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Post by C'Leena Thomas on May 16, 2023 19:30:47 GMT -5
"Dal, it's no worries. You have nothing on doctors back on earth. That shit was torture. Man, we had rounds before pre-rounds. Fucking why? Fucked if I know, but we did. That and a million other things that didn't make sense." She says. Right now, she just intended to complain for a second before returning to the original subject. "Don't worry. You teach how you know how, mkay? I'm just looking forward to learning."
C'Leena had changed into her black longsleeve shirt with her tank top underneath. She normally would have her pea coat on, but that got completely trashed during her volcano raid. She's still salty about that one. She can't really stay mad when Nephele reacts like that to a kiss from nowhere, though. Despite not feeling it, she still smiles at Nephele returning the kiss to her hand.
Once they reach the clearing, she set down her own things; mostly food and whatnot. She had insisted she was the primary cargo mule, despite it not being much. Why? Because.. Reasons! That simply weren't being said. Yep, that's it.
When Nephele raises her arms, the impulsive thought to tackle into Nephele and throw her over a shoulder appears and tickles the back of her mind. It would be fucking hysterical but not the time. "Ready when you are, dal'n. Your wish is my command," She says with a toothy grin; one that just screams 'tease'. "What's first?"
Shes unsure on what to expect, but she's looking forward to it anyway. Again, this was a chance for her to learn more about Nephele as well as this meditation stuff. It's not a chance she's going to let go to waste.
The only thing needed now is a training montage.
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Post by Nephele on May 16, 2023 20:44:16 GMT -5
Nephele rolled her shoulders as C'Leena resituated their things, continuing to stretch her limbs a bit more. She liked to feel warmed up and loose before meditation so that her mind was clear by the time that she was ready to work out for the day. It helped her feel spry, faster, even if it was a simple placebo effect.
She then walked over to C'Leena, rolling her eyes at her teasing little grin. She guided her to sit, gentle but firm. "Cheeky. Sit comfortably, we will begin with meditation first. Keep your back straight though, I don't want you falling asleep." It was a joke, but it had actually been an issue for her when she had started training. Nephele was eternally grateful to be able to understand her own misfortunes and learn from them.
Nephele sighed deeply, sitting in front of C'Leena with only a foot or so between their knees. She sat up straight, crossing her legs and gesturing to herself. "Like so," the woman smiled. "I find it easier to sit like this, but if you find it easier to sit differently I don't mind."
Nephele reached forward to hold C'Leena's hands, pressing her fingers to where the union valley pressure point would usually be located on her hands. She knew she couldn't feel it, but she felt the sentiment was there. "You may do this with your eyes open or closed. I prefer doing it with my eyes open, but I've been doing it with my eyes closed so I don't wake you when I do it at night."
Realizing how strange that sounded, she said: "My eyes get brighter at night. I'll show you what I mean in a moment, are you comfortable with me guiding you?"
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Post by C'Leena Thomas on May 16, 2023 21:06:57 GMT -5
She sits down cross legged as per Nepheles instructions. She glances down at their hands and smiles. She can almost feel it if she concentrates enough. Looking back up at Nephele, she straightens herself up and takes a breath. Her mind almost immediately begins to wander, but with an amount of effort she's not pleased about, she refocuses on the here and now. This might be a bit difficult for her.
"Your eyes get brighter? Shit, now I gotta see this." She asks with her eyebrows raised. She never noticed something like that. How couldn't she have noticed that? She idly wonders just how bright they get. Is it a chemical thing or a magic thing? Why do her eyes even look to have stars in them? What if it's- She catches her mind wandering again. Yeah, this'll be tricky.
"Of course I'm comfortable with you guiding me, dal. I trust you with my life, I think I can trust you with this, too." She laughs softly. Her hands carefully close around Nepheles, careful not to inhibit her motions if she needs to make any. She's getting really damn close to a breakthrough with her tactile inscriptions it's infuriating.
Her face forms a light frown as she catches herself wandering again. "Just to let you know, there might be some trouble with me keeping focused. If you catch me getting distracted, please re-orient me." She asks simply. Shes not getting distracted from boredom, but simply because meditation is doing a whole lot of nothing, which drives her mind up the wall. She hopes that this form would be more active, but she doubts it.
