Topic: First Kiss

Liam OConnor

Date: 2012-05-15 21:35 EST
((About six months following After the Oath.))

Officer training was proving to be a bigger challenge than Shaye could ever have imagined. After the euphoria of actually attaining that rank, the excitement of having proved herself to such an extent, Liam had taken her to meet his parents, and for the first time in her life, she'd felt the real, genuine affection of family enveloping her. Eoghan and Meara had accepted her without a second thought, and if they sometimes had looked at she and Liam as though they were expecting something more, Shaye didn't consider that a bad thing. However, the return to the barracks had proven her euphoric confidence to be sadly overblown. In the physical training, she excelled; in on the spot tactics, she was almost as good as Liam. But an officer had to be able to read maps, to plan strategy, to know history and politics, and that meant reading and writing, neither of which she had any experience with. Even six months into that year, Shaye was still struggling to keep up, especially with the boys. But she'd hit upon an ingenious plan to get herself tutored by their various male officer classmates in order to stay on top of all the tough stuff. It really was amazing what a boy would do for a kiss.

As for Liam, he predictably approached the rigors of officer training with the same seriousness and dedication he put into everything he did. He surprised even himself with his accomplishment, but it didn't come without effort and lots of hard work. Nothing worthwhile ever did. He found he had far less idle time now, between physical training and his studies. He had somehow managed to grow even taller over the last six months and was now six feet in height with no hint of slowing down. Along with his height he was starting to fill out, shoulders broadening, his muscles becoming more defined the more he worked them, and the females among their ranks had started to notice. He had promised Shaye he'd teach her to read and write, and while he wanted to make good on that promise, it was difficult finding time for his own studies, and he often fell into bed at night exhausted from the day's work, unable to keep his eyes open any longer, even if he tried. It worried him that they had been spending less time together, and he worried that despite their oath, they were slowly growing apart, but there wasn't much he could do to stop it.

As far as Shaye was concerned, she was taking some of the load off her best friend. She knew he wanted to be the one to teach her to read and write, but he was so focused on his own studies, she didn't want to make his advancement suffer because of her stupidity. So she sold kisses to the more intelligent boys in their rank in exchange for lessons in reading, in writing, in memorising the maps and battles and politics they had been learning over the past months. She'd even broken a couple of noses to make sure that they knew that a kiss was all they were getting.

He had heard rumors that Shaye was trading kisses for tutoring, but he chose not to believe it, putting his faith and trust in her that she wouldn't go that far. Distracted and struggling with his own studies, he hadn't forgotten his promise to help her, but really had no idea she was having difficulty, believing she'd come to him if she needed help, not go to someone else or stoop to selling herself for favors.

And it might well have stayed that way, had teenaged jealousies not come into play. Deirdre Brody, the third occupant of the officer's barrack room that Liam shared with Shaye, had her own ideas. Dark haired and exceptionally pretty in her own way, she'd set her sights on Liam, and his continual ignorance of her interest was beginning to grate on her nerves. She waited until Shaye was out of the room, until Liam was ensconced in his studies, and decided that it was time to make her move. She entered their shared room, sauntering over to the desk where Liam sat, and perched herself on the corner, looking down at him. "Don't you ever get bored of being such a goody-goody-virgin, Liam?" she asked artlessly.

Liam was either ignorant of Brody's or any girl's interest in him, or he was just not interested. He had set his sights on someone else and Brody probably knew it. It was hard not to notice the shy but lingering glances he sent Shaye's way whenever she was around or the brooding moodiness he exhibited whenever he thought she was ignoring him or snubbing him, but he didn't push or force himself on her, believing their friendship went deeper than anything she might have with anyone else there. So absorbed in his studies, he didn't even notice Brody was there until she perched himself beside him and poked at his masculine pride. He slanted a glance up at her, brows furrowing deeply. "I beg your pardon?" he asked, as if he'd misheard her.

Oh, Brody knew all right. She wanted that jealous side of him well and truly spiked, until any thought of staying friends with Shaye was gone from his mind. "Well, you must be getting bored and frustrated by now," she chuckled. "Spending every night wrapped up with a girl who won't even kiss you? And yet she's giving kisses away to every other boy in our intake. Some people might say she's using you." It might have worked better had she not been so obviously spiteful toward Liam's best friend as she said this, but at least it was getting the information across. All she needed to do was lean back and watch the explosion.

The look on his face changed, from merely annoyed to confused to angry in a matter of seconds. "It's not like that. We..." He was about to try and explain his relationship with Shaye to the girl - a relationship he didn't completely understand himself - when she threw the accusation at him, like throwing salt in the wounds. He was already starting to believe that Shaye would only ever think of him as a brother, and as if that didn't hurt enough, people were starting to think she was using him, but was she" Hurt and confusion apparent on his face, he felt the air go out of him, like someone had kicked him in the gut at the accused betrayal of his trust, but then he didn't own her, didn't have any claims on her. Not until he turned thirty anyway. He turned away, staring at the open book before him as he tried to sort out his feelings.

