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 Posted: Tue Apr 27, 2010 8:17 pm
"Eh, it's okay, like I said," he replied. "I was just thinking, you know, it sounded...practiced. Like you met someone who needed that a lot." And if that person was you, and you've spent your life having that speech crammed into you until it was second nature. She was getting a little nervous, he noticed--the hunching down to make herself seem smaller, the laying back the ears. Was he making her nervous? He hoped not. He didn't want to make someone nervous, especially not someone he was certain he would probably be friends with after this.
He had no way of knowing that his words hit close to home about his mother. It wasn't that Soha hadn't loved him; it was that Soha didn't show it. He knew now that Soha had felt affection, but he did not remember it ever being shown in the conventional sense, and he knew that there had been no love that had conceived him. He had long gotten over that, he was certain, though he was equally certain that had been a particularly inauspicious beginning. Bigotry, bitterness, and betrayal. Surely there's more than that--isn't it time I had more beauty in my life, beauty and bliss? If the universe conforms to the law of averages, aren't I due for some blesséd bounty?
He was so caught up in the dark thoughts of the moment that it took him several more milliseconds to realize what was happening than it would normally have taken. At first, with her arms wrapped around him, he froze; then he relaxed as, subconsciously, he recognized the warmth, the protection of welcoming arms. Although they weren't enough to go around his broad, tall frame, Sher found himself melting in Elysia's arms, melting in an almost maternal affection. He felt safe; he didn't know why. When she broke the hug, a strange and hitherto unnoticed tadpole of disappointment wriggled away and small, metaphorical hollows opened up behind his eyes.
"Thanks," Sher replied hoarsely. Those metaphorical hollows were filling up with oceans and starting to overflow. Wiping his eyes on his arm, he gave her a quick smile. She was looking more...interested? A little stiff, but not too bad. He didn't know a lot about her, but she had seemed timid and shy at first. She certainly seemed friendly right now. That was good. Just as good as her headache being gone.
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Posted: Sun May 02, 2010 4:21 pm
After a moment, her eyes brightened again. "Actually," she began, curling her tail tighter around herself, "those words are pretty much branded into my mind. I got that speech a lot." Elysia's bright eyes dropped, her teeth caught her lower lip as she thought. "One of my housemates, Rin--she's a Spartan--she became like a surrogate mother to me when I came to the house as a bowl. My mother hates me and wants nothing to do with me, and my father still wishes my brother and I weren't born, though he's grown to like, and maybe even love, our sister. So, because of that, I have a bit of a... uhm... personality complex as well as a social problem," she blurted, somehow thinking he needed to know that. Other than Rin and two other of her housemates, no one knew what she'd just confessed to this fox she'd just met.
Her eyes slowly drifted back up, focusing on his face. His expression was unreadable. She realized she had drawn into herself, though she didn't realized that she wasn't reacting that way because of him. She was afraid of what he would think of her now. The stiffness of her spine gave way at last, as she offered him a tiny smile.
It had felt odd, holding someone in her arms the way she'd been held so many times before. She’d noticed how he’d reacted to her unannounced affections. Her heart had stuttered when she saw him relaxing into her grip. Though, I will admit… It was a little awkward trying to reach my arms around him. It was very different… A tiny slash of pink streaked across her cheeks, gone as quickly as it had come. He was a male, which meant he would naturally be much broader than she. So, she would not be embarrassed for thinking it was different.
Of course, she would have never expected what happened next. He’d thanked her. Instead of going absolutely ballistic on her, he’d thanked her. She smiled, turning her shining eyes upon him again just in time to see him wipe at his eyes with his arm. For a moment, she sat dumbfounded, amazed at how something so small could elicit tears from this Sangheili male. “Oh, Sher…” She gasped, tears welling in her own eyes, “Don’t thank me for something you’ve long needed and greatly deserve.”
