He saw her clothes and then looked at his. They were the same. He'd thought he'd tossed them far enough, but unfortunately not. The water had gotten just high enough to drench half his robes, which made it pointless to put back on. He felt her closer to him and he wanted to enjoy it, but-

"Let's hurry back. Do you- need me to carry you," he hesitated asking, but he knew she was still hurting.

She bit her lip a little before nodding, lifting her hurt ankle a little as they walked to the shore as she tried to stay off of it. "Vy," she stopped, wondering if she should do this. She looked down at her hands before unfurling her fists to take his wrist. "I'm…" She took in a deep breath. "I'm just cold. I… I'd like your help if you can." Of course she couldn't just blurt out her real feelings. He still didn't answer her question to confirm or deny her thoughts but- Gods. Oh he was...

He stilled when she grabbed his wrist. He nodded. He picked her up gently like he had before and carried her up to her room. He'd have to come back for their clothes.

She felt relieved when he did that, carrying her up the beach back to their quarters. "Why couldn't it be you instead?" She mumbled, pulling away enough to look up at him.

He thought about that too. The one and only girl he'd ever showed interest in… The only one he ever wanted… and he couldn't have her. "Because my father is a greedy, cruel man." His voice was low.

Unironically she laughed at that, almost scoffing in contempt of his mention. "Cruel is a start." She crossed her arms, shrugging them a bit before looking back up at him.

He looked at her not really wanting to put her down. "I do want you though," he frowned. He'd already overstepped when he had kissed her, why not let her know how he felt?

"You know you wouldn't even know I existed unless he brought me here." She sighed, her shoulders dropped. "Let's not pretend like we'd had made this any better had it been arranged any other way." In fact, she might not have even liked him had they been arranged. She wouldn't have appreciated him nearly as much as she did now.

"You're right," he sighed. The circumstances didn't change how he felt. Maybe he should have just kept it to himself.

She felt a little torn thinking about how he felt. She wanted to think his feelings were genuine and well-meaning but then again she was also scared that Boa Ma would try to ruin her with this. "

Once inside, Vy carried her over and sat her in a chair. "I'll go get the clothes. I'll grab you something to change into while I'm gone." He grabbed her a warm robe first. She at least needed to get warm.

She looked up at him, watching him grab a robe. "Forget the robes," she breathed, "honestly. It's not like I'll likely wear them again." She breathed, blushing a little.

"I know that. But imagine someone finding our robes by the shore," he looked at her. "If yours are the only ones found, they'll wonder how you got there on an injured foot. If they find mine and not yours, they'll wonder why I was swimming outside your rooms?"

She looked up at him, smiling a little and nodded, though she liked his caution was just as aware and alert as she had felt being around him. "You're right," she told him, "I suppose.. I guess…" She pulled the robe around her. "Hurry back, okay?"

Hurry back? So she wanted him to- He nodded and started back out for the clothes.

She smiled at that, feeling a little bit of excitement flutter in her chest watching him go.

He did hurry. He was glad his clothes were only half drenched. He gathered his over his shoulder before picking hers up. He had to do it in pieces so he could wring out the water. It would have been too difficult to carry a heavy sopping wet pile of clothes. When he got back he took the clothes to the bathroom to put them in the tub.

She looked up from the soft cushion couch when she noticed him come back into her room. "Oh-" She watched him, a little excited but somewhat in awe seeing how quick he was to take everything back. "You found them all?" She asked him, calling out to him a little.

He came back out into the room. "I think so." The cold was starting to get to him now. Even after how hot and miserable the day had been, the cold wasn't comfortable anymore. His wet underclothes stuck to him awkwardly making it even harder to warm up. "Do you need anything," he asked.

She looked up at him, smiling but she laughed a little. "I guess we really are cold blooded." She started, getting up from the sofa to let the warm robe fall off. She picked it up and came over to him, limping lightly. Despite it being a little wet from her under clothes she set it on his shoulders then pulled it around him best she could. "Poor thing." She laughed, "You're just as drenched as me and yet you walked out in the cold to get our clothes. You should get warmed up before you catch a cold, Vy." She giggled a bit.

He looked nice with wet hair that draped the length of his back. Even his soft features of his cheeks were accented by the cold paleness of his skin. She brushed her hand against his cheek as she moved his hair from his face.

