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 Posted: Wed Jul 14, 2010 7:38 pm
 How late was it? Middle of the night, maybe it was nearly morning. Lemon couldn't tell, as he stumbled from his house, rubbing his eyes. He barely remembered to close the door behind him. He yawned, and took a tentative step forward. It was a temperate night, with warm, soft breezes. They reminded him of his brother, and he looked up suddenly, as though he would see his brother standing there, at his gate. "Is it Scirocco I've lost?..." Lemon mumbled, clearly in a daze. He couldn't remember what he had misplaced, but he had woken from a violent dream in which he had lost something. A nightmare? Maybe. Lemon was not terribly familiar with nightmares nor dreams; his sleep rarely plagued his waking life. And yet he could not shake the feeling that there was something he had misplaced during the day, and needed to recover. He had tried to simply roll over and sleep again, but he couldn't manage it. The worry smothered him.
Lemon was not one used to worry, either. The experience of a nightmare, an inability to sleep, and crushing worry combined into a disorienting experience which had made him get out of bed, stumble to the door, and slide his sandals on, bringing him to the porch where he stood. He couldn't close his eyes, because he would start to think his brother really was home, the warm breezes messing with his memory. Scirocco wasn't due home for quite some time, he suspected. Scirocco wasn't home, and Lemon had no one to go to. Not that he even considered it; he needed to find what he had lost. Where had he been? He had made a short trip into the woods to collect materials, and then he had gone to the riverside to sit. He had slept there for a little while, just an afternoon nap, and then returned home.
Whatever he lost could have been anywhere on that path. He was glad there were few destinations, but the forest was a considerably large area to search. At least he stayed on the paths, and had only gone to the river. What could it have been though? Not a ring or any jewelry, so that was a blessing. He'd never find a small bit of metal. What about one of his schematics? Maybe one of the documents from his satchel.
Without realizing it, he had already begun to retrace his steps. He only came to once he had reached the edge of the forest, which should have surprised him, but he was preoccupied with his thoughts. Once he stepped into the forest, he realized the light was incredibly limited, and the path was hard to find. He stumbled, half-asleep, unusually worried, through the forest in his PJs. Quite a sight. He'd even begun to hum to himself. Not tunelessly, though; Scirocco had made sure his brother could at least differentiate between terrible and palatable.
Lemon stumbled over a branch and tore his cotton pants, scraping his bare chest on the rocks, fallen branches and other tree-droppings which littered the ground beside the path. His palms stung. He got to his feet, chewing on his lip, and wiped his palms off on his pants. "Well, if I wasn't lost before, I am now. I can't even see the path now, and I was just on it."
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Posted: Wed Jul 14, 2010 8:07 pm
 The slightest breeze played at the tips of Nott's hair and ears, and the folds of his jackets, which hung down from the branch he sat upon high in his tree. This feeling was what he lived for, alone in a world of dark, the canopy above pricked by pinpoints of light, the forest below him pierced by the cries of the night animals on their own paths through the night. Every single one of them was known to him, every star with a name, every animal with a distinguishable cry. From where the moonlit constellation kept sentry upon his perch, discernible from the tree only by the soft glow of his ornaments and hair, nott heard and saw all. Like the one who approached now, humming and talking to himself in equal parts as he traipsed off the beaten path and into the woods proper. It was so seldom that Nott had company. Maybe this one would make for good conversation, unwary as he was.
In one fluid motion, Nott pulled his hanging overcoat into a sheath around him, rolled off his roost, and began his descent. Another great joy to him was not dying a horrible death, every bone broken and he buried in duff thrown up by his impact. As such, he had a degree of skill in acrobatics, and he swung to the forest floor on the interlacing branches of trees that had been allowed to grow close together, untouched by most men.
His quarry was not exactly hard to locate, as he was throwing off a respectable bit of noise in the now-silent forest, which had also detected the intruder. Making his way forward, he finally got a glimpse... of a man wandering through the woods in his bedclothes. Snorting, Nott called to him, "I think you missed a turn if you were looking for a late night snack. You're quite a bit from home, I'm guessing, and the deep woods really aren't much for one who isn't... outfitted for the journey." He chuckled at his own joke. He was a regular riot.
