Rabbits on the Moon [Basket Bidding Date]

A R Y T H M E T I K

Rainbow powder trailed a tantalizing path through the Redwood, the remnants of someone else’s Eleanore’s Day celebration. Here and there were spatterings of rich pigment: hints of yellow clung to the sienna spring bark; vibrant oranges and blue were dabbled among the short forest grass; a promise of purple tucked into the petals of fresh blossoms. Arythmetik would have blended in seamlessly any other day with his russet coat and emerald eyes. But today, the forest was too brilliant to hide his humble form. He strolled along the well-worn path, a bemused grin plastered to his face. Part of him felt like all this revelry had to come to an end, but it’d only just begun.


“You know,” he mused, a playful lilt in the undertones of his warm, gentle voice, “now that we’re out here...I’m quite craving rabbit, actually.” The scholar tossed a glance over his shoulder, searching for the much larger frame of Grigori. His roguish companion was (hopefully) close behind, and presumably still reeling from the day’s activities. Aryth was. After all, he’d never expected to enter a bidding contest for a date with the handsome hunter. Why did that Alexei fellow bid on him, anyway? Do they know each other? Aryth shook away the idle curiosity with the twitch of his ear. It was Eleanore’s Day; it was the spirit of the game. Perhaps Aryth should have felt badly for only bidding on Grigori?


Suddenly, Aryth paused, then smiled at his companion once more. “Would you like help carrying those, by the way?” It was a purely polite question. He knew the cowboy could carry six rabbits without batting an eye.

code by claerie

@Grigori

After slow settling into the routine of his new job, interrupted only by occasional outings and reading practices with Aryth when they both had the time, this holiday was a staggering change of pace. Taking part in so many festivities in such a short time wasn't something he would have dared to think to be possible, not to even mention how.. licentious it all was as a whole. If it wasn't just an elaborate excuse to go on a date with someone he's already dating, Grigori can't say he would be too comfortable being bid on like that. Even so, it nearly ended in disaster thanks to Alexei... needles to say, the cowboy hoped he won't be expected to explain that one.

The colorful surroundings are lost on him as he walks, what little attention not occupied by his thoughts instead devoted to making sure his sizable bundle of rabbits isn't grasped by any larcenous branches. He couldn't stop himself from thinking back to that drinking contest. He hasn't gotten this drunk since a much simpler time in his life.. and now, it was the first time in over a year when he forgot about the past. The few moments without this constant burden upon his shoulders were blissful, but nothing ever comes free.. and nothing makes guilt more insufferable than forgetting about it for just a moment.

"Huh?" Aryth's voice draws him back to the present moment, and he blinks as he tries recall as many words back as he could manage. "Ah, yeah. Goof fin we gof a loof" Six rabbits certainly can make speech quite a challenge. Before his focus disperses again, the blonde brute resolves to pull himself together. As much as he might think he deserves beating himself up over having a good time, the tawny scholar has done nothing to deserve getting caught up in his battered conscience. With that simple reasoning, it wasn't too difficult to get back into the date mindset, as it was something he was quite eager for to begin with. Being near Aryth got him on edge.. in a good way. And now more than ever, due to the festival's theme. He'd never pushed to take things any faster than the other wanted to, but by now the buildup of anticipation was considerable.

"I've got it." Grigori lifted his head and pushed his chest out in playfully exaggerated pride, in spite of his barely intelligible mumbling. "Where are we goin', anyway?" He'd be fine with eating the rabbits anywhere, the less he had to carry them them the better in fact, but it seems Aryth already had it all planned out. The cowboy was glad for it, even if it was a bit much at times; without his boyfriend's guidance, he wouldn't have tried even half of the things they did during this holiday.

