Seaside Moors i got your girl on the back going tandem

the events from the night before hand since subsided. i mean... there was still lots of fucked up shit going on, and tristan was effectively horrified. in fact, he was wondering today if he'd ever see his parents again. like, were finley and elwood okay? what happened to the firebirds? surely they felt that, right? and there were way more like.. things to fall on them in that territory. part of him wanted to go check on them... but the other part of him was staring at this big fat fuckin swollen ankle knowing damn well he couldn't go see them. big fat fuck. 

beside him, @Bat was pressed to his side... like the good ole days. despite what tristan decided was a really weird conversation, the trauma of the tremor had entirely erased it from their relationship... as far as he was concerned. he glanced at her quietly, nose twitching. i thought i was gonna lose you again, he admitted quietly, seemingly out of nowhere.

She was battered, bruised and frightened, but having Tristan beside her grounded her. Fussing over him provided a distraction whenever she thought about the previous night's alarming events or cast her silver eyes out to the ocean, where the tide still remained ominously distant. Bat felt responsible for his broken ankle and worried about what might happen if the tremors returned and he couldn't run. But they were together, side by side, like they were meant to be. And no matter what else was happening, she drew comfort from that thought, let it center her.

His comment caused one big ear to twitch, her eyes moving from the stranded beach to Tristan's face. She thought of that night, when she'd fallen through the ice and nearly drowned, and shivered slightly. "Nah, man, you can't get rid of me that easily," Bat quipped reassuringly, then added, "If anything like that ever happens again, don't even worry, I'll drag you down with me." She winked.

tristan flashed her a grin. you drag me down with you and i'll make a deal with the devil to make you grow a penis, he quipped, shifting (wincing as he accidentally put pressure on his bad ankle) to press his forehead to her cheek. he sighed gently, despite his good natured jokes, still trying to wrap his head around what had happened in the previous days. 

still leaning into her, tristan said with optimism, margaritaville is fucked.

The joke was so off the wall that it took Bat out of her head for a blessed moment as she laughed out loud. "Wait, what? Is that why you won't have me, because you're secretly into dick?" Bat teased back, totally lightheartedly but honestly curious about his bewildering remark.

His next comment immediately sobered her. She did not leap to reassure him, instead sighing out a, "Yeah..." She couldn't say why exactly it was so, just that something wasn't gelling. Even before the earthquake had struck, she'd sensed that the place was a ghost town. "What'd you do that chased everyone off while I was gone?"

Bat was trying to make light of it but maybe something had happened while she was gone? They hadn't exactly had a chance to catch up after her return, which prompted her to blurt, "We could always go to the Firebirds. They could honestly use the help right now, I think..."

definitely, laughed tristan, who pulled his head away to get a better look at the dracarys girl. he really didn't know why he was so afraid to have her... after that fuckin earthquake?? like, what in the world would possess him not to just like, take her, or whatever? bitches to fuck? tristan was pretty sure, by now, he wasn't really that hot of a commodity... he wouldn't admit it though. though... he was sobered a bit at her next comment, and didn't really get a chance to fully process his epiphany.  his grin faltered, though his gaze held steady on her. the brute shrugged. guess i just wasn't really cut out to lead anything, he said with a flick of his ear, taking a moment then to look away, past her and way into the ocean... far in the distance by now. they were still on the coast, but not in the grove, and it was still just so far out...

his ears flicked again at her comment, and his seagreen gaze fell upon her again. what... do you mean? he asked with a frown.

Once more, she resisted an impulse to feed him platitudes and reassurances. Bat had been rooting for Tristan to succeed at this endeavor, though deep down, she didn't think either one of them was meant for leadership. They were free spirits, meant to run around and have fun, not tie themselves down with responsibilities. She quietly agreed with him: neither one of them was cut out for it. And that was okay.

She sighed again when he pressed for more information, recollecting the bittersweet visit to Sun Mote Copse. "Kiwi killed Colt," Bat said baldly, "and they're doing alright, all things considered, but there's more pups than adults. I just got the feeling like they could use a few more hands on deck." The yearling shrugged her slate shoulders. "No pressure. I just thought you should know."

tristan was surprised to hear that all that had gone and down. the mention of his uncle's death brought a slight wrinkle to his nose as he suppressed a snarl. god, he fucking hated kiwi. and now she fuckin killed someone?! in his family?! god damn. with a gentle sigh, his gaze fell down and forwards for a second. he silently prayed to whatever god was out there in this world, that colt was getting some major puss somewhere up in the afterlife... honestly, though, he didn't entirely have the energy to grieve right now. 

would you wanna go? he asked, looking back at her with a flick of his ear, like, it's my parents, of course i'd go back to help but... do you want to? there's a lot there that i know is kinda like, sad boi hours for you. really eloquent and sensitive, tristan.

She huffed a sad sort of laugh at his comment, thinking it over a moment before replying. "I go where you go," Bat said eventually, "and I have relatives there too." She thought of her younger siblings and even Eljay, who had been her stepfather for a hot minute. "I think it'll be a little bittersweet but it'll be nice to be back with family. So I'm game if you are."

