Catch of the Day [m]

Draconian · February 02, 2016, 04:28:07 PM

"Because..." You're mine. Hydra frowned down at her hand, curled his fingers before he let his hand rest. "You're my responsibility. If something happens to you I'm expected to pay for it." That sounded good, right? He looked at the girl, down at his hand. He hadn't been whipped for letting someone happen to one of the captives yet. Hydra wasn't looking forward to trying it out, either.

"Did they hurt you?" His voice was soft, his concern genuine.

DragonSong · February 02, 2016, 04:35:25 PM

Aura-lee shook her head. "I'm not hurt. They just...scared me a little," she murmured. Realizing she still held his hand, she let go quickly, cheeks flushing. "Oh, um. Sorry."

Pulling her knees up to her chest, she wrapped her arms around them and glanced away, finding it suddenly hard to meet his eyes. Now that she was calmer, a thought that had been shoved to the back of her mind came forward.

"Before," she said suddenly, not quite sure why she did, "You said- you said mine." She frowned, puzzled. "Why did...what did you mean?"

Draconian · February 04, 2016, 10:10:57 PM

Hydra held his hand after her, either enchanted or concerned about the tingling feeling. That was bad right? He shivered slightly, looking at her for a moment. Her question, after their moment of silence, sent a hot flush up his neck and Hydra looked like a cat that had accidentally fallen into a tub of water.

Alarmed, alert. Eyes wide. Hydra cast her a sideways look, head ducked. Cheeks flushed. "I... Uh..." Frowning slightly he held out his hand again, close to where she'd held it - perhaps sneakily asking for her to hold it again - and cleared his throat, "It just... Came out." He shrugged, "I'm not human," Obviously," so... Maybe whatever I am sorta... Since you're in my care, you're mine?"

Though it had never happened before and he knew it would never happen again.

DragonSong · February 04, 2016, 10:29:33 PM

"Oh." She tilted her head, brow furrowing a bit as she considered that. She'd figured he wasn't human but...it seemed he didn't even know what he really was. That seemed sad to her. Lonely.

Putting the thought from her mind, she cast a wary look at his hand. Then, cautiously, she reached out and clasped it between her own, swiping at the dark green blood curiously with her thumb. "So..." she ventured, "They were- were going to hurt me. But you protected me because I'm...yours."

She looked up, trying to meet his eyes. "Then what are you going to do when I'm sold in Essyrn?" The question was genuinely curious- she was struggling to understand him.

Draconian · February 04, 2016, 11:38:46 PM

Hydra blinked at her holding his hand. Sure he was slightly aware than she'd taken it but he wasn't really conscious to the fact he wanted it. Their eyes met, and he stared at her for a moment before looking away, hand still in hers.

"I..." Hydra swallowed, cleared his throat and looked back at her, taking in her features, "I..." Had he ever wanted to keep one before? Hydra was concerned by how much he didn't want to leave her. It made his chest ache and he stared at her for a long while before he ducked his head down.

"Convince me to give up everything to help you," He said simply, head still down.

DragonSong · February 04, 2016, 11:47:27 PM

Aura-lee simply stared at him in silence for several long moments. She wanted to do just that, but she didn't know how.

Looking down at his hand, she slowly drew it closer. Leaning down, she flicked her tongue across the split skin. "It's what my mother told me to do when I hurt myself," she murmured by way of explanation, assuming it might be something unique to her kind. "It doesn't heal completely, but..." She shrugged. It had always seemed to help dull her own pains.

With a sigh she released him and drew her knees to her chest, resting her chin on them. "What can I say, Hydra?" she murmured. "What could I do that would really convince you?" She tilted her head back a bit to meet his eyes. "I don't deserve this," she whispered. "No one deserves this. What can I do to make you believe me?"

Draconian · February 05, 2016, 12:11:02 AM

Good thing Hydra was sitting on the floor, because when he felt her tongue drag across his hand - wound or no wound he had to shuffle just the slightest amount to make sure his lower half was covered completely. That would definitely alarm the poor girl. Clearing his throat he gently took back his hand, and stared at it, imagining that tongue again.

"I don't know," He replied honestly, looking up again, tension in his belly. "I want to..." He shook his head, "I don't know. This has never happened to me before." He curled his arms around his torso before he rose up carefully and walked back to the door, resting his back against it and looking up at the ceiling.

