A Most Terrifying Engagement (closed)

[Brandnewbuddy]

Vanta smiled when he saw Andrea pick up BaaBaa and take his hand. Even if it was because she was nervous, Vanta was glad that his gift was already proving useful. He walked out with her into the backyard and raised his free hand.

“Andrea.” He started, “I’m going to alter things a bit. Don’t worry, I won’t change forms and I won’t seal us in a separate realm, but I want to give us a bit of privacy.”

The ground covered itself in a black substance but unlike the previous constructs, this wasn’t cold or squishy, it was solid, as though it was made of marble. The shadows then spread out throughout the yard and the privacy fence seemed to disappear and was replaced with shadows that seemed to stretch out for miles, yet the door to the house and the house itself was left unaffected.

“Anyone looking in will just see an empty yard,” Vanta explained, “more importantly…” He closed his eyes and began to move his free hand through the air, like he was conducting an orchestra, as he did so, the shadows changed and became colored, first with dots of light and then with strange swirling shapes and odd colored clouds. As Vanta stood there, the shapes and colors rose up, and began to dance around them before suspending themselves in midair. The lights illuminated them and as Vanta finished his movements, the remaining shadows blended In with the sky and the truth of the shapes and objects was revealed: Vanta and Andrea now stood within a model of the very cosmos, with all stars planets and Nebulas flying around them.

“Andrea, I wish I could tell you more about myself…but in truth I don’t know too much. I feel like if I were to explore that topic too far I might drown under the sheer amount of knowledge. It’s like I have to restrict myself,” Vanta tried to explain, though he barely had a grasp himself, “but I still want to share something with you that’s personal. When I was a simpler being one of the few times I could think of anything other than what it would take to get a meal was under the new moon. Whenever one was out, I felt like I could connect to a greater darkness-not a malicious one, but one far greater than myself, and I would feel…happy might not be the right term, but…complete, like I was part of something greater even if it was only for a few nights.”

Vanta reached out and touched a passing planet, “did you know that objects in space make a sound? It doesn’t travel very far of course and it normally can’t be heard buuuuuut:”

He stroked the planet, a blue gas giant, and a long note played that filled the air with a tone that had never been heard by a regular ear until now.

“I always wanted to share this with someone. I would always play with them and imagine them as part of my being…but then I would realize that I still wouldn’t feel complete…I think I was lonely.”

He stroked his hand over a passing nebula, playing it like a small harp and then gently pushed it towards Andrea.

 

[Poprockz]

Despite his reassurance, she couldn't help but tense when the landscape started to change. Her eyes shifted around to watch the progression of their new space and soon it was apparent that he truly wasn't going to enclose them like he had previously. That fact in of itself made her start to relax, and her shoulders soon lost their rigidity.

What replaced her apprehension was curiosity, the woman standing witness as he summoned... well, it was space. It was a collection of shapes, lights, and places that she would have never seen in her lifetime otherwise. Maybe she could have seen them through a telescope or perhaps a drawing of them, but this was different. This was magical. Her eyes widened in wonderment as she looked around at the planets and stars, unable to speak as she found herself mute at the breathtaking sight. It did make one feel like part of something larger, but it also made one feel very small at the same time. It was both humbling and inspiring.

The sound of the gas giant made her blink in surprise, not having known that such a sound could be made. It was a pleasant sound though, and she found herself wanting to hear more of it.

When he spoke of wanting to share his experience with someone, she looked up at those luminous eyes. Where they stood, they almost looked like they could be some beautiful stellar phenomenon themselves.

She imagined him as he once was, a formless shadow standing alone in the middle of the cosmos. Maybe he reached out and touched the planets and stars as he did now like a lonely child left to play by himself. Why was he born that way? Why had the universe deigned to create a being such as he and leave him to live a life of eternal loneliness, cursed to feed on the misery of others? It didn't seem fair.

Reaching out, she caught the nebula with her open hand, merely stopping its movement so she could pensively strum it with her own graceful fingers. "That sounds really difficult. Sure you had the cosmos at your fingertips, but it sounds like you never knew anything but hunger and loneliness. I wish the universe had chosen something different for you- it just seems cruel to make anyone live a life like that."

 

[Brandnewbuddy]

“You’re not wrong,” Vanta said, thinking on her words, “If I was made only to hunger and cause misery wherever I went, then my maker would be a very cruel person. I can’t deny that now that I have the understanding that I do now…that I must have been very lonely. I also know that even though I have been around for some time, I am the only one of my kind. Even if I can’t remember every moment I know I’ve never encountered another being like myself…and that even when I stretch out during a new moon and briefly join the cosmos, I’m the only one reaching out.”

He frowned for a moment then a smile cracked across his face: “but while my greater understanding has let me know how lonely I was, it’s also given me the ability to appreciate the changes and choices I’m making right now. I’m standing here sharing a private part of myself with the woman I love, I’m not trying to scare her nor do I feel I need to: I can just be with her as a man, enjoying the beauty of the night sky and how lovely she looks in it. Even if I was born to cause fear and only concern myself with feeding, I remade myself to not think that way. I’m choosing to be more than that and I think that outweighs the loneliness I once felt.”

Vanta looked down at Andrea, the projections of stars lighting her up. She was absolutely gorgeous. He waved a hand behind his back and the stars and planets began to sound, first as discordant mess of tones but then as melody that wove together to becomes a symphony no one on Earth had ever heard.

