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 Posted: Thu Nov 21, 2013 2:02 pm
"That's not what I--" he started to say, then stopped, shaking his head. He tried to force an awkward smile at her attempt at a joke, even if it felt wrong for some reason. "Alright, just making sure. And I'm sure our hours will be a little wobbly until the sun straightens us out again."
Automatically, he dropped the pack and started setting up camp like it was a routine already. He unfolded the bed rolls by the wall, prepping their sleeping area, then a clear space further out for a fire later. They had food and water provided for once, so that was no immediate concern. He ticked through the concerns like a list, only relaxing a bit upon its completion. Only a bit, because he still had one major concern left.
Turning towards Celestia, he hesitated, struck by flash of nerves. No, he couldn't let things continue to deteriorate, not without knowing the reason why. Subtlety wasn't exactly his strong suit normally, but it seemed the safest action to take right now while still taking some action. He hated this new tension that seemed to be growing between them the longer he left it alone.
Holding out his hand to her with a smile of invitation, he said, "Come on. Come rest and take the weight off your hooves." He reached out to guide her towards the spread bedrolls, taking a seat himself by the wall. Then, somewhat surprised by his own daring, he reached for her hands to pull her down gently, but firmly, into his lap. As the now-familiar panic started to well up, his only reaction was a momentary tenseness...but, he didn't backpedal this time.
They had been close before, but he'd always tended to her needs in only the thought of being a gentleman, as one should tend to any woman in need. Now, he did so with a more personal motive in mind...and wondered if the difference would be noticeable. A frame of mind wasn't exactly something that could be seen, but perhaps the actions performed because of it might serve to show the difference.
Seeming far more calm than he actually felt, he shifted to allow Celestia to sit sideways, turning his eyes towards her hooves. "Best to be careful on slick river stones like these. Hooves can slip easily and twist an ankle if you're too tired or overdoing it. You're sure you're okay? I mean, if it'd help with the tiredness, I could maybe...rub your ankles or something? I'm no expert, of course, but...might make them feel better..." He trailed off somewhat awkwardly, feeling his face heat up. He was really trying not to back down like before...but at the same time...was he being WAY too forward with this to be considered 'subtle' anymore?
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Posted: Thu Nov 21, 2013 2:50 pm
Nodding, the princess joined him in walking into the cave and, leaning against the wall, watched him in preparing the camp. She might have offered to help, but he had begun and finished too quickly for her to do so. Instead she just watched rolling her shoulders and yawning. Yes. Yes, a rest would be nice.
Opening her eyes again, Celestia smiled softly at his offered hand before taking it just as gently. "Yes, misseur. If you insist I do such a thing, who am I to complain." From just that little gesture, she could feel herself growing at ease once again, allowing him to guide her once again. Moving to sit beside him once again...
...or... to sit in his lap instead...
What... What was this? What was he doing? Her cheeks flushed bright red, her eyes averting, but she didn't resist the pull. Instead, she moved to settle herself, her wings folding down behind her, her hand brushing her hair out of the way, as her body moved to lean against him ever so slightly.
However, as he talked, she could feel the heat creeping up her neck and her cheeks becoming warmer as she bit her lip, eyes downcast. No... No, he was doing it again. He was doing this out of pity for her, because he felt responsible for her weakness when it was her own decision and fault. "Why...?" she said so softly, it might have simply been her breath. Her shoulders shook as she tried to calm her breathing and her thoughts.
"Why must you treat me so? It's cruel... I cannot take it anymore!" At this, she raised a hand up to her cheek to crudely wipe away at the steady stream of tears that had begun to fall. "You bring me close, yet you push me away. You act as if you care for me, but then you treat me as though I am simply someone to care for. Again and again! And again..." Turning to steady herself on all fours, she pulled herself away. "I have had enough of it! Of it all!" She was messily flapping her wings to help her stand up, mumbling to herself. "Spirits help me I am going back to the tree."
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Posted: Thu Nov 21, 2013 3:41 pm
He'd started to relax, even smile as she settled against him quietly...then she'd tensed again, shaking even, and he thought he'd heard the question 'why...?', though he might have imagined it. Still, he started to answer, frowning, "Because...I want to...?"
Then, she pulled away as he'd feared, and he felt his heart plummet like a stone. So, it was true...she had no thought for him except as someone to save her and bring her home again. He was good for nothing but heavy lifting, otherwise, get back out of the way where you belong, you clumsy fool. The truth hurt and his subconscious was letting him have it.
