Topic: Learning

Shaye OConnor

Date: 2012-05-17 16:57 EST
((Takes place a couple of days after First Kiss.)) __________________________

Two days after Shaye had twisted her ankle, there was a folded up note, along with a fresh-picked daisy, atop her desk when she returned to the barracks after morning lessons. The note was sealed with a bit of wax and when she opened it, she was likely to recognize Liam's messy handwriting scrawled across the paper. The note simply read, "Meet me at the tree after lessons." There was no further explanation, no explanation even which willow tree the note might be in reference to. He simply assumed she would know which tree he meant - the tree beneath which they'd shared their first kiss, henceforth to be referred to as their tree.

She didn't actually notice the little letter left for her right away, too busy unbuckling her training armor and setting it on the stand by the wall, steadfastly ignoring the glaring from Brody across the room. The daisy caught Shaye's eye, however, when she turned back to the room, a vaguely bemused smile touching her lips as she picked it up. Opening the parchment, her dark eyes studied the words carefully, taking up the meaning once she'd read it through twice. A soft flush colored her cheeks.

Brody groaned, rolling her eyes at the look on Shaye's face, and stamped out of the barrack in a temper. Any onlookers were deeply amused by the sight of Shaye following after her just as quickly, tugging the braid free of her hair as she headed into the wood that bordered the camp. Their tree. Oh yes, she knew exactly where that was.

Liam had been absent from the barracks after morning lessons and missing from the messhall during lunch. If asked, no one seemed to know where he'd gone. He'd just up and disappeared; the only clue to his whereabouts was the note he'd left on Shaye's desk, sealed with wax to make sure no one - especially Brody - tampered with it. It had taken a little planning, and he'd had to ask permission for both of them to take the afternoon off, but Makos had been surprisingly agreeable.

Liam wasn't sure why the man had been so agreeable, but he wasn't going to argue. Perhaps he thought the two of them could use a little time off. Perhaps he thought it better to give them permission, rather than have them sneak off. Whatever the reason was, Liam didn't care. He had promised the two of them would work all the harder the following day and after a little hemming and hawing, Makos had finally given in.

Fingers combing through her hair in a surprisingly girlish attempt to make herself look more presentable for Liam, Shaye made her way beneath the trees, rolling her sleeves up to her elbows as she walked along. Something in her stomach flipped nervously about as she headed toward the willow on her newly healed ankle, hands swaying at her sides. "All right, I'm here," she announced as she came closer. "No throwing punches without a warning."

Liam could just be seen peeking out at her from the other side of the tree, blond hair falling loosely about his face, hazel eyes shining as he watched her approach, heart thumping nervously in his chest. He smiled at her warning. She couldn't be farther from the truth. The last thing on his mind was sparring with her. He stepped out from behind the tree, unable to hide there for long as he was no longer a child and was quickly becoming a man.

Taller and broader than most of the other recruits, he was becoming a force to be reckoned with within the ranks. He had changed out of his practice leathers and was wearing a plain beige tunic, open at the neck, and a pair of brown trousers which were tucked into boots a shade darker. At his side, he held a basket covered by a plaid cloth, a bottle of some sort peeking out the side.

"Did anyone follow you?" he asked, peering behind her to make sure she'd come alone.

Her face lit up with the kind of bright fondness that couldn't be feigned as Liam stepped into view, one hand self-consciously pushing the gentle wave of her hair back over her shoulder as she moved to join him. "No one's that's stupid," she smiled cheekily. "Makos has got us doing the full run and spar this afternoon." She sighed, not looking forward to that at all. Her dark gaze flickered down to the basket slightly suspiciously. "What's this?"

"Not us. I got us out of it," he grinned, rather proud of himself for managing to somehow get them out of that. There'd be gossip most likely later about favoritism, but Liam didn't care. They had worked harder than anyone and deserved a few hours away. He triumphantly held up the basket, beaming from ear to ear, eyes dancing with merriment. "I would be honored if you'd join me for a picnic."

"Mmm, I don't know ..." For all her apparently uncertain words, it couldn't be more obvious that Shaye was definitely on board with his little surprise. Dark eyes glittered with affectionate excitement as she bounced on her heels, moving closer with flexing fingers at her sides. "Are we eating, or are we doing something else on this picnic?"

He smiled, cheeks reddening at her question. "I don't know. What would you like to do?" He had come prepared with plenty of food, but it wasn't about the food really. He had just wanted to get her away from the others and spend some quiet time alone with her for a little while. He'd wanted to do something nice for her, and a picnic had seemed the perfect thing to do. The lake wasn't far away either, if they decided they wanted to go swimming after lunch. She was the one who'd given him the idea really, telling him he'd been working too hard and needed to take a break. He stretched out an arm to offer her his hand. "I want to show you something."

