At last, he was part of the crew. Although Sparrow was a bit of an odd one, Ignis admired her spirit. She was the opposite of what he was...whatever that was nowadays, but he couldn't deny that he appreciated the fact that she seemed to take life in stride, whereas he did the opposite. Maybe being here would teach him a thing or two...he wasn't sure. He doubted he would be doing any changing at this point in his life. After all...he had force claimed Eden for his own, selfish reasons just days prior to joining the pack. He laid in the cave beneath the moonlight that shone in from above, thinking and contemplating with nothing but the sound of the waves to disturb him. He was six years old already...and he swore it felt like yesterday that he'd been a yearling, eager and ready to learn from his mentors, playing with his sister, and just...felt...happy. But now? He struggled to even connect with his kids. Since Incendium had fallen, his children had scattered to the four winds. And he had no idea how they were doing or what they were up to these days. He supposed it didn't matter. They hated him, didn't they? Resented him for stealing away on an unplanned trip with Ifrit and Vulcan, but left behind the others. Honestly, he didn't care if they forgave him or not. He didn't need their approval or their forgiveness...at least, that's what he told himself. As he was about to drift off to sleep, he heard the sound of something clattering. Like a small rock had been kicked, drawing his attention to the cave around him. The night's mist had seeped into the cave, and outside, it was dark and the world trembled with distant thunder. He was about to shrug off the tumbling sound of the earth settling, but then he swore something was standing at the mouth of the cave. He narrowed his eyes to get a better look, and when a flash of lightning crossed the entrance, he saw the silhouette of what appeared to be a...deer? And it was...staring right at him. His hackles rose in apprehension at the sudden appearance of the beast, and before he could get up to potentially try and make an easy meal, the thing squealed! And not just a normal whatever sounds deer usually made, but it was like an elk with a higher-pitched voice. Was it...screaming at him? He covered his ears and closed his eyes for no more than a couple of heartbeats. When he looked up again, the deer was...gone. Heart racing with the strange encounter, he knew he wasn't going to get any sleep now... "Ignis"||"Blödhgarm"

She found she could not sleep.

It was just one of those things, she supposed. Insomnia was a thing, not just in the now. Eden walked the Cavern's location, finding it to be quite beautiful in the nighttime. That's when she heard something scuffling. Perhaps it was just a thing of the wind, or perhaps it was the spirits playing at this time of night. Either way, she approached and recognized she had walked all the way to Ignis' den.

Eden wanted to peer inside, but she didn't know how that'd be received. Instead, she saw a movement that caught her attention. She literally turned back before whipping her head around again. "Ignis?" she asked as her soft voice carried in the spring wind. Was he just having a bad dream? But she saw the lights of his eyes, staring wordlessly almost "a-are you okay?" Was he having an episode of some sort?

Should she help him?

image by neelkamal deka (unsplash)

His heart was still racing at what he'd just seen and heard. He was still unsure about it, but...maybe it was real after all. He had seen stranger things before...like dead people. His uncle's ghost. His mother...remnants of his father and whoever else could be traced back to his blood in the past. He was on edge, so when he thought he heard his name, his hackles rose. Had that creature come back for him? Was he dreaming? Was he about to come face to face with those...demons? No...it was Eden. He was surprised...hesitant...to both see her and answer her. Yes, while in some way she did belong to him, why was she seeking him out despite her hatred for him? Didn't she loathe him for taking her freedom away? Or perhaps she had appeared to him by accident...whatever the case, he tried to shove what he'd just seen from his mind and shifted his body a little to try and hide his trembling. "I'm...fine. You can come in if you want." The cave wasn't entirely his, after all. It was just where he had decided to potentially make a den for himself, though he still needed to find a spot where the tide wouldn't reach when it came in. "Ignis"||"Blödhgarm"

She didn't miss that he seemed to grasp, or just hesitate, telling her. Eden was torn between asking again, scolding him to tell her the truth - hadn't they come to that point? Or just leaving it alone. She decided on leaving it alone, defeated herself this night. She moved a bit closer, hesitant to really go into the 'den' itself. Instead, she sat before him directly. A tiny little speck in the grand scheme of things.

