[ Kaede may have been the reticent sort, but her body language was simple enough for Ursula to read. She had to get used to things like that as a teacher, and she found herself using those sociological skills in this world more often than she thought she would. Kaede's longing was obvious... ]
I'm fine staying here with you. I don't mind sharing a bed if that's what you want, too. Anything to help you feel calm and at peace.
[Kaede came to a stop in front of the couch that was a bit more abrupt than she meant.]
--uh.
[That caught her a bit off guard. Though, yes. She wanted to think on her own terms again. She didn't want Ursula to just leave, but sharing a bed with her seemed a lot right now. The Chimera scratched at the back of her head, still facing away.]
You don't...need to do that much.
[There was a non-zero chance of Kaede gravitating towards the source of warmth in the room later on, though.]
[ She definitely didn't want to put any pressure on Kaede. This was awkward enough of a situation without that added on top. But she also had a better grasp, and more comfort in general, with how the whole situation would inevitably play out. At least with Kaede, she wasn't seeing so many shades of a familiar face within her. It was easier to put some distance there, even with the intimacy, and think of Kaede more like a troubled student than anything like Fang. ]
Are there any pre-sleep rituals I should know about?
[Kaede's tail flicked one more time before finally going still, and she glanced back at Ursula. Her posture was still stiff and awkward.]
No. I just...sleep when I'm tired. [A creak from somewhere else in the house made the Chimera twitch, and mutter to herself.] Haven't been doing much of that.
[She was already much less jumpy than she had been, though. Awkwardness about sleeping arrangements aside. The sharp edges of the gnawing hunger in her mind had been worn smooth, and relaxing enough to sleep actually felt possible now. It would be gone by morning, but...well, there was something else in store then.]
If that's the case, then... [ Ursula let out a sigh, finally pulling her hat off and setting it on the corner of the offered cough, removing the clasp that held her robe over her collar as well, making work of the closures to shrug the whole garment up and off of her shoulders. Beneath, in what probably revealed a lot about Ursula's approach to fashion, was a tight-fitting top and pair of trousers that, while visually not that interesting, allowed for plenty of comfort of movement. The sort of clothes someone might wear to the gym, more than day to day. ]
[This is the girl who'd go out in public in pajamas and clothes taken out of other people's closets or laundry baskets with no regard to color coordination, she isn't the best judge of fashion sense.
Kaede did look, though, after she crossed to the dresser. Ursula seemed to favor practical clothes, she noted--something that would be comfortable to run away from a feral Chimera in, she also noted. But she hadn't, and hadn't needed to.]
Did you know you didn't need to run?
[The Witch getting ready for sleep reinforced that Kaede should do the same, even if she doubted she'd be able to stay that way. Getting off her own clothes was a bit of a process, now. Her arms made sleeved shirts difficult, her antlers complicated anything pulled on over her head, and her claws made delicate closures an annoyance. She'd been able to get a light shawl to cover up how clumsily (irritably) she'd put on a buttoned vest, with a light shirt under that. The clothes Kaede tended to choose were quietly influenced by the other, taller resident in the house. The skirt was her own, though--and while she wasn't going to take that off while someone was here, the Chimera set the shawl and vest on the basket beside the dresser. She should get those cleaned soon--they were flecked with reddish-pink feathers and a bit of soot.]
[ Ursula hadn't meant to, but she supposed her curiosity got the best of her and she found herself watching Kaede disrobe, wanting to know how she managed. So much so that she almost missed the question. ]
[That...wasn't the answer Kaede was expecting. The Chimera blinked a few times, but nodded slowly. Ursula was in luck! That seemed perfectly reasonable to her. But she expected something about not fleeing from strange Monsters in case they had any instincts to chase things, which Kaede certainly did.
But, many of her suspicions hadn't come to pass. This was just another of many.]
[There were a few pillows scattered haphazardly on the couch, and a blanket less folded and more wadded up at the end of it, like someone pushed it there and forgot about it.
