Just take my hand and come with me

CHULANE

blending into the darkness, & it gets harder to see

Since that night of revelations and hard truths, of vulnerability and reassurance, of passion and - dare he call it, love? - a new ritual had started between the two. Never wanting to be apart from her, but still knowing that some days it was simply inevitable, he had either stayed with her at the Kraai, or she had returned with him to the lodge. On the rare nights where they were apart… well, he simply barely slept without her weight on the mattress beside him, without her warmth and her smiles and her laugh…

Since Weaver's death, their nights apart seemed to have increased.

Chuy didn't like that.

And he didn't think Kia liked it either. It hadn't been intentional on either party, only circumstantial. He maintained their ritual of greeting her every morning and every evening, finding it harder and harder to make the trek to the lodge alone on those nights where the Grounders needed Kia's time and attention more than he, or when his errands for the day had him so exhausted he could barely stand any longer.

He was greedy - he wanted more of her, to himself.

What had really prompted him to take this step though, what had given him this idea, was her own words, her own expression of desire for someplace private, where they could both just be, without the loud busy-ness of the Kraai, or being disturbed at ungodly hours of the early morning thanks to his lodge's cook thinking herself their inappropriate-hour alarm clock. That, and he hated to see how the weight of the world pressed down on her, how she tried to bear it all on her own, taking on his grief, and others', and barely taking time for herself.

She wasn't as heartless as she claimed to be, and she didn't have to pretend to him - he knew how it wore her down, how it drug up her own memories, her own traumas, and how she persevered anyway.

"Kia," he purred into her ear one evening, at the Kraai of course, her arms snaking around her middle from behind as he embraced her. He had gotten to know the Grounders better, he was becoming more familiar to them and they to he - they had gotten the message from his silent shushing motions to let him sneak up on her. "I have something to show you and Auni." He said conspiratorially to her, smiling down at the luxere over Kia's shoulder.

try to stand & unravel what a man's gotta be

KIADA

burn it into my collar, hollowed onto your wrist

It was hard to do, but she never truly minded it. Not when she got to spend the night with him beside her, not even when the cook would wake them up too early. She doesn’t mind because she gets to endure it with him even if the nights and days without him seemed to drag on.

So she does what she can, helping and chatting with her fellow Grounders, standing before a few of them as she makes some ridiculous joke in an attempt to get them to smile while they pet Auni and listen, when suddenly there’s a pair of strong arms that wrap around her middle and she almost flinches with the surprise. Almost. Because there’s the scent of Chuy there, the rumble of his voice in her ear, a suggestion of something to show her that has her tilting her head toward him briefly before glancing to her fellow Grounders with a raised brow as if they were all in on the secret.

But she turns slightly in his arms and offers him a honey dripped smile, all of those accusations melting away when her hands lower to run her fingers along his forearm. “Oh? Well. I think we’re about finished here for today so you can consider me all yours.” She hums back, flashing him a brighter smile as Auni stands to bleat to them a quiet goodbye and she moves to face Chulane a bit more fully. “Where are we going, adventurer?” She teases him lightly, though her gaze betrays her curiosity.

heaven knows i don't follow, but i believe in this

CHULANE

blending into the darkness, & it gets harder to see

He laughs, as he is wont to do, at the successful execution of his surprise hug attack, glad to have pulled it off. "Well, first things first, m'lady," he began, extracting himself from her reach (albeit reluctantly) to gather her overcoat and cloak from the back of the chair it was draped on, instead helping to drape it over her shoulders. "Must ensure we are appropriately clothed for adventure." He nodded, doing a cursory check over his own clothing, digging a hand into a pocket to offer the luxere a cookie with a playful wink cast to Kia. Then he bent down to the luxere, and whispered conspiratorially to the curious deer-like creature, "just like we practiced, c'mon Auni.". The luxere promptly complied with the command, bleating happily as placed his forelegs on Chuy's bent knee to allow the man to then lift him up and drape him over his broad shoulders.