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Posted: Mon May 03, 2010 8:29 am
Sher's eyebrows shot right up and he blinked, staring at Elysia in a way he hoped wasn't the rude sort of staring. But all staring was rude, in its own right, he had to admit, so he quickly tried to lower the intensity of the staring. "I know what that's like," he replied in a voice almost made hoarse from the emotions flitting across the surface of his brain. "Well, sort of. My mother and I had sort of a rocky relationship. She wasn't very good at showing me she loved me, and I sort of...needed it. So I ran away and tried to get my dad to accept me. I thought it wouldn't work. He...doesn't like aliens. Or at least, he didn't like aliens at the time. I think he's getting better. He eventually accepted me, and he does care for me, though in his own way. Though my sister might've had something to do with it. Toha refused to accept him until he accepted me. So I've also had a lot of problems with my personality." He sighed.
That was hardly a secret--his own past, as well as his abrasive personality. Pretty much everyone he knew knew how he had gotten the way he was now, though most of the people he knew were either housemates who had lived through some of the peripheral damage and the rest were close relatives. He wasn't that particularly shy about sharing it--well, except for the exact nature of his conception. Hardly polite conversation--hardly conversation for any place at all. He hoped that she wouldn't ask for an explanation for why someone who hated aliens had children with one.
Sher was starting to come to recognize Elysia's blushes. A little dash of redness underneath the dark fur--well, I am a male. Hugging me would look a little....awkward to outsiders who hadn't been listening to the conversation. Not to mention his size--he naturally towered over even Spartans, who were renowned for their height. Even though she's a lot smaller, though, it was still...comforting. I haven't felt that comforted in...I don't know how long. Too long, that's for sure.
Now Elysia was silent, though. Just for a moment--a mere beat in the conversation, but a significant one at that. Then she started crying. Without even thinking, Sher reached out his arms and wrapped them gently around her shoulders, hugging her in a manner he hoped was soothingly. He couldn't help but give a small chuckle when she spoke, though. "Don't thank someone for something I want? What else is thanking for? It's certainly not to waste breath. That's something far too precious to waste on mere formalities," he added with a smile.
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Posted: Mon May 03, 2010 1:31 pm
Elysia winced as he stared at her, taking the intensity of his gaze for something entirely different. His voice sounded rough, almost hoarse, which was something like what she knew she'd probably sound like if she even attempted talking right now. That was something she hadn't known about him, something personal. Another faint smile ghosted across her lips as fresh tears pooled in her eyes, spilling over her tear-stain marked cheeks. She vaguely realized--though, in all truth, she really didn't care right now--that the fresh stream of hot tears were entirely for him.
She noticed what he'd said about his father, which did make her wonder. But, it's really no different than Mizu and Stacey, right? They... dislike each other, and yet they had us. So, she decided, she didn't wish to know what he did not say. Too many people got into trouble for prying where they were not wanted. Plus, she wasn't really the type to pry... much.
Her watery eyes lifted, and she blinked. His form wavered before her, a silent choked sob passing her lips. Sher, her friend--hopefully--was nowhere near the rude, aggressive snarly male he'd made her believe he would be. Before her, she saw someone who had vast oceans of unrequited emotions and needs and wants. And I want to be the one to help him. She would help him in any way possible, every way possible.
In the silence hanging between them, Ely let her tears run freely, not bothering to swipe at them. Then, without warning, Sher's arms draped gently around her. Her spine stiffened at first, but gradually, she relaxed against him. Her lashes fluttered down, brushing the tops of her cheeks, as she leaned into him. The soothing comfort that radiated from him was wholly unreal, though she didn't mind. It was... nice.
Tearing herself out of her trance, she tilted her head, looking up at him with smiling watery eyes. "You wanted me to hug you?" She laughed, the sound seeming watered down. "Dear Sher, I wouldn't have imagined that coming from you." She smiled, poking at his chest with a shaking paw. Hopefully, he wouldn't take her gentle teasing too wrong.
