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The way Jote turns her back to him and leaves makes Joshua's heart ache. Each step she takes is steady, but her eyes are sorrowful, her lips pressed into a thin trembling line as she fights back the tears.
Joshua looks forlorn after she shoots one last glance in his direction before leaving. He follows her with his eyes and opens his mouth to speak, but no words come out.
The tension inside the house is palpable. Clive and Jill exchange short glances, plainly aware they've witnessed somewhat of a moment between Joshua and his... attendant.
As soon as they go out, Clive decides to chime in. "It's plain she cares for you very deeply."
"And I her" Joshua replies immediately, the truth of how he feels hitting him hard. Although revealing a glimpse of that truth to Clive and Jill won't unbreak Jote's heart.
Jill nudges Clive softly and moves to Joshua's side, her smile as heartfelt as her intentions. "You should go to her."
He hesitates for a moment before his blue eyes light up with resolution. As Joshua starts jogging in the direction of his and Jote's joint quarters, Clive raises his voice to say, "Take your time."
Jill giggles. "You may be sorry to say that."
Torgal barks excitedly, as if in agreement. Still, the Dominant of Ifrit is befuddled. "Whatever do you mean?"
"Never mind. Shall we wait outside?" She grabs Clive's arm and starts wandering around.
------
When Joshua knocks on the door and enters the house, a few candles light up the space, though not enough to make it bright. Still, Jote has already everything almost packed. She glances up but resumes what she's doing when she sees the visitor is the younger Rosfield. Turning her back, she retrieves some vials from one drawer.
Joshua bits his lower lip, unsure of what to do. Noticing her back is a bit slumpy and shaky, he gets closer to her, and putting his gloved hands on her shoulders, he turns Jote towards him.
"Is there aught else I can help you with, your Grace, before you no longer need my services from this day onward?"
To his dismay, he realizes that she's losing her battle against the tears. Joshua once again draws near to her. He removes one glove and wipes her tears dry with his thumb.
"Please don't," she asks softly. "I understand your decision, your Grace, but now I would appreciate it if you'd be so kind as to leave me be. I shouldn't delay."
"Jote, I fear I have not been kind to you these past times we were together." He looks at her intently, trying to catch her avoiding gaze. "It would be very important to me if you'd allow me to explain."
Jote finally leaves her pouches alone and looks him in the eye. Joshua starts pacing the room. "I didn't send you to the hideaway because I no longer need your help or don't want you close to me."
"If you'd allow me to be sincere, that is precisely what such action implies. My assistance is no longer required. And as I've said before, I understand. I simply never expected you would lie to me, your Grace."
"Lie?" Joshua gets flustered and flushed. "Jote, you're not a mere attendant to me. After witnessing the destruction in the Crystalline Dominion, I felt I couldn't assure your safety." He comes to a halt in front of her, his fingers holding her shoulders, making her stare into the honesty in his eyes. "I want to protect you and see you live the free life you deserve."
He looks at her lips and notices they are slightly parted. His gaze moves up to her umber eyes. They still make him feel safe and give him courage, as they did in the past. Before proceeding, he licks his lips. "I want to know that when I return to the hideaway, you will also be there because... you are my home."
She inhales deeply, surprised by the revelation. Both of them seem lost in each other's eyes, bodies motionless, until Joshua lifts both his hands from her shoulders to cradle her head. He feels the way she trembles, her eyelids fluttering shut. As he leans his forehead against hers, he hears how her breath quickens, and next thing he realizes, she's moving her head upwards ever so slightly. They're so close to each other now. Rubbing her neck with his nose, Joshua takes in her scent. A purr comes from her mouth, and that does it for him. He kisses her. Hard.
Jote opens her eyes and stands back, searching his eyes, evaluating. She finds what she's looking for in his crave-filled gaze and kisses him back. Her hands move to his neck and hair, drawing him closer. Fire erupts inside him. Lifting her legs up to his waist, he leans her against the wall.
"Your Grace," she pants, "you shouldn't exert yourself."
His eyelids are hefty with uncontained desire, and he smirks. "Just wrap your legs around my waist, if you please."
Joshua proceeds to nuzzle her ear, earning a gasp from Jote that sends a rush of blood to his hardening member. He feels her grip tighten and raises his hand to unbutton her collar.
"May I?" he asks.