“Andrea…and BaaBaa.” He said with a laugh, patting the stuffed toy on the head, “would you grant me one more selfish wish tonight?”
He extended his hand, “would you dance with me?”

 

[Poprockz]

As she listened to him speak, she was once again reminded of just how much he had changed. In just four days, he had advanced from a very simplistic mindset to one that was arguably very wise and thoughtful. At some point she would have to ask for the details on how he had managed to enact such a change, but it sounded like he had willfully chosen to step away from what he once knew in favor of creating a new life and purpose for himself.

Andrea couldn't help but think to herself that he looked rather dashing himself, standing there in his clothes with his hand outstretched in invitation. She wondered what his hair might feel like if she ran her fingers through it. Would it feel coarse, or would it be soft and silky? What would it feel like to simply explore him with her hands? Maybe someday if things progressed, she would find out. Regardless of whether she fell in love with him or not, she was now resolved to make sure that he didn't experience that same sort of loneliness again. Lover or not, she would be a friend he could lean on if need be.

Did he know how to dance? She supposed it didn't matter. Most dancing these days was simply two people swaying to the music, and that was just fine by her. On a night like this with the glowing stars and swirls of cosmic dust singing in the air around them, it would probably be criminal not to dance.

"I think BaaBaa wants to watch the stars a bit more," she chuckled before setting the sheep down gingerly in the grass slightly to the side. Andrea then reached out and took his hand, finding it to be both soft and warm. "I know in your heart of hearts you were really hoping for a chance to dance with that charming sheep, but I suppose you'll have to make do with just us two- if you'll still have me." Her mirth was clear in her eyes as she looked up at his tall figure, a playful smile on her lips.

 

[Brandnewbuddy]

Vanta laughed melodiously, "Ah, a shame. He is a very charming sheep: however will I handle that kind of rejection?" He held her hand and put his other hand on her side. Vanta had witnessed dancing before, a few children had even been afraid of the act to the point he had once pirouetted around a bedroom, terrifying a young girl. Vanta began dancing with Andrea as a waltz and made the assortment of celestial objects make an appropriate 3/4 time. He did his best to lead but while dancing alone was easy, even if he was splitting his attention between multiple bodies, having a partner was a different matter. He tried to glide around the cosmic dancefloor with Andrea but he had difficulty finding the beat while leading Andrea around.

"Apologies, Andrea," Vanta said, trying to play off the difficulty he was having, "I suppose BaaBaa's rejection hit me harder than I thought. Maybe something simpler would work, or maybe you could give me some pointers?"

He twirled Andrea around so he was behind her, putting his hand on her belly while his other hand held hers and began to sway with her ,the stars began to pulse with varied lights and the music picked up the tempo. He Held Andrea close, putting his cheek next to hers. "Andrea, you need to know one more thing, when I "died" what pulled me back from that void and allowed me to grow to where I am now, was thinking of you and how I wanted to be better for you." He swayed with her, he felt her pulse through the nightgown and felt his warmth join with hers as he held her. It wasn't a feeling of eroticism though Vanta did certainly feel aroused it was more a feeling of complete intimacy as the music pulsed along with their heartbeats, "Even if this month we have doesn't...well, I just want you to know that you saved me from that loneliness and you helped me reach a point where I can actually be sincerely happy for once in my life...so thank you."

He kissed her cheek and then looked at her, saw the pulsing lights off of her skin and, leaned forward like she had instructed, his lips only an inch from hers, and waited to see if she would respond.

 

[Poprockz]

Like Vanta, Andrea had never waltzed with a partner before. Maybe she had pretended to waltz by herself once or twice, but all she had managed at the time was to remain on-beat. The actual footwork of the dance was a mystery to her. As such, she had just as much of a difficult time getting things right as they spun around. It wasn't a bad thing though- she found it quite fun to dance with him like that. It didn't have to be perfect, after all.

His comment about BaaBaa's impact on his dancing skills made her laugh, though she admitted that she wasn't the one to ask when it came to the waltz. The swaying bounce that they developed to the higher-tempo music was more her speed- simple and straightforward. Though, her pulse quickened when he twirled her and pressed against her back. Once again, she felt his presence very acutely, especially the hand on her stomach and his face near her own.

She should say no to the kiss, shouldn't she? Yet, in that moment she found she didn't want to turn him down. Earlier on the couch, she had said to herself that it would only be the once, but here they were dancing among the stars to some cosmic club music. She was trying her best not to be swept off her feet by his romantic gestures, but it was nothing if not difficult. This was only the second day of knowing the current version of Vanta, and the fourth of being able to have a conversation with Vanta at all-- it was too fast to let herself develop those sorts of feelings for him.

Still... she wanted to express affection to him. Her free hand came up to gently caress the side of his face, and Andrea leaned toward him very hesitantly. She pressed her lips against his, letting them linger for a moment or two before retreating. It wasn't a deep kiss or anything like that, just a sweet, intimate gesture.

Andrea's cheeks were rosy once more as she spoke to him. "Even if things don't work out romantically, I want you to know that you're always welcome in my home as a friend. I don't want you to ever have to be alone like you used to be, especially now that you have more self-awareness. When I think about you standing alone while looking up at the stars, it makes me really sad."

