high_seas | Supply Stop at Serenes

(She glances back at him when he speaks, face still bright pink from her deed.... But she tilts her head at him.)

Can't do what?

[eyes still covered, voice still muffled] That, what you just did. Between us.

[that kissing thing, that romance thing, that thing you sprung on a guy who was just trying to play dead]

[She made a mistake, didn't she? Perhaps there was a way to back peddle out of this situation. But.... Should she really give up?]

Why not? [Drooping her wings a little, moving to hide her face against him. Back peddle.... She must find a way to back peddle. Lets just keep asking questions until the solution opens itself up.]

It's not...appropriate.

[He sighs, and pauses to see if he can try to explain without specifics. This is one thing he...really did not want to have to do.]

You woke up here, Leanne. You've no idea of the kinds of things that have happened at home - everything's changed. It's not right.

[She pauses a moment, letting his words sink in a little before moving to look at him in the face.]

I know a lot of what has happened. Serenes has been telling me all that has been going on while I slept. Here or at home, it makes no difference where I have woken up. At home, I think that the same would have happened and whatever has happened at home is what the Goddess has ordained.

[Back to blushing again as she ponders on what to say next, moving off of him in order to sit down properly.]

But I do not believe that such a thing is wrong.

[Naesala sits up, too. It's hard to argue your case when someone's on top of you.]

The forest doesn't know everything. [said under his breath; then it takes a minute or two for him to keep going] It's not that simple. Just because you think it's Goddess ordained doesn't mean anything in the long run.

It's one thing if we're still friends. [because goddess knows Reyson probably isn't, anymore] You deserve to be with someone who doesn't have the entire laguz race out to get him. You're better than that.

[Not her fault that he are comfy to lay on.]

It knows enough.

[She goes to listen to his excuses and shakes her head.] But you don't have the entire laguz race after you. I am here so there is one less after you. [But she goes to puff up her cheeks at him.] And who gets to say who or what I deserve? I believe that I am the only one that can decide that.

I have enough of them as enemies, and rightfully so. If Reyson and Tibarn were here they'd be arguing the exact same point.

And you're right. I can't dictate your life. But I can decide who I deserve, and it's not someone as pure as you. It never will be. [ruuubs his eyes she is making this so hard for him] Damn it, Leanne, if the forest spoke to you, why are you pushing for this?

But they are not here and it wouldn't matter even if they are here.

[She goes to look away at his words with a sigh. Don't let him see your face for now. It will make everything much easier for now.]

So one as me will never be a passing thought in such a way? [Her wings droop at the last question and she lets out another sigh.] Because..... You are the one I love and have always been in love with....

That's not....not what I meant. [He has a sigh of his own to match. Naesala's trying to put her off of the idea, not hurt her. She has to know.] Of course you're so much more to me than that.

[Closes his eyes. He always knew she had something for him, too, but it's so much more painful when said aloud. Just... One last ploy. Laying things out in the open.] Did it tell you how I used and betrayed your brother? Ruined an alliance years in the making? I'm willing to bet it doesn't know I delivered the hawks a death sentence on their entire country!

I put Kilvas first with every move I make. Even after all of that, you still feel this way? You still trust me?

[At this point, he just sounds...desperately confused? Certainly not angry, at least not toward Leanne. Because despite all his usual asshole posturing, he doesn't get it.]

[She couldn't help but to look back towards him, a little surprise. She lifts one hand to rub at one eye before fully facing him again as he finally bares his soul to her.]

.....

[How to properly process all of this information. First things first, she reaches over to try and cup his face in her hands in order to to better study him.]

No, it hasn't told me these things. But.... The way you spoke of them when you first arrived, all of them made it out okay.

[A slow deep breath as she removes her hands and closes her eyes. He really wouldn't throw all that away though in the first place.... Would he? A long slow sigh as she finally goes to reopen her eyes after a long pause.]

I will not lie and say that it doesn't affect me. It does hurt, hurt a lot to hear those things from you but.... No, my feelings hasn't changed even hearing it and...

