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ax_mainVex and Shinobi get to know each other through a little recreational breaking and entering at Gilmore's party. Sorry not sorry, Nolan!
Before Shaun’s party Vex couldn’t say she knew Shinobi very well, but unlike Shaun’s adorable boyfriend, Shinobi wasn’t a wallflower. By the time night hit and everyone was getting their second wind, Vex felt like he was a natural extension of Shaun’s friendship circle. Willing to join elaborate cannonball contests, not afraid to dance, not afraid to party... It was surprising to think that Shinobi was Nolan’s friend first, and only more recently Gilmore’s. He must know some interesting facts about the host. Not that Vex needed to gossip.
Though she was more than a bit curious about Nolan’s main house. Maybe if she took someone that visited previously, she could get a peek inside, and be in and out before anyone noticed. And surely Shinobi would know which room was Nolan’s, and she could avoid the complete invasion of privacy. Thoughtful, right?
Vex glanced around, verifying her brother was occupied or out of sight. He was the one most likely to razz her. Vex wandered over to where Shinobi was sitting by the pool and casually sat down in his lap. “You’ve finally managed to dry off,” she pointed out. “If you keep sitting this close to the water, you're tempting fate.”
"I love temptation in all its forms," came Shinobi's glib reply, to all appearances not particularly surprised or disconcerted to find a pretty but not entirely familiar girl suddenly using his thighs for a cushion. "And fate and I seem to be on reasonably good terms lately. Vex'ahlia Vessar, I presume? A pleasure to make your acquaintance. I'd offer a formal Japanese bow, but I think the consequences would be extremely soggy for both of us."
And wasn't this fortuitous? He'd only just (a few hours ago) been talking to Nolan about the potential of this group called Vox Machina, given the right (his) sort of patronage. And here one of their members had quite literally fallen right into his lap. Truly, the world was an unfair place, if it continued to reward someone like him so generously.
Vex could blame her boldness on party refreshments, but it wasn’t a fair assessment. She was having fun, but pacing herself to get the most out of the day. Shinobi seemed like he could handle a friendly introduction. Vex liked that didn’t blink twice.
She tapped his shoulder. “Don’t be so formal. It’s way too late for that today. It’s just Vex.”
"Shinobi," he nodded, placing one hand over his heart as the other came to rest lightly, and oh-so-casually, on her hip. "I don't usually have much use for formality myself, but one never cares to presume. It's such a tragedy we've taken so long to properly introduce ourselves, but I understand you've had something on an extended reunion going on this last little while? I certainly understand how distracting that can be."
“It’s a little surprising,” she admitted. “It feels like I met half the school at this point between the building project this summer or anyone that was around for Valentines Day. You weren’t at that party, we’re you? I feel like I would have spotted you.”
"Alas, I was otherwise engaged at the time," he said, though his easy smirk had a touch of regret to it. "Else you surely would have spotted me; I pride myself on being the most ostentatious of peacocks. I'm less surprised you failed to meet me at your project in the woods. I'm not terribly craft-y, as I'm sure you've guessed by now. My hands are much better put to less practical uses."
Vex traced the fingers resting over her hip. “I’m sure they are.” She couldn’t suppress a smirk. “You know, with Shaun and Molly here you have strong competition in the peacock department.”
"Oh, I don't think of it as a competition, really," Shinobi laughed, his unoccupied hand now resting over hers where she'd been toying with the outline of his fingers. "More a panoply of extravagance. The added colors only enhance the vibrancy of my plumage, neh? And make for a more enjoyable spectacle for all. Truly, we could not be in better company."
“I’m borrowing you the next time I work on an acrostic,” Vex told him. “Are you this eloquent after a few more drinks, or do I need to take advantage while the night is young?”
"My eloquence is my defining virtue," he replied immodestly. "Though I have to admit, after a few more drinks, it may lapse into Japanese. Or possibly French. And, in any case, I can conceive of no supportable advantage for you not taking advantage of me immediately." Shinobi's grin was teasing, impudent, and entirely welcoming. "Also? Can I take this opportunity to acknowledge how impressed I am you know what an 'acrostic' is? I would swoon with the excess of my esteem ... but, again, that would land us both in the pool."
