The Sweetest Things Take Time

In the heart of Ninraih's jungles, the Fae created the city of Ajteire, protected from the undead by the magic of fireflies and a pact with the Kerasoka. The complex network of trees, vines, and plants helps to keep unwanted visitors out. Read more...
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Harroc Crownegrove
Character
Disciples of Balance, Defender of the Woods
Level
01
24 / 24 HP
21 / 21 MP
0p / 0g / 0s / 50c
Race: Elemental and Shapeshifter
Class: Druid
Posts: 141
Joined: August 5th, 2019, 1:48 am
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Re: The Sweetest Things Take Time

Post by Harroc Crownegrove »

Nethra returned just as Colle was starting to wonder if the storm was starting. "Heard we’re getting you all inside. Nice cozy shack for old gear we cleaned out last week," she said as she walked into the area. "Wanna poke the bear? Or do I get to do it?" she asked with a grin.

"You can take your chances with her. I can get Harroc up fine," Colle replied with a matching smile. They patted the dense wall of fur behind them. "Wake up, Harroc. Time to move," they called softly.

Harroc grumbled and twitched, but didn’t move. Nethra’s grin got even broader and she leaned in. "Oh no, we’re almost out of honey glaze," she said a little loudly. Harroc snorted and his head shot up suddenly. He was blinking rapidly and sniffing the air eagerly.

"Damn, that’s cruel," Colle said appreciatively. "I’ll have to remember that for later." They shoved at Harroc’s shoulder. "Harroc?" He rumbled softly and licked Colle with a long sloppy tongue against their cheek.

"Right. Thanks. I’ll return the favor later. Do you feel stable enough to carry Chloe? It’s going to rain," Colle said, wiping the drool off their face.

Harroc tossed his head and turned to look at Chloe, giving her several smaller licks. The shifter came awake slowly, groaning softly and trying to escape the relentless slobber.

"Stahp-" she managed to get out before Harroc’s tongue got into her mouth and she broke down into spitting and pushing his head away.

Colle decided to give Chloe context for Harroc’s rude awakening. "It’s going to rain. Think you can ride Harroc if he’s able to carry you?"

Chloe frowned and looked up at the sky, grimacing at the rapidly darkening clouds peeking through the canopy. "Yeah, just- give me a hand up and I can sort of fall on him. Will feel a bit deja vu, but my life’s already in shambles," she offered with a shrug, the emotional suppression still clearly in effect.

"Okay then. I’ll ride with you so you’re less likely to fall off," Colle said. They clambered up Harroc’s side, ignoring Nethra’s questioning frown, and offered Chloe a hand. "Would you rather be in front or behind me?"

"What and turn down a cute boy holding me while I ride another cute boy?" Chloe laughed half-heartedly. "I’ll ride up front, you can keep me from eating dirt."

Colle swallowed hard. "Sorry, Harroc’s the only ‘cute boy’ here. I’m not male. I’m non-binary. So they and them, please." Misgendering happened from time to time, but the explanations could get tiring.

"Oh, that- he’s really garbage at explaining things. I had no idea what he meant. Uh- cute… uh... chef?" Chloe offered, her brain clearly still very addled and simply latching on to one idea at a time.

"That works," Colle said with a small chuckle. They grabbed Chloe’s hand and braced against Harroc to give her the assistance she needed. "Pastry chef, to be more specific."

"He will not shut up about your food, going on and on about it," she mumbled. "Not to mention I know what damn size you are too, not that I asked." She poked Harroc’s back several times in annoyance. Harroc rumbled softly and looked over to Nethra, though when he swung his head several times it was clear he still wasn’t seeing very well.

Groaning, Colle settled their hands on her waist. "Fucking idols. My fault though, I didn’t specifically say that wasn’t something for him to talk about. I’m learning I have to spell everything out." Sighing, they continued. "At least the food, I don’t mind. It’s because of him the cafe has cat’s paws now."

"I mean, I doubt he’s doing it in regular conversation. We were definitely getting touchy feely when he pointed it out," Chloe mumbled as she slumped forward slightly when Harroc took a long forward stride.
Last edited by Harroc Crownegrove on March 4th, 2020, 5:17 am, edited 1 time in total.
Word count: 683
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Colle Mellifera
Event MVP
Pastry chef
Level
03
46 / 46 HP
42 / 42 MP
0p / 0g / 1s / 50c
Race: Fae
Class: Alchemist and Summoner
Posts: 67
Joined: December 28th, 2019, 7:16 am
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Re: The Sweetest Things Take Time

Post by Colle Mellifera »

"Yeah, so can we not go there for now? I’m - well, maybe disappointed, is as close as I can get - that Harroc was apparently under the impression that kissing and intimate touching is okay?"

"Also asking for threesomes, though he seemed surprised at the existence of the idea. And yeah, sorry, I feel like I died, and then they stuffed me with wool."

"Oh, did he pump you full of essence? He did that to me right before the two of you left and it was like my emotions had all been ripped out. Ugh." Colle rested their forehead on Chloe’s back. "Do I even want to know why the topic of threesomes came up? Wait, phrasing - why that became a topic of conversation?"

"You said not to talk about it," Chloe responded tiredly. "But it was after he choked me a bit for breaking a rule, that I’m also not talking about."

"Uh," Colle paused. "Wait, did you ask him to choke you?"

"No, not into that, don’t worry about it. I think it’s part of why he feels so damn bad too. He’s got a lot of guilt for things that aren’t his fault."

"I know how that can be," Colle sighed. "Nethra, is it much farther? I don’t like the way the sky looks."

"Nah, though I’m going to be sad I won’t hear any more things to take to my grave," Nethra said with a grin. "I promise not to share, but I do feel like I’m missing out. He told me no on the threesome, but cougar butt over here gets an invitation and choked."

"Cougar butt?" Colle asked, in horrified fascination.

"I’m a shifter, part of why he took me I think," Chloe provided reflexively.

