Nohokai was feeling pretty proud of himself. Not only did he live in the best pride ever, but he also had the loveliest lioness to call his own. Kai had been floating on cloud nine since presenting Sabbia with the gift he'd painstakingly crafted, and things had only gotten better from there. He was a bit troubled that his love didn't seem to believe him when he lamented her beauty, but that only meant that he needed to work harder to prove it to her.
Today he found himself gathering bits of coral and sea glass for her to use in her crafting. He loved finding pretty whatnots to gift to her, and often he would leave endless piles of materials at her favorite tide pools for her to find later.
Sabbia worked through the day, taking breaks to walk along the beach with Nohokai or just wrestle with him on the sand, swim sometimes as well. But she always managed to finish at least one project a day. When she went home every night, she knew she was smiling like a love struck girl, but that's what she was. Their friendship had gone to a level she didn't think it would. As a cub, she didn't put much thought into having a mate to dote on her as he did. But now that she had it, Sabbia honestly didn't think she could get on with her life without him. She'd told her mother about him, and she wanted to meet him. The thing was, Sabbia wasn't quite ready for that, yet. Her mother loved all her cubs dearly, so dearly that she could be a little overprotective at times. And Feana didn't help matters, either. Her sister, who was sinking into depression because her mate was never there, often started fights with Sabbia, just to vent things out. So she wanted Nohokai to be prepared for when he met he family.
Today was not that day. Today was a day for her to lay on her rock and string sea glass together after carving the glass into the shape she wanted it in. That's where she was, on her black rock above a tide pool, looking over things her mate had gathered for her with a fond look upon her face.
Nohokai drew closer to the rock his sweet mate was oftentimes found on, his eyes alighting on her with happiness. His heart swelled; even from afar, just looking at her sent a shock through his chest. She was his and no others, just as he was hers for eternity. He'd never felt this devoted to another lion, and Kai doubted he ever would.
Drawing even closer, Kai paused for a moment. She was so focused on what she was doing, a look of intense concentration on her face. Sabbia was beautiful and only grew more so each and every day. He chuffed softly in her direction, not wanting to startle her but wanting her to be aware of his advance. The pouch he carried faithfully around his neck was fair to bursting with all sorts of presents.
Though a happy smile presided on his face, there was something else troubling Kai. He wanted to meet her family; he felt that he needed to properly court Sabbia -- that meant getting the permission of her family as far as Nohokai was concerned. Their approval of him meant a lot for reasons unknown.
"Sabbia," he greeted her, his voice full of nothing but deep love and affection for his mate.
Her ears perked to his chuffling and she glanced up with a brilliant smile upon her face. She didn't move, however, but she eyed the pouch and then laughed a little bit. She motioned him to come over and moved to meet him half way, abandoning her crafting for the time being.
Everytime he said her name, Sabbia's chest grew tight and butterflies started in her stomach. It left a comfortable ache through her to know that he was the only lion who could make her feel this way. As she neared him, she butted her head under his chin and nuzzled there, above the pouch, into his mane with a purr. She couldn't help but be affectionate with him. "Nohokai, good morning! Have you been up for long?" It was the same question she asked all the time. She did feel bad when he said he'd been up for a while, but she never let it show on her face. He woke up to find her things in the early morning before anyone else could find them.
I rose with the sun," he replied as he often did, purring softly at her affectionate gestures. He loved that she felt comfortable enough with him that she never hesitated in being affectionate. "You know how I am, love. I like to get out early to spend time with the sea before others rise. Besides, it is the best time to find your crafting supplies," grinning, he nuzzled her forehead before gesturing back to her rock with a paw. "What were you working on, Sabbia?"
He wanted to ask her when he would get to meet her family, but decided to wait, at least for now. Right now he wanted to spend a few moments together before bringing up that topic.
"I was working on a sand glass necklace. I'm going to be sculpting the glass to the shapes I want, today. I won't be finished with it, though. Maybe.... not for a few days." Sabbia's ears went back and forth as she backed up a bit and eyed the bag again. Then, using her nose, she pushed it open and peered in, curious as to what he'd gotten her today. Maybe more sand glass? There'd been a storm not to long ago that could have made more. Her tail flicked before she moved to her rock again. He usually dumped out the bag on her rock so she could sort them into piles.
"Have you.. done any more crafting?" She asked, looking to the beautiful thing he'd made for her. She was never without it, day or night.
