[it's a half-hearted argument at best, no real bite to it. He hesitates a little at the question. not because he's unsure but...]
..I-If you'll have me.
[erebus had left him once already, there's still a tinge of worry it might happen again.]
I mean, this village is nice and the people here are really kind. But...
[He bites his lip and his wings shuffle a little, slightly nervous as he thinks of how to say it. It's a little more complicated than just "I want to be with you", even if that fact was true.]
but— okay. here we go. his heart is skipping and there’s a lump in his throat (he can almost feel beating in it), having a hard time in swallowing it down. he’s nervous, but he’ll take it. ]
I want you with me. That’s why I’m here, [ a glance down, because he can’t quite sit up. ] like this.
[That gets Eleos to duck his head a little. But if erebus looks carefully, there's a smile on his face. The first smile he's had since Erebus came to the village. Heck, probably the first one since they parted ways.]
[ was that relief pushing the knot in his throat down? it was, but it doesn’t cease the tumbling butterflies in his stomach and rising up as a fluttery ache (note: it doesn’t actually hurt at all).
eleos is smiling. he’s pretty sure the last time he saw a smile was when they were in the water those weeks back. his own lips start doing the same thing, wrinkling his cheeks and bringing something too warm tone upset about. ]
Alright.
[ his diet ends up all over the place— he wants meat, but gets sick when he wolfs it down raw. bowls are eaten out of like a. well. beast. but he behaves enough to be set free. he doesn’t scare people with snarls or hisses, but he watches them with an intense stare if they come near him, and watching until they leave him. level up. he gets stronger the more he eats, and walks on two legs better than how he came in.
erebus always keeps a close eye on eleos, wherever he wanders, his eyes follow.
and if it’s out of his site’s range, he physically follows him. ]
[The days pass. Eleos does what he can to nurse Erebus back to full health while also helping with his village duties. The progress gets slowed down whenever Erebus forgets not to eat meat raw, so they end up staying more than a week. Even if he wasn't planning to stay, he still felt he owed it to the villagers who looked after him. So he helps with chores, heals who he cans, and teaches them skills he'd pick up from his home village.
The villagers are a little unnerved by Erebus's intense stare, but they get used to it as the time goes by and Eleos explains that he's with him. the days go by peacefully. They're given food and other supplies in payment of Eleos's work. While being honest about plans to move on once Erebus recovers, they are told that they'd be welcomed to stay if they ever change their mind.
All this time, Eleos appreciates Erebus staying near. He takes his hand often, and sleeps against his chest at night.
Finally, the day comes when during one of his examinations, Eleos says the words they've both been waiting for]
Everything looks good...you should be fit to travel.
healthy, standing tall and nearly radiating with revitalized energy, erebus pulls at the collar of the tunic he wears, pants mostly left untouched and— at least give him the freedom of going about barefoot. finally, fresh air (as fresh as it gets when you’re in a human village). finally, they could actually go somewhere.
finally, erebus feels slightly better. his chest warms up so much when eleos sleeps there that he can’t find it in him to actually sleep. his fingers felt the little pull of tangling after so many times that eleos did it. he softens. he feels more confidence, he feels alive.
and what better thing to do, when like this, than to officially court? he’s impatient to leave, and pushes eleos along from behind. ]
Let’s not waste anymore time.
[ he’s the one to try it this time: his hand grabs eleos’, and off he goes into the bustling village they’d have to plow through to get to the forest edge. he’d probably . . . never get that sort of closeness with claws? he would, in a different dragon way, but— again, this was different. different and accepted by his standards.
he isn’t just leading him, though— the handholding shifts constantly, allowing erebus to bump shoulder to shoulder with eleos. first the right side, then the left. a bump or two is normal, but bumps become more apparent as brushes, and brushes soon extend to dragged out rubs. akin to, like, flexing, probably. ]
[Shoes was probably a battle Eleos gave up on, so yeah Erebus is barefoot. It was easier than having the dragon cry that he couldn't feel his feet all the time.
And before he can really react, Erebus is dragging him along outside the village. He makes a little noise of surprise, and he should probably object. but honestly? There's a part of him excited too, something inside of him that's been aching to get out of this human village.
He didn't belong there. He couldn't explain why, but ever since he was given his true name, some part of him felt like he didn't fit in anywhere but in the wild, at Erebus's side.
He keeps close to Erebus, bumping and rubbing him back as he can. It's only pragmatism that makes him start to question]
H-Hey, wait. Where are we going?
[since from his viewpoint, they are just wandering off into the woods!! explain erebus!!]