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Posted: Wed Jul 14, 2010 11:35 pm
Lemon hadn't seen anything of Nott, nor his impressive descent down the tree. The poor thing could barely see his own feet in front of him. He did his best to examine the tear running from his thigh down to the hem. What the hell had he caught it on, to tear it that high up? He had actually gotten it caught on a rather persistent branch on his fall down, but he had been too preoccupied with trying to see the ground to really realize how it had happened. No matter, he would mend it when he got home.
Nott's voice startled him. He had felt entirely alone in the forest, despite that being a ridiculous notion, and the sound of Nott shook him out of that. It eased his nerves, a little. Still, the nightmare; if he couldn't see his way through the dark, how could he find what he'd lost? But what a pleasant voice... Lemon couldn't help but laugh. The sound carried through the night, softer than his idle tune had been. "If you're as delicious as your voice, you can take me home any night." Lemon grinned, but couldn't quite see anything, so his grin had a kind of delusional lack of direction to it. "And if you're offering, of course I'd like a snack. I'd also love it if you could come a little closer, since I have absolutely no idea where you are, and I'm afraid if I move I'm going to trip over a Susikoira or something." Lemon sighed and squinted, trying to see in the dark. He focused his eyes a little more, and he thought he saw glowing? But it was so hard to make Nott out. For all he knew, he was really staring at a shiny rock, or he was completely imagining it.
Lemon tugged idly at his torn pajamas. He had been distracted, briefly, from the nightmare, but that same sense of urgency was returning again. He tried to take a step backwards, wobbled a little, took a deep breath, and set out again. He actually managed to put one foot back on the path, which led to the other foot, and Lemon stretched in triumph. Once he was comfortably on the worn path, he looked for the stranger, again. Lemon didn't feel afraid, he trusted the voice he'd heard; even if it might be the wrong decision, what would panicking do for him? It's not like he knew his way out of the forest on his own.
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Posted: Thu Jul 15, 2010 2:34 pm
The enormity of the naivete in the statement the other had just made took a moment to strike Nott full on. When it did, he took a step back, blinking heavily to ensure he wasn't finally losing his mind and hallucinating friends for himself. When he decided his eyes weren't lying to him, he shut them again, tight, and put his hands on his knees while he laughed, a deep chuckle that rolled out from deep in his chest. When it had finally died down, he stood up, wiping a tear of mirth from the corner of his eyes, and stepped forward, though if the man could see him yet, he didn't know. He had been staring directly at him before and not seen anything, so Nott could only assume his eyes weren't exactly accustomed to the black of night that permeated the forest all around them.
"A lover boy, huh?" Nott couldn't keep the grin off his face. "Don't worry, no susikoira wander this part of the forest this late. They're all off sleeping or hunting. And if they had wanted anything to do with you, you'd doubtless be flat on your back with your throat torn out." Grimacing, Nott amended that prediction, "Well, not exactly. If anything had made a move, I would have broken its sorry neck before it even had time to ponder the sorry state of being a feral animal." Which was true, no innocent person would come to harm in his domain. Especially not from those who lived there. Common hospitality. Be polite or be dead.
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Posted: Thu Jul 15, 2010 3:16 pm
Laughter filled the night. Lemon could not be happier to hear it; it welled up inside him, too, and he grinned wolfishly, trying not to laugh too. Thankfully, all of Nott's motion had actually allowed Lemon to figure out the glow he saw was Nott. He still didn't know who he was, and couldn't really make out any features, but he did put the sound together with that figure there. His eyes were beginning to adjust much better, as well. He could see the tree branch, larger than he'd expected, which he had tripped on, tearing his pants. He could also see the sticky, if thin, trail of blood down his calf to where it disappeared between his heel and toes. Just a single line; it was clearly a shallow wound. It wasn't quite present on this thigh, at least; the branch had clearly only cut in for part of his calf, and the blood had trickled down to make it appear longer.