Brody glowed with triumph as she watched his expression change, feeling the heat of his angry flush radiating out from him. "Of course," she said with obvious cunning, twisting to lie along the desk until she could look up into his eyes, "she's probably trying to make you jealous. I mean, you never even look at her when she's being even halfway girly, do you? But you know what you should do." Her hand walked fingers up his bare arm. "You should take up with someone else. Make her jealous instead. I bet she'd drop her whoring like a shot if she thought someone else had their hands on you."

Liam had little choice but to meet her gaze as she had practically forced herself between him and his studies. He felt her fingers walking up his arm and had to stifle a shudder. Whether he wanted Brody or not, he was fifteen and full of raging teenage hormones. Up until now, he'd managed to control his own urges, throwing his frustration into physical activity, into sparring and fighting, working himself until he was exhausted and had no strength left to think about what the other teenagers around him were doing. It wasn't from lack of desire or a desire to lead a chaste life. It was simply the fact that he only had eyes for one girl and that he didn't want to force his affection on that one girl. He slammed the book closed that lay on the desk in front of him. "Whoring" What do you mean whoring?" His expression darkened dramatically at the accusation.

"Well, you can't really blame her for it," Brody simpered through a nasty little smirk. "It's all she knows." She snorted derisively. "It's all she's got, too. Why shouldn't she follow in her mother's footsteps" You mark my words; any day now, she'll start spreading her legs for the older boys who want that in exchange for lessons. Just like her scummy parents ....Shaye Dervla's just a common whore in training, and everyone knows it."

He shot to his feet at her words, face flushing, eyes flashing with anger, nearly dumping her onto the floor. If she'd been a boy, he'd have replied with his fists, but instead his hands only curled into fists at his sides, body tense with anger and frustration and wounded pride. Indignation. Was she trying to make a fool out of him' She knew how he felt about her. She had to know. Maybe she didn't care. A dozen conflicting thoughts and feelings raged inside him, jealousy and betrayal at the forefront. Brody had accomplished her task. "She's not a whore!" he exclaimed, defending her honor despite his own feelings. "Where is she?"

Brody's smirk deepened, her eyes flashing maliciously. "Last I saw, she was heading toward the lake. Making the most of the hot weather to get a little seduction practise in, probably."

He clenched his jaw at the thought of her skinny dipping with a bunch of older officers in training or with anyone, for that matter. He didn't waste another moment swapping words with Brody, who he thought was as lovely as a viper and just as poisonous. A long-legged stride took him toward the door, slamming it so hard behind him, it almost came off the hinges.

Liam OConnor

Date: 2012-05-15 21:55 EST
Shaye wasn't actually doing anything of the sort, for once. She'd turned her ankle during sparring, and after spending an hour or so with one of the older recruits, swapping kisses for help on memorising the Third Battle for Loscar, she'd headed for the lake to soak her swollen foot and ankle in the icy cool water. Perched on one of the rocks that stood out of the water, she was laughing at something one of the boys in the lake had said when Liam came striding into view, not offering him the most innocent of tableaus to glare at in his approach.

Not normally one to jump to conclusions, Liam's usually calm and slow to anger demeanor had been fueled by Brody's accusations, and it was his turn to see red, a slow rage rising inside him. The anger was better than the pain of betrayal and the scene at the lake seemed at first glance to confirm what Brody had told him. "What the hell are you doing?" he demanded as he came upon the scene, eyes flashing with anger.

The laughing smile on Shaye's face faded abruptly as she looked up at Liam, confusion flaring in her eyes as she took in how incandescently furious he was. "What?" she asked, half-laughing still in her bemusement. "I'm soaking my foot - what crawled up your arse?" Ignoring the scowls from the older boys, she shifted around to place her booted foot on dry land, hopping toward Liam as she shook the water from her bare foot.

If she looked closely, she might notice circles under his eyes, pushing himself too hard, nearing mental and physical exhaustion. He needed to give himself a break, a day off, but doing so meant falling behind in his studies, and he felt a heavy burden on his shoulders to live up to past generations of O'Connors and to his father's and his commanding officers' expectations. "What crawled up..." He echoed, narrowing his eyes at her retort. "What do you think" Why aren't you studying?" His gaze darted to her ankle, but he was too angry to realize just yet what was really going on. "Think flirting is going to help you pass your exams?" He regretted his words before they even left his mouth, but he was seeing red now, just as she had over a year ago when he had let her beat him to winning the best bed in the dormitory.

There was a dangerous moment as Shaye caught up with his assumptions, with what he was skirting around accusing her of. Her face went white, her features pinched as she glared up at him. "For your information, I was studying, but unlike you, I don't study every bloody hour of every bloody day and completely ignore everyone around me just so I can call myself the best in the class!" she snapped back in seething tones, gesturing wildly with her empty boot. "And don't you dare go there, Liam O'Connor, don't you bloody dare!"