Until he actually registered what she'd said. She was upset that he pushed her away. Perhaps he had, but only out of his own fear of being rejected by her; that she'd never have any interest in someone like him. He wasn't the brightest faun and he knew it, but just a touch of new clarity was making him feel he'd made one of the biggest idiotic moves of his life. One he needed to hurry if he was going to correct it before it was too late to fix.
Screw subtlety. Too many misinterpretations.
Spurred by surprise and concern, he scrambled to follow her, ending up somewhat sprawled on his knees as he made a desperate grasp for her hand. "Celestia! Wait! Please! You don't understand." He reached her before she got too far, though she was turned away from him, so he had to shuffle on his knees to get to where she was looking at him again. "Please, wait," he pleaded, frowning.
Settling on his haunches in front of her, he shook his head. "I'm sorry. I didn't know...I mean, I didn't mean to be cruel...I didn't realize..." He was clutching one of her hands in both of his, looking down as he started to fidget in an antsy manner. Like he was having trouble putting the words in order before they came from his mouth and his brain was too busy to supervise. "I do care for you, and about you, and..." He glanced up now, swallowing hard. "I know I'm nothing special, not royalty, not even anyone important. So I didn't...I was afraid...that you didn't...wouldn't..."
He was losing traction, flailing for what to do or say to convince her that he hadn't been trying to hurt her. Far from it, he'd been trying not to do that, not to even make her uncomfortable. Yet, as usual, he'd screwed up anyway. Everything he did was wrong, it felt sometimes. Sometimes, when words failed, actions spoke volumes.
Besides, he'd gone this far. Too late to back down now.
Stomach clenching in knots, he looked up at her face, frowning at the tears. That was his fault. He'd caused that. He released his hold on her hand with one of his, reaching for her cheek. He cupped her cheek with his palm, wiping away a tear with his thumb. Taking only a moment to gather his resolve, he leaned in and touched his lips to hers, tentatively at first, in case his intrusion was as unwelcome as he feared.
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Posted: Thu Nov 21, 2013 4:12 pm
"I understand well enough..." The princess had her hands on her knees as she braced herself to stand, stopping only as she caught movement in her vision. At this moment, she just wanted the male in front of her gone, just wanted him to let her forget and return things to how they were before. It had been better before.
She was upset, that was clear, but even she was surprised at the amount of venom that seemed to come from her words. "You did not realize what? That this princess is not perfect as she is meant to be? That she is simply another female as any other? I must sincerely apologize for your disappointment." Almost immediately, her eyes averted, her tone softening. "I... I did not mean to speak..."
Her body jolted as she felt his hands take her own, her eyes looking back up to him. Had he always acted like this, with such indecision and rashness? He always seemed to be the calm one, but had that been an carefully thought-out act?
No... This was just a different sort of situation. She closed her eyes, shaking her head as she spoke, her normal gentleness again in her tone, yet it remained quiet. "Did I ever make mention that you should be anything different? That you were anything less than special?" As she felt his hand against her cheek, her eyes again opened, looking to him. "You are Faroth. I wish for you to be nothing more, nor anything less."
Was this a confession?
What a silly manner in which to go about it, almost as if it were from a theater performance or something. Sometimes, being royalty, if only in name, is difficult.
Time seemed to come to a stop as she made eye contact with him, that same look there as before, the blood coloring her face as before. But, unlike the other times, this time there was no hesitation, just a movement forward. Closer... And closer... She could feel her eyes closing as his breath brushed her lips, her wings hanging limply behind her. His lips were rough, a bit cracked (probably because of their past two weeks), but not unpleasant, nor unwelcome. She wondered if he could feel her heart racing, but only for a moment.
While she didn't necessarily know how to react in such a situation and could not think to lift her arms and pull him closer, there was also no movement to pull away. That would be the answer he received.
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Posted: Thu Nov 21, 2013 4:40 pm
So much confusion on both sides, so much inadvertent pain and insecurity. He'd never even imagined that she was as confused by all this as he had been, or even possibly more so. He'd heard the venom in her words, wincing and wondering if that's how she really thought of herself. The irony of the moment wasn't lost on him. He held her high, viewing her as someone far above a commoner like him...and yet, she just called him the special one, and herself...'normal.'
