book 7: normalcy

Her hushed words do little to calm him. More licks to her slashed thigh, his own hips twisting so she doesn't notice his injuries. The jaguar had gotten him in multiple areas, but he doesn't notice. Numb to his own pain, only focused on the girl settled within his grasp. A low growl, a slight shake of his head. "Sakana will get it later," he urges her, eyes flicking to her, the edges more white than he cared to admit.

"I-," Gil falters, hesitating to speak, but his heart aches. For as much as he's tried to avoid her, he can't anymore. Not after the night the three of them had shared together. Surely Modesty couldn't be upset anymore. Not when it's unintentional. Two raw nerves so frayed that words had to appear or tragedy would surely strike.

"I can't lose you," he whispers finally, tongue still easing the blood from her wound until it stops completely. "I-," another pause, consideration of what is truly on his mind. "I love Modesty, I do. She is my heart, but there is room for you too." Well, fuck, can't stop him now. "I see it in her eyes too. That need, the want to protect you, to keep you safe. You're ours and I will do everything to keep you safe," there is an edge to Gil's voice that he doesn't use very often. He needs to her to know he's serious.

His tongue moves from her wound, smoothing out her fur, removing the debris and dirt until it reaches her cheek. "I will tear every animal on this planet limb from limb if it means keeping you alive," the words are hushed, but they are serious as he continues to groom her fur. Unable to stop, unable to tell his worries to go away.

Speech