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@Mona <3 backdated to 2/29
The strange device wrapped around Mona's neck seemed to be bothering her quite a bit, and it had Nathaniel worried. Perhaps more than he should have been. He remembered well that it hadn't been very long since their first meeting; since she had shrank from him in front of that cave. Sometimes he wondered if she had truly stopped fearing him, or if she was hiding it. It wouldn't surprise the ex-soldier.
Such thoughts came to him as his face was buried in the earliest blooming flowers he had found, carefully selecting those he deemed prettiest and nipping them towards the base of the stem. This is a stupid idea, he reminded himself stiffly as he gathered the flowers gently into a sort of messy bouquet. But really, he couldn't think of anything else, and-- and he was desperate to see his firebird smile. To be without it felt strangely like drowning, so here he was, ass-deep in flowers.
When he felt his offering was sufficient, the ex-soldier took the bundle in his mouth and carried it back to the place he had been setting up. He arranged them carefully just outside the entrance of what he hoped would be a makeshift den for the day-- a fallen boulder propped against a rocky slope offered sheltered space he had not hesitated to clear out upon discovery. It offered a clear view of the falls, which Nat hadn't really considered until after he had gone off to hunt.
The spoils of that effort lay within the space, under assorted foliage he had collected to cover it. A mountain goat, wounded when he found it. Nathaniel considered himself lucky; perhaps his efforts at lifting Mona's spirits would be successful. The ex-soldier gave his set-up one last sweeping glance before he turned and made his way out towards the Sweep. He had asked that Mona meet him there-- then he would lead her to his surprise, and then... well, Nat hadn't thought that far yet. But he was sure it'd be worth it.
Nathaniel caught a flash of brilliant scarlet, lustrous under the sun, and knew Mona had come. A smile tugged at his lips but only barely, and he moved forward, searching. When she came fully into his view, he stilled and admired her for a moment. His firebird-- more put-together than she had been as of late, he noted, watching her preen herself with warmth in his gaze. After a few beats he stepped forward, flicking an ear and offering her a smile.
Firebird.
He greeted, moving close and, if allowed, drawing his tongue gently across her cheek. The ex-soldier glanced behind them, towards the falls. Are you ready?
When he got his answer, he led his firebird to the place he had made for them. Nathaniel said nothing even when they arrived and he led her to the 'den' entrance, but his gaze did not leave her. He moved past her to drag the goat from the space he had cleared for them, moving it to just in front of the 'den' before he turned back to her. The ex soldier studied her for a moment, then seemed to remember something-- and promptly leaned down to nudge the bundle of flowers he had collected earlier towards her.
The ex-soldier did not know the word she had spoken, but through the journey had mulled it and concluded it was, perhaps, a nickname of his own. He did not mind the idea; perhaps he even liked it.
The thoughts were banished when he caught Mona's expression at his offerings. Her laugh, the tears beginning to track down her face-- these things pushed him into action. Before he could stop himself, he leaned in and pressed his muzzle against the top of her head. After a few beats, he started preening the velvety scarlet fur between her ears.
Nathaniel found himself content with this, with the silence and contact between them. He was relieved-- overjoyed, even, that his surprise had inspired such a reaction in her. The ex-soldier suddenly wished this moment could last much, much longer than it realistically could. Not forever, though, he thought. For the first time in a long time, Nathaniel found himself hopeful for the future. It was only a little-- only because Mona had so stubbornly inserted herself into his life. He had never appreciated an intrusion more than this one.
His firebird's receptiveness never failed to surprise Nathaniel. The care he took with her was almost foreign, but even his mind's suppression could not deceive his heart. He had felt this before-- the violet-and-scarlet feeling blooming in his chest. The memory ached, but not enough to discourage him. The ex-soldier didn't expect more from the interaction, but as always, Mona sought to give him more than he bargained for.
The brief touch stilled him instantly. Nathaniel's cracked-ice gaze found his firebird's murky green, and he only stared for a few moments. A million thoughts raced through his head, but none were clear. His instincts told him to turn away, to throw some biting words at her, and he tensed. The words raced up his throat like bile, like venom, but stopped behind his tongue.
"Be gentle." A whisper; a voice from the past. The words were sharp and violent in his mind, not his own, and they wreaked havoc for the briefest moment. Was this his own mind, seeking to excuse him? Or was it really her-- would she urge him on so?