Nothing much had really changed between them in those two days since they'd admitted to their feelings in spectacular fashion, but Shaye couldn't help feeling as though she was glowing in the now obvious light of Liam's affections. She didn't even care about the teasing, though hopefully he wasn't going to find out just why Brody hadn't been at training yesterday evening. That was the sort of altercation Liam was always on at her not to engage with. "I don't mind what we do," she admitted with a chuckle, sliding her hand into his, entwining their fingers together tenderly. "Wait, did you say we're not doing the training this afternoon?"

He closed his hand around hers, loving the way her hand felt in his, like it belonged there. He smiled at her question, his face lighting up, eyes sparkling with amusement. "Did I?" he asked, with a teasing grin. "Of course, if you'd rather spend the afternoon training, I understand." He pulled her closer, daring to be a little bit bolder. He drew her around to the back of the tree where he'd been standing when she'd approached, and there carved on their tree was their initials, clear as day for anyone to see, enclosed in the carved shape of a heart, with an arrow running through it. L.O. and S.D.

If her smile had been delighted before, that was nothing to how sweetly her expression lit up as her eyes fell on that little bit of carving. "Oh, Liam," she murmured in pleased surprise, the fingers of her free hand rising to stroke over the lines of their initials. Particularly over his. She looked up at him with a bright smile. "You're doing your damndest to turn me into a giggling little girl, aren't you?"

Shaye OConnor

Date: 2012-05-17 17:00 EST
He laughed, a sound not heard from him very often, and pulled her close. Those initials would remain on the tree for years to come, when things turned ugly, when they were forced apart, a reminder of all that was good in the world, of the way things could be again. "I would love to see you giggle," he said, leaning close, her back toward the tree. "But there's something I'd love more," he told her quietly.

"Oh?" Shaye leaned back against the tree trunk with a smile that might have been considered shy, if Liam hadn't known the wicked little glimmer in her eyes a little too well. Watching him through her dark lashes, she bit her lip sweetly. "I don't dance," she warned him with a teasing smile.

"I'm not talking about dancing," he murmured, leaning even closer, so close she filled his vision, as well as his heart. His gaze drifted to her lips. The last few days it seemed those lips of hers were all he could think about, wanting to taste their sweetness again and again. The picnic basket was all but forgotten in his hand, until he leaned too close and nearly dropped it.

But Shaye was in a teasing mood, her eyes alight with sweet laughter as she grinned up at Liam, amused by the way he surprised himself with the weight of the picnic basket. "Is there anything in there that'll spoil if we don't eat right away?" she asked him in a playful voice, leaning back further to deny him the kiss he was so obviously angling for.

He had to think about that a minute, obviously distracted, not by the picnic basket, but by her and his desire to kiss her. He leaned close again, heart pounding, breath shallow. If she didn't kiss him soon, he thought he'd die. "Shaye..." he whispered, his voice pleading for one kiss, however brief, however quick. He wanted her, he needed her, he loved her.

Her grin widened as he pleaded with her, her knees bending to duck her out from between him and the tree with a low laugh. She skipped backwards toward the lake, flashing him a wink. "I think you're going to have to be more specific, rua," she told him cheekily, one hand innocently untying the laces at her neck.

His eyes widened as she skipped away from him, watching her intently as she tugged at the laces at her neck, his face flushing with longing. He'd seen her naked once before, over a year ago, when she had been a girl, her body coltish without the curves of womanhood that were coming into full bloom now. He felt the stirrings of desire deep inside his loins, but that wasn't what he wanted from her. Not now, not yet, not until she was ready. Her kiss was all he wanted, kisses to remind him that she loved him. He leaned sideways to free himself of the weight of the picnic basket, setting it on the grass beneath their tree.

"Don't tease..." he pleaded again, looking like he might die if she didn't kiss him right then and there.

She laughed, one hand rising to crook a finger at him, inviting her friend and beloved to come and get what he wanted with a teasing grin. "I'm not going to do a strip-tease for you, if that's what you're worried about," she informed Liam laughingly, deliberately misunderstanding. "I was just going to take a dip, maybe. It's suddenly really warm, wouldn't you agree?"

"A dip?" he repeated, as if not understanding, his mind slow to grasp her meaning, distracted as he was. He would agree it was warm, but it wasn't the summer day that was causing the heat. He took a step forward, drawn to her, wondering what she was up to and why she was teasing him.

