Verdant Skies

"Y-you had a chance to sleep with Iris last night?" Koumei tried to keep his voice level despite the emotions currently filling him.

Gaze even as he peered at Koumei from his seat across the table, Kouen nodded as he picked up another document, "I did. Does that bother you?"

Koumei's mind raced with a myriad of emotions — a blend of curiosity, jealousy, and a subtle undercurrent of desire. Anticipating that such a situation would eventually occur never quite prepared him for actually dealing with it, he felt the quill in his hand start to bend. Swallowing a bit harshly as he looked away from Kouen, he dipped the tip of his quill into the inkwell, "Ah, no...we both knew this was probably going to happen eventually...though why didn't you sleep with her?"

Eyes lingering on him, Kouen set aside the document in his hand and leaned back. There was a thoughtful look on his face as he started to speak, the tone he used was measured, "We agreed not to rush her and I'm sticking to that. I could tell she was struggling last night, so rather than force her into something that she'd likely regret, I backed off," Kouen gazed at Koumei with a slight smile, "It was harder than I expected. Following through on giving her time and letting things happen naturally, I was very tempted last night."

Nodding as he finally looked up from the document lying before him, Koumei sighed heavily, "Considering the fact she was wearing your colors last night, I'm not surprised," Kouen smirked at him, "I..." He tried to figure out the words to say, "Whatever happens next...with either of us," He saw Kouen's eyes darken slightly, "Will be an adjustment period."

There was a soft sound from Kouen, the older man shifted in his seat as he muttered, "Not an easy one..."

"No...Not at all," Koumei smiled wryly at Kouen as he leaned back against his seat and let his quill settle fully into the inkwell, "But nothing has ever been easy for us,"

Kouen shook his head and picked up the document he'd dropped.

Laying on her side and with an arm pillowing her head, Iris stared at the patterns created on the floor by sunlight coming in through the window. Even in her sleep, she'd been haunted by images of heated desire that still lingered at the back of her mind. Pressing a hand to her face, she let out a low groan, attempting to shake off the hazy residue of dreams that seemed to taunt her waking thoughts. The sensations lingered a vivid imprint that refused to fade. Breathing out a low sigh, she dropped her hand onto the blanket and stared up at the ceiling.

Laying on her back, Iris stared at the ceiling, tracing the patterns of sunlight with her gaze. Once more she was struggling to make a decision, it felt different this time. Fingers gripping the sheet beneath her, she breathed out another sigh and closed her eyes for a moment. There was no doubt that she wanted more, the dreams that seemed to stalk her every night were a big indicator of that. There was a part of her, the one that hesitated at wanting more. That lingering gift from her upbringing, the caution to embrace any new desires or things that might make her feel something new.

Finally reopening her eyes as a mental voice that sounded suspiciously like Ginny urged her to ignore the voice trying to make her cautious, Iris propped herself up on her elbows. Running a hand through her wild hair, she slowly nodded to herself. Overthinking about it wouldn't help her, she'd likely just wind herself up further. Instead, she'd take a break from thinking about anything and just focus on trying to paint out everything that was currently confusing her.

Pushing herself up, Iris swung her legs over the side of the bed and started getting ready for the day before heading downstairs to her studio.

Lowering her paintbrush, Iris stepped back from the painting and her head tilted at the tree that had seemingly materialized on the canvas. Trails of color mixed about the long branches as splotches formed the leaves, the subtle twists and turns within the bark brought a small smile to her face. Turning her head as the door opened, she saw Kouen walk into the studio with a curious expression on his face. Eyes sweeping across the painting, a small smile formed as he let the door swing shut behind him. She greeted him while turning back to her painting, "Kouen."

"Iris," Kouen replied as he walked over and she began the slow process of cleaning off her brushes, "According to the maids, you've been at this all day,"

"I...have," Iris watched the water become tainted by various paint colors and felt Kouen's warmth against her back, "I...I needed to think and painting helps with that," She heard him hum low in his throat behind her as she shifted about the brushes, "I...I was thinking about last night,"

"I see," Kouen's voice was soft, "And what were you thinking?"

