Exploration
Title: Exploration
Author: Angel Leviathan
Disclaimer: Wicked, the characters, concept, etc, aren't mine.
Rating: PG-13 (Themes and one use of the f-word.)
Verse: Book
Prompt Name: Skirts
Summary: "I think any man who spends more than a few seconds looking at you must want to take you to bed."
Notes: Late submission for Round 33. Possibly an attempt to explain just why Nessa wanted to go to the Philosophy Club.
It was one of those unfortunate occasions that began in silence and was left to drag out into an even greater lull that became more and more difficult to break by the second. The simple fact of the matter was that they had never been left alone together. They had shared each other’s company in company; had proffered views on a variety of subjects; exchanged thinly-veiled insults, but had never actually engaged in anything verging on a proper conversation.
Nessa kept her gaze fixed on the grass at her feet and not the boy lounging inelegantly across from her. In that moment, she was grateful for the chair that Elphaba had had the sense to drag outside with them, for it set her apart from him in both height and distance. The moment following, she decided that she most certainly did not like the manner in which he was looking at her. Not quite leering, she believed, but studying quite appreciatively. She knew she was beautiful, in body if not in mind.
“Do you ever think about it?” Avaric questioned, splaying out hands to pitch behind him and balance himself as he leaned back.
“Think about what?”
“It. You know. The great unmentionable that boys shouldn’t discuss in the company of young ladies and are presumed to discuss crassly when you’re out of earshot.”
Nessa was suddenly interested in the sky rather than the ground. “I don’t know what you mean.”
Avaric laughed coldly. “Don’t play dumb, Nessa. You might be lacking in arms, but not in intelligence. And, that aside, you’ve likely got all the equipment and urges to want to, if you get my drift.”
“Since you shall never know, I believe this is a highly inappropriate discussion. The Unnamed God-“
“The Unnamed God isn’t in the position to fuck you. Pardon the pun.”
Dark eyes met a paler shade. “And you consider yourself to be in such a position?”
Avaric leaned forward again, freeing up hands to hold before him in some kind of defensive gesture. “I never said me. I asked whether you thought about it.”
“The thought would be inappropriate,” she insisted.
“I’ll take that as a ‘yes’.”
“What difference would it make whether I did or not? You obviously do. You quite obviously have done it to be so fixated with it. You think I must mentally avoid the subject because I believe nobody will ever want to do such a thing with me?”
A slow, devious smile claimed and curved his lips. “I think any man who spends more than a few seconds looking at you must want to take you to bed. But then you open your pretty little mouth and dissuade them of your being capable of wanting anyone under the sheets with you.” He shifted forward, closing the distance between them until he was seated at her feet.
Nessa froze. “What are you doing?” she demanded.
“Don’t you want anyone to ever discover what you’re hiding under all those skirts and deceptively beautiful dresses?” Avaric murmured. One hand lifted, fingers reaching for her, moving to gently pull one short stocking down and brush fingertips across her ankle.
“Don’t...” she said quietly, utterly confused. No boy had ever been so bold as to touch more than her shoulders. She had usually managed to repel them by now.
Very much concentrating on his current task, Avaric carefully slid his hand up and under her skirts, fingers running smoothly up her calf and hesitating only for a moment at her knee before questing onward and along her thigh. Staring intently as if he could see past the deep blue fabric that covered her, he shifted his hand until fingers brushed against and met warmth. The slow exhale he heard from her only produced a not quite smug smile and another twitch of his fingers.
“Apologies, Nessie, but it did take all of us to carry all this.”
Nessa dragged in a breath and glanced to her right. Elphaba. Glinda. Nanny. The rest. Bearing food, wine and various other junk. It was only then that she noticed her stocking was back in place and that the boy at her feet had transferred the attentions of his fingers to her shoelace instead of...elsewhere.
“I’ve taken good care of her, as promised,” Avaric responded.
“I am not a child,” she declared, managing to sound quite incensed, despite the breathy quality to her voice.
He raised his gaze to meet her eyes. “No. You’re not,” he said, voice low. The devious smile returned.
Nessa looked away, fighting to keep the blush from her cheeks. They both knew she was not as helpless as she made out. She could have tipped the chair, kicked out... And yet she had let him...
Had it been urge or thought in command of her then?
She wasn’t quite sure.
