“Ah now that… that I can certainly provide,” he breathes, and delicately cupping her face, draws her down into a warm, sweet, exploratory kiss. It seems likely that they will be there for some time.

It is certainly no hardship at all to discover the way an Arcanum makes love. With slow delight and showers of deliberate soft kisses, he helps her out of her garments one inch at a time. Each new place uncovered receives its own gentle adoration, and not once does he regret it. As he so often does with his patrons, he loses himself in the moment – he cannot separate himself out to observe and act both at once. Not in this. So he devotes himself entirely to the action rather than render a lack-luster performance. Once he has coaxed her entirely from her gown, he draws back, holding her hands till he can no longer and must allow them to separate. He kneels before her to begin divesting himself of his own clothing, hesitant in places, casting her shy glances as color lends depth to his shapely face. His shoulders bow as he curls inward, arms crossing over his chest and drawing down to his hips. He holds the pose a moment as if praying, shame over his disfigurement washing over him stronger than it has in many, many months. Naamah and Elua forgive him… he actually wants this woman’s approval.