"Yes, you may." Jote gives him a soft peck on the lips and allows him room to maneuver. In no time, her hoodie slips to the floor.
His full lips meet hers again, his teeth tentatively biting Jote's lower lip. He smiles at the sigh that it provokes.
Her hands massage his scalp, gently bringing their mouths even closer. In this moment, Joshua forgets everything. His role as the Dominant of the Phoenix, the burden of being the rightful archduke of Rosaria, Jote's duty towards him—naught of that matters. In this moment, they are but a man and a woman in love.
He grinds against her body. His hand traces her silhouette through her dress, his fingers splaying over her chest, the volume of her breasts hardening under the too-thick fabric that shields her from his desire. Raising his eyes to Jote's, he sees his yearning reflected in them. Her moist lips part, in expectation of what will happen next.
This will be the first time they'll be apart from each other for who knows how long, and they both want more of each other. Joshua's eyes drink in Jote's beauty. He has never seen such an intense expression in her deep brown eyes. It's just like a purifying fire that burns through his defenses and leaves him naked and vulnerable. He wants to confess everything he feels for her, to divulge every little secret she may not be aware of.
Her lips search for his again, hungry, her tongue explores his mouth, teasing his tongue in a slow dance and, unbeknownst, awakening the Phoenix. Joshua feels the Eikon stir inside him, eager to spread its wings in the open. Feeling like he is about to lose control, Joshua lets out a loud groan.
He pushes Jote's back against the wall. The Phoenix lits his blood ablaze, urging him to continue. And so he does. Joshua licks her neck and breathes into her ear, causing her to shudder.
"Would you mind if we got rid of these clothes?" he asks in a raspy whisper.
He lets her feet slide down to the floor and starts unclasping her dress. His fingers tremble, but Jote helps him till her garment drops to her feet. She shivers from the cold, but mostly from desire and anticipation. Releasing her grip, she holds his hand, and with her teeth, she removes the black glove that is left.
His eyes roam slowly through her body, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down. What a lucky man he is to be able to contemplate such a divine sight and to know such a beautiful and valiant heart.
Her hands loosen the laces of his tunic and pull it out to the floor. The touch of her thin fingers on his nape feels cool against his blazing skin. By the Flames. He'll warm her soon enough. In fact, he can't wait any longer. They have already waited for far too long. He needs to feel her skin on his. Pulling her flush against him, one arm snakes behind her back, and his mouth sows embers of arousal on her earlobe, neck, and collarbone. Ah! His clumsy fingers finally manage to unclasp her chest supporter. He cradles the back of her head protectively before shoving her once again against the wall. Lowering his head, he aligns his mouth with her chest, his tongue sucking her hardened nipple.
Jote arches against Joshua's body. His ministrations make her so intensely hot and wet. She glances at him and catches him looking up at her. She's so irresistibly drawn to Joshua, just like her whole body and mind are hypnotized by him, reacting to each single touch, movement, breath he takes. Before she even realizes what she's doing, her pleasure takes over, and her moans grow in volume. One hand pulls his head closer to her while she tries to find purchase on the wall, only to knock a bunch of books off of a shelf, which fall with a loud thud to the floor. However, that doesn't make them stop.
"Hold on to me, Jote." He whispers in her ear. "Now, let me have all of you."
She lets out a sigh. "I am yours." She kisses his Adam's apple and licks his salty skin, savoring it slowly. Finding his taste rather irresistible, her teeth graze his collarbone.
Emboldened by her reactions, he kisses the ring on her third finger, and his lips slowly travel the length of it up and down, feather-light brushing the skin, until they find her inner wrist, leaving a kiss. Looking at her face, he marvels at the way Jote's eyes widen, pupils dilated.
"I have thought about this, about us together, every time we fell asleep close to each other. In every single inn, in all the campsites, even our late-night research here in Tabor, whether it was spring or winter, my desire for you has been so great that it has made me ache."
He kisses her neck, his hands pressing against her back. Her skin is burning just as his is, both their bodies begging for a release from years of pent-up tension, of hidden feelings.
He feels how her legs are getting wobbly. Steadying his grip on her body, he carries her to the bed and lies her down. Before joining Jote, his trembling fingers do their best to get rid of his remaining clothes.
"Don't make me wait, your Grace."
