Joy and exhilaration and determination and pure vivacity coursed through Evan as he pumped his mighty wings in the air, the sparks of lightning in the fog over his scales only propelling him further into the sky. If a flicker of guilt threatened his periphery--a phantom sensation that he didn't deserve this transformation trying to tug him back towards the ground--Evan answered with a regathered resolve that he would deserve it, regardless. That he wouldn't look away in the future. That he was doing something important with this gift--this sacrifice--that had been left for this moment in his care. He knew his scales shimmered with the black of his tattoo, and of the demon's screaming teeth. But he wasn't filled with rage, though it was difficult to find another word for it. He swelled with an energy that he didn't know what to do with other than to fly, and he prayed he'd find an outlet for it that wasn't just more violence.
At last he saw the goddess, and practically sparked with warring sensations of sheepishness and pride. Would she be impressed at his arrival, or would he be intruding on a stolen gift? She seemed to glow herself, though, which relieved him, and he shifted course to fly towards her as her misty form stepped over clouds to greet him. He could feel her mind reaching for his, and he eagerly flung himself open to her.
I can't promise I won't hurt you again, she said to him, and some of his energy escaped him as thoughts of Obviously and But we have to do better warred in his own mind, their static clashing and startling him. That doubt tried to tug him downwards again, but he refocused on the shape of his wings, how they felt in the air, and he found a stubborn stability.
But, I want to flow with you. the goddess went on as she and Evan reached each other, and she pressed her hand to his snout, instantly flickering the memory of her dragon rolling his scale through the grass across his being. Yes, there was melancholy, but there was also serenity, and love. He felt her open to him, and he nearly tumbled into her, ravenous for more closeness and understanding. He saw her perspective on humanity--two warring figures tangling in a conflict that both sparked and threatened life. Their vivacity splattered the ground and lit up the sky, and Evan couldn't deny his elation at the sight. But then there was also shame and heartbreak, indigo and turquois spilling into and suffusing the figures and the sky. The figures solidified into Evan and Philip, but in some ways, they could have been anyone, and they dissipated. The sky lit up like a galaxy, all of this inside of the goddess, her own core mirroring every last splatter of color and emotion. The colors swirled and brightened, emotions rising in a cacophony almost too loud to bear, prisms of white light suffusing Evan's vision.
It feels good to hurt you, the goddess said, her touch on the side of his face pulling him back to the clouds where his wings pumped diligently to keep him up in the sky with the goddess, the motions sending great spiraling gusts through the clouds below. It feels good to be hurt. The goddess pulled away and turned around, and Evan let out a rolling, languorous growl, not realizing the way his vocal chords would ripple with his expression of longing.
I know, he said to her, more patience in his mental voice, and he carefully let his hovering flight tilt to the side and circle around to the other side of her, doing his best to present his back to her just beside the cloud she stood on, his neck tilting and curling to face her from this angle.
Please, come back down. We'll figure it out together.
He might not have asked it, but his wings were getting tired. As exhilarating as it had been to soar up into the clouds to find her, to feel the sparks of electricity across his scales and his wings sweeping through air in the sky, he was starting to long for the ground now, to feel his weight supported so he could relax and rest against it--he imagined vividly wrapping himself around the goddess on the grass, both of them breathing deeply in sync with each other as they let whatever echoes were left in the air of this flow through them. Whatever was left to see and feel and comprehend and acknowledge, surely they could do it together, supported by the land beneath them.
Part 1 (Start Reading Here)
Moderator: On Dreams And Desire
Re: Part 1 (Start Reading Here)
The moment the goddess turned around, she felt the rumble of a growl in her chest, and her head swung back around to look at Evan, surprised at the sound and the sudden awareness that even a small gesture of separation made his being erupt with longing for her. In his dragon form, the sensation was clear as a bell, distilled and compelling. Her expression, still just a hazy outline, softened, and she started to feel the pull toward a more corporeal body.
I know, Evan said within their shared mindspace, and she absolutely believed him. There were no secrets between them, especially not here where even Evan was barely human. And, a patient acceptance echoed through his words that made it possible to think that, even if she had and would again wrong Evan, he would trust everything to right itself eventually.
The goddess began to feel the currents of wind the black dragon's wings were spurring up, and just as she started to worry whether she might become too corporeal to remain in the cloud cover, the dragon before her circled around her and presented his back, a sleek and shimmering mass of blackest scales reflecting the purples of her form and the static around them.
Please, come back down, Evan pleaded. We'll figure it out together. She took a moment to assess herself and determined that most of the danger to Evan had passed. She was not nearly as volatile as she had been when she left the ground, and there was an appeal to returning to it. Evan's fatigue also began to seep into her, and the goddess swallowed a small laugh as she realized what should have been obvious--this was the first time Evan had used wings. She had no idea what it would be like to come to being a dragon so suddenly, but what Evan had accomplished in getting to her and staying in the air was no small effort.
Dehaljadrun was not altogether looking forward to what their conversation on the ground might entail, but images of cradling each other down on the comfort of the grass came quickly from Evan's mind, and she was relieved at the possibility of more physical contact with him. It was far more efficient than speech anyway.
Finally, the mist of her became more dense and the storm appeared to flow toward the goddess such that her body took on a more human shape again, albeit entirely nude. Dehaljadrun grasped one of the spines on Evan's back just as gravity took hold, and she began to fall. Using the momentum of her weight to swing herself into the small nook between Evan's wings where the spines became more spacious, the goddess settled back onto the dragon, the roiling forces of the storm coalescing within her again with a mounting pain. It was an effort to keep herself from spreading out and erupting once more at first, the physical body too confined for comfort, but the pain lessened somewhat after the initial shock of returning to physical sensation. All this she inadvertently shared mentally with Evan, their link still strong.
Faltering and grasping tightly around Evan's smooth scales with her bare thighs while her hands clenched the spine in front of her, she thought weakly, Let's go.
I know, Evan said within their shared mindspace, and she absolutely believed him. There were no secrets between them, especially not here where even Evan was barely human. And, a patient acceptance echoed through his words that made it possible to think that, even if she had and would again wrong Evan, he would trust everything to right itself eventually.
The goddess began to feel the currents of wind the black dragon's wings were spurring up, and just as she started to worry whether she might become too corporeal to remain in the cloud cover, the dragon before her circled around her and presented his back, a sleek and shimmering mass of blackest scales reflecting the purples of her form and the static around them.
