#mine:twt

Arin tookhis things and locked himself in the bathroom, leaving Kestrel breathless andangry at the universe’s sense of irony. Arin had become her rival in the bandcontest, when all she wanted was to sing and play with him. And then Arin hadbecome the target of her moods after her poor little heart hadn’t been able tohandle his rejection. Foolish Kestrel! Why did she have to go and fall for the Herranisinger? The young man that refused to mingle more than necessary, and yet hadsomehow wormed his way into her heart. Long nights spent playing Bite and Stingwith him, sharing thoughts and opinions, and then it just… happened. One dayshe looked at him across the university lawn and her heart had simply… ran tohis. It didn’t go well though, as Arin was quick to refuse her heartfeltrequest.

“I supposethe staff can afford mixing up keys but they can’t forget the hot water, huh?”Arin said, his joke breaking through her thoughts as he stepped out of thebathroom. A cloud of steam followed him, partially covering his frame for amoment. Kestrel wished it away, and then she wished it back.

He hadn’tgotten dressed, he’d just put on a towel. Damn him, damn him to whichever sortof hell he believed in.

Arin caughther eye and a crooked grin played on his lips, “See something you like?”

Cheeksburning, Kestrel looked away and back at the fireplace, “Shut up and getdressed.”

“Or…?” Histeasing tone took her back to their midnight sessions, when he would tease herabout her droopy eyes and her long yawns. When he would try to get her to slipup and give up her game. When it was just her and Arin and nothing else existedor mattered.

“You’llsleep on the floor.” It was an empty threat and both knew it.

Arin’schuckle lasted only for a moment before it died out and his voice turned roughand serious, “I’m sorry, Kestrel.”

She didn’treply. He sighed. And then she heard his footfalls, approaching, walking toher.

“Kestrel…”He reached for her but then dropped his hand.

“You saidyou didn’t sing. You wouldn’t sing.Public stuff and that. And then…” Her voice shook with anger and heartbreak,“You get your own music act!” She turned to him and saw with wicked pleasurehow her words hit him like a slap, “If you didn’t want to sing with me, youcould have said so. Not lie! I thought… I thought there were no lies betweenus, Arin.”

This timehe did reach for her, catching her face between both hands in a hold that wasso gentle Kestrel almost thought she was dreaming it, “I’m sorry, Kestrel. Ireally am, but… I couldn’t sing with you.”

“Why?”

Arin lookedaway for a moment, fighting with something inside him. Then, “Because… Becauseyour father threatened me at the time.”

“What?” Shehissed, angry flames licking her insides. How dare he? How?! He cut ties withher and still had the nerve to decide who she could... hang with?!

He shookhis head, “It was more of an excuse than anything else, Kestrel. I… I didn’tfight him, I didn’t fight his threat because… If I stayed, if I said yes… Iwouldn’t have become just your band mate. I wouldn’t be able to be just that.”

She shookher head, or tried to, his strong hands still holding her close, “I don’tunderstand…”

“I can’tstay away from you, Kestrel. I wouldn’t have been able to do it if we spentevery moment together for the band.”

A waterysmile played on her lips, “You’re an idiot, Arin…”

He frowned,“What?”

“You saidno because you were afraid of getting involved with me?” She took a bold step,“Afraid of what could happen?”

“I wasafraid of hurting you, Kestrel.”

“How wouldyou have done it? When I too can’t stay away from you!” She made to grab himbut her hands stopped a breath away from his chest as she remembered he had noclothes on. But then, she threw caution to the wind and placed them on hisskin, carefully memorizing the way his deep golden skin felt so right under herpalms. Arin shuddered at her touch, but made no move to stop her. She said, “Whyare you so brilliant with everything but when it comes to us you just run awaylike a scared little kid?”

A sheepishsmile grew on his lips, joining that little blush that darkened his cheeks, “Iguess you throw me off. With your cunning mind and your beautiful self…”

“Arin…” Shebreathed.

“Yes,Kestrel?”

“Kiss me,Arin. Kiss me and I’ll forget how much of an idiot you have been these past fewmonths. Kiss me. Kiss me…” She begged, fingertips grazing his skin and the hardmuscle right underneath. Her body went into a dizzy dance just like that, hersenses dying to drown in Arin. Arin, Arin, Arin. Everything in her whisperedand screamed and rasped his name. She was so drunk in him already, and allthey’d done was gingerly touch each other.

