Moving On & Looking Back {Cerri}

[©erridwen Corrigan]

Cerridwen sighed watching him. What was she suppose to say? This was...not suppose to be negative. How did every time they meet it always turned...out like this? Why couldn't they just be...friends. Friends. Something...he was making clear couldn't happen. "Fine...alright." She said finally leaning back into the booth shaking her head. "That's right Eryk...I'm just...what? What makes you think that we can't work out? Put everything behind you and look at the future" She said sitting up suddenly. Cerridwen just watched him.

"Things are different now! I'm different! Your different...Eryk..." She said her voice dropping when she said his name. "Please...stop...stop this nonsense." She whispered. "Xavier is dead! He is gone! We have nothing to stalk us! To lurk around the corner or to hide in the shadow's anymore! Don't you see that!I'm changed! I'm willing to let you be yourself! Your wolf! I'm willing to let that...come out...Eryk you can't really..." Cerridwen didn't know what to say.

"I'm trying to be happy for you? My heart...it's..." She looked down and furrowed her brows. "It doesn't matter." She murmured sighing. "Eryk...just...go." She muttered sighing. "I'm working towards a lost cause." She muttered to herself. She paid for this cup of coffee, she was going to finish it now. Alone. To think things over, plan her next step, her next...she didn't even know what to call it. Cerridwen took another drink of her coffee turning her back to him and staring out the glass window, people watching, watching the various people pass by.

[eryk]

She was a rather fast talker when she had something to say, even if she wasn't quite sure how to say it. Instead of trying to interrupt, or fill in the short spanses of silence he waited. He sat and waited for her to finish all she had to say. Once she'd said her piece he stood moved two steps till he was beside her and knelt.

"Do you mean what you're saying? Because if so...Cerri...I can't hurt you anymore. To think on how many times I've hurt you in the past." He shook his head trying to think clearly. "What do you want from me. Tell me. Truthfully. Tell me to leave and never come back, and I will. Tell me to wrap you in my arms and carry you away and I will. Tell me to pour steaming hot coffee over my head and dammit, Cerri, I'll do it!"

A few people were staring at him now but he didn't care. He wanted this either fixed or ended. "From the moment I met you in that garden I was tranfixed by you. You are the most gorgeous, most radiant, heavenly, beautiful woman I have ever met. I can never look at another woman, and honestly I've tried."

He sighed, and here he'd been trying to keep himself away from her. "You kissed me in the forest. If you meant that," Eryk lifted his head and went up to be level with her, "If you meant it then kiss me again."

[©erridwen Corrigan]

Cerridwen was silent for a minute. Silent threw it all. Turning finally, she looked to him. Her eyes bore down at him, she was looking down at him. This wasn't right. This was not how it was suppose to be. Pulling him gently up into the booth beside her, she was now basically for the most part level with him. "First off...you don't look up to anyone." Cerridwen whispered. By now people were watching and this...wasn't exactly what she would call the most romantic encounter, but she'd take it. She was speaking truth though.

"If I ever catch you...looking up to someone....then...I don't know. I don't want to see it." She nodded "That's what I want. I want you happy...I want you to not have to live a life where your...someone else's bitch" She whispered. "Eryk...that's not the life I want for you. I want you to be with me, but not as my personal slave....don't you see? I love you. That is not what love is. Love is compromise, love is...something real, it's between two people, it's a meet in the middle deal. Not...me looking down to you or vice versa." She whispered.

Cerridwen shook her head. "That's what made me so angry...wit...with that other guy. Xavier? He...looked down upon you. If he made you happy, but he didn't look upon you, down on you, then I would have let you go wherever you wanted to...but he didn't. Eryk...see that." Cerridwen nodded. She kept her voice low.

As he asked her to kiss him, she smiled slightly. A small smile. She had an idea. Lifting his hand she kissed the top of it softly. "Come with me...yeah? I have these...huge...blank canvas's that I need to fill...and I know your mother taught you to paint...I've never seen your ability though...I'd very much like too.."Cerridwen admitted "But...if you want to go back to your friend, then you can of course" She nodded and lifted her lips to kiss him sweetly on the lips quickly and then back down.

"you choose." She nodded and even if he didn't choose her. It wasn't the end of the world. It was about how he responded to her words before these.

