[ As promised, Percy is there at the city gates in half an hour. Poor Sahar will have to deal with carrying Percy in his clunky, over-the-top armour. ]
[ That armour is not going to fly (literally), and Claude is going to tell Percival as much as he flies in. His own garb is little more than fancy fabric and cotton, under armour left behind in his apartment for the sake of lightening Sahar's load.
Sahar is maybe not as large as Percival is expecting—slightly larger than a horse—and when she lands on the ground next to him, Claude takes one look at his armour and shakes his head. ]
You don't expect her to carry you while you're wearing all that armour, do you?
[ He probably should have considered that, but hadn't. While a horse doesn't have much problem supporting the weight of Percival and his armour, he has to take into account the fact that they will be flying, and he doesn't know enough about wyvern flight to really make a judgment on whether their combined weights would be too heavy or not.
A little embarrassed by the oversight, Percival crosses his arms. Dressing down might be an option if he were at his house, but leaving his armour on the streets here certainly isn't an option. ]
... Hmph. I will walk then. [ Meet u there in 2 hours u_u ]
[ Claude's not above a little teasing, negging at Percival to see if he really can do without his armour (but then he would need to trudge home and back...), when Sahar rears up on her hind legs and follows after him to shove her massive snout against his head. It's not an aggressive gesture, just enough to jostle him to stop walking so that she can hold him in place by resting her head atop his.
Claude sighs. ]
Looks like my girl is more generous than I am. You'll take forever to walk all the way up there. [ He leans off to the side to peer at Percival around Sahar's neck. ] I guess I did say I wanted to give her some exercise. You might as well hop on.
Aah! You ...! [ Caught off guard by the large reptilian head suddenly nudging into his own, Percival lets out a small, flustered protest. He recognises the wyvern's intentions quickly, and it's for that reason he resigns himself to standing there with discontentment on his face as she rests her head on top of his. ]
Very well. If she so insists. [ It's him who had shown some interest in a wyvern ride before, and it's him now acting like he was put upon. ] But know that walking would have been of no inconvenience to me.
[ Now, how does one mount a wyvern? He only has experience mounting a horse. Percival steps closer to her side, tugging at the straps adorning the wyvern's body for some purchase and trying to climb his way to the top. He very notably does not ask for any help from Claude. ]
[ Percival does an admirable job of trying to climb atop Sahar—it's a little different than mounting a horse; their bodies are much bulkier, and their wings can sometimes get in the way. Not to mention that since Claude is already seated, Percival can't grab onto the saddle however he likes. Claude doesn't let him struggle for long at least, reaching over to take hold of his arms so that he can help, one hand going up to his waist to keep him steady as he gets comfortable on the saddle, the curve of it pressing them snugly together. ]
There you are...
[ It's a novel feeling for Claude, wyvern's don't often seat two, and he certainly doesn't make a habit of riding with a partner, but he takes it in stride, smiling briefly at Percival before turning back around. ]
The take off can be a bit bumpy, so you'll want to hold onto me or the saddle.
[ Despite laying out the options, he guides one of his hands to his waist anyway, and tucks his feet back into the stirrups before giving Sahar a pat. She wastes no time in stretching out from her crouch, pale, pink wings extending as she takes a few running steps before pushing off the ground. The added weight takes a few more beats of her wings than usual, but eventually she finds the wind she needs, letting that carry her up and up, and soon enough the ground is disappearing underneath the clouds.
The wind is colder this high up, painting both their faces pink but Claude looks relaxed as he glances back at Percival again. ]
[ Though he allows his hands to be guided to Claude's waist, he doesn't quite commit to any sort of hold, still considering at the moment if he should break away and grip the saddle. Simply put, he's a little awkward and not really touchy-feely with others. It's the sudden jolt of Sahar springing into action, making her dash to build up enough momentum, that has Percival's body whipping back for all of a second. In reflex, he's forced to tighten his hold around Claude's waist, sliding further into the safety of the saddle and against the warmth of Claude's back. A back-hug ... that he will claim he doesn't want to be in but doesn't actually mind. Lips pressed together, he looks a bit sour. ]
I'm fine. I've traveled through the skies before. This is nothing.
