Redemption Ch. 03

She smiled at his knowledge of what she wanted to say. "I love you…" she echoed, kissing his other cheek and hugging him closely. She pondered his last comment and slowly let go of his neck, slipping off of his lap and standing, though it hurt to put weight on her legs. "Don't… go…" she pleaded as she walked to the dresser, her eyes wide and begging, not entirely sure if he would abandon her now that she had let go. "Don't… go… right here…" she repeated softly, then opened the dresser and pawed through the clothes, finally finding a cotton nightgown not unlike the one Justin had ripped a few nights ago. Not caring if he watched, she fumbled with the buttons of her dress, the same one from before, then sighed with exasperation and turned to him quietly, her eyes big question-marks.

He laughed and nodded, again standing and helping her with the two dozen buttons along the back of her clothing. "You know, I don't know how you deal with this in the morning." He didn't fumble in the least with them this time around, and was able to get them undone, not making an overly large point of looking away, but just simply not staring. "There you go, all taken care of for yuhh… yuhhh… eehh… ettCHOO!! Heh… hepTCHHOO!! ESHHoooo!!" The trio of sneezes interrupted his sentence and he sniffled urgently, thankful that he had at least turned to the side so as not to spray Natalie with the wetness.

Managing a small smile at his comment about mornings and his beautiful and sensual sneezes, she shook her head, wishing she could bless him, or even just pres to him and show him with her body what he was making her feel with each little explosion. She took his hand in hers and squeezed it softly, then let it go, slipping the heavy, bloodstained dress over her head, tossing it to the floor and shivering in her underclothes, the air of the room causing a pleasant chill to run down her spine, goose bumps breaking out all over her slender frame. She slid into the cotton nightgown and turned slightly, motioning to the half-dozen buttons on the back of it, then paused, deciding to leave them unbuttoned, and turned around again, smiling softly at him.

He returned the smile, and in the time that it had taken her to change into the nightgown, he had changed into a pair of pajama bottoms similar to the ones he wore last time; his shirt, cloak, and jeans all sat in a pile at his feet. Gesturing to the bed, he gave a short nod of his head and extended a hand to her. "I'm a firm believe in ladies first, where it should count," he commented with a grin, his voice sounding just a little stuffy, but not so much that it had started to affect his pronunciation.

Natalie laughed at his words and his quickness to change clothes, her eyes shimmering with mirth, the healing slowly beginning with each tender word he spoke. Taking his hand, she laced her fingers through his and gave it a soft squeeze, then pulled him close in a warm, gentle hug, wanting to tell him that she loves him, but not being able to find the words. Concentrating very carefully, she took a few slow breaths, then closed her eyes. "I… I love you," she breathed, surprising herself with the words, her eyes opening to gaze at him before she slipped under the covers, never letting go of his hand for a moment.

Joining her in the bed, Justin pulled the covers up to their chins and wrapped his arms around her securely, pressing his nose to her neck to ease the tickly itch. Almost as an afterthought, he turned ever so slightly and extinguished the candles with a single exhalation, before returning to his previous position. Snuggling tightly to Natalie, not letting go of her for a moment, he twined his now-healed leg around her, keeping her safe and warm, knowing that his friendly affection was fast becoming deeper than that. The worry on his face changed to a different kind as he tried to figure out how he had let himself begin to fall in love with a goddess.

***

Justin woke quietly, his eyes focusing slowly to see Natalie, still wrapped up in his arms under the covers of the bed. Perplexed, he remained still, before the memories of the night before raced through his mind again and made everything clear. Smiling softly, he kissed the back of her head, assuming that she was still asleep as he attempted to think of ways that could possibly bring her back from wherever it was that she went to last night.

Snuggling closer to him in her sleep, Natalie then felt the kiss and slowly fluttered her eyes open to look up at him. A bit confused, she studied his expression, and then opened her mouth to speak, but could not, a flood of memories returning from the previous evening. Wanting to tell him good morning, wanting to tell him that she loves him, she could do neither, but could only wait, leaning up to kiss his cheek in an attempt to convey her emotions. She took a great amount of comfort in his embrace, and loved the feeling of waking up in his arms, and the security that he brings.

