if all this falls apart, he will never know what you are
He had expected this reaction.
It's why he had suggested it. Of course she is into the idea of sneaking into another kingdom under the mask of a foreign face! Djinni is roused from her slouching sleepiness against him almost immediately, leaving the space cold where she’d just occupied only a moment before. Her excitement builds his own until it is a thrumming, palpable thing in the briny air between them. He watches with pride warming him as she does what she does best and changes without a second thought, so effortlessly. He wonders if she knows how much she glows when she’s like this, how her face lights like the full moon and all the stars.
He wonders if she knows how exquisite she is.
Walter waits for the finished product, but doesn’t have to wait long. The rosy-pink mare emerges as a bay roan, more heavily built and sporting a pair of stately horns. She looks wild and built for war, though he rather hopes her horns are more decorative than purposeful on their adventure – he’s happily retired from his short military stint. “Ravishing,” he tells her, his eyes meeting her own after his inspection. “I like my woman to look like she could slice me open belly to neck without working up a sweat.”
Of his own disguise, he’s less enthused. A parrot? A butterfly? Methinks the lady’s gone mad with power. “Are we pirates or are we spies?” And then more complaining. He even flicks his tail in mock irritation. “Why do I have to be the lame sidekick?”
In all his angst, he’s actually biding time. He’s truthfully a little nervous to be anything other than what he’s been his whole life, even if this was admittedly his idea. What if he’s terrible at it? What if he can’t pull it off? But then she’s pressing her shaking muzzle to his cheek. The buzz of energy pulses from her to him and he gets caught up in it all again. He trusts her implicitly. Besides, this is her area of expertise. “I am your canvas, do your worst,” he says, closing his eyes instinctively. Then he peeks, one more time, long enough to say, “I know I’m pretty but make sure I’m a male, please, whatever you choose.” Lord knows there’s been confusion before.
and he will never know why the sun in my eyes burns like her
@[Djinni]