|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Sat Jul 21, 2012 5:18 pm
Ukarimu's conversation with Mahtab went ok, but it also got him worried. Was Caritas really wanting their relationship to go in that direction? Well, duh. It seemed like a lot of females wanted their happy endings, even if the males didn't seem to get much of a choice in the matter. Part of him still worried, gnawing at the fact that he was a little worried it was going to fast. Was he just stalling? Dragging his feet? It was always easy, in a sense, to leave the pride. It would be completely different if he married her.
Plus, the wrath of the pride would come down on him for breaking the heart of their midwife.
Like that wasn't terrifying at all.
With a cough, he paused her search, glancing around in hopes of seeing her. Just so he could tell her, and he prayed that he wasn't too late. She couldn't have moved on already, right?
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Jul 21, 2012 5:22 pm
Caritas was luxuriating in the evening cool, a relief after the day's heat, especially to a lioness with black fur. It seemed that there were many who were more out and about at night including...Ukarimu! The flash of his mane was unmistakable and he undoubtedly had the same problems as she did with heat. Well, if he noticed them. She'd observed that males in general seemed to care less about little things like temperature.
The lion seemed to be looking around for something, or someone. She hoped she was the object of the search but...it was probably a good idea to make sure. The lioness got to her feet with a sigh and padded over.
"I certainly hope you're looking for me," she commented, breaking the silence.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Jul 21, 2012 5:29 pm
His bright green eyes turned and saw exactly what he was looking for. It was apparent in his body language, as he relaxed immediately.
"Caritas!" he breathed, pausing for a moment before approaching her. There was a sense of tenseness that returned to his frame, and he was starting to feel terrified. There was little room for doubt in his mind how she felt towards him, but doubt always clung to a male's mind. What if she changed her mind at the last second? He would feel humilated, and probably never speak to anyone in rank above him again (unless spoken to first).
"Caritas...I....I love you."
A start.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Jul 21, 2012 5:34 pm
Well, that certainly answered the question of who he was looking for, the lioness thought with amusement. Ukarimu was so tense tonight, which, added to his normal awkwardness, made him adorably frustrating. She wondered how long it would take her to tease out whatever the problem was.
So she wasn't exactly prepared for the confession. Black eyes widened in surprise and she stared at him. The lioness was tempted to respond facetiously, but that would almost certainly scare the shy lion away.
It was also, she had to admit, good to hear him say the words aloud. Reaffirming in a way that nothing else she'd gotten him to do to prove he was interested in her had been.
But none of this was giving her any insight on how to respond. So the black lioness simply continued staring at the lion before her.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Jul 21, 2012 5:40 pm
And she just stared at him.
He felt his stomach hit the ground. Or someplace beyond his ribcage. Then it felt like it wanted to come out of him. This...wasn't what he was expecting, though he couldn't completely blame her. But to hear nothing was almost earth shattering to him.
"Am....am I too late?" he whispered, trying to not let the pain come across his face, but he sucked at it. He wasn't really a 'tough' male, though he had been trying to seem a bit moreso once he had joined the pride. Clearly he just failed at it, and at courting someone that he didn't realize he cared for so much.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Jul 21, 2012 5:43 pm
She was staring, he was staring, the world was holding its breath. Caritas was hoping something intelligent occurred to her when Ukarimu spoke again. Asking if he was too late.
Too late?
Oh.
He wanted to know if she still loved and wanted him. That was a pretty logical thing to want, especially when you'd just overcome extreme shyness to admit your love. She didn't blame him in the least.
"Oh Ukarimu...you silly lion...of course you're not too late!" she replied at last. "I love you...I've been waiting for you!"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Jul 21, 2012 6:00 pm
It wasn't a look of shock, but Ukarimu had to absorb what Caritas had just told him. Man, his emotions were going all over the place. Up, then dowwwwn crashing, and now back up.
"Really?" he said, a dubmfounded look on his face. He probably looked like a fool, but he sure felt like one. "Really?!" He finally started to laugh, and bounced around her a bit.
"I just...I don't know. I was stupid I guess. Got some sense talked into me, though I worried you may have given up on me already. I'm so sorry, Caritas." He was an idiot. At least she didn't seem to mind too much that he was one.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Jul 21, 2012 6:05 pm
How could you not laugh with him? She could see it written all over his face and body, how worried and tense he'd been. She wondered idly who had managed to get through his thick skull and thanked the Great Lion that SOMEONE had finally managed it.
"You don't need to apologize," she replied, amusement still coloring her tone. Caritas took a couple steps forward to nuzzle him. "But I'm glad you finally got the idea."
She really wanted to ask Ukarimu if they could be mates and choose a day for the ceremony. But she didn't want to scare him off. Not after he'd finally confessed!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Jul 21, 2012 6:17 pm
Ahhh. This was bliss. Seriously, he wondered how he didn't have the nerves to do this earlier. What had been going through his head? Perhaps he thought that he hadn't been reading her right - sometimes it was hard to understand what was going through a female's head. The Great Lion only knew how many times he had gotten things wrong within his own family, especially with his sister. He had learned to be careful, but careful wasn't the right approach when dealing with Caritas. He'd have to remember that in the future.
"I've got more than just an idea. I know it seems fast, but....if you want to. Um." This word was becoming harder and harder to deal with, damn it! "Get m-married?" Ugh, was he even doing this right?!
Caritas was a saint to deal with him.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Jul 21, 2012 6:22 pm
Caritas paused, eyes wide as Ukarimu used the one word she'd all but given up hoping to hear out of his mouth. Marriage. Him, and her. A dream come true on some levels, since the shy lion seemed not to know what to do with a relationship.
The lioness turned so that she could look him in the eyes. Ukarimu was nervous, incredibly so, but she also felt he was happy. This was good, mostly. She didn't want to force him to dive into something he didn't feel he was ready for, no matter how ready she thought she was.
She smiled. "I'd love to. But...not until you're sure that it's what you want." She loved him, he loved her, but the black lion seemed more commitment-shy than any creature she'd ever met and she didn't want to scare him away after they'd made so much progress.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Jul 21, 2012 6:31 pm
While Ukarimu wasn't entirely happy with what she said. It made sense. There was a part of him that was still a bit frightened as to what it might mean to get married. It sounded nice now, but he wasn't as used to dealing with this as 'final' as that.
"Alright," he finally said, giving her a soft, but reassuring smile. "I honestly feel alright with it, but let's start with this for a short bit. I'm sure that I'll get myself to be just as excited as you about it soon." He could see the little glint of excitement in her eyes. So he had been right about her feelings!
Ukarimu was a bit of an idiot, but at the moment, a really happy idiot.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Jul 21, 2012 6:35 pm
She nuzzled the lion - her lion - again. "I'm sure you do, but I don't want to scare you off now that I've finally caught you telling the full truth!" the lioness laughed, inviting her fiance to join in.
Maybe the truth was she needed a bit of time to adjust to the fact that Ukarimu had caught on and her dreams were going to become reality fairly soon.
Not to mention the excitement there was sure to be once this engagement became common knowledge! Caritas could feel her anticipation building already.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