He was rewarded for his patience. Shaye giggled, offering up that girlish sound in response to his distracted inability to understand what she was talking about. The laces at her neck were completely undone now, her shirt slipping to hang off one shoulder as she continued to back slowly toward the lake. "Liam, what do you do when you get hot?" she asked with impish sweetness. "You cool down. And there's this lovely big lake right here ..." She turned her back on him to gesture toward the sparkling water.

The question hung in the air between them, and he seemed unable to think a moment, realizing finally what she was getting at. "You want to go swimming?" he asked, glancing at the lake behind her. And why not' The others were all busy with training. They had the lake and the entire afternoon to themselves to do whatever they wanted. He looked back at her and smiled. "Last one there is a rotten egg!" he challenged, taking off in a run toward the lake.

She let out a low shriek of indignation, almost falling over her own feet to run after him. "That's cheating, O'Connor!" was yelled after him in a laughing tone. She hopped quickly to drag her boots off on the way, flailing them around in one hand as she resumed her sprint after him, the other hand tugging at the buckle on her belt. "You're just shy of letting me see that lily-white arse, aren't you?"

He was tugging his shirt off over his head as he dashed toward the lake, laughing, tossing a glance at her over his shoulder and grinning back at her. "You wish! And how do you know it's lily-white if you've never seen it?" He nearly tripped when he was temporarily blinded by the shirt he was yanking over his head, pulling it off his arms and letting it fall wherever it landed on the grass. He hopped on one foot as he tugged one boot off and dropped it on the grass.

Her belt was off now, hanging from the same hand as her boots as she skidded to a halt by the water's edge, dropping that handful to begin the arduous wriggle out of her skin-tight pants. "Oh, come on, rua, you and I both know it hasn't seen the light of day in at least a year," she snickered, finally distracted herself by the sight of his bare chest. A deep pink flush lit up her cheeks as she stared for a moment, before ripping off her pants and kicking them aside, hands rising to pull her shirt overhead. "I'm winning!"

"It sees the light of day every time I have a bath!" he exclaimed, a little indignantly. He hopped again to tug the other boot off, glowering at her and the thought of her winning. He had fewer items of clothing to remove and logically should be the winner. He dropped the second boot on the ground and fumbled with his belt. He hadn't really been planning on stripping completely, his old shyness getting the best of him again. He watched dumbfounded as she started to pull her shirt off, gulping audibly.

Despite her own blushing, Shaye dragged her shirt off and dropped it with the rest of her clothing, turning her attention to the last piece of cloth protecting her modesty. She had definitely bloomed in the past year; where once she had been coltish and boyish, with a figure that went straight up and down, now she had feminine curves that were well hidden beneath her tunic and armor most of the time. The breasts that had budded forth over the past months were small still, but even now would fit into his hands almost perfectly.

She flashed him a cheeky grin, knowing she'd distracted him completely finally. "Put your tongue back in, rotten egg," Shaye suggested, moving to dive into the cold water in a sinuous motion.

Shaye OConnor

Date: 2012-05-17 17:04 EST
He was unaware that his tongue was hanging out of his mouth, like a dog panting on a hot summer day, shocked by the sight of her, even though he knew she had blossomed over the last few months. He'd noticed the changes in her body over the last year, especially on those nights when she'd taken to his bed. Where she'd been straight and narrow, she was turning soft and willowy. He blinked out of his daze finally as she dove into the water, bespelled by her growing beauty.

Startled or not, he was not going to let her get the best of him for long. He yanked the belt away from his trousers and dropped it on the grass, breaking into a full run toward the lake and with a shout of pure joy, he dove in after her.

He'd timed his dive perfectly, hidden under the water before she broke the surface to take her first breath. Shaking her hair back from her face in a dripping arc, Shaye's toes found purchase on the bed of the lake as she arched to push her hair completely out of her face, looking around to find Liam with an exhilarated grin. Not even the chill of the water on her naked skin was enough to keep her from feeling the heat of stripping so completely in front of him, but give it another couple of years, and she'd have even more curves to reveal as nature ran its course.

No longer an awkward, skinny boy of thirteen, Liam's own body was changing along with hers. He was well on his way to becoming a man, muscles slowly becoming more defined, but not yet the chiseled body of a warrior. Losing the awkwardness of youth, moving with the grace of a deliberate grace of a soldier, the dive into the lake was perfect executed, searching for her beneath the water before surfacing beside her to take a breath. He had hardly paused to take a breath when he was lunging at her to take her under the water with him, a playful grin on his face.

