[ Easy for her to say she wasn't embarrassed! They didn't have to stare at each other while she was petting the wolf man! Which was making it a lot easier for him to blush up a storm and not get called out for it. Unless he turned around. ...or maybe she knew exactly what this kind of attention was going to do to him anyway.
From the day they met at the tournament, she only continued to surprise him. She was stubborn, determined, and...in her own way, not one to compromise. If there was something that she wanted to do, she was going to carry it out. That's what Cloud had come to understand about her. Nothing would stop her from deciding to thank him with a kiss on the cheek that day in Obscuria. Or make the most out of being chained together. Even now, after coming to him in such dire straits, she's making short work of his composure again.
And there he is, nary a real complaint at the end of it all. ]
Ah-
[ !?! He must have zoned out slightly because the sudden feeling and sound of his ear getting kissed sends a shiver down his spine. His eyes widen and...yup. That's definitely Cloud making a weak little squawk, words failing him as his breath catches in his throat.
...'kay, now his heart is beating a little faster. The Sanguis moon's pull on him has waned a little, so his reaction is...honestly very genuine. And now his face feels all kinds of warm, lifting the back of his hand up to touch one of his cheeks before clearing his throat. It's a good thing that he's got fluffy wolf ears and not human ones right now. Otherwise she'd see how red they've become. It may have caught him off guard, but he... ...no. That was too embarrassing. He wasn't going to ask her to do that again. But what he can do, is finally say something he should have said a while ago. ]
[ She's not sure what he's thanking him for, really, but it makes her smile nonetheless. She thinks she's done good— so, ]
You're welcome.
[ Whether it's being here or helping him or drying his hair, she's... honestly glad to help out. Years of loneliness will get you craving for these kinds of things. Even just a simple thank you gets her chest beating fast, feeling fulfilled, even. It gets her sitting on her feet rather than kneeling on the mattress. She rests her head on his back with a heavy sigh. ]
Aura and Chroma are... sort of the same. If you don't have any left, it's dangerous. You could die.
[ Weiss begins softly, hands playing with the edge of her skirt while she's seated behind him. ]
And having your Aura activated drains all your Chroma. I don't know how many people here know that, but even if Raven knew, I don't think she would have told you. She's not a good person. She left Yang when she was still a baby. She also kidnapped me. As far as I'm concerned, she's an enemy.
... I wouldn't want any of my friends near her.
[ Her voice tapers off until it's silent in the room again. She's not really sure if she should continue, but she thinks she has something to tell him, too. ]
[ Just as Cloud opens his mouth to say something, the light weight of her head resting against his back hits him. Blinking curiously, he looks over his shoulder, unable to see her face as she lets out a heavy sigh. Cloud doesn't speak for the entire time that she explains to him the link between Aura and Chroma. So it was like exerting oneself too far in battle. Like the time he faced the dark titan across the Nothing with Marie and Sanson. Cloud nearly pushed himself to the point of no return in that fight. And that was before he even had access to this newfound ability.
Weiss' voice, soft as it was, reaches him very clearly as he looks straight ahead. He figured out the hard way (though by his own admittance, he was the one who sought this out upon learning about it) what it did to his Chroma reserves. If he'd delayed getting help any longer, chances were he'd wind up flaking with crystalline marks across his body. ]
... .... .....
[ Weiss... Now that he thinks about the way she reacted when he explained both his Aura being unlocked and who did it, it all makes perfect sense to him. The way she suddenly pulled him to her chest and embraced him... Cloud really had her worried, didn't he? Had the shoe been on the other foot somehow, and the prospect of Weiss being left on the brink of death was on the table... God, how would he react? She's caught a glimpse into his past before. He's seen what her supposed fate was to be on Remnant. He was tired. Tired of losing what he cared about. And yet he could run off and do something stupid, even if it was for someone else's sake.
The hypocrisy was real- yet deep down there was a part of him that would still do something risky for someone like her. He has a lot to think about when it comes to Raven, what she did to her daughter and to Weiss. Nothing she says to him has gone to waste. The person he's seen and the person that's being described to him now...
Well, what Cloud does know, is who he can trust. And that was the girl at his back, apologizing for yelling at him earlier. He wants to come back with something self-berating or lighthearted like how he deserved it; fair enough he felt that all things considered, she was 100% in the right. But right now, he has to return the favour- something he decides to do by scooching around on his butt. Not away from her, but so he's halfway facing her, leaning back on one of his hands. ]
And... I'm sorry I made you worry.
[ When their eyes meet, he's all too aware of how close she is to him. Rather than let that silence carry between them however, he leans in before even realizing it, until his lips meet hers with a soft kiss. ]
[ Being this close would really be weird and embarrassing with another person, but when Cloud shifts and turns to face her, it's almost as if it's natural. Whatever she was feeling earlier to the point that she had to apologise for looking around in his room is gone. She's honestly a lot more at ease now.
She doesn't know what Cloud is thinking. There's no way to, without him saying anything, but it feels like her breath's been taken away when he kisses her.
The kiss lingers despite being soft and gentle, and Weiss makes no motion to refuse it, but she also doesn't chase after it. She's perfectly content with it being short. It still packs a lot of meaning, and her lips curl into a small smile against his before she pulls away. ]
You should get some rest soon. I'm sure you need it.
[ Truthfully, Cloud didn't have a reason for why he decided to kiss her again. He might have been emboldened by the ruby glow that spreads across the clouds tonight. But maybe...he just felt like it. The insatiable desire from before was gone, leaving him to pull away just after Weiss does.
...huh. Maybe he could afford to actually show that bravado more often. Maybe.