“Please don’t swoon us into the pool.” Vex’s tone lowered and she leaned closer, not that anyone was near enough to overhear. “You’ve visited here before, right? I bet you could find us somewhere fun to sneak off to.”
"You know," he said, tilting his face and practically resting his forehead against hers, "if you wanted a tour, you only had to say so. I am happy to be your devoted servant."
Vex lifted her free hand to his jaw. “Well, now I want to see everything.” She pressed him gently back against the chair, putting distance between them so she could untangle from Shinobi’s lap. Her legs slid against his as she shifted to stand. Vex offered him a hand up.
"Your wish is my command." He accepted her hand with a lopsided grin, and allowed himself to be hoisted to his feet. Still holding the hand Vex had offered, he led her discreetly around the party's perimeter until they reached the sliding glass doors leading inside Nolan's home away from home. Releasing his grip for the moment, he phased inside and opened the door from within, beckoning her inside.
"Irasshai," Shinobi murmured warmly.
Vex's smile brightened. Now, this was a danger. Well-spoken, beautiful, and useful. If Vex wasn't careful, she might end up more than little bit charmed. She stepped quietly inside, peeking around the interior of the room. "What are the chances he has cameras in this room? I know from experience there's always a risk in invading a tech lord's inner sanctuary."
"Knowing Nolan, he probably has cameras everywhere," Shinobi admitted. "But does it actually matter?" he added, expression arch. "You said you wanted a tour, and I can think of nothing more innocent than showing you around the place. Unless your intentions would actually lead to something you'd rather not have recorded. In which case, I would have to wonder what sort of boy you think I am."
Vex wandered further, seemingly interested in the room decor. Her hand brushed across his hip as she passed him, caressing exactly where he'd held her earlier. "I'm still getting to know you, aren't I?" She paused by the steps. "Take me further?"
"Of course," he agreed with a little half-bow. "It would be a terribly shabby tour if it began and ended with the living room. Let's have a look at the kitchen, shall we? Nolan has this bizarre idea that he should prepare most of his own means, but he never fails to spring for the finest ingredients and cookware. His setup is positively gourmet, if you've a head for that sort of thing."
Vex moved to follow. It was possible if she'd ever lived somewhere with a kitchen this nice, she would be more interested in fancy meal preparation. Her experience with cooking usually was more concerned with quantity than quality. "I'm happy to eat nice things, but I can't say I'm worldly when it comes to cooking. That is adorable that he cooks for himself. I was a bit worried, with the level of catering that went into this party."
"Well, tonight is a special occasion, and there are quite a number of mouths to feed. I think we can forgive him the indulgence this one time." Shinobi ran the tips of his fingers lightly over one polished countertop, able to appreciate the aesthetics even if the functional usefulness was lost on him. "I must admit, I'm fairly useless in the kitchen; I'm not altogether certain I could be trusted to boil water without supervision. My talents tend to center around another part of the house entirely."
Vex smirked. "What part might that be?"
"It's part of the tour, I assure you," he grinned. "But we've seen as much as there is to see of the ground floor; let us repair upstairs, to young Mr. Ross' more personal spaces. I'm sure you'll be able to devise all sorts of interesting insights. Into both of us."
“I am now deeply curious.” Vex moved to follow. “Maybe let’s avoid anything too personal? If you know where keeps his secrets, I’d rather not defile all of his trust tonight.” Not that it stopped Vex from sneaking into the house when he’d explicitly requested they avoid it.
"I'm Nolan's oldest friend," Shinobi protested, leading her up the stairs. "Of course I know where he keeps his secrets. But I'd never be so gauche as to actually violate them. No, I promise everything we see will be suitable for general consumption." He considered. "Largely, mostly. I wouldn't mention it to Nolan, though. We don't always see eye-to-eye on degrees of privacy, but I promise he won't get seriously annoyed with any stop on our tour. And I'll make it up to him later."
