Heron Lake Plateau she's so paris when we kiss

her gaze fell, and Cas knew she had been expecting something different, for him to rush into her arms as he had done before. but he didn't want to let her go. "Aria, wait," he murmured, rushing to intercept her, to seek her eyes. "let me ..." 

He reached out then, searching for the touch of her fur, something that had always been comforting in times before. The end, yes, it might be, but Cas didn't want to tear it away. he wanted to linger with her for a moment, touch her one last time.

The girl exhales heavily as he says her name, half expecting him just to leave. She hates rejection-- almost as much as she hates failing. But he stays for something, and she's not sure what-- until he reaches for her embrace. She's reluctant in giving it to him, stubbornly upset that he'd turned her away for a final time. Her head pulls back for a moment, and she begins to object, "Casmir I don't..." but her voice is pulled from her just as her body is pulled towards him. She allows him his touch-- as if she was actually doing anyone but herself any favors-- and leans into him silently.

she didn't run away; just a brief bit of resistance before she leant into him. Cas pressed his muzzle against her cheek, then lay his muzzle along her shoulder, drawing her closer in an embrace while he felt the breaking of his heart within him. "why does everything have to be so fucking hard?" he asked, his voice trembling.

he held her for a long moment, but in truth, Casmir would hold Aria for as long as she would let him. Desire for her mounted swiftly in him, but he held back, not wanting to drive her away.

"It doesn't," the snowy princess murmurs, "We've made it this hard ourselves."

She holds onto him, her nose buried into his shoulder. She lets out a hot breath of air, moving her head to nuzzle into his neck. In the heat of the moment, she finds a small bit of confidence, and tries one more time to sway him to her. "Are you sure," she says slowly, "that you can't come back home? back with me?" Her eyes close as she waits for an answer, positive it'll be rejection, but knowing she would have regretted it had she not tried one last time.

her touch tightened his body, and he sought the hollow of her throat with his lips. but when she spoke, he felt a grimness steal over him. in answer, he held her closer and sighed against her pale ruff. "Aria ... i can't. i can't abandon another pack. i have to see this through." some part of him wanted to ask her to stay, but his father's pack needed her, as Saena and her little ones needed him. 

he kissed her neck again, not wanting to break the contact of their bittersweet parting.

She braces herself for his rejection, but it hurts just as much as the first time did. His gentle touch finds her neck, and for a moment it felt like he thought that his gentle kisses would soothe her pain... and maybe-- if only for a few seconds-- they do. She lets out a soft sigh at his touch, her body begging her to urge it forward while he mind silently willed her to stop. It was an unhealthy way to part, it would leave her with a desire for days and weeks and months to come. But she has no real control over herself, and the pale girl presses herself closer to the dark boy. She tilts her head, letting her own lips and teeth find his throat, and she preens gently at the soft furs there. Maybe, she thinks, this will will him to stay. It is childish thinking, but it is all she has to offer.

Aria didn't speak, merely groomed through the fur of his neck and throat with her teeth. they'd done this often enough that Casmir entertained no ideas that anything would come of it;  they were comforting each other, was all.  that was fine; he dipped his muzzle and ran his lips along her cheek, wanting to touch every part of her lovely face before they were forced to part for the last and final time.

gone were any thoughts of the Creek, and the memory of Laika's face was pushed to a guilty place in the back of his mind. this was Aria in his arms, she who he had long loved, and though it wasn't going to work, he was completely hers in this moment.

Aria sighs softly, returning his gentle kisses and grooming, his teeth finding the edge of his single ear. She bites softly at it as he preens at her cheeks, whispering softly into it. "I will miss you, Casmir," she says before beginning to nibble again. She leans her chest further into him, a foot stepping between his to balance her weight comfortably. It is true. The pair is not fit for one another, but she will miss him dearly. Whatever strange puppy love she had for him will always remain-- even if she could not make him stay.

"i'll miss you too, Aria," he whispered, his eyes closing at the soft touch of her lips and tongue and teeth, while his own muzzle snaked about, kissing her here and there, whatever part of her silken pelt he could reach. as before, she found and exploited the tenderest of areas around his neck and ears, and he shivered against her in spite of himself, grinning sheepishly.

With a heavy heart, Aria lowers her head and buries it under his chin. "I'm sorry I put you through all that I have," she says softly, her eyes closing as she inhales. Her fur is still damp, and as she leans into him she's sure he can feel her wet coat-- she only hopes it's cool enough to feel comfortable against the heat. She lingers for only a moment before retreating from his warmth.

"It was nice seeing you, Cas," she says, smiling weakly. She has never called him by his nickname-- preferring his full name over the shortened name. But she'd known all of the others to call him Cas, and found it fitting that she would do the same. Friends called each other by nicknames. She would call him by his. "I'll uh... I'll tell your family you're doing alright," she adds, and without another words, turns. 

<3

he found he couldn't speak, except to whisper his own broken apology into her ear as she folded herself into his embrace. for a long moment he held her, eyes closed against the impending pain of their last parting, and he breathed her scent deeply, storing away the memory of it to carry him through the agony of his loss. their loss, he supposed, for he knew Aria loved him deeply.

Cas -- his heart skipped a beat to hear the pale girl call him by the familiar name, and he nods, determined to stay composed. but his lips trembled as he said, for the last time: "goodbye," and hot tears assault his eyes as he watched Aria depart, moving in the direction of Donnelaith.