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Growing up illiterate and sheltered, Octavia did not know what a kiss was.
The party has been going wild for that night. With the threat of the goblins resolved, the tieflings finally felt safe enough to continue their travel to Baldur’s gate. Octavia now understood what partying means. Which is mostly an event to get wasted with alcohol, be merry with dancing, and have complete fun like there’s no tomorrow.
She had spent her youth locked up in Waterdeep, hardly having the opportunity to go out in fear that the people who had been chasing her and her father would see her. Her dark bluish skin was a jarring reminder that she has no place outside their apartment and that her mother's people would take every opportunity to snatch her back to the Underdark.
Only the small four walls of their apartment would keep her safe. Or so she believed.
She was mute and illiterate. Her father could not teach her to write when he had been imprisoned for too long that it was hard for him to focus enough to learn how to read or write. Regrettably, the way he sheltered her became her downfall. His death has led to her getting cast to the streets with no other means to feed herself.
Fortunately for her, someone was willing to take her in. To her misfortune, they were mindflayers.
Despite all the struggles, it became worthwhile once she finally saw how merry the tieflings partied that evening. The air was charged with glee and excitement, only the sound of people laughing and yelling in joy could be heard. The smell of whatever booze they could have filled her nose. Fireworks were popping, creating a joyful display of lights. It was the first time she had been with such company as she never had the opportunity of participating in any revelries.
Hardly was she ever allowed outside the apartment.
She had been curious once she saw Bex and Danis locking lips. She was curious and bold enough to ask Wyll, who was the only other companion that did not mind her abusive use of the telepathic powers of the tadpoles. Suffice to say, he was flushed when she asked about it and showed him the image of Bex and Danis. Kissing hard in drunken state.
“Well, you do that with someone you really like,” had been his only answer. Octavia was very keen to know more that she pressed him a lot asking what it means and why is the action locking lips, but he was very quick to cut down communications with the tadpole that she became frustrated.
The tadpoles weren't that bad, most of the time, for Octavia she finally had the means to communicate with other people, albeit they are quite intrusive and could be used to spy on darker thoughts. She had not thought of using them pervasively with her companions, of course, and has only ever used them to convey her opinions or questions.
Being illiterate made it harder for her to speak with them for she cannot express anything without getting frustrated halfway. It was either using signed language that nobody was interested in learning or quickly absorbing how to write the things that Gale was slowly teaching her.
She would have gone to him, but her embarrassment far outweighs her desire to understand the action. It was nothing big if she had to admit. Knowing or not knowing would not kill her. And besides, she owed Gale too much to mortify him with the question. If she had to guess from Wyll’s reaction, it would probably shame him.
She would have gone to Gustav, the dragonborn who has been leading them all this time, but she is easily intimidated by him. He was too large, and far too threatening that she feels like he will gut her if she looks at him wrongly.
The others were, unfortunately, uneasy about her. They might have gone through different perils already, but she was still ill at ease within their presence.
Pushing the question to the back of her mind, she continued with the festivities. Going around clapping to the dancing lights and drinking ale to her heart’s content.
The festivities had been far too exciting that Octavia can feel the thrill in her blood, making her feel alive and high with the stimulation. It could be the alcohol speaking but she was having so much fun—she felt like she was about to float. Her heart throbbed excitedly, and she was feeling lightheaded already.
Her head seemed too heavy on her shoulders, it made her wobbly.
“You have been swigging that ale for too long already,” Gale mused, taking the tankard from her hand. She swayed on her feet at the surprise of his arrival, but she merely grinned to answer him. He rolled his eyes at her and urged her to her tent that was pitched right next to his. Their tent was hidden near the large boulder. Specifically, hers was placed by the boulder.
Unable to keep her balance, she burdened him with her weight to his chest. She leaned back to depend on him—her back to his chest—and followed along his path.
“I take it, it was your first time drinking heavy,” he asked.
She nodded and pointed at her tankard that was in his hand. “You should have controlled yourself—” He stopped himself to think, “—well I suppose you would have not known how much to drink when you haven’t tested your limit.”
She giggled breathlessly in his arms that he could not help but return her laughter. They were so close that he could feel the entirety of her in his arms. Light and partly malnourished, he was hoping he could fatten her up a little during their journey, even if it would be challenging due to all the walking they were about to do.
“You should rest now.” Gale gently pushed her inside her tent as he followed her behind. He helped her open her sleeping bag and carefully pulled her down to sit. The two lowered down in her sleeping bag to sit side by side after he placed her tankard outside her tent. He left the flap of the tent down since she had yet to fix the small hook to keep it open. She leaned to his side and hugged her knees to her chest.
The tent was a little spacious, that even with the two of them, did not make her feel crammed.
“Gale?” She softly murmured telepathically as the tadpole squirmed uncomfortably under her skull. Thankfully, he did not reject her.
“Yes?”
“I have been curious, and I don’t know if it is appropriate to ask.”
“Go on,” he encouraged, “With me there is nothing you should fear.”
