[ P ] you only come out at night

B

eing outside was a nice change. He was protecting her, even in her stupor she knew it to be true. "Me? Nooooo.... I would never..." she said while batting her eyes and smiling up at him. She gave a soft giggle as she pressed her form to him a little harder than before. She could say it was to stable herself. After taking a deep breath, she shot a look at him "your daddy named you wrong... You don't really look like a Declan, you are more ova Blaze." She nodded in agreement with herself. She had never met another Declan and couldn't really support what made him not his namesake. She wondered if he would get offended by it. But that worry whisked itself away as another uncontrolled thought popped into her head. "You know why they call me Calla? Well..." she continued without giving him a chance to answer. "Call - a that girl... I was destined to go places and do big things." She turned her head to look at him, pulling away from his form. She stumbled to stand before him, but quickly steadied herself.

"Why do you hang out with me?" she asked him. Her facial expression growing more serious, then she hiccuped. Her pale eyes locked on the fiery ones he owned. They were so beautiful, and it made Calla wonder if her eyes had been the thing that others did not like about her. She was not pretty enough. She was always talking about work, always wanting to work. Sethos didn't see anything more in her than just a doctor. Nobody tried to befriend her. Nobody wanted to love her. She was still very young and she knew that, but she also felt like she was missing so much in her life already. "I don't want to go home.." she said softly, "if you want to leave, you can."

@Declan

code by Yahtzee-Penguiduck

"Sure you wouldn't," he teased as she batted her lashes up at him. His smirk grew as she prattled on about his name but he didn't stop her. She carried on, becoming quite chatty after having a few drinks in her and he found it amusing to the usual quiet person she was without. Was this what Calla was truly like? Talkative and playful? He quite liked this side of her, drawn more out of her shell than usual, it was refreshing. He turned his head to say something when she stumbled ahead of him and blocked their path forward. He closed his mouth, brow furrowing as his head tilted in question.

"Why do you hang out with me?" she blurted, and he immediately became confused. It would seem her demeanor had shifted slightly, taking on a familiar sadness he knew too well. His brow remained furrowed as he looked down at her when she stated she did not want to go home. "I'm not just going to leave you our here alone, Calla." he said.

He looked at her thoughtfully and wondered what he should say -- anything that would raise her spirits up might be nice but he didn't want her taking it the wrong way either. Yet, he didn't want to be the reason she was sad. His gaze flickered over her face and finally, he spoke. "I hang out with you because I like you." he said truthfully. If he didn't, he'd have hightailed it outta the bar when he caught first sight of her. "Is that a good enough reason?"

He wasn't sure where she was going with this but he hoped he had satisfied her. "And if you don't want to go home... where do you want to go? Because wandering the streets drunk off your ass alone is not an option." he told her seriously.

art by alz

E

ven when Calla's mood had changed, he was not leaving. This was something, that was still apparent to her - even in her hindered state. Declan was kind, caring, and those eyes. He wasn't going to leave her. She believed him. Of all the things he had told her, this was the thing that she took most to heart. He may have been bad, been apart of many terrible things. But here he was saying that he would not leave her alone at night, not in this neighborhood, definitely not on this street. He cared for her general well-being. That was something the soldiers did not think of. When he admitted that he liked her, she could feel the skin of her cheeks swelling with heat. Her heart was beating wildly against her chest, and her head was spinning. It could have been from the alcohol, those damned fermented berries, or it was... something else? "Thank you," she said. "For liking me when others don't." Without thinking it over, Calla stepped forward, leaned close to him, and placed a single kiss upon his cheek. She immediately pulled her head back, but reached a paw out and touched his shoulder. "You're it!"

Before he had the opportunity to grab at her, she turned and ran off. She wondered if he would chase her, but she did not want to get caught so quickly. She was giggling, feeling giddy as she felt the speed of her paws. They were pumping the beat of her heart right now. The blood was flowing, and this was a new feeling that Calla had never felt before. Did he mean that he liked her as a friend? Was it more? His words were unclear, but in that moment it was almost as close to a profession of love - not that anyone had said that to her before. If he wasn't going to leave her, then he would follow - yes? She turned her head back to see if he was coming after her, a smile spread across her muzzle. Her tail was wagging with glee. Declan was right, it was good to get out of her routine, to live a little, and drinking those blasted berries had actually been fun.

@Declan

code by Yahtzee-Penguiduck

"Thank you for liking me when others don't," she said before pressing a kiss to his cheek. He blinked, a little confused by that sentiment. What was there not to like about her? He didn't understand what she meant by that but he let her seek comfort in him all the same, finding it platonic enough that it might not mean anything to her the next morning.

Then she pressed a paw to his shoulder and told him he was 'it' and just like that, she ran off into the night. He took a moment to realize she wanted him to chase her and he smiled and shook his head. Calla would get herself into trouble if he didn't make sure she sobered up before heading home at the very least so he drew in a breath and took off after her. He felt like a kid again, chasing his brother throw the forests of Inverness. That time in his life had been good, but also bad, he just tried not to dwell on the parts where his father fucked everything up for him.

He caught up to Calla in a few quick strides and nudge her shoulder with his own before calling out "No, you're it!" then taking off at his own pace. She would probably be able to catch up to him easily, he wasn't really trying to lose her.

exit declan via playing tag

art by alz