All that hung somewhere in the back of his mind, however. At the moment, he had other concerns. He wasn't exactly that experienced in this sort of thing, so he was just giving in to the urges he'd been fighting on and off for a couple of weeks now. He wanted to console her, stop the tears of the woman who had grown so dear to him, so he trusted that instinct would guide him to do the right thing. Her cheek felt warm beneath his hand, her lips soft, if dry, against his. He focused on the physical sensations, putting off worrying about the aftermath until it came.
The moment seemed far too short, however, when he pulled away. He did so shortly, just breaking contact before resting his forehead against hers, beside her spiral horn. "I'm sorry...if that was unwelcome," he said quietly, noting that while she'd not pulled away, she'd also not given any other reaction to his gesture. Perhaps she was just too shocked. Taken aback by his forwardness. He'd not known what else he could say at the moment, and even now, words eluded him.
As long as he hadn't just destroyed their friendship with his actions...he wouldn't regret it at all.
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Posted: Thu Nov 21, 2013 4:52 pm
Her eyes did not open again until he pulled back, her breath coming in short, hastened breaths as his rested his forehead against hers. It was times like these that she wondered if it might be easier to not have the horn, though, it was not as if this sort of this had happened to her often.
Or, really, ever.
Closing her eyes to shake her head, she couldn't fight off the small smile that played on her lips, almost out of place from the red tints lingering in the whites of her eyes from before. "No, it was not..." The princess's hands moved to wrap themselves around him, only hesitating for a moment in the process. Her eyes looked directly into his, into those bright, blue irises, "That is the first time I have ever had such contact with another... Thank you..."
If he tried to pull away now, it was likely that her grip would tighten to a firm, not not unbreakable, one. Boy... What were Vanya and her sister going to say about this?
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Posted: Thu Nov 21, 2013 5:44 pm
Relief flooded his system at the sight of the small smile in answer. He was more surprised as her arms wrapped around his shoulders, his stomach giving a little, pleasant flip at her admission. She'd...never been kissed before? He'd have thought that she could have had anything she ever wanted as a Princess. Suitors by the dozens lining up to try for her hand. Of course, he supposed, he couldn't just assume anything, it seemed. In response, he smiled back, stroking her cheek with his thumb. "Well, I'm sorry for not asking first...but not for doing it. You're welcome," he quipped with a cheeky grin.
All of the adrenaline and tension was dissolving, giving way to a giddiness and sense of relief unlike any he'd felt in a long time...if ever. He let his hand drop slowly, trailing his fingertips down her cheek. Then, he looped his arms around her lower back, beneath her feathered wings that tickled his skin as they brushed against them. For all the times they'd been close before, it had never been like this.
Still, kneeling on the ground was perhaps not where they wanted to stay for long.
He started to shift and chuckled when he felt her arms tighten around him. "Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere," he reassured her with a grin. "Just getting comfortable." 'I kinda' like it here,' he admitted to himself silently. Neither seemed willing to let go completely, so the movement was a bit more awkward than it could have been, but he stood, bringing her upwards with him. He glanced towards the bedrolls nearby, trying to shuffle in that direction. "Maybe...we could try this again?" he offered, hands on her waist. Drawing on his stallion strength, he picked her up briefly, only to allow her to settle in his lap again once seated. The bedroll was more comfortable than the bare ground and the wall of the cliff at his back provided support, so he could focus on his companion.
What had just happened? He felt like he'd been through a whirlwind and come out the other side, upside down and backwards. He was completely off-balance and confused...and yet, filled with a sense of relief and giddiness, keeping him from thinking straight. He finally chuckled softly, asking aloud, "What just happened?" He looked up, catching her eye. "I suppose...I wasn't the only one confused then. Raina--" he stopped, blinking and looking around, only remembering the wolf now.
"...has decided to disappear conveniently," he finished with a snort. Figured. She'd made an exit at some point when he'd been focused on other things. He'd have to give her credit...and thanks later.
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Posted: Fri Nov 22, 2013 12:13 pm
The princess's eyes looked away, her cheeks flushing, as his fingers brushed against her cheek once again. It wasn't out of embarrassment, or awkwardness, but rather from the shyness of being so close. She supposed they had probably been this close for quite a while now, but neither of them had wished to acknowledge it, probably for similar reasons.
How silly that all seemed in this moment.
It was so utterly ridiculous that they had put off this moment, had put up with so much unnecessary tension and awkwardness. Yes, it was with good intentions, and perhaps a bit out of fear, but now it felt as if it was just a waste of effort.
