When Nevyn had been rejected by his family, he spent nearly a decade blending in, and learning the depth of his power. During this time Nevyn stuck to hopping people that would have been around his own age if he had still had a body, and also his same gender. By doing so, he was able to feel a connection to the body he had lost. He craved normalcy and acceptance, but feared rejection and being punished for someone who could only exist by leeching off the bodies of others. As his soul passed the age of 24, he found himself floating aimlessly, and wished to be free of this world. This was his frame of mind when he succumbed to that age old temptress, love. It was this that would cause him to set foot outside of his self imposed bubble, and take a chance at something real.
Nevyn had been in a new body, in a new town, and was going through the motions of existing. By chance, he passed a church as its bells began to ring. The doors were flung open and its occupants spilled out and formed two orderly lines. Down the middle came a newly married bride and groom, all smiles at their friends and family. All Nevyn could see however, was the bride. He was struck by her beauty. Up until that point in his life, he never acted rashly, and he never hopped publicly. But Nevyn had reached a dangerous point in a young man's life where he was willing to be a little reckless.
Nevyn strode across the street to the couple and watched as they climbed into an open horse drawn carriage that had been prepared for the happy couple's departure. He reached up and extended his hand towards the groom in congratulation. The groom smiled broadly at the stranger below him and accepted the gesture with his own hand. The groom looked puzzled as his hand, then arm began to shudder. Before he could voice any concern, it had passed. The bride watched as her new husband seemed to give orders to the stranger on the street, then turned towards her and looked at her as if for the first time.
From the beginning of his nomadic journey, Nevyn had never hopped anyone married. Some of the boys and young men he had possessed had fancied a girl or two in their life, but Nevyn had not acted on their impulses, choosing to not make any waves. But this impetuous act of hopping a newly married man would be more a tsunami. Nevyn didn't care at that moment because of the way this woman lovingly returned his gaze, as if he were the most important person to her in the world. The way her kind eyes searched his face rekindled a mix of emotions that had been dormant for so long. He felt love, happiness, peace, and hope. It was her soft brown eyes that he loved the most, the way they seemed to draw him in and invite him to share every part of himself with her.
Unfortunately, all those feelings and emotions were horribly misplaced. Her love hadn't been for him. Deep down he knew this, and possibly only wanted a taste of it at first, but like most addictive things, one taste is never enough. The bride put a hand on his leg and she laughed nervously as her hand drew close to her new husband's crotch. Nevyn felt his new loins stir at this contact. Her nervousness clued Nevyn in to the fact that this was all as foreign to her as it was to him. He decided to extend his own hand to her leg, mostly covered by her white dress. She playfully slapped his hand, and when she saw the hurt look on his face, she laughed again and pulled him in for a chaste kiss. Nevyn felt his heart would pound right out of his chest.
As they neared a house on the outskirts of town, the carriage began to slow. Nevyn realized this place must be their destination, and had a surge of panic as he realized he had so far been blind to every detail of this borrowed life. He tried to remain calm as he scanned pertinent details of his host. He was Ned Briar, a young man who had learned to work with his hands under the tutelage of his father. He could build almost anything out of wood, and the house they had stopped in front of, Ned had built for him and his bride. It was a small dwelling, barely enough room for the two of them, but it was theirs, and there was a small shed behind the house for smaller projects Ned could work on.
As Nevyn helped the woman down the carriage steps, he searched Ned's information on his bride. Her name was Bethany Cowell, well, now Bethany Briar. They had courted for some time, helped along frequently by their parents. Their union had been arranged for some time, but Ned and Beth had not minded in the slightest, for they had fancied each other for years. Beth had been longing for the day when she could tell everyone that Ned was her husband.
After Nevyn had helped her from the cart, they both took a moment to admire the house from the outside as the driver and carriage departed. After a minute, Nevyn walked through the front door, leaving Beth outside. He was admiring Ned's craftsmanship when he realized she wasn't with him. Nevyn wondered why and was about to ask when he realized he was about to use his own voice. His excitement at what he had done had made him careless. He found Ned's center again, and when he did so, he understood at once why Beth remained on their front porch. He marched out and hung his head. "I'm very sorry, dear," he said, and gave a small bow.
"Quite all right," she said graciously. "Now if you would please do the honors, I'd like to see the inside of our new home."
Nevyn swept her up into his arms and carried her across the threshold. Beth went room to room and gave little pleased gasps and praised Ned for his handiwork. She made a vocal inventory of things she would still need and where she would put them. Nevyn followed her, pleased at seeing her so happy. When they got to the bedroom, she resumed her list. When she was done she turned towards him and he was struck dumb by the look that was now upon her face. It was a hungry look, but, something more. Nevyn scanned Ned's memories and didn't recognize it there either. Ned was used to a sweet smile or chaste expression when he looked at Beth, but this was something new. In all of Nevyn's other lives he had been in, he had not seen this particular expression, for he too had been a virgin. He had always shied away from relationships, sexual or otherwise, so both he and Ned were equally in the dark.
"Husband," she purred, then giggled at the fact that she could now call this man husband. She said it again, slightly deeper this time, and with a need, "Husband, I want you to know that I don't care about any of those things really, as long as I have you. Do you feel the same way about me?"
"Y-yes," Ned stammered. "As long as I have you, nothing else matters."
Her smile was radiant and seemed to light up the room. "Then I think it's time you have all of me." She walked to him and kissed him. Nevyn slipped out of Ned's center and for a moment didn't know what to do as her tongue slipped into his mouth. He found it again and discovered she and Ned had only exchanged a peck or two. Ned had no tips for him here other than to wonder how Beth seemed to know how to do this. Nevyn responded with eagerness though and was a fast learner. Soon his hands were pawing at the outside of her dress, touching her bosom like a man who has never wanted something more in his life. She laughed at him as she broke away, then turned her back to him. "If you please?"
Nevyn didn't understand, then took her meaning. He began to unfasten several intricate bows that held her dress close to her delicate frame. Even though each knot only took the slightest tug to unravel, he fumbled more than once as his hands shook. His nervousness and the way his fingers occasionally traipsed against her revealed skin made her desire him all the more. Her breath quickened and she longed for him to hurry, but also wanted this moment to last forever.
When he was finished, he announced it with a voice that simply quivered, "Done."
