(In which meeting a giant space-god-alien-egg happens, dancing, Annie is an awkward translator, Solus' mom instantly wants grandchicks, and fun sleeping arrangements all happen. Again, all chatter removed)
Reb "Tonight we are celebrating the egg's third song," Tla-ja said, her eyes lighting up. "Last night, the stars turned in their sleep. Tonight, at this festival, they will give us a new lullaby, the third lullaby since we arrived at the egg many years ago. There will be many, many more before it hatches, but this means it is growing, and it is healthy. While the people dance, the sacred keepers of the egg will climb to the mountain summit and record the third lullaby straight from the stars themselves." "Why, don't you dance as gracefully as you fly?" Solus teased. Chey Annamore nodded, smiling to herself as she glanced up at the deepening sky, the stars slowly appearing across it, one by one. "Stars... Are never just stars. Do they sing to you, or do they write the melody?" She questioned, the thought of a lullaby from the sky filling her with a sense of pleasure. "I like to think so... But the last time I danced, I still had human feet, so the movements might be a bit clumsy at first." She admitted, sticking her tongue out at him. Reb The elder hummed and looked upward. "It's tough to say. The stars spell the music, but the lullaby also comes from /within./" Here she reached forward and touched them both on the shoulder; Solus tensed a little, not expecting the touch. She looked at him curiously. "If you say you haven't felt it, I'll be surprised." He opened his mouth, uncertain of what to say. "Uh..." Tla-ja frowned at him. "Oh, child. That won't do. Come." She stood and reached for their hands. "Both of you. You must meet it." "It?" Solus clarified. "The egg!" Chey Annamore took Tla-ja's hand willingly, giving Solus a smile. "I'd like to meet it." Her heartbeat thrummed in her chest at the thought. Legends and magic like this, this she could understand. And she wanted to learn more of Solus' people, as much as she could, and this seemed a great way to do so. "Please, lead on."
Reb Solus looked back at the festivities with some reluctance, but followed just the same; after all, it was important for him to learn about his own culture. Tla-ja led them back into the mountain path. The mirrors no longer illuminated the caves in sparkling daylight, but glow-worms in the ceiling sprinkled the rock with starlight. Torches and burning dishes lit their way as the elder took them down a new hall in the rock. Solus' ears tilted forward. There was a sound of water running, and a low hum permeated the air. He could feel the vibrations in his bones. At the end of the hall, there were no doors. There was only the chamber, lit somberly in every shade of blue. Water trickled down the walls of the skylight, where sunlight would shine each day. Solus glanced up knowingly. "Stones of infinite water," he told Annamore, pointing up at the tiny sparkling things. They walked along a wooden pathway that spiralled down the very high wall. At the bottom, the ocean rushed in to a natural basin. The waves lapped at the egg in the center. It was enormous, and simultaneously dark and luminous. It cast a glow around the room that sent the water's reflections up the high walls, and in its surface a thousand stars sparkled. The elder greeted the four guards that stood humming around it. They each held a shallow dish of burning sunrock. "There it is," the elder whispered to them. "It will hatch in the next thousand years or so. But for now, it is young, and it dreams." Solus' feathers turned upward; he could feel it, asleep in the egg, and its dreams were powerful. Cold energy crackled in his veins. He looked to Tla-ja, unsure if this was a normal reaction. She nodded to him. "Go on, say hello. It won't wake up." He looked carefully to the stepping-stone bridge that led to the egg, again, in a spiral. "It's too young to respond yet, but it should at least know who you are," she encouraged. Solus nodded and started on the path. The elder put a warm hand on Annamore's shoulder. "I'm sorry, little one, this magic is not for you. You are for a different world." She smiled down at her. Chey She glanced up at the stones with interest, her ears flicking forward with the motion, but she didn't say anything as they continued on. There was too much to pay attention to, too many sensations to hear, or smell, or feel. It was odd to her, to see an egg incubating in water, but she had figured this one would be. She stared in wonder, tilting her head. She could feel immense power coming from it, but could not make heads or tails of what exactly it was that she was feeling. She glanced back at Tla-ja, a gentle smile tugging on her face, "You are right - it is a very different magic." She kept her voice low, not wanting to disturb anything. "But it is a good magic, none-the-less." Reb "I can tell, child," she said with a smile. "Perhaps a softer magic than what is at work here-child, I wouldn't do that!" she raised her voice slightly to caution Solus, who had reached to touch the egg. He drew his hand away as if struck and looked back toward them wide-eyed. /It's hot!