[ He's never traveled on a wyvern, but at least he isn't too daunted by the prospect of being several thousand feet in the air. Having to hug Claude still makes him huffy though. ] And is she handling this weight well?
[ Percival still doesn't seem too pleased, but Claude doesn't let himself be bothered by it. Going for a ride always puts him in a good mood, enjoying the freedom of the air and the sights that come with it.
At the question, he leans forward to give her a gentle rub along her nape. ]
She'll be all right. It's not too far a distance anyway.
[ And then she can terrorise and snack on tiny forest creatures as she pleases. ]
So how did you fly if not on a wyvern? Did you ride a pegasus?
[ The longer he stays up here with Claude, the more he becomes accustomed to it, before some of that sullen look eases up into his usual neutral expression (which still comes off slightly discontented) and he becomes more comfortable with their proximity. It's relieving to hear that the wyvern will be able to handle it at least, because he definitely doesn't want to be a burden (and falling from the sky because Sahar couldn't take the weight isn't ideal either).
Eventually he also looks forward from over Claude's shoulder, enjoying the scent of the open wind. ]
Not that. [T Though, he wouldn't be opposed to owning a pegasus. i assume there are pegasus in gbf but who knows ]
We rode on the Captain's ship. That was how we traversed the different sky islands. [ Actually ... ]
For some reason the Grandcypher has found its way to Erku. I suppose I can show it to you someday. [ In return for taking him on a wyvern ride. ]
[ Now that sounds like something out of a fantasy. Which is a little rich coming from a guy who comes from a land of dragons and magic, but Fire Emblem is pretty tame in comparison to whatever the hell is going on in GBF. He's pretty enchanted by the idea though, sailing across the skies like one would across water to explore various new places...
He has to wonder why Percival would ever want to cease a journey like that in order to rule. ]
I'd love to see it. I love my girl here, but it must be more comfortable to travel by ship.
[ At the very least, you wouldn't have to be constantly alert. Claude has gotten accustomed to wyvern riding by now, but he can't nap for hours atop Sahar's back.
Like now, as he scans the mountains, and when he urges her to the left her great body tilts in the air in a turn, Claude reaching back to take hold of Percival's hand as their balance shifts. ]
The sailing was always smooth, under our Captain's skilled piloting -- [ The unneeded simping for the main character of Granblue Fantasy is halted quickly by Sahar's sudden turn. ] T-This ...!
[ Taken by surprise, Percy hugs Claude tighter as he waits to regain stability, very much unused to flying in the air on the back of an animal. The hand laying on top of his helps, and just for this uncertain moment in time, his fingers entwine, the rest of him using Claude as a source of stability. ]
[ Claude manages to keep from laughing when Percival grabs him, the metal of his gauntlets harsh through the fabric of his gloves, but allows himself an amused smile, encouraging Percival to hold on as Sahar careens toward the ground. Like her master, she'd always had the flair for the dramatic, and if Claude wasn't afraid that Percival would've fallen right off her back, he might've led her through some loops in the sky.
But right now they have a goal, and Percival doesn't need to fear for his life too long before Sahar finds a break in the treeline where she can land, her mighty body coming down on the ground with a thud.
Opting to be a gentleman this time, Claude slides off first so that he can help Percival down. ]
[ Though a part of soaring through the air was quite fun, he can't help but feel relief now that they're on the safety of the ground. His hair's definitely in an unsightly disarray, and he feels a bit frazzled. It's only for that reason he accepts Claude's help with getting off the wyvern's back. ]
Nonsense. I would not do something so unsightly. [ At least, not where people can see him. Thankfully, he's feeling more or less alright. Once on the ground, he starts to straighten out his hair and smoothen out his robes. ] Alright then. Let's begin our scavenging. You and your wyvern, follow me.
[ Bossy ... Percy makes his way toward one of the bushes, where an unfamiliar kind of berry can be seen. ]
[ He is bossy, but Claude doesn't mind it. After five years of everyone constantly looking to him for answers, and then cursing him when they didn't like the results, he's happy to follow after someone else's lead peacefully.