Colle slumped against Chloe’s back. "I see," they managed. Another thing they wouldn’t be able to share with Harroc. "Do I even want to know who your third would be, Nethra? Yonatan, perhaps?"

"Ooooh, he’s feisty, and I like what he does with his-" Nethra started.

"Wait, Yonatan? The recent human graduate?!" Chloe practically shouted. "You’re fucking him? Wow, he’s moved up."

Colle snorted. "Dare I ask from whom? I don’t normally try to be nosy about my employees, but shit, looks like all the rules went out the window today anyway."

"Oh, he was chasing some snotty girl from Fellsgard for a while, she kept turning him down. Almost felt bad for him if he wasn’t so damn stubborn," Chloe said, seeming to be a little more awake and emotive.

"Well he definitely attended his studies," Nethra said with a broad grin. "Oh, there’s the place. Uh- can you crawl alright big guy?" she asked Harroc as it became clear he was a bit larger than the doorway.

"You’d be amazed what you can fit in places with enough lube," mumbled Colle. They turned red when they realized what they’d said.

"I mean, he’s definitely big, but I didn’t think it was that bad," Chloe said back as she flopped onto Harroc’s back. Harroc let his tongue loll out and went down to the ground outside the shack.

"Uh. You know, we really ought to get under shelter," Colle offered quickly. "I’ll slide down so I can help you off."

Chloe snorted and watched Colle slip down before turning herself sideways and holding out an arm. "Might not be the right time, but who knows, might help," she said a bit breathily as she tested her leg.

Colle tucked their shoulder under her arm by her bad leg in case it gave out. "Careful," they said, sliding an arm across her back.

"Yeah, yeah," Chloe said back and hopped up before putting her weight down carefully. "Thanks, I’m just- thanks."

Gesturing to the doorway, Colle said, "Let’s get inside. You too, Harroc. No one wants to be surrounded by idols know how many tons of wet dog." They slowly walked with Chloe to the door.

Harroc crawled with his belly on the ground, tilting his head as he made his way through the door. Once he was inside, he rose back to full height and circled the room several times before sitting down in the corner and looking at Colle and Chloe. He wagged his tail aggressively, but remained seated.

"I’m pretty sure he thinks he’s bringing us into a den," Chloe said with a snort.

Colle looked over at Harroc to gauge his response. "I doubt it. He doesn’t seem to like being treated as an animal, even when he’s in that form." They winced, remembering. "I once told him that he couldn’t count grooming in cat form as a bath and he got really offended that I would think that he thought that would be equivalent."

"Yeah, but last time he wasn’t running on, several days of great wolf I’m guessing. He’s probably mostly thinking about keeping us safe and collecting food if I don’t miss my guess," Chloe countered with a shrug.

"I don’t think his form matters - at least, I didn’t see much of a difference between when he carried me home as a jaguar and when he was a wolf," Colle said, considering Chloe’s words as they helped her into the shack.

If they were being polite, the shack could be termed cozy; as they felt now, it was going to be almost uncomfortably tight. They walked with her to the wall at Harroc’s side and stopped to let her lower herself down. Harroc immediately circled around the room again before moving over and settling behind Chloe and nuzzling her face.

Colle didn’t sit down. They moved to the doorway, watching the clouds roll across the sky and smother the sun. "Come on, Nethra. We can probably fit you in, but one of us may have to sit on top of Harroc."

"I mean I don’t mind getting a little snug, but yeah we can run for some supplies before the downpour," Nethra said with a wink for Chloe. "Come on, we don’t want to bring you back wet, pastry chef. People will complain about the noises and he’s supposed to be resting."

Sighing, Colle turned away from the door. "Well, Nethra’s right that you should be resting, Harroc. What supplies were you thinking-" Colle’s last words were cut off by a clap of thunder.

Harroc thumped his tail several times and whined at Colle as soon as the sound faded. "Get back soon, I’m guessing," Chloe provided helpfully before reaching up to scratch Harroc’s muzzle.

Colle nodded and turned back to Nethra. "Lead on, then, I guess," they said. The Ranger immediately started jogging away, but stopped after a few steps and went to a slow walk.

"Sorry, forgot you’re not a regular," she said with a grin. "It’s not far, but there’s a bunch of extras in the near outpost. Should be good enough to last the day or so."

"That’ll work. Sorry I’m slowing you down. We - er, Harroc and I, had been talking about coming up with an exercise plan. This whole past week and today especially has been showing me how unfit I am." Colle could keep up with Nethra but they knew she was practically crawling compared to her normal speed.

"Hah, I’m sure he’d be happy to help, after you can walk again," Nethra said, patting Colle on the shoulder. "You flew pretty fast earlier to be honest, but you’ll never beat our training without some serious speed."

Shaking their head, Colle explained, "I wasn’t even thinking about how fast I was flying or anything. As soon as someone came with the message, I just - reacted." They stared at the ground. "I know damn well eating pastries and shit isn’t going to give me the ability to even try to keep up with Harroc."

"From what I heard, you kept up with him pretty well. You just need rest and practice."

Colle snorted. "I’m not talking about in bed, Nethra." They bumped her with their shoulder. "And if close to two hundred years of practice can’t prepare me for that, idols save us all."

"I mean, how am I supposed to know which kind of riding you’re talking about with him?" she laughed and pointed to a building a ways away. "That’s us, but hey, I know you didn’t get off on a great foot with Chloe. She isn’t- bad really. Just out of her depth."

"I’m not happy about her going after Harroc. That said, I know there’s a lot he doesn’t know about people and relationships, so he probably didn’t think of how his actions would be seen and didn’t realize he should stop her. It’s all a mess. Add that to the fact that she’s apparently injured worse than she thought-" Colle shook their head. "It’s going to take a while to deal with all of this."

"Yeah, this is why I don’t stick around too long. You all have some sort of mess to sort out. I’m going to go find a guy and ride him silly after this and not worry about it," Nethra said with a wink.

