Walk | Talk | Think
How had she ever believed she could live without this? In no time of her life had the healer ever been one for physical affection of any kind. Hugs, kisses, nuzzles: they had all been absent from her childhood, absent within her family growing up, and surrounding herself with strangers she had blanched even at the thought. Somehow Jakart changed those thoughts, made her reconsider her stance on personal space and affection as a general concept. True, he had nearly died and it had effected her more than she liked, but finally here, wrapped up by him and soothed with soft brushes of his dark paws, she knew that it was more than that. No matter how much she wished it was nothing, meant nothing, she could not fully deny it any longer.
She nuzzled gently into the fur of the grey wolf's chest, eyes still tightly closed and silently leaking tears. Her body trembled as she remained pressed against him, and no matter how she tried to school herself the composure she had lost continued to stay out of reach. This was so unlike her, so out of the norm, that it was ultimately frightening, and yet she felt helpless, unable to do anything except what she was currently doing. An ear twitched as Jakart's soft voice whispered to her, answering her plea with assurances. He would be with her. Until death.
The commitment of which he spoke was a sobering thought, especially given how easily he spoke the words. Was it so simple for him to pledge himself in that way? To give up the rest of his life to her, all because she could not let him go? I don't understand him, Callisto thought, not for the first time, though she was beginning to think that she never would. In the end, for her, it did not matter. She wanted him, needed him close, for reasons that were beyond her comprehension, and he was agreeing to stay. That...that was enough for her.
No matter that she fought it, another whispered whine managed to escape her as the full weight of his promise sank in, rooting her to the spot and rooting her to him. She felt the soft kiss atop her head, so tenderly placed between her ears, and it stirred in her a need to do the same. As he rocked her gently from side to side, Calli placed a soft lick against his chest, tilting her head back so that she could offer another to the underside of his jaw. She would have continued, giving more, but his paws around her had grown slack and he appeared to be weakening. Even the yawn convinced her he was still not rested well enough, though of course his concern was only for her. Was she okay? "No," she answered simply, truthfully. With everything she was feeling, she doubted she would ever feel okay again.
Strength gone, Jak slumped to the ground, startling Callisto. This was all poorly timed; he was not fully recovered, he needed more time to rest, and this whole ordeal was helping nothing. Even she felt so emotionally drained she could feel it physically as well. Still, there was some life in him yet. He scooted closer to her and reached for one of her forelegs, the soft, grazing sensation of his teeth tickling enough to get her to lift her paw out of the way and set it back down again. Her head lowered as she stood close to his side, and as she kissed the side of his cheek with a lingering lick her silver-blue eyes stared heavily into his mismatched gaze. "I should send you back in to rest," she told him, though the words were not spoken like an order. The strict side of her that took her healing craft seriously advised it, but the thread of selfishness in her wanted nothing more than to curl up right there beside him and cling to this one wolf who she seemed unable to be without. "Do you need more rest?" she made herself ask instead, softly trailing her nose along his uninjured cheek.
|