He follows Percival to the bush, with his wyvern trailing along behind him, and joins him to stare at the unfamiliar berry, hands at his hips. ]
I'm normally quite good at picking out poisonous plants from harmless ones, but it's admittedly hard to tell in an alternate dimension. [ He picks one up (he has gloves to protect his skin), and watches it closely. ] Though for all we know, everything on this world is an aphrodisiac.
[ Percival's own hands still at the discouraging possibility. ] You may be right. [ He hadn't considered that until Claude spoke of it. It's very possible, and he doesn't like the idea of being poisoned with an aphrodisiac against his will. ]
I would hope that isn't the case. I don't like the idea of being reduced to an undignified, lascivious wreck, unable to exercise basic restraint. I'll take a trip to the library to see if there's any information.
[ Though, from what he's perused, the library's pretty useless so far, containing mostly erotica. Why is Erku like this? Percival still plucks some berries and puts them in his bag. ]
That's quite the description, are you speaking from experience?
[ Even if he was, Claude wouldn't judge him. It's not like he hadn't had his own run in with the aphrodisiacs this planet had to offer, left hot and wanting, clamouring into the bed of a stranger. It's arguably a little alarming to be so suddenly overtaken with need, and he considers himself lucky that he wasn't in the company of someone he wouldn't normally sleep with, but it's not an experience that he's keen to repeat. ]
I suppose it's worth gathering even if it is poisonous. It's the place to start if we want to brew any antidotes.
[ He fishes a vial from one of the packs he has strapped around Sahar, and plops in a few of the berries. The area they're currently in is lush with fruit and herbs for harvesting it appears, so unsullied by outside traffic, and he does let his eyes and nose get ahead of him, heading over to anything new and interesting he sees to add to his collection of samples. It's disobeying Percival's orders, but he's so used to working alone that he doesn't even think twice before wandering off.
And of course, that's what ends up being his undoing. He's standing up from a crouch and turning around to head back toward Sahar when something rustles behind him, but he doesn't even have a chance to face it before an ungodly screech hits him from him behind, freezing him in place.
The effect is immediately, and so is the Sahar's reaction, the wyvern immediately unleashing a snarl and taking off after the feathery creature.
Not that it helps Claude much, stuck as he is with a stupid, surprised look on his face. ]
[ There's no answer to Claude's question. Nobody needs to know about Percy's first time under the influence of aphro and surely not Claude (not even caps, apparently, because i haven't rped it).
Percival doesn't mind Claude's idle wandering. Despite his bossy attitude, he's far from a micro-manager, often allowing his vassals to do as they please;, be it go on their own adventures, slack off, or even put cat ears 🐱 on his head against his will. Claude isn't one of his vassals, of course, but that fairly-relaxed attitude applies even here. Percival himself, accustomed to working alone also (after a good decade of being a lone wolf), busies with investigating other unfamiliar plants, collecting what samples he can. It's the sound of an unearthly scream, and the snarling and growling of Sahar that calls his attention and has him running over to where Claude is. ]
Claude! What happened?! Are you alright?! [ There's a quick scan of the idea first to ensure the danger has passed, and he rushes to the other man, assessing the situation. There's no need to go after that harpy since it's flown away (and Sahar's on that), so he keeps his full attention on Claude. ] Can you speak?
[ It looks like some form of paralysis, likely a result of that beast's screech. They're lucky in a way that Percival wasn't close enough to also fall prey to the effects, or they would both be sitting ducks right now. He needs to figure out how to break the effects, but it's probably best to move Claude somewhere safer. ]
I'm going to move you. Bear with this. [ He may not be as strong as Siegfried, but he's still a very fit and able man. Percival eases Claude into his arms easily, lifting him up in a princess-carry. He walks him to a nearby cave, where they can take shelter from any roaming wild beasts. Then, he lays the other man down with a gentleness very much unlike his blunt demeanor.
Now, what to do about this ... Something seems to come to mind soon after. ] ... I remember the robots telling me about those creatures now.