Joshua positions himself on top of her body, caging her protectively with his arms. The mere proximity to Jote makes him inebriated with lust. One hand cups her breasts once again, kneading at the soft skin. The other one slides down her body slowly, teasingly, until it reaches the entrance of her warm core. His long fingers start exploring, moving in circles, testing, slower, faster, then slower again.
Jote starts wriggling underneath him, her breath quickening, her head shaking from side to side.
Joshua licks his lips with satisfaction.
"I consider myself honored to be your first and, hopefully, the only one. I don't want anyone at the hideaway looking at you or touching you like this."
"Your Grace." Jote was unaware of Joshua's possessiveness. She might get used to it. "Oh!"
He slides a finger into her and feels how moist she is, the muscles rhythmically contracting around his digits.
She pulls him closer, legs spreading to allow him better access.
By the Founder! He needs her. He needs her now and forevermore, for her to become his and for him to become hers.
Joshua slides down, aligning himself with her hot, waiting core. "Are you sure you want...?"
She brushes her fingernails across his sides, eliciting goosebumps. "Just do it, please. I want you so much."
"This might hurt a bit." He hesitates, afraid of causing her any more pain, emotional or otherwise, as he had less than a bell ago.
As he penetrates Jote, he feels some resistance in her body. Regardless of that, she gently coaxes him. "You should know this is not the way you can break me. Just let me have you. Now." A soft smile graces her lips before she starts covering his jawline with tender kisses.
He lifts her chin so their eyes can meet. A shiver runs through his body at the realization that he is utterly in love with the woman in his arms. "I will not hurt you again, Jote," he promises, intent on doing his very best to actually keep faithful to it.
Eager to please, he steadies himself, and he thrusts inside Jote, harder this time. When he pierces her barrier, he sees her wince and immediately stops. "Are you all right?" Kissing her tenderly on the lips, he tries his best to alleviate any discomfort she may feel.
"I'm fine." She moves her hands to his perky, round derriere, exploring fingers splayed, pulling him closer. "I just don't have any experience. I just know I need to feel you in me, on me, and around me. Prove to me that you didn't want to get rid of him by sending me to the hideaway."
Intoxicated by the lovely way their scents mix together and the warmth present in her glance, Joshua finds it incredibly hard to control himself, but he will respect whichever need she has from him right now. It is the least he can do. Oh, and he wants to do so much more. Truth be told, he wishes naught more than to fulfill every single one of her desires. He longs to see her smile, to see her lose herself in pleasure, and to know he is the sole reason for that. He resumes his previous ministrations, his hand teasing again her nipples, causing her to writhe underneath him. Jote's movements make him twitch with lust.
He lowers his voice. "And do you think I have any experience? I've merely heard men talking in taverns and read some books."
"You have?"
Another twirl of his tongue, and her body shivers and arches upwards against his.
"Relax." His mouth is again on hers, his teeth nibbling her lower lip before he starts moving.
From simply enjoying having Joshua inside her to feeling hot and moving her hips to the rhythm of his, it is merely a matter of instants. Her moans and groans rise in crescendo. Her hands move along his back, fingernails desperately digging into his skin. "By the..." She moans.
Joshua dives deep within her, his tempo accelerating. The flickering light of the candles accentuates a thin sheet of sweat on Jote's body, giving her a golden glow, as if she were a magical mythological creature, a muse, a goddess, his goddess.
Once again, the Phoenix decides to make its presence known, stronger this time, making the aether crackle inside the room. Joshua's veins turn a vibrant orange shade, the blood pumping fast through them like he is about to prime. As his flames yearn to be let free, he opens his mouth, and a mix between a growl and a shriek comes out.
As if taking a cue, Torgal starts barking, his woofs sounding directly outside their window.
------
"Easy, boy. Why are you barking at us all of a sudden?" Clive tries to soothe Torgal by rubbing his head, but the wolf keeps growling until they leave the perimeter of the house.
"Well, Torgal really is protecting their privacy." Jill ponders, kicking a pebble with her boot.
"You were the one who wanted to eavesdrop, Jill." Stepping further away from the house, Clive sighs, earning a bump on the leg from Torgal. "I don't understand. He's my baby brother. He's a kid." The older Rosfield brother blushes at the mere memory of the expressions of pleasure they just heard.