She grinned at Shinobi. “Perfect. What’s next?”
"The master bedroom," he told her, pushing the door open as they reached the top of the stairs. "Spacious, opulent, and--" he stopped suddenly, blinking. "... vastly more appointed with purple scented candles than I recall. Well. It appears Nolan has plans for this evening. Good for him. Shall we move on?"
Vex covered her mouth with a hand, stifling a laugh. Nolan’s master bedroom was precisely the room she expected to skip. Shinobi wasn’t kidding about his judgement in regards to privacy. Well, she’d blame her tour guide if Nolan asked. The sneak peek at tonight’s romance was adorable, and she would never speak if it.
Vex settled a hand on Shinobi’s arm. “If this is where you start the tour...”
"Just wait until you see where it ends," he replied, slender fingers lighting over her knuckles as he led her a little further up the hall to another door opposite Nolan's. This one led to an extremely comfortable, though much more generically furnished, bedroom. The light from the party could be seen rising from below, along with the faint sound of voices and music.
"The guest bedroom," Shinobi explained. "Given that we are guests this evening, I'm certain our host wouldn't object to our making ourselves comfortable while we get better acquainted."
Vex looked around the space, appreciating the layout before turning back to Shinobi. “Is this where we share our life stories, or did you have something else in mind?”
"Since you ask," he said, turning to seat himself comfortably on the foot of the bed, "I was considering attempting to seduce you. But ... if you're offering your life story, I admit I feel somewhat torn. They both seem like once-in-a-lifetime opportunities, and I'm terrible at resisting temptation. You can see the conundrum I face."
She snickered and crossed to the edge of the bed. "Difficult choice. Maybe there will be second chances." Vex placed a hand on Shinobi's chest and straddled him as she pressed him back against the bed. Her hair was caught up in a messy bun, and the long strands that escaped brushed lightly against Shinobi's skin. Vex braced herself above him, lips curved as she asked, "Which would you like to try tonight?"
His hands came to rest lightly on her outer thighs, mouth curved in a lopsided, and just vaguely bemused, grin. He was rarely outmaneuvered so beautifully. "Would it be immodest of me to suggest that the seduction route is the one more likely to lead to that second chance you mentioned? Or just delusional?" He breathed a laugh as he nuzzled the skin at her throat, then placed a lingering kiss at the base of her jaw.
“Always play to your strengths,” Vex suggested with a cheeky grin. She tipped her head and caught his lips, making her preference in the matter clear.
After being kissed breathless, one hand moving to the small of Vex's back while the other caught the back of her head, he inhaled sharply and murmured, "A lady after my own heart." After which, he was perfectly content to press his mouth to hers again; there were times when talk was significantly overrated, even for one as habitually grandiloquent as Shinobi Shaw.
Vex’s limited dating and snogging experience often suffered from location logistics. Lots of sneaking into movie theaters and then missing half of the movie. Having a place to themselves in a room where no one expected to find them opened a world of possibility… Vex slid her hands up Shinobi’s bare sides. Her thighs tightened around his hips as she stretched into the kiss, pressing him into the bed.
Shinobi, on the other hand, was in his element, as happy to follow her oh-so-thrilling lead as he would have been to take it himself, had the scenario called for it. As it was, his lean torso tensed beneath Vex for a moment before relaxing into the press of her body atop his. He shifted slightly as though to get comfortable, the motion having the desired secondary effect of rocking his hips up against hers slightly. The fingers cradling her head began to twine with her hair, while those of his other hand ventured lower still.
Vex gasped softly at the fingers dragging over her skin. She broke the kiss long enough to brush her lips along his jaw. "You give a very memorable tour, darling," she murmured.
"I pride myself on being a generally memorable sort of individual," he smirked back at her. His fingertips teased at the elastic of her sporty boy shorts. "So long as you're enjoying yourself," he added, inclining his head to nip at her neck playfully, "that's as much as I could ask."
Vex hummed appreciation at that playful brush of teeth. "I'm enjoying you," she confirmed.
