"Karou!"
Akiva's arms are open wide as she wrestles him to the ground. Gently pinning down his seraphic wings to the Stelian dirt, and pushing his hair aside. Hair has sprouted on his face, his tan skin covered by prickles of unshaven-ness. Ignoring the facial hair, sweat, and bruises on his head, she kissed him all over.
"It's always too long," Karou said, a smile teasing the edges of her lips. "You're too far away, it's too long to wait. I-how am I supposed to have any motivation...bringing thousands of Chimaera back from the Cathedral, perfectly as they were prior to their death. It's too long, the work, the distance, the time spent away. When are they letting you leave?"
"I'm not trapped here, love." he said, pushing a strand of Karou's hair behind her ear. "You know that as well as I do. The Stelain's keep me here for safety. If not, the Continuum is damned. I have no control over whether or not I'm draining Sirithar, and the more I do, the harder and shorter it is to prepare to face the Nithilam."
"How is Scarab?" Karou asked tenderly, a soft spot in her heart for the young, vivacious queen.
"She's doing well, her training is remarkable. I can tell it takes a toll on her, having to help me learn all of the Stelian battle ways. I know it's nearly impossible to train to be a Godstar."
"We are Godstars, regardless of training." Karou said, almost defensively.
Akiva laughed and kissed her forehead. "I know that, love, it's just difficult. Scarab is busy training Stelians, I'm busy draining Sirithar and trying not to, you're busy resurrecting Chimaera, and everybody else is busy recovering from the war, keeping Jael and his zoo in check," Akiva laughed darkly "And trying to honor all we lost at Melliel."
"I know it's hard, I know, but we deserve time together. We deserve a future that we fought for. You and I, we deserve an escape into the Kirin Caves, under the warm and inviting thermal waters. Steamy and bare and...exposed." A flush of redness erupted on Karou's cheeks as she wrapped herself around him tightly.
"Well, we don't have forever, blue-devil. We have, what is it...three days until you're back at the excavation site, I'm back to resisting Sirithar, and the Nithilam war continues."
"The war will continue whether I'm here or not, I swear sometimes the fire of your wings burns a few of your brain cells."
"Contrary to popular belief," Akiva said "The leader of the Misbegotten happens to be smarter than you think. What I meant was, when I'm with you, it feels as if the world has paused and there is no war at all."
Karou flashed a smile and kissed his lips quickly. "Okay, leader, I guess you still have something up there,". Karou playfully poked his forehead.
Lost in the moment, their lips connected, Akiva's warm and salty against the coldness of Karou's after flying on winged chimeara for hours on end. Eventually, they were snapped out of their romantic splendor at the sound of a huffing.
"You know, I respect the whole starcrossed, war-defying, monster, no offense Roo, and angel love story...but your bags are heavy and you can have all the sexy times you want later." Zuzana heaved a sigh as she flopped Karou's belongings on the ground.
Mik rested his hands on her shoulders and whispered "You never say, sexy times LATER to me."
"Your baggage is a lot heavier, and I'm much more willing to touch it. Especially-"
"YEAH so you know how we were just having a moment? Keep yours to texting...or at least seclusion." Karou shakes her head.
"You're missing out," Zuze says with a snark laugh.