/ he mouthed. Tla-ja laughed quietly. "Stars are creatures of fire," she told Annamore. "There's a reason we touch them with song and not hands." At the egg, Solus cradled his hand-which had been through a lot that day- and squinted at the depth of the egg. It looked infinite, as if it were a glass marble instead of something opaque. He seemed to come to some sort of realization as his ears tilted toward it, and he closed his eyes, and smiled. After a time, he heaved a deep breath as if waking up from something. He opened his eyes and walked back to them. "I saw it," he whispered excitedly. Tla-ja laughed again. "Did it look like much?" Solus shook his head. "No, I didn't understand it. But it showed itself to me. It came from far away." He looked down at his hand, where his first two fingertips were pink from being burned. "I hope it has a good heart," he said in a low voice. "Most do," Tla-ja clarified with a nod. "Most do." There was a sound like a bell being rung from the top of the chamber, and the guard shifted. "Come," the elder said. "Back to the festival." Chey "Love is a very soft magic... Although it can be aggressive, and harsh, and angry, when it needs to be." Annamore replied quietly, unsure of why she was telling Tla-ja this. She glanced back at Solus, wincing in sympathy as he burned his hand. "Indeed they are. I wonder if the stars of my world lay eggs." She mused, her eyes growing distant. The energy in the room was affecting her in some way, she realized mildly. It must affect the solar guardians even more. She couldn't bring herself to feel alarmed by that thought, either. She didn't comment on their exchange, accepting it as a thing that just /was/. The bell startled her out of the odd feeling, making her feathers puff slightly as she followed them back to the festival, carefully taking Solus' hand and examining his fingers carefully, "Are you all right?" Reb "As with all things," the old woman murmured. Solus laced his fingers through hers. "I'm fine," he chuckled, and gave her hand a squeeze. They returned to the festival to find that the food had been cleared and instruments had been brought out. A jovial melody filled the square, and the drums made it impossible /not/ to want to dance. Tla-ja left them to converse with her other elders; it was almost time to hear the third lullaby, as evidenced by how bright and close the stars seemed. Solus exchanged a glance with Annamore, already tapping his foot in time with the music. Chey Annamore held out her hand to him, her eyes lighting up at the melody, making her intentions perfectly clear, /would you like to dance with me?/ She had a strong feeling he wasn't going to refuse her. Reb Solus took her hand and twirled her before leading them both into the crowd of dancers. He grinned down at her, feeling the hummingbirds in his stomach again. Chey Annamore scooted closer, her hand moving his shoulder nervously. Yes, she'd learned how to dance, but she'd never before danced with someone she actually /liked/. She grinned back, feeling the same sense of fluttering through her stomach. Reb Solus timidly placed his hand on her waist and looked down at his feet, just to make sure he was doing it right. He hadn't really danced like this with anyone, though he was a fair dancer. He met her eyes and giggled a little. Using the melody, he swayed and led her through the dance. Chey She kept her eyes on his, feeling like she was going to burst from happiness as they danced. She always seemed to forget exactly /how/ blue his eyes were anytime she wasn't looking directly at them, and being this close as they danced sent a thrill down her spine. Unconsciously, her tail managed to flare on her yet again. Reb Solus felt his tail react, but he didn't pay it any mind as he was too busy staring deeply into her eyes. They glittered like emeralds