Nausicaa couldn't take her eyes off of Milo as he spoke, even as he stared off toward the stars overhead. He was an excellent story teller - even as he was just filling her in about the places he had been and where his travels had taken him. It was easy to see how much he had enjoyed his travels and studies and she started smiling as she listened without really realizing it. She generally liked being a listener for others anyway, but something about Milo in particular really drew her in. He just seemed so genuine and sweet... an earnest traveler just happy to share his experiences and stories with however would listen. She could almost picture all the places he was describing as they passed briefly though his explanation, with the Forgotten Species being the only exception. She remembered him mentioning them when she first ran into her by the ruins, but she didn't really know what he was talking about exactly. It certainly peeked her curiosity if nothing else. She was quick to give a shake of her head when he apologized for how obsessed with it he was. "No, don't apologize! I like how interested in it you are," she admitted with a sweet smile, her tail brushing against the sand as it wagged. "It's nice to hear you talk about all that stuff. You seem to really enjoy it and it's fun listening to someone so passionate about something... Even if I don't fully understand what it is." She laughed a little at that, giving a small shrug of her shoulders. When he offered to tell him one of his own true stories she readily agreed with a nod, perfectly content to listen to him speak for hours. "Lets hear about who chased you off - I'm curious to hear what kind of awful wolves treated a nice guy like you so poorly." Talk

It was easy for Milo to speak around others—it had always been a natural gift for him—but something about the way Nausicaa listened to him and encouraged him on despite his sometimes rambling tangents made him feel just a little less silly when he went off on one. He gave a barking laugh when she asked how anyone could chase away someone like him, remembering all too well the events that had led up to that story. "Oh, believe me, it's quite easy to chase someone off when you see them as a threat or if they've disrespected you somehow, which is what I definitely did that time." He smiled unabashedly. "You see, this particular pack of wolves was highly territorial, and very, very aggressive. I had been warned about them prior to meeting them, when another pack told me where I could find more of these ruins. It just so happened that those ruins were in the heart of this pack's territory." Milo glanced down at the sand beneath them and began to draw a circle in the sand, then placed a dot in the middle to illustrate his story as it unfolded. "These wolves had claimed a fairly large stretch of territory around the ruins, you see. They weren't even using them for anything or even living in them, they were just there! I thought that because of that, perhaps they'd let me in for a couple of days to study them. Boy, was I wrong..." He chuckled to himself as he drew an angry wolf's face next to his diagram. "See, these wolves had an extremely rigorous structure and poisoned view of outsiders. I went to their borders to parlay, but they were... ah, let's say less than excited about my proposition... Basically they told me that if I didn't start walking away, they'd gut me and leave me for the buzzards." "I suppose that should have been my first hint to turn tail and get out of there, but I'm a stubborn wolf when it comes to my research, and I just HAD to take a look in there! So, one night, I snuck into their lands and into the ruins." A wide smile spread over the male's face. "I still have no idea what the building was once upon a time, but my goodness, it was huge and lovely! I spent hours just poking around every room, every space I could squeeze into, finding artifacts galore! I was so wrapped up in my research, that I didn't realize how long I had been there until the sun started to come up..." Milo drifted off, a wry smirk replacing his smile as he continued. "...and I heard growling behind me." "Turns out that pack had a patrol route that ran through the ruins, and when they smelled me, they tracked me down. I ran as fast as I could, trying to navigate my way through the labyrinth of corridors and hoping to lose them somewhere in the ruins. I jumped over holes in the floor and scaled crumbling ceilings to get to different levels in a desperate attempt to escape! Finally, I managed to bail out of the ruins and somehow evaded my pursuers. I ran straight for the borders and didn't look back." Milo finished his story with a sigh and brushed his paw across the sand, covering up his doodles and letting the tale recede into his memory again. "I almost lost my bag during that chase! It fell off me and dropped to a lower level at one point. It had all of my artifacts in it, so I couldn't just leave it behind! I doubled back—in hindsight, probably a very stupid decision—and managed to grab it on my way out. But there you go, that's the story of the time I was nearly killed for studying dusty old ruins!" He reclined back onto his side, casting his gaze towards Nausicaa to try and interpret her reactions and figure out how she had enjoyed that story instead. "Speech" — Thoughts

