As per usual, the ribs took some time to heal. It helped that this time around, he had a doting nurse. Nelanna had been so kind and attentive, Cecil had everything he could have wanted or needed. She was gorgeous, sweet, and loving. As the weeks went by, the desire to simply caress her skin grew to dangerous levels. His red headed goddess was not one to simply act upon, she was very proper.

Afraid that he would do something to jeopardize their friendship that had began to grow, Cecil drew a depiction of an inhabited volcanic island. Something was calling him there. If they were in a large group, perhaps he could control his urges? Besides the fact that he had stayed in one location for far too long and feared Oberon’s arrival. Should that happen, Nelanna was in danger.

The fae and his nurse made their way to Sidhiel, unsure what would be found. To find the whole island in an extremely festive mood was completely unexpected, but a pleasant surprise nonetheless. There were so many people, the smells of many different foods made the mouth water. Curiously, there was also an abundance of animals roaming around. A quick survey suggested that each had tied itself to a specific person.

While running was in his nature, Cecil wondered how it would affect Oberon should he stop changing appearance, sticking with one face. The only reason he chose to continue using this was purely for Nelanna. If her sidelong glances and faint blushes were anything to judge by, she fancied this form. Thus, with sapphire eyes, the snowy haired elvish man ventured into the city. Merry dancing, bouncy tunes, the cacophony flowed together almost seamlessly.

As he plunged into the throng of bodies, Cecil soon realized people were giving him a wide berth. Turning around, he found himself nose to nose with a giant owl face. For a minute, the two stared each other down until the owl opened its beak wide and screeched in his face. Cecil blinked, but remained motionless. To this, the owl stooped low, and the fae realized that it was no giant owl, but an owl griffon! The face, wings and talons of an owl, the hind legs was that of a snow leopard, with a tail to match. With a smile, the cursed man reached out and dug his fingers into the downy fur, scratching lightly, to which the owl began to give a sound of approval.

    At Cecil’s side Nelanna walked. Occasionally she would sneak a glance at him to be sure he was alright, since it hadn’t been too super long ago that his ribs had been broken. He may have been recovered enough to walk around now, but she couldn’t help but to worry. However, every time she looked at him it seemed to be for nothing, as he was completely fine. Finally, she accepted it and turned her attention elsewhere. Well, her eyes at least, for her mind remained on the white-haired man.

They had known each other for a good time now, and had since become quite close. They were good friends despite his current inability to utter a word. Action was their own language, one that only their alike minds could understand. Not only were their minds alike, but their lives as well it seemed. Both had a tragic past they wished to escape, only, one had escaped whilst the other was trapped by it. Nelanna could empathize truly, and it was those feelings that caused other feelings for him to bloom within her. Feelings of fondness, a great fondness. It was difficult for her to explain, even to herself. It wasn’t love, yet, it was something so similar it could easily be mistaken for it. A crush perhaps? No, a crush isn’t near as strong as what she felt for him. The overwhelming urge to protect him and to free him from his past, the sense of comfort she feels when he’s at her side, the strong feeling of happiness that washes over her like an ocean’s violent wave when he smiles, when he’s happy. That was what she truly wanted for him; to be happy. Was that love? Or…something else? Her elder sister had once told her that love is a mysterious thing that comes when least expected. It gave comfort and piece of mind just by seeing the other’s face. Your mind is plagued by their presence, you swoon by a simple smile they give, and any touch sends your heart a flutter. Around them, you are more yourself than around any other, yet you are not yourself, for love makes one do things one would normally consider mad. Love was mad. She never really understood what her sister was talking about, but now she was beginning to. Perhaps…perhaps she really was falling for him. The thought came to her as frightening, for she was too afraid to fall for someone, yet, her heart thumped.

A small smile shone on her features, her eyes watching every step she took whilst a hand was gently laid above her heart. But, her thoughts were shortly eradicated for the time being when she suddenly bumped into Cecil. Silly girl. “Oh, I’m so sorry,” she said, looking him over with worry, as if the slightest touch would undo all the healing he had just gone through. But seeing that he was alright, she turned to see why he had stopped abruptly. And she was amazed by what she saw.

