RP:Yours
Summary: Xiem completes the fire pit to accompany the deck on her villa! Now she just needs to invite some people over for a party. Although now she is leaving for Venturil and offers for Xiem to stay in the guest room of the villa while she is gone.
Beachside Villa
A worn path edged by beach primrose leads up to the stained-teak porch of this spacious, seaside villa. The foundation is built upon thick stilts that lift this island architecture only a few feet above the sand, allowing that ocean breeze to flow under the house to keep it naturally cool, as well as providing safety from a high tide flood. The interior beyond is simple: wicker and wood furniture, a short bar and bottle rack built into a back wall. Rooms for rest remain behind closed doors, and only a few exotic trinkets line the shelves. Large, open windows are dressed with the vintage, velvet curtains selected long ago by it's original owner, framing that paradise view of tumbling waves and swaying bitter panicum.
Outside, a shell chime clatters softly in the wind. The old hammock remains, swaying with a rhythm to the neighboring water.
Xiembantointh is out and about early once again as the sun has just peaked over the horizon and his hungover coworkers are still snoozing away in their rooms at the Inn. This time, he left tiny pebbles or rocks that have unique colors and shapes at the shop's window outer ledge over the very long five days he'd been away from Lita. With his hair still slightly damp from a shower, he wastes no time pulling down a shovel and a paint pail from the material pile he left before, but it is a significantly smaller pile now that the deck is done. Then he takes out some paint brushes to set on the deck with the paint pail that is filled with a special kind of varnish for the deck which endures the weather on Rynvale. Hopefully Lita is up already and he knocks on the back door in wait for her to join him outside and help, or simply sip some tea while enjoying the view - either was fine with him, but he figured she would enjoy painting while he digs out an area for her fire pit.
Lita hadn't been sure what to do with the little pebbles and stones he'd left at first. The first one had been round and smooth and finally she'd painted it a dark blue with golden stars before setting it back out on the window for him to see. The next day, when he'd left a stone with a pink hue, she'd painted it to match the roses of his tattoo, a silver outline drawn across the pebble's natural colors. And each morning he'd see the one painted from the day before. A frog with yellow spots, a turquoise jellyfish, and one that was more square that she painted like a sandwich with all the fixings. Lita hears him outside before he knocks on the door. She combs her fingers through her hair before answering the door and greeting him with a long kiss good morning. "I must like you," she teases. "It's too early for trouble."
Xiembantointh had left the little artsy rocks in their place as they became a little family on the window sill. The shovel he was holding clanks to the floor of the deck when she pulls him in for a kiss and his arms wrap around her to pull her up off her feet for the duration of their kiss. His lips probably still have the taste of oranges on them from the juice he had with breakfast as he matches her eager energy for affection. Letting her down gently as he starts a chuckle, "apparently it isn't too early for trouble because you're already up." Of course implying that she is trouble, but he knows she is and likes it. "You like me, huh? I must be doing something right," he playfully nudges her before picking up the varnish and brush. "Are you up for some painting while I sort out the fire ring?" It isn't too hot out yet for him to lose his cotton tee shirt, so he leaves it on for now. Plus, he has to keep her wanting more just like she is doing to him with her natural allure even if she is trying to or not. If she doesn't take the varnish, he sets it down to pick the shovel up while casually mentioning, "my daughter, Cyniarth, knows about my uh… special friend who I am definitely not dating," he teases with a grin. "She is a forking interrogation specialist I swear," he shakes his head while heading down the steps of the deck. "I made her promise not to say anything to her siblings, though. Especially Tyres, he is such a blabbermouth and he doesn't even realize it most of the time." After sticking the spade shovel in the sand, he runs a hand through his clean damp hair before turning his azure gaze on Lita, "to be clear. I can't wait to tell my kids and grandkids the good news that someone makes me really happy lately, but I selfishly want to keep you to myself for a little while longer," he grins in a coy way in hopes he didn't just say anything else that sends her in a spiral.