Nausicaa settled in comfortably with a content smile as she shifted how she was laying so that she was laying on her side with her hind legs kicked out and using her front legs to keep her upper body propped up. The soft sand and warm fire gave them the perfect story telling space and now that she had fully calmed down from the scare that he had given her she was happy to just relax and listen to the stories from his travels. He already had her hooked as he set the scene, describing the aggressive pack and drawing out an example of their territory in the sand. She was absolutely riveted though the whole story, but she grinned a little wider when he mentioned making it to the building in question and how he had lost himself in there with his exploring and collecting. Her eyes widened when he got to the part of a wolf growling behind him and he had her on the edge of her seat all the way though the chase out of the building to the point where she was holding her breath in suspense as he described having to jump over holes in the ruins to get away. She relaxed with a sigh and a laugh when he finally told her that he got away and ran off, the grin on her face a clear sign that she enjoyed that story much more than the scary one he had told her before. It was suspenseful, but in a way that just made it even more interesting to listen to. Perhaps it wasn't scary since he was obviously laying here across from her and was clearly in one piece so it was pretty clear that he at least would get away in the end... but he still had her hanging on his every word none of the less. Her eyes widened again when he mentioned going back for his bag, giving him a mostly joking disapproving glare at the idea. She chuckled and gave a little shake of her head as she commented, "Those must have been some pretty amazing artifacts to want to risk all that for them! Do you still have them with you?" Her blue gaze shifted to look at his bag curiously, her head tipping slightly to the side with intrigue. Talk

Milo flashed another jovial grin at her when she asked about the artifacts he had acquired and nodded his head. "Oh yeah! I didn't get to keep a lot of the stuff I found, just because it was pretty weighty and I can only carry so much, especially when I'm running, but I kept a few things!" he remarked, then curled to grab his bag in his teeth and move it to rest in the sand between them. He unfastened the straps holding it closed, then flipped the cover open and began rummaging through his satchel of relics. Over the past year, he had made it his goal to collect at least one artifact from every ruins he visited, earning him a small stash of mostly useless items he had no idea how they worked. It was still enjoyable to try to piece together how the Forgotten Species had used them once upon a time, and how they could still be useful to wolves today. "Let's see here... Ah, there it is!" He smiled triumphantly as he produced an oddly-shaped object out of his bag. The object was long and thin, and an end with a silver metal disk on the end flopped about limply. The other end had two metal prongs each covered by worn down caps of rubber. He set the object down between them and pushed it over to Nausicaa so she could examine it up close. "There were quite a few of those lying around in those particular ruins. I had never seen them before, and that one was the most intact, so I took it with me. I think it's some sort of accessory some of the species would wear, like a symbol or badge signifying their rank. There were some old murals on the walls of the ruins of those creatures in white robes with them around their necks." "Speech" — Thoughts

Nausicaa grinned excitedly when he said that he still had a few things with him and her tail thumped softly against the sand while she waited for him to pull his bag over to lay it between them. Even while he rummaged through it she could tell that he had quite the collection going already just from the sound of all the stuff clanking against one another. She had peeked in it earlier to get the metal to start their fire, but it had been dark and she had only poked around enough to find what she needed so it was all still a mystery to her. She blinked and tipped her head to the side when he produced the long, floppy, black thing with a weird looking disc on the end. She lifted and flipped it over with her paw as she curiously examined both sides of it and sniffed at the pieces of rubber and metal. She glanced up at him again as she listened to the description of the images he had seen and looked at the thing in front of her with another curious glance. "A badge, huh?" she questioned mostly to herself, not really expecting an answer as she looked it over again. She poked at the tube part of the artifact before slipping her nose through the part that was like a partially open metal triangle with rubber bits at the open parts. It was just closed enough for it to rest on the bridge of her nose when she lifted her head and had it dangling off of her muzzle when she looked at him again. She realized how silly she must look, but she ran with it and gave him an amused grin. "Do I look like I have authority now?" she asked before giggling and letting the artifact slip off of her nose and back onto the sand. She was really curious about what other treasures he had found, but at the same time their fire was beginning to die down and they wouldn't be able to keep it going without finding more firewood. Besides that, she was starting to feel the tiredness from her exercising and exploring she had done today. A yawn snuck up on her as if her own body was trying to remind her of this as well and she gave him a slightly sheepish grin. "Maybe we should turn in for the night," she offered as she shifted to her paws and got up, giving herself a quick shake to get the sand out of her fur. She scooped a few pawfulls of sand onto the already dying embers and their campfire was easily extinguished, leaving them with just star and moon light to see by. She waited till he had gathered up his things and was ready to head to their den for the night and she led the way. It was a fairly large den that had clearly been used by other wolves in the past, but there was not even a stale scent to go of off any more so it was clearly unoccupied for the moment. She slipped inside and settled down on one side with a content sigh, offering Milo a smile. There wasn't much bedding or anything to speak of, just some remnants of dried grasses from the previous tenants, but for a temporary shelter it certainly would do just fine. "Thanks for keeping me company tonight," she mentioned as she rested her head on her paws. "I don't think I'd sleep very well by myself after seeing how dark and creepy those ruins were at night." Talk

