II-CinderRadcliff-II
Kitsune of the North
TRAVERSING SOMEWHERE
IN THE WILDERNESS
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Fantasy [Private w/ Irihi] Fine Wine Amidst the Winter's Frost
- Thread starter II-CinderRadcliff-II
- Start date
Irihi
Evildoer
Cahron Aether
At a call from behind, Cahron turned. I don’t believe it! He thought to himself, and then voiced the same words when Lauren caught up to him. ”Miz Lin… I don’t believe it! What are the odds!?” Cahron didn’t let the space between the two of them stand, crunching across the snow to wrap Lauren in a hug just a shade away from chaste. He held onto her shoulders for a moment as he flashed a much bigger grin than the small smile hiding under Lauren’s scarf. His expression turned mischievous.
”Oh… I get it--you’re following me.” He joked, releasing her. ”Gonna get that performance outta me by hook or by crook, huh?” He raised his hands in mock-surrender. “Well, hey, look; you got it. After all, how can I say no to my prettiest fan?”
Cahron fully expected that comment to earn him a swat, and he ducked away from the anticipated blow. Ducked, but wasn’t careful of his footing. Slipping on a patch of ice, he went down in a tangle of askew limbs and feathers, pretty well ruining the flirtatious effect he was going for.
The Aerial hit the ground with a:”Whoof!” but popped right back up in time to catch Lauren’s anger, mention of his sister, and was that…? He wondered. Did she just brush away--nah, it’s gotta be just the cold. He told himself. Even with that little bit of denial, Cahron felt a tingle run down his spine that had nothing to do with cold.
The Aerial had to admit to himself that he was happy to see Lauren in particular--and not just any old friendly face in this desolate place. The elven woman had kept popping into his head ever since he’d--quite literally--been blown away in Otzel. He truly regretted not being able to land and keep his promise to stay with her through the typhoon. He’d assumed that, when he’d aborted his landing, they’d never see each other again. After all, he’d had to stay aloft for ten hours before he made the edge of the storm, and had landed hundreds of miles away with no way to get in touch with Lauren, or Miiya.
Cahron wanted to hear more about who else had been concerned with his well-being, but he was glad for news of his sister. ”She’s well then; Miiya? At least when last you saw her?” He asked. ”I knew the squirt would be fine on her own.” He asserted. ”We talked this over; if we get separated, we’ll look for playbills with each other on them, or meet back at our--” She doesn’t need to know this, and I don’t want to talk about Miiya. I want to talk about her. Cahron realized. ”Anyway, we’ve got a plan.” He concluded.
She’s inviting me back to her place? Cahron had to bite back another smile. Lauren just brought it out in him. Yes--as she said--rather than leave me out to freeze to death; don’t read too much into it, birdbrain. He scolded himself. ”Right, lead the way, Miz Lin.” He said.
…
As they walked, Cahron made small talk while simultaneously giving Lauren a little background on himself. He trimmed the wick on the charm and kept the flirting to a minimum, recognizing that Lauren was inviting him--a near stranger--into her home at least partially out of obligation. He did not want to overdo it and make her uncomfortable, or regret her offer of hospitality. ”Thanks for inviting me over.” He pointed to the leaden gray sky overhead. ”It’s a white-out up there. I had to land before my wings iced up.”
The wind was picking up and the snow was falling faster and thicker as they walked. The white-out conditions Cahron had experienced seemed to be lowering to ground-level as the snowstorm began in earnest. The Aerial’s feathers, which had been partially louvered to radiate away the heat of his flight, now smoothed and flattened, insulating him from the icy wind.
”Seems like we’re always meeting in storm… Miz Lin…? Are you…?” Cahron paused as Lauren seemed to stagger. She had been speaking less and less, he realized. He stepped closer and examined her. Lauren’s lips were a bluish-white; a sign that her capillaries were closed and her body was trying to conserve heat in her core. ”You’re shaking!” Cahron said with concern, and then: ”You’re freezing!” He exclaimed. The Aerial had enough experience with high-altitude flight to recognize the signs of hypothermia in Lauren.
”Let me help you.” Cahron stepped close to Lauren and set to work putting her in trim--as he thought of it. Not flying trim, but heat-conserving trim. ”Please excuse me.” He said, gently, as he extended a wing over her shoulders, then reached across her and grabbed his own pinfeathers, pulling his wing around her such that Lauren was shielded from the wind by his flight primaries and secondaries. It was an awkward position, but his wings were flexible enough that he could shelter her and still walk, though they often stumbled into each other.
”Is your place far now?” Cahron asked. ”We have to get you to shelter right away.” The Aerial stated. ”You have hypothermia.” Cahron diagnosed. ”It’s good you’re still shivering, but it’s going to get worse fast.” The Aerial knew they needed to make a decision.
