[PRP] A Mini-ingful Apology (Wrathna)

[Seussi]

Wrath knew, and not by some magic instinct but by plain common sense, that he had really stepped in it with Na'ima and had a lot of making up to do. In his head, he still wasn't even one hundred percent sure why he had done it, why he had said the things he'd said. He had been in a bit of a bad mood, that was certain, and had not appreciated the jabs at his intelligence, though those had come from Na's sister, not from Na'ima herself.

And yet he still found himself irritated. At himself, mostly, but at his situation in general. He wasn't used to this, to feeling anything more than just a passing lust for someone. Na'ima had somehow gotten under his skin, made him long for her, made him think about her often, made him question himself and his motives. Though ultimately, did it even really matter? What he felt for her, it might not last. It probably wouldn't. In the long run, she would probably be better off if he just walked away, now. He just needed to turn around, maybe leave for a while, find some human world mission to immerse himself in for a few years. Yes, killing humans. That would be the perfect distraction! In time, he would probably stop caring about her altogether, and she could move on to some other stallion, or some other experiment...whichever of either would fulfill her desires most.

So why, instead, was he standing outside her home, with a furry, cat like creature tucked in beneath one burly arm? Why was he, such a massive and broody man, standing around outside her door, shuffling his feet in the sand nervously? A large hand came up to stroke his beard, and, eventually, he cleared his throat before calling out.

"Na'ima? Are you home?"

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[Eight]

Na'ima wasn't sure what word could be used to describe how she felt. Upset? Hm. Perhaps. A good start. But why? Why was she upset. It hurt. No, she wasn't hurt. She was bothered. Yes, that was it. She was very bothered and not even just simply because of Wrath's words but by how she felt about them, and not even just his words but his actions. Those little gestures. The stroking of those damn feathers. Na'ima could feel her throat tighten at the thought of them. This was worrying.

He was just fun. That was it. Harmless fun. Right? He was harmless. Harmless, irritating, grand fun.

Stallions were idiots, she should remember that. She was frowning as she worked on drawing henna up her leg, having started at her foot and worked her way up to her knee. Was her father this way? She had never bothered to discuss such matters with him. There had been no reason for it. Was he an idiot with mother? Why was she even wondering this. Why was she wondering about how they were when not in the company of their offspring? It was foolish to compare herself and Wrath to her mother and father. It wasn't a thing.

His voice was heard easily from the main living area of her den, and quite honestly Na'ima couldn't lie about being out if she wanted to. There was the scent of soothing incense wafting through the entrance from inside, mixed with the smell of warm tea and something..cinnamon? She didn't take her eyes off her leg, she was almost done. If she looked away now she would never finish.

Could she lie? Could she say she wasn't home? If she rejected him would he leave? Would he take it as her finally getting tired of him and sending him on his way forever? But the thought bothered her. No, she wasn't done with him yet. "...Yes," she finally called out enough to be heard. "You may come in, Rathsvith."

Walking in Wrath would find the partition and drapery open to the main living area. Na'ima sat in the middle of the room among the cushions and pillows that formed her nest, completely free of all of her usual scarves and veils and jewelry to instead wear a simple top and skirt, ones she obviously didn't mind getting messy. Golden eyes were concentrated on her leg as she worked on finishing an intricate henna pattern that started on her foot. Beside her sat a small table with a cup of tea and a small plate of glazed cinnamon rolls. They looked fresh.

Seussi

 

[Seussi]

A part of him almost hoped that she wouldn't answer, even though he knew that she must be home. He could smell it in the air just outside of her dwelling, the incense, among other things, all of which should have been calming, but he was feeling anything but at that moment. If she didn't answer, he would at least know enough to take the hint that she did not wish to see him at that moment, and leave. He could try again later, or perhaps not, if he decided that what she truly required was some space.

Seconds ticked by in endless silence, and he had just decided that she would not have him, and had taken a hesitant step back away from her door, when her voice called out, inviting him in.

The creature held in his arm was squirming and sniffing at the air, it's dainty, feline like front paws pushing in an attempt to free itself from his grasp, while it let out a low, disgruntled sound from the back of it's throat.

"Shhhhh," He attempted to soothe it, stroking it's head with one large hand, which only really succeeded in making the creature growl a louder, it's ears folding back.

It was definitely not amused.

With an inward sigh, he stopped petting it, and just held it tighter, and steeling himself, he entered Na'ima's home.

One look at her in the middle of her main living quarters had him stopped in his tracks. By all the gods, she was beautiful! And without all of the usual accessories and layers to hide so much of her from view, he really wanted to just take the moment to study her, to just take it all in.