"Is that what you think I'm doing" Trying to be the best' If I recall correctly, you're the one who bragged you were going to be the best, remember" The best there is, Liam, you wait and see. How are you going to become the best when you're too busy snogging with every guy who gives you a moment's attention' They..." He threw an arm toward the boys swimming in the lake. "...don't give a damn about you. They just want to brag about how they got into your pants!"

Shaye flushed violently, embarrassment warring with sharp pain at how easy her supposed best friend found it to accuse her of being just like her long dead mother. That he would repeat her confident bragging from over a year before, something she had only ever told him, without a second thought for her privacy. That pain flared in her dark eyes, a flash of something indescribable deep inside that shocked her just as much as anyone who could see it. "Well, I'm not the one who promised his best friend to help her study and then made sure he never had any time for her at all!" she shouted back at him, striking where she knew it was going to hurt, exactly the way he had. "I'm not like you, I'm not clever, I'm not strong, I'm not ever going to be anything but a street brat, so I'm doing what I can to get by on my own! I don't have anything else, so what?s wrong with selling kisses for help" It's not like you ever wanted to help me, or gods' forbid, kiss me yourself!" As the last word echoed into silence, she cut herself off, breathless with hurt anger as she glared up at Liam, heedless of the open-mouthed fascination aimed in their direction from the boys still in the lake behind her.

Her words only fueled his anger, pain flaring deep in his chest like she'd stabbed him with a knife. He glared at her, only hearing half what she was saying, not realizing how his own words were wounding her as much as she was wounding him. Anger flared, ignoring the onlookers as if they were invisible. Only six months ago, he'd felt like he was on top of the world, like he could accomplish anything with her at his side, and now, he felt like he was losing his best friend. His throat closed, tears threatening when he realized how he'd let her down, but then it seemed she had struck the killing blow, accusing him of not wanting her, when she was all he had ever wanted. "Kiss you?" he echoed. "What the hell are you talking about' I wouldn't have asked for favors in exchange for help." He thumped his own chest as he spoke, emphasizing his words. "I promised to help you, but you decided to go elsewhere."

Shaye stared at him, fury melting away as he poked at an already open wound with more hurtful words. "No," she agreed bitterly, nodding as she limped back from him. "No, you're right, of course you are. I'm nothing but a whore, I'm never going to be anything else, am I" Even to you." Her hand clenched, fingertips stroking over the raised scar of their blood oath for a moment, and she lowered her head hurriedly to blink away the tears before anyone saw them. "I thought I was doing something right for once. I thought if I didn't get in your way and I still managed to keep up in class, that you'd be proud of me. Because you don't have time for me, and have I ever once complained about that' No, because I want you to do well. But I never thought you would ever stand there and call me a whore to my face. I thought I meant more to you than that." She lifted her hand, showing him the scar that joined them by blood, livid against her flushed skin. "Forever didn't last very long, did it?" She twisted, moving to limp away, hurt and angry, and too proud to just apologise.

He blinked back at her, all the anger going out of him, only pain remaining. He felt sick, realizing how he'd allowed his anger to get in the way of his better judgment, how he'd let Brody play him, how he'd been so worried about making his family proud that he hadn't seen how much she needed him. His stomach twisted into painful knots at the realization of all these things, worrying that he'd lost her forever. "I never called you a whore. Ever." He hadn't even thought it. He had only been angry and jealous that she'd sought others out instead of him, that she hadn't come to him, that he hadn't been the one to get her first kiss or any kisses. That she'd even chosen Shaunnessy over him, or at least, that was the rumor. Gods, it hurt, like a dagger in his breast, twisting painfully. "You should have come to me." He rubbed a finger absently against the matching mark on his own thumb. "I would have been there for you. I..." His voice hitched, tears clogging his throat. Only then did he realize the others were there, staring at him open-mouthed and he flushed with embarrassment. He'd shamed himself and her. "I'm sorry, Shaye. Truly." He wasn't sure if she'd hear his apology or even care that he'd said it. "I..." He swallowed hard, watching her limp away and feeling like his whole world had just fallen apart.

She twisted to look back at him, deliberately turned away from the lake so that only Liam could see how very close she was to the tears only he had ever seen. "I'm not talking about this in front of them," she told him in a hoarse voice. "You want to shout at me, you come and shout at me in private." There was a pause as she wobbled on her good foot, teeth grinding for a moment. "But you're going to have to come and help me, because I'm about to fall over."

He wanted to leave, to slink away with his tail between his legs, to hide himself from the shame and embarrassment, to cry his eyes out until he had no more tears, but he couldn't. She wouldn't even give him that, wouldn't allow him to leave with any shred of dignity. No, she had to call on him and ask for his help, after all these weeks and months of ignoring him, like he wasn't even there. Priding himself on being a man of his word, though he was still only a boy, he couldn't turn his back on her, not when she needed him, no matter how much pain he was feeling, He closed the distance between them, but instead of just helping her, instead of just letting her lean on him, he swept her up in his arms, easily, like she weighed nothing.

