Fire up the Night

The behemoth was reluctant in partaking in this trip, in this odd little agenda of Sienna's; she heard of the festivities first, eager to attend with hopes of coming across family and giving them reassurance that she was not infact a prisoner of Jacob's, far from it, really. He could have left her to her own and travel closer to the borders on her own—if only he ever chose that option. Time and time again he was faced with decisions when it came to her-
to follow, or let her go on her own. She's made it rather clear that she handles her own, he has a few smacks across the face from her in response to his remarks of her making sure she can handle things on her own. She was well aware of what they—she—could be walking into, but she also insisted on such things being nearly non-existent what with the festivities distracting everyone.

She was absolutely right to point out the distraction that was this festival, there were too many bodies to track and it was a blend of any and all wolves. That still didn't keep him from following close by, not quite invading her space as she slowly but surely found faces familiar to her and the life she lived prior to running around the highlands. It was crowded, far too much for his own liking and it showed clear as day across his face.

By nightfall, a portion of the crowd would dissipate, and Aurelius found himself weaving around fires or sitting in place by the warmth. Atop the cliffs of Aberdeen was where many gathered and chose to start the fires, giving everyone a clear view of the sunset. In the distance, darkness consumed the light of day, surrounded by clouds that faintly lit up with a bright white occasionally. That was his ticket out of this place,away from the other wolves- a thunderstorm to reign down on everyone's place for the night.

His lips were stained at the corners faintly with the paint of the fermented berry conconctions he consumed all too easily throughout the afternoon. He successfully lost track of Sienna, choosing to settle by a fire rather than trace her steps. Sea foam gaze still fell across those who approached , searching for Sienna through stumbling and laughing patrons.

art + code: clae

The parades were a bittersweet reminder of all that she had lost in the war. The family that she left behind and had been unable to contact for months, the friends that she was certain she would never laugh with again. Even Atlas was lost to the wind. War had ripped everything from her grasp and left her only with Aurelius. To his credit, the grouchy youth had stayed by her all these months, even now as they stepped into adulthood, he remained.

It wasn't that she was ungrateful, she had come to enjoy their time together. She often looked forward to the green eyes sneaking up on her before he grumbled about her wandering off alone in the highlands. For the most part, she had settled here, made new friends - those that didn't turn their noses up at her mainland pedigree. But it was still risky, she had encountered those who would rather paint the towns red with her blood than see her occupy the highlands.

Coming to the parades had been exciting, even with the dark cloud that followed her, looking entirely displeased the entire time. Eventually, they would get separated, not that she worried. Aurelius had a way of finding her. The day progressed and she would find a few familiar faces, mostly those who had been highlanders at the old college. She chatted endlessly, laughed more and bridged part of the gap in her life. Sienna was a social butterfly and she flourished.

At the day faded away, the sun dipping down towards the horizon, she found herself invited to some bonfires, something she happily accepted. Ivory lips were tinged pink, the alcohol a pleasant buzz in her veins. She approached the fire, an old crush at her side though it had been so long since she last laid eyes on him, the feeling was forgotten.

Approaching the fire, he murmured something to her, something that made her laugh, a whimsical sound, and had her pale blue eyes twinkling. She didn't notice Aurelius at first, sitting beside the fire. Looking up at the man beside, she continued to chit chat, blissfully unaware that he was, in fact, flirting with her.talk like this

table ; bunny

Even with the unamused look he wore, plastered so plainly across his face, strangers still approached him. He would offer a simple greeting, maybe even his name if he was feeling wild. Then he gave a low grumble to spook them away or a flash of pearly whites, but this still didn't keep the flow of faces coming in to bother him.

As the night carried on, he'd snatched what he could of refreshments, still not quite changing up the less than amused look on his face, but lightening his mood just enough to not shoo away every body that came his way.

Soon enough, the familiar lilac perfume he was so used to flooded his nostrils, mixing with the smoke of the fire and the musk of another. Green hues flicked through the dark shadows that lurked near the fires around him, jumping from one face to the next, failing miserably to find the one that belonged to the sweet aroma that never paid much mind to.