Tipping their head to the side, Colle thought. "Should be Yonatan’s day off if you’re interested. Or are you more of a no-strings-attached, flavor of the week type?"

"Oh I like him, and I don’t really have many rules. No clinging, nothing about the family, I’m there for some fun and to burn off stress. He is great for that, and he’s really eager to learn."

"Also young and probably limber," Colle commented with a smirk. Their smile faded slowly as they walked. "You’re lucky, to be able to keep yourself from getting all tangled up. Too many times, being emotionally invested seems to be a good way to get hurt."

"Hey, nothing wrong with emotions, I just don’t have the time for them. Besides, I tried a few times and never got my hands on Harroc. So maybe there’s something to it. Does he really do all the biting?"

Colle sighed. "My neck looked like he mauled me right before they left. And I’ve tried the casual thing before, but that never really worked for me. I’d leave feeling worse than when I got there."

"Mhmm, I might have to ask him for a few bites sometime if you figure things out. Always something lacking when it comes to that."

"Not a big fan of sharing, but I suspect I’ll get overruled." Colle kicked a rock. "Apparently I wasn’t clear enough about what I expected."

"Eh, who knows. You’ve only been with him a few days, maybe being able to pawn him off sometimes will be worth it," Nethra shrugged. "I’m probably not the best person for advice on this though. I’d say go back in there and put yourself in charge, see how they react, but that’s me."

"I’ll think about it. Let’s get the stuff so we can get back before the storm breaks," Colle replied, motioning to the outpost they were approaching. Nethra nodded and jogged ahead a bit to pop inside. By the time Colle arrived she’d set several things by the door in a very worn pack.
Last edited by Colle Mellifera on March 2nd, 2020, 6:03 am, edited 1 time in total.
Word count: 1960
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Colle Mellifera
Event MVP
Pastry chef
Level
03
46 / 46 HP
42 / 42 MP
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Re: The Sweetest Things Take Time

Post by Colle Mellifera »

"Grab that, I’m getting some rations together but that’ll be enough to get comfy and stay warm even if the rain lasts a while," Nethra said as she shuffled through several boxes. They shouldered the pack, adjusting it so that it wouldn’t pull on their wings.

Nethra loaded a similar pack with several bundles and then turned to Colle. "Alright, can you jog at all? I’m guessing we’re going to cut it close."

"I can give it a try," they said, taking a deep breath. "Let’s go, then." Nethra started a slow easy jog, more of a long-legged walk than anything else. After a few strides she looked over to Colle and raised an eyebrow. They set their jaw and nodded to her.

Nethra kept the pace for about halfway before slowing back to a regular walk. "Don’t want you wheezing too much when we get back, or he’ll try and tear me in half, and not the fun way," she said with a wink.

"I’d rather we had dry food and blankets, honestly." Nethra waved her hand and nodded to the shack a short distance away.

"Now’s your chance to decide how you go back in. I’ll drop this at the door," she said with a pat of Colle’s shoulder. "Good luck."

Colle gulped. Inside the sound of Chloe talking could be head faintly. From the cadence of her voice it sounded like she was answering questions but no one was asking them.

As Nethra dropped the pack of food at the door, Colle pulled their shoulders back and walked in. "Food's in that one, I've got other supplies in here," they said, sliding the pack off their shoulders. They strode up to Harroc and grasped his chin with their hand. "Look at me." Their voice was low and quiet.

Harroc's eyes snapped to their face. "I am not pleased with what happened while you were in the wilds. We will talk about this later, once you are rested and back to your normal form." Colle kept just enough pressure on Harroc's chin to ensure they had his attention.

"Right now, we have more pressing concerns. I know you feel guilty about Chloe's injury and I understand your concern." Colle hadn't moved their gaze from Harroc's face and his attention hadn't wavered.

"I want you to remember one thing as we deal with the aftermath of your run: you chose me first." Colle leaned in and shifted their hand to the top of Harroc's muzzle, just above his nose. "I hope we are clear on that."

"Damn, alright then," Chloe said with a chuckle from Harroc’s far side. Harroc didn’t move, his eyes shimmering faintly as he stared at Colle. After several long seconds, he leaned in and nipped at their neck gently. Then he leaned back, licked their cheek, and laid his head on their shoulder.

"I think I know what you meant now," Chloe added quietly, patting Harroc’s side.

"Going to share with the rest of us?" Colle asked in an unamused tone. "Or did something else happen I should know about?" They turned to the packs behind them and brought them closer to open them.

"You should already know that a predator in hiding is no less ferocious," Chloe recited, in an exaggerated parody of Harroc’s speech. Colle raised an eyebrow but said nothing as they opened the first pack. Their wings beat in decisive, measured flaps as they worked.

They pulled out a blanket and tossed it to Chloe. Fishing in the pack gave them two more blankets, three bedrolls, and a handful of canteens. Setting the canteens in a corner near the door, Colle handed one of the bedrolls to Chloe. They piled the other bedding against the wall. "Hungry?" They looked at Harroc and then Chloe for a response.

Harroc shook his massive head but continued to watch Colle intently, Chloe simply shrugged. They took a wrapped bundle out of the pack filled with food and passed it to Chloe. "Take it. You can eat later if you want."

A loud clap of thunder shook the area. Colle turned to look out at the sky. Seeing rain starting to fall, they pulled the door shut. They made their way over to Harroc, nudged his front leg over, and sat against Harroc’s chest in the space they’d made.

Harroc rumbled happily, curling his legs to wrap loosely around Colle. Then he started getting warmer, and a tingle of essence prodded at the edge of their awareness. Colle glanced up. "Something you need?" The essence tingled again, prodding gently.

"Do you need to continue cycling your essence?" Colle blinked slowly as they looked up. The past few days were catching up with them and having to assert themself used much of what energy they had. Harroc rumbled softly and squeezed his legs together briefly. "Go ahead. I can sleep for a bit," Colle replied.

