i've got a confession, you're my religion <@onepromise>

[swordpour]

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[swordpour]

(so maybe it's after midnight, and she hadn't been able to sleep again. typically she was more a solitary person in her down moods, always prone to slipping away and keeping to herself certain thoughts that held no place within her current reality. the usual questions, was it worth it? is her grandfather disappointed in the afterlife? does she deserve a normal life? it's a never-ending list, a spiral, while the wolf maintains a mild distance meant to keep away others from touching upon what might make them realize what sort of mess she truly is.

but she was silent, silent as the rain bears down on her on this dreary evening. heavy rain, she didn't bother with a jacket. didn't bother to grab an umbrella for herself, either. there wasn't any reason to, but she did feel a sort of confusion as to why her phone was pinging so much. the girls wouldn't know about her being out in heavy rain from her quiet little apartment.

or that was the impression she had until she saw the name, the sender while she takes a moment to get beneath a bit of shelter. wet fingers slide against the keyboard, she looks pathetic right now. felt pathetic, truly.)

....shouldn't you be asleep?

(they both should be, if she were to think about it more. she was the one out in the rain, wandering around without a second thought. like she's desperate to get sick from her own inability to be something reasonable, or perhaps lately it didn't help the way her dreams were filled with something a little too sweet. that sort of sweetness that felt too good to be true, the familiar sight (becoming familiar, she should say) of this girl above her. the same girl she muses was likely searching for her.

before she left after that fateful day, the wolf had given her quite the present. her spare key. if she chose to use it, then obviously she'd welcome her to be there at any time. it didn't matter if cellinia wasn't there, it also didn't matter if mai decided to wake her with something sweeter than the bitter sting of reality as it often did give cellinia its own share of problems.)

Or did you find yourself feeling lonely?

(it had been a bit since they last saw one another, not that it was their faults. work often meant she wasn't the one delivering things to this girl and her half-formed heart, she might have gotten tired of playing roulette and decided to take matters into her own hands this evening despite the dreary rain and how it almost seems to never end.

it would have been almost endearing, but who knows, girls like them don't have this luxury with their buried down thorns, scars, and never-closing wounds.)

[onepromise]

[There's very little that Mai particularly likes about summer rains. When the heat of the day gives way to evening downpours, the earth becomes cloaked in a pale, menacing fog. From the heavy clouds above, the rain descends mercilessly and hisses against the ground. As a child, it had frightened her, the sounds and sights of this season-- she'd see them lurking, shadows in the mist, curl against her for protection, and silently make a futile wish for it all to get better.

At least in those days, sleep could come easy. In those days, someone could hold her and make her feel safe.

That night in Cellinia's embrace has been the first time in a long time that she's had a decent sleep. Mai wanted it again, that feeling, that comfort. She thought she'd luck out with another meeting, placing her orders with the company like she had the first time. Imagine her shock and visible disappointment when a different girl showed up. Irritation, even, when, on her way back to her room, Mai had realized that it had been one of the girls in Cellinia's photos. She had tried again later that week to the same result, and tried again the following week after asking her classmates if they wanted anything, anything at all. A different girl, that time, but the same disappointment.

Just call her, dummy. What was she to do with a rational thought like that? The distance between them had made her prickly again, reluctant to be vulnerable. Call her, and what? Admit that she wanted to be held? Pitiful, even if it was the truth.

But her efforts thus far weren't bearing fruit, and she wasn't in the mood to risk meeting someone who would have to endure her sour attitude and eye-rolling again. Nothing was working out, and Mai was nearing her wit's end.

The metal key felt heavy atop her palm, the weight of this gift growing more significant the longer she turned it in her hands. Then it hit her, one night when the clouds threatened to spill themselves over the city. The key was a declaration— Cellinia was still hers, whenever Mai was bold enough to seek her out. If she was bold enough. Another lesson, probably. A challenge.

Her heart hummed in bizarre excitement as she watched the mist blanket the earth. The trains were still running, and Momo could keep a secret, make an excuse for her if anyone asked.

So, she packed a few things in a small backpack and set off beneath her dark umbrella, steeling herself the entire way. Cellinia can never know that she's the reason why Mai will force herself to endure the dark summer rains.]

and shouldn't you be in bed?

[Either of them-- and Cellinia was nowhere to be found on that couch or her actual bed once Mai arrived. She had checked, stomped all over her apartment until finally calling her name out to the answer of silence.

There's no reply to her accusation of loneliness, but her wolf is clever enough to figure it out.]

and after i came all this way to surprise you

[An umbrella sits suspiciously in the corner of the entryway, and Cellinia's jacket is still hanging over one of the dining chairs. Frustrating— is she supposed to scour the city for her at this hour? The image of a sad, drenched little pup persists in her mind, and Mai doesn't like it one bit.]

[swordpour]

(of course she's clever enough, she knows it. she knows how the rainy seasons can be frightening, she even knows the way that this must feel as though she's there and not there. the accusation is there, the quiet way it seems to suggest that even the wolf had felt lonely. she wanted nothing more than to see her again, feel that embrace that caused her mind to still and her tired body to sleep soundly against nightmares which always plagued her. she doesn't speak any further, not now. the positive is that it wouldn't take her long to return under the quiet of this long and dreary night. she has someone waiting on her, she shouldn't keep standing there as the rain drips onward. the nights are always like this for her, the sound of rain is both something she loves and hates.

her heart cries out in questions that she couldn't answer. her mind starts to wonder if she should ever consider herself a person worth the effort that she's often given. but they're both a pair of girls who find it easier to play pretend and push away those who might reach for them by the heart, their souls don't belong to them as it sinks deeper into the skin those thorns. those that tried would never find themselves capable of having the touch of their hands. they'd only leave once they release the disappointment that awaits. that the wolf was not worthy of it.

that this girl and her half-formed heart wasn't, either. she's hers, that was a promise made while the wolf thinks to herself again that pathetic or not....she did want to see her again.)

....point taken.

(wasn't it easier to also dream of lips that felt like she didn't deserve them? she would dream of that, a kiss, the sounds that mai might make were cellinia to have her there to push her against the mattress of her bed. how much better it felt whenever she didn't have to think any longer and could simply allow herself to give in to an act of wanting something so precious. how chaste and sinful her dreams always varies, they'd always haunt her.

just the way that she wanted her to, she wanted mai to haunt her and make her never stop thinking about her. about how easy it might be to find this girl and drive away. somewhere further away from their troublesome thoughts, as though that would solve their problems and the weight of their own souls being too much for the normal masses who wander the streets. she never did, though. cellinia had some manner of restraint to not chase that foolish notion, not this soon, even if that spark of longing is there and wondering if the taste of her lips would quiet the outside world again.

though that thought sounds so much like cellinia is losing her mind, she felt that way ever since that same night. unable to help the way that she also felt like this is so fleeting, that she could wake up and feel this all nothing more than a dream.)

I'm not far.

(she could even do something amusing, since that apartment has a balcony. by climbing up to it with those tattoo covered arms and coming in with an apologetic kiss like one of those fairytales. the sort of desperation that only could be felt by souls like theirs when it comes to feeling like they weren't worth the attention while craving that softness.

that slice of heaven again when cellinia begins the fifteen-minute trek back, she knows how to get in without being seen by her neighbors like this.)

Make yourself at home....

(maybe that's a subtle admission, a want for her to stay, all from something as simple as telling mai to get comfortable if she wished to do such a thing.)

[onepromise]

[ 'I'm not far.' When Mai's phone buzzes in her hand with this message, her shoulders relax, a tension melting away that she hadn't noticed until that moment. There's still a furrow in her brow, though, a frown tugging her lips down while her fingers hover over the screen, mulling over what to reply with to Cellinia's clear invitation.

Mai, too, has a host of her own questions swimming in her mind. If she's not far away, where did she go exactly? Why didn't she take an umbrella, or even her damn jacket? Where did she disappear to, after that night they spent together? Why was it those other girls who had handed her those orders of snacks she didn't necessarily need or want, instead of Cellinia?

Why wasn't she here, right now, waiting for Mai?

A gnawing feeling in the back of her mind taunts her with cruel reminders of all of the times that she had chased after someone who was a comfort that she found herself clinging too tightly to. Ever unattainable, quick to forget, not even bothering to look back and acknowledge her. How quick Mai was— still is, as much as she is loathe to admit it— to believe them worthy enough to still keep up the pursuit, even if it ended up being twisted into something bitter and miserable.

Yet the key in her hand is a cool reminder that Cellinia isn't Maki. Because Maki stopped being worth the tears and pain and effort when Mai realized that no one was going to save her from the prison that she was left behind in. Cellinia, on the other hand, had only condemned Mai to a pathetically lonely yearning that is easy enough to remedy— the metal in Mai's palm is proof enough of it.

Tonight, at least, she can keep the nightmares at bay. Cellinia isn't running from her, quite the opposite. It should comfort her. It does comfort her— but it'll only feel real once she sees her again, feels her beneath her fingertips, once she is reminded that Cellinia is real and not some figment of some near-death insanity that seemed far more likely than a sweet, budding emotion that they were both reluctant to name,]

hurry up

before i fall asleep

[Easily, she could have been more pleasant and sent off any number of texts far kinder than this. 'Be safe,' or 'I'll have something warm waiting for you.' Stupid, maudlin little things that have no place being recorded in words, of all things. She does think it, though, this hope that Cellinia returns safely. And Mai will put some water on the stove to heat up for tea, grumbling as she does because this kind of tender domesticity feels at odds with the wall of thorns that have crept up in the time that they've been apart.

In a way, that is her odd way of 'making herself at home'— finding herself falling into those old habits of being useful, of worrying, and letting the annoyance that she can still feel these things thump against her ribs with each anticipatory heartbeat.

Mai doesn't even consider that Cellinia might have a more unorthodox way of making her grand entrance, and so her eyes remain trained on the front door while she leans against the counter, crossing her arms in a vain attempt to quell her nerves. The teapot slowly begins to whine, just as a distant rumbling rolls through the skies.]