Eden tried not to frown too much. She just stared, her eyes adjusting to the dark and trying to grasp for light. If he wanted to talk, he would. If he wanted to do anything, he would do it. Eventually, she grew to hate the silence between them, or just the silence itself. Her lips parted as her jaw opened. "Bad dream?" she asked, at last, unaware of what had transpired last year. She remained blissfully ignorant of some things.

image by neelkamal deka (unsplash)

"Something like that...I guess." He still wasn't even really sure, but hell if he was going to admit to her that he'd just been scared shitless when that weird shit happened! He still hadn't heard the buzz of his demon since it forced him to take Eden. He wasn't sure if he should feel relieved that it had left him alone this long, or if he should feel unsettled. But for some reason, he felt the latter. It was...unusual...for the voice to be so quiet for so long. What had it been now? Days? A couple of weeks? It had almost been a constant internal companion since the day he had stolen his uncle's pack. And now? Radio silence. He looked in her direction, crimson gaze piercing the darkness as he regarded her. "What do you want?" He asked bluntly. Hesitation still holding onto him. Why did she keep seeking him out? Or if she didn't...why was she trying to act as if she cared after what he did? He was still coming to grips with it. And while yes, he could say she could go at any time, he hadn't yet. Whether it was because he was reluctant to for whatever reason, or to just throw his weight over a weaker being, he wasn't sure. Whatever the case, she could've tried to run at any time or possibly even begged Sparrow for help. And yet...here she was. Checking to see if he was okay... "Ignis"||"Blödhgarm"

"Nothing."

It was a foolish notion to entertain the thought her captor would be open and honest. Eden bit the inside of her cheek, resisting the flow of words that threatened to tumble out. Can't I go for a walk? Or do I have to ask your permission for that too? she thought venomously, squinting her eyes against the illuminated light of the Cavern. She didn't know why she bothered to try and believe there was something good in Ignis.

"I heard noises and came to look" she continued after a soft pause "I'm part of the Plunder, and if someone was causing trouble... Well. I don't know how much use I'd be, but I can at least try to stop them." And fail miserably. She was not as small as Sota was, but Eden was tiny compared to some women. Should she sit on her laurels, look pretty and decide I'm not working? No. She wanted to keep busy.

It would distract her. It's not like you gave me a choice, what pack to belong to. Might as well make myself useful.

"Did you think I was sneaking away?" she asked him, just as blunt as his words to her "I'm not going to run" Eden had some pride. She had lost, true. She was a captive, true. But she was safe in the Plunder - as far as she knew. It was foolish to try and run from the Plunder. There were worse things than Ignis out there "if that's what you're concerned about." She hesitated, wondering if it was such a good idea to become bold around him.

"Speech"

AS HER OWNER...
ignis praetor is allowed in any thread, even ones marked private
baelfire, diablo, rivin and aresenn are also allowed due to being her children

"Nothing." Was her response. He narrowed his eyes with slight irritation. Well if she wasn't here to bother him then what? But then she claimed to have heard noises and came to investigate. Shit. Did she hear that screaming, too? Was it not just in his head...or dream...or whatever the fuck it was? He was starting to feel more paranoid, "I'm part of the Plunder, and if someone was causing trouble... Well. I don't know how much use I'd be, but I can at least try to stop them." Fair enough. He scoffed, "That's cute. No offense, but I don't think you'd stand a chance against someone else unless they were already dead. Or a kid. Maybe." Was he purposely trying to rattle her? Maybe. He was curious to know if she was always this...docile...or if she had it in her to challenge him. Not in terms of a fight, of course, (unless she wanted to), but if she had the guts to stand up to him. "Did you think I was sneaking away?" His ears perked slightly, another scoff. "Why haven't you? You've had every opportunity to try, but you're still here. Hell, you could've even told Sparrow when we came to join, but you said nothing. I don't know whether it would have mattered or not, but the opportunity was there." He shrugged. He really didn't know if Sparrow would try to say or do something if she knew Eden was his personal pet. Hell, she still had the opportunity. But it wasn't any of her concern, anyway as far as he was concerned. He had claimed her fair and square before even having joined the pack. Besides...if she had tried to run, his companions would've told him. Though he probably wouldn't have even come after her right away...who knew if his alternate side would consider it some sick game of hide and seek or not... "Ignis"||"Blödhgarm"

Did he want to make her mad? She was already there. It didn't take much for her to tip over the edge. "If it was a bad person, then I'd most likely die!" Eden says this with such finality there is a sharp edge to her tone. She felt herself flatten her ears, followed by a glare in his general direction "at least then, I'll have made my own choice. You have no problem making them for me!" she huffed, this time making no inward thoughts and instead voicing them plainly. If she was going to die, she might as well do it on her own terms. Not being scared and skirting around Ignis' feelings.

