An Elite Intervention (Tags: Z'rim & S'jiro)

"No fair. I had no choice in my engagement to Indylari." Even though she was teasing, it wasn't fair of her to hold it against him like that. Still... since when did either of them fight fair together? That was no fun.


Considering her next words, S'jiro's head leaned against her own as she talked. It seemed he'd been at the Weyr long enough that it'd become easy for him to disregard certain Hold customs. That made him feel a little guilty again, for having drug her into his life -for having drug her into this whole mess of lust and romance and unwanted betrothals and such. However, she was still the one who infringed on his reading spot first! He warned her many a time...

Regardless, it made S'jiro glad to know that Veyani's family would still accept her even if they didn't wholly approve of her decision to come here; nor her decision to share a bed with him. He couldn't help but wince at that thought. And she was only 16! What had he done? Berating himself, S'jiro got quiet, mulling over what he would do to make amends -besides showing up married to her.

As quiet as he was when reading on the steps, it was while he pondered those things that he idly began looking down to where her bruises had been from a few days ago. Taking her hand in his, he turned it over so he could inspect her forearm, looking for where bruises had been. It seemed as though they'd faded for the most part, though there was still the dull tinge of unnatural dark colour beneath the skin.

Setting her arm back in her lap, the Bronzerider let his hand trace up her arm until he gently caressed along her collar bone and side of her neck. Brushing her hair back from that place, he kissed the side of her head and then upon her jaw line, near her ear.

There, he spoke softly, "Should we wait to visit them, then? I suppose they'd be happier if you came home with a fiance or a dragon of your own." And right now, he could not provide her with either. He wasn't prepared to ask her to marry him now. It was much too soon.

She was grinning, she had no intention of being fair at all. And really it was funny to see his reactions most of the time. She really couldn't let things go when he brought them up. "Indylari isn't so bad. I mean she is gorgeous and wealthy. A bit of a snob mind you but that wouldn't be a problem since you can be one too. I think you don't like her as much as you would if you weren't engaged to her against your will." She was half serious, half joking. If he were a free man, Indylari might seem like a good option for him.

The silence was actually comforting. She didn't mind the quiet, even if she could be a bit talkative at times. When he took her arm, she didn't know why at first and upon realizing he was looking at her bruises she felt concern. Not for herself but for what he might do about it. She didn't want him to get involved any more than he was with the youths that had done this to her. "Doesn't hurt anymore." She said softly, the bruises would be gone completely soon.

Her eyes closed as he kissed her. Her lips curled into a smile, "I don't think I should go home for a while regardless. No doubt my parents are still a little miffed about our disappearance." She paused, turning her head just slightly so her one eye could see his. "They might be happier if I were married to a person if I was sleeping with them. However, its hardly any of their business. I don't see why anyone should marry here at the Weyr. Its not really a big deal whether a person is committed or not here. Although I'd prefer to be monogamous myself..."

Talk of going home and visiting, and marraige or Impressing to see them had her mind working ahead of itself. She was comfortable enough to ask him something then, because although she didn't dwell on the future, her mind had skipped ahead of the now. Just as his must've done when he was talking about marriage. "Do you think we'd have to cease seeing each other altogether if I Impressed?" She knew sexual relationships had to be put aside. Veya didn't want to confuse a dragonet with such strong emotions as love for another human being. She had family she loved but it wasn't the same.

S'jiro didn't say anything while Veya shared her thoughts. He didn't say anything immediately thereafter, either. The only thing he could do was lean his head upon hers again and sigh.


"Do you think we'd have to cease seeing each other altogether if I Impressed?"


Considering that for a moment, S'jiro gave her the little reply that he felt he could. After all, each Dragon was as different as each Human. Her free time would depend much on the personality and needs of the newly bonded creature. "Well, I believe that we'll have to wait to see just what kind of precious dragonette you Impress first. She may have different ideas than we do about your time expenditure. Though I'm sure she'll immediately have a friend in Zemarith in order to keep her preoccupied while we're together."

As positive and happy a person she was naturally, she could only hope she had a dragon who would not be confused by her feelings of love for a human. S'jiro's answer was not necessarily what she had been expecting. He wanted to stay with her that long? Even if he knew they wouldn't be allowed to be sexual while the dragonet was still immature.

