Page 25 of Sway's Peace
String lights were hung between trees with pretty, yellow, heart shaped leaves and maroon colored bark. There were lots of seating options, none of which matched, and from somewhere airy, upbeat music was playing. Yellow, glittering grass lined simple, dirt paths. The dim lighting made it seem like the outdoors at sunset. However, the twinkling lights overhead simulating stars was part of the ceiling the trees were brushing against.
The people that came here were simple, middle-class folks. It was a popular stop for the repair crews and their families. The vibes were happy and upbeat, but not rowdy. One could dance and not be out of place, but you could also lounge in the shade of a tree and not be overwhelmed. Casual and comfortable, with the potential to be intimate.
Grace really liked this place. She sometimes came with Reetak or some of the others from work, but she just as often came alone. She’d tried every restaurant here, and knew which ones were suitable for her human tastes. She also knew that two of them were vegetarian based, and one was, she would consider, vegan.
The farasie people weren’t just pacifists, they were obligate vegetarians. Eating meat made them sick, so they physically couldn’t live off of it. She didn’t know if they could consume milk or other animal products, but she knew they couldn’t eat eggs. They could consume insects, but she was given to understand that most wouldn’t.
So, the food park with vegetarian options was necessary, and the vegan style was there as a just in case. Depending on what he could eat, he had choices.
As Grace walked through the archway that came off the main hall of the station, she was already reaching for her combot in the pocket of her dress. The transition point between the modern chrome look of the hall and the more naturalistic one of the food park was abrupt, but not unpleasant. She planned on messaging Sway to tell him that she was here. But she needn’t bother, because he was already there, waiting for her.
She caught sight of him immediately when she walked in. He was seated at a picnic style table backwards, leaning on hiselbows, looking at the leaves of the trees overhead. He was still wearing the same style clothes as he had yesterday, but she could tell that he’d put in some effort to make himself look nice.
His boots had been shined, his clothes were clean and neat, and he’d clearly preened his feathers. Their bright blue seemed especially shiny in the low light. Though his crest was down, she could see the long feathers where they were laid down against the back of his neck, and the colors had clearly been cleaned and oiled.
Reclined as he was, she could appreciate his body in a way she hadn’t been able to before.
He was surprisingly muscular. Not at all like Covor. He was more lean than buff, but the way he was seated had pulled his pants and shirt tighter, allowing her to appreciate the tight lines of his body. The broad plains of his chest, the rippling of his abs, the swell of his arms. But most especially, it was obvious in the strength of his thighs. His pants were pulled tight around his legs, highlighting the size of his muscles in a way that made her mouth water.
She bit her lip as she imagined pulling up her skirt so she could climb aboard. They looked like they’d make a great seat.
He really was handsome. Not in a flashy or powerful way. It was as casual and easy as his surroundings. Something bright and beautiful but understated in a way she knew others wouldn’t be able to fully appreciate.
Then his head turned, and his eyes caught on hers. Grace’s heart began racing as an involuntary smile pulled at her lips.
Chapter 7
Sway
Sway had tried to think of a way to message Grace and take back his agreement to this meal. But he couldn’t figure out how to do it without hurting her feelings. He didn’t want her to be upset. Which stood in such direct contrast to all the things he wanted to do to her.
He wanted her to cry. But he wanted those tears to be from pleasure, from overstimulation, from the rush of sensation and emotions he caused her. He didn’t want tears of sadness or hurt or fear. They weren’t the same at all.
He wanted her bound and thrashing, but not fighting or resisting.
He wanted her to plead with him, but he wanted her to never stop taking what he gave her.
No. If he was being honest with himself, it was even simpler than that. He just wanted her. To hear her voice. To see her smile. To be near her. He wasn’t used to feeling desire, so that already made things strange, but he also wasn’t used to actively wanting to be near someone like this. He didn’t know what to door think about it, only that it was making the disquiet in his mind worse.
At the same time, he didn’t actually want it to end. He knew he should tell her no, let her go, but he wasn’t a good enough male to sacrifice his own desires like that. Especially not when they were so new and unknown.
Honestly, if he thought about it, this was probably just a result of his life on Rik-Vane.
His only experience with sex was heated, loveless, and demanding. His body probably didn’t know any other way to experience pleasure.
Or any kind of joy, for that matter.
For so long, the only positive Sway could say his life had was that he’d managed to survive the day, and sometimes, the positivity of that statement was debatable. Everything good and peaceful in him had been mercilessly, painfully burned away. Parts of himself were so lost, he’d forgotten what they felt like. Parts he was still trying to rebuild and restore.
Grappling with this new side of him, with these feelings he’d never experienced before, was something that would take time.
But it didn’t necessarily mean he had to deny Grace.
And he didn’t want to.
Hereallydidn’t want to.
Sway wasn’t sure what was going to happen with her. With them. But he wanted to find out. He didn’t want to reject her. Or this new part of himself.