But he couldn't just stand there all day, and upon realizing that he was just hovering at the edge of her living area like a hulking fool, he gave himself a mental shake and took another step forward, while clearing his throat.

"Ah, Hello, Na'ima. I just wanted to stop by, and apologize, for what happened in the library? If I upset you, I am very sorry. Truly." He stopped just for a second, before remembering what he held in his arms.

"Oh, yes, I brought you something. This." He shifted the animal, a vaisel, so that he was holding it in both of his hands, and held it out towards her. It dangled almost limply in his grasp, and somehow managed to look thoroughly unimpressed.

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[Eight]

Na'ima waited, though not idly. She continued to work on her leg, finally stopping just below her knee and grabbing a fan sitting on a pillow beside her. She was fanning it and willing it to dry quicker when Wrath finally walked in, so she stopped and just looked up at him. He certainly looked..was a mess the proper way to describe it? No, he was a mess before. Now he just looked bothered. Good. She wanted him to feel bad.

Wait. What was that in his arms? She blinked, golden eyes widening slightly as she caught sight of a furry little thing in his large arms. What was..? Why did he have that? Where did he even find it? She opened her mouth to begin asking questions until he spoke up on his own. Her mouth closed, eyes widening again before quickly relaxing. He really did feel bad. Her lips pressed together in a thin line, rubbing together a bit as she moved to clean up what little mess she had made drawing henna on herself. "Rathsvith, I--" Oh. Well. Okay.

She blinked, staring at the very unimpressed creature in his arms. Oh, goodness, it even had jewelry. Na'ima took this chance to stand, stepping out from her pillow nest to approach Wrath and her new apparent pet. She reached out for it, taking it in her arms and allowing it to cuddle up against her chest. Her usually stoic expression cracked, the corner of her mouth twitching until a small smile could be seen. "Hello, aren't you soft.." Her smile grew as she moved a hand to scratch under the vaisel's chin. "And adorable.."

After a few moments of giving the vaisel attention she looked up again, this time golden eyes meeting red. Her smile faltered, and she reached a hand up while keeping the vaisel cradled against her chest. Delicate fingers brushed against his cheek and then followed along the underside of his jaw. "..Thank you," she began gently. Her hand turned to cup his cheek, her thumb rubbing lightly against his chin. "You did upset me.." Her brow furrowed slightly as her hand dropped away to instead pet the vaisel again, earning herself a delighted purr. "I am more bothered that what you said upset me than you..actually...doing it.." That..made no sense. What was she even saying. Na'ima turned away to return to her pillow nest with her new pet in hand, flopping down comfortably. There was still plenty of room beside her, even her posture seemed to be one that was waiting for him to come hold her.

Seussi

 

[Seussi]

The vaisel, while seeming discontent to be held by Wrath, had a sudden change in demeanor the moment Na'ima gathered it up in her arms. Her's was, likely, a much softer touch than the large mans, though when she took it away from him he had an awful moments thought that she might choose to experiment on the creature instead of having it as a pet, or even a companion of sorts, as Wrath had intended.

"I hoped you would like it. I traded for it, from one of your merchants. Fine, death crafted steel, and I didn't even have to hold it to his throat to get him to accept the deal."

He seemed somewhat disappointed by that fact, actually.

When she met his eyes, her smile faltering, he felt his heart drop slightly. It wasn't enough, was it? Already, his mind raced, trying to figure out what else he could give her, or what else he could say to make her feel better. Her hand on his face brought those thoughts to a halt, however, as he focused his attention on her once more, and on the touch that trailed down his cheek, and on words that created a pang in his chest that he didn't understand, much as he didn't quite understand what she was trying to say.

When she turned away to sit, he frowned. "What do you mean?" His low voice rumbled as he stepped further into the room, closing the distance between where he had stood and the pile of pillows on the floor. Since she had left a space for him, he slowly lowered himself down next to her, an arm going behind and around so that his hand rested on her thigh.

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[Eight]

"I do like it. My mother kept animals in our home when I was a filly, though none as soft as this," she explained quietly as if to not disturb the vaisel by speaking too loudly. A thing Na'ima wasn't very prone to anyway, but she was being nice. She loosened her hold on the vaisel so it could decide how it wanted to lay against her, watching it with some amusement as it turned in circles on her lap before just finally flopping over on its side.

Despite his question she didn't answer immediately. Na'ima not answering questions? Crazy. But she waited for him to sit down beside her, even leaning back against him and tucking her head under his chin as he held her. She closed her eyes, simply enjoying being against him for a minute or so before she finally spoke up. "You..said things that upset me." She frowned. "Words like that have never bothered me before. What should I care about the talents you have that priestesses like." Her brow furrowed but her eyes remained closed. "And you made a point of bringing up those damn feathers, and I understood. Falair wouldn't know, she doesn't know where those feathers come from, what they mean. But I do."