Her eyes watered before she blinked and shook her head, chuckling, "and I suppose we've both saved each other then. Mike would have done a lot of awful things to me if you hadn't been there to help me, so thank you too."

 

[Brandnewbuddy]

Vanta did his best to enjoy the kiss, even though every shadowy fiber of his being wanted to grab tight to her and deepen the kiss, to not let go until he expressed his full passion and pure carnal desire. He wanted her in every possible way. He wanted to strip the nightie off of her and become one with her while he was surrounded by the one environment he had ever felt complete in.

…yet when the kiss ended, Vanta still smiled, not wanting to ruin what was still a beautiful moment. He listened to Andrea and nodded in agreement. Even though he was trying to be romantic and wanted these 30 days to turn towards a romantically blissful life, it was comforting to know that even if things didn’t work out she still wanted to know he was okay.

“And Andrea?” Vanta asked, “you can always call on me if you are ever need me. No matter what, I want you to live a happy life and not have to worry about ever being hurt or betrayed again.”

He held her and continued to move with her as the music slowed. He wanted to keep this moment trapped forever but he knew the dance and the night had to end.

“Andrea,” he started, “tomorrow, could I help you during the day? I think as long as it’s not sunlight hitting me, I’ll be okay. I love having these nights with you but I know you need to sleep and I’d like to help you with the house. Just think about it. Though speaking of sleep, shall we and BaaBaa go to bed?”

 

[Poprockz]

It was a really sweet thing to say and she could tell that he meant it. Being emotionally hurt and betrayed wasn't something he could protect her from regardless of his best efforts; it was simply something that happened sometimes when one allowed oneself to be vulnerable. Having his support through things like that meant a lot to her though.

Andrea sighed. It was a shame that their date had to end- she was enjoying herself quite a bit. Of the dates she had been on, this was definitely one of the best for several reasons. While he had previously apologized for himself simply taking her into the backyard, he had undersold just how unique the experience would be for her.

His suggestion to help her during the day brought a concerned expression to her face. Sure he said he would be fine, but what if he wasn't? Vanta had been zapped within an inch of his life with just a flashlight beam, so it didn't make sense for him to risk actually being up during the day. She supposed he had gone through a major transformation... Maybe he was sturdier now. At the same time, even if it didn't kill or injure him there was still the likelihood that it would be painful. Perhaps not as painful as the lightbulb in the basement, but more along the lines of a painful rash or sunburn. The thought of him being uncomfortable like that didn't sit well with her.

"Yeah, it's probably about that time," Andrea yawned and stooped to pick up the fluffy, black stargazer. Still, she needed to address his other question, so she did so as they walked back into the house.

"I don't know, Vanta..." she started in a conflicted voice, "while it would be nice to spend more time with you, I'm still worried about how light will affect you even if it isn't direct sunlight. The flashlight was... horrible." The woman shuddered at the memory as she locked the door behind them. "Maybe we could just hang out in the basement and I could just use a couple glow sticks for a bit of light. That could be fun, right? I could teach you how to play chess or something."

 

[Brandnewbuddy]

Vanta fought back a frown at Andrea’s offer and kept his smile He did want to spend more time with her, of course he did…but he also wanted to be useful . He could tell Andrea was warming to him but he feared that if he didn’t show that he could be of use to her she might grow bored with him. The new moon would be gone in two days, he wouldn’t be capable of large displays like this. He could keep her physically safe of course and talk with her, but she could do the same with him as her friend, not her romantic partner. He understood her concern over him with light over what had happened before but could they really be a couple if he had to condemn her to life of eternal darkness?

“I’d love to play games with you Andrea but I also want to help you around the house…and while I can always see you even when it’s pitch black, I know you’re worried about me being hurt but I want you to be able to see me even when it’s light out, like we have now…but we can worry about that in the morning,” he felt a flush of blood underneath his cheeks as he smiled nervously walking alongside her towards her bedroom, “after all, we’re about to sleep in the same bed for the first time.”

He kissed her on the forehead, “Thank you Andrea, tonight was one of the greatest I’ve ever had.”

He wasn’t sure what the proper protocol was. He had witnessed married couples go into bedrooms with the groom holding the bride in his arms but they weren’t married yet. He had seen couples tear each other’s clothes off but tonight was not meant to be sexual. And of course he had seen parents tuck children in but he wanted to be Andrea’s romantic partner. So not knowing the proper way, he went to the top sheet and pulled it down while holding the tip, like a doorman holding the door open for some guests.

“Andrea, BaaBaa, are you ready to go to bed?” He asked, slightly embarrassed, hoping this was the right way.

 

[Poprockz]

When he put it like that, she could see why he might want to try to venture into the dim light. Perhaps he felt like he was limiting her by forcing her to be mostly blind in the dark if she wanted to spend time with him. If it was a choice between her sight and his pain though, she would rather save him from that. They would definitely have to talk about it more at length, as she was still pretty unwilling to allow him to put himself at risk. The forecast had predicted heavy rain tomorrow which meant dark cloud cover. Maybe they would test it out and if she sniffed out any hint that he was uncomfortable or in pain, she would demand that he stay in the basement during the daylight hours.

