be

this is your sport

but she's not playing a game

Her heart thunders in her chest and she wonders if he can hear how hard it beats against her neck as she settles back into his lap while he goes through all the possible potential awful answers – as if the Harpy could even fathom such an answer to the beautiful man that holds her and loves her so deeply that she’s the one that thinks she isn’t deserving of it.

So as he echoes, she answers him with a kiss to shut him up, melting into the arms that wrap around her before she pulls away, her hands lifting to brush back his dark hair from his face, scanning his hazel eyes and the freckles that look like constellations on his cheeks. She wants to remain silent and bask in the glow of his laughter, at his near loss of words. “For real, yes.” She whispers before he silences her this time and she presses into him everywhere she can reach.

His skin flushes just as she has always loved to see and her fingers thread over and over again through his dark hair as she remains equally pressed against him, shaking her head as a chime of laughter leaves her. “No, he won’t kill you. He likes you.” She starts to say, before her hands lower to run her thumbs along his hot, freckled cheekbones. “How about… I’ll say nothing and you can ask him, and you can have a redo if you’d like that?” Because if she knows anything about Fox she’s positive this isn’t how he’d thought it would go.

And she’s willing to let him do it however many times it takes until he’s satisfied with it because her answer was always going to be the same. Yes. A thousand times, yes.

do not think you are safe because you love her

do not think she won't stain her mouth red with your blood too

KIADA

I’d be the immediate forgiveness in Eurydice; Imagine being loved by me.

There are a great number of things that Fox can see, hear and feel at present, but all of them blur together into the shape of Kiada's body beneath his hands and the taste of her lips, and anything else becomes unimportant in comparison. He's more than happy to bask in her affection, already warmed inside and out from her presence, and thoughts of shame and guilt and bloodlust grow increasingly distant.

"Thank fuck for that," he blurts, a crooked smile kicking up one side of his mouth. "And I would appreciate that, if you don't mind. I only intend to ever do this once, and only ever with you, so... I'd like to know I did everything I could to get it right." Leaning into the warmth of her touch and closing his eyes for a moment, he lets his calloused fingers walk their way beneath the hem of her shirt, pressing against the soft skin of her lower back.

"I do have a ring to give you, at least," he says, almost bashfully.

Fox Sinclair

this is your sport

but she's not playing a game

In the face of the proposal, Kiada’s forgotten about everything else too except for the warmth of him beneath her, how safe she feels in his arms, how she wants nothing more than to do this for the rest of her life. A happiness so fleeting before, settles into her bones and overflows into the rest of her, leaving her limbs tingly.

Her forehead settles against his as he blurts out his comment, a snicker of a sound leaving her in response, she settles easily into the warmth of his hands as it walks up underneath the hem of her shirt, against her soft skin where the swirls of burn marks await his touch. “I’m so honored.” She whispers softly to his cheek as she leans in to press her own right against it, curving herself into him to touch him everywhere she can. “My lips are sealed until you’re content.” She hums, even if they were not, in fact, sealed with the kiss she presses to his neck as she nuzzles in like a comfortable, purring kitten.

Until he mentions a ring, and she sits up to look at him with wide eyes, grin brightening across her face. “Really?” She nearly squeaks, having not expected any of this with how shaky and emotionally and in the moment he’d just proposed.

do not think you are safe because you love her

do not think she won't stain her mouth red with your blood too

KIADA

I’d be the immediate forgiveness in Eurydice; Imagine being loved by me.

"On the contrary," Fox objects softly, the words spoken through a smile as she fits herself so snugly against his body, "I am the one who is honoured." Silenced once more by her kisses and the heat of her skin against his palms, gods but he almost regrets mentioning the ring if only because it's becoming increasingly difficult to want to part from Kiada at all.

Almost being the key word, of course, because her smile makes it all worth it, and Fox leans in to taste it on her lips. "Really," he murmurs. "It's... well, it was my mother's. It isn't much, but it's one of the only things I have left from her. If you want to see it...?" From humble beginnings, the hunter doesn't have obnoxious gemstones set into a band that can barely hold them. But all he does have, he's more than happy to share with the harpy.

Fox Sinclair

this is your sport

but she's not playing a game

It’s his turn to flush her with his comments, her cheeks and ears darkening further as she presses into him, humming a light little laugh, letting his compliments push through the inner parts of her that scream that she doesn’t deserve it – not with how stained with blood her hands have always been. But he’s accepting her, honored to be there with her, and she would fight for him with everything she has if it ever came down to it.

And when he mentions he has a ring and she sits up to peer at him, meeting him part of the way to press that tender kiss to his lips in turn, hands lifting to thread through his dark hair as she watches him, face twisting into something of nostalgia and pride that he thinks she’d be deserving of it. And she’d wear it with absolute honor. “Fox,” she starts to say, combing her fingers through his hair as her lips twist in something sentimental. “I would love to see it. And I’d happily wear it.” Not even a second thought behind it.

