His clawed hand rested against the small of her back and his astonishingly soft, warm mouth tasted like the sea and sweet, tart sailorfruit juice as it pressed to hers. Whoa! For a moment Nina felt a swell of cool panic rising in her belly until her body began to respond to the gentle, curious workings of Ardus's lips and tongue, a flush spreading across her chest and up her throat. Oh! The hand behind her pressed, and Nina felt herself slide towards him across the counter. Oh...
The hand crept up her spine, its palm spreading between her shoulders and bringing her closer. Slowly, tenderly, with his huge body leaning towards hers and his hand supporting her from behind, Ardus opened his mouth and Nina felt the lightest brushing of his dirks on her lips. Sea gods, he's good! She opened her mouth to admit more of his warm, dark tongue but Ardus pulled away with a horrified gasp, leaving her dangling and confused like a fish on a line. Ardus pushed back, his palms on the counter. "I am sorry, I do not know what came over me!"
"Ardus-" Nina tried to reassure him, but he babbled over her.
"That was extremely inappropriate, I am so-"
Nina seized his vest in both hands, giving him a shake. "Ardus!" The Dreen froze mid-word, his blue eyes wide and his pores fading to a dim yellow. "Ardus, it's fine." She pulled, knowing she wouldn't be able to move him at all, but at least she would have her claws in him.
Ardus stared at her for a moment, his large blue eyes enormous. "N-Nina...?"
"It's okay." She gave his vest another tug. "Please, come back."
The fear faded from his eyes and his pores began to brighten. Around his throat his Collar of Aku speckled blue, purple and green – happy colors, flaring out from the constellation in ripples that traveled out and down his arms and up his face. He pulled in a breath, catching it in his lungs briefly before the corners of his mouth began to turn up. Ardus gave a short, quiet laugh, more like an amused cough, before his beautiful smile fully took over. He pulled her towards his chest, his other hand coming to rest on her side just above the swell of her hip, folding her into his arms and pressing his cheek to hers. "Nina..." he still said her name funny, not quite right but close enough for her, "I have wanted this for...some time."
"Me too, big guy."
At his nickname Ardus glowed pink and purple. He pressed his forehead to hers and for many seconds Nina stared into his sea-blue-on-black eyes while her fingers released his vest and wandered inside, her palms resting on pectorals the size of couch cushions. His huge hands squeezed her body carefully, thoughtfully, the one on her side just pressing its fingertips against her bare back. His claws barely grazed her skin, his touch unusually light for a creature of his size.
Nina uncrossed her shimmering legs as he stepped closer, slung her arms behind his thick neck – his back far too broad to span – and pulled him deeper. He pulled in a breath when she pressed her knees against his sides, his hand on her side drawing into a slightly tighter grip. "Shh, it's okay," Nina repeated, stroking the side of his neck, "it's just me. Hold me, Ardus."
"Nina...bright little starfish..." Ardus's basso voice, barely a whisper, dropped off and instead of words he made soft, low sounds in the depths of his chest.
Nina ran her fingers through the loose dark barbels at the back of his neck, encouraging him with little noises of her own. She lifted her chin and kissed the corner of his mouth and he turned his head to follow her lips, his breaths quickening and his pores beginning to dance. "That's it," she encouraged, "you can kiss me." Nina felt his mouth open again and his teeth nipped at her lips before his tongue pressed onward in exploration. She squeezed his hips with her thighs and Ardus rumbled a low, chesty growl.
"Nina, be careful," he cautioned, "I am significantly larger than you, and much stronger."
"I know," Nina smiled against his mouth. "I like it."
Ardus growled again, louder this time. His huge hands smoothed down her bare back and gripped her hips, his mouth opening to devour hers. He arched over Nina and bent her backwards, laying her down on the counter. Sandwiched between polished stone and hard Dreen muscle Nina felt his heart hammering, saw his pores glowing bright green and purple, smelled his rich, earthy-woody-spicy musk and tasted the salt of his kiss while his growl rattled through her chest like a thunderhead, almost too low for her ears to register. Digging her fingertips into the back of his neck Nina's short nails scraped over his skin, his pores reacting in tracers of white and the faintest blue.