"We're about to sleep in the same bed for the first time," sounded more intimate than it had any right to, and she felt her own cheeks flushing slightly. It wasn't as though they were going to be doing anything but lying there and sleeping, but there was the possibility that Vanta didn't sleep like a human did. If that was the case, then he would likely watch her while she slept, at least a little. She really hoped she didn't do anything embarrassing in her sleep. Like what if she drooled or said something weird in her sleep? Ah well, she supposed that was the risk one took.

"You're welcome..." had been her soft reply to his thanks.

She stood there for a moment and tried her damndest not to laugh. It was obvious he was trying to be a gentleman, but the way he had drawn the sheet back like a nervous butler tickled her in just the right way. Andrea lost the battle unfortunately, and she ended up letting out a giggle. She really hoped he wouldn't take offense or think that she thought he was ridiculous. It was just that he was rather adorable when he was nervous.

The woman strode forward and used her hand to pinch the fabric at the side of her nightie and lift it slightly, giving him a little curtsy before saying, "why thank you, Vanta. A true gentleman." He was given a warm smile before she got into bed, scooting over to the other side before patting the open space next to her. Andrea was on her side with her torso propped up slightly. "I'm not sure if you sleep in the traditional sense, but you can lay with me for as long as you want. I mean, if you get bored in the middle of the night and want to go do something else, that's totally fine."

 

[Brandnewbuddy]

Vanta chuckled at Andrea’s curtsy though his eyes couldn’t help but linger on her legs. It was shocking even to Vanta how even though he had seen Andrea naked before, even seeing Andrea bare a small bit of flesh excited him. He smiled back at her and then slid into bed after her, shifting so he was laying on his side, facing her.

“It’s okay. I just want to spend time with you, even if it’s just being in the same room as you, besides, maybe I’ll be able to dream tonight.”

He pulled the cover back over himself and touched Andrea’s arm. “I hope you have some good dreams too.” He then closed his eyes and while he didn’t snore, not sure if he could sell the experience or not to Andrea, he made his breaths deepen.

Vanta did try to sleep but even cutting off his sight and trying to relax gave him no relief or ability to dream. Instead he focused on Andrea, feeling her move around in the bed as she relaxed and settled in. He could feel her warmth And even felt her deeper breaths leak under the cover and run against his shadowy flesh. Vanta was sorely tempted to crawl over to Andrea and embrace her to him so he could feel her warm supple skin against him but he held himself back and instead crawled a bit closer without touching her.

However, the moment of tranquility was soon ended when Vanta felt Andrea toss and turn in her sleep. She was soon violentlly flailing her arms and mumbling before whimpering and moaning in words that Vanta couldn’t comprehend. Vanta “opened” his eyes and looked at Andrea who seemed to be crying. Without even pausing, Vanta moved over and wrapped his arms around her midsection and began shushing her.

“It’s okay Andrea, It’s okay!” He spoke, trying to tear her out of whatever nightmare she had been wrapped up in.

 

[Poprockz]

That night, Andrea indeed had a nightmare.

It all started with her sitting on her bed, the covers drawn up over herself. Everything was dark, save for an oppressive red glow that made everything visible in the dream. She was clutching her BaaBaa for comfort, somehow knowing that something was going to come for her in the night. This was a nightmare though, and nothing was safe.

Her sheep shivered and started to shift and expand, disgusting gurgling noises being heard from it until it popped like a cyst. It exploded into a mass of skittering spiders, causing her to startle and smack herself, anything to get the spiders off of her. In her panic, the covers fell off and she was now vulnerable.

Two pure-black chains wrapped around her ankles before yanking her out of the bed and dragging her to the closet. Once inside the pitch-black place, she fell through the floor and landed on something squishy.

She was back in the fleshy room that Vanta had created, the woman running and jumping around the room to avoid the arms. It was as though her legs were made of lead, and it was a wonder that she wasn’t immediately captured, though through her sluggish movements the arms would constantly get just a hair’s breadth from succeeding. It was almost as though she could feel them drag across her skin each time they just barely missed her.

She wanted to scream, wanted to call out for help or mercy, but her voice had been stolen from her and there was no one there to help her. The young woman was alone with naught but her own panic and desperation to bear witness. The only sound that could be heard was an ominous hum that pulsed and seemed to have a physical presence that bore down on her.

Capture couldn’t be evaded forever though; the arms eventually grabbed her and pulled her to the ground, gripping her limbs with a harsh severity. They scratched at her and covered up her mouth and nose until she couldn’t breathe. Though she struggled, she was helpless to get free. The limbs started to melt, covering her in heavy, black tar and sucking her into the floor to drown. The viscous liquid got into her eyes, her nose, even her mouth as she silently choked and coughed on the thick stuff. It was useless to fight against it, but she still thrashed and tried to scream in terror through her drowned lungs. All the while, those bulging red eyes seemed to get bigger and bigger as they watched her sink.

Andrea awoke with a start, covered in sweat and gasping for breath. Her wild eyes looked around the dark room until she saw two worried green eyes looking at her, and noticed that Vanta had scooted in close. It occurred to her that he had probably noticed her restlessness and tried to wake her. Thank God... It had been a horrible nightmare and she didn't want to think about what it would have evolved into after that last part. She could still faintly remember the way the tar had felt sticky in her esophagus.

Perhaps it was rude of her to do so, but she didn't think much about it before throwing her arms around him and pressing her body against his. Her body was shaking like a leaf and she couldn't help but cry like a child.