[A small smile towards him.] What a dumb question is that.... I still trust you just as my feelings are to you. Nothing has changed from before.

[She's...so.....forgiving.

He shouldn't be surprised. Even back home, Leanne was just as sweet and forgiving as always. But she had time to prepare for his actions, to hear both sides of the story, to see him as a traitorous man. To sneak in unwanted soul readings and sense how conflicted he is on his shortcomings.

But he never did find out how she reacted to his betrayal of the hawks, before he left. Now he's blurted it out here like an idiot.

He still has to put Kilvas first. It's inevitable. He's still king and the pact mark remains on his wrist. And Leanne's here and she's young and too naive and she can only get so much of an impression of events from the forest and--

And he really, really loves her. Just like he always has. Nearly all the fight drains out of him when he looks up at her guilty and defeated, and says,]

I don't want you ending up hurt, Leanne.

[Why does he block her? Even now, she really wants to see his soul, even for one minute she wants to see. There is pain... So much pain in him and it hurts a lot to know that there is some unknown pain within him.

A small hand reaches up on his face to brush his hair out of the way. She does love him with her whole soul and being, so much it's hard to imagine for her to love another. She did love Ace, Marco, Thatch, Toshio, Selphie and even Luffy but.... That type is different from the one that is before her now.

When he finally speaks in response to her, she couldn't help but to let out a soft giggle.]

With you around, I won't be hurt no matter what. What can beorcs or this world do to me moreso than what has been done before. Even if I do get hurt, the pain will only last for a mere second in lieu of our lifespan.

[Even with his heart blocked off, it's easy to tell how Naesala's feeling by the look on his face. It's no use trying to hide that from her as well. He can barely look her in the eye as it is.]

I meant because of me. I don't want you hurt because I did something else stupid and you paid the price. [He looks down at his lap, toying with the brush underneath his feet.] I can protect you from beorc but I can't say the same for myself. I don't want you to regret that.

[As her hand lowers from brushing against his hair, though, he takes it in his own. Because as much as he doesn't want this....he does. He does want it. And he holds her hand to try and let her know how he feels, even as he makes these half-hearted attempts to convince her what an awful person he is.]

[She watches him with her green eyes, smiling a little before leaning her head towards his to give him a gentle nudge.]

I guess that you will have to be careful and not do anything stupid then. [She just goes to tease lightly, a wing moving to cup him within it, cooing a little at him, making her coos as warm and gentle as possible.] I won't regret it, I don't think that I can ever regret it.

[She blinks as he takes her hand and yes.... She feels all of that in him towards her and she couldn't help but to smile at it.]

[He subconciously leans into her wing ever so slightly. His own are still held tightly to himself, completely still, some sort of instinct that tells him not to draw attention to himself.

Listening to her coo, he thinks. On one hand, he's still sensitive to what Reyson and Tibarn would think. Reyson being someone he still cares about and Tibarn being someone who could rip his wings off. On the other, there's no telling what the chance of them showing up here is, and besides, if Leanne is just as insistent with them as she's being now...

He wants to argue further. To tell her that yes, the chance you'll regret this is very high. But he finally takes one glance up at her, looks into her face, and knows he'll be rehashing everything he's already said and she'll still insist otherwise. So he can either put his foot down and get angry and break her heart......or give in to what he really wants, just like when they were kids. He squeezes her hand.

This got out of control so quickly.]

Sometimes, you're too stubborn for your own good, you know that?

[She continues to smile and coo at him when he leans into her wing, noting how still his own are. It's okay to relax here, nothing will come and harm you.

If she was willing to face off a lion laguz shifted for him, Tibarn and Reyson will be of no troubles in this small fight. Reyson especially will just have to accept Naesala as his brother-in-law. Yuuuup.

She smiles at him a more loving smile when he looks up at her face, still trying to read what is all that is going through his mind. She blinks when he squeezes her hand and moves her free hand cup his face in it. She couldn't but to giggle at his words.]

I am only stubborn when I need to be. But I think it's a good thing to be stubborn.