"You take me hostage, but what do you expect me to do? Curl up in a ball? Cry myself to sleep all the time?" Oh, no, she really was pissed "forgive me for showing a bit of compassion and going to check to see if you were okay. I can clearly see you don't want any, nor me around. So why haven't I run away? You'd catch me, for one. There's no point in fighting a losing battle - since you clearly think I'm weak" Eden lifted her lips, surprising herself with the action. She'd never raised her lip to anyone! "but... I didn't tell Sparrow because I was afraid of what you'd do, or maybe I didn't think Sparrow would even help."

Who can say? Eden didn't know Sparrow well, and in the coming weeks, she'd soon learn the Pirate King would take her own hostage. "So what do you want, Ignis? You don't seem pleased to see your own captive. When I pay you attention, you try to brush me off." The red drained from her eyes and she stood, shivering and shuddering on the spot. Her gaze was wild and wide, staring openly at the man.

"Speech"

AS HER OWNER...
ignis praetor is allowed in any thread, even ones marked private
baelfire, diablo, rivin and aresenn are also allowed due to being her children

He hadn't gotten up yet. He remained where he was, not bothering to give her the respect to stand on his own four legs, let alone sit up. "If it was a bad person, then I'd most likely die!" "Well now you're just being dramatic!" He scoffed for the third time. Though he didn't miss the sharpness of her tone after she said it. He didn't miss the glare she shot his way, and all he could really think was that it reminded him of a puppy throwing a tantrum. "at least then, I'll have made my own choice. You have no problem making them for me!" He lifted his lip with further irritation, his own ears falling back now. "The only choices that I've made for you was forcing you to come here! with me!" He retorted. What the hell was her deal!? Yeah, he took her freedom, but if she really wanted to leave she had every fucking opportunity! Or she could've run to her alpha in shining armor to get her out of this, no? At least, he assumed so. He didn't actually know if she and Sparrow knew each other well or not, and he didn't really care, either. But that was shoved from his mind as the small woman continued. The more she ranted and yelled at him, the more he could feel himself getting heated. Before he knew it, he was on his feet and had closed the distance between him and her, getting right up in front of her until he was staring down at her, teeth glinting in the moonlight and a heavy snarl slipping through. "No, I don't expect you to curl up in a ball and cry your days away! But I also didn't expect you to want to be around me let alone have anything to do with me unless I forced you to be around!" He yelled back, "I forced you here, in this position, sure! But other than that, you've had free will to go around and do whatever you want and talk to whoever the fuck you want and wander the damn pack lands without me breathing down your back!" He snarled at her. It was his turn to see a thin veil of red now. "And if you haven't noticed little miss priss! I've had my companions back off for a little while to give you some time to yourself! Yeah, I said you were weak, because you are, physically! That doesn't fucking mean I'd let someone fucking kill you! You scream and throw your tantrum like a damn pup if it helps you sleep at night, and go on about how bad I am, but in case you haven't fucking realized, if I was as bad as you say or whatever, then why haven't I gone out of my way to harm or kill you my goddamn self before we came here!? Answer me that!" He was so heated right now that he had half a mind to turn around and walk away to leave here there. But he didn't. He stood there, rooted to the spot. Trying to keep himself under control and to avoid hurting himself, or someone else. "I brush you off because I don't need anyone's fucking help!" Lies. But that's what he told himself. Ever since he had severely let his uncle down in more ways than one...and ever since Corvus...no. He had to focus on this, in front of him. "Speak"

He was now riled. Perhaps she should not have said anything, but she didn't back down now. Her fur bristled along her neck and back, tail puffed up as much as it could for its length. "So what did you expect?" Eden spat venomously to Ignis "that I'd come running when you called?" She seethed beneath her short fur, annoyed and pissed and confused "you just, what, leave me alone until you had use of me? I... I-I refuse!" She lunged at him suddenly, trying to bite and grip and snarl and snap anything she could. It was like looking at a pup bouncing against a full adult.

Try as she might, she didn't really manage to harm him. He was too broad, too solid. She bounced off him a few times before going back for more, ripping into him. Trying to shake her head against his thick fur.