She knew he would answer her honestly though, so she let it rest there, taking comfort in sitting with him. This was comfortable, easy. "I can't wait." She said leaning into him. Having her own dragon and being with him, that would be something. Life meant nothing if you didn't have people to share it with and who could be better to share it with than her other self and her lover?

"Too bad we can't sit here forever and leave the world outside." She whispered more to herself than to him. Veyani didn't care what was going on elsewhere, she'd talked to S'jiro, he knew where she stood, she knew where he did. They were going to try this relationship thing and see where it went. She had to keep up with her Candidacy and he had a horrible schedule right now, so she was going to inevitably miss a chore or two so that she could see him.

Whatever kind of answer she was hoping for, that was as much of an answer as he felt he could give for the time being. S'jiro had no idea how things would play out from there, and obviously wasn't one to think overmuch of the future. Perhaps now was a good time to start doing so.

The Bronzerider was hopeful that Veyani would Impress sooner rather than later, and that she would Impress. He knew it was silly to try planning their lives just yet, knowing what force they played in the life of their Rider. Also, it was hard to tell what could happen even between the two of them between now and that time.


Though he would have love to have remained there with Veya for longer, S'jiro was hungry, still had to get himself cleaned up and ready for Wing Drills. For that reason, S'jiro nudged her to get up from where she sat so that he could go bathe. "Do you mind calling for another tray of food while I clean this mess and wash up?" By that time there would be food readied again and sent up so that when he was done, he could have breakfast.

"Ummm. Do you have to go, soon? Classes or anything?" S'jiro had no intention of keeping her here if it was going to disrupt her schedule. She needed to get to her classes after meal time if there were going to be any for the rest of the day. Of course, he'd rather keep her here, he suspected. Though... it did seem strange having her here without them fighting. It felt very strange. The whole idea that they were going to be dating was something he was still getting used to, even though he was the one who asked her out. He really wasn't sure how to handle that kind of relationship with her -so quickly, everything changed.

They should be arguing. Maybe while he was bathing he could find some way of picking a fight with her over something.

Moving as he nudged her, she stood up and walked towards to shaft. "I'm sure you are famished." She said, seeing as it seemed his friends had interrupted his eating time. "After calling down for more food, she looked at the mess. "Go get cleaned up I can clean the mess..." At least she could try to without injury. With her luck though she'd end up needing infirmary care.

"For shame! Trying to get rid of me already?" She said dramatically and put the back of her hand to her forehead. The little act might have seemed genuine except she could not keep herself from laughing afterward and ruining it.

In a more serious tone she said, "No, I went to classes this morning and the chores I had I switched with other Candidates for later in the evening. I wanted to be sure we had some time to talk about things." And that was about as much planning for the future she could handle most of the time.

"You have a broom somewhere?" She asked, thinking the shattered pieces would be better off swept up rather than handled with ones bare hands. Some of the pieces would be quite sharp. Personally she thought they were injured enough lately, bleeding was not on the list of things they needed to do.

Once she found the many tools she needed to clean the mess, she dismissed him as if he couldn't possibly know how to clean up his own messes. "Go clean up. I've got this under control..." Sort of.

"Go get cleaned up I can clean the mess..."

He had decided to clean the mess because if he called a drudge to do it, their time alone would be interrupted. "Don't worry about it." But S'jiro was undressing, tossing his dirty night clothes into a hamper. At the time, he hadn't realized what Veyani was doing, because he'd turned his back and started for the bathing room where the hamper was located. Of course, as soon as he'd turned his attention back to her, the Bronzerider could only blink, dumbfounded.

Veyani had found cleaning tools? "That's..." He hadn't known there were any such things stored in his Weyr. But, he supposed it made sense that the drudges didn't run around carrying all of their tools with them all of the time; they had to have left some... around. Well, either way, he never used them. If Veya wanted to put them to use, then that was up to her. Not like she'd listen if he told her not to.

With that, he decided he'd go ahead and bathe while waiting for the food. Just as he was turning back to the bathing room then, he piped up just to see if she'd get her fangs back out. Things were more fun that way. "Well, I suppose it would be natural for a farm girl to do something like that. The task must be fitting of your lowly birth considering all the Runner stalls you've probably shoveled before. At least this would be better."

Quickly, before she could argue, S'jiro disappeared behind the now closed bathing room door. It wasn't locked, but he'd closed it behind himself, not able to help the expression of smug satisfaction that crossed his face. He was enjoying simply imagining the girl stewing with renewed anger -well.. he hoped he'd had that effect. But for now he'd have to wait and see...