Her gaze wandered in the direction of the grove and yet another sigh found its way out of her. "Maybe we could hang out here a bit longer, at least until you can put weight on your ankle and make a trip like that. Just you and me." She reflected on the prior night's events and amended, "And @Breccan," with a quiet laugh. Surely they would invite him—and any other "villagers" still lurking around—to come along when they departed.

good, said the dethroned almost king, i think i'll... go back as tegan, too. i dunno, i feel like i've done all i can do as tristan, i'm still the same dumbass. and then, sure -- dope, said tegan with a few nods, feeling relieved that bat had said yes... and, yeah, he should probably let his ankle heal a bit anyway. damn, what bad luck. the mention of breccan, however, stirred up some agitation. damn that guy and his good looks. you know what? fuck it. 

he shifted again, brow furrowing as he appeared to sort through something in his head... his split ear flicked. you think -- if we both went back -- we could just... like -- oh fuck no he'd already started talking, but he realized halfway through that it was making absolutely no sense. he paused, shook his head, recollected, and tried again. i wanna reintroduce you to everyone as my girlfriend, he said, a little stiffly, glancing towards her to see what she made of that, i know i've been kind of a dick in the past, especially the other day, but i just haven't stopped thinking about that day -- and about you -- and life's fuckin short. i don't know what i'm so afraid of but i wanna do this damn thing with you. for real. ooooh ball drop... and it rolls... into her court.

She really hadn't minded his new name, though there was something that settled in her chest when he assumed the name Tegan again. Even as the word "dope" left his lips, she favored him with a suitably dopey smile. The shakeup had been scary, yet maybe she should be grateful, because now it felt like the two of them were going home.

But that wasn't all. His next spiel left Bat a little dumbfounded. Was he for real? She squinted her silver eyes at him, though it struck her that he was speaking as sincerely as she'd ever heard him. And he said the words: "for real." Still, her eyes remained narrow.

Her dream was coming true before her very eyes and all she could manage was a weak, disbelieving laugh and, "Thought you were into dick, dick." Then Bat collected herself at least a little bit and gently punched him. "Are you fucking with me?" she demanded in a breathless voice, clearly about to get real slaphappy but still not quite believing this was happening.

he shifted, definitely deciding that bat was about to launch herself at him and almost fearing for his life for a second. oh god he should backtrack -- he could see it now, she was gonna suffocate him in some kind of embrace. which, maybe he wouldn't mind? but still. 

don't you break my ankle anymore, tegan warned, a response that implied that he was indeed serious... though he topped it off with a quick, deadass. and a grin so charming you knew he was serious.

"Deadass," he replied and Bat gave him a look before doing exactly what he feared: she pounced him. Mindful of his ankle (and her own aches and pains), she slung her banded forelegs around his neck and gave him a big, wet smooch on the cheek. Her tail wagged a mile a minute, her whole body wriggling with the force of its movement.

But then her head fell forward into his neck and she stilled, although her embrace didn't loosen. She had been dreaming of this moment practically her whole life and she was overwhelmed. Bat clutched at Tegan as she rode out the overpowering feelings, her face hidden in his silver fur until she finally drew back a little and took a breath.

"I love you, Tegan," she murmured close to his ear, "with my whole ass." Gently, she shoved away from him, just so she could lock eyes with him, her own twinkling. "And there's no dick more qualified," she added, wondering if he was having déjà vu yet. "Please tell me your ankle isn't going to cockblock us."

oh god, here it comes... he returned a few of her wet kisses and little nips, burying his face in the thick of her neck as she held tight. jesus, this felt good. was it sad that he felt this good?? maybe a little pitiful, honestly. he'd winced a little at her initial pounce, he'd braced incorrectly and there was a little twinge in his ankle... but he'd settled in well enough. it all felt right. 

that's not that much, frowned tegan in good jest... but he self-corrected, i love you too, pup. and unfortunately -- even as she made some SERIOUS bedroom eyes at him -- he couldn't really give her a positive answer. we're definitely cock-blocked, though, he said with a stiff grin, his tail sweeping against the sandy ground apologetically. but we got the rest of our lives for all that shit, he added, sounding a little out of character considering his usual answer.

There was no room for disappointment in Bat's heart, not after a declaration like that. The rest of our lives? she thought giddily to herself, a part of her still wondering if she was dreaming. Or maybe she'd hit her head last night and this was a delusion of some kind.

Whatever it was, she was going to take it. "You right," she quipped softly in response, grinning at him, then forced a falsely put upon sigh as she asked, "Can we at least snuggle though? I call big spoon."

well duh, i'm always little spoon, he returned, nudging her to give a quick lil kissy kiss smooch smooch  on the noggin before carefully leaning back into her side... despite being the more appropriate size for big spoon. he gave a gentle sigh, feeling a little calmer than the usual off the wall dickass tegan... but also like his heart was beating a million miles a second. EW. that was so nasty to write. tegan felt nasty thinking it. like what, was she about to rub his back and call him babydoll? o FUCK no. 

ignoring his ankle entirely, tegan rolled over to stand overtop her. changed my mind, he muttered into her ear as he stood over her, reminding himself to maybe be careful with his bad foot and gingerly leaning to the other side. he pressed his nose to the bulb of her ear(a staple move from all my characters as i always awkwardly start writing bing bang threads like this), and gently ran it down her jawline. or would you rather snuggle? he asked with a quirk of a brow, pausing.

Cool with a tasteful fade? Hahaha.

It genuinely took her by surprise when Tegan changed his mind. She gave him a look. You sure? But Bat wasn't going to question him too hard. "I'm still totally DTF," she practically growled in his ear, her face nearly splitting with the size of her grin. They could snuggle afterward. Right now, she practically pounced him, barely minding his ankle during her wily seduction.

It was exactly as crude and ridiculous and sexy and wonderful as she'd always imagined.

and then, tegan got his dick wet. pt. 2.