[swordpour]

(she didn't go far at all, the space she walked to was a casual jaunt away. a quiet little rooftop that she found herself sitting atop of often with thoughts about her own misdeeds dwelling. about how she's so foolish to think that she ever deserves this tender feeling, it remains even now while reading this message. they don't speak aloud truths, the obvious truths of the emotions they share mutually that is, they only dance around it like most things in their lives from how it feels.

she wasn't there, but she wanted to see her. she might have even considered sneaking into her dorm that night from how much she was on her mind this dreary and depressing evening. late at night, where nobody would know the things they think about and long for in something like yearning. depressing and pathetically so, they yearn like normal girls might have. but they aren't normal girls, are they? cellinia by this time was on the ground level of the apartment complex.

they don't know she's climbing up to her floor, they haven't noticed the wolfish figure prowling slowly as if she didn't have any good intentions in mind. it's only when she climbs over the railing, that cellinia could be completely seen as the thunder cracks loud and proud. booming enough to make those fluffy yet sadly wet wolf ears stiffen from the noise. as if they were trying to detect where it was while she taps on her balcony door.

the fact it's near her living room/kitchen makes this easier. the knock was a courtesy to not frighten her lover, at least not while she slides it open shortly after. her tank top and shorts are drenched wet, clinging to scarred and ink skin. heavy, thick, and almost enough to make her consider just disrobing like it were nothing where she stands. terrible idea, really. mai might not take kindly to being given a show from her being drenched like a depressed pup after they had spent some time not seeing one another.

that's only what she tells herself, as the thought of vulnerability makes her wary. though she's silent, silent and staring as if she likely didn't scare this girl with her choice of grand entrance. silent while amber eyes flicker with something inexplicable, something she couldn't describe. they both were too used to people leaving, disappearing without a second thought as they told themselves they didn't need them. it's only more pain in their hearts while the wolf's bare feet touch the wood flooring. there's a puddle forming beneath them from her clothes and the lengthy black-red strands of her hair.

somehow, she's felt....relieved. to see her there, she isn't sure if she hates the way she feels from it. she doesn't hate it. cellinia might even think to herself depressingly enough that she's only fortunate that mai didn't decide like many others she's not worth this trouble of seeing. what she got instead was enough to cause her to feel at ease knowing she's there and not some figment of her imagination. her minds been a typical mess for women like them, always believing that she shouldn't wish for more.

it didn't stop her.)

....I'm home.

(the words are spoken softly, the wolf looks dreadful. like something gnaws at her soul that remains unsaid, it's better she never says it for their sake. admitting it would only cause their ruin to quicken, that she dreamed too much of this little red riding hood of hers. the same girl who came back to find her, to see her after having enough of their distance.

she didn't intentionally avoid her, anyway. work didn't always mean she got the same person or the same familiar jobs all the time, who would have thought that this pretty wolf could look so worn and pathetic. so....vulnerable, despite telling herself that she wasn't being vulnerable. that she was fine, her thorns were ever capable of not allowing others to touch what should never be touched. but it didn't mean she was able to hold it forever. not after they met, not after her face haunted her.)

[onepromise]

[Between the falling rain only growing in intensity and the peals of thunder threatening to split the skies, Mai doesn't hear the sounds of someone scrambling up the side of the apartment. Her mind is well-occupied with a chorus of thoughts, needlessly frustrating questions, scoldings that she wants to dole out, and everything tinged with some manner of neediness that she just doesn't know how to do away with— ]

….!

[Just as the crack of thunder fades back into the heavy downpour, the teapot gives a loud, sudden whistle, and an unexpected rapping at the glass door has Mai giving a stifled shriek of her own. Her fingers instinctively slip beneath the bulky fabric of her sweater, curling around the the grip of her revolver and wondering if she had enough time to construct a round before whatever was outside barged its way in.

Now wouldn't that be a sight— Cellinia coming home to some intruder bleeding out while Mai stems a gnarly nosebleed from being forced to use her technique. Somehow, she doubts that this key will stay in her possession for much longer after that.

Her heart is racing wildly, the excitement of seeing her wolf after so long swiftly replaced with the very dread she was hoping to stave off tonight. Her stomach turns with a horribly familiar fright, and in the handful of seconds between the door creeping open and Mai training her aim at the figure slipping in, the apartment ceases to be the sanctuary she had craved for it to be.

Of course this would happen to her— it's just her miserable luck for even trying to want something better for herself—

But when the 'intruder' steps into the dim light cast from one of the living room lamps, Mai feels her heart stop in a completely different way, and she immediately lowers her revolver with a loud, stiff exhale.]

Seriously, Cellinia?

[Adrenaline still surges through her veins. If the sight of the very person she's been wanting to see wasn't already giving her some silly, childish fluttering in her stomach, the rush of fear has her feeling plenty light-headed. She's plainly aware of the faint trembling of her hands and the cold sweat beading at the back of her neck, but the wide-eyed look of surprise she had worn is quickly taken over by an expression of embarrassed irritation.

Mai opens her mouth to admonish her with some biting remark, but whatever she was going to say dies on her tongue when her eyes adjust to the sight in front of her. Cellinia looks a right mess, sopping wet in her clothing. Perfect for the unbearable summer heat, but a poor choice for the torrential rains that accompany the season. Her long hair clings to her limbs just as tightly, only adding to the depressing air about her as lightning flashes faintly behind the balcony door.

More than that, though, it's the look on the wolf's face that makes Mai's relief feel as if it's misplaced, somehow. The stoic expression that she'd expect is layered with a misery that stings to behold. It that same feeling that bubbled up in Mai when she had glanced at that photo of a younger Cellinia— but seeing her like this, face to face, is something wholly different. It's a palpable anguish, bitter on her own tongue, and she doesn't know what to do with it other than swallow it deep and try to calm her racing pulse.]

…You're a real headache, you know that? I could've…

[Mai chews at her lip, not wanting to give voice to the very real possibility that she could have hurt Cellinia. Her own voice is low, the scathing tone that she normally would have taken is softened considerably. She hadn't expected their reunion to play out this way— in truth, Mai didn't know what she expected, after days and days of going back and forth between her greedy desires and self-defeating thoughts.

Cellinia… It seems as if she has been wrestling with similar demons, and Mai can't say if that's a comfort or a unique kind of torture, itself.]

[swordpour]

(she knew what this looks like, she knew it too well. she could have been mistaken for an intruder and shot down. oh, how that would be such an interesting time. the sight of her on the ground, bleeding, and not necessarily blaming her goddess for her decision to do such a thing. it only would have been fitting had this little red riding hood decided to end the life of someone like her in another sense. she isn't human, not even normal. what she is, is something worse than that in how her longing for life finds itself often facing obstacles. those obstacles being caused by cellinia herself who could only recognize that it's nobody's fault except for her own. this is her responsibility, and her own suffering is not something meant to be shared.

she doesn't react, not to those near scathing words and how softened her tone is. the irritation and embarrassment. the wolf is quiet, the sound of her voice had only caused cellinia to think to herself that they both seem terrible. that tonight is one of those nights where there was nothing more than stark reminders that they both were less than deserving of happiness. that wishing for change would only hurt them further, that any love would only ruin their thorn covered hearts more than anything.

it didn't stop her from craving it, she might be quiet, but the wolf's own expression and its misery softens. something familiar. they both had discovered piece by piece there were similarities in them, they couldn't deny that on days like this where the world felt far away from being kind toward their tired souls. their tired hearts and bodies which screamed out so often about injustice while one surrendered to the inevitable, the other? she ran away after carving her path forward in blood and fire.

there were no words spoken, not when she ignores how soaked she is to come closer. that low tone told her enough and the softness behind it about what mai was thinking about, about what she might have dealt with alone in a similar sense. being apart had torn them to pieces more than this love that they ignore was blooming in their heart to not label it. if they lost this next, it would only mean there would be no return from the way their souls would shatter to pieces.

the familiar ache is there, and the sight of her, despite being dreadfully wet, cupping the girl's cheek when she comes closer to her with a disregard to her current state. what is she doing, is this meant to comfort? perhaps, it's better to comfort one with the cold warmth of her body as amber eyes look into hazel. it could be something of one, that they both deal with demons and monsters. that someone knows too well the pain behind it.

touching her like this....she feels so real, so warm, and here. right here, before her, instead of a figment of her imagination. of dreams that would leave the wolf wanting more than anything this familiar sweet warmth that they indulged too much in before mai had departed from her life for a time.

who was it for, this brush of tender fingers and caresses against the skin of? who was it? undeniably, it was for them both. the silence is something that doesn't fade, for a little longer, as the rain carries on in a backdrop of its own. her anguish may never fade, not any time soon. but what she does is, she knows that she didn't want this pain they both know too well to break them apart tonight.

if only for now.)

I'm sorry.

(maki wouldn't have apologized, for another thing. cellinia does, she didn't mean to. not even with leaving her alone. to wait and wonder, to feel the dreadful ache of loneliness at something as simple as parting. but she didn't need to apologize for that, or maybe she felt that she should have. she's silent again, but the silence is louder in what it was that she wants to do.

what she wants, is to not think about it. their demons, the world, not even this storm that decided to contribute to her already darkened thoughts of a time when she wasn't so sure if she was meant for the life that was presented before her young eyes. what the wolf needs is more than that.

more in how she would keep that hand of hers against mai's cheek, the stroking of it tender and warm. her eyes soft, but holding their own misery about many things. as quiet as she is, she leans in. if she wants an apology for how wet the wolf is, then mai can have it later when cellinia kisses her.

it's soft, it's lingering, and even nothing more than something she wanted selfishly. for a reminder. that this girl is real.)

[onepromise]

[The sounds of the relentless storm fill in the silence that settles almost uncomfortably between the two of them. It isn't something that bolsters whatever relief Mai was beginning to feel at the sight of her familiar wolf in the place of some frightening intruder. Cellinia's expression remains unreadable for a few long moments, and she leaves Mai's quip to hang in the air, rather than speaking up.

She knows better, knows that Cellinia won't react hotly or indignantly to the attitude that she's giving— but the silence grows almost suffocating, and Mai can't stand it.

Something about that look, the wordless seconds that stretch painfully long now, begin to fuel a bothersome feeling clutching tightly at her chest. Regret, maybe, at that flippant remark she just made, calling Cellinia a 'headache.' Mai's tongue is used to rattling off whatever judgments that her mind sees fit to make, uncaring of the recipient feelings while at the same time hoping that the barbed comment sinks deep enough to give her a reaction that'll satisfy her.

But Cellinia's lack of response only leaves her wanting, a nervousness gnawing at her instead of some half-inflated pride at keeping her true feelings at bay. This isn't their first meeting, where Mai had coasted by on her snark and still managed to get her way with the object of her attention. They've since bared parts of themselves that were impossible to conceal again. They've indulged in both irreparable mistakes and immovable vows alike in that short time together that whatever script Mai was used to relying upon falls laughably short at navigating her lover's unnerving silence.

