Disclaimer: I don't own Battle of the Planets… I just thought I'd borrow the birdies for a little while.
Learning to Fly….
Princess found the position and situation more than a little uncomfortable. Mark was all around her; all over her; trying to instruct her in something totally new and foreign to her. It was something she'd thought about on numerous occasions, but dared not ask. She couldn't believe it when flashed her a deep blue-eyed gaze and asked if she wanted to try.
Now that the opportunity was at hand, and he was willing to guide her through it, she was unsure if she was truly ready.
She could feel his smile in the darkness as her hand shook and hovered over the one thing he was gently urging her to touch. She knew there was power there and that it was something that could either thrill her completely or scare her with its intensity. She shuddered when she felt Mark's hand touch hers to help her take a firm hold.
"Don't be scared of it, Prin," he coaxed with a gentle voice. "It doesn't bite."
She smiled nervously and nodded, "I know, Mark. I just don't want to … um …" She felt foolish finishing off the sentence, so she giggled softly in embarrassment instead.
Mark's low and quiet chuckle ghosted across her neck and shuddered down her arms. "You won't break it, Princess, I promise you." His hand held more firmly on hers, and guided her fingers around it. "I'll stop you before you can do any damage."
Princess let out a startled gasp as she felt it flick against her hand. She pulled away sharply. "Mark?" she questioned as she brought both hands under her chin and balled them into fists.
"That's normal, Princess. It is looking for you to hold it," he answered softly as his hand sought hers again.
"I don't know, Mark. Maybe we shouldn't." Her apprehension was obvious. "I mean, what would the Chief say?"
He let out a long breath. "It's your decision, Princess. I don't want to pressure you." His arm went across her shoulders and he pulled her close to him. "It's still early, we can do something else if you like."
She could sense mild disappointment in his tone; this was something he obviously wanted to share with her. Her brow creased in her own disappointment in herself and she let herself lean against him for a moment. "I'm sorry, Mark."
His lips found the top of her head, and he spoke gently into her hair. "Don't be. This is something you have to be ready for. We have plenty of time for that later."
"Do we really, though?" She sat up and looked into his face. "How much time do we really have, Mark?"
He stared at her for a long moment and studied the features of her face illuminated by only the stars and moon. "I don't ever want to think about that, Prin." He ran his hand over her hair. "And I don't want you to think like that either."
She opened her mouth to respond, but managed only a squeak when his finger pressed onto her lips.
"I don't want to spend what little time we get alone thinking about our mortality." He felt her lips shift under his finger in a smile, then she took his hand in both hers and kissed each fingertip softly. He swallowed hard when she let the tip of his finger slide over her lips and into her mouth. "Princess," he said desperately when her tongue flicked at it. "What … ?"
She giggled coyly and let him pull his hand from hers. She could see his conflicted expression as he stared at the moistened tip of his finger. "Sorry, but it was there and …" Her words were cut off as he captured her lips with his.
It was a chaste kiss, one that chided her for her teasing, yet questioned whether or not she wanted to take this further. Mark caught himself, and pulled himself from her. "You'll be the death of me," he whispered as his lips brushed her nose, and then her forehead, before he leaned back heavily into the chair.
She watched him a moment in the moonlight and tilted her head at him. His eyes smiled back at her, knowing that she was admiring him again. She let her eyes graze over his chest and waist, then back up to his face. "Mark?"
He ran a hand through his hair and rested his head on his hand. "Mm-hmm?" He hummed in response.
"Let's do it. I'm ready."
Mark shook his head. "No you're not."
Her eyes widened and she let her hand wander to where he'd guided it earlier. This made him sit up suddenly and grab her wrist to stop her. "Princess, no."
She looked down at where his hand held her wrist and frowned. "Why not, Mark? I thought this is what you wanted?"
He didn't relinquish hold of her wrist, but leaned closer toward her. "You have to want it to, Princess. This isn't a G-Force training session or mission assignment. I don't have command over this situation."
"If I want you to?"
He let out a long sigh and let her hand drop to his thigh. "You can't be scared of it, you have to need to do it, to want it, to desire it."
Her shoulders slumped and her head lowered. "I want to, I need to … But I can't help but feel a little apprehensive, Mark. Everyone feels that way the first time." She raised her eyes to his. "How about you? How were you the first time you did it?"
He chuckled low and loud. "I was ready, willing and able, Princess. Like most men."
She cocked her head at him and raised a brow. "But there had to be a little bit of apprehension."
His eyes blinked slowly and he nodded his head. "Self-doubt more than anything." He watched her smile form and broaden across her face and continued. "What if I wasn't not good enough … Did I meet the expectation?" He paused, then smiled. "Yes, you're right."