He smiled softly, realizing that she was awake, and kissed her again before whispering gently, "Good morning, Natalie." He almost seemed to feel the comfort that she took, smiling a bit more, and resting his head against her. "Did you sleep well? I guess you haven't recovered yet. I'm sorry… I still haven't been able to think of a way to help. I wish I had."

Natalie savored the kiss and smiled back, nuzzling against him before trying to speak once more. "Good morning… sleep well…" she murmured, trying to tell him that she did indeed sleep well, since he was there to hold her close. "I'm sorry…" she began, thinking to apologize for being so much trouble for him. Her soft waves of hair had fallen partially into her face and she brushed them back with a pale, slender hand, exposing her dark eyes and loving expression. She leaned up and kissed his cheek again, hoping he would know just how much she cared, though she could not find the words. The fog had lessened now, and but it was still present, choking her efforts to think clearly, and giving her something of a headache.

He ran a hand through her hair softly, giving a light sigh. "Don't be sorry. You don't have anything to be sorry for. I just wouldn't let you be alone, not when you seemed to need someone there so badly. Besides, I love you, and would never want you to be sorry for anything. I'll always be here for you, Natalie, there's no need to worry about that." Offering a warm smile, he knew instinctively how much she cared, despite the lack of words.

Smiling back at him and loving the feel of his hand in her hair, she took immense comfort in his calming words. "Not… alone… Need… you… I love you… always…" she managed to whisper, leaning up and wrapping her arms around him, holding him close. She listened to the sound of his breathing and took a few breaths of her own, then matched the pace to his, breathing with him, breath for breath. After a few moments of this, she focused on his heartbeat, internalizing the particular rhythm, and matching that as well, until she was breathing with him, and her heartbeat was in the same cadence. Closing her eyes, she made a small noise, almost like humming, and then shuddered, the rest of the fog lifting, leaving her feeling weary but alive. "Justin," she murmured, "I love you so much."

Justin smiled slightly, noticing that he had not used his own name and that her voice hadn't seemed so strained when she used it, putting those things together and nodding. "I love you, too, Natalie. I'm glad that you're back. You had me worried for awhile there." His hand continued to stroke her hair, his subconscious picking up the fact that her breath had matched his, though he did not realize that their heartbeats were in rhythm as well.

Natalie leaned against him quietly, still keeping the rhythm with her body, a tenuous link to his soul as she tried to decide exactly what happened. Strain, stress, something of that sort. She'd heard of other goddesses having emotional breakdowns after particularly difficult missions, but the recovery was almost instantaneous, in most cases. Perhaps she was just a slow healer, or perhaps…. She sighed and tried to ignore the questions running through her head. It was enough that she was alive, right then, in that moment, in his arms, and for that she truly was grateful. Cuddling him, she planted a very small kiss on the side of his neck, nibbling just a bit before laying her head on his shoulder.

He gave a very slight shiver at the nibbling, goose bumps rising over his skin and being forced away as quickly as they arouse. A happy sigh escaped his mouth, taking as much comfort in her return from… whatever that had been, as she was taking in his presence. "You are alright, aren't you? I mean… you're back, right?" His voice was a low whisper, almost afraid of breaking the moment, but it showed clearly his worry for her – even through the light stuffiness - and his hope that she was truly all right.

Smiling softly at his worry, she thought about how sweet he was to even care about her when she felt so neglected and used sometimes. "In a manner of speaking, yes," she noted, eyeing the goose bumps and pondering on the idea of trying to give him more. "I am doing much better, as you can tell," she amended, drawing him into her arms and softly nibbling on his ear, her mouth warm and wet. Still clad in the thin cotton nightgown, but no longer embarrassed by it, she pressed against him and smiled softly to herself, holding him close.

Feeling her on his body, nibbling on his ear, he had to force himself not to think back to a few nights ago, not wanting to start an embarrassing situation. While he had enjoyed it, they had agreed, hadn't they? Ignoring his inner voices, both natural and otherwise, he nodded, smiling warmly, while trying to fight a growing tickle in his nose. "Yes, I can tell. I'm very relieved. But Natalie… what brought it on? And what exactly happened?"

She didn't know quite what to say in response to his questions. Though she had an idea of what triggered it, she didn't want to tell him, for fear that he would leave or maybe never touch her again, especially when she wanted him so badly, in so many ways. "I'm not sure," she responded truthfully, her head swimming with thoughts and implications, her body shivering with needs and desires. She was torn between exploring his flesh, and just sitting in his arms, and she sighed softly, waiting to see what he would do.