She starts to move slightly, as if attempting to slide off of his lap so he can get it - but also slow enough that he could carry her if he didn't want to lose this closeness.

do not think you are safe because you love her

do not think she won't stain her mouth red with your blood too

KIADA

I’d be the immediate forgiveness in Eurydice; Imagine being loved by me.

Humming something affectionate (and a little needy if he's honest) at the fingers that twine through his hair, though he knows they're about to go and continue this romantic gesture that he's unintentionally thrown out, Fox is Fox, and Kia is Kia. So it's no surprise that as he rises to his feet with her he has to take a second to, er, adjust himself, and it's with a boyish smile that he wraps an arm around her waist to lead her upstairs.

"I never thought I'd even have a reason to take this out and look at it again," he confesses to her, "until I met you." Heading into the bedroom, Fox crouches to open a drawer in his bedside cabinet, moving a few things around before withdrawing a small box. Opening it reveals a simple band of white gold, well taken care of and inset with a small but perfectly formed solitaire diamond.

Turning - and conveniently still on one knee, look at that - he offers it up to Kiada with a soft smile. "Shall we see if it fits?"

Fox Sinclair

this is your sport

but she's not playing a game

He can take all the time he needs, as far as she’s concerned. She fully intends to make it worth his while later when all is said and done. It’s with great reluctance that she parts from him, though it doesn’t last long as he tucks her into his side, wrapping his arm around her to keep her close. Her own wind around his middle in turn, walking along with him with her head pressed against his chest. “You’re going to make me cry.” She confesses in a slightly higher pitched tone, throwing a playful accusation his way, despite how the redness of her face seems to suggest that if he continues to be so sickeningly sweet, she absolutely might burst into tears.

She releases him as he reaches over to the drawer, watching with unbidden excitement, her tail waving eagerly behind her as her brows pinch as if to fight off the feeling as she looks down at him kneeling, popping open the beautifully simple ring (and for Kiada? It’s perfect because she’s quite simple when it comes to accessories as well). “It’s so beautiful, Fox.” She says softly, already reaching down to pluck it from the box, to slip it on her finger with bated breath, hoping desperately that it fits.

And elated to find out that it does. Her grin widens and she drops to her own knees, pulling him in to meet her halfway in a little pile on the floor, all while simultaneously trying to show him the ring on her finger. “I love it.” She pauses, eyes glimmering as she looks up at him, trying to keep herself restrained from going too crazy at this overwhelming sensation blowing up within her. “I love you.”

do not think you are safe because you love her

do not think she won't stain her mouth red with your blood too

KIADA

I’d be the immediate forgiveness in Eurydice; Imagine being loved by me.

"Well I don't want that," Fox says with a soft rumble of laughter, as if he might call this whole thing off to keep a smile on Kiada's face. "Shall I crack a joke? All of mine are terrible, I warn you."

But then of course he's quite literally on one knee, an engagement ring in hand, and gods, perhaps he won't have to do this a second time because it's all starting to feel quite perfect. Hazel eyes watch keenly as Kia takes the ring and slips it onto her finger, and he can't keep the smile from his lips as he realises it fits her as if it was made for her.

"I'm glad you like it," he murmurs, about to rise to his feet when the harpy is descending to meet him, the hunter reaching out to tuck a lock of dark hair behind her ear. "I love you too," he says, leaning in to press a soft, chaste kiss against her lips. "Even if I'll swear I dreamed this for at least a few more days." That he'd proposed - that she'd said yes.

Fox Sinclair

this is your sport

but she's not playing a game

“I love terrible jokes.” She says with another little laugh, still high pitched before she takes a deep breath and reaches up to swipe at her eyes as if staving off the inevitable, but there is a sheen in her gaze as she blinks the tears away, reaching down to try the ring on only to find that it fits and it’s stunning on top of that, while she tumbles down to meet him in a heap on the floor.

Her brows pinch despite the smile that blooms on her face and she nuzzles into his touch as he tucks the lock of hair behind her ear, pressing a soft ghost of a kiss back as she loops her arms around his neck, clinging to him. “That’s assuming I’ll let you forget.” She murmurs softly, recovering from the emotional outbursts that she’s much more used to hiding away from everyone, but she supposes now is a good time to start sharing the load.

She leans in again to press another chaste kiss to his lips, fingers threading through the dark hair at the base of his neck. “Kiada Sinclair has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it?” She asks in a soft whisper against his lips, her own twisting into a tender smile.

do not think you are safe because you love her

do not think she won't stain her mouth red with your blood too

KIADA

I’d be the immediate forgiveness in Eurydice; Imagine being loved by me.