She fell quiet again, and then, "it hurt. It..it was like being punched in the chest..and then I realized I was hurt, and it bothered me. Why am I hurt by this?"

Seussi

 

[Seussi]

Wrath could not recall ever having any animals in his home growing up, or having any pets of his own, or ever even asking for one. He did, however, see a point in them, at least, and what the appeal might be. Companionship, loyalty, amusement, a sense of having something to care for, among countless other things, he was sure. Still, it did not give him any urge to rush out and find one for himself. Give him a pretty mare to hold over some fur-baby any day.

Speaking of.....

Na leaning herself against him gave him a trickle of hope to run beneath his wary unease. He by no means felt that he was out of woods just yet, especially as she had yet to answer his question, but the fact that she seemed willing to cuddle up against him certainly seemed promising.

The silence, typically welcomed by Wrath who preferred it over constant chatter, was actually fairly unsettling now. He couldn't help but wonder at what it was she would eventually say, if it was taking her so long to piece together the words. When she did speak, he shifted just a little, relaxed muscles tensing slightly.

He waited until she was finished, and then let out a deep breath. He knew he shouldn't have brought up any of it at the time. The priestess, the feathers, all of it...but he'd already apologized for that and didn't think he needed to again. Instead, he focused on her question, even though it wasn't clear if she was asking herself, or him.

He shrugged. "I don't know."

Very helpful.

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[Eight]

Helpful. Though Na'ima hadn't honestly expected him to answer her question, it was mostly her explaining her thoughts for the past day. But she sighed nonetheless. One hand absently moved to brush her fingers along his arm while her other hand rubbed behind the vaisel's ear, relaxing it until it seemed to fall asleep cuddled up against her. "And I had done nothing to deserve any of that. Why did you do it?" She frowned again, this time turning in his arms to lie on her back instead of her side. The vaisel didn't take any mind of it, sliding away to find another large pillow to sprawl out on.

She idly toyed with his beard, golden eyes gazing up into red. "It is all very confusing. And it has consumed my thoughts all day, keeping me from my work because I cannot concentrate. All this time I have been under the impression that you are at least somewhat fond of me, or at least held some affection for me, and so I had thought by your words perhaps you no longer held interest in me...that..perhaps that was your way of telling me you are bored of me or no longer wish to.." Na'ima trailed off at that point and looked away, instead watching her own fingers work at freeing his beard from the bands that held it in a braid. "And now you are here again with gifts and apologies, holding me and--" Suddenly she scowled and stopped, instead letting go of Wrath and propping herself up on her elbows.

"My apologies, I sound like a pathetic lovesick filly." A pause, she then looked down at the stallion again, her eyes wary. He had gone out of his way to bring her a gift and apologize, even after they had discussed they would likely tire of each other with time, she wasn't sure what to say anymore that wouldn't chase him off.

Seussi

PART OF THIS TAG DISAPPEARED IDK WHERE IT WENT

 

[Seussi]

Now came the question that he did not think he could get out of answering with merely a shrug of his shoulders. She gave him time to mull it over, however, by doing one of the things that she did best. Talking. Each word was like a tiny stab, as if they were barbed and meant to hurt. Well, it certainly worked, considering the more she spoke, the worse he felt about it.

And finally, when she was done, she pulled away, and that felt more awful still. His gaze had never left hers, but there was nothing showing there for her to go off of, as he was busy mulling over his own thoughts. What was he meant to do now? He'd apologized, he'd given her a gift that she had readily accepted and seemed happy with. The thought of discussing his feelings with her was absolutely repulsive. That was not something a soldier did. That was not something he did.

And yet, he didn't want to end what they had. He had not grown tired of her, nor did he feel particularly frightened by the prospect that he spent more of his time with her than he had any of the other mares that had held his attention for a time. Being with her felt different, and more exciting because it was so different.

"I think...." He finally began, slowly. "I just..." He frowned, his voice trailing off.

And then he gestured helplessly and and made an irritated sound in the back of his throat. How did people ever talk about things like this?

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idek

 

[Eight]

It bothered her that, for someone so used to expressing with her eyes, she couldn't read Wrath's. She moved again, this time onto her side facing him so she could reach a hand out to gently touch her fingers under the stallion's chin. Wait..she got it now. "..You are uncomfortable," she observed quietly, frowning again and shaking her head. "I do not wish you to be uncomfortable around me, not unless it is my intention." Look, Wrath, she made a funny. She's hilarious. Best jokes ever, right?

He still didn't like answering questions, it seemed. It was okay. She'd break him of that someday. For now she'd ease into it, ask easy one-word answer questions.