She had thought she was over the events of the last few days, especially since the two of them had reached an understanding. Vanta had even apologized for scaring her. And yet… it seemed her mind wasn’t done processing the fear that had saturated her being that night. Perhaps she needed to talk about it with someone, but she didn’t want to bring it up with him. He had changed so much for the better and there naught he could do to help in this case other than comforting her in the aftermath. Bringing it up would only cause him more guilt; he would reiterate that he was sorry and that he would never do it again, but it would just hurt him to know that his actions still affected her.

 

[Brandnewbuddy]

Vanta didn’t even pause when Andrea embraced him and immediately held her tightly in his arms. While he had longed to hold her a few minutes earlier to experience the warmth and softness of her flesh to fulfill his growing need for physical intimacy, Vanta now held Andrea to try and support and comfort her from her nightmare. As he kissed her cheek and stroked her head, the irony of the situation was not lost on Vanta: he had been a source of so many nightmares and now he was trying to comfort someone he had once tormented.

“Shhh, it’s all right Andrea, it’s all right.” He whispered, feeling her tears stream out and get on her shirt, “it’s okay, I-“ he paused, while there was no way of knowing, there was a chance that he was the source of her nightmare. While Mike’s actions had been traumatic Vanta couldn’t deny that he had been quite the source of trauma for Andrea. If he was the cause of this nightmare, the absolute last thing he wanted to do was include himself in the conversation.

“-you’re okay.”

It felt like an eternity as Vanta held Andrea, even without the ability to feel Andrea’s pain, Vanta felt terrible as he held his beloved’s quivering body in his arms, unable to instantly take away her pain. For a moment he was tempted to make small tendrils and flood her body with endorphins but he knew that invasion would make her lose trust in him. So instead, he merely held on tight to her, caressing and kissing her, desperately hoping he could provide her some relief with his presence.

“Andrea, please say you’re okay.” He quietly pleaded.

 

[Poprockz]

Andrea sniffled and took a shuddering breath before trying to answer him. "I'm- I'm-" Another round of sobs overtook her as an overwhelming wave of emotion roiled through her heart. It was funny how an outpouring of turbulent emotions often ended up bringing out other feelings as well. It was as though feelings that had been repressed were piggy-backing off this breakdown in order to get out. It was a mix of fear, anger, despair, and loneliness.

When she wound down again, she found more success in answering him. "I'm not okay, but I will be. Just- just keep holding me please." Her glossy eyes looked into his as she raised her head. "Would... would it be too much of an ask if I asked you to hold me until morning?" She averted her eyes and felt a bit of indecision about it. Maybe she was being too needy. Josh had always said that her clinginess had been suffocating; he was an asshole, yes, but maybe some of the things he said were true. The self-doubt he had instilled in her still caused her to second-guess herself and how she treated others, and currently she was worried that she might be imposing too much on Vanta.

She quickly shook her head and said, "no, I'm sorry- that's too much. I would really like it if you rubbed my back until I fell asleep though." Yes, that would be fine. It was still getting her need for comfort met, but it wasn't unreasonable.

 

[Brandnewbuddy]

Vanta listened closely, not just with his auditory nerves but also the nerves in his hands, and his eyes. He felt every shudder that rocked through Andrea's body, watched her teary eyes and the way her face changed as she changed her request. While Vanta was still trying to learn the complexities of emotion he could tell Andrea had wanted her first request, not the lesser request...but something was making her not ask for it. Vanta kept rubbing her back, not wanting to confront her when she was so vulnerable but also not wanting to give her less than what she truly wanted. He rolled over his words in his mind and carefully plotted out what he was going to say.

"I'm going to stay with you until morning Andrea," Vanta said firmly but warmly, "I'll happily rub your back until you fall asleep but I want to make sure you get through the whole night okay." He kissed her tear stained cheek, "You said we could share a bed, Andrea, I just want to do that holding you till morning." He stroked her back affectionately, "I want to hold you until morning and know you got through the rest of the night okay."

He put his forehead against Andrea's. He wanted to soothe her and take away not just tonight's pain but all of the pain she ever felt and that he had caused her. He stroked her back, awaiting her response.

 

[Poprockz]

Her eyes closed softly as she felt the warmth of his forehead against her own. A few more tears rolled down her cheeks, but these were tears stemming from affection. His words were touching, and she couldn’t help but feel grateful that he had insisted on holding her. She could hear the warmth and love in his words; it brought a considerable amount of comfort to her, and she found herself calming down. Her breathing started to become even and her heart rate decreased.

One of her hands came up to caress his cheek and she smiled. “Thank you. You’re very sweet.”

There was a moment of silence before she softly whispered, “can I give you a kiss?”

 

[Brandnewbuddy]

Vanta felt relief wash over him as Andrea began to relax in his arms. He felt her hand rub his cheek and his own feeling of warmth filled him as he heard her words. Her affection fueled him like fear never had. Every compliment made him pulse with joy.

Then she asked if she could kiss him. He was tempted to say “you don’t even need to ask” but instead he smiled and put his lips next to hers and playfully said, “If I can kiss you in return.”

 

[Poprockz]

He was given a little chuckle, “fair is fair.”

Andrea opened her eyes momentarily to see where his mouth was before shutting them once more and closing the distance between them. Unlike the kiss she had given him previously, this wasn’t simply light and short-lived. She pressed her soft lips against his for several moments before drawing back a centimeter, only to push back against him with more fervor. Maybe she was tired and bit loopy from that nightmare, but she wanted to express just how much it meant to her that he was willing, no, wanted to be there for her.

