Remnants of the Earth
AEDOLIS => Haviah => The Citadel => Topic started by: nephero on May 25, 2017, 11:29:38 pm
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---Messaging [Pilot Chat 9000 - Peasants GTFO] open connection ---
Kielar: anyways good night! Banning help yourself to more sandieches.
Izzy: @Banning I've got your cake right here. And it is delicious.
Banning: I'm coming over! Give me that cake!
Kielar: have fun Banning lol
Kielar: now where is my blankets fir the couch....
Seiteki: Is that a codeword.
Seiteki: That's a codeword.
Kielar: no XD i just want to go to bed but cant find my blankets
Gerard: Told you he was going to have his cake and eat her too.
---Connection to [Pilot Chat 9000 - Peasants GTFO] closed---
The timer buzzed, loudly, and Izzy sat up from her reclining position on her couch. She set her tablet onto the coffee table beside her, and stood, padding quietly into the kitchen and pressing the timer's off switch to get it to stop yelling for attention. She pulled the oven door open, and breathed in; bubbling cheese mixed with cayenne and chicken and green chilis, pulling the whole casserole together and leaving her mouth watering. It wasn't the cake she had promised Banning-- that was on the counter, iced and coated with spiraling purple frosted flowers. It had been an experiment to test her skills with pastry bags, and the experiment had been satisfactory enough to share with another person.
Well, that, and Banning had been barking about cake for a while now, and Izzy had finally had a spare moment within which to actually attempt such a thing. It had been so chaotic lately; new recruits, food poisoning, keeping Lilo from openly tormenting Rodion to the point of invoking murder, her twin brother's absolute garbage fire of a love life...
It was nice to get some time to herself. She was even outside of her near-constantly worn uniform for once, favoring thick leggings and a loose tank top and enjoying the feel of cold tile beneath bare feet. She didn't get to relax often; more to the point being that she didn't allow herself to relax often, so these few moments were extra enjoyable.
Izzy pulled the casserole dish from the oven, and set it atop the stove to cool down from molten temperatures. This gave her plenty of time to pour herself a glass of wine, sipping at the deep red fluid as she switched off the oven.
It was only well into her second glass that Izzy wondered if Banning even knew where she lived. Not that it would be difficult to find out, but still, she figured it might behoove her to go and find her phone again, setting the ringer as loud as it could go so she'd be able to hear it from any point in her apartments.
Where was she? Oh, right. Wine. And food. Mm-mm, enchilada lasagna, just like mom used to make.
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Banning didn’t waste any time. When he said he was coming over for cake, he was coming over for cake. He wasn’t going to let something like buttery, creamy, cakey goodness slip through his fingers. He really hoped it was lava cake. Or maybe it was some kind of a bundt cake. Hell, he wouldn’t give two shits if it was chocolate covered cheesecake.
“I have your cake right here,” she’d said. “And it’s delicious,” she’d said. Free cake? Yeah as if there was any way in all of Aedolis that he was going to pass that up.
He wasn’t that picky when it came to sweets, but if there was something delicious to be had somewhere, he wanted it. The hunger was always there, a constant gnawing nagging need, that needed to be sated regularly and if it wasn’t incidents like the butcher shop could happen again. Ohhh, a terrible thing to think of at a time like this.
Her apartment wasn’t difficult to find. He’d thrown on that leather jumper with band patches and stuffed his boots on and he was out the door. Banning was never the sort to wear his uniform if he didn’t have to. That and jeans and t-shirts were so much easier to wash. So when he reached her door, he combed fingers through the lose ends of his hair and scratched at the shadowed beard on his face. Oh god, he was scratching like a drug addict. Ugh.
The back of his knuckles struck the metal door and he tilted his head as if he could see through the peephole himself. “Heyo, neighbor. Good god…what is that smell? That is definitely not cocoa butter…” And he grinned sneakily, giving her a sidelong gaze. The truth was, he could smell what she was baking all the way down the hallway – a little courtesy of his lycanthropic condition – so it was a little easier to hone in on where she lived. That something was burning. But he wasn’t going to tell her that.
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"Oh? Been sniffing at your own asshole again? I keep telling you how unsanitary that is." Izzy cooed from the other side of the door. She thumbed the controls with a grin, and the door slid open to admit Banning into her abode. "People get ebola doing that, Banning. Do you want ebola?"
Chuckling to herself, she turned to head back towards the kitchen, beckoning with one finger for the Pilot Royal to follow. She pointed at the small table set to one side of the kitchen, a short, silent command for the other to sit while she pulled plates out from one cupboard and set one on either side of the table.
"That smell," she said after setting down napkins and forks, grey eyes flicking up to consider the Pilot Royal's every move, "is my dinner. And since I can logically expect you to mention something crass about ebola and asscracks, let me jump right to the part where I say you're not allowed to have any because you're a rude little man."
Not that she'd actually deny anyone food, and the gentle upward curve of her lips said as much, but it was still fun to tease. It was always fun to tease.
She retrieved the covered cake dish from the countertop then, and brought it over to the table, setting it in the center before removing the cover with no shortage of relish.
She had every tight to be proud; the cake was in several fluffy white layers, kept together by blackberry icing and dusted with powdered sugar. A network of icing flowers climbed up the sides, curling into a spiral on the very top and surrounding a small pile of juicy oozing blackberries. Ah yes, her magnum opus, the creme de la creme-- or at least until she tried something else and was equally proud of it.
"All yours. Dig in." she said with a wink, setting down a large knife beside the cake dish.
-
Literally the worst host to guest greeting he'd ever heard of. Ever.
As much as Banning expected it, it was hard to hold in that laugh and he snorted as he entered into her not so humble abode. The smells, for that gracious second, was remarkably overwhelming. Banning could have gotten dizzy and passed out by the scent of cocoa butter, food, and cake. Because aside from the cake, which was the lode stone that guided him here, the smell of real food immediately made excess saliva pool inside his bottom lip.
He forced it down, audibly gulping as he made his way toward the table. "Well you'd be wrong. Because I'm an excellent guest, and this is your home. If I wanted to be an asshole, I would let that perfectly good cake go to waste, and you'd be dining alone. Hm, which is probably how you planned your evening to be anyway." He shrugged.
Too late to leave now, he'd already made himself comfortable sitting at that table. Of course if she denied him the cake, he'd be forced to take it. He just grinned at her, however, looking between her grey eyes and the cake and when he saw the presentation at last his eyes visibly flickered. "Goddamn, girl. That's remarkable. It almost too good to eat." Of course that's just what he came here to do.
Banning didn't want to cut it, so he simply ignored the knife that Izzy left him and instead he took an index finger and scraped it against the icing. That sliver ended up in his mouth and he savored that flavor that expanded on his tongue. Each sense opened up and he moaned. Yes, this deserved a much better appreciation than simply tearing into it. He stood up, removed his jacket, slinging it over the chair's backing and made himself more comfortable.
"Well, Izyy, I have to say. You outdid yourself. I haven't even eaten it and I'm impressed," he said, looking between her and her casserole. "I know you made it and all. But it wouldn't do for me to eat this whole thing by myself. After all your hard work. So how about letting me try those enchiladas too? Half and half?" He winked back at her and took another taste of the icing.
-
"I think I recall someone once saying something about best laid plans and going awry," Izzy commented, one corner of her mouth curved upwards in a little smirk, "Something, something, mice and men."
She blinked as Banning completely forwent the knife and instead scooped up a fingerful of icing. It was his cake after all, but it was certainly not what she had been expecting, and she gave a soft little laugh. Banning had a remarkable habit of doing what she hadn't been expecting, and she found it was not at all unpleasant.
Still shaking her head in amusement, Izzy went to retrieve a couple bowls, and scooped sizeable amounts of the casserole into each of them. One she set in front of Banning, and the other she placed on her own side of the table, sticking a fork into both afterwards.
"Half and half, it is. It'll certainly cut down on leftovers, something for which the limited space of my fridge will be infinitely grateful." She winked at the Pilot Royal, before going to retrieve her wine glass.
This was remarkably pleasant. Izzy was used to eating alone, except for the rare occassions that her brother decided he didn't feel like cooking, and honestly she had never been bothered by the peace and quiet. She hadn't expected to get a dinner guest out of this evening, but yet again Banning had thrown a spanner into her expectations and she really could not complain one bit.
"It's spicy," she warned about the casserole, "what did you want to drink? Blood of your enemies? Diet blood of your enemies?"
-
"Ha! Good thing I brought my appetite," he chuckled. Hell, if he wasn't careful he might eat her out of house and home. And that, now that was jus down right rude.
Half-and-half seemed like a fair enough bargain to him. Cutting down on leftovers was just an added bonus, Banning grinned when that scoop of casserole was served into a bowl and set down in front of him. His stomach growled loudly, and that grin faded fast. "A little overeager, aren't we, stomach?" he thought a little too loudly. Whoops. That wasn't difficult to pick up on, given his presence and the drool that was figuratively leaking from the corner of his mouth.
He was glad he came hungry though. "Spicy, huh? I wouldn't have it any other way," he chuckled and scooted his chair in. Swallowing another wad of spit, he laughed, even a bit nervously, eyes flicking to her. She was definitely dressed down. Unlike how he'd seen her on any other occason, yet it was refreshing and he definitely wasn't complaining, enjoying the sight of muscle playing underneath skin.
Hm, dinner and a show.
Banning averted further thoughts about cocoa butter, face licking, and icing, as he took a forkful of that casserole into his mouth and immediately coughed. Did she marinate this thing in tabasco sauce!? Banning laughed and forced himself to swallow down the bite. "Once you get over the initial gasoline-like flavor, it's actually really good,." And now that his tongue was on fire, he'd need something to put it out. "I'll get it, you've already served me cake and food!"
Banning stood up and reached for an empty glass, taking the open wine bottle and pouring himself a goblet's worth. He guzzled down that cherry-acid and quickly refilled it. Setting down the bottle on the table, he took his seat and had his glass part way to his seat, and caught a glimpse of cleavage. Oh right, she had that. And the sip never made it to his lips and ended it up on his shirt..
"Aw shit!" he growled, "I just washed this goddamn shirt!"
-
Well, well, well. Izzy always liked a man with a healthy appetite, though she had to stifle a laugh at just how loudly Banning had chastised his own stomach. That was always the trouble with their sort-- even thinking things too eagerly posed a risk all its own. Though Izzy certainly didn't mind whatsoever, rather thankful that she had overloaded on serving size for this particular dish. She had a feeling that once the initial burn of pepper wore off, seconds would be necessary.
Her eyes narrowed a bit as she took a bite of her own, seemingly perfectly unaffected by the heat, though she did take a much larger swig of wine afterwards. Still, her mouth was curved upwards in that same predatory smile, and it only widened as Banning up and spilled wine all down his front.
"Wow, Banning, was it really that hot?" she cooed, plucking up several napkins and handing them off to the Pilot Royal. Not that it would do much for the inevitable stain, which would be unfortunate, but at least the man wouldn't be soaked in wine. ...Though that there was a thought all its own, one that Izzy was very, very careful to keep under lock and key. She should probably go and get a different shirt for the Pilot Royal. One of her old ATC training shirts might be large enough. Thank goodness she wasn't a dainty girl in any sense of the word, because the thought of Banning in what equated to a belly shirt was entirely too much. She'd never be able to look him in the eye again.
"Here, let's get something on that before it sets."
-
Ugh, of course he had to stain his favorite goddamned shirt with goddamned wine in the middle of goddamn dinner. Banning was mentally kicking himself. He wasn't normally that uncoordinated, or distracted from something as amazing as good food. He had to physically be on fire to turn away from a proper meal. Banning supposed that after the face licking, good first impressions were in short supply.
At her offer, Banning loudly released a sign of relief. "Yeah, thanks for that. I'm not normally uncoordinated," and he carefully omitted the part about staring at her chest. Banning stood and pushed his chair in. "Thanks, Iz."
The shirt itself was fitted enough against him so he was forced to squirm out of it, yanking his arms in through the holes and pulling it up and over his head. "Brrf, a little chilly in here," he murmured and rubbed his hands against his chest, trying poorly to hide his hardened nipples. "Did you turn the AC down before I got in?" he teased, lips curled in a playful smirk.
"What lifts wine stains again?"
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It's a fact universally acknowledged that once you lick a person's face in a crowded bar, there is absolutely no way you will ever be able to interact with them with any kind of real dignity. Cosmic law being what it is, it's simply physically impossible.
It was also physically impossible for Izzy's ears to get any redder than they already were; such was the curse of having skin as pale as she did, she blushed terribly easily. Luckily, the rest of her seemed to be in some kind of control, and so she was able to take Banning's shirt and toss it into the kitchen sink with all the casualness of someone who was around strapping half-naked men all day. Super casual. The most casual.
"Salt," she said, not really trusting herself to turn back and look at Banning right that very moment, and upended a container of table salt into the sink and directly onto the stain. When there was a considerable layer of it on the shirt, and she finally got her blush under control, she turned back to the Pilot Royal, one dark eyebrow quirked in amusement.
"And of course I turned down the AC. You have to do something when you're going to be guzzling down an entire field of peppers, don't you understand how science works?" The Pilot Noble bared her teeth in a quick grin, before sauntering off to her bedroom to find that shirt... and hopefully get her drool reflex under control.
She tossed the old training shirt at Banning upon her return, almost regretting the fact that this, naturally, meant that he'd be putting it on. Almost. A good gulp from her own wine glass helped a bit.
-
It was a fact that Banning could comes to terms with. Public face-licking was not a common past time for most. Banning had just been in a drunk place at an even drunker time.
He wasn't going to pretend he didn't notice her ears. Odd. Was it the chili peppers making them all red? That casserole hadn't even been finished yet and it looked like steam was about to whistle out of her ears. Banning stood beside her, the somewhat faded tattoos of metal and hardcore punk bands and their album art littering across his lower and upper back, just over the pinstriped designs and interrupted here and there by scars from both combat and training.