Lemon felt strange, flipping between serious and playful so quickly. He was almost never serious. Something about being in the dark made him uncomfortable, but Nott's laughter had done an immense and wonderful job of alleviating his fears. Even if he was in danger, laughter like that eased Lemon's heart. "So I'm a lover boy and you're a tough guy? What a great combination," Lemon answered, his voice honey in the dark. Now that he was comfortable, this stranger would probably see no peace. "Glad to hear that I'm not about to meet a Susikoira, at least. It's been some time since I met the last one..." The memory didn't concern Lemon particularly, but it wasn't entirely a good memory. The beast had been coated in blood, and yet had not approached him. He still wondered about that, sometimes. "Sounds like I'm in good hands, though; wandered into a very...pleasant area of the woods, if you're going to keep me safe." Lemon's eyes were slits now, but he was hardly the picture of a frightened Constellation. Lemon had proven to himself that although he had no real powers, he could fight. However, he wasn't going to turn his nose up at someone who was clearly well-aquainted with the night-time forest. Lemon stretched again, relaxed, and looped his thumb around the elastic of his pants. "So, what, do I have to find my way to you in order to be able to see the face of my hero?" Lemon was struggling not to laugh, and he was itching to just try and make his way to the stranger, but he did remember how tricky it was off the path, in only his sandals. Wait, was he even still wearing them? Only the left one... where the hell did I lose the other one? No, no, wait, there it is. Lemon tried, probably unsuccessfully, to make his way a couple steps back on the path and slip his sandal on with as much dignity as possible. Then he burst out laughing, finally, all the pent up amusement escaping. Who was he kidding? Dignity? He snickered once, which put a stop to his laughter, and sighed at himself, turning to find Nott in the dark again.
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Posted: Thu Jul 15, 2010 4:48 pm
They were on an uneven playing field at the moment, Nott and his new acquaintance. This guy was a daytime type, he could tell. his eyes STILL hadn't adjusted, and this gave Nott a perfect opportunity to size the other up. The bright, clean bed clothes stuck out at him, and he was easy to keep a dot on. He was pretty built, and not too hard to look at, either. Shock of red hair, nice face... Nott could definitely get used to this one.
The kaleidoscope between happy and serious, flirty and sombre, and all the questions in between from the other amused Nott to no end, and he quipped, "I dunno about tough guy, my friend, but I certainly don't go wandering through the woods at night, in my bedclothes, calling the random men I meet 'delicious.'" He threw back his head and laughed again, the whole situation striking him again, the most pleasant encounter he'd had with a spirit in a while. "And certainly no hero, that's for sure. I'm just something of a regular to this neck of the woods, and I consider it only proper etiquette that my dear neighbors... behave themselves. Nothing lower than bad manners around a visitor so fine as yourself." Then he was stepping back, touching something with his foot, and Nott realized he was ... putting his shoes back on. Shaking his head, Nott couldn't help but wonder what the hell this kid was DOING out here.
"Look at you, man, pull yourself together!" He pointed to the constellation's feet, laughing in disbelief. "Shoes half on, pants split up to the knee, all cut up, running through the woods singing to yourself like you're the only one for miles!" He sighed. Had he been this naive himself, at one point? Is that why he found this one so tolerable? Because he saw himself and all the mistakes he had made and learned from? That he didn't want this kid to make the same mistakes? Possibly.
"And my face? Keep looking, last I checked, it's still attached, so it show up eventually." He shuddered, having a static and almost ridiculously random thought of a striped cat floating out of the night. Resisting the urge to recite a riddle, he leaned forward, doing his best to display his own facade.
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Posted: Thu Jul 15, 2010 5:32 pm
It was about time he could see properly. Finally, Lemon could see Nott; it was definitely worth the wait. His grin turned into a coy thing, and he had to resist the urge to narrow his eyes again. If he did, he'd probably lose his depth perception again. Reminded of why he was there, a desperation flashed across his eyes, before disappearing into his curious excitement, again."Well, I just tell the truth; you certainly sound -- and now look -- delicious, to me." Lemon bit his lip, the unspoken and I wonder what you taste like suspended between them. His free hand, the one not suspended by his pajama pants, tapped his thigh anxiously. He wanted to reach out and brush Nott's face. They almost looked like opposites; no wonder it had been so hard to see him in the dark. And yet, the blue over Nott's eye; what a shade. Lemon was a sucker for that shade, for some reason. "Considering the state I left the house in, we're probably both lucky I'm wearing even these. Maybe lucky, maybe unlucky; who's to say?" Lemon snickered at himself, and straightened up, winking when Nott called him "fine". Never a good idea to encourage Lemon, really.
