Campfire Stories

MadEmperor · March 25, 2023, 11:48:05 AM

"I know it didn't," he smiled softly. "But it's strange. I feel like myself in a way I never have; like I stepped right out of a life unlived, where everything was different but somehow I'm the same."

The swordsman motioned to his fancy clothes and equipment, all as fine as Brightedge. "Hells, maybe that's not far off. Maybe this is how I would've dressed if I was never orphaned."

DragonSong · March 25, 2023, 12:10:40 PM

"Maybe," Kiara chuckled. "It's...certainly a look."

She leaned back a bit to look him up and down. "You look...fancy. Like, I have money kind of fancy."

MadEmperor · March 25, 2023, 12:39:45 PM

"I know, right?" Grav grinned. "I look like the prince in every story where a sleeping maiden is awoken by true love's kiss or something equally hokey."

"You know what this means, right?" He smirked.

DragonSong · March 25, 2023, 12:50:45 PM

"I'm not sure I do," Kiara replied with an arched brow, her own lips twitching at the corners. "But I have a feeling that smirks means that you're going to tell me."

She leaned back a bit further, bracing one hand on the log behind her and cocking her head at him, that one eyebrow still raised.

MadEmperor · March 25, 2023, 01:22:40 PM

Grav turned fully towards her and leaned closer, smirking more flirtatiously. "I'm your Prince Charming," he said playfully.

DragonSong · March 25, 2023, 01:26:53 PM

Kiara groaned and rolled her eyes so far back it was a wonder they didn't get stuck. "You're an idiot," she laughed, reaching up to wrap her hand around the back of his neck and pulling him in until her brow pressed to his.

Then she hesitated again. Color rose in her cheeks and she bit her lip. "Can I...?"

MadEmperor · March 25, 2023, 02:22:47 PM

Grav answered by kissing her, though more hesitantly than he ever had kissed someone. However, once the initial kiss was over, he pulled her even closer. His lips met hers again with all the pent-up passion he had been afraid to feel.

He pulled back, grinning like an idiot. "Wow... that was... uhh... what you meant... right?"

DragonSong · March 25, 2023, 02:39:59 PM

Kiara found she had to force herself not to grin into the kiss, feeling suddenly giddy. When he pulled her back in she wrapped her arms around his shoulders and tilted her head into the kiss, lips parting briefly before they broke apart.

Breathing a bit heavier than normal, she laughed and nodded. "Yeah. Yeah, that was what I meant."

Leaning back a bit again, she tapped his breastplate with one finger and cocked her head. "Y'know, this doesn't have as many pokey bits as I thought it was going to."

MadEmperor · March 25, 2023, 03:00:33 PM

"Pokey bits?" Grav snorted back a laugh before waggling an eyebrow.

"I didn't know we were to that point yet." He grinned, quite amused with himself.

DragonSong · March 25, 2023, 03:25:39 PM

"Oh dear gods," Kiara groaned again and shoved his shoulder lightly. "Down, Puppy," she joked with a little smirk of her own.

Suddenly snorting, she noted, "Gods, Kit is going to get so sick of us so fast."

MadEmperor · March 25, 2023, 03:38:14 PM

"Yeah, well, he basically asked for it." Grav grinned.

He sighed, giving her a reluctant look. "Speaking of, we should probably get back before the separation anxiety sets in."

DragonSong · March 25, 2023, 03:43:21 PM

She nodded. "True enough. C'mon." She sighed, standing from their log bench and holding a hand out to pull him up. "And I dunno about you, but I am exhausted," she added with a quiet chuckle. "Some sleep before we figure out what's happening next would be fantastic."

MadEmperor · March 25, 2023, 04:27:09 PM

Grav chuckled as he got to his feet. "Yeah. It's been way too long since we last slept." He laced his fingers back through hers as they headed back toward the camp.

They were still holding hands when they returned. The swordsman had issued a bet that the dragon would wait all of five seconds before looking smug. He always seemed to know how they felt before they did.

DragonSong · March 25, 2023, 04:30:24 PM

Five seconds? Grav was underestimating him.

Sure enough, Kit was sitting with his front paws crossed primly and his head turned in their direction before they'd even entered the small clearing around their campfire.

"Nice chat?" he asked innocently, twitching his tail like a smug cat.

Kiara sighed heavily. "Great. How long do we have to live with this?"

"Forever, Kia." The dragon lowered his head to nudge her cheek. "Forever." Grinning toothily, he flicked his tongue out to scrape across the top of Grav's head affectionately.

MadEmperor · March 25, 2023, 05:06:49 PM

Grav laughed, fixing his hair where Kit had left a cow-lick. "Careful with the hair, big guy."

"How long were you waiting smugly anyway?" he teased. "The whole time? It was the whole time, wasn't it?"

DragonSong · March 25, 2023, 05:17:15 PM

"Dragon ears," Kit replied, laying his head down on his paws with a wink. "I could hear when you got close."

Kiara chuckled and finally pulled her hand from Grav's, though not without giving his fingers a squeeze first. "We all need rest," she murmured. "We can...talk about what happens next in the morning."

Kit snorted and nodded, nosing her into his flank as she settled in. He gave Grav a look and a little nod, indicating that he could move his bedroll in closer to the curve of the dragon's body if he wanted.

MadEmperor · March 25, 2023, 05:50:21 PM

Grav did so, settling in next to Kiara. He had barely closed his eyes before drifting off.

He awoke curled up against her, content to stay there until she stirred. This was a change he liked.

DragonSong · March 25, 2023, 05:56:59 PM

Kiara had managed to snuggle herself quite comfortably between Kit and Grav, though in the course of the night she had curled herself a little closer to Grav's side while Kit's tail arced around the two of them so his body formed a protective circle.

Sunlight on the backs of her eyelids started to rouse her; she murmured sleepily and rolled onto her back, rubbing at her eyes. "Mmm...issit mornin'?"

MadEmperor · March 25, 2023, 06:41:31 PM

"Yep." Grav smiled at her as he stroked her cheek, already alert like some kind of weirdo. "Good morning."

"Sleep okay?"

DragonSong · March 25, 2023, 06:52:26 PM

"Mmmmm." She nodded, yawned, and chose not to mention the edges of dreams that flickered with lightning and pain. She had a feeling those would be happening for a while. "You?" She tilted her head into his hand slightly, frowning. "Why are you up so early? We're not actually running for our lives at the moment--take advantage."