Neverwinter Forest Please could you kiss my name?

@Valencia Yao's thinking big boy things
Date: 10/30
Time of Day: Early Morning
Cloud Cover: Cloudy
Precipitation: Drizzling
Temperature: 37°F 
Wind Speed / Direction: 6 mph   
Viewing Distance: 9 mi

He couldn't get what Vallkryie said out of his mind, though it had been long ago — he'd been swept away and returned since then. He hadn't changed the way he acted around Lenny, not in the slightest, but for him, things had changed. He was aware of her feelings — who better to know one's feelings than one's sibling? — and it had made him think about things that he boxed away for later.

He always thought that he would go on an adventure, win glory, then come home and get married. Settle down with a small plot of land near his father's, and raise pups with a woman of his tribe, or perhaps of another tribe. Love had little to do with his thoughts of the future — well, love for his wife, he knew he would love his children. This revelation changed things. Did she want to do that? Get married? Was marriage a thing her people did? Was he thinking too much about this? Perhaps she wasn't thinking of that at all. Maybe she liked the way he looked, but didn't want to marry. Perhaps her sister was just teasing? 

He went to find her, the thoughts piling up alongside worry for the pack. He wasn't sure if talking to her was the right move. This was something that was supposed to be mediated by parents and grandparents, between the adults of the family. A marriage was a contract. But things were different here. Perhaps he was doing the right thing? It would help to discuss things.

// oh god my girl is totally unprepared this is great

On Lenny's side of things, everything was... better. The pack was becoming more solid again - they still hadn't found the kid, but they were working on that. Yao was back, and things were going pretty great. She felt happier, now; more comfortable and less anxious.

She hadn't known Kyr and Yao had talked. At least, not about... feelings.

Feelings were a sensitive subject for Lenny. As in, she didn't bring that subject up at all. Humor and forced positivity and enjoying the moment were all more important for her - at least, to project. Emotions were secondary.

Except they weren't, really. Emotions were very much a primary for Valencia Archer - she just didn't like to think about them. Bottle them up and put them away where no one could ever see them. And that included her feelings for Yao.

Of course she'd talked to Kyr about him, but she rarely went into detail. He was attractive, was what she told her. A great friend, and not bad to look at. But he was more than that, wasn't he? Sure, he was objectively handsome, but he was also funny and intelligent and caring and strong. Loyal. Imaginative. There were lots of things about him that she really liked, but never said.

Her attention drew to him when he approached, and a smile formed on her maw, tail swishing back and forth. "Hey!" she greeted, cutting the rest of the distance between them with a few long strides. A pause then, and her brows knitted together. "Uh oh. You look like you're thinking about serious stuff. What's up?" She was pretty sure that was what she was reading on his face anyway. What was wrong?

He couldn't help but smile when he saw her — ee mungu he was really in this, wasn't he? Wow, wow ok. She saw right through him. Did he look that concerned? Or was she just good at reading him now? Wasn't that something mama did to baba? Oh man. Wait, wait, no. They've been friends for a while, surely that's what it was.

He let out a huge gust of air, deflating somewhat as he let the tension leave him. They were alone, right? No one would hear. What was wrong with someone hearing anywa- just say something! Your sister said that you liked me. yaaaaaani... like liked me? That you thought I was, mm, sexy? he looked sheepish, not wanting to look at her directly. Is that true?

Oh, wow. Okay. That was... not the first thing Lenny had expected to come out of his mouth. Actually, she hadn't ever expected to hear anything like that from him. For a moment, she was so surprised that it didn't even register on her face.

Really, she probably just could've gone down the "of course I like you - we're friends!" route, but... that wouldn't be fair to him. Not after him telling her what Kyr had said.

Heat spread across her face and she looked away. Brief panic rendered her at a loss for words for a couple of seconds - a rarity for her, really - before she remembered how to speak.

"Would it be a bad thing? If I did?" she asked, looking back up at him.

She didn't say anything at first. Why wasn't she saying anything? He panicked, more than he ever had fighting or hunting, because this wasn't something he could fight or chase. It was intangible, out of his grasp more than anything he'd ever encountered before. When she spoke again, she didn't deny it, which was a relief to him. She asked if it was a bad thing. Was it?

He hesitated, but not for long. No, And he meant it. He felt good that she liked him, he realized. It was scary because it was new, because he was so far from home and had none of his family to rely on, and now he was involved with a girl who he had only meant half a year ago. But he didn't not want it to happen.

// Stopped at a train tracks so I have time to write up a phone post

No. No, it wasn't a bad thing. Some insecure part of her mind whispered that that didn't mean it was a good thing either, necessarily, but she pushed that away. Yao would tell her if he didn't want her to have feelings for him - she could trust that.

"Well, Kyr is a traitor for telling you, but she isn't wrong," Lenny responded, uncharacteristically quiet. A small, hesitant smile spread across her maw. "And... what do you think of me?"

He wrestled with the words, unsure how to say the things he had thought for the past six months. He couldn't say it in Common. It wouldn't work. Macho yako yanapendeza, he blurted. It was out in the air now, no going back. He took a deep breath. Nafurahia sana kuwa nawe. He didn't know if she could even understand half the things he was saying. Wakati maji yalinichukua, nilikuwa na huzuni sana kwamba sikuweza kukuona tena na kwamba hautaniona tena. He caught himself at the last words, realizing that he had not even thought about that, at least not deeply. But it was right. He felt right saying it.