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Posted: Tue May 04, 2010 8:28 am
There wasn't much to do, and it seemed as if time had made a little pocket. True, the sun was higher now and a breeze was blowing, stirring more waves to glide across the lake, and the early morning birdsong had long ago melted into the calls of midmorning and noon birds, but that was happening far away from the little spot beneath the pine trees. Underneath the trees, it was just Sher holding Elysia tight (though not so tight as to cause her discomfort) and rocking gently, ever so gently, to soothe her. We're both in pain, but somehow we're healing. Never would have thought healing could come from so much agony.
Sher wasn't mean; he only told himself that after he found himself being less than polite. I'm not a nice person. I never said I was. I'm not a nice person... This was one of the few times he felt right, though, that he was doing some good to someone psychologically. Comforting someone else who seemed to have gone through what he went through was...calming, even through the tears that were flowing down his own face. What was it like for her? Was she raised by her mother when it was convenient? Was their relationship like my parents', or just an ordinary ONS when the liquor had been flowing for a while?
There were so many questions, but, in all likelihood, there would never be a right time to ask them. They weren't the sort of questions that had right times to ask them. They simply...could never be asked. At least not until the hurt had become so great that it threatened to split the heart open; and while his heart hurt, he didn't think it was enough yet. Not quite. Not quite.
Sher smiled at Elysia again as she seemed to calm down. "Well, I didn't know I wanted you to, but I guess I did," he chuckled in reply. He patted her paw with an awkward hand, his mood softened enough to take a little teasing. Wiping away his tears, he added, "I guess I can be a surprising person. Everyone can be. You're hardly the socially awkward person you claim to be."
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Posted: Tue May 04, 2010 9:46 am
Cradled in Sher's arms, hidden from view by his larger body, Elysia lost herself in her thoughts. The gentle rocking was beginning to make her quite tired, and she had to admit, he was a very comfortable pillow. Thankfully, when this tiny blush slashed across her cheeks her face was hidden from his eyes. How silly. He's not a pillow. A tiny yawn pulled at her, making every muscle in her small frame tense momentarily. "Sher?" She whispered, lifting her head reluctantly, noticing faintly that her tears had soaked his fur. "I'm sorry about that," she murmured, trying her best to wipe at the darker wet spot she'd caused.
Looking up at him, she smiled, knowing that, somehow, she'd already helped him. Slowly, she reached up, brushing at the dark lines gently with her paw. She'd never meant to make him cry, and it slightly unnerved her that she had, but she didn't let it show.
For some reason, she felt safe with him. Which, probably explained why she had yet to wriggle out of his hug. She wondered why she felt so safe, so connected with him in such a short time. Maybe we're just compatible. Dray talks a lot about people being compatible. With a small shake of her head, she dismissed that thought. After all, compatible or not, they still didn't know all that much about each other.
His smile seemed slightly infectious, making her smile brightly back at him, a soft laugh ringing in the air. "For some reason I don't feel awkward right now. So, that may be why I haven't all but committed social suicide here," she reached over, patting his arm, her smile still firmly and brightly in place.
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Posted: Wed May 05, 2010 9:54 am
Her tensing in his arms made her seem all the more delicate, and subconsciously, Sher loosened his grip a little. He leaned back a little and watched her, noticing for the first time the tear-markings around her eyes. Tear-streaks he was used to, but this was the first time he had seen markings that looked like tears themselves. Markings were fascinating enough to him; after all, it wasn't as if he had any himself.
He dismissed her worry about his fur with a shake of his head. "Don't worry about it," he replied. "It's just fur, it'll dry out fine before long." He'd never understood the worry about getting fur or clothes wet anyway. Well, it made sense for things like silk, but he wasn't so vain as to insist that every fox try not to muss up his style when they touched him. Maybe that was an armored thing; if you emerged wearing armor, maybe you just naturally guessed that things wouldn't wrinkle and that it would be okay as long as you didn't splash flammable materials on it?
There he went again, wandering off in his thoughts, and it was a good thing he came back to reality when he did; he came back just in time to prevent himself from nuzzling the hand she used to wipe his own tears. That's what mates and lovers do--definitely too personal for a first meeting with a friend. And there it went again--a tadpole of...disappointment? Longing? Was that a slight tint of irritation? Am I that hung up about not being in a relationship? Does it matter?