[ So he knows what to do. It's just embarrassing??? Kneeling beside Claude's head, he hovers over the paralyzed man, face turning pink as he frowns and prepares for what he's about to do. ]
[ Claude isn't sure what he expected, but being carried away like a helpless child isn't quite it. Who would've thought this would turn into a Naruto cave fanfiction?
Not Claude. In fact, he's still wrestling with the realization even as Percival dashingly moves to kiss him. ]
[ Percival's desire to save his friend (because they are now friends) trumps any reservations he has about how awkward it is to be kissing someone he's yet to have that sort of relationship with. He leans forward, a blush colouring his cheeks as he tucks his hair behind his ear. With his fingers he tilts Claude's chin higher, pressing their lips together softly as he waits for the effect to wear off. ]
[ Claude swears that he can almost feel the heat radiating from Percival's face when he leans in for the kiss, and he takes a moment to be charmed by the furious blush on his face and his dedication to help him regardless.
At least until the effect seeps from his body, head to toe, and he can actually feel Percival's lips, soft and plush, and perfectly made for Claude to fit his own against. He can't tell if it's the result of the curse being broken, but the proximity and the gentle press of Percival's fingers against his chin spreads warmth through him wherever movement returns, languid and comfortable enough that even when he can, Claude doesn't shift away.
He sets a gloved hand on Percival's chest, a silent sign that his efforts had worked, and when he finally moves back he opens his mouth to say something...
But nah, it's way more appealing to dip back to steal another kiss, pressing in closer, harder this time, but still chaste so as not to scare Percival away. ]
[ Though he had told himself he's doing this for Claude's sake and there's a pragmatic reason behind it all, he doesn't find himself hating the sensation when their lips do touch, a pleasant warmth settling at his core. It's almost regretful that it has to end, the hand against his chest cueing him into that fact. Claude can move, so there's no need to prolong the act and make things strange between them.
Then, his lips are captured in a second kiss, and that captures him completely by surprise, his lips hanging slightly open as his eyes go wide. He can feel his heart beating quickly now, that familiar fluster taking hold of him. Though the press of their lips is harder this time, more intentional, that light and blissful warmth he had felt before remains.
When they part, he's flushed, face red as his hair. ] What was that? The effect should have worn off.
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Hmm. It might be an interesting endeavor. Where shall we convene?
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You'll get to see what a good girl my Sahar is. 😌
text -> action!
[ As promised, Percy is there at the city gates in half an hour. Poor Sahar will have to deal with carrying Percy in his clunky, over-the-top armour. ]
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Sahar is maybe not as large as Percival is expecting—slightly larger than a horse—and when she lands on the ground next to him, Claude takes one look at his armour and shakes his head. ]
You don't expect her to carry you while you're wearing all that armour, do you?
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A little embarrassed by the oversight, Percival crosses his arms. Dressing down might be an option if he were at his house, but leaving his armour on the streets here certainly isn't an option. ]
... Hmph. I will walk then. [ Meet u there in 2 hours u_u ]
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Claude sighs. ]
Looks like my girl is more generous than I am. You'll take forever to walk all the way up there. [ He leans off to the side to peer at Percival around Sahar's neck. ] I guess I did say I wanted to give her some exercise. You might as well hop on.
[ pet cr is so handy... ]
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Very well. If she so insists. [ It's him who had shown some interest in a wyvern ride before, and it's him now acting like he was put upon. ] But know that walking would have been of no inconvenience to me.
[ Now, how does one mount a wyvern? He only has experience mounting a horse. Percival steps closer to her side, tugging at the straps adorning the wyvern's body for some purchase and trying to climb his way to the top. He very notably does not ask for any help from Claude. ]
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There you are...
[ It's a novel feeling for Claude, wyvern's don't often seat two, and he certainly doesn't make a habit of riding with a partner, but he takes it in stride, smiling briefly at Percival before turning back around. ]
The take off can be a bit bumpy, so you'll want to hold onto me or the saddle.
