I Apologize For The Delay In Responses, Work Has Decided That It Wants My Full Attention, And Then I'm

I apologize for the delay in responses, work has decided that it wants my full attention, and then I'm driving all over for football games (no I don't play, just watch! Gotta support the cousins lol).

I am picked away at the responses little by little, and should have 1, maybe 2 done by halftime.

13th-dragon-prince--[Prior]

To the corpse. To the rocks beneath their feet. To the tree, the chocobo eating said tree, multiple things, each time saying the word until such a point he was confident that Bryn got the idea, his hands resting on his hips as he hopped forward to stand close to him once more. “Aether is Life. That is all La’Mellae need.” He patted his body, slender fingers sliding from his core down to his hips as if to motion to all the pieces within; “Only Feast or Breed.”

︻デ═一・・・・・・・・・・・・・・

When that clawed hand took his, shifted it, and slowly pressed it to smooth, scaled flesh, Bryn felt his breath come in a little more, a little faster, and then closed his eyes, his palm pressing into that cool chest and feeling...

He wasn't going crazy. There was no heartbeat. It was just a soft, ever present thrum of a core. He could feel it there, under his palm, and feel the hand pressed to the back of his, soaking in that feeling for a moment as he understood that his panic before was unwarranted, just...misunderstanding of how Whillow's body worked. Slowly, he opened his eyes, and let his hand fall away, falling back to his side as he watched the little dragon turn towards his meal. The sharp dewclaw, the way it sliced through flesh and bone so easily, reminded Bryn that the Gecko was dangerous, which would be hard to forget given how he had leapt onto the large beast and just...shredded it. As the petite dragon bent over, his gaze trailed along that tail and over the rump stuck up in the air, his arms crossing lightly as he turned his gaze away, leaving the dragon to eat, but the way he rose up on tip-claw, seemed to hide what he was doing, it was appreciated.

What was not hidden though was the sounds, the wet squelches, gasps, and exhales, which leant enough mental imagery to the soldier to know what was happening, glancing down at his boots, kicking one absently. It gave him time to think, to formulate more questions, and hypotheses.

A core. What was a core? Not a heart, an organ? It had to be. He thought over it, shaking his head, and looking up at the gecko, wondering what it was like. To not feel the beat of a heart... He lifted his hand, pressing it to his chest, feeling that comforting thum-thump, and he closed his eyes as he kept thinking, and realized...maybe that wasn't needed for Whill. His senses...they are heightened, clearly. Maybe he can feel and hear that core, while I struggle to feel it. He tapped a foot absently, accepting that as a good enough answer, and the others he had...well, he could wait on those. For the moment, all that mattered was Whillow would be feeling better after his meal.

The sound of satisfaction drew his gaze, eyes opening...that shiver, the whip of his tail, all of it just drew his gaze in a way, like a predator eyeing a teasing prey, eyes gleaming as he saw that tongue again glide over fingers and clean away any leftover gore. It made focusing on those pointing fingers, the motions to the different things around them, a little harder to follow, but the meaning behind it was not foreign. Aether made up everything, by the Twelve, watched over and managed by Them. He turned his gaze to the little dragon as he hopped forward, right in front of him, hands on his hips, the soldier not backing away, looking down into those slitted pupils with eyes of silver, nodding in half understanding as--

He choked on air, his pupils shrinking to points, hand darting to his throat, swallowing heavily and then clearing his throat with a rumbling cough, slowly letting his gaze slide back to Whillow as he took a slow breath, finding he wasn't choking on those anymore, and managed to get out a weak, "I...see. Was not expecting that..."

He had barely made it back to her when he noticed her agitation, the archer turning his blue eyes to her as he gave her a once over out of concern. Had the healing taken out too much from her? Was she sick, feeling down? His tail picked up her agitation, flicking in concern, no clue that she had heard his brief conversation as his ears angled up at attention.

He was just about to say something, to ask if she needed rest, when she spoke first, and left him thoroughly confused. Going? Going where? He raises an eyebrow, as if to ask clarification, until it clicked, and his eyes widened. "Wait, you could hear that!?" He gave a surprised look, staring at her ears, then over where he had been standing, scratching his head as he tried to imagine hearing that--she was a Miqo'te. He was an idiot. Of course she could have heard! He shook his head, dismissing his thought and question, as he thought about taking him with her.

It wasn't a good idea. He could move faster on his own, and not have to look over his shoulder to make sure she could keep up, and was hidden well enough to not get spotted. It would make it harder, infinitely so, and he lifted his gaze to suggest that maybe she shouldn't...come...with...

She was meeting his gaze. Holding it. There was no hesitation, just pure determination, disgust in her voice, and she kept holding his gaze even as she shivered in discomfort. He could see how her light fur stood up on end, how this was important enough to make him see how important this was to her. Even as her gaze dropped, his respect for her had risen, to the point that he had already made up his mind, his arms crossing across his chest, nodding to her softly.

"Alright, but, I need you to promise me a few things." He lifted his hand, holding up three fingers, wiggling his ring finger first. "If I say get down, you get down." His ring finger drops down, index finger wiggling next. "If I say retreat, we retreat." And finally, his index finger fell, and his pointer finger wiggled. "And last, we do not engage anyone or thing unless we cannot avoid it." He watched her for a moment, and then sighed softly, already tired, and knowing that what they did next would just make him more tired. "I don't understand why you want to go, but I can see it is important. And I know you can look after yourself, I'm not patronizing you with those rules. It's just..."

