Becoming a Phoenix (m/m open)

Astor inched himself closer to Jessie when she said that she would like a little massage to help her relax despite the storm startling her. One hand started to gently knead at one of her shoulders even as she told him to get laid, "You wouldn't have to be offering now would you?" He teased back now moving so that he could get to both of her shoulders before starting on anything else, "If you are, it might stress a few other things before you really get relaxed."

Jessie shook her head when Astor offered for them to go back when he saw her reaction, "No, no its fine" she said firmly not wanting to let her fear of something overtake her whole life. Thinking over his offer though of rubbing out some of the kinks she shrugged "Well I wouldn't mind that" Jessie laughed as she stayed where she was close to Astor, she was use to getting massages especially after really intense training sessions. "And maybe you should get out more and get laid, old man" Jessie teased him with a cheeky grin knowing that she was one to talk since she was eighteen and had never slept with anyone in her life as she was always scared she might set them on fire.

Astor snickered at her comment about wanting a good view, "I'm a guy nearly forty that's been on his alone since before I turned thirty. Can't really blame me really." He gave the quick explanation before the thunder cracked making Jessie get closer to him. The jokes seemed to stop when he saw her reaction, "If it's this bad we can head back. I'll try rubbing out some kinks if you're alright with the idea of me touching you." The offer was sincere and it was up to Jessie to decide how far he was allowed to go.

Jessie stayed quiet listening to Astor, watching as he played with the water Jessie closed her eyes and leaned back in the water letting her hair get wet before she rightened herself and sunk down more in the water so the water was touching her chin "I have no doubt that I'll feel it after a while". As soon as Astor thought of ideas of how to keep her cool and mentioned making sure she wore a bra she squinted her eyes at him "You just want a good view" she said with a shake of her head, moving in the water so she was standing straight again she splashed the water at him just as a clap of thunder happened making Jessie jump in the water and move a little closer to Astor in fright.

Astor shrugged his shoulders with the brief description as to why she was attending ballet instead of anything combat focused, "If it works then it works. And you definitely benefited from all that movement and training." He continued over now casually splashing at the water with the tips of his fingers, "The movements may not be a problem now, but give it a few weeks and you'll definitely be feeling it when you're doing all that day after day of more than just running on flat ground." He raised up a hand to his chin once more thinking of something to play with her, "Well. Ice cold, soaking wet, we can see about what I could do to chill you out. Just make sure to wear your bra and keep away from wearing a white shirt." He snickered with the minor implication of what the cold would do, "Unless you can think of something else that might help with that."

Jessie crinkled her nose at Astor when he seemed to take delight in her discomfort of being complimented, "My aunt and uncle thought it would be better if I did something less likely to make me set things on fire so ballet was it. Just as draining is and slightly more brutal training sessions" she said with a shrug of her shoulders. She couldn't even count on one hand how many times she had broken her toes and had to continue to preform, as soon as Astor said that he was young where it counted Jessie's blush deepened and looked away from him "I'll take your word for it". As he went over the list of things he did Jessie nodded her head, it was understandable being so far out to hunt his own food. "Well running and hiking wont be a problem, I doubt the climbing would be a problem either but I might have problems with the physical training. You're going to have to make it really cold so I don't set you on fire for that" Jessie laughed.

Astor couldn't help himself at this point and chuckled at the blush that streaked over her face after complimenting her again. It was going to be entertaining if this was going to be her constant reaction to compliments, "Ballet? That's one that I don't hear often. Most of the time it's some kind of fighting sport, like boxing. But there's definitely a flexibility factor to ballet." He added in though with the comment about him being an old man just made things so much easier to mes with her, "Oh trust me. I'm young where it counts." He snickered though after a second to let her stew in the comment for a bit he added something less extreme, "I hunt, climb, hike and run on a near daily basis just to make sure I can eat. Which will probably be added into your little regiment to get you in a similar spot. And for the plan all together, it's mostly discipline type training. Sitting under a waterfall, meditation, little things like that. There will be some physical training later on, but focus and discipline is first."

Jessie took note of Astor trying to sneak a glance down her underwear but she pretended to ignore it, she had never taken notice of guys when they stole glances at her. "What exactly do you plan to put me through?" she asked laughing as to what he had in mind when it came down to training her, leaning back herself Jessie felt her face flush when he complimented how she treated her body. "Thanks" Jessie said embarrassed by the fact that he took note of her figure "Running everyday helps, I also used to do ballet so keeping fit was important". "You don't look too bad for yourself, you know, for an old man" she said with a cheeky grin.