Quiet as she contemplated what exactly to say, Iris cleaned off half the brushes she'd used before finally replying, "I...This is entirely new to me, everything between us," She kept her eyes on the brushes despite wanting to look at him because she highly doubted she'd be able to get through this otherwise, "I...Feelings are hard for me, you and Koumei have admitted that you two struggle as well. That's comforting, I-" She bit her bottom lip and took a deep breath, "I want things to go further. With both of you, Kouen. I want that. I never want either of you to doubt that," She spoke quickly now feeling as if the words wouldn't come out if he spoke, "But there is a voice in my head, a remnant from my fucking childhood that keeps screaming that I'm not worth it. That I can't be worth that, it's the part of me that's still trapped in those cookie-cutter little houses under my aunt's thumb and I-"

Arms wrapped around her and the words died in her throat, Iris realized she'd been struggling to breathe properly and finally took in a deep breath. As Kouen spoke, she slumped against him feeling vulnerable, "You're worth it, Iris," She felt her chest warm and eyes burn at those words, "Every bit of you, Koumei and I don't care about what you're able to offer. We just want you," She sniffed softly and let her hands fall away from the paint brushes, "Each of us has our struggles, it's alright to feel uncertain. Solomon knows that I've felt uncertain every day of my life since becoming the First Prince," She let out a wet laugh and slowly turned in his arms to peer at him, "You're not alone in this, Iris. Koumei and I, we're here for you."

Amid the warmth and sincerity in his eyes, Iris could see that one emotion she still couldn't bring herself to name. She spoke as one of his hands cupped her cheek, "I...thank you, Kouen."

"For what?" Kouen's lips twitched as he wiped at her cheek.

Voice soft as she leaned into his touch, Iris murmured, "For being here," She saw his eyes soften, "For understanding, for making me feel like I'm worth something more than what I've been told for most of my life."

"You've always been worth it, Iris," Kouen retorted as his thumb wiped at her cheek again, "Someone just needed to show you,"

Cheeks flushing at that, Iris smiled softly at Kouen. She slowly pulled away from him after a moment longer earning a curious look, "I...it's almost time to eat, isn't it?"

"It is," Kouen confirmed with a soft chuckle, "Part of the reason I came in here was to remind you of that fact,"

"Well, I need to finish cleaning off those brushes and get myself cleaned up," Iris turned back to her paint brushes, "Though...Kouen?"

"Yes?" Kouen's warmth was once again at her back.

Lips pursing as she contemplated how to word her question, Iris felt a rush of embarrassment and mentally cursed. If things had gone how she'd planned it, she could have just asked the question after laying everything out for Kouen. Instead, it was all separated. She began dunking the brushes again while murmuring, "I-about last night-"

"As I said last night, you can take your time-" Kouen cut her off and she felt a bolt of irritation.

"That's just it," Iris gripped the brush in her hand just a bit harder than intended and felt the polished wood start to splinter, "You aren't hearing me, Kouen," She didn't look back at him because that would make it harder to get this out, "I want it. I've had fucking dreams about it," She flushed at his sharp intake of breath and almost wished that hadn't come out of her mouth, "So trust me, I want it. The only reason I'm hesitating at all is because of that stupid voice in my head. And that voice, it doesn't exactly shut up until I start doing whatever it is that it's trying to tell me not to do,"

There was a long moment of silence and she felt like she'd pulled a Ron, the desire to bury her head into the ground increased with the growing silence. Finishing off the brushes, Iris quickly washed her hands and began leaving the studio feeling like an idiot. Before she could venture too far, a hand wrapped around her wrist and she was spun around to face Kouen. Opening her mouth to question him, she was silenced before the first word could leave her lips with a heated kiss. Her eyes widened before closing as Kouen deepened the kiss. Her back hit the wall and he pulled back with one of his hands pressing into her shoulder, Kouen's wine-red eyes were dark as he peered at her.

Voice low and husky, Kouen's warm breath brushed against her lips as he spoke, "If you want this... want this, we can take this further. We will go at your pace," She felt his other hand settle on her hip, "I intend to ensure you enjoy every single moment of it."

His hand slid down from her shoulder, the fingers digging into her skin, Iris could see sparks of desire within Kouen's eyes as heat darted through her from his touch. Capturing her lips again in a fervent kiss, the desire and passion that had been simmering beneath her skin surged. She found herself gripping at his kimono though one of her hands gravitated upwards to touch at his neck. The world around them seemed to fade away as they lost themselves in the intensity of the moment. As the kiss deepened with her lips parting from the prodding touch of his tongue, she let out a low sound at the taste of him.

Cheeks flushing as they broke apart, Iris felt breathless as she peered into Kouen's eyes. Affection and desire swirled through them, he reached out to brush some hair from her face. His fingers brushed against her lips, the gleam of contemplation in his eyes sent a thrill down her spine. There was a gentle knock on the door of her studio, Kouen didn't move away from her as he called out, "Enter."

As the door opened, a maid walked in and Iris saw the woman flush a bright cherry red. Despite that, the woman managed to keep her voice calm, "M'lord, Dinner is ready."

"We'll be there in a few moments," Kouen didn't even glance at the maid.

"Yes, M'lord," The maid bowed quickly before leaving.

Swallowing as her cheeks flushed further, Iris murmured, "W-we should go eat."

"We should," Kouen's lips twitched as he leaned in again, "Iris...come to my rooms when you're ready to retire tonight,"

Eyes widening at the request, Iris cleared her throat, "Y-your rooms?"