She remains seated, looking at Nepheles eyes and waiting for her next instructions. She was only slightly kidding with the 'Your wish is my command' comment.
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Post by Nephele on May 16, 2023 22:35:44 GMT -5
Nephele was trying her damnedest to stay serious, but C'Leena's enthusiasm for the subject made it much harder than she anticipated. She had to bite her lip to stop herself from smiling too wide, chuckling softly under her breath. She ended up lifting her hands, trailing them up to the same two spots behind C'Leena's shoulders to apply that same soothing pressure when she saw her smile fade.
"I know, dearest. That's why I'm doing this first session with you holding my hands. It gives you something to concentrate on," Nephele said, all too familiar from watching C'Leena and also exhibiting similar behaviors in the past. "I'm doing this to help ground you, but also to help you feel with your hands again. What you feel right here," - Nephele then trailed her hands down to C'Leena's again - "I aim to help you feel right here."
"If you'd like, you may close your eyes before we start so you won't get distracted." Nephele offered, "In turn I will close mine as well."
The sun was barely a sliver over the horizon, and already C'Leena could see a glimpse of what Nephele was talking about. In the past, Nephele's eyes even in the dark were bright, but it was never especially noticeable. When she found herself in a state of concentration, however, it was like the depths had a mind of their own, bright enough that they could be part of the skies above. And in a confined room while meditating, they reflected off the walls. A shooting star passed through her left eye, bright enough now that it was nigh impossible to miss at this distance as she gave C'Leena a probing gaze.
"So, open or closed?" Nephele asked, patient as ever with her. She never acknowledged these happenstances, almost like she didn't even notice them at all. Nephele was always watching C'Leena when they occurred though.
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Post by C'Leena Thomas on May 16, 2023 23:20:09 GMT -5
Something about how Nephele was saying how she'd help her hands feel again made C'Leena want to believe her. C'Leena, on a gut feeling alone, had brought along her test plates for her feeling. Reminded of them for a moment, she raises a finger in a 'wait a second' motion as she looks through her bag.
She pulls out a small pouch of various sized metal plates. With practiced dexterity, she replaces the plates for both her hands and places the now disconnected pieces back into the pouch, which goes back into the bag. Taking a gentle hold of Nepheles hands again, she can tell just how cold they really are, which immediately puts a smile on her face. Outside of the feeling of cold, theres not much else. But that's okay.
"I do want to see your eyes, so for now at least, I'll keep them open." She says, the smile not faltering in the slightest. A quick mental count later and she speaks again. "I believe that makes three?" She asks, more to herself. She cocks her head to the side as she looks at Nephele inquisitively. She fixes her posture, lightly holding onto Nepheles hands, glancing down to make sure she's not putting in too much pressure.
She focuses entirely on the cold sensation from Nepheles hands while she simply watches her. She always loves seeing those shooting stars. She's beginning to believe it has something to do with a very positive mood, but she might be wrong. Frankly, her entire being should not have happened biologically; her body temperature is too low, her eyes straight up should not be like that and her skin is blue. Is C'Leena complaining? Absolutely not. Is it really weird? Without a doubt.
C'Leena is curious about what Nephele has in store for her. Technically speaking, she has some feeling, even without her experimental plates. Phantom Limb is something that has been bothering her for years, constantly tormenting her with itches and aches in places that no longer exist. Frankly, she's surprised Nephele hasn't asked about it, since shes always scratching at her prosthetics or rubbing an ache that simply isn't there. She'd be more than happy to answer, but it's something that needs the question, first.
Right now, C'Leena is more than happy to learn what she can. The smile remains on her face as she looks into Nepheles eyes.
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Post by Nephele on May 17, 2023 0:34:04 GMT -5
Nephele's fond face turned a bit perplexed at C'Leena's muttered words, unsure what she was looking at. Well, she was looking at her face, which never got easy to witness, by the way. It took a ridiculous amount of control to not drop the whole session and kiss her senseless, but alas Nephele knew better. Later, perhaps.
For now she simply tilted her head with her, matching C'Leena's gesture with a confused smile. "I'd ask what you mean, but we've already been getting off track, dearest."
