Me, too. ( it was technically her bedroom, but let's not think about that too much.
Whenever Meryl did figure out what a willow tree was and made her way over, Night Sky was indeed lounging under said tree. The garden around it was lush, pathways slightly (purposefully) overgrown and lined with wildflowers. A proper garden with a variety of flowers off to one side, and even more scattered around with less obvious organization.
Night Sky probably should have warned Meryl about her usual attire... or lack thereof. The dryad was donned in nothing but a few precariously placed leaves upon her chest and the apex of her legs; vines twined around her limbs. She was lying on her back propped up on a pillow of moss and looking off like she was daydreaming.)
[Well, that warning would have been appreciated, certainly. Now she's here and staring, but trying not to stare? Covering her eyes, but also trying to look so that she doesn't stumble over any stray plants or anything like that. And of course, stealing the occasional glance just to tuck into her memory.
Night Sky snapped to attention, bright green eyes honing in on the woman that had entered the garden. She stood up, smiled and tilted her head quizzically. )
Of course not, beautiful. I invited you. ( She chuckled. ) Why are you covering your face - oh. Wait. Is that my fault?
Sorry, sorry! I just didn't know if you wanted me to see or not! Or if I was interrupting! I could have been early, or -
[Unfortunately, it was not the abruptness of Vaeros's party, or the intimacy of their time shared together that made Meryl nervous. She just works herself up over nothing all of the time.]
It's fine! As long as you're comfortable i-it's. Fine!
Oh, I don't mind you seeing. ( Reel it back a little, Night Sky. ) And you're just on time, not that I was timing you or anything.
( She flicked her wrist, more vines and leaves twisting and shifting until she was a touch more covered - now adorned in what looked like a leafy tubetop and shorts for just a little more modesty. She stepped toward Meryl after. ) There, I'm decent-ish. Let me see your face - I didn't get to fully appreciate you at the party.
[Meryl does breathe a little easier, now that a bit more skin is covered up. The likelihood of her having a heart attack from just staring at Night Sky has been reduced significantly. Still not zero, especially now that Night Sky wants to look? at her of all people? Somehow, she finds the will to do so, even as she fusses with the bottom of her jacket.]
I'm - pretty sure we did a lot of appreciating of each other.
( Night Sky took a moment to truly appreciate her. Meryl was undoubtedly beautiful when with a mask covering half her face - and now, she had just proven it to be true. The dryad smiled, gently- almost tentatively, like she wasn't sure how much she was allowed to do now without any odd magics or masks hiding either of them. For all she knew, Meryl didn't want her touching her - brushed her fingertips under the other woman's chin. )
We did, but I can't pass up the opportunity to see you completely now, can I? ( Clearly, she didn't need magic for lines like that still. ) Your eyes are as gorgeous as I thought they were. I almost thought it was a trick of the light in the castle.
[Meryl does flinch, but it's only out of surprise at the thrill that runs through her. To her credit, she does quickly correct herself, dipping her chin enough to initiate the contact once more. Her lashes flutter dreamily, like she's in some vapid romance novel. She'd be embarrassed, if she weren't on cloud nine.]
You - [She squeezes her eyes shut, as if it might block out what an absolute embarrassment she was becoming.] You're just as good at this as I remember. Thought it might have been a dream, honestly. Or the magic messing with my memory.
( Were it not for that quick correction, Night Sky would be muttering an apology and retracting her hand. Instead, she was shifting to cup Meryl's cheek, and laughing. )
It certainly felt like it at times, but it was real, and I meant everything I said. ( her hand dropped after a few gently strokes of her thumb under Meryl's eye. ) Come here. Let me give you your gifts before we get distracted. ( there was a nearly imperceptible lilt in her voice- hopeful that they might very well get distracted anyway. )
[Meryl shivers at the mere thought of getting distracted with Sky. She's thought about it the last few weeks, that much is for certain. But no, she'll stay focused and -
Nope. Immediately distracted.]
