he had accepted her offer - his visit becoming as permanent as the vagabond can manage. she has wanted to give him space and so a few days have passed before she calls on @Alexandros again. she thought it would get better, easier, as time went on - yet every once in awhile she catches his scent on the sands. and every time her attention splinters and frays, until he is all she can think of. it's intoxicating - but also annoying. an annoyance she is happy to have, but still. so just before the sun rises ashelia makes her way to the area that he has claimed as his own, careful steps carrying her over the sands. stilling herself for a moment - and willing her traitorous heart to stop its pounding - she takes a deep inhale before chuffing quietly. alex? she calls softly, sunlight eyes peering around for the bronze man. there's a good chance that he's still sleeping - in that case, she has no plans on rousing him from slumber. still, ears tip forward - keenly listening for any signs that he's awake and here.

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listen, i can hear the call.

Ever a creature of habit he rose as the sun did, typically even a few minutes before it broke the horizon line. Sleepily he’d begun to rise feeling strangely unwilling to meet the day. Instead of springing to life he stretches allowing long unscarred limbs to touch smooth walls. It wasn’t much but he had to admit sleeping in the same spot was nice. The earth below was now starting to shape itself to his form and he’d placed some herbs that smelled like home to soothe. Alexandros hadn’t been home in gods knew how long but the smell was still what he missed most. Dragging himself forward the man emits a yawn before rubbing the top of his boxy crown against some of the gathered herbs. Blending the scent with his own in habit almost forgotten. Now having the time and space he luxuriates in the tradition. Rustiling about the bundles he stretches lazily toes splaying in simple delight as he writhes.

the golden age is over.

he's here, he's certainly here - she can smell the scent of him, thick and heady against the to-be-warmed sands. it's more than just the scent he leaves behind in his den, and there are no fresh tracks leading away from his den. instead the sands have smoothed it all out, meaning he's either been here all night or she's read it all wrong and @Alexandros is simply not home at all. it's an easy gamble to make - a coin toss, where both sides will end up with her infringing on his privacy. a small frown mars her features, knowing fully well that she should just leave well enough alone. she should come back later once he's obviously up and not just maybe awake. yet here she stays, lingering like a bad habit. her hand is already raised before she can think better of it - and still she does not second guess herself. gently she raps a little harder on his door. hoping the gesture will not appear as desperate to him as it seems to her. even as she chuffs, a quiet rumble, her weight shifts - her neck craning, however subtly, to see if she can steal a glance inside his den.

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gm permission given by @Bunny


listen, i can hear the call.

Busying himself in the herb spread the faint noises from outside were missed. Even if he’d caught them it was unlikely the Asahi boy would’ve paid much mind. Alexandros wasn’t what you would call social even under normal circumstances. Being alone for more than a year hadn’t helped that at all. Instead he was slow to introduce himself to others. Instead he found more joy scouting out unexplored areas near his new home. Oddly the bronze man also hadn’t explored more of the Oasis. Once finding a den he’d made himself at home and that was that. Alex was constantly longing for a glimpse of his queen but so far was unlucky. At their waterfall venture the woman did mention she was busy sure, what royal wouldn’t be? All the same he could almost feel the ghost of her when he slumped into bed. Drawing his thoughts and bathing to an end Alex stretches once more before turning.

there she was. @Ashelia.

Sometime between his slutty, slutty writhing and now the desert queen moved in. Alex freezes mid stretch, toes still angled downward and mouth foolishly hanging open. Blinking wide eyes he meets her gilded gaze trying to ignore the burning heat beneath freckled cheeks. bonjour. French words pass from blacklined lips as his brain tries to catch up to reality. He was awake - correct? Not simply dreaming the honeyed babe into his room. Straightening himself Alex hopes his mane isn’t askew or worse twigs to be found in it. Muzzle shut once again the beast casts a quick glance around sparing her more of his sudden panic.

the golden age is over.