[ if he can even find the woods, he doesn’t remember getting to these parts. and not that it was an excruciating priority! it was, just— they'd get there eventually. this was the most important part.
but erebus is tall, and eleos might be too small to maintain his balance completely once erebus starts— bumping into him with more force. witness him? witness him and how hard he’s trying.
he might not have his tail, his wings or his horns, but he makes it work with his arms; they curl and slip away from his hips, would pull up his arms as he would briefly flare his wings, knock his head into eleos with enough force to create sound (ow), and just look like he’s. positively rocking whatever it is he thinks he’s doing.
he doesn’t give a shit when it comes to whoever happens to be walking by and. staring at the predicament. ]
[Well Erebus you are trying your best to be cuddly and romantic, but it sure is awkward and clumsy. It's a good thing those arms are around him, because otherwise he might fall over from those bumps. And his wings? Ruffle a little unhappily at being flared away.
The head knock actually gets an "ow" out of him, just a mild one.
He still doesn't pull away though. More just tries to adjust their balance so Erebus doesn't all over the place]
[Eleos stares with owlish eyes, clearly a little confused. That was a courting ritual?? It was not one he's ever seen before, so how was he supposed to know?]
Oh, didn't know that ... probably would help if you actually explained things, Erebus.
Besides, I already agreed to go with you? Why are you doing this now?
[ erebus’s eyes flatten, but his flaring expression doesn’t. sure he agreed to come with him but— it doesn’t mean anything if it isn’t reciprocated in the same degree! with a brisk inhale, erebus yanks at the collar of the fabric on him, again, to free him a bit from the stuffy feeling and hoping to exhale the heat that came with it. ]
I thought it was the same, what else would humans do?
never mind the awkward orientation to get to this point, but between dragon and man, they can do this. erebus’ heart hops in his chest and a smile plays his lips back some. for dragons, this was where something deeper started, almost a conventional relationship nearly run backwards. you court your interest, then you mate— then affection becomes more readily presentable!
not to mention, he needed this if he ever wanted the ritual to work. he’ll have to talk about it soon. feeling his mouth going dry, he swallows and sets his lips. ]
[That smile on Erebus was beautiful. But knowing that he's smiling because he agreed to mate, it makes Eleos blush even more and divert his eyes.
He has thought about it. About all the ways he wanted to kiss and touch Erebus. The thoughts have been popping up ever since the first day he saw the dragon in human form. He knew that one day, it'd be a bridge they'd cross.
But the fact they were crossing it so near the village was enough to make Eleos's face heat up.]
O-Oh- [He vaguely recalls his explanation of clothes] -- yeah, definitely. It's a very private thing...
[Did the temperature suddenly increase? He sure felt hot]
[ he’s never actually been with another dragon, or even around other dragons to know for a fact, but— it’s like a fair many things he simply knows passed down by blood, by intuition that flows strongly enough to become his own memories.
but he’s willing to bend a bit, and looks around them as they walk, there’s a storage cabin he’s noticed, where no one has gone in and neither out. so! he leads him over, taking his hand and— baring in mind it was the human way to court. ]
[His cheeks burn, imagining that. He was too much a virgin right now to recognize the full depth of his feelings - so he just assumes he feels mortified by such an aspect. Humans were supposed to be modest about such things, after all. That's what he was taught.
He notices that he's being led to a storage cabin, with his hand being held no less. It's a little touching, even if this is completely rushed, that Erebus is trying to put human courting rituals into this. ]
...Okay, I can do that. Hold still.
[He stops walking so they are slowed to a stop right outside the cabin. He tugs Erenbus's hand so he faces him. Even in human for, Erebus stood a lot taller than him. He looks up with him, still red in the face but smiling. Slowly, he'll put a hand on the back of Erenbus's neck. He stands up on his toes, while pushing his hand gently so Erenbus leans his head down- and presses his lips against his mate's.
It's clumsy, he's never kissed before, but it still was a kiss. ]
[ erebus is easy enough to tug down, more curious than he was reluctant (note, he’s not reluctant at all), and as clumsy as his own lips are, stiffer than a rod, his eyes keep open and watch as eleos does it.
It wasn’t. bad. It was pretty close, and something he approved in that aspect, warm lips against his and sensitive to the touch. erebus only begins to pull back before his neck could start to complain of soreness, but— he’s intrigued.
. . . he really is intrigued, eyes only for eleos but thoughts running miles a minute. his tongue flicks over his own lips now, noticing that there’s taste, his bonded’s taste, and— was it possible to taste more of him? he gods damned hoped so. ]
It’s like . . . Tasting. You. [ without smell mixing with it the way it usually does, no, he’s sort of. distinguishing. lips part to ask him something, before erebus decides that— he doesn’t need to ask. holding eleos’ face in place and craning down, erebus plants his mouth over his, perhaps a bit too sturdy, but gradually, the strain softens up. they’re loosely held, and to get more of the “taste”, is tongue presses nimbly across eleos’ lips, pulling back to savor the taste in his mouth and give him a face-flushed glance.
he almost wishes he cared enough to consider if he was doing it right, because either way he looked at it . . . It was good. ]
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[it's a half-hearted argument at best, no real bite to it. He hesitates a little at the question. not because he's unsure but...]
