👐 for Gray
[ 𝐌𝐄𝐌𝐄 ] - 𝑛𝑜 𝑙𝑜𝑛𝑔𝑒𝑟 𝑎𝑐𝑐𝑒𝑝𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔
@lucentaire
Ordinarily, Gray could be relied upon to be quick to spot anything in short order, his skill for observation and swift reactions often lent itself well to such a task. Whether it be a threat or simply a detail out of place, there was not much that escaped him. Usually, anyway.
In this moment, however, it seemed his sharp gaze was unusually dull. Fruitlessly, he cast his eyes about the dense forest, straining to find his target among the filtered lights and shadows. Even stretching out with his other senses, it seemed his typical skill was as elusive as that which he now sought.
He frowned at his companion even as he continued to search for what she had indicated she’d seen moments ago. “Where...?”
They stood close to each other among the thick trees, hardly daring to take up much space at all, lest they spook the rare, magical bird they had come in search of.
“There,” Evergreen said, in hardly more than a whisper, giving a slight nod to an area to her right, as to not startle the creature.
As Gray passed his gaze from her over to where she’d gestured, a flutter of movement signalled he was too late. Again. He trapped a frustrated sigh in his chest, brows furrowing and tension climbing like a vine over his body. What was wrong with him? Why was he having so much difficulty today? It was maddening.
A faint breeze brushed across him, a shadow accompanying it, and distantly he noted there was no air movement in the forest beforehand. The damn bird had moved yet again. And still, Gray’s ceaseless eyes could not seem to find it, even when he turned towards where he was sure it had relocated.
At his side, Evergreen stilled, almost as if she had become one of her own statues. Incrementally at first, she raised her hands. He blinked at the motion, eyes finding her as her hands settled lightly on his face.
As if she had reached into the cold depths of his chest and brushed aside the layer of frost keeping it still, his heart began a quickened beat. His tension of moments prior tightened ever so briefly before melting away like ice in the sunlight. Awareness of their proximity to one another jolted to the forefront of his mind, sharpening his focus to her alone and the contact she maintained with him.
His mind turned hazy, a static buzzing dully in the back of his mind, stealing his thoughts. He would later reason the strange reactions he had was simply due to the fact it was unusual for him to be touched, especially with...deliberateness, and particularly by Evergreen. (Didn’t that, in fact, make it normal then? Perfectly reasonable, he would decide.)
Her touch was light, barely there, almost as if she was handling something delicate or was wary of overstepping and making him uncomfortable. He typically didn’t like having his personal space encroached upon, and certainly not with physical touch, yet he found himself wishing she would press her hands more firmly to his skin. It was too faint as it was, a whisper of warmth, one that stirred a desire to have more, to be closer, that he might better soak up the sensation.
But what was she doing? He forced himself to think. She was someone who always had a good reason for everything, yet, this seemed strange (but not unpleasant, far from it).
His gaze skimmed her face for answers, observing the way the lighting around them brought out the colour of her eyes. His focus slipped briefly to her lips (just in case she would whisper, of course, so he wouldn't miss it, no other reason, no), but then returned to her eyes once again, and noted they had shifted to peer into a space off to the side.
With gentle yet persistent pressure, she turned his head. Reluctantly, he redirected his attention and allowed her guidance.
Immediately, his eyes set upon the most beautiful bird. The size of a dove, with dappled feathers capable of mirroring the colour palette of its surroundings and a pearlescent curved beak, it perched, preening upon an eye-level branch.
Eyes alight, and smile slowly spreading, Gray took in the sight before him. Hours of searching had finally found them success. He risked glancing back to Evergreen in excitement, but dared not speak.
But, of course, they still had a problem. How were they to get a feather from the bird?