Ardus's hands moved over her sparkling legs, his velvety skin hot and flickering as he squeezed, cupped and stroked her hips, her thighs, her ass, everything he could reach as their kisses became hotter, their teeth grinding together while Nina whimpered and sighed and Ardus growled and worried her lips gently with his dirks. His weight shifted and the cabinets below trembled, his hips pushing her back from the edge in a rhythmic rock. She wrapped her legs around his waist, clawing at his back and gripping handfuls of his barbels as she urged him on, and Ardus pressed her against the counter and covered her with his body. Nina gasped again, this time for breath as his size and weight drove the air out of her lungs and she pounded her fist on his shoulder, the edges of her vision darkening. "Ardus!" she choked, "I can't-"
Ardus jerked, pulling back suddenly and releasing her. "Sorry!" he rasped, his voice hoarse and thick. He pulled Nina upright, watching with frightened eyes as she wheezed and recovered her breath. "Nina, are you all right?"
"I'm fine!" Nina coughed, "I'm okay." Taking a few breaths, she gave him a reassuring smile and flicked stray hairs out of her eyes and mouth. "Phew! That was intense."
"Ah..." His cheeks and throat flickered pink. "Yes it was. I am sorry, I...er, I must have gotten carried away. Are you sure you are not-"
"I'm fine," She looked up and laughed. "You've got glitter on your face." Brushing a streak of golden dust off of his cheek, Nina watched as the big Dreen's head turned to follow her thumb. Her other hand followed and she laid them along his jaw, pulling him back. Ardus's hands on her wrists stopped her, taking up half of her forearm. His breath was ragged, his forehead knotted. She watched him pull several deep breaths, his pores dimming. "What's wrong?" she asked.
"I..." It seemed he was having trouble with his words, and the fear was back in his eyes. "I did not think a human would want a Dreen, much less an old man such as myself. I thought you would reject me, if not for my age then for my size or my species."
"Reject you?" Nina shook her head. "I'm sorry, but do you see me rejecting you?" The Dreen shook his head slowly, contrite. "Exactly. Listen, I don't care how old you are, or how big, or what species you are. I like you, Ardus. I like your hands on me, I like how close you are, how warm, how strong, I like your eyes, your voice, I even like this," she ran her fingers through his barbels, playing with the beads and wire wraps. "It's different, but it's you, that's all that matters to me."
Ardus looked abashed. "Perhaps I have been over-thinking."
"Of course you have. You're too hard on yourself," Nina tapped his chin. "Stop thinking so much, just do what feels right."
Ardus cocked an eyebrow. "I see my assistant has gotten to you as well."
Nina shrugged. "He's a smart kid. So, big guy, what do you want out of this?"
"What do I...want?"
"You know," Nina shook her hair back. "A relationship, a one-night-stand, somebody to mess around with in your off-time... I just want to make sure we're on the same page so nobody's feelings get hurt."
He seemed to think about it, his eyes searching hers. "Nina... It has been nearly twenty years since...since Timam, and in that time I have not thought about much else beyond my work. But since you arrived, I cannot think of anything else other than how much I want..." he swallowed. "You. I want you, Nina, I have wanted you for... I have lost track of how long. I have spent hours thinking about you, how I feel around you, how much you have upended my life, and how much-" he chuckled suddenly "-how much I have enjoyed having my life disrupted by such a small, unpredictable creature as you."
Nina smirked. "Would you say you've been 'happily annoyed'?" Ardus gave her a suspicious look and she shrugged. "Those were Athe's words. He said he hasn't seen you act like this since his mother."
Ardus nodded. "In that case, yes. Since you came to Dreenai, my mental health has gone to shambles. I can barely string two thoughts together when you are close to me. I have been distracted, worried, frightened, even irritated – but yes, I have enjoyed it. Sea gods drown me, I have enjoyed it! Even as I question my own sanity, wondering if I am going mad for wanting a human, it feels..." he grinned. "It feels right."
"Okay!" Nina beamed. "Now we're getting somewhere. I like you, you like me, we can work with that. Let's just take it day by day and see what happens. But here's the thing," she put her hands on his shoulders. "Even though I say it doesn't matter, we're still different people, we're different species. There's going to be a learning curve, so here's my proposal – I'll be totally open and honest with you, so you should feel comfortable being totally honest with me. I'll tell you if you do something that upsets me, so long as you do the same. How does that sound?"
"Does that mean," Ardus looked down at her sparkly little body, excitement twinkling in his eyes and on his dark skin, "that you would be mine?"
Nina grinned. "All yours, big guy. Now kiss me again, you big blue idiot."