At first a little distracted by his changing, she didn't quite hear what he said until he had made his way towards the bath. Oh if she could tackle him there and force him to take it back! But he would never give in and she would never give up on trying to prove he was wrong.

Veyani glowered at him, though he couldn't see her expression. He was no better than she was. He didn't even know how to clean his own mess! If being better at doing tasks meant she was lesser then he clearly had a warped view on what made someone superior.

She fumed inwardly as she swept up the mess and put the pieces into a sack. Then the pieces could either be reused or tossed. He wouldn't know what to do with the sack so she placed it by the door. She could take it with her when she left.

When the food was sent up, she put it on the table, where she waited, hand on her hip. He was asking for it so she was going to give it to him. Veyani wouldn't allow him to get away with speaking to her like that. Not at all!

A little surprised that Veyani didn't try to barge in and tell him all about her every opinion on the subject, S'jiro bathed in peace, though becoming skeptical of what she had planned for when he opened the bathing room door again. Or maybe that comment had made her upset enough to leave? Well, that couldn't be helped now. Things had already been said.

When S'jiro finished bathing, he grabbed a clean towel off the shelf where several were folded, and dried himself. Wrapping the towel about his hips before he exited the bathing room, the Bronzerider was busy cleaning his ears with a fine wooden instrument meant for the task, as he found Veyani across the room, hand on her hip with freshly prepared food before her.

She should be happy to have a nice meal prepared for them to eat together, not frowning. S'jiro snickered to himself. What was she still so upset about?

The Bronzerider went to the table, looking rather disaffected by her show of mood. Having finished cleaning his ears, he set the thin wooden stick down on the table and then reached to pull a chair back so that he could sit down to eat.

He had to know how irritating it was, otherwise he wouldn't have said it. Maybe she shouldn't act like it bothered her? Ugh but she would never be able to be passive about insults, not completely. "Your welcome." She said in irritation. Veyani didn't sit down just yet. She wanted to see if he realized how rude he could be. She wasn't a drudge. She wasn't his servant. She'd cleaned the mess to be kind to him and help him out. She'd cleaned the mess so they could enjoy eating together. Now she wasn't sure she wanted to.

"I bet you didn't even have a clue as to how you were going to clean that mess up. That being said I would have chalked it up to you not ever having to clean anything but Zemarith your entire life. High born people lack so many basic skills. It's only natural after all that you not be able to take care of yourself without servants." She said and sat down. Her eyes were on the food so if she had pissed him off she wouldn't notice right away.

If she hit a nerve, she'd be glad. He did deserve it after he tried to make her feel bad. He deserved to be smacked in the face at some point too. Maybe one day he'd finally get that smack in the face from her. For now, she would use her own wit and words to try to get back at him.

At first, as he sat, observing Veyani fuming in her own manner quietly, S'jiro figured she was probably waiting on him to say something. Was that it? Well, it was with that prompting that the Bronzerider began glancing about the immediate area, taking note of how clean the space was now; maybe she wanted some form of appreciation from him to be expressed. So he did just hat. Only, the words came with that none too grateful tone that hinted he probably just expected her to do the job and appreciation was implied. Nothing else be said. "Thank you. For cleaning."

S'jiro worked really hard to keep the smile off his face as Veyani shot insults at him. Her reactions continuously amused him now that he realized that he liked her and all the unusual spirit she possessed. To keep from showing that her words amused him more than anything else, he focused on filling a plate with food, taking a few bites of things as he put them there.

His eyes turned up to regard her most seriously, though he was purely saying the things to further engage her; and more for the fun of it at the moment, as far as he was concerned. "You farm crafters lack some basic skills yourself. But I think you're missing the point. It's not a matter of one of us lacking any skills at all, it's what skills we have been given with our lot in life. Our list of basic skills is simply very different. And that is one thing that makes us very different."

He was unable to speak anymore after that, because he'd filled his mouth with another hunk of bread with some eggs.

He couldn't give compliments and he couldn't voice appreciation properly. Veyani doubted that would be acceptable behavior if he were at home. He was supposed to be polite. Did he think she would get used to that behavior? Because clearly telling her she wasn't wanted and that she was a lowly farmer surely made her want to stick around more.

Leaving the topic there, she didn't concede that he was right but obviously there were skills she had not been taught as a child. At least she was trying to learn those skills. He didn't care to learn how to clean his own weyr. He had people to do that for him. She did not want people to do things for her. She wanted to be self sufficient.

