05-31-2017, 01:29 PM
Stillwater
Mmm, there was that frown again. He was so good at finding that one, almost as if he could lightly blow on her face and her muscles would remember his touch and just pull together the rest of the way of their own. But that frown slipped into an almost smirk, amused by his question though she'd ignored the first. They did seem to do that, circling each other warily like fencers, looking for the opponent's weakness.
Looking to call a bluff that neither offered.
“Do you think I can't protect them myself?”
He smiled. Now he was amused too.
“I can, you know,” she said with an abrupt nod. He raised an elegant brow, but said nothing. So interesting. She hadn’t answered the question, again, but she gave him more than she realized.
”You’re the only thing keeping yourself here. But if you’re having trouble remembering…”
The cold weight of metal around his ankle vanished, as did his smile and amusement. His face blanked, but his eyes never left her, boring hard into hers and searching her face. The absence of the chain felt so loud, air and nothingness pressed all around him where a heavy cold used to be. He wanted to rub it, brush against the skin as though to test if it were another of her tricks. Or just to feel that he could touch skin now, instead of metal. But he remained still, his heart racing.
Put it back, he had nearly commanded. Why? That was the most ridiculous response. Of course, he didn't want it.
"Go, now. If you want to," she said, turning away from him. He frowned, still staring at her in silence. If he wanted to? Why wouldn't he want to. She knew how he craved his freedom.
In that moment, a countless number of choices and possible outcomes flashed in his mind, most of them dismissed and flicked away instantly. He could smell his freedom in the air, in the passage she'd opened up for him to leave. He could taste the salt of the sea in the other direction, further down the tunneling cave, to the coast, or even Nerine. The dark of this cave suddenly didn't have to be home anymore. That body of water just outside didn't have to be his only resting place. If he'd had his body, he could even utilize the vast ocean for swifter travel, more feeding grounds.
More feeding grounds.
He didn't have to stay here.
He didn't have to return here.
His mouth watered and his jaw ached as he turned his head to that salty tease, eyes burning just a little brighter. Greedy, hungry. His coat thinned, hairless and sleek in his eagerness. He didn't like the ocean, really. It felt coarser than the smooth, clean water of the lake, as though seaweed and grime magnetized tightly to his bare skin. Mild disgust settled in the pit of his stomach just thinking of it, but he couldn't deny the possibilities it could open for him even if he had to wade through it in this body. So many more options. So many more bodies. He could become stronger. Maybe if he did, he would finally have his real body. Not starved on this quiet, isolated diet.
He almost stepped forward, almost walked away. But his legs betrayed him and he flowed back to Djinni's side, his eyes the cool, murky blue again as they tried to find hers. Djinni, he murmured, pressing his satin-smooth side lightly to hers. His mouth gravitating to her shoulder, trailing so slowly up her neck. He should have left when he had the chance, why was he still here. She hadn't kept him for his usefulness. He'd gained that much in how she'd answered his question, a lack of denial, a gentle redirection. Then why had she kept him?
Enough games, Djinni. His voice was quiet, barely loud enough to be heard over the soft trickle of water down the cave walls. He didn't kiss her, but instead brushed his parted lips feather-light along the graceful curve in her neck, breathing her in and nearly tasting her. His exploring wandered to the soft hollow of tingling nerves between her jaw and throat where he finally did place a kiss, tender and cautious. Careful. Maybe he was pushing too much. She would lash out or disappear. But he didn't stop.
You kept me because you want me. Why can't you say it?
Looking to call a bluff that neither offered.
“Do you think I can't protect them myself?”
He smiled. Now he was amused too.
“I can, you know,” she said with an abrupt nod. He raised an elegant brow, but said nothing. So interesting. She hadn’t answered the question, again, but she gave him more than she realized.
”You’re the only thing keeping yourself here. But if you’re having trouble remembering…”
The cold weight of metal around his ankle vanished, as did his smile and amusement. His face blanked, but his eyes never left her, boring hard into hers and searching her face. The absence of the chain felt so loud, air and nothingness pressed all around him where a heavy cold used to be. He wanted to rub it, brush against the skin as though to test if it were another of her tricks. Or just to feel that he could touch skin now, instead of metal. But he remained still, his heart racing.
Put it back, he had nearly commanded. Why? That was the most ridiculous response. Of course, he didn't want it.
"Go, now. If you want to," she said, turning away from him. He frowned, still staring at her in silence. If he wanted to? Why wouldn't he want to. She knew how he craved his freedom.
In that moment, a countless number of choices and possible outcomes flashed in his mind, most of them dismissed and flicked away instantly. He could smell his freedom in the air, in the passage she'd opened up for him to leave. He could taste the salt of the sea in the other direction, further down the tunneling cave, to the coast, or even Nerine. The dark of this cave suddenly didn't have to be home anymore. That body of water just outside didn't have to be his only resting place. If he'd had his body, he could even utilize the vast ocean for swifter travel, more feeding grounds.
More feeding grounds.
He didn't have to stay here.
He didn't have to return here.
His mouth watered and his jaw ached as he turned his head to that salty tease, eyes burning just a little brighter. Greedy, hungry. His coat thinned, hairless and sleek in his eagerness. He didn't like the ocean, really. It felt coarser than the smooth, clean water of the lake, as though seaweed and grime magnetized tightly to his bare skin. Mild disgust settled in the pit of his stomach just thinking of it, but he couldn't deny the possibilities it could open for him even if he had to wade through it in this body. So many more options. So many more bodies. He could become stronger. Maybe if he did, he would finally have his real body. Not starved on this quiet, isolated diet.
He almost stepped forward, almost walked away. But his legs betrayed him and he flowed back to Djinni's side, his eyes the cool, murky blue again as they tried to find hers. Djinni, he murmured, pressing his satin-smooth side lightly to hers. His mouth gravitating to her shoulder, trailing so slowly up her neck. He should have left when he had the chance, why was he still here. She hadn't kept him for his usefulness. He'd gained that much in how she'd answered his question, a lack of denial, a gentle redirection. Then why had she kept him?
Enough games, Djinni. His voice was quiet, barely loud enough to be heard over the soft trickle of water down the cave walls. He didn't kiss her, but instead brushed his parted lips feather-light along the graceful curve in her neck, breathing her in and nearly tasting her. His exploring wandered to the soft hollow of tingling nerves between her jaw and throat where he finally did place a kiss, tender and cautious. Careful. Maybe he was pushing too much. She would lash out or disappear. But he didn't stop.
You kept me because you want me. Why can't you say it?
go down with me, fall with me, lets make it worth it