Her smile made him feel a little better. She wasn't upset with him. But then she got up and limped over to him. He motioned to stop her, but the cold made him slow. Her sheer underclothes showed more of her body then she'd likely want shown.

Qian wrapped the robe around him though and he closed his eyes. He'd never forget that image of her. The brush of her hand along his cheek gave him goosebumps. His heart pounded in his chest as she moved his hair. He opened his eyes to look at her.

Why was he so quiet? She blushed a little, making eye contact before diverting her own gaze. "Say something," she murmured, "you're making me nervous." She breathed, laughing a little. "I feel like-" She looked down at her robes and her face warmed more. She covered her chest more, trying to hide how see through her clothes were. "Oh! Oh..." She breathed out nervously. This was a bit more than embarrassing.

He tightened his lips into a thin line seeing her embarrassment. He pulled the robe off of him and placed it back around her. "I will be fine. You need to get off your foot," he said calmly. Hopefully that would ease her embarrassment.

She shook her head to him, "No. You need to get warmed up." She told him, looking up when she felt her robe settle over her shoulders. She felt more self conscious then that maybe she didn't know what she was doing trying to act like she could be just like everyone else and do as she pleased behind the scenes anyways. It made her feel jumpy. "L-Let me get a fire going then instead. We can sit down and warm around it for a little." She turned, limping back over towards the center room to hobble over towards the shelves and reach up for a cut of wood.

Thankfully the fireplace was in the center of the floor to her left. "It won't take long to start it. I know how to start a fire, so it's alright. Just- Just take a seat there and then I'll find you a spare cloth to help warm you. I'm sure there's plenty around here." Her face felt warm.

Vy watched her. She really wasn't going to take it easy was she? But then again she wasn't outright kicking him out either. Was that a good thing? He listened to her though and sat down near the fireplace.

She came over slowly, setting the two bricks down before opening a small flint and stone she had placed between her fingers while she carried the firewood. "Um, thanks…" She breathed, looking at the fire pit. "For tonight and everything." He was being so quiet. She felt like maybe she was doing something wrong.

Maybe it'd be easier if there was a reason they weren't talking but he was just- Was he just watching everything she did? She groaned internally, completely mortified by being the center of attention.

"You're welcome," he said quietly. He sat with his feet close to the fire, but his knees were pulled up and his arms and chin rested on top. He watched the flames. Thinking about it, there had been few nights when they weren't hanging out talking or something.

She sat down after the smoke started and slowly a fire started to rise up. Then she let her shoulders drop as she finally started to relax. "Oh, that's right," she started to get up again. "I forgot to find you a blanket or something. I don't want you to get sick either."

He watched her get up to start after something else and he grabbed her wrist. "I'm fine. Please sit down." He looked up at her.

She stopped, turning to look back at him and her face turned bright. She was nervous. She knew that yet somehow she felt like he had noticed it. "Um… Alright." She told him, her face felt hot. She slowly sat down, looking at the fire then away to the floor elsewhere around them. "I-Is this alright then?"

He watched her. "Is it?" If she was too uncomfortable he could leave. He really didn't want to, but she seemed so nervous.

She brushed her hair back behind her ear and she felt like she was the one asking for all this. "I-I don't know." She looked up at him. "Wh-What do you want? It's not just me... It's you too."

He watched her. He wasn't sure how to answer her. He sighed and looked at the fire. "I don't know. I- want to be with you, but I'm not unaware of the circumstances." He tightened his hands into fists. Firelight danced in his dark eyes. The fire was warm, but his nerves had his stomach in knots like he'd been thrown in ice water. "I know I would treat you better than my father. I appreciate you more already than he ever will. But-" it was dangerous. If anyone were to ever find out…

He was just as aware then. She felt a little more confidence knowing how he felt as well about it. He cared about her wellbeing. She smiled a little, looking down, "You're a strange one," she told him quietly. "But it's not a bad thing." Qian slowly reached over to take his hand and she pulled a little closer to him. "You're… sweet, Vy." She told him, looking down again nervously before glancing back up.

He couldn't look at her. He didn't want to see her face when she rejected him. Not that he could blame her. Was this all really worth the trouble? He bit his cheek a little when she called him strange. He knew that already, honestly. He was nothing like his family. Not really anyway. She took his hand though and he pulled back a little to look at her. She wasn't rejecting him. Her closeness almost burned him more than the fire could. Strange and sweet, huh? He smiled a little and squeezed her hand.