Lita's smile broadens when he implies that she's trouble. It's what Hanan used to call her and it's been a long time since she's heard it but it sounds good coming from him. "Must be." She agrees with his assessment. "Painting, yes, I can do that." She takes the brush and varnish from him, twirling the brush between her fingers a couple of times before grasping the handle. The way he describes them as being special friends who aren't dating makes her feel a little guilty. But he's grinning at her in a way that she knows she ought not to be and she reminds herself too that he'd said he would wait. For how long, she wonders? Until he'd get tired of waiting? She's following him down the stairs as he's talking about Tyres but lingers near the deck, since she's to be painting after all. The excitement he exudes in talking about wanting to tell people about her- about them- is infectious and she can't help but feel the same. She'd told Leo. Or rather, the pirate had had his assumptions and she hadn't dissuaded him from them. She tucks her hair behind her ears and sets about painting the pylons holding up the deck in that varnish. She isn't spiraling into worry, not the way she'd done previously when he'd mentioned the word dating. His patience, and willingness to wait, was an amazing thing. She didn't entirely understand the why behind it yet but she admired it immensely. Occasionally, she glances over to watch him working in the sand and it's nice to see him here. She finishes the posts and the underside of the deck and sets the varnish and brush on the steps as she heads up into the house briefly, making her way back outside and towards him with a bottle of water. She'll loop an arm around his waist to snag his attention, trying to kick minimum amounts of sand back into the hole he's dug. "I think if you're going to tell people about us," in whatever fashion he'd want to, "Then we should go on a proper date."
Xiembantointh is fine taking a small break as she comes up to give him some water, which he downs quite fast while holding her in the same fashion with his free arm. "Hey," he exclaims with a short chuckle while watching her kick sand back in the hole where stones will soon go. Her words catch him off guard, but all he can do is smile down at her while simply replying, "why do you think I am trying to get this done so fast?" After tossing the glass bottle to land safely near the deck steps so he can bring it inside later, he turns himself to her and lets both of his arms drape over her shoulders while looking down at her. Then one hand gently cups her cheek while his thumb caresses across her bottom lip and his azure gaze follows it. He definitely is not planning on having their date here, though. "I want to have a date on my day off when I am not all sweaty and smelly from building this beautiful woman a dreamy deck space," then he bends his neck down to place a slow supple kiss on her lips. When the kiss breaks, he barely pulls back so his lips are still caressing past her own as he softly says, "better not start this again or I will get nothing done today." It still takes him a few seconds, but he finally untangles himself from her allure after smiling against her lips and stealing another kiss. He is getting quite warm and slips his shirt off in order to hand it to her so he can get back to shoveling. The shirt isn't all sweaty because he took it off when he started feeling too hot, but it is warm and smells clean including the hint of sandalwood mixed with vanilla. Now that a proper space has been dug out, he finishes the structure with mixed cement and large flat stones. It is a little hypnotizing watching him slab on the mixture, place the stone and scrape the excess cement from the edges. It might be evident he has been doing this many years with how confidently and quickly he evenly lays the stone around the ring where people will be sitting to enjoy a fire, but once he reached the middle, he pauses to search the stones for a specific one before carefully placing it, checking it, and then sealing it where it belongs. By now the sun is high in the sky and he winces while looking up with a deep breath. Carefully, he steps away from the stone laid fire ring to inspect his work, "the cement just needs to set for a couple of days and I think we are all done." He looks over to the deck to see how the varnish looks with a wide grin, "that looks great. It should dry in a few hours, let's take a break," he offers his arm to her and escorts her to the front of the house so they don't step in wet varnish.