[eryk]

It felt like she still was shoving him away. It still felt like she wanted him to be happy, but that happiness didn't lie with her. Then she said she wanted him to be with her, she loved him truly loved him. But the love she decribed was something he'd never really experienced. He was more familiar with being the bottom of the totem pole. Being told what to do. Sitting there beside her he thought and listened. What should he do?

As she kissed his hand he thought, She doesn't want me, she didn't mean it in the forest. All she wants is friendship. You can love friends. Even the small peck did lighten his eyes. As she gave her request he realized that his bad side was facing her. His hand lifted to cover it and he looked away. It was better this way.

"I promised...Blondie that I'd spend the night with him." His voice was low enough that no one near then could possibly hear them unless they were lycans. "Can..can I come another night? Give me a call, or leave a note at my father's house. Just..."

Eryk moved his eyes to look at her but realized the eye on her side was blind. Sometimes it slipped his mind until peripheral vision came into the situation. Instead of getting all upset about it he just stared at her from the corner of his non-seeing eye. "If I go home with you I'll want to hold you. To kiss you, and more. I can't go home with you...because friends don't...they don't want those kinds of things."

Still he was whispering and he stopped staring at her without seeing. "Another night, I promise. Just not tonight. I'm not strong enough to resist wanting you tonight." He wanted to so badly. It wasn't about sex it was about pulling her down beside him and just holding her. About falling asleep with her at his side. About taking a shower with her just to see her, not to do anything dirty, but just to watch her, drink her in. No, he couldn't do that. When he could just go and hang out with her without wanting that he'd go. To just sit and watch movies without wanting to hold her hand. Would that day ever come? Slipping his hand under the table he texted Puppies[/b] [/size][/color][/font]

[©erridwen Corrigan]

Cerridwen looked to him. "Fine. Let's go. Now." She said getting up and getting out, sliding around him. "Lets go. Now. If that's what you want to do, then I want you to hold me, I want you...to lay beside me, Eryk...I love you. Very much so. Can you tell me you love me?" She whispered stopping and realizing he may not love her. "I'm tired of this up and down shit" She whispered. She didn't swear. She didn't see the use of profanity but she wanted this to end. For the puppeteer to stop pulling her strings and making her dance ten different ways. They were GOING to settle this tonight. Moving back to her seat she looked at him. She paused.

What...to do.

Her heart beat was beating again and she looked to him. Love wasn't just...about kissing...and sex...and well..more sex. Well...yes but it was also laying with him, and telling him she loved him, hearing her name, and then she leaned over and kissed him. This time it wasn't a peck. It was her...kiss. Her own special kiss for him.

She had come to realize, she kissed him different. When she kissed past boyfriends she didn't...feel the need to be close to them, or hold them close, and she was so...self conscious around him he wasn't...different. She wasn't at all worried of what he thought, she knew he would like it, and she loved to be all up in his personal space, holding him close. Was this really what it took to convince him? To let him know he had his own...personal sort of kiss?

"come...with me?" She whispered resting her head against his forehead. She wasn't going to go after him but she wasn't letting him so so easily either. "I love you...blind, deaf, mute, and everything else that could happen..." She murmured her green eyes looking into his bright vibrant blue ones.

[eryk]

He was in shock, total and completely controlling shock. She was standing then she was sitting, and then she was kissing. Kissing like before he'd messed everything up. Eryk wrapped his arms around her and kissed back as if he didn't kiss her his life would end. If he didn't kiss her his heart would stop beating. Everything before was blown right out of his mind with that kiss.

Blondie burst into the cafe and froze when he saw them kissing. He'd gotten the text...why was Eryk kissing her...Kissing her like that Looking much like a wounded puppy his eyes darted away as he backed out of the cafe. Again he'd lost him...why was he the one that always got replaced. First Xavier now her. Eryk had been his best friend since they were little kids and accepted him for who he was flaming homosexual and all. Arms wrapping around himself he walked away to an empty apartment.

When she pulled away he was left breathless and smiling at her. "Yes. Yes, I'll come with you, and yes, I love you." He pulled her close again and gave her another one of those kisses letting the world fall away. Not realizing Blondie had come and gone, not remembering the text, and not caring that he was supposed to be keeping his distance. He couldn't think, not when she kissed him like that, not when she said those words.