"What about you?" he asked her. He wondered if he was the only one feeling this way.

She felt nervous talking about herself. "I'm not sure what you mean," she told him, trying to play coy, nervous to give him a straight answer. She felt like she was being too forward with him anyways.

"I'm sure you do," he said quietly. "If you don't feel the same I need to know now." The risk was too high for both of them.

Qian felt her chest tighten. "I…" she wanted to say it but she was nervous admitting it out loud. "I do…" She pressed her lips together. "I do feel the same." She pulled her hand back to hold it and she placed her face between her knees. Why was she so nervous?

"Just-" she chewed at her lip a little till it turned bright red and she lifted her face. "You…You make me… I mean..." she fidgeted, unable to get the words out and she lowered her face back between her knees. "I can't… I can't help it. You're different than anyone else I've ever met but I can't just express myself as simply as you can. I've- I've never felt this way before for anyone."

He let her hand go and watched her. She was cute. "I have never felt this way either." He relaxed a little more. "It isn't easy for me, I just- feel I should be honest with you." He bit his cheek.

She felt the pressure ease a little. Right. She wasn't the only one feeling this way. "I… I want the same." She just wasn't used to being able to be honest. "It's just… no one really cared what I said but my brother. It's a little different finding someone who's not just interested in how I look." She smiled a little, feeling sheepish. "It's nice."

He looked at her again. He couldn't deny her attractiveness. She was beyond beautiful, but that wasn't entirely what drew him to her. She was different. She had a different perspective on things. She didn't care about the riches, or lavish lifestyle. "How are we going to do this?" He asked her. "It's difficult to not be around you." Or to care for her. They could never openly show anything.

She looked up at him and she sobered a little at his question. "Um… I suppose we should work those details out." She rubbed her shoulder slowly. She looked up at him, "Just… Don't get between me and your father is a start. And let Bao Ma be. If you interfere with her she… might get nasty, seeing as she's hardly got any tact let alone moral consciousness, considering her behavior." She let her head fall on his shoulder, trying to feel some comfort.

"We can meet like usual when it's convenient. Nothing planned. Wouldn't want anyone to catch on." She closed her eyes. "...I suppose that's a start." She chewed at her inner lip before she let her teeth draw against her bottom lip and she looked up at him. "And I suppose we could spend a bit more time socializing other than alone to keep away suspicion. I mean… if you're not for that. We don't need to. We can figure something else out." She looked away, blushing a little. It could be almost like a secret date but in public with everyone.

He understood her reasoning behind not making waves with his father and Bao Ma. She was a callous woman. He wasn't sure how well he could handle his father's treatment of her though.

Vy wrapped his arm around her when she leaned on him. He looked at her. "We shall try." He took her chin after she looked away the last time and brought her back to face him. "I'll make it work."

She blushed a little, staring up at his face and she remembered that feeling she had the last time he had left. She swallowed hard, staring up at him. "You should be careful," she told him softly, her throat felt dry, but she wasn't warning him to be careful of anyone else… But her. He was tempting, drawing up her darker temptations that she tried to push down. Qian felt her skin prickle, staring at Vy for so long that she couldn't help but lean closer to him, sitting up more. When she couldn't reach, she got on her knees a little as her hand came to his cheek and she kissed him again.

Oh, it was as sweet and tender as the first time. More addicting than the fantasy of it. She couldn't believe how fulfilling it was to even indulge in the idea of being intimate with him.

Vy kept his eyes on her. He searched them for more tell tale signs of her emotions. When she got on her knees to come closer his hand slid along her cheek past her ear. His fingers tangled in her hair as he cradled the back of her head. He relished her touch on his cheek and then her lips were on his. His eyes closed as he lost himself in the rose petal softness of her lips. The heavy tightness in his stomach was replaced by a light airy feeling of butterflies. He held her in the kiss as desire for more overtook him. The taste of her was too tempting. He parted his lips causing hers to open as well and he tentatively let his tongue slide out to lick her soft lips before pushing just a little further in. She was sweet, and God's help him, he couldn't get enough.

A heavy breath startled her when she realized she had swooned and fallen deep into the lull of her emotions. She was more passive than she realized, letting him overtake her kiss and press his lips to hers firmly before she felt his tongue slide between her own and she gasped a little. Her stomach was doing somersaults at how bold he was but she couldn't help but lean into him more, almost getting up.