Astor watched Jessie as she dipped herself in the water slowly right until she was as far sunk down as she could go which only seemed to add more emphasis to the still covered breasts. As much of a teacher as he was, he was still a man and he just couldn't help but to try and sneak a glance or two down at Jessie's black underwear, "Just relax and let the heat soak in. You'll really thank these little soaks when things start getting rougher and you start getting sore." He commented while leaning back against the sides of the springs, "You treat your body pretty well by the way." He added in mostly as a way to fluster her like she seemed to get when he made the comment about seeing her in her underwear.

Rolling her eyes Jessie smirked back at Astor when he looked back at her, when he mentioned seeing her in her underwear she blushed a little and ducked her head to look at the ground as they continued to walk. When they reached the hot spring Jessie opened her mouth to speak but she closed it as soon as Astor began to take off his clothes before she could answer his question "Well, guess you answered that yourself" Jessie laughed. Standing at the edge of the hot sprint for a moment after he had climbed in Jessie sighed a little to herself before she stripped off of her own clothes and slowly climbed into the water with him "This is weird, but nice" she said once she was far enough into the spring for the water to hit her just under her breasts.

Astor snickered at her interjection of him just wanting to cop a feel, "Well, that depends on how you want to take it." He spoke up looking back while he walked. He smirked at the probability of more than likely just her holding onto his arm, "I'm sure I'll manage a girl hanging onto my arm while I hike to a hot spring with the thought of seeing her in underwear." He continued the lighthearted mood during the mile long hike. Said hike didn't seem to last long and a pool of hot water steaming in the cool air around them, "So, you want to get undressed first or should I?" He asked breaking the brief silence between them though started undressing himself before she could react until he was down to a pair of dark colored boxers that were covered the moment he dipped into the hot water.

"I doubt that" Jessie stated after he spoke about getting used to storms after a while, she had never liked them not even when she had been a baby. Following close behind Astor as he lead the way Jessie smirked at his back when he suggested carrying her if she got another fright and to forgive him if he grabbed her somewhere questionable, "You just want to cop a feel" Jessie joked as she tucked her hair behind her ears easily keeping up with him. "But I'm sure I wont need to be carried, you just might end up with me holding onto your arm" she laughed crossing her arms across her stomach as they walked she took in the trail he had obviously created on his hikes.

Astor shrugged his shoulders at the mention of the storm, "You get used to them after a while." He added in as he walked outside watching the way she moved and watching her to ensure she wasn't going to jump again if thunder clapped again, "I try to make a trip up there once a week or so. Not a lot to do up here and it's a nice little stroll through the woods to pass the time." He answered taking the first steps ahead and expecting her to follow close behind, "And if you feel another fright come along, I can carry you if I have to. Just forgive an old man if he accidentally grabs where he doesn't try to." He smirked at the last comment before tucking his hands in his pockets and leading the way through a path he walked enough times for a minor wear to be visible through the dirt and broken branches.

"Well if I had known what on earth would be going on here I would have brought one" Jessie laughed, when Astor asked if she was ready for the hike she nodded "Sure, I mean who doesn't want to go on a hike when a storm is coming" she said with a smirk as she walked out of the kitchen and headed out of the cabin. Looking up at the skin she raised a brow a little looking at the dark clouds still rolling in, shaking her head Jessie placed her hands on her hips enjoying the cool change the storm was starting to bring to the area. "So, I take it you hike to these hot springs often?" Jessie asked Astor tipping her head to the side.

Astor lifted an eye brow up after hearing about Jessie's habit about running on a daily basis, "Oh good. I was worried you'd be one of those people that detested activity on principle." He dished himself up and ate with Jessie enjoying the company for once, "A bikini? Definitely something to bring on a forest adventure." He chuckled out tucking the plate in the sink, "So. You ready for the hike?" He asked clapping is hands together to emphasize the point.

Jessie thought for a moment as she looked down at her biker boots before she looked back at Astor "No problem. I run just over a mile every day so hiking a mile isn't going to bother me" she said with a shrug, taking the plate from him when he put the meat and leafy greens on it for her Jessie began to eat. "If I had known that hot springs would be a thing I would be going to I would have brought a bikini" Jessie laughed to herself a little, she knew she would be fine going into the hot springs wearing her current bra and panties as they were black so it wouldn't be a problem. Finishing off her plate of food Jessie got off of the counter and washed the plate and utensils off.