Gifts? But I didn't get you anything. That isn't fair, you know! You should warn a gal first!!
Wouldn't be a surprise if I warned you though. ( She turned away from her just long enough to rifle around the area she clearly used for a bed - soft moss and a few blankets tossed into a pile - and pulled out a small box and a bouquet of chrysanthemums. She offered all of it to Meryl when she turned back toward her. )
Being able to see you again is enough for me. That you came here without any odd magic or influence tells me a lot. ( Inside the box, whenever Meryl did open it, was an assortment of blue toned rocks and a hand carved wooden crescent moon pendant with a black cord attached. )
That wood is from my homeworld. More specifically it's from the Everliving Tree. It's... very important to my people. It's what the entire forest sprang from and what we pray to so. Keep it safe, okay? No one else should ever have it.
[In those few seconds, Meryl seems to forget how to use her hands. She holds them out limply, not quite shaking, but definitely loose in their posture. Vacantly, she stares at Night Sky, confused and awestruck all at once. She doesn't deserve gifts of this caliber, not ones that are so obviously thoughtful and catered specifically to her.]
Night Sky - [Finally, she remembers how to move her body. She takes the box first, in favor of opening it. It doesn't help matters, considering how she was already reeling from just a passing glance.]
This is... so much. [She closes the box in favor of holding it close to her chest with one arm. The other hand takes the bouquet and then does the same. Maybe if she buries her face in the flowers, it'll keep Sky from seeing how flustered she's become?]
( Night Sky hadn't been nervous while thinking up the exact gift she wanted to give, nor the entire process of finding the right colored stones that reminded her of Meryl's eyes, not even while she was carving the pendant from the strong wood of the Tree. But watching Meryl and hearing her speak, she felt almost nauseous. )
Too much? ( Said softly, her eyes glancing down to the box and flowers, back up to Meryl's face while she tried to hide it. ) I know we just met, and a lot of magic shit was messing with us, and if it's too much I won't - I understand. I just... thought about you a lot since that night and I wanted you to know.
No. No, no, no! [She doesn't have free hands to wave about, but the waver in her voice certainly implies the level of flailing that she wants to put forth. She settles for shaking her head furiously, to the point that she almost stumbles from the dizziness.
Or maybe that's just all the blood in her face.]
I just - how can I ever get you something as well meaning as this. Something carved from a tree that means that much to you? I don't see how I deserve something like that.
[She looks down to her feet, watches as her shoe presses a little furrow into the earth.]
But I like it. It's perfect. And - you're not the only person that's been thinking of someone. Pretty sure I might have dreamed about you. [Wait. She should not have said that outloud.]
( Night Sky could safely say she had never seen someone shake their head so aggressively, and stayed close in case the poor woman did actually fall over; a hand hovering just at her shoulder. )
You... dreamt about me? ( Sorry. She would have to circle back to the gift giving bit, because that last part was what really stuck out to her. Night Sky felt a fluttering in her chest and that same nauseousness, only for an entirely different reason now; a blush creeping along freckled cheeks and up to the tips of her pointed ears. ) The fact that someone like you would even think twice about me is gift enough, I think. What more could I ask for?
[It takes Meryl a second to glance up. In that time, her imagination runs off in the worst of ways. She's sure that Night Sky has backed off in horror. She's certain that she's about to laugh in her face. Yet when Meryl glance up, wincing as she does, she finds only warmth.]
Someone like me? I'm not that special. Honest. [Not compared to the people she knows, and certainly not compared to the rest of those who'd come to call this world home.]
No, it's not. Because I have absolutely been dreaming about you. ( And a few other people, truth be told, but Meryl had played a very prominent role in her dreams recently. And her daydreams, for that matter.
She reached out to brush her knuckles softly over the other woman's cheek. ) No one ever thinks they're special. But there is something about you, Meryl, that just makes me want to know you more. I just need to know if you'll let me.
( she tilted her head, lips quirking at the corners. ) You can put your gifts down and stay a while, you know.