Lita lifts her other arm around his waist too as he turns fully to face her and his arms drape around her shoulders. She tilts her head a bit into the warmth of his palm and his thumb at her lower lip draws her eyes back up to him. Her fingers curl into the fabric of his shirt at the small of his back as she remembers to kiss him back. His words maker her smile softly. She might be okay with him getting nothing done today, considering the alternative. She takes the shirt from him and in the absence of him against her suddenly, she lifts the shirt to inhale the scent of him. The sight of her doing so makes him laugh adoringly and she turns away from him to finish painting the deck. Not wanting to set his shirt in the sand or get varnish on it by laying it on the wood, she tugs it on instead, over her sundress. It nearly covers the whole dress, the skirt of it just visible beneath the hem of the shirt. Sheesh. It's warm and will stay so under the sun but won't get all sweaty at least. She starts nearest to the house, painting all the railings first and then goes back to the same starting point to varnish the deck floor. This way the stairs are last. When it's finished, she finds a spot in the sand to sit, her knees drawn up to her chest and her arms loose around them. There's a quiet way that he works, seemingly lost in the familiarity of it. When he's finished and the project has come to light, she marvels at the beauty of it. "It looks amazing!" She exclaims, taking his hand to find her feet again as she takes a step closer to see the finished fire ring. She can feel his eyes on her, shamelessly scrutinizing the sight of his tee shirt on her little frame and enjoying it. "It does." He agrees. He's saying they should take a break and she agrees, taking his arm to head up to the front of the house. "I don't want to cause any," she pauses, searching for the right words, "unpleasantness for you and your family. I know you're willing to be patient and take things slow for me and I appreciate it. But I hope you know that I understand you're close with them and this part of your life affects them, too." He'd said that even when he'd been fond of women in the past, he hadn't been able to shake the guilt that came from still grieving his wife. She would assume that meant his children had never met anyone as their father's 'girlfriend' before. Would they be excited? Protective? Territorial? Would they even like her? She's leading him into the kitchen so he can help himself to food and drink if he'd like. "Part of me wants to be selfish with you. Keep us in this little bubble." She leans her hip against the counter as she watches him. "But I don't think that's fair to you either."
Xiembantointh smiles while fixing himself a sandwich with a side of fruit and whatever is left of that Rynvale stout, but he is actively listening to her and validates her concerns. "Honestly? All of my kids are off kicking ass in their own lives and I love them with all my heart, but they don't get a say in my life just as I don't have a say in theirs. I am glad they spread out all over this world to find their own stake in it for better… or worse," he sighs, damn Xender. "I am proud of each of them no matter what and they have been my whole life, but if they have anything negative to say about how I want to be happy then that is their problem to deal with. Unless someone is paying me, keeping my bed warm, or feeding me I could care less about their opinion," he grins while setting his plate down, but before he even thinks about sitting down, he holds out a hand for her to take while pulling out a chair for her. He will lead her to sit with him and push in her chair even though he knows she doesn't need to eat. "Now about our bubble, I am lucky enough to even be here with a gorgeous creature such as yourself. I see you. The way you can command a room and the way people look at you, maybe even wish to be like you. I see you in your art as well and how your heart spills out the paints just right to create this tangible thing. Nothing is unfair when I get to bask in the light you shine, Lita - under any terms. I already said I can wait and we can go at your own pace with whatever you want this to be. I am old and hard headed," he grins and takes a sip of his stout. His hand slides across the table to find her own as his azure gaze connects to those deep hues, "but I also see the potential for something amazing."