Kaede sighed herself, breathing the sound out through her nose. She sat on the edge of the bed, and flopped over on her back in short order.]
...until morning, then.
[There was still uncertainty in Kaede's mind, worry that this was some kind of trick or that she was making a mistake. But her mind was clear enough to have those doubts in the first place--not clouded by the moons' call, not in danger of slipping into baser instinct. That clarity would fade by morning, unless she found another Witch or a stronger sedative.
Unless she found a Bond, which...maybe, she might have.]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
I'm fine staying here with you. I don't mind sharing a bed if that's what you want, too. Anything to help you feel calm and at peace.
no subject
--uh.
[That caught her a bit off guard. Though, yes. She wanted to think on her own terms again. She didn't want Ursula to just leave, but sharing a bed with her seemed a lot right now. The Chimera scratched at the back of her head, still facing away.]
You don't...need to do that much.
[There was a non-zero chance of Kaede gravitating towards the source of warmth in the room later on, though.]
Is the couch okay?
no subject
[ She definitely didn't want to put any pressure on Kaede. This was awkward enough of a situation without that added on top. But she also had a better grasp, and more comfort in general, with how the whole situation would inevitably play out. At least with Kaede, she wasn't seeing so many shades of a familiar face within her. It was easier to put some distance there, even with the intimacy, and think of Kaede more like a troubled student than anything like Fang. ]
Are there any pre-sleep rituals I should know about?
no subject
No. I just...sleep when I'm tired. [A creak from somewhere else in the house made the Chimera twitch, and mutter to herself.] Haven't been doing much of that.
[She was already much less jumpy than she had been, though. Awkwardness about sleeping arrangements aside. The sharp edges of the gnawing hunger in her mind had been worn smooth, and relaxing enough to sleep actually felt possible now. It would be gone by morning, but...well, there was something else in store then.]
no subject
no subject
Kaede did look, though, after she crossed to the dresser. Ursula seemed to favor practical clothes, she noted--something that would be comfortable to run away from a feral Chimera in, she also noted. But she hadn't, and hadn't needed to.]
Did you know you didn't need to run?
[The Witch getting ready for sleep reinforced that Kaede should do the same, even if she doubted she'd be able to stay that way. Getting off her own clothes was a bit of a process, now. Her arms made sleeved shirts difficult, her antlers complicated anything pulled on over her head, and her claws made delicate closures an annoyance. She'd been able to get a light shawl to cover up how clumsily (irritably) she'd put on a buttoned vest, with a light shirt under that. The clothes Kaede tended to choose were quietly influenced by the other, taller resident in the house. The skirt was her own, though--and while she wasn't going to take that off while someone was here, the Chimera set the shawl and vest on the basket beside the dresser. She should get those cleaned soon--they were flecked with reddish-pink feathers and a bit of soot.]
no subject
Ah... what do you mean?
no subject
[Kaede looked overtly over her shoulder, tail flicking.]
How did you know not to run away?
no subject
Well, the truth is, I actually just like these because they're comfortable, and I can easily lounge in them for extended periods if I have to...
[ ... not as pathetic. ]
I don't really wear them for exercise reasons.
no subject
[That...wasn't the answer Kaede was expecting. The Chimera blinked a few times, but nodded slowly. Ursula was in luck! That seemed perfectly reasonable to her. But she expected something about not fleeing from strange Monsters in case they had any instincts to chase things, which Kaede certainly did.
But, many of her suspicions hadn't come to pass. This was just another of many.]
no subject
I'd be setting a poor example if I was that flighty.
no subject
Kaede sighed herself, breathing the sound out through her nose. She sat on the edge of the bed, and flopped over on her back in short order.]
...until morning, then.
[There was still uncertainty in Kaede's mind, worry that this was some kind of trick or that she was making a mistake. But her mind was clear enough to have those doubts in the first place--not clouded by the moons' call, not in danger of slipping into baser instinct. That clarity would fade by morning, unless she found another Witch or a stronger sedative.
Unless she found a Bond, which...maybe, she might have.]