Please, come back down, Evan pleaded. We'll figure it out together. She took a moment to assess herself and determined that most of the danger to Evan had passed. She was not nearly as volatile as she had been when she left the ground, and there was an appeal to returning to it. Evan's fatigue also began to seep into her, and the goddess swallowed a small laugh as she realized what should have been obvious--this was the first time Evan had used wings. She had no idea what it would be like to come to being a dragon so suddenly, but what Evan had accomplished in getting to her and staying in the air was no small effort.
Dehaljadrun was not altogether looking forward to what their conversation on the ground might entail, but images of cradling each other down on the comfort of the grass came quickly from Evan's mind, and she was relieved at the possibility of more physical contact with him. It was far more efficient than speech anyway.
Finally, the mist of her became more dense and the storm appeared to flow toward the goddess such that her body took on a more human shape again, albeit entirely nude. Dehaljadrun grasped one of the spines on Evan's back just as gravity took hold, and she began to fall. Using the momentum of her weight to swing herself into the small nook between Evan's wings where the spines became more spacious, the goddess settled back onto the dragon, the roiling forces of the storm coalescing within her again with a mounting pain. It was an effort to keep herself from spreading out and erupting once more at first, the physical body too confined for comfort, but the pain lessened somewhat after the initial shock of returning to physical sensation. All this she inadvertently shared mentally with Evan, their link still strong.
Faltering and grasping tightly around Evan's smooth scales with her bare thighs while her hands clenched the spine in front of her, she thought weakly, Let's go.
Re: Part 1 (Start Reading Here)
Relief washed through Evan when the goddess finally reached for his back. At first he worried she might fall as she seemed to start sinking through the cloud, but he felt a tug as she swung out of sight, and then the weight of her settled onto his back, and Evan remembered the spines that had been on her back, presuming he must have similar on his. He shifted his attention into a part of him a bit like shoulder blades, flexing muscles there to help his awareness continue to travel into the spines on his back, not quite as alight with nerves as other parts on him, but he could vaguely feel the presence of them, and was pleased. From there his awareness started to shift to the goddess, her naked thighs against his shimmering scales, but he found pain where he had hoped to find pleasure. In all fairness, he found both--it did feel good to be in contact, to be supporting her, to have her holding onto him--but she was in pain, like the storm he had wrought still raged in his chest, and sorrow seeped into him. Of course there was still more work to do, though; dragon or no, it wouldn't be so easy as simply fetching her from whatever fugue she'd needed to go on. Next step was to get them both back down to the ground, regardless.
His thoughts wandered then to the flight the goddess had taken him on, the joy he had felt despite the hurt from earlier that night as she twirled him around in the air, but almost as if to warn him against that, a shift in the wind tilted him, his body jolting in alarm and bringing his consciousness back to the business of flying. It had felt so intuitive when he'd first shot up in the air to find her, but now he felt clumsy and a little uncertain, perhaps just a dash afraid of making a fool of himself in front of her. He tried to course-correct towards practical, stretching his wings out to try to find a way to glide.
A couple jolts of falling and catching himself later, his eyes having both beheld and scoured the landscape for a suitable clearing, Evan finally settled into a gentle descent, leaning into a wide circle to head them towards the clearing he'd picked out. Despite the false starts, he felt he was doing quite well, and a warm pride swelled in his chest, until he realized the ground was coming up awfully fast. He beat his wings a few times, sending gusts of wind whirling towards the grass below, and ultimately skidded to a stop after tripping over his legs and thudding onto his chest and stomach with a frustrated growl. It was a bit rocky, but Evan found his skin as a dragon to be rather more resilient than he was used to, which he was grateful for. Still, embarrassment ate at him, but he tried to move past it. What was next? Should he remain a dragon? Did he even know how to change back? He could probably figure it out, but first, he shifted his attention back towards the goddess, curious about how she was faring, and what she might need next.
His thoughts wandered then to the flight the goddess had taken him on, the joy he had felt despite the hurt from earlier that night as she twirled him around in the air, but almost as if to warn him against that, a shift in the wind tilted him, his body jolting in alarm and bringing his consciousness back to the business of flying. It had felt so intuitive when he'd first shot up in the air to find her, but now he felt clumsy and a little uncertain, perhaps just a dash afraid of making a fool of himself in front of her. He tried to course-correct towards practical, stretching his wings out to try to find a way to glide.
A couple jolts of falling and catching himself later, his eyes having both beheld and scoured the landscape for a suitable clearing, Evan finally settled into a gentle descent, leaning into a wide circle to head them towards the clearing he'd picked out. Despite the false starts, he felt he was doing quite well, and a warm pride swelled in his chest, until he realized the ground was coming up awfully fast. He beat his wings a few times, sending gusts of wind whirling towards the grass below, and ultimately skidded to a stop after tripping over his legs and thudding onto his chest and stomach with a frustrated growl. It was a bit rocky, but Evan found his skin as a dragon to be rather more resilient than he was used to, which he was grateful for. Still, embarrassment ate at him, but he tried to move past it. What was next? Should he remain a dragon? Did he even know how to change back? He could probably figure it out, but first, he shifted his attention back towards the goddess, curious about how she was faring, and what she might need next.
Re: Part 1 (Start Reading Here)
As the goddess held on, the change in the wind, now less directly in her control and calmer, caused the dragon underneath her to falter, and she felt Evan's alarm as the balance shifted. She clung more tightly, the pain easing as she took a breath and sank deeply into the sensations beneath the storm within her. The scales against and around her legs slid smoothly as Evan's wings pumped, and she realized that every single one of Evan's scales felt individually alive. Yes, he would surely learn how to steady himself. As Evan reached out his wings in an attempt to glide, the goddess flooded him with gratitude and awe, a slight but undeniable ache appearing between her legs as she thought about how intimately he could feel her--if he weren't so distracted by flying.
She lost her concentration as the storm within her pulled at her awareness, and almost as though in tandem, Evan's wings caught the air wrong and threatened to pitch them both. The goddess watched through the dragon's eyes as he looked for a suitable landing place, nudging him gently toward noticing one not far from the great tree at the center of her realm. Retreating again into her own awareness, the goddess clutched at the spine in front of her, trying to stop from being a distraction while Evan tried to land. Her thighs gripped tightly, and she closed her eyes, not wanting to watch. Evan's wings beat hard and fast around her in an attempt to slow down, but he still hit the ground hard, his legs unable to bear all the weight as they buckled and gave way. The dragon's belly hit the ground with a thunderous thud and a growl as he slid across it, digging a large shallow impression in the dirt as they went.
The goddess opened her eyes, amusement from the spectacle distracting her for a moment. She was pleased that neither of them were harmed in any way she would need to spend energy healing. At least physically. The storm in her belly was still quieting, but it was not gone, and she didn't have the words for what she needed to let it go entirely.