Lita lifts her fingers, counting off his criteria for whose opinion he cares about: paying him, keeping his bed warm, feeding him... "One out of three?" She grins, nodding towards the plate of food and drink in his hands. She takes his hand, smiling softly when he pushes her chair in for her. "Such a gentleman." It's really difficult not to blush when he looks at her this way. "You know, it's really hard to want to take things slow when you say things like this." She takes his hand and squeezes it gently but won't hinder him from eating if he wants his hand back, also. "I do, too. I don't want you to think I don't. I'm-" she pauses, glances away from him for a moment and then back again. "The truth is, I'm afraid of losing you. Of the places I let myself go to when I've lost people I loved before." She scoots her chair a bit closer to him but draws her hand away from him, moving it to her lap, fiddling with the fabric of his shirt. "Xiem, I have to tell you something." She's nervous about whatever it is. But she knows she has to tell him. So much of their meeting and the connection they'd found had been knit by their shared loss. "My wife, Hanan, she didn't die. I mean, she did. But, I mean," the words kind of get away from her and she inhales a little breath, exhaling slowly before she can try to regroup and start again. "She faked her death. I didn't know that, at first." She's quick to clarify. "For two years, actually. And then, I saw her one day, on the docks at the harbor. Standing there like no time had passed. She saw me but looked -through me- it felt like. And she said, 'you weren't supposed to be here' and then she was gone again. No one ever saw or heard from her again. I never told anyone. I couldn't do that to them. Make them live with a realization that she'd left them too. Actually, I did tell Leo, but only recently." She's doing that rambling thing again. Reign it in. "I'm afraid of losing you. Truth is, you're too good for me. I'm scared one of these days you'll realize it."
Xiembantointh shrugs and winks at her while swallowing a bite of food, "one is all ya need." Great things about sandwiches, you can hold them with one hand! So he doesn't mind her holding his other one while he eats. He chuckles and shakes his head, "I won't apologize for that. I know what I want and it is you," he says in that self assured way as if he knows their future, but the truth is, he is just enjoying things with her one day at a time while the affection is growing for her like a wild… Yeah, just like a wildflower. When she says she is afraid of losing him, he places his sandwich down to switch the hand she is holding so he can wrap the closest one around her. Gently he guides her to rest her head on his chest/shoulder area and rests his chin on the top of her head. His hand gently rubs up and down her outer arm for comfort as he listens to her story and the pain in her voice. "I am so sorry, Lita. I cannot even imagine that burden you've had to carry all this time. You're such a strong woman and I do not want to speak badly of people I don't even know, but Hanan is a fool to have left you behind like this. I hope she had some sort of reason for it that involved keeping you safe because I cannot imagine a good enough reason to ever make me do something like that. A dragon's mind is strong and my scales keep me protected. I really am just a simple guy in the construction game, though." He kisses her forehead and gently pushes her chin to look up at him as he shifts to look down into her eyes, "none of us are all good or all evil. I've done good things for bad people and I have done bad things for good people. I don't care what you've done and I do not wish to uproot your life or compromise who you are… I am only concerned with you now and your future - however you wish to live it. I just hope I have a part in it, any part at all." He gently pushes any of her raven locks out of her face. "I am not going anywhere."
Lita isn't quite sure where Xiem has come from. Wisping into her life out of smoke and mirrors and uprooting her life. Quietly and unintentionally at first maybe but now? She scoots her chair back a bit and leaves her seat so she can sit in his lap sideways instead, leaning into his chest. She reaches up to his cheek and kisses him gently, again and again. There's a relief in feeling the truth of him, not just in being seen but in realizing that she can be honest with him about these things she's kept to herself for so long. "Good." She murmurs. "I don't want you to. I like you being here." Whatever might happen after his six months were up and he went back to Frostmaw and his life there, they'd figure it out then. "I don't have to call you my boyfriend, do I?" Even as she says it her nose wrinkles with the way the word sounds so juvenile and strange. "Maybe not." They were both maybe too old for that. "But I maybe wouldn't mind being yours, if that's okay."
