Facing my choices

Ulric gently squeezed Eska in his embrace as she held onto him as well, the feeling of her claws pulling through his fur sending sparks across his skin. Her head tucking into his neck pulled a smile across his face and his own paw traced along her lower back, his claws lightly trailing across her skin. His ears perked to catch her soft words, listening to her sincere thank you that warmed his heart and added to that lump of emotion lodged in his throat. He held her tight against him, tipping his muzzle down to he could tenderly nuzzle the top of her head and leave gentle kisses around her ears. Gods, he wanted her. Not just in the lust, desire driven way he was used to experiencing, but in a deep need that ached far down into his soul. She supported him like no one else had been able to and he got so much joy just from putting a smile on her face or making her feel like she belonged. He knew she didn't need him, but that only drew him to her more. He had never found a woman that could freely take care of herself, but still wanted to be with him. That was a distinguishing factor that made all the difference in his mind.

Every fiber of his being was craving her and was begging for him to kiss her again, to pull her over to the bed, to find the relief for these desires that he had been pushing down and burying deep since they met. His paws traced along her back as he continued to hold her smaller, voluptuous frame against his own and for a moment he seriously considered it, but he knew that she deserved better than this. She didn't deserve to have him when he was like this - frayed beyond measure and seeking out her affections as a release and a comfort. She deserved to have him when he could give himself fully to her without the distractions and stresses of the outside world. He felt her shift and then felt her kiss on his cheek, his silver gaze finding the striking yellow gaze that constantly stole his breath away. Another smile pulled at his lips as their gazes searched one another, his heart skipping a beat in his chest.

He was falling for her. He knew it without a shadow of a doubt. Not in the wild rush of emotions he had felt with Azariah or the desperate, floundering ache he had begun to feel for Aranea. This felt real and it felt right. There was no frantic need to keep her close out of fear that she might disappear. For once in his life he actually felt certain that he could trust that she would stay and that he could believe her word when she told him that he didn't have to be alone in anything. He brought his muzzle back to hers, eyes drifting closed as their lips met again, letting him indulge just a bit more as he spoke the love that was building in his heart through his tender, passionate affection. It flared to life that fire and that desire for her in his gut again, but it didn't feel like it would burn him alive like it had in the past. He felt more certain of their future in that moment and that was enough to help ensure himself that he would get to fully enjoy their time together soon enough.

He slipped away from their kiss again after a few moments, his eyes finding hers with a warm, loving gaze. "Would you mind if I stayed here tonight?" he asked softly, scratching lightly along her back. "I have a hard time sleeping when I'm by myself and I would kill for a good night's sleep." And leaving you right now sounds impossible. There was so much more that he wanted to do and he wanted to say, but he wouldn't let himself. Not yet. But... Soon.

Ulric Adravendi