She found herself reluctant to get off the dragon, even as Evan's long neck turned and a large silver eye affixed on her questioningly. Dehaljadrun's lips pulled upward in an urge to reassure with a smile, but they didn't make it very far. Instead, she leaned forward on the spine in front of her until the warmth coursing through and below it made contact with her cock. She wondered how much Evan would know how to feel in this form, but she suspected he would learn quickly. Using her hands, she slowly stroked up and down the spine in front of her, knowing she was touching bone and sending deep vibrations through the dragon's skeleton. Dehaljadrun relished in how foreign the sensation must be to Evan and wascurious about his reactions.
Finally, as her thighs complained from the position, the goddess pulled one leg over the side of the dragon and slid with as much of her body as possible down Evan. A few of the sharper scales caught her back as she passed them, and she could feel searing pain from opened wounds, but she ignored it, knowing they would heal itself without her attention.
Then, she took a few steps away from the dragon and took Evan in. Her eyes started with the tiny scales across the front of his nose and the sharp, angular features of his snout. Then over his large, silver eyes and the beginnings of his spines, shimmering silver in the low light. The scales widened as the moved fluidly across his back and belly, and the spines continued all the way down toward and onto his tail. Glancing at Evan in hopes he could control himself, she stepped closer to his wings to inspect them as well, coaxing them out from their folded form and tracing fingers along the intricate patterns of bone and thin flesh that she could reach. His wings were leathery smooth with miniscule scales on the backside almost too small to recognize. He was absolutely gorgeous. Truly a sight to behold. And in every small movement, she could not miss how his scales reflected her realm with its purples and grays. All told, it was achingly beautiful.
Walking back toward where she had slid down from him, the goddess reached up to one of the sharper scales that had cut her and pulled gently. Without much force, it came away, revealing a smoother scale beneath. She held the black shape between her hands, moving it to one hand so she could stroke it with the other. It was large, about the size of a small cat, and it still hummed with that ferocity Evan had come to claim her with. Reaching with the other hand around to her back, she collected some of the blood from the large cut there--already mending--and slid it across the scale. The goddess manifested a satchel for it then, securing it inside a sturdy black leather pouch with a strap she could sling across her back. Only then did she look again at Evan's great serpentine eyes, her face unchanging. Gods, what did he think of her, to have exploded in such a way when he was only trying to connect with her?
She closed her eyes in pain and flinched, her arms coming to close briefly around and in front of herself, but she soon got under control and dropped them. She walked up to Evan's long face and traced her fingers just above his eyelid and up toward the first spine, closing her eyes and imagining the edge of the cloak there. Once she felt it, it soon came away under her hand, and she pulled it entirely off Evan, beginning the transition back toward his human form.
The goddess watched the change, slow in comparison to the initial transformation, she was sure, with the cloak across one arm. When Evan was again himself, she approached and stood over him for a moment before squatting near him facing him.
"Well, we certainly sealed the magic in properly, didn't we?" the goddess said, shimmers of an actual smile on her face.
((OOC: Evan is probably also naked unless he remembers to re-manifest his clothing. And their mental link significantly diminishes after Evan is no longer a dragon.))
She lost her concentration as the storm within her pulled at her awareness, and almost as though in tandem, Evan's wings caught the air wrong and threatened to pitch them both. The goddess watched through the dragon's eyes as he looked for a suitable landing place, nudging him gently toward noticing one not far from the great tree at the center of her realm. Retreating again into her own awareness, the goddess clutched at the spine in front of her, trying to stop from being a distraction while Evan tried to land. Her thighs gripped tightly, and she closed her eyes, not wanting to watch. Evan's wings beat hard and fast around her in an attempt to slow down, but he still hit the ground hard, his legs unable to bear all the weight as they buckled and gave way. The dragon's belly hit the ground with a thunderous thud and a growl as he slid across it, digging a large shallow impression in the dirt as they went.
The goddess opened her eyes, amusement from the spectacle distracting her for a moment. She was pleased that neither of them were harmed in any way she would need to spend energy healing. At least physically. The storm in her belly was still quieting, but it was not gone, and she didn't have the words for what she needed to let it go entirely.
She found herself reluctant to get off the dragon, even as Evan's long neck turned and a large silver eye affixed on her questioningly. Dehaljadrun's lips pulled upward in an urge to reassure with a smile, but they didn't make it very far. Instead, she leaned forward on the spine in front of her until the warmth coursing through and below it made contact with her cock. She wondered how much Evan would know how to feel in this form, but she suspected he would learn quickly. Using her hands, she slowly stroked up and down the spine in front of her, knowing she was touching bone and sending deep vibrations through the dragon's skeleton. Dehaljadrun relished in how foreign the sensation must be to Evan and wascurious about his reactions.
Finally, as her thighs complained from the position, the goddess pulled one leg over the side of the dragon and slid with as much of her body as possible down Evan. A few of the sharper scales caught her back as she passed them, and she could feel searing pain from opened wounds, but she ignored it, knowing they would heal itself without her attention.
Then, she took a few steps away from the dragon and took Evan in. Her eyes started with the tiny scales across the front of his nose and the sharp, angular features of his snout. Then over his large, silver eyes and the beginnings of his spines, shimmering silver in the low light. The scales widened as the moved fluidly across his back and belly, and the spines continued all the way down toward and onto his tail. Glancing at Evan in hopes he could control himself, she stepped closer to his wings to inspect them as well, coaxing them out from their folded form and tracing fingers along the intricate patterns of bone and thin flesh that she could reach. His wings were leathery smooth with miniscule scales on the backside almost too small to recognize. He was absolutely gorgeous. Truly a sight to behold. And in every small movement, she could not miss how his scales reflected her realm with its purples and grays. All told, it was achingly beautiful.
Walking back toward where she had slid down from him, the goddess reached up to one of the sharper scales that had cut her and pulled gently. Without much force, it came away, revealing a smoother scale beneath. She held the black shape between her hands, moving it to one hand so she could stroke it with the other. It was large, about the size of a small cat, and it still hummed with that ferocity Evan had come to claim her with. Reaching with the other hand around to her back, she collected some of the blood from the large cut there--already mending--and slid it across the scale. The goddess manifested a satchel for it then, securing it inside a sturdy black leather pouch with a strap she could sling across her back. Only then did she look again at Evan's great serpentine eyes, her face unchanging. Gods, what did he think of her, to have exploded in such a way when he was only trying to connect with her?
She closed her eyes in pain and flinched, her arms coming to close briefly around and in front of herself, but she soon got under control and dropped them. She walked up to Evan's long face and traced her fingers just above his eyelid and up toward the first spine, closing her eyes and imagining the edge of the cloak there. Once she felt it, it soon came away under her hand, and she pulled it entirely off Evan, beginning the transition back toward his human form.
