Ouroboros Spine raptor wrangler

when chickadee comes into his view, kivaluk feels how just seeing her affects him. can feel the smile that lights up his face, the relax of his shoulders that speaks volume of his comfort in her presence; and there that was always that small hitch in his breath, the softness of his eyes when he looked at her.

hey, he greets back breezily, less because he was out of breath from his journey and more because of that aforementioned hitch of breath feathering in his throat.

nah, he says casually. not really.

a moment passes, thoughts drifting along his mind; many persistent.

can we uh — talk tries to squeak it's way out of his mouth but fails. he takes a deep breath, sucking it in before he tries again.

i've been thinking a lot about courting, lately, to anyone other than kivaluk it's probably out of the blue; completely straying out of left field. and i was wondering about ...well, us. i mean, if there's even an us. or the potential for an us —

word flutter unbidden out of his mouth; the courage he plucked to begin speaking untethering the reigns. i just, i care about you. a lot. and uh, you should. know that. regardless...

not half as smooth as kivaluk always thought he'd be.