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to ashes and blood - Astaroth - 03-27-2025
The test had gone well, the brief jaunt toward the space where the corvids nested, the not flinching when they flew overhead or croaked. It felt like nothing, like it was no more than seeing a stray dog arrive or a cat come near and meow to gain some attention.
So, you bet the butcher hightailed it back to the portal, back to the Dusklight where he knows Danta has been trying to sleep. He already seems leagues better as he drifts through the brothel, nodding to those behind the counters in greeting before he’s prowling up the stairs toward their room.
Trying his best to not burst through the door, the butcher aims straight for the den. Ignoring the fact that Danta is attempting to sleep, his hands are warm and gentle as he nudges his lover awake, a bright grin on his face. “[say]Danta, darling, wake up.[/say]”
RE: to ashes and blood - Dantalion - 03-27-2025
Danta has been trying to sleep, yes - it feels like his entire life these days revolves around trying to sleep, trying to get through his day having had next to no sleep, or feeling mildly irritated because he hasn't spent any proper time with his favourite person. He's even starting to mildly regret having a favourite person (as if it's something he had a choice about), and he's just managed to drift into a fitful slumber when the door to their room clicks open.
Groaning something petulant and almost pleading as he's dragged from the very little sleep he was hoping to get that night, despite knowing Asta had been planning to go and see their dark lady to finish his quest, the Maverick peels his eyes open to try and fruitlessly swat the butcher's hands away. [say]"What?"[/say] he grunts, his patience having chafed itself raw with the unexpected wake-up call.
Flopping onto his back and rubbing at his aching eyes, only a few seconds later does he realise that Asta had been smiling at him. [say]"Did you...?"[/say] Letting his hands drop to squint up at the other man, Danta can't help the quiet hope in his eyes. [say]"It's done?"[/say]
RE: to ashes and blood - Astaroth - 03-27-2025
It’s almost like waking up a toddler, but the butcher is annoyingly persistent, chasing after Danta even as he recoils a touch. “[say]Oh, come now. It is not that bad.[/say]” And besides, they’d have plenty of time to sleep when this initial portion is over.
His tail wags just as it had with Dygra when his lover finally comes to enough to drop the hands from his eyes and look at him, and the butcher is still beaming excitedly. “[say]Yes. Shift, I want to show you.[/say]” There’s a hint of urgency in his voice, but not from the panic of getting something over with so much as it is the sheer excitement.
As if for proof, he lifts his arm up and tugs back the sleeve, showing the bracelet adorned there, sleek and black leather accented with gore crow feathers and the faint glimmer of crimson as he rises the flames in the fireplace. Showing it off to Danta, he kneels onto the bed, patiently waiting for him to shift.
RE: to ashes and blood - Dantalion - 03-27-2025
[say]"It's not so bad? You have been here for the past few weeks, right?"[/say] Danta squints and scowls up at Asta as if thinking Dygra might have blessed him with a much lower IQ rather than a way to stifle his trauma, and he groans himself into further wakefulness and levers himself up onto his elbows. Blinking hard a few times - evidently the butcher had caught him having just started to sink into a deep sleep - the Maverick has to pause for a couple of seconds to make sure he's understood his request.
[say]"Wh... you're asking me to shift?"[/say] Glancing between Asta's excited smile, his wagging tail and the bracelet he shows off, Danta finally pushes himself up properly and regards the man before him with the sort of caution he'd never permit for anyone else. [say]"I... alright. If you're certain,"[/say] he says warily, scooting further up the bed until he's nestled among the pillows before complying with the butcher's wishes.
As always, of course, Danta makes sure to position himself away from Asta once he shifts, a rather ruffled and sleepy looking corvid appearing in the mess of blankets and furs, his back to the butcher to ensure his beak is nowhere in sight or reach.
RE: to ashes and blood - Astaroth - 03-27-2025
“[say]Yes.[/say]” Asta hums with confidence, ignoring any other comments he could say in favor for the news. Asking him to shift, the butcher nodding his head when the question comes, as if the Maverick isn’t certain of it.
But the butcher is confident. “[say]Yes, darling. I am sure.[/say]” Letting his arm drop back to his side, he lightens the den with the flame of the fireplace as Danta scoots up and back, and he watches with all the same amount of excitement as man becomes a ruffled crow.
