Spirits of the Earth

@Moonie

THERES AN M NOW. M FOR MENIS. And probably Moobs. o:


It was always something new.

Sharlee took a careful breath and breathed deeply, looking down at the ropes at her wrists, the tender flesh below. Blood was crusted at the ropes where she'd tried to free herself in vain and every movement made her wince. Crying was useless, though she wanted to. It didn't help. She needed to be of sound mind and find a way to be free.

While they seemed to be bandits, she could taste the fact they were going to sell her into slavery.

Taste it like some cruel tonic on her tongue.

Drawing in a steady breath, she closed her eyes briefly and gave a startled gasp when she was tugged along by the scruffy man that held her rope. Deep, calming breaths.

Deep steady breaths.

She was the only person who could get herself out of this. She could do it.

The startled cry of Doeshe made her heart wretch and she tried to look back. Tried to look behind, but another tug, another surprised gasp. The tugging didn't stop though and before Sharlee really realized it, she was in the unwashed strange mans arm and his mouth was on the delicate point of her ear, whispering things.

"No!"

Sharlee screamed, pushing at him. The unwanted touches, the unwanted everything. Slowly, she realized that if she simply waited for an opportunity the unthinkable would happen to her. A kick at his shin and Sharlee decided that screaming for help would be worth any potential trouble she got into with this strange beast because... What did she have to lose when there was so much to risk if she didn't?

His hand was at her waist and Sharlee got back handed roughly when her knee connected between his legs.

"Help me!" A frantic attempt to get away, she managed to scuffle, but he still held the rope, "Please, Oh gods, Someone help me!" Frantic now, eyes wet with unshed tears. The blood started fresh at her wrists but she didn't care.

Her voice echoed through the forest and Sharlee hoped there was a god out there. Or man gods. Or just someone who could help because she found herself, for the first time in her life, unable to help herself.

Gregori shrugged his shoulders, adjusting the pack on his back as he tilted his head up, shading his eyes as he looked at the position of the sun. It still felt strange to him that he could actually feel the sunlight. Sure, he was aware that the sun had warmed his stone skin, but the angel statue sitting there in the town square had never actually felt it. Just like rain, or snow, or wind or cold - none of those things had ever actually affected him before his fall.

Perhaps he should be thankful that he was still alive after...whatever he had done wrong. If he were alive, albeit mortal, then that meant there was still a chance at redemption. Right? He should also be grateful for the clothes on his back and the pack whose straps kept uncomfortably digging into his shoulders. That kindly priestess didn't have to clothe and feed him. Just thinking about her still made him feel strange. Gregori had no clear memories, but something about her tugged at his fuzzy past. It was impossible that he could have known her, though.

Sighing heavily, he once again silently lamented his newfound self-awareness and mortality. Mortal bodies were so frail and weak. Never before had he felt hunger or discomfort or pain. There was a bit of food in his pack, maybe he should stop and eat. Although who knew where he'd get more food or when, maybe he should hold off as long as he could.

A scream startled him out of his contemplative daydreams. Gregori whipped his head in the direction it had come from as dark blue eyes narrowed and the disgraced angel tilted his head to listen as a feminine voice began shrieking for help. It wasn't even a conscious decision on his part, he was compelled to help, there was an innocent in trouble and he was an angel of vengeance, protection, and retribution. His whole reason for being was to safeguard innocence, right? Perhaps if he did it enough whatever crime he had committed would be forgiven.

Gregori skidded to a halt as he came across the scene, eyes scanning over the situation and evaluating his options. He shrugged of his pack and threw it aside, drawing Fury. It looked so plain in this form, but that was for the better, he'd found.

"I'll give you one chance to let them go and run before I get angry." Gregori spat as he took a fighting stance, blue eyes flashing dangerously as he decided who to kill first.

[Feel free to kill all the bag guys/let them get away =D ]

The five men surrounding the horse sized dragon tensed at the sight of the man. However, they didn't drop their prize. A white dragon was worth a lot. They could sell him for parts and they were sure the strange man would go for the girl first.

So did the man holding Sharlee.

"How 'bout you mind your own fuckin' business." The man snarled, tugging on the rope just in time to throw Sharlee off balance, causing her to stumble and gasp in fear. One look to the man, defiance and fear in her eyes. Another harsh tug. Just the presence of the stranger, that someone was here to hopefully help had her spine steel up.

"Let me go!" Another scream, though this time it was accompanied by the men trying to hussle Doeshe through the woods with difficulty.

The man tied the rope around his waist quickly and drew his own sword, a rusty thing that looked like it did as much damage leaving an infection behind as it did leaving an open wound.

"Best to be turning around and going on your way, the little efly girl and her dragon are mine. Go get your own" And he swung his sword at the stranger as a means of warning him off because while this man could fight, something about the stranger made him uneasy.

Why did they have to insist on doing things the hard way? Burning blue eyes shifted to gaze at the men trying to escape with the dragon, but swung back to the man with the girl when he swung his sword around threateningly. Had the scum said it was her dragon? Well that didn't seem too crazy - hadn't he heard that there were actually people that rode the creatures as mounts? Wasn't that in Adela? Gregori didn't much care, it was hard to really remember everything he was learning, there was simply too much information to try to absorb in too short a time.

What he did remember quite clearly was how to fight. There were six of them and only one of him, hardly a fair fight, but five were trying to escape with the dragon, so it was only really one on one and those degenerates couldn't possibly get far with a struggling beast the size of a pony.

"As you wish." Gregori said, a smirk slowly spreading across his lips. He rushed forward, the way he held Fury would seem to leave himself open, but as soon as the rusted sword swung towards him he countered at an angle with so much force that Fury snapped through the other weapon with a vengeance, sending the majority of the blade flying harmlessly aside and barely an inch of useless metal left attached to the hilt.

Gregori pivoted and brought his sword around in a downward stroke. The bandit's eyes widened in shock, but he didn't scream as he looked down at himself in horror.

"You were warned." He said coldly as he watched impassively as the thug realized he was a dead man. Fury had slit him open from nose to groin, cutting through the rope tied at his waist at the same time. Blood pooled as the body hit first his knees, then simply collapsed face first in the dirt. He spun around and headed in the direction of the rest of the bottom feeders.

If they had witnessed their friend being cut down like the mangy, diseased rat he was, then perhaps they'd have been willing to surrender after all. It was too late for that. Gregori had given them a chance and they'd ignored him. A thirst for divine justice caused Fury to pulse eagerly as he gathered his energy - red gold light flashed revealing his crimson wings and golden halo for a few moments as he swung Fury in the direction of his quarry. Five fiery projectiles launched from Fury's edge, seeking out and striking the retreating men with precision.

The light faded almost as quickly as it had come, dissipating even as his targets dropped to the ground with collective screams that were choked off almost instantly. Their deaths were swift, suffering and pain would have been kept to a minimum. Nodding in satisfaction, Gregori meant to turn back to the young woman, but stumbled and hit one knee before he even made it half way. Perhaps drawing on his angelic power hadn't been the best idea. It was insanely frustrating to be so weak, but he supposed a mortal body simply wasn't built or designed to withstand that kind of divine power.

Bowing his head, Gregori panted softly as he tried to suppress a few trembles that shook him from head to toe. At least he had saved the innocent, right? "Can you untie yourself?"

Never in her life had her heart pounded so hard. Sharlee stared openly at the strange man that had come to her rescue. Stared at the broken bleeding body and then stared as he changed into some glorious angel. The rest was an amazing mess and it was the strange warm wetness at her finger tips that finally had her out of her daze.

Untie herself?

Sharlee's heart gave a lurch and before she really thought of it, she put her arms over the strange mans neck and pulled what she could of him into a hug.

"Thank you," her voice was wet and she held him perhaps too tightly to her bosom. "Thank you. I don't want to imagine what would have happened to is if you hadn't come along." It was the nuzzle at her back that had her draw away from him, hands still tied together.

Frantically Sharlee looked for some way to remove the ropes at her wrists, a broken piece of her captors blade was all she found and she trembled while she cut at the ropes. The blade was too dull and she took careful even breaths and she looked at the mans sword. The sight of the blood - while she'd been trying so har to not look at the bodies - made her pale.

"Can you cut the ropes please? Th... I don't have a dagger and..." Swallowing carefully she stayed in front of him with her hands out.

It was so strange to feel so drained. Gods above, he'd barely done a thing! Gregori was still attempting to regain his composure after his taxing encounter when the very strangest thing of all happened. She put her arms around his neck, even still tied up as she was. How very weird. Tensing up was an unavoidable reflex as he found himself squeezed tightly against the young woman he'd just rescued with his arms hanging limply at his sides.

Was that a normal thing? Severe blue eyes blinked at her in confusion when she pulled away. At least the verbal expression of gratitude was something he had come to understand since his awakening. The embrace, that had been a hug, yes? Yes. Gregori remembered those. That priestess had taught him about hugging - he had seen two humans perform the act and questioned her about the significance of the gesture. She'd explained it as a show of affection.

Not that he quite understood affection. She had tried to explain it to him. He hadn't been able to fully grasp the concept. It seemed overly complicated. Regardless, this probably wasn't affection, so he supposed it was also a gesture of gratitude. Very well.

While he had been pondering over the hug he had received, the woman had been trying to undo her own bindings. He hadn't really thought about the fact that the way she was tied would make freeing herself very difficult. When she came back over and presented her still-bound hands he sighed tiredly and sheathed Fury. The holy weapon was hardly fit for cutting ropes, especially when he didn't want to accidentally cut the flesh next to the ropes.

Instead he leaned down and pulled a knife from his boot and gently seized her hands. The rope was coarse and he had to saw it a little before it frayed and finally released her wrists, which looked very raw. He imagined his cutting had probably hurt a little with the way the rope had resisted his knife. "Sorry, I tried to be gentle."

Gregori looked up at her uncomfortably, really at a loss for words. What was there really to say in this situation? He truly didn't know what kind of social protocol to follow in most circumstances!

[Oh. Doeshe's name is said how it looks! Doe-She! the e isn't silent. =D Just in case you were wondering.]

Sharlee could only sigh in relief.

It didn't matter that her wrists were bleeding and rubbed raw. It didn't matter that she had a splash of blood that wasn't her own along the side of her pants. All that mattered was that she was alive. That Doeshe was alive. The nudge at her back and Sharlee turned to the dragon. His ears were down, his expression was one of sorrow.

"Oh, Doeshe." Sharlee sighed, forcing her tingling numb fingers to work at the ties on him. The muzzle. The various knots and ropes. While the stranger man caught his bearings, Sharlee went about untying Doeshe from his binds. Finally, free. Sharlee caught the dragons' head in her arms when he pressed his nose to her chest and she sighed, fingers still trembling.

Going tense, like she'd just remembered the man, Sharlee stood up straight and looked over her shoulder. Remembering his words. Again, she moved in front of him, hesitant. The wings. The halo. What was he? Before it hadn't been a thing. It didn't matter. Now that the danger was gone, all she wanted to know was... Who was this and what was he doing here?

"You were gentle," Sharlee found herself saying, holding out a hand to help him up if he needed, "Who are you?" Swallowing carefully she looked over her shoulder, Doeshe's wide blue eyes looking at the man curiously as well. The dragon couldn't speak - yet - but he was a curious little thing.

Sharlee pushed her long purple braid over her shoulder and examined the stranger again, hands still cold and trembling. "Are you okay?"

Maybe he should have helped with untying or cutting through the dragon's bindings, but Gregori honestly didn't know how the beast would react. It seemed much smaller than he was lead to believe dragons were, but that didn't mean it wasn't still dangerous if it decided it didn't like him. Ah, but it was pretty small - a very young creature then? He wasn't sure.

At least the attention was off of him for a moment. It gave him a moment to think. Should he leave as soon as he felt like he could stand? That seemed like the best idea for him. Of course that was probably not the most acceptable course of action. Gregori should make sure the woman was going to be okay first. That would be the good, noble thing to do. Or so he reasoned.

Ah, the woman was back in front of him. He raised his eyes from where they had been staring at the ground to her face, frowning slightly at her offered hand. She was the injured one in need of help, not him.

"My name is Gregori." Introductions, he supposed that was normal. Under normal circumstances, which these weren't, but maybe they were normal anytime.

Gregori dragged himself to his feet, standing straight and shrugging his shoulders uncomfortably at her question. She had seen a quick glimpse of part of his angelic nature. He wondered how she might have reacted had he called on the full force of his power. That would have been a waste, he wasn't sure it had been necessary to draw on any of his power to deal with those men. It had only been a handful of thugs after all.

"I'm fine, just overextended myself a little. Shouldn't I be the one asking you that?" He shrugged his shoulder and walked away, finding where he'd discarded his pack and kneeling down to rummage through it. "I have a few things in here. There's a waterskin, and some food. Not a lot, some dried meat and a few apples. I don't have enough of anything for a dragon, but you can have anything in here. It was all given to me anyway."

He'd pulled one of the apples out, but lifted the rest of the pack and held it out towards Sharlee. It didn't matter if he was tired or hungry. This was his punishment for whatever crimes he'd committed, so avoiding discomfort was akin to trying to avoid his own justice. Gregori was here to do penance, he was sure of it.

There would always be more food, more water, more anything he could need. He just had to go out and find it or find someone kind enough to provide it.

A sigh of relief.

Turning her attention on this strange man - Gregori - helped her set aside her own fears. Something else to focus on. However, she politely declined the apple. "I... I have a camp. Not far from here. Well. A little far. Doeshe and I were..." A puff of breath, "I wasn't prepared for... What happened."

Sharlee gave Gregori a hesitant hopeful little smile, eyeing them eager offerings in his bag. "I'm Sharlee. At least... At least let me feed you and let you stay at my camp. I... We can escort you to the closest town tomorrow, if you like."

Gregori couldn't help but wonder what had actually happened to her. How long had she been bound and dragged by those men? It would probably only upset her to ask.

"Escort me? Not meaning offense, but I don't really think I'm the one that needs escorting." He was more than capable of taking care of himself against highwaymen and brigands. Somehow she and her dragon had been captured by ruffians. Did she even have a weapon back at her camp? Could she use that weapon?

At least now he knew her name. When she didn't move to take his bag he slung it back over his shoulder, still holding the apple in one hand. He wondered if staying at a camp really made any difference. He mainly had just been sleeping enough off the road not to be easily noticed. "You don't owe me anything. I only did the right thing."

Gently she gnawed at her lower lip, pushing her long thick purple braid over her shoulder. It was awkward and her wrists hurt. "I..." Sharlee had the good graces to blush and rub her cold fingers together. Would he realize she was being selfish? That she just didn't want to be alone?

And who better to be with than the person who saved her?

"Could you come anyway? I... Can feed you. I'm very greatful and I want to pay you back somehow." Doeshe tucked his head under Sharlee's arm and gave woeful blue eyes to Gregori. It was obvious that, while he looked vicious, Doeshe was a puppy.

Just because the woman did not owe him anything didn't mean Gregori couldn't accept her invitation. So far he had been relying on the kindness of strangers, and Sharlee could be just another kind stranger - except for the saving her life thing, of course.

There was more than just that. The woman was still injured. What if more unscrupulous people found her? Given what she'd just been through wouldn't she be even more vulnerable than before? Could he simply walk away from her without knowing for certain that she was at least as safe as he could make her? It was certainly a moral conundrum for him to muse over.

"I can come with you, but not because you are under any obligation to repay me. Your wrists need tending and it will be easier for someone with both hands available to see to them." He dropped his gaze to the ground, hair falling over his face as he scowled softly, trying to remember something he was certain he was forgetting. Oh yes, gratitude. "Thank you, for offering to share a meal with me."

Relief flooded through Sharlee and she gave Gregori a small hesitant smile.

"You're very welcome," her voice was soft and she gently ran her fingers over Doeshe's neck. It seemed that between the two, Sharlee was the worst off. A look at her wrists and her new companion was right, patching herself up would prove to be difficult. 

"It's this way," Sharlee started turning to lead the way, "we were gathering herbs when Doeshe was caught." She supplied the information, flexing her fingers before tenderly touchin her wrists where the rope had broke the skin. "It's... Hasn't been long. A few hours." On impulse she rushed forward and wrapped her arms around his middle, pressing her head to his shoulder. "Thank you. I don't think you'll ever understand how thankful I am. I..." Sharlee pulled away, looking scared and vulnerable before she moved her hand to grab his, to tug him towards where she was mostly sure the direction her camp was in.

Even as Sharlee was feeling relief, Gregori was settling into melancholy.

For a moment he had direction, purpose, something worthwhile to do. Saving the young woman and her dragon had filled Gregori with a sense of accomplishment and overall rightness. Now the familiar sinking returned. How did humans live with emotion? They spent their entire lives navigating these strange feelings, and here he had known true conscious for less than a year and found himself weary of trying to cope or understand mortality.

She told him about her capture, but he found himself uninterested. What did it really matter? It was over and done with. The woman was free and while not completely unharmed, Sharlee had suffered very little of what she could have.

Gregori was startled when once again the woman launched herself at him. Awkwardly he could only accept it, body stiff and feeling unsure of what might be expected. He had no idea how to comfort the shaken woman, or even realize that she might want or need comforting. "I...you're welcome."

He didn't know what else to say as she released him and seized his hand. Instead he could do little other than allow her to pull him along, looking more than a little confused and lost.

The journey wasn't too long and she led him well. There was an incident where she tripped and she may have used Gregori as a ways to keep herself from falling but for the most part, it was uneventful and she was glad to be away from the bodies. Sharlee squeezed her eyes shut and visibly relaxed at the sight of her little camp, mostly untouched.

A few animals had gotten into one of the mostly empty feed sacks for Doeshe but her own bag was still tied tightly against the tree. The bedroll was propped up against that same tree and the little firepit was dead but easily restocked with fresh wood.

"Home sweet home," She teased herself, letting go of Gregori's hand and going to the little stack of wood she'd acquired before Doeshe traveled too far and she followed. What a day.

It made her tremble to think of just how much worse the day could have been.

Another look at Gregori and she smiled brightly, thankful beyond any gods or goddesses that he was where he was at the time. Him and his strange wings.

Sharlee brought the fire to life, taking a seat beside it to warm her chilled self. She grabbed a waterskin, rolling up her sleeves to look at her wrists while she made little attempts to clean the raw skin. Blood had crusted along the edges and she hissed slightly at the small amounts of unfamiliar pain. "Where are you from?" Sharlee asked after wetting a cloth and pressing it against the inside of her left wrist, wincing every now and then.

It was a quiet walk. Gregori liked quiet. It meant that he didn't have to scramble to try to figure out the right thing to say. When she tripped his free hand instinctively moved to keep her from falling, but Sharlee caught herself on him anyway. Thankfully that didn't bring on more conversation.

Of course, avoiding conversations with mortals wasn't really helping him learn more about how to behave like them. Gregori wasn't convinced he needed to pass as a mortal except in the most basic of senses. After all, he didn't want to be here. Staying was not part of the plan. He wanted to go home, and as soon as he figured out how he would return to the spiritual realm and never return.

They arrived without further incident at the camp. It seemed strange to him that it was virtually untouched. If the bandits had taken them here then the whole place would have been looted and trashed. The abduction must have happened elsewhere. Hadn't the girl mentioned gathering herbs when the bandits took her? They must not have looked very hard for a camp of any kind. Fortunate for Sharlee.

As she moved to create a fire, Gregori began walking around the area, examining the ground around the site. He couldn't see where anyone had disturbed this place other than the woman and dragon that belonged there.

It was the question that brought his attention back to the girl. She was trying to tend to her wrists. Gregori sighed and made his way over to the fire, dropping his pack carelessly out of the way, and knelt in front of Sharlee. His hands reached for the cloth and water, gently taking them from her. "Here, let me help, that is why I came, is it not?"

Gregori had never had any talent for healing. What use did an angel of his nature have for such gifts? His hands had been created to kill and destroy, not tend to wounds.

He frowned. No, he had been created to protect. That he was sure of. Why had he thought kill and destroy? Pushing that thought away he did his best to gently wipe away the crusting blood. "I don't remember where exactly I am from. Until I woke up naked and alone in the ruins of an old village, I cannot remember anything at all."

Or not much.

Naked and alone.

Sharlee stared at him while he tended to her wrists, looking down at them before back up at him. Did he know he grew wings? Was bathed in red? Surely he knew. That wasn't something you just did without noticing.

Doeshe yawned widely before he curled up off to the side much like a cat would, tucking his white tail around himself as some sort of warm barrier. Bored with the talking beings, it seemed.

Taking a gentle breath, though it hitched and she jerked her hand away when the cloth stung the tender skin, Sharlee tried to smile at her guest before ducking her head down. "You had wings," she commented gently, looking back at him, at his shoulders and then the crown of his head, "I'm mostly Elven and mostly from Serendipity." While he was a terrible conversationalist, perhaps she could... Pry it out of him.

Sharlee sometimes went a little stir crazy when she had nothing but a Puppydragon to talk to.

"What are you? You look human but..." Her free hand went out to touch his shoulder lightly, half expecting the wings to burst from his back, "You're more then? Human but... Not?"

A soft grimace and a muttered "sorry" were given when Sharlee jerked her hand away. Gregori was trying to be gentle. He really was. More water was poured onto the cloth and he continued his efforts. Dark blue eyes glanced up into her face when she mentioned that he had wings. Yes, of course he had wings. Had them. For a moment.

Gregori used to always have wings. At least, he was pretty sure he had. The acrid scent of smoke stuck him for a moment and was gone. If he closed his eyes he would almost be able to see the flames.

What couldn't he remember?

Better yet, why couldn't he remember?

The touch on his shoulder made him pause in his work, stiffening slightly but not looking up this time. He was a human now. Whatever he might have been before didn't matter.

"As far as it matters, I am a human. The woman who found me, who helped me, said I was a mage. I have magic." He shrugged his shoulders. Gregori wanted to be an angel again. If that was what he really was. It was beyond frustrating to have so much missing from his memory.

"Are elves very different from humans?" He honestly hadn't much experience with elves. Not that he truly understood humans either. Sharlee was just a woman that had been in trouble, elf or human hadn't really mattered at the time. She was an innocent and deserved to be protected from the lives of those vile men.

Eyebrows went up and Sharlee blinked at Gregori.

"Are they? I suppose they are. We live much longer. I probably won't change much how I look for another hundred years or so." Sharlee's shrug was accented by a loud snorfle from Doeshe and she cast a brief look behind herself to the content sleeping dragon. Shortly after she looked down at their hands, such cruel hands they'd been hours before.

"you're very gentle," Sharlee found herself saying before she offered him a kind smile, "do you have a home? Some where to go?"

It couldn't only be a matter of lifespan, could it? Surely more than that separated the two species. Then again, what did he know?

There was so much he didn't know, and he was at war with himself over it. Gregori had never felt curiosity before his fall, a trait so intrinsically human. Now he found himself wanting to know things, before reminding himself that he didn't need to know and didn't care. He was going home.

There was no need for knowing or understanding where he was going.

"Am I?" Gregori didn't know if she meant it, and wasn't sure if gentleness was a good or bad thing. In this situation probably good. "I had a home, but I don't know how to go back. I can't remember the way."

For now. He would find a way. If seeking redemption through penance was the only way, then so be it. Gregori could accept his punishment and return to grace. If he could just figure out how he was expected to do so. That his old masters remained silent on the matter only left him further confused.

Why not tell him his crimes and punishment?

A moment for her to grasp his words and then Sharlee's face grew concerned.

"Maybe I can help you?" Her voice was soft while she watched him, "I travel a lot. You could come with me." There was a pause and she pursed her lips. He was big. Obviously strong. What downside was there to having an angel - or what appeared to be an angel - on her side? "I could pay you?" Sharlee smiled at him, "we can find your home an you can... Do human things on the way there?"

"Do human things?" What a strange thing to say. At least Gregori thought it was strange, but he couldn't be sure.

Maybe there were "human" things and "elf" things and they were different?

Gregori finished with Sharlee's left wrist and rinsed the rag so that he could start cleaning her right wrist.

He wasn't sure about traveling with someone. For a while the priestess had been his companion, teaching him enough to barely scrape by in his mortal interactions. Although he did understand, in a fashion, the concept of being paid. That was performing some kind of service in exchange for monetary compensation.

"What would I be paid to do?"

"Human things!" Sharlee said, flashing him a smile while he helped clean her wrists. There would be bruises later. They hurt to bend but luckily for her, they looked worse than they felt and she brought her cleaned wrist up to examine the damage, giving a quiet little sigh.

Chastising herself for being so foolish. Usually she wasn't so stupid. Usually.

"You'd be paid to... Protect me and Doeshe. You could travel with us and I would pay you when we got to towns and villages." Slowly she tucked a chunk of dark purple hair behind her delicately pointed ear and tilting her head to try and smile at him, "And along the way we could... Try to find a way to get you home?" Of course, this was Sharlee assuming he lived here and he'd just lost his memory of where he was from.

"Are you from Adela? Maybe Serendipity?"

Paid for protection.

Well Gregori supposed that would make sense. After all, they had met because he had come to protect her. It had not occurred to him that he might extend that protection beyond killing those bandits. From her point of view having some hired protection might seem like a very good idea. He wasn't sure how he felt about being paid to be a guardian, though.

Not that he ever knew how he felt about anything.

"I can stay with you for now. If it will make you feel better to have me." The fallen angel felt that Sharlee would probably get over her current emotional state sooner or later and dismiss him. Not that he minded being told to leave.

Gregori didn't want her help finding a way home. There was no way for her to help him. It would be a waste of both their time. Not that he could explain that to her. He couldn't even explain it to himself fully. If only he could remember what he'd done wrong. The concept of home wasn't even concrete. He just knew that he wanted to go back to home. Home was nothingness.

"The village that I woke up in was in Serendipity, but I know that is not home." In a way, maybe it was. After all, he had felt the place was somehow familiar to him as he'd sat confused in those ruins, but it was an unsettling feeling, not welcoming.

The relief that washed through Sharlee surprised even her. Not noticing how much she needed the company. Or the protection. Was she really that rattled? A moment to consider that yes, yes she was. While most people she'd met on her travels were nice, this time... This time she could have been sold as an exotic pet to someone human in Essyrn. Could have been... Mentally broken and sold to a whore house.