[©erridwen Corrigan]

Cerridwen looked to him. "Yes...go. Me. you. Go" She murmured. Then she paused. To where though...her home...or...their home? Though she had put minimal furniture in it, it still would work...minus all the horribly splattered walls...but the things she had in mind didn't exactly include gaping at the walls...unless he still wanted to paint, she still of course wnated to, but it could wait. It could wait till morning if they really wanted to just get straight to the point, because her heart fluttered and her body was numb and there was no way of stopping this.

She had been so afraid, so frightened that she had lost him. Here he was holding her, telling her he loved her that she was beautiful, and all she could do was sit there and not to cry, at least try too. Moving now, she pulled him, pulled him with her, towards the door. "Go. Now." She smiled slightly. "Lets go.." She whispered.

All thoughts of Blondie and his sarcastic comments gone, Cerridwen had only eyes and thoughts for Eryk. Oh her sweet lovely Eryk. "How I love you, my sweet darling Eryk..." She murmured nodding She kissed his neck softly and looked up to him. "My heart...my sweet sweet heart...don't run away again...please, I don't want to lose my dear heart" Cerridwen repeated, afraid this would all go away almost as fast as it all appeared. She would have to thank Sandra later...

[eryk]

Lost in her sweet whispers he almost forgot the bags. Darting back for them he picked up all their bags and froze. Bags. Shopping. "Natsumi!"

Eryk yelled when it hit him and he dropped everything digging into his pocket. Yanking out the cell phone he found he'd missed a text while busy with Cerridwen. I guess the puppies didn' need da vet after all...[/b] Closing his eyes he sagged his head backwards. He'd done it. Again. Eryk grabbed up the bags after stuffing the phone into his pocket and went to Cerridwen's side. It was too late now Nat had probably gotten a ride back home by now. The lil' runt was resourcefull like that. He threw away his cold cappiccino and gave a weak smile to he renewed love.

"So, shall we?" I'll make it up to him. Offering an arm he hefted the bag up farther onto his other arm. Pushing aside his guilt about Blondie he began thinking about her. Where were they going? Her place? Their place? His place? Her place had her sister, and Mae both people he didn't want to face right now. Their place had no furniture and maybe no heat. His place had no people, furniture, and heat. Or at least blankets. "My place?"[/size][/color][/font]

[©erridwen Corrigan]

Cerridwen looked to him waiting smiling, when she saw him sag, and then the bags she winced. Crap. Nooo...she felt a tad guilty, stealing him away, maybe she should let him go? No...if he wanted to go he would...he would She kept telling herself that as he came back over, a bit weaker, his smile was but otherwise in tact and okay. As he asked which places, she suggested their. "Ours..."S he whispered "It's...slightly furnished, I had, had it furnished for you...but..." She trailed off as she took his hand and squeezed it slightly. "If...you want to go to your father's..." She whispered.

Cerridwen walked out of the coffee place, into the bitter cold. It was dark now and she curled into him cold. "Lets hurry...I really am cold.." She admitted and smiled slightly up at him. "Don't worry okay..." She whispered letting her finger tips touch his warm skin softly.

"He'll be alright...Sandra went with him remember? I'm sure they're both together right now...and I'm sure they don't even want us there..." Cerridwen tried assuring him. Even the twinge of guilt she felt was getting to her slightly, but she wouldn't let that affect her or her mood. She was just...so happy to have him back to see him smile, to laugh, she wanted to play, to play with him and hear him laugh, and see him smile.

"To...ours? I like I said had it slightly furnished...running water, I'm pretty sure the heat works...no lights...but the moon is out...so it shouldn't be to bad...and if you can bare the horribly painted walls...and we can paint over them in the morning.." She whispered slightly hiding her embarrassment. "Sorry about the walls in advanced.." She admitted.

[eryk]

It was nice to think that Sandra was with his friend but he doubted it. When he sent texts like that it meant alone time. The kid didn't use dots unless he was truly upset. He was too positive, and enthusiastic to use it for no reason. Also, unlike Eryk, the kid didn't broadcast to the world that he'd had a messed up life. Just start with sixteen year old stripper. He smiled and tried again to push thought of his oldest, best friend aside.