"Well, I don't normally stain my clothes, to be honest," he chuckled next her, watching her rub salt in that Rattled Brainz t-shirt. Hmm, maybe favorite shirt was a bit too presumptuous. He'd only ever been to one of their shows, and that shirt was probably more useful as a dishrag.
When she got that t-shirt, he noticed her ears weren't so red. Hm, maybe it wasn't the chili peppers after all. "Thanks," he murmured, winking at her and throwing that shirt over his head and slipping his arms inside. It...was a little tighter than he anticipated. Although she was no means a small woman, the shirt was snug but it was clean and he could still breathe mostly.
Banning eyed her demeanor and titled his head. Oh, no it definitely wasn't the peppers. Should he be presumptuous and assume that he had anything to do with her sudden rise in temperature? Banning was a little amused and when she was looking his direction, he flexed his pecks a little as he stalked around the table to where he was sitting before.
"So let's get back to guzzling down that field of peppers. Because, that casserole's destiny is to get inside my stomach," he said and took a large mouthful. Now that he knew what he was getting into, it was much easier to mitigate the scorched earth that had become his tongue with a swish of wine between his teeth. OOoooh that was good. Real food for once, instead of the cold bologna sandwiches he'd been feasting on for the past few days. Coffee and energy bars too, but that didn't really count. No meat.
"Izzy, Izzy! How! How do you do it? What's your secret? Because I was under the impression that if I ate anything you made I'd get food poisoning," he said, laughing between bites. "This is just fucking delicious."
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"Oh, really? You never get too enthusiastic and make a mess? How fastidious." As Banning pulled the shirt over his head, she took the opportunity to enjoy the view before it was covered up again. The tattoos were glorious, even if she didn't know all the references therein, but that hardly mattered when the overall view was this enticing. Even the scars added to it in their own little way-- the visual representation of a life lived.
She had almost gotten herself under enough control to look Banning in the face again when the awful bastard had actually flexed at her. Her eyes glazed over for the half of a moment it took to tap into her hemokinetic talents and force her face to remain its normal shade versus bright berry red. Her shirt was doing absolutely no favors; it was tight enough that she could still see every movement in every bit of that considerable musculature.
No. Down girl.
Perfectly poised, Pilot Noble Kiers returned to her seat, taking up her own fork. She did, however, allow a very pleased smile to take over at the flurry of compliments-- at least, until there was mention of food poisoning.
Her mouth curved downwards in an annoyed scowl, and her grip on her wine glass tightened by a considerable amount.
"If you let it fester in questionable conditions for three weeks solid, and then decide to eat it, then yes, I suppose my cooking would give you food poisoning. But that also implies you've zero consideration for basic food safety, and thus the onus would be on you." She swore she would never hear the end of the "green bean incident"; even Chance had yet to let up on it, and that was following several not-so-gentle sparring matches.
"But thank you," she said, finally, after another bite of food, "I'm glad you like it. If you'd like, I can always wrap up some for you to take home."
-
Of course he had the potential to become too enthusiastic and make a mess. That's generally how things ended. The butcher shop, came to mind, among other things. He wasn't going to let her in on that though, and he was careful not to think that as he took another spoonful of the casserole between his lips.
Banning was very careful not to let the flavor of it overwhelm his senses, and he let it linger on his tongue, closing his eyes to appreciate every individual taste of it. There was still the somewhat gasoline like burning it left behind, but he quickly became accustomed to it, and he swallowed it. Really, she outdid herself.
"It's important to remember that nobody died from it. And you've immediately redeemed yourself with this dish. Not that you really had anything to worry about, Iz," he grinned wryly at her, eyes flicking over her form again, and staring at her gray eyes with a lingering gaze, and a hint of a pointed canine that his tongue flicked up to claim a piece of that chicken that tried to free itself from the confines of his mouth.
"I don't think I've ever let - or would ever - let food fester for that long without eating it. In fact, right after dinner with you I really should go grocery shopping," he chuckled. "I've been eating cold cuts for almost a week. And you've just saved my night." His visage truly was one of gratitude and it showed when he reached across to squeeze her forearm. "And I will take that to-go plate, y'know when it's time to go. Because if that was you trying to kick me out - laaaaame."
Another sip of wine, he finished the bowl and Banning let the flavor explode in his senses this time. "Hmmmm, if this food were a person, I'd get naked and make love to it." He licked his lips and tilted his head lazily at her, his spoon idly digging into the cake and taking a scoop of it as opposed to it a slice. "So you were gonna eat all by your lonesome? Seems like a daunting task, even for someone like yourself. It's a good thing I came. Here. Arrived, I mean. Never attempt to eat a cake by yourself. It's kinda like hard drinking. Rock bottom, and ruins an otherwise lovely figure."
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"Cold cuts?" Izzy asked, looking for all the world like Banning just tried to proposition her grandmother for something involving fish heads, "For a week? My God, Banning, have some self respect."
She grinned at the other Pilot, and it only widened when he touched her arm. She made a huge show of patting Banning's hand with her free one, tut-tutting while shaking her head, like she were a doctor looking over a terminal case.
"I'd much rather you take a to-go plate than eat... whatever processed monstrosity that's been sustaining you these past several days. And if I ever find out that you've done that again, I'm just going to start showing up at your door with care packages."
She attempted to take another bite of her dinner, but choked immediately, because of course Banning took that precise opportunity to espouse the desire to fornicate with the anthropomorphized version of her casserole. She turned to cough into the crook of her elbow, shoulders shaking in between with half-choked laughter. That had been a vividmental image. Very vivid. Very, very vivid considering she had very recently been privy to normally-covered pieces of anatomy. Tattooed pieces.
Eventually, she managed to stop making a fool of herself, taking a final swig of wine and humming a bit as Banning asked after the wisdom in attempting to eat an entire cake by oneself.
"What can I say? I have a very healthy appetite," she quipped, her eyebrow shooting upwards at his Freudian slip and some malicious part of her deciding it was too good an opportunity to pass up, "and I always burn it right off. Strenuous activities and whatnot."
Which was true; hemokinetic amplification had a nasty tendency to expend a considerable amount of energy, and took an entire metabolism with it. Didn't mean she couldn't heavily imply otherwise. She reached across the table then, scooped up a bit of untouched icing with her finger, and took a great measure of joy in licking it right off. Damn, but that was good. She'd have to make this cake again.
-
Banning's free hand pulled at the collar of that tight ATC training shirt, to let some of the air and alleviate the beads of sweat that were forming just at the base of his throat. The chili peppers, which his stomach was probably going to pay for later, were so worth it. Few Pilots these days bothered with real life skills. It was easier to hire someone to do everything else for you, or spank an ass to do it for you.
It wasn't that Banning didn't know how to cook. He just was generally too lazy to do it. So at her offer of making care packages, he chuckled and almost jerked in his chair at the offer. Because, gods yes! - for one, and for seconds, well there'd be seconds. "I'd love that, for sure. We'll set up scheduled meetings and everything, and I'll find a way to repay you for your careful consideration."
Speaking of warm, the wine was giving him a nice buzz and settled easily with the food, and even the cake. He had a strong constitution, few things making him ill or heaving over a toilet. She had his attention with the mention of care packages, ones he was sure he wouldn't let sit for three weeks in his fridge, yet something more certainly intrigued his interest. Sure, she might not have meant it that way. Or maybe she did.
Whatever she meant, lavender eyes fell to her licking that icing right off her finger, and his pulse momentarily thrummed in his ears. Was that on purpose? It felt like it was. It was Banning's turn to flush, albeit it's conspicuousness beneath his tanned skin was less so than the flush she had on her ears. Everything was warm, and he had no complaints, and vision lingered on her pulse at her neck, listening to the blood rushing inside.
The music it made, when it sped up, and she manipulated it to slow down, left a harmonious residence. He wasn't hemokinetic, but he pressed little jolts through where he touched her arm, that would feel like a buzzing that spider-crawled up her arm.
"Oh yeah? Like intensive training? Maybe you're burning off a few too many calories though. We should train together sometime. I'm sure we'll have plenty to teach each other, between the two of us," he said with a husky lilt to the edge of his tone.
Banning took another spoonful of cake, shifted a little closer in his seat. "Gods, Izzy, look you've got schmutz all over your cheek. Don't they teach coordination to you Pilot Nobles?"
He purred out a chuckle before he leaned in and dabbed a dollot of icing on her cheek, and promptly licked it off. "So messy. But very tasty." Banning resumed his seated position, finishing off his glass of wine, and refilling it again. "But from your posture, it looks like you've got a few kinks in your back that need some work. Strenuous activities can cause that if you don't stretch before."
-
Izzy couldn't help but gasp; her lips parted to take in a breath, short and barely audible though it was, as she felt Banning's fingers against her arm, those little jolts singing along nerve endings before fading out in a way that was so utterly delicious she actually found herself missing the sensation.
Between that and the wine and just how terribly wonderful Banning's tone had been as he suggested one-on-one training, it was little wonder how much Izzy's brain fizzled right on out. Everything was buzzing, like those little spidering jolts had settled absolutely everywhere and were not letting up in the slightest. The absolute bastard.
Isabel Kiers prided herself on maintaining a very distinct level of calm and control. And here in the span of... what? thirty minutes? whatever time had passed, Banning had taken all of that control, balled it up like yesterday's newspaper, and slam dunked it straight into the trash.
She took even, steady breaths to try and hide the fact that she could no longer keep her pulse from racing, rather regretting the choice to drink as much as she had because that was totally the problem here, right? It was entirely the alcohol's fault, all nothing-proof of it, and she had almost gotten her heartbeat back to normal--
And then he licked her.
Again.
It was already a mark of where she was at in that she had a distinctly delayed reaction to icing being put on her face in the first place. She had opened her mouth to protest, had prepared some kind of snarky reply, and once again Banning with the three point shot from center court, because his face was incredibly close to her face and the Pilot Noble was left utterly stunned for as long as it took Banning to retreat to his side of the table again.
Goddammit, she chided herself, increasingly annoyed with how she was losing on her home turf, get a hold of yourself, girl. Right. Engage sarcastic comeback #46. Processing. Processing.
"Kinks? Perhaps I do. I wouldn't say they're in my back, though." Eyes sparking in mischief, Izzy took the time to press her own spoon into the cake, taking a bite. "But far be it from me to question your powers of observation and superior experience. I'm sure whatever wisdom you could impart upon my stretching routine would be..."
She twirled her spoon a little, as if looking for the right word. And then, with a wicked grin, she found it.
"Invigorating."
-
Good gods, milk could curdle into cheese with all the heat that Banning resonated and the flush that would occasionally wrinkle her otherwise impeccably cool disposition. He found himself chewing on his lower lip when he eyed that spoon piercing that cake and it being deposited between those luscious lips. His heart was thrumming loudly, and yet he forced himself to calm. Just long enough to hear her response.
Invigorating... Darling, darling, Isabel! Banning wanted to see just how flexible she really was. Normally those of a burly physique had a hard time bending in certain ways. She looked like she could at least touch her toes. That was a start.
Banning flushed, just a tad and stood up from his chair, pushing it in as a courtesy. "All right sounds like a reasonable deal. You make me care packages and I'll show you some moves. But first, you're looking just a little stiff. Why don't you sit up a little more?"
He stepped around her, careful to grasp her shoulders gently. At first anyway, and pressed his powerful hands deep into the muscle tissue there. Because there was more than casserole that was going to be cooked in that kitchen. And Banning wanted to make sure the temperature was just right.
"How's that?" he purred. "Oh man. You're so stiff! I think I have to get your whole back! Just getting your shoulders simply won't be enough. Would you agree?" Banning chuckled, maybe a little bit too challengingly, as his thumbs and palms pressed lower into the space between her shoulder blades.
-
For the second time, Banning moved from his chair. And for a second time, Izzy's reaction was remarkably delayed. She had barely even begun to process his intentions, what with the whole comment about looking stiff, and so all she could really think to do was to follow the commands.
She sat up, just a bit away from the back of her chair, the fine hairs on the back of her neck standing on end as Banning moved behind her and set those incredibly strong and incredibly warm hands against her shoulders. She tensed for just half a moment, unused to the sensation of foreign hands on her, but then he pressed down and ooh that felt so very nice.
Even biting down onto her lip didn't stem the little mewl that escaped her, and she might have been a little embarrassed by the noise if she weren't so terribly enamored of whatever it was Banning was doing back there. Bit by bit, knots she hadn't even realized were there were untangled, leaving her skin tingling and her muscles feeling more relaxed than they had in... well, ages. Her blush was back in full force, but this time around she couldn't seem to be bothered with it, simply letting a wave of pink overtake her ears and cheeks.
"That... is... amazing." She hummed, tilting her head back just enough to look up at Banning with half-lidded eyes, that same wicked grin playing at her lips as she regarded the upside-down visage of the Pilot Royal.
"Oh, I agree. You've gone and done it, you're going to have to do the whole thing." she cooed teasingly, though the words came out a little higher towards the end as he pressed between her shoulder blades, eliciting another little mewl of delight. "No... dessert without finishing... your dinner, or however that's meant to go."
-
He had to admit it, he just had to. Izzy made wonderful sounds. A stray thought led him to wonder what kinds of sound she made in while doing the hot and heavy. She couldn't possibly be all proper and prim every second of every day. That would be boring, and Banning was quickly discovering that Isabel Kiers was anything but. There were sides to her that few people had been privy to, and he was getting this rare and glorious privilege to experience it for himself.
Banning dug his hands deeper into her shoulder blades and although his hands found themselves on the other side of her shirt, he forced tendrils of vibration - little buzzings that coursed down her back - to emanate from his fingertips, and he enjoyed the sounds she uttered. Her ears were beet red, and he chewed on his lip, resisting the urge to bite them.
