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 Posted: Mon May 21, 2007 11:02 am
Diego's teeth clenched tightly as she got closer to him, sniffing at his fur. For a moment he was actually embrassed... he certainly wasn't the cleanest, prettiest numa around. Even for a coffee. His fur was coarse and not at all shiny... Though his worry turned to more puzzlement. ...Sunshine? He didn't know sunshine had a smell. He cleared his throat akwardly, creating a harsh raspy sound. His head tilted towards her, wondering if she really did smell sweet... Though he dared not move even closer to her to test the theory.
Even if she did not act sneaky or cunny... Diego could make a circket into a crazy serial killer. His clawed clenched and massaged the ground, trying to release some of the tention in his shoulders. "..Having-g Caandy... In.. you, it iisss possib-ble, I guesss..." He muttered, frowning slightly.
The visual of Houng pouncing Diego was a pitiful thought, especially since it'd probably result in him having a heart attack, or her getting hurt. But that would be saved for another day. For now he just frowned at her, slightly distressed. Dancing was the least thing he wanted to do with her right now... Being so close... Open for attacks at any time! Though he fidgeted a bit at the 'compliment' on his fur, he still looked hesitant.
"D-don't... dannss.... Don't reeally knew how.."
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Posted: Mon May 21, 2007 1:24 pm
A nod answered him, cheerful, but not quite as forceful as when she'd first met him; she seemed to have noticed that she had to smooth out her movements if only just a tiny fraction. For his sake, "Mmhhmm!" she hummed at him, "It'd explain why I can't take the bitter taste of coffee without sugar or marshmallows; I love coffee, but I think a mixture is better!" amusingly enough, despite being a coffee, and feeling quite at home inside the swamp, much like any other of her species, Huong did not look dirty, or otherwise un-groomed.
She didn't look exceptionally groomed either, mind you; her hair was ruffled here and there from the way she sprang and ran about. It was clear she was not all too preoccupied with not getting dirty if it meant missing out on fun; at the same time, she was tidy enough to seem.... well, tell truth, she seemed young. She had the smell of a child, wild and free, with no care whatsoever in the world, other than to have fun and play with what the land offered her, "I can teach you!" she chirped happily before she leaned forward again and turned her muzzle to groom his neck; the pelt there was unnaturally disarranged, and it'd been a somewhat instinctive reaction.
It took her a few moments to lick the dirt away and arrange it before she lifted her gaze back at him, questioning him silently yet innocently, "It's not hard at all! All you have to do is listen," this said, she lifted an ear up as she tilted her head in his general direction. The small coffee girl's eyes closed up and soon enough she swayed her head ever so slightly, a humming sounding much resembling a soft tune rumbling through her neck and chest, "If you listen you can hear the music, and dancing is just moving to it!" pausing, she turned to smile at him again.
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Posted: Tue May 22, 2007 10:21 am
Deigo's eye widdened in startled bewilderment as she started grooming him, but for a moment he let her, too scared and in shock to really move. Poor Huong had no idea that Deigo's neck was one of his 'no touchy' spots, a place that had been hideously scared for most of his life, the trademark of his paranoia. If Deigo was iffy about being touched all together, he certainly wasn't crazy about having his neck area touched. It brought back too many visions from the past, making his body tense up and his vision go white.
Riding on instinct, his body tensed up before he could even think or stop himself, his clawed front legs swinging around to shove her away harshly, pushing her against the licorice tree that they were standing beside. His torn throat created a deep raspy growl and he glared at her angrily. "D-dont'!!" He barked, his one gold eye narrowed down at her.
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Posted: Tue May 22, 2007 11:19 am
The hum died in her throat as the male lashed out at her; of course, she was no where like Deigo in the sense that... well, a hurricane could have been coming, and Huong would sit there, smile and think it was pretty neat. Not only did she not anticipate the lash, but she couldn't have possibly anticipated the pain it caused as his nails dug slightly into her cheek.
The force of the shove sent her reeling back just a pace or two, but it was enough to make her collide against the tree. At first, the pain didn't quite register; it'd happened much too fast, however, after a few seconds, the female finally opened her eyes and looked around, breathing rapidly.
Don't.
Don't what?
Blue eyes settled on Deigo as Huong pulled herself off the tree, a paw coming up to hold the shoulder she'd hit roughly against it's bark. She wasn't honestly really hurt. Not really. Just a bruise on her arm, and a few scratches on her face; she was physically fine. Being of the coffee constitution allowed her to fall and not harm herself all that easily, however, it was apparent in her gaze she'd at least been hurt in some other way, "Don't?" the smile was gone, her expression remain blank for just a moment before she stood, her eyes heavy lided; there was a distinct change in her actions, the sugary coated sweetness having been replaced with something else.
