Blackbeak Bluff if you wanna break these walls down, you're gonna get bruised

Engel sighed happily for a moment, in this moment. "Yes...romanctic" he said quietly, smiling happily. In this moment of peaceful thoughts. And he was contempt with remaining here, silent as he stared out. "You've...never had love before, have you?" he asked, still looking at. It was quite obvious, but he still felt it needed to be asked.

The question struck a nerve, and briefly Tine had the urge to cut the conversation short. The irrationality of it quickly convinced her otherwise, though.
No, I haven't, but I want to... She spoke quietly, averting her eyes once again. Her next words were almost a whisper. More than I should.
It pained the shadow to know these words were true.

Engel wanted to speak up, to say she could. To say all she would need to do was ask. But, he also knew to keep things slow, so he kept his mouth closed. So instead he came up with a different response. "Someone will...I mean, you are a beautiful woman. Someone is bound to fall for that..." He knew, cause he had.

Suddenly she felt bitter and sad-- his words, sweet as they were, brought nothing to her in the way of feelings. And oh, she resented this, more than she had resented anything in her life. Desperately and without warning she pressed closer to him, burying her face in his fur. He couldn't have known, but this was significant in a way; Tine genuinely sought comfort from the contact, even if she found nothing but more distress at the lack of feeling coming to her.
No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't feel a thing. She wanted to ask him if he had felt it, beg him to describe the feeling to her-- the shadow thought she might be able to taste it if she could only understand it...
But no. She wasn't meant for that.

After some time soaking in her grief, carefully rebuilding her mask, she pulled away. Her eyes were alight with affection and curiosity.
Engel, do you think you could tell me about the pack you're joining? Ironsea?

Engel didn't think too much of more contact, thinking it was just like the last few times she had made contact with him. As she got closer, he started preening along the top of her head before she pulled away and asked a question. "Well...it's coastal. And almost everyone calls each other 'lad' or 'matey'." He gave a little laugh.

To her surprise, the shadow found herself a little disappointed when Engel stopped grooming her. It felt right to be doted on in such a way, and she hungered for more of it. Truthfully she would accept affections from anyone-- she would not, could not return them, but did it matter? She could pretend. Right up until she decided it was time to crush them.
But that was entirely off topic-- she refocused on the discussion. Ironsea, yes. Engel had mentioned twice now their strange language tendencies, but truthfully Tine thought little of it.
What's your leader like? The Messeda girl inquired, smiling gently. That was of more interest to her, for sure.

Engel shrugged. He had barely met the guy. "Only met him once...he's fine, I guess. Got this accent about him, seems nice enough. I mean, he accepted me now, didn't he?" And he doubted most would accept him with how he was. His tail swayed gently behind him. And suddenly, he felt something coming as he looked out...

"I can show the world...Shining, shimmering, splendid. Tell me princess, now when did you last let your heart decide" he started, slowly turning to face her. "I can open your eyes. Take you wonder by wonder, over sideways and under on a magic cloud ride...A whole new worlddd" he continued, trying to catch her gaze.

The shadow was a bit frustrated with how little he gave, but she hid it well, opting instead to lightly nose his neck fur. It was quickly becoming automatic to fill the gaps in their conversation with touch-- in a way, it was a comforting new routine. Tine liked knowing what to do, what to expect in situations.

When he began to sing, her heart dropped into her stomach like a heavy, cold weight. Oh no, not this again... She smiled sweetly at him when he turned to look at her. After a moment she moved to touch her nose against his softly, in the back of her mind recalling the only thing that had ever drawn significant emotion from her. Tears welled instantly, and she pushed the thought away, satisfied with its effect. That was what she had needed to complete the act.

Engel stopped as his song reached a part where she started to tear up. "Tine? What's wrong?" he asked, nudging her with a worried expression. Had his song opened up some old wound? Did it upset her? "Have I done something wrong? Come on, don't cry deary."