Her voice softened and she shifted her hand along his thigh. "Then you'll have to trust me when I say I want to do this."
Mark cleared his throat and nodded. "I trust you, Princess."
"Show me, Mark." She licked her lips, then bit down gently on her bottom lip.
"If at any time you want to stop, just tell me," he said softly as he took her hand in his and, again, guided it where he needed. "Your hold has to be firm, but not too tight." He guided her fingers around it and was surprised when he felt her suck in a breath. "What's wrong?"
"I never expected it to be so smooth."
"It would be uncomfortable if it was rough, Princess."
She nodded and tightened her hold. "It should be comfortable in my hand?"
He nuzzled at her neck and sighed an affirmative. "It might be a good idea if you run your hand up and down it a little, just to get a feel for it."
Princess did as advised, and let her fingers trail along its length. She knew Mark was watching her every movement closely and deliberately took her time, committing every line, bump and texture to memory. "Just like that, Mark?"
"Uhuh," he breathed as his hold around her waist tightened. "That's perfect." He paused and watched her fingers circle it again. "How do you feel?"
"Confident," she answered with a smile. "I just need you to show me, now."
He leaned forward and ran his hand along her arm. His lips grazed her shoulder. "You're doing fine. Now don't let it tell you what it wants. It may try to play against you; you need to tell it what you want to do."
"But shouldn't I…?"
"No," he interrupted softly. "This is your game, not his."
She raised a brow and looked sideways at him. "He? What, no name?"
"I'll let you name him later." He paused as he watched it pulse and flick in her hand. "But not until you've felt what it can do. You don't want to give him a name and find out he's the opposite of what you expect."
"Do you think I'll be disappointed?"
"God," he breathed. "I hope not."
She gave a sudden intake of breath. "So much power, Mark," she whispered in awe as she tightened her hold.
He placed his hand over hers and teased her fingers gently off it. "Not so tight, Princess. You want to enjoy it, not choke it."
"Sorry," she whispered sheepishly.
He kissed behind her ear and settled his hand on hers, showing her the correct hold. "Don't be, it's easy to get overwhelmed. Just follow my lead, okay. I'll show you how it's done."
She settled her back against him and closely watched his instruction. He held onto it like a pro, showing her a firm but gentle hold. He gave a pull towards them and tightened his hold on her waist. She gasped as his fingers digging deeply into the skin under her ribs. Somehow his hand had wandered under her shirt, and the feel of his leather glove against her naked skin was as exhilarating as his mouth against her ear.
"You're enjoying this, aren't you?" She asked with a smile.
"More than you could possibly understand," he answered with a shuddering breath. "You?"
"More than I thought."
He removed his hand from hers and leaned back heavily in his chair. "Try it by yourself for a while, Princess. Feel what it has to offer you."
Her hand, now free of Mark's hold, explored its new toy. After only a few seconds, comfort was found, the sudden power she felt surging through her hand and arm made her inhale in awe and need. "God, Mark. This … it's … I could get used to doing this over and over again."
"Describe it to me," he asked softly. "Tell me how it feels."
"Smooth," she began with a shudder. "Smooth and sleek. It's strong, it wants to fight, but it wants me to guide it. It is ferocious and cowardly all at the same time." She turned her head to him. "It draws me in and makes me never want to let it go."
He smiled lazily at her and ran a fingertip down her face. "And how do you feel?"
"I have control. I can move fast or slow, tighten or loosen my hold. I know that I control it." She smiled deviously. "It is nothing without me right now."
Mark gave a laugh at her over-confidence. "It has more control over you than you believe, Princess. It has more control over me than I care to admit, myself."
"Oh Mark," she sighed wistfully. "Can we do this again?"
His eyes flicked into the darkness, "I have to take over now, Princess."
"But, Mark…" she protested.
He pulled her tight against him and leaned forward to regain control. "Sorry, Princess. Letting you fly when we're airborne and cruising is one thing, landing is another."
She folded her arms against her chest and pouted. "I can do it."
He chuckled and touched the Cessna to the tarmac, easily taxiing towards his airfield hanger. "That from a woman who was too scared to take the stick when we were safely in the air."
That made her giggle and she relaxed against him. "Who knew how exhilarating it would be?"
Mark pulled the plane to a complete halt and let the engines slowly die down and cool off. Once he heard the last purr of the nose drown itself out, he lifted Princess off his knee to turn her to face him. "One day, when we have time, I'll teach you everything."
Princess' knees straddled Mark's. "Mm-mm," she hummed in response. "I love it when you teach me new things."
He felt her shift against him and smiled against her mouth as she leaned forward to claim him. "Class is in…"