”I’m afraid you won’t be able to walk soon.” He warned. ”I can carry you…” I think. Cahron knew Lauren’s mechanical parts made her much heavier than one would expect of such a small woman, but he thought he could still lift her. ”...or I can keep you warm, but not both.” As they staggered forward together, he put the decision to her. ”We can stop here and conserve your heat, or we can try to make it to shelter.” If they found a dry place to sit, Cahron could tent them within his wings and they could ride out the storm, but he was not sure how much heat would leech away into the ground through Lauren’s prosthetics. He was also worried about frostbite in her extremities. The last thing Lauren needed was to lose more of herself, Cahron thought, but didn’t put his thoughts into words.
Summary :
Cahron greets Lauren happily and walks with her.
The storm worsens and Cahron notices Lauren becoming hypothermic. He uses his wings to shield her from the worst of the wind.
He suggests they either stop to retain what heat they can, or hurry to shelter, if it’s nearby.
II-CinderRadcliff-II
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II-CinderRadcliff-II
Kitsune of the North
TRAVERSING SOMEWHERE
IN THE WILDERNESS
Last edited:
Irihi
Evildoer
Cahron Aether
Cahron was relieved beyond words when they drew within sight of Lauren’s “cottage.” The Aerial, himself, was shivering, and he couldn’t imagine the woman of flesh and metal was any better off. Even so, the winged man stopped on the threshold of the building to take an appreciative look at the place. A brief gap in the storm revealed a sweeping winter vista from the hillside home. Through the driving snow, the steam from the natural hotspring was visible, smoking with inviting heat as it tumbled down into the valley below. ”This is… amazing!” Cahron said, and then ducked inside, following Lauren.
In the foyer the pair engaged in the winter custom of shaking and stomping, clearing snow and ice from their garments and footgear. Cahron’s breath was steaming, as were his garments in the humid warmth of the cottage. He gently shook the snow from his feathers, careful not to splatter ice and slush inside Lauren’s home.
”Miz Lin, we should get you…!” Oh. Cahron turned to see about warming Lauren up, only to find she had already vanished into the cottage’s interior. His concern about hypothermia faded. It was warm in here, and she was still lucid, so perhaps her chill had not been the emergency he had thought.
While Lauren changed, Cahron stowed their gear properly, upending boots and footgear so that they would dry out, hanging coats and scarves so they were not in a damp pile. His fingers lingered for a moment on Lauren’s scarf, hung from a peg in the entry. This was nestled against her cheek. He thought, before internally chiding himself for being stupid.
Cahron inspected the interior of the cottage with an appreciative eye, as Lauren changed. He noted the kitchen and living rooms, wondering if he should fire the stove to make her something hot to drink, or build a blaze in the fireplace. No, he decided, Lauren knew what she needed to warm up, he would wait to be asked, before he started disrupting whatever domestic routines she had. She’s okay, calm down, Cahron. He told himself.
…
Do I want to join her for a soak?
Uh. Yes. It was a mighty struggle--to keep his expression neutral--as the elf, now clad in only light shirt and shorts, invited him into the bath. “I will do that. He confirmed her instructions to disrobe privately, allowing himself a small smile.
Behind the wall, Cahron ran his hands through his sandy blonde hair, and tried to collect himself. I am attracted to this woman! He admitted to himself. Cahron was a performer; he flirted with many people for many reasons. Sometimes he would deliver cheesy pickup lines just for the sole purpose of annoying his sister. Other times he would focus his attentions on a girl or guy out of boredom, or because they looked like they could use a boost to their self-esteem,
Cahron missed a button at that thought, and his shirt ended up caught halfway down his wings. Shit, calm down, idiot. You’re not even on first-name basis with her. He chided himself, turning this way and that to work his shirt free without knocking anything over. The bathroom wasn’t small, but Cahron’s wings spanned more than twenty feet, and it took some doing to unfold and refold them indoors.
Well, I want to be. He thought, as he stripped off his pants and then, without hesitation, the rest of the way down, before hunting for shorts to borrow. Lauren was different, Cahron thought, intriguing. He hadn’t had long to look, but if she had pictures of family and friends in the cottage, the Aerial had not seen them. She seemed quiet, melancholy, almost unsure of herself--like she was wearing a life that rested uncomfortably on her shoulders. Cahron was, he realized, looking forward to the chance to really talk to her. But I can’t go out there bare-assed, so where are those damn shorts?
By the time he was decent, Cahron had resolved to turn down the flirtatiousness. He wanted to put Lauren at ease so he could find out who she really was. Besides, I don’t need pickup lines. Cahron grinned at his reflection, taking a second to preen before he joined Lauren in the pool. She’ll like what she sees, or she won’t. He thought, confident that his host would enjoy the show.
Cahron emerged with his wings folded tightly. Grounders sometimes found the extra set of appendages weird--especially when the Aerial went without any clothing to cover his shoulders and torso. Cahron was proud of his appearance, and always glad to share any of his endowments with an audience. Circling to the far side of the hot tub, he gave the bathing elf a smile.
”Miz Lin, your place is amazing!” He said, gesturing to the bath, and then turning to indicate the rest of the cottage. This was a show that wasn’t a show. Cahron knew he was putting his physique on display for the benefit of his host. He was lean with the body of a dancer or gymnast. Aviating and performing every day granted washboard stomach and sharp definition of every muscle. Cahron knelt next to the edge of the hot tub extending his wings and lifting himself on hands and arms to slip into the water. He winced briefly at the sudden shocking heat, the maneuver putting his broad shoulders and corded aviating thews on display before he submerged himself to mid-chest.