Shaye laughed aloud as he burst up from the water beside her, lurching backward not fast enough to prevent herself from being borne under the surface with him this time. She only just remembered to take a breath, feeling an unfamiliar shiver as she realised that Liam had his arms around her. Fourteen was the perfect age to realise what hormones were and what they did, and Liam's naked body up against hers in the cool lake water wasn't helping her keep a lid on those feelings. Her arms wrapped about his neck as she peered through the water, drawing close enough to finally deliver the kiss he'd been begging for on land all along.

Taken completely by surprise by the underwater kiss, his arms wrapped around her, he closed his eyes and pressed his lips against her, distracting him again, forgetting momentarily to hold his breath. He blew out a breath, exhaling bubbles as their lips met, and suddenly he was out of breath, eyes widening as he let go of her and made his way to the surface to sputter and cough and catch his breath.

Shaye snorted water up her nose as her vision filled with the bubbles of his breath, pushing up to get a fresh breath above the water herself. Spitting out a mouthful of water, she spluttered a laugh in his direction. "Well, we can safely say no one's ever going to kiss me like that again," she teased through her coughing, flicking water at him.

He laughed between coughs, despite the fact that his lungs felt like they were burning, blinking unconsciously as she flicked water his way. "You're..." He coughed again. "...asking for it." He sprayed water back at her with the flick of a hand, dowsing her, grinning mischievously, wet hair clinging to his forehead and cheeks. "No one better ever kiss you again!"

She swallowed another mouthful of water as his splash caught her with her mouth open in laughter at his teasing. "No one, rua?" she asked as innocently as she could in the midst of all the spluttering, wiping her face dry as she floated toward him. "No one at all?"

Liam smiled as he watched her float toward him. "No one but me," he corrected, feeling a little possessive, but then, she belonged to him and always had. He waited for her to get close before he reached for her, to circle his arms around her waist, trying to keep his eyes focused on her face and not let his eyes drift away to admire the luscious curves that were right there before him.

"I'm going to marry you, Shaye," he told her, his voice soft with emotion. He had promised her before, but this was no wager, and he had no intentions of waiting until one of them made First Blade to make her his wife.

The swirl of the water under the curve of his arms drew her up against him as his arms slipped about her waist, her own hands creeping up along the line of his biceps and over his shoulders as she flowed easily into his arms. His announcement of his intentions shouldn't have surprised her, but somehow it did, softening her expression with tender surprise.

"Really?" she asked very softly, teasing her fingertips against his spine as they floated together in the water. "Not that it's a bad thing, but ....are you sure you want to get married at all?"

He quirked a brow, a little surprised by her question, his fingers brushing her spine as they floated lazily along. "Why wouldn't I want to get married?" he asked, worried he had said too much. Maybe he'd assumed too much too soon. He forehead creased worriedly, hazel eyes looking troubled. He remembered the wager they had made nearly six months ago, but to him, it had been more promise than wager. "Why do we have to wait until one of us makes First Blade?"

"Well, no, it's just ..." She trailed off. Shaye and Liam had gone over her own sense of self-worth several times, almost coming to blows at one point. She just couldn't see herself the way he did. She shivered under the stroke of his fingers against her back, nuzzling her nose gently to his. "Never mind. Forget I said anything."

His expression didn't change, sensing something was troubling her. He knew her well enough to know something was bothering her, but not well enough to know what it was. He'd already introduced her to his family and they'd welcomed her with open arms. What anyone else thought didn't matter. His expression softened a little when they affectionately touched noses. "Tell me, lea." He called her by the pet name he'd chosen for her, a term of endearment.

Shaye's smile was a little sad as she gazed into his eyes. "It's the same thing as always," she admitted in a regretful tone, shrugging one shoulder as the currents beneath the water brought her closer to him in the chill of the lake. "If we don't marry, people won't look down on you for having me in your bed. I don't want to spoil your chances of becoming a Queen's Man, rua."

His expression darkened, his eyes flashing with momentary anger at her assessment of herself and her own worth. "If having you for a wife - or a lover - ruins my chances, then so be it. You are going to be First Blade someday, and then no one will dare look down on you ever again. I don't want to be a Queen's Man, not unless you are with me." He spoke with such determination, such vehemence, he left little room for argument.

Shaye OConnor

Date: 2012-05-17 17:08 EST
"I thought you were going to be First Blade someday?" she countered with a wry smile. "We're never going to agree on this, Liam, I should have just kept my mouth shut." She touched a shy kiss to his cheek, trying to ease him past that moment of anger without too many repercussions. "You, um ....you're really thinking about me as your lover, already?"