Ahhh, Nott pointed at his feet, and Lemon couldn't help but blush, his perpetual grin fixed in place. He rubbed the back of his neck with the hand which had previously been suspended from his pajama elastic. "I don't remember singing to myself! The rest is probably true, though." Lemon looked down at his pajamas, laughing. He was definitely not the picture of forest camouflage. Nott leaned forward, and Lemon happened to be grinning much like a certain striped cat, at that moment. Lemon took a step towards him, "I can see you much better from here," and he took another step, "But even better here. And it was definitely worth the wait." Lemon took his time, eying Nott, from the mesmerizing blue of his eyes, down his cheek and to his bare shoulders, the necklace he wore, the bangles of his coat, his blue nails. Lemon traced the folds of Nott's coat, fascinated. Not only did Nott look delicious, but he was able to appreciate the craftsmanship of the garments and accessories. They looked so different from one another just then, Nott and Lemon. Lemon's skin was such a warm tone, truly sunkissed, but permanently; Nott felt like staring into a night sky. Lemon got a little lost, for a second, appreciating the Constellation who he had trusted not to turn out to be some kind of mass murderer.
"I'm beginning to think meeting you was worth the nightmare it took to get me out here at night..."Lemon mumbled. Then, he added, "Are you always out at night? I don't think I've ever seen you before..."
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Posted: Thu Jul 15, 2010 6:38 pm
Had he just made a mistake? The moment that he stepped close enough for the other to see him, his face split into first a demure smile, then the urgency of a recently-remembered task, and finally restraint as he bit his lip. As one known for solitude, these emotions displayed drove much deeper into Nótt's mind and heart. He so seldom had dealt with the others of his kind that each new encounter brought back the sweet pangs of desire, of longing, of companionship lacking. He had forgotten how totally and utterly alone he was in the world he had secluded himself to. And just as well, because the day he was waiting for was coming and when he left, there would be no coming back.
Yanking himself violently from his rumination, Nótt's smile again touched his lips. "Yes, I don't know if I would have reacted the same if I had seen a naked man weaving his way through my patch of night." Then the other was stepping towards him and he was, for the first time that he could remember, unsure of what to do next. "Maybe not singing..." Another step. "but there was definitely a tune coming from your mouth, it made noise, you were making it, you get what I mean." Then he ws being looked up and down, and Nótt stiffened. What had he to fear from someone who was barely even inside his own nightie? Nothing, but nonetheless the slightest chill crept into his gut.
A combination of instinct, desire, and decisive action drove Nótt to what he did next. Taking one first step, he slipped his way around the constellation, and used one arm to pull the bright one to him, and as he pressed his cheek to Lemon's, he used the other to guide his chin so that they might see the same stretch of sky. He directed their view to the one patch that had cut through the canopy of trees, and through the swath shone a star. "I spend my nights alone and my days sleeping. Let me show you why. It is Isilmar, brightest star in the west skies. It is brightest, but there are untold more. Why should it have a name? Why should it be deemed more important? I ponder this question, and I come to the same conclusion time and again: It is simply better than the others. Tell me the name I may call you by, as I think that you deserve it."
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Posted: Thu Jul 15, 2010 7:48 pm
What was that expression on Nótt's face? Lemon shivered, and wished even more to reach out. It felt like cold that needed to be warmed, or like looking into a distant star. How could he tell when the Constellation's light would go out? Lemon didn't know him very well, of course, but he felt his light heart trying to impart some of his optimism in the stranger. To ease whatever it was that might be weighing him down. Clearly, Lemon had little to weigh him down, which made him feel immune to troubles, ready to meet them headfirst; even if they weren't his own. Even through his pondering, Lemon's smile stayed put. He wanted to ease the mood, not make it worse. What had rattled him so much about that nightmare? He found himself concerned over this dark Constellation, rather than blissfully unaware.
