Barely Enough

Writers: Dana, Eimi
Date Posted: 12th September 2006

Characters: Larken, M'tone
Description: The couple has a conversation they don't really want to have
Location: Harper Hall
Date: month 13, day 24 of Turn 3

Stretching out her legs, Larken grinned almost sleepily at M'tone from across the table. "How come you always feel tired after a really good meal topped off with wine and dessert? Honestly, we're no different from felines. After they eat, they get all sleepy. Pisky usually wants to cuddle, too...before he sleeps."

"And are you like Pisky?" M'tone grinned. "Do you like to cuddle before you sleep?"

She blushed, eyes lingering on his face. "Yes..."

"Well, come along then," he chuckled, standing and taking her hand. "I think we have time for an after dinner nap, don't you?"

Not that there would really be much napping going on.... Unable to keep the foolish smile from her face, Larken dutifully followed M'tone into his sleeping room. Flushing, she ran her free hand across the baseboard. "I take it you find making your bed in the morning a waste of precious time?" she teased, noting the rumpled mess of sheets and furs and pillows.

M'tone chuckled as he pulled back the sheets and fluffed the pillows. "It saves time now. Look, ready jump right in."

Her expression turned shy as she hooked a knee up on the mattress, crawling in to settle herself between the furs. Shells...all the pillows smelled like him, she thought, burying the side of her face into one.

He slipped in beside her and settle the furs over them, sliding an arm under her head and resting his chin on her forehead. "You know, I think you're bigger than a feline."

She grinned, closing her eyes. "You think so?" To be with him like this, curled up in his arms...it felt good. Almost too good. She loved the way his arm felt under her head, how he bent it just the right way so it was comfortable for the both of them... "What makes you think that?"

"Well, I don't know what kinds of felines you've been sleeping with, but every feline I've ever cuddled up with to fall asleep didn't fit this nicely," he chuckled.

Gently she kissed his neck. "Shards, I love being with you," she whispered, nestling closer.

"I love it too," he murmured, turning to kiss her cheek softly. "I wouldn't mind spending more nights like this."

Her smile faltered a little. "Turn's End is coming..." And she hadn't really given thought to the days that lay beyond--at least, not until now. After the celebration was over, Ojisan would be home more often...and the freedom she'd known, and her time spent with M'tone, would mostly be gone.

"Mmhmm," he shifted slightly to kiss her neck. After spending the last four evenings together, it was easy to convince himself it would always be that way. It was a conversation he didn't really want to have, but he knew they must. "We'll find a way, Larken."

"Will we?" she asked, curling an arm tentatively around him. "I want to, M'tone. Shards I do." It was almost frightening how much she truly was starting to depend on him, enjoy his company, the freedom that being with him entailed... "But my husband..."

"I told you," M'tone whispered, caressing her cheek softly with the tips of his fingers. "You can have us both, and he doesn't ever have to know."

Larken worried her lower lip, leaning into his touch. "He'll be home more. He'll expect me to be there with him."

He leaned down to kiss her neck softly, more comforting than passionate.
I'm sure we will find time, Larken. Don't worry about that. There's always a way."

She tilted her head up, offering more pale flesh to his tender ministrations. Shards...how she wished it could be as easy as he assured her it would! But she knew it just wouldn't be the same. She closed her eyes. Right now, she wanted to forget about Turn's End approaching, forget about Ojisan, forget about everything! Sighing softly, she moved a hand to his hair.

M'tone took the hint and his kisses turned much more distracting. She didn't want to think about it. Neither did he. He just wanted to pretend that it could always be like this. "I will always be here, Larken," he assured her as his lips brushed across her skin. "I'm not going anywhere."

"Good. Because I don't want you to go."

"You know, you don't have to go either," he murmured, fingering the ties of her tunic lightly. They had a few more days to spend together before Turn's End, but the time was running short.

Larken willed herself to keep breathing. Calmly. Steadily. "I know," she murmured back, goosebumps raising on her arms as she felt the very tips of his fingers brush the skin peeking out between the ties.

She wasn't objecting as his fingers pulled the first tie and reached for the second. "Stay with me a while longer. We can find an excuse. Just don't go so soon."

"What could I say?" Her fingers tightened around the sheet, telling herself that he'd seen most of the skin beneath those ties before. After all, he _had_ seen her in her bathing suit more than once. **But it's different now....** They were in his bed, kissing and caressing; not in the ocean or Weyrlake. Quite a difference there. She opened her eyes to look up at him, unable to say a word as his fingers reached for the third tie.

"Tell him you were wandering out on the beach?" The third tie fell open and then a fourth. "Or that you met a new female friend and lost track of time?"

"I think....the second one...." Wanderings out on the beach had gotten her into...situations... The story of meeting someone new would be safer. Yes indeed... Larken gently caressed a finger down his cheek, meeting his eyes as the last string fell from his fingers, very aware of just how much flesh was exposed. A thrill went through her at his expression.

"See," he whispered, his fingers drawing lazy circles around her navel.
"It's not that hard, is it."

Shivering slightly, she shook her head.

He smiled and leaned in to kiss her softly. "Whenever you want me, I'll be ready for you. I promise you that, Larken."

**I want you...** Larken bit her lip before the words could escape, and she closed her eyes again, thumb stroking his cheek...a subtle invitation to keep on kissing her...touching her. For now, it was enough. But just barely enough. Shards...

Last updated on the September 17th 2006

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Barely Enough