A chill ran up her spine as his fingers brushed against more of her skin, her cheek, her back. The princess laughed as he started to move, her grip releasing some to let him do it easier. That was right, he was going to stay here. Even if he left, he was going to come back to the tree, back to her, eventually. They would have tea, eat treats, and talk about what had changed in the meantime. It would be nice.
"Perha---" Her hooves instinctively kicked as she felt herself being lifted, before she laughed lightly, glancing away until she was back to the same position as before. While it might have looked the same, the difference in feeling was immense.
It just felt so... right...
She leaned sideways, once again resting the side of her head against his chest. "To be honest..." the princess sighed, shrugging. "...I am not entirely confident about it myself." her eyes closed and she smiled "I am most positive, though, that I am thankful it did." Her eyes opened again, meeting his, before returning his smile. "It appears as su--..."
That was right. They weren't alone. For a split second, the princess tensed and was entirely acute of how strange this whole ordeal might have looked from an outsider's perspective. The last thing she wanted to do was make others, even spirits, feel uncomfortable. As he finished his sentence, however, the princess instantly calmed. Placing a hand on her chest, she laughed lightly. "You very nearly gave me a fright. I had forgotten she was among us."
Even if she was connected with Faroth emotionally, was probably very in tune with his thoughts and knew what was going on, there was something about acting so... public... about such affection that made Celestia feel uncomfortable.
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Posted: Fri Nov 22, 2013 2:06 pm
Faroth chuckled, letting his hand rest casually on her waist. For something that he'd fretted about for so long, it seemed so natural now that they were being open with one another. Strange.
"I understand if it's still a bit much to absorb. She's much like our Mellons in a sense though; she's there...but it's not like another Pae'il. And she comes and goes as she pleases for the most part. Pretty sure she was trying to give us some privacy this time though." He paused, pondering how much to share before he continued. "Honestly, it's her we have to thank."
He glanced down. "I'd have probably continued as we were before if she hadn't prompted me to do something. Suppose I could have handled that a bit better, but...I think it worked out in the end," he finished with a smile. "I just...I'd convinced myself that it was all in my head. That there was no way you could ever feel...could ever be attracted to someone like me," he trailed off quietly, looking aside.
"So many times, I wanted to..." he reached for her hand, "...I don't know, say or do something, but then I'd convince myself that it was completely inappropriate, that in the best case, you'd be insulted by my interest, and..." He paused, shaking his head with a sad smile. "That everything would change; that I'd lose a friend. But, since we escaped to the surface, well...Raina hasn't left me alone," he chuckled. Finally, glancing back towards Celestia, he admitted, "She gave me some hope that maybe, just maybe..." He shrugged with an awkward grin.
He didn't mention that she'd called them both 'dense' in the process.
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Posted: Fri Nov 22, 2013 3:30 pm
Celestia sighed, her eyes looking downcast at the mention of her mellon. "My own does not appear to like me quite so much..." she mumbled, pouting very slightly. "All she ever does is tell me what I have done wrong, never a praise. Though..." a pause "...I suppose she usually only shows up when I need a figurative hoof in the rear..." Maybe it was just her way of showing she cared? Maybe...
Looking back to him, she smiled softly. "Is that so, I must thank her then for this time alone~" If the moments before hadn't given it away, the princess was a bit very old-fashioned in her ideals about expressing emotions and affections; in front of others was neither the time nor the place.
Her expression softened as she listened to him speak, realizing how similar they had really been after all. Both of them fighting with their feelings, determined that they were inappropriate, one-sided, and nothing. That it was just something silly in their head.
How very wrong they had been.
Her fingers wrapped around his as he took her hand. Looking into his eyes, she gave him a warm smile "Everything has changed, I do believe" She leaned forward to plant the softest of kisses on his cheek. Upon looking back at him, she tilted her head ever so slightly, her hair falling to the side. "But, we would be foolish to think of all change as bad." Another laugh, her fingers closing to intertwine with his own. "I really must thank her later for her persistence."
The princess's head again moved to rest against Faroth's chest, her breathing calm and quiet. "Can we remain like this... After we have returned to the tree... do you suppose...?" It was as real a concern as any. After all, putting things into perspective, they had only spent roughly two weeks together. How could feelings from that possibly persist in a normal setting?