"Alright, we can go to the cottage. But do you have blankets?" He didn't need light, or really anything else. Technically he didn't need blankets but he hated rug burns. That thought brought a quirky little smile and he slipped his arm around her. He of course worried about her being too cold. The weather didn't boher him much, so quickly setting down the bag he slipped off his coat and slipped it over her shoulders. "I'll be fine. I've been living out in this remember?"

Pulling her close he snatched up the bags and continued walking. A night spent with her. He must have the weakest will of them all. It hadn't taken much to get him to go home with her. All her fault for eing so good with words, and having a set of lips to knock his socks off. Now if they were going to be okay in the morning was still up in the air, but he would hit that wall in the morning. Now he was going to hold her and think that his dreams had come true.

As they walked he thought about the short time they'd been together that night. The events, the words going through his head. Once again he hadn't had the strength to let her go. Twice he'd been snagged by her beauty and charm. Twice in one night. He nuzzled her as the walked and kissed her temple. "I'm under your spell, I can't seem to break free. But...I don't think I want to. That's okay, right?"

It was probably a stupid question to ask but he needed some reassurance. That in the end this bout of weakness, this buckling of will to be with her again wasn't going to bite him in the rear. Even if it wasn't true all he wanted was to hear that of course it was going to be okay, better than okay. Even if she didn't mean it. Even if in the end their hearts were broken all over again.

[©erridwen Corrigan]

"Of course that's alright.." She murmured nuzzling into his neck smiling as she rubbed her nose against his skin. He smelt so nice, the earthly smell surrounded her, wrapping her in it's cocoon, his cocoon. "I'm a witch in disguise..." She murmured smiling and pulled him along with her once they were further away from downtown, and closer to him, where there were shadow's were darker, there weren't as many street lights, and she was allowed to be a bit, just a bit more open with him. "I have you under my spell..and now your mine" She murmured teasing. Her eyes looked up to him, the gleam was back in them as she smiled a small but happy smile.

Cerridwen knew to take this as her chance to get a bit of happiness in her life. Who really knew how long this would all last. An hour? A few? A few days? She hoped forever, but she knew nothing lived forever, not even love, and eventually it would die, die away, and never come back. She didn't need to think about that now, now she needed to think about him. All of this, this was a story, and that was a story for another day, another plot to be played out, this plot is just beginning.

Cerridwen smiled at him, and gazed at him, the entire way home, they walked yes, in silence sure, but never once did she take her eyes of him, not for a moment, in fear he would go away. If for some reason he did leave that next morning, she would use all the time she had with him now, all the time she could get. Cerridwen would just smile occasionally, as stated, they didn't speak, but that silence couldn't have been filled with more...emotion then she could remember ever being filled with. This was certainly different. Times were changing and so were they, as many people usually do.

Once inside the house, though, she let him take her, take her into the house, up the stairs, she had blankets, she didn't have the mattress in the house in a simple bed frame made up, but she did have blankets for them. She as she thought of it, let him take her away into the stars, where they wouldn't be bothered by people, by inanimate objects, and certainly not be crazy ex-boyfriends. Most of all, she loved him, and let him love her back. It was simple, a simple thing, something they did, not to mention well. Very well. Then again it wasn't as if they weren't pro's at it by now. They had been going out for at least a year if not longer with a few up's and down's before all of this happened.

Oh thank god Xavier was out of the picture. Thank god he was gone. Out of their lives.

Cerridwen slept easily knowing that, that night. After everything was said and done, she slept in peace, something she hasn't gotten to do in a long, long time. Whether it was worrying about Eryk, or thinking of ways to safe him, to get Xavier out of the picture, something, just something to help them. Maybe she should have let Eryk fix this himself a lot...sooner. If she had maybe things would have been different. Life would be easier to come back to, maybe it wouldn't feel like she was just going through the motions everyday but she would do things with passion. She would draw, but not just...look and draw, look and draw, she wouldn't just go through the motions, she would take pride, she would study, she would add her own way of doing it. That was what life was. Adding your own quirk to doing things. Not just go through the motion.

That night they had certainly NOT just gone through the motions. Hands done that had been their own personal best, they had added so much...flair, so much quirk, added so much of them into that night. Cerridwen had poured her soul into it, that was of course if it were possible. That possibly may have been the first thing she had done in a long time without just...going through the motion.