"One does strive to be pleasurable company," he murmured, then seized her mouth again with his for another deep, lingering kiss.
Before Shaun’s party Vex couldn’t say she knew Shinobi very well, but unlike Shaun’s adorable boyfriend, Shinobi wasn’t a wallflower. By the time night hit and everyone was getting their second wind, Vex felt like he was a natural extension of Shaun’s friendship circle. Willing to join elaborate cannonball contests, not afraid to dance, not afraid to party... It was surprising to think that Shinobi was Nolan’s friend first, and only more recently Gilmore’s. He must know some interesting facts about the host. Not that Vex needed to gossip.
Though she was more than a bit curious about Nolan’s main house. Maybe if she took someone that visited previously, she could get a peek inside, and be in and out before anyone noticed. And surely Shinobi would know which room was Nolan’s, and she could avoid the complete invasion of privacy. Thoughtful, right?
Vex glanced around, verifying her brother was occupied or out of sight. He was the one most likely to razz her. Vex wandered over to where Shinobi was sitting by the pool and casually sat down in his lap. “You’ve finally managed to dry off,” she pointed out. “If you keep sitting this close to the water, you're tempting fate.”
"I love temptation in all its forms," came Shinobi's glib reply, to all appearances not particularly surprised or disconcerted to find a pretty but not entirely familiar girl suddenly using his thighs for a cushion. "And fate and I seem to be on reasonably good terms lately. Vex'ahlia Vessar, I presume? A pleasure to make your acquaintance. I'd offer a formal Japanese bow, but I think the consequences would be extremely soggy for both of us."
And wasn't this fortuitous? He'd only just (a few hours ago) been talking to Nolan about the potential of this group called Vox Machina, given the right (his) sort of patronage. And here one of their members had quite literally fallen right into his lap. Truly, the world was an unfair place, if it continued to reward someone like him so generously.
Vex could blame her boldness on party refreshments, but it wasn’t a fair assessment. She was having fun, but pacing herself to get the most out of the day. Shinobi seemed like he could handle a friendly introduction. Vex liked that didn’t blink twice.
She tapped his shoulder. “Don’t be so formal. It’s way too late for that today. It’s just Vex.”
"Shinobi," he nodded, placing one hand over his heart as the other came to rest lightly, and oh-so-casually, on her hip. "I don't usually have much use for formality myself, but one never cares to presume. It's such a tragedy we've taken so long to properly introduce ourselves, but I understand you've had something on an extended reunion going on this last little while? I certainly understand how distracting that can be."
“It’s a little surprising,” she admitted. “It feels like I met half the school at this point between the building project this summer or anyone that was around for Valentines Day. You weren’t at that party, we’re you? I feel like I would have spotted you.”
"Alas, I was otherwise engaged at the time," he said, though his easy smirk had a touch of regret to it. "Else you surely would have spotted me; I pride myself on being the most ostentatious of peacocks. I'm less surprised you failed to meet me at your project in the woods. I'm not terribly craft-y, as I'm sure you've guessed by now. My hands are much better put to less practical uses."
Vex traced the fingers resting over her hip. “I’m sure they are.” She couldn’t suppress a smirk. “You know, with Shaun and Molly here you have strong competition in the peacock department.”
"Oh, I don't think of it as a competition, really," Shinobi laughed, his unoccupied hand now resting over hers where she'd been toying with the outline of his fingers. "More a panoply of extravagance. The added colors only enhance the vibrancy of my plumage, neh? And make for a more enjoyable spectacle for all. Truly, we could not be in better company."
“I’m borrowing you the next time I work on an acrostic,” Vex told him. “Are you this eloquent after a few more drinks, or do I need to take advantage while the night is young?”
"My eloquence is my defining virtue," he replied immodestly. "Though I have to admit, after a few more drinks, it may lapse into Japanese. Or possibly French. And, in any case, I can conceive of no supportable advantage for you not taking advantage of me immediately." Shinobi's grin was teasing, impudent, and entirely welcoming. "Also? Can I take this opportunity to acknowledge how impressed I am you know what an 'acrostic' is? I would swoon with the excess of my esteem ... but, again, that would land us both in the pool."
