Amongst These Fevered Steps [M] [Goblin]

[Juno]

"Puppy eyes!?" he explained with feigned hurt. "There's not one thing about me that's like a puppy! I was trying my hand at kitten eyes, but apparently that doesn't work either," he resigned with a sigh and smile. On one hand it was nice to hear her speak of such things like she was, but on the other it was concerning for him, in his arrogance and childishness, to think about the idea of his partner possibly becoming better than him. No, that just wouldn't do. Not yet, at least. In his eyes he was the king, and quite used to that idea and didn't really want to change anything about that particular ideal.

"Believe me, love, I would love nothing more than to fill your life with happiness and fulfillment, but I think it would be unfair to say you have "catching up" to do," Caden tried to explain. "Your life has been different from my own. There are things I could say the exact same thing about for myself, but these things take time. I won't argue, though, that that is my job from now on. In any way you need."

His smile now had grown warm and affectionate as he thought of what he hoped their lives would hold for them someday. Petting her hair, his attention was drawn to the hearth again. "You know... If you really want to try I wouldn't mind watching the fire. If it's small. It has to be, I don't want you getting hurt or burning the house down. Or the bed."

[GoblinFae]

Tiraris chuckled in response. "Gods above, of course not the bed," she jested, winking at Caden and hugging him close. "Are you sure though? You had expressed sincere concern and reservation before, I do not wish to push you into humoring me. I love you too much for that."

Fingers that were accustomed to breaking windpipes, now gently caressed the soft column of his throat, moving upward to trace his jaw and brow. "You are too beautiful for me too mar anymore of this perfection. I have done enough of that already," the assassin lamented. "I only wish I could fill your life in turn with happiness and fulfillment, Caden. I do not think I will be able to do so for much longer though. You surpass me in so many ways, how could I ever hope to compare, to match? Out of the two of us Caden, I think you got the short end of the stick. You got stuck with me. You got stuck with me."

The red-haired woman sighed and settled against her mate. The five words repeated in her head over and over, her underlying fear driving them home into the empty space of self-loathing that her mother had left open and festering for over twenty years. All she wanted to do was prove herself, yet Tiraris felt like every chance she got to do so, she managed to fail. She could not control her magic, she could not take care of Caden, she could not keep herself from hurting him, she could not do so many things that she expected of herself and it was killing her. This woman who had prided herself in having so much control of her life was breaking down with the realization that she did not have any control after all.

[Juno]

Caden watched her movements curiously, perplexed that she wasn't seizing the opportunity now for all of her excitement before. He frowned slightly at the ideas she presented now, as much as they had been playful and joking. "Tir there is no need to think yourself inferior. I'd like to think myself the best one for you now, but please believe me when I say that I don't now and never will feel like I am stuck with you," he tried to assure.

"I will always worry for your safety, love, but if you feel confident in your abilities then I want to know it and witness what it is you are eager about. Please, go ahead, but remember...small. Very small. Keep it so small that you could hold it in your hand if you needed to."

[GoblinFae]

"You are the best!" Tiraris exclaimed sitting up just enough to look down at him. "You are my rock, without you I am nothing." The cold-hearted assassin had softened greatly in the arms of her love so much so that even she could not understand why she had changed so much, only that she liked how he made her feel and she did not want to be without it for even a second.

"If you are really sure I can try something, small." She smiled weakly and nodded her head slightly and say up fully, letting her back rest against the head headboard as she reached a hand out to the fire, gently beckoning a tendril into the air and to her fingertips where it danced around and between her fingers like a silken ribbon.

From the corner of her eye she nervously peeked out to gauge Caden's reaction before covering her hand with her other one and trapping the fire inside. She smiled slightly as it licked and tickled her palms before squeezing out from between her clasped hands in the form of palm-sized tiger that pawed at her knuckles and chased its tail before leaping up to her should and nuzzling her cheek.

It took her breath away and made her giggle quietly to watch its antics as it acquired a bit of its own mind. She chased it across her arm for a bit before finally holding it out on her palm in front of Caden. "Do you like it?"

[Juno]

Caden stared at the fire licking out between her fingers, the sight of it causing his mind to scream at him that he should run away and get away from it before it burned the whole place down. But...he had to trust her. He had to trust that she knew what she was doing with it.

The shape of the flame took him aback once it emerged. It looked...like a cat. A wild one. He was definitely startled, but his gut told him to stay, to watch and see what happened. He sat there tensed up and watched, not even noticing her eyeing him until she held it out and spoke.

"Huh? Oh... It's pretty... How did you do that...?" he ventured curiously. "Why is it not....burning you? Or the bed? Or you? Or your hair? Or your skin? Or you?"

[GoblinFae]

It was a great relief to her that he had not screamed or recoiled from her in fear or hatred. She would not be able to take rejection from him now, not when she had come so far and worked so hard. He was truly the one that made her fight on and stand so tall. Without him she would wither and give up, turning back to her bitter and lonely ways.