So when Cerridwen dreamed that night, she dreamed of them. Again. Not of them together, not of them apart but just them. They were with each other, holding hands and it made her smile, smile in her sleep. Oh what a feat on it's own.

She woke up, silence, it was early, early, and she had no problem with that. She looked over at her sleeping beauty beside her and just let her nails run along his skin for a moment watching him. How she had missed this. Cerridwen leaned over and kissed him softly on the lips. So he was still here...would that stay? If she fell back to sleep would he try to leave? She had felt them come to an understanding last night, she had felt a connection, and last night, it was just so different from everything else they've been through, surely he felt it too, and wouldn't leave. At least wouldn't leave and never come back. She knew he had to go see his friend, and in that time he was off with Nat, she wanted to start painting this house again, she wanted to bring Maelee over, and surprise her, surprise her with...the anger she had, that was now put to rest, surprise her with Eryk, surprise her with paint and let her help paint(Of course Cerridwen would draw in pencil first on the walls and the girl could fill it in how ever she wanted to) but still, she wanted to make Maelee part of the family. Her family.

Cerridwen had planned to tell Eryk, that she really did love Maelee, her and Minerva both and they didn't want to give her up, if there was anyway that if he ever wanted her back, they would reluctantly give her up, but certainly they wanted to be allowed to see her.

The fair haired beauty gazed upon her prince for quite awhile before hearing her own stomach rumble, growling, wanting food, and ready oblige, Cerridwen rose, letting the sheets fall, and gazing around the room, she ambled around, slowly, picking up her various pieces of clothing and placing them on her body, did she put food in the pantry? She couldn't remember...she doubted it. If she wanted to make something, show off her awesome amazing cooking skills she had learned since he was gone, she would have to fly home.

She could do that. Maybe she should leave him a message too...Cerridwen looked around...shit. No paper. No pen. She could be fast. Just...it was what? A three minute flight if she was fast? Raising her arms up she stretched and let her own wings flutter back and forth before she lifted herself, getting warmed up, stretching out, a thing she had to do if she wanted to be the speed demon she was known to be.

Right...ten minutes gone...tops. Taking a deep breath, her heart thundering, Cerridwen took off in the bitter cold air. It was a cloudy day, very cloudy, and it was snowing. Which made it that much harder to see. Fantastic. Eventually she made it to the house, and carefully slipped in shivering. It was hard to gather things when her arms were for the most part.

Cerridwen set everything in a bag, better idea. Bread, eggs, cinnamon, sugar, milk, juice, she hoped it wouldn't freeze, none of this would freeze on her way back...she would just have to hold it close to her body, and hope her own body heat would keep it all warm...and she would certainly kill Minerva later. Ugh! Did she HAVE to make it cold today? Or maybe it was Cal...she would figure out WHO did that and she would just....ugh. She might bitch a little bit but she loved her family to much to do anything to them. Cerridwen finished gathering her things, and with that looked around. Plates. Forks. Pans. Food. Cups. Check. Taking a deep breath, Cerridwen by now had two bags filled with things she needed, and dear lord, she hoped it would be alright. So sucking in some air, she wrapped herself in a warm jacket and faced the cold harsh winds and snow.

Fan-bloody-tastic.

Cerridwen hurried back, at a very slow pace. It wasn't going quite as she planned as she winced every time a wisp of hair was whipped into her face. It hurt a lot, and when Cerridwen got back to their cottage, she was frozen. Her wings were stiff, her arms and legs were quaking, and her skin was a sickly shade of white. It wasn't anything she couldn't fix, but it was cold out. Damn Minerva. Damn her.

Cerridwen looked upon their huge kitchen and smiled to herself, when they had put this in, she had no idea how to operate any of this, but because of him, because he left her, it had motivated her to go learn, learn how to use this learn how to work everything, and hopefully warm herself up as she worked on french toast and eggs. Cerridwen was proud of herself, she had mastered the art of eggs, it the was the french toast she was working on still, though she was confident enough to attempt them for him. The real critique. Maelee would have been happy with anything, but Eryk...he was the true one. So she had her challenge, and now it was time to start, laying things out in front of her, pulling out another blanket and pulling it around her to try and warm up for a few minutes, she turned on the stove and began working.

Cerridwen shuffled around the kitchen working not being able to wait until he could wake up and see she was the one surprising HIM for once.