It took all of Milo's willpower to resist bursting into a fit of laughter when Nausicaa hung the artifact from the bridge of her muzzle. He didn't have the heart to correct her nor did he dare ruin her fun by telling her how he had seen the strange creatures wearing the necklace-like thing in the murals. "Oh, absolutely regal, my lady," he quipped back and this time was unable to hide the humored smile and the snicker that came along with it. Unconsciously, his tail began to beat gently against the sand as hers had done, betraying his happiness in that moment. While having company was not a new thing for the young male, all of the other tribes and packs that had sheltered him had done just that: sheltered him. Nausicaa was the first wolf to truly make him feel welcomed in a new place, as if this land was as much his home as it was hers. Home. The sound of that word rang wrong inside his mind, but he couldn't find it in him to call it anything else when this smiling woman was making him feel like he had belonged here all along. Milo picked up the ancient relic with delicate paws when she passed it back to him, stowing it safely away in his bag once more. He had been just about to suggest they get some sleep, especially if they were to explore those ruins in the morning, when he caught Nausicaa mid-yawn and suppressed a laugh. Apparently she was already one step ahead of him. "That sounds like a brilliant idea," he agreed, rising to his paws and dusting himself of off stray grains of sand with a vigorous shake. He slipped his neck through the strap of his bag and was ready to go just shortly after Nausicaa had smothered their dying fire. Now left in the moonlight, the world felt so much more ethereal, as if they were caught somewhere between worlds. He followed Nausicaa as she seemed to glisten under the glinting celestial light, keeping close until they came upon the den she had discovered. It was certainly spacious enough, although with a distinct lack of assembled bedding hinting him that it had been abandoned for some time and only very recently claimed by his traveling companion. "This will do nicely. Good find, Naus," he said while picking his spot near Nausicaa, ensuring he left plenty of space so as not to invade her personal area. Milo dropped his bag against the wall and gathered up what little bedding did remain, carrying it over to her to make sure she was comfortable enough before returning to his spot and curling up on the ground. He returned her smile when she thanked him for his company and waved a paw off in her direction. "No need to thank me. It's been nothing but a pleasure being in your company, Naus! If anything, I should be thanking you again for being so welcoming. It's a nice change of pace... really, it is. So, thank you—again." With his peace said, Milo lay his head down on his paws, keeping his head turned toward the den's entrance, a reflexive behavior he had built up from a lifetime of needing to run at a moment's notice. Of course, he didn't expect any threats to come get them out here, but old habits were hard to break. "Sleep well, Nausicaa," he murmured, not entirely sure if she was still awake or not to hear him. "Sweet dreams..." "Speech" — Thoughts

Nausicaa smiled at how he called her Naus and thanked her for her hospitality. Even though she often offered the shorter variation of her admittedly long name to most wolves she met, very few used it - at least not right away. The way he spoke to her felt so comfortable and familiar, as if she had known him for far longer than she had. She wasn't sure what made her feel that way, but he was so kind and respectful that she found it very easy to relax around him. "Of course, no need to thank me either," she assured him with a warm smile. She still couldn't imagine treating anyone any other way since that's just how she was raised, but she was glad she could make Milo's first interactions in Boreas a pleasant and welcoming one. With his head turned toward the entrance she was able to watch him for a moment longer without him noticing before letting her eyes drift closed. She was right on the edge of sleep when she heard him wish her a good night and sweet dreams. It warmed her heart and made a little smile tug at her lips, but she didn't reply as she quickly slipped into sleep. Her dreams were vivid and detailed and she could have almost believed that she was actually back in her den in the mangroves when she opened her eyes. It confused her for a bit since her memory of Milo felt so vivid, but when she heard her uncle's voice calling for her from outside of the den she started to convince herself that the memory she had of Milo was actually the dream and this was reality. She ignored the bit of disappointment she felt and lifted her eyes with confusion to look out into the darkness outside of her den. Why would her uncle be calling for her at this time of night? It was definitely his voice though so she lifted herself to her paws and peeked outside. She didn't see him right away despite the soft glow of the mangroves and the light of the moon and after a moment she heard his voice again, calling her name from further into the trees. What was he doing out here anyway? Shouldn't he be in the Hallows? Confused, she took a step out of the den when the story Milo had told her - or at least she thought he had told her - came back to her. It made her freeze in place and she hesitated with her heart pounding in her ears. It was quiet and she dared to take one more step out into the dark and her searching eyes landed on a glowing pair of eyes out in the trees. Her breathing turned into panicked gasps and suddenly a dark figure came rushing toward her and she dropped back into the den with a squeal to avoid it. She jumped awake with a gasp, panting hard as her wide eyes darted around the den that she didn't fully recognize until her eyes landed on the still sleeping form of Milo laying not too far from her. Everything started to fall back into place and she realized that this was the real reality and all that stuff that had happened in the mangroves had actually been the dream. She poked her leg with her claws just to make sure, but slowly she started to get control of her breathing at least. It still felt like all of her fur was standing on end and when the wind rustled the trees outside she tensed again. Out of reflex she inched closer to Milo's side till their sides were brushing against each other, finding a bit of comfort in his presence while she tried to settled back down so she could go back to sleep. Talk

