Hello, everybody! I had originally planned for this story to be posted on Valentine's Day along with Spree, but with school and everything getting in the way, I didn't actually get around to writing it until... yesterday. So! With Spring Break finally here, I've had some time to spit out this little number for ya! I hope you all enjoy! I know I did! (By the way, Disclaimer! I don't own Tales of Vesperia. But you knew that already. =3 )

Warmer

The stars were beautiful. The desert sky really was a sight to see at night, when the blazing sun was gone. Judith wished that the others had been awake to see it too. Of course, they could be. She had no way of knowing.

She lay peacefully and comfortably on Ba'ul's back as he flew in lazy circles just beyond the border of Mantaic. The others were all sound asleep, safely at the Mantaic inn. She sighed, feeling the wind whip across her skin. Vaguely wondering what time it was, Judith turned to lie on her stomach, petting Ba'ul's fur. Maybe we should start going back now, Judith thought to Ba'ul. A low wail answered her in agreement, and he soared downward, toward the small desert town.

When Ba'ul landed, Judith carefully slid off of him. "Thank you, Ba'ul," she smiled, scratching him heartily behind his horn. He answered her with a grateful howl as she leisurely walked to the inn.

Not trying too particularly hard, Judith was silent as she made her way into the room. She quietly walked to her bed on the far end of the room and stretched, sitting to remove her boots. As she placed them neatly together near her bed, Judith noticed a shudder from the bed across from hers. Her curiosity getting the best of her, Judith peered over at the bed, spotting a familiar dark, spiky ponytail.

Raven lie on his stomach in his bed, burrowed in the sheets. His jacket and belt hung from a corner of his headboard, casting strange, dark shadows. His feet at the headboard and his head at the foot of the bed, he rested his chin on folded arms. Judith smiled to herself as she peeled off her gloves and placed them on the tiny bedside table next to her. She took down her hair, placing small pins and clips next to the gloves. Her intricate bun had left her hair voluminous and wavy. She shook her head, letting her blue locks fall heavily over her shoulders.

With a little smirk, Judith slipped off of her bed and crept to the one across the room. "You really should find a better way to pretend to be sleeping," she whispered, stooping to Raven's eye level.

"Just keepin' an eye out for the kiddies, darlin', ya know?" he answered with a sleepy smile.

"How noble of you," Judith smirked.

"Hey, it's true," he whispered, still smiling. He was telling the truth. For the most part.

"I know," she said. Her smirk faded into a warm smile. She blinked as she noticed Raven shudder once more. "Are you alright?" she asked him.

Raven sighed. "It gets cold in the desert at night, darlin'. An' it ain't easy for this ol' man ta stay warm like you young'uns can," he explained. He slightly nodded as he spoke, his chin still anchored to his forearms. Catching a healthy eyeful of Judith's cleavage so near to his face, Raven raised an eyebrow. "Wanna help warm ol' Raven up, Judy baby?" he grinned, forcing his eyes back up to hers. He knew he had stepped into dangerous waters, but was resigned to whatever slap on the wrist he might receive.

Judith grinned, choking back a snicker. "If you're so sure you need it," she whispered, "I guess I can give you a hand." Judith's tone had dropped, and she leaned forward, teasing him a little more. She knew he hadn't been expecting such a simple compliance, but that was what made it so much fun. She slowly moved to the side of his bed, lifting a corner of the sheets.

Raven had never expected that to actually work. Then again, it might not have. Deciding not to count his chickens before they hatched, he rolled over onto his back, giving her more room, and because he knew that lying on his stomach would soon become quite uncomfortable.

Judith slid under the covers next to him, opening the frog on the collar of her shrug. Nonchalantly, she shrugged out of the shrug, placing it aside somewhere.

Raven folded his arms again, this time behind his head, and quietly watched her. To him, Judith's movements seemed so sensual and choreographed. Sexy. Ogling her, he grew a little light-headed, grateful to be already lying down. As he caught a glimpse of her shoulder peeking out from the veil of indigo hair, he drew up his knee, camouflaging a part of his anatomy.

After what felt like an hour, Judith finally lay down beside him, dangerously close. She lay on her side facing him, and rested her cheek on the palm of her hand. "Are you warmer yet?" she asked, referring to his body temperature in a whole new way.

Mirroring her posture, Raven looked at her dreamily, his fingertips yearning to touch that bare shoulder that beckoned to him from under its blue curtain. The way her lips curved into that sultry smile made him want to seize them with his own. Her breasts caressed one another, their soft curvature calling to him so loudly that he imagined them waking the rest of the party. The dip of her waist together with the incline of her hip intoxicated him. "Ah, just a tad," he said, managing not to stammer. "I ain't quite there yet."