I wonder if she cares? a treasonous voice muttered. Sher dismissed it out of hand; listening to such demented thoughts could only lead to awkwardness and some of the mistakes he'd made in the past. There was no way he was going to walk down that road again. Ever.
So she didn't feel awkward? "Yeah, me neither," he chuckled. "I guess it's just to relaxing a day in such a...a picturesque place as this. And the company's, you know...too pleasant to worry about putting my feet wrong. You know?" Sher slowly released Elysia and leaned back, resting on his elbows to enjoy the breeze that had just picked up--not strong enough to banish the warmth of the day, but enough to punctuate it.
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Posted: Wed May 05, 2010 1:58 pm
Frowning faintly, she tilted her head, watching his eyes study the tear markings on her cheeks. Yes, she knew they were very unique--seeing as how she was currently the only fox with those particular markings--but because of her social awkwardness, no one ever really saw them. Her ears flicked back as her vibrant eyes scanned him, noticing for the first time that he bore no markings. That's understandable. His parents probably didn't have markings either. So, her probably has armour laying on his bed at home because it's uncomfortable. Her mind flashed back to when she was a kit and Rin had let her play with her armour. A smile played on her still frowning lips as she remembered trying on the helmet--which, needless to say, had slumped down passed her small shoulders at the time.
"I know it will dry. I'm more worried about the matting it could cause. Salt water seems to have that effect on hair and fur, oddly enough," she spoke softly, her tail swaying with every other breath. She knew he wasn't the type to worry about a mussed appearance--rather, she suspected he wasn't.
Upon being released from his grip, Elysia felt... abandoned? Quickly, she squelched that emotion before it could show on her face or in her demeanor. "Yes, the company is quite delightful," she smiled at him, wresting down the urge to frown again. She did not like the fact that he let her go. That contented safety was exquisite; something she'd never felt before--at least not with an almost stranger.
Curling her tail around herself, she crouched in the cool, dark--yet prickly--pine needle bed beneath them. Her eyes kept flicking between Sher and the scenery laid out before them. I wonder what he thinks of me. She bit her lip, banishing that thought swiftly before she could elaborate on it. He seemed to like her, and she was surely enjoying his company, but that meant nothing. Friends were friends. Plus, she highly doubted that Sher could see her as anything but a friend. She just... wasn't mate or lover material, apparently.
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Posted: Thu May 06, 2010 4:20 pm
Sher was glad to see Elysia smile as he looked at her markings, though a little doubt at the back of his mind gave rise to a little worry about what she might think. What if she thinks I'm looking into her eyes? I mean, she's got very nice eyes, very pretty, splashes of scarlet curving like rose petals, streaked with veins of cr--NO. Bad! Lovers look in each others' eyes!
A brief inspection of the wet fur on his side was called for with that last remark, and it was welcome to stave off embarrassment. His cheeks were starting to feel warm--he was blushing? Really? For the first time in a year? He shook the thought away mentally and poked his fur. "Nah," he decided. "I don't think it'll mat. At least not badly." To make sure, he dragged his short nails through the fur as best he could, then shrugged. "I can always wash it when I take a shower next. It'll be okay.
"I'm glad to hear it," Sher murmured back to her. For some reason, he felt a little...odd without her in his arms. Uncomfortable, perhaps? Like there was something missing? It's comforting to hold someone in your arms, he told himself firmly. Mirror neurons and all that. Makes you feel like someone's holding you in their arms. It's just that--besides the fact that helping people feels good. Just that, and nothing more.
It was amazing the sort of thing one keeps hidden in the back of the heart where no one can see it. Bitterness and heartache had long given Sher the firm belief that no one liked him, and he tried as hard as he could, at most times, to pretend that he didn't care what they thought. But in the back of his heart and his mind, he did wonder what Elysia thought of him, and part of him wanted to impress her--a foolish idea, he knew; impressing people just led to acting like an idiot and just ruining things. It was one of the ways you could get into trouble. He hadn't gotten into trouble like that, but he still knew what some trouble looked like.
