Laveau shivered as his fur brushed her and she inhaled his scent, he spoke again and she pressed her nose into his fur, before speaking softly, "My name is Marie." She stated softly, it wasn't her true name but she didn't want to be Laveau with him, she wanted to be someone else entirely, he could know a different version of her.

The small lioness brushed against him, purring quietly as she nuzzled under his chin, she trailed against him, circling his body before resting under his chin again, she'd seen the emotions in his eyes, the loneliness, maybe he wouldn't have to be alone anymore. It didn't have to be serious, or committed or whatever, but she could be someone for him

image by moogle/code by saph

It never occurred to War that he could be someone so different here that he could change his name. He never once saw things that way when he had first arrived here in Amaryllis and he didn't see it that way now, with her. His name was something that was often an embarrassment. So many assumed that he was violent because of it. But it meant so much more than the simplest meaning most could bring to mind upon hearing it. War could be violent, yes. But some wars were more quietly fought, and that was why the name had been given to him. Because he fought in a different way.

Her name was so simple; so commonplace compared to his. There was the smallest part of him that was jealous. But another overwhelming part took pride in his own name. "I am War," he rumbled, not caring then what she thought of it. He was a stranger to her anyways, and she was already leaning into him, brushing against him. The touch felt good. It grounded him in a way nothing else had in a long time.

He leaned into her softly as she came to rest beneath his chin again after circling him. He was gentle, careful not to hurt her smaller frame. He may not be massive, but he was still quite large and she was smaller than he was. And he had always been a gentle soul.

@Laveau

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His name falls upon her ears and she takes it in without confusion or questions about how he got it, a name is a string of letters strung together in a clever manner, names didn't much matter to her, but the soul, that was another thing all together. She gave him the softest smile, "It's good to meet you War." She whispered quiet into his fur.

When he leaned into her touch after she stopped under his chin, she turned her head to look back at him, he was careful with her, and she was glad he wasn't rough and brutish, he was gentle and it made her more comfortable in his presence as she rested against him, her muzzle tilted upwards and she lightly nuzzles into his cheek.

image by moogle/code by saph

This was entirely unlike him. He'd loved before, and he had always saved most of his affection for that kind of love. This was not love. It was loneliness that drove him towards the touch of another. In his old life he never would have done something like this without first establishing a relationship. But now? The rules had changed, he supposed.

He pulled his head away, only slightly, so that he could peer down at her for a moment, his blue eyes searching her face for something. "What do you want?" he whispered. It wasn't an accusation. He was looking for direction; something to tell him where this was supposed to go and what he was supposed to do. He'd always been the gentleman, after all. He merely wanted touch, as simple as what they were doing right now, and perhaps some companionship. But what was Marie looking for?

@Laveau

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Laveau was not lonely, in the most basic form, she had the Family, but affection was not something she was accustomed to, she craved it like a love starved child, so when he pulls up to peer down at her and asks her what she wants, she pauses. She'd never been intimate with anyone, Envy had left before they had made their mateship official, Poltergeist was in no hurry to consummate their marriage, but even though she'd never mated, the want and desire to be desired was there.

She didn't know how to read, or how to guide him because for once, she was the inexperienced one, so she gently spoke, "Can we just see where it goes.. I'm not quite sure what it is I'm wanting.." She spoke honestly, a bit embarrassed by her lack of experience, she quickly looked at her feet, shuffling from the bashfulness.

image by moogle/code by saph

It takes everything he has not to sigh with relief that she wasn't going to ask him for something that he couldn't give. Not yet, at least. Instead, he answered her, his voice clearly relieved. "Yes, of course." He didn't know her past or what she might want or need or what she would respond to. But he could guide things along to see where they went at least.

But it was dark. Midnight had come and gone. He was tired, almost as if the connection he'd made had allowed him to feel normal for a moment. "We can rest," he suggested, glancing away from her and the ocean and toward the back end of the shore, where rocks lined parts of it. There was a rocky overhang there. Not quite a cave, but something to provide a little shelter. He'd like to see her in the light. He could see that she was colorful, but he couldn't tell what the colors were in the darkness.

@Laveau

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Laveau finally felt the days wear on her, she shuffled a bit and nodded to his words, her eyes followed his line of sight to the rocky overhang and she could deduct the rest. She gently unwound herself from him and moved towards the shelter, the moon was shining brightly against the rocks unlike the dark sandy shore.

She paused her step to look back at him, smiling gently before continuing her pawsteps to somewhere they could share together. Excitement bubbled up in her chest, butterflies attacked her stomach, it was all new to her, this was entirely different than what she felt when with Poltergeist, this was something she wanted.

image by moogle/code by saph

She removed herself from him and immediately he ached for more. It was strange how the simple action of touch changed so much. He'd forgotten what it felt like to really feel, both physically and mentally, and this was the first step towards remedying that. He was quick to follow as she began to move in the direction he had glanced.

Marie headed for the rocky overhang, War right on her heels. It only took him a moment to come up alongside her and then pass her, his larger size giving him long3r strides. He crept into the space and quickly examined it for threats. Finding none, he moved aside, motioning with one of his paws for her to make herself comfortable. Beyond that, he wasn't sure how this would go, or what he might do once she settled in.

@Laveau

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Laveau watched as he quickly passed her with his longer strides, she smiled gently, watching as he examined it for any threats and then moved to let her pass by. She examined the over hang and stretched down low before lying down and looking up at him, her eyes shining bright from the moonlight. She waited to see what he would, the extra fur she sported gave her an advantage from the chill of the night air, though she didn't need it when her body was already heating up from the thoughts of his body against hers.

The Merle lioness was a bundle of nerves and excitement, she had never felt this way before and it enlightened her, and made her crave it even more. She found herself comfortable in his presence, enough to allow her guard down, his demeanor and his caring personality allowing her to find peace with him.

image by moogle/code by saph

There was a nervousness that wound its way through his mind, tendrils reaching down to his stomach to flit around like butterflies. Was this right? Was it okay? He'd never done something like this before. His old relationships - old loves - had happened in such a different way. This seemed almost foreign to him. But, like Marie had said, they were just looking to see where things went here.

He knew nothing of her, but as she lay down beneath the overhang and looked up at him, War allowed instinct to take over. He approached, circling around her and laying down too, pressing against her back. "You're warm," he murmured in her ear, brushing his chin against the top of her head with soft, gentle movements. She trusted him so easily and he found that strange, but he had also been alone for so long. He wanted this. Companionship. The touch of someone - anyone, really.

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