A gentle smile curved her lips as she watched him fully now. Tiraris could see his tension and wished she could reach out and soothe it away but in turn she feared startling him more. She did laugh softly when he questioned her though, finding his surprise and concerns for her endearing.

"Magic, my love. It's magic." Her eyes crinkled in joy as she gazed upon him with complete love for him. In her hand the tiger shifted its form becoming flames again briefly before taking a new one entirely. The fire split in two becoming a man and a woman each. Although their figures blurred and wavered as flames often do and there were no definite features making them no more than bright silhouettes, they still seemed to have a life of their own as the man bowed and the woman curtsied before beginning a slow dance in the center of the assassin's palm.

Tears welled in Tiraris' eyes as she gazed upon the sight. It symbolized everything she had ever wanted all in one single moment. Love, family, control of her magic, all of this and more she had deemed impossible and now with Caden beside her, she had the unthinkable.

She did not ever realize the tears that were falling down her face until she heard the faint sizzle of the flames as the saltwater fell and steamed in the dancing pair's path. "I love you Caden."

[Juno]

Caden simply watched the flames flickering in her palm, the shifting forms drawing him in like a moth to a light even though he'd already been burned once already. As he stared at them he found himself smiling, even thinking the figures cute, but he had no idea how much they meant to her.

It had a strange, soothing effect on him, though, to watch her magic in a controlled state. He didn't see the tears at first, even though they were of joy, but he found himself with a dark reminder in the back of his thoughts of the damage this same fire had done, both to the land and himself. It was only natural for him to wonder, solemnly, how long it might last like that.

The sizzle startled him and he visibly jumped at the sound and sight of it disturbing the flames, but he looked up at her at the sound of her voice. He smiled sadly and moved to put his arms around her shoulders in a light hug. "I love you, too. You are so precious to me," he whispered at her ear as he gave her a squeeze.

"This is good, right? Good tears? You're making progress! This is wonderful," he reminded her, trying so desperately to be encouraging to his love.

[GoblinFae]

"The best of tears," she whispered even as her eyes flooded further, raining buckets of saltwater down her face. She did not mean to and even as she tried to stop them, they just seemed to flow faster. Tiraris squeezed her hand into a fist and felt the flames extinguished. Opening it once more revealed an unscathed palm.

For a moment she stared at it in disbelief before throwing her arms tightly around her love's shoulders and clinging to him as if her life depended on it. "Twenty-six years of enduring this cursed life and at last I am close to my deliverance. I am so much closer to the end now Caden. Gods above," she whispered in awe, the realization still sinking in, "I am almost there."

She squeezed tighter, turning her head to presses loving kisses to his cheek his lips, his eyes, anywhere she could. Each touch was not enough. Tiraris was a woman starved of attention and love and she craved more. "Oh Caden," she sighed breathlessly, "I love you and I am never letting go of you. Never," Tiraris pulled him close, her lips brushing against his teasingly, "ever."

[Juno]

Leaning back a bit to look her in the face, the demon nodded encouragingly. "It's really great to see such progress. I have faith in you, love, and I always will," he reminded her, though he was cut short by the pleasant warmth of another hug from her. Her kisses were like little sparks racing across his skin. Wrapping his arms more firmly around her, he rested his forehead against hers to nuzzle noses with her. "So, does that mean I'm stuck with you?" he teased, grinning fiendishly as he tried to fight back laughter.

"I mean where to next, my love? There's no point in staying here any longer if you've...mastered your magic, right?" It was more of a hope than anything, he was all but certain she would want to stay if only to continue to confirm what she'd seen tonight just a while longer.

[GoblinFae]

Tiraris growled in a mock-anger. "What is this I hear? You do not wish to be stuck with me now? Too bad. You are mine," she informed her lover possessively, clinging all the more tightly to him. Her fingers gently traced over his brow into his hair before pulling him into a loving kiss.

"Seriously though love, you and I both know I need to stay here for a while longer. As soon as we can prove that I have indeed achieved mastery then we can be out of here in a heartbeat. Cross my heart and everything," the assassin beamed, following the action over her bare chest.

"You know if you are good though," came her musings as she looked at him through squinted eyes, "I just might be able to convince him to let you stay here from now on. But you have to be really good. Think you can handle that?"

[Juno]

He chuckled at her momentary playfulness and went along with it to sink them into a kiss. That lighthearted playfulness was short-lived, though. Caden was disappointed by what he was hearing, but at the same time he knew it was not right to drag her away from her training at the first sign of success. "I know," he agreed, though begrudgingly as she seemed to have the better end of this deal of theirs.