Could she call his name? Her voice trembled at the back of her throat, leaving soft gasps behind each breath. She was afraid to. For she feared someone would hear them and with how she leaned over him, she wasn't sure she could pull back fast enough. Her hand drew down his cheek and she awkwardly pinned for his hand over her.

He felt heat blossom in him stranger than anything he had ever felt before. He turned away from the fire and broke the kiss to look at her. His breathing was heavy and his heartbeat was almost painful. He dropped his hand from her face to her hips to pull her onto his lap. The image of her earlier with the pale wet clothes sticking to her naked body came to his mind. He leaned in to kiss her again.

She moved with his guidance easily, coming over his lap as she tried to catch herself. Her hand fell to his shoulder as she opened her mouth to speak but he caught her in a kiss again and she felt her worries melt away a bit.

He held her to him, but tried to keep himself in line. He broke this kiss again, but his eyes were still closed. Should I stop? He thought.

She could feel his wet clothes and her wet clothes were warm from the fire but hardly dry. She used her left hand to draw her robe over them as she opened her eyes slowly to look at him. "Vy," she whispered when he pulled back. She smiled a little, feeling comfortable here and she pressed herself up against his chest, hugging him. "You're so cold." She laughed, nuzzling his neck with her lips.

He felt her press against him and his breath caught a little. Gods, she was- He wrapped his arms around her more, embracing her. She could probably feel how quick his pulse was with her lips on his neck. He pressed his fingers into her back. He bet her skin was just as soft.

"Ah-" She squeaked, unintentionally as he pressed his fingers into her skin. "Be gentle, please." She breathed on his ear. He was so needy but she liked it.

He closed his eyes tightly. "Always," he whispered to her. He'd never hurt her.

She pulled her right hand up to his cheek and kissed his cheek before breathing in. "It's so cold in these clothes. How do you manage this?" She whispered.

What was she suggesting? "We- could take them off." He could warm her up. He blushed brightly then.

"Y-Yeah," she agreed, "hang them up… Let them dry and then it won't be so cold." She looked up at him, feeling a little star struck. She was definitely not in her right mind. "I-If you're okay with that. Maybe later into the night they'll be dry so you can go back to your room and-" She laid her head on his shoulder. "You could stay while they dry." She felt guilty but it was a nice guilty pleasure to get to be this close.

He felt his chest tighten with anxiety then. He wasn't sure he should, but God's he wanted to. He wanted her so badly. He turned and drew her up to kiss her again. "I'll stay," he said before kissing her again. He slid her robe off her shoulders, but hesitated when it came to her wet underclothes.

She lifted her head at his gesture, letting him kiss her again and Qian felt her heart elate. How could something she knew that was wrong be so sweet? Her eyes fluttered shut as she let his words hang in the air over her ears. "Good," she almost wasn't sure she even said that but if she did… She felt it. She kissed him again.

His lips molded with hers and it felt so right. He wanted her so badly. He reached and pulled at her thin dress to pull it up and off of her. He broke their kiss to pull it over her head.

She let the camisole come off easily, but when she felt her bare chest exposed to him, she covered herself, blushing feverishly. "I-I have spare clothes…" She chewed at her lip as she looked at him, staring at him as she sat in his lap. She probably wouldn't even get the chance to get them. He was-

Her chest squeezed… Undressing her here and now.

He looked at her. "Do you want them?" he asked her.

"Um," she nodded, looking down, "I-I don't want to be immodest." She breathed. "I mean, we're…" He was undressing her. Of course they were going to- "I can lend you one of my spare sheets for my bed." She offered him. "If you'd like… We could sit under it near the fire." That didn't entirely make sense…

He smiled at her. "Have you- never done this before?" he asked her. Was she- scared?

"I-I haven't." She told him, turning to look at him. With all the starring she'd received, her brother had been stark in intruding between her and any other of the opposite sex for a long time. "I've… I've been close, but- I never…" She looked up. "My brother wasn't exactly fond of me being out on my own. I usually came home or he was nearby often." She looked up, "I-I mean… It's not like I don't want to be… close… I just um…. I feel different. It's not the same. I mean… You're…" Everything she wished she had? Well… the one thing.

He smiled, not entirely surprised. Honestly he would be new to this as well if it wasn't for Siam dragging him to a brothel... This was so different though. He reached up and touched her hair and pulled some of it over her shoulder. "I won't do anything you don't want me to." He let her hair slip from his hand and fall on to her pale skin. He looked at her.