"I see…" he began, nodding slightly, then sighing, somewhat worried that something might trigger it again, not knowing what did before, and hoping that if it ever happened again, that she could still recover. Pausing in his thoughts, he turned to the side, holding up a finger on the hand that was not wrapped around Natalie, as if to tell her to wait just a moment. Struggling for breath, he shivered involuntarily, then allowed the sneezes to come freely. "Ehh… etCHOO!! Heh… HETCHOO!! Iyehhh… ehhhh… Eshhoooo!! SSHHOOO!!" A nearby flame flickered nervously from the sudden gusts of air, its light serving to illuminate the fine spray aimed downwards at the hardwood floor.

A low moan threatened to escape Natalie's mouth, but she bit down forcefully on her lower lip, trapping the sound inside, where it only fueled her growing passion. Once she could be certain that opening her mouth would not betray her, she paused, took a few deep breaths, and then managed a slight smile. "Bless… bless you," she murmured, touching a hand to his cheek, her fingertips stroking over his skin with remarkable tenderness considering the waves of desire that coursed through her small frame. Shifting slightly in his lap so as not to reveal the dampness that laced her panties, she practiced her best angelic look.

Recovering from the force of the sneezes, Justin sniffled adorably, then tried to pick up his train of thought. Oh, yes… the fog. He decided, for the moment, to be thankful that it ended, regardless of what the future might bring, and he held her tightly, kissing her forehead. "I'b just worried for you, dat's all. I dod't like to see you like dat; it scares be. Bud do batter what, do batter what happeds to you, I'll be here. I'll neber abandod you whed you deed be, I probise. Because I love you."

Natalie sighed softly at his words and just curled up in his arms, not really knowing what to do. She wanted to be held by him, but she also felt that soft tingling in her body, both from being near him and from his delicious sneezes, and she could not help but want to give him pleasure. Trying to find the words to explain, she decided on a sigh and settled for something half-way informative, though she had no idea if he would understand what she meant. "I'm fine, really. Thank you," she added, almost as an afterthought, still amazed that he cared and would not leave her. "I love you, too," she whispered, pressing her cheek to his chest.

He smiled lightly, realizing that his chest was bare, as he figured that there was little need for a shirt. Currently in pajama bottoms and nothing else, he felt each little wiggle and twist of her body, his own struggling not to respond. "I'b glad, bud are you sure? I would'd wahd you do jusd say subding do dry do appease be, so dad I don'd ged hurd. I can hadle id if you wanded do say subding. I prefer do be dold a hurdful druf over finding oud dad I'f beed dold a pleasadt lie lader od." He knew he was rambling with his relief, and he tried to stop himself. "I guess… whad I'b gedding ad, is dad if you deed adyding else, dod'd be afraid do ask."

Hugging him gently, Natalie leaned up and kissed his cheek. "I am still very weak, and very, very fragile," she admitted, noting that this was emotionally the case, not physically. "It will take a bit for me to heal completely. Goddesses have undergone something like this before, or so I have heard, but never to this degree." A little perturbed at the unusualness of her case, she shook her head, then rubbed his back a little, her fingers warm against his bare skin and her body registering the pleasant sensations it gave. Gently kissing his lips, she then licked the side of his neck and nibbled softly, her teeth biting into his flesh and sending light pangs of pain through his body.

He gasped slightly at the feel of teeth on his neck, his chest expanding as it filled with air, before being let out slowly, with a smile. "God, Dadalie… I dod'd dow how do describe dat, excebd dat id hurds soooo good." Giving a low, soft laugh, almost embarrassed, he closed his eyes slightly, torn between the pleasurable sensations at his neck, and another rising tickle in his slightly reddened nose. Bringing his left hand to rub at his nose, he carefully massaged the tip, not wanting to sneeze at the particular moment and cause Natalie to stop her actions.

She smiled slightly at the sound of his gasp, eyeing his expression and gently kissing his lips. As he rubbed his nose, she placed one hand on his chest, rubbing a bit. "You like that?" she whispered softly, shifting positions in his lap so that she now had access to his waist and lower body, her free hand stroking his hair. Her eyes were dancing slightly, and she pressed her nose to yours, nuzzling a bit, hoping to encourage a tickle. Wondering exactly how much she could get away with, she then wondered if she should press those limits, whatever they were. The hand on his chest moved over until her fingers found his nipple, and she rolled it between her thumb and forefinger, pondering the idea of watching what he would do if she pinched it.