"Have I not been good enough already?" he wondered, squeezing her close in a hug he wished would never have to end. "Is the lovely Lady Tir displeased with the lowly squire Caden?" he teased, trying to keep the mood light despite his sadness and selfish desires. "Has he not been...handling his duties well enough yet?"

[GoblinFae]

"Mmm," she purred, eying him critically. "You are a rather lousy squire if you really want to go there. I believe there are other duties that would require some more handling, if he is willing to redeem himself."

Tiraris smiled deviously while lowering her head to nuzzle at her mate's neck. "Perhaps he would be willing to further assist in his Lady's matters though as she is in serious need of something to warm her bed at night. It simply gets far too cold to get a good night's sleep in and you know how she requires her beauty sleep, do you not squire?"

[Juno]

Caden laughed heartily, knowing she'd essentially cornered him in his own game. "Oh I do know, Lady Tir," he answered playfully. "I know well how scary she can be if she does not get her beauty sleep. But I will do anything to redeem myself in my Lady's eyes," he assured her.

"As long as I can whisk her away soon," he mumbled against her skin as he pulled her in closer. "We've been here a long time."

[GoblinFae]

Her fingers carded lovingly through his hair as she left a trail of kisses from his ear to the corner of his mouth. "Aye my love, we have been apart far too long. It should not be too much longer though. I cannot thank you enough for being so patient with me."

The statement was punctuated with a passionate kiss before she continued her soft whispering and butterfly kisses. "I will always be yours to take away dearest heart. Forever yours," Tiraris told him emphatically, embracing him closer as their body heat mingled together once more.

[Juno]

"Of course," he chuckled, amused and happy for her affections. "Being impatient would get me nowhere...so I'm happy to wait. Just not for too long," he teased, hugging her tight while he could and savoring the moment. He hated feeling greedy, craving even more affection and closeness with her even as she gave so much of herself, made herself vulnerable in front of him.

Her bare caresses practically made him purr as he nuzzled against her cheek and jaw. "The day can't come soon enough," he mourned, smiling softly for he knew it would not do to rush her when it all seemed so close, almost within reach. "But one day this will be a distant memory, you know? We're bound for greater things, so don't you worry. Take all the time you need. We'll get through this, you're already so close," he admired, relieved with what he had already seen but not wanting to put too much faith in it in case there were more setbacks.

[GoblinFae]

"I cannot wait for that day, although these greater things you speak of," she said smiling and running her fingers through his hair. "I am not exactly sure I know what you mean. Care to elaborate on what great designs you speculate we are meant for?"

Her lips moves to kiss his temple as Tiraris gripped him tighter to herself in a warm embrace. She was content to just lay there with him and do nothing as long as he held her close. All she could think about was their future together. She was finally starting to believe it was possible to have one together, a real future like every other couple she knew. It made her heart beat fast and her breath catch in her throat at the very idea of it, but Tiraris was hopeful.

[Juno]

The demon thought on how to explain his vision to her, choosing careful words and hoping she did not feel that it was all required of them. "I can just see us living together... Happy little life and all. Somewhere quiet and homey. Maybe one day I could build us a home even, have a place to make our own and all," he shrugged, thinking his ideas too grand.

"Unless you would prefer a more mobile life. Where you go I would follow," he explained, not wanting her to feel obligated to go along with his ideas. Slowly lifting a hand he caressed her cheek, thumbing at the ridge of her jaw. "Can be anywhere you want to be."

[GoblinFae]

Tiraris smiled faintly but warmly. The idea of a quaint little life was secretly a dream of hers that she had never believed possible. She had nearly forgotten her hopes of such a life in her efforts to drown out the hurts of her past. With her control over her magic growing with each passing day at last she felt she could once more dream of such wonderful things.

Instinctively, she nuzzled into his touch before moving closer to bury her face in his chest. "I would like that very much. Wherever you are is where I belong Caden but...I believe a place to call our won would be perfect," she told him hesitantly, feeling shy in the face of such big future plans.

[Juno]

"You seem uncertain, love," he murmured, petting at her hair gently as he tried to hide his misjudged disappointment. "I'll always be open to change with you, though. I'm lost when you aren't happy." Caden intertwined their legs more intricately, content with remaining close for the time being. It was certainly more than he'd gotten in recent times and he was going to cherish every moment he was allowed to be near.

[GoblinFae]

"I," she hesitated again though her face glowed with excitement. "I have never been able to plan for a future like this Caden. It is all so new and wonderful to me. It is all I ever wanted to have someone like you to spend the rest of my days with."

Tiraris squeezed him tightly nuzzling into his warmth as she listened to the steady beat of his heart. "I thought I had lost this dream so long ago and would surely never have it back. You have brought me so much light, my love. I do not know where I would be without you. Wherever we go, whatever we do, we do it together." She smiled and leaned up to kiss his jaw. "I love you, so very much," she whispered softly as if to speak any louder would be to lose him and awaken from a dream.