He shrugged his shoulders, which were starting to burn as the bright afternoon sun reflected off the water. "It's more important for you to make First Blade. You have more to prove than I do. I'm a Captain's son. Soldiering is in my blood. But you....You deserve to be First Blade, Shaye, and I, for one, will be proud of you." For the first time in his young life, he had set aside his own goals and his own pride for someone else, a sigh of growing maturity.

She smirked faintly, aware of the way his skin was heating against hers and knowing that for once it had nothing to do with her. Her own pale skin was beginning to darken under the relentless sunshine. "You do realise that makes me your slave for life," she reminded him with a quiet laugh. "Even if I do make First Blade."

His expression softened and he smiled. "Not if you're my wife." He drew his arms away to push her hair back from her face, an excuse to touch her. His fingers brushed gently against her cheeks as he cupped her face in his hands and chanced another kiss, eyes drifting closed to savor the moment.

Only Liam ever got to see the shy, softer side of Shaye; the part that couldn't believe her luck at even being here, much less being his friend, his beloved, and now his promised bride. She knew she didn't have to agree aloud; he already knew that she'd stay with him however she could. Her smile softened beneath his lips as she trod water with him, her hands shifting on his back to pulls herself close, gasping in quiet shock at the full sensation of his bare skin on hers. Now that was an experiment that would have to wait a while; they wouldn't be able to explore this side of themselves until they'd worked out how not to blush at the slightest flash of skin.

He, too, felt the shock of bare skin against bare skin, the soft curves of her body that were hinting at approaching womanhood melting against the straight lines of his body that were slowly hardening with manhood. Pulse quickening as their lips met once again, his fingers splayed against her cheeks, he thought there could be no sweeter moment than this, savoring even the sweet ache that started somewhere in his mid-section and spiraled outward toward his loins. He recognized it now as desire and blushed as he realized she was close enough to know what he was feeling. He slowly broke away from her kiss, a little out of breath, and reached for her hands, an almost shy smile on his face. "There's something else I want to show you."

Though blushing, Shaye was a little more worldly wise than Liam, and just a little braver when it came to facing up to the unknown. Even as he drew back, catching her hands beneath the water, she felt herself grin, gathering her courage to answer him rather more cheekily than he might have been expecting.

"I think I can feel it," she snickered, deliberately staying close as she wriggled. It really was an amazing feeling, to know that he really did want her as much as she wanted him, but too many months of embarrassing monthly lectures by the sergeants had been drilled into her to do anything about it at least until she had been to see the healers. She wasn't a complete idiot.

Laughing, she nuzzled close once again before pulling back, feet flailing for the bed of the lake as she headed back toward land. "What did you want to show me?"

Embarrassed enough to have felt desire stirring for her and knowing she had felt it, he looked mortified, his face turning crimson, when she dared tease him about it. Her wriggling did nothing to alleviate the feeling, only making it worse. Relief flooded him as she pulled away, worried he'd already made a complete fool of himself in front of her. He dove beneath the water, partly to cool himself off, surfacing a few feet away from her and swimming toward shore.

"You'll see when we get there," he answered, hoping he'd cooled off enough that his arousal wouldn't be too obvious when he climbed out of the water. "Makos agreed to let me tutor you," he partially explained, as he waded toward shore, his wet trousers clinging like a second skin.

"Do I get to eat when we get there?" she asked, purposely plaintive, as though it wasn't entirely her own fault that they had ended up in the lake instead of eating the picnic he'd packed for them. Rising out of the water, she waded toward the shore, forcing herself to move slowly, not to try and hide anything. After all, it was all Liam's, why shouldn't he look" Shaking the water free of herself, she bent to grab her shirt, pulling it on over her head until it stuck to her damp skin and hopping into her smalls.

He was purposely trying not to look at her, afraid if he did, he'd gawk at her like an old man or a frustrated schoolboy, which was exactly what he was. He scooped his tunic up from the grass and pulled it on over his sunburned arms and shoulders, darting a glance at her once she had her shirt on, wishing he'd been bold enough to try and touch her, wondering what those soft mounds of flesh would feel like in his hands, sighing just a little, and rekindling the fire in his loins, his face flushing hotly. He found himself staring as his mind wandered on what it would be like to make love to her someday.

Barefoot and bare legged, Shaye turned to look at Liam, and found him staring down at her with a peculiar look on his face. The expression in his eyes was startling, sending a strange lancing flash of heat deep through her with an unexpected tremble of her limbs. How could one look make her breathless, she wondered, her dark eyes locked to his as she took an involuntary step toward him, fingers itching to rise and touch what he had hidden beneath his tunic.