With the sun disappearing over the mountains, Nephele's posture readjusted, her face falling neutral. While the stars above began to peek out in the sky, the ones in Nephele's seemed to shine twice as bright. The longer that C'Leena looked, the more she realized that the luminescence of each star glowed differently. Some glimmered, some stayed consistently bright, some were even different colors. White, pinks, blues, purples even. Rather than the night sky, Nephele's eyes reflected an entire galaxy. Even stranger still, almost nothing but the North Star and a handful of constellations were recognizable.1
"Breathe with me, my love."
Nephele's voice was soft, like a gentle siren's song. It wasn't a calm emotions spell, and yet it was still just as soft and otherworldly as sitting with a fey creature would be. The air had suddenly grown colder, though not frighteningly so. It wasn't cold like frostbite, but rather it blanketed them in a cool, phantom coolness. It didn't quite effect C'Leena's hands, but where C'Leena could feel, there was a strange texture to the air around her. It felt like her skin was being caressed by cool, gel-like water. Nephele did not speak for a while after that, but her thumbs rubbed against the phantom pressure points as she stared, unseeing, back into C'Leena's eyes. This was the only indicator that she hadn't gone completely AWOL mentally.
1Meditate (altered)
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Post by C'Leena Thomas on May 17, 2023 1:05:25 GMT -5
C'Leena is entranced by the galaxy forming in Nepheles eyes. Her breath hitches as the stars grow in number and the nebula forms. It reminds her of her Cloak of Shadows. Apparently, it's very much not supposed to look like that, but it greatly resembles Nepheles eyes. What a poetic coincidence. "Beautiful," she passively remarks, not entirely aware of her own words.
After her momentary stun, she takes a moment to sync her breathing with Nephele, and allows herself to dip into her own subconscious. It's not nearly as complete as Nepheles, as she's still very, very present, but it's a start. It takes a conscious effort to clear her mind and stop it from wandering, and it takes a while to really knuckle down on it, but eventually she does, and her mind comes to a standstill for the first time in years.
Before she was able to stop her mind wandering, C'Leena was shifting slightly every once in a while. Be it rolling her neck or adjusting her sitting position, she'd be moving. So it becomes clear when she's able to control it as she stops shifting. Her focus is on the cold sensation wrapped around her, noting the positions where the feeling is at it's strongest, where it's at it's weakest and everywhere in between.
They remain there for an unknown amount of time. If seen by someone else, it would be 2 women just sitting and staring at one another motionless. If they were to turn their heads at this hypothetical outsider, it would be something out of a horror movie.
At some point, C'Leena feels something she hasn't in a long time. Pressure. On her hands. It's there for only a moment as her concentration is immediately shattered by the foreign sensation. Her head snaps down at her hands and a thought suddenly intrudes. What if it's not an inscription issue, but a me issue? It would make sense. Magic can't solve every issue, so it's possible it's a therapy thing.
Unbeknownst to C'Leena, her look of shock has morphed into unbridled glee as her grip on Nephele tightens. She's still careful not to hurt her, but her grip feels solid and tight. She shakes her head, resyncs her breathing with Nephele and dives back into the exercise. This could be it. Holy fucking shit, Nephele, you might have found it She thinks to herself before clearing her mind once again, falling into that feeling of semi-consciousness.
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Post by Nephele on May 17, 2023 1:46:57 GMT -5
Nephele did not shake nor stir once, completely immersed in her own breathing. The effects of her meditation were usually not this…strong. Oftentimes, Nephele found herself losing focus easily, her mind roaming as often as the galaxy in her eyes morphed. Nephele’s face stayed completely neutral, her expression neither cold nor warm, simply watching the world pass her by with complete serenity, C'Leena's hands keeping her grounded.
Faintly registering the pressure on her hands, Nephele said nothing as she allowed C’Leena to recalibrate. In this state, Nephele was not only completely and bodily aware of everything around her, but she could practically feel C’Leena’s smile. It was so warm, happy. Beautiful.