she gets no real answer, yet there's a gentle scuffling sound that she cannot ignore. well, surely she could - but she does not want to. there's a horrible stroke in her chest, a possessive thing that has no reason to be here. still andal was hers (and he was too) and surely if she wanted to pop her head into his den... then she was allowed. she was queen, was she not? what had she fought valhalla for if not the right to do whatever she wanted?

there were many things that ashelia wanted to do.

yet this seemed the tamest among them, and certainly the most immediate.

her heartbeat ticks up as she treads forward - careful of where she places each paw. imagine - if rielus should see her now! it would be an embarrassment that she'd surely never live down, but no one would know. no one had to know. she'd simply peek in and then leave, but she just wanted to know. the idea that he was inside and simply ignoring her was never even considered - yet when her nose finally enters his den, she freezes. because that's exactly what was happening. @Alexandros was home, and more than that - he was awake. sprawled out across the floor of his den and stretching, his lean frame twisting in ways that she would've paid plenty of attention to in any other situation. as it were, his gaze turns to hers and she freezes - a bolt of panic shocking her system.

it's all she can to do not gasp, not jerk her head back and flee. still, her eyes go wide and she blushes - from the tips of her pretty ears right down to her pawpads, the desert queen flushes warm. caught red handed, yet alex does not readily despair. he seems plenty surprised - caught off-guard as she had been, but there is no yelling, no snarling. his greeting lilts from his mouth in a way that makes her flush for completely separate reasons. good morning, she murmurs easily, albeit breathless - as if she's just run a marathon. she lingers on his doorstep, closer to being inside than she ever should be yet she does not retreat - staring at him, curiously, with fluttering lashes. i was, ah, wondering if i could borrow you this morning? if you're not busy? here her words fail her, proper manners only propped up by years of training. as it were, the words rush from her tongue as she spends most of her mental capacity willing the red of her cheeks to die down.

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edit: missed last paragraph~!

listen, i can hear the call.

The expression that crossed his queens face jolted his capricious little heart. Even embarrassment she wore quick and well. Wide eyes managing to go larger still to match his own saucers. Alex swore he could see a crimson flush beneath that fair hide. Or maybe he just wanted to see it. He could feel the embarrassed heat growing under his own skin as the seconds dripped past. Despite her royal demeanor Ashe gives no ground. Instead of shrinking like a scandalized maiden the babe peers openly and subtly he shifts to give the best view. Instead of scrambling to a more dignified pose he moves easily into a casual wall lean, tail idly attempting to sweet away more herbs.

Alexandros was convinced his mane was an absolute mess but well, nothing for that now. He couldn’t see any twinges or errant leaves but the man swore he could feel them. Blinking he realizes she’d spoken. That she was looking for him. Him! Suppressing a wild grin he instead manages a smooth laugh. Between those fluttering lashes, dulcet tones and elegant physique he was a slave to anything the woman could request. Shoulders rolled easily into a deprecating shrug to match the laughter. I was very busy. he pouts tail finally resting against slim ankles. Gaze warm on the woman he allows himself to consider just what she needed him for. Alexandros would never deny her a thing, and certain requests he would take on happily.

Dark tipped ears twitched atop his regal crown realizing just how close they were in this cramped space. The rare sensation of embarrassment deepens as he considers the earthen den. Besides the herbs he had few things to mark it as his own. Worse it seemed much to small with her bright presence emanating from the doorway. Illuminating just what a solitary, hollow existence he occupied. Resisting the urge to move closer he swallows quickly. he would go wherever, if only to experience her as she deserved.

respect. that was all. she was queen and shouldn't have been crammed in some bachelor pad! what can i do for you? he says after another soft pause, brow rising above a gilded eye. he manages to keep most of the innuendo out his voice - though those mismatched lenses do not rate so well.

the golden age is over.