"I-I'm not sure I'll live up to your expectations." She breathed, shaking her head. She wasn't even sure how to even attain what she wanted. "Unless… You- Show me. I-I won't know the difference." She fumbled over her words a little.

He looked at her. "You're better than anything I could have asked for." Despite their circumstances, she was perfect. He let his fingertips touch her stomach lightly and he trailed them higher. "Do you want me to show you?" he asked, looking her in the eye.

She breathed in, smiling a little, "I'm glad." She told him, turning to lay her forehead to his. She paused a moment, thinking about his question and she wanted to answer it without sounding too eager but without seeming immodest. "Could you?" She asked him, opening her eyes slowly to look at him. "I-I would like to… to know."

Vy smiled. He let his fingers explore her body. She was so soft. "Of course," he breathed. He pressed his hands down her back before pulling her closer to him. His lips pressed to hers gently before he slowly kissed down her chin, then to her neck. He pressed a harder kiss at her throat, but was careful not to mark her. Lower still, he pulled back enough to draw one of her nipples into his mouth. Heat raged through him. He hardened almost painfully. Her sitting in his lap with thin fabric between them made it even harder to control himself. He would take it slow with her though. He wanted this to be special and memorable. He wanted her to enjoy everything he'd do to her and whatever she wanted to do to him.

Qian let him press his hands down her back and she liked the feel of it while he pulled her in closer. It took a moment before she realized they were kissing, distracting her while he lowered his mouth to her chest. She gripped his arms tighter, biting her bottom lip.

He suckled her a little bit before pulling back. He licked his lips, drawing his bottom lip between his teeth. He could still taste her skin. He lowered his hands to her ass and lifted her as he pulled himself to his knees. He laid her on her back gently and looked down at her. He sat up and quickly removed his shirt. The warmth from the fire felt much better now that his cold shirt wasn't clinging to him.

She trembled a little as she felt warmth spread over her. "Vy, you're… staring too much." She blushed a little hard, covering her chest as she watched him pull his shirt off.

He looked down at her. He moved the hair that had fallen over her chest. "So lovely," he breathed as he felt over her chest down to her stomach.

Qian took in a sharp breath, looking up at him as he brushed her arms aside. She looked away when he called her lovely. Somehow it… It didn't resonate with her as well as she wanted. She squeezed her legs tighter together, biting her lip. "Stop." She trembled a little, scared.

He did instantly. He moved his hands away from her and sat up. Had he done something wrong?

She turned away from him, feeling a little disappointed in herself. "I'm sorry," she closed her eyes. "I just- I can't." She took in a heavy breath and felt chills roll down her back as she turned away from him a little. She knew he hadn't meant her any harm but- It brought a lot of bad memories. What he said. It's-It's not like he knew.

He frowned. "Don't be sorry." He reached for her robe and placed it over her gently.

Qian chewed at her lip, unable to look at him. "I'm probably not what you were hoping for anyways." She sighed, feeling the robe gently drape over her. Her smile faded, but she felt like maybe she ruined it all.

He looked at her more concerned. "Why do you say that?"

"I-" She didn't want to give him that image. No. Anyone but him. "Just reminds me of something someone else has said before." She sighed, feeling a little defeated.

Vy frowned at that. He picked her up again and moved her hair from her face to look at her. "I am not that person. I admire you. All of you." He hated that being told she was lovely brought about something so dark for her.

"I… I know." She hesitated, feeling uncertain with her own decision. "I'm… I know I'm well liked for how I appear." She's heard it enough times but somehow it just repulsed her more than it gave her good feelings.

"You're more than that," he told her gently. "I want you to feel good, which means about the way you look as well." He couldn't just deny that she was beautiful, but he had hoped he had proven by now that he wasn't going after her looks.

She sat in his lap, breathing in slowly as she looked at him. "My looks feel more like a curse than a blessing." She leaned in to lay her head on his shoulder. "It seems like that's all anyone sees sometimes."

He hugged her close. "I see you for more than your looks, Qian."

The idea of that gave her chills. "That doesn't bother you?" She asked him, hugging him. Qian sighed, breathing in and out slowly.

"It bothers me that it's a problem for you." He rubbed her arm gently. At least she wasn't pulling away from him.

"Why would my opinion ever matter to a noble much less a woman of my stature?" She sighed, turning her cheek against his shoulder. She was enjoying the comfort of physical touch more than she imagined.