“Please don’t swoon us into the pool.” Vex’s tone lowered and she leaned closer, not that anyone was near enough to overhear. “You’ve visited here before, right? I bet you could find us somewhere fun to sneak off to.”
"You know," he said, tilting his face and practically resting his forehead against hers, "if you wanted a tour, you only had to say so. I am happy to be your devoted servant."
Vex lifted her free hand to his jaw. “Well, now I want to see everything.” She pressed him gently back against the chair, putting distance between them so she could untangle from Shinobi’s lap. Her legs slid against his as she shifted to stand. Vex offered him a hand up.
"Your wish is my command." He accepted her hand with a lopsided grin, and allowed himself to be hoisted to his feet. Still holding the hand Vex had offered, he led her discreetly around the party's perimeter until they reached the sliding glass doors leading inside Nolan's home away from home. Releasing his grip for the moment, he phased inside and opened the door from within, beckoning her inside.
"Irasshai," Shinobi murmured warmly.
Vex's smile brightened. Now, this was a danger. Well-spoken, beautiful, and useful. If Vex wasn't careful, she might end up more than little bit charmed. She stepped quietly inside, peeking around the interior of the room. "What are the chances he has cameras in this room? I know from experience there's always a risk in invading a tech lord's inner sanctuary."
"Knowing Nolan, he probably has cameras everywhere," Shinobi admitted. "But does it actually matter?" he added, expression arch. "You said you wanted a tour, and I can think of nothing more innocent than showing you around the place. Unless your intentions would actually lead to something you'd rather not have recorded. In which case, I would have to wonder what sort of boy you think I am."
Vex wandered further, seemingly interested in the room decor. Her hand brushed across his hip as she passed him, caressing exactly where he'd held her earlier. "I'm still getting to know you, aren't I?" She paused by the steps. "Take me further?"
"Of course," he agreed with a little half-bow. "It would be a terribly shabby tour if it began and ended with the living room. Let's have a look at the kitchen, shall we? Nolan has this bizarre idea that he should prepare most of his own means, but he never fails to spring for the finest ingredients and cookware. His setup is positively gourmet, if you've a head for that sort of thing."
Vex moved to follow. It was possible if she'd ever lived somewhere with a kitchen this nice, she would be more interested in fancy meal preparation. Her experience with cooking usually was more concerned with quantity than quality. "I'm happy to eat nice things, but I can't say I'm worldly when it comes to cooking. That is adorable that he cooks for himself. I was a bit worried, with the level of catering that went into this party."
"Well, tonight is a special occasion, and there are quite a number of mouths to feed. I think we can forgive him the indulgence this one time." Shinobi ran the tips of his fingers lightly over one polished countertop, able to appreciate the aesthetics even if the functional usefulness was lost on him. "I must admit, I'm fairly useless in the kitchen; I'm not altogether certain I could be trusted to boil water without supervision. My talents tend to center around another part of the house entirely."
Vex smirked. "What part might that be?"
"It's part of the tour, I assure you," he grinned. "But we've seen as much as there is to see of the ground floor; let us repair upstairs, to young Mr. Ross' more personal spaces. I'm sure you'll be able to devise all sorts of interesting insights. Into both of us."
“I am now deeply curious.” Vex moved to follow. “Maybe let’s avoid anything too personal? If you know where keeps his secrets, I’d rather not defile all of his trust tonight.” Not that it stopped Vex from sneaking into the house when he’d explicitly requested they avoid it.
"I'm Nolan's oldest friend," Shinobi protested, leading her up the stairs. "Of course I know where he keeps his secrets. But I'd never be so gauche as to actually violate them. No, I promise everything we see will be suitable for general consumption." He considered. "Largely, mostly. I wouldn't mention it to Nolan, though. We don't always see eye-to-eye on degrees of privacy, but I promise he won't get seriously annoyed with any stop on our tour. And I'll make it up to him later."
She grinned at Shinobi. “Perfect. What’s next?”