The idea made her shiver and she stared down at her fingers, at the red raw wrists. At the mans hands as he helped to wipe away the blood. It was panic that pulsed through her chest and before she realized it her eyes were hot with tears and she ducked her head down to hide her face.

"It really would make me feel better," She gasped out, quickly drawing in a breath and biting her lip to keep from crying out. Where had this come from? There was a surprised laugh and she brought her free hand up to wipe at the tears on her cheeks. When was the last time she'd let herself cry? Forever ago. The man probably didn't want to deal with her crying and she rose her head to take deep calming breaths.

"I... Guess I thought a bit too much about what could have happened to me if..." A quick little breath, a momentary pause while she kept her face stoic - or as stoic as she could, "If you hadn't come along... I'd have be sold. A slave. Probably turned into a whore. Doeshe would... Be dead." Closing her eyes, she placed her hand over one of his, gave it a squeeze.

"I'm in your debt. I... I'll help you the best I can. I promise."

"Then I will stay." It was a simple thing, and simple words spoken softly. Gregori wished to go home, but until he figured out where that was and what he needed to do to get there he had nowhere else to go. Until he knew where to go, perhaps it would be good to align himself with Sharlee. She was an innocent person, he could tell. Surely protecting her was a good and right thing to do.

Too bad he didn't know how to really comfort someone, because he could tell she was still quite upset over the whole thing. Gregori could tell that much. Not only from the tears, but the way she was breathing.

Sharlee's wrists were cleared of blood. He wondered if perhaps they should be wrapped in some kind of bandage. Gregori almost didn't pay attention to her words, but he stared at her hand that squeezed his. What gesture was this? Was it an attempt to give or receive comfort? He wasn't sure, so he looked up into her face, deep blue eyes confused and a little concerned.

"Don't worry about me. I will find my home sooner or later. Are you alright?  You aren't hurt anywhere else, are you?" Not really sure if he was doing the right thing, but feeling like he should be doing something, Gregori turned the hand she had been squeezing and brought his other hand up to encase her smaller hand with both of his. "You are very brave for screaming for help, and if you really need to cry, you shouldn't hold it in."

Not that he would ever take such advice for himself. It had been rather disconcerting the first time he had cried. Gregori still didn't know why the salty water came from his eyes. They simply wet his cheeks when he woke some mornings.

The helpful words suggesting she cry had the exact opposite effect.

Sharlee smiled.

While the tears still wet her cheeks and she ducked her head down to hide her face.

"Thank you, Gregori." She whispered, wiping at her face before she lifted her head and took a deep breath, "I think I'll be fine. I wasn't hurt anywhere else. Just... Be sore I guess once I rest." Looking around the modest camp, glad that it hadn't be ransacked - they probably hadn't even thought to look for it. A little elf woman and a dragon? They wanted to sell 'em now.

A silver lining, she supposed.

"Are you hungry? I... I can get you something. And then..." She looked towards the lone bed roll, frowning slightly, "You can rest? If you like."

More gratitude, and Sharlee was smiling. Gregori assumed that he had done the right thing. Perhaps he was getting better at these interactions. He actually smiled at her. For a moment. Then the expression faded as he looked around as well, mostly mimicking her, although he didn't really understand the frown at the sight of the bedroll.

Instead he stood up and stretched, kneeling for so long had made his body sore and stiff. Human bodies were so high maintenance. She had reminded him about food.

"Yes, I am hungry. A meal and sleep will do both of us good." He thought a good night's rest might help relieve even more of the young woman's anxiety over her earlier ordeal. For him it would mean replenishing his strength. That partial and insanely brief transformation had exhausted him.

"Do you need my help with anything?" He wasn't sure if there would be any cooking involved. Gregori wasn't exactly a chef, but he could at least do rookie assistant work.

A meal and sleep.

Sharlee didn't feel like making a whole meal. Instead she crawled towards one of the bags around the little camp and pulled out a pouch of dried meat. Another had some bread. "It's not a feast but... It should fill your stomach." Her voice was soft and self conscious while she presented the jerky and bread before cutting a few slices off.

"I... Do trading." Sharlee started, "I travel a lot so sometimes I find neat or rare things. Or wanted things." Clearing her throat again, "Doeshe gets to carry most of it. There's.... Um...." Sharlee gave another look around, "wine? But no cups. If you'd like some."

"What is a feast?" Gregori asked as he took the offered food. Since his awakening he had spent most of his time on the road, searching. A meal to him was bread and dried meat. Occasionally he had been given fruit, like the apples, and a couple times he had eaten soup in an inn.

He took his meal back to where he had set his back and settled down, chewing thoughtfully on a bite of bread while Sharlee told him what she did. Gregori hadn't had a lot of interaction with traders, but he sort of understood what she was saying. Traveling with a trader could prove to be interesting. Maybe he could learn some things. If he was going to be stuck as a mortal for an undetermined amount of time he probably should attempt to gather more knowledge.

"I've never had wine. What is it?" There had been mead and ale served at the inns, but he had not drunk it. The priestess had given him tea sometimes, but mostly he drank water when he was thirsty.

What an odd question.

Sharlee thoughtfully chewed at the piece of meat she ripped from the jerky and wondered on how to explain that. "A feast is... Where lots of people gather together and eat lots of food. And there's... Lots of left overs. Usually it's for parties or festivals." Licking her lips she swallowed her mouthful and smiled slightly at him, chewing gently on her bottom lip.

Never had wine before? Her eyebrows shot up her forehead but she smiled all the same. Rifling through a bag she pulled out a bottle, chilled from the air and being outside. Taking it and shuffling back towards Gregori she placed the bottle down. "It's... Wine. Fermented grapes, mostly I think. It's an acquired taste, sometimes when I'm feeling fancy I find a cup and drink it with my dinner." Pulling the bottle back and standing on her knees, "Would you like a sip? This one is from some Fae in Serendipity, they make the sweetest wine."

A festival...with feasting.

Flashes of memories danced in front of his eyes, and for just a moment he wasn't in the forest with Sharlee, he was in the town square, the laughing, dancing, music, drinking, and feasting...

Gregori raised a hand to lightly touch his temple, the imagines had been there and gone in a moment, and holding onto them was like trying to catch water with his bare hands. They slipped through the cracks in his memory and were gone again, fading back to unconsciousness. Yes, he thought he knew what a feast was now.

Shaking it off, he stared at the bottle that his young companion had fished out of her belongings. Gregori didn't know what grapes or fermented meant either, so understanding was still eluding him.

"If you don't mind, I guess I would like to try it." At least if he did he would better know what it was.

Sharlee didn't miss the hand to his temple but she stayed silent.

The hesitant agreement to try the wine had her smile ever so slightly. Carefully she uncorked it and frowned slightly before she remembered bowls also could double as cups. Taking a wooden bowl she held it carefully and poured a few mouthfuls into it, handing it to Gregori slowly.

"Don't drink it all in one gulp."

Then she proceeded to gulp down a bit from the wine bottle.

After the day she'd had, a nice little buzz would help her sleep. Sharlee lowered the bottle and made a face after swallowing, though she looked content.

Gregori truly had no idea what to expect when he took the bowl of wine. Although watching Sharlee gulp it and make a face had him looking down at the liquid somewhat warily. What exactly was it? Why drink it if you made a face like that?

Really only one way to find out.

Letting out a puff of breath, almost a sigh, he brought the bowl to his lips and took his first sip of alcohol. The angel immediately grimaced and coughed a little. He didn't have much experience with sweet, but there was an undercurrent of burning that caught him completely off guard. Now he really wasn't sure why humans drank it.

Although after a few moments, rolling his tongue around in his mouth and really considering the drink, it didn't taste bad. The burning sensation was strange, but was already beginning to fade. He brought the bowl back up and drank the rest of what had been given to him.

That burning sensation wasn't nearly as bad the second time, and he could appreciate the flavor more. He stared down at the empty bowl, his expression genuinely puzzled as if unsure of what to make of any of it. "I've never had anything like this. The first mouthful burns, but the second one lets you taste the sweet and doesn't burn. Do people drink this wine a lot?"

Of course he had no idea to the affects of alcoholic beverages like wine.

Taking a breath, Sharlee turned ever so slightly and pushed her hair over her shoulder. Long undone from her braid, she watched him drink the wine with a small smile on her face.

"Sometimes. When I'm at home I might have a glass with dinner," Home being a house in Serendipity. While she didn't look it currently - raw red wrists and travel worn clothes - she lived well when she wasn't traveling. Overtaken by wanderlust was why she did it, there was no need for money. There was a need for adventure and travel.

"Or when you've had a really bad day. It... Makes you tingly." She pushed a hand to her head, "In your head. It makes you feel better. Numb, I guess." One last gulp from the wine bottle and she eyed Gregori and his bowl, "Would you like some more before I put it away?"

So wine wasn't something to drink all the time, like water, or tea. At least Sharlee didn't drink it all the time. Gregori pondered what she told him about what the wine could do to your head and decided she was probably right not to drink lots of it. The bowl was held up for more.

"Just a little, please. I don't know if I like the idea of my head being...tingly." His mind was hazy enough as it was. Going numb wasn't really something he was prepared to try. Although feeling better sounded nice. So far his experience as a human hadn't exactly left him feeling all that great. The aches, the pains, the hunger, thirst, heat, cold...

"After I finish eating would you like me to remain awake to keep watch?" He could probably sleep and still be alerted if danger approached. Gregori had a decent sense of when something was amiss.

Pouring just a bit more into his bowl - Sharlee smiled to herself for her lack of cups - she corked the wine bottle again and put it away. One less thing to trade. Frowning at her things she considered just... Going home. Maybe that would be best. Turn around and go home. Gregori didn't need to know he was just going to escourt her home.

Go the long way.

Sharlee rubbed at her hands after putting the bottle of wine away and she blinked at him. A tilt of her head, looking over her shoulder at the sleeping dragon.

"Doeshe would wake up. He's not very... Aware of danger during the day, but when unfamiliar people approach the camp he's noisy enough." In the squirmy whiny someone has come to visit way. Gregori didn't need to know that though. Mostly people were just scared of Doeshe.

Sharlee smiled again before she moved over to the dragon, shoving his legs around so she could curl up against him. A brief look at her before he rolled over onto his back to present his much softer underbelly.

"You can have the bedroll," She said softly, smiling at Gregori, "I'll sleep on Mr.Squishy here," She poked his side, Doeshe gave a grunt, looked at her again before promptly resuming sleep.

It hardly mattered to a fallen angel where they were going. After all, if Gregori didn't know how to return home, then what difference did it make if they were following a trade route or returning to Sharlee's place of residence? Either could help him on his way, or neither might. Only time could tell.

Regardless, there wasn't much on his mind as he enjoyed sipping the remainder of his wine. Already he was understanding more what she had told him about the drink. There was a warmth spreading through him, starting from his stomach. It was actually kind of pleasant. Maybe he would find a chance to drink it again.

For now, he watched Sharlee curiously as he finished eating and watched her go to curl up against the dragon. His eyes flickered to the bedroll with confusion.

"You don't need to give me that. I will sleep as I usually do." Which was on the ground, wrapped up in his cloak and using his pack as a rather uncomfortable pillow. Indeed, he stretched out and did just that. "Good night, Sharlee."

By the time the birds were chirping from the gentle beams of sunlight, Sharlee was curled up in a ball on the ground, Doeshe mysteriously missing from behind her.

Instead, the large dragon had curled up on the bedroll and he was snoring happily. All four feet in the air, mouth open, tail curled around the tree the pillow was against. A crack of a twig woke Sharlee up, purple eyes snapping open, panic setting in through her chest. Slowly she rose up from her position on the ground, her side numb and looked up to see...

A deer.

Sharlee didn't sigh in relief like she wanted to but she moved carefully, rising to her knees and extending her hand to the deer. A curious sniff at her hand and Sharlee smiled brightly.

Of course, Doeshe gave a loud snort and the deer bolted.

"Doeshe," Sharlee glared over the dragon, "You scared her away."

Doeshe opened his eyes, still upside down and gave her a dragony grin, his tongue lolling out of his mouth where he lay. The other person at the camp gave her a start and Sharlee stared for a moment before she remembered yesterday, looking down at her wrists. Being as quiet as she could - in case her guest was still sleeping- she began to pack up the camp, intent on going home.

Gregori had fallen asleep within minutes of laying down. He had started the night stretched out on his back with his head propped up on his pack and his cloak wrapped around him, but by morning the man was curled up on his side, still wrapped in his cloak, but one arm was under his head like a pillow.

Doeshe moving in the night hadn't disturbed him, and neither did the deer or Sharlee.

The smoke was thick, his eyes and lungs and lips burned. He couldn't breathe, it was choking, and all around him, the screaming.

Hands clapped over his ears. Had to drown out the screaming. It was so loud. So many voices.

Crying, begging, sobbing, and shouting.

Everywhere he turned the flames, the faces contorting in agony as they burned.

No. No. No. No.

Everything was wrong. This was wrong. Why was this happening? Why would it never stop?

Blood. Blood everywhere. It was splattered on his face, his clothes...his hands were dripping with crimson.

Who's blood? Not his.

Daddy.

Gregori jerked awake with a gasp, eyes looking around frantically for...he didn't know what. Panic faded to confusion and he put his face in his trembling hands as he composed himself. It must have been the dream again, but he could never remember when he woke up. The memories were so close, so very frustratingly just out of his reach.

He knew it was important that he remember, but he just couldn't.

Sharlee jerked in response to his display of panic and for a few moments she stared, wide-eyed.

"Did you have a bad dream?" She asked softly, resuming the packing of various things and loading them onto the docile looking Doeshe who was standing quite pretty and waiting patiently for her to finish.

"Will you be okay? Do you need some water or something?"

Gregori slowly let his hands fall away from his face, peering blearily at Sharlee for a few moments as he let reality sink back in after the surreal dream haze.

"I'm fine. I don't need anything." He wished he could remember the dream, but he didn't think his new...friend...could do anything to help him with that. Although considering how he felt upon waking from the dream maybe he really didn't want to remember. Gregori felt bad. The dream always left him feeling awful.

He rose and stretched, the ground wasn't comfortable.

"Do you want help packing?" Gregori wondered why she hadn't woken him. Sure, he was supposed to be there for protection, but that didn't mean he shouldn't contribute in other ways.

Sharlee gave him a surprised smile before she shook her head.

"No... I'm used to doing this by myself," A hesitant look around, the packing almost done. It wasn't that she didn't appreciate the offer to help, there was just... A method she did. A method he'd probably inadvertently mess up simply because he didn't know any better.

"The fighting bandits that want to sell me as a slave part," looking thoughtful for a moment before she resumed packing, "Not so much. So... You can relax. Are you hungry? There's some nuts and berries in that bag there," She pointed to the bag she'd been nibbling from giving him a smile, "And a water skin."

Blowing out a puff of breath she resumed cleaning up her little camp and before long she'd quickly cleaned up everything. Tossing her hair over her shoulder - which she'd done up in a plain braid - she smiled at Gregori, "Ready for a day of nothing but walking?"

"Very well." Offering to help had seemed like the right thing to do, but Gregori wasn't going to argue the issue. Although it did feel strange to watch someone else work while he stood idle. Even if she had told him to.

He looked to the bag that might contain breakfast, but dug into his pack and pulled out one of his apples to serve as breakfast, which he ate while watching Sharlee finish packing. It didn't take long for either of them to finish. Gregori realized he had slept through much of the process. Well, if there was no danger then his mind must not have felt the need to pull him from sleep any sooner than it did.

The fallen one was still frustrated at his continuous lack of recalling any useful memory. Those flickering flashes that he couldn't fully grasp hardly counted. No closer to understanding than he was months ago, Gregori sighed and slipped on his pack as the elf girl smiled at him and asked if he was ready.

"What is the saying? As I'll ever be? I think that was it." The words were accompanied by an uncertain grin. "I'm not good at the expressions. Sometimes I get them wrong."

Another bright smile and she looked down at her wrists, giving them a flex before she gave a simple nod.

"Well, I can help you." An offer given lightly, "If you have any questions about almost anything I'll answer them." Pursing her lips she grabbed Doeshe's reins so he didn't wander off and began to walk towards home.

"I'm sure you're curious about a lot of things?"

Gregori scowled slightly as he trailed along behind Sharlee, following the girl and her dragon.

"Why would I be so curious about a lot of things? Am I...suspicious?" His brow furrowed and he shook his head, "I mean, do I seem to be, uh..."

The angel was really fumbling over what he was really trying to ask. Was it obvious that he was not really from the same world or reality as humans? He had been trying really hard to blend in, but he must not be doing a very good job of it. At least he was better than when he first fell.

"I need to learn better. I am not a very good human, am I? He sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. That was a gesture he had learned from some nice farmer that had let him work for food not long after he awoke.

"You're doing fine," Sharlee quickly told him, looking over her shoulder and smiling.

"If I hadn't seen you go all red I'd have just... Figured you were the strong silent type." Another small smile and she continued to walk, though her gaze quickly found the ground and she sighed heavily.

"But if you have any questions or anything... You can ask me. We'll be spending a while together and... I know stuff." sort of, "I've read books."

"Go all red? That was magic, an after image, an illusion, not real." Well, it was real, but not really real.

What Sharlee had seen was a mere shadow of Gregori's true self, locked in a prison of flesh. That his human body couldn't handle his angelic power was one of the first things he had come to learn since his fall. He wondered how a human might react seeing him in all his divine glory.

"What kinds of books have you read? I can read, but I don't think I've ever read a book. At least I don't remember reading any books...or learning to read. I just know that I can." He shrugged his shoulders helplessly. No one had taught him to do it. Just like no one had taught him to speak or walk or do anything that he could do. Gregori just could.

Sharlee smiled at him again, eyebrows up.

What a strange life he led.

Gently she thumbed the raw skin at her wrists and pondered on what she read. "Mostly history, I guess." A light blush drew at her cheeks and she gave a slow glance away, pursing her lips, " A few romance novels to kill time. Sometimes they're nice." Another small smile and she cleared her throat, "If you like, when we stop for the night, I can lend you a book?"

History books sounded interesting. Gregori thought it might be good for him to read one of those. Surely he would learn more about humans by studying their history. Although...

"What is a romance novel?" He was perfectly serious. And confused. A novel was a book, and romance was...that had to do with affection, love, and several other other human emotions he didn't know much about. What would a romance book be about? Gregori's face was twisted into an expression of extreme concentration as he tried very hard to puzzle out the meaning of this new idea.

Was a romance novel a book describing human mating rituals and customs? Perhaps that would make sense. He guessed. The priestess had told him a little about affection and love, but it wasn't a particularly interesting subject to him.

Gregori didn't plan on staying on this plane or in this form. Emotional attachments like romance would only hamper his goals. Though maybe he should read one of these books, it might be as informational as the history.

"I... Um."

How could she explain that? "It's... Stories. About people falling in love. Usually from two different walks of life or something." Sharlee blushed slightly, "sometimes... " clearing her throat she started up again, "sometimes them m..." Another careful pause, "having... Relations. It's... A story about people is all." A frown. That sounded terribly boring.

"There's usually some misunderstanding that can be fixed by talking about it instead of being angry. That's a common theme."

"Stories? Are they real, true stories or were they just made up?" Gregori hadn't grasped fiction yet. He didn't understand the purpose of non-educational literature. Now he was even more curious about these romance novels.

Even if they weren't strictly educational he might still gain a better understanding of human interaction by reading one. After all he didn't know anything about how people fell in love. Just because he didn't foresee himself dealing with love himself, that didn't mean he shouldn't learn about it anyway. It might help him deal with other people that were in love.

Sharlee paused, wondering that question for a moment.

Were they all made up?

"Some are... Retellings of things that happened and some are just..." Sharlee tilted her head, this way and that, "Stories." A small smile and she looked back at him before she reached behind herself to rummage through her backpack, "Can you read and walk? If you like you can get started on a book now."

"Oh." Gregori mumbled, pondering over what he had learned so far. Sharlee said that the books sometimes had relations. To use her word. She had been blushing when speaking about the books at first. If some of the books were retellings, then did that mean people actually wrote down some of their mating encounters in first-hand accounts? Or were they assumptions written by others?

"I don't know if I can. I have never tried, but I guess we can find out. Are you going to give me a history book or one of your romance novels? Both would be interesting, but now I am more curious about the novels. Nobody has told me about them before. At least I already knew about history books." Not to mention he really needed to at least learn some of the concepts of love and affection, as both seemed to be a integral part of human life.

A gentle blush stained her cheeks and she cleared her throat, finding a thick book where pages that had obviously been dog eared. A well loved book, she held it carefully before fixing her backpack and held it out to him.

"If you can't read and walk, we can just... Save it for when we make camp and you can read it there." Another smile at him and she stared at the book, it was one of her favourites - about an Adelan dragon rider and A serenian noble woman - but some of it was admittedly a little smutty and she felt the littlest bit embarrassed handing it over.

Still. He was curious and Sharlee was nice.

Gregori took the offered book gingerly, staring down at the nondescript front cover for several moments. Since his fall, or even before, the angel did not think he had ever actually held a book before in his very strange life. Well, before the fall he wouldn't have had reason to, would he?

He scowled softly. Why would he think something like that? From what he had learned since awakening books were extraordinarily valuable - at least scholarly books were. The only types that thought books were worthless were mindless brutes.

Had he once been like that? A disturbing thought.

"Thank you." He said, looking up from the book and giving a faint, brief smile before opening to the first page and quickly engrossing himself in his very first book ever.

Walking and reading took several minutes, and many clumsy stumbles, to learn. Still, once Gregori got the hang of it, making sure to glance up at the end of each paragraph, he seemed to have little trouble with the task. Indeed, he seemed to be able to read quite rapidly once he got into a rhythm.

The angel's entire attention was focused on absorbing the words on the pages before him. At least until he looked up at Sharlee with a confused frown. "I don't understand this. The way this describes attraction...it is almost like a sickness? It speaks of abnormal heart rhythms, sweating, disorientation, and clammy hands. Is love a disease?"

Gregori's expression was quite serious and more than a little perplexed. "Why do people desire to feel this way?"

A few times she'd shot out her arms to catch him when he stumbled but he'd catch himself just fine and Sharlee would watch, entertained, by how stuck he was in the book. His question caught her off guard and she just stared at him wide eyed for a moment.

Clearing her throat, she promptly tried to keep herself from laughing.

Face red, she placed a hand over her mouth before she calmed herself down after a few deep breaths.

"Love is..." Sharlee pursed her lips, trailing a hand down Doeshe's neck while they walked. "It can seem that way." Why did they desire to feel that way? A purse of her lips and she tapped at her chin while she thought, "Sometimes they don't. Sometimes it just... Happens." She pressed a hand to her chest and felt her heartbeat, "I don't really know. I've never been in love. Maybe after I try it out I'll tell you."

Was she laughing at him? Gregori frowned even more, eyes glancing between the open book and Sharlee, even more confused than before. Had he asked a dumb question? Probably. The more he learned about humans, the more time he spent with him, the more the angel realized just how little he knew.

It was beyond frustrating.

"You have never been in love? Do you want to be in love? Is that why you read books like this or do you just like the ideal behind love without really seeking it? I'm curious as to what draws you to these types of stories." Gregori wasn't asking in a judgmental way, simply out of curiosity. He genuinely wanted to know, because he was trying to understand people in general - not just Sharlee.

Although getting to know her better was something he meant to do, at least while they were travelling together. It made sense to know one's companions.

"I ..." Sharlee frowned slightly, rubbing her arm gently before she shifted her stance and kicked at a rock on the path, "I think everyone wants to be in love sometimes." She shrugged and looked at him, slightly confused.

"There's lots of types of love, y'know." Sharlee smiled, "I love my sister, but I wouldn't love my sister the same way I'd love a man." She shrugged and scratched the tip of her ear, not quite sure how to explain anything. "I suppose I want to someday, which is why I read those. It's sort of nice to pretend, I guess."

"I do not know love. Nobody has ever loved me, and I have loved no one." Gregori was skeptical about the notion that everyone might want to be in love. Although he did realize there were different kinds of love. He wasn't sure why they were all called love. Would it not make more sense to use different words for the different kinds? What a parent feels for a child was described as love the same as a man felt towards a woman.

It was confusing.

"Pretend." The angel said quietly, now looking back at the book in his hands. He wasn't terribly far into it yet. Maybe he just needed to do more research? Perhaps the book could offer some insights the further one delved into the story. "I am sorry for asking so many difficult questions, but I will probably ask more later. For now I'll just keep reading. It is...interesting."

Sharlee frowned at Gregori for a few moments, looking a little sad. How awful would it be to... Simply start to exist? Or at least have no recollection of what existance was like before. "I'm sure you'll know love eventually," Sharlee smiled, continuing on, walking still, "Most of the time it sneaks up on you. One day everything is normal and then the next you realize you love someone." A shrug and she smiled, looking over her shoulder for a moment.

"I'll warn you about any trees. We can take a break in about an hour for lunch, if you like."

Gregori sure hoped not. Sharlee was only trying to be kind, of course. She couldn't understand that he was not really a human, which meant that he did not feel like a human felt. He supposed she probably assumed he desired love of some form - whether familial or romantic.

No, love would only make things more difficult. A fallen angel would not fall in love! If someone loved him it would complicate things when he had to leave. He was going home. The last thing he needed or wanted was a weepy person that wished him to stay. Gregori did not, nor would he ever, belong here.

Daddy.

The word lanced through his brain, making him grimace.

He ignored it.

Gregori wasn't a father.

No one would call him Daddy.

That infernal word meant nothing.

Why did thinking about it make his chest heavy and tight? That word haunted him. How he wished it would go away.

"Thank you, and we can stop whenever you want. You're essentially the boss." Well it was sort of true. There might not be a formal employment arrangement, but Gregori was more or less acting as a guard for her. So that was like being in her employment.

A smile and Sharlee gave a small nod, going quiet for the next hour or so until she got a butt-nudge from Doeshe. A jolt and Sharlee nudged the dragon back, turning behind her for her companion before she stopped shortly, moving the backpack from her back and placing it by the tree, to which Doeshe unceremoniously flopped down and tucked his head under his paws.

"Good book?" Sharlee finally asked, entertained before she started to pull of bits of jerky to eat.