Nephele’s breathing falters for only a half second, not needing to blink but feeling the sudden pressure behind her eyes that screamed a readiness for tears. Purples slowly morphed into yellows, creating a strange ombre of colors as the silent explosion of color bled into each other. She took a deep, steadying breath, as another star streaked across her eyes. It was nigh impossible to see, but at this distance anything was possible when so focused. “Allow yourself to feel my dear. Feel the air as it caresses your skin. Feel the natural breeze and the soft caresses of the night air as you allow yourself be present. Feel my hands, which have been bathed in the rivers of eternal winter and find within them solace and warmth. Be present, C’Leena. Be present.”
Most of what is said is said to help guide C’Leena, keeping her grounded as much as possible. However, Nephele herself was starting to slip. Whatever had happened to make C’Leena react so strongly was elating, and it made her chest swell with something strong. Another star, trailing across the other side flicked by.
Nephele had never done this before. In fact, Nephele hadn’t felt such strong emotions in…well, ever. It was strong. Too strong, almost. And yet, she kept herself steady, repeating her last sentiment until she felt that she and C’Leena were both focused. Just a little longer, and she’d stop for the night. Nephele wanted to make sure this was working. She couldn’t see C’Leena, but by the gods above and below she could feel her. Be present, be present.
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Post by C'Leena Thomas on May 17, 2023 2:15:06 GMT -5
Four.. Five. She counts passively. Theres something about Nephele that feels like she isn't entirely here mentally. She takes her words into account, though as she follows them to a T. Her breath finds it's own natural rhythm, one differing from Nepheles own as she truly takes the sensations into her focus.
Her eyes close, despite what she had said before they started, and she falls into her own darkness. Since her accident, she's found a unique solace in the dark. It's a place where you're not seen unless you want to be. It's full of unknowns that she's always wanted to discover, and the darkness behind her eyelids are no different. She feels the cool air around her, noting the temperature difference since they started.
Finding warmth in Nephele isn't a difficult task. Physically, shes ice cold, but everything else about her screams otherwise. Her heart is full of love and passion and a childlike curiosity that it warms the heart of C'Leena every time she sees it. Her mind may be troubled, and it holds many secrets, but that is okay. Even with grief and the trauma that plagues Nephele, it impresses C'Leena to no end that she's kept going despite it all. If everything she said is true, then she's fought against the world and still persevered. There will be nothing more impressive than that in C'Leenas mind.
With her warmth found, and the cool air documented, she twists her view in a way she hasn't done before. Trying to be present while almost entirely within the confines of your own mind is a difficult task, and with a couple minutes of gentle tweaks and changes here and there, she's able to hear whats going on around her, and truly feel everything touching her.
Crickets and birds chirping, the gentle breeze rustling leaves of bushes and trees around them, Nepheles breathing; it's all absorbed and observed both individually and all together, creating a harmony of sounds that almost spell peace and tranquility. The coldness of Nepheles hands in her own, the grass underneath them and the wind caressing her skin. Her own clothes shifting with each breath in and out. And her concentration is nearly broken again.
Nothing more than a faint tingle in her fingertips, it's still more than what she's managed with inscriptions. She barely keeps a hold of her state as her mind rocks with that very same glee. Shes fucking found it she thinks, absolutely ecstatic. It takes all of her willpower to keep the smile from her face and continue the exercise and not immediately tackle Nephele into a bone-crushing hug. That can wait until after.
Externally, her internal celebration is shown as nothing more as a minor hitch in her breathing, which quickly resumes it's natural rhythm. Agreeing to do this with Nephele was the second best choice she's ever made, right after that very first kiss in the poppy field.
Her mind momentarily wanders to a very specific scenario (Nothing naughty, get your mind out of the gutter). The thought of it makes her happy beyond words, but it's not something to happen for a long, long time if she has anything to say about it. The time has to be absolutely perfect. Thoughts for another time, however.
In.. Out..
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Post by Nephele on May 17, 2023 2:55:20 GMT -5
Nephele’s body was firmly rooted, her eyes still swirling with a galaxy that was probably not even real. She let herself be carried off for just a while longer, allowing herself to submit to her own mind. Nephele had many memories. Some were good, some were bad, most were a terrifying blur of monotony. She could only remember who she was some days because of the journal that lay at the bottom of her bag, collecting dust.