Milo had not been as quick to fall asleep as Nausicaa had been. After some time had passed, he heard the heavy breathing of the sleeping wolf next to him, indicating she was indeed sleeping soundly. But he stayed awake for a little while longer, keeping his eyes on the darkness just outside. Sleep was not something Milo came by easily, especially after the nights he had spent running and hiding. But with another wolf with him, he was able to take some comfort in knowing he wasn't alone to look after himself—at least for tonight. The wind outside began to pick up, a coastal breeze rustling through the trees outside with a cacophony of shaking branches and leaves. It was the last sound Milo heard before his eyelids grew too heavy to keep open, and the young wolf drifted off into a peaceful slumber. ... ... A sharp gasp roused Milo from his sleep, the brown-furred wolf just barely peeking his eyes open when his brain registered what the sound was. He didn't lift his head immediately, instead trying to remain in a facade of sleep while he analyzed his surroundings for any threats. What he saw instead was Nausicaa sitting upright with a start, glancing all around in a panic and poking at herself. her breathing fast and shallow. His lips tightened into a line as he put two and two together. She must have had a nightmare and woken herself up. Way to go, Milo... You gave your lovely host nightmares with your stories... he mentally chided himself. He gradually closed his eyes again, but remained awake, listening for her to settle back down into sleep before he followed suit. But when he felt her shift to slide closer to him until her soft fur was brushing against his and he could feel the warmth of her body, he slowly opened his eyes. Nausicaa had moved closer to him, it seemed. Guilt gnawing at him for being at least partially responsible for her night terror, he carefully unwound himself and repositioned himself so she could snuggle herself more comfortably against his side. "It's okay, it was just a dream..." he whispered to her, his voice low, smooth, and even. "I'm here with you... You're safe..." With apprehension, Milo lifted a paw and inched it across Nausicaa's side, both testing to see if she'd tense or pull away, but wanting to comfort and reassure her at the same time without crossing any boundaries. If she recoiled in any way, he'd pull back and let her get comfortable again, otherwise draping his paw over her to hold her closer and let her find shelter against him. "Speech" — Thoughts

Nausicaa felt Milo shift and she pulled her eyes away from the entrance to look at him, her blue eyes catching the teal of his in the darkness. She immediately felt guilty for waking him up, but she couldn't deny the relief she felt when he uncurled a bit so she could more easily settle into his side. She breathed a slightly shaky sigh and leaned into him, extra grateful that she had decided to stay the night with him now as he spoke to her with a calm, soothing voice. It made her wonder if she had actually woken him up when she woke herself up from her dream after all, but she didn't want to ask and risk making herself more guilty in the process. Just his presence alone had been a big help, but him taking the time to comfort and calm her really cemented her idea of him being one of the most kind wolves she had met. It didn't really occur to her that it was odd to be cuddling up to someone she had only recently met. All her mind was registering right now was that she was scared and she felt safe there next to Milo. When he gently rested a leg around her side, she didn't hesitate to snuggle even more into him, hiding away from the world and tucking her head into his chest so that she was completely blocked off from the outside world. The rustling trees outside in the darkness slowly lost their creepy, looming presence and eventually just became trees again. The vivid memory of the eyes glowing from the darkness in her dream began to fade away and her shoulders slowly began to relax. Once she was fully calmed down again several minutes later, she sighed softly and lifted her head till her gaze connected with his again. It was really only then that she registered how close she was to him and how her smaller form was tucked into his, but she also couldn't bring herself to slip away again either. Being held in his embrace felt safe, even though it did bring a little bit of a flush to her face. It wasn't an embarrassed flush, but she couldn't really name the feeling that she had in this moment either. "Sorry for waking you up..." she told him softly after a moment, her eyes lingering on his and trying to see if there was some kind of sign in his expression that would tell her that he wanted her to go back to where she was laying. Talk

