audio;

[sunsetking]

Type: Voice
Sender ID: sunsetking (Leona Kingscholar)
To: public
Subject: sleep
Warnings: Will update as needed


[There's the sound of a grunt before a long sigh.]

I'm a fan of naps as any other person [Enjoy the deep, groggy-sounding voice.] but I doubt it's normal to just be sent straight into a coma out of nowhere.

[Yeah, guess who's surprisingly not a fan of that?]

Is that a normal thing that happens around here or what?

Comments

[deepstar]

Where you're concerned? Of course.

[ Look he's even going to twin their fingers together as they walk towards the closest town. ]

[sunsetking]

[...What did he miss?

Leona is surprised when Claude twines their fingers, ears flicking back but that's all that really shows before they start walking to town.]

[deepstar]

[ You could always just come right out and ask him.

Of course he's also happy to just chat about his wyvern and how she's doing. Leona can take his pick! ]

[sunsetking]

[Give him a moment.

Then:]

...What kind of thoughts have you been having while I was asleep?

[A pointed look at their twined hands though he doesn't pull his away.]

[deepstar]

For you, it was probably like just waking up from a nap. It's been a couple of weeks for me so it shouldn't be all that surprising that I had time to really stop and think.

[ Which is something he has time to do here. There's no war to completely occupy his thoughts. No succession for the throne to plot and scheme for. None of his concerns from home apply to this place so his mind is allowed to wander to other things. Things that he hasn't had to consider before.

It's not like Khalid is ignorant of people and their emotions. He can identify someone trying to flirt with him. However the way that Leona's gone about it is... Not entirely conventional? ]

At the time, I wasn't really sure why you asked me out on a date. Well, I mean I knew why people typically ask the question, but you're no blushing maiden nor are you so obvious about your feelings. When I asked you said you wanted to. Simple as that. I agreed to go with because I wanted to. Simple as that.

[ With his free hand he rubs the back of his neck. ]

Now I'm not blind. I know people are objectively attractive. It's just I can't say I've been particularly attracted to someone before so I didn't quite realize that's what had been going on until a little bit after that date. The thing is it's not this swooning feeling, but contentment, I suppose. I enjoy your presence and your company. Now I can't say it will be easy, considering all the barriers I have up but you know that and it doesn't seem like it's discouraged you at all.

[sunsetking]

[Leona definitely didn't do things by conventional means. Though, he's picked up that being a little more straightforward with Khalid reaps more rewards. In the end, they're almost cut from the same cloth.

Contentment.

Knowing that, though...it makes Leona feel something. Warmth? Realizing Khalid has come to think about this and figuring it out slowly...It feels like he's made an effort in all of this. Something that hits Leona a little closer than he'd ever admit.]

If I was discouraged by it, I wouldn't have taken you out the first time.

[Because he sees those barriers and that hadn't stopped him. Didn't even faze him. For once, there was someone he wanted, someone he felt drawn to, and so he put in that first step of making an effort. If it wasn't reciprocated? That's fine.]

[deepstar]

We're the same in that sense, aren't we? It's not like I'm really discouraged by your own barriers either. I've never pretended to not like what I've seen of you, Leona.

[ So yes. He likes you. Claude doesn't necessarily know about love because he hasn't experienced it. But he does like this lion and - ]

Aaaand maybe I don't want anyone else to get any funny ideas first.

[sunsetking]

So you've made that clear.

[Wait--

Slow blink.]

What funny ideas?

[Getting possessive already, Claude?]

[deepstar]

[ A grin. ]

Well if I'm going to seriously consider what's going on between you and me, I can't really let you pick out someone else. I'm not the type that likes to share.

[sunsetking]

[Another blink and then he laughs.]

Good. Neither am I.

[deepstar]

[ See now that? That's a good sound. It's a sound that does make his chest do something funny. ]

You should do that more often.

[sunsetking]

What?

[His lips curls upwards.]

Laugh?

[What an odd request.]

[deepstar]

Obviously. It's a nice sound. Who knows! You might actually make me swoon with that.

[ Batting his eyelashes and everything! ]

[sunsetking]

[Khalid is getting smacked in the face with his tail for that.]

If all it takes is for me to laugh to make you swoon, then I should've reconsidered my first steps in asking you out.

[deepstar]

[ Noope. Sorry. He's catching that tail and holding it against his lips. This is his tail now, Leona. It's his. ]

No, you did exactly the right thing. I've been thinking really hard on how I can top that and I'll admit that I don't know if I can.

[sunsetking]

[Leona stills briefly when he catches his tail, eyes focused particularly on the man holding it against his lips.

His ear flicks back.]

Sounds like you're admitting defeat already.

[deepstar]

That's not necessarily a bad thing, considering what I'd be defeated in. Now that doesn't mean I won't still try. We're just going to have to wait a little longer for that date. So. Smaller ones until then.

[ Be patient, in other words. Unfortunately he's just going to brush the fur of that tail against lips before releasing it. ]

[sunsetking]

[His tail droops back down.]

Hmm, lookin' forward to whatever you've got planned then.

[deepstar]

Sure thing, gorgeous.

[ Until they get to a place to get meat, Khalid is just going to casually fill him in on the things that were missed! ]