A lot could happen in an hour. Or at least a lot of reading could be done. Gregori was devouring the book, by the time they had stopped he was nearly halfway through it. Several sections had him stumbling over the phrases and the meanings, but he doggedly had pressed through those bits - even managed not to bombard Sharlee with questions!

Until they stopped. The angel had been so engrossed in the book that he almost didn't stop walking in time, coming close to actually running right into the girl and dragon in front of him. Blinking Gregori looked up and then around them with wide eyes.

"Is it time for lunch?" He shifted uncomfortably, glancing back down at the book instead of answering the question right away. "Well, I think I am learning more. I had an idea about the manner in which humans mated - the basest of understanding of how it worked. This is...more than I had thought there was to the process. They don't even mention breeding as a purpose! Pleasure, on the other hand - is used in nearly ever sentence in some sections. I hadn't realized before that it was more often an act of pleasure or love than strictly meant for reproduction. Or is the book over valuing the aspect of enjoyment over reproduction? I am so confused."

Obviously Gregori had stumbled upon some of the more racy parts of the story!

Oh dear.

Sharlee went several shades of red.

"I've... I'm..." Awkwardly she played with her hair, looking at him before she shoved some food in her mouth, holding out a bit of jerky for Gregori. "I've never..." She moved her hand towards the book, "but I've heard people an they sounded like they..." A small squint and she rubbed her arm, "sounded like they liked it." Another pause, "most people who do it on purpose do it for pleasure."

A look at the book and she bit her lip, "and there are ways to prevent reproduction."

Gregori might not have the best social skills in the world, but he knew that when someone turned that red they were either very angry or extremely embarrassed. Ah, human mating wasn't really a proper subject of conversation, was it? No, no...he sort of knew that! The angel had learned that humans had a sense of modesty - another emotion he wasn't very familiar with.

He shifted his feet sheepishly as Sharlee stumbled for words, realizing his mistake in trying to ask so many questions about a clearly uncomfortable subject. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to embarrass you. I don't always realize that I'm being inappropriate. I just can't help it. I awoke knowing so much and yet so little and I have so much more to learn."

The angel stepped over to take the jerky, then sat with his back to a tree a few feet away from his companion. Considering the conversation she probably didn't want him to sit beside her! "Wait...did you say most people who do it on purpose do it for pleasure? There are people mating not on purpose? How do you prevent reproduction? And why would you?"

If it felt pleasurable then he could perhaps see why humans might engage in such behavior when not actively trying to reproduce, but actually attempting to stop reproduction seemed...unusual. Why would they do that? 

So many questions.

Sharlee bit at her lip and pursed her lips before she move to kneel down, "it's alright Gregori, you can ask me anything you like. Even if it embarrasses me. I'd rather be embarrassed than you go... Not knowing."  Rubbing her hands together she  frowned at his other questions.

"Like.. What those slavers were going to sell me for." Looking down at her wrists she gently bit at her lip, "sometimes people force other people to have sex,"  more questions, "some herbs prevent pregnancy. I have a few of them in the bags on Doeshe and... Sometimes people just don't want children, so... They prevent it." Licking her lips she looked up at Gregori and tried to smile at him.

Oh.

Oh!

"I'm sorry. I didn't think." Yes, of course. Gregori had saved her from those men. He had known they were going to hurt her. He could sense the evil and wicked intentions. The angel hadn't really fully grasped the horror that Sharlee might have been subjected to if he had not been at the right place at the right time.

The priestess had called it rape, and even not understanding much of human behavior, Gregori had known it was repulsive and vile. No wonder he had sensed so strongly to protect her at the time.

"I'm sorry that they touched you. I know that they didn't...do that. But they still touched you, hurt you." He shifted uncomfortably, staring down at his jerky and looking torn between anger and pain. "Nobody will hurt you while I'm around. I promise."

Sharlee reached forward and gently placed her hand on his shoulder. Being with him made her feel at ease. It was a strange feeling. While she should still be shivering and afraid, perhaps worried about broken branches and shadows the presence of the man that saved her had her feel... Safe. Safe and guarded. Like something precious and protected.

"Thank you." A small smile and she let her hand slip away, tugging the sleeves down to hide the red angry marks on her wrists, they would take a few days to heal, she knew. "I know you'll keep me safe," A clap of her hands and she smiled, eyeing his jerky before she nodded to him, "You should eat, you know." A small smirk at the book and then back to his face, "I know you're enjoying the book and how confused it's making you, but you're barely halfway through! There's lots of adventure left to go."

And part of her was far too entertained by his confusion about sex.

While she'd been embarrassed by the questions, they were at least entertaining and she'd hoped he'd ask her more questions. Probably ask what a few of the more raunchy words were. That she wasn't so keen on but as long as he didn't ask around anyone it would be fine, right?

More touching. Gregori still wasn't sure how he felt about being touched by others. He'd learned to shake hands in greeting, and had become familiar and okay with that. Sharlee touched him differently. He knew the hugging had been in gratitude, and he knew this was too. At least he was pretty sure they were expressions of gratitude.

He noticed the way she tried to hide her wrists. The angel had his wrists and neck covered up as well. A desire to hide away markings that were unpleasant was something he could understand. His were unusual and stood out. He didn't like it when people stared at them.

Gregori huffed softly and bit into his jerky. Hunger was one of those human things he truly wasn't used to yet. He hated feeling hungry, and eating was really seen as a bit of a chore. "Is there more with mating? I am not sure how I feel about reading that. It confuses me. If I understood it more maybe I would be able to enjoy it more."

Sharlee gently bit her lip before looking off to the side. He wanted to read smut? A moments glance at him and she looked at the book, he wanted to read smut. "There are a few more. I'm..." A pause and she chewed in her own jerky giving the strange man a curious look, " you want one with more sex in it?"

"I...what?" Gregori blinked, looking up from thoughtfully chewing on his lunch. Did he want a book with more sex in it. That was another word for human copulation, right? "I want to finish the book I'm reading. I just wish I understood better. I have no real context or experience with the subject matter, making it difficult to relate to it or grasp it."

The angel frowned pensively and looked down at the book before shrugging his shoulders. "Maybe I am not meant to understand."

"What?" In return to his 'what'. Sharlee stared at him for a long moment, "if you're that curious I can take you to a brothel." A gentle blush and she pursed her lips, looking at him for a moment, "that's where people go to pay to have sex. If you want to... Experience it, I mean."

"They have something like that?" The look on Gregori's face was probably pretty comical. A mix between shock, fascination, and extreme confusion. 

Humans had places - called brothels - where one could pay someone to engage in mating with them. The priestess had certainly never mentioned that during his time spent in her company! It had surprised him to learn that pleasure was a key driving factor in human mating habits, but this was even more of a shock to his understanding of human behavior.

The angel had assumed that even when done for pleasure and not breeding that it was generally an act done with a loved partner...or at least a familiar partner! "This is...why? I had thought the act held more significance than to simply be performed in exchange for currency. Does it not lose the value if done in such a manner?"

It suddenly dawned on him that Sharlee thought he wanted to mate with someone. He actually recoiled a little. "I wish only to understand! I am not...I should not breed with humans. I am not sure I am even capable of it."

Sharlee gave a wide shrug, "I don't know. I'm sure to those that seek it out only want it for the... Um... Pleasure. Maybe it holds no emotional value anyway?" She chewed the jerky thoughtfully and stared at him for a while, entertained by his confusion.

At least 'mating' was as confusing to him as it was to her. Well, probably a little more confusing to him.

There was a brief glance at his waist when he said he probably wasn't even able to and she cleared her throat. "If you've got a y'know," she glance at his groin, hoping he'd catch her meaning, "then I'm sure if you wanted to you could." She looked him up and down, "you... Are human, right? Or... No? You don't remember what you were but you're human now."

Something like that.

Gregori wished he could just take it all back. Apparently human mating behaviors were just too much for him to grasp. His head was swimming with new information that he simply didn't know how to rightly handle. At least he was ignorant enough that Sharlee's pointed looking over of him didn't cause embarrassment.

"I am...yes. Human. I think. For now. And yes, I have male...anatomy." Imagine the angel's surprise the first time he had needed to use said anatomy for the simple human function of urinating - a task newborns understood. He'd also been quite surprised the first time he had experienced the male human phenomena known as "morning wood" - as it had been described to him, at any right.

"If it has no emotional value and its primary value is pleasure why have you never engaged in it?" Maybe that was an inappropriate question, but he was still trying to understand the idea of exchanging pleasure for money. Did a large number of humans do it? If the act held no emotional value then what reason would there be not to?

Male anatomy.

So he was completely human! That was good to know. She wasn't sure if non-humans were going to be allergic to anything strange. Also the now known fact that he had all the appropriate bits. Sharlee stared at Gregori for a few moments before she licked her lips as looked down at the ground. "The act of... Mating... Has emotional value to me. If I'm going to do that I'd want to be with someone I loved and trusted." She pulled her braid over her shoulder to fiddle with it.

"The people that pay for it... Simply want the pleasure of it. Without the emotional bond. I guess." Sharlee looked around then stared at the ground, "I'm not very good with people, either so." A small smile, "I haven't really met anyone I'd... Want to mate with." Odd word.

So some humans could emotionally detach themselves from the act, and others could not. Apparently Sharlee preferred to keep mating as an emotional function rather than a purely physical one.

Gregori was trying to learn about humans in general, but was also learning more about her on a singular level as well. He wasn't sure how he should feel about anything. On one hand, if one had a physical need for copulation being able to achieve it without also being forced to emotionally engage a partner could be considered...efficient.

On the other hand...

The angel sighed and rubbed his temples. Thinking too hard was making his head hurt. It was all so very confusing. Thankfully he wasn't going to be a human for long if he could help it. Part of him felt a small pang of...something...at that thought.

"What is the other word you used? Sex? Is that different from mating or are they the same? I know that animals mate, is mate not the word typically used to refer to human reproductive activities?" He'd noticed that she seemed to hesitate a lot when using the word, as if having to think about it first.

Reproductive activities.

Sharlee's eyebrows went up and she tried not to smile. This man was very technical. Very literal as well.

"It's the same thing. Mate is... Usually for animals. You can call it whatever you like though." There was a pause and she pointed to the book, should she tell him now the heroine fell pregnant? Sharlee was sure there would be loads of questions about that. Maybe she bit off more than she could chew when she told him he could ask her anything.

Asking her about sex and mating.

All she knew was from books.

There was a moment when she paused and stared at the novel like it had grown fangs. Hopefully he'd accidentally skip over that self-pleasuring part because she really didn't want to answer those questions! Maybe he'd already read it? Maybe that was for the next batch? Sharlee cleared her throat and smiled, standing up slowly. "Ready to head out again? Next time we stop will be for dinner and camp."

Technical was the only way that Gregori could really be! After all, he had virtually no non-technical experience. His emotions were underdeveloped - and jumbled. Love was too complicated for him.

Oblivious to the rest of what awaited him within the pages of his confusing story, the angel sighed and stuffed the last of his jerky in his mouth when Sharlee stood and asked if he was ready to go. He was no closer to understanding love or even human mating than he had been before he began reading.

"Yes, hopefully the more I read, the more clear things will become. If my questions bother you, just tell me to stop. I won't be...offended? That is the right word. I think." He hefted the book slightly as he stood, trying to find his place again, and to figure out how likely he was to finish before they stopped for the night. He was almost halfway through - perhaps by the time he fell asleep...or lost the light.

The walk was leasurely and Sharlee hummed a tune to herself while they walked, Doeshe bumbling behind her. A few times she paused to look at marks on the trees and rushed back to the path. It was a few hours before she finally stopped again, giving a stretch.

Sharlee went about unpacking the bedroll and various cooking things before she dug into the bags on Doeshe, removing those for his nighttime comfort.

"How's the book?" She finally dared to ask, glancing briefly before she took out various food things. It wouldn't be a feast but at least it would be a tasty dinner.

The second half of their day was no less perplexing for the silent angel as he shuffled along behind Sharlee and Doeshe, remaining mostly silent and actively trying to remain unnoticed.

Gregori didn't feel normal human reactions of modesty or embarrassment, but he was aware enough to know that the things he'd been discussing with his companion weren't things one would normally speak of openly. So he was attempting to reign in his curiosity despite Sharlee's insistence that he could 'ask her anything' as she had put it.

When they stopped he found a tree to lean comfortably against as he continued reading. After all, the last time he had offered to aide in something regarding camp he'd been rebuffed. The angel figured that his offer would once again be refused.

And he was almost done the book.

The self-pleasuring section had been truly...eye-opening. The female main character of the book had been impregnated by her male companion. Who was called her lover. Lovers...an interesting word.

"It has been an...enlightening experience. Even if the story is not true, I believe I have learned a little more about this...romantic love. I still don't really grasp it, but I think I know a little more." It seemed to him that even humans didn't fully grasp romantic love until they had experienced it for themselves. "Aside from the analytical...it was enjoyable. If I had not been examining it so closely I would probably have found it more entertaining."

"That's okay," Sharlee started after unpacking everything for camp. Leaving Doeshe to roll around on the ground, finally free of his back-packy confines.

"I don't understand romantic love, either," A small smile and she dragged her backpack over to Gregori, pleased that he'd enjoyed the book - even if it confused him and made him ask questions. "There are more books if you want to poke through the bag while I start dinner?" Another little smile and she got up and shuffled through the bags again, a brief look over her shoulder before she grinned widely.

"Most of them are romance novels," A gentle blush and she looked away, clearing her throat, " One is the history of Serendipity."

"You would understand it better than me." Gregori mused as he closed the book, story finished. It really had been interesting. He wondered if it truly was an indication of how humans lived and loved. While he told himself that he held no personal interest in human life, and especially love, something in him thought that it must be nice.

After all, humans seemed to think their lives were worth living. What made his life worth anything at all? He had done nothing but pine for a life he couldn't remember from the moment he awoke.

What would it have been like to have been raised a human? Would he have had a family to love and to love him? The angel couldn't even wrap his mind around the idea of parents or siblings. He had nothing resembling those things in his memory and so struggled to truly picture a family structure or the feelings that might be encompassed by such a thing.

Sharlee smiled at him and brought her backpack over to him. She smiled a lot. In some ways it made him feel strange, especially when she both smiled and blushed, which she seemed to do often. The priestess had rarely blushed, though she had smiled. Did Sharlee blush so much because of him or because of the books?

"I would enjoy picking another book, but is there nothing I can do to help with dinner? I feel strange at the idea of sitting and reading while you do everything." He really did. He almost felt like he was being served, or perhaps taken care of, and it made him think of himself as burdensome.

A smile on her face, Sharlee tilted her head and looked him up and down. A brief look down at the bag and then back at Gregori. "Uh... No? It's fine." Sharlee looked to the bag and then back at him before she smiled and started to remove things. A water skin and various bits of dried food.

"Think of this as payment," Sharlee grinned at him, looking at him brightly, "since... You're here helping me." A look around and she looked thoughtful for a moment, "There's a stream nearby, you could probably bathe while I make dinner?" A tilt of her head and she looked away before sighing heavily.

"I'm just trying to be nice. For what you did for me." A look down while she started a fire and moved the pot and poured the water in, "If you want to help I suppose you can watch the water boil with me," It was a tease and Sharlee was maybe waiting for him to take it literally.

Funny, Gregori thought he was simply here. Tagging along. So far he seemed to have done very little to actually help. Sharlee seemed intent on making and breaking camp without his interference, despite his offers to aid her.

"I told you that I didn't need repaid for what I did," the angel sighed heavily in return, "Being nice is not a bad thing, but I don't want to take advantage of your hospitality. I have become accustomed to helping in exchange for benefits of food and shelter. I feel as if I'm benefiting without giving anything back."

Help her watch the water boil? Gregori actually looked a little grumpy at that idea. Of course that would be a pointless thing to do. Honestly, watching water boil? At least he seemed to take the hint - Sharlee just didn't need him to do anything.

"Fine, fine. Have it your way." He rummaged through his pack, pulling out a bar of soap, and surprisingly, clean clothes. Well...cleaner clothes. "If there's nothing else for me to do I might as well bathe. And shave, my face is beginning to get itchy."

Indeed, he had a few days growth on his face, giving him a slightly gruff edge. Not to mention he'd not bathed the day before, and that just made him itch all over. Humans liked to be clean, and they preferred it when the humans around them were clean too. The priestess had taught him that, and he'd learned for himself the clean just felt better in general.

So within a few minutes he found himself naked in a cold stream, gently scrubbing dried blood and dirt from himself.

It was a victorious smile.

Sharlee grinned to herself when Gregori finally went and bathed - she'd have to have one after dinner. Sure it'd be dark out then but being by the fire would warm her up just fine, right? Right. It didn't take long for the water to boil and she let it get a little hotter before she started to add ingredients. A little pre-made stew with all the herbs and spices she'd need. It'd be meaty but for forest food, delicious.

Doeshe was content to curl up under a tree, having wandered off and caught himself his own dinner.

The smell of it was making her mouth water and she looked to where Gregori had gone briefly.

It was a bad idea to let him read that book.

It only served to remind her that she read those books and she pressed a hand to herself, groaned quietly and felt her face go red. Terrible idea. Strange curious Human but Not Human man. A few more minutes with the stew and Sharlee stood up, wandering towards the stream and hid behind a tree just in case Gregori was as naked as she figured he'd be while taking a bath.

"Dinner's almost ready, just... So you know." There was a pause, "Is it very cold? I need to bathe, too."

Being able to feel had served almost exclusively as a downside to Gregori. He disliked the cold, but he disliked the heat as well. It had been much worse months and months ago when the sensations had been completely new. Eventually he might even completely assimilate to human existence, if he remained human that long.

Gods above, but he hoped not.

Cold water was basically where his mind was idling lazily as he bathed. One would think that the angel might hurry so he could get out of the cold water, but he took his time. Being dirty was worse than being cold for a little while.

After he felt scrubbed clean he began trying to at least give his dirty clothes a mild cleaning. Hopefully it would not rain during the night so that they could dry by morning. It was while he was working on laundry that he heard the light footsteps of Sharlee approaching, though she stopped some way away to call out to him.

His black hair was wet and plastered lightly across his face and neck as he turned in her direction and tilted his head. That he was naked didn't seem to bother him, but he assumed that Sharlee was not going to be looking. Even so, he left the water, laid out his freshly "washed" clothes and pulled on his clean pants. He threw the clean shirt over one shoulder but did not put it on.

The angel wing markings on his back would be clearly visible, as would the brands around his wrists and throat. If she happened to look. "Yes. It is cold. I am not quite finished, but you may come down and check the water for yourself if you want. I am "decent" as I've heard it called."

Gregori got out his knife and knelt next to the water, using the reflective surface as a mirror as he began shaving himself with the sharp blade.

Sharlee rounded the tree and stopped dead when she saw him.

A topless man wasn't what made her stare.

It was the tattoos.

Lavender eyes widened at the sight of them and when he turned away to shave she stared openly at his back. Almost like she was in a trance she reached out and placed her hand on his back, along the strange tattoos. Her finger trailed along one of the feathers close to his spine and she just stared.

"They're beautiful," though quickly enough she removed her hand from his back, "Um. Sorry." Looking away she went up stream and put her hands in it, giving a shiver. Yup. It was cold. But she wasn't exactly the most pleasant smelling, so bathing was the least she could do. "It's freezing, how did you manage?" she looked over at him and smiled, curious.

Gregori was completely unaware of the effect he'd had on Sharlee until he felt her hand make contact with his back.The knife froze, poised against his skin as his eyes closed, body tensing slightly. Her fingers were warm and soft as they moved along the image on his back. It made him shiver just a little.

His eyes flickered open when her fingers left and he tilted his head just a little so that he could watch her out of the corner of his eye. Beautiful she had called those markings. Gregori could almost have laughed at that. If she thought those were beautiful...well she had gotten to see his real wings, even if for just a moment.

It was really impossible to discern an emotion from simply looking at his face, because that was frozen as it regarded her subtly as she apologized and walked away. Gregori finally managed to begin shaving again. It would only take him a few moments, really.

"I like to be clean. Cold water seemed better than being covered in filth. I have heard that there are such things as warm baths done in a tub, I think there was a rather...interesting moment in that book regarding such a bath, but I have never had one." The angel hadn't really stopped traveling since awakening and always had bathed in a stream, river, or lake thusfar.

Sharlee blushed hotly at the mention of the bathtub in the book and she quickly turned away, head still down. Yeah, that part with the tub. Chewing on her lip she tried to smile, "We should be hitting a town sometime tomorrow," A gentle nod and she looked over at him again, fingers still trailing through the cold water before she wiped her hands on her pants and stood up. It was cold, but Sharlee also liked to be clean so she'd suffer the chilling water for at least a little bit.

"We'll make sure you get a hot bath and a warm meal," A bright grin and she started to make her way back to camp but not before she gave his strange tattoos another eyefull. Like a trance she stared at them, wanting to trace her fingers over them again. Ask him questions he probably didn't know the answer to.

"Maybe some more wine." A tilt of her head, "Have you ever slept in a bed before?"

A town. Gregori tried not to think about how many people would be in a town. It was one thing to travel with the priestess, and now Sharlee, but those were a single person. Being around many humans at once was exhausting and difficult. Every time he had been in a town, always with the priestess before as he'd avoided them when on his own, the people had always ended up giving him funny looks and whispering about him when they thought he couldn't hear.

Well warm meals at least he had experienced. The priestess had always gotten him something simple from the kitchens when they went into town, but not the hot bath. They had bathed in nature, mostly because baths cost money in town.

"I have slept on piles of straw in barns before, and a cot twice. I do not know if those count, but I've never slept on one of those beds with a wood or metal frame with a mattress, no." Beds cost money in town too.

The knife scraped over his face one last time before he put it away and pulled on his boots before gathering up his wet clothing and turned back towards camp. "You don't have to spend money on me in town. I am fine bathing in cold water and sleeping on the ground or in a barn somewhere."

Gregori figured that as long as he didn't take a hot bath or sleep in a real bed he wouldn't have to know what he was missing. Maybe that could also be said of his reluctance to try anything overly enjoyable or pleasurable. Once he was allowed to go home...well he would never do any of those things to start with so he would never have to miss them.

Sharlee knew that he wasn't used to 'being human'.

That 'being human' was some strange occurrence to him that he'd probably rather not repeat. Still, never taking a hot bath or sleeping on a bed? Sharlee just stared at him, violet eyes wide and then her face fell and she stared down at the ground. Still, she tried to smile all the same and watched as he tugged on his boots and she was a little saddened by the fact he'd put a shirt back on.

For the tattoos.

No really.

They were neat.

Mostly because of the tattoos.

Sharlee stared at him for a few moments before she brought a hand up and tapped at her lower lip, shifting her weight from foot to foot before she smiled at him. "Of course I don't have to. Just like you didn't have to save me and Doeshe." Sure it was a bad comparison, they were very different situations, but Sharlee moved closer, tucking her hands behind her back, "I want to. A warm bath, a warm bed and a hot meal may make you more..." She looked him up and down before she started to turn so she could return to camp, the smell of the stew drifting from it.

It would be done soon and while it wouldn't be as delicious as fresh stew, it would still be Not Awful.

"Anyway. When we get to town. you can read by candle light in a bed and be all warm and cuddly." A smirk, "Have you ever even slept without your boots on?"

"I slept without boots when I was on the cots." Those were the few times he'd slept in an actual house. It would have been strange to sleep with his boots on. At least that is what he was told at the time.

"Make me more what?" A confused frown tugged at Gregori's lips as he ran his fingers through his drenched hair, not doing a great deal to really tame it. "What do you mean warm and cuddly?"

Warm he understood. To cuddle was some form of physical affection, but what did cuddly mean? Was cuddly a state of being? She made all that sound so...comfortable. What if he enjoyed the hot bath and the warm, soft bed? Would it make it harder to spend so much time sleeping on the ground? Unlike Sharlee he didn't even have a bedroll that he carried with him.

"Warm and cuddly!" Sharlee repeated, staring at him before she removed a bowl and a spoon from her bag. "Wrapped up in sheets. Cuddly is... I guess being curled up on yourself?" Sharlee finished lamely before giving Gregori a helpless look, "cuddling with just one person?" She served a bowl of the stew and held it and the spoon to her guest. Intent that if he wasn't going to accept payment she's spoil him to the best of her ability.

Which was apparently in warm food and the promise of a warm bed.

"You have to experience cuddly to really get it," Sharlee waved a hand and sat back down, "tomorrow night. You'll learn tomorrow night."

Gregori thought that cuddling was something done by more than one person, but apparently it could be done alone. Was it showing affection to yourself when done alone then? He shook his head, still not at all convinced that he even wanted to know.

He accepted the bowl of stew and settled down near the fire, still looking pensive and thoughtful.

"If you say so." Love was one of those things that had to be experienced to be understood, so why not cuddling? "I guess I have a lot of things I'd need to experience if I ever wanted to be a real human."

Putting aside any thoughts of ever being even more human than he was already forced to be, Gregori took a spoonful of his dinner and hummed softly. Much better than dried meat. "This is good."

Sharlee grinned at him.

"Exactly. A lot of catching up to do!" Looking thoughtful she but her lip and studied him for a momet, "like experiencing lemons." A look down at her wrists and she flexed her fingers before she pulled the pot from the fire, placing it on the rocks before her and finding another spoon. "I suppose we're lucky we found one another. I get to help you experience humanity and..." Sharlee went quiet and took a mouthful of food.

She ate quietly, like all she wanted to do was be done with it.

Though quickly enough she got up with the intent to bathe. "I'm going to quickly wash what I can before it gets too dark." A strained little smile and she gathered a few things and disappeared down the way. Soon enough she was naked and kneeling in the water, a little shivering mess. Though a shadow across the river caught her notice and she stared at it long an hard.

Were you supposed to yell for help when there was a bear?

Sharlee swallowed, standing up slowly, arms out. "Gregori," She started slowly, the bear staring at her curiously. "Gregori!" While frantic it was just a slightly higher toned speaking voice, not wanting to spook the bear. Should have brought Doeshe. Doeshe would have eaten the bear. As it was, the dragon was asleep, drooling on the ground beside the fire.

...And she had been saved from a very nightmarish ordeal.

