Above Board, Below Deck - Mara

[Morgan Evanar]

She rose, a phoenix from the ashes that were the sheets. A sly grin graced her lips, and she pulled him back into the bed. He landed next to her oh his side with an exaggerated "oomph". Mara wasted no time asserting herself, and she put her hands on his shoulders and pushed his lanky frame flat onto the bed. He put up a token resistance, but it only made her more persistent. Morgan was playing a little hard to get, and that drove her inner apex predator wild. He ran his hands up her sides, and she grabbed him by the wrists and slowly wrestled his arms down to beside his head. She leaned in and bit his lower lip. Morgan shifted his arms, and the bite became a full kiss.

[Mara Tallen]

She had absolutely no idea just how long he'd indulge her, but she was willing to take what she could get. The strength coiled in his frame was evident in every movement he made, even the slight shift that turned her slight bite into a hungry kiss.

Mara's fingers tightened around his wrists as her lips pulled back from his, while the tip of her tongue trailed across his lower lip. Her lithe form shifted over him while her lips trailed across his jaw, then down the side of his neck.

Her purr, dark and rich, reverberated across his skin as her predator reveled in the taste and smell of it. That, coupled with the feel of him beneath her was enough to push her control of her beast rapidly towards the brink of delicious failure.

[Morgan Evanar]

Morgan continued to toy with Mara. She was strong for her size, which made it much more entertaining for him. He flipped her over, and she growled, her eyes feral. Mara refused to admit defeat. She wrapped her legs around his hips, dug her nails into his back and bit his shoulder. She twisted, and tried to bring his larger frame back beneath her. After the second attempt, Morgan complied. She put both hands on his chest and shoved him hard into the bed. One hand still on his chest, she brought her other to his face and kissed him savagely.

Mara's feral side knew exactly what she wanted: a challenge. Morgan was willing to give it to her.

----
Eventually, the beast subsided. They were both physically exhausted. No longer distracted, Morgan's stomach began to protest. Mara panted on top of him, her body purred softly. She lifted her head and looked up at him. Both of their eyes were glassy from exertion. It took a moment for gravity to re-assert itself.

"Mara." Morgan whispered.

"Mmmmm?" She replied. Words were still difficult. She did not want to move, instead content to listen to him breathe. Part of her was mad that he had the nerve to talk, and part of her liked the sound of his voice. He ran his fingers down her spine and she shivered.

"We need to get cleaned up, and I need to eat something, and I'd rather it not be your arm."

"My arm?" Words came back. She asked, tired but incredulous.

"I couldn't bear if anything happened to your legs or your lovely bottom." he said, and tilted. Mara's body slid off of his rising one into the bed.

"Noooooo..." She protested. Her hands trailed against his arms, too tired to make any real attempts to grab him. She hit the bed with a "humph" and watched him get into the sonic shower.

[Mara Tallen]

Sprawled out on her bed, she did watch him as he walked across the small space. Really though, it was so much more of an outright stare, vivid appreciation writ in her amber gaze. Her purr darkened as he glanced over his shoulder at her and she grinned wickedly.

Thoroughly and completely exhausted, but good gods...one glance from those eyes warmed her clear through.

Curling onto her side, Mara lingered in the warmth and scent of the sheets. Her beast was mercifully sated and quiet, the purr reverberating contentment through her entire body. With her hunt delayed out of necessity due to the Novgorod's mission, this couldn't have come at a better time.

Well. It could have come sooner, but who was she to argue over timing when the last several...hours had been so...spectacular.

Mara closed her eyes and stretched out, arching her back and twisting from side to side before relaxing again. She heard his footsteps before he spoke, a soft smile planting itself on her features.

"Alright...up with you." Morgan rumbled, stealing the sheet she'd pulled atop herself.

"Stealing sheets from a kitty is a bad idea, honey." she purred, stretching again before managing to leverage herself onto her feet. She wrinkled her nose in distaste at the state of her damp curls, uttering an indignant sound as he swatted her on the way by.

It turned into a breathless laugh as Mara shook her head and scooted out of his considerable reach and into the sonic shower.

[Morgan Evanar]

"I'll take my chances." Morgan said with a wry smile.