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Posted: Fri May 07, 2010 8:44 am
Silently, Elysia contemplated exactly why she felt how she felt now. She was disappointed, perhaps even a bit irritated. But why? It baffled her. Earlier, when he'd been looking at her markings, she could have sworn his golden gaze had locked with hers, but only for a moment. Her heart had stuttered in that moment, but after that, it had dropped. He'd seemed so eager to look away from her, engulfed in inspecting the wet patch of fur on his side. She sighed softly, looking out over the ever increasing waves of the lake. "That's good, then. I didn't want you to be cursing me when you got home and found a matted wet spot," she whispered, watching him brush through it out of the corner of her eye.
A tiny smile flickered at the corner of her lips, not fully forming because of the slight frown that still dominated her features. At least he hadn't argued with her on that. Her ears laid back, almost completely flat against her skull. She couldn't help but wonder what he thought of her again. Only this time, since she wasn't so close to him, she didn't try to hide it. Her eyes closed slowly, enveloping her world in darkness. He probably wants to bolt, right now. I'm not interesting. I'm just the shy, artistic, girl next door type. Everyone wants to be my friend, but no one wants to be seen publicly with me. She sighed, opening her eyes once again.
She wanted Sher to like her, that was the only clear thought she had that involved him. She wanted to be his absolute best friend, the one he went to for anything. An ear perked, twitching against the gentle breeze. She hadn't realized they'd gone awkwardly silent as she thought. A dark red blush blazed on her cheeks, it wasn't like her to go off in her own thoughts and forget to speak. Her eyes darted around, looking for something to start up their conversation again. And it was going so well.
Her eyes landed on the water, giving her an idea. She sat up, smiling. "It's a bit warm out today, and there is a lake. I know the water's got to be perfect right about now. How about a mid-morning swim?" She grinned, no sign of her previous thoughts showing through. Her tail swayed steadily, her ears perking eagerly as she awaited his answer.
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Posted: Fri May 07, 2010 5:30 pm
It wasn't hard to detect the catch in Elysia's voice when she voiced her concern again over the fur. It was all Sher could do to keep himself from swearing. s**t, I ******** up again! Now I'm acting like a, an a*****e, crap! "No, no!" he said hurriedly, then stopped. He wasn't sure what he was going to say next. He looked up at her face as his mind tried to analyze, too late, the tone in her voice. What had he said wrong? What in her voice said that he had said something wrong? More importantly, what did it say he had said wrong? Was it something he did? Something, something he had just done had set her off, but what was it?
He found himself caught up again in her eyes. Their intensity made his own eyes seem like dead grass in comparison. He was like that; always trashing his own features in favor of the features of others. Some might say it led to jealousy; he would argue it led to, if not realism, then at least modesty. She's pretty--I wonder if she has a boyfriend, or a girlfriend. Probably. I wonder if it would be polite to ask without sounding...forward?
He found himself liking Elysia, and for once, he was ready to admit he wanted her to like him. She was so many things he wasn't, and he respected her for that--sweet, polite, kind...Like she'd want to be my friend. She's peaceful, and I'm certainly anything but. I'm danger; I emerged into it, I fight and practice fighting, and I've declared war on half of my descendants. A girl like her would run away from me the first opportunity she got if she knew me.
The idea of a swim was welcome to him; it was starting to heat up, and it was certainly something active. With all the talk and the nervousness he was feeling, he was eager to do something, anything that would get his sudden perceived inadequacies out of mind. "Sure!" he laughed, and he got to his feet quickly. "Want to race there?" Okay, so I'd beat her, I've got longer legs. Now I've said it, I can't un-say it.
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Posted: Tue May 11, 2010 8:56 am
Delicately, she lifted a brow at him, not saying a word, as he basically yelped at her. No. Not yelped. Sher probably doesn't yelp. That was more of a... startled cry. Her eyes scanned his face, noticing the slight haziness to his gaze as he thought. She didn't notice her voice had caught; she was still dipping in and out of her own thoughts, to be quite honest. Her eyes fluttered down, shading the intense scarlet orbs with thick black lashes. Why had he been startled when I said that? He sounded like he couldn't fathom it.