"I'd never run naked through the woods, no matter how delirious I get; too drafty." Lemon's voice was low, soft. He opened his mouth to respond to the singing comment, but Nott stiffened in reaction to Lemon looking him over, and Lemon felt sorry, for a moment. It frustrated him; why would he feel sorry? Why now? He shrugged it off, as if he wasn't feeling it, and drew back upon the joy he knew best. He smiled, one sincere smile, before being tugged into Nott. It happened so fast that Lemon stumbled a little into him, his cheek pressed against Nott's. It wasn't unpleasant; Lemon's body responded in turn. He had missed being close to another so much. For all he flirted, he seldom actually touched any other being. There were a few exceptions, true, but no one recently had even thought to reach for him the way Nott just did. His smile rose to the surface easily, then; effortlessly. He didn't need to think happy thoughts, or forget the nightmare. Lemon was in that moment, feeling Nott against him, and looking up through the canopy. Lemon was unfamiliar with the night sky, and even with looking upwards. He was usually preoccupied with diagrams, documents, charts and instruments. Building didn't leave a lot of time for the stars. And yet, it was true; Isilmar was brilliant. He had never known its name, really.
Deserve? Lemon didn't really understand how he had earned his name, or why Nótt would care to know it, but he offered it. "Lemon; a little strange, a little over the top; that's my name," he replied, eyes wide towards the star. His arm slipped around Nótt, holding on, relishing what of him pressed against Nótt. "Would you give me your name, if I asked? Mine for yours?" Lemon didn't want to step away. The warmth was easing his worries and restoring him to his cheerful disposition. As ridiculous a notion as it was, being pulled into Nótt was like finding his sunlight in the dark. Lemon needed the sun to thrive.
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Posted: Fri Jul 23, 2010 5:00 pm
The feeling of Lemon molded against him, warm and soft in his still-clean bedclothes, washed away the initial pang of surprise at himself for moving so swiftly, regardless of his normally calm mind. Knowing that he would not pull away, the arm around his waist, solidified his decision. It was what the moment had called for, and Nòtt had responded in kind, and somehow, it had ended well, as it miraculously always had. And to gratifying results, considering how affable his companion was shaping up to be. Someone who could see the beauty in the night, to appreciate it, unlike the feral denizens of the wood. Someone who Nòtt could do more than stand to be around, someone who he WANTED to be around. Solitude was wonderful in its process, but to feel another close, to know companionship, brought the pain of years not wasted, but... misspent. For everything that he had invested the years of his life, there was room at his side for another.
And with this man in his arms, he realized... he had been given the chance to know what it was like.
After enjoying the embrace for a moment, he gave his own response to Lemon's request. "Those who know what it is to speak call me Nòtt." Shaking himself out of the grave, deeply romantic tone he was beginning to take, he allowed the good humor to return to his voice and the smile to return to his face. He was going to scare the kid off at this rate, and then where would all of this wonderful new emotion in his chest go? He loosened his grasp and continued, "It's a pleasure to meet you, Lemon. And as for being naked, you'd be surprised how many of the residents to this community do it. You'd think they'd at least be ashamed of themselves, but the animals have NO decency. They're regular deviants." He emitted another roll of laughter, a new thought springing into his head. "So even if you did end up running through here, nobody would mind. not even myself, most likely." This assurance was followed by a healthy squeeze to his captivating companion.
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Posted: Sun Jul 25, 2010 10:24 pm
What a strange night. Lemon couldn't help but feel that he was maybe still dreaming, pressed against Nott, mesmerized by the dark. Was he dreaming? Maybe he had never left the nightmare, but segwayed into this pleasant encounter. "Even if you are a dream, I think I'll enjoy you, Nòtt." Lemon closed his eyes and grinned, emphasizing Nòtt's name as if it were the only word in the sentence with any meaning. Lemon took a deep breath, inhaling everything he could, shifting his weight so that he wasn't leaning as heavily against Nòtt, but still maintaining the contact which made him thrive. It was like his veins were humming with energy, drawing from the comfort of being so near to Nòtt. Lemon never could have guessed a folk would take to him, especially not this nighttime stranger. Lemon couldn't help but admit to himself Nòtt was extremely pleasing to look at, and he wouldn't worry any over being close to him. Maybe Lemon would pay for it later, but he didn't feel like it. He looked inside himself for those disconcerting worries which had surfaced earlier, but they were gone; in their place was his generally positive disposition and deep desire to both amuse and be amused.