[ Despite laying out the options, he guides one of his hands to his waist anyway, and tucks his feet back into the stirrups before giving Sahar a pat. She wastes no time in stretching out from her crouch, pale, pink wings extending as she takes a few running steps before pushing off the ground. The added weight takes a few more beats of her wings than usual, but eventually she finds the wind she needs, letting that carry her up and up, and soon enough the ground is disappearing underneath the clouds.
The wind is colder this high up, painting both their faces pink but Claude looks relaxed as he glances back at Percival again. ]
You doing all right?
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I'm fine. I've traveled through the skies before. This is nothing.
[ He's never traveled on a wyvern, but at least he isn't too daunted by the prospect of being several thousand feet in the air. Having to hug Claude still makes him huffy though. ] And is she handling this weight well?
[ He doesn't want to burden the wyvern too. ]
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At the question, he leans forward to give her a gentle rub along her nape. ]
She'll be all right. It's not too far a distance anyway.
[ And then she can terrorise and snack on tiny forest creatures as she pleases. ]
So how did you fly if not on a wyvern? Did you ride a pegasus?
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Eventually he also looks forward from over Claude's shoulder, enjoying the scent of the open wind. ]
Not that. [T Though, he wouldn't be opposed to owning a pegasus. i assume there are pegasus in gbf but who knows ]
We rode on the Captain's ship. That was how we traversed the different sky islands. [ Actually ... ]
For some reason the Grandcypher has found its way to Erku. I suppose I can show it to you someday. [ In return for taking him on a wyvern ride. ]
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[ Now that sounds like something out of a fantasy. Which is a little rich coming from a guy who comes from a land of dragons and magic, but Fire Emblem is pretty tame in comparison to whatever the hell is going on in GBF. He's pretty enchanted by the idea though, sailing across the skies like one would across water to explore various new places...
He has to wonder why Percival would ever want to cease a journey like that in order to rule. ]
I'd love to see it. I love my girl here, but it must be more comfortable to travel by ship.
[ At the very least, you wouldn't have to be constantly alert. Claude has gotten accustomed to wyvern riding by now, but he can't nap for hours atop Sahar's back.
Like now, as he scans the mountains, and when he urges her to the left her great body tilts in the air in a turn, Claude reaching back to take hold of Percival's hand as their balance shifts. ]
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[ Taken by surprise, Percy hugs Claude tighter as he waits to regain stability, very much unused to flying in the air on the back of an animal. The hand laying on top of his helps, and just for this uncertain moment in time, his fingers entwine, the rest of him using Claude as a source of stability. ]
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But right now they have a goal, and Percival doesn't need to fear for his life too long before Sahar finds a break in the treeline where she can land, her mighty body coming down on the ground with a thud.
Opting to be a gentleman this time, Claude slides off first so that he can help Percival down. ]
You're not going to throw up, are you?
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Nonsense. I would not do something so unsightly. [ At least, not where people can see him. Thankfully, he's feeling more or less alright. Once on the ground, he starts to straighten out his hair and smoothen out his robes. ] Alright then. Let's begin our scavenging. You and your wyvern, follow me.
[ Bossy ... Percy makes his way toward one of the bushes, where an unfamiliar kind of berry can be seen. ]
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He follows Percival to the bush, with his wyvern trailing along behind him, and joins him to stare at the unfamiliar berry, hands at his hips. ]
I'm normally quite good at picking out poisonous plants from harmless ones, but it's admittedly hard to tell in an alternate dimension. [ He picks one up (he has gloves to protect his skin), and watches it closely. ] Though for all we know, everything on this world is an aphrodisiac.
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I would hope that isn't the case. I don't like the idea of being reduced to an undignified, lascivious wreck, unable to exercise basic restraint. I'll take a trip to the library to see if there's any information.