And he did, for a while. Nina leaned against him and hugged his neck as he traced her spine with a fingertip, curled his hands around her hips and rubbed his warm, dry palms over her back. She reveled in the softness and warmth of his lips, how he minded his dirks and how expertly he employed his long, thick, pointed tongue to explore her mouth. He drew his claws through her hair, and she felt him stop again. She leaned back. "What's the matter, big guy? Something bothering you?"
"I am afraid that once I begin, I may not be able to stop."
"That's okay," Nina murmured, "I don't want you to stop." Listening to his chesty rumble and feeling his curious strokes and caresses as he explored and measured her shape with his hands, Nina traced his Collar of Aku with a finger, connecting the dots and watching his skin react in streaks and trails. Now that his pores had re-lit Nina studied the patterns they made around his eyes, along his neck, over his cheeks, nose and forehead. Nina kissed his jaw and Ardus's eyes fluttered half closed. Pulling back, Nina threaded her fingers together behind his neck. "Ardus..."
His eyes opened. Face to face with him, for once her eyes actually level with his gaze, was like looking into the sea itself – a vast space, greater than her mind could comprehend, rich with mysteries and discoveries beyond imagination. His eyes brimmed with intelligence, emotion, an uncanny familiarity that spanned the billions of miles that separated their worlds. I could get lost in those eyes. He tilted his head, looking at her curiously. "What is it?"
Nina swallowed, her entire body trembling. "Ardus, if you want – if you think you're ready – we can take this to the bedroom."
The Dreen's eyes widened, nostrils flaring as he drew a sharp, surprised breath. His pores glittering green and blue and yellow, he searched her face for answers. He squeezed her lightly, an unconscious gesture of hope. Nina smiled as she curled her fingers into his barbels, stroking the back of his neck. Ardus pulled her in, a hand between her shoulders pressing her to his chest again as he kissed her cheek. "Yes," he said against her ear, "yes, Nina, I would like that very much."
"Me too, big guy. Let's go."
Ardus lifted Nina into his arms, as easily as she could lift a cat-sized blueback, carrying her through the anteroom and into the hall. Wrapping her legs around his lean, hard hips she listened to him growl softly. She got an idea. "Hey, hold up a second. I want to try something."
Ardus paused. "Yes?"
"Okay, so, this might sound ridiculous, but humor me." Unhooking her ankles, Nina described what she wanted. At first the Dreen gave her an odd look, then he shook his head and smiled. "Whatever you say, starfish." Sliding her down his arm, Ardus wrapped his hands around her waist and lifted her, pressing her back against the wall and fixing her between it and his chest. With her feet dangling high above the floor and over four hundred and fifty pounds of Dreen pressing her tight against the cool, hard surface, there was nowhere she could go and no way to escape. "Like this?" Ardus asked, his face barely a breath from hers.
"You forgot something," Nina said quite breathlessly, quivering. It's hotter than I thought! Ardus's lips drew back from his teeth, his dirks flashing ivory even in the dim, and from deep in his chest she heard a low rumble building like a distant heavy storm. The rumble vibrated up his chest and thundered through her body, rattling her bones and trembling her flesh and Nina sank her fingers into his wrists, squirming in delight. "Oh, yes! That is sexy!"
Ardus's deep growl became a bassy laugh. "You strange, beautiful, tiny creature!" He stepped back from the wall and continued through the hallway, Nina tucked securely against his chest. In a few steps he was at his bedroom door and he shouldered his way in, their hands and mouths busy. Nina clung like a limpet as he carried her across the threshold, reaching his sleeping niche in a few strides. She wiggled, excited, as Ardus settled her into his lap as he sat on the edge of the platform. After several more kisses, caresses and murmurs, Ardus's claws combing through her hair and his deep growl settling into a faint rumble in his chest, he drew back. "Nina, before we do this, I think it is pertinent to say that I have never...been with a human. While I have done some reading, I still have many questions."
"You've done some reading, hmm?" Nina grinned, reaching up and brushing a stray barbel away from his forehead. "Well, I've never been with a Dreen, but it doesn't matter – we're just two people getting to know each other for the first time. Besides, we're both scientists, I think we're smart enough to figure it out."
"That is..." Ardus tilted his head, "an excellent point."
"Of course it is. The best question, though," Nina wrapped her arms around his neck and hung there, her lips barely brushing his, "is what should we do first?"