Feeling a lil nostalgic

She reciprocated his touch, emboldening Azure with a surge of warmth. The biting loneliness that had gnawed at him during their time apart melted more gradually away the longer he felt her touch.  It had been a year since he had felt such intimacy - with her, or anyone else. His head tilted gently, his muzzle brushing past hers in a tender, seeking motion, aiming to tuck her beneath his chin. In this embrace they fit together seamlessly, even now, as Hanako stretched and contorted herself into a shape she was not.

Azure was acutely aware of the sacrifice she was considering; he knew her, knew of her deep-seated desire to be loved even at the cost of her own comfort. A crushing guilt squeezed at his heart. A better man, a less selfish one, would have ended this conversation the moment he'd sensed the conflict. Az yearned to be that man, to rise above his own desires, but each time the words hovered on the brink of his lips... a surge of selfish excitement choked them back.

Gazing over her back as he embraced her, a vivid image flashed through his mind - his delicate, spotted mate, gracefully moving through the willows, another in tow. Another meant for him. The thought was intoxicating, a gift far more significant then any other he had ever received.

But then his eyes slid shut, a heavy curtain falling to block out the inevitable aftermath - the haunted look that would cloud Hana's eyes as she retreated.

"You don't have to kill them to...vent, right?"

Azure knew he could easily answer, to reassure her with soothing words and a gentle touch. The truth was, he'd never gone so far as to take a life for the sake of it. If she had to ask, however, it meant there were doubts; and doubts were a luxury he couldn't afford. Acknowledging this silently, Az chose not to vocalize a response. It wasn't about concealing truths or evading her concerns; it was an admission that if she felt the need to ask, then perhaps the risk was too great.

"You don't have to do this for me, not if it doesn't sit right with you." He murmured, his voice a soft rumble against her ear, striking a careful balance between his raw desire and his deep concern for her well-being.

"Speech"