Cloud felt much better. The only tinge of fatigue he feels came from what they were doing in the first place. If push came to shove, he could honestly stay up. But there's little fight in him on that front anyways. It's just a suggestion from her, and... ]
Mm. It's getting late... [ He's going to take her advice. But when he spares a glance back to his doorway, a hint of a frown crosses his lips. Something about this...doesn't feel right. Like there was still something missing. "Can I stay the night?" Sending her away wasn't right. ...no. He didn't want to. The sheets beneath his hand ball up into a gentle fist. ] Hey... [ He speaks up as he looks back to Weiss. ]
[ Well, Cloud? Is this what the moon wants? ...or what you want? ]
[ "not sure that's appropriate" would have been Weiss' initial response, but. . . at this point, Weiss doesn't really care much. At least, when Cloud is concerned, anyway. She literally came here to moonlace with him because he said he didn't have any Chroma.
Besides, what reason did she have back then when she asked to stay the night? Because the Cordis Moon was out? Yeah... but that's not really a valid reason, is it? Does she need one now?
. . . well, of course she does. It's not like she can be okay with it for no reason!! That would just out her as being comfortable with Cloud. That's embarrassing. ]
I got here past 9... I guess it's gotten late now. [ Thaaaat's a yes. ] You're going to have to lend me a shirt, though.
[ If any sense of relief washes over him, Cloud doesn't show it on the surface. He's just glad that she came to the same conclusion that he did. Sometimes there were things better left unsaid. So they can nag his brain later. 🙃
Speaking of being comfortable though...! ]
Yeah something tells me that's not a sleeping skirt, [ he replies as he slides off the bed to head for his dresser. It's a combat skirt, Cloud. Besides the claws, fangs and lupine ears atop his head, Cloud seems relatively normal now. Relaxed and calm, like her request was second nature to him.
Even for something so little, it was his turn to look after her. A shirt? He'll do her one better. Aaand- ]
Bingo, [ He says quietly to himself, pulling out a cotton pyjama set with matching top and bottom, and a dark flannel pattern that he'll bring over for Weiss. ] Here. This should do the trick.
[ Weiss gets up when Cloud seems ready to hand over clothes to her. She's not really sure if the pants will fit her, but she takes the pyjamas and excuses herself to the bathroom after that.
It doesn't take long for her to come back later on though. It's just the button-down top she's wearing, and it falls on her like a short dress rather than a shirt. It's still too short for an actual dress though, most of her legs exposed and if she bent over just a little bit, her panties, too.
Her dress hangs by her arm, as well as her bra, and the pants that match the top she has on now. No run in with Panty on the way back, too. Good for her. ]
[ There's a brief instance where his brain thinks that she might actually change in the room with him. If she did, he was prepared to turn around and...honestly have a hard time getting that mental image out of his skull anyway. Stripping down or changing clothes in front of someone when it didn't have to do with sex was...well alright. Comfy as the two had become around each other? That's still "u-uh...hoo boy" territory. Just because his Chroma levels were stable again, doesn't mean there's some magical "off" switch for his moon cycle!
So imagine his relief when Weiss excuses herself to change outside again. When she leaves, there's a flickering moment where his head feels like it's throbbing ever so subtly. It wasn't painful or anything- just enough of a reminder for the acerbic swordsman to mentally scold himself. Calm down...calm down... Sanguis wouldn't win again. Not while Cloud was in charge and-- ]
..................
[ Oh. She didn't...wear the pants. There's...nothing on but what he can only imagine is her panties. With her hair down, Weiss catches Cloud like a deer in the headlights. For about a couple seconds before he realizes he's staring. Because. Damn? Maybe asking her to stay the night was tempting fate a little too hard. A couple quick blinks later and he snaps out of it and clears his throat. Don't comment on her legs. Or her hips. Or the fact that one bend in any direction was gonna give him a "sneak peek". ]
Well at least you got the shirt you asked for. [ As he says this, he closes the distance across the room to her. He's got a closet where he can hang her dress in. Better than having it crumpled on the floor or hanging off a bed knob or something, even if she just moonlaced with him while wearing it. ]
[ Did she just catch him staring? She definitely did. Were the Cordis moon out right now, she'd totally be flaunting her assets and then some. Maybe even sway her hips some more as she walks (she already does, normally, after all).
But... she doesn't think anything wrong with it. Cloud's seen more of what she's exposing now. He even asked her to stay the night, so she doesn't consider how she looks and the current predicament of her body to be indecent. It's not... is it?
At the very least, with Cloud offering to take her clothes from her, she doesn't have to tiptoe to hang them somewhere. That would be bad??? Good??????? And now that she's handed over her dress and the pyjama pants to him, she's left with her bra. Which... makes this a little awkward now. ]
I can take care of this.
[ She'll just... grab that back and give a sheepish grin his way because okay akjalf he can look at her legs all he likes but this one is different??? ]
[ Weiss certainly did have a lowkey, if not sophisticated, swagger to her step. It's the little blessings that had Cloud grateful that she wasn't blessed by Cordis right now. Part of him wouldn't be able to handle the teasing, let alone her pheromones and burning through Chroma. He'd be filling her up all night at that rate. ...with Chroma. Sheesh.
When she takes back her bra with a sheepish grin, Cloud gives a small, knowing and somewhat apologetic smile of his own. The kind that screams an unspoken "whoops". It's enough that he can't help nervously laughing. Pause. Aaand he goes to hang up her dress in his closet before it got weird! He takes a little extra time with the dress, feeling the soft fabric beneath his fingertips as he smooths any potential crinkles out.
He's shown before that he's surprisingly good with dresses. Wonder why... Giving a satisfied little 'Mm', he shuts the closet before turning around to Weiss again.
Saved. ]
Anything else I can get you?
[ Because if not, he's gonna. Try to sleep. Emphasis on try, because she's in the process of awakening a side of him he didn't even know existed- finding out she pulls the "wearing the guy's shirt" look off too damn well. Indecent wouldn't be the word Cloud used to describe her current state.
...
He also wouldn't use the word sexy. But guess which one he's thinking. /// ]
[ Weiss actually goes to open the closet and hang her bra on the hanger with her dress, before shutting it, leaning back against the door ever so tightly. Oops. You saw nothing, Cloud, and that wasn't awkward at all. ]
No, I'm fine. Thank you.