[Facing down Skrimir hasn't happened to him yet, though he'd be delighted to know she's willing to jump in front of an enraged fleabag for him. [/sarcasm]

He's still pretty sure Tibarn could sneak in killing him if he really wanted to, anyway. But Naesala's trying to justify this and not think about that happening.

He makes sure to look her in the eye before saying his last piece.] If we do this - if we get into this - you need to know that if, no, when we go home...I don't know how much we'll remember from this world, but, I...I can't..... I need to keep Kilvas my priority.

I need you to tell me you understand who and what you're getting involved with.

[Okay. He's left that out in the open. He already knows this isn't some dumb leftover fleeting teenage crush and she's serious about her feelings. What she does with this has to be her choice and hers alone.]

[She looks back into his eyes when he makes eye contact with her and speaks his piece. He was being serious and so was she. But she does give his words some serious thought out of respect to him. After a long pause and serious thinking on her end, she finally goes to speak to him. In her mind, there really isn't any choice.]

I understand but this I am sure of, that the me at home still has these feelings for you and is just waiting for you. I can only pray that we will remember all of the important things of this world.

[A warm chuckle.]

Of course you will need to do that or else you wouldn't be a good king. But..... I do understand and it makes no difference. I always knew that to love you, I have to love both you and Kilvas equally the same or else I would have no right to think of such things.

["The me at home". Thinking about different worlds and timelines makes his head ache. But for what it's worth, he's known all along, even if it wasn't something he had time to readily concern himself with. Leanne is Leanne no matter what. And that's comforting, at the very least.

Acknowledging she isn't taking this lightly, his wings stretch from their cramped position and enclose the two of them together. They're not entirely relaxed yet - and hey, neither is he on the whole - but it's a start.]

You've gotten dangerously good with persuasion. [And then, he uses the same tone he'd used for these words earlier when things were less serious.] I fall for it every damn time.

(She closes her eyes as his wings moves to bring them close. She goes to move her free hand off of his face to brush those dark wings. Yes, its a start, a very good start. Her eyes reopen when he speaks again and gains a smug expression.)

Look at whom I have to deal with. (Then his lighter tone and she goes to shift her position a little in order to lean against him.) Do not under estmate your own charms as well, my king.

[His wings are enormous enough to completely encircle them when fully extended, and he does so. Hiding spot within a hiding spot. He graciously lets her lean into him, and savors the feeling of her hands brushing against his wings.]

Mm, well. Perhaps you were right about my influence. [a small chuckle as he takes this whole situation in] And I certainly can't argue with that.

[Not that he's partial to using them on her, of all people. ...On purpose.]

Let's...take it slow. Okay? I'm... [still a little uncomfortable? worried about you? really actually hoping this will work out??] ...I want to make sure this turns out alright.

[She smiles even more when he lets her lean against him, not really helping but to let out a few happy chirps at his whole reaction to her being so close.]

Of course I am right about that. [Shifting a little to get comfortable against him.]

Aye.... I can agree to that. [A brief thought.] Perhaps it will help if we can keep it hidden from our crewmates or keep it only a select few know.

[She nods her head against him.] I am sure that it will be alright.

[Naesala takes a moment for a deep breath and a chance to pull himself together. He removes his ponytail and slicks everything back again to redo it; once his arms are free, he lets them rest around Leanne. His chin is propped on top of her head.

Her being so happy about this makes him feel a little better.]

Not a problem. [He agrees whole-heartedly. Besides...secrets are kind of his thing.] If you say that...do you have specific people in mind?

[She...knows more people than he does. But he hopes Ace isn't on that list.]

[She giggles again when he cuddles her and even though he may not see it, she is positively glowing with joy and happiness.

Maybe one day he will be just as happy as her one day.]

I am glad that you agree with me.... Probably only three myself. Selphie, Toshio and Zeff. [NEVER MARCO! As much as she loves the phoenix, he will never find out if she had a choice. If he knew that both ships will know within the day.]

Those are the only ones I think can keep this a secret.

the face shall be used

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