The goddess watched the change, slow in comparison to the initial transformation, she was sure, with the cloak across one arm. When Evan was again himself, she approached and stood over him for a moment before squatting near him facing him.
"Well, we certainly sealed the magic in properly, didn't we?" the goddess said, shimmers of an actual smile on her face.
((OOC: Evan is probably also naked unless he remembers to re-manifest his clothing. And their mental link significantly diminishes after Evan is no longer a dragon.))
Re: Part 1 (Start Reading Here)
Embarrassment flooded Evan when he caught the first hints at amusement from the goddess, but soon enough, the amusement was a warm glow, suffusing Evan's own experience as well with mirth and and unexpected lightheartedness. The landing might have been painful--to both Evan's body and pride--but honestly, neither of them were injured, and that was something to genuinely celebrate.
The warmth dissipated about as quickly at it had come, though, as the awareness settled in that there was still a pent-up storm in their presence, looming. Evan didn't know what it would take to unleash that storm safely, and the goddess didn't know, either. The goddess tried to reassure him with a smile, which Evan found equal parts endearing and insulting--was she trying to hide something, even now? Or, was it just a reflex, an off-handed desire to give Evan some small wash of lightness or relief--and really, wasn't it at least in some small part, successful?
He was not about to get stuck on that, though, certainly not with the goddess starting to shift both their attentions towards the places their bodies touched, her weight on him rolling slowly. The sensation of it was strangely distant yet exciting, which his sight made sense of as he watched her cock press against the spine between the goddess' thighs, her hands caressing up and down the protruding bone. Evan felt both a distant pang of frustration and a subtle shudder of pleasure deep in his bones. The stroke of her hands didn't feel anything like he'd expect it to--vivid, present at the top of his awareness, clear and holding his attention sharply and elatedly on the very edge of himself. Instead, as he adjusted his expectation of the touch and opened up curiosity about what it actually was, he found that it was deep inside of him, a primordial murmur that thrummed through his very core--more akin to the column of light he'd felt with the goddess that first night than any straightforward touch of her hand. He wondered if she could feel the thrum of him through her cock, and felt a mighty vibration pulse through him at the thought.
The dull complaint of the goddess' thighs disrupted the harmonies there, and the goddess turned her attention to dismounting Evan. He felt some small glimmer of sadness, but pulled up again the vision of them soon cuddling together, consoling himself that where contact might ebb, it would come back again quickly.
A jolt cut through him, though, a reflexive snarl lighting up Evan's throat as he zeroed in on the source of the slashes of pain. He realized quickly enough that the goddess had cut herself on his scales as she'd slid down, and for a moment, a flicker of shame seeped in, worried that something was wrong with him, that he'd become something that would hurt her like that. But the goddess seemed unperturbed, though she did take a few steps away from Evan--to behold him. He tried to shed the glimmer of shame--he reflexively imagined somehow shrugging all of his scales at once, the subtle motion magically sloughing off tiny shimmers of that shame, beautiful as they dissipated from sight. He adjusted himself into a more comfortable and dignified posture, and let the goddess take him in with a slowly growing pride in what he'd become. What absurdity, he realized it was, to let even the chance of over-sharp scales shadow the gravity of everything he had changed--had accomplished.
The goddess stepped closer to him, and Evan kept his outward countenance coy, though he was sure the goddess must have felt the excited rumble in his chest. She gave him an odd look--a bit playful, a bit challenging, maybe a a bit chiding. Evan felt his own facial muscles move--something like raising an eyebrow, but he felt more of his head shift, like the ripple of the instinct extended across his scalp. The goddess gently coaxed his wing open--Evan had scarcely even realize he'd tucked it so tightly against himself--and a low, rich trill vibrated through his throat with surprise as he moved his attention fully into muscles he didn't quite understand, a sensation slightly like falling and slightly like the most relaxed he'd ever felt in his life. Then the goddess' fingers caressed through his attention, and a cascade of pleasure rippled through Evan. His wing quavered against the goddess' touch, his tail stretching out behind him with an excited flop, and his throat rumbling a delicious moan.
Understanding of the goddess' previous expression rippled through him in the wake of the pleasure, along with surprise and astonishment at just how delightful these strange sensations could be. He hadn't realized how sensitive his wings were when he'd been flying, but, looking back on it, of course they had been feeling the air--caressing and massaging and cooperating with it to get up to where the goddess had been and back down to the ground again after. He felt a blush of connection with the realm itself before focusing his attention back on the goddess, her hand now trailing across his scales. He lifted his wing curiously, a brief jolt of worry rising when he realized she was approaching the same scales that had cut her. Would she get hurt again? Was she upset with him? But, no, her touch was gentle and unafraid, and Evan only experienced a tiny sliver of strangeness as the goddess tugged on him and like another phantom scale-shrug, something released. He watched the goddess as she turned over the large scale he had shed in her arms, then caressed blood over it from her back, and finally, created a satchel to put it in. Curiosity buzzed in Evan--would that scale be like the one she had given him?
The goddess looked back to him with a steady face, but an unexpected grimness inside of her. Evan recognized it in a flash--that what must he think of me that echoed through her, a mirror emotion as had so often flickered through himself. Compassion for it swelled in his chest, and only bloomed further when the pain of the storm jolted through the goddess again. She walked up to his face again, the bag with the scale slung over her shoulder, and she caressed over his forehead. Evan's throat trilled with a deep, soft approval, his eye sliding shut and his wing folding down against him again as he sank into satisfaction below her touch.
Then, all at once, he felt the cloak detach, right where the goddess' fingers brushed against the first protruding bone of his spine. Evan opened his wings again, groaning deep in his throat as he held onto one more shudder of pleasure rolling through him, languorously stretching out until it dissipated into a memory, shimmering in the air and settling onto Evan's skin as the chill of the fog around him pricked goosebumps over his skin.
Evan absent-mindedly pushed his arms against the dirt beneath him to sit back on his heels as the goddess approached him. Evan felt an abstract emotional nakedness as she stood over him and then knelt beside him, long before the truth of his physical nakedness fully settled in. A warm, light blush flashed across his cheeks as he looked at the goddess wide-eyed, a tug in his chest longing to touch her but some kind of astonishment suffusing the air around him and holding him still.
"Well, we certainly sealed the magic in properly, didn't we?" the goddess said, shimmers of an actual smile on her face.