Standing before them was a griffin-like creature, only with owl-like features. An owl griffin, perhaps. She wasn’t sure what to call it, for never had she seen such a creature. It was incredible! Such beauty and splendor, surely one of the most attractive creatures she’d come across. She felt the urge to attempt petting it, to see if it’s feathers and fur felt as soft as they looked, but something held her back. Then came a sound much like a whimper, and her eyes slid to look at the owl griffon’s talons. A much smaller creature was sitting next to it with large, amber eyes that gleamed with mischief. It wore a fluffy coat of brilliant red, black legs and ears, and an underbelly as white as snow. It was a red fox, however, this one had more than one tail. After a minute of counting, Nelanna came to realize it was a nine-tailed fox, with a white tip on each of its tails. At this, her face practically beamed with glee.

Entranced as he was by this mysterious creature, Cecil could not help but side glance at his companion. The beaming glee on her face made her shine brighter than all the stars of the night sky. Curious, the fae followed her sight to notice the small fox. He knelt, resting his elbows on his knees, hands dangling loosely. Sapphire eyes locked with amber eyes, and Cecil became utterly still. Each time he blinked, his lids moved slowly as if he had slowed down inside of time itself.

Cecil stood, turned to the woman and gave a mischievous smile. Grasping her left hand with his left hand, resting his right on her right hip, the fae guided her. Together, their fingers entwined in the feathery softness of the owl. He guided her a few steps forward, his nose half buried in her hair, fingers gliding through the feathers as it began to turn into fur. Right by the wing joints, Cecil pushed on her hip and turned her around to face him. He lifted the woman and sat her on the griffon’s back.

To say he did so effortlessly would be inaccurate, unable to hide the slight wince from the strain he put on his still sore chest. In an effort to reassure her of his state of being, his hand gently squeezed hers as he smiled up at her. Her skin was soft, and warm, smooth and perfect. Reluctantly, he released her, stooped and picked up the fox. Holding it in one hand, Cecil placed his free hand on the owl griffon, then moved it to his heart. He repeated the process for the fox, but pointed up at her instead.

The griffon was his, the fox claimed her. After settling the nine-tailed fox in her lap, the fae went up to the owl face. He gave it some affection, a scratching beneath the chin. Together they walked forward. Cecil felt that up here, he did not have to pretend to be so strong, and allowed himself a moment of weakness, holding his chest with one arm. Lifting her may not have been the best of ideas. First things first, however, was getting her something to eat. She had spent so long doting on him, it was time for him to turn the tables.

    A nine-tailed fox. Nelanna couldn't believe she had seen a nine-tailed fox! Such fantastical, mysterious creatures. As far as she knew, they were rare, and some stories she'd heard as a child told that they held great power. Some believed they were demons of destruction, some believed they were tricksters, bringers of misfortune, and some believed they were the opposite and brought good luck. But these were just stories, legends created to make people curious. Nelanna was one of those people, for she had always wanted to know what these creatures truly were, and what they were capable of.

She blinked with surprise when Cecil suddenly grabbed her hand and led her away. Her eyes drew away from the fox and looked at her companion curiously, making no attempt to stop him from doing whatever he was doing. However, the moment he touched her hips she practically squeaked, her muscles tensing. Still, she didn’t stop him, and soon learned he only wished for her to sit upon the owl griffin.

Atop the massive creature she noticed she felt so much taller than everyone else. She took a moment to straighten her dress, both her legs to one side of the creature like a proper lady should sit. Then, she waited no moment longer to gently glide her fingers across the owl griffin’s back and neck, feeling the smooth, silk-like feathers turn to thick, warm fur. It felt just as beautiful as it looked. “Such a wonderful creature,” she muttered beneath her breath.

Nelanna waited, curious to find out why Cecil had put her up there, her eyes watching him as he moved to pick up the fox. Almost instantly did she know what Cecil was trying to say as he pointed at her and the fox, then him and the owl griffin. It was an easy and simple gesture to comprehend. Then, with a smile of acceptance, she nodded in agreement and took the fox without hesitation as he set it on her lap. It sat gracefully, still as stone without any attempt to jump down and get away. Hmm, it must be a social creature. It warmed her heart a little, and stroking its soft, warm pelt made her feel even more happy inside.

However, as she was paying attention to the fox, she missed Cecil’s moment of weakness, and only managed to look back at him when his weakness could no longer be seen. “Where are we going?” She asked him.

Cecil looked up at her with a mischievous smile, putting a single finger to his lips and winjed. It was his secret, her task to find out. She didn't need to know that he didn't know himself just yet. All he knew is that he wanted to do something for his savior to show Nelanna how much he has appreciated her efforts thus far. There had to be something he could do besides giving her the softest, most gentle kiss upon those perfect lips of hers…

Now he had his heart racing as he guided the griffon onward. Cecil’s mind naturally began to follow the events that could follow such a kiss, and believed he could actually hear her answering sounds. This, of course, was a bad time and terrible place to think such thoughts. Desperate to force the thoughts away, the fae began to follow his nose, having caught the scent of something delicious. He made a sign to her to stay on the owl griffon and wandered off. A solid ten minutes later, he had returned, holding a basket with a blanket covering the top.

