[ evenings on the new cruise ship have become manuela's favorite time. while she has certainly come to enjoy the sunbathing along one of the ship's many decks, or the colorful little tiki bars that always seem to crop up at every corner, there is something fanciful about the nighttime on the water. how the moonlight casts everything in a near-ethereal blue-white glow. how even the waters seem compelled to calm so it might catch every drop of moonlight that it can along its surface. too often manuela has come to associate the nighttime with loneliness — either another night spent alone with only a drink to keep her warm, or the torrid beginning of a love affair that will undoubtedly end in an empty bed come sun up. yet here, on the water, such worries seem as distant as the horizon stretching out endlessly before them. another wonderfully awful trick of the house, lulling easy prey like her into cozy delusions of comfort.
well. no matter. what harm can it do to indulge, every now and then? (plenty, of course, when all those little indulgences become habit.) manuela is determined not to think too deeply on it — at least not now, when she has such fine company to distract her.
dinner had been wonderful, even despite all those wearying fish puns. they'd been tucked away into a little corner booth, surrounded by aquarium-filled walls, and though the restaurant had been busy it had felt, for a time, as if they were the only two in existence. manuela didn't even have more than a single glass of wine, too caught up in the company and the conversation, so she knows it couldn't possibly be the liquor that has her blood running so warm as she and ferdinand make their way towards the rooms. the hallway they're in now has a railing that overlooks the edge of the ship. the evening wind whips about them gently, but the delicate fabric of her dress is easily taken up, occasionally lifting high up along her thighs, or allowing for the occasional peak of a rosy pink nipple whenever her hands aren't swift enough to cover herself. somehow, there isn't a single other soul along that stretch of hallway, so manuela hardly minds. she would much rather divest herself of the dress entirely, if it means she can enjoy the cool sea wind on her face for just a little while longer. ]
Is your room much farther?
[ her tone is light, but there is a hint of disappointment there. she would hate for such a lovely evening to end so soon. for a time there, it had truly felt like a proper courtship... as if she were back to her 20s, courted by dazzling young men, except without all that ulterior motive. ]
[ Ferdinand's strategy with Manuela has taken some... adjustments, though perhaps calling it a strategy is a bit of an overstatement. Instead, he's simply been trying to engage her in conversation, to take things slowly and leave as little doubt that he was spending time with her because he wanted to as possible. And as it turns out, she has no end of fascinating stories. The time just seems to fly by without end, and while there's no hiding the simmering chemistry between them โ an inadvertent darting of his eyes to an exposed thigh, bit of cleavage, or slip of the nipple โ he makes sure to keep his focus on the conversation. And despite his obvious visual interest in her, it's actually quite easy to do.
And the little gestures of affection she's gotten from him over the course of the night? They've been tasteful ones. A gentle squeeze of her hand, offering his coat over her shoulders if the wind gets too chilly, and gladly having her on his arm. He's had his wits about him all night, so he knows fully well that the urges he's had to kiss her all night have been all his own. ]
We still have a way to go. But I must confess, I may have taken a few deliberate wrong turns here and there to wring some more time out of the evening.
[ There's a playfulness in his voice even at the confession, as well as the softest of blushes on his cheeks. ]
It would be a shame to waste such a lovely view, yes?
[ A hand moves to her waist as he slips behind her, gently turning her to face the railing. It might all be smoke and mirrors, but it's beautiful smoke and lovely mirrors, with the red light of a sunset against the darkening blues and purples of the sky and the ripples of the water making for a dazzling display of color. He embraces her from behind with that arm, supportive and strong, but also still the gentleman. ]
Along the southern coasts of the Aegir territory, there are some nights when the sun hits the water a bit like this. Perhaps this is not quite the same thing, but I am glad to share it with you anyway.
[ perhaps there has never been another person alive who would find such relief in hearing they have still quite a walk to make. especially in the strappy heels manuela's currently sporting, one would think a prolonged trek would be met with disappointment. instead she is practically glowing, the fading sun catching upon her own rosy and sun-kissed cheeks. ]
Well aren't you naughty...
[ she's teasing, of course, evident in the way her smile folds and eyes crinkle with delight. as he guides her towards the railing, she sways as if it were a step in a dance. the metal is cold and harsh against her arms, and where it touches her hips through the thin fabric of her dress. but behind her he is a solid warmth, radiating nearly as much as half-set sun. ]
Did you know? I'd never been to Aegir. Or anywhere along the coast. This is the closest I've ever been to sea water, if one can even count it as that. [ a soft sigh, almost wistful. ] It is awfully romantic, isn't it?
[ she leans back into his sturdy chest, melting into the fold of his warm arms. his coat still hands along her shoulders, and though she had been grateful for the warmth they'd provided her as the wind whipped about them, she now wishes she had refused his offer, if only so there would be less in between them now. idly, one of her hands comes to rest upon the forearm that has wrapped around her. the sleeves of his shirt have been rolled up, revealing strong muscles, and without even realizing she has begun to trace the long line of a prominent vein. ]
[ He's of a mind to invite her to the Aegir territory, when this is all over, but that leads his mind to wander in directions perhaps best left saved for less uncertain times. If she were to join him there, perhaps she would decide to make her home there, with him. She makes his heart race even in the ways that have little or nothing to do with sexual desire, and if tonight has proven anything to him beyond a reasonable doubt, it's that the feelings he has for her run far deeper than surface-level attraction and have far more weight to them than a boy's first crush. The term romantic certainly helps, too. Manuela may see herself akin to some weathered crone in her darkest moments, but just tonight, Ferdinand has seen a rather adorable, girlish side to her, one that has managed to endear herself to him even more, as though such a thing were possible.