Her hand wove up the side of his face and into his hair. She had wondered what it would feel like, and now she knew: it was soft and silky.

When she drew back, she panted softly, “I’m sorry, that was technically two.”

 

[Brandnewbuddy]

Vanta sighed as the first kiss ended, thankful but somewhat disappointed at the short contact-only for his eyes to shoot open in surprise and then close again as Andrea kissed him with more energy than she had since he returned. Vanta felt her warmth and passion flow from body and out of her soft lips into him. It was like someone had turned a key setting off an ignition in him. While Vanta couldn't actually sleep, he had been winding down yet now he burst with energy that only rose as Andrea ran her fingers through his hair, making every small hair follicle he had made stand on end. For a moment he felt a connection more physically and emotionally intimate than he had ever felt before that lingered even after Andrea had broken the kiss.

He heard her words and smiled, even as his racing heart made him breathe heavily, "Well, I'll just have to balance them with two kisses then, won't I?" He held his passion back as much as he could, but it was like a tiny person holding back a massive dog, His lips were on Andrea's so fast that he had practically lunged, despite already being wrapped around her. His kiss warm and passionate, as though he wanted to drown out any fear in Andrea with his own love and desire. his left hand went up to her hair and ran through it from her scalp to the tips, admiring the silky smooth strands as his right hand went down to the small of her back, as far down as she had allowed him to go earlier that day. He held her tight against him, both so he could feel her warm body against him, a feeling that excited him to no end, and so he could further embrace her, hoping to let his affection for her somehow be transferred physically.

He broke the first kiss, small bits of saliva congealing to form a bridge between their mouths, and spoke in between heavy pants, "One" he said, smiling before he latched back on to her and stroked her back and hair, this time testing to see if she would let him go a bit further to her glorious buttocks but still respecting any sign she wanted him to stop. The second kiss was raw passion, full of desire and heat. Vanta knew Andrea wanted to sleep, he wanted her to feel comfortable enough to sleep with him in the same bed yet he couldn't restrain his passion. He needed to feel the connection with her, to have her feel the connection and attraction that he had for her and for that that attraction to return and create a flowing circuit of passion and love that would be channeled between the two of them. He wanted it so bad that when he broke the second kiss, he briefly kissed her again, a gentle kiss on the lips that was a last momentary attempt to keep the physical contact going.

"Sorry, I know that was three."

 

[Poprockz]

Such a cheeky shadow. She didn't even get time to respond to his comment about evening things out before she felt him reunite their lips.

There was a strong sense of intimacy in that first kiss, as though he was channeling his heart into it. It was sweet and honest, just like Vanta himself. As a child, she had never expected to describe the shadow as such, but it was very much true nowadays. Andrea felt like while he was trying to pour his heart out to her through this gesture, there was also a neediness to it, as though it was important to him that she feel his desire to love and protect her. She felt that same touched feeling as when he offered to hold her through the night, not knowing if she deserved such gentle affection but craving it nonetheless.

If the first kiss was a comforting glow, the second kiss was a scorching fire. Lost in the heat of his passion, Andrea had forgotten herself and moaned into his mouth. The things his lips and tongue were doing were making it impossible for her to stay composed, after all. She didn't even stop the hand that had strayed past the boundary on her back, and honestly she didn't want to. If she had any doubts as to whether he sexually desired her, they were melted away by the heat of his embrace. The kiss he had given her during the previous misunderstanding in that room paled in comparison; there was simply no denying that this kiss was born of an unquenchable hunger for her. It made her heart flutter in excitement and her body tingle.

When he released her, she stayed pressed against him, body-to-body as she tried to get some oxygen back to her brain. His final words earned him another chuckle amidst her heavy breaths. "When you came back you said that being alive is what you're best at, but I think kissing might be a very close second."

She was reminded of the fact that with Vanta having been invited to sleep with her, she hadn’t gotten the chance to resolve her earlier arousal. Once again, her body had heated up and she felt that familiar ache between her legs.

Of course she could always excuse herself to the bathroom or simply touch herself next to him, but she had to admit that at the moment she desired his touch. She still felt a bit shy about being intimate with him in a sexual capacity, but her desire far outweighed her shyness.

Reaching around, she laid her hand upon the shadowy one that lingered on her ass. She then gently moved it so that it slid from her cheek, to her hip, to her belly, and then she guided it lower. Her nightie had ridden up a bit, so it was easy to lift it further before slipping under the elastic of her underwear. When they reached their final destination, he would feel that her hand had led him right to her pussy, and she was wet.

There was a shuddering breath of arousal from her lips before she spoke. "I don't want you to feel like you have to, but... I don't think I can sleep like this. Will you... help me?" What she had wanted to say was that she wanted his long fingers inside her, or that she wanted to come on his shadowy digits, but she wasn't quite there yet in terms of boldness with him. Despite her words being hesitant, her eyes definitely conveyed her need for his touch as she looked into his.

 

[Brandnewbuddy]

Vanta smiled at her compliment about his ability to kiss while his hand gave Andrea’s ass a small squeeze, fully expecting when Andrea grabbed his hand that he would find it politely but firmly moved off of her…only to be shocked as she instead moved his hand to her belly then under her panties, and then resting atop her vulva…and then, as he felt his beloved’s nectar slicken his fingers, he heard her request.