Amusement flickered across his eyes, Kouen nodded as he murmured, "My rooms," A jolt of heat raced down her spine at the husky tone of his voice, "After all, I don't wish to risk having anyone interrupt us."

Nervousness fought with the desire flooding her system, Iris swallowed as she murmured, "I-"

"Granted, you could choose against coming to see me tonight," Kouen dragged his hand up from her hip to a shoulder, "And we can...work up towards that. After all, I don't mind teaching you more than the Toran language,"

Low sound leaving her, Iris licked her suddenly dry lips and noted how Kouen's eyes seemed to follow the movement. She murmured, "I-I'll t-think about it."

"That's perfectly fine with me," Kouen moved back, "Now we really should go eat dinner, I'm pretty sure Koumei is wondering where we are,"

Eyes widening, Iris stared at Kouen in surprise as he began to head towards the doors of her studio, "Koumei is here?"

"I did invite him to dinner as we still have a lot of work to do," Kouen turned his head to smile at her, "Is there a problem?"

"N-no," Iris shook her head as she rushed to follow him, "You should have told me that he was coming though. I would have insisted we left-"

"And miss out on kissing you?" Kouen pulled open the door with a low chuckle, "That isn't going to happen, Iris,"

Leaning against Koumei's side, Iris pointed to something on one of the many documents strewn across the table. Despite her initial surprise that Koumei would be joining them for the evening, she had happily fallen into what had become their routine when his brother came around. Kouen poured them all some wine and walked over to the table as he carefully balanced the glasses. As Iris became more animated, he raised an eyebrow and slowly settled the glasses onto a blank spot on the table, "What's the topic of discussion, you two?"

Gesturing to a section of the document she'd been looking over, Iris's eyes were bright as she explained, "I was just pointing out how two of the arrested nobles were in charge of certain regions. And they weren't doing a very good job at it," She tapped the paper and Kouen wondered why she looked so excited, "So I was explaining to Koumei the potential benefits of implementing a more decentralized administrative structure. While it wouldn't work in most regions, the ones those two idiots were in charge of are perfect. It could allow for more efficient resource allocation and quicker responses to local issues."

Expression thoughtful as he reached for a glass of wine, Koumei nodded, "Iris makes a compelling argument. It aligns with some of the administrative reforms I've been considering as well."

Smirking as he held a glass out to Iris, Kouen chuckled, "Looks like it was a good idea to continue having you assist us, Iris," She grinned at him, "Continue explaining your theory, I'm curious now."

As the conversation continued with Iris tossing in her ideas, Kouen found himself glancing towards Iris occasionally as the thought of later crept into his mind. Wondering if she'd join him in his rooms, the thought of her finally gracing his bed caused heat to surge through him. Even as he managed to push the thought away, he found it creeping back in despite his best efforts. As he struggled to force it back once more, a hand touched his shoulder and he jolted. Turning his head, he found Koumei eyeing him with a slight frown, "En, is something going on? You seem to be distracted."

"I'm fine-" Kouen noticed that Iris wasn't in the room and frowned, "Where's Iris?"

"She went to ask for more snacks and something to drink other than wine," Koumei answered while crossing his arms, "En, what's going on? You've been distracted tonight,"

Gaze shifting from Koumei towards the door, Kouen contemplated his answer for a long moment before finally replying, "Iris might finally grace my bed tonight," He heard a sharp intake of breath and glanced back at Koumei, "Might as she is still dealing with some uncertainties."

Frown growing as his expression flickered with multiple emotions, Koumei muttered, "Is that why it took you two so long to join me at dinner?"

"Not quite," Kouen saw a flicker of surprise cross Koumei's face, "Iris needed to express her feelings...explain them for a lack of a better word," He took a sip of his wine, "And she just about had a breakdown doing it. After I reassured her, I tried to remind her that we were going at her pace,"

"Tried?" Koumei's brow furrowed in confusion.

Chuckling at the memory, Kouen smiled as he explained, "She cut off me. Wouldn't even look at me, I bet her face would've been so very red though," He couldn't waste to see just how far down Iris's blush went when he finally had a chance to get her in his bed, "I was stunned long enough for her to start walking away from me..."

"Then you asked her to sleep with you?" Koumei asked with a raised eyebrow.

"No," Kouen smirked at Koumei, "I kissed her. Twice," A flicker of emotions crossed his brother's face, "It would've been three times if that maid hadn't reminded me that we were supposed to be having dinner with you," He released a low sigh, "Then I offered her a choice," He saw confusion cross Koumei's face, "Either she could come to my room when she retires for the night or not. If she doesn't, I'll help her warm up to the idea,"

Releasing a sigh, Koumei shook his head and moved back towards the table, "You certainly have a way of handling things, En," He scooped up his abandoned wine glass, "I never thought I'd see you be this patient."

