death incarnate & night triumphant

As he feels her warm body slip beneath his arm, he can't help but pull her closer, allowing her head to fall on his chest. Allowing those hazel eyes to slit open, he glances down into her baby blues as amusement dances within his own features. Deep tenor tones rumble through his chest as he mentions the picture, it's Lani's response that has quiet laughter shaking his shoulders. "I don't know why you always insist you're safe around me, darling," he mumbles quietly, though he hardly explains his meaning. Not that he didn't think Lani would understand, he simply thought she would insist she would be fine, she would want to brave the dangers that came with being with him. Still, he's content in that moment as he lets her warmth soak into his side, his hazel eyes never leaving hers as he inquires about her night. He can practically feel her hesitation rolling off of her as she begins to respond, and though he was partially prepared for her response, he can't help but stiffen beneath her.

Laughing it off quietly, he merely shrugs his shoulders, "I didn't get much sleep either. Even if I had joined you, we would still be sleep deprived," he states, though its abundantly clear it would be for other reasons. As he shifts on the futon, he can feel Lani move with him, as if she were worried he was going to disappear right before her eyes. He can't help but to instinctively pull her closer, enjoying the way her hair tickles his bare chest. It's then that he begins to tease her mercilessly, feeling her flush against his body. How easy it was to color her pale skin. Grinning down at her, he merely offers her a shrug, at least, until she begins to trail those soft fingers of hers up his chest. Snapping predatory eyes to her, he watches her movements, his body stilling so completely in that moment, as if he were worried she would stop if he even breathed.

He knows it can't go on though, as he lifts his much larger hand and engulfs her slender fingers in his, holding her hand there above his beating heart. "Lani," he warns, though it hardly has any bite to it. For gods sake, she was making it harder every day for him to keep his control in check. Taking a deep breath, he brings her fingers to his lips, and plants a light kiss on the tips, sighing contentedly into her hand. If she only knew how badly he wanted her, that he was sleep deprived enough he might, just make throw caution to the wind and take her into the bedroom. Fate had been cruel and gave him someone to love that he couldn't touch, not without potentially harming her. The thought of him hurting Lani made him practically sick to his stomach, he would never forgive himself. Those rare moments when he chatted with Ida about Lani had the elder faerie feeling for him, even going to far as to wrap the High Lord into a hug. She was practically his second mother.

His thoughts drift away as Lani's breathing suddenly stops, his brows furrowing in concern as he glances down at her. Uncertainty washes off of her and he grips her shoulder a touch tighter, attempting to ease that nervousness from her. Her next words are not what he expects and he can't help but sigh at her. There was nothing more he could say, this was the extent of their relationship, there could be no more. Perhaps he should tell her his fears, tell her why he won't allow it to be taken one step further. He didn't know if she would understand or not, though he had a sneaking suspicion she would still push him on the issue. It was better this way. Lani was better off without him. Andras can't stop another sigh from escaping his lips, his breath moving the blonde strands of Lani's hair. There's a pause between her sentences and yet, the moment those next words leave her lips, his entire body stiffens, fear and rage engulfing him so swiftly he can't help but lurch them both up into sitting positions, his large hands engulfing her shoulders as he turns the woman to face him.

His features take on such an angered look, his brows furrowed, eyes trained fiercely onto Lani as he shoves that fear away. The mixture of lack of sleep, his sexual urges and fear of Lani having to experience a changing comes out far more aggressive than he means and yet, he can't help himself, "That is enough," he growls deeply, his tone holding no room for argument, "That is a childish thing to say. You being a faerie? No. I would never allow such a thing nor would I ever even picture it," he says angrily as he lets go of Lani and pushes himself to a standing position. Fingers run through his hair, causing his dark locks to stick up in multiple directions as he paces the room like a caged animal. "Do not ever speak like that again."

Andras Steinhello darling