Amusement flickered into Evan, a smile forming easily on his own face. But as he let out the good-natured chuckled that bubbled up from his belly, tears poured over his cheeks with it, something like a sob echoing in the sound. He felt a little confused and embarrassed, but a dim hope thrummed in him that maybe the sob was just from the storm--that maybe it was the first step in unleashing it safely.
Evan finally shifted himself to dig his toes into the cold, disheveled dirt beneath him, and push himself up enough to lean forward to wrap his arms around the goddess and pull their bodies together again. Whatever came next, surely, it involved that.
The warmth dissipated about as quickly at it had come, though, as the awareness settled in that there was still a pent-up storm in their presence, looming. Evan didn't know what it would take to unleash that storm safely, and the goddess didn't know, either. The goddess tried to reassure him with a smile, which Evan found equal parts endearing and insulting--was she trying to hide something, even now? Or, was it just a reflex, an off-handed desire to give Evan some small wash of lightness or relief--and really, wasn't it at least in some small part, successful?
He was not about to get stuck on that, though, certainly not with the goddess starting to shift both their attentions towards the places their bodies touched, her weight on him rolling slowly. The sensation of it was strangely distant yet exciting, which his sight made sense of as he watched her cock press against the spine between the goddess' thighs, her hands caressing up and down the protruding bone. Evan felt both a distant pang of frustration and a subtle shudder of pleasure deep in his bones. The stroke of her hands didn't feel anything like he'd expect it to--vivid, present at the top of his awareness, clear and holding his attention sharply and elatedly on the very edge of himself. Instead, as he adjusted his expectation of the touch and opened up curiosity about what it actually was, he found that it was deep inside of him, a primordial murmur that thrummed through his very core--more akin to the column of light he'd felt with the goddess that first night than any straightforward touch of her hand. He wondered if she could feel the thrum of him through her cock, and felt a mighty vibration pulse through him at the thought.
The dull complaint of the goddess' thighs disrupted the harmonies there, and the goddess turned her attention to dismounting Evan. He felt some small glimmer of sadness, but pulled up again the vision of them soon cuddling together, consoling himself that where contact might ebb, it would come back again quickly.
A jolt cut through him, though, a reflexive snarl lighting up Evan's throat as he zeroed in on the source of the slashes of pain. He realized quickly enough that the goddess had cut herself on his scales as she'd slid down, and for a moment, a flicker of shame seeped in, worried that something was wrong with him, that he'd become something that would hurt her like that. But the goddess seemed unperturbed, though she did take a few steps away from Evan--to behold him. He tried to shed the glimmer of shame--he reflexively imagined somehow shrugging all of his scales at once, the subtle motion magically sloughing off tiny shimmers of that shame, beautiful as they dissipated from sight. He adjusted himself into a more comfortable and dignified posture, and let the goddess take him in with a slowly growing pride in what he'd become. What absurdity, he realized it was, to let even the chance of over-sharp scales shadow the gravity of everything he had changed--had accomplished.
The goddess stepped closer to him, and Evan kept his outward countenance coy, though he was sure the goddess must have felt the excited rumble in his chest. She gave him an odd look--a bit playful, a bit challenging, maybe a a bit chiding. Evan felt his own facial muscles move--something like raising an eyebrow, but he felt more of his head shift, like the ripple of the instinct extended across his scalp. The goddess gently coaxed his wing open--Evan had scarcely even realize he'd tucked it so tightly against himself--and a low, rich trill vibrated through his throat with surprise as he moved his attention fully into muscles he didn't quite understand, a sensation slightly like falling and slightly like the most relaxed he'd ever felt in his life. Then the goddess' fingers caressed through his attention, and a cascade of pleasure rippled through Evan. His wing quavered against the goddess' touch, his tail stretching out behind him with an excited flop, and his throat rumbling a delicious moan.
Understanding of the goddess' previous expression rippled through him in the wake of the pleasure, along with surprise and astonishment at just how delightful these strange sensations could be. He hadn't realized how sensitive his wings were when he'd been flying, but, looking back on it, of course they had been feeling the air--caressing and massaging and cooperating with it to get up to where the goddess had been and back down to the ground again after. He felt a blush of connection with the realm itself before focusing his attention back on the goddess, her hand now trailing across his scales. He lifted his wing curiously, a brief jolt of worry rising when he realized she was approaching the same scales that had cut her. Would she get hurt again? Was she upset with him? But, no, her touch was gentle and unafraid, and Evan only experienced a tiny sliver of strangeness as the goddess tugged on him and like another phantom scale-shrug, something released. He watched the goddess as she turned over the large scale he had shed in her arms, then caressed blood over it from her back, and finally, created a satchel to put it in. Curiosity buzzed in Evan--would that scale be like the one she had given him?
The goddess looked back to him with a steady face, but an unexpected grimness inside of her. Evan recognized it in a flash--that what must he think of me that echoed through her, a mirror emotion as had so often flickered through himself. Compassion for it swelled in his chest, and only bloomed further when the pain of the storm jolted through the goddess again. She walked up to his face again, the bag with the scale slung over her shoulder, and she caressed over his forehead. Evan's throat trilled with a deep, soft approval, his eye sliding shut and his wing folding down against him again as he sank into satisfaction below her touch.
Then, all at once, he felt the cloak detach, right where the goddess' fingers brushed against the first protruding bone of his spine. Evan opened his wings again, groaning deep in his throat as he held onto one more shudder of pleasure rolling through him, languorously stretching out until it dissipated into a memory, shimmering in the air and settling onto Evan's skin as the chill of the fog around him pricked goosebumps over his skin.
Evan absent-mindedly pushed his arms against the dirt beneath him to sit back on his heels as the goddess approached him. Evan felt an abstract emotional nakedness as she stood over him and then knelt beside him, long before the truth of his physical nakedness fully settled in. A warm, light blush flashed across his cheeks as he looked at the goddess wide-eyed, a tug in his chest longing to touch her but some kind of astonishment suffusing the air around him and holding him still.
"Well, we certainly sealed the magic in properly, didn't we?" the goddess said, shimmers of an actual smile on her face.
Amusement flickered into Evan, a smile forming easily on his own face. But as he let out the good-natured chuckled that bubbled up from his belly, tears poured over his cheeks with it, something like a sob echoing in the sound. He felt a little confused and embarrassed, but a dim hope thrummed in him that maybe the sob was just from the storm--that maybe it was the first step in unleashing it safely.
Evan finally shifted himself to dig his toes into the cold, disheveled dirt beneath him, and push himself up enough to lean forward to wrap his arms around the goddess and pull their bodies together again. Whatever came next, surely, it involved that.