Judith smiled, reaching with her free hand to caress his cheek. She leaned in, kissing him there. Scooting even closer, she touched his chin, tilting his head back, and planted a kiss on his jaw line. She felt his breath hitch in his throat and grinned as his breathing grew faster. Pleased with her progress, she trailed her hand down his neck, stopping at the first unopened button on his pink shirt. She splayed her hand on his chest and gently nudged him onto his back. Her nose traced a trail back up to his face and she brushed her fingers along his bottom lip before soundly kissing him.

High on the smell of her hair, Raven returned her kiss, gingerly at first, then more hungrily, letting his hands gravitate to her hips. His fingers searched for a way to remove more of her clothing. He quietly hummed into her kiss as he unfastened the white part of her lower garment. Untying her belt, he pushed the garment aside, his hands now coaxing her on top of him. He broke the kiss, moving his lips to her neck, cradling her head and suckling at her collarbone.

Judith moaned quietly, happily straddling his hips. "How about now?" she whispered, her lips mere centimeters from his ear. She slowly opened two of the buttons on his shirt, letting her hands glide over the skin on his chest, her nails gently raking over his blastia.

Raven released a ragged sigh, letting her feel him up. He pushed her hair back, gently handling it so that it all draped over her right shoulder. "I think I need ta be a little bit warmer," he breathed, kissing the exposed flesh of her neck and shoulder. He pulled her down, grinding up against her.

Judith gasped, feeling just how hard he was. Teasingly pulling herself away, she rested on his thighs and set to work getting his pants out of the way. She slowly worked on the zipper, letting her hands press into his cock as she unzipped every centimeter. She grinned as Raven shuddered beneath her, bucking and grinding into her touch.

All Raven could do at this point was watch and wait. He stared at Judith's body, how it seemed to undulate as he moved beneath her. Her breasts were beautiful, and he wondered why the hell he hadn't tried to remove that top by now. He told himself he would, in due time. As his mind wondered her, he was startled by her hand firmly wrapping itself around his shaft. He inhaled sharply through his teeth as Judith stroked him. "Oh, god…" he breathed, perhaps a little too loudly.

The Krytian stopped briefly, looking around the room. Satisfied that no one had stirred, she came forward, lowering her face to his ear. "Shhh…" she hushed him quietly, an amused grin on her face.

Apologetically, Raven kissed her neck. He didn't want her to stop.

Judith returned her attention to stroking him, careful and slow this time. "This feels warm enough already," she grinned, her eyes sparkling through her long bangs. "Are you sure you're not warmed up yet?" She giggled to herself, tickling the underside of his cock.

Raven arched into her hands, lightly gripping her knees. "Gotta be hotter, baby," he whispered. He could no longer bear just looking at her. He had to touch her. Pushing himself upright, Raven snaked his arms up Judith's back, pulling her closer. He seized her lips, his hands fumbling for the clasp on her top. He was grateful that it was pretty much a bra. As it fell between them, he tossed it aside, gripping at her breast.

"Unh…" he heard her murmur in his ear.

Judith was pleasantly surprised as Raven groped her breast. With a smile, she wrapped her arm around his neck, returning his eager kisses. She nibbled at his lip as she felt his hand slide down her stomach and disappear between them. As she felt his fingers push her panties aside and slide up and down against her clit, she gasped, chomping down on her own lower lip. "Raven…" she panted into his ear.

Judith's stroking on his cock increased in speed, and Raven reveled in her touch, panting into her hair. "Judy," he growled, squeezing his eyes shut. He panted even more heavily, biting Judith's shoulder to stifle a moan.

Growing concerned about their noise level, Judith pushed Raven down onto the mattress, pulling the covers up over their heads. "You're noisy," she grinned, whispering in his ear.

"If it weren't fer everyone bein' in here… ya'd be noisy too," he huffed, kissing her collarbone. He rubbed her clit, a little more forcefully now.

"Unh," Judith moaned, shuddering at his touch.

"Ya see?" Raven grinned.

Judith breathed deeply, trying hard to regain some composure. "Are you… warm enough… yet?" she breathed, stroking Raven faster.

"A- - almost there…" he whispered.

Pushing herself up onto her knees, Judith firmly gripped Raven's shaft, guiding it inside of her. Letting herself relax onto him, she shifted and rocked, feeling him inside her. She kissed and suckled on his neck, her hands forcefully gripping his shoulders.