He blinked out of his meandering thoughts as she stepped close, gulping a breath, having no idea what she was thinking except for that look on her face that seemed to match his. He took an involuntary step backwards. "Shaye, I don't think..." Don't think what? That it's a good idea to be alone together" You dolt. You are the one that set this whole thing up. What did you think was going to happen? His face flushed again, only partly due to sunburn. "I promised Makos I'd tutor you. We have a test tomorrow."

That little step barkwards was a shock to the system. Shaye froze in place, her cheeks flushing violently in embarrassment now it seemed that she had read him wrong entirely. Lowering her eyes, she stepped back herself, pushing her feet into her pants and pulling them up. "You're right," she nodded hurriedly, looping her belt about her hips. "I need all the help I can get."

She had read him completely right. He wanted her as much as she wanted him, but he didn't want to rush things or to take advantage of her. It would happen when it happened, but how was it going to happen if he never let it happen and how was he supposed to know when she was ready? "I....umm..."

He watched as she got herself dressed, his heart sinking and the desire he'd felt only a moment ago fading with a dull, throbbing ache. He heard himself sigh and he frowned, turning his back on her to find his boots.

Shaye OConnor

Date: 2012-05-17 17:12 EST
For all that they were still Liam and Shaye, still close friends, there was a new dimension to their relationship now that was going to provide plenty of these awkward little moments until they discovered the way to siphon off those feelings. Tugging her boots on, Shaye pulled herself together, stamping as she stood up to settle into them comfortably. "Why did Makos give us both the afternoon off" Am I really doing that badly?"

Liam dropped down onto the grass to pull his boots on, not meeting her gaze for fear of embarrassing himself further. He hated this feeling of awkwardness between them and wondered if they shouldn't just do it and be done with it, but what if she got pregnant' He wouldn't take that chance. He respected and loved her too much to ruin her chances at fulfilling her dreams for a few moments of passion. "No..." he replied, focusing on his boots. "I'm ahead of my studies and I volunteered to help."

She bent down to waggle a finger in front of his nose. "If you laugh, I will break your nose," she offered by way of her standard threat. Shaye just wouldn't be Shaye if she didn't offer physical violence to the people she loved at least once a day. "I know I'm crap at all this clever stuff."

He blinked and tilted his head up at her, squinting in the sunlight. "Why would I laugh' Have I ever laughed at you before?" He reached for her hand to climb to his feet. His skin was already starting to feel tight and he knew he was going to pay for his fun in the sun later. "You're not crap. If Shaunnessy can do it, you can." They both knew O'Shaunnessy was a dunce and only getting by because his father was a high-ranking officer in the Queen's Personal Guard.

"Oh, yeah, that makes me feel so much better," she snorted with laughter, rolling her eyes as she helped to heave him up onto his feet. One arm wrapped about his back as the other poked her fingers into his stomach. "Feed me, ladyboy, I'm starving!"

He frowned at her, as he climbed to his feet, brushing her hand away from his stomach. "When do I graduate to ladyman?" he asked, glaring down at her, only half joking. He tweaked her nose. "You're going to have to wait a little bit longer. There's something I want to show you." He turned to tromp up the hill to the willow tree and retrieve the picnic basket he'd left there.

Her nose wrinkled under the tweak of finger and thumb, her turn this time to brush his hand away before rubbing her nose self-consciously as she fell into step with him, heading up the little hill and into the shade beneath the trees. "Ladyboy rolls off the tongue more easily," she declared officiously, in a remarkably accurate impression of their tactics tutor, Major Columbine Rogan.

He rolled his eyes at her explanation. "Perhaps I should think up a nickname for you." It was an empty threat, however, as the only other name he wanted to call her was the petname he'd given her. "I'm never going to live that name down, am I?" He plucked up the basket from the ground, hoping the cheese hadn't melted, and turned to face her, back to where they'd started, it seemed.

She grinned up at him cheerfully. "You've never really complained about being called ladyboy before," she pointed out, leaning against the tree comfortably. Her fingertips rose to stroke over their carved initials in the trunk beside her arm with absent-minded fondness. "Don't you like your nickname, rua?"

"You're the only one who can call me that." A hint that perhaps someone else had taken up the moniker and it hadn't sat well with him. He looked at her longingly for a moment and then he smiled, reaching for her hand. "Come with me."

