Tam realizes after a bit that tickling a trained martial artist does have its perils, and after taking a few unintended knees to abdomen, he relents. :)
"So," he says through his own laughter, "are....your cheeks burning...yet, or do...I have to do that...again?" ;P
"I think you can stop with the tickling now," she gasped, trying to slow her breathing.
"Or maybe I should tickle you," she added mischievously.
Tam suddenly realizes that there's one other peril to tickling a trained martial artist - and that peril is revenge. He stops laughing long enough to say "Uh-oh," before trying to escape.
He doesn't even make it halfway to the door... ;)
She pounced and tackled him to the floor, sitting on top of him as she tickled him.
"Let's see, which parts of you are ticklish..." ;)
She pounced and tackled him to the floor, sitting on top of him as she tickled him.
"Let's see, which parts of you are ticklish..." ;)
His ribs, the back of his knees, behind his ears and the base of his skull would be the areas she could get to that are ticklish on him.
He laughs and contorts rather vigorously, trying to wriggle his way free so he can turn the tables back on her. :)
It took him a while, but eventually Tam was able to break the pin and it became more a contest of who could tickle who first.:)
It took him a while, but eventually Tam was able to break the pin and it became more a contest of who could tickle who first.:)
While he doesn't have anywhere near the physical strength that Aananda does, he more than makes up for it with fast, nimble hands. They try their best not to damage any furniture in the process - mostly. ;D
While he doesn't have anywhere near the physical strength that Aananda does, he more than makes up for it with fast, nimble hands. They try their best not to damage any furniture in the process - mostly. ;D
"Enough," she giggled, leaning against a wall where they had rolled into a corner. "I give up. Oh, I don't think I've ever laughed so hard."
"Enough," she giggled, leaning against a wall where they had rolled into a corner. "I give up. Oh, I don't think I've ever laughed so hard."
Tam props himself up on his elbows, catching his breath and still chuckling a little at the same time.
"I think we can safely call that a draw - I am definitely going to be sore in the morning," he says, making a face at her as he stretches slightly.
"Totally worth it though." ;D
"Enough," she giggled, leaning against a wall where they had rolled into a corner. "I give up. Oh, I don't think I've ever laughed so hard."Tam props himself up on his elbows, catching his breath and still chuckling a little at the same time.
"I think we can safely call that a draw - I am definitely going to be sore in the morning," he says, making a face at her as he stretches slightly.
"Totally worth it though." ;D
"Perhaps you should get more exercise then," she said with an impish grin. "A little wrestling match like that shouldn't make you sore."
She stood on her hands and balanced herself against the wall to get a really good stretch before swinging her feet back over to the ground and standing up.
"Perhaps you should get more exercise then," she said with an impish grin. "A little wrestling match like that shouldn't make you sore."
He shrugs, looking all innocent.
"Hey, I think I did alright considering that you can use your whole...."She stood on her hands and balanced herself against the wall to get a really good stretch before swinging her feet back over to the ground and standing up.
O.O
"...um, body...as a...weapon..."Tam's just going to stay on the floor for a moment now... ;P
She leans over and reaches out a hand, unaware of his reaction to her method of stretching. ;P
"Need a hand up?"
She leans over and reaches out a hand, unaware of his reaction to her method of stretching. ;P
"Need a hand up?"
"Ohhhh I'm fine. Just letting the muscles knit back together for a few minutes first," he replies rather quickly, shifting ever so slightly (yet very carefully, she notes) and smiling a bit sheepishly. He should still be flushed enough from their antics that she can't tell his cheeks are burning...yet :)
She leans over and reaches out a hand, unaware of his reaction to her method of stretching. ;P
"Need a hand up?"
"Ohhhh I'm fine. Just letting the muscles knit back together for a few minutes first," he replies rather quickly, shifting ever so slightly (yet very carefully, she notes) and smiling a bit sheepishly. He should still be flushed enough from their antics that she can't tell his cheeks are burning...yet :)
"Oh, I'm so sorry. I didn't realize that I'd really hurt you," she said, concerned. "Master Ping always said that it was important not to let muscles stiffen up. You should do some stretches just to be on the safe side. I could give you a massage if there's any area that's cramping particularly badly," she added, innocently.
"Oh, I'm so sorry. I didn't realize that I'd really hurt you," she said, concerned. "Master Ping always said that it was important not to let muscles stiffen up. You should do some stretches just to be on the safe side. I could give you a massage if there's any area that's cramping particularly badly," she added, innocently.
