#earthrunes

Leonora is seen in the later hours of Beltaine sipping a pina colada as she lounges on a lawn chair wearing a dark red bikini

She can see August approach, his gait relaxed and with minimal worry-lines. It seems the holiday agrees with him.

"Hello, good looking. You seem in good spirits." She sips

And motiosn him to join her on a lawn chair next to her

"Hello, Leonora." He says easily as he joins her. He offers a pink long-stemmed rose from behind his back. "Merry Beltaine."

She takes the rose, and sniffs it , eyes closing then slowly fluttering open, "Merry Beltaine indeed. Thank you"

He watches her with a head-tilt. "You're very welcome." A pause. "That's a nice bathing suit." He looks her slowly up and down, taking it, and her, in. "I like your toenail polish."

She laughs and wiggles said toes "Thank you, it's ah.." She glances down "I believe called 'Angel's bubblegum pink' not sure it goes with the suit but thanks"

Another pause as he thinks something through. "May I see?" He gestures to those toes.

She looks surprised, then "Well, yes if you like"

He moves to sit on her chair, lifting her feet to rest on his lap, and does take a closer look... he rubs her feet gently, then slowly looks up to meet her eyes, not missing any part of her with his gaze as he does.

"That feels ....nice"

"Good." Simply. He keeps it up. His hands encompass her ankles, calves.....gentle, firm pressure.

"Oh that's nice..." She stretches...luxuriating in it

He grins a little.

"Are you going swimming, or did you just want to drive people crazy?"

Sleepily she mutters "was going to get a ..m mm tan"

itw ould appear he's putting her to sleep with a foot rub

"Hey..." softly as he stops rubbing to trace his fingertips up and down her leg.

That wakes her, she purs "Sorry, a good foot rub can make me very relaxed. Maybe too much so." She reaches out to touch him with her hand, even if she can only graze finger tips against a hip, "Were you trying to seduce me, sir?"

"Was it working?" A soft smile, and very direct eye contact; no nervous glancing away.

"Actually THAT is working, that confidence ... quite the turn on..." She shifts so he still has her leg, but there is now space next to her onthe lawn chair so they can both sit up together "Join me?"

He slides up and does so. She can see in his eyes that he is thinking. She might flashback to his Faux Fiona Fostering and the exhausting attempts to teach him to flirt that now seem to have taken root?

He settles an arm around her, holding her nicely close. With his other hand he tucks her hair back behind her ear.

She melts just a little and runs fingernails along his bicep while tilting her head as he places her hair, "is Coradel off playing somewhere? I wouldn't want to cheat you two of your beltaine time."

Despite her words, it is clear she's not exactly pushing him away

"We've had it. And will have more." Easily, without concern.

"Well, good..." She husks the pleased sound into his ear, "You better carry me away unless you want to risk a sunburn here"

That head tilt again. "You didn't bring a cover-up? I mean, yes, it would be a shame to hide such a beautiful body, all this delicious, creamy skin.... "

Who is this and what have they done with August!?

She stops then, "August? A sec." SHe runs a finger over him, "Answer me this..what was the first languge besides English you flirted in?"

"with me that is" A test?

A gentleman's C.

Curious, he answers with the truth. "French."

"Okay, sorry, just..well, not SORRY, but as someone once disguised themselves as Claire, albeit with Claire's permission, I thought it best to check" a nip at his ear tip "Of course, your french was less than perfect"

In perfect French he responds. "It has gotten better since then. And yes, we've had imposters here before but I am August."

"Do I really seem that different?" Still in French.

"Wow that.. oh god, August that's better French than... " She grows intrigued "Just bolder...fiercer, and yet still gentle, I like it. Confidence.. suits you. And yes, that's nice French. How about some poetry and kisses? I can use Irish Gaelic, you French, and we see if we understand each other by the time we get really into each other's limbs mm?"

He nods slowly. "I'd like that. Confidence...." He muses as he rises, offering a hand. "Hm."

She takes his hand, and says something Irish Gaelic, he might not understand the exact words, but the tone is breathy and full of pleased sounds. The two make their way towards a more, private area. And one where she won't get burned... though no doubt, it will get quite hot.

(End Scene)

---------

August lays with one hand tucked under his head, the other arm around Leonora, gazing at the ceiling of her room.

After a pleasant time, Leonora says "So.. you are not as confident as you were pretending to be? And you do not feel worthy of confidence. Is this lingering stuff from the Delores incident?"

He doesn't answer right away. He considers his words; he always does. "No. I'm Liam, Leonora. Obviously. No one... very few... trust me." A pause. "From my fostering.... I guess it got.... ingrained."

"I would not be part of any other House but that's part of it."

"But YOU are not 'just' a Liam. You're a talented scribe, a brilliant scholar, a skilled lover, and a damn good friend to those you call friend. Anyone who disregards all that because your house alone isn't worth your time anyway"

He shifts position to regard her more closely. "Leonora. You can't deny that ... well, can you say the mark of an Oathbreaker is not on me?"

"Obviously I can't, but what worries me isn't that people judge you for that, it's that they got to you, and it affected your confidence. August, we are sidhe. We are the Tuath's chosen heirs, with all the noblise oblige and responslibility that implies, but it's also a hell of an endorsement. So Kith and House balancing out..we go back to how brilliant and talented and KIND you are. I'm not saying get a swollen head, but... maybe love yourself? I mean, isn't that part of your biblical teaching? Looking at yourself through Heaven's eyes? Like that hymn?"

It occurs to August she is confusing sundays sschool hymns and bible verses with a song from 'Prince of Egypt'

(Zara-endorsed)