Sip Hok

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"Where did a big burly wolf learn to braid hair naa?"

"Well...P'Saksit made us take our schooling in human-folk form. I guess, preparation for an unstable future that could've seen us driven from the forest. Jai sat in front of me in the cave - you know how long her hair is. It helped me concentrate..." - Sil shrugged.

They were casual and cross-legged in shorts and loose T-shirts atop Red's Spongebob duvet cover in the fading evening light, a tabletop fan merely wafting about an oven's air as it spluttered in vain against unusually intense midsummer heat.

Countdown to Kupala Night: 1 day.

Countdown to wedding and coronation: 1 day.

Sil's hands plaiting and twining the younger's silken locks with a touch so swift and light to soothe the busy mind of both.

"The company called me today, offered me more money to come back, claimed I was their best intern worker", Red through a yawn - feeling fingers momentarily still their skill against his scalp as he spoke...

"What did you answer?"

"Hmmm, I think my exact words were: 'For what did you treat me like shit all that time then, Sir?'. Damn eagle bastards"

A low chuckle, as hairdressing resumed...

"Ohooo, Red the rebel revolutionary strikes back"

"Once your eyes are open you can't avoid what's in front of you, right?"

"Dai, dai"

Meditative silence, then, just the rhythmical, white noise turning and whirring of the old fan, and the crackle of Mae Dara's radio down the hallway into the kitchen, where - under lamp's light as Moon lay sleeping at her slippered feet - she stitched button after button to shirt after shirt.

"You're thinking about Mae..."

"Ugh", Red's nod and sigh, "The motorcycle courier work will help to cover rent for now, but I want to take proper care of her. Repay what she's given to me since the day I was born"

"Then remember what was important to you wasn't the money spent, but the love. Don't confuse the two"

"Such a sap" - twisting round to pinch one of Sil's cheeks, earning a pout from his victim, then leaning back against the elder's broad chest to pull arms about himself, two sets of hands interlaced upon the rise and fall of his stomach.

Inhale, exhale.

And in a small voice, Red:

"I don't want you to go"

The arms hugging tighter as Sil buried his face in the crook of a neck to nuzzle into his cherished man, cherry blossom scent of the evening's shower lingering prettily, poetically, upon caramel skin.

"I'm always with you"

Then easing gently free to lift black T-shirt over his own head - reaching to wrap it about Red's pillow as impromptu case, murmuring:

"Now it's like I'm here all night too. You'll have me with every breath you take"

Suddenly - clumsily - straddled by the younger. Face to face with breaths mingling, fingertips delicately tracing Sil's freshly exposed skin, brushing against pecs, then up to ghost the contours of high cheekbones and chiselled jaw. Mutual, aching shivers.

"But as a pillow, you'll be underneath me wolf"

"You want me on top of you?"

"Inside...everywhere...", Red grasping the elder's chin to kiss roughly, tongue bold and advancing.

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