He moves so she can settle herself between his legs, her back against his torso, and he holds her hair in a ponytail, kissing her nape in an attempt to calm her down. But thunder strikes again, she starts, sighs in discontentment with herself for being afraid of such a silly thing.
But Altair lets go of her hair, drops his arms and encircles her into an embrace by the waist. He doesn't stop the small kisses on the side of her neck, holding her tighter, taking in her scent and it's a mix of flowers and sweat, fear, and he can see the beads of sweat running down her naked form.
When a cool breeze prickles her skin, he notices the way her nipples stand erect, her hand finds his thigh and squeezes, telling him everything without uttering a single word. Because Maria is far too proud to admit she's scared, that they're too far away from home and a night like this only exists to abase her state of independence.
Lightning, and she shudders, resting her head on Altair's shoulder as if the action will make her invisible to the event going on around them. Then she feels his hands covering both of her ears and she leans into the touch, using the palm of one hand as a pillow. She can almost hear his smile as she closes her eyes, the sound of the storm outside muffled.
She's still scared, her heart still skips a beat when the thunder is too loud, but as Altair rests his chin on top of her head, never once uncovering her ears, she feels safe.
