Ouroboros Spine raptor wrangler

fight or flight has kivaluk's nerves on a sharpened edge; but kivaluk'd always favored fight ... or at least stay. he was stable.

and he stays here and now, frostbound gaze taking in her face, swallowing back the furious beat of butterflies crawling their way up his throat.

he tells himself it's ok if she says no, if there was someone else, if she wasn't sure —

yes.

for a moment, kivaluk is frozen, brain struggling to grasp her answer before it sinks in.

really? slips out before she answers a second time. yes. you can.

before he can stop himself, before he can think about it, he lurches forward to press a spontaneous kiss to her cheek. he draws back, cheeks flushing.

i'll start gathering courting gifts right away, he says softly, pausing. we should probably tell mom, too.