Slowly the titan rises to all fours, paws shift and begin to lurch him forward as he weaves through others. Then, there's a laugh that sounds familiar but nearly foreign at the same time. Ears swivel the second it fades, but he catches just a glimpse of her through moving bodies between them. Brows furrowed slightly as he attempted to peer through the crowd, picking out another body next to hers. His tail thrashes behind him the second he notices the stranger lean in closer, and another one of Sienna's laughs bounces to his own ears. Shifting his gaze, he watches her—watches her berry stained lips curl and part between breaths and laughs, watches her sit next to a fire but glow brighter than the embers thay flared from it. He doesn't want to stop watching her, not just yet. But when the stranger beside her gains yet another genuine laugh from Sienna, he doesn't think twice about closing the distance between them.

He sauntered up to the pair, his eyes burning in to the character beside her, a feigned smile on his lips greets them both as he offers a deep chuckle that reverberates from his chest. "Siennaa—" he gives a throaty purr with her name falling from his tongue. "Please, introduce usss" his fake smile is projected at the stranger while limbs carry him to the opposite side of Sienna, where he gives a short spin and sits himself down next to her. He not so subtly leans into her, eyes falling past Sienna and boring into the stranger sitting on her other side.

art + code: clae

They aren't left alone for the long. There is a multitude of bodies, coming and going from the fire and wolves take advantage of the peace, of the celebrations. But there is only one that she's attuned to. When he comes up beside her, she doesn't shy away, she simply looks up at him, her smile warm, if not a bit surprised. A smile was plastered on his face as he plopped himself down on her unoccupied side, prompting her to introduce them.

"Umm..." She paused briefly, not sure what to do with his newfound interest in a stranger. Aurelius had never been particularly friendly to those who he knew, he was even less welcoming to strangers. Sienna wouldn't deny him as she made introductions. "He's a friend from school, the old college." She explained Looking between the two men, she watched their silent exchange, the subtle tension in their stares.

Aurelius leaned into her then, offering her more contact than he ever had. His warmth seeped into her bones and his smokey cologne filled her nose. We were talking. She can hear the hint in her friends voice. An ear tips towards him first before her head whips around. "This is Aurelius, my friend." There is a subtle edge to her voice, a reprimand in the making. She would tell herself it was out of politeness, not wanting Aurelius to feel like she'd abandon him after one trip home. But in reality, if anyone was chasing the wolf from her side, it would be herself.talk like this

table ; bunny

The man of smoke and obsidian was growing rigid, overwhelmed by the bodies still floating around them, even with the help of the booze that was lingering in his blood. He didn't actually care about the other man he inquired about; he was chalking this all up to the simple fact that they were amongst mixed company, and she was so easily able to trust one enough to let him get close to her. "He's a friend from school, the old college." his lips curled up subtly. He began to pull himself away from Sienna's side, convinced he should just retreat back to his own spot and finish the night off with different company–or none at all. The man spoke, unprompted in Aurelius' mind and he made the snap decision to stay right where he was.

We were talking, the man chimed in. The behemoth's jaw clenched, his brows furrowed for a moment and he leans around Sienna slightly. See? We're all friends here, and we're talking, no? the accent on his English works is thick, but his words are clear as day. He lingers just past Sienna, his gaze on the man is broke only when he watches her snap her head to the friend.

That word had an unfamiliar feeling, but in his mind meant something different when it came to him and Sienna. The foundation of their friendship was built differently; where this stranger and Sienna met through her old college and grew for time she was there, Sienna and Aurelius did not become friends in the beginning, far from it. He didn't care for her, would have gladly shoved her off the cliffside of the cave entrance they first met in, or left her to perish under the Fae's own determined fate for her in the forest. Every moment he should have walked away, It was like concrete encase his paws, making movement near impossible to do so. He remembers the college he found her in, the same college she was caught and left Aurelius with the choice to help her, or only concern himself. He did not force her decision to follow him, never once told her she owed him, and if she wanted to disappear he was sure she could make that happen well enough on her own. Something here was different, and it turned over and over in his head and gut. He couldn't sort the feelings out or pin point any one, other than the possessiveness he feels he's entitled to when it comes to her.

He lost himself in the trail of thoughts, his smack back to realty was from an offer for more fermented berries. Of course he accepts, leaning back lightly with a short and barely audible hmph that escapes through steely kissers. Ears flicking, he waits for the man to speak again, likely to spew anything Aurelius would deem not wanted.

art + code: clae