Not yet, he chided to himself. He'd have to save that little snack for later.
"Well, all right then. I certainly can't have you just sitting the way you are," he laughed. Odd, seeing a woman as forthright and firm as she turning into a puddle of goo at her own dinner table. It was a very entertaining idea, but Banning was quickly finding he took a great deal of pleasure in the little things and the invitation of food and wine had been too much to pass up.
Technically though, it had been an invitation for cake, but the food and wine were bonuses, and his reserved nature was acutely stripping away. For someone that fought hard to keep her responses under control, Banning wanted nothing more than to come out from left field, and see what rises he could get out of her. He wanted to poke her and prod, pull, bend and twist her every which way.
"I think I can scrounge up something. Just give me a moment," he purred. Banning left her side a moment. It didn't take long for him to find what he needed. A towel an a few seconds were all he needed to spread it over the counter top and he coaxed her from the that chair. Hands gripped her on her hips, lifting her to plop her on top and making a spinning motion with his right hand for her to lay down on her belly. "Just do it," he commanded, and was able to push her shirt up now from the bottom until it bunched underneath her arms. And then he pried it off her completely.
"Skin to skin contact improves the results considerably," he murmured, and resumed his hands digging into her lower back again. He pressed his whole body into it, being sure to be none too gentle where she had tension the most. And that seemed to stem mostly from her lower back. "Food and a massage. Can't imagine things getting better than this," he hissed. A sinister grin and he glanced at her ear. Maybe just a nibble. When he found himself close enough to her upper back, Banning leaned down and took her left ear between his teeth, giving it a tug, and smoothing it over with a kiss.
-
Oh, but those vibrations were too delicious. Izzy pressed her teeth into her lower lip, unable to help the way her skin jumped as the buzzing ran down her back, her muscles seizing before relaxing even deeper than mere application of force would allow. And yet again, the sensation lingered along her nerve endings, making her all the more sensitive to further contact. It was utterly delightful.
About as utterly delightful as how far off the rails a simple invitation for cake had gone. Dinner and wine and dessert and... being lifted clean off her feet and placed onto her own countertop. It... was not very often that anyone was able to lift her up like that, and the whole experience was more than a little dizzying, the Pilot Noble gripping Banning's biceps as he hoisted her up onto the counter's surface. She knew he was strong, there had been no question about that, but lord mercy the actual demonstration of such things was...
Invigorating.
She had been about to say something sarcastic about making more baked goods or something equally to that effect, when Banning outright commanded she lay down. Something about the way he said 'just do it' had her nerve endings singing far louder than those vibrations had ever done, and so it took very little convincing to get her to roll over onto her stomach and allow her tank top to be slid off.
Her skin prickled with goose-flesh, not entirely related to the temperature of the kitchen, and she shifted to get comfortable, pillowing her head in her arms and rather thankful for the bit of layering the towel provided. Marble was rarely ever friendly, and she was already more than a little... sensitive.
"Does it, really?" she purred at Banning's explanation of skin-to-skin contact making it better, her tone light and teasing because she genuinely did not mind in the slightest. Izzy ooh'd and mewled as her lower back was worked, feeling it pop here and there as the tension was worked mercilessly out. Her toes were curling where they hung partway over the edge of the countertop, and her eyes had slid closed in utter delight in being so pampered.
Was there anything better than food and a massage? She was having a hard time thinking of one-- at least until she felt the scrape of teeth against her ear. Again, she couldn't help the gasp that escaped her, though that quickly dissolved into a breathy little laugh as Banning immediately pressed a kiss to the skin to soothe it. She turned her head just a bit more, fixing him with a heavy-lidded gaze as best she could while still on her stomach, lips pulled back to bare her teeth in a wide grin of her own.
"Still hungry, are we?"
-
She wasn't a small woman by any stretch of the imagination. She was fit to be sure, and her heft wasn't in the floudering of finding what proper places to grab, but rather because there wasn't any lack of footholds he might have gripped her by. The problem came with deciding just where to grab her without seeming like a perverted asshole. Banning was perfectly aware that if she objected to him at any time she'd make a point of it. So he kept his attention gradual.
Then again, it had only taken just under an hour to get her topless on her countertop.
That little bite later and she was grinning widely at him. Banning worked her body like pizza dough, and he could feel the little rises he was instigating inside her by her vibrations.
"Hungry? Yeah. Most likely," he laughed. Banning stopped long enough, to lean in down beside her, letting his face level with hers, leaning against the counter with his hip and giving a wicked flash of teeth. "I have a pretty strong appetite." Eyes flashed to her lips, and stayed there for a time. Banning reached up and brushed his fingers through her hair, pushing the bushels that got into her eyes out of her sight. She had gorgeous eyes. But surely she knew that.
"What about yourself?" he whispered, leaning in close and taking another nibble to her hear, but this time letting his lips trail down her cheek, dragging teeth along with them. "What makes you hungry? Have a hankering for anything in particular?"
Banning let his right hand rest on her back, gently scratching along it, and his other buried in her hair, dragging his fingers through it.
-
What could Izzy say? She was Aedolian, born and bred, and she was entirely not above passing up a golden opportunity. Especially when that golden opportunity came in the form of a ruggedly handsome man with the single most amazing eyes she had ever seen. Genuinely speaking, she could have looked into them forever, perfectly pale and all the more haunting for their hue, and even better, utterly sparking with mischievous delight.
She hummed, low and pleased, as Banning's fingers ran through her hair, clearing her vision of the dark strands that had fallen in the way. All the better to see how close he was, her heartbeat skipping wildly against the countertop as those teeth grazed over her cheek, eliciting yet another little mewl even as she moved her head to give Banning more to work with.
As for her appetites, though... well. She shifted, slowly rising to sit up on the countertop, completely unbothered by the fact that she was clothed only in leggings and faint scars. Her hand slid up to lace with Banning's own, pulling his left hand from her hair and down to her jaw. She turned her head to catch the meat of his thumb between her teeth, pressing in just so before releasing him with a soft kiss.
Her other hand settled against Banning's right forearm, squeezing tight at the muscled limb and sinking in, feeling at his pulse and relishing in how it rushed through his wrists. And still she kept her eyes to his, urging his circulation on, gently pulling little capillaries to life to let heat cascade over his skin, rolling in little waves every time her teeth moved over his fingers.
"Oh, you know," she said, between a flurry of soft little kisses, far more casual than you'd expect considering the circumstances. "Something... hearty. Filling. With a bite to it."
-
Isabel Kiers, the very monument of law, order, and obedience, now so much more malleable, her skin like puddy in his hands. If Banning were the arts and crafts type, he'd equate her more to something like "Sqwish-N-Mush" - that colorful dough kids played with and made interesting shapes with - and he was thoroughly enjoying the feel of muscle underneath her skin.
Nothing soft about her, except those lips.
Because his blood felt like it was on fire the moment her teeth gently sunk into his thumb. It was his turn for his nerve endings to pique. That bite made his thumb throb and even with his pulse rushing blood to every aspect of his body, he hadn't yet breached that brink of arousal. He could feel her awaken the blood vessels in his body, letting more and more pass through, and he shivered again, hooded eyes captivated by each bite she gave. A soft hum rumbled inside his chest, purring out into an audible hiss.
Two could play at that game.
"Something thick and meaty, then," he purred, and tilted his hand in her grip to bring to his own mouth, kissing the top of it like a gentleman might. Banning kept his face close, eyes piercing back into hers and that little thing she did with his capillaries certainly encouraged blood into other places. And there was no question about whether or not he was aroused now, as indicated by the hardness pressing at her leg against the counter. His right tugged at the towel she was sitting on to pull her closer and settle him between her knees, and slipped just a tad from her grip so that he could reposition her hand on his body to explore as she wished.
"You're not expecting any more company, are you? Because I can't say I'm overly fond of sharing," he panted a little more, squeezing her hand with the one that was still threaded together. And then didn't waste any time in closing the distance between their lips, capturing hers in a heated kiss. Her lips were just as soft as he was expecting, and his tongue gently tasted hers.
Despite his eagerness, Banning kept himself in check, taking the time to appreciate the cake he still tasted on her tongue, and nipping at her lower lip tenderly between tilts of his head. She was warm and the heat radiating off her was intoxicating, leaving him more drunk than the wine did.
-
Something thick and meaty.
Izzy couldn't help a grin, even as Banning kissed at her knuckles so gently, another little thrill running through her that had absolutely nothing to do with any of those little vibrations the Pilot Royal was so talented with. She could feel what Banning likely had in mind, that hardness deliciously insistent against her leg, and licked at her lips as he pulled her even closer.
She shifted her legs, hooking her ankles around the back of Banning's thighs, nudging him just that little bit closer as her free hand slid up and over his chest, up to the collar of his borrowed shirt-- her shirt-- her fingers curling against the collar and pulling just enough to leave the hollow of his throat open to soft fluttering kisses. She pulled back with a wicked little grin, eyes flicking up to meet those wonderful lavender ones and inevitably, happily drowning in them.
"Don't worry. I'm all yours, no sharing required." she breathed, mewling as Banning closed the distance and pressed his mouth to hers.
Izzy melted into the kiss, eyes sliding shut and simply feeling him, rough lips and surprising gentleness and an altogether talented tongue. Which was an exceedingly delightful thought she would save for later. Her arms moved upwards, sliding over those broad shoulders, feeling the firm muscle beneath the shirt, nails digging in whenever he bit down onto her lip.
She moved with him, head turning to allow their kiss to deepen, enjoying the remnants of spice and wine before the need for air demanded a momentary separation. She pulled back, just enough to get her hands between them and down to the hem of that majestically tight shirt, pulling upwards with every intention of evening the playing field in terms of amount of clothing worn. She flung the shirt to some other corner of the kitchen, grinning as she descended to trace every tattoo she could reach with teeth and tongue.
-
The spaces between them narrowed considerably once she had her proverbial hooks in him - which thankfully came simply in the form of her ankles trapping him between her knees. Banning purred at the contact and opened his neck for her to explore when she grabbed the collar of his shirt. Eyes were closed, and he hissed.
"Good," he mumbled a response to the sharing comment. The snarkiness was an appreciated little bonus, and when his shirt was gone, Banning let her explore and kiss his body as she chose fit. Something in that mischievous gleam in her eyes sent shivers up and down his spine, and he released soft sighs just her tongue caught him just under the right side of his ribs. A sigh that turned into a laugh when she caught a sensitive spot.
Banning leaned in against her, snorting, entire body flush with fresh blood. But the last thing he wanted to do was distract her concentration, so the only thing he said was, "Does it taste like bacon?" he murmured, snickering a little, his own hands reaching in to cup at the curve of her breast, squeezing those soft mounds and thumb rolling over the tips of her nipples.
"Do you want some cake with that bacon?" he laughed again, burying one hand into her hair and humming pleasantly just when she hit another sensitive spot, And he only saw briefly her teeth bite into the meat at his side, which just so happened to be an artistic rendition of a zombie with a hanging eyeball. Fuuuck. Idly his right hand raked nails up and across her back, his eyes flicking to the scars she had here and there. There was story there for some of them probably. She was a damn fierce Pilot after all. And none of them were without their scars.
That same hand found itself at the hem of her leggings, and slipped just passed the hem, carefully tugging at them, but they were a little hard to get off with her ass planted on that counter. "Here or the bedroom?" he panted, his pulse practically throbbing in his ears, among other places. He wasn't going to have her sit on that counter forever. And when he brought her face back up to his, another fierce kiss, and Banning dropped his face to bury against her neck, leaving a trail of hot kisses along her chest, and found those hardened nubs of her breasts, lapping at them eagerly.
-
Izzy had delighted in the discovery of that sensitive spot, enjoying the way Banning's skin flinched - and she only delighted in it even more as he asked about the exact levels of similarity to bacon he might've possessed. She genuinely couldn't help herself, snorting into his chest before shooting a laughing grin up at him. It was such a nice change of pace, getting this close and still be able to snark and be, well, absolute dorks about the whole matter.
She was caught between actually giggling (the horror!) and a breathy moan as he played with her nipples, those already more than sensitive as it was. Cake with that bacon, for the love of god. She snickered, squirming in place on the countertop with every little flick of Banning's thumbs against her. Oh, but that was nice.
Izzy returned to biting at him with far more gusto, gasping against that poor mangled zombie before she finally straightened up again, her right hand sliding down between them to palm the other Pilot through his jeans. Well, well, he was certainly enjoying himself - and she was right there with him, her own heartbeat thrumming, leaving her flushed and aching.
"Not both?" she teased, before being pulled into another kiss, far rougher and more insistent than previously and oh god was she loving every minute of it. She licked at her lips in thought when they parted, humming and tangling her hands his hair, tugging lightly as he planted more of those searing kisses against her chest. She had been completely correct in her previous assessment: Banning had one hell of a talented tongue. The ache in her abdomen only grew as he teased her, leaving the Pilot Noble breathless and panting and more than a little desperate.
"Ah, fuck..." she hissed, pulling at his hair to bring him back up to face level, crushing their mouths together as if that would somehow alleviate the heady buzzing in her veins. She pulled back, breath coming in short little pants, eyes fixed on Banning's own. "Bedroom. Now."
-
Banning figured since it was going to be a running joke among Pilots from that day onward, there wasn't any point in fighting that rumor. So instead he ran with it! And the noise that erupted from Izzy when she laughed was a pleasant surprise. For someone so rough and gruff, she had a nice laugh, it was remarkably attractive.
Banning laughed against her lips when she suggested both. That was a perfectly valid suggestion, and he might have seconded it had he wanted to part his lips from her breast. Because it was there that he could feel her heart the closest, and the musical thrumming of it made him growl with need. With want.