C’Leena was anything but monotonous. She was fun, chaos, spontaneity, and absolutely wonderful. Even now, while C’Leena is actively trying and failing to stay calm as something happens is making Nephele want to let loose the tears from her eyes. Such beauty was beloved by the fey, and she was no exception by any means. She loved her from the moment she heard her in that field. C’Leena’s energy was both contagious and a salve, keeping her whole in this chaotic world that Nephele once walked alone.
Nephele could hear C’Leena’s heartbeat, feel her cold hands. If she thought hard enough, the nymph could probably trick herself into feeling actual skin beneath her palms. But this wasn’t about her, not today. Hell, if she willed it, not any day.
Soon though, Nephele had to stop. She was feeling antsy, as she usually did after a good few hours of meditation. How long had it been, actually? Nephele’s sense of time was always abysmal, but right now she couldn’t even tell if she was sentient. That was more than a little alarming, so she whispered after a little longer:
“And slowly bring yourself back. Stay focused and bring yourself back to your body. I will count us down.”
And then Nephele was slowly and softly counting down from five. The nebula in her eyes slowly dissipated, making way for the stars to take up space in their depths. By the time she gets to three, Nephele’s eyes are already refocusing, trying to hide the fact that she’s suddenly fatigued. It’s nothing severe, she's disoriented for a moment as she keeps her mind focused.
Nephele’s counting has slowed down immensely for her girlfriend's sake, the night sky fully out by this point. She gives C’Leena time to come down, just as she gives her own mind time to relax. By the time she gets to one, Nephele is fully present, leaning in to look at C’Leena’s form closer as she watches her chest rise and fall. Her voice has returned to normal, and she finally whispered:
“One. Open your eyes when you’re ready…you did so well, Cee.”
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Post by C'Leena Thomas on May 17, 2023 3:25:58 GMT -5
Shes so deep within her own mind she doesn't realize that Nephele is counting down until she hits three. She assumes it's a countdown to 'wake up' per se. She quickly undo's everything she had crafted within her own headspace, and by the time Nephele hits one, her eyes flicker open. Her aquamarine eyes look distracted for a moment as she looks down at her hands still in Nepheles own. She glances back up and, in a quiet voice that is so unlike C'Leena,
"You.. did it. Petal, you did it. It wasn't much but it-it was more than w-what I've been able to do for years." She stutters often as she speaks, not believing the words coming out of her mouth. She never stutters. Her disbelief morphs itself into happiness as she smiles widely and makes a noise that sounds both like a cry and a laugh. With a frankly impressive show of dexterity, she keeps holding onto Nepheles hands as she un-crosses her legs and moves closer to her.
"Babe you fucking did it. Thank you, thank you!" Finally giving into the temptation, she wraps Nephele up in a hug that beats out all others. Her feeling is still there, but she can feel it slowly fading with time. She pulls away from the hug and cups Nepheles face in her hands, cherishing the feeling before it vanishes.
This is easily the happiest she's been in years. Five years she's been without about 70% of her sense of touch, and the fact that Nephele has given her even a fraction of that back? It means everything and more, and she tries to convey that very fact in a deep kiss planted on Nepheles lips.
Her urge to break the intense mood with a joke makes an appearance, but she stomps it into oblivion. Her next words are so heartfelt that is almost startles C'Leena herself. "I love you so fucking much, Nephele. Please never, ever leave my side."
She falls back into Nephele with another kiss, trying her best to prove her own words through actions. Although there might not be any combination of actions to convey exactly how she feels. This will have to do instead, then.
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Post by Nephele on May 17, 2023 13:11:13 GMT -5
Nephele isn’t prepared for a hug. When she’d gathered into a tight, warm hug that leaves her dizzy and is kissed not even two seconds later, Nephele is in a daze. Her eyes search C’Leena’s face as her heartbeat struggles to slow down, but then she meets her in the middle the second time through. Nephele’s arms loop around her neck to bring her closer, growing steadily overwhelmed with the intense surge of emotions. The heartfelt declaration of love by C’Leena almost killed her, she was so serious, making her want to curl up and stay in her embrace for hundreds of eternities.
“I…” Her voice catches in her throat, and Nephele can’t find the words. She did it? Somehow she had managed to help her feel something again? Nephele didn’t even know this was…well, possible. She was so dazed and bewildered, she couldn’t come down from her high for several more minutes. So instead she tightens her grip around C’Leena’s neck and kisses her again, squeezing her eyes tightly shut.