[ She shakes her head quickly before passing a smile his way. Once she's done guarding her clothes in his closet, she walks over to his bed and gets under the covers. She pulls the blanket over her legs as she sits down on the side of the bed that she's claimed hers for the night. Look... she may as well get comfortable if he invited her to stay over!! This is completely natural. ]
[ Cloud is quick to step out of the way when she opens the closet and hangs her bra with her dress too. Oh, he saw. Yet...this kind of awkward feeling was...different from before. It's the kind that leaves him sheepishly rubbing the back of his neck in response to her. It was clear that the blond didn't...do this often. Not like this anyway.
When her back is turned to him and she moves to get under the covers, he silently claps his cheeks as if that would sober his Sanguis tendencies. Maybe it does? ... A little? But he doesn't wait to get in bed with her either. Surely they both had plans for tomorrow. At first he sits down beside her, tugging the blanket up over his legs too. But it isn't long before he scoots a little further down on the bed so that he can flop back with a soft bounce. ]
...
[ He blows some bangs away from his eyes as he lays on his back beside her, one arm resting over his head with a long breath out. Cloud can talk a big talk, and it's true that he could stay awake. But now that he's here at Weiss' side, down on a soft mattress and a pillow under his head... His eyelids suddenly start growing heavier. One thing was certain, his nerves from earlier were ebbing away with each passing second, enough so that he gives one last gentle sigh of resignation through his nose, closing his eyes with a smile. ]
[ Weiss switches the lights off before dipping down under the sheets and resting her head against the pillow. She's honestly pretty tired, even after all that moonlacing from earlier. Today was a pretty long day, after all. She just came from a show!
But tomorrow is another day, and she doesn't have to start early. It's fine if she takes a break once in a while, which is why she didn't even make an excuse that she has work tomorrow or anything. The only hesitation she had when it came to saying yes to staying the night was that it seemed a little inappropriate. All is fine now, though. ]
Good night, Cloud.
[ She says it softly before she turns to face the other way as she closes her eyes. It doesn't take long for her to fall asleep, but she does end up moving a little in the middle of the night until she's facing him. ]
[ Cloud takes a little longer to fall asleep- he can thank the nagging heat coursing through his body for that. Besides his lack of Chroma, at least this was a better alternative than what he would normally do at this time of night; that's to go out seeking fights. All this time he spent thinking he'd get too restless and leave to clear his head... ]
z z z . . .
[ ...aaand he's out like a light before he consciously realizes it. Talk a big talk, but he's more tired than he lets on. That's usually the case for him without the moons too. He isn't the type to move too much during the night. But usually there's not another warm body in bed with him. So...plans change. For once, he doesn't actually wake up in the middle of the night. He's not much of a snorer either, gently breathing.
It's an uneventful, peaceful evening. Probably one of the most peaceful in recent memory for the usually restless swordsman. That might have to do with what starts as the arm over his head slowly falling down to brush against hers. ...and then turning in his sleep until he's facing her too. His heightened senses listen to the sound of her breathing, the subtle trickling of Chroma from their arms brushing against each other coaxing him to come a little closer.
It's a lesson he learned from Weiss from the day they met. Moonlacing was a wonderful feeling. But it always came with a price. The littlest of things wasn't enough- very hard to give up. The body wanted more. Craves the Chroma that the touch of another can provide. ]
..............
[ Her scent, her breathing, his leg rubbing against hers... Cloud is completely unaware of everything. While he doesn't do anything like throw his arm over Weiss' body, Cloud falls into an even deeper sleep at her side, arm resting against hers. ]
[ After the recent events that have happened in Remnant, Weiss has become a light sleeper. You can't exactly sleep comfortably when you're sleeping on the ground, after all. Plus, you always have to be ready for battle. Even with the six months she's been here, her body's adjusted far too much that she's still that way even up to now.
But perhaps she's exhausted, or perhaps it's because of how comfortable the Chroma trickling in is, that she doesn't stir in her sleep. She's comfortable like this, even dreaming about something nice and peaceful and relaxing and she's deep into the story of it. It's gotten a little warm though, that much she can feel, and it makes her kick the blankets down a little. If it continues, she might kick the blankets off altogether. ]
[ It took two years of Cloud sleeping in a normal bed for him somewhat get used to a better sleep. ...granted those two years were also spent overcoming facets of past guilt. But that's another story altogether. One he'd intentionally buried and moved beyond. His dreams had a tendency to either be something nonsensical, or influenced by something that recently happened to him. ...if it wasn't a nightmare.
What he dreams about is, fortunately, not the latter. It's a familiar white forest Cloud finds himself wandering through. He's alone. Isolated. But there's one key difference from before. It's snowing, and there's a faint chill in the air as the blond sets forth through the forest of the Ancients. Surrounded by ethereally glowing trees, the dream continues until he finds himself at the edge of a body of water. There's something nostalgic about this place...something that gets him to gently smile to himself, even if he doesn't say anything. Sitting at the water's surface, he closes his eyes...
...to open them at the sight of a wolf sitting across the pond. It's funny. He stopped dreaming about that wolf a long time ago. So why was it here again? This must have been Sanguis' doing. His brow furrows at the sight, only to blink and find that the wolf disappears again. Deciding it was time to go, he gets up as he checks his reflection in the water's surface. ]
...?
[ Something else was off about the star-kissed sky. Craning his head back, Cloud is perplexed by what he sees.
The moon...? It's strange. For some reason, he finds himself unable to look away, his sense of wonder only offset by the subtle unease at the sight. Where did he hear about this before? Wherever it's from, there's not much time to contemplate it as soft footsteps reach his ears from behind- back in the forest of glowing white trees when he spots a girl wandering out of his view.
Weiss...?