Gregori kept his eyes focused on his bowl as he at, a familiar thoughtful frown on his lips between spoonfuls of stew. Would he consider it lucky for him that he found Sharlee? Certainly it would seem lucky for her. After all, she had been in quite the mess when he happened along.

He supposed she was nice, and generous. The priestess had been the same, in some ways, but he thought she was more bitter and cynical overall. Sharlee was just so innocent.

Maybe the human company was good for him.

He didn't notice the quiet way his companion hurried to finish her food. The angel was certainly not very good at telling when someone else was upset or troubled. A nod was given when she said she was going to wash. That was expected and not at all unusual to him. Plus he was still eating, slowly and savoring it. Or maybe he was just pensive. His expression spoke of a man with a lot on his mind.

The first mention of his name didn't really grab his attention, but the second time Sharlee called to him, Gregori whipped his head in the direction of the creek. He hadn't sense any evil intent, but there was no mistaking the panic in her voice.

Empty bowl was set aside and hastily he stood and made a crouched dash toward the stream, being as stealthy as he could. The thought that Sharlee was probably naked didn't cross his mind until he actually saw her standing naked in the water. He'd never had the opportunity to actually study a naked woman before, but simply let his eyes slid past her to the animal that was the cause of her fear.

The angel didn't want to hurt the bear, the animal didn't hold any malice, of course, it was simply an animal and would do what a bear would do. Which could potentially be harmful to either of them.

"Sharlee, don't move, I'm coming." He whispered softly as he crept very slowly towards her, trying not to make any sudden movements that would cause the bear to decide to attack.

Relief flooded through her when she heard Gregori's voice and she let out a little whimper. A slow nod. The bear gave a curious sniff to the pair before he went about his business and shoved his mouth in the water. Sharlee slowly backed up, hair plastered to her skin, shivering. Her eyes never left the bear except for a  few seconds to glance at Gregori, arms still out.

Her breath was coming quickly bad she took more steps back, hand grabbing at Gregori's arm. "Let's leave," a brief glance to her things by the river, her clothing pile, not that she cared.

Sharlee's hand held tightly around his wrist, a white knuckle grip. The bear drank the water, gave them another curious look before huffing and going on his way. Sharlee stared at Gregori, momentarily forgetting her naked shivering state. "I don't know how to handle bears," she said lamely.

Other than the worry of potentially being attacked, Gregori was rather delighted at getting to see a bear at this distance.

Sharlee grabbing onto him and asking to leave snapped the angel out of his semi-awed state. Blue eyes blinked down at her, but he didn't make a move until the bear had decided to amble off on its own. Thankfully he hadn't had to even do anything. Except keep calm.

"Usually staying quiet and not moving too much helps, but if I had to I could have scared him away with some fire without hurting him." He was still peering down at her curiously, at least until he realized that he was.

Clearing his throat he turned his head away. "Now that the bear is gone did you want to finish bathing? If you want I can stay close, but with my back turned so that I don't see more than I should." Little late for that, but he didn't want to embarrass her more than she probably already would be.

Sharlee gave a numb little nod.

"I'd rather you face the river," she shivered, hunched over, wet hair a thick ropey curtain around her shoulders. A tremor ran through her and her teeth chartered before she went back to the stream, back to Gregori and washed possibly the fastest she had ever washed in her life. She didn't even want to wait to get dressed.

He was mostly ignorant right?

It would be like being naked in front of a pet. Like being naked in front of Doeshe. Gregori probably cared as much about her breasts as Doeshe did. So Sharlee gathered her things in her arms and gave a shake of her head. The rockets pricked at the bottoms of her feet and she shivered, "I'll change at camp."

Then Sharlee hussled to camp before she went to her bedroll wrung out her hair and finally got dressed. Tying her hair up she gave Gregori a look, shivering again and then down at the fire. Then over at Doeshe, who was snoozing, tongue lolled out of his mouth. "Traitor," she whispered to the dragon before she turned to Gregori.

"I'm sorry. I'm not very brave."

Well then.

Gregori found himself at a loss of what to really do once again. He stayed near the water, keeping watch over his bathing companion, without actually looking at her. Never before had he spent time with a naked woman. Part of him really was curious, but leering at her like some rogue cur seemed wrong.

When Sharlee finished and rushed back to camp, still naked, the angel followed her much more slowly, and kept his eyes down. Gregori found himself leaning against a tree and staring into the forest, watching and listening for signs of more uninvited guests - beast or otherwise.

"Why are you apologizing to me for that? Fear isn't wrong, you know. A bear could easily kill you, especially as vulnerable as you were." He finally looked back over at her, relieved that she had clothes again, though he was worried about how cold she had gotten from her bath. The last thing he wanted was for her to catch a chill.

Grabbing his cloak from where he'd left it, Gregori moved over to drape the heavy wool around her shoulders gently. "You're freezing. We wouldn't want you to get sick. Should I build the fire up a little more?"

As vulnerable as she was.

Sharlee wondered briefly if he was vulnerable naked.

It was tempting to ask.

Instead she shivered and stayed quiet, looking at the fire and was pleasantly surprised when she felt a heavy wool cloak around her shoulders. A curious look to him and gently shook her head, "No, the fire is fine as it is." A brief pause and she shifted to one side of the bedroom, "You could sit beside me?" A look out into the darkness of the trees, the sun having set since her little trip to the stream.

"I'm still kinda freaked out about the bear." A little smile and she shifted slightly, grabbing her bag, "You can read another book?"

"Okay." Gregori settled onto the bedroll beside her, leaving just enough room between them that they weren't really touching. Sharlee had her clothes back on, but he really wasn't sure how close was too close or if it would be wrong for him to brush up against her as they sat together.

Hesitantly he rummaged through the bag for a moment, basically pulling out another one of her novels at random. These probably weren't the best teachers for human interactions, considering their subject nature, but he found a certain appeal to them after reading the first. They were entertaining.

Rather than open the book to begin reading by firelight, he frowned thoughtfully down at the cover before looking down at Sharlee with concern and mild frustration.

"I wish I was better at human things. I feel like I should be offering comfort and support of some kind, because you're in distress. I just don't know what would be appropriate. Just remember that you're not alone out here. I think Doeshe and I can chase away anything that comes our way between the two of us." He glanced at the slumbering dragon, who might not be huge yet, but was still probably pretty intimidating to most things.

Quickly enough Sharlee pressed her side to Gregori's, finding him delightfully warm. Her head soon enough rested on his shoulder and she gave a sleepy chuckle to the strange man's frustration. Smiled at his reassurance. Leaning back slightly she tucked a piece of wet hair behind her pointed ear and turned to Doeshe.

"Oh, I'm sure at least one of you will be able to chase away anything that comes our way." Still pressed to her side she looked at his neck, then back at the book.

"What are your markings?" She asked in a gentle voice, "You don't have to tell me if it makes you uncomfortable," she held out a hand, quickly reassuring him before she rested her head back on his shoulder. If he wasn't able to offer her comfort without confusion, Sharlee figured she'd just take it.

The angel's first reaction was to tense up as Sharlee snuggled against him, but Gregori relaxed when her head rested on his shoulder. Never in his memory could he recall cuddling with someone, and he was pretty sure this was at least similar to cuddling. Of course she was cold and his body heat would help warm her back up.

It made sense.

"Which ones? I was already branded when I woke up. I've never actually seen the wings, I was surprised when you called them beautiful." By now the book was forgotten in his lap as he raised his hands so that he could examine the markings around his wrists, which were much the same as the one on his neck. "I think these are a reminder of my place. They look like they're from shackles and a collar, at least that is what I have been told before."

A disobedient slave being punished for his crime. Gregori still couldn't remember what that crime actually was. What order had he disobeyed? It had to come back to him eventually.

He sighed and dropped his hands back into his lap. "One day I will remember, I have to."

Sharlee picked up his hand from his lap, pulling it closer and looking at the designs on his wrist. Her hands were cold and she still was shivering, but with her cheek against his shoulder and his warm hand in hers she did well to warm up.

"Do you have to?" Sharlee inquired, fingers trailing over the marks on his wrist, "Maybe you don't remember for a reason."

This was turning out to be such a strange day for him. Gregori watched their hands, examining her fingers as they moved over his wrist. She had such delicate hands compared to his.

A year awake and human, and this was probably the closest, most intimate contact he'd had with another person in that time. So far he'd managed to keep his distance to those around him, but Sharlee just seemed determined to draw him in. If someone was going to, well, she was very...warm.

He didn't know how else to describe it.

Just sitting there next to her, Sharlee's cheek resting on his shoulder, Gregori felt warm. It wasn't just a physical warmth. Something inside him felt warm. It was a feeling, unusual, but pleasant.

"If I don't remember how can I ever go home? I don't know that there's anything else for me to do." Truthfully, he was both afraid of remembering and of not remembering. How many times did he awake with that awful feeling from his dreams? They were not pleasant dreams, or happy memories that were being dredged up in his subconscious.

But what if he didn't remember? What if he stopped trying? There was nothing in this world for him. He had no past, no childhood, no familly - nothing. How could he stay in a human world if he didn't belong anywhere?

Pushing aside that unpleasant thought. "Are we cuddling? This seems similar to what I understand the word to mean."

Sharlee couldn't imagine desperately wanting to go to a place but having no idea where it was. Before yesterday even, she couldn't imagine wanting to go home at all. The big house, empty save for the help. Sharlee looked at Gregori, examining what she could of his features before she rested her head against his shoulder. Sure that if he didn't want any contact he'd simply move.

His question caught her off guard and Sharlee smiled, leaning back to look at him, a light blush on her cheeks. "Sort of, I suppose. Cuddling is more ... Like a sitting hug. Or a laying down hug." Feeling bold she curled an arm around one of Gregori's and snuggled against it, resting her head against his shoulder again.

Gregori's brow furrowed in thought as Sharlee explained that they were only sort of cuddling - whatever that meant - and tried to tell him what real cuddling was. "So if we are only sort of cuddling is there a word for whatever we are doing? I'm not well versed in hugging or cuddling."

Or much of anything.

Even without much experience in such things, the angel thought this seemed rather like a hug. Was she not hugging his arm just now? He also wondered why she seemed to be using his shoulder as a pillow. Perhaps it was comfortable.

"Tell me what it was like growing up." The change of subject was rather abrupt, but he was curious - after all, he'd never actually had the opportunity to experience 'growing up'.

Growing up?

Sharlee pursed her lips, giving a little smile.

"Growing up, hmm?" Her voice was soft, though she was still high on adrenaline from the far too curious bear. Sharlee tucked her hair behind her ear and bit her lip, "Well, you start off really small. Tiny. You don't really remember much from when you're a baby. Defenseless." Sharlee found herself unable to come up with the right words, "You know how babies are made, I'm sure you can imagine how tiny and defenseless one is."

"It's... You learn more as you grow up. I Guess a big part of 'growing up' is just... Getting a little taller and... Learning." Sharlee leaned up off of Gregori's shoulder, pressing a palm to her face to lean her elbow against her knee, "You have plenty of growing up to do, there's lots you don't know."

Gregori was staring at Sharlee by the time she was finished speaking. For a moment he really couldn't react, simply blinked slowly at her. That wasn't exactly the answer he'd been looking for, but he supposed he probably hadn't asked the right question. Undoubtedly he had asked the wrong question.

The angel frowned and tilted his curiously. Suddenly he found himself worried that he came off as genuinely stupid. Most likely. He supposed his lack of social skills and general knowledge about all things human would lead someone to believe that.

"I know what babies and children are, but no one has explained it to me quite like that. I was actually hoping for something specific - about you."

Sharlee's mouth dropped open and she cleared her throat.

"Oh. Me?"

Pursing her lips she tapped at them with her index finger, "I suppose ... I come from a well off family. Old money, I guess. I grew up following my elder siblings - I'm the youngest. I was educated and... Given any worldly possession I asked for." She smiled, turning and looking down at her fingers. "There was an illness when I was about twelve. My parents and brother passed away. No amount of healing or potion would fix it, my elder sister left not much longer after that and I was alone, to be raised by maids." Sharlee looked to Doeshe, sleeping as he was, her eyes grew soft and she gave a bright joyful smile to Gregori.

"I found Doeshe not much longer after that. Once everyone was gone I was full of... Wanderlust. I hated being in the same place for too long, I love meeting new people, seeing new places but... I didn't want to stay." She looked down at the ground, heaved a sigh and shrugged, "I could live forever in that home and never worry about a thing. Be waited on hand and foot but.. I'd rather be out here. With Doeshe. Meeting peolpe like you."

That was actually quite a lot of information to take in about Sharlee. Gregori had asked, but he wasn't sure he'd expected his companion to open up that much. He'd thought she might tell him a short story, rather than a brief synopsis.

Taking a moment to process it, the angel thought it a little sad.

Sharlee had a family, and though vague on details he got the impression her early life had been happy. To have so much taken away by illness and to be left behind by the one remaining...

Here he longed to return to a home he couldn't even remember and she seemed determined to stay away from a home abandoned. They were kind of opposites with that.

Gregori had never had a family, but he thought he knew enough about loss. After all, he'd lost everything, hadn't he? His home, his memories, he had no idea who he even truly was. Maybe he would never know.

In a slightly awkwardly executed gesture, the angel reached over to lay a hand on Sharlee's shoulder. "For what it is worth, I am sorry about your family."

Sharlee just smiled, a little sad, sure, but it was a smile.

"The past is... In the past." She stated simply, giving a shrug, putting her hand on top of Gregori's, her thumb passing over his knuckles, "If I cling to it instead of do something I enjoy, I'll only be miserable." She shrugged, "I figured I'd get all that information out of the way in case you wanted to ask more questions." Sharlee gave a little smile just as Doeshe gave a loud snort.

"I'll help you get home though. Or at least... Try to help you remember. If I can." Her hand pat his again and she sighed and hugged her knees to her chin, "What's your first memory?"

Gregori nodded at the explanation - it made sense. The past couldn't be changed and if dwelling on it would make her unhappy then it probably was best she just press on with her life. Perhaps he felt a pang of envy. If he couldn't remember, couldn't find his way home, would he ever be able to just let it go?

He wasn't sure.

But he did know that it felt strange to have Sharlee so intent on helping him. Not bad. Just strange. Nobody had ever cared enough to help him try to uncover his past. He wasn't sure why she'd be so willing.

The angel sighed when she asked what his first memory was. That wasn't exactly an easy question, but turn about was fair play. Taking a moment to gather his thoughts, Gregori scooted closer to Sharlee so that he could move his arm around her shoulders, thinking the way she hugged her knees up under her chin was a sign she was still cold and trying to keep her warm.

"I don't know, exactly. For the longest time there was nothing but darkness and the endless sensation of falling. It wasn't pleasant." Gregori frowned. "There was this loud roaring sound in my ears, and flashes of blinding light, then I was sitting up in the middle of a ruined town. It was cold, and I was naked. I didn't know who I was or why I was there. So I guess that's my first real memory."

Sharlee snuggled in against Gregori, eyes closed while she listened. The mental image was scary. For a fleeting moment she wondered how she would have felt. Waking up and... Not knowing anything. Sharlee sighed and rested her head against his shoulder, eyes closing briefly. "That sounds... Frightening."

"Did someone name you? Or did you just know who you were?" Still all the while, she snuggled in closer. Finding his presence soothing and the warmth helped a great deal.

"I suppose frightening is a good description for it." Gregori mused, thinking back on those first few moments of clarity. Disorientation, a sense of profound loss, a burning pain...yes, frightening probably summed it up pretty well. He actually shuddered slightly at the memory, but Sharlee wasn't the only one benefiting from the closeness and warmth. Not that the angel realized he either needed or received some form of comfort from the woman snuggled against his side.

"I assume someone named me at some point, but I knew my name, if nothing else." He was quiet for a moment. "Sharlee? This is going to seem an odd question, but would we be considered...friends?"

Friends?

Sharlee looked at him, lavender eyes curious while she examined him. A purse of her lips and she smiled, snuggling in closer. It was probably wrong of her to take advantage of the closeness, but it felt so nice. Tucked tightly against his side, Sharlee nodded.

"Yes. I'd be honoured to call you friend," another smile and her head was resting on his shoulder, "this is cuddling, by the way." A small smile and she found his hand fingers curling into his palm to hold his hand.

It wasn't as if Gregori would realize he was being 'taken advantage of' either way. No, if anything the angel was actually enjoying the warmth nestled so close against his side. It felt...nice.

Not just the body heat, but that strange sensation of inner warmth also made it a pleasant experience. Nobody had ever cuddled with him before - as Sharlee just affirmed that was what they were doing. He had thought as much. Cuddling was an affectionate activity, from what he understood, but she also said they were friends, and he also understood that friends usually held some affection for one another.

"I think that you are my first friend." Gregori admitted as he let his fingers curl around her hand in return. "There was a priestess that helped me when I first woke up, but that was not like this. We never cuddled. I...see why people like to do this. You're warm and when you lay your head on my shoulder like that I feel this strange warmth spreading through my body and my heart rate increases. Is that normal?"

"Are you nervous?" Sharlee asked, voice gentle and curious. "Lots of things can make your heart beat. I think... Everything out of the ordinary."  A quiet laugh and she nuzzled her cheek into his shoulder, eyes closing and sighing softly. "Is it okay if I sleep here? You're warm."

"I don't think I'm nervous, but how would I know?" Honestly it was debatable if Gregori could tell if he was nervous or not. His heart did that erratic little jump again when Sharlee laughed and nuzzled against him. Obviously she was the cause, but he didn't know why.

"Might be hard to sleep sitting up." The angel said with a slight frown. "Would it be wrong for us to cuddle laying down? If you're cold I don't mind sleeping close to you if it would keep you warm." He honestly didn't see a reason cuddling sitting up or laying down would be all that different, but Gregori was hardly an expert in such things.

Sharlee smiled, a sleepy smile. Finding herself growing more and more tired the warmer she got. The comfort from the body beside her was more soothing than she'd counted on and before long she turned towards him, curling her arm around his middle and beathed softly. "Nothing wrong with cuddling," her voice was soft, "unless you don't like it."

"I...like it." Oddly he did. At least Gregori thought it was odd that he was enjoying this as much as he was. Either way, he looked down at the elf that had wrapped herself around him quite efficiently and felt good.

Gregori put his other arm around her, hugging Sharlee and pulling her with him as he laid down, cuddling her against his chest. Thankfully they had already been sitting on the bedroll because he was pretty sure the elf girl was mostly asleep and wouldn't want to move much.

"Mmm," Sharlee smiled, eyes closed, in the state of half asleep where everything was fuzzy and maybe, just maybe it was all just a dream. "I'm glad you like it," Her voice was muffled against his chest, tossing her still wet hair away from the pair before she snuggled even closer. Or at least as close as she could.

With her face press against his chest, her back to the fire, Sharlee gave a little pleased hum, her hand resting on his waist. "Have sweet dreams," Were the quiet words she murmured before, indeed, she was fast asleep. Far more comfortable and safe feeling than she'd been in a long time.

The angel settled comfortably, eyes closing as he listened to Sharlee's even breathing as she slipped into sleep shortly after they had laid down. His arms remained curled around her, one draped over her waist, the other pinned beneath both their heads acting as a pillow. The limb was bound to "fall asleep" but he hardly cared.

"Good night, Sharlee." Gregori whispered to the sleeping girl before easily drifting to sleep himself. Thankfully there would be no nightmares, although the dreams he did have were interesting, to say the least.

In the morning he would still be snugly curled around Sharlee, fast asleep, and sporting the nefarious plague human men referred to as morning wood.

Sharlee was the first to wake up, pulled from her dreams by a strange prodding sensation to her thigh. A curious move of her limb in her half asleep state to move the prodding away before she rolled over and then remembered where she was. Instantly her violet eyes snapped open and she stared at the brightening sky, go several shades of red and cast a curious glance towards her cuddle partner.

Still asleep.

While she wasn't experienced Sharlee was a rational girl and cleared her throat.

Did he get embarrassed?

"Gregori?" Her voice was soft and she was comfortable curled up as she was on the ground, his arm around her waist. Still, it probably wasn't the most comfortable of things for him, "It's time to wake up," Gently her fingers moved over the bridge of his nose, examining his features in his sleeping state.

Maybe nightmares would have been better.

Gregori groaned softly, turning his head slightly as if to escape the light tickling of her fingers on his nose. His arms pulled her close against him, face burying against her to avoid the morning light and giving a soft moan as his unconscious erection was once again pressed against Sharlee - albeit completely unwittingly.

"You're so warm." The angel murmured softly, though it wasn't clear if he was wake at all.

Oh dear.

Sharlee went several shades of red, violet eyes wide while she stared. It wasn't the being cuddled that was having her blush, it was the very awkward situation of their bits touching and while she tried to politely wiggle away to save him from embarrassment - mostly save herself - Sharlee only rubbed against him more before she stilled completely.

Her fingers went to his hair, drifting through it. "Gregori, you're... Um... You're poking me. That's... Not..." Sharlee swallowed, several shades of red, closing her eyes right, "you should only do that to people you love."

Gregori's eyes had started to flutter as Sharlee wiggled against him, but it was when her fingers began sliding through his hair and she spoke to him again that they snapped open. The angel's blue eyes went wide as he stared owlishly at the woman in his arms for a moment, confused.

Remembering his dreams - damn that book - he immediately let go of Sharlee and scrambled away from her - face turning a bright crimson as he looked anywhere else and swallowed thickly.

Cuddling had been a bad idea. He never should have allowed it. At least she hadn't started screaming at him or hit him. Gregori turned his body away, trying to hide the bulge in his pants. He knew it was highly inappropriate, not nearly as bad as the fact that it had been pressed and rubbed against Sharlee's body a few moments earlier, but he couldn't fix what had already been done.

"I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to...It was an accident."

A surprised gasp left her lips and she quickly sat up. Her hair a long mess of loose purple curls around her face and over her shoulders. "I know it was an accident," her voice was soft and Sharlee tried to smile, trying not to look at him.  Clearing her throat, "I'm sure if you meant to you'd have been more..." A tilt of her hair before she rose up onto her knees to finger comb her hair and tug it into a braid


"Doesn't matter! You're awake! Time to walk all day again!" Sharlee stood up with a bright smile, figuring all of this was best left forgotten. As attractive as he was Sharlee knew he wouldn't be interested in her. As intent as he was on going home. "We'll get hot baths and warm beds tonight, we're getting closer to a town I love going to." Clearing her throat she gave a pause, "do you need a few minutes to... Um... Take care of it?"

Gregori couldn't bring himself to look at her even as Sharlee accepted his apology, rather more graciously than he deserved. He was surprised she wasn't angrier at him than she seemed to be. In fact, she didn't seem angry at all - just a bit embarrassed. Embarrassed didn't seem like a strong enough word for what he was feeling at that moment. Mortification seemed more fitting. In a year of being human the angel had somehow managed to thus far avoid mortal trappings such as desire and attraction.

He blamed the romance novel. It was putting things in his head that didn't belong there.

Although he wondered what she meant. What would he have been more of if it had been intentional? Didn't matter, she was right to try to change the subject. The sooner they put this embarrassing moment behind them the better. She reminded him about the promise of getting him his first hot bath and sleeping in a warm bed the coming night.

"W-what?" Gregori asked, head whipping around with eyes wide and face red as she asked if he needed a few minutes to 'take care of it'. "It will go away quickly once we start moving."

Was he blushing?

Sharlee went red at the fact that he was red and she chewed her lip gently, looking away for a moment before tucking her hair behind her ear.

"I mean... Isn't... That bad?" Licking her lips. She didn't know but she'd heard enough and red enough stories and... "I mean... Won't it hurt? Or.. I mean. Uh..." Sharlee stared for a longer moment, keeping her eyes on his shoulders before she gave her hands a dismissive wave. "It's all good. You know your body best even though you haven't been human long." Clearing her throat she went about cleaning up the camp, being a little more meticulous and packing things away before she rubbed her hands together.

"Shall we? We probably should before I get anymore red. My ears may start bleeding."

"It is uncomfortable and unpleasant, but it will be fine." Gregori blushed harder, turning more away and wishing that he could hide more than his erection but his entire self. This wasn't the first time this had happened, just the first time there had been someone in contact with it. It always went away on its own.

Never in his short life had he "taken care of it" as Sharlee had suggested. Until he'd read her dirty book he'd not even known there was such a thing as "taking care of it" - aside from copulation.

The angel spent the time his companion was packing to simply allow his body to calm itself and to wish that he could disappear into the ground or turn invisible to rid himself of his embarrassment. He only dared glance over at her when she was finished and ready to leave.

"Can that actually happen?" Gregori asked sheepishly as he finally rose from the ground and shuffled his feet uneasily. "I really am sorry. It...won't happen again."

Yeah, he'd make sure of that! Cuddling was absolutely out of the question from here on out. No matter how nice it had been, it simply had far too embarrassing consequences.

"Can what happen?" She perked up, looking at him and giving Doeshe a scritch on the neck, "My ears bleed or..." A quick glance to his groin before she looked away just as quickly and went a little more red again, "That hurts?"

Clearing her throat she smiled, "my ears can't bleed, but... The other one... That can happen." Maybe she should take him to a brothel or something. Chewing on her lip she started to walk, staring at the path ahead and finding a keen interest in the rocks and trees. How to best help him be human while he waited to... Find where he was going.

"Don't be sorry, Gregori, it's perfectly natural. That's just... What bodies do." Sharlee looked over her shoulder and smiled at him, if she acted weird that would make him feel bad, right? She didn't want that. "Don't be embarrassed for something you had no control over. We'll forget it happened. Did you at least have a nice sleep? Were you comfortable?" She paused, "Did you have any dreams?"

Gregori couldn't stop his face from heating when Sharlee looked back at him, going even redder when her eyes ventured briefly to his groin. He had a sinking feeling that his face was going to go red any time she looked at him or he looked at her for at least the next several hours. Gods but why did he have to be cuddled up with her when that happened? It didn't happen every night, but sure as rain it would happen the one night he spent so close with another person.

"Really?" He wondered why it would hurt - and for what reason. Was it simply a matter of not giving himself some form of release for sexual tensions and desires? Until the previous day Gregori hadn't even been aware he could have sexual tension or desire!

"Very comfortable, too comfortable." Yes, much too comfortable! And he'd gone scarlet at the mention of dreams. "N-no! No dreams."

