Beauty in the mist

Internally, Clove was giggling at the little oof that Akito made, her eyes glimmering with excitement as she looked down at him. She enjoyed watching that inquisitive mind of his work- he quickly connected the pieces, having tilted his head back to look up and inspect the source of the bark. The moment those soft grey eyes align with hers, time seems to stand still for a fleeting moment; her heart thumping in her chest, beating a rhythm of anticipation. And his smile! The warmth in her belly spreads, radiating outward until it forms a cocoon of comfort and longing. Producing a rosy hue that flashes across her cheeks, and a playful smile that pulls at her inky lips.


As she peers down at him, there is a subtle tilt of her chin, paws crossing over each other as she tries to take on an elegant posture. Wanting to make it seem like she’d climbed up the tree with ease. But that confidence was quickly shattered- eyes widening slightly as Akito lifted himself up to stand against the base of the tree. To reach up towards her. Asking how she’d managed to get up there, genuinely curious and intrigued. “Well, I’m small and nimble you know.” She’d say, a teasing undercurrent accompanying her words. "I put my mind to it, and made it happen!" Craning her head down, she brings her face toward his- aligning their noses, lingering just a few breaths away from him. He was so tall he could almost reach her just standing there!

“You don’t even need to climb,” She begins with a lighthearted giggle. "You’re so tall, you can almost reach out and grab me!” Undeniably, there was a longing to reach out and touch Akito- to bridge the gap between them, to feel the heat of his skin against her paw pad. Perhaps it was her excitement that drove her actions, because Clove wasn’t an impulsive girl usually- but the whirlwind of emotions compelled her, every glance she spared laden with the thrill of this moment. She lifts her right paw and reaches it out towards him, moving with delicate ease to the left side of his face; to cup her paw against his chiseled cheekbone, her claws nesting near the base of his ear. “Like that.” Her voice is a mere whisper, her senses lost in this moment. His fur is soft beneath her touch, velvety beneath her fingertips, as she marvels at the smoothness of his jawline. Her eyes traced the contours of his features, committing every curve to her memory.

And then, she’s overtaken by embarrassment- becoming acutely aware of the steely eyes set on her, his gaze a spotlight that magnifies her impulsive behavior. She fumbles for words, moving to retract her paw unless he says otherwise.  

"Clove Carpathius"