Eventually, she gave up. Her fit brought tears to her eyes, dripping down her face as she panted, staring at him. She managed to snag a bit of red fur in her jaws, which she spit out. "I didn't say you were bad!" Eden more or less cried-screamed "I didn't say you hurt me! I didn't say any of that!" A pause "I don't know what you want out of me! You won't tell me. You just took me with no explanation. Do you want me to hate you? Would that make it easier on you?" She seethed more, refusing to stomp like a child again "I'm not throwing a fit - you're just pissed that I'm going back at you! I want to understand! I want to know what you want. I don't want to help you. You don't want it."

She barely knew anything about him.

"You don't want help" she repeats to him softly, dropping her head "but I don't know what you want of me."

"Speech"

AS HER OWNER...
ignis praetor is allowed in any thread, even ones marked private
baelfire, diablo, rivin and aresenn are also allowed due to being her children

He was getting tired of her asking what he wanted. Asking what he expected. Of him. Of her. Of the situation he had dragged them both into. At first, he just glared and stared hard at her, trying to keep control of himself and to avoid hurting her without meaning to. "Just-just stop asking me that!" He snapped back. Truth was, he had no intention of giving a straight answer because he really hadn't planned on taking her in the first place until...well...until his demon had decided to. But even now, he still refused to tell her about that side of him. Why the fuck would she believe him? Who would? For all he knew, anyone outside of his own bloodline would likely think he was some sort of psycho. But even then, they wouldn't be wrong, would they? Still. It wasn't something he expected anyone to understand. He had no idea how to explain it, so he kept his mouth shut. "you just, what, leave me alone until you had use of me? I... I-I refuse!" She...What? He was so confused! Didn't she want him to leave her alone!? Wasn't she waiting for him to release her so she could run far away from him and never look back? Didn't she want to kill him? He supposed he would get his answer because before he knew it, she was attacking him! Or...trying to, anyway. The thin veil of red that had slipped over him, slowly dissipated into something he could only describe as annoyance and embarrassment. Though the latter was more for her than himself. She was tiny compared to himself, but he knew that if she actually knew what she was doing and actually knew how to fight, she could've definitely done some damage, even cripple him if she absolutely wanted to. And yet...he let her do what she wanted. He stood there, letting her nip and yank his fur and whatever she was trying to do. He simply stood there, though in the very back of his mind, the brief image of him just...choke slamming her to the ground to get her to stop her tantrum had seemed very tempting. But he refrained. It would do neither of them any good now, would it? That would just prove he was the bad guy he assumed she thought he was. If he weren't feeling the same damn way she was, pissed, confused, and annoyed, he would've found her weak attempt incredibly amusing. Eventually, she stopped. Giving up in her attempt, he took a deep, exasperated breath as he fixed his gaze on her. She continued to yell at him in frustration, "I didn't say you were bad!" What? Wasn't she just!? "I didn't say you hurt me! I didn't say any of that!" A growl of frustration edged into his throat, "I don't know what you want out of me! You won't tell me. You just took me with no explanation. Do you want me to hate you? Would that make it easier on you?" He sharply turned away from her, pacing a few steps away as a snarl ripped through his jaws before turning around and stepping right back up to her, "I'm not throwing a fit - you're just pissed that I'm going back at you! I want to understand! I want to know what you want. I don't want to help you. You don't want it." "You are throwing a fit, and I'm not pissed that you're standing up to me! You just won't leave me the fuck alone about the why! You want to understand so bad? I get it! But I don't even understand myself sometimes!" He snarled before drawing a deep breath to try and keep himself from just...well...he didn't even fucking know! And then for the first time since their heated argument...he got a whiff of her. Oh fuck... She had stopped screaming at him, and he could see her eyes were full of tears, even in the darkness. But more than that...her scent was different than when he first met her. When the fuck did this happen!? And why now! He had to turn away. He had to put some distance between them, but...his paws remained rooted in place. "You don't want help. But I don't know what you want of me." Her voice was softer this time. Was she done with her tantrum? Why did she stop screaming at him? He didn't know what he preferred now but...at this point in time, he would've preferred her to keep screaming at him. "You're acting crazy. I'm not in the mood to talk about my feelings like you women are. Y-you should go." Probably not the best thing to say at this point in time but, too late. He almost, almost regretted saying that last string of words...couldn't get any worse now though, right? "Speech"

"I told you before" she seethed at him, glaring at the man who both confused her and irritated her like none other "I know you have... two sides" He wanted her to stop asking him? But why? She didn't know why she wanted to know. She didn't think this made any sense, that he was not making any sense "so why do you keep me around? You're...! You're the lesser evil now, aren't you? You could have released me, just as I could have told Sparrow. Your other side isn't showing, and now you're confused about what to do with me."