Perhaps understanding? She seemed sad, but not exactly sad for herself, rather, the female seemed slightly more concerned with him than herself. After all, she'd not been hurt all THAT bad. But the idea of touch making him lash out so blindly... was sad. It was sad for someone that depended on others and liked touch; she found it comforting, and knowing someone feared and repulsed it so much... was sad, "Why are you sad? Why are you... like this?" no anger in her words and no fear in her actions, and indeed, she actually neared him again, sitting down in front of him; not quite touching him, but still rather close.
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Posted: Tue May 22, 2007 11:53 am
His body shook with the instinctive anger and tension that had overcome him, though when his mind cleared enough to actually notice her.. his expression softened and he stepped back, his not-clawed-out eye wide. If she would have whined and acted concerned for herself, he would have had an excuse to glare and yell at her more, calling her a baby and whiney, then turn and stomp off... Like he'd always done before.
But nooo. She had to be so.. cute.. and concerned for HIM. He flopped down to rest on his rump and tail, frowning deeply, clawed paws hanging limply in front of him. Guilt and sorrow was obvious on his face, even if the scars did make him look more intimidating. He didn't know what to say... No one had ever asked him that, especially after he had just hurt them. Even if it was slightly an accident...
Deigo opened his mouth to answer her, but he couldn't think of what to say... So he closed it after a moment and looked down, closing his eye and sighing softly. Trying to ignore answering the question, he glanced back up at her, looking worried. "S-sorry. 'Rre you 'U-urt?"
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Posted: Tue May 22, 2007 2:06 pm
She smiled then. The smile was soft, nothing like her previous ones; it held a lingering sadness to it. Perhaps something akin to nostalgia as she closed her eyes for effect, only to reopen then, "I'm okay..." came the answer, breathed softly before she looked down then back up at him, her smile melting into concern, "Are you?" it was clear she didn't mean it in the normal way; she was asking something else, something a little bit deeper, "Are you?"
As far as she was concerned, it wasn't the scar on his neck or over his eye that was hurting; it wasn't that. He was hurt elsewhere, and as cheerful as she tried to stay, this was a bit more overpowering. Slowly lifting her clawed paw, she put the palm facing up between them, looking strangely calm for someone that'd just been slashed at.
She kept her paw there, in the air between them, almost as if expecting him to take it despite him hating touch, "Is it really alright to be like that? Is it okay to... be haunted?" that word; haunted. She knew that word well, and it showed in her tone of voice, "Are you alright with that? Is really... and truthfully okay?" she'd decided long, long ago, that no, it was not okay to live haunted because when one did, they missed out on the truly beautiful things that life had to offer. When she'd been born as a coffee, directly from the witch's powers, she'd thought herself doomed, but then... she'd decided that she would be just what SHE wanted to do. Little by little, she'd become whom she was, and despite what others said about her (She's strange, she's not like us, she's coffee, we can't trust her, she's too much like a candy, we can't trust her either), she was happy being the way she was.
Was he?
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Posted: Tue May 22, 2007 2:26 pm
Deigo whinced and glanced away, frowning deeply. Why was she doing this? Suprisingly, he found himself wishing she was her usual cheerful slightly annoying and slightly cute self. Maybe.. she really wasn't pretending? Everyone else he'd ever encountered had run away when it'd reached the point that he attacked them. Was she really that kind? Or was she just trying to weasel her way into his heart so she could scar him emotionally as well?
"W-whyy du you even c-caare...?" He muttred, his voice sounding even more hoarse and forced. "I just met you t-todaay... Ssso what if I'm t-the waay I aam..? I'm ewwsed to i-it." Ok, so he was lieing... But he was a male. Males didn't usually easily admit their feelings. Especially someone was closed off as Diego.
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Posted: Tue May 22, 2007 3:34 pm
"W-whyy du you even c-caare...?"
A long pause followed his words, during which the female looked away and towards the licorice fields and swamps, "Because..." the words seemed to die before escaping her throat, swept away in a breath before she smiled and turned to face the male again, looking at him partially over her shoulder, "Because someone has to care." She'd lowered her paws to the ground carefully by then, and merely smiled at him. It still wasn't the same sugar coated smile from before; it was softer, and more real. It was something that was obviously reserved for few and rare occasions.