„*”

A R Y T H M E T I K

Grigori trying to talk with his mouth full was funnier than Aryth anticipated. Quite uncharacteristically, the scholar burst into a fit of laughter, his voice ringing with joy through the Redwood. Tears even wetted the corners of his eyes. Maybe he was still a little drunk after all… He’d never been as intoxicated as he was during the contest, and he’d tried everything he possibly could to recover without a hangover. Granted, after…completely passing out…he’d woken with a throbbing headache. But after chugging water and munching on a choice selection of herbs, he’d coasted back into sobriety without much difficulty. This was a year of firsts, that was sure.


With a swish of his tail, the pine-scented male skipped ahead and shook his head. “Of course,” he chimed playfully, “I should have known.” His pace slowed into his typical, smooth gait, but he cast another grin over his shoulder. “You’ll see. It’s an excellent place to dine.” However, as the pair continued to stroll deeper into the forest, the rainbow colors grew sparser. The trees, too, grew darker and denser, and for a minute, it seemed as though Arythmetik was leading them into an untenable section of woods. But suddenly, Aryth led them underneath a fallen log and past two overgrown bushes…and a splendid glade unfurled in front of them. The entire clearing was riddled with lavender, its sweet aroma swathing the area. The pungent embrace had the added benefit of attracting a myriad of butterflies. They flittered and danced without inhibition. One even aimed to land on Grigori’s nose as the wolves paused.


“What do you think?” Aryth asked, hiding just the faintest hint of anxiety behind his composure. He took a step further and laid gently in the waiting lavender. “Good herbalists know this is the best place to come collect lavender…but I figured it would be quiet and secluded during the, er, festival.” The scholar cleared his throat and smiled up at the outlander. The man who made his heart, much like butterfly wings, flutter. “To be honest I…never participated in Eleanore’s Day, until now.”

code by claerie

@Grigori

Faerie Ring

A soft glow seems to emanate from the left, and should it be inspected, you see what appears to be a faerie ring. Small, pearlescent stones form a tight circle and from within grows moss and red-capped mushrooms.


To interact with the faerie ring, please post in #updates

Oh? Looks like someone's in a very good mood indeed. It wasn't exactly a plan for his mumbling to be so entertaining, so part of him wanted to feel a little embarrassed.. but he couldn't see his friend's mirth and not respond in kind, the sound of a deep chuckle making its way through his bundle of rabbits. For once, it hasn't escaped his attention how the scenery around them slowly changed; the depths of the forest were the kind of thing he could only hear about in stories before. The air that filled their lungs felt fresh and ancient at the same time, invoking a sense of mystery. The sparse woods of the more hospitable regions of his homeland couldn't compare.

Their destination unfolded before them unexpectedly, the heavy atmosphere turning into something rather charming so swiftly and easily that the cowboy had to blink to make sure his senses weren't playing tricks on him. Then he was forced to squint and wrinkle his nose - the combination of rich pollen and butterfly legs proved to be a bit much and he really didn't want to sneeze all over their dinner. This moment of crisis lasted a couple of seconds, and when it passed Aryth was already lying in the lavender...

A rabbit fell to the ground with a soft thud. Then another.. and finally, the remaining four followed. Grigori hasn't noticed, his perception has collapsed into a point on the wolf in front of him. He'd always been fond of purple, but who knew it could make the scholar's russet fur look as warm as the sunrise, and his eyes like the coolest mint? Choosing a discrete place would be something he'd be thankful for if the words could pierce through the hum of rushing blood in his ears, as the focus of his gaze shifted from the entire picture to the details, slowly trailing along Aryth's lithe side and the curve of hips. Thoughts bubbled within his mind, merging to form two opposing voices, like the metaphorical angel and devil, each whispering into one ear..

'Well, what're ye waitin' for, big guy? He's basically askin' for it!'
'Absolutely not! This has to be proper date!'
'Pfft, sure. Are we really supposed to say naw to this?'
'Y-.. well.. no, but it can wait a little'
'What else, maybe we won't even say how hot he is?'
'No, we definitely should tell him that'
'Figures.. wait, what?'