Carefully, Tine gauged the concern he showed-- satisfied with the result, she nuzzled into his cheek gently.
No, no... you've done everything right, Engel. She murmured, tone brimming with affection. It was, in a way, true. The shadow was more than pleased with the progress she had made, and each moment felt like a step closer. As long as he kept responding positively, she would keep moving towards her goal. Because really, he wouldn't truly be hers until she got him to admit it.

Engel was glad to hear that. He waited for a moment, before he then went back to preening at the top of her head. She had not made any complaint before she he felt she was fine with it. Preening with his teeth along the fur between her ears. "I am glad to hear that" he whispered near her ear.

Tine made a content, almost purr-like noise when Engel resumed his attentions-- she did enjoy it very much. She wanted to be adored, worshiped; the Messeda girl had decided early on it would be a perfect substitute for her own lack of emotion. The shadow was quiet a few beats, mind lingering on her next move.

I've never met anyone who makes me feel this way before. The words were soft, like a confession. For the briefest moment she felt guilty at this lie-- not for his sake, but for her own. It felt like an insult, one she did not deserve. But he was to be hers, whether he knew it or not, and she would go to great lengths to ensure it. I don't want anything to go wrong.

Engel smiled a little as he preened. He was glad she enjoyed this so much, he always aimed to please in anyway possible. It was his goal to please, as it helped him get past the hole in his heart to fill the holes in others...metaphorically. 

"And nothing will go wrong. I will be sure of that, for I aim to please" he whispered again quietly in a quick pause of preening. Then he went back to it, daring a nip at the base of her ear.

Engel's response left the shadow feeling smug; she was pleased, with that fact alone. As long as he kept that philosophy (particularly regarding Tine, for she could be a bit jealous in that) she would see no reason to discard him.
In fact, the longer she thought about it, the less expendable he seemed. Would she really have the fortune of finding another so malleable? Tine wasn't certain. That was enough for her to decide that, unless something better came along, Engel would be an indefinite fixture in her life.
That didn't mean, though, that she would keep him anywhere other than firmly below her. Metaphorically, of course, though in the back of her mind she observed that his persistent hinting might be a bit more welcome if she could realistically take such a position. Somewhat horrified and somewhat amused by her own line of thinking, she shoved the idea away and busied herself with nosing Engel's neck fur gently.
I hope I can make you happy, too. Samaantine mumbled, a little muffled because her face was still in his fur. Then, hating herself a little for it, she made a request: Will you sing to me, please?

He shrugged, all he strived for was to make his partners happy. Because that made him happy. Sure, he enjoyed a little happiness and pleasure himself, here and there but he wasn't out for himself. One could say it was a selfish act of selflessness, if it even made sense that way.

He arched a brow at her as her muffled question reached his ears. "Really?" He didn't give her a chance as he cleared his throat out a bit, then he began.

"For the way you chanced my plans, for being the perfect distraction. For the way you too the idea I have! Of everything that I wanted to have. And made me see there was something missing...For the ending of my first begin, and for the rare and unexpected friend. For the way you're something that I'd never choose, but at the same time, something I don't wanna lose. And never wanna be without ever again"

He paused as she reached a gave a quick lick at her ear, then continued, his mouth close to it and now singing in a lower tone. "You're the best thing I never knew I needed, so when you were here I had no idea. You are the best thing I never knew I needed, so now it's so clear, I need you here always..." He paused, but he still had some of the song left to go.

The shrug was admittedly a little disheartening-- if he dismissed his own happiness so easily, Tine wondered how she would be able to keep him. It meant she had nothing to offer him but what he had hinted at so many times already. The thought made her a little cold. She was unwilling to do it, but slowly becoming more unwilling to lose her grasp on Engel.

The shadow was glad for the opportunity to stay quiet and listen to him sing, caught in her new dilemma. Youthful thoughtlessness made her forget to consider that he was already expressing interest, already staying-- in her mind, the threat of losing him was ever-present. Paranoia, perhaps. It was only intensified by the gesture she was reading far too much into, and already she was considering a possibility she would have scoffed at a few moments before.
The words of the song gave her slight comfort. She kept her face buried in his fur as she thought and listened, realizing suddenly that the song, in a way, fit her end of their strange relationship too. Nevermind that her desires for him were far more twisted than what he sang of.

