death incarnate & night triumphant

Andras can't truly say he blamed her for the reaction he's pulled from the young woman, her body going entirely rigid as he approaches. The Fae male simply couldn't help but to approach her, especially the moment her scent caressed him. When he was feeling desperate enough, he flew out to that cabin in Somnia just to breathe her in. Years had passed and there was little left now, everything had all but faded over time. Still, he couldn't quite believe his eyes when his gaze had landed on soft blonde curls, his instincts taking over as he approached her. What a mistake that was. Though she was careful to hide it, Andras could detect the slight change in her breathing as she turned, her eyes wide as she stares up at him. Slipping his hands into his pockets, afraid he would reach out to touch her just to make sure she's real, he shifts uncomfortably. Eyes darting warily across her face, searching for anything - and there it was, that anger and confusion bubbling up within her.

He's astounded by the force of it. No, he should not be here, and yet, here he remains.

The sound of her breathless voice almost undos him. How he had dreamt of her soft tones over the last few years. Andras had never thought to hear her speak again, to live in eternity without Lani would have been torture. As her voice cascades down over him, he closes his eyes briefly as a shudder caresses his skin, letting out a breath, he opens his eyes once more to look down at the newly Fae woman. He barely notices the way she takes a step away from him as his instincts scream at him to sweep her into his arms and hide her away. Those primitive Fae thoughts continuing to eat away at him. Andras has to release another jagged breath as he battles those instincts, knowing full well that if he simply flew away with Lani, it would not bode well for either of them. His thoughts instantly are swept away by the cloud that passes over the woman's face, he terribly he wants to embrace her, to chase away all those fears and doubts and yet, Andras was entirely aware that most of it was because of him.

He refrains, hiding the anguish that desperately wants to dance across his features, instead - a passive gaze clinging to him as he watches the woman attempt to get a handle on her words. Once upon a time, he would have grinned at her as she stumbled across her words, would have teased her endlessly - but, those times were long gone. He's painfully aware that the reaction Lani is having is because of him, he knew, somewhere deep down, that if he simply left she would be fine. Perhaps, find a moment to herself and then she would forget all about him. He just couldn't quite pull himself away from her, knowing full well she was hurting and it was his fault. That little voice in his head roaring at him to leave but his heart overriding it. Just a few more moments, he kept chanting to himself. What a selfish creature he was.

Her whisper has him snapping her gaze back to her, searching her face as she struggles with her words. He isn't surprised when she turns on a heel and hurriedly walks away. He stands there for a moment, convincing his idiotic self to leave, that pursuing this wasn't going to end well. Again, his heart overrides him as he pulls his hands out of his pockets and lengthens his stride to match her pace. Without thinking, he reaches out and gently grabs her hand, tugging the woman to a stop, "Lani, please," he pauses, his eyes full of pain, "Let me take you somewhere safe, somewhere we can... talk," he says, anguish coating his dark tenors. His grip isn't firm, though he gently holds her slender fingers in his large hand, giving her the ability to rip away from him if she couldn't handle his touch.

Andras Steinhello darling