Shallan, I'm not sure about this." She barely registered Adolin's words. Objections seemed silly. How could his response be anything other than unquestioning concurrence? She felt a little giddy, a warm buzz serging through her body.
The two had spent the evening at one of the newly established taverns – one of the more expensive, more legitimate ones – that had appeared in Urithiru. Adolin still kept to a version of the alethi codes. He was not as strict as his father and had ordered of the stronger wines. But he had kept it to a single glass, not wanting to betray his duties.
Shallan had no such limitations. She had not realised it herself, but she had more than reached her limit, and would not have gotten back to her room if it weren't for Adolin's help. Stormlight could, of course, have burned away the effect, but then all that money would have gone to waste. Through her time as Veil, Shallan had come to realise she quite enjoyed the less than stable state she got in when drunk. It let her relax, gave her a break from her life, from her, in a way that Veil and Radiant could not. With them around, Shallan was still always there. Only hidden away.
She didn't get to do it often, but when Veil was on a mission, it often happened to lead them to a bar or tavern somewhere. Those nights they let themselves off, even Radiant. It was something special to her. Even if it only lasted for a short time. Even if it meant the world's worst headache in the morning.
"What do you mean 'not sure'?" Shallan said, looking up at her husband-to-be. It simply didn't make sense to her. They were alone, they were together. She was in his arms. What was the problem?
"Shallan, we aren't married yet, we both agreed we would wait. It would go against the almighty, and my own honour." They were sitting on the floor of Shallan's room, Adolin holding her as she leaned against him. "You even got Pattern to chaperone us."
"Mmmmm. No mating," the spren buzzed softly from somewhere out of Shallan's vision.
"Besides," Adolin continued, "you are far too drunk. I'm not going to do anything unless I am sure you know what's going on. And I won't let you do anything either!" He added the last part just as Shallan was going to suggest just that.
"Okay, okay," Shallan said. The words sounded odd, maybe she was a little too drunk? "I'll use some stormlight, then we can do it! How sober do I need to be?" Adolin sighed, loosening his embrace of her. He brushed a stray, red lock from her face, then met her bleary eyes.
"That was not what I was suggesting." He sat up a little straighter, forcing Shallan to do the same. "I think you need some sleep, and I do too. Though you probably should let your stormlight take care of the alcohol. I don't want to find a chasmfiend when I come visit you tomorrow."
Shallan shook her head desperately as Adolin began to rise. The world continued spinning a bit after she stopped. Reluctantly she breathed in a little stormlight from one of the spheres in her safe pouch, clearing her head.
To Shallan's great relief, her conviction remained even as the intoxication lightened. Still, she did not clear it all away. A little tipsiness couldn't hurt. Especially for what she was about to argue.
"Okay, I'm sober now, let's go!" she said, pulling Adolin back down by his arm. He sat back down, but his brow knit in disapproval. "Come on! I won't even look, I promise. Just the hand. It will be like you did it yourself."
"Just the hand?" Adolin exclaimed. "It's your safehand Shallan! That is like one of the most intimate parts of women's bodies!"
"And we," Shallan said, moving closer to him, "are supposed to be in an intimate relationship, remember?" She put her covered safehand on Adolin's shoulder, delighting in his uneasy expression.
"But we aren't married yet. It's not supposed to be intimate like that."
Shallan sat back again, taking her hand back from his shoulder. "If you aren't comfortable with my safehand, I could use my breasts instead."
"I don't think you have enough for that," Adolin retorted without pause. Just as quickly he winced when he saw Shallan's flat stare. "Was that too far?"
Shallan chuckled at the alarm in his voice. "No, that was good. We aren't all as blessed as your cousin." Adolin looked uncomfortable at the mention of Jasnah's chest. "I didn't think you were so prudent." She felt genuine bafflement. Shallan had always thought she was the one who had kept them from this step.
"It's not prudishness." Adolin lowered his head. "I just … I don't want to mess anything up, Shallan. My relationships have always ended abruptly, and I don't want to do something I will regret later. Something I can't take back."
Shame washed over Shallan. Could she not just have let it be? Why did she push him like that? But, she also felt a new closeness. Adolin had the same worries as she. He too, despite appearances, was worried about their relationship. About whether he was good enough.
Shallan felt Adolin's fingers brush against her safehand sleeve. He took her hand in his, meeting her eyes. "I want to be intimate with you, Shallan. I want to do everything with you. I want to make you happy." He moved closer. Then, kissed her. "Let's do it," he said, her hand still grasped firmly in his, as he pulled away. "But you have to tell me if anything feels wrong."
Shallan felt tears in her eyes. She pushed them back, nodding in response. Adolin let go of her hand, and they both stood up. "I still don't have a proper bed," Shallan said, "but the mattress might be more comfortable than the floor."
They sat down together, facing each other. Suddenly she worried there might still be evidence of her earlier mischief. But, Adolin's gaze was locked on her.
"Eye contact," he said, "the whole time. No peeking." Shallan nodded, fixing her eyes on his. "Then, ready?" She nodded again.
She saw Adolin's shoulders move as he began to undo his trousers, heard the rustle of the fabric. An exciting tingle started to build within her, and she felt her cheeks warm. All the while, the two kept their eyes locked.