She'd already lost what little dignity she'd had in the wake of their shouting match on the lake shore; being swept off her feet didn't do any more damage. Her arms wrapped about Liam's shoulders as he lifted her up, lips touching gently to his ear as she whispered, "I'm sorry." Two tiny words that trembled with emotion as she hugged him tightly. "We need privacy before we make even bigger fools of ourselves."

Her whisper, such a simple unthinking gesture, gave him pause, an odd fluttery feeling in his stomach that he only seemed to feel when she was around, when she was close to him, that feeling he'd come to recognize as longing. He didn't need to hear anything further. He knew where she wanted to go - to their special place, the old barracks no one else seemed to know or remember even existed. They hadn't been there in months, not since the night they'd pledged themselves to each other forever. Had forever only been six months? He swallowed the pain down at that thought, turning without another word to those watching or to her, striding off with her in his arms toward that lonely barracks they called their own, not caring what any of them thought of him.

Strangely, there were no cat calls, no teasing shouts from the boys and girls left behind them in the lake. They were allowed to retreat without attention being drawn to the fact that O'Connor and Dervla were leaving the grounds together. Shaye hugged tightly to Liam as he carried her out of sight, feeling her tearfulness begin to recede as she relaxed against him. But something else needed saying. "I know about the rumors," she told him quietly, her spare boot thumping against his back as he strode along. "It's just kisses. And it's just the boys at the top of the class, I'm not handing them out to anyone. It's not like they mean anything to me - if I'd had money, I'd have paid for tutoring."

Liam OConnor

Date: 2012-05-15 21:56 EST
He clenched his jaw, her explanation not doing much to alleviate the pain he was feeling. He still didn't understand. Why hadn't she just come to him' Was it her pride that had kept her away or was it something else? He said nothing in reply. There was nothing to say. Not yet. He held her close, arms that were growing stronger as time passed, easily carrying her toward their destination. Thoughts whirled in his mind, as he tried to sort out his feelings, even as she explained.

He was right to think she was in the midst of her explanation. Shaye was struggling to find words that would make things worse. "I didn't want to make your grades worse by taking up your time," she said with quiet awkwardness. "And you spend so much time studying, I realised that if I asked you to help me, you wouldn't have that time for your studies. It means so much to you to do well, and to make your pa proud; I don't want to get in the way of that. And I ....I feel stupid enough in classes anyway. I s'pose I didn't want you knowing just how stupid I am."

He said nothing until she was finished, or until he sensed she was finished. Her explanation was a start at healing the pain, the rift between them, and he wanted more than anything to heal it. He wanted them to be close again; he wanted his best friend back, even if that was all they'd ever be. That thought, too, caused a spasm of pain, as he realized he had always thought that no matter what happened, they'd end up together, they'd always be together. "You're not stupid," he said, the only words that would come when he opened his mouth to speak.

She sighed softly, closing her eyes as her head lowered to his shoulder. The gesture was so trusting, an unthinking offer of her trust in him unhindered by their argument, making her realise that no matter what he said, or what she thought he said that hurt her, she was in too deep to pull out now. Liam was stuck with her, even if it hurt them both. "I'm not good enough for you, though," she murmured without thinking, feeling herself flush awkwardly as she heard herself. But it was true, what she said, and what she didn't say - that she wanted to be good enough. The oath they'd sworn to one another was a driving force in her life, and she fully intended to hold to it no matter what.

He couldn't read her thoughts or her heart, but he could feel her relax against him, put her trust in him, cling to him once again, like he'd always thought she would, like he always wanted her to. What he heard hurt him to hear as much as it hurt her to say it, always believing herself to be beneath the rest of them, when he believed in her and knew in his heart that she really could be the best someday, if she only believed in herself. He'd tried to tell her that again and again, and yet, she chose not to believe him. "Stop it," he said, his voice gentle, despite the fading anger and pain. They hadn't arrived at the old barracks yet, but they were far enough away from the others that no one would hear them or see what they were doing. He turned off the path, to set her very gently down underneath the shade of a willow tree, the branches bowing low to shade them from the heat of the day.

His gentle scolding made her frown lightly, holding onto his arms as he set her down with only a slight wobble. Her ankle was going to put her down for a couple of days, but perhaps she'd be able to catch up with the academics during that time. She didn't really have time for those thoughts, though, looking up at her best friend in the shadow of the tree he'd set her down beneath. Shaye didn't have any more words, worry painting her face as she watched Liam looking down at her, her cheeks flushed as much with the heat of the day as the unsettling flutter in her stomach as the by-now familiarly awkward silence lowered around them.

