The Biggest Difference

Writers: Bree, Eimi
Date Posted: 27th December 2006

Characters: Jio, Miryene
Description: Jio and Miryene come back to their senses after a very passionate flit flight, but things have changed...
Location: Vintner Hall
Date: month 1, day 14 of Turn 4
Notes: Follows "Closer to Passion"

Jio's hands were still wrapped around his wife's hips as she laid her head over his heart. Her body was warm and damp from sweat. _Sweat_. She actually had worked herself up to a sweat. Miryene had never broken a sweat like that before. She had never taken the lead before. She had never kissed him, or touched him or called his name like that before either. He also could not deny the painful realization that the biggest difference in their lovemaking this time was that Miryene had never actually _wanted_ him before. With her breathing settling down, Miryene was coming to the same realization--and was mortified. She felt her cheeks flood with color again, and was glad her hair hid her face from Jio. Shards, what had she _done_? Whatever had come over her, she'd destroyed all those careful nights of trying to make Jio feel important and special and, above all, wanted. She was almost afraid to talk to him, but someone had to break the silence. "Jio?"

"It was Ivy," he stated simply, as if that explained and excused everything. It wasn't her fault. It wasn't intentional. There was no reason to feel hurt. She didn't mean for that to happen. She didn't mean for a lot of things to happen. It was... still too soon... that's all.

That made Miryene lift her head, lifting a shaky hand to push hair from her face so she could look at Jio. "Ivy?"

"What you were feeling when you... reached for me. It was Ivy rising to mate." Faranth knows she had never reached for him of her out her own need and desire. And why should she? He was never her first choice.

"Oh." She wanted to move away from him, but she couldn't quite bring herself to pull away from him. Not until she found a way to regain the easy affection that had been between them.

"I think Pom was chasing, but I don't think he caught her..." The silence stretched between them. It was strained and uncomfortable, even as they lay with their bare skin pressed together. Miryene cleared her throat self-consciously. "Is it--is it always like that?" Maybe she could blame it on the flit flight, and Jio wouldn't feel so bad about it... "I really don't know. I usually just ignore it." He usually _could_ ignore it. This was the first time he had a woman reach for him, wanting him so much that she couldn't wait to feel his hands on her... The first time he felt utterly useless and ignorant.

"Oh." Miryene's cheeks flushed as she finally pulled away from him, her hands fumbling to pull her tunic back into place. "I'm sorry, Jio. You must thing I'm--" The words caught in her throat, and she turned away to hide her despair at how terribly she must have hurt him.

"It was just a flight, Miryene. It wasn't your fault." He rolled off the sofa and began straightening his own clothes, not quite ready to look at her. How could he look her in the eye now? How could he lay beside her and reach out for her knowing just how she must cringe every time he touched her. The uncomfortable silence stretched out between them as Miryene struggled to find some way to reach out to him, to talk to him before the hurt grew to be too much. But what could she say? The simple truth was that she cared for Jio and might even love him, but she wasn't in love with him. And now he would be reminded of it every time he touched her.

"I'd better check on Mio... Make sure we didn't wake him." It was a lame excuse, he knew, but what else was he going to do, ask her just how bad things really are?

"Thank you." Miryene forced a smile as she stood, straightening her skirts out. "I'll take care of the dishes, then." And splashing in the water would give her an excuse for the dampness on her cheeks.

Last updated on the December 29th 2006

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The Biggest Difference