at the feet of untamed things

[amistillenough]

Barnaby is restless. At first, he thought it was maybe boredom, just a moment of not being able to focus on anything, but no. He can feel an itch to do something, anything, that has him moving.

He'd tried playing music, which didn't really get him anywhere. It felt good for a few minutes, but then it only seemed to build up the restlessness even more. So he put down his violin and traded it for pacing the length of the livingroom with a book in hand.

It also doesn't really help, but doing two things at once makes things settle a tiny bit more. He needs to do something though, something that makes him move and keeps his attention.

Putting down the book, he digs up some of the rope they keep around, running his fingers over it before he starts to tie and untie it until he finds himself doing a series of ties on himself. It's at least posing enough of a challenge to keep him occupied, which is all he wanted.

The thought of going to get Jeremy had crossed his mind, as had going to go talk to Birch to see if they would be a good distraction, but this would do for now. He can pivot to something else when it stops working.

Comments

[kinginred]

He laughs in agreement. "Being associated with stars feels nice."

[amistillenough]

He pushes up to nudge their noses together. "You'd make a good star," he says. "You'd do good at being many things though." Then he flops back and giggles slightly. "Of course, we both know I'm really, really biased here, but I still think it's true."

[kinginred]

"So very, very biased," he says with a giggle and gives his love a kiss.

[amistillenough]

He happily returns the kiss and chases it with another. Everything in him feels so much more at peace now. He's full of joy and love instead of restless energy with nowhere to go. It feels like freedom to him, and it's wonderful.

Although he has technically been alive for a very long time, he knows that being with Jeremy has let him feel things he never has before. This experience has changed his entire life and made him want to keep this more than anything else. Love has become more important than fear, and he never thought he would feel that way before they met.

[kinginred]

"Deciding to follow you was the best thing I've done," he says and kisses his love's cheek and then his lips.

[amistillenough]

He smiles wide, then his expression shifts into something both excited and hopeful. There's a wriggle as he speaks and it's clear he's resisting the urge to do more than just that.

"So, do you think maybe, before we go back, I can be a cat and run around with you for a little while? You don't have to run with me if you don't want to, I'm happy to do it on my own, but maybe you'd want to do it with me?"

[kinginred]

He smiles wide and gives Barnaby a kiss. "I'd like that."

[amistillenough]

He all but bounces, then wraps his arms and legs around his love as he tries not to keep wriggling beneath him. "You really are amazing," he says. "I love you so much."

[kinginred]

He chuckles softly. "It seems simple to give you the things you want, because I love you." He gives him a kiss and then pushes himself up a little. "Should I let you up so you can change?"

[amistillenough]

He wraps his arms around him and pulls him back down. "In a second," he says before kissing him again, deep and full of a bright, passionate excitement.

Then he lets him go and allows him to get up. "I love you too," he adds. "More than I've ever loved anything."

[kinginred]

After he gets to his feet he reaches down to help his love up. It has the added benefit to allow him to bring him close for a kiss. "I love you more than anything, ever. Even if in my case that bar is extremely low."

[amistillenough]

"You know," he says after a moment to consider it. "I'm not sure mine's that much better." Then he smiles, kissing his love again. "But maybe that worked out well for us. Maybe we wouldn't have been open to the idea of staying with each other if things had been different."

[kinginred]

He squeezes Barnaby to him in a quick hug. "Surely you've loved someone before me."

[amistillenough]

"Not really," he says. "I never stayed anywhere long enough to love anyone the way I love you. I always had to move again before I could get the chance."

He gives his love a soft kiss. then nuzzles his cheek. "I'm glad you're the person I get to stay still with."

[kinginred]

"I think we established you haven't loved anyone like me," he says with a little chuckle. "I hope you had found some love, even if brief." He hugs his love.

[amistillenough]

"There are people I've liked before," he says. "I've met all kinds and some have been really lovely. Sometimes I met them and all I wanted to do was stay because I thought I could be happy there. I never could though. I did love them, i think, but that meant not staying because I didn't know what would happen to either of us if I did. I wanted to make sure people would be okay, but that meant that loving them also always meant going off again too. This is the first time I haven't had to do that."

[kinginred]

He smiles and gives his love another hug. "I'm glad you had some people you liked."

[amistillenough]

He smiles down at him, then starts up a gentle sway. "There will always be people out there that you can like. I sometimes had to really try to find them, but they were out there. But there's a difference between liking someone, and even feeling like yes, you could really love them, than actually doing it."

He cups his love's face in one hand, kissing him slowly. Even as it comes to an end, he stays close, touching his tongue to his lips. "I adore you so, so much," he says. "I love you, and adore you, and you're the most important thing I've ever had."

[kinginred]

He smiles, which is felt more than seen with how close they are. "I feel the same about you."

[amistillenough]

He nods, then lets their noses touch while his hands rest at his love's waist. "Because you're absolutely wonderful," he says. Then he laughs a little and steps back. "I was supposed to be doing something. You distracted me."

[kinginred]

"How tragic," he says with a laugh and flutter of his wing. "I shan't distract you further. Right now."

[amistillenough]

The flutter of his wings catches Barnaby's attention and he leans forward again, reaching up with one hand to lightly bat at and play with the feathers there.

Ye is, in fact, quite distractible right now. At least when it comes to the man he loves.

[kinginred]

He laughs, bright and happy. "Well, I can't help it if existing is distracting."

[amistillenough]

He giggles, then taps Jeremy's wing with the tip of his nose. "It's alright," he says as he leans back again. "Getting distracted by you is my favorite thing."

Then he allows himself to shift into a large feline form. His eyes close as he does, then he stretches out, a purr rumbling through him. After a moment, he tips onto his side, wriggling and rubbing his face against the ground.