Without a single bit of hesitation, the butcher looks to Danta like he might have any of his other shifts. Shuffling in the blankets a bit to get closer, his hands are still as warm, with no tremor or trepidation in sight, running his fingers along the rogue feathers that stick up. “[say]I do not feel anything like I did before. It is amazing.[/say]” He announces, his voice hushed with excitement. “[say]You are beautiful.[/say]”
RE: to ashes and blood - Dantalion - 03-27-2025
Unsure, even after everything they've done to get to this point, what to expect once he's shifted, Danta is as still and innocuous as he's ever been when in Asta's presence as a crow. So much so that it's an honest surprise to feel the butcher's hands smoothing against his feathers; having been concentrating far too much on the other man's words to realise he'd been shuffling closer this whole time, the Maverick lets out a low croak of surprise without meaning to.
Wings adjusting flat against his feathered body, he moves only a little in the blankets, as if still worried that any sudden movements will set Asta off and have him throttling him in this form if he isn't careful. But the warm hands against him are steady and confident, and Danta's feathers fluff up under the affection quite without his permission.
RE: to ashes and blood - Astaroth - 03-27-2025
His hands are gentle and warm, unflinching even when the croak comes. It’s so relieving, like the tension has drained from his shoulders in pure awe that he can sit here with Danta in his shift, hands smoothing out scrunkly feathers without a single moment of issue. Even as Danta moves as little as possible, as if unsure whether it would set him off, the butcher can assure him that it’s so far from his mind.
He does so by shifting slightly, feeling the puff of feathers beneath his hand before he’s carefully plucking Danta up from the little blankets, setting him into his lap as he presses his back against their headboard, shifting his lover so that he faces him with an easy smile on his face. His fingers brush against the soft feathers along his head and neck, brushing gently against his chest. “[say]I did not realize you were this.. Soft?[/say]” He murmurs softly, fully invested in giving him all of the attention he’s wanted to in this shift but simply been unable to do.
RE: to ashes and blood - Dantalion - 03-28-2025
Letting out a chattering noise that's more startled than anything as he's quite suddenly picked up, were it anyone but Asta, Danta might have made quite the fuss about it. But it is Asta, and he's still trying to be as cautious as possible besides, and so he settles in the butcher's lap with only the barest shifting of his wings, beady eyes peering up at him, head cocking to the side.
Of course, then the other man is stroking at his feathers with hands as gentle as they are quietly confident, and given that Danta has never been properly fussed over in this shift, he almost topples over in his attempt to lean into the affection. Cooing a note of contentment and attempting to preen Asta's fingers as they fluff across his chest, it doesn't take long for the Maverick to realise he's liable to fall asleep just like this if he's not careful.
Shaking himself off suddenly and hopping from the butcher's lap, man becomes crow again only a few moments later, Danta's hair ruffled and his shoulders relaxed, a hand coming up to rub tiredly at his eyes. [say]"I... Yeah, you're right. It worked,"[/say] he says with a breathless laugh, feeling strangely awkward to have had Asta's hands all over him, but offering him a pleased smile nonetheless. [say]"Congratulations."[/say]
RE: to ashes and blood - Astaroth - 03-28-2025
He’s awed as he is amazed about delving in and being able to run his fingers along the midnight black of Danta’s feathers, fussing over him enough that he helps keep him from falling over even as he leans into the affection. He doesn’t flinch with any sounds made, offers up his fingers for Danta to try and preen, and he can’t keep the smile from lingering on his face.
He does let him go when he’s had enough, though, watching as crow becomes man again, hating the distance between them as he draws up and rubs at his eyes. He reaches for him, tugging him back into him like a relentless teen. “[say]It is amazing, isn’t it?[/say]” He breathes, his excitement palpable. “[say]I feel so free.[/say]” Comes the admission, like suddenly all of the strings that held him back were gone.
RE: to ashes and blood - Dantalion - 03-28-2025
[say]"It really is,"[/say] Danta whispers, more than willing to be drawn back against the butcher, slinging his arms around him and nuzzling his face in against the side of his neck, careful not to nick him with his horns. [say]"Gods, I promise I'm just as excited as you are,"[/say] he adds with a breathless laugh. [say]"It's just... it's been a long few weeks."[/say] And I have missed you goes unsaid, though the way Danta is arranging himself in Asta's lap is more than telling enough.