It was pretty hard to keep up with what he was saying, but she'd learned enough to understand... well, about half, really. Key words here and there - lovely eyes, and enjoy... with you, really stuck out. The last statement was more difficult, but she got the relative gist of it. Something about water and never seeing her again... and she felt the same. 

Understanding the words wasn't the hard part, though. Accepting the meaning behind them was more difficult. 

She blinked, and her cheeks were wet. For half a second, she wondered if it was raining, but then she realized that the world was a little blurry and, with a jolt of embarrassment, realized seh was crying. Which was awkward and horrible - probably the worst thing she could've done in this situation. And there was no need for it, really. It would probably only confuse the poor guy. 

Blinking rapidly, she managed to clear her vision, and wiped at her face with her paw to collect herself. Feelings were so hard and confusing and she hated them more than anything in the world. 

"Ninapenda kuwa nawe pia," she began, clearing her throat before she continued. "Napenda hadithi zako. Kicheko chako." She paused for another couple seconds, before deciding that the next part would be easier for her to say in Common. "I was really worried about you when you were gone. I care about you, a lot."

And, there it was. All out in the open.

She was crying. For a moment he panicked. He'd never seen her like this. It had to be a good cry, right? He didn't know what to do, and just sat there, waiting. It felt like he was frozen there, without any words of comfort to say, not knowing what the right action was in the moment.

She spoke. And when she did, it was in his native tongue. It made him feel torn apart and squeezed tight all at the same time. He smiled, the kneejerk reaction making him laugh softly. He didn't say anything when she finished. There was nothing left to say. He pressed his forehead to hers and closed his eyes, and just sat there, feeling her.

He didn't say anything else, just stepped forward and pressed their foreheads together. And, deciding to be a bit daring, Lenny leaned forward and nuzzled his cheek, surprised by the softness of this confession. It wasn't something she'd imagined much - if at all - but she thought it'd be louder, for some reason. More wordy. But it was better like this, she decided firmly. 

Unfortunately, they couldn't leave it like that. This... the feelings were good to get out there, but it wasn't something she couldn't set to the side and not talk about anymore. 

"So... is... what are we?" she asked, then realized she might need to elaborate on that one. "I mean, um, romantically. I don't know how things are done in your culture. Are we going to be different now? Together?" She wasn't sure that she wanted to be very different, but it might be nice to have a word for what they were.

I think this is the most dialogue I've written for Yao in one sitting...he's really rambling here.

He was glad, so so glad that she did not freeze up. The image had flashed in his mind before he stepped forward, terrified that he had stepped too far. But no, she reciprocated, nuzzling his cheek. He felt himself relax, melting, really. 

I don't know, he said. They were on a roll of being honest with each other. It would be bad to end it now. What I would do, if you were of my culture, is that I would tell my father, who would talk to your father, and our families would work out a...mahari...a price? For you. My family would have to give your family something...or maybe I'd work for your family for a while. He didn't know how she would react to that. Did her culture have such a thing? He'd never heard of it mentioned before while he was here, but then again, he'd never asked. But that is such a big thing! That's marriage, and I'd — it's not that I wouldn't want to marry you, I'd just... he sighed. He was so flustered. The words rolled off of his tongue without I'd want my family to be there. And yours! It's a family thing. With a big ceremony with singing and dancing and cheering and flowers and blessings and gifts. Did he want that with her? Would she want that? So I don't know what we are, now. Just that I want to be with you. Whatever that ends up being.

It was... soothing, almost, to feel him relax against her. It felt so strange but so right, at the same time. Being so honest was not her forte, especially not with feelings, but she was happy that she had been, today. 

"A price?" she echoed, a small smile forming on her lips and her brow raising. That was a strange custom. Generally Archers just picked someone and ran off with them. "That's interesting. I can't say my parents would care too much who I was married to, but Kyr definitely might." Kyr definitely would, she was certain. "If you wanted, we could go and see your family. And mine. But that'll have to wait for the future - the pack needs us now, and I don't want to leave it." 

She turned light silver eyes toward him, hoping he would understand.

He hadn't considered that her parents wouldn't be involved at all. Why shouldn't they care? She was their offspring after all. But, of course, it would be hard to negotiate a brideprice if one side had no history or interest with the practice. Perhaps Kyr could stand in? He hadn't heard of such a thing before...

But, this was all so out of focus. Yes, she was right. They had, if not more important things, things that required their immediate attention. He knew he could not sit right leaving Neverwinter to pursue his own desires, and that she would not either. She was a guardian after all, much like he. But it is good to know how you feel,

It was good to get everything out in the open like this, even if it wasn't making it... official, she supposed. It made sense that Yao's family would have different customs than her own, and it made sense to take things slow. Lenny was not very impulsive in relationships anyway, so while she desperately wanted this, she also didn't want to rush him.

"Maybe, when things have calmed down, and the pack is more stable, you can take me to meet your parents," she offered, pressing her nose to his cheek. "Id like to be more to you, but I want to go at your pace. There's no hurry."