Which Nòtt offered in abundance. "It's a pleasure to meet you, too, Nòtt. In more ways than one, I suspect." Again, Lemon's almost predatory, if not sweet, grin. Nòtt's laughter had an intoxicating effect on Lemon; he couldn't help but laugh with Nòtt, but wanted again to be closer, to press into Nòtt and be close enough to feel every rise and fall of Nòtt's chest. Close enough that he could blend seamlessly into him, and never know the difference. Lemon caught himself pressing just a little tighter into Nòtt and blushed, grinning. He eased up, so Nòtt could simply slip away if he wanted. "I'll have to take a note from the forest 'deviants' next time, then. Wouldn't want to disappoint you." He winked up at Nòtt, though whether his new friend saw or not, he wasn't sure. Lemon hooked the thumb of his free hand under the elastic of his pajama pants again, testing how far it would bow under his thumb idly. "I don't spend a lot of time in the night, but I think I should start..." Lemon murmurred under his breath. He looked up at the star again, and then focused as much as he could on Nòtt's eyes. It wasn't hard; that blue reached down, pierced down, seemed to see things Lemon didn't know were there. What would they even find? Probably nothing; Lemon was humming with positive energy and he could hardly contain himself. He wanted to run wild through the forest, laughing and swinging on trees whenever he felt like it. Except he couldn't climb trees very well, so that was a problem. "Since I'm so new to the night, would you be my guide, even for a little while? I'd make it up to you, I'm sure." Lemon's grin took a turn for the wicked. He really felt strange, being up at night. He still felt buoyant, close to Nòtt, but he felt like he wanted to start trouble. He felt like he wanted to stir up the shadows and infuse them with a different kind of shade. One which was a little sinister, a little twisted. Lemon bit his lip so hard it almost drew blood. He traced his finger down Nòtt's spine, swirling it into a spiral on the small of Nòtt's back. Lemon shook his head at himself. Nòtt made him feel so disoriented, almost mesmerized; it was difficult to clear his mind. Maybe if he spent more time near him, the intoxicating effect would weaken a little.
Then again, maybe not. Lemon tried to ease up a little, tried not to scare him away. Lemon really didn't want to make Nòtt leave, which was distressing all over again."Even if you don't want to guide me around, I'd still love it if you'd show me out; I'm pretty sure I would wander in the complete opposite direction if left to my own devices." Just like that, most of his predatory tone and stance were gone. He was more like himself; but for how long? "I'm a little directionally challenged." Sheepish, Lemon looked down at his sandals. Which were on the wrong feet. Rather than make a scene again, Lemon just ignored it and hoped that if they did move, he wouldn't walk like a duck.
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Posted: Fri Aug 06, 2010 5:48 pm
Lemon and Nòtt were running on near parallels in their minds and in their thoughts, though they doubtless knew that already. Nòtt felt very much in tune with the one in his arms, and the humming of energy through his own blood matched with that of the other's. It made a sort of beautiful harmony that felt nothing but right to him. Every inch his crimson-haired companion moved, every slight shift in his stance and breath, was bright and vivid to Nòtt. Every little thing about him was clear, much brighter than anything he could see on even the clearest evening, moon full and dew from recent rains glinting. It occurred to him that it must be what the day-walkers felt, everything filled with light and clarity, every minute detail laid out for all to admire. It was a sensation so alien to Nòtt, one used to the murkiness and blurred beauty of the nocturnal world. Yes, in-tune was the only way he could describe it.
He heard most of what Lemon said through a half-haze, his thoughts not giddy, but airy and delirious. Almost feverish. The feeling of being touched, just above his waist, sent a bolt of glorious frost through the spot, and the flesh and muscle under the hand tensed. His heart didn't speed up, but the strength of its individual beats grew, and it hammered against the inside of his chest. He took a deep breath, using the ice under his skin as a platform, and pulled his thoughts together. Though it nearly pained him, he loosened, taking a step back from the arms he had grown to love being wrapped in not five minutes earlier. He made no motion to move farther, though, and simply looked at Lemon, the sparks behind his eyes glinting like stars knocked from the night sky. "As pleasant as that was, if that carried on, I think we both know where it would have ended up, and we've just met. It's almost impolite." His grin split forth again, and his deep laughter diffused off through the night air.