He had a routine of taking care of his appetites before they got the better of him. Ensuring that he was fed, and had a proper romp, kept him focused when he needed to the most. Certainly there was an upside to taking care of both now, but even he had to admit that he was here with her because he legimately wanted to be. So when she hissed out her command, eyes meeting momentarily and the heat that burned behind him and the buzzing he felt in his head, Banning grinned up at her and yanked her form the counter, hands holding her underneath her ass, and keeping her hanging onto his hips.
"Yes, ma'am," he panted, biting hungrily at her throat. The bedroom wasn't hard to find, just around the corner from the dining table. He plopped her down on it, quickly following along, and his hands unclasping the button and zipper of his jeans. Until he remembered something.
Banning paused. "Wait, just a second," he murmured, pulling away. He waved his hand to her before vanishing back to the kitchen. And grabbed the cake and scampered back to the room, cackling as he settled it on the bedside table.
"Just in case we want dessert with dessert," he murmured as he dove in for more and practically threw himself onto the bed, rolling along with her and settling with her atop him, and shifting his feet from the loosened laces of his boots, and kicking them off.
"So, do you like your bacon golden or extra crispy?" he laughed. And wondered how many cheesy one-liners he could spew out to make her laugh. Banning snorted and dragged his hands down the length of her back again, leaving red marks as they went. His hands at her hips now, he gently pushed her up to give him room, and resumed the removal of his jeans. He lifted his hips enough to wriggle out of them, slipping them down, passed his thighs, and letting his turgid manhood bob when it was freed at last. He wasn't a small man in any sense of the word, and he blushed furiously, looking between himself and her face. It wasn't as if he were ashamed of himself, far from it, but any pause was understandable, more like here he was and she could either to take him or leave him.
-
Izzy couldn't remember the last time someone had made her heart skip and flutter with quite this much frequency-- she wasn't anywhere close to frigid, despite professional appearances, but she also was not typically reduced to putty in less than an hour. Banning was... entirely something else, all rumbling heat and desire and shocks of humor thrown in for flavor. One second he had her mewling-- like right then when he growled against her chest, the sound shooting right down to her core-- and the next moment had her snickering like a dumbass.
Banning was fun, and so she couldn't help the ear-to-ear grin as he hefted her up once more. Izzy wrapped her arms around his shoulders, skin flushed with excitement as he carted her off in the direction of the bedroom and dropped her right down onto the expansive bed. Her teeth sank into her lower lip as she watched his hands move to the front of his jeans-- only to give a soft, disappointed little whine when he paused.
At first, she thought he was going to fetch something a little more vital to their current situation, and had been about to protest, considering she had such supplies far closer at hand. But Banning had already gone, and Izzy was not pouting for it, not at all, even as she worked to wriggle out of her leggings and panties, the latter clinging to soft skin for a moment before being tossed somewhere to the floor.
She looked up as Banning returned, and utterly lost it as he placed the cake on her bedside table. She shook with laughter, one hand at her mouth to try and stem the noise while her other reached out to beckon the Pilot Royal closer.
"Just in case," she snickered, the sound turning into a little squeak of delight as Banning all but cannonballed onto the bed, the pair of them bouncing and rolling around and Izzy getting more than a little handsy until she ended up straddling his (woefully) clothed thighs. She slid her hands over his chest and stomach, and further down still, tongue running along her upper lip in anticipation--
When Banning let loose the absolute worst one-liner she'd heard in her life, and once more she was shaking and giggling, head bowed as she clung to the hem of his jeans just to keep herself from laughing clean off of him. Settling just long enough to speak, she grinned down at him, grey eyes full of heat and mischief.
"Extra crispy, always," she purred, back curving against the pressure of Banning's nails, feeling the way they dug into her skin and delighting in the tiny fires left behind.
Finally, finally, those damn jeans were bucked off, and Izzy couldn't help the needy little moan that followed. She had expected, of course, Banning to be above average, but this had her blushing from head to toe, the softness between her legs aching in anticipation. For one wild moment she considered just mounting him right then and there-- but patience was a virtue, and so she slid one hand down, gripping the base of his (considerable) manhood and sliding upwards in short, firm strokes.
-
The moment she didn't jump out of the bed when she saw him was a promising one, and Banning blushed furiously still, even as he kept his eyes on her gaze. Because, really, he didn't need to see her hand to know what she was doing. The pressure of her hand wrapped around him in a firm grip made his breath hitch and a moan caught in his throat. And his lips curled into a wicked grin. Skin-to-skin now, weren't they?
And who'd've thunk it that he'd be right? It did feel so much better.
His teeth dug into his lower lip, and his fingernails curled into the bedding. The surface itself was soft and giving, very ergonomic against the curvature of his back and legs. "Extra crispy it is," he mumbled, reaching up bury his hands into her hair, encouraging her mouth to kiss along his body, to resume that delicious tasting she'd been fond of earlier on that countertop.
Banning reached across toward the beside table and scraped icing with two fingers, and slathered it on his chest. "Whoops," he laughed. "Butterfingers." A flash of teeth, his tongue once on his canines then he licked his fingers. "You've got some strong ass hands, Iz. But so do I."
His hands were down by her sides and explored the movement of muscles underneeath her skin, her body warm and vibrating like crazy with a hum that was practically off the charts. His member throbbed with want, but he wasn't going to let her do all the work. Already he could smell her scent, and it was nearly overpowering to everything else in comparison. Even the cake didn't seem so sweet as she did. Banning curled his hands around her hip until he found the skin by her lower abdomen, fingers spider-crawling toward that softness.
He felt no need to say anything else, letting his fingers do most of the talking, slipping inside and finding no resistance. All of her was intoxicating, and he pressed his hand further in, lips nipping at hers, even as he moaned softly from her touch. "Turn over," he panted, and rolled them so that she was on her back.
He was hard pressed to leave her grip, but it was her turn to get some attention. "Just relax," he whispered, kissing down along her body, adding bits of cake here and there until he rested his face against her heat. Only one glance was afforded to her, before settling in and flicking a tongue out to taste her.
-
Oh.
Oh, yes, Izzy could watch Banning for days.
He was already a handsome man, of that there was no question. But flushed and groaning and just barely clinging onto the bedsheets, well. That was just icing on an already amazing cake. No pun intended or anything. Okay, maybe a little pun intended.
She couldn't help but snicker as Banning smeared icing on himself, taking the hint and allowing him to guide her head down. She teased at first, lips barely skirting along inked and scarred skin. She flicked her eyes upwards, watching Banning's face as her tongue darted out to trace along that zombie from earlier, before finally lapping up the bits of icing on his chest.
"Wow, bacon really does go with everything." she quipped, light and teasing as she cleaned the last bits of sugar off of him.
Slowly, Izzy worked her way up, biting down here and there and soothing each one with another kiss, her hand caught between them as she continued to work his flesh. The slow rhythm she had established was broken, however, just for a moment, her lips parting to let out a soft gasp as his fingers slid inside of her. She rocked back against his hand, wanting nothing more than to feel him deeper, the Pilot Noble all but mewling against Banning's lips.
And then she was on her back, legs shifting to make more room for Banning between them. He hadn't even really needed to tell her to relax-- she was practically a puddle beneath him, a fact that was genuinely surprising all it's own. It was rare that she could let herself go so completely; there had always been something that kept her on edge, some need to be completely in control. She had fun, sure, but it had always been entirely on her own terms. Not so here, though she wasn't about to let herself over-analyze it. Not now. That could wait for later.
She bit down onto her lip as she watched him move, breath hitching with every little kiss until finally, miraculously, his mouth was on her. She arched with a long moan, hands tangling in lovely violet strands as she tugged at his hair. If she had been blushing before, she was downright rosy now, heartbeat thrumming in her chest and her throat and in far more sensitive areas.
"Oh fuck, Banning--"
Izzy had been right. He did have one hell of a talented tongue.
-
Yup, it seemed they were both hitting things right on the money today. Because just as he suspected, she tasted sweet. And much more appetizing that than blackberry icing. He was still sticky with the juices, well just the places she missed somewhat. Banning hummed, more than pleased to have such an effect on her and when she gripped her fingers into his hair, he was more than eager to press his face further against her heat.
Banning tasted her heat, momentarily breaking free here and there to suck on the sensitive skin of her thighs. He could gauge her reactions solely by her moans and the satisfaction of reducing her to putty, by the sheer grip she had on his head of hair.
In fact he growled against her sex when she was on the verge of tearing a clump out of it. "Easy," he grumbled, "Do you expect me to patch my locks, luv?" flashing lavender eyes up at her through the small gap he could see between her belly and her hands. Her entire body was flushed with heat, rosy red, and made even more apparent by the paleness of her skin.
Banning licked his lips, for they were shiny and slick with her essence, and he went back in, more careful this time. Slower but persistent until she was practically trembling.
His free hand reached up over her arm to squeeze a powerful hand at her breast, gripping it firmly where he could feel her heart pounding practically out of her chest. And when she went over the edge, he licked his lips and crawled back over her, tracing her body still with that hungry tongue.
Banning rested arms on either side of her head, setting now to work a fresh burn into her body because there was no way in hell he was going to settle for a one pot shot. Lips found hers, and he deepened it gradually, letting those soft plump cushions breathe and pant and hiss against him, parting only in a mutual catching of breath.
"So, Izzy," he murmured, letting his tongue lap at her lips, before tilting his head in to catch her a second one, gentler this time. "You have protection right? The evening's still young after all."
-
They were both going to definitely need a shower after this. It wasn't a bad prospect, and if Izzy's thoughts weren't completely preoccupied at that moment she might've lingered on them a little while longer. But as of right that moment, all she could think of was lavender eyes and Banning's mouth and the way he was making every inch of her sing. She let out a breathy little half-sigh, lips curving up apologetically as he growled against her, and she rubbed at his scalp to soothe it a bit.
"Sorry-- ah, got a little... enthusiastic, there." Which was, again, surprising. She didn't usually lose it like this, but whatever Banning was doing just felt so damn good. She let her head fall back against the bed as he returned to lapping at her, her thighs twitching on either side of his head. Heat coiled in her core, throbbing with every swipe of his tongue, building up more and more until she was gasping for air, for mercy, for anything.
One hand left Banning's hair to slide up his arm and grip his wrist as he rolled her breast in that powerful hand, Izzy relishing the feel of hardened muscle along his forearm. It was more than a little thrilling, knowing the sheer force he was capable of, feeling how his pulse thrummed beneath her fingers. All she wanted was more of that, more contact, her hips shifting gently upwards to get closer to him.
She couldn't think, she could barely speak, trying desperately to say something terribly important but all that came out was a litany of Banning's name, every bit of her shaking as that delicious heat coiled tighter and tighter. Finally, she simply couldn't take any more, reaching down to grab at Banning's shoulders in some last-ditch effort to express herself.
"Ban-- I'm--please--!" And then she was gone, left trembling and breathless and every inch of her sparking in overstimulation as Banning kissed his way back up her. Her hands slid over those broad shoulders as their mouths met once more, Izzy giving a little mewl at the taste of herself on Banning's tongue. She shook her bangs out of her eyes when they parted, though several strands clung to her forehead, and she shot an overly content grin up at the other Pilot.
"Very young. Roll over." She shifted with him, sliding to the side just enough to reach the endtable with the cake sitting so patiently atop it, and dug into the bottom drawer for only half a moment before returning with a small square of foil. She tore it open with no shortage of eagerness, one hand settling the condom against the tip of his member. She gave him a little wink, before descending, lips moving against the head as she carefully worked her mouth downwards, rolling it down the entire length before sliding back up, fingers curling around the base of his manhood to assure it would stay in place.
She took her time, then, planting wet kisses along the underside of that considerable length, up and over the head, letting her tongue linger there before she continued upwards, licking and kissing back up Banning's chest and finally settling in his lap. Izzy shifted, rolling her hips against his own, pressing herself against him without quite letting him sink in, a teasing little promise as she stared down into lavender eyes.
"Yeah?" she breathed, leaning down to press her mouth to his in a languid kiss.
-
Banning might have been more merciful in the administration of his tongue against her. He could have taken her please into consideration so that by the time she climaxed, there was an easing into it. Yet, he'd been a little selfish. There was something in the way she hollered out to him that made him want to hear it again and again. He wanted her to coil up and against him, and scream to the high heavens.
His satisfaction was fleeting, however, and maybe he should have gone a little bit easier on her, because once she had him pinned to the bed, it was his turn to start begging for mercy.
Half-lidded lavender eyes flicked between her and little foil square she had, her fingers tearing it expertly and letting his hands rest at her sides. But soon those hands were digging into the sheets, and Banning's chest heaved with a sharp inhalation, when she gripped his member and slipped it slowly down. Well, coupled with the heat of her mouth, and her attention to detail - which was always a nice touch - he throbbed eagerly and dug nails into the fabric of those sheets.
"Holy hell, Iz. Daaaamn."
Somewhere probably, he'd made a tear in them with how hard he'd been gripping them. Banning moaned softly, shutting his eyes tightly. The sensations were hardly dampened even through the condom. He didn't want her to stop of course, but this was only the beginning, and as she kissed her way back up, he raised his head a little, humming out a deep throated moan that fell into her open lips.
It was nice she gave him the opportunity to assent. She had been a very gracious hostess so far, and far be it from Banning to squander her generosity. But more so, it was rare he found enjoyment in being so close with anyone like this. Sure a quick romp was usually fun, and had it's messy perks. There was something to be said though, in that slow meticulousness that made Banning shiver in anticipation.
Utterly leaving him wanting more.
His hips shifted to foster that contact, that opportunity to relish in her body heat. Banning moaned against her lips and found himself releasing a husky, "Please," that greatly resembled begging.
And maybe that's just what it was.