As a long parade of...very interesting mental images race unchecked through Tam's mind, Aananda finally notices that his face is awfully red - moreso than it was a few moments ago.
"Ah.....heh. That does sound like a good....I promise, you didn't really hurt me. It just might be a bit hard for me to stand up right now, that's all...?"
Yep - something clearly got knocked off kilter. He's just not talking right... ;)
"Oh, I'm so sorry. I didn't realize that I'd really hurt you," she said, concerned. "Master Ping always said that it was important not to let muscles stiffen up. You should do some stretches just to be on the safe side. I could give you a massage if there's any area that's cramping particularly badly," she added, innocently.
As a long parade of...very interesting mental images race unchecked through Tam's mind, Aananda finally notices that his face is awfully red - moreso than it was a few moments ago.
"Ah.....heh. That does sound like a good....I promise, you didn't really hurt me. It just might be a bit hard for me to stand up right now, that's all...?"
Yep - something clearly got knocked off kilter. He's just not talking right... ;)
"Are you sure you're all right?" she asked kneeling down beside him. "You look flushed. You're not ill are you?"
She quickly placed her hand against his cheek and then against his forehead. "You don't seem to be feverish. That's good, anyways. Maybe I should get you a nice, cold glass of water. That'll help you cool down." ^.^
"Are you sure you're all right?" she asked kneeling down beside him. "You look flushed. You're not ill are you?"
She quickly placed her hand against his cheek and then against his forehead. "You don't seem to be feverish. That's good, anyways. Maybe I should get you a nice, cold glass of water. That'll help you cool down." ^.^
"No, I'm pretty sure I'd need a whole shower for that instead of just a glass," he says quietly. "But it would probably be safer than the massage," he adds with a smile as he puts his hand on hers. :)
"No, I'm pretty sure I'd need a whole shower for that instead of just a glass," he says quietly. "But it would probably be safer than the massage," he adds with a smile as he puts his hand on hers. :)"Are you sure you're all right?" she asked kneeling down beside him. "You look flushed. You're not ill are you?"
She quickly placed her hand against his cheek and then against his forehead. "You don't seem to be feverish. That's good, anyways. Maybe I should get you a nice, cold glass of water. That'll help you cool down." ^.^
She tilted her head and looked questioningly at him as she heard the change in tone, and her eyes widened as she realized what he was saying.
"Oh." Now it was her turn to blush. "I didn't realize...er, I mean, I uh..." She bit her lip and tried to figure out how to stop looking like an idiot.
She tilted her head and looked questioningly at him as she heard the change in tone, and her eyes widened as she realized what he was saying.
"Oh." Now it was her turn to blush. "I didn't realize...er, I mean, I uh..." She bit her lip and tried to figure out how to stop looking like an idiot.
Accepting the fact that this was going to be awkward now regardless of what he did or where he was in the room, Tam gets his legs under him and sits up in front of Aananda.
"No...don't look like that. I thought it would be...less embarrassing if I just...stayed where I was. I should know better than that by now," he says with a sigh, smiling gently and shaking his head. ;)
Accepting the fact that this was going to be awkward now regardless of what he did or where he was in the room, Tam gets his legs under him and sits up in front of Aananda.
"No...don't look like that. I thought it would be less embarrassing if I just stayed where I was. I should know better than that by now," he says with a sigh, smiling gently. ;)
"It's just....er, I, uh,....I know I miss the obvious sometimes and that I am a little behind on some aspects of learning due to growing up in a monastery, and I don't like coming across like an ignorant child, especially with you because I really don't want you to see me that way," she said all in a rush, studying the floor and biting her lip once she finished.
"It's just....er, I, uh,....I know I miss the obvious sometimes and that I am a little behind on some aspects of learning due to growing up in a monastery, and I don't like coming across like an ignorant child, especially with you because I really don't want you to see me that way," she said all in a rush, studying the floor and biting her lip once she finished.
"I have never thought of you as ignorant, Aananda," he says, cupping a hand against her cheek and under her chin and gently raising her gaze to look at his face and not the wood...floor. ;P
"And I think it's kind of obvious now that I definitely don't think of you as anything other than a woman - and an incredibly beautiful one," as he turns crimson again.
"I have never thought of you as ignorant, Aananda," he says, cupping a hand against her cheek and under her chin and gently raising her gaze to look at his face and not the wood...floor. ;P
"And I think it's kind of obvious now that I definitely don't think of you as anything other than a woman - and an incredibly beautiful one," as he turns crimson again.
