[Training] {SE} only pheromones and serotonin decide

We could leave or stay and fight, no difference from the day to night

Does a man need a reason to go wandering with his husband? To take a day off packing, steal a kiss and a bite at the edge of the jungle and slip into a more feline shape?

The suggestion had only been half serious at first, an excuse to get out of deciding what really needed to come with them, what could be given away. But the more it rattled around in his head, the more enticing it became. And just like that, Nate was decided, all four of his arms working to scoop Sunjata up and out into the morning sun. Pemota and Haai both follow, supervision and extra eyes all at once.

Nate didn’t know how long they’d been out by this point, how far they’d gone, but he found it hard to care, especially beyond the stimulus of all the smells he usually numbed himself to. The whole point of this is to grow distracted; to disappear around a tree and pounce on his husband from above, to follow a particularly foul smell to a particularly ugly flower, to leap after a bird in the air only to realize after it’s caught that the colours are little too close for comfort.

The sun is high in the sky by the time they stop, far above the treetops, a haze of mist dulling it’s rays just enough that Nate feels more than comfortable shifting back into his own skin. He plants himself ass first on the ground, his arm held out for Sunjata to press against him in whatever shape he prefers. It’s nice. Relaxing. Pemota pours starlight down upon them, pausing every now and then to bother Haai playfully.

An eternity passes, and yet it seems like no time at all before Nate is leaning in, his accent dragging over his voice thickly, an indulgence he’s started slipping into with Bart around. “Y’wanna beat the shit outta each other?”

NATE

i saw you comin' with the gun in your hands

When Nate starts the trek as a panther, Sunjata absolutely follows suit in a more reptilian form. And just like that, the two of them disappear over the edge of Torchline into the Oerwoud, disappearing into the vast lush foliage of the jungle as well as the sounds and sights that surround it. He doesn’t know how they get where they are but the Flood is more than content to follow his husband anywhere, especially right now while Kamaria is being watched and cared for. An entire day out without the weight of the world on their shoulders.

They need this.

So he’s content to stop when Nate stops, steel eyes surrounded by black scales that regard the Ascended as he plops down to the ground, before Sunjata’s barreling toward him, pressing his face hard against Nate’s shoulder, a rumbling sound of affection leaving him as he presses back and back against Nate until he’s plopped his head in the other man’s lap. His tail flicks up and down against the edge of the grasses beneath them with the booming sound of a waterfall just beside them. It has to be huge given the echo that nearly drowns out his husband when he speaks.

Do I…? He asks, sounding playfully mischievous as he considers it. Then with a decisive boxy nod, he rolls against Nate so that his steel eye can peer up at the Ascended. Dragon or Pegasus, Skatjie?

i can't want this, i can't want this

SUNJATA

We could leave or stay and fight, no difference from the day to night

As soon as the question is on his tongue, let alone in the air, Nate knows what his husbands answer is going to be. What else would it possibly be other than absolutely?

“Babe, c’mon.” Nate shouts to be heard over the waterfall this time, moving to pull his shirt over his head and throw it to the side. He leans over to cup his husbands draconic face, thumbs working into the edge of his jaw in what’s supposed to be a soothing pressure. It’s been a while since Nates managed to actually get it right though, usually erring just a hair over too hard. “Who’s gonna pick a fancy horse over a fucking dragon?”

Pressing a kiss against Sunjata’s wide nose, Nate rolls back, dislodging himself from the dragon. He shimmies up to his feet and out of his pants, throwing them in the same direction his shirt had gone. Hands come up likes he’s going to crack the his knuckles, the ascended remembering at the last second that his knuckles are still bandaged and healing, and flickering his holographic arms into existence to play out the gesture with them. These knuckles don’t crack, but it’s the principle of the thing.

“C’mon, show me what you got Sunny!”

NATE

i saw you comin' with the gun in your hands

Luckily in this shift, the more pressure the better, and the low rumbling growl of affection vibrates through the air between them. Thought I’d give you the choice. He murmurs, nestling in against his husband’s bare chest. He’s careful around the bandaged knuckles, though, so when Nate shifts to move, Sunjata’s quite content to lift his head in an easier position, digging his talons into the dirt and grasses from atop this misty waterfall.

After a moment of consideration, Sunjata can't find a flaw in Nate's logic. So the Attuned rises, lifting his large scaled head, sharp teeth bared toward Nate, as lovingly as it can come off as being. Yeah? All of it? He rumbles with a taunt, planting his feet, tail swinging around as he lowers his head toward Nate and his wings flare.