Engel waited to see any sort of sign for him to stop, but he received none. So he continued, singing close to her ear in almost a whisper. 

"My accidental happily, ever after. The way you smile and how you comfort me, with your laughter." He nudged her, trying to entice her to reveal her face. "I must admit you were not a part of my book. but now, if you open it up and take a look. You're the beginning and the end of every chapter...You're the best thing I never knew I needed, so when you were here I had no idea. You are the best thing I never knew I needed, so now it's so clear, I need you here always..."

At the nudge, Tine looked up at him, meeting his gaze for a few beats before she leaned in to groom his neck. She drew her tongue through the plush fur, deliberate and gentle in her actions. It was an uncertain half-start to something else-- something she wasn't certain she wanted to give tonight, but nonetheless wanted to tease him with. The undeniably romantic song had, disappointingly, still failed to bring any feeling but pride to her. Still, that was enjoyable enough.

Tine was quiet still, moving up his neck towards his ears and head as she groomed him. Faintly she wondered if he would take it as the subtle hint it was; the thought filled her with glee. It was so fun to watch him struggle.

Engel shivered halfway through his song as she groomed him. After he paused, he tried to continue as she moved up to his ears. The temptation came back, and he was struggling. "I...you are making going slow a hard promise to keep" he muttered under his breath. He was beginning to want her, beginning to need her more and more. But, a promise...was a promise.

The shadow only barely caught his words, and for a few moments she continued her grooming silently without any indication she had heard him. Then, quietly, she repeated the purr-like noise she had made earlier, expressing her contentment and affection. She was especially gentle with his ears, running her nose through the fluffy fur between licks.
Part of her wondered if she would be able to stop this-- if she would let herself stop it, if it got too far. She was still stuck on her conclusion, not realizing it was incorrect. And still entirely unwilling to entertain the idea of allowing Engel to lose interest in her.

Engel couldn't bear it. The constant contact, her beauty, her scent. He gave a small whine, she was too enticing for him. As she went by her ears, he decided to have his own fun as he groomed under her neck the same way she did with him, except with some small nips as well.

The whine sent a strange thrill through her-- it was, in her eyes, admission of her power over him. And for the first time she knew what desire was in this context. It was not for him, not for his appearance or any talent of his or even his pliable nature-- Tine had eyes only for the ease with which she was able to dominate their interactions.

She returned his whine, a bit breathy, as he began to lick and nip her neck. Tine herself became a bit more mouthy, tail swishing behind her, and the urge to sink her teeth fully into him flashed through her. It was not an unwelcome thought, at first; she imagined the coppery red she would taste, the pain she would cause him, and another thrill went through her-- stronger, this time. For a moment her teeth rested a little more forcefully on his flesh, but she pulled herself away and resumed as if nothing had happened. What disturbed her more than anything was that she was not very bothered by this discovery about herself.

Engelhard gave a jolt as he felt her teeth against his flesh, a forceful touch that was soon gone after. He pulled away for a moment, with a rather confused look about him. Then he grew a little grin, thinking nothing of it as he continued with his previous actions. He let another whine escape him, as if now begging for her.

Tine marveled at the way he followed her lead regarding the bite, thinking she had caught herself a prize indeed and wondering how much more he might be willing to overlook. For now she did not test it, responding to his second whine with another nip that was not quite as hard as the first. The Messeda girl stopped her grooming to nuzzle into him, a single breathy utterance escaping her: Engel.
All her meaning was poured into it, and part of her hoped (in vain, no doubt) that he would ignore or reject the subtle invitation. Another part of her, growing by the moment, craved his pain and blood in the context of the situation they were in-- common sense told her he would likely not share this quirk of hers, though, and she found herself more than a bit disappointed by that.

Engel shivered again after her next nip. His name being spoken urged him to pause. "Yes, Tine..." He said no more, but it was posed as a question. Then he pulled back. He couldn't go any further, not after he promised her...but the look he gave her, a look almost like a puppy, asked exactly that. Asked if she was willing to go onward. Whatever the answer, he would try his best to respect it.