Shrugging as he stood, Kouen walked over to the table as well, "It's different with Iris and you know it, Mei. She isn't a political maneuver or a strategic alliance. She's..."

Trailing off as he tried to find the words, Koumei spoke with a contemplative look on his face, "The only woman we could ever be willing to share," A wry smile formed on Koumei's lips, "It's almost funny. If it were any other thing in the world, we likely would have refused to share it...I would have likely folded to you."

"True enough," Kouen sipped at his wine.

As the door opened and Iris walked back inside carrying a tray of snacks, a maid followed her with a pitcher that likely held water. Head tilting as she eyed them, Iris set the snacks down on one of the low tables nearby and the maid quickly did the same before leaving with a swift bow. Raising an eyebrow at them, she asked, "Did I miss something?"

"Just talking about how much things have changed since you entered our lives," Koumei answered with a light smile and Kouen glanced at him, "So shall we get back to our discussion?"

"Ah...sure?" Iris eyed them for a long moment before shrugging as she moved to pour herself a drink from the pitcher before joining them.

Everything that had happened tonight seemed to run through her mind, the discussions, the wine, and the shared moments with both Kouen and Koumei. It had been easy to get lost in the comfort of their company, the genuine interest they showed in her ideas and opinions. The warmth that had enveloped her, dispelling the earlier anxieties, still lingered. Every careless touch had sent a surge of warmth through her, she had almost forgotten about Kouen's offer to join him until she'd been walking down the hall towards her room. Even now as she stood in her bedroom and changed into a shift, she found her mind occupied by the offer.

Within her mind, a war raged and Iris found herself hesitating. On one side, a daring curiosity beckoned her toward Kouen's room. The heated desire to see what would come if she went to see him. Earlier had just been a taste of it, the yearning to feel more surged with each passing moment. Yet, on the other side, a nagging voice eerily similar to her aunt's echoed the caution she'd been forced to grow up in. Hissing doubts at her, the frail threads of uncertainty crept in and she found herself questioning her desire.

With a heavy deep breath, Iris closed her eyes trying to find some clarity amid the conflicting thoughts. Memories of the kisses from earlier helped ease away the voice, she jolted at the cool feeling against her fingers and opened her eyes. As she realized she'd begun moving forward without realizing it, a low laugh tugged its way out of her chest. Summoning one of her thin robes from the wardrobe, she covered her shoulders with it before opening the door.

As the gentle glow of the corridor spilled into her room, Iris stepped into the hallway. The subtle warmth of her robe and the flickering uncertainty in her mind created a paradox of emotions. That shrill voice still echoed within the back of her mind, the desire to explore what lay ahead tempered and drowned it out enough to embolden her...for the moment. As she made her way down the hallway, the sound of her steps seemed to echo as no one else seemed to be present within this wing of the palace. Her heartbeat quickened at the thought, it almost seemed to match the racing emotions and thoughts drifting about within her mind.

As she rounded the corner and finally reached Kouen's door, Iris found herself pausing for a long moment to peer at it. She hadn't been near Kouen's rooms since he'd first given her a tour of the place and part of her was almost tempted to act as if she couldn't. Shaking that thought from her mind, she took a steadying breath and knocked on the door. As the sound echoed through the empty corridor, she flinched and that sense of doubt reared its ugly head. What if this was too much? What if she wasn't ready?

Before the hissed voice of doubt could worsen, a soft click sounded and the door opened. Kouen peered down at her with a gentle look on his face, "Iris...you came."

"I-I did," Iris's chest warmed at the way he looked at her.

Pushing the door open further, Kouen gestured for her to enter, "Come in."

Hesitation still managed to grip her for a moment, Iris stepped past Kouen into his rooms after a moment and glanced around. The space was dimly lit with several lanterns set up strategically along the walls. Bookshelves lined one of the walls, a few small trinkets seemed to act as a divider among the various subjects. Sitting on the windowsill sat an incense burner, the scent of sandalwood hung in the air. There was a weapons rack by the small fireplace, the sword Kouen always carried held a place of honor on it. Comfortable-looking chairs were scattered about by the fireplace, she could almost see herself curling up in one of them on a rainy day.

As she stepped further into the room, Iris's eyes slowly found their way toward the large bed that seemed to take up a good portion of the room. Almost like a Western-style four-poster bed from back home, the crimson-colored draperies that hung from the ceiling almost seemed see-through. She jolted as the door closed and felt Kouen's hands settle on her hips. She spoke softly, "Kouen..."

"Iris," Kouen tugged her against his chest, "Is something wrong?"

"I-" Iris shook her head, "J-just...nervous?"

Low chuckle rumbling from his throat, Kouen slid one of his hands from her hip up along her side, "That's perfectly fine, Iris. Do you want something to drink?"