Her eyes flew up again, catching and holding his. She didn't notice how suddenly she couldn't breathe. The way he was looking at her, it seemed to capture her breath, holding it in her throat. His dark golden eyes were unrelenting, his focus on her like a insistent pull. After what seemed like forever, she lowered her eyes, looking slightly off to the side. The breath she hadn't known she'd been holding whooshed softly out of her lungs. Again, she felt disappointed, though now it was more pointed at herself. He's probably interested in someone, if not dating or possibly mated. Her heart dropped, tears springing to her down cast eyes faster than ever. Oh, Gods. I could be... He could be... Oh, no.
Pulling herself roughly together, she growled mentally at herself. She shouldn't be thinking about him like that. He was simply a friend. And she would be okay with that. She wouldn't keep hoping--and deep down, she knew she was--that he would come to like her. Setting her jaw, she looked back up at him, beating back the disappointment and twinge of sorrow that tried curling its tendrils around her heart.
His enthusiastic laugh and the speed with which he got to his feet stung at her. She perceived it as his eagerness to widen the space between them. His next question, however, made her smile. "Okay, then," she almost purred at the challenge, lifting herself up onto her paws. Playfully--and without even realizing it--she bumped her shoulder against his as she came up. Her dark tail flicked behind her, the tip flicking at his nose as she grinned. She knew he had longer legs than she, which meant she'd have to cheat to beat him. Well, it's not really cheating. It's a bit of a compensation for my height compared to his.
Her grin still in place, she leaned forward, her voice dropping to a whisper as she brought her muzzle close to his ear, "Catch me if you can." Turning, she bolted off, giggling to herself. Her slender body shot across the grass like a streak of dark lighting. Racing with the younger kits as they were growing--and the adults as she was growing--was one of her pass-times, aside from painting. Still, she needed every ounce of speed she had to beat him to the water. His legs were quite a bit longer than hers, which meant he had a ground eating lope, and being one of the "army kids" as Rin called them, he probably had speed, too.
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Posted: Wed May 12, 2010 7:55 am
What did that delicate eyebrow-lift mean? What did any of it mean?! Maybe it really was true that man was not supposed to understand woman. He hoped that was the case--at least then he wouldn't be alone in looking like a jerkish fool.
Sher felt himself blushing as she looked up and gazed straight into his golden eyes. What does she see? Everyone knew stories from when they were children--even he did!--of sorceresses and wizards who could see into someone's soul by looking into their eyes. What would she see? Would she see what he thought was there--a bitter cavern, rough and echoing with the forlorn drip of water and the quiet cries of someone who wanted to be left alone and loved? Or was there something else there? Thoughts like that made him want to look away, but there was no way he could do that; it felt like if he did, something delicate would rip, something he must not let get damaged.
In the end, she was the one to break the gaze, and he knew it had something to do with him. Guilt flooded in, especially when she started to cry. What's wrong? he wanted to ask. You're so delicate--surely you have someone to hold you and tell you it's alright? If anyone does, surely it would be you?
He knew what was growing in him, and he wanted desperately to reject it. What would she see in me? ...Correction: Would she see in me what at least three women have already seen in me? That was a disturbing thing, to be true. He kept attracting females, and when he wanted to attract them, it all fell through. Considering my luck, she's already got someone, so I'd better not go haring after her. And if she did? He felt the hope flutter. ...No.
Pushing his thoughts to the back of his mind where they wouldn't distract him from the matter at hand, Sher returned the playful bump. Playful. Friends. He wondered if he should take off at full pace or if he should slow down to make it fair. Mind you, deliberately holding back isn't fair either. Best to go full-force. He was glad he had made that decision when she took off like a black gazelle. It took him a few brief milliseconds to realize she had taken off, and he took off in pursuit, long strides eating up the ground.