"As for guiding you, my friend, you'd be amazed how similar it is to the day, once you take a moment to open your eyes and take it all in. But the appeal of floating about on your own is limited, I know. I'd be more than happy to stay with you 'till the dawn comes, should that be necessary." And though he didn't say it, if the need arose, he would go beyond, he would rise to meet the morning and the day. He was coming to realize that this one was dropped to him by some twist of fate, some blessed conspiracy of chance. The word was old, from another world than the one he stood on, but it rose to his mind immediately: Ka. Fate. Destiny. Duty. He was almost sure that they were meant to be together, at least for some time, and he wanted to see how far it would take him.
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Posted: Sun Aug 08, 2010 12:37 am
Nothing felt real. Lemon wasn't sure if it had been like that all along, or the full weight of it set in when he felt and heard each beat of Nòtt's heart as if he was listening while pressed against Nòtt's chest. Regardless of when it had begun, Lemon felt like he was walking in a dream. One he was determined not to end, even if that meant delaying the moments of contact he craved. "My manners never were very good, so I guess it's a good thing I've got you to make me be good, at least for now," Lemon responded. If Nòtt's laughter was nectar, he would have drunk every last drop. It really was a good thing, he suposed, that Nòtt had realized enough to pull away. Lemon hadn't, really. He got so caught up in the sensation that he'd lost himself in it. It was similar to what he had wished for, he just didn't understand how deeply it would take him over, mind and body. Lemon looked away for a moment, blushing again. He rubbed the back of his neck, grinning. "I somehow... forgot. That we only met this night. I'm lucky you're a gentleman," Lemon laughed, his voice rising up into the canopy.
His feverish imagination made him picture, for some reason, his laughter rising up to meet Nòtt's as though tendrils of smoke, joining it in the canopy, gathering together until it became one entity. It slithered up into the sky, reaching towards the stars. He blinked, shook his head, smiled at Nòtt. "Would you? Stay with me, that is. I'd like to see what you see, even though I'm pretty sure it'd take me some time. I'm a fast learner." The separation between his body and Nòtt's felt like a tangible thing. It ached. What was that? This feeling he had been missing, but had not realized. If one went too long without something, perhaps one could forget. Which was better, Lemon wondered: To feel nothing, not pain, nor sorrow, nor the elation he felt when Nòtt tugged him close; or to feel all those things in turn, knowing that the separation would hurt worse, and worse, and finally stop? Lemon wasn't exactly fond of his own pain, but it felt different. It was as if he had just stopped being aware of emotions, whether for better or worse. He was generally extremely buoyant, nothing got him down, but this... Nòtt made him want to be buoyant for a reason. He wanted to understand it, but to never take it for granted. How could he do those things? He didn't even know where to start.
He started with something small: Lemon took a step to bridge the new gap between them, and brushed his fingertips lightly down Nòtt's cheek, to his jaw, and he drew away just short of brushing them down the side of Nòtt's neck. He pulled away, sighed, and gave a wry smile. "To stave off withdrawal," Lemon mumbled. Then, he cleared his throat, was about to apologize, and stopped himself. Why would he do that? He'd never apologized for something before, except in ways he found more acceptable. He didn't apologize to anyone. He made ammends, in his own ways. It wasn't pride that kept him from apologizing. It was a sense of the practical. To Lemon, the words I'm sorry meant nothing. They were useless. Dead weight that lay between moonfolk, kept them apart. If you were sorry, you did something to show it.
So he didn't apologize to Nòtt. Lemon found himself mesmerized by Nòtt's eyes, again, the blue of them, like he had gathered the stars from the sky and fashioned his eyes from their light. "Maybe it is easy, once you know how to look... but if it's all the same, tonight I'd like to see what you will. Show me, if it's not too much to ask? Anything. Anything you feel like showing me, I'll follow you," Lemon said. And it was true, which would have surprised him if he didn't already feel like he was mesmerized by the constellation. Maybe it was good Lemon slept so soundly, and had never wandered out before now. What would he have done, had he known Nòtt was what he might find? He doubted that, even knowing Nòtt was here, he would have been able to understand exactly how being next to Nòtt would make him feel. Lemon ran a hand through his hair, ruffling it, and grinned again. It was all he could do, keeping his hands busy, to keep from reaching out for Nòtt again.