Teal eyes meeting blue, he saw the real thrill of terror in her eyes when she peered up at him in the darkness. Then when Milo felt Nausicaa immediately shift to snuggle closer to him and hide her face away from the world, his stomach twisted and his heart broke. He had no idea she was so prone to fear, and if he had, he certainly wouldn't have gone through with trying to scare her further. He swallowed hard, ignoring all social decorum in this moment to make sure she felt safe and comfortable. She had been so open and gracious with him, offering him a place to stay for the night and a warm fire to relax by, how could he ever think of doing something other than helping her now? She was scared and he could help—that was all that mattered. The wind outside rustled the trees harder, filling the otherwise silent night with the cacophony of colliding leaves and branches. He peered down at Nausicaa, watching her while she slowly calmed herself down by hiding her face in his fur. At least she seemed to be coming back down now, no longer shaking quite as bad. He sighed softly and gently rubbed along her back with his paw, keeping her held safe against him until she had settled down once again. Milo remained silent as he just listened to Nausicaa breathe and felt her body relax. Once she had settled down, he tilted his head down to meet her blue gaze once more, the corners of his mouth curling upwards in a small smile. Milo was a week-traveled, open-minded young man, and where he would have found snuggling with a stranger an odd circumstance, this situation was different. He was being supportive—plus he didn't know Boreas' social customs yet, or if Nausicaa was simply a very friendly, very forward wolf. Besides, she wasn't exactly a stranger anymore. She was Nausicaa, the outwardly friendly wolf who lived in the mangroves with her family who liked to explore and swim for exercise and hated scary stories. Her apology pricked his ears up, and his expression softened as he shook his head, just a small side-to-side motion in the dark of the den. "You didn't wake me up, I wasn't really asleep. I don't really sleep much..." he replied. "Besides, I'd rather wake up to make sure you're okay... You look like you had quite the fright. It's all okay now, though, you're safe..." He offered her a warm half smile, hoping she'd be able to see it in the dark. He saw some traces of an emotion he couldn't quite place in her expression, but decided not to try and push her in her fragile state. "Would you feel better if we slept together like this...?" he asked, letting her decide what she was comfortable with. He, of course, didn't mind at all, especially if he knew it helped her feel better. "Speech" — Thoughts

Nausicaa felt a bit of relief when Milo insisted that she hadn't woken him up, but also felt a little concerned about him when he told her that he didn't sleep much. Of course there was much more to him than just the excited explorer that had a passion for finding relics and artifacts, but she couldn't picture him being someone that had worries or troubles. He seemed so confident and daring - going into dangerous territory in the pursuit of his studies and hearing all these creepy, spooky stories and finding a fun thrill in them. He was certainly more brave than she was at the very least and it made her wonder what could be keeping him up. A smile lingered on her lips as he continued to comfort her and assure her that she was safe. There was little doubt that was true as she laid there cuddled up to him and wrapped in his embrace. The darkness of the outside world didn't feel nearly as imposing or frightening as long as he was there. Naus wasn't really looking forward to having to separate from him now, but she understood that being like this when they barely knew each other might be strange or uncomfortable. She had just been getting herself ready to slip away from him when he asked if she wanted to sleep like this. It surprised and relieved her at the same time and any tension that had been remaining in her shoulders and chest melted away. Was it the most logical thing to feel this safe with someone she had really only spent a handful of hours with? No, but she didn't really care. He was here and he was sweet enough to make sure she was okay so she trusted him. She nodded after a moment, replying softly, "Yeah... I would like that a lot..." Now that she knew that she didn't have to move from this comfortable place against his chest any more, she snuggled even more into him and let her head rest again his chest again. Her front paws tucked up between them and she let her smaller frame curl and mold easily into his. Anything happening outside was now completely ignored and she was able to give a soft, content sigh. The nightmare was slowly fading away as she let herself focus on the present instead. His warmth and tenderness was a great distraction and the more she focused on that the more she became aware of things like how it felt to have their fur mingling together, how his scent surrounded her, how toned his body was despite deceivingly soft he looks at first glance... All of these thoughts made that flush come back to her cheeks again and her heart give a little extra patter in her chest. She'd never felt anything like this before and didn't really know how to react to it, but it wasn't an unpleasant feeling - quite the opposite. After a while, she began to wonder if Milo was noticing any of these things as well and she carefully untangled herself just enough to be able to lift her head so that her gaze could find his again. Any questions she might have asked fell short on her tongue and she ended up just searching his eyes and face curiously while becoming very aware of how close together their muzzles were. She had never been this close to anyone like this before and she just couldn't help but feel a bit of temptation over all of the things that she had never tried. It felt so incredibly scandalous and it made nervous butteries skitter around her stomach. "Can... Can I kiss you...?" Talk

