Break Away

Azzurra held no expectations of the kind man that had already given her so much just by being an open ear and someone to lean on while she poured out the bottled up emotions on her heart and if he simply denied her advances she wouldn't have been surprised or hurt by it. She was a mess and she wouldn't have blamed Erys if he didn't want to involve himself in the mess that was her life any further. Even still, as his paw slipped slowly down her back and her name left his lips in a whisper she hoped deeply that he would say yes. She wanted the pleasure to help her pretend that everything was okay, she wanted to feel good to cover up everything that was hurting, and she wanted to stay wrapped in the embrace of this man that had, at least for the night, become her life line. There was a hesitation and a moment of silence where she braced herself for him to let her down easy, but instead he told her to follow him. She blinked with surprise, but she didn't protest. She reluctantly slipped out of his embrace and stood so that she could follow him to a bungalow that was separated from most of the others, the scent of the fragrant plants in the garden by it greeting her first.

As he opened the door and welcomed her inside, she looked with awe at the welcoming, beautifully curated interior. Everything looked like it was put together so thoughtfully and in ways she had never really considered. Everything was bright and welcoming and matched his pale coloring with ivories and creams throughout. The furs looked so plush and comfortable and she could smell the subtle, sweet fragrance of the flowers in the corner. "I can see why... It's beautiful," she told him, glancing toward him with a smile when he mentioned that this was where he came when he was overwhelmed. She lingered in the middle of the room as he moved away to get a waterskin which she took gratefully, looking to him with shy appreciation as he handed it to her with subtle affections. "Thank you," she said softly as she took a drink, the cool water feeling refreshing as it rinsed the taste of the wine she had been drinking, and setting it off to the side on a small table.

She was still blown away by how kindhearted Erys was to someone he hardly knew. As she followed him closely over to the large, plush bed, she felt no hesitation as he helped her onto it and she sank into the soft furs. Her heart skipped a beat and fluttered in her chest as she shifted onto her back and Erys made his way over her. She looked up into his silver eyes and saw nothing but the sweet tenderness that he had exuded since she happened to stumble upon him. She hadn't fully understood why he had wanted to bring her here instead of just taking her in the courtyard since she had offered and was willing, but now that she was here, now that she was fully experiencing the care that he wanted to give to her, she understood and she appreciated everything that he was. This was more than she could have asked for and it was overwhelming in its own way.

When he brought his lips to hers and kissed her, Azzurra melted into the gentleness of that kiss as her eyes slipped closed, a few more tears rolling down her cheeks. It wasn't the same kind of painful purging that had hit her before, but a cathartic feeling of choosing something purely just for herself. There was no pressure, no feeling as if she had to keep a fine balance to keep things from falling apart, no ignoring of things that were too difficult to face. She was able to return Erys' kiss and let herself go into it, her mind flushing out any other thought that wasn't this warm soul pressed against her. Her slender legs slipped up around his neck and she pressed deeper into their kiss while the toes of her mismatched paws curled and held onto his scruff as if she might drift away if she didn't. A fire spread under her skin everywhere they touched and a quiet whine of need escaped her as the needs and escape she craved came back to the forefront of her thoughts.

"Azzurra"