"Let's go!" he said happily as he rose, waving at the others around, grinning broadly as he opened the door and extended an elbow for Kia to hold onto as he led them forth into the night. He didn't elaborate on where they were going - it would soon become extremely evident. He walked the same direction of the lodge that they might usually walk, but upon reaching a small cottage barely two doors up from the Kraai, he stopped all motion, waiting out the front of a doorway lighted up by Auni's antlers in the night. With another wink fluttering his eyelid shut, he fetched a key from his pocket, and stepped towards the doorway in a single long stride, deftly popping it in the lock and turning the handle - to enter.

It was a modest building, nothing fancy. But a fire was lit in the hearth, a pile of blankets notably Auni sized stacked in front of it. He let the luxere down as he stepped into the entranceway, which flowed almost immediately into a kitchenette. There was a bedroom, a sitting room, a washroom… it had all the things one (or two) individuals might need to survive a winter in a remote, isolated region of the world. Ensuring the door was closed behind them, he then turned to Kia to gauge her reaction - hoping it was positive. "Whatcha think?"

try to stand & unravel what a man's gotta be

KIADA

burn it into my collar, hollowed onto your wrist

His expression and the way he elongates the comments, calling her ‘m’lady’ specifically, do utter a small breathy laugh from her lips as she watches him reach for her coat and cloak, letting him slip them over her shoulders. “I’d prefer not to freeze to death.” She agrees with a chipper chime in comparison to the rest of the air around them – thankful to have the small bit of light among so much dark. And gods is she ready.

What she isn’t ready for is the sly glance she gives toward Chuy as he produces one of those small treats that Auni would kill someone for, watching as the Luxere slips toward the man and does exactly what’s asked of him, bleating contently and excitedly, his nub of a tail moving excitedly once Chuy has him draped about his shoulders. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d say that’s cheating.” She retorts, some sort of smirk crossing her face as she playfully teases him. But she draws her cloak around her a bit tighter – preparing for the longer walk back toward the lodge once they’ve left the Kraai and bid their farewells.

Her hand finds his elbow, holding on as she prepares to trudge the way there… Only to stop so suddenly that her hand slips away from his elbow and she turns to him with a bit more focus, brows furrowing together – because this certainly isn’t the lodge, nor is it… Well, anywhere really. But Auni lights the way, his antlers glinting along the metal of a key as Chuy pulls it out and unlocks the door and her confusion grows even greater.

At least, until they’re inside and all of her confusion melds into surprise and letting a small smile cross along her face with it. She steps in, spying the little nest before the fireplace, the warmth and beauty that lingers in the air of this home, leaning forward to spy into the rest of the rooms. And when he finally closes the door, asks her what she thinks, the smile that crosses her face is far softer and touched than anything else. “This is really nice, Chuy.” She says softly, turning to face him a bit more fully, letting her iceberg gaze focus on him. “Is this your new place?” A place to be closer to them, still having not registered it could be hers too.

heaven knows i don't follow, but i believe in this

CHULANE

blending into the darkness, & it gets harder to see

He is thrilled, smugly pleased with himself, the situation a welcome distraction from the otherwise drab and depressive air that has settled over the region. As everyone slowly accepted what had occurred, as they returned to a new sense of "normal", Chuy was keen to embrace all of the small happinesses that came his way, or that he could construct. And this was indeed a bit of happiness that he had carefully cured, and that he hoped to share. So he was quite pleased when she smiled, when she teased about Auni, when she hesitated, surprised that they didn't keep walking to the lodge, when she came in and beheld the place with her own bright blue eyes. A smile graced his lips at her reaction, his eyes softening as her expression also softened to something he didn't get to see often. He wasn't even sure he had seen it before - just the simple way her smile seemed to reach her eyes more completely, as if somewhere, subconsciously, she had let go of whatever formality forced her to retain a bit of tension, always on guard and rarely showing more than front-facing polite emotions.

He hoped this place could give her the opportunity to just exist, without ever needing to pretend, to wear the face of the Hollowed Grounds Representative, to not hold back of she needed to cry, or laugh, or rage or otherwise express herself. He wanted this to be a safe space for her - and ideally he wanted to be a part of it, if she would have him.

