[FIN] Nerves (Jayani & Farraginis)

[mouselet]

Farraginis paced nervously outside the ruins. In the same amount of time that Jayani's injured leg had taken to heal, he and the leopardess had become one of the most effective hunting pairs in the whole colony to the surprise of many - least of which was themselves. But there it was. Jayani's clumsiness vanished when they had a well laid-out ambush and even if her sense of direction wasn't the best, he was always able to get them back home again.

Home. What a strange word. He'd never really had a cause to use it before, but the ruins had become just that. And not because he had any strong ties to the Usafi'tukufu - truthfully, he'd be just fine without them. There were some ties of loyalty, if only because the ruins were a well-defended location and the colony protected its own, but he knew his heart wasn't in the colony.

The reason he'd come here, the reason he stayed, that reason was Jayani.

So he fretted and paced as he waited for her to show up. They were supposed to go hunting again, but before they went, he wanted to be sure of just one thing.  

[mouselet]

"Oh, no, that's fine," the leopard replied, in a surprised, slightly strangled fashion. How had he let himself get so distracted that she'd completely snuck up on him like that? He knew Jayani wasn't the sort of person who tried to sneak up on people either!

Which meant that he should probably figure out the answer to his question now, before they left to go hunting. Otherwise who knew how much attention he'd be spending on the hunt and how much worrying over what she'd say?

Farraginis cleared his throat, trying to settle his thoughts. "Uh...Jayani?" he asked hesitantly.  

[mouselet]

Oh great. Now his hesitancy was making Jayani worry. That certainly hadn't been his intention! But he'd have to fix it, deal with it, somehow. The leopard swallowed his nervousness and went on.

Slowly.

"Everything's fine...but...you remember how I followed you here, when we first met?" Gods, why was this so hard? In all the stories he'd ever heard, the male would cry his undying love from the highest mountain and the female would sigh happily and they'd live happily ever after.

Shame they didn't live in a story.  

[mouselet]

Farraginis had to laugh along with her at that, since she was only right. "That's true enough," he agreed. And the amusement helped thaw some of his fear that she might bite his head off for what he was about to say next.

"Jayani, you're the only reason I joined the colony in the first place. You're my best friend and my hunting partner and I'd be honored if you would be my mate." The words came slowly at first, then quickly, until finally he came to end of what he'd meant to say for so long now. The leopard was slightly out of breath, but with anxiety, not physical exertion.

It was done. He'd given voice to his true feelings and now everything was in Jayani's capable paws.  

[mouselet]

Farraginis, who had been trying very hard to not show any expression, much less how nervous he'd been, felt his jaw drop in utter shock as she accepted. Regardless of how he felt, he'd been so unsure of how Jayani would react that he literally hadn't been able to imagine that she'd ever agree.

"Really? That's...that's wonderful!" the leopard exclaimed. And she looked...happy! As happy as he was! How utterly stupendous!

If she was that happy now, then this would work after all. He shouldn't have anything to fear about the future, because he and Jayani would face that together.

"I'm so happy now," he confided, nuzzling his (his!) mate.