It was fast becoming habit for Milo to just be smiling around her. Nausicaa had an infectious personality, her bubbly and outwardly affectionate nature painting the world with a brilliant optimistic hue, and it was impossible to not feel in a good mood. Perhaps that's what she's best at... he wondered, Making wolves feel like they belong in the world. She certainly had a zest for life that Milo was intrigued and drawn to. Maybe that was why she had convinced him to spend the evening with her so easily. He was definitely not accustomed to any obvious signs of affection from anyone, and although he was far from innocent to the ways of the world, being this intimately close with someone so new was not something he had experienced very often—only once before, actually, and that had involved a heavy amount of liquid courage as well. When she accepted his offer to sleep next to him, he felt his guilt lift off of his soul like a weighted blanket. At least now he didn't have to keep beating himself up for his overly skilled scary story telling. His atonement could begin now, holding her in a comforting embrace while they just listened to the wind outside, the silence punctured only by the soft sounds of their breathing otherwise. This close to her, Milo was able to discern a few specific details about her, from the soft texture of her fur to her scent as she buried her face back into his chest, things that he hadn't been able to tell earlier in their evening. Of course, the darkness robbed most of his vision, leaving him to rely on his other senses in the night. He could still see her bright aqua blue eyes as they peered back up at him though, holding her gaze as he saw something flicker through her irises for a split second. He furrowed his brows, trying to decipher the look she was fixing him with, when she spoke and gave voice to what he was trying to identify. Milo's eyes widened a touch in surprise. Nothing could have prepared him for Nausicaa's earnest and unusual request. He froze like a deer in headlights for a moment, his brain working to process what she had asked him. At first, Milo thought he had misheard her. But when she kept him fixed with that expectant stare and he could feel each of her gentle exhales against the end of his muzzle, he realized there was no mistake. She really wanted to kiss him. For the briefest of moments, Milo considered the ramifications of if he said yes, realizing that there weren't many. If she was just looking to have a good night, who was he to say no? It was just a kiss after all. Life was short, and he had seized every other chance at new experiences when they had been presented to him before now. When would he ever get this opportunity from such a cute, lovely woman again? "Um... Y-Yeah, of course..." he whispered back, his cocky facade slipping to expose a touch of nervousness while je brought his face an inch closer to hers, barely any distance left between their muzzles now. He didn't close the space, however, letting Nausicaa meet him halfway and giving her the option to change her mind if she wanted to. "Speech" — Thoughts

When the question left her mouth she immediately regretted saying it - not because it wasn't what she wanted, but because she worried that Milo might not feel the same way she was in that moment and she might end up messing up things accidentally. She hadn't fully thought through the question before she asked it and now that it was out in the open she felt like she was holding her breath while she waited for his answer. She had never kissed anyone before besides the little pecks on the cheek from her mother and grand mother, but that certainly didn't count. This was a entirely different thing with an intimate feeling that she wasn't at all used to. There was a pause that felt much longer than it actually was before be finally replied, a soft sigh leaving her when he agreed and gave her permission to kiss him. He shifted a bit closer, leaving the smallest gap between their muzzles. She could feel his breath against her lips and she hesitated for just a moment longer before giving in to her own curiosity and desires. She pressed her lips gently to his with a soft, testing kiss. That little bit of affection sent those butterflies soaring through her stomach again and one uncertain kiss was quickly followed by another and another, each one gaining a little more certainty than the one before it. She never quite got to the point where they were making out, but her kisses certainly lingered longer and slowly built a bit more heat behind them as her lips continued to connect with his. Nausicaa couldn't tell how long she enjoyed his kisses, but by the time that she finally pulled back from his muzzle again she realized that her paws had subconsciously slipped up around his neck and her breathing had gotten a bit heavier. She blinked open her eyes so that she could find his again, a smile creeping over her muzzle as giddy giggle escaped her. She didn't know what to say, but she did know that she liked the feeling of his kisses and certainly wanted more if he was enjoying them as well. Talk

