I wouldn't say no to a nice dinner, though brunch would suffice. As long as we can get dessert after.
[ she can't help but notice how surprisingly gentle he is with her. she's heard stories of him, some from her father, others just from rumors around the court of fontaine that tell a different side of him, one that she doesn't see now. this feels like a more special side of him, one he doesn't show often.
her eyes close momentarily as the calm fills her, that steady warmth that she felt the first time with him filling her once again. she relishes in that moment before she opens her eyes and reaches up into her hair with her free hand to pull one of the bloomed roses free. reaching up, her fingers glide across his ears gently, smoothing his hair down before nestling the rose near his ear. she wills it to attach to him, a permanent way of giving a little bit of herself to him. ]
[ meanwhile, wriothesley is in no rush to cut the bond or separate anytime soon. from navia’s scent, her touch, to the soft lilt of her voice; everything about her presence cuts cleanly through the unease he’s been carrying. he threads his fingers lightly between hers at his cheek and, almost instinctively, dips his head when her other hand comes to rest atop it. more than anything, he’s caught in the very real and unfamiliar grounding sensation of trust. and when she finally pulls away—leaving only the ghost of her presence in the curl of a flower nestled behind his ear—he lets out a quiet sigh. its roots aren’t intrusive, just a gentle cling to his hair near the base of one ear. but even as a whisper, the fondness is clear. ]
You’ve no idea how much this helped, Navia.
[ and that’s putting it lightly, considering the ordeal of his first shift and how close he came to losing himself to his natural soul entirely. truth be told, both himself and childe both might’ve ended the night far worse off if not for the harbinger’s abilities. afterwards, they'd spent the late hours quietly searching for solutions—ways to anchor himself better next time—but every path had eventually pointed back to one thing: an imprint.
it’s strange, how much steadier he feels now. comforting, even. a sign of how out of sync he’s been since arriving. and if he’s holding on to something as fleeting as navia’s touch or the calm it leaves behind, then he must not have properly breathed in a long while. still, even as wriothesley leans into the quiet selfishness of seeking comfort—he hasn’t forgotten about navia and her current need with the cold season. so he shifts forward, gently lowering his head into her lap with an almost reverent care. ]
It’s a shame the best I can offer in return is a bit of warmth and maybe a nice evening out, but rest assured, if you ever need this back from me, you’ll have it.
[ true enough, the corruption has left him running warmer than usual. she’ll feel it firsthand when he guides their joined hands at his cheek to rest at the nape of his neck, settling her palm against him for a little more heat. after that, his arms fall to rest on either side of her waist, loosely bracketing her where she sits. and there, head in her lap, lies a former duke wholly at ease—marked by the occasional thump of his tail tapping lightly at her feet under his coat. every now and then, it lifts and drops again in lazy arcs.
[ she leaves her hand at his neck and guides her free hand back to his hair. she can already feel the heat radiating off of him - something she already appreciates. while it's a comfortable temperature in her room for most, navia still thinks it's a bit cold for her liking. he's like a warm blanket on her legs, and she fully relaxes under him. ]
Trust me, the warmth is already appreciated.
[ her hand idly plays with his hair for a moment, thumb softly caressing the back of his ear. him there, in her lap, really is a sight to behold. she hasn't thought of titles too much after their initial talk, and she's glad for it. here, they're just normal people trying to get by in a world out to get them. they're not better for having visions or powers or fancy titles. that makes her just a bit more happy.]
I do have one small request - if you don't mind. I'd like you to be there when I shift the first time. Just in case.
[ wriothesley is still basking in the hard-earned peace of their connection when navia raises her request. and thanks to the imprint, he can turn over the events of the previous day with more clarity than even his quietest nights in the fortress. funny, how allowing himself to feel true certainty, and to rely openly on others, does him more good than he’d expected. enough that his usual hesitation in letting others even stand so close isn’t even on his mind.
even so, her request leaves him thoughtful for a beat before he lifts his head to respond. ]
Sure. [ the word comes quietly, almost offhand, as he straightens to meet her gaze. the sound is still soft around the edges as he regains his poise. he stops short of clearing his throat, choosing instead to pause—especially with her hand still resting on him. and while he no longer has human ears to give him away, the light flush on his cheeks and the shy flattening of his wolf ears do more than enough. he's enjoying her touch more than he cares to admit. ] Thank you, for trusting me to be the one to look after you. My own shift wasn’t the calmest, nor the most pleasant by any means, but it taught me enough to know what to do—just in case.