Xiembantointh helps her get comfortable on his lap and his arms automatically take their places to hold her there as if she fits into him just right. Her kisses are welcome and met with just the right amount of heat as the number of them grows while matching her rhythm. One of his hands is holding her hips in place while the other claims purchase on her outer thigh near her knee. His joyous grin returns as his honesty seems to resonate with her. "Good," he agrees. With a grimace at the word 'boyfriend', he chuckles shortly as she agrees it is quite childish sounding. "I like that… simply being yours. Each to each," then his eyes fall to her lips again as he admits, "I don't know, though. I might have been yours when I witnessed you stumble out of that door with your short arms wrapped around that huge box and then you were fluttering all about the shop like a vibrant butterfly." His cheeks take on a slight pink hue and he rolls his eyes, "I know. Super cliche and corny."
Lita grins when he appears amenable to this prospect of being hers and vice versa. Maybe it was simple but important. She's trying not to think too much about the feeling of his hand on her thigh or the heat of his fingers against her skin or the fact that he's still shirtless (because she's wearing his shirt). "You are cliche and corny." She says softly, melting a little to see that blush in his cheeks. "And you didn't even know me then!" Even as she says it, she's not surprised. She'd seen it in him some when he'd come back to the shop that second time. Even then he'd looked at her as if he'd known more about her than she'd let on. She nuzzles against the line of his jaw affectionately and then presses a kiss against his neck. He still smells like sunshine and sand. She lifts a hand over the rose tattoo on his chest, tracing the flowers with her index finger for a moment. "One of these days, I'm not gonna let you leave." She teases him, biting her lower lip as she reluctantly draws herself off his lap again, so he can finish eating if need be. "I was wondering if I can see where you're working sometime? Seems only fair since you've seen my shop."
Xiembantointh doesn't have to not think about the close and intimate way they are sitting because something about it just feels natural. "Sometimes you just know when you've met someone special," he says in a matter-of-fact manner. At the time, he did feel it, but wasn't sure this is how it would go. Kindred spirits have a way of doing that. Unfortunately it has been quite a long time since anyone has kissed his neck in such a way and the tips of his fingers dig into her skin ever so slightly as he swallows hard at the way the sensation tingles down his spine. Her fingertips feel cool on his skin and it is a welcome calm to how the room suddenly feels warmer… hot, even. He gently clears his throat and mind to reply in a challenging manner, "is that a threat?" Regrettably, she must stand, but he suddenly doesn't feel hungry while his gaze lingers on how she looks wearing his shirt. "Not a chance. My workers will have my head if they see you walking around without a helmet on," there is a grin on his face as he chuckles, but it is true.
Lita concedes with only the briefest of pouts. "Fine..." She lifts a hand to his hair and kisses his temple briefly. She just, didn't want to not be touching him in some way, however small. "And yes, that was a threat." She narrows her eyes at him playfully and lifts her hand in mock claws. "Rawr." She tugs away from him long enough to grab a handful of raspberries from the kitchen and then return the table and settling back into her chair. "I can give you your shirt back though, if you want." She says as she pops a berry into her mouth, eyeing him with a mischievous look that says she has no intention of taking it off just yet. "I do have to go to Venturil, for a few days. Might be a week or two that I'm gone but when that should give you plenty of time to plan something for that date. And give the deck and fire ring time to set." She pops another berry into her mouth. "You're welcome to stay here if you want. There's a guest room," she points over her shoulder at one of the closed doors of the bedrooms. "And it's far more comfortable than the inn."
Xiembantointh bites his lip a little through a slight grin while he gives her a narrowed gaze and obviously shows he likes what he sees. "No, I think it looks better on you. Better just keep it," he leans back over his plate as his appetite finally comes back and he finishes his food. "I think I can live with a week or two," he resigns and chugs down some of his drink. The offer is met with a brow raise, "I don't know which will be worse. Just being without you or staying in a place that smells wonderful like you, but you aren't around," he gets up to clean everything he used and put away everything untouched. "I think I just might stay here then," he says over his shoulder with a grin while thoroughly washing the dishes. Curious he didn't take the offer of staying in the rich neighborhood of Elimdor when his daughter offered, but he is willing to stay at Lita's place alone. He figures that staying here will be better than having nothing for the next two weeks.