"I-y-yeah," Iris nodded and Kouen released her.

Slowly moving around her, Kouen walked towards the low coffee table where a decanter was set up and poured two glasses of wine. Turning towards her, Kouen extended one of the glasses towards her. Walking over to him, Iris took the glass and sipped it while noting that the flavor was more sweet than Kouen normally preferred which surprised her. Head tilting, she glanced at him. He smiled while moving to sit down on the couch, "I've noticed that you prefer sweeter wines. While I prefer mine to be more bitter, I don't mind them."

"I-thank you," Iris slowly sat down beside him, "Kouen-"

"If you want," Kouen cut her off as he peered at the glass in his hand, "Rather than do anything too...far tonight, we can simply sleep together," Iris blinked in surprise, "While I would like to do more-Love to do more, I know that there a limit. And I do not wish for you to have any regrets,"

As those words left Kouen's mouth, Iris felt as if that shrill voice within the back of her mind had been silenced. She doubted it would be silenced for long, but it felt nice to not hear it for once. Biting her bottom lip, she murmured, "I...I want to-" She flushed as trying to verbalize anything more than kissing was difficult, "Try...please..."

Setting down his glass, Kouen turned to face her, "Are you sure?"

"Yeah...I...yeah," Iris nodded as she set down her glass as well, "Though can we, uh, keep the other option on the table just in case-"

As Kouen cupped her cheek, Iris fell silent and his lips pulled into a soft smile, "Of course. Now..." He eyed her as his thumb ran along her cheek, "How to start?"

Mind going blank at that question, Iris surprised herself when she murmured, "Kiss me?"

Laugh leaving him, Kouen leaned in and pressed a gentle kiss to her lips. Pulling back after a brief moment, his thumb drifted along her cheek, "Kissing you is a very nice start. Though we should probably move to my bed," She felt her cheeks flush and swallowed at the implications, "Whether we end up simply sleeping or sleeping, it's best to be comfortable."

"I-yeah," Iris's face darkened at how her voice cracked.

As he chuckled, Kouen tugged gently tugged Iris to her feet and guided her to his bed. Brushing aside the draperies, she saw that the bed was covered in a gold-boarded red blanket with more pillows than she expected. She was guided to settle on the bed and almost sank into the mattress from how soft it was. Dropping down beside her, Kouen released the draperies and she gasped at how dark it had gotten around them. Arms wrapping around her, Kouen tugged her into his side as he murmured, "Much better," A kiss was pressed to her cheek, "Comfortable?"

"Yeah," Iris shifted until she could face him though it took a few moments for her eyes to adjust to the darkness, "I wasn't expecting it to get so...dark,"

"When I'm trying to sleep, I prefer it," Kouen grasped her chin with a slight smile, "I might have to wake with the sun most days, but that doesn't mean I won't try to enjoy the days I can ignore it,"

Giggling at that, Iris at him, "I'm am I almost not surprised," She felt his hand on her side and bit back the urge to shift about, "So you prefer to wake up later when you can and bitter wine, you also enjoy fun fights and history. Anything else?"

"I've begun to enjoy kissing you," Kouen gently guided her into the perfect position for them to kiss.

Sighing as their lips met, Iris reached out with the hand not being used to support herself to wrap an arm around him. As the kiss deepened and desire slowly began to build up again, she felt Kouen's fingers find the gap between her robe and shift. Despite the small amount of tension rushing through her at that, she relished in the new warmth that sank into her skin through the thin layer of clothing. Mouth slowly opened as Kouen's tongue ran along the seam of her lips, she made a soft sound at the taste of him mixed with wine.

When they parted, Kouen pressed their foreheads together as he asked her, "Do you want to keep your robe on or take it off?"

Contemplating the question for a moment, Iris felt a small rush of anxiety at the thought of taking it off before she managed to banish it. Offering him a small smile as she panted, she told him, "I...it would be more comfortable if I took it off, right?"

Slow smile being tossed at her, Kouen nodded and moved back as his hand left her side. Iris sat up properly and carefully took off her robe. As she went to ask Kouen where to put it, he took it from her hands and tossed it off the side of the bed earning a surprised look. He tugged her back to him while explaining, "I'm not worried about where any clothes end up, Iris."

Before she could question him, Kouen's mouth was on hers again and Iris slowly found herself lost once more to the taste of him. Fingers found their way into his hair as his hands ran along her sides, she gasped into his mouth when her back hit the bed. Breaking the kiss, she felt Kouen's lips run along her jaw being careful to only drift upwards. Stomach fluttering at the fact he'd remember her problems with anyone touching her throat, she tightened her fingers in his hair. When their lips met again, she deepened the kiss this time earning a low groan of appreciation.