”Hot!” The Aerial grinned at Lauren. ”This is great” He said, shifting and adjusting his wings so that they rested, partially folded, on the edge of the tub. ”Are you warming up, Miz Lin?” Cahron asked.
”Wow, listen to that.” Cahron said as a gust of wind shook the house and the keening howl of the blizzard outside increased. ”Nobody’s flying in this.” He said. ”I’m really happy to be in here with you.” Cahron loaded the words with nothing but earnestness. He took a moment to tell Lauren how he would ride out a storm like this outside. His wings could be folded around himself to form a tent that would completely block wind and most of the cold as well. ”It is a lot less pleasant than this, though.” He said, leaning back and luxuriating in the hot water. ”Plus--if it snows enough--I have woken up completely buried and iced in before!” He said, recalling a time when he had to kick his way free of the wing igloo that had formed around him. ”I guess that’s why the birds with bigger brains migrate south for the winter.” He joked.
On the walk to Lauren’s place, Cahron had told her a little about himself and his family. He was a native of the world (and had only a vague notion of Isekai), born to a shorn-winged Aerial in the slums of Ryken. He had been raised by his mother, alone, and had left home at an early age to seek his fortune performing as a traveling bard and entertainer. He had yet to speak of his father or what circumstances had reunited him with his sister.
Now he waited, keeping any conversation light, hoping Lauren would pick whatever topic she might want to explore with him. Cahron wanted to know more about her, but only as much as she wanted to say. He was also hoping she would invite him to discourse with her on a first-name basis. However, whatever disagreements did and had existed between himself and his mother, she’d raised him a gentleman, so it would remain the awkwardly-formal “Miz Lin” until he was permitted to call Lauren otherwise.
II-CinderRadcliff-II
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II-CinderRadcliff-II
Kitsune of the North
TRAVERSING SOMEWHERE
IN THE WILDERNESS
Last edited:
Irihi
Evildoer
Cahron Aether
Cahron couldn’t help--and would not if he could have--the smile that overspread his features as Lauren seemed to relax a bit around him. He noticed her flush and the way her eyes wandered to his wings.
Does she like my wings? He guessed. That was a surprise. Grounders didn’t usually didn’t pay them much mind after the initial surprise (for those who had never met an Aerial before) treating them more like a curious afterthought--as if he was some stranger version of flightless human who liked to go around wearing a slightly-bizarre feather cape.
Aerials, on the other hand, were very focused on wings, and Cahron was inordinately proud of his pair. Though unearned, the matching stripes of white feathers amidst the dun-colored ones, were his pride and joy. Faking a yawn and a stretch, he twitched them out “involuntarily” to show his colors to Lauren. Now that was unabashedly flirtatious in Aerial culture and probably a little too much. The fact that Lauren wouldn’t know any better made it even more fun. Feigning that he was simply resettling his feathers, he twitched his wings this way and that, in a full-on mating display, that was definitely uncouth, but he thought he could get away with it, thanks to Lauren’s ignorance.
Now it was the Aerial’s turn to flush, because what he was doing was more than just innocent fun or tavern teasing. Pull it back, Cahron. He told himself, resettling his wings on the edge of the tub and meeting Lauren’s gaze with a little bit of a guilty look, and trying not to think about just how fantastic she looked. Wingless as she was, the Elf--in Cahron’s eyes, was lacking nothing, despite her missing limbs. The scars and prosthetics were evidence of a body that had been through a lot.
Even though those prosthetics meant Lauren could likely punch a hole right through him, they made her look vulnerable and resilient at the same time. They made him want to touch her--an impulse he’d acted on when they’d first met--to touch and understand and know--and yeah hold and protect. The scars and taunt skin drawn into fusion with harsh metal bothered Cahron not in the least, nor did he fetishize them. They were part of this woman before him and I really need to think about something else. He realized, as a tension-filled silence fell between them.
[/I]Lauren broke it with an apology about hiding her Fae nature.”There’s nothing to apologize for, Lauren.” Cahron replied, enjoying the way it felt to say her name, before quieting so she could tell her explanation.
”You don’t seem Fae, if you’ll pardon me saying.” Cahron agreed when there was a pause before Lauren detailed her background and past life. Cahron had met Fae people before. Their exceptionally long lives and strange value system made them seem cold, uncaring, detached; alien even. That was not to say that they could not offer Humans companionship, but there were incongruencies between Fae and Human nature that were difficult to overcome--thus the terrible war between the Empire and the See. ”I think that's why you were able to hide in plain sight in the Empire.” He said, before settling in to listen to the rest of her tale.
It was a sad and shocking story, unbelievable except for what he knew--and what he had observed. It made more sense to believe her and, to be honest, Cahron was so enamored of this woman that he would have believed her if she said she was from the moon.