He buried his face in his hands, knowing that there was no way he could believably lie about not dreaming, but at the very least he could hope that she wouldn't ask any more questions about that! Damn that book.

Sharlee felt horrible.

Sort of like she kicked a puppy. Or at least like she'd beat on something small and adorable that couldn't help but cower and hide it's face. Another look over her shoulder and she sighed before she rubbed her neck. This was all turning out awful. Instead of giving him new experiences - which she'll admit now where a bad idea - she just made him feel embarrassed and bad about himself.

"Gregori?" She started, a brief look towards him, "I'm sorry. I've got other books that... Aren't... Romantic, if you like. There's an encyclopedia I have that explains all sorts of creatures, if you'd like." Was he even curious?

Gregori didn't bother to lower his hands. He shook his head as if the motion could shake thoughts and memories and dreams from his head. It wasn't her fault. He had asked if he could read it, he'd wanted to learn. The lesson just went beyond what he'd anticipated. Everything had been fine until he'd gone to sleep!

"I don't want to read anything today. I just want to..." The angel finally brought his hands away from his face to uselessly gesture them about incoherently, because he didn't even know how to finish his own sentence. With a groan he covered his face again, because he was still red as a beet. "I don't know. I just want to forget about waking up."

The worst part was that he'd enjoyed it. Hell, if it hadn't made him squirm so much then Gregori probably wouldn't have had reason to be so embarrassed.

Sharlee ducked her head down, hands at her side. "I'm so sorry," was on a soft breath and she pressed the heel of her palm to her forehead. "I'll just... Stop talking okay? If you need anything just... Let me know."

True to her word she stopped talking, head ducked down. Give the poor angel some time to... Think? At least the town would be close enough that their silence alone would only last a few hours.

Stop...talking?

He was being a horrible travelling companion. Gregori wasn't exactly socially adept, and the situation was highly tense at the moment, but he didn't want to shun or push away Sharlee. It was just hard for him to swallow his embarrassment, particularly because embarrassment was not an emotion he was really familiar with.

"No, it's okay. I don't want you to stop talking!" The angel placated hurriedly, rushing up to gently touch her arm to get her attention. "It's just...what happened earlier. I know you say it is natural, but that has...never happened to me before."

Gregori blushed and shook his head. "I don't mean the...the..." He cleared his throat. "I've never slept beside someone or cuddled before. It was...very nice. I just...am not good at this." He finished lamely.

Sharlee turned to look at him, a gentle tilt of her head and a friendly smile. "It's okay. I understand." Her hand reached out and she pat his before she curled her fingers arond his hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. What was she supposed to do? He was embarrassed and while she'd gotten over the little morning accidental poke apparently he couldn't quite do it.

"I thought it was nice too. Being warm and snuggly beside someone who doesn't smell like a slobbery lizard." Sharlee looked down at her shoes for a moment, "it's good to not be... Good at things sometimes." A glance up, a little smile on her face. Friendly, an attempt to smooth Gregori's little mental crinkles. "Making mistakes is how you learn."

"I'm not sure what I was supposed to learn." What lesson was there in cuddling with Sharlee, having inappropriate dreams, and accidentally pressing his private region against her while still asleep? The only thing Gregori could think of "learning" from that experience was not to cuddle, no matter if it had been nice or not.

Well, that and Sharlee was exceptionally understanding and forgiving about the whole thing. Probably nicer about what he'd done than he deserved.

"I'm not either," she admitted, "I'm just trying to make you feel better about it." A small simple little smile and she rubbed her arm. Sharlee tossed her braid over her shoulder, looking ahead before tucking her head down.  "I kind of forget all of this is new to you," her voice was low and she took a deep breath and held it for a moment.

"Do you feel bad for doing it or embarrassed that it happened?" A genuine curiosity from the little purple haired elfling. Embarrassed was one thing, feeling bad for waking up a certain way and it being sort of awkward? Sharlee didn't want that.

Make him feel better? Gregori shook his head, not sure that he should feel better about that morning. Was it not the appropriate response to feel shame for what had happened? It felt like that was what he should feel. That was what he did feel.

"Very embarrassed, and...I guess I feel bad." The angel frowned and blushed, turning his head to look away from her. "I couldn't control it. Why does it do that? It is uncomfortable and embarrassing, and having you right there when it happened made it even worse. I'm sorry I made you uncomfortable."

"You can be embarrassed. I'm still a little embarrassed by the bear and you coming to my rescue while I was undressed." Which was true. She just decided that naked bodies were natural and wasn't going to dwell on it. Or let it bother her.

"Well, I don't have much experience with... Things..." She cleared her throat, "it just happens." She shrugged, "it wasn't from what you read or that we were cuddling." Trying to be comforting she reached her hand for his, catching it and giving it a friendly squeeze. While they talked about morning wood. Odd situation.

"From what I know, it's just a thing that happens to men and it's perfectly natural. So, if you can, don't be ashamed. Or bad!" She quickly added, "it's just... This time you were pressed against someone," Sharlee shrugged. "When I realized it wasn't on purpose I wasn't uncomfortable anymore," she tried to smile at Gregori, a tilt of her head.

"Shall we tuck it aside? The topic." She cleared her throat, "the town isn't too far away, should be there by late lunch. Get some real food, stay the night and then carry on in the morning." Sharlee smiled, "sound good?"

Everything about their situation, from their meeting to now, wasn't exactly what could be defined as normal. Gregori blinked, surprised when she grabbed his hand. She did that often enough. Her hand was warm and soft as it squeezed his. Like the cuddling it caused pleasant feelings and sensations.

That didn't make any sense at all. How could it have not had anything to do with the book, the cuddling, or the dreams? Or maybe it did make some sense. Before yesterday he'd not read anything like the book Sharlee had let him borrow, and he'd never cuddled with anyone before, but that had happened before. It was not the first time he'd awoken with such a condition and the priestess had explained to him that it was something that happened to men sometimes.

Gregori wasn't sure if it was comforting or frustrating to have something so personal, embarrassing, and intimate beyond his control.

"I will try not to...feel bad. I'm glad you're not angry with me." Although he still worried that this was going to make things uncomfortable and weird going forward. The angel had spent some time with the priestess, but that had been different and she had eventually left him alone.

While not really comfortable with social situations or interactions of any kind yet, it still felt unpleasant being alone and he found he kind of liked Sharlee's company. She was kind and patient.

"Talking about something else is good." He hastily agreed. The subject was making him squirm the more he thought about it. Plus he didn't want to let his mind wander to other related subjects. Like her offer to give him time to 'take care of it'. "That is a solid plan, but are you sure you want to carry on together past the town? I would understand if you wanted me to go another way."

It was easy to forget that he didn't want to be human. So when Sharlee decided that there were professionals for that sort of thing and she could hire them... Maybe as a gift? No, that sounded bad. Sharlee gnawed on her lip and looked thoughtful for a moment  and --

"Go another way?"

Her voice grew small and she looked crestfallen. He wanted to leave? Sharlee opened her mouth to say something but just as quickly she closed it.  Did she want him to leave?

No. She didn't. Sharlee felt comfort in his presence. He'd saved her. Saved Doeshe. He couldn't just leave, there was so much she wanted to show him! So many books to read and... Tucking her hair behind her ear and she rubbed her forearm, looking down at the dirt.

"I... I don't want you to go another way," She said truthfully, scuffing her shoes while she walked, her long braid bouncing off her back in her slumped downtrodden posture. "I like your company, you make me feel... Peaceful." Sharlee licked her lips and shrugged, looking up at the trees and towards the call of a bird.

"If you don't want to come with me, it's okay!" She started, looking at him, Sharlee didn't want him to stay with her because he felt like he had to, that would just make her feel awful. "I just... I enjoy your company and if you want to I'd like you to stay with me."

Gregori was far from an expert on emotions, but he thought that Sharlee looked sad. Why would she be sad about him leaving? They barely knew each other, though he supposed that the young elf woman was the closest thing to a friend he had.

What she had to say about it made the angel squirm slightly uncomfortably. He made her feel peaceful? That probably had to do with his fire and sword. Sharlee was woefully under-protected on her own, even with a young dragon as a companion. Gregori still wasn't sure how those bandits had managed to capture Doeshe. Had he not fought back against them?

"You really want me to stay with you? Even after this morning?" A slight blush crept back into his face, but not nearly as bad as before.

Sharlee looked at Gregori, eyes wide and a little confused. He was pushing her away because of that? A gentle shake of her head, "of course even after that." Her hands moved to clasp together and she ducked her head down. "It's nice traveling with someone, and you make me feel safe." Sharlee looked away, frowning, like it was an odd thing to feel.

"This morning wasn't a big deal," she shook her head, "accidents happen, you didn't mean to." ducking her head down, "and you said to stop talking about it." Then she paused, "of you want to leave, though, I won't stop you."

Well making Sharlee feel safe might make sense after his actions against those bandits that had taken her captive. She had been so kind to him since, and Gregori had thought it mostly stemmed from that one fact that he'd rescued her. Now he wasn't sure that was really the only reason. Kindness seemed to be just a big part of who the young elf woman was.

Although he was still sure the only reason she liked him was because of the rescuing her thing. If not for that he doubted she'd be so eager to keep him around. Still, did he want to leave?

Not really.

"I don't want to leave." The angel did want to not talk about his earlier mishap, but he couldn't really just forget it and think everything was fine. Gregori still felt uncomfortable over the whole thing and thought that Sharlee should be more upset over it than she had been. Then again, what did he know?

"I just wanted to be sure that it was really okay. I don't want to be trouble for you." Especially since she hadn't let him do much to help her so far.

Sharlee smiled, relieved that he didn't want to leave.

"You're no trouble," she was quite to assure him, tucking her hands on her hips, looking at him for a moment before turning away. "The company is nice," She admitted, turning to stare down at the ground, chewing on her lip gently. "I haven't been around anyone for so long in... A long time," A chuckle and she kicked at the dirt, "Mostly it's just been me and Doeshe for... What feels like forever."

A look over her shoulder to Gregori and she tried to smile - and change the topic - "Did you just travel with the Priestess? Or have you had other companions?"

The company was rather nice. At least for Gregori. Sharlee had easily rather enchanted him. She was so very kind and generous to him. More than that, travelling with her had alleviated his loneliness. Although he didn't really realize he'd been lonely before chancing upon her. All he really knew was that being near her made him feel better.

"Just her. She was kind to me and helped me learn a little about things." The angel shrugged his shoulders a little. He hadn't spent much time with other people. He was awkward, asked too many questions, and burdensome.

"Why do you travel alone with Doeshe? It's dangerous." Gregori was pretty sure Sharlee had learned that lesson. Of course she wasn't travelling alone anymore. He assumed that was a big part of why she wished for him to stay with her. All things considered maybe he shouldn't be surprised the young woman was reluctant to see her protection leave.

Even if she didn't care if he left, Gregori felt a slight tightening in his chest at the thought of her coming to harm because he left her alone. Or for any reason, really.

"He's..." Sharlee looked briefly at the dragon, "very young. Little more than a baby." A gentle shrug, "honestly we'd never had trouble before. So... Maybe it was fate." She smiled at Gregori, letting her eyes fall closed. "That you happened upon is when we needed help the most." A sigh and she pursed her lips, "it's easy to be alone with Doeshe." Sharlee continued, "I've always been alone with him one way or another. So..." Sharlee shrugged like it wasn't a big deal. At one point it had been. It crushed her to be alone.

It got easier after a while, "so... We just... Travel. See new places. Do new things." Sharlee smiled, "sometimes I drink a little too much wine."

Gregori thought about his own travels alone. Part of him thought it was best that way. If there was no one around then no one could see how very bad at being human he was. Another, growing part of him felt a strange emptiness inside him at the thought of all those days and nights without companionship of any kind.

It was lonely to travel by yourself. At least Sharlee had Doeshe, but that wasn't the same as having another person.

The angel moved so that he walked beside the kind stranger that had taken him in and become the only friend he really had. It was harder to talk when he was trailing behind her and he wanted to do something she had done to him before. Gregori reached out to take her hand gently, holding it loosely so that she could pull away if she liked.

"I believe in fate. Maybe I needed you too. You have been teaching me new things, and...and no one has ever been my friend before. Part of me thinks I shouldn't have friends. That I should not let people close to me." He sucked in a breath and frowned. "But another part of me...I really like it. Thank you, for everything so far, and for letting me stay."

The blush that stained her cheeks surprised her and Sharlee ducked her head down and bit her lip. It was one thing to take his hand and offer him comfort, it was quite another for him to catch her hand. Still, she curled her fingers around his and held his hand, still flushed but smiling all the same. At the mention of teaching new things she went even a darker shade of red and grinned.

"Thank you too, Gregori," she swung their hands back and forth in a childish manner for a moment or two before she simply held his hand. Soaking in how nice it felt. One side was Doeshe, walking and somehow staring up at the sky and the other was the mysterious angel. Still learning. Hesitant.

"You can stay with Doeshe and I for as long as you like," she smiled, "though! Our imaginary contract ends when we get to here I was headed to begin with," which she didn mention would be at least a week of traveling if they kept at the leasurely pace they were going. "So after that, you can sta with us as long as you like. It's nice to have company."

Why did holding her hand make Sharlee blush? Gregori wasn't sure, but every time the elf blushed it made him feel strange. It was a tingly warm feeling that made his own cheeks darken just slightly. He remembered feeling a similar sensation the night before as they cuddled together by the fire. Was this what affection was supposed to feel like? Affection was the only thing he could think that would describe what he was experiencing.

Friends were supposed to feel affection for one another, right?

"As long as I like." Gregori said slowly. Thinking over that, the angel wondered if there would be a reason for him to want to leave. Aside from wanting to go home, of course. He frowned and looked down at the ground. It had been hours since he had even thought about going home. Usually he was relatively consumed by the notion.

"What if I want to stay with you until I figure out what I am supposed to do? Until I can go home? It is nice not to be alone." Although the longer he stayed, the harder it would be to leave. He was lead to understand that parting from someone you cared for, even a little, was not an easy thing.

A small little smile and Sharlee gave his hand a squeeze, looking up at him and puffing out her cheeks before pursing her lips and looking thoughtful. "Then you can stay with me for as long as that takes," a nod and she looked ahead, focusing, perhaps a little too intently, on the road ahead. Another swing of their hands and she grinned up at him as if suddenly realizing something.

"So... Do you... Want to keep asking me questions? And me... Helping you try out being..." She poked his bicep, "Squishy and human?"

Gregori felt his cheeks heat up a little when Sharlee poked him, feeling a little fluttering in his stomach at the way she grinned at him.

The angel cleared his throat and blushed a little more. Most of his questions yesterday had been about sex and love. A subject that Sharlee didn't really have a lot of experience with. She knew more than him, but not a great deal more. Oddly before this morning the subject hadn't really embarrassed him.

That was before his dreams and waking up with himself pressed against Sharlee.

"Um...what does it really even mean to be human? You say things like try to help me be human, but what does that really even mean?" Gregori wasn't sure what kinds of things she intended to do or tell him that would help him be more human.

His question had her pause and Sharlee blinked at him for a few moments before she just... Smiled.

"I don't know," A surprised laugh, even at herself before she shrugged and gave a squeeze of his hand, "But... You never stop learning. There's always room to... Grow and... Gain knowledge." A gentle shrug of her shoulders, "I use the term human generally seeing as how I'm not human. Mortal, yes, but not human." A small faraway smile, "Sometimes I forget." She motioned to her ears, the delicate points.

"I'm young though and my kind can live for a very long time," Sharlee grinned again, "So... We can learn how to be human together. Though I think I have a few years on you." A look ahead and she squinted at a landmark, "Ah... Only a half a day. We'll be in town before nightfall. Have that hot meal and cozy bed I promised you!"

"I don't see how being human is all that much different than being an elf." Gregori might not have had a lot of experience with people, but Sharlee didn't seem all that different than the humans he'd had brief interactions with.

Now being an angel was very different. At least, he thought so. Hell, he couldn't even be sure of that if he couldn't remember anything.

He squeezed her hand lightly. "But learning it together does sound good."

Sharlee shrugged, "Well... We live longer?" It seemed like a cop-out, "My ears are more sensitive to sound?" Not to mention touches but she wouldn't mention that. Not only was it irrelevant it wasn't on a need to know basis. "There are little differences but... Mostly, I think, we're the same as humans." A simple shrug and she grinned up at him, another swing of their hands.

"I'll help you, I think you have more to learn than I do." A nudge with her elbow and she smiled again.

"Just means one of us knows what we're doing. At least a little." Gregori nodded sagely, because obviously Sharlee was the teacher and motivator here. Most of his time since waking had been spent set against becoming too human, but she was awakening a curiosity and longing to know and understand more.

The angel actually smiled as he looked down at her. "Why do you swing our hands like that? Is it because you are happy? You...like this?" He used his free hand to gesture at their joined hands. He sort of liked holding Sharlee's hand, and she seemed okay with it.

Did she?

Sharlee looked down at their hands, cheeks turning a bit red to be called out on it. Clearing her throat she gave a little nod, "yes. I do." To emphasise her point she moved her hand to thread her fingers through his and looked down at them. "I can let go if you don't like it," perhaps she'd been craving Not Slobbery Dragon contact. Which meant poor Gregori got the brunt of it.

Well at least she could take solace in the fact that Gregori wasn't even able to consciously "call her out" on the holding hands thing, or the cuddling thing, for that matter.

His fingers threaded easily with hers, without a hint of reluctance or unease. Her hand was warm and holding it created that warmth that began in his chest and radiated all through him. Even if it was a new and confusing feeling, Gregori really was beginning to quite enjoy it. The angel hadn't realized how nice contact like this could be with another person.

"I like it. Please don't let go." He said quietly, hand squeezing hers just slightly.

The reply surprised her and she grinned at him, eyebrows pulled up. Gregori clearly wasn't as stoic or standoffish as he had appeared to be at first. Sharlee was pleased at how easily he held her hand and she smoothed her thumb over his before she gave her hand another little swing. "So, how long have you been..." She gave him a brief up and down look, "human? Do you know?"

"A...while." His brows furrowed as Gregori struggled to think of just how long he had been stuck in mortal form. "It was this season when I fell, I think, and a full turn of seasons is a year? I think a year. Near that."

It wasn't exact, but close enough. "I feel as if I have made no real progress. Not towards going home. Not towards being human...until now. You actually make me curious about being human. Make me want to try to learn, to understand more. Nobody did that before. I don't know if I'm on the right path but this feels...good."

He shrugged his shoulder helplessly. Gregori had no idea if being with Sharlee and feeling good about it meant that this was the right thing to do. Maybe he was supposed to learn more about humanity and mortality. It wasn't a path he'd thought of before but if what he'd been doing hadn't gotten him any closer to answers or home, then maybe it was time to change his approach to the problem.

No friends and it's been a year?

Sharlee gave him a look. Like she was sad for him. Then again, she didn't really have friends either but that was by choice. Right? A brief look to Doeshe and she frowned slightly before ducking her head down but she gave another little swing of their hands.

"Well. I have officially made it my duty to see you to your home. Wherever it may be." She shrugged, entertaining the fleeting idea that maybe someday his home could be with her. Silly ideas for someone she'd known for such a short amount of time. If anyone needed a home though, it was him. A look ahead and she smiled and nodded towards what she was looking at.

"See that off in the distance?" she pointed to an area of trees on the side of a hill, a fair distance away but visible now, "That's where we're going. With the warm food and the cozy beds."

Made it her official duty to see him home? That seemed like a huge bother for Sharlee to take for a man that she hadn't known existed just a few days ago. "That's a duty that might take a long time since neither of us known where my home really is or how to go about getting me there."

Gregori's face was troubled. Nothing had really changed in that regard. He was no closer to home now than he ever had been. On the other hand, searching for home a long time meant that the elf would be with him for a long time. Months or even years with Sharlee's companionship, her friendship, didn't seem so bad to him.

Sighing and attempting to shrug off the feeling of being a nuisance, he shaded his eyes with his free hand and looked where she pointed. "Warm food, cozy beds, warm baths...Are you hoping if you spoil me enough I'll learn to like being human and won't want to leave?"

Sharlee grinned widely at Gregori.

"I'm hoping if I spoil you enough you won't want to leave me," a moment of realization  for what she said and she stared for a moment before ducking her head down and blushing.

Gregori wasn't sure why that had made her blush. Although it had sent a little jolt through his gut to hear her say that. Not that he knew why, it just did. Sharlee made him feel lots of strange little things like that.

"Isn't that the same thing?" If she intended to stay together until he was home trying to spoil him into enjoying life as a human meant him not leaving her. Right?

...right.

"Uuuh... yes." Sharlee lied cooly. It was the same thing, technically. But not what she meant. Licking her lips and turning from him she patted pretend dust off of herself and continued walking. Just a little ways away.

Even if Gregori didnt enjoy the warm food and cozy bed, she knew she would.  Licking her lips she rolled her shoulders, "Do you sing?"

"I guess we will find out if it works or not." Gregori didn't think a few human comforts were going to make him change his mind about seeking his true home, but it couldn't hurt to let Sharlee think trying might help. She had been so nice to him so far for very little reason, he couldn't really bring himself to dash her hopes completely.

He just didn't know why she hoped.

"I don't know any songs." The angel sort of remembered hearing singing voices before he awakened, a muddy memory trying to claw its way out of the fog of his mind. "I have heard some singing since I woke up, but I haven't tried it myself."

Sharlee smiled at him for a moment before she crossed her arms over her chest and pursed her lips.

"The only songs I know are... Old Serenian songs or..." She frowned ever so slightly, "Dirty drinking ones." A small chuckle and she looked up at him, "What about tunes? Do you remember any... Tunes?" She hummed a few notes of the serenian song she knew and looked at him, half expectantly.

A look of confusion crossed the angel's face. Gregori didn't know what she really meant by a "dirty drinking song" but wasn't sure he wanted to really know. A slight tilt of the head was given as she hummed to him, his brow creasing softly in contemplation.

"A...tune." It took him a few moments to dredge up even those wispy shadows of shadows that were memories to him. Finally he hummed several notes that seemed to belong to a hymn.

Sharlee gave her companion a surprised look before smiling and tilting her head. "That's lovely," she commented softly, eyes closing for a moment, "did you learn that from the woman you travelled with before?"

"No, not from her." Gregori looked a little lost and confused, eyes moving back and forth as if truly searching through his depressingly foggy mind. "It is something from...before."

Sighing in defeat he shrugged his shoulders and turned his attention back to Sharlee and the present. "It is just something I sort of half remember. I can only remember tiny bits of it, but I think it used to be important."

A sad look and she nodded.

"Well, its lovely anyway," she recalled and she tilted her head, pausing a moment to hum a little bit of it. And because she could she caught his hand in hers and gave it a gentle squeeze. "Does the tune give you comfort?"

He doubted he was much judge of any melody's loveliness, so he simply nodded, taking her word for it. Sharlee probably knew a lot more than him about almost everything. It made him want to rely on her, but also made him feel a bit helpless.

"I think it was meant to." Gregori squeezed her hand lightly in return, giving a slightly sad smile. "I think hearing it from you does, a little. Just being with you helps. You...soothe me. Not being alone."

Sharlee smiled, curling her fingers around his and nodding. "I'll remember it then," her voice was soft as they walked,  "perhaps it will bring you comfort sometimes." She looked ahead, smoke from a chimney rose in the sky and her eyes brightened and she smiled, "look!" She nodded towards the smoke.

"We're almost to warm food!" She picked up the pace a little, Doeshe lumbering along, "excited? Do you want to have a bath? I'll wash your hair!"

What a complicated tangle of emotions! Gregori opened his mouth to speak, to try expressing himself, however inadequately, but quickly abandoned the idea when Sharlee became excited as signs of town became clear.

Maybe it was better this way. He should understand emotion better before trying to speak of it.

Letting his companion's excitement infect him, he picked up his stride, following along at her side and letting a small smile tug at his lips. "How will you wash my hair? I will be undressed in the tub, won't I?"

She hadnt thought of that.

She'd gotten so used to bathing with a dragon. In a second she gave Gregori an alarmed look and went several shades of red. "I didnt think of that," she breathed, flushed and looked away. Clearing her throat she gave his hand another squeeze and smiled.

"Maybe I'll let you wash your own hair," she pulled her hair over her shoulder and swung their hands. "Have I said yo're handsome when you smile?"

"Maybe that's a good idea." Gregori also looked away, he had made her blush again, and although he felt guilty about it, he also kind of liked seeing it. The splash of color in her cheeks made her look very different than normal. Not that he didn't like the way she looked normally.

The angel blinked and turned back to look at her. "Am I? Handsome, I mean. I've never thought about it before now." It had never concerned him before, but knowing that Sharlee thought he was handsome when he smiled made that warm, tingly feeling nag at his chest again, but his cheeks also became a little warm.

"You are!" She explaimed, smiling brightly blush still on her cheeks. Clearing her throat she gave Gregori another smile and tilted her head, giving his hand another swing. "You can charm all the barmaids. Maybe get a discount on drinks," she smiled. The town came into view and Doeshe gave his butt an excited wiggle and looked at Gregori.

"Almost there. Then food and a bath and rest," Sharlee looked at her wrists for a moment, the rope burns bright against her pale skin, "after i put salve on these, could you bandage them for me? Later i mean?"

A faint flush was creeping up Gregori's face, even if he didn't realize that he was beginning to blush over the compliment. Especially as she kept talking! "Charm them? I, uh, don't want to charm them." He ducked his head in embarrassment, not sure he really believed that he could charm anyone, let alone complete strangers.

"Those all sound really good." Yes, he definitely wanted rest, if for no other reason than an excuse to hide.

The blush was quickly fading away, only having been very brief. He looked down at her raw wrists, frowning softly and gently pulling their joined hands closer to his face so he could examine the irritated skin. "Of course I will. Do they still hurt?"

"They only sting when they're wet," she commented softly. Eventually they made their way to the town and Sharlee let go of Gregori's hand. "I'm going to get Doeshe set up and grab coin," she wagged a finger at Gregori, "dont wander away."

It was quick work, getting Doeshe comfortable with the bags.

And Sharlee appeared from the stables, a purse on her wrist and her elbow bent and ready for Gregori to take. "Come!" She urged, "warm food, warm bed and pretty girls wait for you!"