Heat stirred low in her stomach, the twisting feeling of it caused Iris's skin to tingle beneath her clothes where Kouen's hands were touching her. Her head felt hazy, it was almost like she'd dived into the baths head first. Panting breaths left her when they parted, it felt like she couldn't get enough air, yet at the same time, she never really wanted to stop kissing Kouen. Her fingers tightened when his lips dragged along her jaw, a tingle rushing down her spine as his teeth nibbled at her ear.

Fingers drag at her hips, Iris's breath hitches as she realizes the fabric of her shift has begun to move. When Kouen pulled back to peer at her, she breathed out trying to push away the nerves that had built up from the feeling. She murmured, "I...felt something..."

There was a flicker of amusement in his eyes, Kouen pressed a gentle kiss to her lips, "Felt what?"

"I-" Iris was very glad her cheeks were already red, "M-my shift..."

"Well, if we are going to be...sleeping," Kouen kissed her again as she shivered at the husky tone he was using, "You are going to have to take it off along with anything underneath it. I will be doing the same," She felt the warmth in her cheeks grow as he chuckled, "Of course, I will be taking off the top half of my clothes regardless of your decision. Unless it's winter, it is far too hot for anything more than pants,"

Almost immediately her mind went to the instances when they'd sparred together, Kouen often ended those sparring sessions with without a shirt on after they'd come to Kou. Fingers twitching as she slowly dragged them down from where they'd still been buried in his hair, she murmured, "O-oh..."

Smirk curling across her lips, Kouen pressed a lingering kiss to Iris's lips and she felt his fingers dig into hips. Despite the nervousness bolting through her as they slowly tugged at the fabric, she managed to focus on Kouen kissing her. His tongue slipped into her mouth and dragged against hers, the taste of him flooding her senses again. Only when she felt the slip of fabric against her thighs, the edges of her shift brushing against her did she pull away. Panting as her eyes met Kouen's again, she swallowed as he pressed almost gentle kisses along her jaw until he'd reached her ear. Voice soft as her chest heaved, he asked her, "Do you want to continue or just go to sleep, Iris?"

Voice almost catching in her throat, Iris's heart thudded against her chest as she murmured, "I...I want to continue."

Smiling against her ear, Kouen started to pull away leaving Iris feeling confused until he started to gently tug her up. Once she'd gotten to her knees before him, Kouen tugged her into another kiss as his fingers dragged against her hips again. Fingers tugging the soft material of her shift up over her hips, she felt teasing brushes of warmth against her skin and tingles shot down her spine. Breaking the kiss as her shift started to reach her chest, she realized this was one of the last times she'd be able to say they should just go to sleep. Rather than do that, she tugged the shift over her head feeling the heat of her blush darken even as she turned to toss the fabric in the same direction Kouen had with her robe.

As she was turning back, Kouen's hands were on her hips and he had this look on his face that only made her blush worsen. Starting to raise her arms, she stopped when he murmured, "Stunning...absolutely stunning..."

Mouth pressing against hers again, Kouen's hands drag up Iris's sides and it feels like a fire is running across her skin. His fingers paused at each scar, the more faded ones and the newer ones that marked her skin. She felt his fingers drag across each one as he pulled her closer and she felt the hardness of him against her stomach. Anxiety threaded through the heat crafted by Kouen's touches, she pushed it back as Kouen gently pressed her to lay back against the pillows.

Peering up at him, Iris watched Kouen easily tug off his top and toss it through the draperies. Pushing herself up on an elbow, she reached out he turned back to her with a small smirk on his face. Hand sliding across his side as he settled over her, she felt the old scars that littered his skin. Dragging her fingers along his side, she let out a low sound as one of his hands found her breasts. Fingers rolling across the pert nipple, she squeaked as they pinched the nub earning a low chuckle from Kouen. As his head lowered to her chest, she felt her eyes widen.

Lips closed around a nipple, Kouen's tongue swirled around the bud and sparks dripped down her spine at the foreign feeling. As his fingers circled and teased her other nipple, Kouen sucked and lapped at the one in his mouth. Iris let out a low sound when his teeth gently ran across what was in his mouth. There was a soft popping sound as Kouen released her nipple, he switched to her other breast as his hand dropped to the bed beneath them. Eyes closing as heat curled through her abdomen, she squirmed when a hand pressed into her underwear. Breath-catching as she felt warm fingers dip in between her thighs, she jolts as they slide across her entrance.

Fingers digging into Kouen's side as she felt the slightest prodding, Iris's eyes closed as she tried to get lost in the heat dancing down her spine. Her hips jolted as one of Kouen's fingers slid across her clit, a startled moan left her lips, and her cheeks burned at the sound. Hand coming up to clamp over her mouth at the sound even as the heat rolling across her spine surged, she felt one of Kouen's fingers press into her clit and almost whined at the touch. Slightly digging though not too hard, Kouen starts creating small circles in time with his tongue on her nipple and she almost can't help the moan that leaves her.