"Because you're a person." He said simply.

"I wish more people thought the way you did." Things could be so much different. She hugged him tighter a moment, feeling more secure with him. It was nice coming to understand him a bit more first. Maybe… She could even- She looked up at him, wondering if escaping would be more worth it if she was able to stay with him.

Qian touched his cheek slowly, leaning in before kissing him slowly. "I like how you treat me. You're a lot more considerate." She breathed, not letting him speak before kissing him again. This was okay.

He smiled, but then she kissed him. It was such a sweet little thing. His eyes closed and he reached up to hold her head. "..." he couldn't get it out before she kissed him again.

She pined for his hand to squeeze it in her own, showing more affection than she'd felt willing to give to anyone before. "Can we… try again?" She asked him, looking down at his chest.

He held her hand and looked at her. "Whatever you want," he told her softly. He let go of her hand to trail it across to her chest. "Do you trust me?"

"I do…" Qian looked up at him and smiled at him softly. "Do you trust me?" She whispered, laying her head against his chest again. She liked the feel of his hands.

He smiled and lowered his hand more to the rim of her bloomers. "Yes," he breathed before sliding his hand under the fabric and between her legs. If she was new to this then she would need to be warmed up first. The better she felt the easier it would be.

She felt her face brighten a bit as he slid his hand under her clothes. She chewed on her bottom lip, stilling herself as she waited for him to act.

Heart hammering, he slid his fingers to her center. He felt the small bud and started rubbing in soft circles. He pressed his lips to her neck, his breath hot and heavy. He kissed her, closing his eyes tightly to relish in the heat of her.

Qian jerked upright at first when he touched her there. She felt heat rise in her. "Ah-!" She cried sharply, feeling him pull her in as he kissed her neck. She gripped his arm tightly, feeling her legs tremble.

Her little cry had him throbbing. He raised his other hand to grope one of her breasts all the while continuing to rub her center. His middle finger slipped between the folds feeling how wet she was getting. He used her arousal to rub her easier.

She let go of his arms, putting her hands between herself and Vy, placing them on his chest as she breathed in sharply. Her center throbbed and she tried to adjust herself but her hips jerked instinctively instead. She chewed at her upper lip before letting her tongue lick her lips. Her chest felt tight as she drew in another breath with some anxiety but more excitement.

Qian turned her head, placing her forehead to the top of his head as she sat up, letting him feel her. Her hips twitched again and she shifted herself quickly, whining softly in his ear. "Ah-" She breathed in, pressing herself against him. He was making her feel hot.

He naturally puffed his chest to support her weight when she pressed against him. When her hips started to move his fingers slid inside her. He took in a sharp breath feeling the warmth of her shroud his fingers. His free hand slid to her back when she pulled in close. Her breath in his ear and her sweet whine nearly drove him over. He shivered and looked at her. He reached up to pull her into a kiss as he moved to finger her faster.

Qian felt her body surge with warmth a moment before she trembled somewhat and a new feeling spread warmly between her legs. She faltered a little, trying to keep up with him as they kissed but she couldn't keep her mind focused on him. She panted between their kiss, pining for something to grab and she tangled her hands in his hair.

He felt her tighten a little. She was so close. God's he hurt to be inside her. He took in a sharp breath when she grabbed for his hair. "Mm," he moaned into their kiss.

She was dripping between his fingers now, but he wanted her to cum first. He wouldn't enter her until then, no matter how painful.

She shifted her hips again, trying to squeeze him tighter and she felt her ears warm a little at how wet she was. He wasn't complaining, which made her feel more secure. Qian pulled away from their kiss to hug him tightly, pushing herself up against him tightly as she tried to get him to touch that place again, shifting her hips a little in discomfort. "C-Can you show me more?" She whispered in his ear, too nervous to ask him to pleasure her in that place again.

Her face felt warm and took in a deep breath, smelling him and his scent made her feel a little more aroused. It was so sweet yet piquant that she placed her lips on his neck and kissed him before licking up his neck and nipping him there as well.

Vy took in a shuttered breath when she pressed herself against him more. It took a second for her words to register. More. He couldn't answer her as she kissed his neck. He took in a sharp breath feeling her lick and nip him. He couldn't take it anymore!