in the firelight, and he couldn't help but think about how his favorite color was green. As they danced, he unconsciously leaned closer to her, closing off the rest of the world from his consciousness until she filled his vision. His thumb brushed over hers. Chey She smiled softly at him, trying to convey everything she felt about him, about the entire past day, to him in the expression. The hand that was holding onto his gave a light squeeze. As he leaned in, so did she, letting herself be drawn ever closer with no thought of resisting. Reb He took several measured breaths that didn't quite match the erratic pounding of his heart. His smile matched hers until he pressed his lips together. He wanted to kiss her. He really really wanted to kiss her. /But not here,/ he thought, trying to shake the feeling off. He pulled back slightly with a nervous laugh and concentrated on the music again. It was extremely difficult, with her so distracting just by being herself.Chey She let herself pull back a bit to, instinctively understanding his thoughts there. She internally shook off the butterflies slightly, and let her lips twitch back into a smile, letting him know she was /all right/ with that. She made him lift his arm and spun underneath it again, laughing cheerfully as she moved. Reb Solus grinned and moved with her easily, spinning and twirling with her as they danced to the more upbeat music. He blushed when he realized they weren't /quite/ dancing the way everyone else was, but the other dancers didn't seem to mind, smiling as they spun by. Chey Annamore didn't even /notice/ that they weren't dancing the same. She laughed happily, winking up at him, "You should dip me." Reb "Dip you? But your'e so close to the ground already!" he teased, dipping her anyway. Chey "Well, it's not like I could dip /you/." She counted, teasing right back, her eyes sparkling up at him, unable to contain her grin. "I could try. How friendly do you want to get with the ground, fall bird?" Reb "Hey, you know me. I 'love' the ground. The ground and me are best buddies." He stuck his tongue out at her. Chey Without even thinking, she grabbed him and attempted to dip him, her eyes lit up with mischief. She promptly dropped him. "Whoops! How are you and your 'buddy'?" She asked innocently. Reb Solus wheezed with laughter, and almost considering pulling her down with him by the tail. Instead he reached for her. "Okay, you have to help me back up now, fire-hair." Chey "What hair?" She laughed with him, giving him her hand, "It's all feathers today." Annamore tugged on his hand, "Sorry about that." Reb Solus heaved himself to his feet. "No, you're not." He tapped her beak lightly and reached for her hand, twirling her again. "So when /does/ this wear off? Not that you're not cute as a kitten like this." Chey She giggled when he tapped her beak. "I've got a couple more days like this. It does feel a little... Unusual. Not quite right." She leaned forward conspiratorially, whispering, "I want my old nose back." Reb "What's that?" he whispered back. "You mean you /don't/ like pecking everything you smell?" He leaned forward, too, squishing his nose against her beak. Chey "I feel like I might accidentally poke your eye out with this thing." She continued whispering, more than a little amused. She tapped her beak against his nose. "Peck peck. Never figured I'd end up birdier than I'd been before." Reb He giggled at her. "Stop being so cute," he whispered. He had to pull back, the desire to kiss her not having left him yet. He danced her through the crowd to distract himself from it. Chey She looked at him, giggling too, "I could say the same thing to you." Dropping her voice low, reflective, she glanced around, still dancing lightly, "You know... Today has been wonderful. I didn't know a day could /be/ this wonderful." Reb He followed her gaze, watching the people move around him as he stilled. He wore a misty-eyed smile. "Yeah. I don't... ever remember being this happy." Chey "There'll be more days like this." She replied confidently, nodding to herself. "This place feels like an oasis in the desert. And... You have a family." Her smile returned, soft as velvet, /I hope I'll be able to meet them too. I'm so happy for you./ Reb Solus turned back to her and tilted his head. His crest puffed up pleasantly. "I know. Somehow, with you, I can tell. You make good things happen around me, Annie." Chey She felt her crest raise in reply, her eyes lighting slightly at being called 'Annie' by him - they'd