[private] leaving all my past and silhouettes up on the wall; svedka

[Pteron]

and since you’re the only one that matters,----------------
----------------tell me: who do i run to?

He watches Svedka’s lovely face make its way through a myriad of emotions, all of them just for Pteron. He leans in when the other speaks, telling himself that its to catch the words spoken softly in the night and not just a reason to be nearer. It is both, he concedes when he blushes, breaking their eye contact at last. The heat of the words and touches they exchanged are so fleeting, so small they were little more than sparks. But the heat of each one builds upon the last, the warmth of a brush against the other’s shoulder feeling almost cold compared to the kiss that Svedka now presses to the base of his neck.

Pteron grows still at that, and the laughter is gone from his eyes when he draws to a halt. The smile – a little dazed – remains.

It is good he’d changed the subject, Pteron finds himself thinking. Any more talking of joy and desire and any more smoldering looks from the golden man and Pteron would be forced to choose between being rude and endangering Aegean. Neither are acceptable, and so Pteron forces away the curiosity of how it might feel to kiss his way up Svedka’s throat. Instead, he focuses on thoughts of children and family and home, which cool the heat of lust, providing a steadier – if not as thrilling – sort of warmth in his chest.

He begins walking again, listening as Svedka speaks.

Svedka is without children, he says, and seems content with that. Pteron had never considered having children at all until Reia had confronted him with her wide belly, and though he had stumbled around at first, he had found himself enjoying spending time with Adarra, and then with Halcyon. He has high hopes for this one as well.

“My second,” he answers, “and proof anything can happen”. Pteron echoes Svedka’s words from moment ago, his olive eyes one more filled with humor despite the now wry twist of his smile as he concedes: “This one was a surprise. Perhaps the Fates reminding me there are consequences to my distraction.” Perhaps children are destined to be an unknowingly ironic topic for the dun horse. Pteron knows exactly how Adarra had come about, but he is still fuzzy on the details of her unborn sibling. He doesn’t need to know, he’d decided months ago; all that matters is that Aegean seems entirely unconcerned, and Pteron takes his lead when it comes to magics unknown. His lover has two mothers, after all, and no father that Pteron has ever heard of. Perhaps he knows how to make emotion tangible as well as spin illusions. Pteron certainly believes him capable of wonderous things.

The thought of Aegean brings a fond smile to Pteron’s face, and it remains as he glances out into the woods as they move. Ahead of them, a tree split neatly down the middle looms in the moonlight. He draws to a halt at this self-proclaimed border to his home, the mark at which he turns about and doubles back. The moon overhead slips behind the clouds just as Pteron looks at Svedka. Not for the first time, he feels an eerie shiver of coincidence. It shakes loose the last bit of true temptation, and when Pteron shakes away the teal mane that has fallen across his face, it reveals the same playful smile from before.

He’s come up with a solution and he speaks it between slow kisses that start along Svedka’s ribs:

“I find myself looking forward to seeing Tephra more every minute.” The words and soft touches continue, “And ever more regretful that tonight I have responsibilities that prevent distraction.” Now his lips move up Svedka’s neck until Pteron finds that soft place below his jaw where the colors merge: “I want you,” Pteron tells him, because part of not having secrets is not telling lies. He has never been a man to limit his affections and he says as much to the overo between kisses, that he is interested only in friendship and the physical benefits that come along with it. Each touch is suggestive of those benefits he mentions, but never does the mischievous smile leave his mouth, not until he finally pulls away.

“I would find you if we visit,” Pteron continues, and though the statements are made firmly, he nevertheless meets Svedka’s dark eyes with a sanguine smile “If that is something you would want as well.”

That out of the way, Pteron steps away and begins to move ahead. His pace is slightly quicker this time, an effort to make up the time lost. He would like to make it back to Aegean by sunrise, and if they hurry, Pteron is certain they will. As they walk along, Pteron’s feathers slide gently along Svedka’s side as he readjusts them. Some things might now be off the table for tonight, but flirting is not one of them, not so long as he can still keep watch and do so. Having found the topic change successful in keeping things from getting to heated, the pegasus asks: “So Tephra, Hyaline, and the Forest. Have you been to any of the other lands? I said I would visit them all as a child, but I’ve been remarkably unsuccessful so far.”

@[Svedka]

-- pteron --