Vanta paused as the words worked their way through his conscious mind, his hand cupping and rubbing Andrea’s vulva, his wrist pressing against her mound while the tips of his finger with an almost mechanical motion as the sheer weight of the moment washed over him. Andrea, the woman who he was helplessly infatuated with, was asking him to pleasure her. She was not returning his affection or helping him to balance some invisible ledger, she was asking him to help her cum. He sped up his rubbing, pressing his palm against her labia, then dragging his fingertips up, dipping his middle finger in slightly into her vagina, not intending to tease yet being unable not to as the massive step he was about to make played over him.

There was a small part of him that wanted to tease Andrea, to take advantage of her need and make her beg in no uncertain terms for what she wanted him to do and to feed off of her embarrassment and humiliation before he finally let her have release but as he thought back on how she had clung to him after her nightmare, he resisted even entertaining the thought: Andrea was giving him her trust and he couldn’t toss that away so lightly, he wouldn’t even risk upsetting her by changing his hand into another form that might stimulate Andrea in exciting, irregular ways: he would show he could please her without taking advantage of the situation.

“Just tell me if I’m doing anything wrong, Andrea” Vanta said, as he finally slipped his middle finger deep within her. His long finger thrust slowly and began to curve forward as it found a more spongy bit of flesh which the tips pressed against as Vanta’s left hand pulled on the small of her back, further driving his curled finger in. He then withdrew his middle finger and had his ring finger join it as he penetrate her vagina again, spreading her vagina around the flexible digits as they worked their way back to her g-spot while his pointer and pinkie spread her labia majora. As his thrusting fingers began to pick up a rhythm, Vanta carefully contorted his thumb to press against her clit as he fingerfucked her.

Vanta wasn’t content to just let his fingers do their work, however. He kissed Andrea’s cheek and then began wildly kissing the nape of her neck. With how they were pressed together, Vanta could feel Andrea’s soft breasts against him and all of the intimate contact worked life back into Vanta’s cock, which strained within his pants as he pleasured Andrea.

 

[Poprockz]

The light teasing of his fingers only increased her desire to feel him take the plunge, and for a moment there she thought he might be having second thoughts about it. It was difficult for her to see his expression in the dark, so she wasn't able to discern his excitement until he spoke and started sliding his middle finger into her wetness.

How could he possibly be doing anything wrong? What he was doing was entirely right. So right, in fact, that he had her whimpering softly with pleasure in-between the huffs of her breath. Every movement of his fingers delighted her, and it felt like his hand was made for the sole purpose of making her feel such exquisite pleasure. Come to think of it, that might actually be true, she supposed. He had made his human form for her, after all. If that wasn't enough, he had her body shuddering from the attention he was lavishing on her neck.

This was the first time that she was willingly allowing him to intimately touch her, and it felt very different from when he had eaten her out. Back then he may have had good intentions, but the fact remained that he had taken advantage of her and hadn't accepted her refusal when she told him to stop. Her fear and reluctance combined with his inability to understand complex emotions had created such a barrier between them. She may have orgasmed physically, but there hadn't been any affection or intimacy felt on her side. Now though, she felt like that barrier had been lifted which was creating more opportunities for them to deepen their relationship.

She shifted slightly, and with how close they already were, her leg brushed his and felt something hard bulging against his pants. It seemed as though she wasn't the only one who had been worked up by their late-night shenanigans.

He would feel a hand make contact with his thigh, her fingers moving upward slowly until they paused, then touched the bulge in his pants. She delicately stroked the outline of his cock before moving up to his zipper to undo them. She would stop at any point if he pushed her hand away or vocalized it, but Andrea wanted this to be pleasurable for him as well if he would allow it.

Since he was already at her neck, she simply turned her head to whisper close to his ear in-between panted breaths: "Your pants are too small when you're hard like that... Can I take it out?" It wasn't the sexiest thing she could have said, but she supposed at least it got the message across. Andrea had hoped to say something more enticing or flirty, but when the time had come the words had escaped her, leaving her with the bare-bones of what she wanted to do. Hopefully he would be agreeable to it, as otherwise she imagined his cock was suffocating in that tight space (or liable to rip his pants).

 

[Brandnewbuddy]

Vanta felt Andrea's hand on his erection and a shudder traveled through his whole body, even carrying through to his thrusting fingers making them shiver deep inside of Andrea. Even if she hadn't asked him, he would have begged Andrea to provide him some relief the moment he felt her hand on his crotch, but as he heard her whisper into his ear and felt her breath waft into his ear, he practically groaned in desperate need for her touch. It didn't matter that the wording itself wasn't particularly flirtatious, her touch and desire to touch him was more than enough to make Vanta mad with desire.

"Yes Andrea..." He groaned, his full cock pressing tighter and tighter within his pants, threatening to rip through the shadowy garment, "please take it out and touch me." He asked, practically begging, "I need to feel you again, my beloved." He kissed her neck over and over, even leaving hickies as his right hand added his ring finger, further stretching Andrea out. He thrust his fingers deeper and faster as he got more desperate to touch Andrea and feel her. He wanted her to touch him as he brought her to orgasm and feel her clench around his fingers as her hand grasped his manhood. He wanted to feel her shudder against him as they engaged in their first mutual consensual play. His left hand worked its way under her nightie and ran up the length of her naked spine. He still intended to check for consent but as his fingers thrust and he awaited to feel his hardened shaft in her hand slick with precum, he felt he needed more from Andrea.