Fine, he wanted her to stop a tantrum? She'd stop. But her tantrum was justified. She had gone along with what he wanted, she didn't protest. She didn't fight him. It was justified, a long time coming to be frank. His words just riled her up and burst the bile that threatened to take her mind over. "You don't care if the Plunder knows the truth" Eden continued "you don't care about anyone but yourself." He was big, mean, and able to fight anyone. She panted heavily now, wondering if he had done this on purpose. Riled her up on purpose. He wanted a rise out of her, and he got one. Now he was backing off - playing the victim.

It pissed her off.

But she did not go as he asked. He told her to go, and she planted herself firmly. She wasn't going unless he forced her to go.

"Speech"

AS HER OWNER...
ignis praetor is allowed in any thread, even ones marked private
baelfire, diablo, rivin and aresenn are also allowed due to being her children

He was getting tired of arguing with her. He started to turn around so he could just walk away, assuming she would do the same and that would be the end of it, but no. "I told you before," His tattered ear flicked back as he took a couple more steps, "I know you have... two sides," He froze in place. "so why do you keep me around? You're...! You're the lesser evil now, aren't you? You could have released me, just as I could have told Sparrow. Your other side isn't showing, and now you're confused about what to do with me." God dammit! He thought in frustration before she spoke again, "You don't care if the Plunder knows the truth," Now it was his turn to get riled up. "you don't care about anyone but yourself." He turned, abruptly as another snarl erupted from his jaws again, echoing throughout the caverns. If anyone was asleep in here, it would've definitely woken them up. But he was pretty sure they were alone, otherwise someone would've yelled at them to shut the fuck up the moment their argument had started. "You don't know shit!" He barked. Loudly. The sound echoed again, rattling the walls and practically matching the strength of the thunder outside. He vaguely heard the clack of loose pebbles drop, but his focus was on her. Again. And it was at this time he knew he was probably going to lose it. And not in the way he usually did...which fucking terrified him. "Speech"

She should have left it at that. He had marched off, weary and tired. Too bullheaded to tell her anything. She let slip the dogs of war in her tone. He turned back to her, yelling. Screaming. Saying she didn't know anything. She could have rolled her eyes. She could have spat in his face. She could have attempted to hurt him again. That had been a losing battle.

"I don't" she agreed, narrowing her eyes as her ears pinned against her skull "you won't tell me, so how can I know?" Her voice was a dangerous whisper "you don't want to talk to me. You're pushing away someone who... just wants to understand. Maybe I'm not a nice person after all, but you aren't a saint." That much was clear.

"Maybe it is a mistake... I thought you had good in you. I tried... I really tried to understand, Ignis" But if he won't let her in, she could do nothing. She couldn't even listen to him. She couldn't judge him. But she was judging him now "I shouldn't have tried to care." Eden's voice was low, too low to hear. But if he was close enough, he could hear it. A mere whisper, an admission.

"Speech"

AS HER OWNER...
ignis praetor is allowed in any thread, even ones marked private
baelfire, diablo, rivin and aresenn are also allowed due to being her children

Damn this bitch! He growled in his mind. But...she wasn't a bitch. Even he knew that. She said over and over that she just wanted to try and understand, but she already knew that he didn't understand himself. She had practically hit the nail on the head earlier, and still he refused to admit it. "you don't want to talk to me. You're pushing away someone who... just wants to understand. Maybe I'm not a nice person after all, but you aren't a saint." But why did she want to understand!? Someone who stole her freedom. Someone who had hurt her. Someone who forced her into...whatever the fuck this was! He kept asking himself, but deep down he knew she was confused just as much as he was. She wanted to understand. So did he. But that...other side of him left him in this mess with no fucking answer! "I know I'm not a fucking saint! I tried to be and it didn't work out, so here we fucking are!" "Maybe it is a mistake... I thought you had good in you. I tried... I really tried to understand, Ignis" He scoffed, eyes rolling as looked away for a moment, "Oh yeah? We met not that long ago, talking all of a pawful of minutes before I attacked you, and you thought I had some good in me? I wonder what the fuck gave you that impression! He looked at her again, "Ask anyone in my family, they'll tell you how much of a fucking prick I turned out to be, and you'll start thinking the same pretty soon, I'm sure!" Honestly, he was starting to get half a mind to just shove her out and hope she'd go away. He had all the strength and power to do so...and yet, he balked. Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Hear" ---- Think

"Nobody is asking you to be a saint" Eden said quietly, voice still hoarse from her yelling and screaming and demanding "I'm not asking you to be anything; I'm not asking to help you" She refused to drop her gaze from his red ones "I have accepted you for who you are" But he hadn't accepted himself, that much was clear "you don't want to talk to me. Or anything. About this." She bit back a sigh.