So why can't it be me?
There was something disturbing about being used to such ways, and as someone that was apparently his opposite, Huong thought this to be a very, very sad thing indeed. Slowly, she scooted a bit closer to him, her frame smaller than his, forcing her to look up at him, "Are you really okay with being used to it, though?" her gaze lowered down to the floor again for bare instants before she finally leaned slightly against him; her weight against his side, her head near his neck. This done, she closed her eyes and purred, but no smile spread across her maw; she seemed to be waiting for the inevitable to happen. She didn't seem to care though, not right now.
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Posted: Tue May 22, 2007 3:49 pm
Deigo looked away again when she gave him that face, more guilt weighing on him, making him tenser. His claws flezed against the ground, but for once it wasn't because of anger or anticipation. He hadn't felt so much raw emotion in... years. He'd always just ignored it, pretty much. Focusing on his own safety and the one thing that DID fuel him... revenge. But right now all of his goals and violent dreams were thrown out the window.
Someone has to care... When he was a pup, people had cared for him, he'd been pretty damn happy too, but it'd all been torn away like the flesh taken from him.. He sighed softly and glanced back to her to reply, and blinked, his eye widdening slightly as she leaned against him. His body was still tense, and his legs started to shake slightly, but suprisingly, he managed not to push her away, though his instincts were screaming at him to claw at her. He gulped then sighed again, his breath shakey.
"Unn.. I..." He paused for a moment to take a few long breaths, trying to calm down. She wouldn't hurt him. She wouldn't hurt him... He had to say it over and over in his mind to believe it. "E-even if I'm nooot o-okay... I c-c-can't change it-t."
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Posted: Tue May 22, 2007 4:32 pm
The lash never came and finally, the female turned her head, eyes still closed to hide her features against the pelt of his shoulder, "Everyone changes; we can all change. It's... like how pups change into adults, and grow. They change," the words were sort of muffled against his pelt as she talked, but the rumble of her words must've been odd for some like Deigo to actually feel. so close was she that the vibration of her voice seeped into him, "Everyone changes.... for the better, or worse, but that's what it's all about, right? Changing is important."
It was amusing how she truly did believe her own words; after all, they were the same, exact ones she'd come to believe long ago, when she'd decided only she alone could walk her fate. No witch, or numa whatsoever could tell her how she was destined to be, except herself.
Because.... because someone has to care.
It was as simple as that, and with the previous words ringing in her mind, the female finally pulled away from Deigo, offering him an honest smile; neither sugar coated, nor sad. It was a simple, honest to god smile which reached her eyed as they remain heavy lidded, "It might as well be me... you know?" the words were whispered, almost as if continued from her earlier claim, finishing the sentence she'd left hanging in the air previously.
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Posted: Tue May 22, 2007 5:44 pm
Suprisingly, Deigo actually frowned deeper when she pulled away. As unnerving as the physical contact was.. after he had loosened up a bit, it was... nice.. Kind of. Weird for him, but nice. When she smiled at him it made his ears twitch and his head lower, his frown deepening further.
"I.. still don' reeally under st-tand... but.." He blinked for a moment then huffed and looked away, trying not to look pleased. Well, he was more confused than pleased right now, but the idea of someone caring for him certainly didn't upset him. It'd be hard to completely trust her though... He still didn't, but she had weaseled her way past his barriers deeper than any other person had dared to go.
"I guessss I c-can't really stop you eitherrr..." He grumbled, then glanced back to her, blinking at her a couple of times before he reached up to graze a claw over her cheek softly, checking to see if her scrapes were deep.
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Posted: Wed May 23, 2007 12:34 am
No words were uttered in response to his own; instead a smile was once again offered. It was softer, and more like the one he'd probably remember from earlier, a small purr added for effect. She was past using words; they served no purpose right now. After all, the slightest of gestures was much more potent than any words could ever be.
Her train of thought was proved correct as the male lifted his claws to her cheek. There was no flinch, as might've been expected from someone whom had recently been hurt, however, there was mild surprise written across her features; it visible in the way her eyes widened ever so slightly and her smile dropped into the previous slightly blank look. It was short-lived however for as soon as the surprise washed away, it was replaced by mild sattisfaction as the female produced a small squee-like noise and closed her eyes, purring loudly.