"I think YOU are missing the point." She emphasized he was the one in the wrong here. It was completely inconceivable that he would ever even care what normal people had to do every day let alone have to do them himself. No doubt his parents found a way to have his weyr cleaned for him.

"I'm not going to change you know. So if we are too different for your high born tastes, then perhaps you should reconsider." Maybe she should reconsider. Too late for that really, she couldn't change her feelings anymore than she could change who she was. Her parents had tried to make her their obedient, on task, daughter and found it impossible to change her personality. Her will was strong. He would have to either contend with it or give her up at some point. She flat out refused to be considered as less of a person because of what she was born.

Sipping at some water, she looked at the food now on her plate like to take a bite of something would make her sick. She wanted to eat but she didn't feel well, she was too anxious now. He could very well decide she was too different. And then what? She would have to avoid him and try to live with feelings that she couldn't get rid of. It sounded so completely depressing.

Honestly, S'jiro was glad to hear Veyani say that she was unwilling to change. Of course, people did change in small ways -more rarely in big ways- but he had decided to like Veyani as she was. Though those differences between them might cause some ruffled feathers in the future still, on both sides, he had decided on that. It was because Veya was different that he chose her. Did she not realize that?

Putting aside their initial argument, S'jiro chewed his food first so that he wouldn't have to talk with a mouth full. And his tone did seem more considerate of her this time around, "Do you think I want you to change?"

Letting her consider that for a moment, the Bronzerider went on to add with a more timid voice, "Do you think either of us finally gave in to these feelings because we're the same?" He may not have ever in his past expressed such a stubborn will as she, but there was a strong will there indeed. His past just never found a use for it. But Veyani was awakening those reasons.

He should want her to change. Everyone else did. Then he wasn't everyone else, was he? She lifted her eyes to watch his face. He was quite serious. He wanted her to remain who she was. "Sometimes I don't know what to think." She did not know why he liked her, she knew why she liked him so when he spoke again she smiled.

"Oh but I wasn't resisting my feelings." When had she ever truly resisted him? She had been completely infatuated with the Bronzerider since they met. It might not have been as obvious to him. She had never even had a crush before now. She did not know how any of this worked.

S'jiro was interesting, she knew she would never be bored with him but it was hardly the only reason for liking him. She wouldn't be admitting to any of the other reasons just yet. He would have to wait to hear any compliments from her. No doubt he was perfectly capable of accepting compliments since he had an abysmal way of giving them out.

"I was willing to be with you in spite of all your horrible qualities long before you were willing to look over my minor faults..." Like her lower birth. She was teasing him now.

It seemed to take no more than a half a second for S'jiro's jaw to drop. Of course, he quickly recovered his 'composure' and continued eating. After a moment, he barely got out his reply with a sort of inconspicuous roll of his eyes. "Minor faults? I think farm girl is overestimating herself a bit."

Of course, it was all to get a rise out of her; maybe he was just used to seeing her filled with such vigor for him. Even if that vigor was not of the most pleasant sort. But it had become a great source of amusement for him. And his source of admiration for her, oddly enough.

Anyway, he fully expected now to have something thrown at him from across the table, but he was not about to feel remorseful. If she wanted to be with him, she'd simply have to get used to his mean streak -which for her, had turned more into (cruel) teasing.

"You just can't handle my honesty." She said but didn't leave things there. Nope, he had just insulted her again! He deserved what was coming to him! Veyani thought, although maybe she was taking it all too seriously. When she sprung out of her chair it was a fluid movement into a serious tackle.

She tackled him, fully expecting the chair to fall and he with it. Of course she hadn't really thought it through enough because she too was falling over. She should have known he wouldn't fall without taking her along with him. They were going to be in so much pain after this.

Another subconscious thought surfaced then, was she tackling him because it was a way to get him in close proximity without seeming needy? She did like being close to him. Bur no, the tackle was clearly just a way to get him to take back what he said. He should admit it, she was far superior to what he was willing to admit she was.

(sorry short)

Even if there'd been some additional, witty come back right at the tip of his tongue, S'jiro had to swallow any words with the oncoming onslaught of Veyani's unsuspected tackle. Without even time enough to ditch the silverware in his hand, his fork flew from his hand, sliding across the floor just as he and Veyani tumbled over backward.