..I-If you'll have me.
[erebus had left him once already, there's still a tinge of worry it might happen again.]
I mean, this village is nice and the people here are really kind. But...
[He bites his lip and his wings shuffle a little, slightly nervous as he thinks of how to say it. It's a little more complicated than just "I want to be with you", even if that fact was true.]
I think I belong out there, not...here.
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but— okay. here we go. his heart is skipping and there’s a lump in his throat (he can almost feel beating in it), having a hard time in swallowing it down. he’s nervous, but he’ll take it. ]
I want you with me. That’s why I’m here, [ a glance down, because he can’t quite sit up. ] like this.
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Okay.
[He'll look at him making eye contact]
Then once you're better...we'll go. Together.
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eleos is smiling. he’s pretty sure the last time he saw a smile was when they were in the water those weeks back. his own lips start doing the same thing, wrinkling his cheeks and bringing something too warm tone upset about. ]
Alright.
[ his diet ends up all over the place— he wants meat, but gets sick when he wolfs it down raw. bowls are eaten out of like a. well. beast. but he behaves enough to be set free. he doesn’t scare people with snarls or hisses, but he watches them with an intense stare if they come near him, and watching until they leave him. level up. he gets stronger the more he eats, and walks on two legs better than how he came in.
erebus always keeps a close eye on eleos, wherever he wanders, his eyes follow.
and if it’s out of his site’s range, he physically follows him. ]
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The villagers are a little unnerved by Erebus's intense stare, but they get used to it as the time goes by and Eleos explains that he's with him. the days go by peacefully. They're given food and other supplies in payment of Eleos's work. While being honest about plans to move on once Erebus recovers, they are told that they'd be welcomed to stay if they ever change their mind.
All this time, Eleos appreciates Erebus staying near. He takes his hand often, and sleeps against his chest at night.
Finally, the day comes when during one of his examinations, Eleos says the words they've both been waiting for]
Everything looks good...you should be fit to travel.
[We can go]
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healthy, standing tall and nearly radiating with revitalized energy, erebus pulls at the collar of the tunic he wears, pants mostly left untouched and— at least give him the freedom of going about barefoot. finally, fresh air (as fresh as it gets when you’re in a human village). finally, they could actually go somewhere.
finally, erebus feels slightly better. his chest warms up so much when eleos sleeps there that he can’t find it in him to actually sleep. his fingers felt the little pull of tangling after so many times that eleos did it. he softens. he feels more confidence, he feels alive.
and what better thing to do, when like this, than to officially court? he’s impatient to leave, and pushes eleos along from behind. ]
Let’s not waste anymore time.
[ he’s the one to try it this time: his hand grabs eleos’, and off he goes into the bustling village they’d have to plow through to get to the forest edge. he’d probably . . . never get that sort of closeness with claws? he would, in a different dragon way, but— again, this was different. different and accepted by his standards.
he isn’t just leading him, though— the handholding shifts constantly, allowing erebus to bump shoulder to shoulder with eleos. first the right side, then the left. a bump or two is normal, but bumps become more apparent as brushes, and brushes soon extend to dragged out rubs. akin to, like, flexing, probably. ]
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And before he can really react, Erebus is dragging him along outside the village. He makes a little noise of surprise, and he should probably object. but honestly? There's a part of him excited too, something inside of him that's been aching to get out of this human village.
He didn't belong there. He couldn't explain why, but ever since he was given his true name, some part of him felt like he didn't fit in anywhere but in the wild, at Erebus's side.
He keeps close to Erebus, bumping and rubbing him back as he can. It's only pragmatism that makes him start to question]
H-Hey, wait. Where are we going?
[since from his viewpoint, they are just wandering off into the woods!! explain erebus!!]
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but erebus is tall, and eleos might be too small to maintain his balance completely once erebus starts— bumping into him with more force. witness him? witness him and how hard he’s trying.
he might not have his tail, his wings or his horns, but he makes it work with his arms; they curl and slip away from his hips, would pull up his arms as he would briefly flare his wings, knock his head into eleos with enough force to create sound (ow), and just look like he’s. positively rocking whatever it is he thinks he’s doing.
he doesn’t give a shit when it comes to whoever happens to be walking by and. staring at the predicament. ]
The woods, eventually.
[ he’s being vague, but.
listen, ]
I need you to answer me, first.
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The head knock actually gets an "ow" out of him, just a mild one.
He still doesn't pull away though. More just tries to adjust their balance so Erebus doesn't all over the place]
Answer you?
[But there hasn't been any questions]
Answer what?