There was no denying the purr either, for it was loud enough for even Deigo to hear. In fact, it was probable that the peeps in the trees heard her too, so loud was the rumbling noise. Not only that, but she actualy leaned into the mild touch of his paw and nuzzled it, much like a small kitten would've a human hand. Not coffee-like behavoir... but then again, Huong was not a normal coffee numas. She was merely... Huong. And that was good enough for her, "You can't stop the rain either; and I think it's pretty, even when others run away from it," she finaly opened her eyes, but her head remain leaned against his clawed paw, "I think you're pretty nice," she murmured into his pelt, "I think, deep down you're really nice."
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Posted: Wed May 23, 2007 12:53 am
"T-thanks..." A loop-sided, akward smile spread across his muzzle as she started to pur, though he realized it after a moment and blushed, pulling his paw back as he frowned. She.. seemed to be so touchy feely.. More than he had ever been used to, even when his parents were alive. She was unlike any other coffee.. loving and tender, and innocent. Perhaps it was what he needed.. Someone pure that he could trust.
But COULD he trust her? He had trusted him, so long ago.. blindly.. And he... He frowned deeper and looked away, his claw moving back to brush against the scar on his neck, then to his right eye socket, which lay empty and scared. He pondered to himself for a moment before glancing back at her, realizing suddenly that this behavior might make her sad.. and for some reason, he couldn't explain why, he didn't want her to be sad... His expression changed again. It wasn't quite a smile, cause he wasn't particuarly happy.. but not sad either. Calm. For the first time in years, he was relatively calm. His legs didn't shake, his shoulders weren't slumped in paranoid anticipation, and his back didn't feel tight. It made him seem alot less intimidating and even younger (Not that he looked particuarly old).
"If.. you st-till want thossse marshmellowsss, I'll.. help you. Sssince I hurt-t you..." He looked down at her questioningly, wondering if that would please her.
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Posted: Wed May 23, 2007 1:09 am
As soon as his paw retreated, the purring died down; it was slow and gradual, but it died down either way, "You're welcome," the voice was back into it's cheerful happy chirp of a tone, specialy as she stod up and suddenly shook herself off, almost like a dog that were wet and were trying to rid of excess water. In Huong's case, perhaps she was trying to rid of excess energy; whatever the reason, she shook herself, and turned back towards the male. She'd missed the awkward smile from before (she'd not seen it, however, she'd somewhat felt it, as strange as that might sound), however, she did not miss the way his body language spoke out volumes. That alone warranted a small purr of approval from the smalle pink coffee before she leaned forward, taking the long flocks of hair that dangled from his paws in her maw, tugging softly, "I do love marshmallows," she said between mouthfuls of pelt before releasing him.
This done, she took a step back away from him and pressed the upper part of her body to the ground, a gesture that clearly indicated she seemed to... want to play, amusingly enough. And just like that, she was back to her normal, sugar coated self; she'd shown him, and him alone that there was something else under it all, but that side remain hidden till next time should it be called again, "I like you; so yes, please help me hunt them down!"
In fact, she seemed right about ready to tag his paws and bolt up ahead, expecting him to chase her when... something or other seemed to click in her mind and she paused mid action. Slowly then, she stood, and slower still, she padded over to him, reaching with her maw to his neck, repeating the previously dreaded actions of grooming there, "Trust me," the words were whispered against his pelt before she continued to groom away the area, reaching up to the bandages that came over his cheek.
Because... that was something she needed to do again. For her sake. And perhaps for his too.
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Posted: Wed May 23, 2007 1:38 am
Seeing that she had easily returned to her 'normal' chiper state seemed to please him, and the loop-sided grin flashed again for a moment, his healthy eye falling half lidded as well. "Uhh.. Yea.. O-ok..." He muttered, pushing himself to his feet to follow her.
Though as soon as he moved, the tension and doubt folded back to him in a slap of a mental wave. Though.. puzzling enough, only a small amount of it was directed towards him. His mouth went dry as he watched her leap ahead of him. What is she stepped on something sharp that cause her pain, or got out of sight and lost? Or some other monsterous numa pounced out of the marshes after her. All the worries he had always mulled over again and again was multiplied. Another soul to care for. Was... this really worth it? His legs started shaking harder than he ever remembered as he almost moved to run after her, pick her up and carry her to any destination she had in mind.
But she turned around and came back before he could follow her, making him arch an eyebrow. Though he did flinch away from her and whince, he did not attack her again. A frown was spread across him as he watched her. "I.. uhh.. H-huong..." He couldn't say he trusted her, cause that just wasn't completely true. Not 100% anyway. And he didn't really feel right lieing to her... "I'm trying..." He muttered, his voice as misused and raspy as ever.
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