Perfect School

The first couple of touches I hadn't thought anything of. I brushed them off my body and off my mind. They didn't stop though, and after a half dozen I grew tired of it. It wasn't necessary to the training and wasn't needed. I couldn't help the little shivers the touches made me do but when he inched my shirt up I retaliated, bringing a kick to his groan.

Jonah:

I had known at some point she would lash out, and I was prepared for it. I moved back quickly and snatched her leg up. In the next moment, we had rolled onto the ground, her on top. I bucked and flipped her off, and took her place. "Alright, I won't do that again," I said and I just managed to restrain her.

I shifted under him, checking his hold on me. "Don't do unneccesary things during sparring Jonah." I only spoke after I was sure that I couldn't move. He had my wrists, his weight kept me from moving my lower body. I was effectively trapped and restrained under him. It would only be if he moved at all that I'd be able to retaliate, so instead I waited for my chance to strike, gazing into his eyes for any indication of what he might do next.

Jonah:

I looked her back in the eyes. She was watching to see if I would telegraph. She was probably one of the only people who would be able to predict my moves, and then only because we were so familiar with each other. I leaned in closer to her face, but not uncomfortably close.

"I'm sorry, it won't happen again," I said, still looking in her eyes. It wouldn't happen again during sparring.

I couldn't exactly move my face away from his when he brought it closer, but I did search his face for a moment before returning to looking at his eyes after. "See that it doesn't." I agreed softly. I didn't know why he kept me pinned, but after a time I made myself relax. "You win the spar."

Jonah:

I let her up then. "Shall we call it a night?" I asked as I got to my feet. That she had gone so long during the spar without retaliating showed me that she didn't mind what I was doing, only that it interrupted the practice.

I didn't get up right away, taking my time and easing sore muscles as I went. "For the best perhaps. The rhythm is thrown off and it will take too long to get back into the flow."

Jonah:

I chuckled softly at her pessimism. After cleaning up a bit I walked outside with her. It was another chilly night with a bit of a breeze. I tapped her shoulder and pointed up to the sky. "Full moon. First time it's been on a clear night." With the lights from the house and the trees above, our view was more obscured. "We could see it better from the creek. Will you join me?" I took a step back in that direction.

Tilting my head back towards the sky I gazed up at the moon. It was nights like this that made me miss what it was like to live out in nature on a training trip. The view you got during those times was second to none. I didn't need to think about his offer before accepting it.

Jonah:

I lead the way through the dense woods to the creek. The moonlight reflected off the trickling water as we approached. I sat down on a large rock slab and patted the spot next to me for her before leaning back to look up at the bright light in the sky.

I moved down beside him, hooking my arms around my leg while tilting my head back towards the sky above. "Growing up I went on a lot of survival training. Things to train instinct so it performs better in stressful situations. A lot of it is done out in the wilds and I always had stunning views of the sky at night."

Jonah:

"I always lived in cities. I never got to see things like this. Not until I went to the school. I envy you." I spoke softly as if speaking any louder would disturb the tranquility of it all.

"I wouldn't. You would have to see some of the places I had to spend time. Middle of winter in the north, deserts during summer. They all had moments, but it was a solitary life." I glanced at him briefly then returned to gazing up at the sky. "Maybe one day I will take you to my training home."

Jonah:

I smiled slightly. "I would like that. Though, to be honest, I would go anywhere with you, Kira." I turned to look at her. She looked almost otherworldly in the light. It made her skin look silvery and her eyes black.

"Mm." I replied softly, looking back up at the sky overhead. "I don't have any place I want to go however." For once in my life I felt...normal. An every day conversation, a good setting, no worry beyond the chill of the evening.

Jonah:

I never got tired of studying her. Even with the moon so beautiful above, I found her more interesting. I reached out and moved a strand of hair out of her face and brushed her cheek in the process. Her skin was soft but cold.

Almost instinctively I leaned into his touch. His hand wasn't much warmer than my cheek, but it was nice to feel. "We should go back. It's getting too cold and we are damp." Pulling away I stood, getting one last look up towards the heavens.

Jonah:

I stood up and reached out to curl my hand around her wrist to pull her to face me. "We don't have to," I said quietly. "It's not that cold." I laid my warm palm on her shoulder.

"You have more mass and are better at handling the cold. My health issues don't help me regulate temperature easily. This is cold for me Jonah." I tried to reason with him, looking first at my wrist in his hand then to the hand on my shoulder. Finally I followed his hand to his arm then up to his face.

Jonah:

"I can share," I sat with a small playful smile. In a fluid movement, I trailed my hand from her shoulder, down her back, and around her waist. I pulled her close so her body pressed against the length of mine. My heart beat picked up, that wasn't something that could be controlled. We had been this close a thousand times, but not under the same context. The most I had ever touched her before casually apart from training was a hand on her shoulder or back.

I started to speak, but when suddenly I was pressed against him my words and air left me in a soft huff. He was warm. I leaned into him automatically, taking simple pleasure in leaning into something warm. I eyed his chest for a moment then raised my head up to look at him. It was only now that i became aware of his heartbeat speeding up. And reflexively mine picked up slightly. What my mind didn't know my body did. But in response my brain tried to work it's way out of this. "I also need a shower. And no. The creek doesn't count nor can you join me."

Jonah:

I chuckled. "You don't have to do that now, though." My voice was low, almost husky. I moved my fingers around in small patterns on her side. I leaned down enough that I could murmur close to her ear, "remember what I said about directing what you feel?"

"We can't stay out here forever...it will just get colder.". I countered with. Any where I was pressed against him I was warm. And where he traced with his fingers felt warm too. But still i shivered. I blamed it on not being completely warm and only half. Frowning I pulled back a bit from his warmth. Directing what I felt? Weren't we doing that with training and spars? What more direction did I need? I could sink into work and practice and be fine, and so I told him as much.

Jonah:

"Kira," I said, looking into her eyes. "I know you feel something when I touch you." I wound my other arm around her and trailed that hand up the length of her spine. "I can see how your body reacts to me. And you don't try to get away." She felt warm in my arms despite the cold. There was something about holding her in my arms that made me long for her, and not just physically.

"I can still feel things Jonah. My sense of touch isn't diminished...you have figured out just how to do it right for me...im sure you knew how with Emily.". I had an inkling what he was getting at, and i couldn't help but feel...he might have been right. So I tried to pulk back, mentally and physically. I raised my hands between us, resting them on his chest to create a small gap between us. "I dont try to get away because.....because I trust you. Youve always had my back, and i dont need to focus on it because of it."