[eryk]

Though he'd been sure she'd say it was fine it still felt good to hear. Never hurt to have a little reassuring every now and again. As she went on to joke about being a witch, and the playful walk along the streets he started to feel. To feel her touch, the air upon his face, his chest release what seemed a constant tightness. He started to feel...complete again. Sure, he would have started to feel that with enough time, but once someone fell that hard that fast it would take a while. Or for him at least being the emotional person that he was.

"If you are indeed a witch, then you are a very strong one. For I have completely fallen beneath your charms." Eryk whispered to her while they walked under a starry sky. The air was crisp with the sharpness that hinted of snow.

Sleeping outside watching the snow fall three feet from you is a sight to see, and he will remember it for the rest of his life. Back in the city he never imagined living out in the wild and surviving. Now that he had it was like he could never return to the busy streets again. He understood now in some small way how Cerridwen could be so entraced with nature. Times when he was watching over her his eyes would drift to gaze at a single tree. He'd stare at that tree and absorb everything about it that he could. Everything seemed dull yet painfully bright at times.

As they entered the cottage the smells rushed him, the sight of a home left undone haunted him. It was the reason he kept returning the key. Even with her at his side he felt as if he didn't belong within those silent walls. Instead of dwelling on those feelings he did his best to shove them aside. He turned all his focus on her, on her skin, her eyes, her taste, her smell, the way her leg moved when he touched her a certain way. Every word, every action he just watched relishing in her beauty. How had he stayed away for so very long? It wasn't easy that was for certain. To keep away from his angel that had saved him from darkness more than once. But he had needed to save himself for once. Not to rely on her, and for it he finally felt a bit stronger.

Being away for a month left him with a strong appetite for her, and he made that quite obvious he thought that night. Not just the phsyical part of it but just being there doing that act with someone he felt so strongly for. To not have to go about it in fear of being hurt, or the fear that you might hurt them. To kiss, to touch, and give yourself completely without a hindrance. With no fear that someone might be watching and this gift would be paid for in blood and pain later on. They were finally free to just be.

He'd used everything he knew that night trying to please her in every way possible. He wanted to make up for all the times he'd hurt her, all the times he'd abandoned her in some way. But he knew that it would take much more than a night full of bliss to fix all that he had done. Honestly he didn't even know if he could, but he'd try. Even if that meant he had to leave, truly leave, but only if she asked him to. No more running away or at least he hoped there was no more running away left in him. Hopefully all that was left was her and his love for her.

Sleeping inside proved more difficult than he'd imagined. Before when he first knew that he was going home with her he figured he'd sleep better than ever. But it was too warm, too closed in, and the softness of the blankets had him missing the dry earth of his den. He was over joyed to have her by his side, and he didn't feel threatened at all. It was just so different from sleeping out in nature.

Through a good part of the night he lay and watched her in silence. Or he'd get up and wonder the house staring at the paint on the walls, the sparse furniture, and lastly his kitchen. He knelt at the corner of the wall where their messages were painted. Touching her words he smiled his heart weeping for eyes that held no more tears to shed. Another sign of what he'd done, what he'd left behind. Another memory to slap him in the face. Even though the words were kind and full of love it just reminded him of the day before he left to kill Xavier. He went outside and stood in the cold, bare skinned from his pink toes to his blind eye. The cold, the trees, the open sky soothed him and once he felt clean again. Free of the weight of the day he went inside to lay next to her again. Careful not to touch her with his chilled flesh.

It was then that sleep had finally claimed him pulling him into the depths of dreams. No sequence went along with these dreams just flashes of faces, feelings, and the constant sense of wholeness. Finally he felt peace a different kind of peace than what the forest gave him. A peace that he'd finally started down the right trail. That he'd made a right choice. That sense of peace must've shown on his face as he slept.

The wind had awoken him and the forboding feeling that he was alone. Opening his eyes he turned his head to find that indeed, he was alone. Not really thinking anything of it he yawned stretched and got up. Eryk wished the water worked, or did it? Not remembering he decided not to check seeing no real point. He knew a creek nearby and grabbing his clothes he headed through the house. Not finding Cerridwen anywhere a twinge of panic flashed through him. She wouldn't leave him, not leave leave like he did. So forcing yet more negative thoughts to the side he jogged outside rolling his clothes into a ball. Shifting always took longer with him and grabbing up the clothes in his maw he ran on four paws to the creek.