"You make such beautiful things," he commented idly, following her up to her rock after she'd nosed around at the pouch he kept around his neck. As he usually did, Kai carefully dumped the contents out before seating himself. It amused him to watch her diligently sort out her supplies. "I haven't done any other crafting, and I'm not sure that I ever will," Kai chuckled, watching her. "That is my masterpiece; anything else I might craft will simply not measure up."
Falling silent for a moment, Kai decided now was as good as any a time to mention meeting her family. "Sabbia," he began, watching her carefully, "I would like to meet your family."
She was going to say how she wasn't any good at it before, and her work was still sub-par. There were much more diligent crafters out there that could easily teach her what she thought she knew. But then he brought up the conversation about meeting her family, and she stopped with a conch shell in her paws and blinked.
She seemed frozen on the spot and she took a deep breath, ears flattening softly. "...I know you do... and... I want you to, as well... but.... Not all at once. Everyone's over protective or demanding." She looked up at him and bit down on her bottom lip before she put the shell down and sighed.
Nohokai had a fleeting thought, just a fleeting one. He had to wonder if she was embarassed about his age. He was a bit older than she was, and perhaps her family might disapprove? He didn't want to ask her about it; such a question would hurt her feelings, and Kai would hurt himself before even thinking of doing such a thing.
"I understand," he murmured, although he didn't completely. "I can handle them, Sabbia," he didn't want to pressure her though, so that was followed soon after by, "But you are right, and you know your family far better than I do." He smiled lovingly at her, moving forward to nuzzle against her cheek. "We will do this as you wish."
She felt so bad about not letting him. When he nuzzled against her, Sabbia didn't move to return it. Instead, she looked down at her paws and took several deep breaths, trying to keep the tears from stinging her eyes. There was nothing to cry about, really. But here she was about to do it anyway. Somehow, though, she kept them at bay and spoke, her voice, hopefully, sounding steady.
".....I'll speak to my father. I'm sure.... he would love to meet you." Finally, she looked up at him with a small sort of smile. "Maybe you can meet... one, or both, of my twin brothers."
Nohokai could hear the slightest tremble in her voice though he knew she tried to hide it. It upset him that she was upset, and he wasn't sure how to fix it. A slight frown creased his brow as he fell silent, dark eyes watching her closely as he debated what to do. "Sabbia," he said helplessly, his heart aching. She was so sensitive, his mate. "It is important to me that I have your family's approval to take their daughter as my own," he fretted a moment before continuing, "I hope that when they see how much love I have for you in my heart they will gladly welcome me with open arms." He fell silent again, feeling like a big doof for having pressured her even the slightest. "Do not be upset, my love."
Sabbia looked into his eyes as he spoke and then nodded a little bit. Of course she knew his reasons; he wanted to do it right, to be a welcomed part of the family. She wanted that, too, but she didn't want him to meet mother and father all at once. Taking a deep breath, she moved over to him, avoiding the piles of things, and leaned against him as she sat down. "I'm sorry... But... You can meet them. Just.. one one day, then the other the next? My dad, first." She was calming down, thinking about how it would be when they'd accepted him. Mother would want grandcubs from her, but when she was an official adult. For longer than she had been considered by the pride. "Ah.. I'm OK.... Are.... are you?"
Nohokai beamed at her, all the love in his heart shining out of his dark eyes. "I am more than okay, my love. Sabbia, I am wonderful." He chuckled, then moved to nuzzle her ear softly. "You are mine, after all," he let the words sink in a bit before continuing. It still was so fantastic to him that he could call her 'his'. His most precious possession.
"There is no rush. One at a time," he agreed. They did have plenty of time, after all. She was still young, and he'd promised himself he wouldn't pressure her, after all.
She was his, wholeheartedly, and he was hers. She had something all to herself that she wouldn't share with anyone in the world. Nothing would take her away from him, short of death. Wiggling her toes in the sand, she felt playful all of a sudden; wanting to just roll with him for the rest of the day. Her crafting could wait.
So, she moved away from him and tapped her tail on his side before moving into the breaking waves of the water and grinned. "Come play, Kai!
Nohokai broke into a smile as he watched her. He could never grow tired of playing in the ocean with Sabbia. He pounced down from the rock, making his way towards her with a deep laugh. The time for serious conversation was over. There would be plenty of time for that later; for now, Sabbia's laughter was all the he wanted to hear. Moving into the water, he followed her into the breaking waves.
This moment couldn't be more perfect. In the ocean he loved, with the mate he loved. There wasn't anything more he could ask for.