"It would seem Lenny is quite the property mogul in Halo." He held the key up before her, before pressing it into her hands, holding onto them within his own for a moment. "In exchange for helping repair it, among the usual errands, he said I can do what I want with it for the rest of the season." With a smirk and a brow raised, as if daring her to challenge his next words (because he just knew that she would), he then explained. "And I would like to offer it to you." He released her hands then, spreading his own wide, as if presenting the entire building to her; which was exactly what he was doing. "I figure this might free up another room at the Kraai... and, well..."

He paused, hesitating, sudden insecurities rising up. But he met her gaze, and found strength there, and continued on - unable to resist inserting a bit of a joke to breach the topic. "If you don't mind, I'll ask Auni if he'll share his bed in front of fire with me?" In usual style, as he shed his outermost layer, he found a biscuit for the luxere in a pocket, and promptly dropped it for him with a sly grin, his gaze never leaving Kia's.

try to stand & unravel what a man's gotta be

KIADA

burn it into my collar, hollowed onto your wrist

If she’s being honest, she doesn’t know what she’s done to deserve such a nice thought as this. Not when he explains that Lenny has plenty of homes at his disposal, reaching to clasp her hands together around the key, explaining that he would help repair it in exchange. And it makes sense, but at the same time she’s ready just as he expects, lips parting and preparing to comment about how he didn’t have to do something like this… When he tells her he wants to give it to her, and the smile and iciness to her eyes fade away within the next heartbeat.

“Chuy…” She says quietly, lips shifting into an incredibly soft and gentle smile, something that makes her look even younger than she is when she clutches the key as he steps back. “This is amazing… Thank you.” And for a moment, a split second, she begins to form the ideas of how she could even repay him for it when suddenly she remembers their conversation over dinner, over how she doesn't have to, even if it feels wrong.

So she sighs, watching him shed his outer layer while she does the same, slipping the key into a pocket as Auni’s attention is grabbed by the treat and he wanders over to grab the biscuit before taking it to the makeshift bed and rooting around in it. “I’m sure he’d be willing if you let him search your pockets.” She says quietly, attempting some humor despite the softness to her tone, her face, her body language.

And then she’s diving toward him, crossing the distance to wrap her arms tight around him and bury her face into his chest. “Thank you.” She says again, unsure if it’s even enough no matter how many times she keeps repeating it.

heaven knows i don't follow, but i believe in this

CHULANE

blending into the darkness, & it gets harder to see

The transformation was a sight to behold, one that he hadn't expected, but welcomed. It was like watching all of the stresses she held melt away, like the weight of the world that she carried was finally lifted from her shoulders. A new life and light had entered her, illuminating her in a way he could never have fathomed before having actually seen it for himself.

He had been ready for her to argue the point, for her to push back - and when she didn't, he was deeply touched that she remembered he did this because he wanted to, because he knew she deserved it, even if she refused to fully believe it. But she was accepting it, she was accepting him, and as she came crashing into him he breathed a laugh as the air was pressed out from his lungs by the impact.

Strong arms wrapped around her, as they had so many times before, happy to have her in close to him again. Belatedly, he became vaguely aware of his heart, thundering against his ribcage, overexcited by the tension of waiting for her reaction, and now overexcited by her reaction.

He held her close, his head bent over her dark locks, breathing her in. "You're welcome," his low voice rumbled happily, as he pressed a kiss to the top of her head. He sighed, pulling some air back into his lungs after her attempts to squeeze it out of him left him quite breathless.

"I know it might seem… fast," he said slowly, reluctant to bring up the topic lest he discover something that would lead to uncomfortable territory. But they had always managed to talk openly and honestly before, had always appreciated it.

Still, he hated talking about feelings.