The water was cold but it felt good against his hot skin. The run hadn't broken out a sweat or anthing he just felt hot. Once clean he got dressed and just sat in the trees breathing in the various smells. Decaying underbrush, the trees, pine, the water, and it's molds, and most of all the earth. When the cold finally started getting to him he rolled to his barefeet and made his way back to the cottage. At a nice easy lope enjoying being outside again. If he went and stayed with Nat, or Cerridwen he would have to do this. To find a piece of nature and breathe.

Nearing the cottage his nose picked up a familiar aroma; eggs. A small lit his features as he crossed the lawn up to the back of the house. Eryk went up on tip toe to peer into the kitchen window to find a lovely scene. His Cerridwen was cooking breakfast. I wonder if she knows I'm not up in the room asleep. Grinning like his canine half could bring out in a person he slipped in quickly trying to keep the cold out. Wrapped in her blanket he padded up to her in silence used to sneaking up on prey.

"Morning, Princess." Eryk whispered as he slipped his arms around her his skin covered in frost from the creek bath. His hair even had snow and ice in it. He laid a kiss on her neck his lips equally as frozen. Smiling he looked at the breakfast being made and chuckled. She had basically made a vegetarian meal save the eggs. Things had certainly changed him, and seeing the breakfast reminded him of that.

"Um, I eat meat now..." He continued to whisper but his voice was light as he said this. "I might just eat you up instead." Murmuring against her neck he pressed his body along the back of hers.

"The eggs look very well done, but you need to flip that piece of toast, love, before it burns." How had he slipped into this role already? Just yesterday they were all confused, awkward, and speaking of just being friends. Now he was acting, well, like a fiance again. It must be the happiness plaguing his thoughts. And that happiness was in front of him the scent of her hair flooding his mind. Oh, how he loved that scent. Eyes closing he let himself get lost in just breathing her in. Breathing in happiness, his missing piece had finally been found. Again.

[©erridwen Corrigan]

Cerridwen was deep in though, well more like concentration. She wanted to get the eggs perfect. Just right. And then the toast...Oooh the french toast. She was going to perfect it if it was the last thing she did, and using this high tech stuff in here seemed to work out a lot better then using the old gas stove she had at home...it was a miracle, technology was. Cerridwen was so in thought, plotting how she would flip the toast, that when Eryk came in, and slipped his arms around her, she thought it was Xavier risen from the dead and let out a 'meep' and turned around, spatula in hand, ready to threaten whoever was behind her...until she saw him.

Him. The him that made her heart melt. The him that made her speechless when all she could do was babble, the him that made her knees quake when they were steady. Him.

Eryk.

Cerridwen smiled slightly and lowered her 'weapon' of choice and shook her head. "You scared me..." She murmured, laughing about it now. "Cold...Eryk why are you out there.." She whispered worried. "It's cold, I nearly fell out of the sky, my wings froze and I barely made it back...how could you go out there..." She whispered quite worried indeed.

"you know you can get--" She was about to finish her sentence with sick when he started kissing her neck and she smiled once more.

"That's not cool" She murmured into his skin as she leaned against him, letting her warm cheek rest against his frozen shoulder. "You just got me to stop in mid-rant because you used your special talents..." She murmured smiling and then kissed his shoulder quickly looking up. "That's not okay at all." She teased reaching her hand up to dust the frost out of his hair and let it melt in the warm cottage.

As she took his advised and flipped the toast, and came to a finish, she set the food on the table, scowling at his 'I love meat' remark and sat down. "Eggs are protein. Close enough" She said with a flourish of the hand. "Anyways...we need to paint...unless you wanted to go see Nat...then...I guess I could stay and paint, possibly have Maelee come help me...and...I could see you...later tonight? or tomorrow if you stayed with him..." She trailed off not keen on that second idea but more then willing to let him go if that's what he wanted. Cerridwen just wasn't fond of sharing.

"I really...really do want to get this place though up and running it's just so...close. Needs a few light bulbs, the heat to get going and badda bing badda boom" She smiled slightly picking at one of the pieces of french toast with her fork. Cerridwen looked to him, waiting, waiting for him to divulge his plans for the day. "Whatever you want to do, you do it" She assured him with a small smile and a satisfied bite of toast followed by a swig of water.