"I can't sneak you out. Not today." He replied simply, terrified that he would do anything to set her free. Why? Why. His voice grew quiet. "You'll have to trust me, Aura-lee." He said softly, looking away, frowning at the floor.

DragonSong · February 05, 2016, 12:24:06 AM

He couldn't sneak her out today-

Wait. What? Today?

Lips parting into a small "o" of surprise, she blinked at him. "You- you're going to help...me?" she whispered. He's said to trust him.

It was a tall order, all things considered, but somehow she found it frighteningly easy to do so. Slipping off the bed, she stumbled across the room and collapsed in front of him, eyes shining- once again- with tears.

"Thank you," she breathed, blinking quickly in an attempt to clear her eyes. She reached out and grabbed one of his hands again, holding it tightly between her own. "Stars and seas, thank you."

Draconian · February 05, 2016, 12:38:42 AM

Looking down at their hands he simply nodded. A careful breath and he looked back at her, giving her hand a careful squeeze.

He would regret this. "I know it doesn't seem like a lot to you, but in order to give you your life back I'll have to give up mine," The words were easy to say. Was it worth it? He supposed. Hydra was terrified at how much he wanted the strange fish girl to smile. How scary it was that he was willing to give up everything so she didn't have to be defiled by some rich merchant and live in a pool.

Hydra tried to smile at her, "But I'm sure you'll do more with it than I have with mine." He reached another hand up, to rub whatever tears away from her eyes. "Please don't cry."

DragonSong · February 05, 2016, 12:54:52 AM

Aura-lee shook her head, unconsciously leaning into his hand a bit. "I don't understand why you're doing so much for me," she whispered, "but I'm grateful. So grateful."

Words couldn't even do the feeling in her chest justice. She was going to be free. She was going home.

But there was a prickle of guilt. Not over her own freedom, something that had been unfairly taken from her, but at the price required to obtain it. "I swear to you," she said suddenly, soft and determined. "I will find a way to pay you back for this someday."

Now completely and utterly exhausted, she sort of slumped, putting her hands on the floor in front of her just to keep herself upright. "I will. I promise," she murmured, eyes fluttering.

The stress of the day was too much. Her vision tunneled, then went dark and she collapsed soundlessly to the floor, fast asleep.

Draconian · February 05, 2016, 07:59:54 PM

A soft gasp and Hydra curled his left arms around her middle before sh collapsed completely, her name a soft sigh on his lips. A moment of confusion and he stared at her, looking to the bed. Gently he lifted her, took her to the bed, but instead of placing her on it, he climbed onto it too. Resting a knee before he laid her down gently and curling up behind her. One set of arms acting as a pillow for her and the other curled around her front, resting on her belly.

Hydra hadn't meant to fall asleep, knowing how uncomfortable she's be when she woke up, but the lul of sleep was a sweet one and the warm comfort of Aura-lee's body against his front was too great to move away from. So, he fell asleep, nose nuzzled into her hair with his arm curled around her middle.

DragonSong · February 05, 2016, 08:10:54 PM

At first her sleep was dreamless, a blessedly peaceful oblivion. As it wore on though, images began to flicker behind her eyelids, taunting and menacing: seaweed that turned to netting around her, dragging her into the unforgiving air, a leering face inches from her own, foreign hands pulling at her hair and clutching her arms-

She woke with a gasp, instinctively bolting upright. Only...she didn't. Something help her in place. For a moment she panicked, then gradually it dawned on her that it was Hydra's arms around her, not some new form of restraint.

Or perhaps it was, because even though he wasn't holding her too tightly for her to get away, she didn't move. Hesitantly, she twisted her head back to try to see his face. "Um...Hydra?"

Draconian · February 05, 2016, 11:19:12 PM

Hydra was dead asleep.

His arms, both of them, were heavy over her waist and he drew one hand up her chest to rest at her breastbone to tuck her closer to his own chest. His chin was resting above her head and when she spoke he nuzzled into her ocean scented hair and gave a small noise.

"Hmm?" It was more a purr than anything, clearly content, eyes still closed. Hydra snuggled closer, not really wanting the dream to end.

DragonSong · February 05, 2016, 11:30:43 PM

Aura-lee felt her face heat, her skin unusually warm in the wake of his hand. She squirmed a bit, trying to figure out how she could get him to release her without waking him up. He just seemed so content, peaceful.