There was a feeling of building energy, and then a flood of essence rushed into them. It felt different than before, more vibrant and warm, but without the oppressive weight pushing down on their emotions. Harroc sighed deeply, flicking his tail slowly as he settled down around Colle’s shoulders.

Yawning, Colle leaned their head against Harroc and turned slightly to lay into the thick fur behind them. Their stomach rumbled a little, but they ignored it and closed their eyes. Harroc became warmer and began to consistently rumble softly, the vibrations lulling them to sleep.
Word count: 933
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Colle Mellifera
Event MVP
Pastry chef
Level
03
46 / 46 HP
42 / 42 MP
0p / 0g / 1s / 50c
Race: Fae
Class: Alchemist and Summoner
Posts: 67
Joined: December 28th, 2019, 7:16 am
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Re: The Sweetest Things Take Time

Post by Colle Mellifera »

Colle woke up with a start. They weren’t at home - that much was immediately apparent by the lack of light and the almost oppressive heat surrounding them. Slowly, the events of the past day came back. Harroc had come back from the wilds in his great wolf form, carrying an injured Chloe. The healer wasn’t able to heal either of them completely. They were in a storage shed waiting out the rain with a still-lupine Harroc and Chloe.

Their throat was dry and they coughed before reaching for one of the canteens. Empty. Muttering to themself, they set it back with the others. They leaned back into Harroc’s fur, debating the wisdom of venturing out into the storm to find water.

Chloe gasped awake, her entire body spasming as she flailed to escape contact with Harroc. There was a sudden wave of power, the gentle stream of essence that Colle had felt before became a torrent of unrelenting force. Colle fell backward with a loud thud as the support behind them disappeared. "Harroc?" they called, their voice rough.

Harroc groaned loudly; his body lay sprawled out on the ground covered in cuts, gashes, and large patches of irritation. His armor was ruined, large parts of it covered in deep cuts and many of the straps torn or missing their buckles.

Colle rolled over and crawled to Harroc’s prone form. "Hey sweetheart. I’m glad to see you, even though you look horrible." They put a hand on his shoulder.

Harroc’s eyes snapped open, the green vibrant and shifting wildly as it lit the dark room. "Food- Water-" he managed to groan out through gritted teeth. "Devour- hng." He curled up again, his body spasming and trying to twist in on itself without shifting.

Colle scrambled up and found one of the food bundles. They unwrapped it as quickly as they could and set it on the ground by Harroc’s head. Crouching down, they held out a strip of dried meat within easy reach of his hand or his mouth, if he leaned forward. "Here. Meat. Eat," they said in a firm, caring tone.

He squinted, compressing his face in a grimace before leaning forward and snatching the entire piece of jerky in his teeth. He chewed slowly, wincing each time he had to open his jaw again. Despite his clear weakness, he got through the entire piece more quickly than Colle expected.

"Please don’t leave me here alone with him right now," Chloe said, leaning up against the far wall. "He’s going to want to eat a lot more than meat, and I don’t need you any more pissed at me than you are already," she said with a shake of her head.

Picking up another piece of meat and putting it in Harroc’s mouth, Colle turned their head to look at her. "Why would I leave my mate when he needs me?"

"We’re out of water, have been for hours," she said back. "I didn’t want to wake either of you, so I just went back to sleep." She gently kicked another empty canteen with her good foot.

Colle frowned, watching Harroc eat. "That is going to be an issue. I might be able to find the outpost Nethra and I went to earlier, but I’ll probably get soaked." They sighed, considering their options. "I want to get as much food as I can into Harroc. He’ll need it. If he’s able, he can come with me while I get water for us."

"You could just have him go outside. He’s suffering withdrawal probably. His body was expecting to have a ton of energy to use, but he spent it all healing me, you, and himself," Chloe offered. She watched Harroc intently, like a trapped animal in a cage with a predator.

"He better not have been trying to heal me. For fuck’s sake, it’s not like I’m the one who crawled in on Nilbein’s doorstep." Colle’s voice was angry. "If you think outside might help, then I’ll see what I can do." They found dried fruit pieces and held a few out to Harroc before opening the door.

The door blew open, flapping against the outside of the shack. Rain blew in and dotted the floor quickly, until a large swath was completely wet. Jumping out, Colle grabbed the door and forced it shut. "Outside is not an option right now." They closed their eyes tightly in frustration.

"Chloe, does that essence cycling thing that you showed me work to allow essence to be pulled from you? Or does it only work if he’s controlling it?"

Harroc groaned and rolled over with a toss of his arms. "I- am not going to eat your essence. You would die," he managed, before having to hold his head.

"Just, pull him over and stick his head out? I mean, it’s just rain and wind," Chloe offered, starting to sound a bit panicked.

Colle ground their teeth. "Damnit." They took off their top and pants, tossing them in the corner. Moving over to Harroc, they placed another bite of food in his mouth before pulling his arm. He felt like he weighed far more than he should. Colle knew he was big, but it was like he was made of rocks.

Half-carrying and half dragging Harroc to the door, Colle pushed it open just enough for the wind to fling it open. The wind howled as Colle pulled Harroc outside. They pushed him against the wall of the shack before stumbling over to close the door. "I’ll stay out here with him," they yelled to Chloe. "Push the food by the door if you can."

Chloe nodded, falling slowly to her side and crawling along, dragging her leg carefully as she moved. She got hold of the bag of food and pulled it slowly to the door, sweating intensely from the humidity and strain. She smacked the door several times, hoping Colle could hear her.
Word count: 1020
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Harroc Crownegrove
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Disciples of Balance, Defender of the Woods
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01
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Re: The Sweetest Things Take Time

Post by Harroc Crownegrove »

Outside, Harroc lay against the shack with his mouth open and a hand over his eyes. He drank, spit, and drank several times before laughing loudly and shielding his eyes to look at Colle eagerly. "Still hungry," he managed, his voice sounding ragged but intelligible over the storm.

