Christina
Ves found herself envious of Björn's special connection with Shrike. They shared a bond she did not fully understand, even though she was the familiar's handler. It was evident in the Goliath's gruff communications and the bird's responses. The tip of her tail flicked absently and she reached up to pet Shrike before descending below deck.

"Be careful," She warned Björn. "The ceilings are low. Well. Low for you. Tall for me," She babbled happily. She was in a cheery mood. Things were certainly looking up. They had a boat, a way to travel safely. The Orcs wouldn't look for them out at sea. They had supplies. They had each other. Yes, Ves had plenty of reasons to feel overjoyed.

Ves took advantage as Björn bent to avoid knocking his head on the ceiling. She moved to his side and stood on her tiptoes. Even so she couldn't reach! So she took his arm and pulled him down and into a kiss. Ves boldly pressed her lips to his, her tail wrapping around her ankle. She made a soft little moan as she closed her eyes.

Then she suddenly pulled away, her scales turning crimson as she looked down. "S-Sorry! I shouldn't have done that. I mean, I wanted to, but I should have asked first. I'm sorry. I'm babbling again. Sorry! I mean... Tch..." She scolded herself, looking guilty. She couldn't help it. She was craving his touch. With everything that had happened, their shared night at the inn seemed like a distant memory. She wanted to remember more vividly how it had felt. 

Still blushing fiercely, Ves turned away. She cleared her throat. "Oh! Look! Food!" She quickly walked over to a section of crates. Fresh pears and other fruits lay nestled against a bed of straw. There were other crates clearly marked with the foodstuff within, which varied from travel rations to fresh bread. Ves busied herself with picking up an apple and looking it over for blemishes. How could she have been so bold? It was embarrassing. 

||
John
*Björn made his way below deck with Ves. Her warning rang true as he bonked his head against a wooden beam. Rubbing his sore forehead, the Goliath began to stoop lower and lower down to fit poroperly. He eneded up bending in such a way that his shoulder blades were close to the roof, his head tucked between his arms slightly.*

*That was when Ves made her bold advance. Grabbing his arm and dragging him down to her level connecting their lips in a lingering moment of bliss and perhaps more. He noticed her tail wrap around her leg and began to lean into the kiss as he pulled away. He looked at her with a glance of suprise, pent up emotion and disappointment in her backing down. Björn was a warrior, he liked when someone gave his own energy back.*

*He was about to speak when she began to babble and ramble in her anxiety and fear. Her frail frame gave him the shivers, her anxious and easily toppled demeanor was interesting to him, especially with how she moaned into the kiss. Björn hadn't heard many noises like that in his life, but he knew enough to recognise the sound of perverted desire.*

*As she turned away, Björn decided in that moment that he would get his own back on her... Under the creaks of the ship and Ves' own mental entrapment, Björn slowly made his way behind her. With a little effort from his aching arm, he raised his arm behind her and brought his hand to collide with her rear with a firm but safe smack. Beneath a low chuckle the Goliath said, not moving his hand from it's landing place:* "I told you what would happen if you became a tease. Don't hot and cold me." *A small smirk was hidden by his beard.*

||
Christina
Gods, she was dumb. Why was she being so stupid? First the sails and now this? She needed to *Think* First. Why was her brain so muddled? What was wrong with her? Was something wrong with her? Was that why she kept making mistakes? 

Yes, Ves was deep in her own thoughts and did not notice when Björn crept closer. She did not see his carefully aimed motions. Her head was lowered as she mumbled about food. And then -*Then*- the sudden feeling of Björn's palm against her rear. Ves squeaked as her eyes flew open wide, her mind whirling as she processed what had just happened. His words made her ears twitch and she shivered. 

"I wasn't! I mean, I guess I was, but I wasn't trying to!" She objected in a higher pitched voice than usual. Then she cleared her throat and turned her head to look back at him. "So you didn't mind it?" She asked hopefully. "I just... I'm new to all this. I don't know what's okay and what isn't." 

||
John
"Don't lie, girl." *He huffed, his piercing yellow eye staring into her's.* "I know your intent. The way you wrap your tail around your leg, I see it even if you didn't mean to." *He smiled a little.* "Don't worry. You did nothing wrong. Who is here to tell you not to? I find bold moves attractive."