known each other for how many months, and this was the first time he called her that. It sent an odd thrill down her spine, "M-me?" She wasn't sure how to respond to that, honestly made nearly speechless. Recovering, she blushed, "N-no, I don't think it's me. I just... I think you would have had the good things happen anyways. You deserve them." She reached up and poked his nose lightly. Reb He made a strange face, caught between happiness and regret. He looked down. "I dunno, Annie. It's... Yeah, I've always had a fair bit of good fortune but..." He sighed, and ran his fingers through his crest. "Before you, I was in a bad spot." He shook his head, the smile touching his face again, though his eyes were haunted. "I don't even want to think about what would've happened. If we hadn't met." He leaned to drop a kiss onto her feathered forehead. "I'm glad you're in my life." Chey She wasn't sure how to respond. Instead she tugged his head back down and rested their foreheads together, closing her eyes and tugging on his crest feathers affectionately. "I'm glad that we met, then." She opened them to meet his eyes again, her expression happy, "And I'm just as glad you're in mine. Thank you." Reb He laughed. "For what? I haven't even done anything for you! And don't try to tell me that the fruit counts, that's just because you feed me sometimes. How am I supposed to repay you, when you keep doing all this nice shit for me?" he teased, his hands framing her face. His expression changed as it seemed to dawn on him. "I'm never going to repay you. Not in ten thousand lifetimes could I repay you, for this alone." Chey "For being here. For taking me on adventures. For /talking/ to me." She met his eyes seriously, he needed to understand how much that really meant to her. "You don't have to try to pay me back, because the only thing I want is to be around you, and you're doing that anyways." A hand reached up and covered one of the hands on her face, her leaning her cheek into it slightly. "I've already got everything I want." Annamore informed him softly, before making an odd noise. /Moon, that sounded way clingier than I meant it to./ Reb His heart raced at her words. "Me too," he answered quietly, which was the understatement of the century. She'd just given him his universe, his family, his people, and she was standing with him through it all. He couldn't /not/ kiss her then, no matter how many people might be watching. He tilted her chin up and tenderly pressed his lips against hers. Reb Kineth rolled his eyes. "Ah, youth." He followed her through and was instantly met by... darkness. He waited for his eyes to adjust. "Don't go anywhere, little one." He stepped forward and spread his wings, gently pushing the fog aside, dark against dark. "Stay close to me." Chey She made another noise, this one soft, content. Her eyes fluttered shut even as her cheeks flushed - she hadn't thought about people watching them while dancing, but she did now. Still, she made no effort to break the kiss, leaning into it and returning it with the same tenderness she felt from his lips. Reb He broke the kiss out of self-consciousness; as much as he wanted to keep kissing her, for the rest of forever, there was a crowd present. He drew back with a smile and attempted to tug her back into a dance. Chey She couldn't help but grin uncontrollable once he broke the kiss, letting herself move back into the dance. She didn't notice any disapproving looks, but there seemed to be a few smiles tossed their way. Her feathers ruffled in mild embarrassment. Reb The music heightened and the dance changed. The people were linking arms and hands. Solus looped his arm through Annamore's as someone sidled next to him to do the same. He grinned down at her as they danced around the square in a loose circle, and the people began to sing. It took a moment for him to realize, but the elders were bringing the song with them as they re-entered the square. They were bringing this melody straight from the stars. The people raised their voices in celebration as the tree-lights began to dim. The stars were singing. Chey Annamore looked above in fascination, before glancing around at the people. She wasn't sure what she should do as she was pulled around in this new dance. Should she sing? Should she not? Would she mess something up? She worried for a few seconds before seeing the grin on Solus' face, and suddenly she realized that they wouldn't have allowed her to stay and join if that could happen. She didn't