Colle heard the thuds from the door and opened the door to find the food. "Thanks," they called to Chloe. They grabbed one of the packs and unwrapped it while carrying it over to Harroc. "Here, more food," they said, holding a strip of meat near Harroc’s mouth.

Harroc opened his mouth and took the meat. He moved it to the side and grabbed Colle, pulling them on top of him. "Not for food," he half-shouted, squeezing them tight.

Colle growled at Harroc. "You should eat." Staring into the rapidly swirling green pools of Harroc’s eyes, they sighed heavily. "Guess I’m on the menu now." They surged forward and bit Harroc on the side of the neck hard.

He groaned, shivering and curling his fingers into their skin. "Missed you, Mate," he shouted, moving a hand down to Colle’s hip and grinning. "I like the rain."

"Trust me, that’s become very apparent," Colle said into his ear. Harroc’s length pressed against them firmly and their body was responding in kind. "At some point, you’ll need to take off your armor - or what’s left of it. Want me to help?" They gave Harroc a smile full of teeth.

"I like when you are, this," he said, moving his free hand up and down their back. "It makes me want you more, when you show your strength." He leaned in and kissed them slowly, working his tongue into their mouth and growling.

Colle tensed for a moment, remembering what Chloe had said about Harroc kissing her. Almost as quickly, they gave a mental shrug and decided to enjoy the fruits of her labors. They kissed Harroc back, taking control of his tongue and pushing his shoulders down to the ground.

His eyes had begun glowing extremely bright, visible even when he closed them, as Harroc caressed and squeezed every part of Colle he could reach. Though they couldn’t extend them very far, Colle’s wings were twitching violently as Harroc’s hands roamed their body. They groaned, tilting their head up toward his ears to let the sound carry.

Harroc became very warm, his body pushing away some of the cold being drenched in rain caused. He growled loudly, tugging Colle even closer and reaching a hand up between their wings to run his fingers down the join firmly. When their wings spasmed he grinned and bit into Colle’s neck softly. "I want to eat you, again and again," he rumbled, biting them more forcefully.

"And yet, just a few moments ago, you said you wouldn’t," Colle growled with a note of amusement in their voice. Harroc grinned, sending a sudden pulse of essence into Colle and pressing into another rough kiss.

Colle returned his kiss before pulling back. "Hey, none of that. Take it back, you need it more than I do," they said, panting. They stroked his cheek as a soft moan slipped absently from their lips. "Besides-" they shivered. "I need you to recover." Closing their eyes for a moment, they caught his eyes as they opened them. "I can’t wreck you until I know you’ll be okay."

Harroc laughed, pressing his head to theirs and squeezing his fingers into their skin. "I will not be ready for several days, Honey. I am still wounded, though the poison has faded its damage has not been undone." He tilted his head to kiss Colle, taking their lip into his teeth gently. "It will be a terrible trial, waiting to be ready."

They rolled off Harroc the instant he relaxed his grip even slightly. "I shouldn’t stress you then. We will have plenty of time to talk." They fixed Harroc with a look. "Which, clearly, we need to." Colle slowly got to their feet and stretched, flicking a spray of water off their wings.

Kneeling back down, they cupped Harroc’s head and lifted it slightly to kiss him. They tried to convey every bit of warmth and care they had for him in their kiss, ignoring the downpour around them. Harroc leaned further into the kiss, moaning softly and curling a hand in their hair. Colle felt warmth flood through them where their lips touched, their lover’s essence running rampant.

Sighing, they slowly - very reluctantly - pulled back from the kiss. "We really should get you out of your wet clothes. There’s blankets. I can go get some water in a bit - Chloe said all the canteens are empty, but the outpost wasn’t far," they said, sliding their hands across Harroc’s cheek as they leaned back.

He rumbled softly, grinning up at them. "I can fetch water. It will be good to stretch," he said leaning into their hands and closing his eyes. "I feel like I have been twisted to the snapping point, and then dropped."

Colle hissed in sympathy. "I can rub your back later. Might not help much but I figure any ease is better than none. I’ll get the canteens and you can come with me, but I’m not letting you go alone."

Harroc nodded and rose, very stiffly, to his full height. "It would be worth the essence to infuse your hands," he offered back, picking up Colle in a short-lived hug.
Word count: 938
User avatar
Colle Mellifera
Event MVP
Pastry chef
Level
03
46 / 46 HP
42 / 42 MP
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Re: The Sweetest Things Take Time

Post by Colle Mellifera »

Not wanting to betray how very much they’d missed Harroc’s full-body hugs, Colle still couldn’t stop themself from leaning against his chest for a moment. "After you’ve had more food and water - then we’ll see how you feel. I don’t want you to short yourself on essence." They did their best to give him a stern look they didn’t entirely believe.

Harroc rumbled softly, grinning down at his mate before sliding an arm around their side and moving towards the small door. He opened it carefully, not letting it slam wide, and peeked in. "Hello, Chloe. I need the canteens. We are going to get them filled," he shouted just loud enough to be heard over the torrential rain.

"Wait, you’re still wearing armor. You two are loud as hell," Chloe said with a shake of her head in disbelief. Harroc grinned and moved inside, grabbing all of the canteens and loading them into the pack. Chloe watched him warily, still clearly concerned he was going to pounce.

"I have to get better first," Harroc said as his only explanation before he shouldered the pack and headed back out into the storm. He got the door shut solidly, and then looked over to Colle. "It is nice to see how eager you are for me, Mate," he shouted with a tilt of his head toward their underwear. It was plastered to their skin, showing their erection prominently.

Colle huffed, caught between a laugh and mild indignation. "Well, it's been a hard week," they shouted back, trying to force a smile. They reached for the pack Harroc carried. "I'll take them. No need to tire yourself out."

He shook his head, grabbing their hand and pulling them close instead. "You spent all the essence, you are worse off than I am," he said, leaning his head onto theirs and squeezing them to his side.

