ArchivedLogs:Enlightenment

Enlightenment
Dramatis Personae Mallory, Aloke
In Absentia	2013-12-10 Achieving enlightenment (Warning: PG-13 for partial nudity and suggestive content)
Location <XS> Aloke's Room - FL3
This is standard teacher's suite at Xavier's, in form at least. A little more expansive than the shared student dorms a floor below, this suite includes a small sitting room, a small bedroom, and a small private bathroom. The sitting room has been made into a fairly cozy space. Just inside the door is a small side table set by itself in a relatively prominent position in the room, where one could easily visit either on the way in, or out. A skilled, hand-painted, 8x10 image of Lakshmi sits on the table, leaning against the wall. Just in front of the painting is a shallow, silver bowl of water with brightly colored flower petals floating on the surface. The bowl is flanked a pair of white candles. Also in the room is a small, square, dark wood table with two upholstered, antique style chairs. In the other corner is a loveseat, a recliner chair, and a small ottoman that looks like it can probably store things inside. The sitting area is placed on a large round rug, done in blues and oranges to resemble a star sand mandala. A rolled up blue foam yoga mat is trying to hide behind the loveseat as well. The room is otherwise unadorned. The school's newest pair of paramour professors had made it back to Aloke's quarters, 'just in time' it would seem. The two fell into each other's arms, and we find them now some time later, having both collapsed back into bed. For his part Aloke is glowing and happily exhausted. Except… he's literally glowing. In the course of their afternoon and evening together, it might have been passed off as a trick of the light, or even a mutation spiked by emotional overflow. But here and now, in the dark room at midnight, one wouldn't even need a light to get around the bachelor's tidily kept room. Really, it's almost bright enough to read by. Interestingly, it seems to have gained brightness since he's been relaxing. When he first fell back into bed, he was breathing like a horse just back from a gallop, and his heart was pounding like ever. But as he lays back, relaxed, half-covered by the sheet, his body begins to give off more and more light. At this point, he's giving off as much light as a sixty watt light bulb, at least. Mallory has since flopped rather unceremoniously on top of the covers, any care for modesty or covering abandoned in the literal afterglow. Her tail lashes slowly and contentedly off the side of the bed, while overly warm fingers dance slowly over Aloke's exposed chest. "You know, I have heard the turn of phrase 'glowing with happiness,' but you do indeed take it to another level," Mallory chuckles, a relaxed smile on her lips, "You alright, love?" She leans over and places a gentle kiss against his shoulder, her expression somewhat concerned. Aloke rolls onto his side, smiling, looking a little confused. "What do you mean-" Aloke blinks as he catches site of his own arm, and just pauses, staring at himself. He lifts his head to look down at his chest and the rest of himself to confirm. "I- well that's a first. I think. Have you ever seen me like this before? Like, while I'm sleeping or something?" The fact that Aloke's eyes shine with light is practically negligible in this new context. His entire body is as bright as his eyes ever were. Mallory snorts slightly at the question, shaking her head as she rolls to prop herself up on her elbow to look at him closer. "I sleep like the dead. I can't say I've seen you do this sorta thing before, ever. Well," she pauses to yawns widely, blinking at him, "Except for the demonstration, that time in the woods." A frown creases her brow, and she reaches a hand out to him, curious, "Do you feel warm or anything? Need, heh, uh, do we need to keep snacks by the bed?" In all seriousness, though, she sits up further, tail curling around her legs, "Are you okay? Do we need to call Hank or something?" Aloke does feel a little warm, but not alarmingly so. He's not even as warm as Mallory's ambient skin temperature. He takes a deep breath and closes his eyes for a moment, which has a slightly strange effect since even his eyelids are glowing now. After a couple of long, meditative breaths, Aloke opens his eyes with a puzzled but relaxed expression on his face. "Well, we probably should go see Hank, eventually. If my ordeal this fall taught me anything, it's a heightened awareness and caution of my own body." Scooting forward, Aloke reaches out and rests a hand on Mallory's hip. "But honestly, I've never felt better. It's almost like… I'm finally myself." Aloke blinks, glances over Mallory's form appreciatively for a moment, and then visibly remembers something. "Wait a minute… did you just… You called me 'love'." He smiles, and before she can even reply he says, "I like the sound of that." Mallory watches intently, leaning forward to brush the hair back from Aloke's face, a soft smile in her eyes. "I'm glad you feel alright," she says quietly, leaning forward to kiss his forehead, stretching out and settling in beside him again, "I worry about you, you know." When he points out her choice of words, a dark blush rises to her cheeks, and she averts her gaze, tensing up and waiting for the reaction. She relaxes notably when he says he likes it, resting her head against his shoulder. "Oh, thank goodness. I... I was rather afraid I was being too forward," she says quietly, tracing her fingers over his chest, playing with the cast shadows in the otherwise dark room. "I worry about you too," Aloke says quietly, and then offers a wry smile. "'Too forward'? Really?" His eyes travel down the length of Mallory's form and generally just takes in the two of them lounging about in their birthday suits, amply lit by Aloke's new 'skin condition'. He chuckles and shakes his head. "No, no you don't have to worry about being 'forward' with me, Mallo. I don't wanna be 'just friends', or friends with benefits, or anything like that. In the words of the immortal Prince, 'I wanna be your lover.'" Aloke pauses a moment, holds Mallory's gaze and adds, "Because I'm /in/ love with you. That's just how it is." Frank and to the point. That's how Aloke does things. The blush in her cheeks does not subside, especially as Aloke's gaze roams her reclined figure. She snuggles a bit closer, the warmth brought on from recent activity subsiding to a comfortable level. "It's just a... different upbringing, I suppose. Feelings weren't exactly a common topic, especially not love," Mallory says quietly, finally closing her eyes against the brilliant light emitting from Aloke. Drawing a deep breath, Mallory just relaxes there, taking in his scent and just being there. "I'm in love with you, too, Aloke," she says, finally, eyes still closed, head rested on his shoulder. "Well that works out then, doesn't it," Aloke asks, quietly. He shifts to slip an arm under Mallory's head and snugs himself up close to her, while still lying on his back, watching the play of scattered light across the ceiling as he shifts about. He keeps his voice soft in case she's about to fall asleep again. She sleeps like the dead, yes, but he still would feel bad if he disturbed her. "Hopefully this /will/ be a common topic for us," he says, practically whispering. "Now. And… moving forward." The soft rise and fall of Mallory's breath indicate that she is starting to drift off to sleep, though she shifts when he does, lifting her head to keep from scraping his arm with her horns. Contented, she curls up against him further, mumbling softly, "I think I'd like that, very much," a pause for a wide, sleepy yawn, her voice starting to slur with oncoming sleep, "Sleep well, love." And then she's drifted off, her breathing falling into a regular, soft snore as she does.