Still looking somewhat embarrassed as he nodded to her question, he felt almost as though it was wrong in some way to like what he did. Giving a strong sniff, he finally managed to clear his nose, though the tickle still teased him mercilessly. "I do… I'm sure you noticed a few nights ago, that I've got something of a thing for pain." Turning his head down slightly, he watched her hand at his nipple, another long sigh escaping him, but this one of pleasure. Moving his eyes up to meet hers, he paused, searching them for something.

She looked deeply into his eyes, as if answering a question. "I did notice that," she murmured, continuing to rub his nipple, her expression almost serious. Not entirely sure what he was searching for, she merely opened herself up to his perusal, almost inviting him in to probe her thoughts. Leaning in to like the side of his neck, she lapped quietly at his skin, lulling him into a rhythm of pleasure, then quickly pinching his nipple between her thumb and forefinger, the movement sudden and unexpected.

Justin seemed to find what he was looking for, though he was not exactly sure himself, sensing her near-invitation somewhere in the back of his mind. As her mouth neared his neck, he tilted his head away, giving her better access and letting just the tiniest mumbled sound escape his throat, unmistakably pleased. At the pinch, his back arched slightly, and the mumbled sound became a moan, still not overly loud, but a sign of his obvious enjoyment.

Shaking her head, she scratched down his back, her fingernails digging into his soft skin ever so slightly. "Justin… you're being very wiggly," she admonished, her tone soft and seductive. "If you can't hold still, I might have to tie you up," she threatened, shivering happily at the sound of his moan, her fingers relaxing on his nipple as she slid the tip of one finger under the waistline of his pajamas. "And you wouldn't want that, I'm sure," she added, pausing to bite the edge of his ear, the sharp points of her teeth just barely piercing his skin.

He shook quietly a bit at the mention of being tied up, for the second time in his life running the idea through his head – and, for the second time, finding the idea very attractive. Instinctively, he pulled his head gently away from her teeth as he gasped, a natural human instinct, and one quickly suppressed as the pleasure followed the shock. His voice was low, almost a whisper, but thick with emotion (and a bit of the sniffles), "I just want you to be happy, Natalie. I wouldn't object if you wanted to." He gave the faintest hint of a smile, his arms wrapping around her a bit, though not so tight as to restrict movement, momentarily ignoring the tickle in his nose.

Natalie loved the tenderness in his actions, wanting to give him pleasure and be everything that he desired, but also knowing her own limitations. Too weak and insecure to be able to come across as detached and cruel, she would not only need to lapse into gentleness every once and awhile, but she would also need periodic verification that he was truly enjoying himself, and that he loved her. Cuddling into his arms, she nipped a bit more at his ear and smiled to herself, licking the softness of her skin. She tugged gently at his pajama bottoms, her hands brushing up against him as she worked them down, pausing more than was strictly necessary between his legs.

He shivered a little more, moaning a bit louder at the nips, the muscles in his lower body shaking slightly with nervousness, despite the fact that they had already been together. Not sure what exactly she liked, with a single notable exception, he gently kissed her cheek, though somehow it seemed to be more than a kiss that just a friend would give. His eyes closed slowly, taking in everything she did and "seeing" with his skin, letting the sensations be amplified as much as possible. "I love you, Natalie." His voice was still that same whisper, directed softly toward her ear.

Natalie enjoyed the sound of his moan, thankful that she was giving him pleasure. Her hands worked his pajama bottoms all the way off of his legs and she tossed them on the chair, holding him very, very close and savoring his kiss. "And I love you, Justin," she murmured, stroking his hips through the fabric of his boxers, her fingers warm and her touch gentle. Cradling him in her arms, she smiled to herself, then pushed him down against the bed rather roughly, licking and biting his neck, her movements almost harsh but not malicious. She held him down with one hand and rummaged around underneath the bed, searching for the cloth bindings that she dropped from the last time they had this room. Finally finding them, she straightened and smirked, straddling him and looking into his eyes. "Mine," she whispered. "All mine. You're mine, and I'm going to have you now, just the way I like you."