Euphoric calm spread into him as he started running. His earlier thoughts, while still there, started to dissolve into easier problems. As he got closer to Elysia, a little thought shrugged and, in a logical voice, asked, Why not just ask her? You don't know for certain--as long as you're subtle, you might as well ask.
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Posted: Wed May 12, 2010 9:14 am
The wind whistling in her ears as she ran made her feel like she was flying. Her laugh rang out, swirling on the breeze as it rushed passed her. Twisting her head, Elysia looked over her shoulder, watching briefly as Sher sped at her with a ground devouring run. Giving a small squeak, she faced forward again, pushing her slender limbs to carry her faster. The water came closer and closer, the waves lapping softly at the bank. After a few moments, she decided she was close enough--and Sher was right on her tail--and leaped into the air, her dark form making a small splash as she crashed into the cool water.
At first, her teeth chattered for a moment, then she gradually became used to the temperature. Consumed and surrounded by the water, she let herself drift back into her thoughts. She had seen something in his eyes, she finally decided. What was that something exactly? It seemed like it had strangely called to her, drew her in. Maybe that was why she couldn't look away then. Her eyes drifted over the water's surface, landing on him as he came closer.
Floating silently in the water, she bit her lip. He had bumped her back, so it was known that he accepted her as a friend. A darker, buried part of her--the part she knew was she'd gotten from Stacy--whispered to her. Friends? You don't want to be friends. You want more. You want love, even if it is unstable. Briefly, she frowned, stomping back the darker thoughts. Those thoughts were what brought her and her siblings into the world, and she did not want to have any part in any thoughts like that.
I wish I was brave. She sighed, letting that thought sink in. If she was brave, she could ask him what she wanted to ask. Or simply tell him how she felt. Well... that would be a bit hard, seeing as how I don't even know exactly how I feel. Her vibrant eyes glowed in contrast to the water as she opened her mouth, intending to speak out. Then, slowly, her mouth closed again. What could she say? How would he react if she did say anything? No, she finally told herself, she would not push. If he saw something in her--that is, if he wasn't mated--then he would act on it, or so she thought.
She watched as Sher crept closer, a small smile curving her lips. "Come on," she purred, looking as innocent as ever, "the water's fine." She paused, flicking her soaked tail. "Well, it is once you get used to it." She giggled, drawing her paws back to splash at him.
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Posted: Thu May 13, 2010 7:45 am
At the last minute, Sher started to have some doubts. Warm air did not mean warm water--specific heat, and all that--and the idea of leaping into something cold is hardly appealing. He slowed down a little as he got close to the water. "You win!" he called out with a slightly breathless grin. The water was sparkling very bright light by now, sparkling in his eyes and leaving little trails of jungle green and fuchsia on his eyelids. It looked cold underneath the sparkles.
At her assurances, he leapt into the water with a huge splash. That was the only way to do it--wade into the water and you only lost heart. How could your shoulders get so cold at times like that? If the whole body hit the water, at least it wasn't so...creeping.
"Ack, cold!" he hissed, though it wasn't all that bad. The water seemed to release something in him, both thoughts and relaxation. He felt...well, other foxes would call it "young," and quite charitably, too, but he would never say that he felt "young again" in a good way. But he felt the way others would say they felt when they said they felt "young." A little voice in his mind told him to splash Elysia, and, with a grin, he gave into it.
In the background, good, honest thoughts were starting to make themselves known. ...Well, real thoughts, anyway. There has to be some way I can ask that doesn't sound like I'm trying to pick her up. She could have a boyfriend, or girlfriend, in which case, she wouldn't like my prying. Or she could have broken up with them, in which case, no prying. I doubt she's single, and if she was, she's the sort that wouldn't like me. She'll want a sweet guy, and that's...that's not me. That train of thought, and the green-eyed monster clinging to the caboose and taking over the passenger cars, was not a good sign, he was sure. He could smell trouble coming from that--drama of some kind or other.
Maybe...play around for a while, then ask? Tell her you want to make sure you don't get in trouble with some jealous significant other? Sounds a little short-sighted, but hey, you've warned her that you are.
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