For a moment, he fell silent, glancing down, and then lifting his eyes again with a hint of hesitation and concern. "I couldn't forgive myself if something happened to you."

Cyra's expression softened at his vow, regardless of how serious he might have been, she wasn't so sure of it. He seemed too carefree to really take it to heart. The thought was dismissed with the flick of an ear. She closed her eyes, listening to the gentle breeze that blew through the city, the gentle crunch of booted feet over fallen leaves and dirt. She took in a deep breath, feeling the air fill her lungs, calm her heart, and fill her mind with a temporary calm.

Her ear rotated curiously in his direction when she heard his footsteps recede from her side. Curious, her floral gaze opened to trail after that blond flash of tail as it moved back into the bustling headquarters of the Twin Adders. It was faint, but from what she could tell, a passing soldier had just...openly told the hunter of where the conflict had happened.

She felt her heart beat pick up in her chest. Pupils flexed momentarily into thin slits at the thought of investigating the battlefield. Larkscall wasn't a heavily contested area, but still the numbers didn't feel right for her. The level of injured had probably been a good indicator of the bodies left to rot and feed the forest. If they had any luck, there would still be Garleans scavenging the field for their lost technology.

"We're going."

That was all she said. It was firm, it held intent and disgust in its melody. Her hard stare locked on his for the first time. Cyra did not enjoy eye contact, but this was serious enough to warrant that connection. An uncomfortable shiver set her fur bristling for a moment. She broke the connection, looking back to the busy soldiers behind them.

"Just the two of us...we can go unseen."

13th-dragon-prince--[Prior]

“Trusted Command has earned… and Whillow has Feasted…” That blue tongue pushed between his lips slowly to lay at his bottom lip just a small amount before sliding back into the heat of his mouth - suggestively obvious for the bluff he played. How long would it take until his friend pushed him away? Till more of that hot-blooded heat flushed tender skin in such a fun reaction? It was always such a good time to tease!

He hadn't expected what Whillow had just randomly admitted, his eyes still looking away as if embarrassed, taking a moment to try and control that feeling as he saw from the corner of his eye the little dragon laughing, laughing at him. He felt that heat rise again, but this time for the sting to his pride at that laughter. He was used to being in control of his emotions, and he had dropped his guard with Whillow and he had pounced like a predator on that relaxation of his guard.

He turned, his scowl present, as the laughter finally subsided, and finding that Whillow's expression had changed, those slits mischievous, almond eyes locked on Bryn, and he found his expression turning from a scowl to a more concerned look, unsure what the wily dragon had planned. And rapidly, rapidly found out what.

Those light words were anything but light in meaning, the soldier's eyes widening, his body tensing, the slow pace Whillow took while approaching left him staring, watching how his tail swayed, his hips, every part of the dragon's body saying something, telling him something, suggesting something. The claws on his boots, the closeness of the dragon, essentially pressed to him, chest to chest, his heart pounding in his chest as he opened his mouth, tried to say something, and couldn't.

Claws dragged up his chest, wrapped around his neck, had the soldier hesitating, his hands lifting, darting to the gecko's hips, holding him, neither pushing him away, or pulling him closer. It was just to keep him there, just to make sure he didn't--

The little dragon rose, on his tip-claws, and the breath in Bryn's lungs froze, leg shifting, body shivering as that tail wrapped around his leg, held him close, whispered words leaving his mind reeling, thinking, entertaining. He eyed that tongue, the way it slithered from his lips, teased Bryn, and slipped back inside.

No. The little dragon did not get to suggest and tease without repercussion, he did not get to hint at what he was offering and expect Bryn to just push him away. His hand darted up to the Whillow's head, his neck, the back of it, holding him, pulling him up, close, his forehead pressed to his, his eyes, those silver pools, glowing, something rising, teasing, growling from his lips as he held Whillow there, his head tilting, his lips brushing the little dragon's pointed ear as he growled out, "Do no...tempt...me. Because I will...Whillow...take it."

The hand on his hips pulled him closer, pulled him right up against him, as he let the dragon press against him, press to his chest, to feel that beating heart, feel that pulse that beat wildly with interest, and slowly he let his face drift away from his ear, so close to the scaled cheek, before he felt his nose brush Whill's, and then pull back fully, his hand at his hip pushing him back softly, away from his warmth, but not off his boots, as he growled out just as teasingly, "Later. When I can have you to myself."

He whistled, softly, Featherflame trotting closer, fweeing with approval and readiness to go, Bryn jerking his head to the bird mount and saying, "Let's go. Unless...you are afraid of your new Trusted Command."

reblog to send your mutuals a hug. maybe just the thought is enough to cheer them up 🥺

warning, sender presses a knife against receiver's neck as a warning. (for Thancred)

Thancred:

"Oh, hello."

An eyebrow cocked, turning slightly, his eyes amused as he glanced at the attacker behind him from the corner of his eye, a smile on his lips as he slightly tilted his head and smoothly said, "You know, if you wanted to get my attention, there are other ways besides holding me at knife point. But I mean...I can get behind it."