Then in a sudden movement, the dragon’s head lifts, maw opening, wings tucking in tight, aiming to spin halfway and use his long sweeping tail to take Nate off his feet.

i can't want this, i can't want this

SUNJATA

We could leave or stay and fight, no difference from the day to night

Wild blue eyes seem to grow even wilder as Nate bares his teeth right back at the dragon, face split impossibly wide by the grin on it. “All of it!” He roars back, a hand thumping at his chest. Whatever Sunjata can dish out, he can take, even if his husband is currently wrapped up in scales and teeth and spines.

Nate plants his feet as wings flare, casting a shadow over him for a split second before Sunjata is shifting, spinning, this first move managing to catch Nate off guard. It’s only that second of preparation he’d had that keeps the demi-god from being thrown off his feet entirely, crackling arms wrapping around the heavy scaled tail and holding on for dear life.

He’s pushed to the side, feet leaving behind muddy gouges in the damp earth before he manages to stop the momentum of the strike. It’s his turn to strike, Nate starting by tugging with all of his strength at the tail, seemingly intent to drag the rest of Sunjata’s black scaled bulk towards him.

NATE

i saw you comin' with the gun in your hands

Don’t know if you can handle that, mooi seun. If a dragon could wink, Sunjata would’ve certainly tossed one his husband’s way. As it stands now, there’s the teasing sensation of being taunted, of what a wink would insinuate could he have done it. For now, though, he’s moving — all gleaming and marked scales and sharp teeth and spines, lashing out with his tail to try and take Nate down.

It only marginally goes as well as Sunjata had hoped, the tail not quite sweeping Nate off of his feet. Instead, the Ascended latches on with all of his arms, sliding across the grassy earth, awakening a series of pumpkins that are angry and now distracted as they head the two’s way. And just when Sunjata thinks he’s free to try and pull away again, Nate’s tugging him, and there’s a bright ‘holy shit’ sensation that sparks through the bond like lightning as he digs his talons into the ground, a roar leaving his throat loud enough to shake the birds from the trees.

He’s tugged a good few feet before he’s tensing his haunches and surging forward, hoping that by letting Nate think he’s getting away with it he might be able to lurch forward and swing his head back around to nip at Nate in warning as if he were nothing more than a fly that’s landed too close to him. When the fuck did you get so strong?

i can't want this, i can't want this

SUNJATA

We could leave or stay and fight, no difference from the day to night

Nate doesn’t do anything more than grin savagely, taunting hooks thrown through the bond towards Sunjata, promising him a surprise. A promise that Nate delivers on, the ascended himself too smug to be surprised, though he had been curious about who would have the upper hand like this.

Turns out they’re more evenly matched than either of them thought.

The awed surprise that bursts from Sunjata has him all but floating, warm and proud and cocky all at once. “I’ve been workin’ out babe, I wanted t’surprise you.” Nate says, like they both don’t already know it’s the divinity in him. He gets in his own way, big head blocking out the trick until it’s too late, the dragon slipping back and then surging forward, sending Nate tripping over a pumpkin thats clambered it’s way into his path.

“Pumpkins?” He mumbles, confusion blotting out the anger at being thrown to the ground. You tryna’ cheat, huh? The accusation comes swiftly, Nate pushing himself up to his feet and kicking the offending gourd towards the edge of the waterfall, reducing the thing to chunks instead of sending it flying like he wanted.

NATE

i saw you comin' with the gun in your hands

Yeah, yeah. Sunjata mutters, distracted only by the plan that comes into his mind, darting forward just enough to swing around and nip at his husband in warning. He sees the pumpkins only after Nate’s tripped over one, a toothy reptilian grin that’s flickering with the brief glimmering glow of blue. There's amusement that pierces through the bond, one that mixes with the cockiness of Nate to make something vibrant.

The confusion is met with Sunjata managing to get turned around, to face his husband more fully, and his wings flare as he roars out an antagonizing growl. Hate to break it to you but the pumpkins aren’t me. He offers, sweeping his tail across the ground and sending a few more of the creatures flying into over the waterfall with loud, audible cracks. Besides, I’m not a cheater. He protests, even though they both know that’s one hell of a lie.

With this, the Attuned surges forward, his broad head aiming to press into Nate, to pin him to the ground.

i can't want this, i can't want this

SUNJATA

We could leave or stay and fight, no difference from the day to night

The rest of the pumpkins seem to hesitate, the first few driven away easily, but who needs caution when you have numbers? Though... for the moment, those look particularly pathetic as well, for the moment. More are coming, drawn out from the jungle by the action.