When Lauren began to cry, it was all Cahron could do not to cross the pool and take her in his arms. Her sad story, her sense of despair and loss, the thought of her waking to alone in a strange body and strange world, stoked his already blazing urge to comfort and shelter this girl. Settle. This is not about you, Cahron reminded himself. Listen to her. he told himself, and stayed welded in place.
”Lauren, you aren’t alone.” The performer in him wanted to quip about how they were stuck here together, but he shushed that urge as she stood and waded toward him.
Cahron stood up. He was a little surprised at the elven girl going from weepy to wanting, but he was more than ready to meet her urges with his ow--oh. She’s just getting out of the hot tub. Cahron realized, feeling more than a little the fool. His disappointment was tempered by getting to watch her climb out of the pool, which was a reward in itself. He did his level best to return his gaze to her face by the time she turned to tell him to meet her in the kitchen. He sorta succeeded.
…
While Lauren changed, Cahron followed suit. The hot tub was spring-fed with clean clear water, which made Cahon feel clean now and reluctant to put on his old clothes. He
Cahron was so used to making do with very limited accommodations on the road, or just living rough, that he thought nothing of quickly laundering his own clothing in her bathroom sink before hanging it to dry and heading to the kitchen.
He had all the questions, and he paused, just a second before Lauren’s door. How long has she lived… in this world? What happened to the person who’s body she now inhabited? Their family? Friends? Lovers?
One, those were not questions you asked showing up in the doorway of a woman’s bedroom, shirtless. Two, Lauren must have already thought over these disturbing aspects of being isekai. She would tell him in her own time, or not.
Go lighten the mood. You wanna help? Show her a good
…
So it was that, when Lauren emerged from her room, she’d find a shirtless birdman poking around her pantry in a pair of close-fitting shorts. Cahron gave her a roguish grin as she entered. ”Hey, wow! You’re fully stack--stocked!” He said, the slip of the tongue seeming completely
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II-CinderRadcliff-II
Kitsune of the North
TRAVERSING SOMEWHERE
IN THE WILDERNESS
Irihi
Evildoer
Cahron Aether
Cahron smiled at Lauren and straightened to back out of her pantry when she countered his offer to cook with her own. Before he could move, however, she had pushed in, squeezing past him and rummaging for ingredients. The Aerial’s grin grew a lot broader as the elven woman brushed up against him. ”Well, if you insist; I’d love to try foods from your… homeland.” He spoke slowly, using any excuse to prolong the contact.
She’s tall, he thought. Lauren was just a few inches shorter than Cahron. He could really only look down on her when she bent forward to retrieve some rice from the lower shelves. I wouldn’t have to hunch over to… Cahron reluctantly backed out of the pantry, since he had no business being there
Cahron gave that cheesy line a second to marinate, seeing if it would elicit a blush or a look of disgust, before he answered her question. ”I do proper theater, concerts, and hire out to perform at parties as well.” Cahron added. “I like to spearfish from the air.” He detailed a few of his hobbies, since Lauren had asked. One that he talked at length about was surfing and ridge-riding. ”Whenever you’ve got a geographic uplift; like a mountain or a ridgeline, if the wind blows up it, it creates a strong updraft and makes it really easy to stay aloft. That’s fun, but a little boring after a while.”
Cahron grew a little animated as he talked, motioning with his hands as he described riding on the airs pushed by large ocean swells. ”Wave riding’s a little like that. When there are really big swells near the beach, they mound up and push the air in front of them fast enough that you can just glide. It’s easier to fly close to water or smooth ground.” The Aerial described flying in ground effect; how the air acted like a cushion when squeezed between his wings and the ground. ”Gotta be careful that the wave doesn’t break over you, though. Wings are about as useful in the water as a wet bedspread.”
Cahron realized he was talking a lot; and about an Aerial-specific sport that might not interest a grounder, so he switched tack. ”I’ve ah, got a confession to make, Lauren,” he began. ”It might not be entirely by chance that we’re stuck here.” He tilted his chin toward the window rattling with the blizzard’s furious winds. Leaning against a counter opposite the elf, he looked a little sheepish--moreso if Lauren were to fix him with a suspicious glance--”Hear me out, okay? It’s not like that, and, it’s kind of a long story.”
Hoping he had settled Lauren’s suspicions enough she would continue cooking, Cahron launched into his tale. He started by restating what she knew; that he had been born to an Aerial in Ryken and that she had raised him by herself. ”My dad was around for the first couple of years of my life--until the disciples of Aka-Aar found him and dragged him back to the monastery.” He revealed. ”Yeah, Avonox--that’s my dad--was a monk--vow of celibacy, forsaking the pleasures of the flesh, and all that.” He grinned wryly and indicated himself with a sweep of his hand.
”Didn’t do a great job keeping those vows.” Cahron chuckled. ”Anyway, the church dragged him back to Aerie--that’s the island of the Aerials--just to excommunicate him,” Cahron said. ”My sister jokes that it took our mom nine years to recover from me, but the truth is that’s how long it took my dad to get off the island again--he’s, ah, disfavored by Aka-Aar; the god of the winds.” the Aerial revealed. ”And I think some of that disfavor rubbed off on his illicit kid.” He indicated himself with a thumb.