The rest of the dream is spent just barely missing the flow of white hair as they disappear behind another tree. When he rounds the corner, she's gone again. Another shiver wracks his body as the serene scene continues, unaware of the fact that the blankets were getting kicked down bit by bit in the real world. Which lends itself to Cloud subconsciously moving in closer to Weiss as he softly sighs in his sleep. ]
[ It's the continued warmth that finally wakes Weiss up. By now, the blankets are on the floor. She opens her eyes, grumbling a little, because as far as she's concerned, it's not yet time to wake up.
There's not much to see in the dark though, but with one sense having booted up, the rest of her senses begin to work again, too. She feels something on her, which she recognises as his arm. She can feel him breathing close to her while he's sound asleep. Maybe another time, Weiss would have a reaction with more energy, but at this time, she doesn't really do anything about it. Instead, she lifts his arm so she can roll and face the other way, then plops his arm back on her.
After that? She goes back to sleep. It's way too early for this... ]
[ His wolf ears give a little twitch when he can subtly feel his body shifting. The night sky fades to black as the scene unfolding in his dream comes to a close...and by the time he wakes up, Weiss has already fallen back asleep. He lifts his head, feeling heavier than usual as he realizes that while her back is to him, she's...effectively pressed up against him at the same time, his arm like a proverbial security blanket wrapped over her. ]
... .... .....
[ Cloud, however, was in the same frame of mind that Weiss was in. And that's to fall right back asleep with her. The arm that's draped over her settles around her waist, as his other arm gets comfy, partially slid beneath the corner of Weiss' pillow. A sign that he's completely relaxed? Those ears go limp atop his head, his face partially buried against the back of her hair as her scent soothes him further.
For how aggressive he was when she first came over, the larger blond was rather gentle with her. He's also aware of the fact that he's flat-out cuddling her at this point. First spoon? First spoon. Cloud also doesn't care. This is nice. And he's too lazy to get out of bed to get the blankets back. The amount of Chroma he's giving and receiving on the other hand...
Well. Even without the blanket, at least getting cozy with a Sanguis was a nice alternative. ]
[ Weiss doesn't wake up again after that, her sleep being peaceful and tranquil as the night continues on. Not even just the night. When morning comes, Weiss is still in the same position she'd put herself in some time in the middle of the night. Her breathing's just fine, body not at all being squished, and she's totally comfortable. With the sun up, the only thing left is for her to finally get out of bed to start the day, but when she rolls on her back to stretch a little, she feels her legs ache as if she's ran five marathons without stopping.
It gets her to let out a soft "ow", and she shimmies from under Cloud's arm so she can sit up. Only moving her legs when just to do that hurts too. Her body's sore, and it's not even something that she can heal with her Aura. Must be because of how her legs were positioned for some time last night... She has half a mind to blame Cloud for it, but when the guy's sleeping so peacefully next to her like this, it makes it difficult to!! Damn wolf ears making him look like a dog...
She's at least going to will him awake by pouting at his general sleeping direction, though!!! ]
[ The rest of Cloud's night was just as serene. If he's dreamt of anything else, he's already forgotten what it was about. The subtle shifting out from under his arm causes him to stir. No longer holding her from behind, it causes him to roll over onto his back. He's awake too, just beginning to stir as his eyes scrunch. Cloud can only fight his body's desire to get up for so long...and subconsciously resist the glaring pout of a certain huntress. ]
z z z . . .
[ Twitch twitch go the wolf ears again as his eyes flutter open. With a groan under his breath, he sits upright, arching his back before sighing with relief. The room is a lot brighter now. He must have been out like a light for a while. ]
Morning— [ ...oh. ] —Weiss?
[ That can't be good. Rubbing at one of his eyes, he tries to get a yawn out of his system quickly as he rests back on one of his hands. ]
[ It's a little difficult to outright say that her body hurts?? She looks away when he says her name, but her gaze is only away from his for a few seconds. ]
Good enough.
[ It was comfortable!! It was a little hot but kicking off the blankets did the trick. ]
My legs just hurt a little.
[ She could get a little more specific than that. It's her thighs that hurt, and once she stands up to walk? She's definitely going to feel it a lot more. Too bad she won't say it, though. But she does, say the following: ]
It's all your fault.
[ :T At least it's not said with any anger or irritation. But there's a secret "now you have to make up for it" there... ]
[ He repeats her words as his deep blue gaze drifts down to her legs. That's right. She wasn't wearing anything under his shirt but her panties right now. Cloud thinks she got too cold and now they were sore because of that. ...for about two seconds before it clicks. Legs didn't get achy because of no blankets.
...
Oh. Oh. Reflections of the night before race through his mind. A mingling of moans, hands all over the other, but most importantly...when she told him that it hurt. His claws were one thing, but riding him as long as she did, not to mention the passionately rough pace they chased...ah. So that's what she meant by it being his fault. And with the faux threat to kill him. Cloud's cheeks are dusted pink, caught between guilt and...well. It'd be a couple days yet before the Sanguis cycle was finished. ]
Hmm...
[ That settles it. Before they do anything else today, he's not about to let her out of bed just to be walking sore. Without another word, he rolls over to his nightstand on his side of the bed, opening the drawer as a lustrous green orb rolls to the front. There. That'll do the trick. ]
Here. [ There's no real formalities when it came to using Materia. Not with his degree of expertise... His eyes settle on the sphere in his hand before moving back in by Weiss' side. If she has any questions for him while he does this, he'll answer her. But for now... ] Let me help.
[ With the Materia in one hand, calmly swirling with energy on the inside, and the other gently resting atop her thigh, he closes his eyes to concentrate. He controls the power of the stone, enough that casting the spell wouldn't be some theatrical display. With his hand upon her as he does this, it would be at its most potent. He breathes out, and the regen spell is cast. Ethereal green lights twinkle around her body as a new sensation would come over her.