Fin
Author: Angel Leviathan
Disclaimer: Wicked, the characters, concept, etc, aren't mine.
Rating: PG-13 (Themes and one use of the f-word.)
Verse: Book
Prompt Name: Skirts
Summary: "I think any man who spends more than a few seconds looking at you must want to take you to bed."
Notes: Late submission for Round 33. Possibly an attempt to explain just why Nessa wanted to go to the Philosophy Club.
It was one of those unfortunate occasions that began in silence and was left to drag out into an even greater lull that became more and more difficult to break by the second. The simple fact of the matter was that they had never been left alone together. They had shared each other’s company in company; had proffered views on a variety of subjects; exchanged thinly-veiled insults, but had never actually engaged in anything verging on a proper conversation.
Nessa kept her gaze fixed on the grass at her feet and not the boy lounging inelegantly across from her. In that moment, she was grateful for the chair that Elphaba had had the sense to drag outside with them, for it set her apart from him in both height and distance. The moment following, she decided that she most certainly did not like the manner in which he was looking at her. Not quite leering, she believed, but studying quite appreciatively. She knew she was beautiful, in body if not in mind.
“Do you ever think about it?” Avaric questioned, splaying out hands to pitch behind him and balance himself as he leaned back.
“Think about what?”
“It. You know. The great unmentionable that boys shouldn’t discuss in the company of young ladies and are presumed to discuss crassly when you’re out of earshot.”
Nessa was suddenly interested in the sky rather than the ground. “I don’t know what you mean.”
Avaric laughed coldly. “Don’t play dumb, Nessa. You might be lacking in arms, but not in intelligence. And, that aside, you’ve likely got all the equipment and urges to want to, if you get my drift.”
“Since you shall never know, I believe this is a highly inappropriate discussion. The Unnamed God-“
“The Unnamed God isn’t in the position to fuck you. Pardon the pun.”
Dark eyes met a paler shade. “And you consider yourself to be in such a position?”
Avaric leaned forward again, freeing up hands to hold before him in some kind of defensive gesture. “I never said me. I asked whether you thought about it.”
“The thought would be inappropriate,” she insisted.
“I’ll take that as a ‘yes’.”
“What difference would it make whether I did or not? You obviously do. You quite obviously have done it to be so fixated with it. You think I must mentally avoid the subject because I believe nobody will ever want to do such a thing with me?”
A slow, devious smile claimed and curved his lips. “I think any man who spends more than a few seconds looking at you must want to take you to bed. But then you open your pretty little mouth and dissuade them of your being capable of wanting anyone under the sheets with you.” He shifted forward, closing the distance between them until he was seated at her feet.
Nessa froze. “What are you doing?” she demanded.
“Don’t you want anyone to ever discover what you’re hiding under all those skirts and deceptively beautiful dresses?” Avaric murmured. One hand lifted, fingers reaching for her, moving to gently pull one short stocking down and brush fingertips across her ankle.
“Don’t...” she said quietly, utterly confused. No boy had ever been so bold as to touch more than her shoulders. She had usually managed to repel them by now.
Very much concentrating on his current task, Avaric carefully slid his hand up and under her skirts, fingers running smoothly up her calf and hesitating only for a moment at her knee before questing onward and along her thigh. Staring intently as if he could see past the deep blue fabric that covered her, he shifted his hand until fingers brushed against and met warmth. The slow exhale he heard from her only produced a not quite smug smile and another twitch of his fingers.
“Apologies, Nessie, but it did take all of us to carry all this.”
Nessa dragged in a breath and glanced to her right. Elphaba. Glinda. Nanny. The rest. Bearing food, wine and various other junk. It was only then that she noticed her stocking was back in place and that the boy at her feet had transferred the attentions of his fingers to her shoelace instead of...elsewhere.
“I’ve taken good care of her, as promised,” Avaric responded.
“I am not a child,” she declared, managing to sound quite incensed, despite the breathy quality to her voice.
He raised his gaze to meet her eyes. “No. You’re not,” he said, voice low. The devious smile returned.
Nessa looked away, fighting to keep the blush from her cheeks. They both knew she was not as helpless as she made out. She could have tipped the chair, kicked out... And yet she had let him...
Had it been urge or thought in command of her then?
She wasn’t quite sure.
Fin