Sighing, she leaned in to rest her forehead against Wrath's, brushing her lips against his. "I..want to ask questions, Rathsvith. And I think the easiest way to do that..is if the only answers you have to give are yes, no, and sometimes. Would that be all right?"

Seussi

 

[Seussi]

It wasn't that he didn't like answering questions, it was that he only preferred simple answers to easy questions, and this was neither, in his head.

Na'ima seemed to constantly move around him, leaning one way and then another, touching him, running fingers along his arm or loosening the ties in his beard, but he never moved more than breathing allowed while she did all of this, unsure of what might be considered "safe" at that moment. Mare's could be, from what he'd witnessed in his many years alive, unpredictable whirlwinds of emotion, one moment kind and in another cruel. Until he knew for sure what Na'ima would be, he would stay put.

But that didn't stop his face from turning into her touch slightly, a small smile coming to his lips.

"Is it that obvious?" He rumbled, and than let out a short laugh at what amounted to Na'ima's idea of a "joke".

Her lips where met with the lightest kiss, the way she hovered over him distracting, his resolve to stay still and wait out what he considered to be an impending storm wavering to the point where he leaned forward and kissed her again, this time with much more intent than the last, before pulling away, eyes going to hers before he nodded.

"I think that I could handle that."

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[Eight]

Oh! A kiss! Na'ima's eyes widened briefly at the first touch but she didn't move away. The second kiss was as surprising as the first, but at least this one was reciprocated. After the second kiss she was smirking, amusement in her eyes as she tilted her head so her lips were against his cheek instead of near his mouth. "I cannot speak if you continue to kiss me," she chided gently. She closed her eyes, cuddling closely against Wrath, her hands on his chest and a leg coming up to drape over his hips. Much better. He was warm.

"I will confess..the thought of you with a priestess troubled me. I have only met one priestess of Death and, well, she was quite lovely. I can't help but wonder if they all are that way, and if you truly did go and display your other skills for your disappointed priestess." She fell quiet after that, leaning back just enough to rest against the pillows without hovering over Wrath or breaking contact with him either. Golden eyes opened to look over his face again, her lips pursed with thought. "But I understand. You have a duty to your clan. And you are not courting me, after all. We do not belong to one another in any formal sense.." Her words were spoken in a more thoughtful tone than anything else, the mare was clearly thinking out loud. "But would you be bothered if I sought out another stallion?" She had no interest in it, not really, but she couldn't help but wonder if he ever had similar thoughts to her.

"..Do you care for me? Even a little?" He spent so much time with her, was tender with her, playful, even sometimes sickeningly sweet and thoughtful in ways she was surprised she enjoyed, but he had also hurt her..something she recalled telling him she had never given him the chance to do. But then he returned and was trying to make up for it. That had to mean something, right? She had never done any of this before. Na'ima frowned. "I feel as if there are certain things we should be discussing, but my experience in such things has only been with..well, you." She shrugged.

Seussi

 

[Seussi]

"Maybe that was the point." He replied cheekily, his voice low and quieter than usual, but he leaned back a bit as she went and made herself more comfortable, resting on his elbows on the pile of pillows behind him.

And then she began again, musings and thoughts spoken out loud like she had nothing to hide from him, her feelings laid out for him to consider. He wondered at what point this was going to turn into one of the easy questions she had promised for him to answer. When at last, a question came, he had to consider it carefully. Would he be bothered?

"If he were to replace me completely, than yes, I think so. If not, if just for a night or a few of frivolity, than perhaps not." Perhaps not. Just another way of saying I don't really know. Imagining it and actually experiencing it could garner to very different results when he came to how he felt.

This next question was easier to answer. "Yes." He nodded, "Of course I do."

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[Eight]

"You are just full of surprises," Na'ima mused humorously as the first question he answered was with more than one word. She smiled again, a hand lifting from his chest to once again toy at his beard. "So is it safe to assume you are not tired of me then? You meant nothing that you said earlier?"

Seussi

 

[Seussi]

Maybe she just needed to ask the right questions in order to get him to answer properly. In any case, he couldn't have just let that on in particular stand with a simple yes or no, as it was slightly more complicated than that, and had he said "Yes and no." She likely would have wanted him to elaborate anyways. This way, it was just done, and he could hope to not have to answer that question ever again.

He smiled in return, "I never said that I was tired of you, Na'ima." He answered, gently, reaching up to wrap a hand around the one that was toying with his beard, and lifting it to his lips so he could place a kiss on her knuckles, but her second question needed a little more thought.

"I do not mean to say anything to hurt you, again. I was just annoyed, and I took it out on the wrong person." He admitted, wincing a little. "I really am sorry."

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