know the words, but she raised her voice anyways, joining in the song. Reb The people laughed and danced and sang to the starlight. Solus felt the bird humming in its egg. The world was not whole, but it never would be, and everything was in its place. They whirled and spun faster as the song picked up momentum. When it finally wound down again, the fire at the center had burned low. The people broke apart with exhausted laughter, still humming under their breath. This was the song they'd sing for the next decade or so. Solus leaned on his knees to catch his breath, as the party-goers began to slowly trickle away. He reached over to put an arm around Annamore's shoulder. "Wow," was all he could say. Chey She leaned against him, trying just as hard to catch her breath, "Wow, indeed." She agreed lightly, panting. "I'm not so... Used to foot work." She managed to laugh, her eyes seeking his, shining brightly. "But I liked it. Want to go another round?" She teased, before turning her head to look around the square. With people leaving, she wondered what was next for them. For him. Reb Solus stood up straight and rubbed her shoulder in support. He looked around for anyone he might recognize. Something tugged his sleeve. He looked down and smiled; it was his littlest sister. He knelt down to her level. "Hey there!" he chirped, knowing she wouldn't be able to understand him. The other two joined her, beaming up at him with wide smiles. "It is time for you to go home now, Solus," Tla-ja said, coming up behind them. Solus rose, taking the little one with him, and his hand instinctively reached for Annamore's. "Home?" His parents appeared beside the elder and reached for his hands, beckoning excitedly. Solus gave Annamore a happy smile. "Home!" Chey Annamore couldn't help it as she looked at him with his sister in his arms - her crest raised a little. /Moon help me, that's precious./ She thought to herself as she took one of his hands. "Home." She repeated softly, practically glowing from happiness for him. Still, she felt suddenly self conscious and nervous. She glanced between the family and felt suddenly /guilty/ - they probably wanted to be able to be alone with him, right? "A-are you sure this is all right?" She glanced between Solus, his parents, and Tla-ja, "I... This is something they've waited for for a long time." Reb They all paused. Tla-ja smiled kindly upon her. "My child, if you wish to give them space, that is up to you. But as far as they are concerned, you are together." Solus blushed a little at that, and squeezed Annamore's hand. The family looked upon them both with wide, hopeful eyes, awaiting their decision. Chey When he squeezed his hand that decided it for her, as did the looks on his parents faces. Maybe she was reading things in from her own hopes, but it looked as if they /accepted her/. She felt her eyes grow misty at that thought and fiercely blinked them away. "I'll go with him." She replied, making a guess at how to say that in their own language, although her voice was barely a hint of a whisper. She squeezed his hand back, smiling at his parents, hoping the look would answer them if her attempt to speak failed. Reb The mother smiled and nodded her head once. They exchanged some sort of farewell gesture with the elder. As soon as that was done, one of the children grabbed Annamore by the hand and began dragging her forward. The other did the same to Solus, who was desperately trying to understand whatever his parents were telling him as they excitedly led them to their home. Chey Annamore swallowed the lump that had managed to build in her throat, laughing as the child dragged her forward, having to give up her hold on Solus' hand in order to follow. She glanced back at him and flashed him a quick smile - seeing him surrounded by his family was wonderful. She grinned back down at the child, screwing her face up as she tried to piece words together. "What is your..." She realized she hadn't figured out name yet, and shrugged, "Call?" It would do, she decided. Reb The girl blinked back at her for a moment. "Call? Oh! Call!" She began making a loud screeching noise at the top of her lungs, much to her parents' embarrassment. "/Shian!