She didn't have to worry about putting any weight on her foot, as his arms circled around her waist, allowing her to lean as much of her weight onto him as she wished, holding her there, looking into her eyes, searching for some hint to help him along. Did she think of him as a brother or something more" How would he ever know if he didn't ask" Did she want him to kiss her or would she reject him' He needed to know once and for all. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. Without another word, without any warning, he decided to take a chance. Towering over her, he tilted his head down, leaning in, hesitating a moment as his breath caught in his throat, heart pounding in his chest. Just one kiss. One kiss and he'd know if she loved him the way that he loved her.

Shaye felt the world suddenly narrow down, shielding her vision until all she saw was Liam, leaning down toward her. She'd been giving out kisses that meant absolutely nothing for months now, when the only kiss she really wanted was his. And here it was. Her gaze focused on his lips, her heart abruptly thumping in staccato rhythm in her chest as she felt her cheeks heat and darken in anticipation. And then he hesitated. She almost groaned, her fingers tightening on his arms as she felt a brief surge of fright that he might have changed his mind. Well, she wasn't going to let him change his mind. Her lips crashed to his in a clumsy, eager kiss that burned with deep, deep affection.

She traded kisses for tutoring, and he'd never asked for anything. She belonged to him and no one else; she always had. He knew it in the very core of his being. He'd promised her his heart, his life, his soul. Didn't she know that he loved her" That he'd always loved her and no one else? That he'd only been waiting for her to realize that she loved him, too' He saw the longing in her eyes when he hesitated, the way she clutched his arms as if she wanted to pull him closer and never let go. Something gave way inside him as her lips met his, a flood of what he could only describe as love surging forth, filling his heart until it felt as though it would burst wide open.

How did you know what you felt was love" How did you explain to an inexperienced, unloved girl that what she felt for Liam was more than just the affectionate gratitude of a friend" Somehow without intending it, they had found the perfect way. Threatened with the loss of Liam because of her own behavior, Shaye had let herself ache rather than force herself on him, and from that ache had come a slow realisation. As her clumsy kiss became softer, gentler, surprising in its expertise, she felt her indefinable flutter blossom deep inside. When she drew back, her dark eyes fairly shone with it, staring deep into his. "Why would I ever want to be away from you?" she asked Liam in a softly confused tone. "I love you."

He'd never kissed anyone else before and never wanted to kiss anyone else again. Theirs was one of those magical kisses that he'd read about, the kind that he'd thought were just the stuff of romance and legend. With that one kiss, he knew without a doubt that she was the one that was meant for him, his true love, his soul mate, his beloved. He lost himself in that kiss, swept away by it and the feelings that were soaring inside him. His embrace tightened, even as the kiss deepened and then gentled. He drew a soft breath as she pulled away, unexpected tears shining in his eyes when he matched her gaze. Her declaration of love caught him by surprise and overwhelmed by emotion, he found himself speechless, pulling her into his embrace to hold her close, tears of relief and joy flowing freely.

Had she really said that' Shaye was as taken by surprise as Liam was, swept up in his embrace before he could see the shock on her face at hearing herself declare a feeling that she hadn't even known she was caught up in herself. As he hugged her tightly, feeling the trickle of his tears against her neck, Shaye clung to him, squeezing her eyes closed. She wasn't going to deny it; at fourteen, she'd fallen in love, and she was absolutely certain there would never be room in her heart for anyone else. Her hand lifted from his back as she opened her eyes, displaying the scar of their blood oath to her gaze. "Forever."

Liam lifted his head from her shoulder, his face wet with tears. She'd never seen him cry before, but somehow it didn't seem to matter if she saw him or not. He hadn't returned her declaration of love yet, not in so many words, but from the look on his face, there was no mistaking what he was feeling. He mirrored her movement, lifting his own hand from around her waist to display the scar of his own that matched hers. "Forever," he echoed, his voice quiet and shaking with emotion, meaning what he said with all his heart. "I swear."

Liam OConnor

Date: 2012-05-15 22:04 EST
Nose to nose, she slid her hand down to touch their matching scars together, never once taking those dark, fathomless eyes from his. They might be young, but in barely two years, they would be considered man and woman and old enough to make such decisions for themselves. In just two years, they could make this connection between them something permanent and timeless, and not even Shaye could see his parents objecting to it. Her own father didn't even come into the equation. Her other hand lifted, long slender fingers stroking the wetness from his cheeks. "Don't cry, rua," she murmured quietly, testing out for herself the hill-folk's term of endearment and finding it to her liking. "Please?"

He smiled through his tears, touched by her tender, caring touch, and the term of endearment he'd heard his parents share, but had never thought to hear from Shaye's lips. He reached for her hand, pulling it away from his cheeks to his lips, brushing a gentle kiss against her fingertips, his heart suddenly feeling as light as a feather. She had finally said those words he'd been longing to hear her say. She loved him, and nothing would ever come between them again, or so he thought. "Tears of happiness, lea," he explained, his smile wideneing, and then he laughed, for the sheer joy of the moment.

The wildness in her smile that was always there grew into bloom once again, softened by her own realisation of love and affection for her best friend. Thumb and forefinger tweaked his nose teasingly as she laughed with him. "Don't start thinking this means I'll go easy on you, though," she warned him with a warning in her smile. "I'm still going to beat you into the ground one of these days." Empty threat or not, some things were never going to change.