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not that it pops his confidence, but he does!! mildly deflate in front of eleos, a toothy smirk falling into equal question. ]
. . . What do you think I’m doing?
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Trying to walk and be affectionate at the same time...?
I mean, I know you're still a little clumsy on two legs...
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he can’t believe he has to, like
actually say it. ]
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It’s a courting ritual.
[ and he’s gotten so much better at two-legged walking? he was so proud! he can’t believe you’d call him clumsy. ]
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Oh, didn't know that ... probably would help if you actually explained things, Erebus.
Besides, I already agreed to go with you? Why are you doing this now?
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I thought it was the same, what else would humans do?
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[he scratches his own jaw]
H-Hold hands, cuddle up to you at night, kiss...?
[You know, 2/3 of the things he's already been doing for like a week now]
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[ that’s so vanilla
okay but this is. this needs attention immediately. erebus’s eyes briefly go wide before they’re holding a touch of confusion to them. breathes in. ]
Look— [ he can’t believe. ] We only court when we’re ready to mate.
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Eleos's eyes grow very wide]
M-Mate?!
[he turns red, because oh yes, he knows what THAT means]
R-Right now? But we're so near the village- what if someone finds us?!
[It should be noted that he isn't saying no]
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erebus doesn’t seem the least bit fazed (after running around naked and complaining about clothes, too much modesty shouldn’t be expected). ]
You accept?
[ he needs to hear it— consensus was primordial! ]
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What? W-Well- y-yes...
[It's something that's crossed his mind a lot the past few days okay]
B-But do you really mean right here??
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never mind the awkward orientation to get to this point, but between dragon and man, they can do this. erebus’ heart hops in his chest and a smile plays his lips back some. for dragons, this was where something deeper started, almost a conventional relationship nearly run backwards. you court your interest, then you mate— then affection becomes more readily presentable!
not to mention, he needed this if he ever wanted the ritual to work. he’ll have to talk about it soon. feeling his mouth going dry, he swallows and sets his lips. ]
Is it like clothes to you?
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He has thought about it. About all the ways he wanted to kiss and touch Erebus. The thoughts have been popping up ever since the first day he saw the dragon in human form. He knew that one day, it'd be a bridge they'd cross.
But the fact they were crossing it so near the village was enough to make Eleos's face heat up.]
O-Oh- [He vaguely recalls his explanation of clothes] -- yeah, definitely. It's a very private thing...
[Did the temperature suddenly increase? He sure felt hot]
Is..is it not for dragons?
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[ he’s never actually been with another dragon, or even around other dragons to know for a fact, but— it’s like a fair many things he simply knows passed down by blood, by intuition that flows strongly enough to become his own memories.
but he’s willing to bend a bit, and looks around them as they walk, there’s a storage cabin he’s noticed, where no one has gone in and neither out. so! he leads him over, taking his hand and— baring in mind it was the human way to court. ]
You just need to show me the kiss.
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[His cheeks burn, imagining that. He was too much a virgin right now to recognize the full depth of his feelings - so he just assumes he feels mortified by such an aspect. Humans were supposed to be modest about such things, after all. That's what he was taught.
He notices that he's being led to a storage cabin, with his hand being held no less. It's a little touching, even if this is completely rushed, that Erebus is trying to put human courting rituals into this. ]
...Okay, I can do that. Hold still.
[He stops walking so they are slowed to a stop right outside the cabin. He tugs Erenbus's hand so he faces him. Even in human for, Erebus stood a lot taller than him. He looks up with him, still red in the face but smiling. Slowly, he'll put a hand on the back of Erenbus's neck. He stands up on his toes, while pushing his hand gently so Erenbus leans his head down- and presses his lips against his mate's.
It's clumsy, he's never kissed before, but it still was a kiss. ]
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It wasn’t. bad. It was pretty close, and something he approved in that aspect, warm lips against his and sensitive to the touch. erebus only begins to pull back before his neck could start to complain of soreness, but— he’s intrigued.
. . . he really is intrigued, eyes only for eleos but thoughts running miles a minute. his tongue flicks over his own lips now, noticing that there’s taste, his bonded’s taste, and— was it possible to taste more of him? he gods damned hoped so. ]
It’s like . . . Tasting. You. [ without smell mixing with it the way it usually does, no, he’s sort of. distinguishing. lips part to ask him something, before erebus decides that— he doesn’t need to ask. holding eleos’ face in place and craning down, erebus plants his mouth over his, perhaps a bit too sturdy, but gradually, the strain softens up. they’re loosely held, and to get more of the “taste”, is tongue presses nimbly across eleos’ lips, pulling back to savor the taste in his mouth and give him a face-flushed glance.
he almost wishes he cared enough to consider if he was doing it right, because either way he looked at it . . . It was good. ]
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