”I’m not persecuted by Aka-Aar, like my dad. I can fly, I can go where I please, but I think, when the god of wind is bored, he shifts the winds and throws a storm my way, just to be a dick.” A particularly strong gust caused the rafters of the cottage to creak. ”And, let’s just say: he needs more fucking hobbies.” Cahron gave her a guilty look. ”I, ah, probably should’ve told you sooner.”
Miiya’s reason for referring to her brother as an accomplished storm surfer might be becoming clear to Lauren as Cahron talked about his family and their influence on his life. ”It’s not all bad; the people get happy when I visit a region that’s suffering a drought.” Cahron did not take credit (or let people know) that he might be responsible for more frequent storms, but--as he told Lauren--the weather had a pretty direct impact on the generosity of the people. The drought breaks, and their coinpurses open for buskers and entertainers. Stick around until things start flooding, and they close back up again. ”So I tend to keep moving.” He grimaced. ”Fortunately, my sister doesn’t seem to have the same luck. Since our father wasn’t a monk any more, I guess she’s not as offensive to Aka-Aar.” He shrugged.
II-CinderRadcliff-II
II-CinderRadcliff-II
Kitsune of the North
TRAVERSING SOMEWHERE
IN THE WILDERNESS
Irihi
Evildoer
Cahron Aether
Cahron was not bothered by Lauren’s disbelief in Aka-Aar. Heck, if she wanted to attribute the storms that followed him to chance, then he was happy to let her. While he had not spoken directly to the wind god himself (besides occasionally shaking his fist at the sky and clouds), he had seen, firsthand, how the airs always shifted to vindictively blow his father off-course and keep him imprisoned on Aerie. “Yeah, sure,” he agreed when she described how storms formed more often near mountains and bodies of water.
“You mean in the water?!” Cahron exclaimed, when Lauren said she had enjoyed surfing in her previous life. “Wow! You’re brave!” He marveled.
“You know, I don’t have any, but I know there are magics which make you lighter. I’ve even seen some grounders use magic to fly.” Cahron suggested, when she spoke of building a paraglider. “I bet we could find you an enchanted item that would make you light enough to fly; and I’d be happy to guide you.” He shook his head. “Just, you know, don’t get any crazy ideas about using it to surf in the water.” Lauren might find it amusing, but Cahron was serious about believing that jumping off a thousand-foot cliff was much safer and saner than taking a dip in the waves just off a sandy beach.
Cahron was having a very good time, conversing with Lauren who, intentionally or not, was giving him an eyeful as she sidled up to the counter beside him. The kitchen was filled with a savory mix of smells quite different--and more mouthwatering--than what Cahron was used to. He was weighing laying another daring or cheesy (or both) line on her, when the conversation turned more impactful.
Cahron’s expression grew serious as Lauren confirmed that whomever had lived in her host body was, indeed, dead. If he’d even slightly questioned the veracity of isekai before, any thought that the woman before him was suffering a psychotic break, was banished by the way she spoke of Lilian’s children and the snatches of memory Lauren retained from her host body. Cahron could not imagine any mental manipulation or malady that could so completely sever a bond between parent and child. Lauren was resident in a body that was not her own; an nigh-immortal Fae body, to be sure, but also one ravaged by accident, war, and the depravities of a madman.
She was strange--perhaps the strangest person he had ever met. Her background was disturbing, and even a little terrifying, but Cahron was a much more fearless maverick than his sister. He rarely thought twice about acting on his impulses. Stability and self-preservation were not high on his list of priorities. He had lived an unanchored life since leaving home, and not all of it had been safe or pleasant. He felt like he was floating on a stormy sea of change, and if his unanchored nature prevented him from establishing deep connections with some people, maybe it would let him be a life ring for Lauren.
Lauren confiding in him felt as though she was reaching out, and then he found she was literally reaching out for him. Cahron pushed himself off the counter and stepped in close to Lauren. He was fantastically attracted to this woman; a soul trying to settle herself into a gorgeous, scarred and renewed body, but right now he wanted her to feel comforted, supported and buoyed.
Cahron carried with him both a gap and a guilt over leaving his mother and sister, and not living up to her expectations. He was a rescuer with an innate drive to help and shelter. Along with his senses and desires, Lauren lit that aspect of the man on fire. When she reached for his hands he took hers and stepped into her so that their bodies met.
He knew he should have asked, but it didn’t seem the right time for words, so Cahron simply acted on his impulse, his wings twitching out and then bending forward to enfold Lauren while their hands remained clasped. She wouldn’t know what it meant to be cloaked together within his feathers. He’d have to tell her sometime. But not now, because if she doesn’t slap you for the wing-over without knowing what it means, she most certainly will if she learns. That thought made it through the riotous emotions making a muddle of his brain. That thought, and the hope that Lauren would feel supported, accepted, as they stood silently together for a few of Cahron’s slow steady heartbeats.