It bothered him that she was hurt, even if there was nothing he could have done about it. Maybe that was what bothered him most. After how kind and understanding she had been, Gregori hated that he felt like he couldn't help her in the same way.

"Alright." His agreement came softly and he stood there, staring off into space, obviously deep in thought as he waited for her to return.

Of course when she did come back he groaned softly and covered his face. "No pretty girls, just food, bath, and rest." After a moment he dropped his hands and took her arm gently, embarrassment and a blush covering his face.

Sharlee smiled at his blush, patting his hand while she dragged him into the tavern. Carefully she deposited Gregori onto a table, said something about being back soon and left for the bar. The arrangements were made quickly and Sharlee returned with two bowls of stew, placing one in front of her angelic companion.

A barmaid with a nice rack, breasts to her chin, came by with mead, putting one in front of either of them. She gave Gregori some eyes before wandering off again. Sharlee watched, tilting her head before she looked between either of them.

"Why no pretty girls?" She inquired, eating a spoonful of stew and washing it down with the drink, "she looks interested in you."

Being surrounded by people - Gregori remembered why he disliked coming into crowded places. Although truthfully the tavern was probably relatively quiet compared to a busy evening. For him it felt almost confining. Reluctantly he slid into his chair and watched helplessly as Sharlee left him there alone. Of course she didn't even leave his sight, but he still felt like she was a thousand miles away just then.

Thankfully she was back quickly, and he focused on the steaming bowl of stew placed in front of him, doing his best not to look at anyone else.

Especially the barmaid. He had never seen breasts so large before, and until recently hadn't understood any appeal they held for men. From neck to ears he was burning red by the time the woman left their table. Gregori immediately made an effort to hide in his mead, but of course he hadn't drank very much before and the taste made him choke softly.

"I'm not interested in her." He coughed softly, pushing his drink aside and poking at his food with his spoon.

Sharlee looked at him worried, eating more food. A little nibble on her lips and she glanced down at the table. "Are you not hungry?" She looked around and then tilted her head, "i could only get one room, two beds. With a partition." She smiled and ate another mouthful of stew.

"Would you like to bring these upstairs?" A glance around the room, "i dont want you to be uncomfortable and to lose your apetite."

He was being ridiculous, and he knew it. No one was staring at him. No one knew he didn't belong there, among them. Gregori couldn't completely shake the feelings of discomfort and alienation. It was painful to feel so strongly that he did not, could not, fit in with these people.

"I don't mind sharing a room." They had shared a bedroll the previous night. Just thinking about that morning set his face aflame again. At least there would be two beds. He wasn't sure he could handle lying next to her or having her warm body curled and tangled with his again. The results had been fairly drastic and almost traumatizing in a way.

"We don't have to go. I just feel strange." That was putting it mildly. Sharlee had been drawing weird, exhausting emotions and reactions from him almost from the moment they'd met! Trying to put her at ease, he started eating. Even making a sound of enjoyment - it did taste good.

Sharlee reached forward, taking his hand and giving it a little squeeze. "Once we finish eating, everything should be ready for us," a small smile and she eat her food quietly. "Do you want to talk about why you feel strange?" Her voice was soft and she looked at him curioisly between mouthfuls of food.

"I'm not very good at talking about feelings." Or recognizing them properly. He didn't know how or why he felt anything at all. Well, maybe why he felt as if he didn't belong was a little obvious. Sure, his form was human now, but he knew, deep down, that he wasn't and never had been a human being.

No, most of his jumbled mess of feelings were centered around Sharlee. She made him feel strange. Even after reading that novel he couldn't quite connect the dots that he was feeling attraction to his kind-hearted companion. It just wasn't something he could wrap his mind around - he wasn't ready to accept such a human connection was possible.

Another smile.

"Thats okay, just enjoy your food, hmm?" And she did that with hers, giving a pleased hum, eyes closed. Though when she was done she licked her spoon and looked at Gregori. "I could sleep forever!" She exclaimed, stretching her arms up above her head, she nudged his leg with her foot under the table and smiled. "Let me know when youre done, you can have your bath when youre all finished."

"Yes, thank you." Gregori was glad she wasn't pressing him to confront and talk about it. He didn't know where to even begin untangling such a messy knot. Of course eventually he would have to figure things out, but for now he just wanted to relax and enjoy the comforts that Sharlee was offering.

So the rest of the meal passed in relative silence, both of them simply appreciating the tastiness and warmth of the stew.

Dark blue eyes couldn't help but glance at her from across the table from time to time, though. They were especially captivated as she finished eating and licked her spoon - widening just a little and quickly looking down at his bowl. He didn't even know why that made his heart thump against his chest a little harder or caused him to feel strangely warm for no apparent reason.

"Yes, I'd really like that." Gregori dropped his spoon back into his bowl and stood up quickly, there was only a little coating in the very bottom left anyway.

Sharlee's eyes popped open and she gave him a hesitant look. A moment before she followed, smoothing her hands over her clothing and smiled. "Okay, Ill make sure it gets ready," Money wasnt a thing to Sharlee and within a few moments hot water was being taken to their room and she stood waiting at the door for the help to finish.

Taking Gregoris hand she pulled him into the room - decently sized with a bed on either side of the room. A steaming bath off to one side. "You can have that side," she decided, taking a partition and moving it to the middle of the room.

"You know how to take a bath right?" She smiled, "you dont need help?"

Gregori still wished he were helping her in some way to justify the things she had been doing for him. He didn't feel as if he'd earned such luxuries, certainly not from Sharlee, who seemed to have taken a strange interest in caring for him.

Still, he followed her up the stairs like a lost puppy might, allowing himself to be pulled into the room with no resistance.

"I took a bath last night." He wondered if it had been a trick question, since he was pretty sure Sharlee knew that he was capable of bathing himself. "You don't need to help me. I'll be undressed and I know that it isn't considered appropriate."

Not that he'd really thought much of nudity before but now he had a slightly better understanding. Plus he worried that the morning's awkward swelling would return.

"That was in cold water," Sharlee huffed out, moving closer to him past the partition she'd moved for privacy. Her hands went to his coat, past his shirt and her plam had contact with his chest. A sharp intake of breath, hands pulled away slightly before she continued on.

"I see Doeshe naked all the time, besides, youre an angel." Sort of. Was an angel. Or something.

Still she pushed at his clothing, "quickly before the water cools," she urged, smiling at him, eager for him to experience just relaxing. Has he ever just relaxed before?

Gregori didn't really see what difference it made whether the water was hot or cold, bathing was bathing, right? Dark blue eyes widened slightly as Sharlee moved past the partition, sucking in a breath quietly as her hand pushed past the layers of his clothing until her bare hand pressed against his chest. Her hand was so warm, and it made his skin tingle as his cheeks heated slightly.

"Th-that's different." He said stuttered softly. Doeshe was always naked and a dragon, not a person. With her pulling and pushing at his clothes he really didn't see where he had much choice in the matter, honestly. If it wasn't okay she wouldn't be insisting, right?

With a soft, embarrassed huff Gregori shrugged out of his coat and pulled his shirt over his head, dropping both in a pile on the floor. His hands went to undo the front of his pants and his face turned an even darker shade of red as he turned away from her a little. "You're sure that it's okay to be naked in front of you? I don't want to do the wrong thing or make you uncomfortable."

Sharlees cheeks turned a pink colour when his top was removed and she frlt her heart pick up a beat. It would be bad to be embarrassed though. That would just embarass him and everything would be awkward. Still, she couldnt help the stare his chest got or how oddly the room heated up.

"Well, you dont have to... to show me. You saw me naked, remember? Its just skin, now get undressed and into the water!" She urged again, hands going down to help him remove his pants before she remembered what was behind the pants. Then she snatched her hands back and moved to one of her bags where she pulled out a smaller bag with a cloth and a bar of soap.

"I'll wash your back," she chirped at him happily, moving back.

Oh how Gregori wished that he could forget that he had seen Sharlee naked. At the time he had been too caught up with the fact that there was a bear there to pay attention to her bare skin, but thinking back on it now caused his face darken further as he closed his eyes and let out a breath. He hadn't seen a naked woman before.

He jumped a little when he felt her hands moving downwards and didn't think it was possible for his skin to feel hotter. Thankfully Sharlee pulled away and as soon as her back was turned he kicked off his boots and stepped out of his pants.

Now, his intention had been to jump into the water as quickly as possible, even though the clear liquid wasn't likely to hide much, but when he put a foot in he hissed softly in surprise. It was hotter than he expected, not scalding, but the angel was used to cold or freezing water. The delay was more than enough time for Sharlee to have turned back with her soap and cloth to inform hi she would be washing his back.

Gregori, still blushing furiously, tried to cover himself as much as he could as he finished climbing into the tub and sank down into the hot water. The heat that seeped into him had him letting out a low moan as tension loosened in his muscles. "Do friends...usually do this?"

He honestly wasn't sure just how odd or taboo it was for Sharlee to be assisting him with his bath.

Did they?

Uh... dont embarass him.

"Yes. All the time." She swallowed and had to force her eyes away from him, taking a slow strady breath. Well, they had to be friends now. She'd seen him naked. Though she smiled when he made his little noise from the warm water.

"See?" She scooted to kneel behind him, rolling her sleeves to her elbows and pressing a hand to his back, smoothing her fingers over his shoulders. "Ready?" She smiled, leaning to look at his face, " youre gonna be a relaxed puddle of goo when Im done with you. Being human wont seem to bad after tonight!"

Humans were so strange. Gregori hadn't thought much of nudity, but then he'd read that book and the impression was that men and women weren't usually naked together. Just when he'd thought that he'd begun to understand what was or wasn't appropriate everything was being turned around again. Well, it was a little late to keep her from seeing him, and he had seen her, no matter the circumstances, so maybe it really was alright.

A small ripple went through the muscles of his back as her hands smoothed over his shoulders, causing a soft shiver to go through him. Why did it feel good when she did that? His face was still flushed as he looked at her through half-lidded eyes when she leaned forward. "A relaxed puddle of goo?"

The angel had no idea what that even meant, but he just closed his eyes and nodded his head. It already felt nice, Gregori could only imagine that Sharlee would do her best to convince him of how great it was to be human. She seemed very persistent about it for some reason he still didn't understand. "I'll trust your word on that."

Sharlee gave a nod, a gently purr in her throat before she leaned back to tie her hair into a messy bun to at least keep it out of Gregori's bath water. Then she noticed the marks. Her breath caught in her throat and she smoothed her hand over the mark on his neck, gently tracing down to the feathers.

Then on her own wrist she caught the crusty healing skin from the rope burn. It started off gentle, first she got his back soapy and smoothed the cloth over it and eventually it just turned into a full out massage. Lower lip tucked into her mouth, she smoothed her hands over his back, wondering fleetingly on how stressfilled his life had been already.

"I owe you my life, you know," she breathed, curling her arms around his shoulders and pressing her cheek to his damp back, "I dont want to imagine what would have happened to me if you hadnt come along." Sharlee felt small then, squeezing her eyes shut, arms wrapped around what she could reach in probably a fairly awkward hug.

Gregori tilted his head forward with a sigh as gentle fingers ran along the brand on the back of his neck, his eyes remained closed. Somehow it was easier to relax that way. Not seeing himself naked in the tub, knowing Sharlee was running her hands along the skin of his back, made it slightly less embarrassing. Although a faint pink tint didn't fully leave his face.

Between the heat of the water and the warmth of Sharlee's hands as she massaged his back he could feel the tightness and tension in his body loosening. It was an incredible feeling, to have all his cares and stress melt away. His mind slowed, all the worries about what was or wasn't proper leaving him for a short time, and he even forgot that he was supposed to be finding a way to leave this all behind forever.

Gregori was so relaxed he didn't even notice that he had developed an erection. Thankfully she didn't seem to notice it either. Yet.

His eyes fluttered open as the serenity of the moment ended, her voice reaching his ears as her arms wrapped around him from behind. Gregori felt the faint blush returning to his cheeks as he remembered that he was naked in a tub with Sharlee pressed against his upper back. He brought his hands up to gently lay against her arms, for some reason he felt the urge to hug her properly, some part of him wanted to hold and comfort her. Of course he was still naked and that would have probably ended up very awkward.

"I'm here now, though. I promise I'm not going to let anything or anyone hurt you, Sharlee." She was sweet and kind and good - those were the reasons why he had come to her rescue, but those weren't the only things that suddenly made him want to protect her.

It was sort of like the dam burst.

He was so warm and his hands on her arm felt like wonderful contact. Sharlee tucked her face against his neck, eyes closed while she held tight. Like if she let go now her own personal knight in red armor would disappear forever.

Was it the comfort of having him close that made her unwilling to let him leave? Sharlee nuzzled against his neck in an effort to get closer, her chest pressing against his back. "I'll pay you back, " she promised, voice muffled against his skin , "I'll make while youre here comfortable and wonderful and ... " she trailed off, snuggling back in, eyes still closed, "I dont want you to leave.'

A soft breath escaped him mas her face nuzzled against the back of his neck, it was almost a groan, but not quite. Gregori felt helpless to move as Sharlee clung even more tightly to him. He could feel her soft breasts pressed against his back, which didn't help those strange, tingly feelings that she was so good at giving him.

"Sharlee, you're getting yourself all wet." He wasn't sure what to say, all he could do was hold her arms, pulling them gently tighter around him in a hope to comfort. Gregori didn't understand why she seemed upset, but he didn't like it. "I'm not going anywhere right now."

He didn't even know where to begin searching for where he belonged, it could take a very long time for him to make it home.

Right.

Sharlee pulled back giving his a hesitant look before she pressed a lingering kiss to his cheek and blushing. "I'm sorry, I dont know what came over me," she sat back on her heels, pressing her hands to his back, fingers trailing over the strange designs before she licked her lips and studied the back of his head.

Should she?

Sharlee chewed on her lower lip and stared at his back while he fingers went back to the massage. She'd convince him. Maybe find him a lady-friend. Why did the idea of that make her jealous? "Well, as long as youre here I'll ... Spoil you i guess."

A blush crept back into his face as the lingering kiss was placed on his cheek. When she pulled back to begin running her fingers over his back again in that soothing way he lifted a hand to lightly touch where she'd kissed him, rubbing the skin lightly. Her lips had caused heated tingles to radiate from his cheek all the way through his body. The angel still didn't know why that felt so good.

"It's okay. I...liked it." Gregori blushed and closed his eyes, trying to enjoy her hands massaging at his body. "I'm beginning to understand why humans like affection. It's so...warm and tingly."

He opened his eyes again, tilting his head to look back at her over his shoulder. "Sharlee? Why do you want to spoil me? Is it only because I saved you?" His brows furrowed softly. "I hope you don't feel obligated to do all these nice things for me just because of what I did to those men."

Sharlee frowned slightly focussing on his shoulders and back, finding the markings interesting. She supposed if she hadnt seen it herself she wouldnt quite believe his story. "It is warm and tingly," she confirmed, ducking her head down and sighing, giving him a hesitant look.

"Ive... been lucky. I travel with Doeshe by choice. I dont need the income. Its something to do," Sharlee had never felt like she had much of a purpose other than wandering around and trading wares. It was interesting. She met new people that way.

"You... You saved me. And when i found out youd never had luxuries I... I suppose I wanted to share them with you," her fingers worked diligently, trailing over his shoulders and down his spine, going from a massage to just making little symbols with her fingers. A rather more intimate act if she was more aware that she was doing it.

"I dont feel obligated. I just...I want to.," she chewed on her lip and looked down, "will you let me? I mean.. you can leave at any time if you want to go. I wont keep you here."

So was taking care of him just something to do? Gregori turned the thought over in his head, but honestly wouldn't know for sure. Sharlee was the first friend he'd had in the entire year he had been part of the mortal world, and he still wasn't really comfortable navigating the complexity of the new relationship dynamic of friendship. He still liked it, though. The little feelings and sensations she sent through him were strange and pleasant.

A small shiver went through him as her touch changed. Gregori closed his eyes and let out a soft breath as her massage turned into light caresses from her fingertips. He didn't know why that felt so good.

"I just promised I wasn't going anywhere, Sharlee. I meant it." Honestly she seemed like she needed him right now for some reason. Maybe it was just a sense of security - she was right that he'd saved her life. That did make sense. Besides, she'd promised to help him find his way home, and there was a growing feeling in him of wanting to keep her safe. "I like being with you. I'm learning things and you make me feel strange, but good."

Sharlee pressed her palm to his shoulder and shuffled over to the side of the top, giving him a look."I make you feel strange?" She whispered, trying not to look down into the water. "Like... strange how? Maybe I can help you... figure it out?"

Strange how?

Gregori's eyes flew open as Sharlee came around to the side of the tub, his face grew red again as he moved to try to hide his swollen member with the wash cloth. He didn't really understand why it was doing that again.

"It's hard to explain. I'm...not good with feelings." He'd said it before, but he scrambled to try to come up with something. "You make me feel warm and tingly. It makes my heart beat fast when you hug me, and I feel this warmth spreading through my body." He furrowed his brow, not really sure it made much sense.

The angel reached for her hand, gently running his finger over her hurt wrist. "It bothers me to think you're in pain or afraid or unhappy, and I feel this urge to protect you."

It was hard to not not notice, she saw what her touch did and she did everything in her power to not stare. Her heart beat kicked up and her face flushed, her lower lip was between her teeth while he explained things and she sat back enough to get his... problem... out of her potential view.

There was no doubt in her mind that she was attracted to the man and she hoped her shirt was thick enough to not show how her nipples had hardened. Or if he did see it, he wouldnt pay it any mind.

It was impulsive, Sharlee leaned in, wrist tingling from his touch and she looked at him for a moment before she pressed her lips to his jn a gentle chaste kiss.

Thick or not, her shirt front was also wet from being pressed against his back, making the fabric cling slightly to her breasts. Gregori's eyes may have flickered downwards, but were mostly intent on her face as it flushed.

His heart lurched in his chest as she leaned in, eyes going wide and face turning scarlet as their lips brushed together in the soft kiss. If he'd thought that she made him warm and tingly before that was nothing compared to the heat that raced through him now. Of course he'd learned what a kiss was, from observation and even more from that book she'd allowed him to borrow, but Gregori hadn't thought that he would be kissing anyone anytime soon.

The angel's eyes fluttered closed as he pulled away just slightly, releasing a hot breath against her lips. His hand moved slowly from her wrist up her forearm, gently stroking the skin unconsciously. "Your lips are so soft and warm. Mine are tingling..."

Sharlee blushed brightly, looking away and letting out a breath of her own. Swallowing thickly, she didnt move away, more tingles climbing along her limbs. Arousal was as unfamiliar to her as it was to the angel. She just knew what the source.

"Is it nice?" She questioned softly, moving to finally lean back, mentally kicking herself for being so impulsive.

"Yes." Gregori didn't need to think about that, yes, it had felt very nice. He pulled his hand away from her arm sheepishly as he opened his eyes and glanced at her shyly. Why did she make him feel this way? No one else ever had. Never in his year of mortal life had he felt the desire to touch someone else or to be touched. Sharlee actually made him want affection.

It was confusing and wonderful and a little intimidating.

"These things I'm feeling, they're some form of affection?" He licked his lips, which were still tingling pleasantly, and turned his head away slightly. Gregori had no idea what to really do or say. Nothing like this had happened to him before.

Sharlee sat back on her legs, flushed, hands moving to her lap. A brief glance to him and she placed a hand over her heart like she was trying to calm it. Stupid. She should have never done that.

"Yes. Affection." A little shuddering breath, "arousal. I'm sorry. I shouldnt have kissed you, it was... forward of me and I shouldnt have done it when you dont really... know what it is." Not that she did, really.

Arousal, which was like lust? Gregori had just read a book about such emotions, but it hadn't really occurred to him that he might be feeling such a thing. It was slightly unnerving to realize that he might actually be feeling attraction to Sharlee. That was such a human emotion, but it was one that he couldn't really deny when he didn't have an alternative explanation.

It suddenly occurred to him that if she had kissed him that she might also be feeling attraction to him. He blushed a little further. Gregori didn't understand why she was apologizing for kissing him. It had felt nice. "Is feeling this way wrong or bad?"

Sharlee moved to open her mouth. Tell him it was. That she shouldnt feel that.

"I... no," she said softly, looking at him and then ducking her head down, "Its quite normal, i've heard," she tucked her hair behind her delicately pointed ear and but her lip. "I... I've never kissed anyone before. It was impulsive and... I'm sorry."

Did feeling like this mean he was becoming more human?

"I've never been kissed before." Gregori mused quietly, his eyes kept glancing at her before shyly looking away. Not knowing what else to do he toyed with the wash cloth, idly wiping at his skin in a show of bathing - which was what he was supposedly doing. "Please don't be sorry. It felt nice. I like your affection. It makes me feel good."

Sharlee smiled shyly, looking away before she licked her lips and leaned in. A moment to breathe and she darted in again, pressing her lips to his in a longer experimental kiss, more pressure... But then her hand slipped on the rim of the tub and her arm shot down into the water.

Whatever she ended up with her hand on was hard and fleshy - his leg, she assumed and she reeled back. "I'm sorry, i didnt mean to slip, I just wanted to kiss you again because you said you liked it and I liked it and now my arm is all wet and..."

With the way Sharlee had been apologizing Gregori didn't expect the second kiss any more than he had the first, leaving him rather unprepared for the sudden contact. He made a soft sound of surprise, but let his eyes flutter closed, enjoying the sudden jolt of warmth radiating from his chest. All too soon it was over, although this time because she slipped.

Instinctively his hands reached out for her shoulders, but his eyes went wide as her hand landed in his lap. Immediately his face went scarlet as she began apologizing again, obviously she didn't realize where her hand was.

If no one had kissed him before, no one had definitely touched him there. He wasn't sure how to feel about it under the circumstances. Bringing it to her attention would probably make the awkward situation much more awkward than it already was. He leaned forward to return the impulsive kiss when she paused in her rambling, before gently pushing her away a couple inches with a heavy blush. "Maybe I get out of the tub before we try that again."

Sharlee was pushed away and she held her hands in her lap and she stared at him, eyes rounded, lips pursed, cheeks flushed. "I... Right," She looked away, pulling her hair to the side to idly comb her fingers through the messy dark waves. She swallowed and moved to stand up, squeezing her hands together to grab him a towel and held it out in front of her.

"I... Here's a towel. So I don't.... See anything you don't want me to," she licked her lips and turned her head away, though chewing on her lower lip was apparently now one of her more favourite hobbies. What had she done? She'd ruined everything.

Then it clicked.

Try it again.

"You... You want to kiss again?" She peaked over the towel, though just a little, not wanting to invade his privacy anymore than her impulsive mistakes had let her.

Was he doing the right thing? Gregori wasn't sure as he watched Sharlee run her fingers through her dark hair. She seemed nervous to him, but she'd said that she'd never kissed anyone before him, so this was all knew to them both. He wasn't sure if it was a good thing for neither of them to really know what they were doing.

"I don't mind if you see me anymore." By this point his face was probably permanently red anyway, and she had already bathed him and touched him - even if she didn't realize that last part. They'd both seen each other naked and if it didn't bother her then he figured it shouldn't bother him.

He hauled himself out of the tub, dripping a little water on the floor as he reached for the towel, right about the time Sharlee asked if he wanted to kiss again. The angel felt his face heat back up quite a bit. Gregori shouldn't encourage affection and bonding with anyone. He wasn't even properly of this world! That didn't stop him from wanting more of it.

Shyly he looked away from her as he took the towel and wrapped it around his waist, more concerned with hiding his condition than really drying himself. "If...if you still wanted to, then yes. I'd like that."

Sharlee looked at Gregori when he pulled the towel to him, blinking up at him and she felt her mouth go dry when he wrapped the towel around his waist. When did her heart move into her belly? The towel did little to hide his condition but she quickly flicked her eyes away and said nothing.

Did she

A quick glance to his face. A small little smile, "Its all new to me too, maybe its something we can discover together?" She blurted out  before turning her head away, several shades of pink and red. Why did she say that? Still, frozen in the spot, she stood before him and just looked at him.

"So. Yes. I'd like it if we could kiss again," she nodded, a small little nod, before rubbing her hands together. When had she gotten so bold?

Something they could discover together. The thought of fumbling their way through these strange feelings together made his heart beat hard against his ribs, keeping his face tinted darkly. His blood was racing through his veins as she said she did want to kiss again.

Did he kiss her now?

Gregori wished that he was more confident, but he just didn't know and worried about upsetting or making her uncomfortable. Sharlee was his only friend, but then again, did friends kiss each other? He didn't think so, and his mind drifted back to that very embarrassing morning.

You should only do that to people you love.

Kissing wasn't that, but he'd learned enough from reading the romance novel that kissing was not a typical friendship thing.

Taking a steadying breath he stepped closer and brought a hand up, hesitantly brushing his thumb over her cheek. Her skin was soft and smooth and warm. Curiosity was getting the best of him, he'd never really touched or explored another person before. His fingers traced lightly along her jaw as he looked down at her with a shy blush. "Is...this okay?"

"Y-yes," she stuttered out in a soft voice, eyes closing for a brief moment. Maybe this was a bad idea? Yes, it was, Gregori would leave one day. So, technically it was a bad idea. Except nothing in her was telling her to pull away.

Sharlee decided then, turning her head and nuzzling into his palm. If she was going to give her heart to someone, the protective angel who was plagued by nightmares could be it. He was as unsure of himself as she was.

"Y...You can ... um..." she smiled, a small shy one before she turned her head away, "Do whatever you want," she rushed out, pressing her fingers to the back of his hand, "I trust you."

The reality that he would leave eventually did enter his mind, but Gregori pushed those thoughts away. Right now he didn't want to think about it. New feelings and sensations that had captivated him prevailed over any desire to go home for the moment.

Do whatever he wanted...what did he want to do?

Gregori didn't even know. Flashes of things entered his mind, things that he had read in that book, which caused his face to heat as he pictured not the characters entwined passionately, but instead Sharlee and himself.

Maybe not that far.

His fingers softly traced the outside of her ear, exploring the pointed tip curiously different than his, but that was because she was an elf, he remembered. Moving from her skin, his hand smoothed through her hair gently as he softly brushed his lips against her temple. "What do you want Sharlee?"