Once more they began walking, following directions he had been given by a local. It had been a tad difficult at first, but when the person realized his delima and the desire to do something special for the gorgeous redhead that could barely be seen over the crowd, they were too eager to help. Included was the location of a nice, beautiful picnic spot that could be quite romantic. The person’s words, not his. When they got there, the location was a nice park. This section was secluded, a gazebo in the center of a clearing with a plethora of well tended floral bushes. Even the gazebo had natural ivy that acted as a privacy screen from onlookers.

Excited, Cecil turned and helped her down, wincing once more as a dull ache reminded him of the still tender bruising taking time to heal. Waving off her concerns if she produced any, the far grabbed her hand, the basket, and ever so lovingly pulled her toward the gazebo. He laid out the blanket and pulled out a few dishes of food. Succulent meats, though fewer in comparison to everything else, was in the center. There was a steamed vegetable salad, and his favorite dessert. It was a platter of blueberry tarts, with a dash of powdered sugar. Hidden underneath the tarts was a special gift for her, a crystalline unicorn that was said to be enchanted to be an actual mount if she required it. Cecil beamed at her, excited to see her reaction to everything.

    Curiosity grew within Nelanna at Cecil’s response. Of course, she knew he couldn’t answer with words, but she also knew he had other ways of telling her things. However, despite her curiosity, she shrugged and decided to wait and see, turning her attention to the nine-tailed fox that sat in her lap, gently brushing her fingers through its soft, red pelt. The fox seemed to enjoy the attention and soaked it up like a sponge. The corners of its mouth were pulled back and up a little; Nelanna liked to imagine it was smiling. It was such a wonderful creature, and a social one that seemed to take a liking to her. Could she keep it? Not as a pet, of course. No, she saw it as more of a companion. Foxes were intelligent, playful, and capable of learning words and gestures, much like a dog. A creature like that seemed too close to humans to be pets in her mind. And considering this was a nine-tailed fox, a legendary creature said to hold great wisdom and power, it was far too precious to be a mere pet.

Before she realized it she started thinking of names to call it if it decided to stick by her, but quickly after beginning she decided against it. For now. So, she turned her attention back to Cecil, only to see him bringing out a basket that carried the smell of food. When had they stopped? It seemed she was preoccupied with the fox and completely missed his gesture for her to stay on the griffon and to notice him walking off. She offered him a soft smile as he approached, but said nothing, for she had a feeling that no matter what she asked, he would make her wait to find out. There was no point in speaking out of curiosity.

And so she waited, watching silently, curiously, all the while offering the fox attention by giving it a good scratch behind one of its large black ears, or under its chin. And as Cecil led her to a park of some kind, she couldn’t help but gaze around in slight amazement. She was a girl who loved parks, especially ones that were so well kept. And due to her attention being on the beauty of her surroundings, she was completely oblivious to the fact that the section he had chosen was secluded, leaving the two completely alone aside from their new found friends. She was relieved to find that they finally stopped, and as he helped her down from the owl griffon, she hoped she was about to find out what was smelling so delicious in that basket of his.

Once on the ground, she set the fox down, where it bounced around a little with all nine tails wagging in unison. Then, Nelanna turned to face Cecil, waiting patiently by the owl griffon with the fox playing nearby. She watched quietly, watched him lay out a blanket and set out the contents of the basket. Finally, she realized what was going on, and her face beamed brightly with surprise, and joy. Obligingly, she walked over to the set up picnic and, after straightening her dress, she sat across from Cecil with perfect poise. Before she even considered eating the delicious smelling food that had been laid out before her, she looked around for a moment longer, taking in her surroundings more.

If he was trying to get her attention or woo her, it was certainly working. It was such a romantic thing for him to do, something quite thoughtful as well. Actually, he must’ve put a lot of thought into this. Just how long had he been planning this exactly? She looked at him with a soft smile, with a gratitude gleaming in her eyes. And, there seemed to be something else hidden behind it all. “What’s all of this for?” She asked with a lighthearted tone, her smile turning into a small smirk.

If she hadn’t already fallen for the man, then this certainly did the trick. God this man made her heart soar sometimes, especially with that beaming look he made. She felt like she lived for his smiles, his happiness. It that wasn’t love, then what is it?