"That - what you gave me before you left, that was just a boost, wasn't it?" Colle said loudly, hoping to be heard over the rain.

"How fast did you use it?" He asked right beside their head, starting to look concerned.

"Uh, maybe two days, at the most? Why? It wasn't that much, right?" Colle looked up at Harroc, blinking the rain out of their eyes. Harroc stopped walking suddenly. His eyes went very wide and his mouth hung open for several seconds.

"We will need to talk," he said loudly and then looked around. "Where is the water?"

Colle squinted and blocked the rain from their eyes. They saw a dark shape to the southwest. "Should be there," they said, pointing. Harroc nodded and started moving forward, keeping Colle wrapped tightly to his side.

"I'm not leaving you, you don't have to hold me that close," Colle said, amused. They nudged Harroc with their elbow. "It can't be easy to walk like that."

Harroc didn’t say anything, but squeezed Colle tighter for a step before continuing on. He seemed to be using his long legs to his advantage and was still moving about as fast as they could walk. They came through the haze of rain and found a large covered cistern.

There was a heavy stream of water coming out of a pipe above the container, pouring into a natural gulley nearby. Harroc stopped in front of the cistern and set down the pack, quickly removing a canteen for filling. He looked agitated, and his movements were quick and somewhat jerky.

"Hand that to me once it's filled, I'll hand you an empty one." Colle fished another canteen from the pack, standing beside Harroc. He did so, being careful not to overtighten the caps despite his otherwise complete lack of fluid movement.

"Hey, you alright? You're moving really stiffly." Colle glanced up at him, concern clear on their face. "I can take over if you want a break."

"I am not the one that I am concerned for. We will talk when we return," he said, not quite sharply, but with clear agitation. Colle traded canteens with Harroc again, swapping the full canteens for empties until all were filled. As Harroc stepped back with the pack, Colle cupped their hand under the stream and drank thirstily.

Harroc waited until Colle was finished and then picked them up again and started back towards their shelter. "Harroc, put me down." Colle wasn't shouting, but their voice was loud enough to be heard distinctly. Harroc stopped and set them down gently before continuing walking, though he did not increase his pace.

"I don't know why you're determined to wipe out every bit of energy you've just regained," they muttered, not intending for Harroc to hear them over the roar of the rain. Harroc didn’t respond, continuing to move with a mix of somewhat restrained movement and smooth strides.
Word count: 812
User avatar
Harroc Crownegrove
Character
Disciples of Balance, Defender of the Woods
Level
01
24 / 24 HP
21 / 21 MP
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Class: Druid
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Re: The Sweetest Things Take Time

Post by Harroc Crownegrove »

The distance to the storage shack was covered fairly quickly, even in the rain. Colle shivered a little as a gust of wind hit them while they waited for Harroc to open the door. He held it open, planting himself firmly and tossing the pack inside before following Colle in and sealing the door again.

Chloe waved from behind a canteen she’d immediately opened and started drinking. "We need to get you out of your armor and your wet clothes," Colle said to Harroc, reaching for the straps on his chestplate. He moved suddenly, taking their hands in his.

"Please sit, Honey. I will handle this. I want to talk," he said softly.

Colle frowned slightly. "Okay, but ask me for help if you want it. I know you're exhausted and I don't want you wearing yourself out. Not while you're still recovering." They turned and walked to the corner where they'd tossed their clothes. Facing the wall, they stripped off their soaked underwear and slid on their dry pants.

"Not how I expected to see that, but sure," Chloe said with a shake of her head. She held out a packet of food towards Colle.

Colle rolled their eyes and shook their head in Chloe's direction. A few drops of water flew toward her. "Hey, he’s supposed to be the wet dog," she said, wiping her face. Colle smirked and wrung a small stream of water out of their hair. They pulled their top on and took the packet from Chloe.

Harroc moved over to the far side of the room, reaching for the undamaged straps in his armor. "Were you sick? Wounded? I gave you enough essence for me to run for four days without rest," he said softly, pulling his chest plate over his head.

"YOU GAVE ME WHAT?!" Colle shouted. "I told you, don't handicap yourself for me!" They advanced on Harroc, horrified and angry. "You could have died! You damn nearly did! What were you thinking?" Their hands flew, punctuating their speech, and their wings flicked out aggressively.

"I gave you half of what I intended, no more, just like you asked," he said back, not seeming to react to Colle’s wild movements and shouting. "I recovered with a single rest, there was no danger." He put a hand on their shoulder, squeezing gently. "You burned possibly weeks of energy in several days Honey. What happened?"

Colle furrowed their brow, frowning, and put a hand up to their face. "I said a boost. Nothing more. And nothing happened. I went to work. I worked out a little. I came home. That's it."

"My wonderful Honey," Harroc said, leaning forward to rest his forehead against theirs. "Even a day ago I likely carried more energy than you use in a day. If you had not been bolstered, I am worried you would have died." He wrapped them in a tight hug, pulling them to his chest. "I will ask Poppy, they will know. I cannot let you do whatever you have done again."

Colle huffed out a mirthless laugh. "All I did was work. Idols, Poppy and Corey insisted I take half days throughout the week. I’m not going to quit working. I’m just a little tired."

Harroc’s eyes widened and he placed his hands to the side of their head. There was a pulse of power, a sense of warmth, and he stared into their eyes for several seconds. "Honey, are you certain you are not sick?" he asked very softly.

"I’m just tired. It was a long week. The cafe’s still short-handed so I had to cover a few extra shifts." They reached up and gently moved Harroc’s hands. "Please worry more about yourself. You almost died out in the wilds."

"Honey, I just gave you an hour’s worth of essence. You have consumed it. I am worried you may be dying," he said quietly, returning his hands back to their face. "Have you slept, eaten, where did the essence go?"

Colle sighed. "Fuck if I know, then. You’re sounding like Poppy," they said, cracking a sideways smile. "She’s always getting on to me about random stuff like that."

"I am not being playful. Sit, do not move, this will not be comfortable," he said in the same quiet tone.