But he holds that thought for now. Instead, he allows himself to indulge in the moment, savoring how she occupies the space in his arms. She's soft but firm in all the right places, sturdy enough that he knows she's not made of glass, but a gentle enough presence that he feels like he can be a source of comfort for her. His arms close completely around her, hugging her close as he indulges in the simple pleasure of brushing his face against her hair. Her scent is comforting to him, but this close, he can't deny that the nearby tender skin of her neck is looking like a wonderful place to press his lips. ]
I do. I miss Fรณdlan a great deal, and I miss our friends and colleagues. But there have been upsides despite it all, memories that I have made that I will cherish for as long as I live.
[ Out of the corner of his eye, his gaze shifts to how her finger trails along his arm. It warms him more than the coat ever could, to feel admired by the one he's admired for so long. ]
And tonight... well, it may be the loveliest one yet.
[ He follows the impulse to nuzzle into her hair, and pushing his luck a bit, he even presses a tender kiss to her temple. It's such a simple gesture, one made out of affection rather than desire, but the two are so intertwined in his heart, especially when it comes to Manuela. ]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ferdinand.
well. no matter. what harm can it do to indulge, every now and then? (plenty, of course, when all those little indulgences become habit.) manuela is determined not to think too deeply on it — at least not now, when she has such fine company to distract her.
dinner had been wonderful, even despite all those wearying fish puns. they'd been tucked away into a little corner booth, surrounded by aquarium-filled walls, and though the restaurant had been busy it had felt, for a time, as if they were the only two in existence. manuela didn't even have more than a single glass of wine, too caught up in the company and the conversation, so she knows it couldn't possibly be the liquor that has her blood running so warm as she and ferdinand make their way towards the rooms. the hallway they're in now has a railing that overlooks the edge of the ship. the evening wind whips about them gently, but the delicate fabric of her dress is easily taken up, occasionally lifting high up along her thighs, or allowing for the occasional peak of a rosy pink nipple whenever her hands aren't swift enough to cover herself. somehow, there isn't a single other soul along that stretch of hallway, so manuela hardly minds. she would much rather divest herself of the dress entirely, if it means she can enjoy the cool sea wind on her face for just a little while longer. ]
Is your room much farther?
[ her tone is light, but there is a hint of disappointment there. she would hate for such a lovely evening to end so soon. for a time there, it had truly felt like a proper courtship... as if she were back to her 20s, courted by dazzling young men, except without all that ulterior motive. ]
no subject
And the little gestures of affection she's gotten from him over the course of the night? They've been tasteful ones. A gentle squeeze of her hand, offering his coat over her shoulders if the wind gets too chilly, and gladly having her on his arm. He's had his wits about him all night, so he knows fully well that the urges he's had to kiss her all night have been all his own. ]
We still have a way to go. But I must confess, I may have taken a few deliberate wrong turns here and there to wring some more time out of the evening.
[ There's a playfulness in his voice even at the confession, as well as the softest of blushes on his cheeks. ]
It would be a shame to waste such a lovely view, yes?
[ A hand moves to her waist as he slips behind her, gently turning her to face the railing. It might all be smoke and mirrors, but it's beautiful smoke and lovely mirrors, with the red light of a sunset against the darkening blues and purples of the sky and the ripples of the water making for a dazzling display of color. He embraces her from behind with that arm, supportive and strong, but also still the gentleman. ]
Along the southern coasts of the Aegir territory, there are some nights when the sun hits the water a bit like this. Perhaps this is not quite the same thing, but I am glad to share it with you anyway.
no subject
Well aren't you naughty...
[ she's teasing, of course, evident in the way her smile folds and eyes crinkle with delight. as he guides her towards the railing, she sways as if it were a step in a dance. the metal is cold and harsh against her arms, and where it touches her hips through the thin fabric of her dress. but behind her he is a solid warmth, radiating nearly as much as half-set sun. ]
Did you know? I'd never been to Aegir. Or anywhere along the coast. This is the closest I've ever been to sea water, if one can even count it as that. [ a soft sigh, almost wistful. ] It is awfully romantic, isn't it?
[ she leans back into his sturdy chest, melting into the fold of his warm arms. his coat still hands along her shoulders, and though she had been grateful for the warmth they'd provided her as the wind whipped about them, she now wishes she had refused his offer, if only so there would be less in between them now. idly, one of her hands comes to rest upon the forearm that has wrapped around her. the sleeves of his shirt have been rolled up, revealing strong muscles, and without even realizing she has begun to trace the long line of a prominent vein. ]
Do you miss it? Your home...
no subject
But he holds that thought for now. Instead, he allows himself to indulge in the moment, savoring how she occupies the space in his arms. She's soft but firm in all the right places, sturdy enough that he knows she's not made of glass, but a gentle enough presence that he feels like he can be a source of comfort for her. His arms close completely around her, hugging her close as he indulges in the simple pleasure of brushing his face against her hair. Her scent is comforting to him, but this close, he can't deny that the nearby tender skin of her neck is looking like a wonderful place to press his lips. ]
I do. I miss Fรณdlan a great deal, and I miss our friends and colleagues. But there have been upsides despite it all, memories that I have made that I will cherish for as long as I live.
[ Out of the corner of his eye, his gaze shifts to how her finger trails along his arm. It warms him more than the coat ever could, to feel admired by the one he's admired for so long. ]
And tonight... well, it may be the loveliest one yet.
[ He follows the impulse to nuzzle into her hair, and pushing his luck a bit, he even presses a tender kiss to her temple. It's such a simple gesture, one made out of affection rather than desire, but the two are so intertwined in his heart, especially when it comes to Manuela. ]