It was her fault. She was the stupid one. The one trying to identify with her captor. Trying to understand the Ignis side to him. She knew... she knew in her heart he wasn't as bad as he claimed. That Ignis had some good. Some speck. Some tiny little speck. But the Crimson Demon? No. She knew she was pushing him toward that personality again. She had wanted a rise but not to face that monster again. "It's true; you haven't hurt me."

She paused but not for long. "You haven't even forced yourself on me, which I know you can easily do. That's how I know you have some good in you. You aren't... you aren't a monster. Not really. A saint, no, but nobody is perfect. Least of all me. I poked and prodded you, but all you did was yell back" She rose from her position and approached him. She felt her legs shaking from the effort, the anger wearing off. Her strength wearing off. Now she was left with nothing "a-and even if I'm scared of that side... I know I'm not scared of you."

"Speech"

AS HER OWNER...
ignis praetor is allowed in any thread, even ones marked private
baelfire, diablo, rivin and aresenn are also allowed due to being her children

"Nobody is asking you to be a saint." She wasn't yelling or screaming at him anymore. He hadn't quite noticed when she stopped doing that, but her statement and tone caught him off guard. Part of him wanted her to keep yelling and screaming at him. Wanted her to try and attack him again. His chest was still sore from when she had beat on him and pulled some fur it, but all that was left behind was a dull ache...both physically, and emotionally. Honestly, he had no fucking idea how he should be feeling right now. She never turned her gaze away from his, "I have accepted you for who you are" He was...taken aback. Shocked. Confused. Struggling to figure out how to feel about this. A minute ago, he was sure he would push her to the point of her hating him. Had convinced himself that she did since day one. But with everything she said and kept saying, the confusion hit him like a ton of bricks, and now he didn't know if he was wrong or not. He stood there, speechless. Wanting to both tear his gaze away and leave her standing alone in the dark, but also to just...stay where he was. For the first time in a while, he was...speechless. He was having a hard time grasping what was going on. Between them. His life. His feelings. His mind. Everything. "It's true; you haven't hurt me." He had before, but...now? "You haven't even forced yourself on me, which I know you can easily do. That's how I know you have some good in you. You aren't... you aren't a monster. Not really. A saint, no, but nobody is perfect. Least of all me. I poked and prodded you, but all you did was yell back" Her? Not perfect? Well sure, nobody was, he supposed. But he did notice that she seemed to...give herself less credit than was due. He felt a wave of...something he couldn't quite describe wash over his mind. Regret maybe? No...or maybe it was...he wasn't sure. It was true though...he could've done so much damage. Possibly even killed her here and now, and he would've dealt with any consequences later, and yet..."a-and even if I'm scared of that side... I know I'm not scared of you." "Well...you should be...afraid..." He said at last. His mouth felt dry. His breathing hitched as he tried to simmer down. His hackles remained up, muscles tensed, but slowly, he averted his gaze from hers as he lowered his head towards the ground. Whether it was in shame or tiredness, he had no damn clue. An involuntary whine slipped past his lips. He wanted to believe her. Wanted to believe he wasn't as bad as he thought, but he couldn't help it. He had been convincing himself for quite a long time now that he was no good for anyone. Everyone he once loved in the past, hated him. That's what he told himself...And he wasn't sure how to handle the wave of emotions that threatened to drown him now. "You...really should go...I...don't want to hurt you..." He was deathly afraid that He would come out. But even with all that had happened just minutes before, there was nothing but continued silence in his head. That coupled with what was going on in front of him, both greatly confused and frightened him. For once in what felt like months, he could hear his own, personal thoughts. And he had no idea how to handle it. "Speech"

Why?

Why should she be scared of him? He just told her now he wasn't going to hurt her. Well, he told her he didn't want to hurt her. But there was clarity behind the confusion in his eyes. She knew it was Ignis talking, that the Demon wasn't going to come out. Somehow she knew. Maybe it was the healer in her. Maybe it was because everyone needed a little faith now and again. Even Ignis, for all his faults.