"And I can stay elsewhere, for real, if you want. It's just that, with everything that's happened," he sighed again, hating that the words so reluctantly formed, hating that all he wanted to do was tell her, but so afraid that if he did he invited hearing that she felt differently. "I feel like I've known you for an age." His voice finally stopped, as he internally bashed himself up for trying and no doubt failing to get whatever it was he was trying to articulate out, without bursting this pleasant little bubble that had settled around them.

try to stand & unravel what a man's gotta be

KIADA

burn it into my collar, hollowed onto your wrist

She crashes into him, arms tightening around him as she tries to hide all the feelings that bubble and burn within her at such a gift. And again, that rearing head of hers roars in response to how she could repay him – unsure how, but trying to find a way. At the very least, she might not be able to do it here, but in the Grounds? In the Grounds she’d likely have a better result giving him a surprise, giving him gifts, showering him in her appreciation even if she were to weary to give into it now.

But she can feel his arms wrap around her in return, the kiss to the top of her head, and she begins to pull away ever so slightly when he speaks. The comment of it moving fast has her slightly nodding, focusing on the slowness of how he speaks, wondering and worrying perhaps a bit too much over what he might say to add onto it. It’s not like she minds, considering the fact that she’s never even gotten this far before.

Part of it frightens her, part of it excites her – but if nothing else it’ll last until Flowerbirth and she returns to the Grounds, wondering if he might forsake his home here in Halo to come with her.

She lifts her gaze to meet his as he continues on, waiting for some sort of ball to drop. The thought of him staying somewhere else already has her shaking her head to it, wanting and needing him to stay nearby, to stay close. So her arms move up, to rest her hands along his shoulders – because he is a fair amount taller than her – and she gives him another soft, gentle smile. “Stay with me.” She says almost slowly, somewhat softly, eyes focusing on him only as she tries to get her point across.

“It might be fast, yes, but… I don’t really think I care what anyone else thinks.” She admits with a quiet laugh – and if this time in Halo had taught her anything since meeting Chulane briefly before Deepfrost even hit, well… It was that they were good together. A pillar together. Support for each other in more ways than one.

heaven knows i don't follow, but i believe in this

CHULANE

blending into the darkness, & it gets harder to see

It was frightening, if only because it was so unknown, what the future held for them, what direction their lives might pull them into. It was also exciting, thrilling, a journey he was keen to begin, to walk (or run?) with her by his side. Both of them had failed relationships in their pasts, memories of past lovers who would forever taint the way they viewed the world, but then didn't that meant if they had found such compatibility in each other, they should cling to it, nurture it and relish in the wonderful opportunity it could bring?

They just worked together, in all the ways that it was important. Maybe the bubble of Halo isolation was the key to their success - maybe, come Flowerbirth, when they portalled away and tested their relationship to a bigger world, they would find it not as strong. He doubted it, refused to entertain the thought. He had been through so much recently, it was hard to compare his previous relationships on another world entirely to this one, on this world, with her.

Relief is clear across his face even as her head shakes at the idea of him being elsewhere, his own hands moving to rest lightly on her hips as a bit of space comes between them so they can actually see each other. His grin is broad as he hears her words, her reassurance, a soft laugh that mirrors her own as he finally nodded in firm agreement. "I only really care what you think," he admitted softly, gratefully.

He leans in close then, as if to kiss her, his lips brushing against hers, before a sudden tension runs through him, his hands tensing on her hips and he rose to full height again. "Oh!" he said, surprise taking over his form. But then he was back, grinning at her with a wink. "I haven't even showed you the best bit yet." Taking her hand in his, he led her to the washroom, shedding his gloves and boots as they stepped deeper into the house, no longer needing them with the warmth the fireplace and insulated walls provided them.

At the doorway to said washroom, he paused, before stepping inside and presenting to her the focus of the room. "It might not be a hot spring, but…" he gestured to the overly large timber bathing tub, big enough for two people, and about halfway full with steamy, hot water, scented with pleasant fragrant smells. Wearing layers of clothes all day every day against the cold still meant that one sweated, so personal hygiene was important, and he was forever grateful to the magical plumbing that allowed Halo's bathrooms to function.

"I'm still boiling more water for it," he said, having found the lukewarm stuff from the taps not nearly satisfying enough. And sure enough, there were several pots of water on the stovetop bubbling away, almost ready to be used to top up the water level in the tub. He paused in his presentation, hoping to gauge her reaction once more, a decidedly more devilish grin on his face now.

try to stand & unravel what a man's gotta be

KIADA

burn it into my collar, hollowed onto your wrist

She can see the relief that crosses his face, sparking a softer smile of her own in agreement as she focuses on him and the space between them – his hands at her hips and hers at his shoulders. The grin that crosses his face is wide, bright, brilliant and everything she needed after a day like today, another day of keeping the peace and keeping her fellow Grounders content enough to last the rest of the season, whatever else it held.