[Not unlike a cat, Meryl leans so bodily into the touch that she nearly stumbles when her balance begins to slip. A faintly nervous titter leaves her before she can gain proper control of herself. Unfortunately for them both, that control means that the husky whisper of of course I'll let you is choked back, but only barely.]
It's not that I don't want to... [She exhales. Unfortunately, for all her thinking, she hasn't gotten very far. She knows that she wants Night Sky to some capacity. The problem is that Night Sky isn't the only person on her mind. And unlike the dryad, Meryl hasn't found a way to reconcile that with herself yet, let alone anyone else.
For now, she focuses on the second command. A toothy, if slightly false, smile is offered.] Maybe I don't want to yet. [The smile does diminish, but only down to something both genuine and shy.] Maybe I... want you to help me put this necklace on. How about that?
( If there was one thing she had learned from the whole situation with her and Red Son (beyond needing to communicate certain things better) it was that some people needed more time than she did to parse their feelings. Night Sky had lived for such a short time initially, had only been given the briefest of chances to love and touch others before she had to distance herself. And even when she returned, hee duty had been to the forest. She was lonely and desperate and needy, but she could not demand attention or reciprocation from the people she wanted it from. She had to earn it. She had to let them want it, too. And if they didn't - that was fine. )
I know. ( it was pretty obvious that she wanted to, given how easily she leaned into her touch and all she had said thus far.
She smiled and cocked her head slightly. )
I can do that, sweetness. ( She dropped her hand and presented it instead with her palm up to receive the necklace. She wasn't just going to take it - it was Meryl's now. She'd have to give it to her.)
[For the time being, Meryl does set the rest of her gifts down. The only thing that remains is necklace, which she carefully places within Night Sky's palm. She turns her back to the woman, using a free hand to try and sweep some of her hair out of the way. Short as it is, it just falls back into place. Whatever.
The benefit of this position, at the very least, is the fact that she doesn't have to look at Night Sky. Not that she doesn't want to stare at the woman β she could probably spend hours doing that. The problem is that her brain gets fuzzy when she looks into her eyes, and right now she needs a clear head.]
I like you. I do. You're absolutely beautiful. And you've been kind and understanding, too. It's just... [She uses the tip of a nail of one hand to pick at another on the opposite side. Her teeth sink into her lower lip for just a brief second, before she releases to keep speaking.] That night at the masquerade, I met someone else too. And maybe there's even someone else beyond that.
I just don't feel right, you know? It doesn't feel fair to you.
( Night Sky untied the cord and looped her arms around Meryl's head, pulling back so the wooden pendant rested against her clavicle. As she tied it again, she listened intently to everything Meryl said. A part of her was - not jealous, not really, when she mentioned the others she might be interested in - unsurprised. Meryl was beautiful and endearing and anyone would be blessed to have her attention. If it was a debate on who to choose, if Meryl was inclined toward monogamy, Night Sky was long out of the running. No one picked her first. Not even her current paramour - sort of. )
I wouldn't mind. ( Words murmured as she finished tying the necklace. And when she was done she let her fingertips brush the sides of Meryl's neck, across her shoulders where she squeezed once in reassurance. ) You deserve to be adored by more than just me, I can promise you that. But... if that's not your thing, I understand. I won't push.
[The problem with living in a society with such a profound basis in the idea of Gods, angels, and salvation is that it all tends to come back to a very monogamist view point. Even if that wasn't the case, it's not like Meryl has ever done much exploring outside of her own comfort zone. Maybe she's heard whispers of polyamory in passing but... never something so normalized.]
It's not like I'm opposed. [Her sigh is soft, accompanied by a shudder that runs through her as those fingers scrape over her skin. She looks down at the pendant on her neck, then thumbs over its carefully carved form.] I just don't want anyone to get hurt.
Mhm. I told you before I'm with someone, right? He encourages me seeing other people too, since I'm kind of greedy and desperate for affection. ( Hell of a thing to admit, but Meryl might as well know. As if it wasn't obvious.