As the heat brewing in her stomach seemed to tighten, Iris's head dragged back against the pillow and her hips jolted as a finger bigger than her own started to press into her. Her fingers found Kouen's head, she murmured, "S-shit."

There was a soft pop as he released her nipple, Kouen spoke as his other hand began to tease her neglected breast, "Do you like this, Iris?"

Mind hazy with the growing heat surging within her gut, Iris had trouble registering his words for a few moments. When they finally managed to pierce through the fog, she nodded, "I-yes."

"Do you want more?" Kouen pressed a kiss to her lips and she nearly whined when he pulled away from her.

"M-more?" Iris felt another finger start to press into her, "I-" She faltered as his thumb slid across her clit in a way that made her hips jolt and the pleasure sears through her veins, "M-more...I-yes..."

His hands left her and she let out a whine, Iris opened her eyes as she felt Kouen's fingers hook around the edges of her underwear. Belatedly she shifted about and assisted him in pulling them off, Kouen settled between her legs before she could close them. Anxiety reared up as she felt the warmth and bulk of him between her legs, Kouen dragged his hand along her stomach briefly as he murmured, "Beautiful..."

"Kouen..." Iris's voice was soft as he leaned forward to kiss her gently.

Her hips jolted against his, the feeling of him against her sent heat singing through her veins. Pulling back from her, Kouen murmured, "I want to ensure we can both enjoy ourselves..."

Wet kisses trailed down her body as soon as he'd passed her throat, Kouen's tongue dragged across each scar and Iris's back arched as she felt his fingers on her again. As Kouen shifted against her and she felt his nose brush against her hip, a jolt of surprise ran through her. Raising her head, she peered down at Kouen and realized he was kneeling between her legs. With a soft tug, he pulled one of her legs over his shoulder before doing the same with the other. Eyes meeting hers for a brief moment, Kouen's mouth quirked into the slightest smile before he lowered his face.

At the first swipe of his tongue, Iris gasped and her hips jolted. His tongue dragging across the length of her slit, Kouen pressed one of his thumbs against her clit and circled the sensitive bundle of nerves. Hands going to his head, she grasped at his hair as his tongue speared her folds and flickered about languidly. Low groans left Kouen as she found herself grinding against him, the pleasure biting into her spine increasing by the minute. As his thumb slipped away and his mouth replaced it, she felt Kouen's fingers return and almost slip into her with ease. Her thighs grip at him as they rub at places within her walls she could never hope to reach, the breath in her lung catching as he sucks.

Back practically bowing as the heating within her burst, Iris's head dug into the pillows beneath her as white-hot pleasure burns her blood. Chest heaving as she felt Kouen slowly pull his fingers away and rise from between her legs, she reached out towards him with the heavy hand not knowing when she'd let go of him. Grasping one of her hands in his, Kouen brought her hand to his mouth and pressed a gentle kiss to her knuckles. Her already flushed cheeks darkened at the wetness present on his lips, Kouen settled over her.

After a hazy moment of contemplation, Iris raised her head to kiss him as he pressed her hand into the pillow beside her head. There was a salty-sweet taste mixed with Kouen's normal one, she supposed that was her taste. As he released her hand, she felt one of his hands slip between them again and her head dropped back against the pillows as he touched her. She murmured, "N-need a moment...please..."

"Alright," Kouen kissed her again.

When he moved from between her legs, Iris watched him start to remove his pants and her already flushed face darkened. Dropping her head back down just as she'd begun to raise it, she pressed a hand to her forehead. As Kouen settled back over her, she felt as if the heat he gave off had doubled. As he grabbed the wrist of her hand and gently tugged it away from her forehead, he peered at her with a raised eyebrow and she murmured, "I...I'm alright. Just...a bit nervous."

"Which is valid," Kouen kissed the palm of her hand and Iris felt her heart flutter, "Is there anything that will make you less nervous?"

Shaking her head as she couldn't think of anything right now, Iris shifted to kiss him lightly, "J-just stop if I ask?"

"Of course," Kouen agreed as his arm settled down beside her head to support his weight.

Dropping her wrist after pressing another kiss to the palm of her hand, Kouen reached down to tug one of her legs over his hips and Iris jolted as she felt him press against her. Rubbing his hips against her and she felt a slight dragging wet feeling where his cock touched her, Kouen breathed out through his nose. Fingers brush against her entrance and she jolted as they slip inside for a brief moment before disappearing, she feels Kouen shift before the tip of his cock is pressing against her. Eyes closing as her heart hammered against her chest, she felt him start to inch inside of her.