Warmth. But not the suffocating kind that had her kicking the blankets off in the night. It's not instantaneous either. Slow...very slow waves of soothing warmth that wash over her body. Every time it would ebb away, it'd leave her body feeling less and less of that pain from before. This was going to continue for a little while... ]
...
[ He opens his eyes , his hand still lingering on her bare thigh when he realizes just how close they were again. It took most if not all of his willpower not to do something last night when she called him to bed. But here...it just feels right. At least, it's a good way to start his apology, planting another soft, lingering kiss upon her lips. ]
[ How can he help? And then he turns and pulls out an orb, and her attention immediately zeroes in on it. It looks like Dust, in a way. Clear and of a single colour, it's almost like a real crystal, but Weiss is able to tell there's more to it than that just by looking at it.
Cloud does his thing, and Weiss just observes. He wouldn't do anything now that would endanger her, so she leaves it up to him without interruption. Though admittedly, she's very curious as to how this would work and as to how the body pain she's feeling will go away. Dust can't do any of that, after all. They just provide energy.
The hand on her thigh is cold at first, and it makes her tense up a little. It's the blankets... had Cloud slept with blankets on, then maybe his entire body wouldn't be cold. . . Weiss relaxes eventually at least, when his hand warms up against her skin. And she relaxes even more when she begins to feel the effects of the regen spell.
It's nothing similar to what she's experienced before, and it makes her look from one side to another because it feels like she's sparkling a different light. Her Aura is light blue, but there are green lights around her that disappear and reappear at a different spot every other second. That's when her eyes meet blue, not green this time, and she's about to say something when his lips are on hers, soft like the morning sun, and warm like the breeze on a summer's day. Weiss' eyes close when she kisses back, gentle like the first drop of snow in winter, placing her hand atop his on her thigh. ]
[ It's much like last night, except slower and far more tempered. When she kisses him back, the moment continues on as his hold on the Materia wanes, leaving it to sit behind him. Maybe it's the pleasant buzz in his head from having just woken up from a peaceful rest, but her lips seem softer than before. Instinctively, not wanting to pull away, he draws in her scent before gently sighing against her mouth.
He intended for this to be a simple kiss accompanied by an apology.
Maybe another morning greeting. But it's clear with the way his fingers trail towards the inside of her thigh, while slowly deepening the kiss, that the initial plan was being changed on the fly. Last night may have been incredible, but not without its hiccups- hiccups that made him all too aware of his own strength (and penchant for losing control). As far as Cloud was concerned...he still had a lot of "making up" to do. With the memory of her scent fresh in his mind from last night, and being reminded of it oh-so-prominently now... ]
Haa...
[ Though Cloud's the one to break the kiss, it didn't mean that he had any plan of stopping. Starting with the corner of her mouth, then peppering her jawline. He's taking it slow, but...is he progressively getting lower? ]
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no subject
From the day they met at the tournament, she only continued to surprise him. She was stubborn, determined, and...in her own way, not one to compromise. If there was something that she wanted to do, she was going to carry it out. That's what Cloud had come to understand about her. Nothing would stop her from deciding to thank him with a kiss on the cheek that day in Obscuria. Or make the most out of being chained together. Even now, after coming to him in such dire straits, she's making short work of his composure again.
And there he is, nary a real complaint at the end of it all. ]
Ah-
[ !?! He must have zoned out slightly because the sudden feeling and sound of his ear getting kissed sends a shiver down his spine. His eyes widen and...yup. That's definitely Cloud making a weak little squawk, words failing him as his breath catches in his throat.
...'kay, now his heart is beating a little faster. The Sanguis moon's pull on him has waned a little, so his reaction is...honestly very genuine. And now his face feels all kinds of warm, lifting the back of his hand up to touch one of his cheeks before clearing his throat. It's a good thing that he's got fluffy wolf ears and not human ones right now. Otherwise she'd see how red they've become. It may have caught him off guard, but he... ...no. That was too embarrassing. He wasn't going to ask her to do that again. But what he can do, is finally say something he should have said a while ago. ]
Thank you.
no subject
You're welcome.
[ Whether it's being here or helping him or drying his hair, she's... honestly glad to help out. Years of loneliness will get you craving for these kinds of things. Even just a simple thank you gets her chest beating fast, feeling fulfilled, even. It gets her sitting on her feet rather than kneeling on the mattress. She rests her head on his back with a heavy sigh. ]
Aura and Chroma are... sort of the same. If you don't have any left, it's dangerous. You could die.
[ Weiss begins softly, hands playing with the edge of her skirt while she's seated behind him. ]
And having your Aura activated drains all your Chroma. I don't know how many people here know that, but even if Raven knew, I don't think she would have told you. She's not a good person. She left Yang when she was still a baby. She also kidnapped me. As far as I'm concerned, she's an enemy.
... I wouldn't want any of my friends near her.
[ Her voice tapers off until it's silent in the room again. She's not really sure if she should continue, but she thinks she has something to tell him, too. ]
I'm sorry for yelling at you.
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Weiss' voice, soft as it was, reaches him very clearly as he looks straight ahead. He figured out the hard way (though by his own admittance, he was the one who sought this out upon learning about it) what it did to his Chroma reserves. If he'd delayed getting help any longer, chances were he'd wind up flaking with crystalline marks across his body. ]
... .... .....
[ Weiss... Now that he thinks about the way she reacted when he explained both his Aura being unlocked and who did it, it all makes perfect sense to him. The way she suddenly pulled him to her chest and embraced him... Cloud really had her worried, didn't he? Had the shoe been on the other foot somehow, and the prospect of Weiss being left on the brink of death was on the table... God, how would he react? She's caught a glimpse into his past before. He's seen what her supposed fate was to be on Remnant. He was tired. Tired of losing what he cared about. And yet he could run off and do something stupid, even if it was for someone else's sake.