Colle didn’t move. "What do you want to do to me?" They put their hands on their hips. "I want to know before you cast anything or try to shove essence in, or through, me."
Word count: 764
User avatar
Harroc Crownegrove
Character
Disciples of Balance, Defender of the Woods
Level
01
24 / 24 HP
21 / 21 MP
0p / 0g / 0s / 50c
Race: Elemental and Shapeshifter
Class: Druid
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Re: The Sweetest Things Take Time

Post by Harroc Crownegrove »

"I am going to trace the essence I place into you, it will take time, and I will need to concentrate absolutely. I will need to have you asleep, to reduce your ability to redirect the essence," Harroc said with a frown. "It will point me to the area you are weakest. But I am guessing it is an unknown injury."

"You’d have to put essence into me. Yeah, no." Colle held up their hand. "You are supposed to be recuperating, and I refuse to do anything that might weaken you or slow your recovery." They looked around and found the pack Chloe had handed them. Unwrapping it, they pulled out a strip of jerky. "Hungry?" they asked, offering the meat to Harroc.

He took the jerky and tore it, shoving a piece into his mouth. "And when you die, while I lay there helpless, you think I will be happy I have recovered a day faster?" he asked them, his eyes flashing and shifting even though his voice remained the same.

"I’m not dying. I’m tired. You’re making this a big fucking deal." Colle crossed their arms, their eyes flaring hotly. "Three days ago, I thought you’d left me. A day ago, I thought you were dead. The fact that you are alive and in front of me right now-" They paused, swallowing hard. "I would do whatever I needed to keep you alive."

Harroc chuckled darkly. "You are strong, and in that I see beauty," he said, suddenly letting all of the emotion he’d been keeping back into his voice. He sounded devastated and terrified, his usual strong tone wavering and shifting.

"You may only believe you are tired, but you have taken in more than you should even be able to hold. If I attempt to use your help to heal faster I will only be drained instead. Let me heal you, and then you can keep me safe."

Colle dropped their shoulders. "I don’t want to fight you, sweetheart. I don’t want to weaken you. How about this - if we get you home by sunrise tomorrow, you can do whatever you think you need to do after I finish the morning baking."

Harroc smiled suddenly, as if an idea had occurred to him. He walked over to Chloe and knelt down in front of her. "Come trainee, I will carry you," he said with a grin. Chloe rolled her eyes and put her arms over Harroc’s shoulders.

"You should have been more specific," she said to Colle from Harroc’s back as he rose to full height.

"Come, Mate," he said, offering a hand to them. "You will ride me home."

"I don’t think even you could carry both of us, sweetheart. Not to mention it’s still pouring outside." Colle stepped to Harroc’s side.

"In the words of a close friend, have faith," he said with a grin and strode to the door, pulling it open and stepping out into the storm. Colle sighed and followed him out.

"We could wait out the storm first," they shouted. Harroc moved just away from the building and practically fell forward, bursting into smoke and emerging as the great wolf. He padded over and bumped against Colle, nuzzling at their hand before laying down beside them. "You’re not giving up on this, are you," they grumbled loudly.

He let his tongue loll out, wiggling his head to toss the water that was drenching him. "Fine, but if you feel any strain, you better set me down," Colle said, climbing on Harroc’s back behind Chloe.
Word count: 610
User avatar
Colle Mellifera
Event MVP
Pastry chef
Level
03
46 / 46 HP
42 / 42 MP
0p / 0g / 1s / 50c
Race: Fae
Class: Alchemist and Summoner
Posts: 67
Joined: December 28th, 2019, 7:16 am
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Re: The Sweetest Things Take Time

Post by Colle Mellifera »

Harroc barked happily and immediately started plodding forward. When he felt his passengers settle he started to jog, loping along at a speed equivalent to a medium run. He made his way to a central path, one that spiraled upwards inside the base of a great tree.

When he reached the level he wanted he burst back out into the storm, taking full advantage of the broad empty walkways and bridges. Soon enough he was on the proper half of the city, still moving quickly and staying near to the larger trees and stairways.

Colle huffed, rocking on Harroc’s back as he ran. "You’re supposed to be taking it easy," they said loudly, leaning to the side so they wouldn’t hurt Chloe’s ears. They saw an ear flick back dismissively, and Harroc let loose a low rumbling howl as he continued moving. Chloe giggled, her eyes wide with excitement as she clearly enjoyed the speed of Harroc’s strides.

Sitting back, Colle grumbled as Harroc made his way past the cafe. "Remember to stop on the stairs," they called as Harroc turned at the tree. "You won’t fit inside like this." Chloe laughed uproariously and shook her head before being forced into Colle’s shoulders as Harroc started up the heavily angled stairs.

"If you lean forward, you won’t feel like you’re falling," Colle said, propping her up with their torso. "It’s a few stories up, but it’s got a nice view." Chloe adjusted some, keeping her face close to Colle’s back to block the rain.

"I’m sure. Maybe in the morning," she said with another laugh as Harroc started bounding up the stairs with much larger leaps.

Colle snorted. "Fair. Yeah, once it stops raining, you’ll see." They glanced back at Harroc’s merrily swishing tail and sighed. He continued his giant leaps until he reached the top, where he promptly turned sideways and leaned towards the door.

Sliding off, Colle held out a hand to Chloe, but found her wrapped around Harroc’s shoulders as he grinned at them back in his normal form. Colle gave Harroc a wearily annoyed look and went to open the door.

"Well, come in. I don’t think I have clothes that’d fit you, Chloe, but you can take a hot shower at least." They waited for him to come inside, frowning as he ducked to avoid hitting Chloe against the top of the door. He walked over and turned around beside the table, letting Chloe down gently.

"I will need to return the supplies tomorrow, and recover what remains of my armor," he said with what Colle could only describe as a monumentally smug look. Behind him Chloe was still overcome with the excitement of the run.