His hands reached down to her hips, gripping her hard and coaxing her body to sink slowly down onto him, meeting that languid kiss with a slow burning fire that left his aleady raw lips, molding sensually against hers. Banning controlled his breathe, keeping his zealotry in check, as he rolled his hips up against hers until he was hilted and he could feel that velvety softness like a glove around him.
"You feel so damn good," he panted against her lips, still tasting cake there, some of herself on them. A grin, eyes opening to see her face, the flushed flesh there. "I wouldn't mind making this a regular thing. If you wanted."
-
The common language had a plethora of melodic and wonderful words-- words that rang of poetry in the short syllables they possessed, words that spoke of sublime things that took entire sagas to otherwise explain. And absolutely all of them paled, wilted into ash, reduced to nothingness in the most spectacular way-- all in comparison to how Banning said "please".
Izzy shifted, rocking back as Banning's hands guided her hips, and she gave a short little gasp as she felt him against her, and then even further, filling her in ways that she simply had not previously believed to be possible. Seeing him was nothing compared to this-- the solid heat that pushed against her walls, pressing into her until her mind went numb. For a moment all she could do was feel, clinging onto his chest and leaving little crescent imprints where her nails had just barely dug into his skin. And then he was buried inside of her, their hips pressed flush together even as their lips met again and again.
Banning was speaking, and at first Izzy didn't understand. But then the words sank in, and she was left grinning above him, her head bowed and dark bangs brushing against his forehead.
"I would absolutely be amenable to making this a regular thing. Very, very regular." she purred, before she sat back up, hands sliding to rest against Banning's stomach as she rolled her hips forward and back, letting him slide almost completely out before taking him right back in again. She bit down onto her lip, skin turning white from the pressure even as the rest of her remained delightfully flushed, her pulse throbbing through every bit of her as she rode him.
Izzy was determined to take her time, taking hold of Banning's hands and urging them up to explore as she rocked back and forth, bringing one large hand up to suck at the pad of his thumb, tongue moving in the same easy little rhythm she had established. Her eyes sparked in mischief as she added a little bit of teeth, pulling back to kiss at his palm before going right back to treating his thumb in much the same manner as she had applied the condom earlier.
There was no rush to her movements even as desire coiled tight at her core, already hot and aching again. The night, as Banning had so eloquently stated previously, was young.
-
Somehow this little veering detour that started out as dinner and dessert and then some "bonding time" between colleagues, was a fine example of why some things not going according to plan was way better than if it did. Banning certainly hadn't been expecting it, and whatever little nuances that became pronounced by Isabel Kiers in her own domestic setting, sparked his interest.
Maybe one couldn't see it from the outside, and perhaps only those close to her would ever get the opportunity to see the warmth, and the giving that she was entirely capable of. And it was something that Banning found himself wanting to experience more. And the moment their bodies connected, tingles shot through his body, his vibrations igniting like crazy.
The pooling warmth in his belly made him quiver, his chest heaving again with another deep breath, and Banning let his head roll back into the bed, his eyes practically seeing his brain. Painfully slow as her hands slid back to gain purchase as she rocked in a mesmerizing rhythm. He grumbled out a sound that resembled her name, between heavy breaths and moans. He just simply wasn't capable of being quiet and frankly he didn't want to.
The sheer pressure of her body on his, that easy movement allowed him enough room to buck up underneath her in time with that rhythm. He could feel his member gloved so tightly within her velvet softness, and these slow sensations forcing him to focus more and more on each movement.
His eyes flickered open, eyeing her body above him, taking in the sight of all she was. Little beads of perspiration manifested along the crevices of muscle, and the rosied flush that colored her wonderfully paled skin. While she was preoccupied with his thumb in her mouth, Banning's free hand scaled up her body, his fingers exploring the muscles along her belly, fingers grinding into her flesh, and admiring the movement underneath.
Touching her was so much better than mere observation, and he resumed the contact he'd started in grasping along her breast, seeing no reason why any part of her should go unappreciated.
More tingles passed from him and into her, and that heat in his belly began to expand, his body trembling once more underneath her. Banning took in another deep breath, forcing himself to keep from climaxing too soon, releasing it through pursed lips. Her teeth caused him to hiss and he grinned up at her. "Bite harder," he pressed.
And the moment she did, he rolled them both over with a soft growl, taking her breast into his mouth, nibbling here and there, and an arm scooped up underneath her right shoulder, to hug her to him, wanting to foster that closeness. Banning rolled his hips, undulating them in time with hers, and he worked deeper into hers with this new access to leverage, his left hand encouraging her legs to cage him equally to her. Every roll of his hips explored a new angle, until he found the one that had her writhing the most.
"Izzy - fuuck," he hissed, turning his head away to lap at the rapid pulse along her throat, the buzzing shared between them expanding expontentially. "I'm getting to the really extra-crispy part." And when he raised his head to look at her, he was snorting out a cackle.
-
Best laid plans oft go awry. Truer words had never been spoken, though the 'going awry' bit very rarely meant it would go so well. Who'd have thought that baking a cake, not for any real purpose other than to simply test out a technique, would lead them both here? Banning groaning and flushed and so solid beneath her, and Izzy herself all but trembling with every slow rock of her hips.
She didn't even bother stifling her own noises, moaning against Banning's hand as his free one slid upwards to cup her, her movements becoming just a little more erratic as she fought off her own climax-- just a bit longer, just a little bit longer. She sighed, returned Banning's grin, and bit down.
The action was just enough to muffle the delighted noise that escaped her as they rolled over, lips leaving Banning's thumb to let out a sharp gasp as he folded her beneath him. At his urging, she shifted her hips, legs wrapping tight around Banning's midsection and squeezing him close.
Izzy's head fell back against the sheets, unable to help a loud cry as the new angle sent shocks of pleasure through every last nerve ending she possessed. Her fingers dug into his shoulders, into his back, into whatever she could get a hold of, desperate to get him closer, to get him deeper, to keep him hitting that same angle until she could barely think straight.
"F-fuck, Banning-- right-- there--"
She could barely hear over the sound of her own heartbeat, her own gasping breaths, but still that wonderful growl rocked right through her, making her shiver in a way no voice ever had any business doing. She turned her head, shaking sweat-soaked bangs out of her eyes, and blinked before what Banning was actually saying registered. The effect was immediate; her face split into a grin, mouth open as she laughed, long and loud and broken only by more shivering mewls-- she certainly could sympathize. She was feeling pretty 'extra crispy' herself, shaking like a leaf for how terribly, wonderfully, achingly close she was..
"Yeah? Give me that bacon, then." She snorted, almost unable to believe the absolute garbage that was spewing out of her mouth. It was the kind of thing she'd never have expected to say in a situation like this, but as always, Banning had dashed any hope of maintaining expectancies. "J-just... fuck, please, give it to me--"
Okay, that was marginally better. Not that Izzy was at all in a place to consider anything in her desperation.
And then, finally, mercifully, there it was again. Every inch of her tensed up as that coiling heat exploded for the second time that night, rolling over her in waves and leaving her spasming after every one. She was sure she was shouting, though what she was shouting she wasn't even sure, the noise only barely recognizable as the Pilot Royal's name.
-
There they were in a tangle of sheets and sweat and skin and deep heavy breathes that made Banning's chest heave in a last-ditch effort to cling to his sanity. But that quickly went out the window when she urged him on, egged him into a frenzy. And he did just that. Never mind the terrible dirty talk that was going on between them. Because all dirty talk was terrible.
The very fact that it was terrible was what made it so great. Banning had never laughed so hard before or during sex that all the wonderful thrills and tingles that danced along his skin had put in his mind a need to set it apart. Something about it was wonderfully satisfying and fulfilling in a way he hadn't considered. He was actually comfortable enough to joke around.
Banning's body completely jolted at her insistence, at her egging... Oh gods. Eggs and Bacon. Even he couldn't help his snort, as his back curled and his entire body trembled. He kept thrusting even into his climax, trying to ride out every last ounce of it he could. In the aftermath of it, warmth and tingles flooded through every extremity like the last ounces of electricity passing through a recipient of such therapy.
He hummed pleasedly, letting his sweat-soaked head rest against her chest, panting heavily until his breathing evened out. Their bodies still intertwined, and the blissful glow of a damn good orgasm still thrumming through him. He curled his toes and gave small kisses to her neck and throat, leading up to tender plucks of her lips.
Banning didn't say anything, looking deep into her grays and finding himself blushing hard. He tucked his face into her neck and rolled onto his side, encouraging her to roll with him. "So," he murmured after a brief silence. "A regular thing, huh? I can dig that." He stretched out lazily against her, and tucked an arm underneath a pillow to prop against his head, a fine sheen of sweat coating him.
And grinning stupidly from ear to ear. "I hope I wasn't too rusty," he murmured, letting his hand playfully run along the curvature of her abdomen. "I mean....oh I dunno what I mean." He snorted. "You, um, do this often? Make dinner and dessert, and invite someone over for a romp in the sheets?"
-
Flushed and boneless, throbbing and panting, Izzy fell back against the sheets and let out a sigh of utter contentment. Banning's final desperate thrusts had only served to wrack her with echoes of her own orgasm, leaving her completely incapable of doing much more than cling to him for the first few moments, fingers tangled in violet hair. She mewled, quietly, breathlessly, as he kissed his way upwards, Izzy's eyes sliding shut as their lips met once more.
She only opened them again when they parted, staring up into his eyes and unable to help the wide smile that overtook her. She felt suddenly overwarm, even more so than when they had been in the heat of it, turning all the rosier as she looked up at the Pilot Royal still above her. Slowly, she stretched out her legs, sliding them against Banning's hips as she did, unwilling to break their contact completely. She let out another content sigh, hands roving over Banning's shoulders and rubbing at powerful muscles in a way that could only possibly be described as affectionate.
Izzy shifted, humming quietly as Banning tucked into her throat, and rolled with him, settling finally against his shoulder as they wrapped around one another. Izzy couldn't remember the last time she had felt this utterly relaxed-- the sex itself had been divine, more than divine, but the whole atmosphere around it had been so much more, so...
She couldn't even find the words to describe it. She could only marvel at how comfortable the whole matter had been; how utterly unbothered with posturing and playacting and putting on some kind of a front to save face the pair of them had been. They had made jokes about bacon all throughout, for the love of the gods. When was the last time she had trusted someone like that?
And there it was. She had trusted him without even making the conscious decision about it, and that thought alone was enough to send her back to blushing again. She looked up, eyes half-lidded in her contentment, and couldn't help another grin.
"Mm. So can I... I can dig it very much. Though if that's you 'rusty', I'm going to need to start stretching beforehand." She let her hands drift up again, fingers combing through Banning's hair, toying with the longer pieces here and there before settling against the back of his skull and lightly scratching his scalp.
She snorted a bit at the question as to whether this happened very often. The answer was, of course, a rather emphatic no. No, she didn't do this often. She rolled around with folks plenty, sure, stumbled home the morning after wearing the same clothes as the previous night more times than she could really count. But this had fallen solidly into a category all its own. This hadn't even been intentional-- she had genuinely only really intended to give Banning some damn cake.
"No... no, I don't find this sort of thing a terribly common occurance. How about you? You always let yourself get seduced by questionable women with cake?" she teased, tilting her head just enough to nuzzle at his jaw, pressing all the closer to the other Pilot as sweat-soaked skin cooled, leaving her just this side of chilled.
-
Those small little touches, caresses and pets didn't come easily to Banning. Or when they did, he rarely had an opportunity to relish in them. His body curved in eagerly against her, twitching only vaguely here and there were her fingertips met the inner grooves of his muscles. He shivered and momentarily brushed away the dampness from his forehead and eyes. His hair went that way as well.
"Oh, I dunno about that. I wouldn't want you to pull a muscle or strain yourself. But I'm warning you now, I can get pretty...hmm, vigorous" he admitted with a purr. Serious flirtation was never his strong suit. Thankfully with her, he felt no need to be serious. That effort could be saved for another day, another time and place. Here he could just be Banning.
As if the previous demonstration of just how vigorous he could get wasn't indication enough. Still, he felt it was fair enough to warn her just in case. Banning flushed a little more, pressing soft kisses to her forehead and just coudln't stop smiling. His face was starting to ache with it all, and the little creases by his eyes squint his eyes into little smiles. He didn't know what was funny, just that he couldn't stop giggling like an idiot.
A questionable woman? Oh is that what she thought of herself?
Banning curled his lips into his mouth and fought to control himself. "Hmm, not...with cake as good as that. But the answer to that would be no. I love food, but it takes a little more than that to get me all warmed up. Hence the rustiness." His eyes flicked from her face to the cake on her bedside table and he not so cleverly leaned over her to stick his fingers in it and steal a pinch of it. A large pinch that he promptly ate and sucked on his fingers to get the flavor out of. Gods! It was still heavenly in his mouth.
And he scooted the pair of them over to get a better taste of it. "I think if you can wear me out, I'll make you breakfast in the morning. I don't really shop for groceries. But I can make a mean scrambled egg medley sandwich and some hot coffee, or tea. Or, whatever it is that you want," he chuckled, pratically purring against her, holding out a pinch of cake for her to taste.
"As for questionable women...only you Isabel Kiers, has managed to seduce me with cake. You either have an exceptional baking talent, or you put an extra ingredient in that cake to get folks frisky and I was your guinea pig," he laughed. "Either way, I'm glad I came over." He loved that sensation of her face nuzzled against his neck, and he opened it more for her to press into, his pulse quickening at the contact.
"Is that how you envision yourself, Isabel, a mysterious baking seductress? Luring in poor sods like me to taste test your wonderful concoctions?" he murmured, peering through a hooded gaze.
-
"Mm, vigorous, you say. Well, I do like a challenge. Big, tough girl, tie my own boots and everything..." The truth was that she really was going to have to start stretching more often; her own bravado aside, this was Banning on an apparent 'light' day, and if that were really the case she needed to step up her game or something. Or at the very least demand more of those wonderful backrubs.