And words are failing her, too, now, while her palms grow clammier around the grip of her revolver— an odd comfort, an anchor to keep her steady amidst the waves of different emotions waging their war inside of her.

Her posture stiffens when Cellinia takes those wet footsteps in her direction, the only sound that the wolf makes as she regards Mai with a softer gaze, this time. The girl's heart doesn't cease in its thrumming, especially not once she feels a damp hand cup her cheek, cold fingers leaving traces of the rain wherever they stroke upon her skin.

Despite herself, she sighs softly in relief, though a faint frown still graces her lips as she searches Cellinia's eyes for a singular answer to the chorus of questions that are teeming in her head. A futile effort— but she did so painfully miss those pretty eyes. She doesn't look away, refuses to even let her own eyelids fall closed in the warmly blooming comfort. But she doesn't say anything, either, not even an admission that could soften the tension in the air tonight.

Again, Cellinia acts first, breaking the silence at last— an apology, of all things. Mai doesn't want it to surprise her, but it stuns her nevertheless. An expression unfamiliar to her ears, despite her heart begging for someone, anyone to say it to her, and ease the burden of her very life.

This time, she averts her eyes. It hardly matters, though, as it's obvious just what kind of impact those words have on her.

You should be.

It's what she so badly wants to say, the words that threaten to jump from her lips in response to Cellinia's quiet apology. That she ought to be sorry for scaring her like this, for putting herself in harm's way if Mai wasn't the type to hesitate. That she should be especially sorry for the aching loneliness that plagued Mai's days and nights— sorry for making herself all that Mai can think about, haunting her waking moments as well as her sleep.

Yes, Cellinia should be so sorry for promising Mai that she would do just that, and make good on that word.

She swallows those feelings down, of course. Or perhaps they're promptly extinguished by the sensation of Cellinia's lips pressingly softly against her own. Their kiss tastes like the rain, grief and solitude borne of an unreachable sky. It tastes like Cellinia, just as unreachable, just as beautiful and solitary.]

…It's fine.

[Her voice is hardly audible, a hush nearly drowned out by the still-whistling kettle and the rumble of thunder outside of the apartment walls. She wants to do it again, kiss her again, taste that loneliness and imagine that it belongs to her, as well. Her hands hesitate before resting at the dip of her waist, the sleeves of her sweater catching the excess water immediately.

She'll let it bother her in a moment or two, after she takes another chaste kiss and tightens her hold just a bit.

Welcome home.

A shame that she decides to swallow these words down, too.]

[swordpour]

(did it matter any longer? she should be sorry for scaring her, she should even be sorry for the things she's done tonight in making her lover feel as lonely as the wolf felt. that they both felt the ache, the desire of touch while also dancing around the idea of being the one to make the first step and admission. they had a craving that could only be satisfied with finding one another again, haunting one another meant sleepless nights and minds wandering so far away from reality. seeing ghosts that might not have been there while dreaming of tender embraces and kisses. the longing of their hearts is only part of their ignorance to the emotions, the warmth hidden behind them that threatens to breach the remains of those vines wrapped in thorns that prick any daring fools who reach too far.

she was left to feel lonely. they both were left to feel the cruel embrace of being alone with warmth fading away from their hands. their bodies, their lives. cellinia doesn't call her out. not for the unsaid words, not for how she looked away at something as sweet as an apology given for her own misdeeds, in which she left her to suffer alone. cellinia could only caress her cheek, those beautiful eyes that mai adored never leaving her. how pretty they are, softened with the edges of misery while taking in the sight of this girl who felt herself seemingly unworthy of hearing an apology.

then again, she wasn't sure she knew. not when cellinia offers in this kiss the claim of her loneliness belonging to mai. her loneliness, this misery she tastes on her tongue mixed with rain and the faint taste of chocolate and nicotine. the sting of desperation could be felt attempting to make itself known. a desire to take more of her lover's lips, to taste them in silence. not even from the urge to be physical, but from an urge to simply kiss this girl until their minds grow quiet and forget about that which haunts them.

that reality should not have a place in this paradise they've longed for, this moment which haunts them like it were the first time. it hurts. this feeling of desperation that likely won't fade so soon. what nightmares and monsters might this pretty wolf carry that mai doesn't know about, what of mai's own prolonged agony in their parting? there is nothing that can compare to this peace she finds herself frightened by, that mai might be the cause of her once sleepless nights to fade into something else. they didn't need to speak about it.

not even about those wretched thoughts that cause them such misery, those thoughts are left for another time. somewhere that wasn't this sacred place that they've started building together piece by piece. the process is slow, it even would be painful, but it was something meant to give them peace. something that no other souls would ever rip away from their hands as long as they had each other.

her eyes, despite the misery, hold a tenderness to them. perhaps in part from realizing that her lover was afraid herself, about many things that that were unknown. about how she could have shot her still being there, unsaid. they didn't have to mention that. that sigh of relief at cellinia touching this girl's cheek was enough to give the wolf an idea that her little red riding hood was pleased by the motion earlier.

that her touch, as cold and wet it was, had soothed part of those worries.

answers were not something she could give her, but simply hearing that it was fine was enough. for now. she has so much more she would have said if cellinia wasn't such a coward about her emotions, her feelings and thoughts. it wouldn't have healed away the scars, the wounds that would never close, but it would have been something. that something they could have used long ago. it doesn't matter now, either.

what mattered more is here, the two of them tired and anguished. facing your demons alone is something difficult, painful and even demanding of strength that could not be mustered with ease. she may not ever drive away her own demons, it didn't mean that she wouldn't have tried for this girl. this girl she labeled a goddess in her own right and deserving of this love that's beginning to bloom.

love that cellinia might not ever be so sure she's deserved for herself.

there's something on her tongue, something she wants to say. that truly, she wants to make one admission tonight. that she missed her. wanted to see her, that it felt like she might have been slowly losing her mind. how she haunted her so thoroughly into feeling like she might have been dying without something as simple as the way she kissed the wolf. about how even the wolf found herself dreaming, thinking, and believing she saw this girl everywhere she went.

she wants to say it, she even does begin to articulate the words, only for that to die on her tongue. the kiss wasn't unexpected entirely, the chastity of it and tenderness in the depths of it wasn't. she feels her hands around her waist, it's enough to make cellinia hesitate in not wanting to get her wet.

....she'll apologize later, she decides.

the kettle whistles in the background as her arms wrap around mai, a third kiss is taken. maybe it felt desperate, maybe it felt full of longing in that taste of loneliness that they both wear on their lips. it was mai's. the taste, the desperation that blooms, how she disregarded she's soaking wet to hold her close to her.

for a little longer, she wants to stop thinking. for them both to not think, for now.)

[onepromise]

[A single kiss should have dispelled all of the troublesome thoughts, the memories of anguished nights thinking about all of the mistakes they wanted to make again. It should have exorcised the ghosts that have been lurking in a shared, hazy memory, one that could have only sustained them for so long as the days apart grew longer. It might have even been enough to confront their persistent ignorance at the feelings they knew full well were simmering beneath their harsh surfaces— but they're both so wonderfully terrible in their mirrored reluctance to face themselves honestly, that a single kiss just isn't enough.

For Mai, all that this initial kiss does is prove to her that Cellinia is real, albeit cold and sopping against her. Of course, it's nothing at all like their very first, given and taken with a sharp, almost aggressive wanting. This one is tender, searching, a soft and wordless apology that asks for acceptance. And the second kiss, the one that Mai insists on, acts as her answer, one that her words alone just aren't enough to convey— if only because she won't let them be enough.

It's only in their third kiss that whatever walls Mai had hastily put up in the interim crumble as if they're made of sand, while the storm that is Cellinia's restless longing marches across to topple them effortlessly. Could it be because this kiss is more fraught with desperation, a taste that neither of them bother denying when denial would demand that they part again? It's a taste that triumphs over the sweet and smokey flavor upon her lover's tongue. Mai doesn't mind one bit of it, neither the bitter tobacco nor the heady agony that fills her senses, leaving her both satisfied and wanting.

To expect that these kisses could make up for the stretch of absence that neither girl dared to cross first is a rather tall order. Still, they're no strangers to building something up again with fragments a bit too sharp. Quietly, they've both decided that the other was worth the blood spilled for it.

Mai's nerves are only slightly quelled. Perhaps its the contrast of Cellinia's dripping form pressed against her own body, and the warmth rooting itself in her heart once more from what this contact means. Her thoughts are still in a tangle, but they've gratefully dissolved somewhat into a white noise in the back of her mind, on par with the rain pelting against the glass.

Their lips part, and Mai indulges in another sigh. It's frustrating, how badly she wants to kiss her again, kiss Cellinia like she missed her and wants her to know it beyond a doubt. It's amusing, how they can be so useless when it comes to words, Cellinia with her stoic nature and Mai with her otherwise smart mouth.

Can it be enough that they're embracing like this, instead of taking the more favored route of pushing people away again? While words would only cement it, make their feelings more real, touching like this is what they know best. Maybe it can serve better than words might, for now.]

You're getting me all soaked.

[Mai mutters against Cellinia's lips. There's a slight annoyance alight in her eyes, mostly because she'd rather keep kissing without the discomfort. She had brought her umbrella for a reason, and yet her wolf's little adventure in the rain has undone her best efforts. Really, she shouldn't be that surprised… ]

Wait here and take everything off. I'm not gonna have you trailing water all over the place.

[Peeling off her own sweater and tossing it over one of the dining chairs, Mai grimaces slightly once she sees that the water had seeped through to her own thin shirt beneath. She was smart enough to to bring a change of clothes with her, this time, but she supposes that can wait while she stalks off to grab a few towels and something dry for Cellinia to wear. Before disappearing from the kitchen area, she shuts off the fire beneath the kettle with a grumble.

The adrenaline has since worn off, replaced with some troublesome mix of craving and exasperation.]