She caught the edge in his voice, her eyes narrowing lightly as she looked up at him. There was no point asking who had started a new campaign against him; it had to be O'Shaunnessy, and that meant Brody was gearing up for a new angle of attack herself. Still, Shaye thought she could take care of Brody herself, as soon as the other girl went too far. "All right." Her hand slid into Liam's as she smiled, pushing that concern aside easily enough for now. Even if all she got out of this afternoon was a headache from all the studying, at least it would all be in his company.

He wrapped his hand around hers, carrying the picnic basket in his other hand, and started off away from the willow tree and the lake and the camp, leading her in the familiar direction of the old abandoned barracks that they had found and made their own private retreat where they could be alone. So far, as far as they were aware, no one had found it or knew about the place but them. He gave no hint at whether it had been Shaunnessy or Brody or someone else who'd gotten under his skin. He'd handle it in his own way soon enough.

"I don't suppose Makos gave any hints about what?s going to be in this test, did he?" Shaye asked with a distinct lack of guile. She meant what she'd said; she needed all the help she could get when it came to anything even vaguely academic. While excelling at physical training and weaponsplay, she was really struggling in every other area. Her hand tightened on his as she walked along beside him. "Specific questions" Or whether we're going to have to read the questions as well as writing the answers?"

"Reading isn't that hard, Shaye. It's phonetic. You sound out the letters to make a word." He wondered if any of those stupid boys who she'd been swapping kisses with had taught her a thing. "I can ask to have the questions read to you, if you want." He turned his head aside to look her way as they tromped through the field toward the old barracks, butterflies in his stomach at the thought of the surprise that was waiting for her there. He believed in her and knew she had it inside her to be the best. All he wanted to do was help her along and help her to find that same faith in herself that he had in her. "The test is about the Second War for Arctra. What caused it, tactics, how it was finally resolved."

"No, don't do that." Shaye's objection was immediate, her head shaking quickly. "I don't want to be picked out any more than I am already, Liam. I'll get on, I promise." She really didn't want him to worry too much about her struggling in the test when he should be paying attention to his own answers. "Besides, I think I know the Second War quite well. That was Arlan's War, wasn't it?"

He nodded his head, smiling encouragement. "See? You know more than you think. You just need to relax and not get so nervous." He wouldn't ask for any more special favors for her sake, if she didn't want him to, but that didn't mean he wasn't going to go out of his way to do things for her or to put her studies before his own. He wanted to be the best, to make his family proud, but he'd get by, one way or another. He came to a stop a few yards away from the old barracks and turned to face her. "Close your eyes."

Shaye OConnor

Date: 2012-05-17 17:14 EST
"What?" Laughing, Shaye came to a halt beside him, looking up at Liam in smiling confusion. Her free hand lifted toward the building. "It's just the old barracks, it's ....oh." She caught up, finally, and a beaming grin made an appearance on her lips. "Another surprise?"

He smiled down at her with a teasing gleam in his eyes, both nervous and excited and hoping she would appreciate the surprise and not chide him for it. "Close your eyes and you'll find out."

"Better not be a dress," she warned in a cheeky voice, but obediently closed her eyes tightly. As much as she teased him, she did trust Liam, and anything he did was fine by her. Provided it didn't bring attention to her shortcomings.

He laughed at the suggestion. "If you're going to go to the ball with me, you're going to have to wear a dress." He'd already been thinking about the event, even though it was still some time to come, assuming without asking that she'd go with him. As far as he was concerned, she had no shortcomings; as far as he was concerned, she was perfect. He waited until she closed her eyes, letting go of her hand a moment to wave his fingers in front of her face and make sure she wasn't peeking.

She felt his hand wave in front of her face, snorting with laughter. "You can blindfold me if you like," she offered through her grin, rubbing a hand through her quickly drying hair. "Besides, it depends on numbers whether we go to the ball this year. So I might get to put off the dress thing for a whole 'nother year, too."

There was the serious frown of his again. He'd been looking forward to the ball all year, hoping to show her off on his arm in front of everyone. No one could deny them then, and no one could come between them. "We'll have our own ball then," he told her quietly, re-taking her hand to lead her toward the barracks, taking it slow so she wouldn't trip and fall on her way there. "Do you know how to dance?"

Shaye smirked to herself. She knew for a fact that the ball wasn't happening for them this year, but she also knew what his parents had planned for his sixteenth birthday, the day he would come of age only eight months away from now. Meara had been all about making sure Shaye was in the loop, so that Liam's friend could keep him from making plans of his own. Taking his hand as they began to move forward, walking a little more carefully than usual thanks to her closed eyes, she chuckled softly. "Like I'd know how to dance."