He laughed at her threat, reminded of the day they'd first met. How fiercely she'd fought, but how quickly they'd bonded, finding something in each other that they both seemed to have been looking for. Friendship at first, before long, it had bloomed into something deeper and more meaningful, and now that she finally recognized it, he didn't have to keep it a secret anymore. Almost forgetting she'd hurt her ankle, he swung his arms around her waist, lifting her up off the ground and spinning her around, laughing with happiness. Whatever hurt and jealousy he'd been feeling just a short time ago was replaced with exhilaration.

She squeaked, a sound that no one else was ever going to hear from her, her arms snapping about his shoulders as he hoisted her off her feet. Hugging him as her laughter mingled with his, Shaye silenced them both with another gentle brush of her lips to his. This time the kiss was better; not fuelled by anger or hesitation or the need to prove anything, it was a kiss for kissing's sake, and the only person she'd ever truly wanted to kiss was reaping the rewards of all the frogs she'd been practising on.

His laughter muffled by her lips, he set her gently down onto her feet, arms wrapped loosely around her, heart pounding with excitement. He had never kissed anyone before and was untried and unpracticed, his mouth warm and tender, but a little bit clumsy. He felt that same unexplainable spark of something when their lips met, like he'd never really been alive until this very moment. His lips lingered against hers a moment before pulling away to draw a slow breath, pressing his forehead against hers. This was what it felt like to be in love, to love someone more than anyone or anything, to want to belong to someone forever. "I love you," he whispered finally, blinking back fresh tears. "I've always loved you and I will always love you."

"Always?" Shaye was ever so slightly concerned by how vulnerable she sounded, how tearful she was. She'd never been so prone to tears, and yet Liam had managed to bring her to the brink twice now. And that wasn't counting the disaster at the beginning of the year when she'd cried all over him just for being there when she needed him to be. Sniffling, she found herself remembering little things - the way he looked at her when he thought she wasn't looking; the laughing and teasing of their friends during their first year of training together; how nervous he'd been when she'd finally met his parents ....Her fingers tightened in his tunic as she growled fiercely. "No one is ever going to take you away from me," she promised him fervently. "I'll kill anyone who tries. And if Brody can't take no for an answer, I rip out all that pretty hair she's so proud of and make her eat it."

Liam knew they were young. They had their whole lives ahead of them. He knew anything could happen, but he was bound and determined to hold onto her, to never let go no matter what, no matter who tried to come between them, whether it be Shaunnessy or Brody or someone else. They belonged to each other and woe be unto anyone who tried to break them apart. He saw the vulnerability in her and tightened his embrace. Even at fifteen, even knowing how capable she was of taking care of herself, he felt it was his duty to protect her and care for her, just as he'd promised her six months ago. As far as he was concerned, they were already promised. It didn't matter if it was official or not, she was his and he was hers. He couldn't help but chuckle when she turned fierce, threatening to kill anyone who tried to come between them, and wondered if he should tell her about Brody, but thought better of it. She'd only get angry and do something stupid. Brody meant nothing to him. He had eyes for one girl and one girl alone. "Do you want me to make that same threat?"

Liam knew they were young. They had their whole lives ahead of them. He knew anything could happen, but he was bound and determined to hold onto her, to never let go no matter what, no matter who tried to come between them, whether it be Shaunnessy or Brody or someone else. They belonged to each other and woe be unto anyone who tried to break them apart. He saw the vulnerability in her and tightened his embrace. Even at fifteen, even knowing how capable she was of taking care of herself, he felt it was his duty to protect her and care for her, just as he'd promised her six months ago. As far as he was concerned, they were already promised. It didn't matter if it was official or not, she was his and he was hers. He couldn't help but chuckle when she turned fierce, threatening to kill anyone who tried to come between them, and wondered if he should tell her about Brody, but thought better of it. She'd only get angry and do something stupid. Brody meant nothing to him. He had eyes for one girl and one girl alone. "Do you want me to make that same threat?"

Her fierceness broke in a quiet giggle at his question, her gaze softening once again as she loosened her grip in his tunic. "I think you sort of already did," she ventured, not particularly wanting to reference their little shouting match on the edge of the lake but needing things clarified. There would be no more selling kisses, she was certain of that. She was just going to have to put up with being even slower than Shaunessy until she became a good enough reader.

Liam OConnor

Date: 2012-05-15 22:05 EST
He frowned, feeling a little foolish for his angry outburst, his jealousy and his accusations. Brody had played on his feelings, hoping to drive a wedge between them. He wondered what she'd do now that her plan had backfired. "I'm sorry, Shaye. I'm an idiot. I should have trusted you, but the thought of you kissing someone else..." He shrugged his shoulders, leaving the rest of the explanation unsaid. He wondered what would have happened had the tables been turned, but she'd made herself clear. It seemed she was just as jealous as he was.