"Oh," she said, blushing as well, unable to think well enough to come up with anything else to say. Her heart was racing.
"Thank you," she said softly, belatedly realizing that he'd given her a compliment.
"I have never thought of you as ignorant, Aananda," he says, cupping a hand against her cheek and under her chin and gently raising her gaze to look at his face and not the wood...floor. ;P
"And I think it's kind of obvious now that I definitely don't think of you as anything other than a woman - and an incredibly beautiful one," as he turns crimson again.
"Oh," she said, blushing as well, unable to think well enough to come up with anything else to say. Her heart was racing.
"Thank you," she said softly, belatedly realizing that he'd given her a compliment.
"You're welcome. And I'm sorry I made you uncomfortable again. It seems to be quite the sick gift of timing I have, isn't it?" he asks, looking a bit glum with himself all of a sudden.
"You're welcome," he replies quietly. "And I'm sorry I made you uncomfortable again. It seems to be quite the sick gift of timing I have, isn't it? "
She gave him a wobbly smile. Her stomach was doing loop the loops.
"No, you're fine. I mean, there's nothing wrong with your timing. It's...based on the er, reading material you gave me, I think it's normal to feel awkward when you're attracted to someone. I think. It's hard to say. The chapter on courtship is very confused."
"You're welcome," he replies quietly. "And I'm sorry I made you uncomfortable again. It seems to be quite the sick gift of timing I have, isn't it? "
She gave him a wobbly smile. Her stomach was doing loop the loops.
"No, you're fine. I mean, there's nothing wrong with your timing. It's...based on the er, reading material you gave me, I think it's normal to feel awkward when you're attracted to someone. I think. It's hard to say. The chapter on courtship is very confused."
"It's awkward if you really like someone, and you know you don't want to rush things along, but you're afraid that'll come off like you're not interested in them. It's truly twisted - trying to apply logic when you're trying to navigate through all the emotional and...um, other...tensions pulling at you to try and find out...."
He stops, pulls his hand away and rubs his temple.
"And there I go again...you can tell me to shut up before I put my foot in my mouth, you know," he says with a cheshire grin. :)
"It's okay. I like that you're so cautious and patient. I'm not really very much either one. I admire that about you," her voice is a little strained and the pace of her words is increasing as she goes on.
"It's kind of ironic really. I mean you're a human and I'm a dragon, and you're the patient one. Not that I can really help it in this area. I mean, it makes no sense really that a creature that lives for a few decades can take as much time as they like to choose a mate and can change their minds later and a creature that lives for centuries and can't ever ever ever not even with a wish change their minds about it later just picks in an instant. And not even consciously. I mean, it's the sort of thing that one really should be warned about. Not that anyone would have thought that we needed warning I guess since it's not supposed to happen before you're a certain age except our rate of maturity is all mixed up because we don't just look human, we are human. And dragon. I guess that makes us weredragons? I don't know. But it turns out that once you've imprinted on a particular person, you can't change it. Which is nothing you need to trouble yourself about," she added hastily. "I mean, really, no pressure. What's the worst that can happen? I end up alone? Well, the only male of my species is my brother, so that was kind of a given. So it's really no big deal and should not factor into any kind of decision making process at all. And to make things even weirder it turns out that my brother has imprinted on me, which adds a whole new layer of creepy to this whole mess, and that's why he's been stopping the demon from killing me. But once he finds out that I'll never return his er, I don't know what to call it. Just ick. Anyways, once he finds out, he's gonna pretty much want me dead right then and it's only a matter of time and probably not very much time before he does find out and....."
"And I really need to learn how to think without saying everything that goes through my head out loud," she added sheepishly. "I'm sorry. I...there was just so much information that just got dumped on me and....I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable. Just forget I said anything...."
"It's okay. I like that you're so cautious and patient. I'm not really very much either one. I admire that about you," her voice is a little strained and the pace of her words is increasing as she goes on.