He pulled his fingers from her reluctantly, wrapping his arms around her to lay her on her back. He placed fervent kisses down her neck and then her lips. He pulled up to take her bloomers off quickly before pressing between her legs. He still had his trousers on, but the material was thin and hid nothing. Desire was clear in his eyes as he looked down at her.

Vy grabbed one of her hands and lifted it to his mouth to kiss her fingers then her wrist. He closed his eyes and lowered her hand to his member. "Touch me, too." he breathed. There was a hint of desperation in his voice.

"I-If you want," she looked at him nervously as he guided her hand down. She felt the top of his member and she felt her stomach twist. "W-What should I do?" She asked him, not wanting to ruin this.

He shivered feeling her touch him, even just a little. He folded her hand around him tightening his hand around hers showing her she could grip it firmly without hurting him. He held his breath as he guided her pull on him.

She gripped him and it surprised her a little at how it felt. His member was hard, rigid almost and she felt her cheeks burn as he guided her back and forth. She felt her curiosity pique as she touched him, feeling her hands start to stick to him a little. "I-Is this fine?" She asked but his expression led her to believe it did. Qian breathed in sharply, rubbing him there more as she chewed at her lip nervously till it was bright pink, spotting with red blemishes from irritation.

He nodded and tried to keep his hips still. He looked up to see her biting her lip mercilessly. He leaned forward, letting go of her hand to pull her into another kiss.

When their lips met again, she felt desire tug in her, bringing her in to kiss him again. "Ha-" She breathed out, bringing herself back in as she tried to stroke him at the same time. She squeezed him a moment, losing momentum and her hand released him quickly. She tried to resume, gasping a little before stroking him again.

"Mm," he groaned when she squeezed him. If they continued like this he might not last long enough to claim her. He pressed his forehead to hers with his eyes closed tightly. "Are you ready?" he breathed.

Ready? She looked at him, despite their forehead touching, feeling elated but her nerves washed over her again. "Y-Yes," she told him, hearing her heart thrum in her ears loudly. She was already putting two and two together quickly, knowing what was to come next. "Is this… alright?" She whispered to him, still caught on the soft sound of his voice uttering a soft groan. She'd never heard a man utter such sounds before.

He licked his lips before kissing her. It was small, but still held his need for her. Gently, he laid her back on the floor, his hips still between her thighs. His hair fell over his shoulder like a curtain around her allowing him to only see her. He was nervous, anxious, excited, but he just hoped she was okay with this.

He held his breath before pressing inside her. She was so hot and wet that he slid in with ease. His breaths were shaky which made the erratic beating of his heart all the more apparent. Was she okay?

Qian moved her legs apart so he could lean down over her. She drew in a sharp breath when she felt him press against her and she jerked, feeling his head enter. It was hard to imagine this was how it all worked, but it was much larger than she expected.

She breathed in again, holding her breath this time as she looked up at him somewhat scared a little exhilarated by it all. Her hands came up to his shoulders, holding them there before sliding closer to the base of his neck.

He watched her. "I'll go slow," he told her. He moved his hips and breathed. It wasn't easy keeping his thrusts in check.

"Slow?" She whispered, gasping a little as he started to move his hips. She jerked away, twitching before feeling him press further in and she pulled her head up to his shoulder, biting her lip. This was slow? She liked it though, the feel of him and-

"Ah," she breathed out. "Vy-" She whispered in his ear, feeling her grip on his shoulders loosen.

"Ha- Are you alright," he breathed as he pressed deeper. One of his hands tightened into a fist at the floor. The way she said his name and her warm breath on his ear had him fiending for more.

Qian finally breathed out, trying not to hold her breath but she wasn't sure what was right or wrong. All she knew was she was trying to stifle herself from being noisy. "It's hot!" She blushed hard, hiding her face against his shoulder as she pulled him closer, hugging him. She couldn't seem to get her thoughts in order.

He reached up and cradled her head before pressing his lips to her neck. He let out a heavy breath before moving his hips at a steady pace. "Ha- mm."

Qian shifted her hips, unable to contend even with the slow rhythm of his hips. She hugged him tighter, feeling her body shiver softly as he kissed her neck. "Mm!" She parted her lips, gasping into his ear softly. So this was what his father had in mind for her? She hugged him tighter, squeezing her legs around him.

He pressed against her harder as she squeezed him. Vy liked how she clung to him, gasping. She wasn't pushing away or telling him to stop, hopefully that meant she was enjoying this. God's he was. The cold wasn't an issue anymore with being next to the fire while being pressed so closely together. Sweat started to break out on his forehead a little and on his back.