“I’m sorry you are going through this.” Cahron finally broke the silence. “I want to help.” He said with a quiet sincere intensity, his hazel eyes locked with Lauren’s own.
Step back, give her space, you don’t know how she’s feeling. Cahron told himself, and then promptly ignored his own advice. No, if this was too much, he’d take whatever consequence Lauren decided to mete out. Better too much than too little, and perhaps it was just enough.
II-CinderRadcliff-II
Kitsune of the North
TRAVERSING SOMEWHERE
IN THE WILDERNESS
Irihi
Evildoer
Cahron tried to keep his focus on Lauren’s tribulations, on the gentle pressure of her small hands in his own, on the forehead pressing into his shoulder. He tried very hard not to think about the subtle changes in pressure and temperature; the sensation of her body beneath his feathers--or the smell of her silvery hair as it brushed his cheek.
The aerial stepped back and refolded his wings as Lauren broke contact with a quiet thanks. “Of course, Lauren. Anytime.” He replied, then settled back to watch her finish preparing the meal. When she disappeared into the cellar he occupied himself stirring what needed to be stirred and setting the table per his host’s wishes.
When the wine was poured and the food was ready, Cahron seated himself after pulling a chair for Lauren. Lifting his glass, he toasted Lauren. “Companionship through the tempests.” He smiled at her.
As they began to eat, Cahron could not help himself but exclaim over the savory nature of the fare. “Lauren, this is fantastic!” The Aerial was particularly enamored of the curry, the flavor was like nothing he had ever tasted, and the Aerial was quite well-traveled. “You are an amazing cook.” He said.
The pizza, Cahron approached with caution. He emulated Lauren in eating it without utensils--save for to cut slices from the pie. “Do I fold...” he began to ask, but then copied Lauren in simply taking a bite of the wedge-shaped sauce-cheese-meat-and-vegetable-covered bread. Cahron was amused by the way the mozzarella stretched to comically-long lengths while still hot, and tried to describe his delight without talking around a mouthful of pizza.
“And this is common fare from the world of your… other life?” He asked, hoping the subject was not too tender to broach. If Lauren showed any signs of distress, he would be quick to change the subject and remember not to approach it casually in the future.
During the meal Cahron was conscious to regulate his intake of both food and alcohol. His aviator’s muscles were fully developed--unlike Miiya’s--and though he burned through fuel quickly when actively aviating, he was not the same bottomless pit of gluttony as his sister. Cahron was no connoisseur of wine, but he did compliment Lauren’s taste in vintage as he sipped the carmine liquid. Like other Aerials, Cahron’s rapid circulation and enlarged heart and lungs made him more susceptible to poisons--alcohol included. However, aerosols were more difficult to handle, and his life as an itinerant bard had allowed Cahron to build up a tolerance to spirits, and he enjoyed this one in moderation.
Throughout their supper, Cahron would ask about the origins of the food Lauren had cooked. That led to conversation about the world she had come from. As she spoke, if she nodded when he offered, Cahron he would keep her glass filled while they ate and conversed.
Though the conversation, libations, and food greatly pleased Cahron, he couldn’t help but feel a gnawing guilt about something he had done. From the outset, the Aerial had felt differently about Lauren than he had any other casual tavern acquaintance, or even the occasional quick and fiery passionate fling. There were any number of moves he might pull with those transient relationships, and he felt he had done the same with Lauren.
That felt wrong--Not wrong per se he mentally corrected himself, but maybe a little dishonest? Selfish. Yes, that was it, he decided. Selfish if unshared. Dangerous to share, but Lauren was a delightful hazard.
“Lauren, I have a confession,” Cahron said, abruptly, as they neared the end of the meal. If a sudden look of suspicion flitted across the elven girl’s features, it might give him pause, but not enough to stop. “When we were out in the storm, and then again--when you were crying earlier,” the Aerial bit his lip “I… put my wings around you.” He paused. “I meant to comfort you, but…” Cahron blew out a short breath. “...what I did is considered a very intimate gesture among Aerials. I should have first asked your permission.” The Aerial twitched his wings out to quarter-spread.
Cahron, what are you doing? He mentally chided himself. Is this an apology or a mating display? Ignoring his own reservations over showing Lauren his colors, he explained. “I can feel through my feathers; pressure, temperature--the cold of your prosthetics…” He trailed off. “The heat of your body.”
And it was fucking fantastic. Ever since that light embrace, Cahron had been driven nearly to distraction by the feeling of her that had been seared into his brain. He had sensed Lauren like he sensed the air. Those without them thought of Aerial feathers like hair, but in truth they were more like fingernails. “I needed to tell you, to ask you to forgive me, and to let you know that I will not put my wings over you again…” His downcast gaze rose to meet hers. “…without your permission.” He finished.
Of course, Cahron was hoping for that permission. Right now. He shushed that internal aside and tried not to obsess over enfolding Lauren, touching her, --Calm the fuck down, Cahron! He chided himself. Apologies aren’t supposed to turn into intimacy, no matter how magnetic she is.