[ he flashes her a small, wry grin and echoes her words and cadence at the end for some humor. shifting is never easy. and since navia’s corruption had bled into her form long before his own, she’s at least familiar with that other presence simmering beneath the surface—like a masked guest waiting to be entertained.
his, on the other hand, had lingered in the shadows, silent and watchful, until it caught him off guard. so wriothesley does what he can now to ease her concerns, while there's still time and quiet between them. ]
Although I will say, going into yours with feelings like these does make a difference. I’d even argue you’re already steps ahead of me, and more prepared than you think. Nevertheless, I will certainly help you through it should you run into any trouble.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
[ she can't help but notice how surprisingly gentle he is with her. she's heard stories of him, some from her father, others just from rumors around the court of fontaine that tell a different side of him, one that she doesn't see now. this feels like a more special side of him, one he doesn't show often.
her eyes close momentarily as the calm fills her, that steady warmth that she felt the first time with him filling her once again. she relishes in that moment before she opens her eyes and reaches up into her hair with her free hand to pull one of the bloomed roses free. reaching up, her fingers glide across his ears gently, smoothing his hair down before nestling the rose near his ear. she wills it to attach to him, a permanent way of giving a little bit of herself to him. ]
There. That way you can have it with you.
no subject
You’ve no idea how much this helped, Navia.
[ and that’s putting it lightly, considering the ordeal of his first shift and how close he came to losing himself to his natural soul entirely. truth be told, both himself and childe both might’ve ended the night far worse off if not for the harbinger’s abilities. afterwards, they'd spent the late hours quietly searching for solutions—ways to anchor himself better next time—but every path had eventually pointed back to one thing: an imprint.
it’s strange, how much steadier he feels now. comforting, even. a sign of how out of sync he’s been since arriving. and if he’s holding on to something as fleeting as navia’s touch or the calm it leaves behind, then he must not have properly breathed in a long while. still, even as wriothesley leans into the quiet selfishness of seeking comfort—he hasn’t forgotten about navia and her current need with the cold season. so he shifts forward, gently lowering his head into her lap with an almost reverent care. ]
It’s a shame the best I can offer in return is a bit of warmth and maybe a nice evening out, but rest assured, if you ever need this back from me, you’ll have it.
[ true enough, the corruption has left him running warmer than usual. she’ll feel it firsthand when he guides their joined hands at his cheek to rest at the nape of his neck, settling her palm against him for a little more heat. after that, his arms fall to rest on either side of her waist, loosely bracketing her where she sits. and there, head in her lap, lies a former duke wholly at ease—marked by the occasional thump of his tail tapping lightly at her feet under his coat. every now and then, it lifts and drops again in lazy arcs.
what a sight. ]
no subject
Trust me, the warmth is already appreciated.
[ her hand idly plays with his hair for a moment, thumb softly caressing the back of his ear. him there, in her lap, really is a sight to behold. she hasn't thought of titles too much after their initial talk, and she's glad for it. here, they're just normal people trying to get by in a world out to get them. they're not better for having visions or powers or fancy titles. that makes her just a bit more happy.]
I do have one small request - if you don't mind. I'd like you to be there when I shift the first time. Just in case.
no subject
even so, her request leaves him thoughtful for a beat before he lifts his head to respond. ]
Sure. [ the word comes quietly, almost offhand, as he straightens to meet her gaze. the sound is still soft around the edges as he regains his poise. he stops short of clearing his throat, choosing instead to pause—especially with her hand still resting on him. and while he no longer has human ears to give him away, the light flush on his cheeks and the shy flattening of his wolf ears do more than enough. he's enjoying her touch more than he cares to admit. ] Thank you, for trusting me to be the one to look after you. My own shift wasn’t the calmest, nor the most pleasant by any means, but it taught me enough to know what to do—just in case.
[ he flashes her a small, wry grin and echoes her words and cadence at the end for some humor. shifting is never easy. and since navia’s corruption had bled into her form long before his own, she’s at least familiar with that other presence simmering beneath the surface—like a masked guest waiting to be entertained.
his, on the other hand, had lingered in the shadows, silent and watchful, until it caught him off guard. so wriothesley does what he can now to ease her concerns, while there's still time and quiet between them. ]
Although I will say, going into yours with feelings like these does make a difference. I’d even argue you’re already steps ahead of me, and more prepared than you think. Nevertheless, I will certainly help you through it should you run into any trouble.