I would rather
share one lifetime with you
share one lifetime with you
Soh might not have cared for the speaking squirrels, but Sol immediately raised his head, ear cocking to listen. Zavien would feel his attention shift, could feel the excitement build even before the streak of gold took off across the street. The kids were equally distracted by the creatures and Sol's sudden departure, sitting up to watch them scatter from the dragon's assault.
Raising his head, Zavien peeked at Soh through the chaos, a plan forming in his mind as he sent her a playful wink. Then, like the dead rising, his abdominal muscles tensed, pulling him straight up from the ground and knocking the children askew from where they'd sat on his chest. He wrapped them in his arms, fingers finding the soft parts of their sides and armpits as they squealed and giggled. "What are you going to do without your powerful Sol to protect you now?!"
One of the boys managed to wrangle himself free, but, laughing, he grabbed Zavien's arm, leaning back with all of his weight to try and pull it away from his friend. "Let them go!" But their enemy had renewed energy, and he continued his tickling assault on the vulnerable children, pretending to gnaw at their arms when they got too close to his face.
Only once they were all fully and completely out of breath with squealing laughter, their stomachs rigid from overuse, did Zavien release them, just in time for an older woman down the street to call their names, chastising them for getting dirty. They rolled off him, one of the boys giving him a final playful punch in the arm before taking off, each of them spinning to wave and yell "Bye Zavien!" before rambling on with the older woman about their glorious battle.
Zavien sat for a minute, watching them go as he caught his breath in the dirt. His eyes slowly slid to Soh, bright green with the joy beaming across his face. Some of it was from playing with the kids, but most of it was for her, his heart swelling to know she was here, safe within his reach. "This is such a nice surprise. I didn't think I'd see you for another few days."
Raising his head, Zavien peeked at Soh through the chaos, a plan forming in his mind as he sent her a playful wink. Then, like the dead rising, his abdominal muscles tensed, pulling him straight up from the ground and knocking the children askew from where they'd sat on his chest. He wrapped them in his arms, fingers finding the soft parts of their sides and armpits as they squealed and giggled. "What are you going to do without your powerful Sol to protect you now?!"
One of the boys managed to wrangle himself free, but, laughing, he grabbed Zavien's arm, leaning back with all of his weight to try and pull it away from his friend. "Let them go!" But their enemy had renewed energy, and he continued his tickling assault on the vulnerable children, pretending to gnaw at their arms when they got too close to his face.
Only once they were all fully and completely out of breath with squealing laughter, their stomachs rigid from overuse, did Zavien release them, just in time for an older woman down the street to call their names, chastising them for getting dirty. They rolled off him, one of the boys giving him a final playful punch in the arm before taking off, each of them spinning to wave and yell "Bye Zavien!" before rambling on with the older woman about their glorious battle.
Zavien sat for a minute, watching them go as he caught his breath in the dirt. His eyes slowly slid to Soh, bright green with the joy beaming across his face. Some of it was from playing with the kids, but most of it was for her, his heart swelling to know she was here, safe within his reach. "This is such a nice surprise. I didn't think I'd see you for another few days."
than face all the ages
of this world alone.
of this world alone.
Zavien
