Rising Tensions

[Phoenyx]

It had been several weeks since Kaze and Phoenyx had got back together. Longer since the fight. Nearly two months since they had agreed to change the shape of their relationship. It had come at a price, and that price was creeping back up on the young Arrow. Holding her meditations were harder. Her mind kept wandering while she was trying to focus. Her temper was getting shorter, and with the tension among the mages occasionally flaring, she needed to be calm.

Fortunately, she had been able to piece together exactly what she needed to do. The Obrimos knew something that could fix all of these problems, if she could only convince Kaze to help. It wasn’t about her, it was for the good of the Concillium.

Just the good of the Concillium. Nothing else.

So when she called Kaze, telling him she needed him to come quickly to the Circle, he was probably expecting something serious. Pheonyx was sat on her bed in the Arrow quarter.

Waiting.

Kaze's surprise....

Phoenyx is sat on top of the covers, leaning against the headboard. She is wearing a matching set of scarlet lacy underwear, and nothing else.

Kaze Ruach

[Kaze]

Kaze comes in to the room whistling cheerfully, and then stands in the doorway like he's been pole axed, a stunned expression on his face! "Oh God." He says.

"Wow." He says. "I...wow. You are so hot." He continues to stand in the doorway, the door open behind him.

[Phoenyx]

Phoenyx smirks, clearly pleased. "Close the door, dummy."

She watches him intently and slides off the bed. Fire is burning in her dark eyes.

"You asked to change our relationship. And we have," she says advancing slowing towards Kaze. "It's better. We go on dates, try out things together. I like it. It's fun! It's brought us closer together,and I'm glad we do," She says earnestly, stopping about a foot in front of him, looking up into his eyes. "But I have needs. I didn't bring it up, but I wanted to. But then I was told expressing opinions is important, so I'm bringing it up now." With anyone else that would clearly be an innuendo, but she doesn't seem to be joking.

The Arrow puts her hands behind her back, pushing her shoulders back and chest out. "I've been very patient, but that patience is wearing thin. What's wrong Kaze? Don't you want me?" This time, the smile lets it known that she's deliberately asking a very loaded question.

[Kaze]

"Phoenyx..." Kaze's face falls, and he chokes up a little. "I...I want you." He says. "I...I didn't tell you everything, haven't been totally honest. I am so sorry."

He swallows hard, not moving fully into the room or shutting the door. "I'm a Christian. I mean...I was raised in it, and I kind of bailed on it after my Mom died, but I came back to it, and then I Awakened and became an Arrow...." He babbles.

Kaze stops. Then he sighs. "I know, I haven't ever said this before; I haven't been strong; I know it's how we got together, and I am so glad we did, but...I am recommitted now. I am not having sex until I'm married. And...I know that's not fair to you. I totally get it if you aren't up for that, if it just seems stupid. I just...I want to tell you, when I think about it, the picture in my head, of who I'm married to, is you. So...yeah. That's the thing. I've been talking like it's a temporary thing, not telling you that I have no intention of having sex until I am married, even though we got together by hooking up and it's been part of our relationship, a good part, up to now. I'm a jerk. I know." Kaze hangs his head, taking a slight step back in case Phoenyx slams the door on him.

  3 successes

Date		Action		Roll		Result
2019-10-23 15:09:04		Kaze rolls 6 to resist Gluttony and cowardice (Composure 3 + Resolve 3) (10 Again)		3, 10, 1, 6, 3, 10, 10, 2, 1		3 successes

[Phoenyx]

The expression of the Arrow's face slips from fun, to worry, to confusion. "You.... I... What?!"

Phoenyx stares up at Kaze. Never one to deal with confusion well, the haunted look in her eyes slowly turning to betrayal and anger.

"So.... so what was all this, Kaze?" The hurt in her voice is palpable. "Why didn't you tell me that weeks ago instead of.... of what? Hoping I wouldn't find out?" Her hands are balled in fists. "Get married or break up? Those are my options? You... you dick!"

She grabs a sheet from one bed and pulls it around herself. He face, usually so calm, is wracked with hurt.

"What does this even mean?"