She leaned into her from behind, hands dropping to rest on her hips. Night Sky was familiar with polyamory long before Somnius. Sylvan weren't exactly known for their monogamy out in the wilds.)
So long as everyone involved is aware of it, no one should. That said, it's only if you want something like that, and if you're not going to get hurt.
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I'll meet you near the willow tree. You can't miss it. ( It's huge. )
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I can be there. I'm... looking forward to seeing you again!
[Just as soon as she finds a book and looks up what the hell a willow tree is.]
β’ action.
Whenever Meryl did figure out what a willow tree was and made her way over, Night Sky was indeed lounging under said tree. The garden around it was lush, pathways slightly (purposefully) overgrown and lined with wildflowers. A proper garden with a variety of flowers off to one side, and even more scattered around with less obvious organization.
Night Sky probably should have warned Meryl about her usual attire... or lack thereof. The dryad was donned in nothing but a few precariously placed leaves upon her chest and the apex of her legs; vines twined around her limbs. She was lying on her back propped up on a pillow of moss and looking off like she was daydreaming.)
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Wait- she shouldn't do that - ]
Uh - Night Sky? Um, am I bothering you?
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Night Sky snapped to attention, bright green eyes honing in on the woman that had entered the garden. She stood up, smiled and tilted her head quizzically. )
Of course not, beautiful. I invited you. ( She chuckled. ) Why are you covering your face - oh. Wait. Is that my fault?
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[Unfortunately, it was not the abruptness of Vaeros's party, or the intimacy of their time shared together that made Meryl nervous. She just works herself up over nothing all of the time.]
It's fine! As long as you're comfortable i-it's. Fine!
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( She flicked her wrist, more vines and leaves twisting and shifting until she was a touch more covered - now adorned in what looked like a leafy tubetop and shorts for just a little more modesty. She stepped toward Meryl after. ) There, I'm decent-ish. Let me see your face - I didn't get to fully appreciate you at the party.
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I'm - pretty sure we did a lot of appreciating of each other.
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We did, but I can't pass up the opportunity to see you completely now, can I? ( Clearly, she didn't need magic for lines like that still. ) Your eyes are as gorgeous as I thought they were. I almost thought it was a trick of the light in the castle.
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You - [She squeezes her eyes shut, as if it might block out what an absolute embarrassment she was becoming.] You're just as good at this as I remember. Thought it might have been a dream, honestly. Or the magic messing with my memory.
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It certainly felt like it at times, but it was real, and I meant everything I said. ( her hand dropped after a few gently strokes of her thumb under Meryl's eye. ) Come here. Let me give you your gifts before we get distracted. ( there was a nearly imperceptible lilt in her voice- hopeful that they might very well get distracted anyway. )
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Nope. Immediately distracted.]
Gifts? But I didn't get you anything. That isn't fair, you know! You should warn a gal first!!
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Being able to see you again is enough for me. That you came here without any odd magic or influence tells me a lot. ( Inside the box, whenever Meryl did open it, was an assortment of blue toned rocks and a hand carved wooden crescent moon pendant with a black cord attached. )
That wood is from my homeworld. More specifically it's from the Everliving Tree. It's... very important to my people. It's what the entire forest sprang from and what we pray to so. Keep it safe, okay? No one else should ever have it.
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Night Sky - [Finally, she remembers how to move her body. She takes the box first, in favor of opening it. It doesn't help matters, considering how she was already reeling from just a passing glance.]
This is... so much. [She closes the box in favor of holding it close to her chest with one arm. The other hand takes the bouquet and then does the same. Maybe if she buries her face in the flowers, it'll keep Sky from seeing how flustered she's become?]
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Too much? ( Said softly, her eyes glancing down to the box and flowers, back up to Meryl's face while she tried to hide it. ) I know we just met, and a lot of magic shit was messing with us, and if it's too much I won't - I understand. I just... thought about you a lot since that night and I wanted you to know.
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Or maybe that's just all the blood in her face.]