/" her mother scolded. The girl put a hand over her mouth. She looked back at Annamore. "What's /your/ call?" Chey "Annamore. You are Shian?" She giggled, poking the child in the stomach teasingly, "I'm learning. What is word for," She winked down at the girl, while shrugging helplessly, "Call?" Reb The little girl giggled at her silly harpy friend. "Name? Name- Shian?" She pointed to herself, and then to Annamore. "An...A-mo-ray? Name?" Chey "Yes!" Annamore grinned down at the child, reaching down and pulling her into her arms to carry her. "Annamore. Name." She agreed, gaining the word she had been looking for. She pointed to the sibling still in Solus' arms with her free hand, meeting Shian's eyes as she questioned, "Name?" Reb "She's too young," Shian whispered, as if it were a secret. "Not yet. Two years. For now she is 'littlest.'" Chey Annamore filed that away, nodding. Some cultures didn't name their children till a certain age, she knew. This must be one. She wondered what Solus' name would have been, had his life not gone as it had. She moved her hand to point at the little brother, "Name?" She asked again, smiling brightly at Shian.
Reb "Terni," she whispered. "He steps on my tail a lot." Chey "That's not nice." Annamore nodded solemnly, whispering back. "Do you step on his back?" She asked knowingly, feeling her phrasing ease slightly as the language pieces slowly started fitting together. She glance at the parents, "And them?" Reb "Sometimes," she grinned. "But sometimes it makes him cry. He doesn't like his tail touched. That's mom. Dad. B-brother," she finished, pointing to Solus. He glanced over and waved at her. Shian waved back excitedly. "I hope /he/ won't step on my tail." Chey "He won't." Annamore assured, giggling, "Unless it is... Um... Accident." She move to walk next to him again, pulling Shian up closer to her face and gently resting her chin on the girl's head. "Yup. Ten." She reaffirmed teasingly, remembering her slip earlier. Reb Solus pressed his lips together and blushed. "Ten, huh?" His tail puffed up before he stopped it, and they arrived at the doorstep of a treehouse. Solus' father held the door open wide to welcome them in. Chey Her eyes couldn't help but sparkle when he blushed, giving him a teasing grin. Well, mostly teasing. Annamore smiled at the house, following Solus in gladly, still carrying Shian. Once inside she turned and looked shyly at his parents, glad that she had picked up some of the language earlier. She was going to need it. She glanced back at Solus and grinned once more, repeating the word from earlier, her expression growing satisfied, "Home." Reb "Home! Yes, home!" the mother said excitedly. "Come in, sit, sit, sit-not you." She addressed the children, taking Shian from Annamore. They protested and whined. She clucked at them. "Bed for you, and you, and you." She reached to take Littlest from Solus and handed her to Terni and shooed them toward a walkway that went upward. The trio kept looking back at Solus and grinning. He waved happily at them as they ascended. The parents ushered them to a low wooden table, where they sat on cushions. Solus' father poured something pink into four goblets. It was alcoholic, from the smell of it. Solus' mother took his hand. "Harpies found you?" she asked. "You have traveled long to find us." Solus glanced to Annamore, still lost with the language. Chey Annamore chuckled and waved happily too, before doing as ordered and sitting down besides Solus, looking around the room happily. She met his eyes, before moving to his mother's and tilting her head, furrowing her brow. "She... Is asking if harpies found you... Says you've traveled far." Reb Solus nodded emphatically. "Yes! Yes, I-we traveled through many jungles. I've been searching for a long time now." Cheyr Annamore puzzled for a moment, then attempted, "He's been looking for a long time, to find you. We've searched many..." She tilted her head, grumbling, "What's the word for jungle..." She waved her hand as if encompassing the area outside of the village, "Trees?" Reb The man and woman both nodded. "Forest, yes. The stars have finally guided you home. We missed you." She reached for his hand. His father put his hand on his shoulder. "Not every egg makes it, we know. But we missed you." Solus may not have known what she was saying, exactly, but he knew the misty-eyed look she gave him. The moment lingered comfortably before his father chimed in. "But you are here now, you must drink, please," he said, raising his cup. Solus laughed, again oblivious, but now he could tell where his awkwardness came from. Chey Annamore covered her mouth as she giggled, exchanging a glance with his mom, her eyes sparkling with unspoken understanding as she motioned at the two guys. She composed herself slightly and grinned up at Solus, "I