Where she might be lacking in matters of book learning, he was not very learned about the social graces. His mother had taught him a few things, but though he was quickly mastering the way to move with a blade, he thought himself clumsy when it came to dancing. "Mother tried to teach me, but I'm not very good at it," he admitted, having his own shortcomings. Once they arrived in front of the barracks, he stopped again, letting go of her hand to turn the knob and push the door open. He retook her hand to lead her inside, frowning worriedly again as he took a last look around. "Alright. You can open them now." He held his breath as he waited for her reaction.

When she opened her eyes, she'd notice that someone - most likely, Liam - had been busy. The place had been swept clean of cobwebs from top to bottom, broken windows fixed, the hearth cleaned out, a stack of freshly-chopped wood in a neat pile. There was a wooden table near the hearth, a lantern resting atop a checkered tablecloth. And most importantly, someone had mended one of the beds and fixed it with a mattress, sheets, blankets, and pillows. The barracks had been transformed into a cozy cottage just for two. There were even curtains hanging from the windows to add to the homey effect. "Home away from home, Shaye," he told her quietly, hoping she'd like it.

"Well, I know how to dance, just not how to dance properly," Shaye corrected herself as she opened her eyes, and abruptly trailed off into astonished silence. Her mouth dropped open in surprise. "When did you ...?" Dark eyes flickered briefly to Liam before returning to drink in all the details of the cosy little space he had created for them. She'd known he must have been planning something, since she hadn't been allowed into the barracks for almost three weeks. She just hadn't realised quite how busy he'd been. "Bloody hell, rua," she breathed finally, leaning close into his side. She really was speechless.

When had he found the time" That was for him to know and her not to find out, but it was part of the reason for his recent exhaustion, not only working hard at his studies and practice but at creating this special place for her where they could be alone together. "Is that a good bloody hell or a bad bloody hell?" he asked, eyeing her nervously. He let go of her hand and moved over to the table to set the picnic basket on the table. "Do you like it?" he asked, butterflies fluttering nervously in his stomach.

Shaye OConnor

Date: 2012-05-17 17:16 EST
"Oh, it's good," she promised hurriedly, her head nodding automatically. "It's all good." She tore her wondering eyes from the repaired and carefully turned out bed to level an amazed smile on Liam. "Why didn't you tell me" I could have helped!"

The frown faded away, replaced by a relieved smile and he went over to her again, taking her hands and pulling her farther into the room. "It wouldn't have been a surprise then, would it?" He pulled her toward the table to finally enjoy the picnic he'd packed for them. "Shaye....I love you, and I'd do anything for you." He wasn't sure what made him say it, but it was what he was feeling in his heart.

"But all this work ..." Tugged forward from where she had come to a halt, Shaye's dark gaze abruptly focused onto Liam's face, her stride lengthening until she had him pinned between herself and the table. "Thank you," she grinned finally, curling her arms around his waist lovingly. "I love you back. Now kiss me, and then you can eat." Her eyes twinkled with teasing amusement.

His smile widened, his heart soaring when she returned his declaration of love. He didn't think he'd ever get tired of hearing it, or of her asking him to kiss her. He laid a thumb against her chin and lifted her face toward him, green eyes gazing into brown before dipping his head to press his lips against hers, less self-conscious, less clumsy as before. Warm, gentle, undemanding, but with a fire that burned beneath that kiss and promised more to come.

Her fingers curled into the cloth of his tunic as she leaned into him, smiling against his lips lovingly as he kissed her. He was definitely getting better at that. As gentle as he, she drew back with a shining smile, nipping his lower lip impishly for a moment. "Now," she said quietly, "do I let go, or do I tease you some more?"

He sighed when she released him, hungry for more kisses, forgetting about the picnic entirely. He settled his hands against her hips, slim but starting to curve. "Stay with me here tonight," he whispered, his arms going around her to hold her close, his heart beating rapidly in his chest, his nose brushing against her hair. She smelled like summer and sunshine and her own special scent, the familiar underlying smell that could only be Shaye. "Don't ever leave me."

"That isn't the plan," she agreed quietly, nesttling close as her eyes closed, her cheek pressing warm to his shoulder as her gentle sigh heated his throat. "By the way ....when were you planning on marrying me?" She thought she'd better get that date settled in mind fairly soon; she knew him too well to think he didn't already have a date decided upon.

"As soon as we're able," he answered quietly, content for now to hold her close. He wanted her, but his mother had taught him that good things were worth watiting for, and Shaye wasn't just a good thing - she was the best thing that had ever happened to him. He'd wait forever for her, if he had to. Little did he know what the future would bring, and how long they might have to wait before they could have their happily ever after or at what cost.

((Thanks to Liam's player!))