As much as he liked her breath on his ears he wanted her lips on his. He pulled back enough to kiss her deeply, forcing his tongue into her mouth to entice her.

Qian let off a low moan as he pulled away and she pined for his closeness again, only replacing it with a passionate kiss. Her mind floated further from reality, leaving her hungry and full of desire as she tried to fight his invasive member, snuffing out the noises between their lips. "Ah-!" She pulled back just enough before she surprised herself, leaning in to kiss him again and continue.

How addicting this feeling had been… She hadn't even realized she'd been wanting it for such a long time until he gave it all to her. "Stay." She whispered between them after kissing his cheek. She ran her hands through his hair and traced it down his back. "Please."

"Mm," he groaned into her mouth as his hips jerked. He looked down at her when she touched his hair. His cheeks burned hearing her. "Of course," he breathed, shivering as she touched his back. He moved a hand down her side to her ass and then her thigh giving it a squeeze to pull it loose from around him. He pulled her leg up a little to press into her deeper.

She bit her lip, trying to refrain but a low moan rippled from her throat, surprising her and catching her off guard. "Nn-" She whined, falling back from him, overwhelmed. "Ah-" She pulled her head back in against his chest, panting. "Vy."

"Qian," he groaned and kissed her. They needed to not be too loud even though he wanted to hear her. His pace quickened, unable to really help it anymore.

She blushed hard, hiding her face against his chest. "I-I can't handle anymore." She breathed, feeling him thrust faster. She squeezed him tighter, trying to maintain herself but her body faltered, wanting to give in to each wave of pleasure that washed over her body.

He gripped her and groaned as he reached his end. "I-" His breath caught and he buried deep into her.

"Ooh," she moaned, feeling him throb. "Ah-" She hugged him tighter, feeling him nearly reach the end of her center and she shivered hard, squeezing her legs around him tighter.

His hips jerked hard as he released. He held her to him tightly with one hand and fisted his other hand at the floor. "Ha-ah-" he gasped for breath.

She felt something warm fill her and she whined, squeezing him once more before she relaxed, closing her eyes as she tried not to fall asleep. She was tired though. She wouldn't admit it but she wanted to sleep. It felt so heavy in her chest.

He felt her body lax under him and he pulled up slowly giving her small kisses before looking at her. "Let me clean you up and get you in bed." He kissed her cheek before pulling up all the way.

Qian felt tired, but tried to nod to him, pushing herself up but only stopping short when his lips brushed her cheek. "Okay," she murmured.

Vy stood and went to her bathroom to grab a towel. He smiled to himself. He was amazed at how, whenever they were together, the rest of the world and problems just disappeared. Reality hit hard then when he realized he would not be able to hold her tonight. No matter how wonderful this was, it had to be a secret. The best kept one for her sake.

He came back out and got on one knee before wiping between her legs. He was gentle, knowing she might be sore since this was her first time.

Qian turned a little, squeezing her legs together when she felt him gently wipe her center. "Ah-" She gasped, opening her eyes as she grabbed his wrist. It was more tender now. She looked at Vy, blushing a little. "Are you leaving?" She whispered.

He left the towel and pulled his hand back. He frowned. "I don't want to." God's he wanted to stay. He moved to pick her up then, scooping her gently into his arms to take her to the bed.

She turned her face into his chest as he picked her up. "I want to see you again, then." She couldn't believe her own ears but it was true. He was the best company since she had come here.

He smiled and held her tightly for a second before laying her down. "I will do what I can," he told her and cupped her face. "I won't be far though."

Qian felt a little unease at the last moment, grabbing his hand as he pulled back. "D-Don't tell…" She told him softly. "Don't tell anyone. Please." The idea of loneliness brought her a bit of anxiety, especially with how she'd have to keep a facade around his father and Bao Ma.

He stopped when she grabbed his hand. "I won't. I promise." He sat on the edge of the bed to lean in and give her another kiss. He put his forehead to hers. He didn't want to leave. "I won't let anything happen to you."

She felt a little more reassured by his words and she let her hand fall slowly as she started to drift off, unable to keep her eyes open much longer.

He sat back and smiled when she fell asleep. He had to leave though. With a heavy sigh, he got up and got dressed. His robes were still damp, but it didn't matter. With one more look back at her, he left to go back to his room.