 

[Poprockz]

The shiver that vibrated his hand inside her made her eyelashes flutter for a moment, and she was briefly amazed that her touch had such an effect on him. It was flattering to know that such a simple touch of her fingers could elicit such arousal. He was bound to be more sensitive since he was, in essence, a virgin right now, but she liked to hope that the excitement wouldn't fizzle out once he got used to doing things like this with her. On that same note, she decided that tomorrow she would have to talk to him about whether he could stomach having a sexual relationship with her even though there was still the possibility that she wouldn't grow to love him. That was a conversation for another time...

While the new version of Vanta might have been reborn just a few days ago, she sometimes forgot that Vanta was literally ancient. When he said things like, "my beloved," it reminded her that he had been around when it was more common to use such a term of endearment. Though she found it both cute and romantic, as though he had been plucked out of a romance novel.

The hand up her spine made her shiver, the gesture making some of her hairs stand up on end. Of her erogenous zones, her neck, ankles, wrists, and spine were particularly sensitive. She wasn’t concerned with the fact that his hand was under the silk of her garment; at this point most things were in the realm of "anything goes" unless it somehow rubbed her the wrong way.

Her hands undid his pants and she found what he so desperately wanted her to find: his cock. It was carefully extracted from his pants and thankfully the fabric would live to see another day while remaining in one piece. The fact that he was already drooling his precum made it easy for her to start her own efforts at pleasuring him. Both of her soft hands were used to stroke up and down his shaft, pulling it towards herself as though she was delicately trying to wring him of every drop of pleasure.

There wasn't too much room between them to work with, seeing as they were chest-to-breast, but she made it work. She could feel his head rubbing against her stomach, oozing his sexual fluids upon her pale skin to create a slide-zone. Andrea found it erotic, knowing that once he reached his climax he would shoot his load all over her belly.

God, his fingers were so deep... they were perfect in every way. She could hear the wet sounds of his thrusts and she knew he was absolutely swimming in her fluids. Andrea wished she could do more for him like he was doing for her, but it was all she could do to even focus on stroking him when he was fingering her so enthusiastically, among other things.

Speaking of, she could feel herself approaching her limit. His excitement and speed was quickly bringing her more quickly toward her peak, and if he didn't slow down she was afraid that she might cum too soon. Of course she absolutely intended on making sure he was satisfied, she didn't want him to feel rushed because she had already finished.

"Vanta!" she mewled, a gasp following shortly after from the sweet sting of his lips on her neck. "Vanta if you don't slow down, I'm going to cum before I can-“ she moaned again, derailing her thoughts. “You… your…”

 

[Brandnewbuddy]

Vanta felt Andrea’s hands wrap around his manhood and begin to stroke him. If he wasn’t so overcome with lust, he’d find it funny how Andrea had initially stroked him under the pretense of showing him how to pleasure himself yet so far she had been the only one to stroke his cock this way. Not that Vanta minded. Any pleasure he could give himself would pale compared to a mere touch from Andrea, and as her two hands stroked down the length of his shaft, Vanta couldn’t even begin to imagine how he could make himself feel even a fraction as good. He felt his heart beat and blood circulate faster, making his cock’s veins pulse against her hands which were becoming covered in his precum. His sensitive ears heard the squelch as her baptized hands worked themselves over his flesh and he groaned loudly.

Yet the renewed pleasure did not cease his rapidly thrusting fingers, if anything it only spurred him further to work Andrea’s clit and probe her vagina. He wanted his hand to be soaked in her juices as hers was in his. Even if they weren’t going to make love as married couples did, he wanted this moment to connect them as much as possible.

Then he heard Andrea’s words and he was torn. He wanted to grant her request, he wanted to show she could always trust him, but to do so would mean he would have to delay her the pleasure of an orgasm and delay himself the pleasure of feeling her orgasm on his fingertips. Ultimately trust won out…to an extent. He did slow his thrusting fingers down but it was only enough to just be noticeable, like the difference between a racing jackrabbit and a bounding bunny.

“Are you sure Andrea?” He panted, trying to hold himself back from finishing the girl off, “I want to come with you but I want to make you feel good…maybe,” he groaned, “maybe I could make your come again and then we could come together, I could hold myself together till then.” Vanta was partially lying, as a regular human he couldn’t, even if Andrea stopped right now he would at best only last a few minutes. But as a being of shadow, he could easily alter his body to not allow himself to come until Andrea was ready. He’d feel the need, certainly, but he could forcibly restrain himself until he was ready to shoot forth with a monstrous amount of cum as Andrea orgasmed around him.

…although, there was a way he could speed up. His free hand briefly left her slender back and wrapped itself in her nightie, lifting the hem and inch then releasing it.

“But if that’s too much, I could finish a bit faster if I saw a bit more of you.” Vanta shyly admitted. He had seen her naked but that had been under nightmarish circumstances. Now if she even consented to lifting her nightie up to expose her full belly, he would find it exciting, though if she let him see her breasts, well…he might need to hold himself back regardless.

He watched Andrea’s face and listened to her, “or I’ll slow down more, whatever will make you the most satisfied.”