The hot zing of pleasure from his caressing her ear had her gasp softly and press a hand to his bare chest. A surprised look on her face and she shuddered slightly. Heat blossomed in her belly and she sighed when the question of what did she want left his lips. What did she want?

"Anything," she whispered, "everything?"

The caress to her ears had he a little more... eager... and she turned her head again, moving to press her lips to his, her hands going to his head to hold her close to her longer. The kiss deepened curiously and she pressed herself against him.

There was the lingering idea that maybe, just maybe she shouldnt be encouraging him, but it was drowned out by curiosity and the strange heat in her gut.

Heat flushed his face at her answer, but it rushed somewhere else too. Gregori groaned softly at the kiss as she pressed against him, and his arms wrapped around her to hold her close. The towel really wasn't hiding anything with their bodies pressed so close.

He tilted his head and moved his lips against hers, deepening the kiss unconsciously. Not really knowing what he was doing couldn't cool the heat pouring through him. His mind was torn between not thinking and just reacting and trying to remember the things he had read to at least help guide his fumbling attempts.

Gregori let his hands run down her sides to her hips, pulling them tight against him so that his erection was pressing and rubbing against her stomach through the towel and her clothes. He pulled from the kiss with a soft gasp at the sensation.

"You're sure this is okay?" He asked hesitantly, looking at her with a mix of desire and confusion.

Want clouded her throughts and Sharlee stared at him for a moment, flushed, her fingers squeezing his biceps. Was she sure? Sharlee didn't pull away from him, stayed pressed close while her heart hammered in her chest and heat pooled in her belly.

"I..." her voice was hoarse, "I dont know," she shook her head, "I've never done this, but it makes me feel warm everywhere and... I like it. With you, I mean. If we both want to and we like it, that means its okay right?" Sharlee moved her hands to his shoulders, pressing closer. There was a strange sense of triumph, to feel him hard against her. "We... We can stop whenever you want to," she finally whispered, hands moving from his shoulders to his waist.

Neither of them knew.

Was that reassuring or alarming? Gregori wasn't sure if they were about to make a huge mistake. It didn't feel wrong. Having Sharlee pressed against him felt amazing, and her logic seemed pretty sound to him. How could something they both seemed to want be the wrong thing? Especially when they could stop at any time if either of them wanted.

The angel nodded slowly, swallowing thickly as he moved his thumbs in slow circles on her hips before slowly moving his hands under her shirt to run his palms up her sides, enjoying the warm softness of her bare skin.

He licked his lips again and glanced towards the bed on this side of the room. "Can we sit? We'll go slow. If it starts to feel wrong we can stop."

Everything felt...

Nice.

Sharlee shivered at his touch to her sides and she cloed her eyes briefly, letting out a shuddering gasp and looking up at him and then the bed. "Sit?" She repeated like she wasnt quite sure what the word was.

"Yes," she finally huffed out, not really wanting to have his hands off of her, "that sounds like a plan" she smiled, taking slow steps to rhe bed before she pulled away and sat down in the middle of it. It was pleasantly comfortable, she thought with surprise. Sharlee looked at him and then herself, plucking at her shirt before she shuffled to the side and smiled at him.

"I think I find myseld quite taken with you," she breathed, pushing her hair behind her back, "could you kiss me again?" It was easier to not think then they were kissing, she found, and the more she thought about what exactly she wanted to do with him the more shy she found herself getting.

Gregori shivered softly as she pulled away from him, missing her warmth immediately even knowing that she was only moving to sit on the bed like he'd wanted. He found his eyes glued to her, watching mesmerized as she pushed her hair back out of the way.

A shy blush came to his cheeks as she asked to be kissed again. He moved to sit beside her, adjusting the towel in his lap before turning to cup her cheek with one hand and leaning in to press a kiss to her lips, softly at first but slowly deepening it. His other hand moved to once again slip inside her shirt, smoothing up her stomach and stopping just shy of her breasts.

Drawing upon what he'd read about, Gregori gathered up the courage to try something new, parting his lips so he could run his tongue along hers hesitantly.

Sharlee leaned in, pressing into the kiss, letting her tongue dance with his. At first it was odd, but then it was just warm and she guided his hand farther up to cup her breast. A soft sigh and she leaned closer, moaning slightly into the kiss, before she pulled at her shirt. "You make me feel warm all over," she sighed.

It was a curious sensation, her tongue was warm and wet as it slid against his, and Gregori found that she tasted sweet. His hand gently squeezed at her breast as she guided him to it, marveling at how it was both soft and firm in his hand. He circled his thumb over the hardened nipple experimentally, wondering why it felt so nice to touch her - aside from how hot she made him feel.

He pulled away from the kiss slightly and moved both hands down to help pull Sharlee's shirt off her as his gaze moved down her body admiringly. His face was still flushed, but held more desire than embarrassment. "You make me feel that way too. I really like it."

Gregori dipped his head back down to kiss her lips again, hands moving to pull her even closer, not caring if the towel slipped a little.

Sharlee's breath hitched and she pushed Gregori back slightly, shifting so she could sit on his lap, arms moving to curl around his neck and deepen the kiss. "I'm not really sure how this goes," she breathed, grinding down against him and giving a needy whimper. Then she gave a chuckle and nuzzled her lips to his, "I still need to take a bath though," not that she wanted to move.

Everything was tingly and warm. Heat pooled in places she didnt know she could be warm in.

Gregori's hands went to her hips as she crawled into his lap, gripping lightly as he moaned into the kiss, his eyes were closed as he enjoyed the sensations, trying not to become to overwhelmed. His whimper matched hers as she grinded against him. "Me either," he wined softly.

His eyes opened to peer up at her, he'd forgotten that she needed a bath too. The angel tilted his head so that he could press a soft kiss against her jaw, and then her neck. He didn't really want to stop touching or kissing her. There was an aching need building in his groin that he didn't know how to stop.

Well, he sort of did.

Gregori wasn't sure how far they were really going to take this. Kissing and touching were one thing, but images of their bodies entwined flashed through his mind. Sharlee had called it sex, or making love. His face flushed heavily. "Do you want to stop?"

Sharlee shivered, pressing closer and shifting side to side on his lap. Was this bad? "Gregori," she whimpered, and then leaned back and shook her head, "No," she answered truthfully, though she wasnt quite sure where it would lead to. Some mutual satisfaction of curiosity.

"Do you?" She breathed, leaning in and grinding down again, breath heated and face flushed, shirt tossed off to the side and naked from the waist up.

"No," he breathed softly, a low moan escaping him as she grinded against him again. Gregori could feel himself throbbing when she rubbed against him like that.

His hands moved from her hips around to smooth against her stomach before he started working to undo the front of her pants. Maybe he was being too bold, but he wanted to feel the heat of her core. A mixture of curiosity and desire driving him, but he stilled his hands. "Sharlee..." He swallowed thickly, eyes half-lidded as he looked up at her with his face flushed. "Do you...want to make love to me?"

Did she?

Sharlee swallowed thickly and shivered, mouth open, cheeks flushed. "I..." a breath and she pushed at her pants, rising up on her knees. Impulse. Sharkee could ride impulse some more, "yes?" She questioned, tossing her hair back. Impulse and lust. When would she get a chance?

He made her feel safe. His touch was welcomed. "I... I know the general idea of how this works," she sighed, pants around her knees before she took his hand and drew it down between her legs, eyes closed before giving him a hesitant bashful look. "Do you want to make love to me?"

Yes?

Gregori hadn't known his heart could beat so fast. Three days ago if someone had asked if he would ever mate with anyone he'd have stared at that person as if they had three heads. Now as he watched Sharlee struggle to get her pants down, as her hand guided his between her legs, the angel found himself very not only willing, but eager to make love to Sharlee.

"Yes...I think so." Physically he was aching to do it, but he knew that protective feeling that he held for her meant that he must care about Sharlee. If he was going to do this with anyone, it would definitely be her.

Her sex was so hot as he cupped it, and he found his fingers dipping to stroke her folds gently. His eyes looked up to her face as he pressed his face against her chest, nuzzling her breasts before taking a nipple between his lips and running his tongue along the little hard bud with a groan. Her skin tasted sweet and a little salty. He liked it.

Sharlee licked her lips, head falling back with a sigh, grinding down onto his hand. No doubt he'd find her wanting, a needy little noise and she shivered against him, fingers pushing through his hair. A flood of wetness against his hand and she held his head to her breast.

This wasnt what she had intended.

But now that she had him here like this she didnt want to stop.

"I like when you do that," she breathed, nuzzling into his hair, "what should I do?"

It wasn't what Gregori had intended either, and he really wasn't entirely sure how it had even reached this point, but in the moment he didn't really care. When she held his head to her breast he sucked softly, pulling her nipple further into his mouth before giving a very soft pinch with his teeth. Not that he knew why, he just did it.

What should she do? The angel didn't know any better than she did. He released her nipple with a panting breath, looking up at her as much as he could as she nuzzled into his hair. "Just let me know when you're ready for more."

Gregori kept moving his fingers gently along the outside of her sex as he brought his other arm around her back and gently rolled them so that Sharlee was on her back and now he was leaning over her. It gave him more leverage to work his fingers. She was so hot and wet. Feeling emboldened, he slowly slipped one finger inside her, eyes widening. "You're so tight."

His member was much larger than his finger, how was it ever going to fit inside her?

This was a lot.

Sharlee moaned softly, moving a hand down to his between her legs before she was moved onto her back. Her cheast heaved with her breaths and she shifted slightly to press her fingers to his hair, her palm cupping his cheek.

Another flood of heat and she closed her eyes, the feeling of him inside her, just a little piece was intense. Gently she ground against his hand and squeezed her eyes shut, licking her lips before she moved her hand down. "I... I want more I think?" She laughed nervously snaking her hand down his chest to push the towel aside.

Her hand wrapped around his cock and she gave it a gentle squeeze, drawing her thimb over the tip. "This goes inside, huh?" She shuddered out, shifting on her back so Gregori was between her thighs. This was a completely natural part of life, right? Right.

Sharlee bit her lip and shifted her hips, "I... can you touch me more?" She begged softly.

Tilting his head into her touch, the angel closed his eyes at the tender way she cupped his cheek. It filled him with a warm feeling that had very little to do with the other heat she caused in him.

Taking the way her hips moved against his hand as a good sign, Gregori continued his exploration, gently pushing his finger deeper into her heat. His eyes opened to look down at her as she told him she thought she wanted more.

Those eyes squeeze shut almost immediately with a whimpering moan as her hand wrapped around him, her thumb would spread a thick drop of precum along his tip. "Yes, I think it does."

Not that he was confident that he could work it into the extremely tight hole his finger was gently pumping in and out of at the moment. Gregori shifted his body with her, settling himself between her thighs, allowing the his cock to lay against her wet sex. He couldn't stop his hips from grinding against her, slowly coating his length in her juices and rubbing against her folds and clit.

Pulling his hand from her sex he leaned up to kiss her again, allowing his tongue to dance with hers as his hands stroked up her body, cupping and squeezing her breasts.

Rational thought fled her then.

Feeling him working between her legs had her panting and she rolled her hips against him, giving little whimpers when his cock slid against her. A hot pant against his lips and she bit back a moan, her hand snaking down to align them, trying to catch him on a grind in for him to ease in.

His name was a pant on her lips and she pressed herself harder into the kiss, her knees curling up and holding his waist. "I want to share this with you," she whispered, heart hammering in her chest, hand still between them, stroking his flesh.

"It feels really nice," she whimpered, pressing up for more kisses. For the moment she didnt think of the fact he wasnt quite human. Didnt think that maybe this wasnt a good idea. It didnt matter though, she felt safe and heated. "Are... are you ready?"

Rational thought had fled him some time ago.

Gregori moaned softly as her hand gripped him, cock jerking softly against her palm as he ground against her hand. A shudder ripped through the angel as she whispered to him, heart lurching. "I want that too."

Gods did he want to share this with her. In a haze of lust he thought he would love to share everything with her.

His lips met hers again and again in heated kisses, breath coming in moaning pants between those searing melting of lips and tongues. Gregori pulled his head back slightly when she asked if he was ready, looking down into her eyes he nodded slightly. "Y-yes."

Keeping his eyes on her face, the angel shifted his hips slightly, letting his tip rest against her entrance before very slowly pressing into her with a shuddering groan. "Sharlee..."

The first bit of the entrance stung and Sharlee bit her lip and shifted her hips. She'd consumed books, read that it was supposed to be pleasurable. Even if it wasnt, shed rather feel some pain with Gregori. Her fingers clenched his shoulders and she rolled her hips up to draw him deeper.

A few more wiggles of her hips, hands moving to his lower back to pull him closer and she'd forced him in deep with a shuddering gasp. There was a strange sensation, unpleasant, but under that, the under currents had her breath hitch and she gave her hips a curious roll before she stilled.

"Gregori," she whimpered, shifting again, fingers digging into his flesh, "w-what do you feel?" She panted out, again moving her hands, not wanting to cause pain.

Gregori let the rolling and wiggling of Sharlee's hips draw him deep inside her. He grit his teeth as she stilled, looking down into her face with concern. The angel thought he'd seen pain on her face and in the sounds she made. He barely noticed her fingers digging into him.

"Pressure and heat, you feel amazing." He frowned softly, keeping his hips still as he brought a hand up to caress a thumb over her cheek. "Am I hurting you?"

"I... A little bit?" She whimpered, shifting her hips, eyes falling closed, drawing her knees up. Heart thumping in her chest, she could feel his heartbeat and she turned her face to his hand. "Its going away," she whispered, giving an experimental roll of her hips and sighing.

A lick of her lips and she pulled his face down for a kiss, "I want more," she whispered against his lips.

Gregori furrowed his brow when she whimpered and admitted that it hurt. He almost pulled away, but she pulled his face down for a kiss and told him she wanted more. The last thing he wanted to do was hurt her, but she did say it was going away, and it felt so good being inside her.

"Okay, but tell me if it hurts again." Both hands cupped her face gently, thumbs stroking over her cheeks lovingly as he kissed her slowly and deeply.

This time he rolled his hips, sinking to the hilt with a soft moan against her lips. All the new sensations were almost too intense. Gregori almost felt as if he could explode right then and there, but he bit his tongue and began to gently thrust.

The first few thrusts were uncomfortable and she bit her lip and grimaced. Then the heat set in again and she gave encouraging rolls of her hips, gasping when there was a zing of pleasure that made her freeze. His name was a needy gasp and she rocked her hips against him, moving a hand to clutch the sheet.

"I didn't... I haven't," she panted, "Gods, that feels different. I like having you so close," she nuzzled against him, lips parted and voice needy.

A little pang of guilt coursed through him as Sharlee grimaced, but she didn't tell him to stop. His lips pressed against her cheek, eyes closing as he felt her rock her hips against his. When she gasped his name he looked down into her face again.

He smiled softly and nuzzled against her cheek. "I like the closeness too." Gregori groaned softly and stole another deep kiss as their hips continued to rock together in a gentle rhythm.

His hand moved to find where hers was clutching the sheet and he attempted to lace their fingers together so she could grip him like that instead. A low, husky whisper full of awe escaped him when he pulled his lips away. "I can feel your heartbeat, and your heat. It's like you're part of me and I'm part of you."

Sharlee let their fingers tangle together, eyes falling closed. Her breath was hot and she nuzzled against his neck, rocking her hips enthusiastically. His name a heated pant on her lips. "I can feel you too," she gave him a shy smile - thought she wasnt sure what there was to be shy about now.

"You'll always be a part of me," she whimpered, moving her free hand to his back to urge him along, "dont hold back, please."

Gregori felt that warmth in his chest again at her words, it was such a curious feeling, but one he found he liked a lot. It was the same feeling that urged him to protect her. "Always?"

He captured her lips again without waiting for an answer as his hips began rocking less timidly, kissing her as he adjusted his angle so that he could reach even deeper inside her. She had told him not to hold back, so he rolled his hips faster.

Sharlee tilted her head back and cried out at the growing heat, she quickly turned her kisses back on him, hands pressing his hips closer. Her hand squeezed his and she went tense, back arching, "Gregori," she whined, voice breathy.

Something was building and she squeezed her eyes shut, rocking her hips to his to pull on the building pleasure, giving squeaks and moans when it was just right. Sharlee was mindless with the new experience, soft cries leaving her in heated gasps as hot puffs of air into Gregori's ear.

Every breath was a hot pant as he drove into her with growing abandon. His free hand ran down her body until he was gently squeezing her ass as he ground his hips into her faster, harder, as her cries grew.

The pleasure and heat were mounting within him. "G-gods, Sharlee. I can't...can't hold it..."

It was almost like he lost control of his movements, hips jerking as he pushed deep and hard as he grew closer to climax.

"So don't!" She moaned, head back, hand still squeezing his. The pace helped her along and she panted heavy shallow breaths, biting her lip and urging him along. "Give me everything," she panted, hair a tangled mess on the bed. Sharlee squeezed him tightly between her thighs, each movement stealing hitched breaths.

Gregori found out why it felt like he was going to burst as the pleasurable sensations reached their breaking point. There was an almost painful tightening inside him as he hilted inside Sharlee's heat, and then a throbbing eruption as hot spurts of seed emptied deep inside her.

His body was trembling as he clung to her tightly, burying his face against her neck and moaning her name hotly against her skin as his hips kept trying to press into her. It felt like his mind had been torn apart, unable to form a coherent thought, but his body knew it wanted to be pressed as close and deep as it could.

Honestly she wasnt sure what to expect, but she squeezed his shoulder and his hand, breaths hot against his neck. Sharlee didnt hit that peak, but the surprise of her Angelic lover finishing surprised her more than anything. Eyes wide, face flushed, she swallowed thickly, hand smoothing over his back.

Sharlee looked concerned, "Are you okay?" She whispered, voice soft.

Was he okay?

Gregori wasn't really sure. Every nerve-ending felt like it had been set on fire and left him with a burning, tingling pleasure pulsing through him. It was almost like he'd been dead before now, because the angel certainly felt more alive and human than ever.

More than the physical experience was the emotional one. He had just made love to Sharlee. The warmth in his chest was close to bursting.

Bringing the hand holding her lower back up he lightly brushed a few strands of hair from her face. The hand still holding hers squeezed gently as he turned his head give a brief, tender kiss to her lips. "I...think so. Are you?"

The haze slowly left her and she blinked up at the warm body nestled against her and - gods above - inside. What an odd sensation. The kiss caught her off guard and she pressed into it, eyes falling closed. "I...I'm good," she stated.

There was something missing.  Sharlee wasnt sure what, but she looked up at Gregori before she cupped his cheek and smiled at him. Then her eyes fell closed for a moment and she gave her butt a wiggle and froze, "you... um... you're still...um..." she gave him another kiss, and looked away before she gave another wiggle of her hips.

"Good." Gregori was glad that she didn't seem to be in pain anymore. He'd gotten caught up in the moment and only now remembered that he'd been hurting her at first. That made him feel bad, but she'd still wanted him. Heavens knew he had still wanted her. Something didn't seem quite right to him, though. Somehow it seemed like there was supposed to be something, well, more.

His fuzzy, rambling thoughts were cut off as Sharlee's hand cupped his cheek, he looked down at her smile and couldn't stop a deep blush from sweeping across his face. A shy smile was returned, but it quickly faded with a soft whimper as her hips wiggled against him.

Gregori was still buried deep inside her, and the movements only served to send little shocks of pleasure through him, causing a soft shudder.

A deeper shade of red took over his cheeks at her faltering words. Gregori still wanted her. Gods, he didn't ever want to pull away from her or leave her heat. Not sure if she was asking him to leave or stay, he started rolling his hips gently, grinding his cock deep inside her. It felt a little different, she was even slicker from his spilled seed and his motions were only churning the viscous fluids deeper inside her.

Her face was turned away from him so he kissed her neck and whispered softly in her ear. "Do I have to get up?"

A soft cry was pulled from her when his movement resumed and she bit her lip and squeezed her eyes shut. Sharlee moved a hand to his hip, breath heated before she heard his whisper. A shiver ran through her and she turned her head, looking into his eyes.

"N-no," she said softly, licking her lips and leaning up for a kiss. Sharlee tried for humour, "you can stay as long as you like." Which was truthful and she cast him a little smile and looked away, hair a wavy tumbled dark purple mess around her head.

Deep blue eyes met hers, staring intently for those moments before they closed lightly as he kissed her. The ghost of a smile made its way to Gregori's lips, but he blushed a little deeper as his eyes opened again.

She was looking away from him again so he nuzzled her cheek, placing tender kisses along her jaw and panting softly against her skin. His hips were still rolling in gentle thrusts. "Sharlee?" He questioned in a whisper, looking down at her seriously. "Does it feel good? You feel amazing to me, but I want you to feel good too."

"It..." Sharlee paused, eyes closing briefly, rolling her own hips to his rhythm, "It feels better the more you move more I think," she whispered, more aware now. The haze was slowly leaving and she was becoming aware of what exactly she was doing.

Not that she didnt want to.

She licked her lips and shifted again, grinding up into him. A soft chuckle and she turned her head back to kiss him, not quite beliving that innocent curiosity had lead to... This. "It doesnt feel bad," She whispered, squeezing his side before curlng her legs around his hips.

Gregori pressed softly into the kiss, finding the feel of her lips against his to be rather addicting. The more often they kissed the more he wanted to kiss her again. A look of confusion spread across his face as her legs wrapped around his hips, causing him to push deeper into her.

Not feeling bad wasn't the same as feeling good.

"Can I make it feel better?" He asked, genuinely curious if there was more he could do to give her the same kind of immense pleasure that she'd already given him. The friction of moving inside her still felt wonderful, but it was less intense than before, and he assumed it was because of the quaking rapture he'd already felt. He wanted to give her that.

Sharlee blinked at him owlishly.

"I don't know," she answered truthfully, "I actually skipped through most of the dirty parts of the books," she admitted, blushing and turning her face away. "Just... move? Touch me?" Sharlee pulled him down for another kiss, her tongue drawing over his lips before she gave a needy noise and rocked her hips against his. "You dont have to be so careful," she finally whimpered.

Gregori blushed deeply. She'd skipped those parts? Did that mean he actually knew more than she did about...what they were doing? Knowing more than someone else about anything seemed a little absurd to him. He whimpered softly against her lips and moved his hips against her a little harder and faster.

"S-sorry. I just didn't want to hurt you." The angel had been practically handling her like he was afraid he might break her, but he felt a little sheepish. Sharlee was definitely tougher than a little china doll.

Pulling his hand from hers he ran his fingers through her messy hair, mouth moving along her jaw to her neck, tongue sliding softly against her as he explored. Gregori actually found his mind clearer than before, allowing him to think - both a good and bad thing. If he over thought he found himself fumbling but if he could remember things he'd read it made him curiously want to try them.

His other hand started roaming between their bodies, moving slowly along her side before cupping and squeezing her breast. Soft moans were panted against her throat as he gave into the moment.

Sharlee gave a gentle smile, head tilted down and mouth slightly agape. Lips red from kisses that she eagerly returned. "You wouldnt hurt me," she confirmed, shifting slightly, hands moving to his lower back, shifting to hold his hips.

The heat was building again and the elven girl bit her lip to keep back any noises. Each little touch sent zings through her system and she grasped at his flesh, giving little squeezing with each pulse that drew through her.

"Do whatever you want," she finally whispered, "learning together, remember?"

Small groans and pants crooned out of him as her hands moved down his back. Gregori found that Sharlee's touches sent little jolts of almost electric pleasure through him. His hips bucked into her harder as she gripped and squeezed his hips.

"Do what you want to me too." He urged her, shifting his body a little so he could dip his mouth down to kiss her breasts as he fondled them. Touching her sent little thrills through him. The little sounds she made, no matter how she tried to hide them, thrilled him. "You can make noise, Sharlee. I like the sounds you make."

The harder movements had little squeaking gasps out of her, her heels dug into the bed and she arched her back into him. Sharlee's fingers dug into his flesh and she squeezed her eyes shut for a moment, one hand moving to the back of his neck to keep him to her breast.

The heat built and she tugged at his hair, "faster," she pleaded in a high breathy voice, "please." Probably be easy to just have him on his back but... next time. Sharlee couldnt think. There were two goals in mind. Make the coiling heat in her belly go away and keep Gregori as close as possible.

Gregori pulled her nipple into his mouth and began teasing it as she held his head, taking the encouragement of her hold at the back of his neck.

Heat and tension had started coiling inside him again, the harder and faster pace fueling the pleasurable feelings and intensifying them. He groaned against her breast as she begged for him to move faster. One hand kept fondling her breast, kneading and squeezing lightly as the other moved to grip the sheets near her head. Using the extra leverage he drove into Sharlee with deep, hard, quick thrusts.

Drawn tight like a wire, Sharlee bit her lip, fingers digging into his flesh and with a surprised gasp the wire snapped. Drawn tight around her lover, Sharlew curled her legs around his waist and came with a gasping cry of his name

She sort of melted after that, trembling with the odd after shock making her twitch in some manner and she closed her eyes. Flushed still. Her fingers carded through his hair and her breath was still coming out in breathy huffs. "Oh," she breathed out, "thats whats supposed to happen," she smoothed her hands up and down his back, urging him along, "I can see why people do this recreationally."

Gregori grunted softly as her fingers started digging in a little painfully, but it honestly didn't bother him too much. He had caused her pain at first, it seemed wrong to complain about a little in return.

Not that he could maintain a coherent thought.

A gasp tore through him at Sharlee's cry, causing him to life his head from her chest, panting heavily. Being inside her had felt amazing from the start, but now she was squeezing him hotter and wetter than before. She melted and trembled, but Gregori couldn't stop. The coiling heat skyrocketed and he drove into her wildly, only able to chase after a second peak.

It didn't take long, his hips jerked and he buried himself inside with a hoarse cry as he flooded her with a second wave of hot seed. Breathing heavily his head collapsed onto her shoulder, his arms moving to circle around her, holding her close. "Sharlee..." her name was a soft murmur.

Sharlee lay panting beneath him, ashamed on one level of how far she'd let innocent curious touches come. Still, with him still inside her and the heat still washing through her system, she couldnt really imagine doing that with anyone else.