"Then you picked the right man to marry," Fox assures her with a smile that's as earnest as it is amused. Were they not having an intimate moment on the bedroom floor, he might have gone so far as to quip that he's the terrible joke and now she's stuck with him, but it doesn't seem like the time. Relaxing instead into the warm arms that loop around his neck, the hunter tugs her forward and into his lap, pressing another kiss to her lips.

"Mm, that's a good point. You can remind me as often as you like, though, just so you know." Grinning, he draws back enough to say something else when Kia beats him to it, and gods but there's something about the way she says it - Kiada Sinclair - that has heat rising in his cheeks and straight south as well. "Say it again?" he whispers, his hands slipping beneath her thighs so he might surge up and onto the bed with her.

Granted, it might be a bit hard for her to comply, because he's kissing her again, and this time it's anything but chaste.

Fox Sinclair

this is your sport

but she's not playing a game

“I think I did.” Kiada hums like she’s quite proud of it, but with a tone that seems to suggest that they’re stuck together forever now, whether he likes it or not the second she says I do. Which, given the way he relaxes and tugs her into his lap and she’s so malleable in his touch that she curls against him, straddling him and pressing into the kiss with happiness.

It breaks to let him speak, though, and her head tilts toward her shoulder as she sees his flush and feels the rising heat from him. Her lips twist in a curled smirk, lips parting to start to say it again, but only able to get out a “Key--” Sound before it turns into an oomph promptly swallowed by him as their lips crash together and he lifts her to place her onto the bed with him and she’s all greed and happiness, feeling like she might combust at the same time. Her hands lift to thread through his dark hair, thumbs brushing over his horns momentarily before pushing them back.

She pulls away to gasp for a little bit of air, legs wrapping around him more officially now as it’s his turn to view her all flushed from the proposal and the lack of air from his kiss, as she peers at him with warm bright blue eyes to offer a breathy “Kiada Sinclair.” As per his request, of course.

do not think you are safe because you love her

do not think she won't stain her mouth red with your blood too

KIADA

I’d be the immediate forgiveness in Eurydice; Imagine being loved by me.

Lucky for Kia, then, that Fox has every intention for them to be together for as long as she'll put up with him, and he smiles against the kiss he presses to her lips, even as he successfully steals her attempt at her new name. Stretched across her on the bed and humming a note of encouragement at her fingers in his hair and against his horns, he parts just enough to hear it again - Kiada Sinclair - and flashes a fanged smile down at her for her trouble.

"I think it sounds perfect," he tells her softly, pressing a kiss to her lips, and then her cheeks, her throat, her collarbones. "But then again you are perfect, Kiada Sinclair. So I shouldn't be surprised, should I?" Already he's starting to struggle at keeping his gentlemanly hands to himself, fingers teasing beneath her shirt and kisses growing more hungry and insistent as he shifts to blaze a train down her body.

Fox Sinclair

this is your sport

but she's not playing a game

Looks like they’re stuck with one another forever, then, if the two of them had their way about it. And she can’t find it in her to complain – not with how much they have in common, how similar yet different they are, how soft and gentle and kind he is in the face of her brash, blunt, impulsivity. He was the soft interior to her hard exterior, and she would coat her hands in so many layers of blood if it meant that he stayed safe and comfortable, without a single second thought.

But, thoughts of bloodlusts and all of that are on the wayside as she’s laid out across the bed, making room for him to stretch over her, her hands winding along muscles under the plush warm sweater and along dark hair that’s still lightly damp from the weather. His voice vibrates through her and she nearly hums a purr as her chin tilts up, letting him devour her skin whichever way he chose.

Arching her back into his touch as his hands slip beneath her shirt, she locks one leg around his, keeping him precisely where he is in proximity to her, warmth radiating from her as she purrs a “not in the slightest, Fox Sinclair.” She teases her drawl, before she helps him reveal her burn scarred skin, practically begging for him to keep claiming her body with his mouth.

do not think you are safe because you love her

do not think she won't stain her mouth red with your blood too

KIADA

I’d be the immediate forgiveness in Eurydice; Imagine being loved by me.

Grinning against her neck - not in the slightest indeed - Fox shifts just enough so he might pull his sweater over his head and free the harpy of her own clothes, before he commits to his task in earnest. "You know," he says playfully, his lips descending across her sternum, "the next time I get bloodlust, I'll have to think of something to top this." Quite how he's going to manage that is beyond him, but apparently grand gestures are one way to bring him out of a black mood.

Pausing to press lips and tongue to one of her breasts, Fox braces himself over Kiada on one arm, the other moving indulgently down the length of her body. "I suppose I could just keep proposing to you, over and over again."

Playfully bullying her leg away from his own, hopefully Kia won't mind, given that he does it so he might continue his journey down over her chest and stomach, not planning to stop until he reaches his final destination between her thighs.

Fox Sinclair