think you can figure out that he wants you to drink, since you're here, finally." "They've missed you... The stars have brought you home." She smiled again, relishing that word for his sake. Reb Solus smiled and lifted his cup. They all raised theirs in a toast, saying some sort of word of celebration. The wine-for it must have been wine- was extremely sweet, and a lot thicker than one would have expected. Solus felt his cheeks warm the instant it hit his belly, and on the second sip he became drowsy- though it might have been the entire day's events finally catching up to him. "So this," his mother gestured between he and Annamore. "This is your... you are his wife?" she addressed her, seeing as she was the translator in the room. His father thumped him gently on the shoulder- Solus looked to Annamore in confusion. Chey Annamore took a sip, testing it, and quickly took another, finding it to be very much to her liking. But she made herself set it down after that, knowing how she could get when alcohol was in her blood. She smiled brighter after that though, relaxing a bit. She tilted her head, trying to understand what was being asked. And then it dawned on her, making her tail flare with uncommon intensity, her cheeks burning brightly. She shook her head quickly, "N-no. N-not wife" She glanced down at the table for a moment, composing herself, "Ah... Girlfriend?" She hoped she pieced that word together right, unless they had a different word for that situation. Reb Solus looked at her in confusion. He automatically blushed when she did, despite having no idea what interaction had just occurred. "What just-" His mother exchanged a glance with his father. "Girl... friend." His father shrugged. "You aren't together? You seem close." His mother patted his father on the arm, willing to let the issue drop. "Friendship happens," she told him. He smiled at her. Chey Annamore glanced between the two, realizing they didn't quite get it, "Ah... Together, yes... Not /that/ together?" She pointed at the feathers in their hair, wondering if they had similar habits as the harpies. She glanced at Solus again and explained softly, blushing even more, "T-they asked if I was your wife..." Reb Solus actually spat out his drink and coughed for a long moment. His father thumped him on the back heavily until he caught his breath again. "Right! Married." He nodded his head, and then shook it emphatically, blushing to the roots of his crest. His mother nodded. "Ah, yes, yes. Then you /will/ be married?" Chey "M-maybe?" Her voice came out as a squeak, her shoulders shaking from a bit of laughter as she glanced over at him. "We... Ah... Are going," She took a deep breath, composing herself yet again while she thought of the right word, "Slow." She met his mom's eyes with a slight smile, conveying wordlessly that it would be something that she wouldn't mind someday, perhaps. Reb That seemed to satisfy her. "We will be very happy for you when you do," she said warmly, taking Annamore's hand. She smiled at her husband, who pat Solus on the shoulder. Solus looked to each of them and returned their smiles, guessing that whatever confusion there had been was cleared up. He took another small sip of his drink and then sagged from exhaustion. The alcohol /was/ making him a little sleepier than normal. His father nodded. "You are exhausted from your travels. Will you stay with us tonight?" "You are most welcome, we have a room," his mother added. Chey "I... Thank you." Annamore replied meekly, not really knowing how to answer that. It made her happy, though. She decided she quite liked them. She helped herself to another sip of the wine, too, breathing in the flavor and perking up again. "They want yo-us, I think, to stay the night. Will we?" She asked Solus, deciding not to translate the marriage discussion. She didn't need to kill him, after all. Reb Solus looked at her. "Uhh... I think that would be nice, I mean... where else is there to go?" Chey "Good point." She grinned at him then nodded to his parents, "We'd love to stay." Reb Solus' mother nodded excitedly as they got up from the table. "Good, good, we are happy to have you!" she said. Solus yawned as they led them up a different walkway to a wooden structure completely enclosed in leaves. His mother pushed them aside to reveal a doorway, and a comfortable-sized room within. Solus' eyes widened- there was a /bed/, with a /mattress/. There wasn't much else in the room besides a table and a chest, and a tiny bioluminescent potted