[swordpour]

(the thoughts themselves should have faded like those troublesome ghosts, monsters, and whatever else might hold them as something that could never escape the inevitable crushing of their hopes and dreams. their desires of not being crushed by the world for desiring this little peace that they barely have their hands wrapped around. it isn't a surprise that they both play ignorant (both intentional and not) to what rests underneath the surface of their harshness. they both are so terrible at displaying it, and even admitting what is evident truth against the terrible mirrors that both wolf and little red riding hood look into. they are similar, it's a terrible thing in which they want more than either girl would bring up.

the initial kiss is a reminder, a comfort, meant to tell each other that this is real. this isn't a dream meant to ruin them further, in the way that love shall as it reaches for them by the throat. the second that mai insisted upon cements it further, the apologies offered while laced with something tender. a far cry from the aggressive mix of want and need from that faithful day which caused so many sinful promises to be made. promises, oaths, and more than that as it dragged them down further from their hearts and how this isn't enough. it's not enough, it truly isn't enough that words would always escape them.

the third kiss carrying that desperation, sweetly blended with her natural taste and rain as it makes itself known. if they pushed back against it, then it'd only kill them. agony seeps deep, but so does the loneliness, the desperation. like trying to tell themselves that only one kiss would be enough to let them feel whole again. she offered this girl her soul as her own, mixed in with the sweet and smokey taste of her tongue that has its own pull in how they could only fall apart (if ever) in each other's presence.

the blood might be spilled, but they know how to tear down walls without trying. like now, cellinia does it so easily. it feels so good, the warmth and how their minds grow quiet. their bodies touching, the wolf's amber eyes and their beauty on mai's own hazel, with something gentle mixed into the agony and sharp edges that they carry alone with this girl.

she doesn't push to undress mai, not all of their kisses needed to be proceeded by the rush of heat and desire that could only be resolved by feeling their exposed bodies underneath their hands. vulnerability has more forms than only those of a sexual nature, even if cellinia could agree that touching the way they are is best. the dripping wet embrace of the wolf as their bodies meet during this storm as it comes down outside.

cementing it further would only be too soon for their tired souls, words never were the strong point of cellinia and her own mouth wasn't any better when she truly doesn't like someone or something. stoic nature or not. she isn't afraid to let someone have it when it suits the wolf, and it often shows.

amusing, but also depressing. she could push her away, but she doesn't. all cellinia does is stand there, not moving and so close that they could have kissed again. uncaring that the wolf is drenched down to the bone, uncaring she might make a mess if she were to go further in desperate longing to touch her little red riding hood until her own loneliness fades away.

it's better she didn't, it's better she also didn't lean in to steal another kiss at mai's exasperation and own cravings. cellinia only does what she does best, she looks amused in her own way. without something sarcastic flowing into her beautiful eyes. expressionless, but amused in how she doesn't seem all that sorry for wanting to kiss her.

that's better than the agony now, isn't it?)

....I'm not that bad.

(please, she knows she is. she'd do this without a second thought if her lover found it suited her fancy. that was fact. she doesn't say anything more, though. what she does is reach to peel off the heavily drenched tank top from her skin to toss it aside somewhere over a different dining chair. back in view were the scars and that back tattoo of hers again when mai turns to leave, she's doing as expected in not leaving herself.

her shorts join her tank top momentarily, leaving her in only a pair of black panties that seem to be hanging on for dear life thanks to the rain water. they weren't so badly soaked that she'd have to be nude while she tries to dry off. there's that. perhaps not so much a boon for their resolve if one of them decides they had enough of waiting again.)

[onepromise]

Not that bad. [ she echoes over her shoulder with a touch of mocking in her voice ] Yeah— whatever you say, Cellinia.

[It's a subtle shift, but the amusement that creeps into Cellinia's expression is a welcome change. Whatever misery, whatever agony that had once made itself plain upon her features and the manner with which she held herself becomes diluted just enough for it to be perceptible. Regardless, those murky feelings don't just disappear completely, despite the depressing air about the wolf easing up some.

Mai notices, her eyes keen in their own way, trained to be ever-vigilant about such shifts. Still, she's left unsure of what to do with the questions that crop up in the relief that feels safe enough to settle between them. More than the question of why Cellinia thought it was a stellar idea to let the summer rain soak her to the bone, Mai feels a stronger curiosity tugging at her to find out what exactly had caused her to look to thoroughly tormented.

In truth, she's hesitant to even entertain asking, because Cellinia looked every bit how Mai had felt in those really lonely hours after she'd retreat to her room. Only in those moments, when no one was watching, would Mai feel every ounce of that ugly wretchedness, a miserable blend of her own circumstances and the marked absence of something that made her heart feel alive for the first time.

In front of everyone else, she could hide it well enough. No one ever dared to venture beneath her famous testiness. Yet seeing Cellinia wear such an expression made Mai almost want to take her own feelings and stash them away, lest she be just as exposed, just as laid bare— even if it's before the eyes she yearns for most of all.

Perhaps it's counterproductive to go down that path, she muses as she rummages through the dresser in Cellinia's bedroom. After all, she trekked all the way out here at nearly midnight and in the pouring rain because her feelings were eating her alive. Pretending that they weren't was simply a fool's errand, and her wolf was far too clever to fall for that.

Considering those very feelings that has her, once again, acting recklessly, causes her heart quicken in a familiar way. Pushing the last drawer closed once she's found some suitable nightclothes and underwear, Mai heads over to where she remembers the towels are stored and grabs three to haul with her on the way back to where her lover awaits.]

I told you to take it all off, didn't I?

[Her reminder is thick with her own amusement, the accusation in her words made all the more mild by the smirk she wears. Mai doesn't intend for it to sound like some sly proposition, though her snarky brand of flirtiness does have a mind of it's own, at times.]

I've already seen everything, anyway.

[She rolls her eyes good-naturedly before setting the clothes on the table and tossing one of the towels on the floor to soak up the puddle of water that formed at Cellinia's feet. The others find themselves wrapped around the drenched wolf's body and draped over her hair.

Cute— she looks like a proper little pup all bundled up in the fluffy cloth like this.]

But I guess you've gotten shy in the last couple of weeks, hmm?

[And Mai reaches up to start gently drying her hair first, toweling off her ears, as well. Should she tread more carefully? Despite the things that they've done together, Cellinia is still a beautiful enigma, and the feelings she's undoubtedly stewing in might not put her in the mood for teasing.

Not that it stops Mai, who has always had a hard time helping herself. Something her wolf is plenty aware of, maybe something she'd appreciate in distraction.]

[swordpour]

(the depressing air won't fade in its entirety any time soon, but it's enough to ease the edge of it. that ugly emotion and feelings that would often be buried down, left to be uncovered by this who attempted to go deeper. they never made it far enough to know just how ugly those emotions are. it's easier not to show them, not to put it on display while telling herself vulnerability is a bigger curse than what it's worth around anyone, the idea that someone could reach deep in and read her. know her, its own misery when the pieces are put together.

those eyes might not have missed the subtle shift of amusement, but there was still enough concern about it. about the misery, the emotions she doesn't talk about. how they stew within her and make someone almost wonder if the wolf was okay. that's a question that's easier said than done with answering. not something that could be answered, so perhaps it's best that the question dies on mai's tongue before she could consider how to word it and how best to get whatever answers she found necessary. the wolf is an enigma, but she isn't so foolish to open up to any soul that could reach into the depths.

what she thought about at the time was bloodied nights, death and fire. the rain never did cleanse anything, it only served as a reminder of her love-hate relationship with such a thing. the sensation of water bearing down on the wolf, it's only something that sullies itself further from sins she's carried since those fateful days. the coolness of it, a wet reminder that she's alive. carrying a name that she hates, something that she often scorns while not telling others about her own heart's aches. not even those dreadful wounds that pierce down to her soul.

instead, she feels alive with a girl who shouldn't be mixed up with her. those beautiful eyes don't leave her and her sharp edges, they stay on mai without a second thought. like watching something beautiful. she likes this, this feeling of exhilaration that the wolf gets when they flirt. whenever she catches things that mai wouldn't display at any time for someone else, she likes it. the taste of her lips, the feeling of warmth when her body is against her own.

hiding those feelings from her isn't so easy, cellinia knows them too well. they both do. but the wolf is patient, not moving and waiting while her little red riding hood went to procure something for her to wear that wouldn't cause cellinia to get sick from her rather unusual venture. she went out in that storm, allowed it to bear down on her and accepted it as something for a time attempting to cleanse her of her sins. it didn't work that way, it won't ever work that way, despite herself and everything.

counterproductive or not, she didn't mind it. mai could think about whatever she pleases, finding the answers won't be easy, but she could chase them in whatever way suits her most. chasing this wolf is a difficult task, but a satisfying one, were she to decide that the effort is something she wants to keep giving. she'll show her a paradise that no human could hold a candle to. none of them could do the things she promised her. not even everything they vowed on those makeshift altars, while making mistakes that would never go away. there is no going back from what was sworn and given.

she's not minding her lover's snarky amusement and flirtations, if anything, cellinia kept them on because she wanted to for a little longer. it's enough to warrant some manner of response, those amber eyes following mai's movements while she drops a towel at her feet (she stepped on that immediately to help soak the water pooling) with some hint of a spark to the misery that's inside. the murkiness of depression and a fire of something in them.)

You could take them off yourself, but I can't guarantee that this would stay as simple as drying me off now, would it?

(it's flirty, maybe it sounds like she's giving her own proposition too. though that's not her intentions, wasn't supposed to be, even if she could have worded that better in response to being called "shy" for not showing her everything. it's enough to make her consider this a bit more of an amusing distraction. they needed it. more than letting those dreadful thoughts overtake their minds, their hearts.

cellinia does for her part (before the towel is wrapped around her body) reach to remove those black panties. exposing her body fully after those teasing flirtations for her lover's eyes alone. that canvas she marked, bared and empty without the brush of mai's teeth, lips, and tongue. nothing except the scars and the ink which covers it as part of the masterpiece her little red riding hood desires for herself.)

I wouldn't say I've gotten shy, anyway.

(if anything, she's refraining from something leaning into unhealthy were they to take that route. cellinia held no desire to use mai for something as simple as physical relief, not even for something as cruel as using her to stop thinking alone. she does have something of care in her decisions and demeanor, more than most humans could have done for a girl like her.

how she managed to breach that far into her thorn covered heart is best left thought about for another time, too. if ever. it might not be ever thought about for the two lonesome souls who are full of wounds, scars, and thorn wrapped vines that entangled themselves around every inch of what remains of them.)

....though I believe you're not going anywhere tonight.

(is that another promise, that she's making in how she says it lowly?)