S'jiro's arms had reflexively caught what was thrown at him -a farm girl. Arms wrapped one around her waist, and one around her upper back, doing the best he could to brace them for the fall, but there wasn't much to be done with his chair tipping back.

The Bronzerider winced when they hit the floor, opening a single eye to gauge by her expression just how she might be feeling right about then -whether or not she was hurt. And just afterward, he wiggled his way out of the chair the rest of the way, rolling Veyani onto her back so that he could lean over her. Honestly, he was trying hard not to grin, and happened to manage a "oh you didn't just!" expression, as if he were quite upset with her.

"Are all farm girls as hopeless as you?"

They were falling. Of course they were both falling. He latched onto her like a leech and wouldn't let go till they crashed. Her eyes shut tightly. Falling with her eyes closed and now clinging to S'jiro for support, "ooof" came out of her mouth. Why did this always happen. She was so clumsy and he seemed to be constantly falling over because of her. Not that she truly minded making him fall. It had led to some fun but she did want him in one piece.

Opening her eyes slowly she could see S'jiro was not happy. However he totally deserved it! Her eyes met his with defiance. He could say what he wanted, she was going to do what she needed to do to make him see she was more than a silly farm girl. He would one day admit to it.

He knew what he was doing, leaning over her like that. Smelling clean from his bath and he really didn't need to look at her so sternly, it totally ruined the mood. She sighed and answered, "No, its just me. My sisters are all well behaved little farm girls and women. An except for the one who was searched with me, they'll all go on being good little farm wives and mothers until they die."

Having answered him she had a snarky question for him in return. "Are all Bronzerider's as hard headed as you?" She rather doubted it. He was lucky he still had a hard head. She'd been doing her best to kill him for sevendays... unintentionally!

S'jiro had raised his brow in return, leaning his head to one side while he considered her snippy comments about her sisters. He quickly got the feeling that Veyani did not like the idea of being that kind of well behaved little lady, doing whatever anyone else expected her to. But of course she didn't. She was Veyani, and he'd known that since the day they met.

In answer to her question, his eyes narrowed a little bit, tempting her anger even further. "Well you just said that not all farm girls are as hopeless as you, so it only makes sense the same could be said of stubborn Bronzeriders." Albeit, if the Bronze Four were any example, they were a bad example when it came to proving that point. They were all four of them fairly hard headed.

Though he moved on from that point, he filed her words away in a corner of his mind for later consideration. What she implied that her sisters were doing -which she didn't approve of- was just what he was doing, wasn't it? Only, with Veyani in his life, he'd begun to break that mold that his and Indylari's family had tried to press them into. He realized right then, just how greatly that whole prospect of S'jiro's betrothal must truly upset Veyani. That is, considering how upset she was over her own sisters following some similar predetermined fate.

But Veyani was brave enough to leave her own home to come to the Weyr like he had. She tempted fate every day to carve her own way, even though she didn't even know if her next step would land; or where it would take her. S'jiro thought that she must be so scared at times, even if she did have a couple of her siblings here at the Weyr with her. There were so many new and unknown things to face every day.

How brave she was...

Another fine detail added to the growing list of reasons he was coming to love her more and more.


Still shooting her with that stern glare, S'jiro propped himself over her so that his weight could partially pin her into place, his hands becoming stationary to either side of her shoulders. For a moment, he still looked rather disconcerted over those things said. His posturing even appeared as though he might just decide to hit her. He could have been angry enough.

But instead, he kissed her.

Obviously. He was more stubborn than most anyone. She wouldn't even limit it to Bronzeriders now. She didn't say anything for a moment, looking and searching his face. He seemed perfectly angry now. Maybe she had provoked him more than she realized. Veyani had forgotten for a brief moment he was so much stronger than she was.

If he wanted to do anything to harm her, he could. She was actually surprised when he kissed her instead. Her lips instantly responded to his. Her eyes closed as they kissed. Veyani kissed him back rather than let the kiss end right away. She reveled in the feeling that he might want her above all other women. It was wonderful.

"Can I ask you an impertinent question?" She said after taking her lips away from his. Her eyes opened back up. He probably would find it quite intrusive and probably a little silly. She wanted to ask it though because she thought he would be honest with her.

"Does it feel different with different people? Kissing I mean?" She couldn't imagine it feeling better. The whole reason she had trouble letting him go to begin with was that she had felt a jolt or spark when he had kissed her. It couldn't be the same with everyone could it?

