"But the dream, the echo, slips from him as quickly as he had found it and as consciousness comes to him (a slap and not the gentle waves of oceanic tides), it dissolves entirely. His muscles relax as the cold claims him again, as the numbness sets in, and when his grey eyes open, there’s nothing but the faint after burn of a dream often trod and never remembered." --Brigade, written by Laura
08-27-2021, 01:59 PM (This post was last modified: 08-27-2021, 02:00 PM by Tamlin.)
Tamlin isn’t sure what he’s done to cause that pain when their eyes meet briefly, before she hardens, but he immediately feels regret. He wants to tell her it’s okay if she doesn’t want to shift but in the next moment she does. He doesn’t quite catch the defensive look in her eyes because his are taking her in. From the deep black of her coat to the soft blue of her points, the same colours as the wolf but translated differently here. The horn is a surprise, looking wickedly sharp and it suits her - this parallel to her wolf’s teeth.
He isn’t afraid, but he likes knowing there are sharp edges to her that she can use to push him away if he oversteps. He’d grown up with wolves, after all - he’s come to admire fierceness.
Tamlin steps closer when his gentle brown eyes do finally connect with hers. They are the same piercing blue and they draw him in, and when he finally remembers how to speak his voice reverant and softer than the warm, boisterous tone he usually uses. “You were beautiful as a wolf, and it’s still true now.” Tamlin’s heart is wild in his chest and he realizes he’s nervous for perhaps the first time ever. He reaches for her, the action slow - giving her plenty of time to move before he tries to brush his muzzle gently against hers.
A simple touch, hopefully unobtrusive, and yet he feels that small contact spread like sunshine through him.
He’s thinking about his invitation, wondering if she’ll take him up on it, when he continues in that same quiet voice - unable (or perhaps just unwilling) to look away from her captivating gaze, needing to see if that pain returns so he knows when to shut up. “It’s not so bad, is it? Being the same height finally?” That warm smile of his grows again, the corner of his mouth tugging upwards with the easy teasing.