― after party delights

[swordpour]

(it didn't take long, not to fall into this being a bigger change to her usual. going from nights alone to winding up asleep with her lover there, sometimes even without sleep as the days passed on by. work never changed, at least not much in comparison. sometimes she would bring along mai, mostly on request, whenever she desired to skip class for an assortment of reasons that cellinia never questioned too much. there were times when she didn't take along her young lover, but those varied more on what the occasion was or if mai had found herself having to do something else that needed her attention.

her job wasn't only just being a courier, surprisingly. what she does is more than that, with her doubling as a bodyguard for two celebrities. her boss and sora. the unsurprising part for cellinia was when the emperor decided as the season changed to autumn that he would be putting on a show and making it a big party. she did make it a point to apologize while informing mai about her schedule change for this evening, as well as allowed the other girl to use her card for takeout and offering pictures of the venue.

cellinia wasn't in the images sent, though. almost like she's doing this intentionally, but the girls could be seen. exusiai and her bombastic cheer, croissant posing, and sora winking for the camera. sometimes it'd even be clips, the four of them conversing with the sound of rap in the background while they're chilling in the green room. with drinks from the cocktails set about the table in the background. they'd even be dancing in a few of them, with exusiai trying to get the wolf on camera, only for her to say she has a surprise planned later.)

Sorry I couldn't bring you along this time, tesoro.
Boss dropped this on us last minute, but he should be wrapping up soon.

(one thing to note was that the girls were all dressed up nicely, dresses for croissant and sora, a suit for exusiai. the few times that cellinia did reach for something in view of the camera in the videos sent, she was almost certainly not in casual wear for this party. why is she hiding it? well, she did say she wanted to keep this as a surprise.)

Can't wait to get home.

[onepromise]

[Any outsider looking in wouldn't be able to make sense of this curious relationship. If anyone other than her closest friend were to raise their concerns about where Mai has been going, what she's been doing and with whom, she'd sharply tell them to mind their own business.

The truth of the matter, known only to her and Cellinia, is that the two of them have fallen into a unique rhythm. One that involves Mai's bed at the dorms remaining cold and abandoned in favor of nights sleeping in her lover's arms— at least, once their appetites for one another have been satisfied enough. As for her days, well, she does fine enough with striking that annoyingly delicate balance between keeping up with her pointless studies and doing what she'd prefer instead, which is driving around with Cellinia to wherever work beckons.

She doesn't have the privilege, tonight, though. By the time Mai arrives to the apartment, Cellinia is already gone for this last-minute gig of hers, a pretty big party, no less. Of course she's jealous, even with her wolf's sincere apology and getting carte blanche to order whatever she wants for dinner. That part, she doesn't mind one bit— being taken care of by Cellinia, even though dinner together would be a lot less lonely. She makes do, though, ordering some pizza from one of the nicer places in the area, way too many sweets from a different shop, and renting some saccharine rom-coms that Cellinia didn't have in her collection. She can roll her eyes at the cheesy acting while scrolling through the photos she gets throughout the night.]

i guess i can forgive you
though i don't see the boss in any of these pictures, weird

[She doesn't see Cellinia in them, either, not in full. The snippets that she gets in one or two of the short videos sent to her are hardly anything, barely enough to confirm the wolf's presence at this party. Mai does get curious, of course, at the little chat between Cellinia and Exusiai about a 'surprise,' and what it has to do with her lover's odd avoidance at being filmed.]

how am i supposed to trust that my sweet little pup is actually working, and not just partying it up with cute girls who aren't me?

[There's a little bite to her remark, though no heavy-handed jealousy. Mai doesn't mind Cellinia's coworkers too much, but she can't resist teasing the wolf a little in the hopes that it'll make her squirm a bit.

It satisfies her, though, to know that Cellinia seems impatient to come back to her tonight. Good.]

i'll wait up for you then, cellinia

[After all, Mai hears that there's a surprise in the works, and Cellinia knows how she feels about surprises— even though the girl is none too patient, she won't ever pass up a chance to be spoiled by her lover.

'Soon' can mean anything, though, and Mai figures that she'll have enough time for a quick shower— much easier to accomplish without any handsome distractions around— and tossing on a pair of cute pajamas before she starts up the second movie.]

[swordpour]

(somehow the receipts she got didn't surprise the wolf, but she was expecting that when the notifications popped up about mai's purchases for the evening. the cheesy movies, though, she almost regrets not being there for that. curiosity mainly about what could those be about. she hasn't been much of a rom com person, most of the time they were watched with the others and not necessarily in the context of it being a date.

it wasn't a surprise she's impatient to get home, this time. the girls hadn't questioned their relationship too much. sora had been quick to attempt befriending mai whenever she was brought back to the crib, or rather, safehouse which naturally hadn't surprised cellinia. nor did exusiai attempting to, as she was wont to do. everyone seemed to not dig into their privacy. cellinia wasn't the sort of person to speak about the things she does with mai, not even about their dates and anything else that happens later in the evening.

it was hard to stay satisfied for long, not when they were so near and their bodies hungering and wanting. she was pleased enough that her attempts at trying to make it up to her were welcomed, it isn't like she expected the impromptu concert and show going on that needed them all at the ready. loneliness is something else she feels personally, she's so used to seeing mai. it takes more than the wolf wants to admit to not call for her on accident during this party and concert. they likely would have sneaked away, their dancing going from something chaste to smooth grinds and pressing into each other when nobody was looking. from there....it's obvious what would have happened, she didn't need to be a genius to guess at that from their track record in her car during lulls at work.)

You know him, he has to be center stage.
Energizing the crowd and making them dance while I'm keeping an eye on things.

(ah. as expected, she did catch the hints of jealousy, did she think she was here to mess around with her coworkers? it can be expected since they're joining the party themselves, but truly, this girl and her greed has stopped fazing her. not by much, it's an appeal to a wild thing like cellinia. she hungers to mark her body with claims often to call this girl hers and give others a clearer message that she would not be sharing.)

Lucky you, tesoro, I'm wearing those pretty marks you gave my neck while I work.

(flirting, not even subtly. she might have squirmed a little from thinking about dancing with her lover instead of alone. the heat of it would get to them, she thinks briefly, and cause them to forget where they were again.

....though they're both impatient, especially now, when cellinia is helping to clean up before they get ready to leave. she's not drunk, but tipsy. inebriated. not enough for it to be a problem with getting home.)

Mm, boss also was kind enough to let us have tomorrow off.

(why not spoil her more? she wasn't using that as her surprise, her actual surprise is in her clothing. the sleeves of her dress shirt are rolled up while she pauses her work. they weren't too far from finished.

which means she might be home by the time that second movie finishes, long enough for mai to get settled and relaxed while the wolf wonders if she might come home to her pretty lover sleeping.)

[onepromise]

[Depending on how long it takes for Cellinia's job to truly be done, she might return to find Mai half-dozing or sound asleep on the couch. She's plenty comfortable to go either way, tucking herself under a blanket that they've shared before, lazing atop a pillow that still wears her lover's cologne. Even if the night feels like a bit of a drag, the movie isn't too terrible to at least have on as background noise while Mai flips through some magazines in between messaging Cellinia.

Their regular contact throughout the evening is probably what eases the loneliness of being in a space that she usually spends time in with her lover. And it comforts her more than she'll admit, knowing that she's being thought of even amidst all the raucous fun going on. Because it looks like so much fun, with everyone dressed up so nicely, laughing and dancing to the loud music. Yes, Mai knows that Cellinia is meant to be working at this shindig, but it honestly seems like she's the only one with a job tonight, considering how the other girls are living it up around her.]

if i was there, i'd give you something to keep your eye on

[There's definitely no subtlety in her flirting. Mai knows how to play up her good looks and make herself really shine when she has to, after all. Cellinia would no doubt have the prettiest girl on her arm at the party— and it wouldn't matter who was being celebrated or even what the entertainment was, everyone's attention would be on how good-looking of a pair they'd make.

Oh, but then that'd make it hard to sneak away for any real fun, wouldn't it? Surely, they'd be able to make a game of it— how long they can hide from the others, how handsy they can get before someone comes snooping.

Flirting with Cellinia is always fun, especially because they both know that they intend to make good on these suggestions in some form or another once they're face-to-face. It always gets them into trouble— the kind of trouble that Mai actually finds exciting— the way that they heighten the tension between one another over texts like these. Fortunately for them, the time in between their days spent together has become a lot shorter than it was at the beginning of their relationship— but that doesn't mean that there aren't hot and heavy messages that serve as proof of their mutual longing in the interim.]

i guess i am pretty lucky, huh? it's almost like i'm there with you

[Maybe the idea of it eases her grumpiness at not being able to enjoy the festivities with Cellinia, or maybe she's just being cheeky over text again.

Of course, the same thing can be said about the marks that Cellinia had left on Mai. She smirks to herself while running her fingertips over the bites peeking out from the hem of her pajama shorts. It doesn't take much for her to remember how fun it felt to get each and every one of them, especially those higher up and hidden beneath the fabric. But Mai isn't going to delude herself into thinking that this could take the place of actually having Cellinia here with her, marking her up even more if the wolf so desires.]

but you know, i'd feel a lot luckier if i could see how nice they look under that lighting
come on cellinia, tell me you're showing them off a little

[Maybe this is her way of trying to get Cellinia to send a picture of herself, despite Mai getting wiser to the notion that her lover has been purposefully keeping herself behind the lens as much as possible. Doesn't hurt to ask, though, right?

Still, Mai hums happily to herself at reading that she gets to have Cellinia all to herself tomorrow instead of sharing her with whatever tasks work throws her way.]

really? what a generous guy
you should go and tell him that i'm gonna be putting you to work on your day off, anyway

[As she sends it, Mai laughs to herself. No, she doesn't expect Cellinia to stroll up to her boss and fill him in on the scandalous adventures that she plans on getting up to the next day, but this text was always meant for Cellinia's eyes only. A little tease of where her mind is going, a promise to make that day off worthwhile. Not that any days spent together aren't worthwhile, but Mai finds herself in a mood tonight and likes to think that her darling wolf is feeling the same.]

[swordpour]

(it was such a shame, her dear lover couldn't be there. cellinia misses it, the smell of her perfume and the notes of it she can breathe in during particularly quiet days. that warmth of her body against her own, sometimes in a back and forth in how they'd sleep. cellinia soothing mai's nightmares with quiet and half asleep murmurs that she wasn't going anywhere when they dared to try and breach this lovely dream they're building together. her own, well....she would often lie awake, watching her lover sleep the night away like nothing else mattered in this world other than this gentle peace they've found themselves quietly desiring more of.

it didn't feel like fun, not seeing her. not hearing her voice as they whisper remarks that would have surely gotten them in trouble. words that suggested that there was something more going on between them, something that likely would have caused plenty to stare at them for speaking so hot and heavy. their flirting is something attention grabbing in itself.)