“Kestrel…”His was thick and desperate, her name hanging in the air between them for onebrief moment that seemed to last forever. Forever and ever. Until… Until shefinally felt his lips touch hers.

A breath.

One longand deep breath.

As if she’dbeen drowning until this very moment, as if Arin’s lips, Arin’s air was theonly thing she could really survive on. Arin. Arin. Arin. Oh stars and all ofhis gods help her, this was even better than anything she had ever dreamed of.And it was just one small, chaste kiss.

Her handsmoved on their own accord, first down his torso, feeling every hard muscle ofhis and drawing soft groans out of him. Sweet, sweet sounds Kestrel had neverthought to be so sweet. Then she moved up, palms pressing and fingers searchinguntil her hands locked on his shoulders for a moment. All along, Arin kissedher softly, his lips massaging hers into a slow and tender kiss that seemed tohold so much fire within and yet it refused to ignite. Not yet, it seemed towhisper, not yet. Her hands moved up again and into his thick, dark locks. Sheplayed with those curls, a smile forming on her mouth when Arin sighed intoher. He liked this, she realised, safely storing this knowledge in the depthsof her heart.

And thensomething snapped.

A deep andalmost primal hunger that seemed to grow inside this kiss. Arin rasped her nameinto the kiss and she opened her mouth, welcoming him, welcoming his tongue.With each press of lips and groan and moan, Kestrel felt her world tip. Arinwas leaning into her, arms holding her close, so close, so close. And shepulled him in, careless about such trivial things like gravity and hard floors.It didn’t matter, nothing mattered. Not when Arin was here with her and kissingher and waking up every piece of hers that had been dormant until this verymoment. The kiss was catching fire and it tasted to good.

“Kestrel…”Her name was a hot breath against her cheek as Arin pressed his face to hersand began a blazing trail of kisses down her throat. Down, down, down. Herpulse, her collarbone, her shoulder… Her robe was barely covering her now,having fallen open in the process of their kisses. Kestrel didn’t even thinkabout what it meant, only what it allowed to happen. Arin kissing her, Arintouching her. Arin, Arin, Arin.

“Arin…” Hepressed a kiss right over her heart and she swore it pulsed anew. Like a freshoff the nest little bird, ready for the world, ready to spread its winds andfind home. Home. Arin. “I want… I want you, Arin…” She said, or tried to, hervoice lost in the moment.

Arin pausedhis kisses with a start. His breathing was laboured and surprised when he spokeagain, “Are you… Are you sure?”

She nodded,partially annoyed he’d stopped his kisses. Why? She was dying without them,dying. “I’m sure, Arin. I’ve been for a long time now. I can’t stop thinkingabout you, even when I try to be angry, I can’t. Not really.” She leaned intohim and eased off of her robe. A violent blush coloured his cheeks as he tookin her naked form, “I love you, Arin. I love you…”

His silvereyes, always so beautiful and brilliant, turned to her, “Kestrel…” A silly gringrew on his lips, “I love you too.”

Her eyesclosed for a moment as she savoured those words. “Then kiss me, Arin.”

And he did.He really did.

Happinessbloomed deep in her chest, just like what must rush through a bird’s heart upontheir first flight, and she laughed. Kestrel laughed and smiled and giggled,Arin’s own laughter joining hers between kisses and more kisses. His towel fellaway, by his hand or hers, neither really knew. And then he laid her down bythe fire, on a lush carpet that felt like fluffy clouds under Kestrel.

His eyesshined, happiness and surprise and love bright and alive, and Arin leaned downto nuzzle his nose against her flushed skin. Kestrel laughed, unable to containthe sound as he played with her skin. Nuzzle, kiss, nuzzle, kiss and blow, thatlast one drawing even louder cackles out of her. She couldn’t breathe, thelaughter and the anticipation taking over her. Arin’s mouth moved upwards,slowing down his playful rhythm.

When he wasclose enough, Kestrel caught his face between her hands and pressed theirforeheads together, locking her gaze on his, “You make me so happy, Arin. Sohappy…”

He seemedto hold his breath, surprised with her words, “I could say the same, Kestrel.Little fists…” A smile danced on his lips as he uttered that nickname and shesmiled too. A month into knowing each other she had accidentally decked him.Arin had commented how someone with fists so small could be able to knock himout so well. She’d laughed the whole day through. She almost laughed right now.But then she felt his touch between her thighs and all laughter and rationalthoughts were gone.