No? Guess they aren't really your style. Nate takes in the flared wings, the growl, and he feels his heart soar. In another life, he'd feel something between his legs think about soaring too, but all he has now is his heart. We're both cheaters darling, it's the story of our love. How Nate manages to make the words sound sweet and romantic is a mystery, especially with the eager snarl that's painted across his face.

He barely has his feet under him again, and Sunjata is already surging forward, trying to knock him down again. It's just rude, a sentiment that Nate makes clear through the bond as crackling arms come up, wrapping around inky horns. He doesn't have the leverage to do anything more than stay on his feet, though it doesn't stop Nate from cackling, from meeting one great slitted steel eye and crashing his head down into the dragons snout.

NATE

i saw you comin' with the gun in your hands

Thank you! He agrees, a rumble of amused laughter slipping through the bond to Nate even if his body language suggests otherwise. Pumpkins certainly weren’t his style. He was more of the type to pick out birds or wolves to get what he wanted. But that was neither here nor there, not as Sunjata’s offering a throaty roar and the flare of his wings, hearing the sweet and romantic quip back to his comment.

Gods, he loves him so fucking much. Sounds beautiful. He comments with another huff of a mental laugh, even as he’s charging toward Nate and the crackling hands appear to stop his head from pressing and pinning his husband to the ground. The dragon snarls, lightning curling around his lips just enough to touch Nate’s staticky arms, especially as his horns are grabbed. His tail sweeps out again, knocking a few more gourds off the waterfall.

There’s a growl, one that vibrates the ground around them that he’s sure Nate can feel rush through him as the cackle is met, as Nate’s head is crashing hard into his snout and he’s pulling back, shaking his head heavily to try and get the demigod to loosen his grip. You'd better kiss it and make it better when we’re done. It’s a throaty, accented sound that meets Nate. He even rises with a winging of pain, a sharp sparking sensation along the softer part of the snout where his scales are notably thinner. And if Nate holds on, well, he supposes they’ll get to see if he’s truly a Lone Free Ranger after all.

i can't want this, i can't want this

SUNJATA

We could leave or stay and fight, no difference from the day to night

You’re beautiful! Nate shoots back automatically, his mouth opening so his tongue can wag in a tease and taunt both. A titter of pure delight drags itself out from deep in his throat, too formless and feral to be called a laugh. I love you. He says in the face of the snarl, back straightening as shivers of lightning travel up his arms and into his core. His arms glow all the brighter while his hair does it’s damnedest to stand up on end.

It’s all he can do to keep his feet under him when Sunjata draws back, and then Nate can’t even do that, his connected hands scrabbling for purchase on the smooth scales on the attuned’s face. I always kiss it better! He tries to argue, voice shaking as he struggles to drag himself up into a more sustainable position. Sure, he might end up facing the wrong direction, but his legs squeeze just above the base of his horns, his flesh and faux arms both clinging to the horns themselves for dear life.

“That all y’got?” Nate roars the words, triumph making his voice that much louder.

NATE

i saw you comin' with the gun in your hands

I am, aren’t I? A flaunting tone is sent back, even if his scaled lips flicker with his frustration, the shift and his thoughts at odds with one another as he tries to rein it back in. I love you too. He croons through the snarl, the lightning flickering and slipping out from his maw to latch onto the staticky arms of his husband. After a few moments longer, Sunjata’s hissing the pain of his snout, his head shaking and rising while Nate holds on tight.

The dragon’s head rises and Nate’s planted himself right behind the horns of his head, and this is where the dragon lifts its head a bit more fully (hang on tight, Nate!) and lets loose the thundering, crackle of lightning that’s loud enough to shake the trees, to send the rest of the pumpkins hiding into the undergrowth again, enough that Nate’s hair should stick on end with the electricity thrumming through the dragon.

Consider it a sneeze of sorts. Oops.

But he lowers himself again, a chuckle of a laugh leaving him as he readjusts to give Nate room to turn around on him, to get more comfortable between his shoulder blades. What do you say we launch ourselves off of that waterfall and head to King’s End? To find their new home, to enjoy not having a schedule, to enjoy themselves just a little bit longer.

And once Nate’s agreed, Sunjata will dart right off the edge with a running start, wings flared and nostrils flaring as the dragon rises to the sky again to slip over the clouds and treetops to head away and away.

- FIN <3

i can't want this, i can't want this

SUNJATA