The hypocrisy was real- yet deep down there was a part of him that would still do something risky for someone like her. He has a lot to think about when it comes to Raven, what she did to her daughter and to Weiss. Nothing she says to him has gone to waste. The person he's seen and the person that's being described to him now...
Well, what Cloud does know, is who he can trust. And that was the girl at his back, apologizing for yelling at him earlier. He wants to come back with something self-berating or lighthearted like how he deserved it; fair enough he felt that all things considered, she was 100% in the right. But right now, he has to return the favour- something he decides to do by scooching around on his butt. Not away from her, but so he's halfway facing her, leaning back on one of his hands. ]
And... I'm sorry I made you worry.
[ When their eyes meet, he's all too aware of how close she is to him. Rather than let that silence carry between them however, he leans in before even realizing it, until his lips meet hers with a soft kiss. ]
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She doesn't know what Cloud is thinking. There's no way to, without him saying anything, but it feels like her breath's been taken away when he kisses her.
The kiss lingers despite being soft and gentle, and Weiss makes no motion to refuse it, but she also doesn't chase after it. She's perfectly content with it being short. It still packs a lot of meaning, and her lips curl into a small smile against his before she pulls away. ]
You should get some rest soon. I'm sure you need it.
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...huh. Maybe he could afford to actually show that bravado more often. Maybe.
Cloud felt much better. The only tinge of fatigue he feels came from what they were doing in the first place. If push came to shove, he could honestly stay up. But there's little fight in him on that front anyways. It's just a suggestion from her, and... ]
Mm. It's getting late... [ He's going to take her advice. But when he spares a glance back to his doorway, a hint of a frown crosses his lips. Something about this...doesn't feel right. Like there was still something missing.
"Can I stay the night?"Sending her away wasn't right. ...no. He didn't want to. The sheets beneath his hand ball up into a gentle fist. ] Hey... [ He speaks up as he looks back to Weiss. ][ Well, Cloud? Is this what the moon wants? ...or what you want? ]
You wanna stay the night?
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[ "not sure that's appropriate" would have been Weiss' initial response, but. . . at this point, Weiss doesn't really care much. At least, when Cloud is concerned, anyway. She literally came here to moonlace with him because he said he didn't have any Chroma.
Besides, what reason did she have back then when she asked to stay the night? Because the Cordis Moon was out? Yeah... but that's not really a valid reason, is it? Does she need one now?
. . . well, of course she does. It's not like she can be okay with it for no reason!! That would just out her as being comfortable with Cloud. That's embarrassing. ]
I got here past 9... I guess it's gotten late now. [ Thaaaat's a yes. ] You're going to have to lend me a shirt, though.
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So they can nag his brain later. 🙃Speaking of being comfortable though...! ]
Yeah something tells me that's not a sleeping skirt, [ he replies as he slides off the bed to head for his dresser.
It's a combat skirt, Cloud.Besides the claws, fangs and lupine ears atop his head, Cloud seems relatively normal now. Relaxed and calm, like her request was second nature to him.Even for something so little, it was his turn to look after her. A shirt? He'll do her one better. Aaand- ]
Bingo, [ He says quietly to himself, pulling out a cotton pyjama set with matching top and bottom, and a dark flannel pattern that he'll bring over for Weiss. ] Here. This should do the trick.
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It doesn't take long for her to come back later on though. It's just the button-down top she's wearing, and it falls on her like a short dress rather than a shirt. It's still too short for an actual dress though, most of her legs exposed and if she bent over just a little bit, her panties, too.
Her dress hangs by her arm, as well as her bra, and the pants that match the top she has on now. No run in with Panty on the way back, too. Good for her. ]
The pants are a little too big for me.
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So imagine his relief when Weiss excuses herself to change outside again. When she leaves, there's a flickering moment where his head feels like it's throbbing ever so subtly. It wasn't painful or anything- just enough of a reminder for the acerbic swordsman to mentally scold himself. Calm down...calm down... Sanguis wouldn't win
again. Not while Cloud was in charge and-- ]..................
[ Oh. She didn't...wear the pants. There's...nothing on but what he can only imagine is her panties. With her hair down, Weiss catches Cloud like a deer in the headlights. For about a couple seconds before he realizes he's staring.
Because. Damn?Maybe asking her to stay the night was tempting fate a little too hard. A couple quick blinks later and he snaps out of it and clears his throat. Don't comment on her legs. Or her hips. Or the fact that one bend in any direction was gonna give him a "sneak peek". ]Well at least you got the shirt you asked for. [ As he says this, he closes the distance across the room to her. He's got a closet where he can hang her dress in. Better than having it crumpled on the floor or hanging off a bed knob or something, even if she just moonlaced with him while wearing it. ]
I can take those for you.
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[ Did she just catch him staring? She definitely did. Were the Cordis moon out right now, she'd totally be flaunting her assets and then some. Maybe even sway her hips some more as she walks (she already does, normally, after all).
But... she doesn't think anything wrong with it. Cloud's seen more of what she's exposing now. He even asked her to stay the night, so she doesn't consider how she looks and the current predicament of her body to be indecent. It's not... is it?
At the very least, with Cloud offering to take her clothes from her, she doesn't have to tiptoe to hang them somewhere. That would be bad??? Good??????? And now that she's handed over her dress and the pyjama pants to him, she's left with her bra. Which... makes this a little awkward now. ]
I can take care of this.
[ She'll just... grab that back and give a sheepish grin his way because okay akjalf he can look at her legs all he likes but this one is different??? ]
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He'd be filling her up all night at that rate. ...with Chroma. Sheesh.When she takes back her bra with a sheepish grin, Cloud gives a small, knowing and somewhat apologetic smile of his own. The kind that screams an unspoken "whoops". It's enough that he can't help nervously laughing. Pause. Aaand he goes to hang up her dress in his closet before it got weird! He takes a little extra time with the dress, feeling the soft fabric beneath his fingertips as he smooths any potential crinkles out.