Re: Part 1 (Start Reading Here)
The goddess watched as Evan steadied himself on the ground--the shock of what he had become, the reality of what they had just survived, the tide of emotions making themselves... well, human again. He was crying, and a hope bloomed in the goddess' chest, though she didn't exactly know why. He had come for her. He hadn't wanted her to be alone in such a state, despite the dangers to himself. And yet, that didn't entirely quell the raging storm within her.
And what if Evan had only come up into the clouds because he couldn't stand being away from her? Like a thrall?
The goddess' mind flashed to the other soldiers she had enthralled. Nathan with his fragile but compelling desire to seek out what frightened him. Philip, who was loyal to a fault and blind to his own proclivities. Trevor, who so desperately wanted to die. Ramanujan, who would do just about anything for knowledge. Seth, who would never stop hiding what he felt were shameful secrets. The goddess shook her head. They were a mess, all of them, all the Shel'ti, all the humans she had interacted with.
And then there was Evan. Evan, who had transformed into a dragon.
No one had ever done that before.
She clung to that fact as Evan turned toward her. No, not just turned but practically leaped toward her, knocking her off balance immediately and sending both of their naked bodies tumbling toward the ground. As the goddess' backside and shoulders hit heavily with a thud on the earth, a shock of lightning coursed from her into the ground and dissipated immediately, completely absorbed by the land. Gods damn it, the goddess thought, I need to remember that's an option. But, if she were being honest with herself, grounding her lightning in such a state would require calm she might not have been able to muster. And, of course, it presented significantly less opportunity for spectacle. Shaking the thoughts off, the goddess craned her neck to look at Evan, whose head had landed squarely between her breasts. He looked so small to her, then, so small compared to the massive, magical being he had been only a few moments ago when she had stroked his majestic wing and sent shivers down them both. Had he felt the shock leave her? There were still more in her belly and chest, ricocheting in their attempts to release their energy. Maybe she had come down from the clouds too early. But, resting her head back on the ground with Evan lying on her chest while she stroked his unruly, wind-swept black hair, she couldn't fully believe that.
And what if Evan had only come up into the clouds because he couldn't stand being away from her? Like a thrall?
The goddess' mind flashed to the other soldiers she had enthralled. Nathan with his fragile but compelling desire to seek out what frightened him. Philip, who was loyal to a fault and blind to his own proclivities. Trevor, who so desperately wanted to die. Ramanujan, who would do just about anything for knowledge. Seth, who would never stop hiding what he felt were shameful secrets. The goddess shook her head. They were a mess, all of them, all the Shel'ti, all the humans she had interacted with.
And then there was Evan. Evan, who had transformed into a dragon.
No one had ever done that before.
She clung to that fact as Evan turned toward her. No, not just turned but practically leaped toward her, knocking her off balance immediately and sending both of their naked bodies tumbling toward the ground. As the goddess' backside and shoulders hit heavily with a thud on the earth, a shock of lightning coursed from her into the ground and dissipated immediately, completely absorbed by the land. Gods damn it, the goddess thought, I need to remember that's an option. But, if she were being honest with herself, grounding her lightning in such a state would require calm she might not have been able to muster. And, of course, it presented significantly less opportunity for spectacle. Shaking the thoughts off, the goddess craned her neck to look at Evan, whose head had landed squarely between her breasts. He looked so small to her, then, so small compared to the massive, magical being he had been only a few moments ago when she had stroked his majestic wing and sent shivers down them both. Had he felt the shock leave her? There were still more in her belly and chest, ricocheting in their attempts to release their energy. Maybe she had come down from the clouds too early. But, resting her head back on the ground with Evan lying on her chest while she stroked his unruly, wind-swept black hair, she couldn't fully believe that.
Re: Part 1 (Start Reading Here)
Evan was at first surprised when they toppled towards the ground, perhaps caught off-guard by his own energy in sending them there, but when they landed, he felt little more than relief as he settled in against her, his face buried in her bosom and his body relaxed against every inch of her he could press against. For a moment, he reveled in blissful peace, but slowly, the realization crept in that his peace was only his own, and that whatever the goddess was feeling had faded beyond his perception, into shadows he'd never before known to look for.
His heart sank, and he kissed at her breast without thinking, his body shifting just enough to pull a subtle friction across their skin. He did his best to catch his own lament and hold it, cradle it almost like he had those tattered rags in his mind before donning the cloak. Deep inside of him buzzed a million anxious questions--what had become of the wine? Should he have actually had more of it? Was it bad that he'd lost it? Had he done something wrong, to have lost the connection they'd shared?--but he only let the energy out as a continued slow and subtle gyration of his body, gently caressing those anxious questions with the friction of their skin together.
Thoughts whispered through his mind, some trying to play themselves out on his tongue, but none quite made it. I'm here and What do you need? came close, inspiring Evan to tilt his head just slightly upward, the consideration of speech dancing on his breath as it brushed against the goddess' neck. But he remained quiet, choosing instead to listen in to her body, and just be there with her, trusting that for now, enjoying the contact of her skin was enough.
His heart sank, and he kissed at her breast without thinking, his body shifting just enough to pull a subtle friction across their skin. He did his best to catch his own lament and hold it, cradle it almost like he had those tattered rags in his mind before donning the cloak. Deep inside of him buzzed a million anxious questions--what had become of the wine? Should he have actually had more of it? Was it bad that he'd lost it? Had he done something wrong, to have lost the connection they'd shared?--but he only let the energy out as a continued slow and subtle gyration of his body, gently caressing those anxious questions with the friction of their skin together.
Thoughts whispered through his mind, some trying to play themselves out on his tongue, but none quite made it. I'm here and What do you need? came close, inspiring Evan to tilt his head just slightly upward, the consideration of speech dancing on his breath as it brushed against the goddess' neck. But he remained quiet, choosing instead to listen in to her body, and just be there with her, trusting that for now, enjoying the contact of her skin was enough.
Re: Part 1 (Start Reading Here)
The goddess felt Evan's hungry lips across her chest as she became fully aware of how much of his body pressed in against hers. His legs and hips curled around one of her legs, and his arm lay across her. He tilted toward her, shifting his body for yet more closeness, and the goddess felt Evan realize that the connection they had had after the wine and while Evan was a dragon had dissipated. His emptiness weighed on her, though she felt him try and fail to fully reclaim the despair. His body craved her, pulling a friction against her leg with his hips as phrases--I'm here and What do you need?--urgently sought her attention. But beneath that, in a thousand quiet voices, Evan's mind wrestled with questions--about the wine, about their lost connection, about if he should have drank more, about if he had done something wrong--and with each tiny question, Evan's body moved against the goddess', seeking.