"It's kind of ironic really. I mean you're a human and I'm a dragon, and you're the patient one. Not that I can really help it in this area. I mean, it makes no sense really that a creature that lives for a few decades can take as much time as they like to choose a mate and can change their minds later and a creature that lives for centuries and can't ever ever ever not even with a wish change their minds about it later just picks in an instant. And not even consciously. I mean, it's the sort of thing that one really should be warned about. Not that anyone would have thought that we needed warning I guess since it's not supposed to happen before you're a certain age except our rate of maturity is all mixed up because we don't just look human, we are human. And dragon. I guess that makes us weredragons? I don't know. But it turns out that once you've imprinted on a particular person, you can't change it. Which is nothing you need to trouble yourself about," she added hastily. "I mean, really, no pressure. What's the worst that can happen? I end up alone? Well, the only male of my species is my brother, so that was kind of a given. So it's really no big deal and should not factor into any kind of decision making process at all. And to make things even weirder it turns out that my brother has imprinted on me, which adds a whole new layer of creepy to this whole mess, and that's why he's been stopping the demon from killing me. But once he finds out that I'll never return his er, I don't know what to call it. Just ick. Anyways, once he finds out, he's gonna pretty much want me dead right then and it's only a matter of time and probably not very much time before he does find out and.....""And I really need to learn how to think without saying everything that goes through my head out loud," she added sheepishly. "I'm sorry. I...there was just so much information that just got dumped on me and....I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable. Just forget I said anything...."
[Blink, blink]
Tam cuts her off by putting both hands on her cheeks, pulling her in and kissing her. He uses the shock to get a word in edgewise: ;P
"I'm not uncomfortable - not anymore. I'm not going to forget what you said, and you will not ever be alone as long as I'm around."
He releases her and sits back, folds his arms across his chest, looking at her almost in a challenging way, though the smile kind of ruins that image.
"So there. Rebuttal?" :)
[Blink, blink]Tam cuts her off by putting both hands on her cheeks, pulling her in and kissing her. He uses the shock to get a word in edgewise: ;P
"I'm not uncomfortable - not anymore. I'm not going to forget what you said, and you will not ever be alone as long as I'm around."
He releases her and sits back, folds his arms across his chest, looking at her almost in a challenging way, though the smile kind of ruins that image.
"So there. Rebuttal?" :)
She had to take a moment to get her brain restarted. ;P
She put her hand to her lips. SO that's what a kiss felt like. The description on the datapad had been entirely inadequate. The desire to repeat the experience made much more sense now.
She blushed and shook her head, then paused.
"If I argue with you will you do that again?" she asked mischievously.
She had to take a moment to get her brain restarted. ;P
She put her hand to her lips. SO that's what a kiss felt like. The description on the datapad had been entirely inadequate. The desire to repeat the experience made much more sense now.
She blushed and shook her head, then paused.
"If I argue with you will you do that again?" she asked mischievously.
Tam tilts his head to the side, then his smile splits into a wide grin.
"Well I don't know - depends on how well you argue your case...." ;P
She blushed and shook her head, then paused.
"If I argue with you will you do that again?" she asked mischievously.
Tam tilts his head to the side, then his smile splits into a wide grin.
"Well I don't know - depends on how well you argue your case...." ;P
"Hmmm....that may be difficult. I can't actually remember what I was saying," she admitted sheepishly. "I think it was something about not wanting you to stay because you feel sorry for me..."
"Hmmm....that may be difficult. I can't actually remember what I was saying," she admitted sheepishly. "I think it was something about not wanting you to stay because you feel sorry for me..."She blushed and shook her head, then paused.
"If I argue with you will you do that again?" she asked mischievously.
Tam tilts his head to the side, then his smile splits into a wide grin.
"Well I don't know - depends on how well you argue your case...." ;P
He tries to let out an exasperated sigh, but it just comes out as a chuckle as he leans forward and kisses her again, derailing her train of thought...yet again. Oopsy ;)
"You make a very convincing argument," she sighed, leaning her head against his shoulder. "It's very difficult to think of a counterargument," she added, smiling.
"You make a very convincing argument," she sighed, leaning her head against his shoulder. "It's very difficult to think of a counterargument," she added, smiling.
"And here I thought I was going to have to defend myself," he chuckles as he looks down at her.
"You make a very convincing argument," she sighed, leaning her head against his shoulder. "It's very difficult to think of a counterargument," she added, smiling."And here I thought I was going to have to defend myself," he chuckles as he looks down at her.
"Mmmm....just thought of a good one," she murmured and kissed him.
"Although, I guess that becomes a rather cyclical argument," she said, eyes twinkling with amusement.
The door opens. "Sorry, to interrupt, but I forgot my...oh, crap. Really, really sorry."
"You have no idea how much,"she muttered.
"So, ummm...I'll just grab my...thing...that I...forgot...and we'll all forget I was ever here. Please?" She said, blushing furiously as she grabbed a bag off of the floor and quickly backed out of the room.