I just - how can I ever get you something as well meaning as this. Something carved from a tree that means that much to you? I don't see how I deserve something like that.
[She looks down to her feet, watches as her shoe presses a little furrow into the earth.]
But I like it. It's perfect. And - you're not the only person that's been thinking of someone. Pretty sure I might have dreamed about you. [Wait. She should not have said that outloud.]
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You... dreamt about me? ( Sorry. She would have to circle back to the gift giving bit, because that last part was what really stuck out to her. Night Sky felt a fluttering in her chest and that same nauseousness, only for an entirely different reason now; a blush creeping along freckled cheeks and up to the tips of her pointed ears. ) The fact that someone like you would even think twice about me is gift enough, I think. What more could I ask for?
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[It takes Meryl a second to glance up. In that time, her imagination runs off in the worst of ways. She's sure that Night Sky has backed off in horror. She's certain that she's about to laugh in her face. Yet when Meryl glance up, wincing as she does, she finds only warmth.]
Someone like me? I'm not that special. Honest. [Not compared to the people she knows, and certainly not compared to the rest of those who'd come to call this world home.]
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She reached out to brush her knuckles softly over the other woman's cheek. ) No one ever thinks they're special. But there is something about you, Meryl, that just makes me want to know you more. I just need to know if you'll let me.
( she tilted her head, lips quirking at the corners. ) You can put your gifts down and stay a while, you know.
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It's not that I don't want to... [She exhales. Unfortunately, for all her thinking, she hasn't gotten very far. She knows that she wants Night Sky to some capacity. The problem is that Night Sky isn't the only person on her mind. And unlike the dryad, Meryl hasn't found a way to reconcile that with herself yet, let alone anyone else.
For now, she focuses on the second command. A toothy, if slightly false, smile is offered.] Maybe I don't want to yet. [The smile does diminish, but only down to something both genuine and shy.] Maybe I... want you to help me put this necklace on. How about that?
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I know. ( it was pretty obvious that she wanted to, given how easily she leaned into her touch and all she had said thus far.
She smiled and cocked her head slightly. )
I can do that, sweetness. ( She dropped her hand and presented it instead with her palm up to receive the necklace. She wasn't just going to take it - it was Meryl's now. She'd have to give it to her.)
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The benefit of this position, at the very least, is the fact that she doesn't have to look at Night Sky. Not that she doesn't want to stare at the woman β she could probably spend hours doing that. The problem is that her brain gets fuzzy when she looks into her eyes, and right now she needs a clear head.]
I like you. I do. You're absolutely beautiful. And you've been kind and understanding, too. It's just... [She uses the tip of a nail of one hand to pick at another on the opposite side. Her teeth sink into her lower lip for just a brief second, before she releases to keep speaking.] That night at the masquerade, I met someone else too. And maybe there's even someone else beyond that.
I just don't feel right, you know? It doesn't feel fair to you.
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I wouldn't mind. ( Words murmured as she finished tying the necklace. And when she was done she let her fingertips brush the sides of Meryl's neck, across her shoulders where she squeezed once in reassurance. ) You deserve to be adored by more than just me, I can promise you that. But... if that's not your thing, I understand. I won't push.
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[The problem with living in a society with such a profound basis in the idea of Gods, angels, and salvation is that it all tends to come back to a very monogamist view point. Even if that wasn't the case, it's not like Meryl has ever done much exploring outside of her own comfort zone. Maybe she's heard whispers of polyamory in passing but... never something so normalized.]
It's not like I'm opposed. [Her sigh is soft, accompanied by a shudder that runs through her as those fingers scrape over her skin. She looks down at the pendant on her neck, then thumbs over its carefully carved form.] I just don't want anyone to get hurt.
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She leaned into her from behind, hands dropping to rest on her hips. Night Sky was familiar with polyamory long before Somnius. Sylvan weren't exactly known for their monogamy out in the wilds.)
So long as everyone involved is aware of it, no one should. That said, it's only if you want something like that, and if you're not going to get hurt.
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