A butterfly flew by right in front of Grigori's eyes, pulling him out of his daze. "I think it's lovely, but.." he trailed off, struggling to find the right words. Nothing simple and straightforward could do his feelings justice, but things that weren't such were a foreign territory he had no confidence on. "Yer the one stealin' all my attention." he blurted out, a bit more quickly than he would have liked. And although true.. it felt like running a mile wide circles around what he actually wanted to say.

Deciding against dwelling on it awkwardly, the blonde brute buried his muzzle in the rabbit bundle, shortly after pulling out a hidden package of mint leaves. The rabbits have been packed so tightly in his efforts to hold them all that it actually kept the mint from falling out. Its calming fresh taste was very welcome at the moment; although he couldn't complain about being high-strung in the young professor's company, clearly it had its own kind of trappings.

He was almost surprised that Aryth hasn't participated in this festival before, but after a moment of consideration it sort of made sense. Most of them would have happened when he was still a kid, and even after that.. trying to hook up with someone just for fun definitely didn't sound like something Aryth would do. "I get it. This festival is.. a bit much, isn't it?" Grigori smiled uncertainly. That's putting it lightly, clearly. "Back home, people were much more private about love and, uhm.." Oh boy, just what he was getting himself into by trying to bring that up? Looking at the other made him feel too much like his cheeks were on fire, so he glanced to the side.. which is when he noticed something peculiar. "What's that?"

Grigori stepped over and leaned down to take a closer look. He could have sworn there was a glow, but little neat stone circles don't and shouldn't glow. Regardless, what is it there for? Aryth had mentioned something about this spot being popular in certain.. circles, for a lack of a better word, so could it be it's something one of his colleagues set up? But it looked off with how the mushrooms grew only within the circle.. the cowboy glanced towards his friend quizzically.. trying extremely hard to focus on nothing else but his nose. Ah, if only there was a stream nearby so he could put his head in it to cool down!

„*”

A R Y T H M E T I K

When he was met with silence, the Professor turned to look at his companion, only to see a dazed expression staring straight back. Aryth’s ears swiveled forward as the rabbits went thud, thud, hitting the ground softly in sequence. Quickly, the russet scholar’s panic started to rise. But not for the obvious reason. He looked over his shoulder, sure that something terrifying must be lurking in the treeline. When he saw nothing (aside from a few innocent butterflies), Aryth understood what he’d misinterpreted. By the grace of the gods (if they even existed), Grigori snapped out of it just as Aryth turned back to face his date. And if it were possible, the words that popped from Grigori’s mouth would have turned Aryth red in the face.


For a moment, each male dealt with the nervous jitters in their own way. The vagabond produced his sacred chewing mint, and Aryth, knowing it was a substitute for tobacco, surmised that Grigori needed something to help him focus. Aryth, on the other hand, simply fought against his shy smile, patting at a stalk of lavender with one paw. The scent swept from the flowers in a rush of calming fragrance. It gave the scholar something to cling to, as well. He knew there were feelings between them, something hotter than friendship. But the Professor had never experienced romance. He’d been so isolated as a teenager, so devoted to his studies… And while he may have imagined pursuing something with a couple females, he’d never even imagined anything physical with a man. But he couldn’t deny his attachment to Grigori. He was relieved when his companion spoke again.


“Yes, yes,” Aryth agreed, so the sassenach wouldn’t have to finish his sentence. Aryth chuckled sheepishly. “There certainly are rituals in Rhionach that seem dated, but…” But maybe I was just lonely. Luckily, he didn’t have to divulge his lame, formative years. Grigori noticed something, and Aryth followed his gaze to a faint, ethereal glow. Rising to his feet, the scholar’s brow furrowed and he brushed hastily against Grigori’s side as they stopped at another section of the clearing. “No,” Aryth murmured in a tense, hushed tone. He was so tied up in whatever this was that he was completely oblivious to Grigori’s struggles once more. “This is…a faerie ring. But it shouldn’t be possible. If they were mushrooms, sure, that’s a natural phenomenon. But I’ve never seen stones like these in the Redwood.” Aryth glanced up at Grigori, his emerald eyes widening, then back down at the circle. “And perhaps someone is playing an Eleanore’s Day prank, but then why are Amanita mushrooms growing inside? They’re poisonous, but rumored to give visions if eaten in tiny doses…”