[ Though, from what he's perused, the library's pretty useless so far, containing mostly erotica. Why is Erku like this? Percival still plucks some berries and puts them in his bag. ]
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[ Even if he was, Claude wouldn't judge him. It's not like he hadn't had his own run in with the aphrodisiacs this planet had to offer, left hot and wanting, clamouring into the bed of a stranger. It's arguably a little alarming to be so suddenly overtaken with need, and he considers himself lucky that he wasn't in the company of someone he wouldn't normally sleep with, but it's not an experience that he's keen to repeat. ]
I suppose it's worth gathering even if it is poisonous. It's the place to start if we want to brew any antidotes.
[ He fishes a vial from one of the packs he has strapped around Sahar, and plops in a few of the berries. The area they're currently in is lush with fruit and herbs for harvesting it appears, so unsullied by outside traffic, and he does let his eyes and nose get ahead of him, heading over to anything new and interesting he sees to add to his collection of samples. It's disobeying Percival's orders, but he's so used to working alone that he doesn't even think twice before wandering off.
And of course, that's what ends up being his undoing. He's standing up from a crouch and turning around to head back toward Sahar when something rustles behind him, but he doesn't even have a chance to face it before an ungodly screech hits him from him behind, freezing him in place.
The effect is immediately, and so is the Sahar's reaction, the wyvern immediately unleashing a snarl and taking off after the feathery creature.
Not that it helps Claude much, stuck as he is with a stupid, surprised look on his face. ]
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Percival doesn't mind Claude's idle wandering. Despite his bossy attitude, he's far from a micro-manager, often allowing his vassals to do as they please;, be it go on their own adventures, slack off, or even put cat ears 🐱 on his head against his will. Claude isn't one of his vassals, of course, but that fairly-relaxed attitude applies even here. Percival himself, accustomed to working alone also (after a good decade of being a lone wolf), busies with investigating other unfamiliar plants, collecting what samples he can. It's the sound of an unearthly scream, and the snarling and growling of Sahar that calls his attention and has him running over to where Claude is. ]
Claude! What happened?! Are you alright?! [ There's a quick scan of the idea first to ensure the danger has passed, and he rushes to the other man, assessing the situation. There's no need to go after that harpy since it's flown away (and Sahar's on that), so he keeps his full attention on Claude. ] Can you speak?
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I'm going to move you. Bear with this. [ He may not be as strong as Siegfried, but he's still a very fit and able man. Percival eases Claude into his arms easily, lifting him up in a princess-carry. He walks him to a nearby cave, where they can take shelter from any roaming wild beasts. Then, he lays the other man down with a gentleness very much unlike his blunt demeanor.
Now, what to do about this ... Something seems to come to mind soon after. ] ... I remember the robots telling me about those creatures now.
[ So he knows what to do. It's just embarrassing??? Kneeling beside Claude's head, he hovers over the paralyzed man, face turning pink as he frowns and prepares for what he's about to do. ]
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Not Claude. In fact, he's still wrestling with the realization even as Percival dashingly moves to kiss him. ]
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[ Percival's desire to save his friend (because they are now friends) trumps any reservations he has about how awkward it is to be kissing someone he's yet to have that sort of relationship with. He leans forward, a blush colouring his cheeks as he tucks his hair behind his ear. With his fingers he tilts Claude's chin higher, pressing their lips together softly as he waits for the effect to wear off. ]
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At least until the effect seeps from his body, head to toe, and he can actually feel Percival's lips, soft and plush, and perfectly made for Claude to fit his own against. He can't tell if it's the result of the curse being broken, but the proximity and the gentle press of Percival's fingers against his chin spreads warmth through him wherever movement returns, languid and comfortable enough that even when he can, Claude doesn't shift away.
He sets a gloved hand on Percival's chest, a silent sign that his efforts had worked, and when he finally moves back he opens his mouth to say something...
But nah, it's way more appealing to dip back to steal another kiss, pressing in closer, harder this time, but still chaste so as not to scare Percival away. ]
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Then, his lips are captured in a second kiss, and that captures him completely by surprise, his lips hanging slightly open as his eyes go wide. He can feel his heart beating quickly now, that familiar fluster taking hold of him. Though the press of their lips is harder this time, more intentional, that light and blissful warmth he had felt before remains.
When they part, he's flushed, face red as his hair. ] What was that? The effect should have worn off.
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