Anotherbrush, soft and tender yet making her moan and gasp in reply. Arin whisperedher name as he touched her again and again, his voice strained and in pain, asif he was the one being touched like that, as if it was Kestrel who was drivinghim blind with just her hands. A louder gasp erupted and Kestrel swore shealmost fell apart then. So close, she was so close to coming undone. Heavingchest, blushed cheeks, Kestrel held onto him as if her very life depended onhim. In a way, it did. It did.

“Arin… Oh,Arin… Please…”

“Yes,Kestrel… Yes…” He rasped and eased into her, slowly.

A blissfulsmile grew on her lips as he moved, rolling his hips with that patience he’dbuilt during their games of Bite and Sting. Slow, slow, slow. She moved withhim, hands wrapped around his shoulders, spread over the hard muscles as theytensed and relaxed with his movements. Arin leaned on his forearms, easing intoa better position as he continued moving with her, his hips slow and seductiveand slick against hers. Kestrel had always heard of quickies and whatnot, butshe was certain the reason they were so overrated was because no one had evertasted this. Arin’s slow and clever rhythm. Patient and delicious, each roll ofthe hips perfected to draw the softest and rawest of moans out of her.

Her heartwas so full and beating so fast. Full of love and happiness and Arin. Arin.Arin. How could someone fill someone else’s heart so perfectly? His words, hisbeauty, his mind, his body. His pace picked up ever so slightly and a shudderedgasp escaped both of them.

Aringroaned. “Kestrel… Kestrel…” He whispered her name, over and over again. Voicestrained, eyebrows drawn, Arin was lost in her just as she was lost in him. Solost. But a good lost, a good lost. Because he was home. Home.

Anotherroll of the hips. Just another. Another…

He cursedunder his breath and shuddered as a hard thrust rocked her body and threwKestrel over the edge, together with Arin. Together. His name was a soft cry onher lips, her heart exploding to pieces, so full of love and happiness as itwas. Her body was nothing, Arin had set fire to it with his kisses and histouch and now Kestrel was nothing but an ethereal thing. Bound to the earth onlyby her love for Arin.

--

She dancedwith her fingers over his open hand, tracing the lines of his palm back andforth. Arin took in a shaky breath and she giggled, “So sensitive.”

“You’retickling me, Kestrel. I can’t resist that.” He rasped, his voice still a mess.

“Are yougoing to sing with me now?” She asked after a while, looking up from his chest.

Arinsighed, “Do I have a choice?”

She smackedhim, “Of course you do. But I’d very much like it if you said yes.”

“What ofRoshar? And Risha?” He asked, remembering his manager and Kestrel’s vocalist.

Alwaysready for this, Kestrel didn’t even stop to think of her answer, “You knowRoshar won’t mind it one bit, so long he continues to be the manager. And Risha…Risha wants to go to Broadway. She wants to sing in musicals, to be where Verexis.”

Arinchuckled, “You have everything worked out already. Of course you do.”

She hummed,“Yes. I’ve thought about this for a while already. Say yes, Arin. Stay with me.”

“I’ll staywith you no matter what.” He said, his voice softer and stripped of any jokes.

“I’m glad.But I still want to play with you.”

“You don’tgive up, do you?”

“No. Plus,you said my father was the other reason why you refused me. Considering he isout of my life for good and everything we did tonight, I don’t see any reasonwhy we can’t play together.”

“What aboutthe contest?”

“I’m goingto withdraw.”

“And so Ishould do the same?” He offered with a raised eyebrow.

Kestrelpaused, “Well, you don’t have to. But I am withdrawing.”

Arin huffedand passed a hand through his hair, “And so am I, since I only entered thisbecause of you.”

Laughterbloomed out of her, surprised and light, “How come?”

“Youchallenged me. It would be a sign of weakness to not rise to it.” He replied,his tone as a matter of fact.

“I daredyou. And I was angry at the time, I said some stupid things.”

“Oh, so sheadmits!” Arin joked, the sound quickly replaced by a yelp as Kestrel poked him.

“I saystupid things sometimes, I never denied it.”

“Yes, butyou never admitted it either. I have an idea.”

“You do?”

“Yes. Weboth withdraw, let our friends know of it and stay here for the rest of theweekend.”

Her cheeksheated up, “In this room?”

Arinnodded, “In this room. Just us. Making up for lost time. What do you say?”