II-CinderRadcliff-II
II-CinderRadcliff-II
Kitsune of the North
TRAVERSING SOMEWHERE
IN THE WILDERNESS
Irihi
Evildoer
“I can’t imagine flying to the moon!” Was about all Cahron could say of the talk of technical marvels of Lauren’s past life. He, himself, topped out at about thirty thousand feet, and that was with a strong updraft. He could clear the top of the highest mountain, and his Aerial circulatory system would keep him alive up there longer than a human could survive, but the moon was farther--much much farther, at a distance beyond even his avian reckoning, which counted miles the way men counted paces.
Cahron watched, first with trepidation, then with interest, then with some measure of dismay as Lauren stood, stumbled, caught herself on the table, and then approached. His feathers louvered involuntarily as Lauren touched his wings. The Aeros was not unused to such interest, and--in any other circumstances--he would have welcomed the woman’s hands on his flight primaries. However, he could both smell and see her inebriation, and while it aroused some very uncouth thoughts, I’m not going to bend her over the table and-- Cahron quashed them and caught Lauren’s hand, guiding it away from the stiff and sharp pinfeathers into the softer tertiaries and down beneath. “Yes, this part is soft… and warm.” He agreed, feeling a thrill run down his spine as Lauren’s hand threaded through his feathers. .
Cahron’s eyes got a little unfocused as he fought back thoughts of doing that which would make Lauren’s soft pouty expression dissolve into one of ecstasy.
His chair banged against the floor as he abruptly stood and toppled it over. His eyes flitted to the nearest clear wall space. Why do we need to go there, when you can show me, feel me, as I push you against the wall--CALM DOWN!
Lauren was drunk, not blackout drunk, but perhaps headed that way. As he trailed her into the bedroom, Cahron fought a battle with himself. He, too, felt the effects of the wine washing the strength from his inhibitions, and he wanted Lauren with a fierce and fiery passion. “I want to see all of you.” He said, the words low and thrumming in his chest, mirroring the tension in his wound-spring body.
But Lauren was barely making it to the bed, he saw, and that gave him pause. Of course Cahron wanted to forget his inhibitions, but he wanted a night to remember with this woman, and that was not what he would leave her with if he acted on his impulses.
Whether or not Lauren began to disrobe, Cahron was not going to give her time to do as she had promised. The elf would feel a hand on her arm, as Cahron firmly pulled her to face him. He stepped forward, backing her up until the edge of the bed caught her knees and they folded, sending her sprawling on her back. Cahron was there, atop her, his wings spread and bent with aggression, like those of a stooping Eagle descending on its prey. His arms bracketed Lauren’s head as he leaned forward. His breath was hot on her long pointed ear. “Lauren, I will see all of you. Touch all of you, feel all of you.” His voice was a low thrum in his chest as he murmured. “And you’ll feel all of me,” inside you. He was not sure if had said or thought those last words.
Get out of here right fucking now. Cahron had a lot of self-control, but straddling this woman and talking dirty to her had it right on the edge of crumbling. Not now. Get a hold of yourself!
Deftly, Cahron slipped to the side, replacing himself with his wing, which completely covered Lauren like a feathery bedspread. This wasn’t much easier to deal with for the Aerial, for--as he had told her--he sensed all of her; a heat map stenciled in his brain. He couldn’t keep the wing-over, not and still maintain self-control. It was an awkward retreat, but it was all Cahron could manage. He had to hurry; replace his wing with an actual bedspread and all but RUN out of her room. He had used every last iota of self-control to disengage with Lauren once. If she reached for him, he wouldn’t be able to mount a second resistance.
Then again, he wasn’t sure she wouldn’t put a foot up his backside for his daring. Whether he was kicked out the door, or left of his own volition, Cahron fled Lauren’s bedroom post-haste, closing the door shut with a bang that shook the walls.
With a wall and a little space between them, Cahron walked to the table, put both hands on it, and leaned there, head down, his breathing and heartbeat gradually slowing. He tried to think about anything other than the magnetic elven woman laying just behind that door. To banish the image of Lauren beneath him, of the feel of her under his wing, he tried thoughts of strenuous high-altitude aviation, dying on stage in front of a nasty crowd, flying in an icy rainstorm.
“Whoof.” The Aerial said to himself, and started to collect the dishes. The thoughts of physical discomfort were helping, but Lauren, what he’d done--and what he’d almost done--were front-and-center in his mind. He needed a distraction, and the dishes needed doing.
Menial domestic labor helped somewhat, but Cahron found there was nowhere in the cottage where the door to her room wasn’t visible. The dishes, pots, and pans were scrubbed spotless. The nearly-empty wine bottle was corked, and still he was as taunt as an overwound spring. Fuck me. No sleep tonight, I guess.
Cahron found a spot on a piece of living room furniture that would serve well enough, in the unlikely event he should get to sleep. Resting his back against the cushions, he draped his wings across the back of the couch and stared up at the rafters of the cottage. As his mind drifted over the events of the past few hours, a smile spread across Cahron’s features. She trusted me. She was comfortable enough to let her guard down, and she likes me. Well. Liked He corrected himself. Cahron wasn’t entirely sure Lauren would forgive him for what he’d said and done. You know what? Fuck it. He decided. He was glad the wine had loosened them both up enough to be honest. If Lauren didn’t like knowing he wanted to blow her back out, she could kick him out of her house whenever she woke up.
