Sunlight glitters across the river. It catches on the water that rolls from his lips, like diamonds dripping from his dark mouth to roll across her skin. They are side by side, the both of them quiet except for their breathing. He washes dust and sweat from her neck, and then moves on, continuing these ministrations across her golden form. If he smells another on her he gives no indication, only attends to this task. Dropping water upon her skin, grooming her carefully, massaging at muscles that must still ache from that night. Of course his teeth are on her again but he moves slowly this time, tasting her skin, leaving her brighter rather than bruised.
Tunnel works like this for a long time, and when he does speak he looks back over his shoulder at her to do so, his own hip now pressed close to her own shoulder. ”Are you… well?” A pause, a breath exhaled, heavy, frustrated (as he so often is these days). His grey eyes flicker away, studying the wet buckskin of her back, the perfect symmetry of her body seeming to hypnotise him as he drifts into himself. His eyes seek hers again, his dark face serious.
He does not feel like who he used to be, but how is he supposed to explain this when she knows so little of him?
“I should have shown you the way out of the forest.” He says roughly, abrupt, like someone who has never apologized for anything in his life. His head lowers, muzzle grazing the curve of her croup. On his other side the river presses relentlessly into his strong limbs but between them the water is as still as glass, only disturbed by the movement of their barrels with each long breath. “You do not know what I would have done to you if I had not left. I do. I have done it before. You think my estimations of my own monstrosity to be inflated, they are not. When beside you I see them clearer than ever.” The deep timbre of his voice is for her alone, carries no further than her ears whether she chooses to listen or not. “Do you remember telling me that even monsters dream? I did not, I don’t have memories of dreams but now...”
“Bardot.” He says, as if gathering all his frayed patience in around himself like a heavy rope. ”I close my eyes and I see you.”
@Bardot help he has --feelings--, should nhave gotten that vaccine SMH