He's shown before that he's surprisingly good with dresses. Wonder why... Giving a satisfied little 'Mm', he shuts the closet before turning around to Weiss again.
Saved. ]
Anything else I can get you?
[ Because if not, he's gonna. Try to sleep. Emphasis on try, because she's in the process of awakening a side of him he didn't even know existed- finding out she pulls the "wearing the guy's shirt" look off too damn well. Indecent wouldn't be the word Cloud used to describe her current state.
...
He also wouldn't use the word sexy. But guess which one he's thinking. /// ]
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No, I'm fine. Thank you.
[ She shakes her head quickly before passing a smile his way. Once she's done guarding her clothes in his closet, she walks over to his bed and gets under the covers. She pulls the blanket over her legs as she sits down on the side of the bed that she's claimed hers for the night. Look... she may as well get comfortable if he invited her to stay over!! This is completely natural. ]
It's time to sleep.
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When her back is turned to him and she moves to get under the covers, he silently claps his cheeks as if that would sober his Sanguis tendencies. Maybe it does? ... A little? But he doesn't wait to get in bed with her either. Surely they both had plans for tomorrow. At first he sits down beside her, tugging the blanket up over his legs too. But it isn't long before he scoots a little further down on the bed so that he can flop back with a soft bounce. ]
...
[ He blows some bangs away from his eyes as he lays on his back beside her, one arm resting over his head with a long breath out. Cloud can talk a big talk, and it's true that he could stay awake. But now that he's here at Weiss' side, down on a soft mattress and a pillow under his head... His eyelids suddenly start growing heavier. One thing was certain, his nerves from earlier were ebbing away with each passing second, enough so that he gives one last gentle sigh of resignation through his nose, closing his eyes with a smile. ]
Good night.
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But tomorrow is another day, and she doesn't have to start early. It's fine if she takes a break once in a while, which is why she didn't even make an excuse that she has work tomorrow or anything. The only hesitation she had when it came to saying yes to staying the night was that it seemed a little inappropriate. All is fine now, though. ]
Good night, Cloud.
[ She says it softly before she turns to face the other way as she closes her eyes. It doesn't take long for her to fall asleep, but she does end up moving a little in the middle of the night until she's facing him. ]
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z z z . . .
[ ...aaand he's out like a light before he consciously realizes it. Talk a big talk, but he's more tired than he lets on. That's usually the case for him without the moons too. He isn't the type to move too much during the night. But usually there's not another warm body in bed with him. So...plans change. For once, he doesn't actually wake up in the middle of the night. He's not much of a snorer either, gently breathing.
It's an uneventful, peaceful evening. Probably one of the most peaceful in recent memory for the usually restless swordsman. That might have to do with what starts as the arm over his head slowly falling down to brush against hers. ...and then turning in his sleep until he's facing her too. His heightened senses listen to the sound of her breathing, the subtle trickling of Chroma from their arms brushing against each other coaxing him to come a little closer.
It's a lesson he learned from Weiss from the day they met. Moonlacing was a wonderful feeling. But it always came with a price. The littlest of things wasn't enough- very hard to give up. The body wanted more. Craves the Chroma that the touch of another can provide. ]
..............
[ Her scent, her breathing, his leg rubbing against hers... Cloud is completely unaware of everything. While he doesn't do anything like throw his arm over Weiss' body, Cloud falls into an even deeper sleep at her side, arm resting against hers. ]
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But perhaps she's exhausted, or perhaps it's because of how comfortable the Chroma trickling in is, that she doesn't stir in her sleep. She's comfortable like this, even dreaming about something nice and peaceful and relaxing and she's deep into the story of it. It's gotten a little warm though, that much she can feel, and it makes her kick the blankets down a little. If it continues, she might kick the blankets off altogether. ]
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What he dreams about is, fortunately, not the latter. It's a familiar white forest Cloud finds himself wandering through. He's alone. Isolated. But there's one key difference from before. It's snowing, and there's a faint chill in the air as the blond sets forth through the forest of the Ancients. Surrounded by ethereally glowing trees, the dream continues until he finds himself at the edge of a body of water. There's something nostalgic about this place...something that gets him to gently smile to himself, even if he doesn't say anything. Sitting at the water's surface, he closes his eyes...
...to open them at the sight of a wolf sitting across the pond. It's funny. He stopped dreaming about that wolf a long time ago. So why was it here again? This must have been Sanguis' doing. His brow furrows at the sight, only to blink and find that the wolf disappears again. Deciding it was time to go, he gets up as he checks his reflection in the water's surface. ]
...?
[ Something else was off about the star-kissed sky. Craning his head back, Cloud is perplexed by what he sees.
The moon...? It's strange. For some reason, he finds himself unable to look away, his sense of wonder only offset by the subtle unease at the sight. Where did he hear about this before? Wherever it's from, there's not much time to contemplate it as soft footsteps reach his ears from behind- back in the forest of glowing white trees when he spots a girl wandering out of his view.
Weiss...?
The rest of the dream is spent just barely missing the flow of white hair as they disappear behind another tree. When he rounds the corner, she's gone again. Another shiver wracks his body as the serene scene continues, unaware of the fact that the blankets were getting kicked down bit by bit in the real world. Which lends itself to Cloud subconsciously moving in closer to Weiss as he softly sighs in his sleep. ]
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There's not much to see in the dark though, but with one sense having booted up, the rest of her senses begin to work again, too. She feels something on her, which she recognises as his arm. She can feel him breathing close to her while he's sound asleep. Maybe another time, Weiss would have a reaction with more energy, but at this time, she doesn't really do anything about it. Instead, she lifts his arm so she can roll and face the other way, then plops his arm back on her.
After that? She goes back to sleep. It's way too early for this... ]
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... .... .....
[ Cloud, however, was in the same frame of mind that Weiss was in. And that's to fall right back asleep with her. The arm that's draped over her settles around her waist, as his other arm gets comfy, partially slid beneath the corner of Weiss' pillow. A sign that he's completely relaxed? Those ears go limp atop his head, his face partially buried against the back of her hair as her scent soothes him further.