“But I think this is embarrassing to ask.” Octavia felt the flush on her cheeks as soon as she remembered how quick Wyll was to avoid her. It would be cruel if he ended up doing the same.
“Oh, I am sure it could not go as badly as our travels.”
“It’s not, but when I questioned Wyll, he had been quick enough to block me from asking what I’ve seen.”
Gale laughed, convinced that it couldn’t be that awful and perhaps Wyll had been embarrassed since it was Octavia asking.
“Maybe I should show you what I have seen.”
A sudden display of Bex and Danis kissing showed up in his mind.
“Oh, stop!” He chides softly, partly laughing and partly stern. “I would have gone with my night without seeing that.” He laughed.
“I wanted to ask what that was,” Octavia sat up to turn to him, “But Wyll only said that is something you do to people you like. That is an odd way of showing fondness.”
“It’s not. Odd, that is,” he countered as she faced him with pure confusion.
Gale can already tell the extent of her shelter. She only mentioned being in hiding for so long that it had not occurred to him that she may have been imprisoned all her life. Not understanding anything about what the norm is.
When he turned quiet, Octavia slowly feared he might react the same as Wyll. She was aware of her oddity, being emotionally stunted and ignorant of what is normal. Being taught by a traumatized and paranoid father made her unable to discern affection as they say it.
The heat on her cheeks made her feel painfully aware of her shortcomings.
“I understand if you do not answer!” She quickly said and was ready to dismiss it when he replied to her.
“That is simply one way for couples to show their affection and appreciation to their lover. It is not limited to kissing, there are other things…” he paused, suddenly feeling guilty as if he was corrupting her innocence when she should have known these things by now. She’s nearly thirty for heaven’s sake! Simply uneducated due to a lack of influences.
“What other ways are there then?” Her eyes kept shifting, jumping from his left eye to his right eye.
He coughed as he felt the tightening in his chest, “Sex,” he said with as much professionalism he could muster, “Cuddling or hugging…other physical gestures. But there are other ways, like giving gifts.”
Octavia listened earnestly to his explanations and tried to remember everything as much as she can. She didn’t realize how much she was missing, and there were a lot of things that she needed to learn.
Her head buzzed as she tried to listen attentively. Her visions of him began tripling that she was finding it hard to focus. All she could think about was the way his lips moved and how plump they looked. It pulls in her intrigue to feel them in her thumbs.
Without even thinking about it, she raised a hand and impulsively touched his lips. His hand shot up to catch her fingers and regarded her with an odd expression.
She could not tell if he had been angry when he merely swallowed and his eyes darkened. The black of his eyes were dilated, nearly covering its entirety and his nearness stirred something restless and yearning inside her.
His breath hitched when her eyes went down to his lips again. It made him breath long and hard that Octavia was similarly affected. Her breathing had slowed down to follow his pace. The beating in her chest was thrumming loudly, it made her feel the dampness in her hands.
Unsure with how to proceed, her thoughts suddenly strayed to the idea of kissing him. Wanting to know how it would feel like to place a lip on his.
Tempted, she leaned in closer to brush her lips in his.
She simply pressed her mouth in his, not knowing how to kiss him properly, when he stiffened against hers.
Oh, she must have fucked up.
Realizing her mistake, she pulled back but before she could completely retreat, he cupped her jaw in his and fervently claimed her mouth. He kissed her intensely in a fervor as if his patience had been unleashed.
Oh.
Oh!
Octavia could not explain how dizzy it was making her. To follow along his whims as he drew her closer to him. He nipped at her, kissing her with such intensity she feels like drowning. As if wanting to squeeze her, his grip on her tightened that she accidentally let out a breathless moan. It felt very good.
His lips were too soft, too tender, a little intense but it was passionate.
A warmth in her lower belly began to stir the aching in the secret place between her thighs. She could not explain the height she was feeling, but it made her giddy that she smiled against his lips.
Her hands went to his chest and pushed herself up against him, wanting to be closer to him. He groaned against her mouth once she touched him and allowed him to kiss her deeper.
Her soft sighs filled her ears, she should have felt embarrassed, yet all she could think of was him. She felt him part his lips as his tongue coaxed her mouth to open wider. She was quick to oblige him and allowed deeper intimacy with his tongue.
Once they parted, Octavia could not help but bit her lips as if to relish the taste of him. Her breathing was heavy, and the kiss left her completely undone.
“It was,” he exhaled, “It was disrespectful of me to take advantage of you.” He rested his forehead on top of hers.
“No, don’t apologize please. I quite like it.” She tried to assure him, but he seemed very adamant that it was his fault.
He smiled. “I took advantage of your inexperience, it is unforgivable.”
The way he looked at her somehow roused an ache in her chest. She gave him a peck on the lips that left him dumbfounded. “I took advantage of you."
“You have not even known what it means to be kissed.”
“I do. I know there is a lot that I should learn. But Gale, I am very fond of you.”
Gale simply smiled and withdrew from her.
“You drank a lot, come lay and rest.”