....we'd have to get you a nice dress, something designer for fancy events like this.
Which means I'd have to behave for you while you try and pick the one you like most. Just to refrain from nearly tearing it were I to like it a little too much.

(she wasn't going to hold back from this flirting of theirs, the offering of something more physical. she knows it too well, doesn't she? they could have this go however they please, the passion aside, she would do everything to keep their games going without the eye of the girls on them. dancing together, kisses in the nearby corner for a little privacy. nobody will stop them. not without getting themselves into trouble if they tried to interrupt this love of theirs and the intense heat of it.

the mutual feeling of indulgences and offering fun meant for each other. she wants to feel her body, to kiss down her neck again while mai sighs out those pretty sounds that are like music for her ears. delightfully pretty, begging for her to feast upon her body and the sweetness she offers this wolf of hers. she does, of course, that often and makes sure that her body never forgets the touch of love that she gets given by her.

indulgences, they're fascinating when driven by love and the way they refuse to acknowledge the deeper feelings of it. the exchanges keep them sane, keep them from impatiently wanting too much while also unable to help how their hearts pound a little faster in one another's presence. love's poison would fester in them slowly, build them further and further into blissful days that could only be granted by something like sweet romance.)

You'll get the photo I took of them after I get home.
Don't worry, I'm showing them off quite nicely from how attention grabbing they are. Some looked at them and blushed at the way you decorated my neck thoroughly.

(cheeky or not, she was truthful. cellinia wasn't about to beat around the bush about how the other patrons almost seemed to gawk at how many love bites and hickeys she carries on her neck.

not all of them had pure thoughts, the wolf also silenced any ideas they had of asking for a turn with her. she wasn't about to allow them to lay their hands on her, she belonged to no other woman. nobody except mai. she might indeed leave her marks, more of those pretty bites and hickeys meant to express something more than anything. how scandalous of her, but that's truly a given, she could lack shame whenever she pleases and now is one such time.

then again, she's always been shameless around the right person and mai truly does bring out of her sides of herself that were interesting.)

....no need for that.
I intend to enjoy myself with you plenty, he doesn't need to know that we have plans now, does he?

(they'd be able to do as they pleased, she thinks. spend this sleepless night, wide awake and wanting. unable to help how they refuse to sleep until dawn arrives to greet them with a pleasant fall morning. this is what love is, or what felt like love as they tumble along the storm and the promises it brings them alone. tonight, she intended to treat her lover to something different.

by now, she's mostly done with clean up. the girls were wanting to grab a bite to eat, but cellinia's mind is elsewhere. she had other things she wanted to do, or that's what she wanted to tell them. didn't seem like they needed to hear it from how the three seemed to be smiling like they knew something. that only makes it easier.)

Planning to mark my body up more, then, tesoro?

[onepromise]

[In a way, Mai almost feels sorry for Cellinia's boss and coworkers for what they might end up witness to in the future— here they are, these two lovers, flirting far too heavily with the idea of taking the next big party by storm with their amorous escapades. It's probably already pushing it, their exchanges whenever Mai finds herself tagging along with Cellinia for work. That wolf is far too bold and Mai certainly isn't one to back down from a challenge, even if it comes at the price of the other girls hearing a few things that they probably shouldn't.

But it seems like Cellinia has a hankering to corrupt the general public with their naughty affection for one another, if her suggestion is anything to go by.]

you? behaving? that's a funny thought

[But it's a thought she entertains, nonetheless. They'd have quite the time in one of those high-end dressing rooms, wouldn't they? Doing their best not to get kicked out for whatever antics they'd try to get away with while the other customers mill about in the adjacent areas. Past experiences don't often see them testing out the limits of their indulgences in more public spaces, the two of them opting to satiate their appetites thoroughly in the privacy of Cellinia's car or apartment— but practice does make perfect, doesn't it?

Regardless, Cellinia would likely find Mai gorgeous in any dress she'd try on, those beautifully keen eyes drinking in every detail that flatters her more eye-catching features. And they both know that this wolf's mind would be running through all of the ways she'd like to get Mai out of that dress— or better yet, all of the ways she might be able to let her hands roam and sneak beneath the luxurious fabric, getting her fill of whatever prize she has her sights set on while the rest of the world stays blissfully unaware of where her desires are tugging her.]

honestly, it's a wonder i can take you anywhere
i've got a sweet little pup who has the hardest time keeping her hands to herself

[But a spark of an idea brings a wicked smile to her face. This could be an even more fun game they can play together, with Mai slipping into a number of dresses until she finds the perfect one that gets Cellinia undeniably hot for her. That poor dress would have to endure the threat of being ripped apart before they even go to pay for it, but it'd be worth the look on her lover's face when Mai cheekily scolds her into behaving until she says otherwise.

Now that would be quite the sight, no? The frustrated agony in Cellinia's expression the entire time they're at whatever silly party Emperor decides to throw next, the absolute hunger in her eyes that Mai will only tease at fulfilling as they dance closely, trading kisses that just won't be deep enough, while she gently swats away Cellinia's hands from touching where they'd really long to. Yes, she'd have an ungodly amount of fun with this game, making Cellinia beg for it, getting her to promise whatever Mai wants so long as she gets to satisfy her beastly appetite.

Only then, Mai supposes, would she finally allow this desperate, pretty wolf to take her hard-earned reward, praising Cellinia hotly before letting her have the honors of tearing that dress to shreds.]

cellinia, seriously? what's the fun in getting a picture after you're already home?

[She rolls her eyes at that strange logic, and kicks herself mentally for not exchanging numbers with Sora when she had the chance.

Mai makes no remark on Cellinia's admission to showing off those bites, but she does feel an excitement fluttering in the pit of her stomach at the realization that other people are seeing the proof of their lovemaking. Strangers are one thing, but people she has met now know without a doubt that she and Cellinia don't just hold hands and smooch sweetly when they're alone. No, now everyone gets to imagine how passionate their nights become, how Cellinia offers herself splendidly for Mai to feast upon, how relentless the girl can be once she's lost herself to the greed that her lover encourages. And they can wonder where else she might have littered with love bites, how far down her hunger extends, and perhaps even muse at how many Mai herself might be sporting. She is bedding a ravenous wolf, after all.

One who sounds like she has her pretty lover's mouth on her mind as the night grows late. The feeling is mutual, of course, and Mai isn't even paying attention to the movie anymore with how her mind and body are craving everything that Cellinia is hinting at. Another night where they don't sleep until the sun is up, another night exchanging promises of love with their bodies instead of words. She already feels the heat of it growing, how frustrating. Mai intends on having Cellinia make it up to her for leaving her both lonely and annoyingly aroused.]

you're the greediest and most shameless pup i know, cellinia

[And, just as her charming sarcasm has trouble making it across in texts, she wonders if her lover can tell how much these teasing words drip with delicious affection.]

are you saying that i missed a spot after last time?

[They had gone at it for hours a few nights ago, until Mai weakly admitted defeat, still trembling as they kissed until sleep took them. She made sure to leave plenty of bites and scratches, though— but apparently it just wasn't enough, was it?]

who knows, maybe if you whine for me the way i like, i can find a few more places to mark up for you

[swordpour]

(their amorous escapades would surely draw attention, it wasn't as though cellinia minded that. covering mai's body in marks, touching her like she's her everything whether it was in her apartment or in that car of hers. nothing could compare to this beautiful girl, she kisses her with such passion and desire that she wished for nothing more than her. her boldness is driven by that want to display it, the warm blood that runs through her veins compelling this beast to whisper sweetly and wantonly as they make love with such intensity.

indeed, what a starving beast she is. willing to corrupt the eyes and ears of those who unfortunately stumble upon them in their hushed murmurs and pleas, so filled with desire.)

I can behave....whenever you wish for me to.

(they both know that isn't often. the thought of behaving pushed aside, she can imagine it with such clarity. those high-end dressing rooms, they'd be interesting to put on a show in. the sight of her eyes taking in every dress and how they accentuate mai's curves. her body, how she'd long to slide her hands up along her thighs and reach beneath that dress to tease her through whatever undergarments mai might be wearing. this time, cellinia imagines it as lace fabric. something to rub into and give her lover that well deserved friction she might crave once they find the perfect dress for her.

but she was right, cellinia would find any dress tantalizing on her. anything could get her mind going in the right direction, all it took was her beloved lover deciding to be naughty herself. a bad girl, though they've both proven themselves as being bad girls in the way that they pursue this love of theirs. chasing it while not knowing what was waiting for them to stop being ignorant to the deeper emotions behind it. better they didn't label it, more for their own sanity and what remains of this peace they've slowly started taking into their joined hands.)

Not that it'd stop the urge to misbehave, mind you.
The temptation of it whenever you're so beautiful, tesoro, and all mine....

(if she must endure, she perhaps can. enduring it all, this game as she wants to see that dress that her lover might pick out for such occasions. shindigs like this are better suited for these games, hot and heavy games where they might even find themselves more ravenous than usual. mai's scolding and promises would make her refrain, though she'd show it in her eyes what she wants to do to her from how close they'd be throughout the night.

while dancing, she might even trail her lips down along her neck, her hands on mai's hips with quiet murmurs and flirty remarks that were much too full of sinful desire to be normal. her eyes frustrated, her hunger growing and making them darker. that mai would swat away her hands from wandering would only worsen that desire to take her into a corner and out of sight. perhaps even to a more private room, somewhere they wouldn't be found or caught at in her pleas and never-ending greed when it comes to this girl.

desperate, wanting, and craving would this wolf be with how deep her hunger will go. mai can only be pleased with her promises and how she's keen on keeping them, she doesn't want to go back on her word to this lovely girl.)

Mm, if you want to see it, then....
Show me yours again, Mai?