[eryk]

As she swung in attack mode he pulled back his head afraid to get hit. His eyes moved to look at it and he grinned. "I am terrified."

Then he proceeded to ignore her worrying and nibble at her neck. A few "mmhmm's" were slipped in but for the most part it was neck nuzzling. Swimming in her distinctive scent the words flowed in one ear and out the other. The cold didn't bother him, and the snow was quickly melting anyway. Eyes rolling a bit as she claimed he'd get sick, he shook his head as she dusted off the snow.

"I like being outside, and I won't get sick." He followed her to the table and dove into the breakfast. "Yes, eggs are protein but meat has a different flavor."

Before the wild the old him would have said something like meat has a bloody, yucky flavor. Now that bloody taste called to him, and he was almost okay with being a wolf. The more okay he was with it the more it just let him be, but it had protected him for as long as he needed it. Now that he no longer needed it it lay content in its place. As long as it got fed properly. In all things from food to sex and running free.

"I do plan on going to see Blondie today, but I can help paint first. He's a late sleeper so I can go see him later." Stabbing a piece of toast with his fork he bit it in half syrup dripping from his chin. After swallowing he stretched his tongue to lick off the sticky sweetness. "Um, I don't know...about getting Mae...yet."

Eyes downcast he poked at his eggs actually impressed with how well she'd cooked everything. Pretty soon he wouldn't be needed as much in the kitchen. "If it's okay...I'd like to stay the night with him. To try and make up for ditching him last night."

Eryk lifted his gaze his single blue eye asking her permission. "I could come over tomorrow, maybe meet you for lunch? If you want me to that is."

His fork stabbed the last bit of egg and he lifted it to his mouth and took in. There he'd laid out his plans for her. Course somewhere in there he wanted to take a nice run to his den. When he didn't know, maybe when she was geting light bulbs or something? Waiting for her reaction he pushed his last bite of toast around the syruppy plate.

[©erridwen Corrigan]

Cerridwen watched him and nodded. "Yeah, I mean...he is, well the reason you look so amazing" She teased and smiled slightly. "You do...I mean he dragged you out of whatever kind of funk you were in, and I should be grateful, but the punk might want to ditch the name kitty cat" She rolled her eyes taking another bit of eggs and looking to him. "Because if he wants to see some claws I'll be more then happy to oblige..." She muttered under her breath, that last part coming out under her breath and barely audible.

Before Eryk could get alarmed and look at her or give her some sort of warning she smiled a small smile. "I'm just kidding...I won't do anything" She promised and took another bit and then a small sip. "I'll just hang around here all day...I guess, paint, fix it up slightly, I was...er...trying to after you left but I just...couldn't bring myself to do it...I'm going to get as much done as I can while your here" She nodded and winced "I mean I know...you won't leave unless you really want to, and this time I"ll be more prepared and yeah shutting up now..." She murmured bringing a napkin to her mouth and wiping her lips free of an syrup that may have been on them.

Sometimes she really did know how to screw up a moment and just really let her mouth just run and run.

Cerridwen looked down as he mentioned Mae. "Alright.." She nodded. Mae was going to murder Cerridwen when she finds out Cerridwen had not only been SLEEPING with her brother but keeping him a secret the entire time. "But you get to deal with her wrath when she see's you...there is NO chance I'm taking the wrap for this one.."Cerridwen murmured "She already hates me..." She sighed. "That little situation when she thought she saw you and the boxes Eryk? Remember? Yeah...she's barely spoken four words to me in two weeks.." Cerridwen sighed.

"So hopefully if I start on her room here...it will be a nice surprise for her..and maybe I'll finally manage to get the swing up outside. The old one by our house is on it's last limb and going to break come spring. I can promise you that..."Cerridwen nodded finishing up and taking both plates to the sink. Water...did their water work? She had thought she got it worked out...she had someone come over here...of ccourse it worked. Turning on the faucet she let the water run over the plates as she took a sponge and scrubbed at them.

"You...don't have to paint if you don't want to either by the way, and if you want to keep your clothes paint-free I'm sure I have a few old shirts laying around here that are far to large for me anyways..."Cerridwen trailed off turning her attention back to the plates.