He didn't know, but suddenly he knew he didn't want to let this pass. Nathaniel brought his face close to his firebird's, drawing his nose slowly down the length of her muzzle. His head lowered fractionally, then, to pepper her chin with soft, brief kisses before he drew back a few inches, gaze still fixed on her.
Nothing existed so brightly as his firebird did in that moment. The world had been grey and dull for the ex-soldier for too long. So long that the color Mona breathed into everything she touched had hurt him to look at in the beginning. Now he couldn't take his eyes away from her.
If Nathaniel had been thinking clearly, he might have stopped things there. He wasn't thinking at all, though-- he was only feeling, and slowly he grew bolder in his affections. The ex-soldier resumed preening his firebird, this time along the soft fur of her neck. He was still mindful of her comfort, keeping his progression slow-- and if she expressed any discomfort, he would pull away immediately. That was the extent of the Rochester's thoughtfulness, now; any ideas of taking things slow were entirely lost on him now, as Nathaniel was not, without great effort, a creature of thought.
bit of PP here, let me know if I need to change it <3
So many thoughts slipped Nathaniel's mind now; countless reasons to stop. Of course he was aware that Mona was young-- she was not a child, but perhaps she would regret this later. Youth inspired many bad decisions, and if he had spared a moment for any thought, the ex-soldier would have put an end to the encounter right then. There were things he hoped for his future with the girl (as her friend and protector, he had assumed), and becoming a bad decision of hers had never been on the list. Whether for better or worse, none of these thoughts reached him now; they simmered in the background, waiting to strike him another time.
He was silent as his firebird turned, his expression one of conflict. He hadn't known that she wanted this-- that she wanted him before this, and now he could not avoid the fact. It struck him as unlikely, ill-advised. The thoughts were fleeting; rainforest eyes called him from his thoughts and his rationality. Mona's eagle moved to brush alongside her, gently herding her further into the den. His preening began again as they moved, this time starting behind her ears.
When the two stilled again, concealed from the outside world, Nathaniel's attentions continued down the back of his firebird's neck. He did not rush, nor did he speak yet. His grooming continued down past her shoulder blades, after a time punctuated with soft, brief nips along her spine. He shifted position as he progressed, slowing his preening now-- just past her hips, he ceased entirely.
Is this what you want?
The question came as a low, earnest rumble. He didn't move, and he would not unless she said yes. The moment she did, though, he would not hesitate.
I'm so tired I put this reply on our other thread wtf
Also
Sorry for the novel @_@
His firebird paused, and Nathaniel felt something catch in his throat; had he misunderstood her intentions? Or maybe she simply wasn't ready, and that was okay--
Yes. The single word cut through his thoughts effortlessly. She wanted this, then, and she wanted him. Despite his sharp edges, the sullen way he withdrew from all but her; Nathaniel had already been tempered by the fires of the world beyond, and he lacked the energy and enthusiasm of youth in his fresh beginning. He did not see why Mona stuck around.
Nathaniel was not poetic-- he wasn't even original, he knew, but he could not deny the feelings the girl inspired. She was the sunlight to him, warm and life-giving; she lit the air around him with sparks that burned and thrilled him at the same time. He let himself fall into her murkwater eyes, sharp with clarity yet soft with the emotion of the moment.
It struck him that he loved that about her-- she shone with intelligence through the shroud he knew surrounded her. The complicated unknown of her past, the almost magical aura that often surrounded her. Somehow, through it, he still saw her as being tangible; real, alive, present in ways no one else was to him. She was no illusion.
He reacted immediately to her words, but his movements were unhurried. Nathaniel resumed his preening and nipping, continuing down the soft back of one thigh before he moved to the next. The former soldier was careful, controlled; his actions now were only for her. This was all about her-- and he would not have it another way.
Briefly, he drew near to her center, testing the velvet of the surrounding fur with his muzzle. If she did not object, he would explore further; this time with soft kisses to the most sensitive part of her. Otherwise he would withdraw. Truthfully, he had never been mindful enough of any partner for such extended preparation-- but it came almost naturally. He had not entertained the idea of taking her unprepared.
He changed course then, his muzzle drawing back up through the fur along her spine. With this, he moved to mount her, mindful of his weight against the small girl. Nathaniel allowed her a few moments to adjust-- or to protest, if she had a change of heart. He adjusted his position after a few beats. If she did not protest, he would join them together with a gentle roll of his hips.