With him collapsed on her shoulder, she smoothed her fingers through his hair and up and down his back. "That was..." she paused, hands stopping momentarily while she thought, "that was nice." She breathed against his cheek, pressing her lips to his ear. Another tremble and she closed her eyes, "I think I could fall asleep like this," she teased.

If Sharlee was ashamed, Gregori was convinced he'd temporarily gone insane. Although as he lay panting, consumed by her warmth and trembling under her gentle caresses, he could admit it was a rather glorious madness.

"Nice doesn't seem an adequate descriptor..." He mused softly, lips brushing against her shoulder as he placed a soft kiss against her warm, salty skin. His mind still was reeling from the experience, something of a foggy haze preventing him fully grasping the entirety of it. "I could too, but I think I'd feel uncomfortably heavy for you after a while..."

He lifted himself up slightly, reluctant to withdraw even partially from the heat of the moment, and gazed down at her with soulful blue eyes. "Sharlee...I..." The angel grasped for the words to even express himself. "I'm sorry...if I ruined everything."

"It'd be..." Sharlee tried to find a different word, but failed, "nice." A silly smile and she let her eyes fall closed, hands moving from caressing him to her breasts, then back to his body. She'd done it. She'd actully ... Another blossom of heat grew in her belly with Gregori so close still and she closed her eyes to experince it.

"Ruined? I'd say this will keep the bed very warm," she teased, voice husky. A moments pause and she let her eyes fall closed, still smoothing her hands up and down his back, then one purple eye popped open and she gave him a hesitant look and pulled him down for one more kiss. " Can we do this again sometime?"

Another wave of heat rushed to his face, turning Gregori quite red. He could easily imagine all the heat that had just gripped him. Still, he wasn't sure if this was the right moment for teasing. His heart was still racing, not from passion, but panic. Sharlee had said she'd never done this before, and had thought it should only be done with someone you loved.

Right?

It was hard to think right now, especially when he was so very confused about how to feel. He let himself be pulled down into another kiss, but his eyes flew open and he blushed again at the question. Gregori gently pulled himself out of her arms and snuggled down beside her, wrapping his arms around her and tugging her against his chest. "Then...you're not mad? You would want to do that with me again? I...thought that was for people you loved..."

Some people did it for fun, though. He knew that, but it didn't feel like that to him. Not with Sharlee.

 ( Sharlee has a profile picture now : D)

Sharlee had a single moment of dread when Gregori pulled away.

Then her heart settled down and she let herself be pulled against him, and she snuggled back, eyes closing briefly and giving a content little sigh. She supposed that hadn't be one of the best choices she'd ever made but... She couldn't really imagine anything or anyone else. Not now. His question caught her off guard and she gave a sleepy blink, trying to decipher just exactly what he was talking about.

Mad?

Why would she be mad?

Sharlee turned her head, moving her long hair from her face and pulling it into a loose braid to keep it out of the way. People you loved. Well, that was what her parents had told her at least. Did she love Gregori? Sharlee was silent for a while, trying to think of the right thing to say. She didn't not love him. That was good, right? Sharlee drew her fingers over his arm, pressing her back to his chest and enjoying his heartbeat.

"Well, we don't have to if you don't want to..." She said softly, turning her face away, a little flushed soon. She was pressed naked to another person. "But, I mean... If you'd like to, we can. I ... I wouldn't mind. Maybe..." She tilted her head, "Maybe the love comes later, sometimes. Or... Or Maybe it's just caring?" Or curiosity. Sharlee turned her head and gave Gregori a quick peck on the lips.

"I don't want to get up but now we both need to bathe again," She looked to the bath of water, squinting at it, "I'll put on some clothes and get fresh water." She cast him a little look, "Do you want to go first again?"

Gregori blushed at the soft peck of their lips.

"I want to. Sometime. When you want. I just feel...confused." It wasn't at all that he didn't want to do that again with Sharlee. The angel just wasn't sure that he was doing anything right. Gregori worried that he would do the wrong thing and drive a wedge between them. The last thing he wanted was to ruin his friendship with the only one he had.

He let out a heavy sigh as he cast his eyes towards the tub. The hot bath had been very nice, especially with Sharlee's hands working along his back and shoulders so pleasantly, but he didn't want to get up either.

"It seems unfair if I get two before you even get one..." Gregori licked his lips nervously, eyes darting between her and the tub. "Does it have to be one of us first? I mean...could we bathe together? I-if you wanted to and we could both fit..."

Bathe together?

Sharlee blinked at him with wide violet eyes before she pulled away and sat up,  the candle light still bright and she very naked. Her hair was a messy braid and she made to move the braid over at least one breast, smoothing her hands over them before she pressed her palms to her thighs and looked at him before she leaned forward again gave him another kiss, this one a little more heated. A little eager.

"Sorry," she said softly, licking her lips and turning away on impulse.

Sharlee slinked from the bed, taking the covers and drawing them over Gregori's naked body and then she froze and gave him a worried look before she grabbed one of her robes and pulled it on, pulling the cover between the bed and the door. Doing her best to walk normally with her legs clamped together she rang a bell and made sure all her bits were covered.

It was efficient, startlingly so, and the tub and water was replaced with heated new ones and she made sure the door was locked and pulled the cover from the bed so her... Lover... Could join her in the tub.

Not that she was in it.

Sharlee undid the braid and slowly removed the robe, letting it pool on the floor before she bent over to touch the water and sigh at how warm it was. It would be a tight fit, but they could manage, maybe. "I may have to sit on your lap," She teased, looking over her shoulder before she licked her lips and eyed the water.

She'd definitely have to leave a generous tip for the help here, she decided, maybe a few bottles of wine, too. A moments look to Gregori before she decided that no, wine would be another new experience later.

For a moment he worried that it had been a bad suggestion, with the way Sharlee looked at him, eyes so very wide. Although Gregori rather liked the wide-eyed look in a way. She had such lovely eyes, it went well with her hair. Not that he was an expert on what was or wasn't considered pretty, but he thought that his friend was very beautiful.

Not just friend now. Lover.

Still so strange to think of it.

Any concerns he had disappeared as Sharlee kissed him. The angel couldn't suppress a soft groan at the heat that generated between their lips. She made him flush all over. "I'm not sorry."

Not sorry at all. He really enjoyed the way her kisses made him feel. Although he tilted his head in confusion at the expression she made as she got up and covered him. Was something wrong? He hesitated to ask, and then she was gone, pushing the movable wall between him and the door - she guessed to keep them from seeing him as they got a fresh bath ready.

He waited patiently, and honestly it didn't take too long. Just long enough where he almost could have dozed off in a contented heap. If only Sharlee had still been snuggled in bed with him he was sure he would have.

Gregori threw off the covers when she moved the wall again, getting up slowly and walking over to join her. His eyes weren't really looking at the water though. He was slightly mesmerized by her hands as they undid her braid, then she was naked and he let his gaze sweep over her. Things had been a little awkward and fumbling - maybe even rushed - earlier. It hadn't occurred to him to just look at her.

Looking made him feel those strange, good feelings.

"Oh." In his lap? "That doesn't sound bad, but if you want to just go first to have more room I don't mind." Well, he did a little. Being away from her warmth just felt so cold and lonely now. Maybe he was being stupid, but he hadn't had such contact with others before.

Being looked at had Sharlee flushing from the roots of her hair to her toes.

There was no move to cover herself though, she simply finger combed her hair, doing her best to accentuate her breasts. The curve of her hip. There had never really been a time in her life where she'd wanted to look impressive to someone and she made sure her hair wasn't covering anything ... Interesting... and smiled shyly at Gregori.

They'd made love.

And she'd loved the closeness of it.

The warmth of his body against hers and Sharlee looked down at the water then back at... The angel. A careful swallow and she took a step back from the tub, licking her lips before she pushed her long purple hair over her shoulders and nodded towards the tub. "I prefer it," She replied boldly, nodding to the tub, "Get in and I'll join you." A moment to ponder her words and she looked down at her wrists, still barred by the rope.

Though, they were bad memories, of course, they brought her Gregori, so it was a decent payoff.

She was blushing again.

Gregori liked the way her skin looked when it was flushed, but he also knew it did that when she was embarrassed. He almost looked away to try to make her more comfortable, but he couldn't pull his eyes off her as she combed her fingers through her hair. Not being the most talented in reading behavior, it really didn't occur to him that Sharlee was trying to show off her body to him.

He did know smiles, though. At least hers.

The angel's lips curved slightly, returning the shy smile with his own as his cheeks flushed. He'd been staring at her, it wasn't polite to stare, but somehow he thought that she didn't mind too much.

"Okay." Gregori really couldn't think up an objection to her instructions, and he didn't really want to. He moved past her, letting his fingers brush against her arm as he did, and climbed into the tub, easing himself into the hot water so as not to splash any over the sides of the tub. His face was still flushed as he looked up at her, situating himself against one end so that she would have room to join him. Not that there was tons of room. She really would end up in his lap. "How's this?"

It was a hesitant move, but Sharlee moved closer, hands moving to cover her breasts out of habit and slight... Shyness. She still tingled everywhere on her body and she watched him get into the tub. A brief look at him up and down and she sucked in a little breath and just... Watched. Swallowing thickly, Sharlee pushed her hair over her shoulder and took a few steps towards the tub before she stepped into it.

"It's great," She said. Maybe... Sharlee chewed on her lips before she straddled Gregori's thighs. The water was delightfully warm and she closed her eyes and gave a pleased little moan, head tilted back. Her hands moved into the water to press against his sides and she shimmied closer, legs spread in, perhaps, not the most ladylike of ways. "Gregori," She said softly, moving a hand over his hip, up his chest to rest over his heart.

"Are you going to regret it?" She whispered, curious. He was an angel, wasn't he? She'd seen it. Her other hand remained at his waist and she looked at his lips for a moment before she looked into his eyes.

Gregori's lips twitched and his eyes flickered away as Sharlee covered herself. He was torn between his desire to admire her and the fact that he didn't want to make her feel uncomfortable or self-conscious with his gaze.

There really wasn't a way for him to make more room for her as she stepped into the tub, but he did try. As she straddled him and moaned he swallowed thickly. It was still so strange to feel these things and to have such strong reactions to someone. Although with each passing minute the angel felt sure that they were feelings he could get at least partially used to.

His hands moved to her thighs as she moved even closer, letting his fingertips stroke upwards slowly. It was almost addicting to simply touch her.

"Hmm?" Was his soft response to his name, as her hand moved up his chest he closed his eyes, tilting his head back slightly as he enjoyed the sensation. He frowned softly at the question, opening his eyes again and looking into her eyes. "Should I? It was...wonderful. Very unexpected, but wonderful."

Nothing about meeting Sharlee had gone as expected, that was for certain.

He drew circles on her hips with his thumb. "Are you going to regret it?"

He hoped not.

A small smile and Sharlee chewed on her bottom lip.

It was odd to feel so safe around someone that didn't have fangs and claws. Sharlee didn't feel self-conscious when he looked at her. She didn't want to hide herself from his gaze. It alarmed her to a few degrees just how many things she'd be willing to do for him, should he only request it. Slowly, she circled her arms around his neck, leaning in until their chests were pressed together and she pressed her lips to his.

Leaning back, she snuggled up against him, heart thumping at the sensation of being so close to someone. So vulnerable. "Never," She whispered, eyes closed, "For as long as I live, I'll never regret this," She leaned back from the hug, eyes bright and a smile on her face. Of course, Sharlee didn't mention that she'd live for a very long time but she moved her hands to cup his cheeks and she pushed her fingers through his hair before she pulled him to her for another kiss. "I want everything while you while you're here," She whispered eagerly against his lips,"So I won't regret anything when you finally go away."

Gregori certainly wouldn't have known why Sharlee would do anything at all for him. As far as he was concerned he still had done nothing to have earned such affection from the beautiful woman currently inhabiting his lap.

While naked.

His mind couldn't wrap around the process or series of events that had truly led to this moment. It seemed impossible for him to give so much of himself to anyone. All that had consumed him was the desire to go home. That had been the all-consuming thought that plagued him since awakening naked and alone in a long abandoned ruin.

Sharlee had turned everything on its head!

As her arms wrapped around his neck his arms encircled her waist, relishing how soft and warm she felt against him. Why did he enjoy this so much?  He leaned into the kiss slightly, pouting just a little as she pulled back from him, but unable to stop a smile at the way she looked at him. She was beautiful, and she wouldn't regret what they had done.

His hands moved up her back, softly caressing as she pulled him into another kiss, which he happily returned. Although the reminder that he was going away was like a dose of cold water.

How had it come to this?

Gregori had been so determined to make his departure as easy as possible. He didn't want people to mourn or miss him when he left. That would be impossible now. Leaving was likely going to hurt Sharlee. He slid his hands up through her hair, until he lightly cupped her cheeks as he pressed his forehead against hers. "Don't think about me leaving. Let's...let's just enjoy this, whatever this is, for now. I'm not leaving anytime soon."

No, not soon. He still had no idea where home even was! That had been frustrating just days ago, but now it felt like a blessing. There was still time. Time to spend with her.

Closing her eyes she listened to him speak. A little nod and she pressed her lips to his palm. Sharlee would have to learn to enjoy things for what they were, consequences be damned. Still, she looked at Gregori, smiling brightly. Her belly still tingled with delicious warmth and she leaned back and away after a moment to cup water and pour it over his chest.

"Um..." Sharlee smoothed her wet hands over his chest before she went to splash water over her own. With no easy way of transportng water except by her own hands... Mostly it probably just looked like she was having a thoughful moment and was playing with her boobs at her Angelic lover.

"Did... Did yoi want to do that again sometime?" She cast a glance to rhe bed while she cleaned, flushed and looking hesitant. "I understand if... If you'd rather not?" Maybe it was an angel thing. Did she taint him? Sharlee coulsn't keep how much she desired him hidden. He'd saved her life. Made her feel wonderful and she found him quite appealing to the eye.

"We'll have to go back on the road after tomorrow," Sharlee had tacked on a day to their syay it seemed, findinf she wanted at least one more day of having a bed. She smiled, "would you like to borrow more books?" She teased while she piled her hair onto a knot on rop of her head.

The angel just wanted to enjoy what they had sparked together, even if he really didn't fully grasp just what that thing was. Attraction, lust, affection - they were still so very new things to Gregori, but he couldn't deny any of them and he definitely didn't want to think about how this would all end eventually.

Not his attraction or affection, because he didn't think that would ever go away, but he would. It was a little painful to think about. So he didn't.

Instead he focused on watching her hands up and pour water over their chests, blinking and dragging his eyes back to her face when she asked if he wanted to do it again. He blushed and closed his eyes for a moment, although he knew the answer without having to think about it.

"Sharlee..." He opened his eyes and looked at her with undeniable adoration - even if he didn't understand his feelings, they were there. "I would do that again with you anytime you wanted. You make my body feel amazing, and the closeness with you makes my heart do little flips and jumps. I don't have to understand it all to know that I want more of it."

More of those warm feelings. He wanted her affection.

Even if she did make him flush crimson with her teasing. "Yes, I would. They were interesting and I want to learn from them."

He'd only managed to fumble his way through what they'd done because of what he'd learned from the first book. Reading more books could help him learn more about sex. They could teach him and give him a better idea of what he should be doing to please them both. Not that he was going to be able to say that out loud.

A wide eyed blink and Sharlee flushed,

Sure her question was straight forward but his reply had been very honest and she tucked her head down before she wriggled closer to him. Sure she needed to bathe, they both did, but she just wanted to be closer. Wanted an excuse to touch skin to skin. It was a new experience and she enjoyed the attention, had enjoyed the sensations. Still, when he flushed in return she grinned widely and laughed, lower lip being chewed between her lower lip.

"Well, you're in luck," She looked towards her bag and flushed. "In Essyrn, they have... Harems, I suppose," Sharlee swallowed like she was trying to choke out words she didn't really know how to say. "Some of the harem women write... Well... Books. To teach, I suppose. I was down there, not long ago. Doeshe and I go everywhere and... There might be a lot of information in... Those books." Licking her lips again she turned to Gregori, grinning but flushed and she was embarrassed and Sharlee gave a nervous laugh and hide her face behind what hair had fallen from the knot she'd made.

"Anyway," She wriggled on his lap and she took his hands and put them behind her on her lower back, "Likewise, I will do it again with you anytime you wanted." She smiled, "Perhaps between traveling. I imagine Doeshe would get antsy if we decided to take a break and make love over a stump." A thoughtful purse of her lips and she snuggled in against Gregori, making taking a bath together hadn't been a good idea because, so far, she'd just partaken in wet cuddling.

He didn't know why she was laughing, but he still loved the sound, and seeing her grin like that was nice. Sort of, although he wasn't sure if she was laughing at him.

Gregori glanced towards the bag, blushing furiously, but definitely intrigued. He'd heard of harems, but hadn't been sure they were real. Multiple women - sometimes dozens! - all at the whim of a single man. The angel wasn't interested in collecting a number of women to pleasure him, but such women would surely know a lot about the subject.

His hands immediately began rubbing along her back when she moved them. "Anytime?" Gregori asked a little breathlessly. It was overwhelming to even consider. "We will be together each night when we camp - any night we wanted we could do that."

Oh the blushing that was going on! Clearing his throat, he pulled his hands away from her back, but only because he reached for the soap and cloth so that he could begin washing her as she had done for him. Plus it was an excuse to run his hands along her body. Sure, he was beginning with her back, but he would happily spread suds across every inch of her if she'd let him.

What a thing to talk about.

Sharlee ducked her head down, a little smile on her face.

This wasn't what she'd had on her mind when they'd stopped for the night, but it was nice and she was glad it was happening. Sharlee pressed forward for another little kiss before he started to soap her up and she gave a soft breathless giggle when his hands ran along her sides, finding herself far more ticklish than she recalled ever being.

"I think I'll like... Figuring this out with you," She said softly, back soapy. Sharlee helped with the soap, running it along her front and propping a leg out of the bath to wash her thigh. It wasn't graceful and she probably looked funny but... The man had literally just sweated over her so, he could make do with her looking a little ungraceful with her leg sticking out of the water.

Quickly enough, she stole the soap and washed his front, leaning in again halfway through for another impulsive kiss. Soon enough, the bath was done, having gone cool and soapy and Sharlee stood up and out of the bath, stretching her arms high above her head and giving her back an arch.

"I'm ready for bed," she said softly, grabbing one of the fabric's left behind for them to dry themselves off with. She didn't wrap it around herself to hide her body, simply patted away the water and held out the other dry one for Gregori. "Will you cuddle with me?" She asked, eyes bright, mouth pulled into a small hesitant smile because he could still say no.

It really was mind boggling to think that they could do that anytime they wanted. Well, anytime they were alone.

Gregori raised his brows at the way she giggled, making his fingers itch a little to try teasing at her sides a little more, but her words easily enough distracted him from tickling thoughts. Figuring things out together sounded...nice. He felt like he had a lot to figure out, but if it was with her and for her, well, it didn't sound bad at all.

"I like together." He murmured shyly as they continued washing one another. The angel had already had one bath, of course, but it was good to wipe away the sweat and...other things. Just thinking about it made him blush again.

The water started getting cool enough that goosebumps began rising on his skin and he shivered slightly. That was about the time that she got out of the bath, and he took a moment to simply enjoy the view of her stretching. Of course he found an equal amount of enjoyment in watching her patting herself down. Realizing he was staring again he dropped his eyes to the floor sheepishly and joined her out of the tub, taking the offered fabric.

"Yes, I'd like that a lot." He quickly agreed finding himself looking forward to spending the night cuddled against her.

Gregori dried himself quickly, trying not to be too self conscious, reminding himself that it was okay for her to see him and for him to see her. She'd called him handsome, so that must mean that she liked what she saw at least a little bit, right? As soon as he was dry enough, he glanced between the two beds, not sure which they should use.

At the confirmation that yes, he'd like to cuddle, Sharlee smiled widely. Flushed cheeks, she took his hands into hers and... Did the same thing. She looked to the beds before giving a pause and she pulled him to her so her chest was to his back. A moment to rest her head to his chest she pursed her lips.

"Did you want... To... Learn some more or go to sleep?" She whispered, ignoring the fact they'd just washed. It was like discovering some strange delicious treat that was available all the time and Sharlee  swallowed hesitantly. "I guess that decides what bed we go to," She teased, turning her head to look at him. Either way, Sharlee could just... Pay for an extra day here. Get Doeshe and hunk of meat to sate his wanderlust.

"I'm fine with whatever you want to do," She said honestly, voice soft. Curious. A little hesitant because as tired as she was, the contact was too nice to simply... Not seek after.

It still surprised him just how easily his arms circled around Sharlee as she laid her head against his chest. He didn't care which bed they used, as long as they got to cuddle together. Sleeping with her the previous night on a simple bedroll had been both amazing and embarrassing, given his body's reaction, but he was eager to experience sleep with her on a bed.

Gregori licked his lips lightly at the question. Fine with whatever he wanted to do... "I like learning with you, but if you're tired maybe we should just try sleeping? There's always tomorrow."

As wonderful and eye-opening as his first experience with a woman had been, it had also worn him out just a little, not only physically, but emotionally and mentally as well. This was all so new and sudden. He'd gone from no wish to become closer to people he'd have to leave behind to very much entangled with Sharlee.

Thinking of leaving her made him feel bad. So he didn't think about it. He gently pulled her towards the unused bed."Let's snuggle and sleep."

Sharlee just smiled at him and nodded.

"Sounds like a plan," She said softly. Who knew she could be so bold? Maybe it was the past little while that made her not so... Afraid. The infatuation she felt for Gregori obviously had something to do with it and Sharlee curled her fingers through his. He would be gone someday - he said so himself - wanted to go back home. So Sharlee decided that... If she could have this now... Why not? As an elf, she knew she lived longer than humans and love and loss was a big part of that.

The idea made her chest ache, but as she climbed into the bed pushing the blankets down and pillows away, Sharlee knew that... If she didn't take this now she never would. After getting comfortable in the bed - her back to Gregori because she wanted him to snuggle up against her - she closed her eyes and sighed. "I hope you have many sweet dreams," she mumbled, feeling the smooth fabric of the sheets against her naked skin. She paused, "Did you want me to get dressed before we sleep?" Her voice was soft and curious, not wanting to make him... Press up against her naked - she figured it might embarrass him a little bit.

Gregori followed her into bed, letting her get comfortable before sliding under the sheets behind her. A faint pink still tinged his cheeks, but he didn't hesitate to wrap himself around her as much as he could, arms circling her waist as he pulled her tight against his chest. His entire front was pressed to her back, and he buried his face at the back of her neck, sighing softly into her hair.

"I hope you do too." Hopefully their wouldn't be any nightmares again. Sure, it had been embarrassing to wake up that way, but he'd had pleasant dreams. Of her. The angel blushed heavily, thankfully Sharlee couldn't see it.

"No, I...like this." He was still blushing, but he kissed the back of her head softly and snuggled comfortably against her, enjoying the feel of her skin warmly against his.

Sharlee was content. Comfortable. When morning came, bright light glaring through the window, she groaned and gave a whine. Waking up was possibly going to be the worst part of this trip though... Purple eyes popped open and she opened them to her favourite sight. Her hair was fanned out behind her on the pillow and she shifted slightly, looking at her... Angelic lover.

A soft gasp left her lips when the sun started to climb to his face. She reached a hand out to cover his eyes from the glare before she tucked an arm over her head and watched him sleep. The blankets had been kicked to her knees but she hardly noticed her nudity. Enchanted.

Propping herself up on an elbow she made sure she covered his face from the sunlight before she used her free hand to trail little designs over his chest before she leaned in for a chaste good morning kiss, leaning back with a little smile to see if it work him up.

The previous night of sleep had been unusually good. Instead of death, panic, fear, and fire, he'd dreamed of Sharlee. If not for the awkward awakening from the oddly erotic dreams that had caused him so much embarrassment it would have been amazing.

Again his dreams had been free from their typical horror that he couldn't fully understand or grasp, but instead of confusing dreams of wishing to do things with the beautiful and kind-hearted elf that had taken him in, well, the angel's dreams were mild and pleasant. So too was the way he found himself being awakened.

It was the soft touch of her fingers on his chest that first brought him out of deep sleep. Gregori felt like it should be brighter, but there wasn't any harsh sunlight on the other side of his eyelids. He was acutely aware of Sharlee, though.

Especially when her soft lips brushed briefly against his.

"Good morning, Sharlee." His deep blue eyes fluttered open slowly, a soft heat entering his face as he smiled up at her sheepishly. They were naked and mostly uncovered. Not a bad way to fall asleep and wake up, but still not something he was at all used to. Hesitantly he reached his hand out to gently rest on her bare hip, eyes wandering over her body slowly. "Is it time to get up?"

Was it time to get up?

Sharlee let her hand rest on his at her hip, her finger drawing haphazard designs along his wrist and up his arm. The purple haired elf made to sure to prop her head in her head while she did so, her wavy hair a dark waterfall, catching what little sunlight came in through the window. Her lazy design crawled up his arm in a looping pattern that would no doubt be ticklish.

"Yes," She sighed, looking past him before hesitantly moving her hand back to his and gently removing it from her hip. The previous nights activities caught up with her and Sharlee winced ever so slightly before moving a hand to her abdomen and sitting up with a sigh. It didn't hurt, per se, but she was sore. Though she did her best to hide it.

Sharlee slipped from the bed, giving a stretch, giving a tired little moan in the process before she rubbed her eyes with the back of her hand and moved about to gather her clothing.

"I think I meant to wake up much earlier," She admitted giving him a tired little smile, pulling on her undergarments and slowly going about getting her things. Doing up belts and buckles. Sharlee didn't feel ashamed about what she'd done and how she'd acted, she did however, dislike how she didn't... Think about it. About consequences. About how she'd feel when Gregori finally found where he was supposed to be and... Left. Sharlee looked down at her boots and socks before she sat down on the bed. She'd dressed herself in cold awkward silence.

Bending over hurt though, or at least it made her ache in not so fun places. "Um," Sharlee chewed on her lips, "Can you help me? With my boots?" She gave a timid little smile, "After you get dressed, I mean. I..." Sharlee flushed and glanced down and away, "I kind of ache... down there and ...bending over kind of... hurts?"