[At first, at the rebuke, Kaede flinched. Her eyes squeezed shut, her ears pinned back, and the endless torrent of words stopped.
But no further correction came. The expected resentment didn't materialize. The anxious tension in Kaede's end of the Bond froze, like a startled deer. It didn't vanish, but it stopped working itself up into a frenzy, too. The Chimera's shoulders shivered, a motion she couldn't suppress.]
...I'm. [What was she supposed to say here? There was no anger in Chariot's mind, in the Bond--nothing she could struggle against and feel at all justified in. Another apology hovered at the tip of her tongue. She'd never apologized so much in her life, and now she couldn't stop making them--right when they didn't matter.
Chariot wasn't angry. She wasn't resentful. She worried, oh she worried. But the comfort of her embrace was still there, the warmth that soothed away the worries in Kaede's mind--she just had to be here. Gaze into Chariot's endless patience, and see that there really wasn't a bottom to it.]
[ Anything else that needed to be said could be said in there. In that moment, she had no desire to expose either of them to the world outside their apartment, outside of their Home together. She had plenty of ways to show Kaede she'd forgiven her, but not a one of them deserved the possibility of any other eyes, any one else's understandings or judgements. ]
[ Once inside, Chariot was quick to grab a warm blanket to drape about Kaede, pulling her with her to the soda, leaving her cane aside and just wanting to snuggle up with her, to cuddle and assure her that, yes, mistakes were made but she was still here for Kaede, and wasn't going to push her away over this. She didn't need to interrogate or withold anything to know Kaede's guilt. She could feel it keenly, and in this moment, Chariot wanted Kaede to feel just as keenly her forgiveness. ]
Kaede made a little stifled sound at first, like a startled bird's whistling when the blanket draped over her shoulders. But the warmth sunk in soon after, like a shield against the cold guilt gnawing at her mind. Kaede followed her Bonded quietly, holding the blanket close. She didn't make any more noise; just sat and found herself leaning against Chariot without a thought, pressing against her warm side, nuzzling her face against the other woman's neck.
Forgiveness wasn't something Kaede ever expected to feel, and this time, her protests were thin and distant things easily chased away. Something in her chest felt all wobbly and soft edged, and the Chimera's tail came up to curl around them both. She'd been keeping herself away from this, for...for what? As penance? Until she apologized?]
I'm...sorry. [She whispered again.] For...for taking so long. But I'm here now.
There will always be a place for you in my heart, Kaede... [ Chariot hummed, nuzzling right back, pressing small kisses to Kaede's temple, just surrounding her in her love, wrapping her within it like a blanket to join the literal one, envelop her in the idea of this being a place she belonged within. ]
We're both going to make mistakes... that's part of being in love.
[The Chimera started to melt under all this attention, feathers softly ruffling up and the stiffness leaving her shoulders with each kiss. Her next exhale had more than a bit of a contented rumble in it.]
I...hope my next one isn't so bad.
[Like picking a strange choice of flowers, or a tea she ended up not liking. Simple things. Simple mistakes. Not ones that ended in the slickness of blood and the misery of regret.]
Whatever it is... I will always endeavor to hear you out, and understand you.
[ That much she could say assuredly. It was part of her vows, after all, to hold through the storms that came with knowing someone like Kaede, and being a refuge for her heart.
And be a good snuggle partner when it was needed, too. A few more kisses and she nuzzled in close, just breathing in Kaede's scent and letting her eyes close... ]
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But no further correction came. The expected resentment didn't materialize. The anxious tension in Kaede's end of the Bond froze, like a startled deer. It didn't vanish, but it stopped working itself up into a frenzy, too. The Chimera's shoulders shivered, a motion she couldn't suppress.]
...I'm. [What was she supposed to say here? There was no anger in Chariot's mind, in the Bond--nothing she could struggle against and feel at all justified in. Another apology hovered at the tip of her tongue. She'd never apologized so much in her life, and now she couldn't stop making them--right when they didn't matter.
Chariot wasn't angry. She wasn't resentful. She worried, oh she worried. But the comfort of her embrace was still there, the warmth that soothed away the worries in Kaede's mind--she just had to be here. Gaze into Chariot's endless patience, and see that there really wasn't a bottom to it.]
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[ Anything else that needed to be said could be said in there. In that moment, she had no desire to expose either of them to the world outside their apartment, outside of their Home together. She had plenty of ways to show Kaede she'd forgiven her, but not a one of them deserved the possibility of any other eyes, any one else's understandings or judgements. ]
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...yes. Of course.
[The feathers on the Chimera's back bristled up and out, like she could repel any eyes that looked their way like that.]
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Kaede made a little stifled sound at first, like a startled bird's whistling when the blanket draped over her shoulders. But the warmth sunk in soon after, like a shield against the cold guilt gnawing at her mind. Kaede followed her Bonded quietly, holding the blanket close. She didn't make any more noise; just sat and found herself leaning against Chariot without a thought, pressing against her warm side, nuzzling her face against the other woman's neck.
Forgiveness wasn't something Kaede ever expected to feel, and this time, her protests were thin and distant things easily chased away. Something in her chest felt all wobbly and soft edged, and the Chimera's tail came up to curl around them both. She'd been keeping herself away from this, for...for what? As penance? Until she apologized?]
I'm...sorry. [She whispered again.] For...for taking so long. But I'm here now.
[And relief was something she could share.]
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We're both going to make mistakes... that's part of being in love.
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I...hope my next one isn't so bad.
[Like picking a strange choice of flowers, or a tea she ended up not liking. Simple things. Simple mistakes. Not ones that ended in the slickness of blood and the misery of regret.]
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[ That much she could say assuredly. It was part of her vows, after all, to hold through the storms that came with knowing someone like Kaede, and being a refuge for her heart.
And be a good snuggle partner when it was needed, too. A few more kisses and she nuzzled in close, just breathing in Kaede's scent and letting her eyes close... ]