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Posted: Fri Nov 22, 2013 4:48 pm
Faroth shrugged slightly. "They are supposed to be guides, so...maybe it's what she thought you needed to hear?" He had to admit, while he hadn't necessarily approved of the blunt method she chose...Celestia's Mellon had been rather helpful in helping him understand what was going on with the princess, preventing further misunderstandings between them early in their adventure. "Heh, my own must be rather shy...Raina'd tell you though that I need all the help I can get," he snickered at himself.
He glanced down, seeming to study their hands with interest; her soft, delicate fingers twined with his rough, clumsy ones. It made him smile. It was ridiculous, he kept smiling at every little thing, as if he couldn't stop. Though, he noted with amusement that even after what they'd just done, he still flushed as her lips brushed his cheek.
"You know what? I'm okay with change," he answered, smiling gently. "There's so many new and exciting things to explore...why would anyone ever want to stick with the same old boring things every day? Where's the fun in that?" He seemed to sober a bit as her tone changed, glancing down to where she nestled against his chest. He felt warmth radiating from the contact and shifted slightly, lifting his hand from her hip to pull a stray strand of hair from her face. "Well...after a couple of weeks, we just got to this point. To be honest, I don't know what happens from here. But..." he smiled down at her. "I'm willing to give it a try if you are."
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Posted: Sun Nov 24, 2013 2:53 am
The princess could feel the heat of his chest, the way it raised and fell with each breath, the slight fluttering of his heart, beating constantly. It was very calming, doing well to nearly lull the princess to sleep. If it wasn't for his voice, she might have done just that. "We all need help at one point or another, though, I suppose we each respond to that help in different manners. We all need different manners to create a response."
He could probably feel the smile forming on her lips as he continued speaking, her own breath gently brushing against his skin.
Her eyes opened as he brushed the hair away. "It certainly appears so. A month prior I should have never imagined that I might be sharing such wonderful company with anyone. I had near hidden myself away from all..." her voice softened "...I do hope that those thoughts have left from all, not just from you." Looking up to him, there was a hint of fear lingering in her eyes, but she quickly shook it off as she smiled warmly back at him. "I believe I would very much like that."
While she had no idea what one would do, what this actually made them, she was certain that, while these feelings remained, she would hold to them dearly.
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Posted: Sun Nov 24, 2013 2:09 pm
That was right; he'd nearly forgotten. While the princess had made considerable strides in dealing with her issue where he was concerned; there was no proof yet that she would have as much luck upon returning to larger groups of Pae'il. Doubt flickered across his mind. Was that what this was? Was this simply a response to him being the first Faun she'd managed to get close to since her troubles started? Was she only clinging to him reflexively, because she had no other choice, obviously making him the most desirable option? Would he mean less to her once it was clear she could let others in again as well?
You're getting ahead of yourself, Faroth.
He brushed the doubt aside; not because he had dismissed it, but because this wasn't the time to entertain it. So, they admitted they were attracted to one another. Big deal. It wasn't a commitment or anything. Just...entertaining the possibility and pursuit of something else. Maybe. Maybe it wouldn't work out. Maybe they'd find they didn't have much in common after all. That's what they would have to find out, and they'd only learn by trying and seeing what happened.
For now, he had a place to spend the evening, some food and drink, and a beautiful woman at his side. Most would say that was more than enough.
A cool breeze danced through off the water, prompting Faroth to pull one of the blankets over them both. It wasn't very late yet, but they'd had a bit of a tiring day, if his own experience was any indication. The princess seemed even more worn; made sense as he thought about it. Only a day since they'd escaped the underground palace and started having decent food again. Until the sun helped them straighten out their sleep schedules, it wouldn't hurt to grab a nap when tired, he supposed.
Letting himself relax, he returned Celestia's gaze with a smile, returning his hand to her waist. It was reassuring to hold her close like this, though he wondered if he was doing so more for his or her benefit. "I hope so too. But, if for some reason they haven't, then you've still got someone willing to help you through, alright? No more facing this alone." He gave her a gentle squeeze, then settled back with his eyes closed, at peace.
Some minutes later, he felt a tiny prod at the edge of his consciousness. 'I'll just...keep an eye out while you two rest.' Faroth opened one eye slowly, picking out the sight in the distance of a mottled grey wolf peering from behind a stone. He smiled to himself and nodded subtly, closing his eye once more. With some amusement, he noted that this was the first time they were dozing off in each other's arms rather than waking up that way.
Fading words at the edge of his senses: '...'bout damn time...'
***
[FIN]
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