A Not-So-Blind Date [Attn: Tia Tomosan]

[Bella]

Brynmor almost just hollered at the person on the other side of the door to go away. When she touched his face, that was suddenly all that he could think about...

He restrained himself of course and didn't yell anything at anyone. Nodding, he managed a faint smile. "I imagine it is," he agreed, forcing himself to step away from her and move toward the door. With his hand on the handle, he paused for a moment to take a breath before opening it up slightly.

When he peered through, he saw a servant with a tray of food. He nodded once and then stepped back, permitting the girl to enter. Even though they were in the Citadel, he still watched her closely until she had set the tray down and left again.

"Dinner is ready," he said, still with the faint, crooked smile. Admittedly, food was not a very strong subject in his mind, but he knew that it was important that they both ate. He moved to the other side of the small table and pulled out a chair for her. "After you," he said lightly, hoping to chase away the specters that had risen in his mind.

[Roan]

Tia Sedai

Tia gave a warm smile to the Gaidin as he held her chair for her. She found it hard to turn her attention from his intense gaze, and found she didn’t really want to as she approached the small table. The food was fresh and warm from the kitchens, and while the Green was peckish, she wasn’t starving. She was, however, distracted.

The warmth of his skin as her fingers lingered on his cheek, the slight coarseness of the light stubble. . .the two had danced around each other since the night they’d met. They’d already established they were attracted to one another, but had put all of that aside to investigate the town. Their part in the investigation was done, and the pressure was off, at least for the time being.

“Bryn,” Tia spoke barely above a whisper as she took one of his hands in hers, and stepped closer so that she was toe to toe with him. She reached up once again to caress his cheek with her other hand, her eyes intent on his. Butterflies seemed to be doing somersaults in her stomach as she raised herself to her toes. She hesitated but a second before finding his lips with hers.

A small voice at the back of her mind questioned her timing, but another small voice told the first to shove it as she kissed him.

[Bella]

His sharp, steely blue eyes watched her intently, without blinking, as she didn't take the seat he had pulled for her but instead moved in toward him, taking his hand and touching his cheek again. Heat and lightning-like tingling erupted where she touched him, spreading out to every corner as he stood perfectly still. Watching. Wondering.

Then she rose up and kissed him.

Something in his mind seemed to burst with the same heat and electricity, and he almost froze. His body took over where his mind was shocked, yet not, however, and he kissed her back just as lightly as she kissed him...for a moment. Then his arm was suddenly around her waist, pulling her tight against his body as he added more heat to the kiss.

[Roan]

Tia Sedai

The anxiety and apprehension she felt leading up to the kiss was almost electric, and it all turned to red-hot heat when the Gaidin pulled her closer and added more passion to the kiss. The meal forgotten, Tia slid her arms around him as she leaned into the kiss. As awkward as things had been between the two leading up to that very moment, the moment itself felt completely natural.

Tia was not a typical Aes Sedai and didn’t have the characteristic Aes Sedai facade of a calm demeanor in all circumstances. She was just. . .Tia. Her passionate Saldaean side tended to show itself whether she wanted it to or not. Right then, she was doing nothing to hide that part of her, feeling relief the two had finally overcome the awkward stage.

As much as the Green could revel in the moment, and let things take their natural course, she did eventually break the kiss, resting her hands on his shoulders. She took a shuddered breath and gave him a crooked smile, “That’s. . .that is one way to start a meal.” She didn’t want to move, and didn’t want the moment to end. Part of her felt as if her heart was about to burst, and despite what they’d experienced earlier that day, or partly because of the emotional hit they both took as a result, she felt more than a little giddy.

[Bella]

When she broke away from the kiss, he was momentarily worried that he had misread just how much she wanted of him and was concerned that she was upset. The look on her face as she met his eyes and smiled at him quickly eased that concern away, and he returned her crooked smile with as much focus as he could. Even as his brain swam with desire.

The moment to breathe gave him a moment to think, and he began to second-guess himself. Was this a reaction to what they had seen and one of those reactions to a life-or-death moment? Was it just because he'd laid himself somewhat bare before her? But no, they had acknowledged how they looked at each other... And she clearly felt it as much as he did.