She wouldn't have stopped at just shouting at him, and they both knew it. Her cheeks flushed in shame at being the cause of his anger and jealousy, though. "I won't be doing it again," she promised quietly. "They'll just have to find girls who actually like them to get kisses now." Yes, it stung to give up her opportunity to excel academically, but she knew her own worth on the training field. Even if she never rose above second-lieutenant in rank, she'd be good at it.

He knew why she'd done it, but he still didn't quite understand it. Had he had been that busy with his own studies not to have noticed she needed help, or was it her own stubborn streak that had stopped her from asking him for help. "I promised I'd help you. You should have told me." There was nothing as important to him as her, not even his studies or his career. He sighed again as he held her close. There wasn't much point in arguing over it now. What they needed to do now was find a solution to the problem.

She leaned into him, resting her cheek against his shoulder as she sighed softly. Her ankle was beginning to throb painfully, so long out of the cool water without being put up or wrapped, but it didn't matter for now. "I was hoping that I wouldn't need them by now," she admitted quietly. "I thought I'd get better at the reading faster than I am, and if I can't keep up with the reading, then I'm never going to keep up with all the history and politics and strategy bollocks."

He frowned thoughtfully, as he considered their dilemma and suddenly the answer was obvious. Why hadn't he thought of it before" "I'll read to you....Until you get better and can read on your own. I have to read the lessons anyway. I'll just....read them to you." He smiled, quite proud of himself, a small plan hatching in his mind, but he didn't want to tell her too much. He wanted to surprise her. "We can be study mates."

Her mouth opened, an automatic protest on the tip of her tongue against being read to like a child. But thankfully, this time her brain got there before her voice did, and her mouth closed. It didn't matter whether he knew she was struggling or not, he was the one person who wouldn't judge her for it. And she definitely liked the idea of having him all to herself for however long those lessons would take. Grinning, she looked up at him. "All right, you're on," she agreed cheerfully, wobbling a little with a faint wince as she accidentally put weight on her injured ankle. Regret touched her expression. "I really should get off this foot before it swells up like a water melon."

His smiled widened when she agreed to his suggestion, and he felt a thrill of excitement at the surprise he had in mind for her, but the smile quickly faded when she mentioned her ankle, and he frowned worriedly. Scooping her back up into his arms, he turned them back toward the barracks, intending on taking her to the infirmary to have her ankle tended to, rather than to the abandoned barracks. "How'd you hurt it?" he asked, as he shifted her weight in his arms and started back.

He got another girlish squeak as he scooped her up off her feet once again without warning, her empty boot thumping against his back as she clutched at his shoulders. "This is hardly a dignified way to get back to barracks," she complained with a roll of her eyes, but the way she curled into his arms suggested that she really didn't mind at all. "I turned it during sparring - bad landing, and then Hana landed on me."

He clucked his tongue, both at her complaint about being dignified and at her explanation of how she'd turned her ankle. "Hana's clumsy. Did you beat her before she fell on you?" He seemed to be having no trouble at all carrying her, but he was already tired and pushing himself to the brink of exhaustion.

"It was a bit of an own goal," Shaye admitted with with a wry chuckle, her eyes narrowing a little as she started to pay proper attention to how he felt under her. "We were supposed to be fighting two-on-two. I took down both our opponents, but one of them got her when we were retreating. She didn't stop apologising until I threatened to ram her tongue down her throat." Her hand gently moved to the back of his neck, curling there as much in affection as feeling the tension in him. "Have you taken a break at all today?"

"You're better than her," he remarked when she finished her story. "You're better than everyone." Yes, he included himself in that, knowing she really could be the best if she just put her mind to it. His frown deepened a little when he felt her hand at the back of his neck, touched by her concern, but not wanting her to worry about him, just as stupidly stubborn as she was. "I'll be fine once I get some rest."

"At least I know you've eaten," she retorted quietly. "You can't get away with missing meals here, and your ma would tear you a new one if she thought you weren't looking after yourself." It was gently said, but it was a definite threat. Shaye might not be able to convince Liam to behave sensibly, but his mother could. She grinned innocently up at him. "Straight to bed when we get to the barracks, then."

He grunted at the veiled suggestion that she might tattle on him to his mother, taking the threat seriously, not really wanting both of them badgering him to take better care of himself. She knew how much this all meant to him, how much pride he took in his accomplishments, and how much he wanted them all to be proud of him. "Are you going to tuck me in?" he asked, with a sideways smile at her. He came to a halt as they came in sight of the barracks, unsure if she wanted anyone to see him carrying her back. There were people milling around the grounds, and they were bound to notice. "Do you think you can make it from here, if I help take the weight off your foot?"

"Yeah, I can make it," she nodded confidently, leaning close to touch her lips just behind his ear. "Screw Brody," she added in a low whisper. "I'm not keeping us a secret for anyone's peace of mind, not unless you want me to."