plant. Solus walked in uncertainly. "You will be comfortable here, yes?" his mother asked. Chey "She's asking if you'll be comfortable." Annamore said innocently, smiling between the two of them. The roomed seemed quite nice, to her. Reb "Yes," Solus nodded, "Yes! Thank you, this is lovely! I've never had a bed before-oh god Annamore, don't tell her I just said that." He stepped forward to awkwardly open his arms. His parents came forward to embrace him again. "Welcome home, son," they whispered. He felt himself go misty-eyed, even if he couldn't understand their specific words. They let go to smile warmly at him. Then they came forward to squeeze Annamore's hands. "Goodnight," they said. "Dream well, as the egg sleeps." His parents left the room and closed the leafy curtain. Solus paused for a moment before looking at the bed and then at Annamore. "Oh." Chey Annamore looked away for a moment while they embraced, accidentally misting over herself, both at his statement about a bed, and the pure emotion coming from the three of them. She squeezed their hands back, smiling brightly as she blinked the tears back. And then they left, making her blush as the curtain closed and realization dawned on them both. "O-oh... Well... I mean, I stayed with you that time we got drunk... T-this isn't different, right?" Reb "Y-yeah, and apparently I stayed with /you/ the one time I got cursed... so..." He shrugged. Honestly, he was glad to finally get some time alone with her; he was overwhelmed by all the company and attention, as nice as it was. Slowly he sat on the edge of the bed, childishly delighting in the way the mattress bounced. He carefully slipped out of his top. "Is... this okay?" he asked, referring to the whole situation, really. Chey She nodded, smiling at him even though her tail accidentally fluffed out. This time though, she didn't see any reason to try to hide it. "T-that's fine. You took it off when cursed too, anyways..." She mumbled, walking over and sitting down next to him. She glanced shyly at him before suddenly reaching over and poking his belly, grinning sillily, "Wow, you really do have nice abs, though. Just saying." Reb Solus giggled when she poked him. He draped an arm over her shoulders and rested his cheek on her hair. "Thank you." He kissed the top of her head. "You have nice everything. You're nice." Chey She snuggled against him, smiling at his words, "You are, too. Thank you." She said again, before explaining, "For sharing this with me, I mean." She fidgeted with her sleeves, "Today's been perfect. And so have you." Reb Solus cupped her face and tilted it up to kiss her again. "Everything's perfect," he mumbled to her lips. "You're perfect." Chey She flushed, but instead of arguing, she touched her lips against his lightly, her eyes closing as she scooted ever closer, breathing in his scent with a happy sigh. Reb Solus kissed her again (because how could he resist) and fell backwards on the bed, dragging her with him. He nuzzled her face, breathing in her smell. Chey She gave a small shiver of excitement as he pulled her back, not having been expecting the motion. She rested an arm over him comfortably, stroking the feathers on his chest idly and finding the sensation to be absolutely delightful. She met his eyes and gave him a smile that was full of pure, sleepy, contentment. Reb Solus was almost too tired to blush. He reached up to secure his arm more comfortably beneath her head. He wrapped his other arm around her to touch her crest feathers. He weaved his fingertips up and down, skritching her from the top of her head to what he could reach of her neck. He returned her sleepy smile as he brought his knees up, curling up around her. Chey She did shiver that time, hard, as his fingertips worked through her feathers - especially her neck feathers. She secured herself to him even as he curled around her, an arm holding onto him tightly, as if he would vanish in the night. Reb Solus cringed as she did so-but not entirely in a bad way. He pulled her close and breathed in the top of her head. He thumbed over her feathers again and let his eyes slip shut. Chey She pressed her face lightly against him, her eyes fluttering shut, too. She was perfectly at peace right now, and more than a little exhausted by the day. "G'night, love." She mumbled tiredly. With his scent and warmth lulling her, she fell asleep easily. Reb Solus chuckled into her feathers, relaxing comfortably in her hold. "Goodnight... love." He nodded off soon after she did.