It takes a while for them to part again, but Nephele moves back to connect their foreheads, her heartbeat hammering in her chest. Automatically, her hands reach up to thumb at C’Leena’s cheeks, as if there were tears there. Nephele herself had begun crying as soon as she became conscious again, swallowing and shivering as she tried to ease her tremors. There were no sobs, just silent tremors. “I would literally die for you, C’Leena. I love you, too.” Was all she could manage, before another stream of tears tore down her face with a vengeance. She sat back, keeping one hand on C’Leena’s face and one over her mouth as she tried to stifle her tears. She sniffled and breathed as evenly as she could, and the tears only made the bright stars in her eyes that much more radiant.
After a few more moments of trying to relax, Nephele’s shaky breaths minimized into gentle, light shuddering. She hadn’t fully relaxed, but her vocabulary seemed to be catching back up to her.
“C-Can you, um, can you tell me where you could feel it?” Came her stuttering request, her voice soft and even a bit raspy. Whatever tone Nephele had been using in her meditative state had taken a slight toll on her voice, but it didn’t seem to hurt at least. “I honestly didn’t e-expect it to work so well…”
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Post by C'Leena Thomas on May 17, 2023 18:04:49 GMT -5
C'Leena is in much the same boat as Nephele. Her mind is racing at a million miles a minute, and with everything that happened, frankly her mind is getting incredibly overwhelmed. This close, the both of them can hear C'Leenas heartbeat racing. It's then that she becomes physically weak when Nephele starts wiping away non-existent tears from her eyes.
It's a strange thing. In the years after her accident, she's always struggled with her own little version of body dysmorphia, feeling less human because of what she lost. Losing her eyes and tear ducts had hurt her in ways she never thought possible. Despite the support from her parents and friends, she always felt alone and distanced from them all. Feeling less than human.
Yet the Fey she's holding onto like she's going to fade away makes it all feel okay. These small, tiny gestures like wiping away the ghosts of her tears and using pressure points that don't exist on her hands. They all add up to C'Leena feeling normal again. She always hid behind her demeanor of 'not being able to care less', but in reality she was everything but. Everything was tweaked in ways to avoid having to be the one needing a shoulder to cry on.
But Nephele - her woman had come in and broken down each and every wall she made. She broke past everything and simply cradled the hypothetical woman hidden behind layers of steel. That very fact is proven true with just how much she's crying. There's a certain ache to crying without tears, and this is no different. But Nephele makes the ache bearable.
Her hold on Nephele only tightens when she hears the three words given back to her. It's not the first time, but it's still a new development she cherishes. She would try to formulate words, but doing so would be a death sentence. So for now, she simply stayed in the hold.
She passively realizes that Nephele asked her a question, so she takes a couple moments to steady herself. It takes a decent bit to be able to talk for more than a couple words at a time, however. When she does start speaking, she's almost constantly stuttering.
"Uhm, it was just a tingle in my fingers. It was there, though. Nephele, how do I even repay you? I can do a million things for you but none of it would even come close to what you've done for me. Why have you done this? You didn't need to make your promise and you certainly didn't need to follow through with it."
It proves to be a difficult time understanding C'Leena, as she slurs her words and stutters with every third one. Out of all possible scenarios this night could have gone, this wasn't the one that C'Leena expected. She takes a second to wipe away Nepheles tears and holds Nephele even closer. She gently rubs circles on her back, lightly whispering shaking shushes as Nephele lightly shakes. It doesn't matter to C'Leena that she's in an obviously worse position, she just needs something to focus on for now.
And so, the women remained in their hold for what seemed like multiple eternities, simply being in each others presence. There was so much love in the air that it was almost stifling, and C'Leena wouldn't have it any other way. She found her warmth. She found her love. She truly found The One. That idea, despite not being a new one with her, still puts a smile on her face.
"I'd die for you, too, my petal."
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Post by Nephele on May 17, 2023 19:04:39 GMT -5
Nephele shook her head, automatic almost. "How many times must I tell you? Your existence in itself is more of a gift than I will ever deserve, Cee. You owe me absolutely nothing, and even less than that."