code by claerie

@Grigori

Ever reliable, Aryth had some insight to offer. Yet even the scholar's impressive knowledge wasn't enough to strip the mystery entirely, answers only leading to more questions. The cowboy turned his gaze back to the mushrooms, eyeing them sternly. "I heard about somethin' similar.. some kind of cactus. They say it can change a wolf forever." Usually for better, if the stories are to be believed. It was practiced as some sort of spiritual healing, after all. But sometimes wounds don't heal right, and this was no exception. Grigori has also heard hushed stories about wolves who emerged from the experience even more broken than before.

The blonde male fell silent for a time, considering the possibility. What would it be like, to face off his demons in a fever dream once for all? The prospect of being done with his past once for all was a tempting one.. but was it worth the risk of possibly ending up somewhere even worse? And.. perhaps all he needs now is time. He sighed. "Best leave it be."

But the mushrooms had other plans, as well as impeccable timing. Just as Grigori wanted to step away from them, they burst into a puff of.. spores? Enveloping both him and his friend. Grigori staggered backwards, coughing and blinking, until he lost his balance which forced him to sit down heavily. But the involuntary response has passed quickly, his eyes weren't even so much as watering. That is not to say he wasn't concerned. "That can't be as bad as eating them.. can it?" He frowned, looking to Aryth once more. It's not even about him at this point, he'd never forgive some mushroom harming his date. "I wouldn' want to die to.." His voice caught in his throat, perhaps worryingly so... but he was merely holding back an unexpected urge to snort at his own thoughts. "To a.. mushroom fart" With some effort, Grigori finished his sentence - and saying it out loud was entirely too much for him to handle. He started to chuckle and couldn't stop. "Or, or.. would it be fungi?" Now he was laughing heartily at his own joke, losing his balance again and just falling sideways into the lavender.

„*”

A R Y T H M E T I K

The idea of a desert plant with similar properties stoked Aryth’s curiosity. He glanced up at Grigori briefly, a shimmer of intrigue in his gaze, but he couldn’t tear his attention away from the curious mushrooms for long. Not that it would have mattered. The moment his companion decided to drop the matter (something that would’ve deeply challenged the scholar), a spontaneous burst of powder puffed into their faces. Aryth cried out and sneezed simultaneously as the spores flew up his nose. Incredible! They hadn’t even touched the caps, how was this possible!? The russet wolf reeled back alongside the other male. “I…” he stammered between blinks and sneezes, “I don’t know…” In fact, he didn’t even really know what was happening right now. All around him, the world seemed to slow to a crawl.


Grigori’s handsome drawl chimed to the left again. Aryth’s green eyes rounded as he turned to face his date. The faerie ring was all but forgotten as his vision tunneled on those roguish, blond features. He stared, fascinated, as the word ‘fart’ formed on Grigori’s gorgeous lips. Though it felt like a lifetime, in reality it was only a split-second later when Aryth’s hearty laughter erupted. ‘Or, or would it be fungi?’ Now Arythmetik was rolling in the lavender grass, tears peeking from the corners of his eyeballs, his belly shaking until it hurt. “No, no, you’re...a fun guy!” he wheezed breathlessly. He tried to bat a paw at the man lying near him, probably completely missing, but the laughter played on. The longer he was exposed to fresh air again, the more he realized he had no good reason to be laughing… But losh, help ma boab, he was having such a great time. “Grigori…I’m so glad you agreed to join this date.”

code by claerie

@Grigori

Though Grigori wasn't as learned as his companion, he knew his share of lethal dangers. Anything that makes the victim suffer from uncontrollable laughter before perishing would make for a catchy anecdote, so it would appear they were fine. Well, as long as Aryth doesn't cause them to suffocate by reiterating that horrible pun. Grigori's laugh was thunderous to the point where he hardly felt the paw brushing against his side. Fortunately, the effect seemed to be subsiding quickly, and before long he was free to take a deep breath and sigh, giving his lungs a much needed reprieve.