That smile! This was why he was doing it, to see that gorgeous smile. Yes, he liked those dreamy eyes that watched him when she thought he wasn’t aware. The way Nelanna got flustered every time they touched, even the barest of brushes. Honestly, while she was seemed like an open book, Cecil managed to hide half of it. Some of the quirks, he couldn’t completely keep hidden, like the light blushes when he realized he thought inappropriately of her.

His shoulders rose and fell as he tried to chuckle, lightly shaking his head at her question. Could she not figure it out. Cecil pointed to her. This was all for her! Nelanna and her persistent care over his seemingly clumsy self. Although, he would have prefered she sat next to him, as it would have been easier to communicate some of what he wanted to portray. Repositioning himself so that he was sitting much closer, caddy corner to her.

Cecil reached over and took her hand. So warm and soft, it was hard to resist caressing it with his thumb. Instead, by sheer willpower, the fae manages to lift her hand to his lips, pressing lightly against her knuckles, eyes locked on hers. Her scent was intoxicating… Somehow, he managed to end the gesture by lifting her had to his forehead, bowing low as he done so.

This was his way of showing deep gratitude. While his ribs were not happy, at least he could breathe and had much greater mobility than previously. Finally he lifted back up, releasing her hand, blushing once more as distracted himself with food. In all honesty, his mind had imagined him feeding her each morsel, watching her savor the flavor. Yet, that seemed almost odd for him to do. So instead, he picked up a plate, and handed it to her.

    A soft giggle escaped Nelanna’s lips as he pointed to her, but it was no giggle of amusement. No, as he motioned that it was all for her she seemed overwhelmed with happiness, and couldn’t help but giggle with glee. Even if he didn’t share the same romantic feelings she had for him, knowing that he thought well enough of her to do such a sweet and thoughtful thing was enough. He cared for her, and that was all that mattered. Though, she could not deny that deep down her heart was pained by the thought of him not loving her, but his friendship was enough. If that was all he wanted, she would respect that.

His next move was quite surprising to her, and seemed to momentarily erase any and all doubt that he felt the same. It was a small act that could easily be mistaken for something else, and lead one to misunderstand. This seemed to happen to her the moment he took her hand and placed it against his lips. It was a small moment, but one that seemed much longer to her, and she silently wished it had been longer. And within that small moment she allowed her thoughts to run rampant, hoping with all her heart that it was an act of confession. But those thoughts died swiftly once she regained herself. Well, regained her thoughts, for her body seemed incapable of moving. Her face was burning to the tips of her pointed ears and even down her neck, whilst her heart thumped against her chest wildly like an animal trying to free itself from captivity.

For so long she had wondered how his lips felt, and wished to see for herself. Though, this was not quite what she had expected, but it was no less appealing to her. Warm, gentle- The moment was gone, and he pressed her hand against his forehead. That was when it hit her. It was all an act of gratitude. The trip to the park, the picnic, the kiss, all as a great big thank you. This she learned from that simple act, placing her hand against his lowered head, for she had seen him do similar acts before, and all were acts of gratitude. But somehow, though she had learned that romantic feelings were not involved and they may never be, she wasn’t disappointed in the least. No, she felt tears welling in her turquoise eyes and she placed her free hand over her lips to keep herself quiet. Saying that she was touched by his actions was a major understatement. He may not realize how important this was to her, for no one had ever cared enough for her to do such a thing. And as an act of gratitude of all things.

When he released her hand she waved it dismissively with a soft smile, trying to reassure him that he had done nothing wrong, and the tears that threatened to spill were those of joy. It was difficult to keep herself from reaching over and embracing him completely, for she knew she would never want to let go, and she would only become more emotional than she already was. So, she placed a hand over her heart, her following words dripping with sincerity, “Thank you, Cecil. This means so much to me.” Then, she concluded with a bow of her head.

Their attention then turned to the food, and in doing so Nelanna clapped her hands together with a sniffle, her eyes gleaming with excitement. “It all looks so delicious!” She stated, licking her lips with anticipation. With a bright smile, she took the plate Cecil had handed to her, giving yet another thank you, then began eating. Nelanna took to savoring each and every bite, chewing slowly to make it all last longer. And while doing so, she decided to look through the other options that had been laid out for her.

It wasn’t until then that she had discovered something hidden with the food, her eyes widening at the sight. It was a beautiful statuette of a unicorn made entirely out of diamond. She set the plate down next to her and lifted the unicorn with both hands. She didn’t fear breaking it, for she knew diamond could not be broken. Not even lava, the hottest thing earth can create aside from the very core, could not melt diamond. It simply wasn’t hot enough.

