Untangling from Eosi felt so wrong, and a large part of him regretted it badly, urging him to return to that world where he belonged, where he needed nothing she couldn’t provide by just breathing. It was just the amount of horrific things Leo had seen in his life, many of which were treacherous and attacked from behind, that pushed him to seek safety for them first. Leo Zaital was a target worth a king’s ransom, painted red with blood; by extension, so was Eosi. They needed to be safe - no, there was no such thing as safe, only safer. Then they would have the world to themselves.
”This is the wilderness, love. Everything’s hungry out here. Myself included.” Leo cleared his throat, stealing a glance from his lover who appeared frustrated but all in all quite understanding. Eosi remained mysterious to him in many ways, often more willing to talk with her body than with actual words. It was a language she spoke with fluency, always giving, always uninhibited. If he wanted anything, she was more than willing to offer it all and then some more. The net effect could be nothing but addiction, pure and simple. At times, Leo honestly wondered what she saw in him. There was one gnawing doubt he would never admit to, but that he secretly nurtured… not today, though. Today was strictly reserved for good times.
”So, let’s get this over with,” he mumbled, rummaging through Ember’s bags. The larger part of their equipment was with Eosi (one more reason she’d ended up losing the race), but Leo had a few pieces of interest. He produced a pouch and pulled out a series of long wooden pegs, almost spike-like. The heads had been carved, or so it seemed, into the appearance of skulls. Just the typical thing you’d expect in Leo’s inventory. ”So, these can protect a campsite. They worked for me in Kalea, at the very least.” Kneeling down on the grass, he proceeded to bury the first peg so that only the skull was showing. When the deed was done, he moved on to the next, staking out the location of their camp.
The activity cleared his mind just a little. ”There’s a story behind these.” He was far from sure Eosi wanted to hear a story - it may very well be the last thing on her mind - so he tried to keep it short and sweet. ”They were a gift I got in Syliras just before leaving for Wind Reach.” He had no idea if he was allowed to tell Eosi about the Windoak despite being sworn to secrecy. With Sylir finally reborn, the tree was no longer a single point of failure for the forces of good, and if there was one righteous woman left in the world it would be the one standing beside him.
Leo placed the last peg and rose to his full height. Hopefully Eosi had been taking care of some unpacking, as well; being proactive was one of her many virtues, after all. He reviewed the layout, making sure no two stakes were too far apart, and considered himself satisfied on that count. ”That seems spacious enough for us not to roll out of the perimeter.” His eyes twinkled for a moment as the image of Eosi, naked in the grass, seemed too vivid in his mind and he knew he would have to make it real. ”I think.” He approached her in slow, measured steps, his intent obvious in his gaze. His breathing clearly audible. He needed her more than he could ever admit. He loved her as much as Leo Zaital would ever love anyone, and while some would contend he was just a killer with the blood of thousands on his hands, he was not without burning love for those who could dig deep into him. He wondered if that would always be enough for Eosi - if he would always be enough for her.
Today, however, it would be just the three of them. Him, her, and the grass.
”This is the wilderness, love. Everything’s hungry out here. Myself included.” Leo cleared his throat, stealing a glance from his lover who appeared frustrated but all in all quite understanding. Eosi remained mysterious to him in many ways, often more willing to talk with her body than with actual words. It was a language she spoke with fluency, always giving, always uninhibited. If he wanted anything, she was more than willing to offer it all and then some more. The net effect could be nothing but addiction, pure and simple. At times, Leo honestly wondered what she saw in him. There was one gnawing doubt he would never admit to, but that he secretly nurtured… not today, though. Today was strictly reserved for good times.
”So, let’s get this over with,” he mumbled, rummaging through Ember’s bags. The larger part of their equipment was with Eosi (one more reason she’d ended up losing the race), but Leo had a few pieces of interest. He produced a pouch and pulled out a series of long wooden pegs, almost spike-like. The heads had been carved, or so it seemed, into the appearance of skulls. Just the typical thing you’d expect in Leo’s inventory. ”So, these can protect a campsite. They worked for me in Kalea, at the very least.” Kneeling down on the grass, he proceeded to bury the first peg so that only the skull was showing. When the deed was done, he moved on to the next, staking out the location of their camp.
The activity cleared his mind just a little. ”There’s a story behind these.” He was far from sure Eosi wanted to hear a story - it may very well be the last thing on her mind - so he tried to keep it short and sweet. ”They were a gift I got in Syliras just before leaving for Wind Reach.” He had no idea if he was allowed to tell Eosi about the Windoak despite being sworn to secrecy. With Sylir finally reborn, the tree was no longer a single point of failure for the forces of good, and if there was one righteous woman left in the world it would be the one standing beside him.
Leo placed the last peg and rose to his full height. Hopefully Eosi had been taking care of some unpacking, as well; being proactive was one of her many virtues, after all. He reviewed the layout, making sure no two stakes were too far apart, and considered himself satisfied on that count. ”That seems spacious enough for us not to roll out of the perimeter.” His eyes twinkled for a moment as the image of Eosi, naked in the grass, seemed too vivid in his mind and he knew he would have to make it real. ”I think.” He approached her in slow, measured steps, his intent obvious in his gaze. His breathing clearly audible. He needed her more than he could ever admit. He loved her as much as Leo Zaital would ever love anyone, and while some would contend he was just a killer with the blood of thousands on his hands, he was not without burning love for those who could dig deep into him. He wondered if that would always be enough for Eosi - if he would always be enough for her.
Today, however, it would be just the three of them. Him, her, and the grass.