[RQ] dust to dust

FOX

She melts against him like she's made for his shape, Fox finding himself swallowing hard at the sudden tender nature of their embrace. Far from pulling back, though, he'd be surprised if she can't feel his heart hammering in his chest with how close they are, the hunter leaning into the touch of her hand. "Oh, well," he says, hiccupping in a laugh and closing his eyes as she increases the proximity between them even further. "I can probably make an exception for good crying."

Kiada drawing back is a blessing and a curse, Fox rolling his shoulders and giving her hand a warm squeeze, only to flash her a wry smile for her mischief. "Joke's on you, I am not very flexible," he tells her, leading them on until they finally crest a hill and the heat blows across their faces. Bubbling in the distance, Apopo's lava fields cast a fiendish glow, the waters of the coast churning nearby.

But there's plenty of ash to be found even here, and Fox searches his pack for two leather pouches, offering one to the harpy at his side. "Shall we?"

astra inclinant, sed non obligant

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!

troy falls a thousand times // in every dream i dream

“Good.” She teases him lightly, without all the fire beneath it. Still that tenderness that has her lips twisted in a gentle and appreciative smile. “I give a good front but I can be a bit emotional.” She informs him like she’s reading off a fact sheet about herself, but she breaks it up with the gentle laugh that slips from her before she pushes past it and withdraws so that they can get on with what they’re supposed to be doing.

He squeezes her hand and gives her the wry smile and jest that has her laughing deeply. “We’ll have to work on that.” She hums as they crest the hill and warmth seeps into her bones and their skin takes on the gentle hue of the lava, a brief lighting that has her iceberg eyes widening slightly. There’s discomfort immediately, before she remembers herself and how she won’t suddenly die falling in if it were to happen, and she loosens a soft sigh of relief as she takes the pouch from Fox.

“Thank you.” She says softly, searching her pockets for two spoons she’d brought so that she can scoop up the ash into the pouches provided and hands one to him with an easy smile. “How much do we need?” She asks, stepping over to a grey pile, scooping up some to already put into her pouch.

KIADA

( like ashes, like ashes // like a star burning out )

FOX

"Work on my flexibility?" Fox asks with a small widening of his eyes. "That sounds painful." And fun, in the right hands - which he's sure Kiada definitely possesses. But still. Anyway. Ashes and stuff.

"And thank you," he fires back, exchanging pouch for spoon and leaning down to start scooping some of the fine sediment into its leathery container. "You know, I never really thought to check," he admits. "But two pouches is quite a lot of ash, I think. If they need any more I suppose someone will just need to make a second trip."

Maybe they could be that someone again, he thinks. He's got no intention of moving out of the Grounds, but hey, Torchline could be a good vacation spot. Filling up his pouch to the brim and drawing the string tightly around it, he smiles to Kiada. "All done, you?"

astra inclinant, sed non obligant

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!

troy falls a thousand times // in every dream i dream

“Oh it doesn’t have to be.” She starts to inform him before her grin takes on a wolffish smirk, something hungry glimmering in the depths of her iceberg gaze as she scans him up and down very visibly. “But it can.” She tacks on as if gauging whether or not he had a preference.

But ahem, anyway. They have ash to collect.

They make their swap and they collect their respective ash piles in the bags, tying it off the second that it feels full and almost chalky – like a powder bag used to try and soak up moisture. And it’s surprisingly heavy in her hand when she finishes up and ties off her own bag, falling into a silent agreement over whether or not someone will have to come and retrieve more.

“Done!” She chimes, bounding back to his side to hand him the full pouch.

KIADA

( like ashes, like ashes // like a star burning out )

FOX

Clearing his throat and looking away in an effort not to be as flustered as he obviously is in the wake of Kiada's expert flirtations, it's with reddening cheeks that Fox finishes up their task. He's managed to compose himself a little better, at least, by the time he and Kiada join each other once more, the hunter offering her a cheerful smile as well and relieving her of her pouch of ashes (of course he's happy to take the burden of carrying them both).

"In that case, let's get out of here," he suggests with a smile, turning to begin leading them back down the slopes towards Torchline proper. "The skyship probably won't be leaving for the Grounds for a long while. I can treat you to dinner while we wait." And they can at least enjoy the semi-warmth of Torchline before returning to the frosty hellscape of the Grounds at Deepfrost.

~FIN

astra inclinant, sed non obligant

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!