She could not deny that he felt good, his skin, which radiated heat after his experience with the cloak, called to her, and she wanted to soothe him. Instead, she shut her eyes tightly and pulled her eyebrows together, her mouth set in a hard line as her body went utterly still. She shut out his mind, his thoughts, his desires, his anxieties, entirely. Or, at least, as best she could, until she rediscovered some silence within herself. She wanted to be with Evan, she did, but she couldn't think about what she needed while she was so wrapped up in what he wanted.
The urge to cry welled up at her clenched eyelids, but she pressed it back until her throat began to close around itself. Gods, she thought, gods, what's become of me?
Her hands unconsciously clutched at Evan's arm, making deep impressions there as they clung to something, anything.
Another shock went through Dehaljadrun, this one definitely potent enough to affect Evan, though the ground swallowed it quickly. Still, the silence and the darkness behind her eyes remained.
"Humanity has made a monster of me," the goddess finally said, shaking her head but refusing to open her eyes. "And I've let it." She did start crying now, her voice watery as it cracked at the end of her sentence. Releasing Evan's arm, she brought her hands up to cover her face, pushing Evan away from her neck. After a moment, she lifted herself up until she sat facing away from him with her legs curled behind her, her weight supported by one arm.
She could not deny that he felt good, his skin, which radiated heat after his experience with the cloak, called to her, and she wanted to soothe him. Instead, she shut her eyes tightly and pulled her eyebrows together, her mouth set in a hard line as her body went utterly still. She shut out his mind, his thoughts, his desires, his anxieties, entirely. Or, at least, as best she could, until she rediscovered some silence within herself. She wanted to be with Evan, she did, but she couldn't think about what she needed while she was so wrapped up in what he wanted.
The urge to cry welled up at her clenched eyelids, but she pressed it back until her throat began to close around itself. Gods, she thought, gods, what's become of me?
Her hands unconsciously clutched at Evan's arm, making deep impressions there as they clung to something, anything.
Another shock went through Dehaljadrun, this one definitely potent enough to affect Evan, though the ground swallowed it quickly. Still, the silence and the darkness behind her eyes remained.
"Humanity has made a monster of me," the goddess finally said, shaking her head but refusing to open her eyes. "And I've let it." She did start crying now, her voice watery as it cracked at the end of her sentence. Releasing Evan's arm, she brought her hands up to cover her face, pushing Evan away from her neck. After a moment, she lifted herself up until she sat facing away from him with her legs curled behind her, her weight supported by one arm.
Re: Part 1 (Start Reading Here)
The goddess seemed tense against him, which tugged at Evan' heart, but he did his best to bear it. She still had a storm roiling inside of her, and he consoled himself that surely, just being in contact with her was at least offering her something. He wished he could do more, but what? His gentle gyration pushed up slightly so he could press a soft kiss against her neck, just one more instinctive small offering he hoped might be of use to her; it certainly felt pleasant to give.
Her hands clutched at his forearm, fingers pressing in deep. Fear and thrill and heartache all danced through Evan's body, but he relaxed into the sensation, glad that she was availing herself of some part of him. Then a shock pulsed through him, paralyzing his soft gyration and pinning him against her and to the ground as his muscles seized, a tiny gasp of shock escaping his mouth that couldn't possibly do justice to the slice of pain it expressed. It ebbed just as quickly as it had come, though, and Evan's body sank heavily against the goddess' and the ground, a groan rolling from within him. The sound of it was luscious, like a warm melted fudge, voluminous with relief and satisfaction. He could help her this way, and was eager and prepared to.
But instead of another shock, the goddess spoke.
"Humanity has made a monster of me," she said, "And I've let it." Then she began to cry, and Evan did his best to nuzzle into her, instinctively trying to offer her comfort. He thought back to when they were in the palace before, when he'd been crying against her, when she'd soothed him with his name. Her name was on the tip of his tongue, but she pushed him away, covering her face and sending a cold wave of doubt through him. To make matters worse, she sat up before he could collect himself, withdrawing from him entirely. He shivered in the cold, foggy air, gritting his teeth through the shattered sensation in his heart as he sat up himself to look after her.
He felt a flare of anger and jealousy rise up in him as he remembered how she had left him in the hot pools, and used Raccoon instead. But the brief heat from that flare dissipated quickly, and a cold, dismal wave of sorrow followed in its wake. He wished so badly that he could do more for her.
He drew in a deep breath, trying to calm the emotions within him. He summoned up memories of the river to wash the angst from his body, and he relaxed, a blissful sigh pouring from him with relief. He thought again to when the goddess had soothed him--had told him that his desire to be worthy was enough. His heart mended itself, and began to warm him, this time with a bright and pleasant glow. He pushed himself to his feet, a determination rising with him, even as he was surprised by the lightheadedness and imbalance that came with the motion. He supposed, in some ways, he was just now getting used to his body again, moving with his legs without relying on a tail or wings. His arms spread out instinctively to balance himself, and a brief shiver of embarrassment sent goosebumps across his skin, but as he looked up to the goddess and saw her back still to him, he was almost disappointed she hadn't seen. In any case, it was inconsequential: he'd stood up for a purpose, and it was time he got to it.
Having gathered his bearings, Evan walked around in front of the goddess, and gently lowered himself down onto his knees in front of her, his hands reaching for the sides of her neck and hoping to convey the warmth that glowed in his chest.
"Then change again," he said, his voice almost uncharacteristically serene, though his expression was hopeful and earnest and just a bit nervous, some tiny fear tugging at him that he was going to get the words for this all wrong. Ultimately though the tug managed to just pull a sheepish grin on his face, crooked and nervous but so deeply, deeply hopeful. "Maybe the trick is to never stop."
((OOC: If Dehaljadrun would have in fact looked back at Evan to catch him being wobbly as he stood up instead of keeping her back to him, he would have smiled, albeit sheepishly, to catch her gaze. Also, it certainly felt relevant to me to re-read the bit in the palace when Dehaljadrun told Evan he was enough; the memory is very present with Evan now. I feel like we didn't do the best job at pulling it in writing-wise, though.... in any case, here's a link for ease of reference. It takes a couple posts to get to the juicy bits, but that one seems like a decent starting point.))
Her hands clutched at his forearm, fingers pressing in deep. Fear and thrill and heartache all danced through Evan's body, but he relaxed into the sensation, glad that she was availing herself of some part of him. Then a shock pulsed through him, paralyzing his soft gyration and pinning him against her and to the ground as his muscles seized, a tiny gasp of shock escaping his mouth that couldn't possibly do justice to the slice of pain it expressed. It ebbed just as quickly as it had come, though, and Evan's body sank heavily against the goddess' and the ground, a groan rolling from within him. The sound of it was luscious, like a warm melted fudge, voluminous with relief and satisfaction. He could help her this way, and was eager and prepared to.