She couldn't help a grin as he kissed at her forehead. This was just so nice, and as if she didn't already consider him handsome before, how he looked when he laughed was even more so. Izzy couldn't help a snort as they shimmied just a bit closer to the cake in question, the woman snickering against Banning's skin as he 'snuck' a little piece.
She pressed her mouth to his fingers as he offered her a bite, letting her lips linger here and there as she made sure to get every last crumb of cake off his hand, humming a happy little note. She had indeed outdone herself on this one, though if she were perfectly honest, the means in which she was being fed the cake was by far the best part of it. The prospect of Banning remaining, of this continuing, of something as downright domestic as being made breakfast, well...
That was the biggest bonus of all. And so she looked up into his eyes, unable to stop smiling for all her cheeks were starting to hurt.
"If it'll get me those eggs and coffee, I'm going to damn well try and wear you out." Which was somewhere between a threat and a solid promise, Izzy shifting her legs to tangle with Banning's own. "Though, really, I was considering it long before you attempted to bribe me with breakfast."
Izzy shifted, rolling partway atop him, arms settling against his chest to pillow her head, one eyebrow quirked as she considered him through her bangs. She gave a little snort at the accusation of being a baking seductress, though her breath hitched just a bit at the way he said her proper full name. Unconsciously, her toes curled-- she could listen to him say that all day.
"Oh, no, you've caught me and exposed my terrible secret. I, the diabolical pastry witch, who beguiles the unwitting with sugary sweets and keeps them trapped within my clutches-- the Saccharine Succubus. Hide your husbands and wives." she purred, before snorting, laughing against his tattooed chest. Which was still somewhat sticky here and there, even between the mutual sweat, and a quick kiss did confirm the presence of lingering sugar. "...How about a shower, my poor, sweet victim?"
-
A fact often left unsaid was that Banning was rather adept in the kitchen, certainly more than he let on. Just because he didn't go out for groceries all the time - because lazies happened and cooking required effort - didn't mean he didn't now how his way around a kitchen. He had to eat too sometimes. And take out or pizza didn't always cut it.
And for a classy gal like Izzy - well as classy as she could be eating cake directly from his fingers and him trying to keep in an amused snort as she did so - he finally had a reason to extend the extra effort. And well, she deserved it. So he didn't bother notifying her that regardless of whether or not she did wear him out, he'd most likely cook for her anyway. He could be a sport.
Banning relaxed further into the bed, finally distracted enough from the cake that he just let her lay on top of him. Odd, her body - even in all it's hard curvatures - seemed to conform rather nicely to his, belly to belly, her head to his chest. Something flipped in his belly, a little loop-de-loop that he equated to being nothing more than a reaction to the cake directly after sex.
Every knew you had to wait fifteen minutes before eating something afterward. Or wait, was that swimming?
"Saccharine Succubus. That is you. Forever. Too late, can't change it now," Banning snorted at her own given nickname. And yet here he was cuddled beneath her, shivering when she pressed her face against his chest. Oh yeah, his skin was still quite sticky there, causing Banning to make a face. An expression that quickly changed the moment she mentioned that very good idea.
"Yes, mistress. Please, bathe me and scrub my every nook and cranny so that you may douse me in more of your sugary sweets," he giggled, moving to sit up, and taking her with him. Banning wouldn't have gotten out of that wonderland of comfort, cake, and her heated body. He took her hand, and allowed her the opportunity to test out her legs. In case she could still walk.
Once they were in the bathroom, Banning removed the condom, disposing of it and could see her more clearly in the ensconced lighting, the little lines on her face, the paleness of her skin temporarily flushed here and there. Banning reached up unconsciously and brush a stray hair away from her face. "You've got a very nice set up in here, Kiers. And kept rather impeccably I might add. I can admire that," he murmured, evening out his breathing, letting his hands slip to her waist. "So, Beguiling Baconess, you...uhh wash my back, I'll wash yours kind of deal?"
-
However much Banning was joking, and however much he giggled afterwards, Izzy made a decision right then and there to have him call her 'mistress' as much as humanly possible. Potentially every second they spent in private. Potentially. Either way, it certainly had her smiling, not unlike a cat who'd just been given a saucer of cream that some dumbass mouse had waltzed up to try and drink from.
Downright predatory.
Marginally ruined by the fact that, when she actually did try to stand up, her knees gave a very solid wobble and she had to cling to Banning to keep from toppling right over again. Snickering a bit into his chest, Izzy allowed herself to be gently brought into the bathroom, where she busied herself with getting the shower going, half-watching the lights near the spout as it cycled colors the warmer the water got.
That done, she turned back to Banning, just in time to look up and into those gorgeous lilac eyes, and to enjoy having her hair brushed out of her face. The touch was just so tender, she couldn't help a soft sigh of contentment, her arms circling around the Pilot Royal's waist to hug close to him.
"What can I say? I like a nice, tightly-run ship." She smirked up at him, eyebrow quirking upwards. "And that sounds perfectly acceptable to me, my lord of Bacony Delights. Shall we?"
She couldn't help an entirely immature snort, then, taking hold of Banning's hand and tugging him towards the shower, the lights having settled to a solid rosy orange. She stepped inside, shifting to make room for Banning under the spray of water so they could mutually get nice and wet and not nearly so covered with sugar and choice other fluids.
She smirked at him through a curtain of her hair, shaking her bangs out of her eyes before drawing him in close and into a slow, easy kiss.
-
To any other stranger, Banning might have considered this to be an indulgence of intimacy. When was the last time he could honestly say he shared a shower with someone? He couldn't even remember the last time he'd done so without having been blind drunk. Or possibly having an episode of carnal hunger. Banning didn't like blacking out, not being able to remember what it was he'd done, whether it was good or bad. And although it was rare, it wasn't something he shared with everyone.
Fortunately, at this very moment, even with the few drinks he'd had, he was very conscious and enjoying every goddamned minute of it, because damn did Izzy look fine. She made it remarkably easy to just feel her, enjoy her little touches, her caresses. There wasn't anything serious to consider, no consciousness beyond that required in the here and now
Banning's breath hitched and he held it when she drew him into the shower. The water cascaded down on the pair of them, his skin tingling all the while. That rosy orange was just right. "How did you know?' he asked before she met his lips. "That I was Lord of all Sinewy Delicious Goodies, you Countess of Delectable Delights."
He snorted into their kiss, and it was slow and easy-like and he inhaled deeply, loving the way she smelled and gooseflesh ignited in tandem all across his skin. Banning moaned softly against her, tilting his head to deepen it and he bent his knees slightly to wrap his arms around her, squeezing her fully to him, tilting his posture back just slightly enough to lift her an inche from the shower floor.
An easy kiss with a parting that stretched his lips into a curious grin. He moved toward the items on the side of the shower, grasping a soft loofah sponge and dousing it with the provided bodywash therein, sudsing it up with a firm grip. Banning didn't ask, but his touch was coaxing, delicate nudges to turn her face to the wall and her back to him. Geeze...
"Dragonballs! Madame Mapel, look at the honeyed ham I found," he hissed, sucking in air sharply between his teeth. "I didn't know you had an ass like that, Isabel. I knew of course. But it's so much more different seeing it in person." His voice was practically purring in her ear, and he brought the sponge down to her lower back, scrubbing upward.
-
Izzy snorted, unable to help the loud bout of laughter that overtook her at their latest and easily most ridiculous of titles yet. And there was the basic formula of their relationship, whatever that happened to actually be-- Banning would be downright smoldering one minute, all handsome lines and ropes of muscle and toothy grins that had her already-compromised knees weak, and then he would let loose with something so utterly ridiculous that she couldn't help but laugh.
All this peppered with moments of contact, which left her shivering and covered in gooseflesh despite the heat of the water. She sank into him, loving how easily they fit together, her arms around his shoulders. She hummed against his mouth, unwilling to part for more than was absolutely necessary, lips lingering against his and Izzy catching them more than a few times in soft little bites. Nothing too terribly aggressive, and if she was honest it was certainly more... affectionate than was the usual. Because despite the fact that they had just spent a good segment of their evening rolling around, and despite the fact that they were showering together, the amorous intent wasn't purely carnal in nature.
Which was, honestly, kind of a first. Or at least a first in a long time. But Banning made it so simple, so easy. Somewhere in the back of her head, she understood how vulnerable a moment this was, and somehow, in some way, that was okay. In any other moment she would have been entirely on edge for the same reasons she all but melted beneath powerful hands right then. A sincerely bizarre end result, considering the impetus for this particular meeting. But certainly not one she was about to complain about.
Just like she was absolutely not complaining about being coaxed to turn around, hands coming up to settle against the shower wall as she turned her back to the other Pilot, the corners of her mouth turning upwards in yet another predatory little smile. She straightened her back, shifted her weight, all this just enough to accentuate exactly what he was already enjoying. She snickered, forehead touching at the shower wall at the manner in which Banning chose to express himself, cooing a bit as that loofah was pressed to her back and worked up.
Oh, yeah, that was nice.
"Remind me to take a picture for you, in case you forget it. I think it may be one of those cryptids you don't recall exists until it's right in your face," she quipped, looking over her shoulder at him and grinning wide. She shifted, turning around once more and catching hold of the loofah, turning it onto Banning's tattooed chest and taking her very sweet time in running it over every last hard curve. Less to do with any real attempts to be saucy and more to do with the fact that every time she got a good look at him her brain utterly blanked. Something something, 'added bonus'.
"See, I've completely forgotten my own ass." she murmured, before seemingly remembering just where she was and what she was supposed to be doing, and shooting Banning another grin.
-
The suds were heavy on that loofah and billowed out between his sticky fingers like clouds bursting. He raised his arm slowly, ensuring that the pressure on her flesh was just enough to scrub without marring that lovely skin too much. Banning could be gentle, proven in the methodical way he washed her, his eyes narrowed with focus.
Despite the lightness of the moment, Banning took washing up very seriously. She wasn't going to leave this shower until she was both squeaky and clean. Not one or the other. Both and loving it too. So he took that as a personal challenge and ran with it.
It wasn't like either of them had anywhere to go tonight.
"I thank you kindly for the offer, but believe you me, Baconetta, I don't think I'll be forgetting this ass any time soon," he laughed, spinning his head quickly enough to shake the water from his eyes. Still the loofah shifted over her back, sloping down again to meet the curve she made with the small of it. He tilted the sponge and scraped up, this time in the middle of her spine, inhaling in a deep breath.
That was until she took initiative and stole the loofah right from his grip. What gives? Oh yeah..that's right, his back, her back. Silly Banning, tricks were for Pilot Cardinals. Banning just let her do her thing, noting somehow that her gaze was glassy-eyed and when she was washing him, every lazy motion set in him a need to take a deep breath.
Because watching her watching him was going to make him so lightheaded, he'd just pass out right there in that shower. That'd be unpleasant. Banning's arm extended out to perch against the tiled wall, and he clenched the cords of his muscles as if in an attempt to distract her again. And why not? That look her being completely mesmerized was intoxicating. Hooded grays that glinted mysteriously in that orange shower lighting.
They looked as if they were on fire.
"I can describe it for you," he offered. "It's round, a lot like a honeydew. Similar tones, and firmness. Oh, wait, let me check just to be sure." Banning stepped in, his free hand drifting down to grip her ass, an appreciative squeeze as if scientifically testing the firmness there. There was very little in the way of fat on her. Still, however, she maintained curves in just the right places. Hmm, yes.
"So over all, very nice. Definite 10 out of 10. That's a very difficult score to achieve. Ass grading is highly competitive. Speaking of which though, how's mine?" he purred. And took her own free hand to reached down behind him, planting it there in case she was too dazed to find it on her own.
-
Baconetta. Izzy snorted at the latest nickname; it was hard to tell which one she liked the most, though of course if she was being perfectly honest and introspective the answer would have to be D) all of the above. Because every last little teasing moniker out of Banning's mouth was more perfect than the last, and all because it was, in fact, Banning saying it.
That, of course, was if she was being honest. Presently, she was far too busy being overly warm, between the heat of the water cascading down on them and the heat of another body so close and the way he pressed that sponge against her spine that had every last bit of her turning to putty for the second time that night. Just where did he get off being that good at backrubs, anyway?
It had gotten so heated that she needed to even the playing field as quickly as possible, though that had rapidly become a bit of a challenge in and of itself when Banning leaned against the wall with one hand just beside her head, and gods all damn him to hell, he flexed again. She bit down on her lip without even realizing she was doing so, a casual little thrill running down her spine-- damn him, damn him, she was having the worst time keeping her head on straight.
And then he reached around and squeezed her ass, and gods help her Izzy actually squeaked. She flushed deep red, more because of the indignant noise than being groped, though that was certainly a very, very pleasant factor in the matter. Especially since the action served to bring them nice and close, her hand caught between them with the sponge still in her soapy grip. Not a bad place to be, all things considered; the rest of her was certainly enjoying having nothing but bubbles between them.
She allowed her free hand to be guided around his hip, the Pilot Noble giving a snort and a grin at being urged to grade the quality of Banning's backside. Certainly not one to pass up such an amazing opportunity to get all kinds of handsy with him, she complied, fingers tapping against firm skin before giving him a squeeze. Izzy gave a playful little hum, brows coming together as if she were truly considering Banning's ass, giving him another squeeze and palming the meat of it, nodding here and there and letting loose a few murmured 'mm yes quite's.
"I'd have to say, I reciprocate your previous findings, Dr. Lockhart, and hereby denote this ass to be of, shall we say, the prime variety. Easily another ten out of ten, remarkable that two such rarities would coincide." She pursed her lips, mimicking a stuffy old professor before bursting out laughing again, her hand sliding up to the small of his back to keep him exactly as close as he was.