But he leans down to almost kiss her, and she’s leaning into it, fingers digging into his shoulders briefly before he pulls away and her brows furrow together a small amount. A huff leaves her lips when he rises to his full height, her gaze following him and narrowing slightly as if he’s made a challenge before she hears his comment of the ‘best bit’ and wondering what in the world that could mean. Wasn’t this entire place the best bit?

Still, she follows, her hand in his as she too kicks off her shoes, slipping out of her overcoat and lets him lead the way. He enters the washroom first, and her gaze follows his back briefly before her attention shifts toward the scent in the air and the steam drifting from a rather large  tub. And this – this little tidbit of a makeshift hot spring – sparks a wider, brilliant and beaming smile from her face as she slips around him to enter and inspect it.

“Oh, this will absolutely do.” She chimes, half a laugh, half honest as she leans slightly over the edge of the tub and turns to glance at him from over her shoulder. And really? What else could she want more than the warmth of a bath like this to relieve the tension in her shoulders? The grin grows a bit more wicked to match his own devilish one, amused, playful as she leans up to her full height.

The Harpy runs a hand through the water, testing the heat of it before she’s turning a bit more toward him, resting a hip against the edge of the tub. “It’s perfect.” She breathes, flashing him a wide smirk as her hands drift down toward the hem of her shirt, moving to wriggle herself out of it in plain view of him to drink in all the details.

heaven knows i don't follow, but i believe in this

CHULANE

blending into the darkness, & it gets harder to see

As she inspects his handiwork, he shed the next layer of clothing on his top half, the steam in the room enough to make sweat glisten on the surface of his skin. All that remained was a light shirt, that sat slightly raised from his skin as his thick, dark chestful of hair peeked out from beneath its edges. He hadn't meant to immediately turn their evening to this - but he was also not about to deny it either, whichever way it went.

Truly, he had intended, or hoped at the least, for them to possibly enjoy a bath. Together. That was it.

(Honest.)

Then she stood, poised and perfect leaning on the edge of the tub, and began wriggling out from under her shirt. He stepped closer to her, unable to resist the pull of her. Then he stopped to simply drank in the sight of her a moment, hovering uncertainly, unable to decide on whether he wanted to be near her or to just enjoy the view.

Her curves, her soft porcelain skin, her breasts - he swallowed quite deliberately as his mind seemed to short-circuit for a moment, unable to decide on what he should do, how he should proceed. Deciding to shed his shirt so that they were at least at a level pitch, he stretched as the shirt came over his head, as his physique was presented for her inspection.

He took another step forward, hand reaching for her hips once more, stroking them, and along the hem of her pants, eyes seeking hers as he leaned down and hovered close, their noses gently bumping together as he hinted at a kiss that didn't yet eventuate. "Do you need a hand?" he asked instead, his fingers playing at and just below the level of her trousers, gently questioning, asking, wondering at what the evening had in store for them.

try to stand & unravel what a man's gotta be

KIADA

burn it into my collar, hollowed onto your wrist

Kiada, always an opportunistic person, would never turn down a bath – not immediately, anyway. Not while the water’s hot and they’ve had such a long day. So to her it’s no surprise that she’d metaphorically dive right into it, before anything else. And it’s no surprise that she’d see the devilish grin that crosses his face and matches one along her own – having an idea, even if it wasn’t the one he thought.

It’s still fun, though.

Especially as she sheds her shirt and tosses it to the floor in some small heap – leaning back against the tub a bit more fully as she watches him shed his own shirt. And she drinks in the view as well, lips quirking into a bit more of a smirk as her soft yet vibrant gaze shadows slightly on his approach. A sultriness comes over her as she leans into him as his hands meet her hips, pressing her torso against his but just a breath away, to brush her skin lightly against his own.