Milo had been nerve-racked from the moment he agreed to let her kiss him, and was subconsciously beating himself down when he moved his muzzle closer to hers. He didn't want to feel like he was taking advantage of a scared girl, but before he could give in to any self-doubt and withdraw, she had finished closing the gap. He felt Nausicaa's lips meet his in the softest of kisses, barely pressing them together as she seemed to be testing the waters. Nervous tension tightened his stomach into a knot, letting her set the pace as she came in for another kiss, similar to the first. Milo began to wonder if this was actually her first kiss, lending credibility to his suspicion that she was experimenting with new territory with him. Regardless, he met every one of her kisses with his own, eyes slipping closed with his lips delicately brushing against hers as her actions grew in confidence. It took no time at all before they were kissing with purpose, the shy, trial pecks evolving into longer, heated kisses. Some time between their mouths meeting again and again, Milo became aware of her paws looping around his neck to keep them held together. His paw around her remained on her back, stroking and running slow circles through the fur on Nausicaa's lower back. The sudden shift in their dynamic was like a whirlwind, going from two strangers avoiding an eerie building to cuddling and kissing in a pile in the still night. This moment was definitely a new experience for his books, one he was determined to commit to memory, especially if this was to be their only night together. Come the morning, there was a very real chance he could never see her again. Once their lips had finally parted, Milo gradually opened his eyes, peering through the dark into Nausicaa's aqua gaze and unable to resist grinning when he heard her give a girly, excited giggle. She was just too adorable! "First kiss...?" he asked, already leaning in to grace her with a few more soft, tender pecks against her lips. He had no idea what Nausicaa's expectations for the rest of the night were, but given how exuberant she was, he knew that she would let him know with her actions in due time. "Speech" — Thoughts

Nausicaa giggled again when Milo questioned if this was her first kiss, her ears flicking back with a bit of shy embarrassment. Sure, everyone had to have their "first" everything at some point, she just didn't expect hers to be with someone she had met so recently. "Yeah..." she breathed, already feeling herself being drawn in to his lips again. Did it really matter that they had just met recently if everything felt this natural and comfortable? She didn't think so. He hadn't pushed anything at all - this had all been her idea and she appreciated how he let her set the pace and let her slowly build herself up. It was all new and exciting and nerve wracking and wonderful all at the same time. After a moment she gave in and let her muzzle connect with his again, her eyes slipping closed as she kissed him with a bit more confidence than before. Her paws remained wrapped around his neck and now that the feeling of his lips on hers wasn't short-circuiting her as much as it previously had, she was able to notice his paw moving over her lower back and the little tingles that his touch sent over her skin. Her heart was quickly picking up speed in her chest as their interactions continued to shift further and further into surprisingly intimate territory. None of this had been planned at all, but she didn't regret any of it and now that she had gotten a small taste of this she didn't really know where to stop. Her lips moved and worked with his and eventually her tongue came to lightly brush against his lips, gently testing her boundaries and seeing what everything felt like. Her paws flexed against the back of his neck when their kiss deepened and shifted firmly into making out territory. She wasn't really sure what she was doing, but she tried to play it off and even though she was setting the pace, she tried to follow his lead when it came to how their mouths moved against one another and what she should do with her tongue. A warmth she wasn't used to started spreading through her body, radiating out from where ever they were touching. Her claws scratched lightly against the skin around the back of his neck while her hold on him tightened even more on reflex, her instincts driving her forward even though her own mind was still struggling to keep up. After a while, Nausicaa finally slipped away and broke their kiss again, panting lightly when she blinked her eyes open and looked at him with a mix of curiosity, desire, and uncertainty. She felt like she knew what she wanted, but she had no idea how to get there. She wasn't completely innocent. She had at least had the "birds and bees" talk once upon a time, but all the stuff in-between was very vague and certainly uncharted territory. "Do you... Would you want to..." she asked softly, not really able to finish any of her questions, but her voice held a slight breathlessness to it while her stomach churned with butterflies and every nerve on her body felt like it was lit up with electricity. Talk