That didn't really seem to be an option though. Giving up, she did her best to twist around so they were laying nose to nose. Her breath hitched slightly and the warmth in her cheeks burned hotter. "H-Hydra," she stammered out, wriggling an arm up between them to lightly shake his shoulder. "Get up, you've gotta let me go."

It struck her briefly how different those three words felt falling out of her mouth than they had the previous night. Let me go- a desperate plea turned to an awkward command.

Because now it was different. She wasn't afraid of him any more, not really. His arms felt less like a cage, in fact they were almost...reassuring. But still, they couldn't lie there all day. "Hydra," she muttered, shaking his shoulder again. "C'mon, wake up."

Draconian · February 05, 2016, 11:46:13 PM

Hydra nuzzled his nose to hers, giving a content little sigh and pulling her flush against him, all his hands on her back, gently holding her against him. The demand to wake up had him frown slightly and the shaking had him wriggle down to press his face against her chest, a grunting whiny little moan. "But it's such a nice dream," because clearly this wasn't a whore - they didn't cuddle - and the little Aura-lee girl would have squealed and tried to get away.

"Five more minutes," another mumble against her flesh.

DragonSong · February 05, 2016, 11:54:26 PM

She squeaked as he nuzzled against her, staring down at him with wide eyes. It seemed as though her whole body was heating up now, and she renewed her efforts to wriggle away. It seemed like gently waking him wasn't going to work, and this was starting to get a little too close for comfort.

"Hydra!" She squirmed in his grip, telling herself firmly to ignore the fact that having his arms around her actually felt kind of nice. "You- you're dreaming. Wake up!" She shook his shoulder again, more firmly this time, and arched her back in an effort to get away.

Which had the unintended consequences of bringing all of her front suddenly into close contact with his body, the pillow he had made of her chest pressing back against him and her belly and thighs flush to his. A sort of jolt ran through her and she sucked in a breath, startled by the sensation. Then she twisted again and it was gone.

Draconian · February 06, 2016, 12:02:39 AM

Wake up!

Hydra's eyes snapped open and he frowned for a good few minutes, at least until Aura-lee moved and he realized it was her that was in his arms. He remembered now. After he put her to bed he just curled up behind her.

He moved away like she burned him, he sat up quickly and shuffled off the bed. Front cold, he went and stood beside the door, cheeks flushed, "I'm sorry," He said simply, staring down at the floor, "I didn't... I..." Swallowing carefully he pushed a hand through his hair, found the key, opened the door and left.

The sound of the door locking echoed through the little room.

It was a good half hour or so before Hydra was back in the room, carrying breakfast for them. Again, fish and some stale bread. A flask of water. No peppermint treat this time. "I brought food," He said simply, handing Aura-lee her portion and sitting down against the door again, not looking at her.

DragonSong · February 06, 2016, 12:13:02 AM

Aura-lee breathed a sigh that was somehow equal parts relief and regret when he jerked away, staring at him with wide eyes. She started to shake her head when he apologized, but he wasn't looking at her.

Her eyes lit on his hand moving toward the key and she automatically reached out. "Wait-" He was already gone. With nothing else to do, she simply lay back down on the bed and waited, biting her lip absently as her gaze flicked to the door every few minutes.

When he returned, she sat up quickly, opening her mouth to ask where he'd been just as he handed her breakfast. "Thank you," she said softly, taking her portion with real gratitude.

Nibbling at the food, she scooted forward to perch at the edge of the bed. "You didn't have to apologize," she told him after a moment. "You startled me a bit, I'll admit...but you didn't have to apologize." As far as she could see he hadn't really done anything wrong.

Draconian · February 06, 2016, 12:25:11 AM

A mouthful of dry stale bread and Hydra chewed and frowned at her, not liking that she was telling him he shouldn't have to apologize. Of course he did. He was... A blush brightened his cheeks and he chewed on his lip before tearing another bit of bread away. "What?" He started, voice soft, "Did you like it?"

Because he sure did.

DragonSong · February 06, 2016, 05:57:42 AM

Her face suddenly flushed and she busied herself with eating for a few moments. "I didn't...not like it," she admitted eventually. "Once- once I figured out it was you."

Clearing her throat, Aura-lee looked away, willing the heat in her cheeks to die down. "So..." she said, more to distract herself than anything else. "Am I just supposed to...sit here all day?"