For how aggressive he was when she first came over, the larger blond was rather gentle with her. He's also aware of the fact that he's flat-out cuddling her at this point.
First spoon? First spoon.Cloud also doesn't care. This is nice. And he's too lazy to get out of bed to get the blankets back. The amount of Chroma he's giving and receiving on the other hand...Well. Even without the blanket, at least getting cozy with a Sanguis was a nice alternative. ]
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It gets her to let out a soft "ow", and she shimmies from under Cloud's arm so she can sit up. Only moving her legs when just to do that hurts too. Her body's sore, and it's not even something that she can heal with her Aura.
Must be because of how her legs were positioned for some time last night...She has half a mind to blame Cloud for it, but when the guy's sleeping so peacefully next to her like this, it makes it difficult to!! Damn wolf ears making him look like a dog...She's at least going to will him awake by pouting at his general sleeping direction, though!!! ]
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z z z . . .
[ Twitch twitch go the wolf ears again as his eyes flutter open. With a groan under his breath, he sits upright, arching his back before sighing with relief. The room is a lot brighter now. He must have been out like a light for a while. ]
Morning— [ ...oh. ] —Weiss?
[ That can't be good. Rubbing at one of his eyes, he tries to get a yawn out of his system quickly as he rests back on one of his hands. ]
How'd...you sleep?
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Good enough.
[ It was comfortable!! It was a little hot but kicking off the blankets did the trick. ]
My legs just hurt a little.
[ She could get a little more specific than that. It's her thighs that hurt, and once she stands up to walk? She's definitely going to feel it a lot more. Too bad she won't say it, though. But she does, say the following: ]
It's all your fault.
[ :T At least it's not said with any anger or irritation. But there's a secret "now you have to make up for it" there... ]
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[ He repeats her words as his deep blue gaze drifts down to her legs. That's right. She wasn't wearing anything under his shirt but her panties right now. Cloud thinks she got too cold and now they were sore because of that. ...for about two seconds before it clicks. Legs didn't get achy because of no blankets.
...
Oh. Oh. Reflections of the night before race through his mind. A mingling of moans, hands all over the other, but most importantly...when she told him that it hurt. His claws were one thing, but riding him as long as she did, not to mention the passionately rough pace they chased...ah. So that's what she meant by it being his fault. And with the faux threat to kill him. Cloud's cheeks are dusted pink, caught between guilt and...well. It'd be a couple days yet before the Sanguis cycle was finished. ]
Hmm...
[ That settles it. Before they do anything else today, he's not about to let her out of bed just to be walking sore. Without another word, he rolls over to his nightstand on his side of the bed, opening the drawer as a lustrous green orb rolls to the front. There. That'll do the trick. ]
Here. [ There's no real formalities when it came to using Materia. Not with his degree of expertise... His eyes settle on the sphere in his hand before moving back in by Weiss' side. If she has any questions for him while he does this, he'll answer her. But for now... ] Let me help.
[ With the Materia in one hand, calmly swirling with energy on the inside, and the other gently resting atop her thigh, he closes his eyes to concentrate. He controls the power of the stone, enough that casting the spell wouldn't be some theatrical display. With his hand upon her as he does this, it would be at its most potent. He breathes out, and the regen spell is cast. Ethereal green lights twinkle around her body as a new sensation would come over her.
Warmth. But not the suffocating kind that had her kicking the blankets off in the night. It's not instantaneous either. Slow...very slow waves of soothing warmth that wash over her body. Every time it would ebb away, it'd leave her body feeling less and less of that pain from before. This was going to continue for a little while... ]
...
[ He opens his eyes , his hand still lingering on her bare thigh when he realizes just how close they were again. It took most if not all of his willpower not to do something last night when she called him to bed. But here...it just feels right. At least, it's a good way to start his apology, planting another soft, lingering kiss upon her lips. ]
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[ How can he help? And then he turns and pulls out an orb, and her attention immediately zeroes in on it. It looks like Dust, in a way. Clear and of a single colour, it's almost like a real crystal, but Weiss is able to tell there's more to it than that just by looking at it.
Cloud does his thing, and Weiss just observes. He wouldn't do anything now that would endanger her, so she leaves it up to him without interruption. Though admittedly, she's very curious as to how this would work and as to how the body pain she's feeling will go away. Dust can't do any of that, after all. They just provide energy.
The hand on her thigh is cold at first, and it makes her tense up a little. It's the blankets... had Cloud slept with blankets on, then maybe his entire body wouldn't be cold. . . Weiss relaxes eventually at least, when his hand warms up against her skin. And she relaxes even more when she begins to feel the effects of the regen spell.
It's nothing similar to what she's experienced before, and it makes her look from one side to another because it feels like she's sparkling a different light. Her Aura is light blue, but there are green lights around her that disappear and reappear at a different spot every other second. That's when her eyes meet blue, not green this time, and she's about to say something when his lips are on hers, soft like the morning sun, and warm like the breeze on a summer's day. Weiss' eyes close when she kisses back, gentle like the first drop of snow in winter, placing her hand atop his on her thigh. ]
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He intended for this to be a simple kiss accompanied by an apology.
Maybe another morning greeting. But it's clear with the way his fingers trail towards the inside of her thigh, while slowly deepening the kiss, that the initial plan was being changed on the fly. Last night may have been incredible, but not without its hiccups- hiccups that made him all too aware of his own strength (and penchant for losing control). As far as Cloud was concerned...he still had a lot of "making up" to do. With the memory of her scent fresh in his mind from last night, and being reminded of it oh-so-prominently now... ]
Haa...
[ Though Cloud's the one to break the kiss, it didn't mean that he had any plan of stopping. Starting with the corner of her mouth, then peppering her jawline. He's taking it slow, but...is he progressively getting lower? ]
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