It was a strangely empowering sensation knowing that he had been her first kiss. Milo's grin widened, a soft chuckle slipping from him before their kissing game resumed. So she had been exploring uncharted territory with him! That was fine, he was having a good time with it, and it wasn't like anyone was being harmed in their little fun. She would have stopped him by now if she wasn't comfortable with this, right? And since she was clinging to him all the more tightly and moving her mouth against his like she'd been starved of physical affection, Milo reasoned that this was all still in the realm of acceptable. They were young; they were entitled to have their fun and their moments. Besides, who was ever going to find out? Shudders shook the young man when he felt Nausicaa's tongue brush his lips, and he gleefully parted his lips to allow her access. He graced her tongue with his own, taking in everything from her taste to the way her fur felt between his paw pads and the warmth of her body next to his. He kissed her with gentle tongue and eager lips, mouths moving in an unrefined tango as he enjoyed the moment and let Nausicaa savor her first real experiences of intimacy with anyone. His actions guided hers, letting her fumble as she figured things out for herself, but responding with slightly more practiced motions. He was no expert by any means himself, but this was certainly not his first time locking lips with another wolf. He could pretend to be her teacher, if only for the night. Once they had finally parted again, Milo found himself breathing harder, feeling Nausicaa's breath equally as heated against his face while their eyes locked again. He could see that look of curiosity and searching in them again, the same look she had just before asking if she could kiss him, and had already learned that meant something was on her mind. Her unfinished question and the look in her eyes told him everything about what she was thinking about. Another shocked expression crossed his face, teal eyes blinking rapidly as he reeled. That was not something he had been expecting! His breathing caught as the nervous tension in his stomach twisted around again, leaving the male stunned and speechless. She was ready to take that step? If the had never been kissed before, that probably meant she had never laid with anyone before either, and yet here she was, offering him the greatest temptation. Was he ready to take that step though? They had now officially crossed into uncharted territory for him as well. Was this something he wanted? His racing heart and the heat of the moment told him yes, but there was so much to consider as well. ...Or was there? All his life, Milo had lived by a simple rule: live your best life. It was clear that Nausicaa wanted him, and he could not deny his attraction to the brown-furred female with those lovely aqua eyes. Even if they weren't thinking straight and the moment had gotten to them, was there any harm? She didn't smell in heat, so it should have been safe to do so. Besides, it wasn't like one-night stands weren't a thing. If anything, they could each go their separate ways in the morning, and that would be that. He hoped that wasn't the case, as he really was looking forward to exploring the ruins with a partner tomorrow, and the last thing he wanted to do was hurt her. But if he turned her down, would he shatter what little confidence she had to offer him such a thing? It didn't take Milo more than a second to decide after considering the options. His ears folded back, his eyes still wide as he swallowed hard, clearly nervous now as his bravado disappeared entirely. "Are you sure, Naus...?" he asked, voice barely a whisper above the wind in their close quarters. He needed to know, to be 100% certain this was what she wanted. "Because, I mean... yes, yes I would like to... But if I'm honest, I've... never done anything like this before... I don't want to feel like I'm using you or pressuring you into anything..." He waited for her response, gazing anxiously into her eyes all the while, unconsciously holding his breath. "Speech" — Thoughts

She saw the shock and surprise in his expression, just barely able to make out his face with the little bit of moonlight that made its way into the den. Of course she knew that she was entirely following her instincts instead of logic at this point, but she couldn't make herself care. It was a wild and crazy request and she wouldn't have been all that surprised if he had denied it, but she really hoped he wouldn't. Once she set her mind on something it was hard for her to think about anything else and right now her mind was entirely set on Milo. She trusted him and felt comfortable with him - she wasn't sure when she would ever feel this way around another guy again. Even if it was just one fun night for her to think back on fondly that was okay, she just didn't want this opportunity to slip away if the option was open to her. Nausicaa could see the change in his expression as he considered her request and she saw the surprising amount of nervousness in his eyes. When he finally replied she realized why he seemed so nervous, but all it did was make him seem even more adorable and sweet than she had already thought him to be. Even though she was the one that had asked, he still double and triple checked to make sure it was what she wanted and she certainly appreciated that. A smile pulled at her lips and she let one of her paws trace along the back of his neck tenderly. She was still nervous and excited and anxious over the idea, but if there had been any doubt about it then it was gone now. She couldn't have asked for a male to be more kind and considerate for her first time and somehow it made it even more exciting and special to know that they would just be figuring it out together. She nodded her head after a moment, her smile growing into a full grin. "I'm sure..." she replied just as softly. "You're not pressuring me... I want this... I really like you and... why not, you know?" Talk

Why not? Nausicaa's words echoed in his head like a shout in a cavern. It was his mantra, his motto, his North Star. Why not? Life was short, live it the way you want to. It appeared that he wasn't the only one to share that perspective. Swallowing back his nerves, he met Nausicaa's wide grin with one of his own. "Why not..." he repeated in a hushed tone before leaning in to kiss her once again. Milo would press deeper once she returned his kiss, gently swiping against her lips with a soft tongue and youthful enthusiasm. He shifted his body, sitting upright without breaking their muzzles apart as he went to roll her carefully onto her back. If she offered him no resistance, he would gently climb above the prone woman, making out with her all the while, releasing the heated desire building up inside his soul and throughout other parts of his anatomy. Going purely on instincts and what felt right, Milo would shift and adjust himself, positioning himself over her, letting her engulf his senses and overwhelm him as he enveloped her smaller frame with his body. His right paw pressed to the ground beside her to support himself, his left wrapping around the woman's waist and bringing her body closer to his, pressing each inch of skin he could tighter together. He only broke their kiss to give her one last glance down into her gorgeous eyes, one more grin telling her that he was with her through this night. "Bear with me, Naus... This might require a bit of figuring out..." he murmured with a breathless, lustful snicker. He leaned down to kiss her again, aligning his hips with hers as he lost himself to the sensations that were Nausicaa and drowning out the rest of the world, blissfully plunging headfirst into the new discoveries they were uncovering together. — FADE — "Speech" — Thoughts