"I mean, I don’t really care at this point. I’ve seen your dick, and all of him, so whatever. I’m definitely taking that shower, but I think I’ll need help," she said as she leaned over a bit to catch her breath.

"Of course. I can help you, or Harroc can, I guess. Although I’d rather he rested." Colle looked around their kitchen for any food. They spotted a covered plate on the counter, but movement behind them caught their eye. Harroc wiggled out of his last piece of clothing and tossed it aside. Several clumps of cloth and leather were strewn across the floor, clearly discarded as Harroc had flung them off.

"Right." Colle shrugged and walked over to investigate the plate. Poppy had stacked several cat's paws in the center and surrounded them with muffins. Next to the plate a note read, "Quiche in cold storage. Tell Mr. Handsome welcome back. -P." Colle shook their head with a soft chuckle.

"Poppy said to tell you welcome back," Colle said over their shoulder to Harroc. "I'm guessing you're taking first shower then?" They rummaged in a drawer to find their fire-starter utensils to light the oven.
Word count: 671
User avatar
Harroc Crownegrove
Character
Disciples of Balance, Defender of the Woods
Level
01
24 / 24 HP
21 / 21 MP
0p / 0g / 0s / 50c
Race: Elemental and Shapeshifter
Class: Druid
Posts: 141
Joined: August 5th, 2019, 1:48 am
Has thanked: 5 times
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Re: The Sweetest Things Take Time

Post by Harroc Crownegrove »

"No, I am going to do what I promised, and then I will help Chloe, and then you, and then I will wash and go to sleep," Harroc said with a faint hint of command in his voice. It wasn't as strong as Zalai, but it still had Colle acting before they finished thinking.

As they approached Harroc, Colle frowned. "You're not doing the essence thing tonight. I said after morning baking, tomorrow."

"You are not going to work tomorrow unless I have severely misunderstood the severity of your weakness," Harroc countered.

"Oh?" Colle raised an eyebrow. "Who do you think makes all of the cat's paws and chocolate twigs and berry pockets and crescents and muffins for the morning crowd? They don't just appear out of nowhere. The cafe doesn't have another pastry chef. That's my job - and I will be going to work tomorrow." Their voice carried a note of firm determination.

"You think that anyone will be going to the cafe in the morning?" Harroc said, pointing at the worsening storm outside. "Either I am right and you will be resting as well, or I am wrong and you have several days' worth of energy you need to burn and so will not be able to stand!"

"Even if you're wrong, we are not going to have sex until I'm confident you're recovered." Colle growled.

"Yeah, I didn't sign up to listen to hurricane fuckfest '88 either," Chloe chimed in from her perch on the table.

"See? Chloe agrees with me." Colle tilted their head in her direction aggressively.

Harroc barked a laugh. "I was not thinking of anything so enjoyable," he responded. "Now sit down, or I will not rest until you have." It was clear he would not budge from his belief they were grievously wounded.

Colle threw their hands up in frustration. "Idols-fucking-damnit, Harroc. Fine. I am done giving a damn about whether you collapse on me and I have to hear the healers tell me they can't do shit for you, so sorry and all."

They walked over to the rug at the end of the bed and sat down with as much force as they could muster. Their wings beat forcefully, creating a small breeze around them.

Harroc crossed the room in three strides and slid down beside Colle with one smooth movement. He held his hands up and grinned. "I will need to touch your skin at your chest, please try to remain still," he said softly.

Colle glared at him. "Fine. Let's do this so I can get back to fixing us food and planning tomorrow's baking." They yanked the ties on the side open, flipped the front over their side, and pulled the strings on the inside to release the other half of the top's front. The two sides hung open from their shoulders, ties dangling at chest level. "There."

Harroc's hands came forward, pressing gently against Colle's skin with his long fingers splayed outward. "This may feel like many things, but it should not be painful," he said softly before closing his eyes.

He pushed a column of essence into Colle's chest. It was much denser than anything he'd used on them before. "Harroc? This isn't like usual," they said, panting slightly. "Why do I feel so dizzy?"

"Remain still," he said firmly, following the column as it settled and immediately began to disperse. He traced and discarded several paths almost instantly, each a simple and regular drain. Then he reached a path that seemed to be tugging relentlessly and he traced it with concern furrowing his brow.

"When is the last time you used magic?" he asked suddenly, trying to get Colle to focus with a slight push on their chest.

"A while? Probably when you and Rory were working with that book at the cafe," they said, a little breathless. "I've never had much of a magical aptitude. Only - small stuff, 'detect magic' mostly."

"Your natural magical center is overflowing with power, and poisoning you," Harroc said as he examined the roiling mass of magic greedily consuming his essence.

"What - I just said, I've never shown any real ability. Ask Poppy, she'd tell you the same thing." Colle was panting heavily now.

"This is likely my fault, you perhaps have latent talent that my essence has agitated. I can siphon off much of the excess, but I do not know what effect this will have on me." Harroc pressed Colle back slightly so they were leaning more against the bed.

"Don't- hurt- yourself," Colle gasped. Their breath rasped in their throat as they tried to take in more air. Harroc grunted and reached in his control, following along the rapidly fading path of his own essence. He latched on to the dense magical force in Colle and tugged, pulling his own essence back out.

It was one of the few constants he knew for magical energy. Taking it back always cost much more than providing it. Colle arched back, letting loose a keening cry before slumping to the floor. Harroc's eyes went wide as he was flooded with dense magical power.

It felt as though his body was distant, everything became a hundred times more intense in every way. He could hear Colle's heart, feel the minute creak of the floor beneath him, taste the faint tang of honey glaze in the air from the cat's paws. He laughed, unable to contain the overwhelming sense of power and joy.

Chloe watched from her seat on the table as Colle collapsed and then Harroc started - giggling. "What the fuck did you do?"

Between bursts of laughter and involuntary sounds of wonder, Harroc managed to get out, "I ate it!" before dissolving back into incoherence.
Word count: 961
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