Jill scoffs. "He's a grown man who knows what he wants and goes for it." She gives Clive the side-eye. "Some people might actually learn a couple of things with him, I dare say."
Clive blushes. He opens his mouth as if about to speak, but decides to remain silent. After all, he knows all the times he hesitated in regards to making a clear move on the woman he loves.
Said woman huffs and fans herself with her hands. "I'm actually feeling a little hot."
"Right." Clive clears his throat. An idea comes to mind as to how he can redeem himself, taking an unbidden cue from his younger brother. "We can return to the house. It's empty. I mean, it is dark and cool inside."
"Very well. Lead the way, then."
"My lady." Clive holds her hand and guides her to the house.
------
Doing his best to keep the firebird at bay, Joshua penetrates Jote deep, filling her completely. His pleasure rises in waves. When Jote's quickened breath reaches his neck, his skin feels ticklish. Being one with her is the only thought in his mind, and between each rapid thrust, he growls. "Say... my... name." And then, almost in a whisper right next to her ear, he adds, "Jote."
Feeling her body contracting around him, Jote closes her eyes. She wishes to one day have the courage to confess to Joshua that the sound of his voice groaning in her ear gives her as much pleasure as having him inside her, rutting her senseless.
Said voice exerts its effect again. "Look at me."
She does, and she senses she's about to get lost in his half-lidded azures. Never has she felt this close to Joshua or experienced anything so intimate in her whole life. Heat rises from her core and radiates over her entire body. Right now, Jote feels like he is everything and everywhere: inside her, on her, and around her, caressing and filling every part of her body with delight. And where he isn't actually touching her, there is his warm, longing, sensual voice enveloping her mind and enrapturing all other senses.
Although Joshua began gently, his pace now quickens more and more, revealing his sense of urgency and his need for her, aether flowing fast through his bright orange veins. Jote's gasps follow suit, turning into moans, grunts, screams.
He can feel her body tightening at a fast pace, their combined warmth and wetness producing squelching sounds. Like some unknown power is taking over him, Joshua increases the speed of his hip movements, one hand slipping down to further tease her folds.
She mewls and cries out "Joshua!" while spiraling up towards her peak.
Oh, his name is on her lips! It causes Joshua to climax shortly after, holding on to her as if for dear life. "Jote, Jote, Jote!" He moans her name like a prayer, his body returning to normal after his semi-prime state.
When both come down from the heights of ecstasy and their breathing slows down, he pulls out and kisses her tenderly. His enamoured eyes focus on hers again. He smiles as he moves his hands over her stomach, his fingers sliding up to caress and twist her nipples anew, making her gasp his name, her back arching up to meet his hands. A blush creeps up on his face, despite their previous actions, as he realizes he'll never get tired of listening to his name on her lips. "I can't wait to be back at the hideaway with you. I'll have you say my name often." He smirks.
"I, I..." Jote feels an overwhelming surge of love for him. She wants to unravel before him the secrets of her heart in the same way she has in regards to those of her body.
He cups her head with both his hands and kisses her again, slowly, his lips as soft as a feather brushing against hers. Joshua pauses to look at her, his eyes bright with reverence, care, and love. "I know. I feel the same for you."
------
After having a quick wash and advising Jote to seek Tarja, as the physicker can provide adequate preventive tea, Joshua goes out. He heads to the house where they have all talked previously.
"Clive! Jill!" He calls out, only to be greeted by Torgal, who saunders in his direction, tail wagging enthusiastically.
"Why were you barking a while ago? Is everything alright, boy? Where are my brother and Jill?" He scratches the wolf's head and ears.
The door behind his back suddenly opens. Jill comes out first, smoothing her skirt and fixing her braid. Clive is right behind her, a hand massaging her shoulder and a silly smile plastered on his lips.
Joshua brings his hand to his chin while he observes them, realizing they both are acting a bit suspicious.
"Thanks for the inspiration, Joshua," Jill blurts.
"I'm sorry. I am not sure I understand what you mean." The younger Rosfield replies, his cheeks and ears flushing.
"I hope you've had enough time to talk things through with Jote." Clive puts a hand on his shoulder and tugs him forward. "Let's go. We've got to help our friends in the Free Cities."
"Farewell, Tabor!" Jill exclaims, her arms lacing Joshua's and Clive's, while the three of them and Torgal set out of town.