"There!" Adolin smiled, and Shallan answered it. Slowly, she released the button to her safepouch, then emptied it on the side of the mattress. She undid the button separating the sleeve between the hand and the pouch, allowing her to stick out her fingers. She reached out, still not looking, until the tips of her fingers touched warm flesh. She lifted her hand higher, placing her fingers around the head.
"You're already so hard," Shallan said, genuinely surprised at the stiffness. Adolin's penis was warm and a little damp in her hand. A little sticky.
"Yeah," Adolin said, leaning a little closer. She could feel his breath on her forehead "I can't help it when I'm with you." Shallan's blush deepened by ten shades, her nethers tingled, fueled by the sweet words. "Your hand is very … soft." he whispered, eyes closing for a moment, as if straining.
This time Shallan leaned closer. "It's been hidden away for years," she whispered back. "Never been touched or touched anything for years. Only you." Before Adolin had a chance to respond, Shallan began slipping her hand down his length. With a light touch, she pulled the foreskin along until it stopped, then slid her hand down the rest of him.
She wrapped her fingers around his base, nuzzled into his curly bush. In her mind's eye, she saw the messy blond and black. Shallan's thumb only barely overlapped her fingers when wrapped around him, but even more impressive was Adolin's length. It was unlike anything she had seen or heard of.
Shallan had seen her fair share of penises ever since that time in the mercenary changing rooms. Veil had wholeheartedly encouraged Shallan's recent sexual curiosities, and had spurred her on to sneak about and conduct her "studies". To Shallan's surprise, even Radiant was supportive of her exploration, though she strongly disavowed the peeping. But of the many male specimens she had seen – of the many that were meticulously recreated in a secret, hidden sketchbook – none was even near Adolin in length.
Like this, Adolin's penis was inside her sleeve, running up it. His tip was almost at Shallan's elbow, warm and wet. It had to be near ten inches, probably one and a half across, she reckoned.
Shallan looked into Adolin's blue eyes, sinking deep into his gaze. She rose up toward him, then pressed her lips to his. Adolin leaned down to meet her, deepening the kiss. Her tongue was in his mouth, his in hers. Shallan's body was heating up, she pressed even closer to him. All the while, her fingers were more and more tightly wrapping around Adolin's further stiffening shaft.
When they finally split apart – both short for breath, gasping as they let go – Shallan leaned away from him. She slid her hand back up, lightly grazing his warm, sensitive skin. Her hand came away wet.
"Storms, Shallan," Adolin said. "I'm already close."
"Not yet," she whispered. "Don't let it end just yet."
Without touching him, Shallan moved her hand back down to the base, enveloping him once more in her safehand sleeve. She touched him here, softly brushing her fingers against the underside of his base. Then she moved lower, gently cupping her hand around Adolin's testicles. She felt them twitch slightly at her touch.
"Almight!" Adolin gritted his teeth. "I love you!" He kissed her again and tried to make it last, but Shallan broke away almost immediately. She leaned into him, putting her chin on his shoulder. Adolin leaned back into her, his arm pulling her close. A deep sigh tickled her ear.
Slipping back up, Shallan once more wrapped her hand around his length, caressing the straining organ. She could feel him twitch under her touch. Every little movement she made was answered by a jerk or a moan, making her heart flutter in joy – the things she could do to him.
"Storms, I—" Adolin cried out as he suddenly jerked back. Shallan knew what was happening, but she didn't stop her work. She felt the first spurt hit the bend of her was warm and wet, spraying out into her sleeve. Pulse after pulse. She smiled.
"Sorry, sorry," Adolin said, voice straining with effort. Shallan took his chin in her freehand, giving him a deep kiss again. It lasted until Adolin had been entirely spent, his full load emptied into her safesleeve.
Shallan pulled back, meeting Adolin's eyes once more. Beautiful sky-blue, framed perfectly by his flushing face. She sat back, fingers still around his hot manhood. He was already softening in her grasp, but by what she could feel sticking to the inside of her sleeve, she could hardly fault him.
Finally letting go of him, she pulled her sleeve back off of him. She was careful not to look down – impropriety preserved even now … kind of.
Her arm was warm and clammy, sleeve sticking to her skin. The smell was intoxicating, so strong she could almost taste it, even at a distance. She stuck her nose in the cuff, giving her soiled hand a few sniffs. At once, she became aware of just how wet she was herself.
"Storms, Shallan." Adolin sighed deeply, re-buttoning his trousers. "I can't believe we just did that. That was…"
"Amazing? Wonderful?
"The best thing I have ever felt," Adolin finally concluded.
"Well," She said. "I'm glad you liked it." She leaned in to him again, giving his cheek a light kiss. "Now I need to take care of some lady business." She stood up, walking on wobbly legs toward the door. Just before exiting she turned back around.
"Oh, but this is my room," she said, a little lost. "So I'm afraid you will have to go." She turned and wobbled back, throwing herself onto her mattress. As soon as Adolin had left the room, Shallan hiked her skirts up, shoving her hand into her underwear. She found climax quickly, then did it three more times. All the while her nose was buried deep in her sullied sleeve.