-
If Banning had to die now and Izzy's squeak was the last thing he heard, he'd be okay with that. Her noises were another surprise, both pleasant and vein-burning, that made it all that much more worth while. He'd rather not die of course. Living long enough to savor every little sound she made was just so damn amusing and sent shivers down his spine.
Her hands were firm, and if anything, seemed like they graded meat well and on a regular basis. If anyone was going to give him a proper inspection in the meat department, it was going to be her. Banning curled his lips into his teeth to keep from snorting out a laugh while she gripped him, and even admiring the way she went about it.
"Clearly you're an expert," he managed to say, relaxing his face as much as he could. By then the loofah would need resudsing. "So I will trust your opinion on the issue. Asses are often graded on the fineness of skin, firmness of muscle, size and overall shape to determine their quality. I take it you've squeezed plenty of them in your lifetime., Dr. Kiers."
His tone mimicked hers. This was serious business after all. And being as close as they were now, it was eaiser to let his arms fall around her. Banning's arms slipped around her shoulders and this allowed him to press her face against his chest, loving their proximity.
He could have kissed her for all she was worth, but something in the intimacy of that moment was better represented in just holding her close, squishing her face to where his heart was, thrumming loudly and excitedly, and yet with a rhythmic calm.
"Oh man, this is by far the best showering experience I've had in a while. And i am known to fall asleep in my tub, soaking in bourbon," he chuckled, tilting his head, to get a better look at her, grinning slyly. "You make this kinda fun. A lot of fun. So what your deal, Isabel? What kinda things do you like to do for fun? Other than baking wonderful goodies."
-
"Oh, more than you could possibly count, Dr. Lockhart. But still, this ranks among the finest," she quipped right back, her own arms shifting as Banning pulled her into a gentle hug. She murmured, something soft and suitably sarcastic, against his chest, though she was entirely unconcerned with whatever it was she had tried to say. All that mattered, right then, was the steady thu-thump of Banning's heart, strong and sure, and her arms looped around his back, palms pressed against the strong cords of muscle that made up his back.
It was a soft moment, so still and wonderful and warm and perfect, and Izzy couldn't help but let her eyes close to better enjoy just the feeling of him against her, his arms around her shoulders and the security that came with such a sensation.
Izzy laughed, softly, against his skin at the thought of him passed out in a lukewarm bath, empty bottle still partially in hand. That was certainly a level of relaxed, but she thought they might even have that beat, especially considering she was utterly unwilling to let go of the Pilot Royal even as he teased her.
She looked up at him, blinking a bit against the mist from the water's spray, and pressed a smile to the space over his heart. Considered her answer, before settling on the truth. And why not? Banning was Banning-- they'd been goofing around all night, even in the heat of the moment, she didn't see much risk in opening up just a little bit more. Still, if did nothing for her pulse, which fluttered just a little bit faster. It wasn't as if it was even anything bad; it was just... more the concept of someone else knowing it. Someone who wasn't herself or a carbon copy of herself with varying results, in any case.
"I read comics. Graphic novels. Particularly anything of the eldritch and vaguely horrifying variety. A little scary story before bed, that sort of thing." She shifted, moved to get them under the water just a bit to catch any residual suds, knowing full well they'd just have to get soapy again. What a pity. "How about you? Certainly the great Dr. Lockhart has much to occupy his time, in between ass gradings and cake sampling. Not that those aren't fine hobbies to have."
-
Banning shifted his arms more loosely around her, casually letting them fall passed her shoulders in that intimate embrace. Brought here by cake, dined by wine and casserole, and staying for the closeness he had no idea that he craved. Banning had never given himself time to focus on the fact that he was casually drifting through life with no goal in mind.
That wasn't a bad thing. It held it's many pleasures, and required no commitment. He had his work, his mentorship, his concerts, collected artwork, and the occasional rut. Happiness that was readily marketed, easily acquired, and inevitably ephemeral.
Banning allowed her to manipulate their movement, and let the water pour down on them, rivering down in ripples, threading between Izzy's fingers where she still clung to his firm form. Banning sighed softly, imperceptible underneath the sound of rushing water. "Oh my, the big bad Commander of the Harpies doesn't like dolls, finger polish, and getting her hair done? Wow! To think all those rumors were wrong! I am shocked, truly. I feel betrayed. Not by you, but because it's clear that I just revealed I listen to tabloid nonsense."
He snickered, and brushed her hair back yet again. Those dastardly bangs did get into the habit of getting into her face quite a bit. "I can dig that, though. I love scary stuff. Some people say I can be pretty scary, but as you clearly see, that is untrue. More tabloid nonsense."
He stuck his tongue out at her. "Let's see, the real Banning. Other than sampling fine delectables and ass grabbing? I like music, hard rock, metal, punk. I love hearing it live! But really, anything tends to catch my drift. Anything I can boogie too. And you've seen me boogie and see what a horror show that was. You really want nightmares? Just imagine me dancing before you go to sleep."
Banning pressed his hands firmly down her spine. "I have an interest in fine pop art. I like to collect pieces by a lot of unknown artists, some of their work you've seen on my body." He tilted back enough so that she could admire the eyeball she'd been tasting before. "Getting tattoos to immortalize them forever is another lovely past time. What about you Izzy? You ever think about getting a tattoo? Not that you should do anything to destroy this lovely unmarred skin. I like it just the way it is. Maybe, get the Harpies' logo tattooed on the back of your neck, lower back? Belly." His hand drifted toward the front, pressing long fingers into the meat of her belly, turning to grip and squeeze her hip.
-
"I know, it's just such a shock, isn't it?" Izzy teased, her eyes widening in mock horror for a moment before she promptly buried her face right back in his chest, snickering quietly and shifting only to plant a soft kiss to his collarbone. "Though I will admit those rumors are quite the step above the 'has a secret sex dungeon' ones."
She looked up, just in time to have Banning brush her bangs back, those thankfully sticking where they were moved this time thanks to the steady stream of water. The action itself was... so very, very nice. It had been a long time since she'd had her hair played with; given there was never that much of it, it'd been cropped short since she entered candidacy, but just the touch itself was heartwarming. Enough to make her feel almost stupidly giddy.
"Intimidating in concept, but in reality just a giant teddy bear." she commented with a grin, moving her hands in small, slow circles against the middle of his back, scratching lightly here and there, more an affectionate kind of contact than anything else. "Or a puppy."
Izzy stuck her tongue out right back at him, though she couldn't hold it for long, dissolving into snickering at the mere memory of Banning's phenomenal dancing skills. She might have been piss-drunk at the time, but there was no level of alcohol that could muddy that memory. And yet it was just another part of his overall charm, one more thing that made Banning Banning, and she genuinely would not have had it any other way.
Ahh, and there was her favorite little decimated zombie again. Teasingly, she gave the little ink character a kiss, before pulling back to more fully admire the rest of the artwork, pale fingers tracing a few lines and her mouth pulling in amusement.
"I'd thought about it a few times, but nothing ever quite stuck." She snorted as Banning's fingers pressed against her stomach, partially out of vague ticklishness and partially out of the suggestion itself, though she didn't pull back for either reason. "Mm, definitely not the belly. They say you should avoid the chest or stomach if you ever intend to procreate. The art will just get ruined and there you are needing to get the whole thing redone."
She hummed in thought, fingers tapping against his skin as she continued to look at all the little bits of artwork, each one strung together surprisingly smoothly despite being clear separate pieces. The artist had been talented indeed.
"I had considered flowers for a time. Along the upper spine. But again, it's never gone beyond a passing thought."
-
A giant teddy bear, huh?
Yuuup, sounded about right! An assertion that wasn't all that far from the truth. For now, Banning could finally relax and just let go. Without any real need to be a big scary Pilot Royal, there was just a guy wanting what everyone else wanted right? This was what 'normal' people did. Right? Ah, what the hell did he know.
Semantics, schemantics. Potato, tomato. Banana-rama. Or something like that. Mushy-stuff that sold well in songs, comic books, and movies. When tomorrow came, he would ship out and at least he'd have this night to remember. If she ever shipped out, maybe she would too.
And that did bring another, rather important consideration to mind. What would come of the morning? Banning leaned down, teased the dried edges of her lips with his, the water running down his face and he shifted them a little more back so that he could rinse the rest of themselves down. He switched the placement of their arms, and his fell down at her waist.
She was saying something. Right, tattoos and procreation. He tucked those into the mental filing cabinet.
"I leave tomorrow. 0600. A mission into the Wastelands. Should be a simple run, in and out, less than twenty-four hours if Hyperion can help it," he said, nuzzling his face against hers. More sentimental, and his heart lurched as if it could jump straight out of his chest cavity. Odd. Maybe he was still experiencing the high from the sugar rush of that amazing cake.
Yeah that was it.
"I had to tell someone. Just so you can root for me. It's nice, having someone root for you. Not just all of Aedolis. But just someone y'know?" he murmured, opening his eyes briefly. "I can root for you too, just in case you don't have anyone either. Unless, you already do. Do you?"
-
Something desperate and nameless rattled in Izzy's ribcage in tandem with the beating of her heart, which decided that now was the time to speed up by a fair margin. Grey eyes met lavender, and for a moment just lingered, keeping hold with one another before Izzy's lips curved into a smile, far softer and carrying every ounce of sincerity she had with it.
After all, this was Banning. And unlike every other paramour she had had up until this very moment, Izzy was so sure she could be sincere with him. Genuine and open and real. Scars and all.
Her hands slid up to run through his hair, fingers pressing in to pull him close, to let their foreheads meet, to let the tip of her nose rub against his in a soft little nuzzle.
"Yeah... Chance is your second, the orders came through this morning. You being a big, bad Royal, it was either him or me, and well, he kind of needs to get out, so." she said, quietly, as if afraid too much volume would spoil the moment. She shifted, her lips lingering against his for a moment, brushing together so faintly as she continued, "I'll be rooting for you. Just call me your biggest fan. And if that proves to be too untrue then I suppose I'll just have to do a few murders until it is."
She smiled up at him, not even caring that her cheeks were turning pink again. That desperate feeling in her chest increased, beyond anything that deserved a name, and she couldn't help a soft little stuttering breath as she stared into his eyes again. Just how had they even come from dinner and cake to this? It had only been a few hours. She tried to pull the pieces together, before finally deciding that maybe this puzzle didn't need solving. Maybe this particular puzzle just needed to be, and honestly she was having trouble finding any reason not to simply let it.
"I'd like that... having you root for me, I mean. I don't have anyone else, and... well. I'd like it to be you in either regard. Just, ah, you know. Come back in one piece. It really just would not do to have no one in my corner because you'd gone and gotten yourself into trouble."
-
That's right. Chance was going too, and no doubt the news would eventually spread to her. Chance was good. Damn good, and as a Squad Leader of the Harpies, he could trust that having someone reliable at his back increased his chances of coming home in one piece. And as his Commander, of course Isabel Keirs knew.
Yet that wasn't why he told her. It had been just as he stated. To have someone know. And maybe give a shit? Was he going out on a limb here and about to to have it break off? Banning knew he'd have to take a risk at some point, take a leap of faith and hope that somehow he could fly. Delusions had nothing to do with it.
But trust had everything to do with it. And even after only spending time with her a few hours amidst blackberry cake, wine, and a damn good romp, Banning found he did trust her. And why not? He had nothing to hide, and what she hadn't heard about it she could learn with time.
Banning actually snorted at her jest. She could be his biggest - whatever the heck she wanted. "You don't have to murder anyone. Boop. There, done. Biggest fan material right here in front of me." And something warm flared inside his belly. His core lurched and he leaned in to softly press lips to hers, lacking somehow the hunger that he could feel just underneath the surface.
"I'll make little banners for you when the Squadlympics start up again," he murmured, reaching behind him slowly and pressing the switch for the water to shut off. "Because the Red Team is the Best team. And their Commander, the bravest, most bodacious Bacon Baroness since Pilot Echo Lampley took Gold Team in Capture the flag. She was pretty famous for her butt. Lead the Onyx Team some 10 years ago."
Banning pushed the water from his lavender locks and gently led Izzy out of the shower pulling a towel from the rack and drying her off. He maneuvered behind her, wrapping powerful arms as well as the towel around her and pressing his face against hers in a soft nuzzle, a gently almost purr-like growl rumbling from his chest. A kiss to her ear that he'd tenderly took a bite of when he had her laid out on her counter.
"I hope you have time for autographs for your own biggest fan? Could you maybe write your name on my thigh. Upper thigh, on the inside? I'd really appreciate it," he purred, even chuckling. "'Thanks for your worship, Pilot Noble Isabel Kiers. Keep Fuckin' shit up!' Or if that's not your sign off when you do your PR, what is?"
-
"Mm, good, I'd hate to have to get messy so soon after a nice shower." She grinned up at him, in a way that made one actually wonder if she might have actually done those murders. Of course not, but that didn't mean she couldn't tease. She just really liked the idea of holding the title for "Pilot Royal Lockhart's biggest fan". Really, really liked it.
She pressed all the closer to him when the water shut off, clinging to the warmth he himself provided and fully prepared to use that as an excuse for as long as possible. That didn't mean she didn't utterly snort against his chest, shaking her head a bit and snickering. "I unfortunately missed that one, I would have liked to see such a phenomenal example of posterior superiority."
There was a brief moment of silence and separation as they dried off, Izzy taking a second towel and relishing the goofy intimacy of drying one another off. She rubbed the towel against his hair, loving the way the light caught the shade even while wet. Though being outside of the shower stall really did pose a few problems with the cold, gooseflesh rising up even as he slid behind her. Or, perhaps, because of it. But thankfully, Banning was ever the gentleman, and both he and the towel were soon around her, mitigating the cold by a fair bit.