It was by sheer force of willpower alone that Nephele didn't absolutely drown C'Leena in more physical affection, her hands trembling as they twitched with the urge to comfort and love on her until they both didn't remember where they were. However, years and years of self-control when it came to controlling her emotions had Nephele composing herself, even if by a mere fraction. She was still crying, the silent tears in her eyes and warming her cool cheeks slowly stoppering after several long, blissful minutes. After a bit of breathing, Nephele sniffled, struggling to speak as she emitted a watery laugh.
"...Your body was taken from you." Nephele reached up to touch C'Leena's hair, the braid she'd put into her hair in desperate need of being re-braided. Later though, when the night was over. "I'm not sure why I believe this, but when I met you that day a few months ago, I knew you were lost. You were lost, not only because of your unfamiliarity with this world, but you had experienced loss even before you came here."
A hand aligned with C'Leena's, her own hand small and calloused from climbing and fighting. Her nails made her fingers appear only a centimeter or so longer than C'Leena's. "Bodily autonomy was something taught back in the Crescent Isles, by the monks. No matter what one is born or addled with, we are taught to mold and shape our bodies so we can be ample vessels for our souls. But when I met you, it felt like something was...different. Like your body wasn't supposed to be changed as it is.
"C'Leena, I think that when you came to Charon, a part of you was left behind," Nephele continued, holding their hands up a little higher. "You were ripped from your reality unwillingly, and you were casted out to fend for yourself. It was why I was so frightened to continue any of what we have now, because I knew that if I did...I could be dragging you away from trying to find that part of you. The last thing you needed was something preventing you from moving on.
"I guess the long and short of it is that I kept my promise, because I'd hate to take that from you. I don't think I'd ever forgive myself if I didn't help you thrive, to relearn what it feels like to feel the grass beneath your feet. How selfish would I be if I didn't help the woman I love?" Nephele eventually finished, feeling like she was rambling as she slowly came to such a realization. I'd be no different than my loveless mother.
Nephele had to physically stifle the thought, squeezing her eyes shut as she let more word vomit spew from her.
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Tradesfolk
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Renown
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Past events can never be changed. Instead, change the future.
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Post by C'Leena Thomas on May 17, 2023 20:10:55 GMT -5
As Nephele spoke, her free hand went up to simply hold the back of Nepheles head, her hair filling the space between fingers. Her wings made a re-appearance, this time willingly as she made the pair a feathery dome over them. The usual light it emits is duller, now. It's bright enough to see that they're there but dim enough to not hurt the night vision the both of them have adapted to.
The wings quiver and shake, but remain, acting as their own little dome of safety. C'Leena sinks into Nepheles shoulder, as she remains in the hold for a while longer. In a moment of clarity, she goes back to that meditation technique she was just taught. It's clear what she is doing as her breath tries and quickly finds it's natural rhythm, and her tensed muscles relax just a little.
There have been no words that have meant so much to C'Leena. Everything said was a punch to the gut with how true each sentence was. But that was okay. For once in five years, she has an interesting thought: Maybe it will all be okay. With Nephele there to help her? Everything might just turn out okay. She sniffles and pulls away from the embrace.
"Your eyes were really pretty during the meditation. And the count is five, now. I've been counting the shooting stars I see that shoot through your eyes since day one. I'm not sure what they mean, but I think they're connected to you feeling incredibly happy. I might have missed a few, though." She says weakly. Her voice is worn out from her crying, but that's okay.
She looks up at the sky for the first time since waking up from the meditation, and she only now truly notes the time. A few moments of figuring out her cardinal directions and her eyes widen. "Fuck me sideways, it's like, 2 in the morning. Christ almighty. Alright, your choice: Want me to fly us back to the room? As much as I'd love to stay here, I am freezing my tits off." She smiles, and despite the fact she was crying minutes before - or maybe because she was crying, her smile is almost radiant. It's one that simply cannot be faked. "Off topic, but I'm so fucking glad I can call you mine, petal."
"Please never change." She plants a kiss onto Nepheles lips once again as she waits for Nepheles decision. She remembers that Nephele likes flying, so this time she'll take her time in the air if she wants it.
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