"It's okay" she told herself, but also him "I know... you don't want to talk about it. But I'll be here to listen when you are." If he was willing. He hadn't been treating her like a captive. He had given her free reign of the Plunder's territory. She was... tired. Tired of arguing, of trying to force something out of him. Maybe it was because she was in heat. Maybe she really was emotional.

Ignis seemed hurt and confused. Eden could feel the depravity of his situation that he thought of himself. She moved closer, inches from him now. Staring up at him, despite not wanting to. Now that all the bad had been forced from her body and mind, she still felt tired. Tired and confused and annoyed and... Gods, she even wanted a drink. Eden dared though. She inched even closer, pressing her nose against his chest. She didn't hold him, but she held it there.

"Speech"

AS HER OWNER...
ignis praetor is allowed in any thread, even ones marked private
baelfire, diablo, rivin and aresenn are also allowed due to being her children

He felt vulnerable. Like he was a pup needing the protection of his mother all over again. Only...his mother was dead. And he only got to see her in his dreams sometimes. He could hear his heart pounding in his ears, feel it beating against his chest as if it were trying to escape. He felt like his breath was stuck in his lungs, and he was unable to breathe. It was like everything he had worked to shove down and ignore was suddenly rising to the surface all at once, like a pot of boiling water that had been left unattended and was now spilling over. "It's okay," No... "I know... you don't want to talk about it. But I'll be here to listen when you are." Things weren't okay. He struggled to hold back everything he was feeling. It was...strange. He had no idea how to handle this. All that time of just shoving things into the closet until it was literally overflowing now seemed like a very bad idea, and the doors were about to burst. "Why...?" He asked. Though it was a rhetorical question. Why did everything happen the way it did? His father's abandonment. His mother's death. Corvus' rejection. His siblings drifting away. Acere's death. His own damn children that he hadn't seen in ages...but he had abandoned them. He felt like something was stuck in his throat and he couldn't breathe. He wasn't quite aware that she was drawing closer to him. The crimson male was too wrapped up in trying to sort out what was going on in his head now that she had unwrapped it all and it came out like a tangled mess. Finally, when she touched his chest, and he felt it, he stiffened up. He flinched, body tense at the contact. He subconsciously waited to feel her teeth trying to rip into him like she had tried to minutes before but...there was no pain. There was no other movement. There was...nothing...but her delicate touch. He blinked as he stared into the darkness. Nobody had touched him in...what he considered to be a meaningful way...since...fuck, he couldn't remember. He was shocked she had even done that... But next thing he knew, he found himself wrapping his forearms around her smaller frame and pulling her in. The crimson male practically curled his body around hers, tucking his head into her softer fur and just...breathed. He held on tightly, his eyes squeezing shut as he let her scent and warmth wash over him. Intoxicating. Comforting. Why did this feel...wrong yet...not? "Ignis"||"Blödhgarm"

Before she knew it, he had pulled her in.

Eden let out a soft, surprised gasp. She fully expected him to march away, refuse her attempt at comfort. She could tell he was suffering and only wanted to ease it. He may not know what his mind thought. She didn't either. It really didn't matter now that they all got it out in the open. She didn't feel comforted by his touch, no. It was difficult to explain. Her fur spiked up as if in waves of thunder. Short and bristly. But soft.

And, against her better judgment, she held him back.

Wrapped what she could around him, she let Ignis try to be comforted. He breathed her in, and his breath tickled her. It sent an uncomfortable jolt of pleasure through her body. You're sick she wanted to scream he captured you, you should HATE HIM... Don't do it. Don't sleep with him. Don't make this anything else than it needs to be. He just wants to be comforted. He wants a hug. Not that. Not that!

Her mind was reasonable, but biological urges were a thing.

"I'll... go in your den now" she gently pushed against him, her voice muffled. Thank goodness nobody else was around. She wasn't being coy, she wasn't being seductive. Oh no, she was just giving in. You stupid girl she wanted to scream at herself. Looking back, it was a horrible and terrible idea. "i-if you want that is." The suggestion was there. But...

He could just sleep.

She could just sleep.

It didn't have to be anything more.

"Speech"

AS HER OWNER...
ignis praetor is allowed in any thread, even ones marked private
baelfire, diablo, rivin and aresenn are also allowed due to being her children