But instead of another shock, the goddess spoke.
"Humanity has made a monster of me," she said, "And I've let it." Then she began to cry, and Evan did his best to nuzzle into her, instinctively trying to offer her comfort. He thought back to when they were in the palace before, when he'd been crying against her, when she'd soothed him with his name. Her name was on the tip of his tongue, but she pushed him away, covering her face and sending a cold wave of doubt through him. To make matters worse, she sat up before he could collect himself, withdrawing from him entirely. He shivered in the cold, foggy air, gritting his teeth through the shattered sensation in his heart as he sat up himself to look after her.
He felt a flare of anger and jealousy rise up in him as he remembered how she had left him in the hot pools, and used Raccoon instead. But the brief heat from that flare dissipated quickly, and a cold, dismal wave of sorrow followed in its wake. He wished so badly that he could do more for her.
He drew in a deep breath, trying to calm the emotions within him. He summoned up memories of the river to wash the angst from his body, and he relaxed, a blissful sigh pouring from him with relief. He thought again to when the goddess had soothed him--had told him that his desire to be worthy was enough. His heart mended itself, and began to warm him, this time with a bright and pleasant glow. He pushed himself to his feet, a determination rising with him, even as he was surprised by the lightheadedness and imbalance that came with the motion. He supposed, in some ways, he was just now getting used to his body again, moving with his legs without relying on a tail or wings. His arms spread out instinctively to balance himself, and a brief shiver of embarrassment sent goosebumps across his skin, but as he looked up to the goddess and saw her back still to him, he was almost disappointed she hadn't seen. In any case, it was inconsequential: he'd stood up for a purpose, and it was time he got to it.
Having gathered his bearings, Evan walked around in front of the goddess, and gently lowered himself down onto his knees in front of her, his hands reaching for the sides of her neck and hoping to convey the warmth that glowed in his chest.
"Then change again," he said, his voice almost uncharacteristically serene, though his expression was hopeful and earnest and just a bit nervous, some tiny fear tugging at him that he was going to get the words for this all wrong. Ultimately though the tug managed to just pull a sheepish grin on his face, crooked and nervous but so deeply, deeply hopeful. "Maybe the trick is to never stop."
((OOC: If Dehaljadrun would have in fact looked back at Evan to catch him being wobbly as he stood up instead of keeping her back to him, he would have smiled, albeit sheepishly, to catch her gaze. Also, it certainly felt relevant to me to re-read the bit in the palace when Dehaljadrun told Evan he was enough; the memory is very present with Evan now. I feel like we didn't do the best job at pulling it in writing-wise, though.... in any case, here's a link for ease of reference. It takes a couple posts to get to the juicy bits, but that one seems like a decent starting point.))
Re: Part 1 (Start Reading Here)
The goddess waited, hearing Evan gathering himself behind her. Some part of her wanted to avoid him, to prevent him from reaching her, but she didn't move. She sat still and did not look at him while she stared off at nothing in particular. Gods, it was achingly beautiful here--the dark trees, the lavender light, the mist--in a way that always made her feel melancholy, especially now when beauty was the last thing she wanted to see in herself.
Even when Evan knelt down in front of her, she still did not look at him. It wasn't until his cold hands reached for either side of her neck that she met his gaze, which was full of a warmth she could not herself muster. She heard her name gently in his mind and was, for once, grateful that he didn't bring it into the open air. It was more intimate this way. And, more than that, he was using a recent memory of her to bolster himself, recalling their time together back at the palace when she stroked his head and told him he was worthy. Worthy as long as he wanted to be worthy.
Could she not offer herself the same reassurance?
But, she was a goddess. The stakes were higher.
"Then change again," Evan said with surprising directness and gentle control. The goddess blinked once and stared at Evan, her lips parting slightly in surprise. What did he mean, change? She stared from one of his eyes to the other, watching his eyebrows quirk up with an awkward hope as he continued, "Maybe the trick is to never stop."
The goddess closed her eyes, then, leaning into one of his hands for strength and support while she thought.
Maybe she had been thinking about this all wrong. She was so thoroughly convinced that humans and human desires were morphing her, changing her into something she couldn't altogether control, but she had agency. Even if it was difficult, she could resist them. She could even influence them if it came down to it. And perhaps that was exactly what being a goddess meant.
Opening her eyes to find Evan, kneeling there in front of her, naked in the chill, she could not help a small, quirked smile from coming onto her mouth.
"You have some nerve, saying that to me." But, she also reached up to cover one of her hands with his, eager for his skin and his warmth and his earnestness. She leaned forward until their foreheads touched, and she at least imagined breathing in the same air he exhaled.
Change. Change. Change. Maybe the trick is to never stop.
((OOC: I guess, if Evan wouldn't do anything for a minute, we could go on, but we are trying to be slow and mindful. Lol.))
Even when Evan knelt down in front of her, she still did not look at him. It wasn't until his cold hands reached for either side of her neck that she met his gaze, which was full of a warmth she could not herself muster. She heard her name gently in his mind and was, for once, grateful that he didn't bring it into the open air. It was more intimate this way. And, more than that, he was using a recent memory of her to bolster himself, recalling their time together back at the palace when she stroked his head and told him he was worthy. Worthy as long as he wanted to be worthy.
Could she not offer herself the same reassurance?
But, she was a goddess. The stakes were higher.
"Then change again," Evan said with surprising directness and gentle control. The goddess blinked once and stared at Evan, her lips parting slightly in surprise. What did he mean, change? She stared from one of his eyes to the other, watching his eyebrows quirk up with an awkward hope as he continued, "Maybe the trick is to never stop."
The goddess closed her eyes, then, leaning into one of his hands for strength and support while she thought.
Maybe she had been thinking about this all wrong. She was so thoroughly convinced that humans and human desires were morphing her, changing her into something she couldn't altogether control, but she had agency. Even if it was difficult, she could resist them. She could even influence them if it came down to it. And perhaps that was exactly what being a goddess meant.
Opening her eyes to find Evan, kneeling there in front of her, naked in the chill, she could not help a small, quirked smile from coming onto her mouth.
"You have some nerve, saying that to me." But, she also reached up to cover one of her hands with his, eager for his skin and his warmth and his earnestness. She leaned forward until their foreheads touched, and she at least imagined breathing in the same air he exhaled.
Change. Change. Change. Maybe the trick is to never stop.
((OOC: I guess, if Evan wouldn't do anything for a minute, we could go on, but we are trying to be slow and mindful. Lol.))