Cahron hoped she remembered what he had promised. He certainly wasn’t going to forget what she had said she wanted to do. Nope. No sleep tonight. He sighed, and started counting the slats on the cottage ceiling as the storm continued raging, both outside and within.
II-CinderRadcliff-II
Kitsune of the North
TRAVERSING SOMEWHERE
IN THE WILDERNESS
Irihi
Evildoer
Cahron blinked, groggy for a moment--as he had finally drifted off. “Hm…?” He took stock of the situation. The Aerial was used to waking up in unfamiliar surroundings, and his head was mostly clear. His hazel gaze focused on Lauren’s face.
A good way to wake up. Was his first thought, followed by a sudden brief flash of panic. I really said all that shit to her, pinned her down on her bed, and then ran off. Ah--I’m dead. This is the part where she kicks me out.
Cahron’s wheel of emotion was heavily weighted toward fatalism and impulsivity, however. The sudden twinge of guilt and fear were fleeting, and instead he lived in the moment of seeing Lauren’s face, framed by her silvery hair and cast in the soft light of whatever-the-hell-hour-it-is. “Hey there, beautiful.” He said with a smile and unearned familiarity, casting caution and reservation to the winds. Seeing Lauren there--sitting on folded mechanical legs--on the floor beside the couch, caused his heart to fire just as much as it had when he was a couple of glasses of wine deep. Inhibitions were stupid, when he felt this way, he decided.
Besides, if she was kicking him out, he first wanted to see if there was any of that earlier spark there when she was sober. Would those words make her blush?
“Sure, what’s up?” He said, when she told him they needed to talk.
II-CinderRadcliff-II
Kitsune of the North
TRAVERSING SOMEWHERE
IN THE WILDERNESS
Irihi
Evildoer
Cahron leaned forward, cupping the delicate lines of Lauren’s cheek and chin in his hand, thrilled at the gesture she initiated. ”Lauren, there’s nothing to apologize for,” he said, words as gentle as his touch. Well, there’s the stuff I did, but let’s not talk or think about that just n-- Then the elf confessed her feelings for the Aerial and Cahron’s gaze dropped from Lauren’s for a moment.
”Love…?” For an instant, the breath stilled in Cahron’s throat. Another thrill ran across his skin, raising gooseflesh and causing his feathers to louver. Something wrenched in his chest, a blossoming fiery feeling. ”So that’s what it is,” he breathed the words. It all made sense now; why Lauren’s face had haunted his thoughts ever since their brief encounter in Otenzel, this intensity of focus and attraction he felt for her, the unaccustomed fears and hopes that had pulled and pushed at him ever since she had called to him in the winter forest.
Cahron had not understood his hesitancy to lay lines, to make moves, on the woman. It was not in his manner to hold back, especially when his physical attraction to her was so potent. Now I get it. He also hadn’t understood her clear displeasure at the casual flirtatiousness, and had mistaken the icy reception of pickup lines for a lack of interest. No, Lauren didn’t dislike Cahron--she’d just said as much--she felt the same as him; the attraction, the romance, the budding love between them was not a casual tavern hookup, and cheesy pickup lines were harmful.
Cahron stood as she urged him to his feet. His gaze refocused on her pale eyes. “I love you, Lauren Lin.” Cahron stated, without a second thought, and stepped into their embrace. This time he did not worry about chastity and held her close, so that their flesh and her metal met, separated only by the thin cotton weave of her T-shirt.
When they backed off enough for her to whisper her proposition in his ear, he gently caught her chin, his thumb grazing the corner of her lips. ”Wait… first, may I kiss you?”
If Lauren acquiesced it would prove a delicious mistake. Cahron would bend down and press his lips to her own. Then dam of inhibition would collapse in a deluge of lust, mouths opening, breath and tongues meeting, mingling.
First he was stepping into her, then he was lifting her onto him. Lauren’s prosthesis were heavy, but Cahron possessed a strength that belied his lean frame. Lauren would find herself urged to wrap her legs around Cahron and be carried by his hands, supported by his hips. Cahron only just managed to break off his hungry kiss before he slammed her into the wall of the bedroom, his hand cushioning her head and at the same time threading through and gripping her platinum hair.
There was a wild and unrestrained urge driving the strength in the broad shoulders upon which Lauren’s chin rested, a humming tension in the chest that pressed against her own, and in the bunched abdominal muscles of her willing Aerial lover. For a moment, though, the torrent of was stilled, shocked by the impact of walking them into the wall. He let her down, though his hands did not loosen their grip on Lauren's flanks.
Cahron practically hummed with tense coiled energy, but--for a moment--he backed off, breathlessly letting Lauren take the lead.
II-CinderRadcliff-II
II-CinderRadcliff-II
Kitsune of the North
TRAVERSING SOMEWHERE
IN THE WILDERNESS
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