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Posted: Fri Sep 03, 2010 5:52 pm
Nòtt watched with half-lidded eyes that glinted in the moonlight, watched as Lemon ran a hand through his deep red hair. It took another struggle with this new-found instinct against his restraint to reach out and do the same. When he brought himself to speak, his voice took a moment to rise out of a husky tone that matched his breathing. "I can't make you do anything, my friend. Only hope." Hope that the other didn't pull close again, didn't fill his nose with the scent of light soap and clean linen, didn't press his soft form into his arms, because Nòtt wouldn't be able to let go next time.
Had it really only been that night? That they had just met? It must have been, they had only been speaking for half an hour at the most. It felt... like more. Surely it had been more. More words rose to his lips. "Time... doesn't run as it does. Not anymore. It could have been our whole lives, millennia we've spent standing here together."
An idea of his own rose to his mind, of standing there, embracing Lemon, this beautiful creature, his chin resting gently on the crown of crimson, eyes shut, the faintest trace of a smile on his lips, as the forest howled and shifted around them. Trees fell from great heights and crashed to the ground, went back to the earth, saplings sprung up from the loam and grew tall, the landscape of the forest changing, the sun rose and set in great fiery arcs, snow flurried about, piled up around their ankles, gathered on their shoulders, rain slatted down in sheets, bounced free of them, fell to the ground, wind bent branches far enough to snap, and set up great gusts of dead leaves. Seasons changed, years passed, the only constant being the two wound close together in their little clearing, pulsing and twisting at the edges with the throes of life.
"Millennia... well spent. Millennia I'd rather spend nowhere else."
Then Lemon was touching him, the smooth tips of his fingers tracing small paths down his cheek, stopped at his neck, and the hand pulled free. Nòtt caught it, looked directly into the other's eyes a moment as he laced their fingers together and let them fall to the side. He used it to lead Lemon, gently, guiding him toward one of the old hidden trails. "See what I will, hmmm? Easy. Follow, and remember to watch all around you closely. There is much to look at."
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Posted: Tue Sep 07, 2010 11:37 am
Lemon's eyes glinted again, that flash of life that meant he was thinking of something he was probably not meant to have, something which thrilled him. "A hope?... So it's hope between us, then?" Lemon mused, "Not a force to be reckoned with, for now..." He finished, with a twinge of regret, a promise for later inferred in that glint of his eyes. When Nòtt mentioned how time's flow seemed altered, Lemon had to resist the urge to slip his arms around him and press in close, again.
Lemon felt strange, and he felt an inevitable tug towards Nòtt. He knew that as much as he strained, delayed, pulled away, he would return to Nòtt, craving his company, his touch. "Everything that happened before seems far away. Not part of me, or you, or us." Us. The being that Lemon and Nòtt made, the stars breathing in, the light drawing down. Time had to recognize that. Even if they were apart for the moment.
Lemon's words caught in his throat. Nòtt would want to be near him? Not fed up with him, not pushing him away, not irritated by his flamboyance and his thirst for joyous chaos? Not just for the night, but millenia. He tried not to imagine it with any kind of permanence, but he thought of it still, imagined through a dizzy haze, what it would be like to be in Nòtt's presence all the while. It would be mesmerizing, hypnotic. Lemon sincerely hoped time had forgotten them here. He nearly gasped when Nòtt caught his hand. The desire to be closer was a crushing weight over him. He was struggling to hold himself at a respectable distance, and here Nòtt was, taking his hand and leading him into the forest. Lemon was glad Nòtt led him, because for one, he wouldn't have ever found the way on his own, and he was able to simultaneously watch Nòtt and the scenery around him. He would have mourned missing either one. To waste a dream.
"Maybe if I follow you, I'll never find my way out," Lemon said, quietly, tightening his hand in Nòtt's briefly, a hint of amusement lilting the end. Although it sounded like he meant he might get lost in the geography of the woods, he mused over the hope that perhaps he wouldn't have to return to the way he had been before. The more time he spend in this place, with his alluring guide, the more of him changed. He could feel the subtle shifts inside him, and wondered what the morning light would reveal. He watched Nòtt carefully, admiring him, brushing his thumb across Nòtt's hand without breaking the contact. It was a thread that tied him to Nòtt, and he didn't intend to let that untie.
Where were they going? He didn't ask aloud, but felt his curiosity and excitement mounting. Everything about the forest at night was thrilling, and Nòtt only heightened that sensitivity.
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