[Kaze]

"I...I know, I am." Kaze says, not denying the insult. "I'm sorry. I know, up to now I basically put you first, and now...I'm putting my faith first. But, no. I mean. It isn't 'get married or break up'. I mean...it doesn't have to be. It just means...not having sex. I mean, you asked me 'what was all this'...I know I did this all wrong. I know that going back to a relationship without having sex after we already have been...well, actually we really didn't have a relationship until we had sex. But...I know this is all my fault,and my timing is really bad, but I have to ask, was it always mostly about the sex? I mean, it really was at the beginning, but I guess I stalled because I hoped...it was more. I mean, that even without having sex, with us getting to know each other, it would be...I don't know, worth keeping?"

Kaze looks at Phoenyx with an expression a mixture of apology, hurt and hope.

[Phoenyx]

The hurt begins to harden into clear and obvious anger. Unbidden, the pair of fiery wings that make up her Nimbus begin to rustle.

"How could you say that!" Pheonyx snaps. For someone usually so quiet, her voice carries loudly now. "Why do you think I tried to make it more than just sex? I don't do that! I have never done that! We arrived together! We do everything together! You made coming here so easy... I don't know what this place would be to me without you!"

She storms away and pulls on a scarlet silk robe. "It's a normal, healthy part of a relationship Kaze! You really never had a problem with it before when it was you getting your rocks off, and now you've changed your mind and.... for what?" She stalks back angrily. "Some Sleeper belief that abstinence makes you a better person? That's confusing your faith with systemtic dogma, Kaze! We can bend. Reality. I have to run an Order and be the face and reason of the Adamantine Arrow and I'm twenty-four fucking years old! Sometimes, just sometimes, I need something that's easy and fun and to feel sexy, because us, and our minds and our our will is all that's real!"

[Kaze]

Kaze sighs. "I love you, Phoenyx. That's a choice. I love you. No matter what happens I will come when you call me and help with whatever I can and tell you whatever you ask and listen to whatever you want to tell me." He says. "My choice to love you though...doesn't mean I get to choose for you or change you. I am not trying to do that."

Kaze nods. "You're right. You have really, really tried. I have too. And I am not trying to make you believe or choose what I do. I just can't turn my back on what I believe either, not any more, not even to make this work the way we both want." He says.

"I didn't initiate sex. It wasn't what I wanted, but you're right, Ididn't say 'no' or tell you it wasn't what I wanted. I can't say it doesn't feel good. And it was my choice to go along with it, for the chance to get together with you. I am not saying that not having sex until being married is the right thing for anyone but me. I am saying that I can't put it all on you, to be the whole meaning of life for me. My faith is that. And I don't believe that God doesn't want us to have sex. I just believe that for me, it needs to be more than recreation and blowing off steam, even, more than a way to connect or keep connection. For me, it needs to be an effect of already being connected, in a committed way, not the basis of the relationship."

He says, "Phoenyx. You're not wrong. For you. There's nothing wrong with taking our relationship a day at a time, taking it as it comes. But having sex is something I am not going to do anymore until I am in a long term relationship with the commitment to actually get married and plan on being together for life."

[Phoenyx]

Phoenyx throws her hands down in frustration. "I know you aren't doing that! I am me! I....I decide if I change or not! I... just... Urgh!"

She stares. "It wasn't what you wanted? You make it sound like I took advantage of you!"

The glare becomes icy. "I.... I don't know what you mean! You're literally saying it's marriage, a sex-less life or nothing. Do you still think this isn't more than sex? Do you really think I don't love you after all we've done together!?"

The Arrow turns and throws herself on the bed, curling into a ball. "Just do what you want, Kaze."

A sob comes from the pillow.

[Kaze]

Kaze stands still listening, and then when Phoenyx throws herself on the bed and curls up in a ball and sobs.

Kaze stands and silently closes his eyes, his lips moving for a moment.

”You can’t always get what you want. “ He says inaudibly. “But sometimes you can get what you need.”

Kaze quietly slips into the room, easing the door shut behind him. He lowers himself gently onto the bed behind Phoenyx and wraps her gently but firmly in his embrace, lying with her.