"The master bedroom," he told her, pushing the door open as they reached the top of the stairs. "Spacious, opulent, and--" he stopped suddenly, blinking. "... vastly more appointed with purple scented candles than I recall. Well. It appears Nolan has plans for this evening. Good for him. Shall we move on?"
Vex covered her mouth with a hand, stifling a laugh. Nolan’s master bedroom was precisely the room she expected to skip. Shinobi wasn’t kidding about his judgement in regards to privacy. Well, she’d blame her tour guide if Nolan asked. The sneak peek at tonight’s romance was adorable, and she would never speak if it.
Vex settled a hand on Shinobi’s arm. “If this is where you start the tour...”
"Just wait until you see where it ends," he replied, slender fingers lighting over her knuckles as he led her a little further up the hall to another door opposite Nolan's. This one led to an extremely comfortable, though much more generically furnished, bedroom. The light from the party could be seen rising from below, along with the faint sound of voices and music.
"The guest bedroom," Shinobi explained. "Given that we are guests this evening, I'm certain our host wouldn't object to our making ourselves comfortable while we get better acquainted."
Vex looked around the space, appreciating the layout before turning back to Shinobi. “Is this where we share our life stories, or did you have something else in mind?”
"Since you ask," he said, turning to seat himself comfortably on the foot of the bed, "I was considering attempting to seduce you. But ... if you're offering your life story, I admit I feel somewhat torn. They both seem like once-in-a-lifetime opportunities, and I'm terrible at resisting temptation. You can see the conundrum I face."
She snickered and crossed to the edge of the bed. "Difficult choice. Maybe there will be second chances." Vex placed a hand on Shinobi's chest and straddled him as she pressed him back against the bed. Her hair was caught up in a messy bun, and the long strands that escaped brushed lightly against Shinobi's skin. Vex braced herself above him, lips curved as she asked, "Which would you like to try tonight?"
His hands came to rest lightly on her outer thighs, mouth curved in a lopsided, and just vaguely bemused, grin. He was rarely outmaneuvered so beautifully. "Would it be immodest of me to suggest that the seduction route is the one more likely to lead to that second chance you mentioned? Or just delusional?" He breathed a laugh as he nuzzled the skin at her throat, then placed a lingering kiss at the base of her jaw.
“Always play to your strengths,” Vex suggested with a cheeky grin. She tipped her head and caught his lips, making her preference in the matter clear.
After being kissed breathless, one hand moving to the small of Vex's back while the other caught the back of her head, he inhaled sharply and murmured, "A lady after my own heart." After which, he was perfectly content to press his mouth to hers again; there were times when talk was significantly overrated, even for one as habitually grandiloquent as Shinobi Shaw.
Vex’s limited dating and snogging experience often suffered from location logistics. Lots of sneaking into movie theaters and then missing half of the movie. Having a place to themselves in a room where no one expected to find them opened a world of possibility… Vex slid her hands up Shinobi’s bare sides. Her thighs tightened around his hips as she stretched into the kiss, pressing him into the bed.
Shinobi, on the other hand, was in his element, as happy to follow her oh-so-thrilling lead as he would have been to take it himself, had the scenario called for it. As it was, his lean torso tensed beneath Vex for a moment before relaxing into the press of her body atop his. He shifted slightly as though to get comfortable, the motion having the desired secondary effect of rocking his hips up against hers slightly. The fingers cradling her head began to twine with her hair, while those of his other hand ventured lower still.
Vex gasped softly at the fingers dragging over her skin. She broke the kiss long enough to brush her lips along his jaw. "You give a very memorable tour, darling," she murmured.
"I pride myself on being a generally memorable sort of individual," he smirked back at her. His fingertips teased at the elastic of her sporty boy shorts. "So long as you're enjoying yourself," he added, inclining his head to nip at her neck playfully, "that's as much as I could ask."
Vex hummed appreciation at that playful brush of teeth. "I'm enjoying you," she confirmed.
"One does strive to be pleasurable company," he murmured, then seized her mouth again with his for another deep, lingering kiss.