Her hands rise to his neck, to his hair as he lowers himself toward her, still not giving into that lost kiss from earlier much to her displeasure – but instead a deep rumble of a question that has her pressing into those hands at her hips, a slightly playful wiggle that seems to suggest she does. Her hands tangle in his hair then, fingernails raking gently through his dark curls as she tilts her head up a small amount, lips brushing by his own as a honey-dripped smirk crosses her face once more. “I certainly won’t deny you the opportunity to help.” She hums with a knowing look sent his way, her hands lowering to match his with the belt and waistband of his own pants, dipping her fingers beneath to run across his skin.

Then, those hands drift to the front of him, as she seeks out a kiss to his lips – a teasingly quick one as she works at the clothing that hides him away from her just as her own hides her from him, that wicked smirk returning to her face with the attempt.

heaven knows i don't follow, but i believe in this

CHULANE

blending into the darkness, & it gets harder to see

She's pressed against him, the soft flesh of her breasts teasing and taunting him as they glanced and glided against his form, his muscles tensing and tremoring along his abdomen and chest. Her lips danced across his, he could feel her smirk more than see it at this proximity. She wriggles and writhes in his hands, and he lets a soft moan hum through him at the tantalising prospect laid out before him. He shuts his eyes as her hands run through his hair, only for a moment lest his miss anything of her beauty before him. As her words reach his ears and her hands dip low he is taken by surprise at the sudden move, sucking in his lean stomach, before relaxing into her touch once more.

The kiss that is pressed against his lips is returned hungrily, a low growl dying in his throat as she cut it off, for he craved it just as much as she did, the longing clearly evident as his mouth followed her, lips seeking to instead taste at the curve of her neck just below her ear. Meanwhile, as her hands worked at his pants, his worked at hers, as both pants fell to their ankles after some prolonged fiddling and efforts, allowing them to easily step out of them now.

They were on a level pitch again, naked and bare before each other. He was excited, but had so far managed to maintain control over himself - he hadn't yet risen to the occasion, the steam and the heat having something of a steadying effect on him. Still, he did yearn for her, and he greedily pulled her close to him, his hands firm on her buttocks. His mouth sought to find her lips for a proper kiss this time, one that they could lose themselves in, where they could consume each other with nothing in their way.

After what felt like an age, he broke the kiss, and took a steadying breath, pausing the moment. "I didn't mean t-to -" he pulled a deep breath in. "W-we can just have a bath," he laughed the words out softly, the rising heat that had just begun in his loins submitting a formal complaint against whatever nonsense his brain was spouting, utterly offended that he would deny this from progressing into an activity far more physical than taking a bath.

try to stand & unravel what a man's gotta be

KIADA

burn it into my collar, hollowed onto your wrist

She’s not sure what part she appreciates more. The fact that he melts against her, the sounds that slip from him, or the way she seems to burn whenever he gets his hands on her. It causes her to smolder, a slow simmering flame that burns with a heat not unlike the bath in the tub behind her. But their lips meet and their hands are working to remove the last bit of clothing that separates them, and she loses herself in the taste and feel of him. His lips pressed to her neck, to the soft space beneath her ear, sparking her own hum of appreciation in response.

And then? Then the rest of their clothes drops to the ground, easily stepped out of and piled with the rest of the heap. And then their lips are meeting again, this time in a true all consuming kiss that has her forgetting everything else, hands trailing up to his hair again and tangling within, tugging a small amount as she presses herself and arches her back against his touch.

But he breaks the kiss and she’s breathless, already burning with wanton desire — evident in the darkening of her gaze. And he’s apologizing, eliciting a small honey dipped laugh from her lips as she pulls back, hands pushing slightly and body pulling away from his torso but remaining in his own hands that still hold her. A dark brow raises as she goes to spin a small amount, lifting a leg over the edge of the tub before she’s slipping into it like a siren in the water.

Her legs draw up, a hand reaching up to run through long dark hair to push it away from her face before she looks up at him from the bath. “Why not both?” She nearly purrs, flashing him another one of those playful smiles.

heaven knows i don't follow, but i believe in this