Izzy shivered at the low rumbling growl against her cheek, at the soft kiss to her ear, and she bared her teeth once more in a wicked grin.
"Oh, I think I have something in mind," she said, soft and low and full of promises, "especially for my biggest fan."
Not that anything she wrote would last. Utilizing a permanent marker could only do so much it seemed, between Izzy's insistence on kissing the words every chance she could get, renewed sweat and vigor letting the edges of many of the letters bleed and fade, leaving a deep purple mark where a quickly scrawled heart had been.
To the man after my own heart in more ways than one: I'll have a banner waiting for you -- Pilot Noble Kiers to most, Izzy to you <3
One hell of a banner, because anyone who could make Isabel Kiers snooze through the first five minutes of her alarm deserved a goddamn medal. When she did finally wake up enough to slap the alarm into silence, it was with stiff movements, the overexertion from the previous night having finally made themselves well known. For all intents and purposes, Izzy felt like she'd been hit with the bulk of a dragon's tail.
Oh, yeah, she could sure as hell get used to this.
-
In the wake of that aftermath, somehow Banning managed to rouse from a tangled mess of sheets and limbs with nothing more than a crick in his neck and every appendage remarkably - and deliciously - sore. He could have sworn he ran ten marathons the previous night by how worn out he was. Lavender eyes flicked open and he glanced over to the clock. Five minutes passed 4.
It wasn't too early for breakfast was it? He hoped not. Because he had to leave soon. And frankly the longer he stayed the more he didn't want to go. Banning carefully untangled himself from Izzy's side, shifting over to the shower and quickly washing down. He made a promise he intended to keep, so when he toweled off, he slipped into his jeans and the rest of his discarded clothing.
Loosely hanging off his form as he went to raid her kitchen. Wow, she wasn't kidding about being organized. A place for everything and everything in its place. It was a hell of a lot cleaner than his apartment for sure, and somewhere between the bololgna sandwiches and the paper plates, he had dishes of some sort and..
"A bread box? She has a box entirely dedicated to bread. I gotta get me one of those," he snorted, carefully prying the lid up to see if there actually was bread inside. Yup, bread inside, and it smelled good. "Phew!"
The bacon did start to sear and the smells wafted through the kitchen and he lifted his head up to her see her sleep mussed face. "Good morning, hot stuff," he smirked, eyes gleaming vaguely in the kitchen light. "I hope you slept well. Gotta get these eggs cooking." His hand expertly grasped one and cracked it on the edge of the pan and opened it one handed, the yolk and whites balling out with a sizzle and smoke.
"You did it, girl. You wore me the hell out. I'm if anything a man of my word. How do you like your toast?" Such a domestic question, in a domestic setting. Banning tried not to think about how awkward it was, because frankly he didn't think it was. Not everyone stayed over after a romp. And those that did were usually quick to make a swift and surreptitious exit.
Maybe if he pretended it was normal, she would to.
-
While a proper shower might have done something to ease the soreness in her limbs, the effort required to fully scrub down was proving too much to make. It was all Izzy could do to roll out of bed, stretching and relishing the popping of her spine as she padded into the bathroom to at least make herself somewhat human. Passably so.
Abandoning the previous night's clothes into the laundry bin, she pulled on a fresher set of underwear and one of the black short-sleeved shirts she often wore beneath her uniform, and had almost been about to make the bed when the most delicious of scents hit her.
Mm, bacon. Yeah, the bed could wait. And the ravaged remnants of cake. And most things. Right now she was a woman on a mission, even if she was still rubbing sleep from her eyes as she entered the kitchen.
Pfft, 'hot stuff'. That was entirely accurate, with her hair sticking every which way and eyes mostly still closed and several pressure marks on her arms from where the pillows and sheets had bunched up beneath them during the more enthusiastic parts of the night. Still, she was perking up by the minute, and she returned Banning's smile with one of her own as she moved directly to the coffee pot to get that going for the pair of them.
It was an altogether odd sensation, doubling down on the coffee's measurements; not many stayed this long, though even she had to admit the whole notion of getting breakfast ready together was...
A thought process that could entirely wait until she had some kind of caffeine in her system. Because good lord, girl, that was jumping the gun a little hot, wasn't it? Bad enough she was already trying to mentally design just what kind of banner she wanted to make for when he got back. Tongue in cheek, of course. Entirely. Yup.
"Mm. Like the dead. I'm not sure who wore out who more." She pulled two mugs down from a cupboard, and leaned against the counter to watch Banning work. There was that warm sensation again, the remnants of that feeling from their shared shower returning with a vengeance, and Izzy couldn't help how her lips pulled into a wide smile.
"Though, and you'll have to remind me, I definitely will need to stretch more next time. And I like it as dark as you can make it without it becoming charcoal. You take sugar or cream?" She moved from the coffee pot, which by that point was nearly ready, to the machine right beside it, and began the long-standing morning ritual of pulling shot after shot after shot of deep dark espresso into her mug. She'd sure as hell need it today, considering she was starting off utterly exhausted. At least with Chance on mission that meant more logistical duties versus running nonstop drills. She pulled a fourth shot, and then a fifth for good measure, and topped the whole mess of it off with the coffee.
-
The bacon would need a few more minutes to brown just before being flipped. The smoke that was already wafting in the kitchen, titillating and overwhelming and utterly easing Banning to the thought that he was going out on a mission he might very well not come back from. If Cauldron Rock taught him anything it was to take nothing for granted. Nothing was eternal and no one lived forever.
Banning didn't know why he had a sudden feeling of dread. It was routine, everything would be fine, he told himself. And there was no certainty that it would be. Banning scrapped the eggs in the pan and scrambled them as he listened to the coffee pouring into the pot below it. He needed that. That would wake him up, bring him to his senses.
Something that the quiet was certainly not doing.
"Right, extra crispy," he snorted, thankful for the distraction of conversation. He flipped the bacon to let it sizzle on the opposite side. A glance over his shoulder, watching her throw each extra shot in for that much needed kick had his brow furrowing. What was all that for?
"You really need a pick me up, that bad huh?" he commented. "Put a few in for me, huh? Cream is fine, darlin'." A long moment to admire that shapely backside and he sniffed. Was something on fire? "OH FUCK!" Banning howled as part of a dishtowel caught flame, and he immediately yanked it away, dunking it into the faucet.
"Shit balls," he hissed and spread out the blackened towel, revealing the hole finely burned at the center, and the charcoal black around it. "Whoops! Oh, balls! The eggs!"
Banning flipped them off from the separate pan and scrapped them off onto the spare plate nearby. They weren't as burn as the towel thankfully. "I swear I'm not normally this much of a mess in the kitchen, " he said with a snort. "Think I could get one more shot in the coffee?" He looked her over, giving her the goofiest grin he could muster, sticking his tongue out at her.
-
Izzy slashed a grin over at him from her position in front of the coffee pot and espresso machine, eyes glinting a bit at some little joke as she continued to pull, this time for Banning's own cup.
"I usually only have four shots, but someone had to go and wear me out seven ways to Sunday." she tut-tutted, though her grin didn't dissipate in the slightest, "I like my coffee like I like the remnants of my soul-- harsh and bitter and blacker than the void of space. But creamer is okay, too, darlin'."
She hummed as she moved to the fridge for the small carton of half-and-half she kept on hand just in case, though she was startled out of it by the sudden sound of cussing and the acrid scent of burning cloth.
It was like something out of a slapstick comedy, and Izzy could only watch with wide eyes as Banning scrambled to salvage their breakfast and not burn the place down in the process, her hand at her mouth as the Pilot Royal somehow managed to avoid a complete disaster. And then he grinned at her like a complete goober, tongue out and teeth flashing, and Izzy couldn't help a fresh bout of laughter that eventually found her doubled over and gasping for breath.
"Breakfast and a show. What did I ever do to earn such fine treatment from an upstanding gentleman such as yourself?" She teased, nabbing him by the collar of his shirt and pulling him into a quick kiss before continuing on her way to finish their coffees; hers some horrible pitch black monstrosity and his equally monstrous but at least a pleasant light brown color. This impromptu romp of theirs just kept getting better and better; Izzy couldn't remember the last time she'd laughed this much or this hard.
She brought the mugs of coffee over to the table where all this had started hours and hours ago, and found herself aswim in a fresh wave of fondness-- this was all just so domestic, having dinner together, sharing a bed and then breakfast in the morning before work, before the mission...
She chewed at her lip a bit, and tried hard not to think about it. Maybe she should have insisted on Chance staying back, on going in his place. It was a completely irrational feeling, of course; she knew her twin was more than capable of handling... well, anything, but it just... it was control over a situation that she did not have, and Izzy did not like that feeling in the slightest. Especially when the other person involved was just... well. When she liked them this much. And she did, she liked Banning, for all the half a day they'd spent together, so knowing he'd be off in the wild wasted yonder and she'd have no way to do a thing about it--
Yeah, no, that was a train of thought that was utterly and completely unhelpful. Best to push it aside; there was nothing to be done about it, at any rate. Chance would be down and suiting up and checking equipment by this time. Running through final protocols.
"Extra crispy, just how I like it." she said, finally, watching Banning move around her kitchen even as she sipped at her coffee.
-
"Oh my. All those ways till Sunday? Sounds like they're a real ripe rat bastard at that. What you should do is take them over your knee and give them a good spanking. Maybe that'll teach them a lesson," he snickered. The food was just about finished, save for the extra crispy towel in hand. The bacon slid right off the pan like butter and he flourished a little with the spatula. A nice touch after almost burning his tits off.
Banning had the food ready, and slid it out by the counter, where the towel remained from the night before. A quick swiipe made short work of it and he tossed it out toward the sofa. "You'll need your energy, darling, if you're going to keep up with me. But...I will say, marathon-wise you were putting me through the paces," he snickered. "I hope you like it."
He ate quietly, just letting the silence simmer save for the intermittent crunch of bacon followed by a slurping of heart-attack inducing espresso-filled coffee. Banning forced down the bite of burn bacon and was actually thankful for the chaser that was the coffee. It did just the trick, even if his lungs were on fire.
"Is your soul really so black? You...have a certain softness to you...in just the right places," he murmured, observing her with prying eyes. His expression hardened when he felt that invasive force pressing into his mind.
"Where are you?" Hyperion growled, echoing loudly within the his skull. The dragon pushed his presence in further. "Banning! This is of the utmost importance. You stand there, half-dressed like some foolish waffle boy? When you are needed here! Get to Mission Control. Immediately. I will not ask again."
Banning's face seemed pained, and he doubled over his plate, a tear actually rolling down his cheek from the pain that Hyperion caused. Something had the dragon riled, and it was obvious whatever patience he was capable of was wearing swiftly thin.
"Oh man," Banning murmured, scooping up one last bite of eggs... "Sorry, Isabel. But I think I should leave..."
-
"Mm, oh I think you are absolutely right," Izzy purred from above her coffee mug, lips curling upwards at the mere thought of doing any such thing to Banning. It was a delightful little daydream, one she would be sure to tuck away for later and enjoy the absolute hell out of. "It's the only way to make them learn."
Not that she had any possible energy for anything of the sort at that very moment. Everything was a trial to operate; her arms felt like lead in the most amazing of ways, and she wasn't terribly sure of the structural integrity of her legs, either. The fact that she had made it into the kitchen at all had been a miracle, though she was still quite proud of the idea of putting Banning through anything close to "the paces". Because good lord, that man had energy to spare.
It was nice, though, just eating breakfast together, the quiet more comfortable than it was awkward. Considering the whole leadup to this breakfast, that was almost completely unexpected, but Izzy found that she really could not look to expect anything when it came to Pilot Royal Lockhart. It'd just end up out the window with the rest of anything close to logical. She focused on her breakfast, delightful despite the singed bits, and got about halfway through her coffee when Banning suddenly bent over in apparent agony.
Her eyes widened for the fraction of a moment, before recognizing the "attack" for what it was; she wasn't privy to their conversation, but Pilots always knew what it was like when their Dragons got in contact-- forceful, pressing, absolute domination and no room to move, let alone argue. Seeing it written out on someone else's face, however, brought on sympathy pangs, and Izzy couldn't help a grimace as Banning finally took a breath and addressed her again.
She smiled, softly, raising one hand as if to wave off the apology. There was no need, after all. Their duty came first, and always would, and if the Dragons called it could only ever be of utmost importance.
"Don't worry. You do what you must. I'll need to finish getting ready myself." She licked her lips in thought, before leaning across the table, scooping up Banning's chin and pulling him into a quick kiss. "Good luck, Pilot."
-
If Banning had seen Izzy trying to crawl to the kitchen on her bellygine because that would serve to be her mode of transportation for the rest of the day, he'd be cackling all the way out to the Wastelands and back. Because that kind of image would have been enough to make him want to return home again and again.
She'd be rooting for him, and that thought made something warm bloom inside his abdomen. It lurched again, overwhelming the throbbing alongside his temples. Hyperion could wait another few minutes. What was important was the here and now. That's all that would ever matter.
It was a shame that all this food would have to go to waste, however. Maybe he could sneak in another slice of what... -Oh.
The plastered sensation of her lips against his, and that feeling in his belly bloomed - was all he needed to stir him back to reality, and he slipped from his seat to make it a kiss worth remembering. Arms wove their way around her, squashing her to him, and leaving him dizzied for want of breath. "Will do, Commander. I'll come back with all my pieces properly attached," he snickered.
Banning parted from her, grabbed the jacket he'd left on the chair and rolled it over his shoulders, the ache throbbing from where her nails took a bite from his flesh. He'd still feel that on the mission, no doubt from the sting of sweat beneath that armored flight suit. Banning flashed her a snarky grin, before rolling on out that door.
Back in the saddle. Back to the grind. He'd better get his ass out to mission control before Hyperion added another bite mark to it. Having one was quite enough.