(oh? is she offering to give her a taste of what she was hiding from her with that? asking for a picture to see her handy work again until she gets home.

indeed, those people were stuck wondering. imagining. she didn't allow them any opportunity to get too close in their questions, not even to make their own flirty remarks in the direction of the wolf. they weren't mai, so she wouldn't. cellinia has done well in that, but her mind is elsewhere in how bottomless her hunger seems to be from the thought of decorating her young lover again in more marks of her own. she did promise to never let that wedding band of teeth fade away, dutifully renewing it every chance that she had while kissing along it. what a gentleman of a beast she is, to give her such loving care in the way she handles it.

but her mouth also has other things it wants to do, her body feels hot, and she's just as lonely without mai at her side. the wolf wants to see her. then again, they're both feeling quite mutual on being aroused, too. it was easy to fall into this pattern with their boldness. a smile to herself, greedy and most shameless, huh? that amuses her more than anything, that mai decided to also tack another set of words to that nickname she seems to adore calling her by.)

Doesn't that make it all the better, Mai?

(affection, they've both been so starved of it that it's a wonder they even can show it. she's not once stopped offering it to this beautiful girl once.)

Maybe....I can think of a few places I'd love to feel your lips against.

(the last time a few days ago, even cellinia was worn out, but she didn't allow it to stop her from spoiling mai. exhausted into those sweet kisses, awakening first and offering more slowly before she found herself in bed for half the day. rooted in place by mai's arms whenever she wasn't bringing her something to eat or for the aches, the soreness. she was proud of it, they've deserved that, or so she thinks.)

Care to guess where I want them most?

[onepromise]

[Oh, here Cellinia is, assuring her that she can definitely behave if asked. What a cute sense of humor her darling wolf has, no? All this does is serve as a cheeky reminder that it's on Mai to make sure that these two are on their best behavior whenever they're out and about— doesn't Cellinia know what an impossible task this it? She surely does, especially when those intense, amber eyes are trained on her, practically undressing her when they're trying to be respectable in public. Mai often finds herself trying not to shiver under their attention, as they map out everywhere that the wolf's hands and lips and tongue had enjoyed but hours earlier.

Really, how is she supposed to rein in her insatiable lover when all this does is challenge Mai to return that gaze with a heated look of her own? As soon as she shoots Cellinia a haughty look that practically screams 'If you want to be naughty so badly, don't expect me to stop you,' then it's all over.]

yeah yeah, i know, the leash is in my hands
just how you like it, right?

[She can't resist taunting Cellinia just a little, reminding her that she knows just how much she loves being bound up and letting Mai take control. It's a shame that the marks around her wrists fade more quickly than the love bites and hickeys they habitually, gleefully leave atop one another— now that could be quite a sight for nosy eyes. But even if anyone were to gaze upon proof that even icy Cellinia knows how to roll over and submit when the mood strikes, none of them will ever, ever see the desperate look of love in her eyes whenever Mai gets to enjoy herself thoroughly with her body.

No, if they saw that, then they'd draw a conclusion that neither of these lovers are willing to acknowledge, yet. Even the word 'girlfriend,' when thrown around by Momo, is still taking time to get used to. It's true, they spend plenty of time together, in and out of bed, not to mention that they impatiently look forward to the next time that they'll see each other again. It goes without saying that they're deeply fond of one another, but beneath that tame acknowledgement is a more pervasive feeling, one that rears its head most obviously in the moments before they fall asleep after an intense night, in the wordless exchanges as they caress each other and kiss slowly. Yes, they absolutely delight in making love, but are hesitant to call it such.

Regardless, Mai feels warm whenever Cellinia dares to possess her. 'All mine,' she boldly claims, and it excites her even through text. It's the truth, anyway— and Mai has the souvenirs on her body to prove it.]

aww forgetting what you did to me already?
fine fine, here

[Mai huffs amusedly at how fair Cellinia is trying to play, teasing a sneak peek at the marks that are getting her all of that attention at the party, but only in exchange for a look at what Mai is sporting.

Well, if that's what she's craving, a little something to give her a nice, hot rush, then there's a picture incoming that should satisfy her quite a bit. In the photo that Mai sends, only the pale expanse of her torso can be seen, the hem of her shirt shoved up just above her ribs. Keen eyes will notice that the hand holding the fabric away is the very same wearing that band of teeth marks around the ring finger. An intentional choice, one that she wants Cellinia to appreciate, just as much as she ought to appreciate how Mai is absolutely littered with love bites. These marks aren't as vibrant as they were the morning after she received them, but the shades of pink and faded purple are plenty stunning in their own way. There's no rhyme or reason to how they're laid out, trailing over her abdomen in some places, a cluster around her ribs, the hint of even more at the swell of her breasts teased from the sliver of skin beneath the hem of the shirt. And then they go downward, littering the spots leading to her pelvis before they're concealed conveniently by the upper edge of fluffy pink shorts.

It really is a pretty good picture. Mai can't help but imagine the look on Cellinia's face when she gets it, and smiles smugly to herself, blushing a little as she hits 'send'.]

but these aren't my favorites, though
if you wanna see where those are, you'll just have to wait until you get home

[Those marks are conveniently hidden beneath her pajama shirt and shorts. They decorate her chest and hips and thighs tantalizingly, proof of her lover's possessive enthusiasm and Mai's sublime willingness to surrender to her perfect beast.

Just the thought of Cellinia gracelessly suckling more of these lovely marks into her skin gets Mai's pulse racing, and she sighs in mild frustration as she pulls down the fabric of her shirt again. She wants her to hurry home, already— they're both starving, and Cellinia is prodding at Mai's hunger rather boldly with this guessing game of hers.]

trick question, cellinia
i know you want my lips everywhere

[And yes, Cellinia's shamelessness is exactly what makes all of this better. The best, even, that there's no skirting around how much they ache for each other. No polite flirting, or nervous giggles after a slightly suggestive comment— no, they know what they want, and aren't afraid of making it plain to the other. Cellinia, naughty little wolf that she is, is suffering oh so sweetly under an aching desire to be tasted, and is inviting Mai along to imagine it with her.]

but since i have to guess
how about on your pretty lips? i know you get awfully greedy when it comes to kissing me

[That goes for both of them, but Mai conveniently leaves herself out of this little observation. They're what makes saying goodbye so hard for them, for instance, the kisses they exchange. What is meant to be a quick, farewell peck ends up with their hands clinging tightly to one another, fingers woven in the other's dark hair, a breathless locking of lips, and the palpable reluctance to part ways again. At the same time, their kisses are what makes reuniting all the more passionate, the taste of sweet relief immediate when they finally have one another in their eager arms.

Mai pulls herself out of fantasizing about those kisses, twirling a still-damp strand of hair between her fingers before adding: ]

or maybe on those cute ears of yours, instead

[Though that's probably where Mai would especially love to kiss and nibble, and keep Cellinia's mouth free to give her those reactions that she loves so much. Choices, choices…]

so what do i get if i'm right?

[swordpour]

(isn't that what always make it interesting? one has the leash, she can tug back on it any time, have her display that restraint that cellinia prides herself in often. the problem is that she doesn't know when to hold back, or she didn't want to hold back from what's in front of her. the way she keeps those intense eyes on mai, memorizing and imagining what she wants to do to her when met with a challenge. she likes to imagine it, how she might desire to be touched and feasted upon while the poor public knows not what these two girls are doing. unknowing, ignorant, as they flirt with an intensity that a pair of women in love might.

she would be naughty, she'd even map mai's body again and again with hungering eyes. her hands won't stop taking hold of her. as long as she desires to hold that leash and refrain from stopping this wolf, there would be no change in her responding to her challenges with a sort of energy that might surprise others. she isn't usually seen acting the way that she does around mai with others.

but that's what makes it all so amusing now.)

Is it that obvious?

(it is obvious. she likes it when her lover is in one of those moods, tying her down to properly indulge in her body. feeding an urge to feast as her hunger thrums in her veins hotly. they're good at this, leaving love bites and hickeys along what patches of skin they see, no rhyme or reason behind where they might be at. they didn't need a reason to leave their affectionate marks and whatever else their greedy hearts might desire. they're truly insatiable. unwilling to stop until they're exhausted, perhaps too willing to push themselves past exhaustion from how badly they want and desire. frightening, isn't it? the way that something like love and passion could drive them into behaving like animals themselves. they wouldn't know the way she offers love without saying it to mai, how her eyes spark with heat and desire in response to her whims. to being driven up into insanity from needy urges.

neither of them want to admit it, that this is love. calling one another their "girlfriend" means putting a label to it, something that can be taken from their hands against their wills. getting used to it, hearing it from others who point out their closeness and how cellinia seems as if she were looking forward to the day to end. like something good was waiting for her, something that they hadn't at the time known about until after their introduction to mai. their proper introduction, anyway, that wasn't attempts at roulette to have the wolf showing her face through work.

as expected, the photo is something she appreciates. unable to help it, the way her eyes take it in. familiar and fading marks, the wedding band of teeth she left her in view. beautiful, truly, beautiful. what a feast for her beastly eyes, they darken with hunger and an urgent need to taste her again. indulge, as the insatiable thing that she truly is without restraining herself as some might have done. there was no need for that. this naughty wolf of hers has other desires on her mind, driven by that and a mix of her desiring to put those lovely hands of her on her body again. undress her, strip away reason for something unreasonable, as some might call it.

she wants to head home, she needs to. their "game" is only fueling that arousal they both feel while mai makes her guesses about where the wolf wants her pretty mouth at most. she can imagine it again, she wants it, too. her lips against hers, her mouth nipping and nibbling along sensitive ears until they indulge again in heavy kisses between one another.

a prize, huh? cellinia thinks for a moment and then:)

Mm....your prize, part of it, tesoro.
Until I get home, since that's your other prize.
I think I have more than enough reason to leave early, don't you think?

(and with that comes her promise, another hint of what she's wearing included. there wasn't a tie, but what can be gleaned from it is she's in a nice jacket and dress shirt. her neck is in view, covered in purple and pink splotches that had faded. the column of her throat, her pulse point, most of them were left haphazardly, making a point to leave as many as possible like a game in itself. the dim lights don't show the full part of her handy work, but enough that cellinia could manage this much. how beautiful they are, aren't they? decorating her body like a canvas, this masterpiece that mai adores while making her claims.

this is her reward, half of it. the other half would be granted to her darling love when she gets home. worshiping her as they lay together and pretend anew that the world outside did not matter beyond their paradise. this girl is surely deserving of that while the wolf gives her everything. love, affection, and a safety that others would never know about.

she kisses her so sweetly, she touches her with such feverish desire. it has to be love that she gives her, it feels like love, but they blind themselves to such a notion willingly when cellinia gathers her car keys. the girls weren't surprised, not that she's leaving early. they had an idea that she might with knowing glances and laughter in their voices. sora had only asked if she could text her mai's number later, she wanted to give her the pictures that cellinia refused to send of herself being there among the group.

it won't be long before she makes her way there, to see her with such impatience. she can't wait, not with how much she feels that longing and how intense this yearning is deep within her. ah right, she hadn't told her that she's won, has she?)