In an exceptional and unusually lazy show of ability, Morgan teleported a ration bar from his jacket to his hand. He leaned off the bed on the rare chance a crumb escaped and landed on the bed. Such trespasses would not do. He systematically devoured the relatively flavorless but nutritious food, and poured himself a glass of water from the tiny water spout next to the bed. Not that Mara's quarters or any of the quarters on the Novgorod were of notable size. He could nearly reach across the room from the bed. Mara's was bottom tantalizingly just out of reach.

Now less influenced by the pure physical, Morgan contemplated what had just happened. There had been an underlying sexual tension between the two of them ever since they met during Serena's rescue. It was safe to say there wasn't any sexual tension between them left. At least he hoped not. Sexual bliss, maybe. They were incredibly physically compatible. Morgan liked Mara, he decided. Beyond the mind-blowing sex, she was clever and hardworking, and had a sense of humor. He also decided that he wasn't going to really do anything about it right now. Live in the moment.

His stomach rumbled. He was ready to eat half a bantha.

[Mara Tallen]

Amber eyes closed as she stood there in the sonic shower, fingers absently tending to the mess her auburn curls had become. There was a considerable amount to think about now that need had been satiated and the pleasure was simply a soft echo rippling through her senses. Repercussions to consider.

Although there weren't many she could think of. Not even Glayde could fault her for liking Morgan, which, she discovered, she very much did. Well, likely he could, as disliking what she was doing seemed to be one of his favorite past times. But it was neither here nor there. Nearly eight months with the Pathfinders and countless discussions with the men she now considered some of her best friends had gone a long way to tempering her - he'd see it sooner or later.

She stepped out of the shower and sighed happily, brushing out her hair and loosely braiding it to keep it out of her way for the time being. Clad in standard cargo pants and a tank top in the official Alliance shade of olive-drab, she opened the tall upright cabinet near her bed. Fingers brushed over the matte gold painted armor, tracing the shapes of the familiar nicks and dents. She didn't have much occasion to wear it anymore, but didn't have the heart to send it home for storage.

It kept her grounded. Reminded her who she was and what she was doing.

Mara grabbed the belt she'd been searching for and threaded it through the loops, settling her pants low on her hips. Boots came next and then...she blinked, turning to glance at her bed. And Morgan.

She smiled and tilted her head, arching a brow as he pulled the fastener out of her hair to set her auburn locks loose from the braid. "Did you see where my ID tags landed? I can't exactly go anywhere without them..."

[Morgan Evanar]

Morgan stood, and found his underpants and pants. He closed his eyes.

"They're over there." he pointed. Mara's tags had slid into the corner of the room, next to the refresher. Morgan slipped his pants and underpants back on. He watched Mara bend over on all fours, and took a handful over her now-covered bottom. She made a high pitched "mmph" noise, and then grabbed her ID tags on the lanyard. She looked back at Morgan, who could only grin before moving his hand.

"What? He asked, shirtless and playing innocent.

[Mara Tallen]

"You know. I didn't say you had to -move- your hand..."

Mara shook her head and tried to keep a straight face, but ultimately failed, as her lips quirked up at the corner. She purred as she stood, taking her time and stretching as she did, her ID tags around her neck. A finger hooked into the waistband of Morgan's pants, while her other hand and Morgan's shirt were behind her back.

A sultry smile curled her lips, her finger tracing a slow path up his chest. "You need to eat...and I need to try and behave myself..."

[Morgan Evanar]

Morgan's stomach growled out loud
"I really do need to eat." He agreed, and kept his hands to himself, although he much wanted to do something else. Mara stood in front of him, still bare-chested, like he was. It was a very tantalizing situation. He could see his t-shirt in her hand.

"I think we should save some for later." He said, taking her hand into his. At this point, someone had to pretend to be an adult. Morgan smiled.

[Mara Tallen]

"A good idea."

Glancing up, she smiled back and twined her fingers in with his for a few moments. She took a deep breath and slowly, reluctantly, pulled her fingers away after kissing his. Handing him back his t-shirt, Mara slipped back into the black lace confection of her bra and her olive-drab tank-top.

She grabbed a sweater and pulled that on over her tank-top. Fingers pulled her ID tags out as she walked slowly towards the door, looking back at him over her shoulder through a curtain of her auburn hair.