there's a moment, just after she realized she was caught, that time seemed to stand still. she knows she should back up and let him have his space - yet she does not want to. she wants to drift even closer, let herself be pulled right into his orbit. that feeling only deepens when he shifts, lean frame stretching and flexing - tilting his hips just so. the arch of his spine, the smattering of freckles just underneath hooded eyes.... ashelia swallows, thickly, at the sight even as her flush deepens. surely that movement had been... deliberate? she'd think he was teasing if he wore a smile, but he didn't - his handsome features were terribly serious. that, more than anything (including his delicious frame) gives her pause - a terrible thudding in her chest that rivals only the want in her veins.

fortunately @Alexandros soothes the tension, breaking it easily with a laugh. as always he sounds calm and collected as she feels herself fray at the edges; envious of his demeanor - and the way that seemingly nothing ruffled him. if only she could harness a bit of that for herself, for she felt as though she was teetering on an edge whenever their paths crossed. his words are paired with a serious pout and she, too, laughs - the sound helping to soothe the strange itch in her chest. a want, a need, to express some of the energy collecting there. oh, i see that, she murmurs, voice a little huskier than it should be. heady, almost breathless, with something she should not want - yet desperately does.

an ear twists at his question, flushing once more - for she does not miss the innuendo held in those tones. not here, trespassing in his room - toes just brushing the border between friendly and inappropriate. she makes a small noise in the back of her throat, intent on clearing it - and pushing aside all the answers she could give. instead, she settles on: i had hoped to give you a tour of the oasis, she pauses, lips lifting in a delightful simper, brows furrowing in faux concern. the juxtaposition there is intentional, as is the way her tail tuft swings idly at her ankle - a shuddering, jerking motion that said if she was close enough, she'd wallop him with it. unless, of course, you're far too busy to humor me - ?

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listen, i can hear the call.

The cool collected mask he wears is one that is tightly strapped. It chafes against flushed skin but he manages. Something about the pale babe dug into him and he was helpless against the call. This was the best alexandros could do. Carefully he keeps his gaze on the honey queen, making sure to stay just on the line of respect. Of course she’d barged into his private chambers. What did that say about respect. Once more his heart thuds wildly attempting to figure out the softer shaded woman. Despite being somewhat antisocial he was typically good at reading others. Yet @Ashelia was almost unknowable. One second he was convinced he had some part figured out. Only to be proven wrong mere moments later.

Darker tipped ears fluttered forward to capture the sound of her laughter. Something he never expected to hear in his own quarters. Something that made his pulse quicken. Easily the girl teases him back her own tones as laced as his own. There is the faintest curve to his lips then. Eventually this bizarre truce would break the only question was who would do it? Alex keeps his tail gingerly tapping against shapely ankles. A sort of rubber band on his proverbial wrist. Perhaps a cold soak would’ve helped more but it was the best he had. Mostly they needed to get outside. Let some light besides her own in on the whole affair.

affair..

His danced around meanings are not missed by his clever quarry. Her soft emittance captured much like the laughter. Alex was shamelessly greedy when it came to the girl. A trait he would need to work himself free of before it became even more troublesome. focus. Truth be told he hadn’t seen much of the place now called home. It would be good to see the oasis, especially through her eyes. Another chuckle creeps past ebony lined lips and he fixes her with wide innocent eyes. Heavy black lashes aided in the task. never to busy for you. almost hurt alex tosses his elegant head. Taking a small step forward the vagabond fixes the babe with another curious glance. I would think my queen would be the busy one. At least to busy for such a small task. accent would caress the possessive, blood rushing beneath tanned skin.