"Yes, it is," he said, voice so low it almost rumbled as those blue eyes roamed from her eyes to her mouth. "It is..." he breathed.

He kissed her again, just as hard and just as passionately. His arms wrapped around her waist, lifting her in an instant and setting her on the edge of the table where he pressed closer against her and kissed her deeper.

[Roan]

Tia Sedai

Tia wrapped her arms around Bryn’s neck as he lifted her up onto the table, returning the kiss with as much passion as he showed her. Something crashed behind her, but she didn’t dare break the kiss, nor did she really care. Any thoughts to dinner slipped from her mind. . .
~~~~ It was always colder at the Citadel than it was at the Tower, and mornings were particularly chilly. Part of Tia thought to get up and start a fire in the hearth, but she had no desire to move out from the arm that held her. She took in a deep breath and let it go as she leaned back and into Bryn. She laced her fingers through his and pulled him tighter, kissing his knuckles.

The pair did eventually eat, though she had to heat up their meal as they’d gotten quite thoroughly distracted. As tired as she’d been after they returned to the Citadel, whatever exhaustion she felt was gone the moment she’d kissed him. She had no idea what time they’d finally drifted off to sleep, and had no idea how late they’d slept, though the sun didn't seem to be too high in the sky.

Neither Gaidin nor Aes Sedai had anywhere they had to be that day, and Tia was more than content for the pair of them to hid in their quarters. It had been a long time since she’d felt quite so. . .content.

[Bella]

As a long-time soldier and later Gaidin, Brynmor was trained on a very deep level to not be the heaviest of sleepers. As soon as Tia began to shift in his arms, he awoke. He inhaled deep, opened his eyes and looked around. Everything seemed to be normal and without threat, so he closed his eyes again and pulled her tight to his chest.

"G'morning," he said, his voice low and rough in her ear.

He recalled the night before in vivid detail, and knew he would enjoy the memory for a long time to come. Though he suddenly had the worry that she might have regrets...but no, the way she snuggled back into him suggested that she did not. And he would take it.

[Roan]

Tia Sedai

“Mmm. . . .good morning,” Tia replied and turned so she could look to him, flashing him a warm smile. She wasn’t used to waking up with someone sleeping next to her. It had been years since she and Jaryd were involved with each other, and she’d not really dated much since. The Green found she quite liked the feeling of waking up wrapped in someone’s arms.

No. . .that wasn’t quite right. It wasn’t just that she liked the feeling of waking up in someone’s arms. She liked waking up in his arms. Giving a breathy laugh, she shook her head, “I hate to admit this, but I think my family’s scheme about the two of us might have worked.” Tia turned over onto her back to look at Bryn. She couldn’t quit smiling and reached up to trace his jawline with her fingers.

Flashes from the night before came flooding back with such a simple touch. She resisted the urge to lean up and kiss him, mostly because she couldn’t take her eyes off of his. “Not saying we wouldn’t have gotten here on our own, but. . .they might have sped the process up a bit,” she said.

[Bella]

Bryn met her eyes and his own danced lightly as he returned her gaze in the dim, warm light of the sunrise through the window. While she might have resisted, she was able to lean forward and kissed her quickly. "Might have worked?" he teased. "We were both there last night when what happened...happened, yes?"

He chuckled again. "You'll have to remind me to thank your family then," he said lightly. His mood became suddenly serious as he looked down into her hazel eyes. "No regrets, right?"

[Roan]

Tia Sedai

Tia reached up and rested her hand on his cheek as she gave him a warm smile. She didn’t answer right away, mostly because of the swirl of emotions circling through not just her stomach, but around her entire body and in and out of her mind. She was almost overwhelmed by the warm and fuzzy.

Shaking her head slowly, Tia replied, “Light no, Bryn. No regrets. No regrets at all other than the regret of knowing we’ll have to eventually leave this bed, but I’m not sure I want to leave the comfort of your arms.”