Veyani was so young and naive to the world in his eyes, that it had to make sense that her only reaction to him could be purely honest, even if she tried not to be. She didn't know what men expected from her; her eyes hadn't been opened to the depth of her own sexuality yet. She was just beginning to explore the world in that aspect. Perhaps in many aspects.

That made S'jiro happy to be with her. Though she perhaps hadn't the experience to know if she preferred him above all others, she was genuinely glad to be with him, too. She genuinely felt something for him. She wasn't like the others who knew how to pretend so that they could please him to achieve their own ends. That's why he avoided a lot of the women around him aside from buttering them up to him when they were together in the lounge.

He realized then that sometimes, he simply used their appearance with him to ward off other girls from approaching him. There were many who would desire to gain access to him after all; rather, gain access to their family and wealth. But Veyani was different. She might be naive at times, but she was innocent and honest. He could trust her. He could be comfortable in her presence without having to keep up all the pretenses.

The Bronzerider had kissed her fervidly, resisting the departure of her lips, but accepting it when she had something to say. But when she mentioned said impertinent question, he was sitting back with a new, insulted expression. "If I'm that displeasing, you're perfectly free to go kissing any other person you want. But don't expect me to be so willing to take you back after that." IF Veyani went around kissing everyone else, her perfect, if not irritatingly impudent innocence would be ruined! Then she'd turn into being like all the other girls.

Okay, maybe he was overreacting in his own mind over it all, but he didn't like the thought of anyone else monopolizing her lips but he!

Her question, although completely innocent of any intent had clearly hit a nerve with him. Her dark eyes were brooding for a moment. He had no idea what he was saying to her. Was he jealous? Maybe? Or did he think she was so changeable? It angered her, just a little, that he would think so low of her.

"Really? Well then why don't I go on a kissing rampage..." Came her quick, snappy retort.

"You're so, so, difficult!" She said shortly thereafter, obviously upset. "You can't see it. Can you?" He was so stubborn sometimes that he only saw a very narrow path to why she would have derived that question. "I wasn't asking because I don't want to kiss you. I was asking because I do." He was going to find this incredibly amusing in a moment.

"I thought I made that very clear last night." She had certainly been honest and open with him in ways that he couldn't even be with himself most of the time. She wanted him to believe what she had said. He should trust her. There was no reason for him not to. She'd never even so much as pretended to like anyone else. "Even when you are being completely stubborn and irrational I want to kiss you. Only you. No one else."

Veyani was so easily riled up, S'jiro couldn't help but grin roguishly. He was leaned over her again, waiting for her to finish her rant, looking rather pleased with himself; or perhaps the situation on the whole. Of course, there was still breakfast to be had, and the longer they remained on the floor, the colder it was going to get.

S'jiro couldn't help himself though, when he was around Veyani.

Ironically, the more upset she seemed to be, the more enjoyment he seemed to derive from the whole situation.

"Did I hear you say kissing rampage? That might cause quite a disruption throughout the Weyr. Just to play it safe, I think we should keep something like that safely confined within this room."

His lips were on hers again, but just briefly.

He had avoided answering the question which was perhaps wise of him. She too could be rather jealous. "Mhmmm." She said and met his lips, "You should make certain it is fully contained." Her mouth moved on his again. The fact that she was keeping him from his breakfast had slipped her mind entirely.

Not that she was very good at keeping track of when she herself ate. S'jiro distracted her too much lately and now she didn't want to move even to think about having a snack. She was enjoying his adoration and not willing to part with him for anything at all.

"How long till you need to go?" She asked, thinking that she wouldn't want to make him late for anything. Veyani would like to not share him with anything at the moment but he did have a dragon and friends and work. Maybe they could go somewhere together at some point, just the two of them. It might be nice.

Unwilling to let her get away with thinking she could withhold kisses, the Bronzerider shot her a dubious expression. "You shouldn't tempt me, of maybe I will keep you and your kisses confined here." That grin broadened, ignoring her question for as long as he could, so that he could kiss her lips again. Then again.

"A couple of candlemarks yet, before I need to leave here to meet up with the Wing. Still time for eating." With that, S'jiro moved to sit back from her so that he could return to his feet.

He almost offered her a hand up, but decided that she could manage, being as willful and independent minded as she was. Not to mention, it might get her riled up again for him not to bother even asking to help, and then they might end up on the floor again.

Anyway, if she was so fond of falling then surely she was apt at getting back up.