Swallowing he plays at their border again, careless in a rare way. One more small step and he leaves little space between them. Enough to just barely call decent in both of their upbringings. Lower, brow quirked he asks; Unless, of course, everyone gets a house call? he manages to snatch some of the heat from his words via playful grin. Mismatched lenses flicker to the exit offering her a smooth escape if needed. There was something telling him to stop. To slow down and reign in whatever strange monster had taken control. But then there was the usual Alex who could handle anything. What was a little flirting?

the golden age is over.

never too busy for you. a simple admission and one she certainly shouldn't put any stock in. yet still she does, clutching at it greedily - happy to pocket it and hold onto it like it was a priceless jewel. outwardly she smiles, lips twisting in a soft smile - with just enough edge to keep their playful tone. it falters, just a moment, as @Alexandros speaks - and ah, that was quickly beginning a problem. it seemed that every time he opened his mouth he said something that would send her spiraling. picking and pulling his words, his tone, apart for something (anything) that she could use to keep herself warm. yet... there's not much need to read between the lines here this morning. he is either being overtly obvious or she is being desperate, grasping at straws that don't truly exist. she's going with the former, though. a small task, she agrees with a light dip of her head, but one that is terribly important. more important than she'd ever admit. after all, she says quickly - arching a brow as her smile widens and sharpens - fixing him with a keen grin. i can't have you getting lost. she says, with a quiet purr - a small crack into her psyche.

he steps close then closer still, and her jaws part. a minimal thing yet her lips remain open, allowing room enough for a pretty little o of surprise to form. he is taller than she is - when he steps forward it forces her chin to rise, to look up at him. usually such a thing would irk her, however small an inconvenience - a memento of power she will never be able to grasp. yet here, pressed as close as they are, it simply sets her heart to race. his shoulders, square and broad, block out the rest of his den until it seems as though he is the only thing in her sight. and that, compared with his scent so heady in her nose, causes her thoughts to stutter and freeze - an error page flashing before she can remember herself.

she is a queen, after all. not a swooning maiden - though gods, she's not so sure anymore.

his words are sheltered with a smile yet she feels herself flush; a reminder that she had barged in on him. and was still loitering in his doorway like an uninvited house guest. quiet embarrassment snaps at lust's heels, tempering the writhing swell of emotions in her breast. easily her head ducks, chin pressing against her supple chest for a brief moment, as she slides backward a step - providing a much-needed buffer between herself and his intoxicating smile. it also firmly puts her outside of his den and despite stepping into the sun's rays, she feels cold. chilled, with the sudden absence of everything alex. she wants to move forward again, press even closer this time, but she doesn't - instead, she says: only the important ones, i assure you. her mouth feels bitter but she does her best to brush past it; after all, she did not come here just to flirt. come, then - let me show you around.

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listen, i can hear the call.

Before his head can get any bigger the babe pops a perfect little hole. Immediately he takes an offended step backward features curving into hurt. Dark ears too fluttered backward to sell the tableau. I have one flaw. complains the European beast the frown still tugging at ebony lined lips. He can’t help the playful grin that follows. The light she brings out of him feels almost tugged at times. The consequences surprising him almost every time. Despite his discomfort at all the sensations he couldn’t deny there was something delightful there too.

Peering down at the girl alex finds himself almost overhwelmed but unable to act on it. He was pressing afterall, it wouldn’t do to back away. So he lingers over the babe blood singing at her closeness. Here he could see the vibrant liquid gold of her eyes and how well they merged together. His own were too different but the golden babe wore such oddity well. On her one wouldn’t even call it that. Ashe neared perfection - at least physically. Alexandros was still In control enough to not think he truly knew the woman. No matter how desperately he wanted to unravel her pretty layers.

When the opening is provided he allows the moment to dissolve. Lean limbs moving forward as he favors her with a grin. He doesn’t allow himself to mourn the feeling lost. At least not publicly. Instead he once gain attempts to tap her on the ankles with his own tail tassel. A new childish habit he can’t shake when they come so close. important. Another one for his growing treasure trove. Skipping out past her fully the man stretches in the early morning light doing a small shake once there is some space between them. I admit I haven’t seen much after settling in. faint shame is gently shirked by another embarrassed look. I do appreciate it. honesty is something he rarely wore but around Ashelia it fit natural enough. He felt like he could attempt it at least. Tearing his gaze away from the honeyed queen he surveys her domain waiting, waiting.

Their dance required a smooth exchange of leads and for now she was certainly at the helm.

you rang?

the golden age is over.