[say]"The world doesn't stand a chance against you now,"[/say] he purrs, drawing back enough to gaze down at the other man, then tipping his chin up so he can meet him in a kiss that's no less passionate for its soft affection. Danta is already trying to fuss at and unbutton the butcher's shirt, clearly intending to make good on their plan not to leave bed, but don't be fooled - just because he's undressing Asta, doesn't mean he's going to be able to last more than a few more minutes without passing out.
RE: to ashes and blood - Astaroth - 03-28-2025
The second Danta’s drawn back against him, the butcher’s arms slip around him, interlocking behind him to keep them from parting again, tilting his head enough to allocate room for Danta’s horns to not pierce. Though it isn’t like the butcher would care much, between the elation and exhaustion, leading to an almost manic improvement of his mood. “[say]It is okay, darling. It has been.. but it’s over now.[/say]” He hums softly as he lets his hands move, stroking idle patterns against Danta’s spine.
It’s with a cocky smirk that he meets his lover’s gaze and the words that leave him, decisive as he begins to agree before his lips are caught in a soft and very much needed kiss, one the butcher happily indulges in. He presses into it enough for Danta to get his shirt unbuttoned, leaning forward to slip out of it as soon as he’s able to, before withdrawing while his lungs burn. “[say]I missed you.[/say]” Comes the quiet admission, hands lifting to stroke at Danta’s face, warm fingertips skating along his sharp jawline and cheekbones, dark eyes glittering with appreciation and understanding for how difficult this has been. “[say]And I am so tired. I feel as if I have not slept in a year, at the very least.[/say]” Comes the quiet, yet no less dramatic, whine.
RE: to ashes and blood - Dantalion - 03-28-2025
It's over now isn't something Danta has realised he needs to hear so badly, the Maverick letting out a long and shuddering sigh against Asta and holding him just as tightly in return. He can pass out kissing him for all he cares, whether because of exhaustion or a simple lack of oxygen, and he's left panting softly as they part. [say]"I missed you too,"[/say] he mumbles, head turning to try and sneak kisses to the butcher's fingers as they stroke across his face.
[say]"So do I. Do you think we could postpone this celebration for a few hours so we can sleep?"[/say] he asks hopefully, his smile crooked as he manages to shed Asta of his shirt and toss it over the side of the bed - on purpose, and he's not sorry. [say]"Didn't ever think we'd put sleeping over anything else we might do in bed, but I'm so tired I feel kind of sick with it,"[/say] he admits.
RE: to ashes and blood - Astaroth - 03-28-2025
They work in tandem, Astaroth focusing on running his warm fingers along Danta’s face in gentle and smooth strokes of affection, head tilting slightly to give room for his lover to leave gentle kisses behind. The quiet question has a soft huff of a laugh from the butcher, nodding as he closes his eyes to avoid visually seeing the poor shirt succumb to a wrinkled fate.
“[say]Gods, please.[/say]” Comes the quiet groan, the slight shift of angling Danta enough out of his lap so that he can shed the rest of his clothes, ensuring the bracelet remained on, before he tucks them in underneath the blankets, situating so his head rested comfortably on the pillows before he tugs Danta back in and nestles in, tail winding under the blankets to wrap around the Maverick’s leg for an additional point of connection. “[say]Perhaps we will have quite a revitalizing sleep?[/say]” He hums, his sharp smile somehow softer as he aims it at Danta.
RE: to ashes and blood - Dantalion - 03-28-2025
[say]"I don't care what kind of sleep it is, as long as it's long and uninterrupted and with you,"[/say] Danta admits with a smirk, helping to fight their way out of the rest of their clothes only to all but collapse atop the butcher as he tucks them in under the blankets. Throwing his leg across Asta's waist and nuzzling into his chest, his magic reaches out to drag the firelight down low, leaving them in a comfortable and near complete darkness.
Mumbling a goodnight into the crook of his neck, along with some expression of love too muffled to really comprehend, Danta is asleep again before he's even properly aware of it, bonelessly relaxing against his lover and relishing every bit of heat that rolls off him, soaking it in. Unless interrupted, the Maverick will sleep solid through the evening and most of the night, and it's only the strange hours they've been keeping that will start to rouse him just before daybreak.