You were right, on both counts, by the way.
I want your lips on mine, and I want to feel them on my ears....my body, too.

(she's going to be a speed demon tonight, trying to get home before it gets even later. better not to keep her waiting, not with how badly they're burning up together. the warm heat of desire and lust burning through them mixed with love, this girl is only hers. the wolf won't let her forget that once, be it tonight or any other night alone where they find themselves unable to help their love.

there is no need to hold themselves back.)

Just as I'll be giving you more pretty marks along your body, there are surely some spots that I missed while giving you them.

(shameless as ever, as usual.)

[onepromise]

[Cellinia truly spoils her, even on nights like these when Mai doesn't have the pleasure of having her lovely wolf right beside her.

Despite her greed and her poorly-concealed clinginess, Mai appreciates how well her lover can play this little game with her. All of the teasing and taunts are balanced almost perfectly by the genuine expressions of need that they slip in, the longing that paints their relationship as something more than two people who merely enjoy what they can get up to in bed. They're insatiable, it's true, but what they're unknowingly building is a feeling that isn't going to disappear from the strange notion that they'll one day get the other out of their system.

Mai hardly entertains the thought— it'd annoy her to no end to even think of doing so. She doesn't feel like going back to whatever she was before Cellinia had wrapped her up in that safe affection. She likes this, whatever it is that they have going on here— 'girlfriends' or otherwise— where they tell each other how impatient they are, what they ache to do to the other. And then there are the things they don't say, the feelings that drift frighteningly close to the surface before retreating. Maybe it's part of their game, too, this unspoken love that makes their relationship taste so addicting.

The photo that Mai gets in return is frustratingly appetizing, but she expects nothing less. Not when she had the honors of making all of those marks, herself. Though the canvas is the same— Cellinia's beautiful flesh— the masterpiece changes every time. This last time, Mai had been motivated by the sounds her lover would make for her. The more vivid of the fading bites were left in the pursuit of getting Cellinia to hiss and whine, the vibrations humming deliciously beneath Mai's lips, while the rest were given as a soothing interlude between the intensity.

So that's what everyone else got to see, Mai thinks, unable to resist a shred of jealousy creeping into her otherwise smug appreciation of the sight on her screen.]

i was right, the lighting makes them look really hot
but i think i'll like them better in person

[Another prodding to get Cellinia back home in a hurry. Doesn't she want to be admired by her pretty girl? And Mai is all too ready to do so, and trail her eyes over everywhere Cellinia wants to show off. That little preview of what she's wearing inspires quite a bit of curiosity, a taste in her mouth that she greedily wants more of. Can she help it, wanting to see how well Cellinia can clean up for some fancy event?

Here they are, talking about prizes and rewards, but it only counts to Mai when she has the real thing in her hands. They're well-matched in that respect and they both know it. These photos are merely appetizers, and the real feast begins as soon as Cellinia walks through that front door. Yes, the wolf's biggest reason for leaving early— as she calls it, it's hardly early enough as far as Mai is concerned— is waiting oh so impatiently on the couch, burning up and only ready to get even hotter.]

see? i know what gets you going, cellinia
and if you were home right now, that's exactly what i'd be doing, kissing everywhere you'd beg me to
but you're at work, and i'm stuck here all alone

[Ah, now Mai is playing a little dirty, isn't she? She knows Cellinia has to work, and she doesn't mind it most days. Even tonight, despite being mildly annoyed, she was satisfied with making do until her lover's return. But then their casual chatting ended up like this, unsurprisingly, and Mai feels the mischievous pull to really stoke that fire between them. No, she doesn't want Cellinia to get into trouble with her boss, but she does want to provoke her a bit into fretting about the 'trouble' she might get into with Mai if she's kept waiting any longer.

Idly, she traces a finger along her thigh before sighing and throwing her arm over her stomach.]

and looking at a few spots you definitely missed
but i'm not gonna tell you where, though
it's so much more fun when you search me yourself

[It's practically electric, this excitement surging through her veins, and she feels as if she's growing more sensitive to the touch by the minute, like she'll melt immediately once her lover has her in her arms again. Waiting is the absolute worst, but isn't the split-second of fire, of anguished torture in the look they exchange worth it? It should be, it is, and Mai doesn't want to think of enduring it for anyone else, or enjoying it with anyone else.]

promise it'll be worth it
you'll see why

[Or rather, Cellinia will hear why. Because those are all the places that really get the best sounds out Mai, all of those whimpers and cries, the praises sighed out and the breathy pleas for more. But, like Cellinia, she isn't keen on ruining the surprise. Best to leave something to look forward to when she gets home, no?]

[swordpour]

(mischief, mischief, is something sweet and spicy. they know all the ways to make it hit right without trying, they didn't need to try whenever it felt effortless to offer such promises while going as far as to indulge themselves on what love they're getting. why admit it, that they're drunk on sweet and poisonous love? admitting it means just as easily that they'd lose everything. something like losing the warm feeling, this tender touch and what felt closely like building a home anew without realizing it themselves just yet. it's too early for that, despite them feeding into this hot and fast love which has its grip on them.

it didn't matter mai was clingy and greedy, that was fine. waking up to her arms around her didn't stop cellinia from staying there. she'd often during particularly rough nights of sleep would've been found soothing mai's nightmares instead of allowing herself to focus on her own. sometimes with something as gentle as rubbing into her back gently and slowly knowing they had a thing for taking turns on who wakes up being held. something of a back and forth, sometimes cellinia would awaken to being buried into mai and other times she'd awaken to her lover's face buried into her instead.

there was something to be said about the trust they hold to go that far, neither girl seemed keen on allowing others to breach into their thorny depths. but that's likely thanks to their quiet understanding and refusal to speak about what haunts them. they didn't need to. all that they had to do was look at one another, and they'd know. she carries on her neck such obvious marks, under dim lights, and pretty in the way they bloom against fair skin. like the canvas that she wished to color in her own hues. decorated in pretty marks while tracing along inked skin in her claim to this masterpiece of hers.

jealousy is something she's come to expect, mai doesn't like sharing. neither does cellinia. she's always despised that notion of others coming to try and touch, flirt, or take, what she deems to be hers. mai seems to have earned that lovely little benefit of their relationship.

she wouldn't have left so many marks of her own, if cellinia didn't feel that way.)

You really do drive me crazy.

(the car engine starts, she's feeling hotter than ever and burning up. she has a pretty girl waiting for her to come home, her girlfriend, as the others have called her in a teasing remark or three. they've got a taste for one another, it's addictively sweet. so, why not go for letting themselves follow that heat and the fire that starts every time they speak? their flirtations don't always go that direction, but sometimes it wasn't easy to stay chaste when they have their minds elsewhere.

though that's what also makes it delectable, a delight that they both get thrills from. the car was going fast, not too fast to draw attention, but fast enough that she had better places to be. that's always been a magic trick of hers, she can make trips that would take hours get cut into something more manageable. for this pretty girl, she shouldn't waste any time now, right?

not that she's cutting through stop signs or red lights either, she only pauses during one such time at an intersection in thought before she sends out more messages in the lull.)

You won't be alone, not for much longer.
Not if I have anything to say or do about that, but I think I know where you want those marks at most.

(she might have gone "screw it" at the idea of emperor not being happy, but he knows her by now. cellinia does things as she pleases, she bounces when she wants to if things are not to her taste. she already had been working at that party for a good while, staying until later in the night simply felt like a waste in how they were both acting now. mai might be more amused by that, instead of the idea of her "fretting" about making a naughty choice to skip the rest of the party.

sometimes it just was too easy to be a bad girl for her.)

Not that they'll mind if I'm gone for the rest of the night.

[onepromise]

[Really, is there any point in entertaining feelings that don't drive a girl more than a little mad?

After all, life is short— annoyingly and depressingly so. Mai never would have thought herself the type to seek out any kind of chaos in the name of livening things up. And there was very little more chaotic than love, this pesky emotion that was cunning enough to make one delightfully drunk on it before they realize far too late what they've been greedily imbibing.

Yet, here she is, smirking to herself as she reads Cellinia's message— that she drives her crazy— and knowing full well that this madness is a two-way street.

After all, what's crazier than practically shacking up with some gorgeous wolf who all but promises her the world? Haven't they both lost their minds, knowingly or otherwise, in how they take solace in one another's arms once the frenzy of the night has settled down? Anyone from their home life would look at the two of them and promptly decide that they were well beyond saving— but that's how it's always been, and Mai finds that she likes it a lot better this way, with someone who is forever impatient to have her at their side again, someone who makes her just as crazy.

Cellinia must be on her way back, she thinks, given how the texts between them become more sporadic. That's fine, of course, though Mai is mostly bothered by how the seconds passing by seem to drag on. It doesn't help her frustration or her nerves when her phone pings and it's Cellinia teasing about knowing where Mai wants more of those love bites at. She snorts softly before typing out her reply.]

is that so?
let's see if you're as good at guessing games as you think you are, cellinia

[A little challenge, but one posed more out of cheekiness than anything. They both know that Cellinia has the right answer in mind, and it's only a matter of time before she gets to leave the pretty proof of it along Mai's skin.]

i can't wait to see you

[There— she says it, letting her greediness soften into something rarer. Not quite an admission of missing Cellinia, which is obviously the truth, but her wolf is clever enough to read between the lines, isn't she?

If she so desires, she can take it as something more ravenous, imagining Mai pouting and impatient and ready to make Cellinia work for this mutual pleasure that they're raring to indulge in. There'd be some truth in that interpretation, of course— but, texts can be both a blessing and a curse, because this little message could very well be daring to be something more affectionate. There'd be truth in that, too.

Not that Mai would be admitting as much if pressed to. Not without a hefty dose of snark and certainly not before she's gotten both her way and her promised surprise.]

don't worry, we'll have our own fun little party here together

[With no less excitement, of course, though definitely a far different brand of it compared to Cellinia's night so far. And they'll likely be overdressed for this 'party,' but that's something than can easily be fixed, no?]