Gasping and arching into the feeling, Iris's hands find purchase on Kouen's shoulders and her nails bite into his skin. There was a dull throb within her as Kouen slowly slid into her, the unfamiliar feeling was almost painful. She jolted as one of Kouen's hands slipped between them and his thumb pressed into her clit. Back arching further as she cried out from the feeling, she murmured a curse as his thumb began running circles along her clit. Panting harshly as her brain struggled to process everything that was going on, she murmured, "K-kouen."

"You're taking me so well," Kouen's voice was strained his hips slowly brushed against hers, "Fuck, you feel so good,"

As soon as his cock was fully sheathed inside of her, Kouen stopped moving for a long moment save for his thumb which continued to rub her clit. Foot digging into his thigh as a way to ground herself against the pleasure, Iris's hips jolted against Kouen's minutely. She murmured, "M-move, please, I-I need...I want you to keep moving..."

Hips drawing back a low chuckle left him, Kouen started with a slow pace and captured Iris's mouth in soft kisses until her hips canted up. Only then did he speed up, the thumb he was using on her clit taken away as his hips began moving at a more brutal pace that had her scrabbling at his back. His mouth found her breast, he nipped and sucked at it as she pressed bruising kisses to his shoulders and neck. When his fingers found her clit again, the pressure was almost too much and not enough as he rolled the sensitive bundle between his fingers. Her back arched into him as white-hot heat surged down her spine and her vision went blank for a long moment, she came with a hefty curse mixed with Kouen's name.

As she was coming down, Kouen spilled within her and continued to thrust a bit more gently for a bit longer before pulling out. Settling on the bed beside her, Kouen tugged Iris to lay against his side. Shifting to lay her head on his chest, she wrapped an arm around him as her eyes closed. Heart starting to settle down, she sighed while nosing into feeling a deep sense of contentment settle over her. An arm wrapped around her waist as Kouen asked, "How are you feeling?"

Humming at the question, Iris thought about her answer for a moment before replying, "Content..." She shifted as her eyes opened and peered at him, "Happy...I can't pin down all of what I'm feeling right now."

"I see," Kouen cupped her cheek and she leaned into the touch, "But if I were to ask if you regretted it-"

"No," Iris smiled at the look in his eyes, "No regrets," She giggled at the smile that formed on his face, "I will want to do that again,"

"Oh?" Kouen raised an eyebrow at her.

"Mhmm," Iris tightened her arm around Kouen, "Sex is a lot better than I thought it would be,"

There was a minute widening of Kouen's eyes that tipped her off to him being surprised, Iris tilted her head as he murmured, "You've never-that would-"

Blinking at those words, Iris flushed and almost wanted to take back her words. Instead, she nodded while saying, "I never really had a chance. While I have no doubt the bastard would have loved to break me that way, he never really tried which is one thing I'm thankful for-"

Yelping as she was rolled onto her back, Iris stared up at Kouen as he pinned her underneath him. Fingers dug into her shoulders for a brief moment as he stared down at her, a flicker of irritation went through his eyes as he muttered, "You could have told me. I would have done a few things differently-"

"Why?" Iris frowned at him, "I-Kouen, everything felt good and it didn't hurt, so-"

"It's-" A flicker of frustration passed through Kouen's eyes before he released a sigh, "I...I can't get angry at you. Not over this,"

As Kouen got off of her, Iris sat up with a slight frown on her face, "Kouen?"

"There are just...I would have been more gentle, Iris," Kouen sat back against the pillows and rubbed at his face, "Ensured you were a hell of a lot more comfortable, I can't think of everything I would have done right now because this-"

Making her way over to him, Iris decided to climb into his lap which was somewhat awkward despite the fact they'd just had sex. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she burrowed her face into his neck cutting off the words he'd been saying. Speaking as her face pressed into his neck, she murmured against his skin, "I-I'm happy with how things happened, Kouen. I didn't need anything special. Just...just what happened, alright?"

There was a long moment before Kouen wrapped his arms around her, Kouen spoke as one of his hands ran along her back, "Alright," She felt his hand pause as it came into contact with one of her more severe scars, "We should get cleaned up."

"Do we have to?" Iris heard a soft snort leave Kouen, "I...I'd love to keep...going..."

"Another night," Kouen replied and she pulled her head back to pout at him, "As much as I'd love to, I do have to be at the main palace tomorrow. Though...I wouldn't argue against a repeat of tonight in the morning if you're willing to forgo sparring with me,"

Lips pursing as she contemplated his offer, Iris clicked her tongue, "Tempting as it is, we haven't sparred since I had to start using that stupid potion. I'd much rather spar with you."

Chuckling as he kissed her softly, Kouen gently pushed her off his lap, "Another time then. For now, we need to get cleaned up and head to bed. Do you want to sleep in here tonight?"

Surprised at the offer, Iris nodded hesitantly earning a smile.