He smiled, stopping to set her carefully down on her feet, slipping an arm around and under her arm to help take her weight, turning his head to face her. "I don't care about Brody or anyone else. I love you. You belong to me." That was all there was to it. His love for her was no longer a secret, and he didn't care who knew about it.

Sidling up against his side as he took some of her weight, Shaye bent her arm behind his, her long fingers curling over his shoulder in a firm grasp as she smiled up at him. "Damn straight," was her fierce agreement, her nod sharp and exaggerated. "Which is why I'm not waiting until after lights out to curl up with you ever again. And if Makos doesn't like it, he can choke on it."

He smiled at her fierce reply, chuckling a little as he started with her toward the infirmary, taking it slow and easy. "Too bad we can't kick Brody out. She tried to flirt with me, you know. She thinks I'm boring." He rolled his eyes at the thought of Brody trying anything with him. "She'll tell him, you know." He frowned a little. "You don't think they'd separate us, do you?"

Liam OConnor

Date: 2012-05-15 22:07 EST
Shaye snorted with laughter. "She really doesn't know you, then," she agreed with a chuckle. "I don't care if she tells him; he's been patrolling late night and early morning since we started training, and he's never stopped us before. Why would he have a problem with it now?"

"He'll have a problem with it if he thinks..." He broke off, feeling the heat in his face at a particular thought. The truth was that he was just as frustrated as the other recruits, but he didn't want to just rut with her and be done with it. He wanted it to be special, and he was willing to wait until they were both ready, but the others didn't know that, and Makos wouldn't want to lose someone like Shaye to pregnancy.

"Like he'd ever think you'd risk losing your place here," she pointed out cheerfully. "Or me. I've got more to lose than you have, Liam, and he knows I wouldn't make a mistake like that. Besides, all we'd have to do would be to tell him about the oath, and he wouldn't be able to do anything anyway." She squeezed his shoulder gently, limping toward the barracks. "Besides, it's the twelfth night - Brody'll be out visiting her fancy man tonight, won't she?"

"You should really have that looked at, Shaye," he scolded gently out of concern, debating whether to take her to the infirmary or straight to their barracks. He didn't care about Brody and if she started anything, he'd put her in her place himself. He was more concerned about Makos, but he had done nothing thus far to discourage their friendship. He made no comment about whether she had more to lose than him. It was unfair to compare as they came from two different worlds, both of them risking shame if they failed, but shame of a different nature.

"It's just a sprain, Liam," she argued lightly, but they both knew that if it wasn't strapped properly, she wouldn't be walking on it for a while. She sighed. "Oh, all right. To the Infirmary!" She pointed in the direction of the infirmary buildings dramatically, flashing him a grin.

He grinned back, glad she had seen reason and wasn't being a stubborn mule. There was no way of knowing for sure if the injury was serious or not, and he didn't want to chance it. "I'm going to mark this day on my calendar. The day Shaye told me she loved me and let me take her to the infirmary." He helped her along toward the infirmary, stifling the desire to pick her up and carry her there.

Laughing, Shaye let him take most of her weight, having to practically swing along beside him anyway since his stride was so much longer than hers. "And going to the infirmary is so much more important than the other thing, isn't it' I mean, this might never happen again, whereas me saying I love you is pretty much guaranteed a repeat at least ten times a day."

He chuckled. "Ten times a day' Don't you think you'll get sick of saying it after a while?" He wasn't going to discourage her, however. He'd longed to hear her say it almost since the day they'd met. As far as he was concerned, she couldn't say it too often. He smirked as a thought crossed his mind. "How you going to tell me you love me the next time we are sparring?"

"Oh, I'll cheat, of course," she grinned as they lurched along through the gathering dusk. "I'll wait until we're close quarters, kiss you until you turn to jelly, whack you over the head, and then tell you I love you."

"And then help me lick my wounds, I suppose," he grinned back, amused at this turn in the conversation and for the first time in months, happy. "I want to see the look on Brody's face when she finds out her plan backfired." He chuckled at the thought of it, forgetting he hadn't intended on telling her, but they had arrived at the infirmary and maybe he wouldn't have to explain.

Shaye blushed faintly, shaking her head as her eyes lifted back to him. "You point and I'll lick," she offered, her grin fading as she caught up with whate else he'd said. Her brow furrowed. "Wait ....her plan' What did she -" She didn't get the chance to continue as the youngest of the trainee healers approached them, reaching out to take her arm. "This way, Dervla," she said in a slightly nervous voice. "She'll be out in a few minutes, O'Connor."

Liam nodded his head to the healer trainee and let Shaye go, allowing the girl to take over and do for her what he couldn't. He waited until the two of them disappeared before dropping into a chair and sighing wearily. It had been a long, tiring day for both of them. He felt mentally, physically, and emotionally drained, but he knew he'd go to bed tonight with a smile on his face. He had his Shaye back, and nothing was going to come between them again.

Or so he thought...

((Thanks to Shaye's Player!))