There wasn't much going through his mind as he enjoyed the restful moment, until Aryth chimed and drew his attention again. "Ye know ye don't need to win an auction to get a date with me, eh?" He turned his head towards the other, grinning. Again, the scholar was captivating to behold, green eyes pulling him with gravity that could rival the earth. The blonde male acted before second thoughts could be given a chance, rolling to stand and stepping over the other. His heart hammered in his chest as he looked down, time slowing to a crawl.. until he flicked his tongue at Aryth's nose, letting out a chuckle afterwards. Still a little giddy, he was.. and fortunately so, because it served him well to break the tension of the moment. "Aryth, I.." I want you. Rather than say the words, he pressed his nose to the fur of the smaller male's neck, inhaling his scent greedily. It felt like he could never have enough. "Is.. is this alright?" Was he moving too fast? Aryth had little to none experience with this from what he gathered, Grigori would hate pressure him too much. And yet, it was getting harder and harder to hold back... "...hold on."

With tremendous effort, the cowboy pulled himself away, lying back down in his prior laughing spot to the side. But this time, instead of falling haphazardly, he stretched himself out deliberately, letting the other watch every fine detail of his sturdy physique in motion. He threw Aryth a sideways glance, taunting almost. "Come get me, teach." Rather than struggle to keep the right pace, it'll be easier to let Aryth take charge. Not that it was the only reason; this.. lust, it was stronger than anything he had dealt with before. And the reason why was simple - as much as he wanted the other, he needed to be wanted even more so.
„*”

A R Y T H M E T I K

The grass waved in tandem with the breeze, rolling like the midday ocean. It was the sweeping touch of the earth, brushing against each male simultaneously and separately, connecting them before they even touched one another. Aryth’s eyes were drawn to the words, to the movement, of his companion. His neck arched just in time to receive a small kiss from Grigori. And in that moment, the giddiness transformed. It evolved from silly laughter to an entirely different sort of euphoria. It streamed effervescently through his vessels, sapping any weight from his limbs, numbing him. Oh, but he felt Grigori’s muzzle against his neck. It was the only sensation that mattered. Air caught in Aryth’s throat; his eyelids fluttered shut. He didn’t know what to do but he wanted to do it.


He wanted to say yes, please and no, wait.


But before his fuzzy mind could catch up, the handsome sassenach was pulling away. It jolted Aryth into reality, one he was grappling to accept. A tingling sensation still prickled his skin and rushed his blood, making him hyper-sensitive and free of gravity’s pull. He moved closer to the blond male almost without thinking. Every thick muscle, every tousle of fur, was calling to him. And those eyes…as grey and mysterious as Tir Na Nog… He imagined that some wolves, in the past, may have perceived them as cold. Not the scholar. Even in that sideways glance, Arythmetik saw a longing buried deep and true: an honest desire for attachment. It lit the fire in Aryth’s belly that fueled him thus far.


Even as the Professor positioned himself over his partner, settling a forelimb under the crook of Grigori’s arm, pressing his hungry maw to Grigori’s nape…still hesitation plagued him. Aryth had never done this before with anyone. He’d never even come close. Part of him wished that Grigori had taken the lead, but if that were the case, he would have been frightened the whole time. He was self-aware enough to realize that. Aryth was not seductive by any means, but at least this way, he could take his time. He could feel the man beneath and beside him. He could savor every new experience and learn. And who was Arythmetik, if not a man who adored learning? A shy smile broke across Aryth’s face, flashing white fangs, before he settled a tender kiss on Grigori's cheek. Then he moved, steadily, to run his tongue along the other male’s jaw. “You’ll have to teach me, too,” he whispered, his voice sizzling coals. Until then, he would act on instinct.

-fade to black?-

code by claerie

@Grigori