"Judy, baby…" he moaned, his voice muffled in the crook of her neck. "Th-this… just ain't fair." His eyes squeezed shut, he felt her sliding up and down his shaft, and he thrusted against her motions.

Judith rode him harder. "I thought you wanted to be warmed up," she smiled, curling her hand around his ponytail.

"More 'n anything, darlin'," he rasped. Judith rode him faster, and a little bit harder, and faster still. Raven found it difficult to keep up with her.

Judith sat up on him, riding him just a few more times before he finally erupted. "Uh, god…!" he panted, his volume just under a moan. If he could, he would have screamed it. His muscles tensed, he arched his back so much that he almost lifted Judith off of the bed.

Raven's sudden movement jolted Judith, the pulsations erupting from his orgasm forcing her to tighten around him. She gasped his name, arching her back. The covers flopped off of her shoulders and behind her, exposing her milky flesh to the moonlight. Coming down, she collapsed onto Raven's chest. "All better?" she breathed, tracing the outline of his blastia.

"Perfect," he replied, hugging her close to him. He pulled the sheets up to Judith's shoulders, watching as her eyelids grew heavier. His hand slid down to rest at her waist and he smiled, giving her one last tiny thrust. It felt great to still be inside of her.

Judith snuggled up against his chin feeling contented. "I should help you out more often," she murmured into his neck.

"Ya should," Raven whispered back. "Ol' Raven sure could use some help now and again."

*********************

The next morning, Raven awoke alone in his bed. He stretched his arms above his head blinking sleep out of his eyes, and noticed that he was alone in the room. "Ugh," he groaned, stretching his back. "Thanks fer the wake-up call, guys," he grumbled to himself. Still, he was grateful they'd let him sleep in today.

He took his sweet time getting out of bed, his mind wandering back to the events of last night. He had to give himself some credit for nailing the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen in ten years.

Slipping his arms into his purple jacket, he found a mirror at the vanity. He looked endearingly at his disheveled ponytail, remembering Judith's hands in his hair. With a sigh, he smiled at it before taking it down and redoing it.

All straightened out and in order, Raven pointed at himself and gave his reflection a wink. "Never looked better!" he said to himself.

"Hey, Raven!" came a loud voice from the doorway. He turned to see little Karol Capel running toward him.

"Mornin', Karol," Raven said after one more glance in the mirror, ruffling the boy's hair.

"Yuri sent me in to get you, in case you weren't already up," Karol announced proudly.

"Ah, that boy's got no patience at all," Raven sighed. "I'd a been out soon enough."

"Well…" Karol began. "He was gonna send me in for you about forty-five minutes ago, but Judith convinced him to wait a while longer."

"'S'at so?" Raven smiled at the mention of her name. "I always knew that Judy darlin' was a sweet girl."

"Yeah," Karol said. "She had to stop Rita from coming in and pulling you out by your hair!" the boy laughed.

Raven chuckled. "That coulda' been embarrassin'," he said. "Remind me ta give Judy a proper 'thank you'."

"Okay," Karol said, committing Raven's request to memory. "Hey! Guess what!" the boy suddenly exclaimed.

"What?"

"I had the weirdest dream last night!" Karol said excitedly.

"Oh yeah? What about?"

"It was about you and Judith." Karol paused, blushing a bit. Raven raised an eyebrow, his interest now thoroughly piqued. "You guys were… doing it."

"Get outa here!" Raven grinned, feigning surprise. Oh damn, the kid heard us last night, he thought, but he kept his wits about him enough to play dumb.

"Pretty weird, right?" Karol said, chuckling nervously.

"Wish I'd had a dream like that one, kid. Lucky you!" For once, he was grateful the kid was so gullible.

Karol shrugged. "I guess," he said.

"I think I've kept 'em waitin' long enough, right?" Raven smiled.

"Yeah," Karol agreed.

"Let's get a move on," he said, gently patting Karol's back.

"Okay!" the young guild leader exclaimed, and he ran off ahead of the old man.

Raven followed leisurely behind him. He thought aloud to himself, "Some dream."

Yay! Happy Spring Break, everybody! I know you've been waiting for this, warning, but I couldn't message you back about it. And I've gotta give you some credit, k'arthur, (shoulder biting, eehee!) because your Raven/Schwann is EPIC WIN!

As for everyone else, you know the drill! I'm lookin' for some RnR! Tell me what you think! I'd love to hear from EVERYONE! I'll give you love love love forever!

Thanks for reading!