Astor chuckled at the enthusiasm that Jessie came up with at the thought of a hike to a hot spring, "Just to warn you, there is a bit of a hike there. About a mile so if you have any good footwear to take up there, I would very much recommend it. Along with some sort of undergarment that won't go see through if it gets wet." He spoke up poking the meat to make sure it was cooked properly before pulling it off the grill and with a pair of tong picked up a good portion for leafy greens and the mushrooms, "Anyway. Eat up so you don't gas yourself out on the trek up."

"I have a feeling you would make me if I set a lot of things on fire" Jessie said with a laugh uncrossing her arms she placed her hands on her counter on either side of her and pulled herself up on the counter so she could sit there and just watch Astor cooking the meat. When he mentioned taking a hike to some hot springs Jessie nodded her head a little "I wouldn't mind going. I've never been to a hot spring before, so it should be interesting" she said with a smile letting herself relax more and more around Astor. This was the most comfortable she had ever felt with someone she wasn't related to before and it was a nice feeling.

Astor chuckled at the mention of frost bite, "Please. I wouldn't actually make you sleep on ice. I'm not that cruel." He added in flipping the meat on the grill, "Since we're on a little bit of a standby before going all in on training, how do you feel about a bit of a hike for a hot spring soak? Help loosen everything up before things get difficult."

Jessie rolled her eyes a little when Astor seemed to get a kick out of her having to sleep in a bath, she hated when she had to do that but it did stop her from waking up with her bed on fire "Well, it is uncomfortable but at least only my pillows and blankets caught on fire when I did that". When he gave her a slight nudge on her shoulder Jessie laughed a little and shook her head at him "You'll give me frost bite if you do make me a bed of ice to stop me setting things on fire" she pointed out, even though setting things on fire was something she was good at Jessie also had a horrible habit of getting sick at the drop of a hat if she got too cold.

It wasn't too out of the ordinary to hear about an elemental living as a single child for the most part though the spot about having to sleep in a bathtub after setting things on fire did bring a smirk to the corner of his lip, "Well. That's the first time I've heard of someone sleeping in the bath." He chuckled out now waiting for the meat to cook up, "I'm sure you'll do fine. If not then I'll just make you a bed make of an ice block so you can chill a little." He joked with her with a slight nudge on the shoulder.

Jessie nodded as Astor explained that it was just about living off what you could get, leaning against one of the kitchen counters she opened her mouth to tell him what it was like living with her aunt and uncle but she stopped when he mentioned setting things on fire and she blushed a bit thinking of all of the things she had set on fire over the years. "It was good where I used to live, in the suburbs. Basically raised as an only child" Jessie laughed ignoring the blush on her cheeks "I uh, once set their kitchen on fire during an argument" she said shyly as she refused to lock eyes with Astor "Also ended up sleeping in the bathtub most of the time so I would stop setting my bed on fire".

Astor shrugged his shoulders while bringing out plastic containers filled with edible plants that would be found in the woods as well as some common garden vegetables, "More a case of just getting what you can and living off it." He nonchalantly added in while slicing several mushrooms up and tossing them into a bowl, "So was it like where you used to live? Hopefully you didn't light too much on fire."

Jessie watched as Astor stepped back into the kitchen she nodded her head a little when he said that she was doing him a favour by giving him someone to talk to "Happy to be of help" she said with a small laugh. When he asked if she liked venison Jessie shrugged her shoulders slightly "I don't know. Never had it" Jessie stated as he set up the stovetop grill, looking at the venison Jessie raised a brow a little "My aunt and uncle weren't...adventurous eaters I guess you could say" she added wondering why some people loved venison and why others didn't like it in the slightest.

Astor caught the slight jump as the thunder clapped though decided not to bring up the thought about her issues with storms, "Yeah. They seem to float around here from time to time. I'm sure you'll get used to it after a while." In a small effort to try and let her feel more at home and comfortable, he took a few steps back to the kitchen to get something cooked up, "Don't worry about it. You're going me a bit of a favor just giving a man someone to talk to." He replied while setting up a stove top styled grill, "You like venison? Lots of deer out here, so that's mostly what I get." He added in while the grill heated up enough for the fair sized slabs of meat to start cooking.