*He paused for a moment before a ingenious grin swept across his face.* "Let me give you an example." *He placed his hand against the wall behind her with a gentle thud and used the momentum to move in and bring his lips to her's in a moment of passion. As the Goliath kissed Ves, one hand pushed her towards him by her rear and the other lifted her leg into his grasp to lean her lower in the kiss.*

*As sudden as it happened, he pulled away, letting her catch her own footing. His method was straightforward and was clear he was a fan of the physical. Not a master of intimacy, but the primal feeling of attraction was one he knew very well, as with all base emotions that belonged to a lower vessel or animal. Attraction, rage, lust, desire, glory, pain, pleasure. Those were the forms he recognised in an interlinked web. Without breaking eye contact with her, Björn wiped the latent saliava from his lips against his sleeve.* "Like that."

||
Christina
Ves was flooded with relief. He liked it. But he also called her out. Had she been lying? Yes, to herself and then to him. She had an idea of the effect she had on Björn. She knew how a kiss made him feel. She had witnessed it firsthand and she had felt it herself. And she understood suddenly why it might be hurtful when she pulled away so quickly. She wasn't doing anything wrong or bad by kissing him, but her behavior afterward was troubling. 

She was lost in her own thoughts again and so failed to notice Björn moving. His hand thudding softly on the wall next to her made her jump. And then his lips were on hers and every intrusive thought left her. She moaned as she closed her eyes, leaning into the kiss, deepening it. She began to wrap her arms around him as he drew her close...

Then he pulled back, leaving her breathless and hot. Her tail was wrapped tightly around her ankle and her entire body shuddered. She whimpered in protest and gazed hungrily up at him. "Oh. I think I understand," She replied. Then she pulled herself close to him, wrapping her arms around his neck, pressing her lips back to his. She ached for this and wanted *More.*

The kiss felt like it lasted forever. Ves found herself pulling Björn down on top of her. How had she gotten on the floor to begin with? It didn't matter. All that mattered was Björn's lips on hers. 

||
John
*It seems his example worked a bit too good as she reverted to her base instincts once more. He saw a primal and deep-seated hunger in her eyes as she pounced into a kiss with him. He lifted her up into his arms as he pushed her against the wall as they kissed.*

*A low growl came from Björn as he himself enjoyed the sensation. With little regard for her total safety, Björn bit her lip mid-kiss and pushed her onto the wooden floor. He enjoyed the feeling of their bodies against one another. He wanted to do this since they met Kip. Just show her who is boss out of the two of them. If Ves somehow overpowered him, he would be impressed and pleased.*

*Björn pulled away mid kiss as a thin trail of saliva left their mouths as he looked at her and gave her his pleased, yet still dumb grin.* "You happy now?"

||
Christina
Ves' tail snaked around Björn's thigh and she squeezed tightly. Her heart thundered in her ears as they pressed their bodies together. Although Björn loomed over her, she did not feel fear. All she felt was hot desire and... Something else. Something that was driving her forward, encouraging her to take risks. Ves knew what that *Something* Was and shied away from it.

Ves exhaled slowly as Björn pulled away. Her tail loosened, but did not unravel as she laid back and gazed up at him in a daze. Her smile was a reflection of his own: stupored and pleased. "I am happy. *Very* Happy."

She reached up to touch his face, mere inches away from her own. Her amber eyes were filled with emotion. "Björn... I..." She began, but hesitated. She knew what she wanted to say, but fear got the better of her. "I want you," She continued. It was certainly true. She wanted him and so much more.

||
John
*He looked at the Kobold with a suprised look before readjusting to a pleased gaze of approval. Emotions filled his one working eye.* "I want you too." *He replied as he rested his head against her's for a moment. He lowered his hand to his own thigh and Björn traced the tail that was coiled around this thigh with two of his fingers.*

*The Goliath slowly leaned into her neck and began to softly kiss it.* "That means you want this?" *He gently grasped her tail.* "Or me kissing you like this?" *He softly bit her neck a little as be teased her.*

*The Goliath pulled away with a parting kiss and leaned back onto his hunches. He knew she wanted more, but if he stayed like this, she would be unable to pull his face back to her. He looked down past his large tunic and into her eyes and simply smiled.*

||