All that matters

As Saracyn spoke, he saw the light grow in Avacyn's dark eyes, her gaze so full of love and happiness as he detailed the perfect future he imagined for them. The smile that grew on her lips spoke of her boundless love and made the prince's heart soar to bear witness to. She leaned into his paw as he caressed and stroked her face, running her soft fur between his digits while he reveled in the sensations of her. But as happy as his perfect world made her, he also saw the anguish hidden in the depths of her eyes. He knew why. As perfect as his fantasies were, just like a utopia, they were impossible to achieve. Ava closed her eyes and brought a paw up to squeeze his, his own paw softly stroking along the edge of her jawline in turn. He knew what was coming next; the inevitable rejection of the possibility of such a world. He had wracked his brain trying to find a way to make those fantasies come to life, but short of them abandoning their names and their family, he could find no absolute solution.

Avacyn's voice was a heartbroken whisper when she finally responded to his answer, wishing with all that she was that she could grant his wish. Despite knowing the answer that was coming, it still felt like a punch to the gut when she was forced to deny him. She said she would love to live that life with him and the yearning that swam in the blue depths of his eyes told her that he longed to do the same. Though his answers were wordless, his body language spoke at length. The way his paw slowed and went slack against her cheek as he accepted defeat, the slip of his smile from his lips a fraction of an inch at a time... No matter how badly they wanted this, she would never give up everything that was hers and he could not let that longing go. They were stuck in a catch-22, an unstoppable force meeting an immovable object. Ava let his paw go and slid her svelte form back over his until her long legs were around his neck again and she was kissing his lips. He kissed her back, his own paws sliding round her sides to rest on her lower back once more.

She told him there were laws and expectations of them. "I know," Saracyn mumbled quietly. She said that all of them rested on her. "I know," he repeated with a dejected sigh. "I wish it didn't. You've done nothing to deserve that kind of pressure." For a long moment, Sara watched while Ava lost herself in thought, her dark eyes shifting back and forth as she ran through untold thoughts in her mind. He remained quiet all the while, as he usually did, reserved in his own reflection while he ran his paws up and down her back from hips to shoulder as if he could rub away all the stress and responsibilities that were crushing her. Her question intrigued him and the prince gave his perfect half a curious look. "It would never be enough..." he admitted in earnest, then continued with a conceding sigh. "But if I can't have my wish, I'd rather have as much as I can with you than nothing at all."

"Saracyn Mendacium"