She looked it over, taking in every curve, every detail before looking at Cecil. “What is this?”

Once, as a young fairy, fresh in the world, alone and free, she had witnessed acts that pushed women to the brink of tears. Events that were so joyous, their emotions would flow from their eyes, and stain their cheeks. It had been witnessed often enough to recognize the fact Nelanna was at that point. This was exactly the reaction he had been aiming for. The pleasure of seeing her as such nearly brought tears to his own eyes.

While he tried to keep his attention on the food, barely able to eat anything himself, Cecil could not keep his eyes from wandering. Always, his bright blue orbs turned towards her. If he caught her eye, then eyes would dart away, busying himself with something else. What had he to be nervous about? Deciding it was the way he felt, in combination of having never done anything like this before, Cecil watched her discover the crystalline statuette. This time, he eagerly watched, waiting for her reaction. Nelanna inspected it delicately, deliberately, taking her time as if to memorize every inch of it.

A great smile spread across his face as he reached into a pocket to extract a note. Handing it over, Nelanna would read what was written by shopkeep he purchased the enchanted object from. ”To whom this is gifted to. This young man took great care in choosing something special. Within your hands lies a great, powerful enchantment. Merely make a pure, simple wish to see this creature of beauty, and before you it shall stand. May it guide you safely.” Cecil had to have the shopkeep write the instructions for her, as he would never be able to translate it. Of course, he didn’t read it himself, and thus had no idea it mentioned him in any way.

Scooting closer, the fae took her hands in his, gently cupping her hands over the statuette. This time, his thumb did caress her soft skin. He stared deep into her eyes. Years and years of experience disappeared, melted into the black abyss of memory. Cecil felt that being right here with her, hands clasped over her soft hands. If he could speak, he’d softly say her name. As it was, his heart raced, beating against his poor chest so hard, he feared she could hear it. Ever so slowly, he began to lean forward, unaware of the movement. It was the perfect set up, the perfect way to finally kiss the woman he loved. He wasn’t even aware that their noses were just an inch apart as he took in every detail of her irises, every lash that framed those gorgeous eyes, how perfect she was.

    She took the note that was handed to her, keeping the crystalline statuette in her other hand. Turquoise eyes scanned the writing on the paper, but she found it difficult to pay attention to the instructions given to her about the unicorn. Her mind kept wandering back to the part which said that Cecil carefully chose something special for her, and several times she found herself rereading that part over and over again, a smile growing and becoming brighter each time she read it. And after what had to be the tenth time, she averted her eyes back up at Cecil. He was such a thoughtful and caring person, one whom had done more for her than any other. Though they were all small acts, they were what made her fall for him. They were acts that showed he kept her in his thoughts, and he cared for her.

She looked into his eyes, turquoise meeting bright blue as he suddenly took her hands in his and caressed them. Her eyes never leaving his for a moment, her heart racing, face warm; she watched and waited with anticipation sparkling in her eyes. Then, he started to lean, and at that moment she swore her heart leaped with joy. He grew closer, and closer, until they were only an inch apart, and she did not stop him, nor did she want to. She could feel his warm breath, a feeling that made her tingle a little, and it made her realize how thankful she was that they had not been standing. Because if they were, she was certain her knees would tremble and buckle beneath her by now, if not before.

She silently wished that this had been her first kiss, in this special place, with this special gift given to her by this special man. But instead it had been stolen from her long ago by a cad whom would not take no for an answer. A man whom only acted out of lust, not love. That’s when her heart suddenly squeezed with fear. Was Cecil acting out of love, or lust? It wouldn’t have been the first time she had seen a man trying to do something special to win her over and get her into bed with them; Cecil just happened to find the best way of doing it. And he had actually managed to steal her heart. But, what did her feel for her? She told herself that his actions should speak for themselves, that one doesn’t need words to know someone loves them. But it could certainly help from creating misunderstandings.

But, despite her doubt and growing fear, she allowed him to get close to her. Was she that desperate? Then, it was all suddenly over when the nine-tailed fox made his presence clear to them, and the moment was gone before she could even get the kiss. The fox had pounced in between the two, separating them from each other and began licking Nelanna’s cheek, all of his nine tails wagging with excitement. Though she was disappointed that she didn’t get the kiss she had been wishing for, she couldn’t get mad at the beautiful creature. Instead, she giggled with amusement, all the while trying to keep herself from falling over from his playful movements.

Finally, she managed to push him off of her and looked up at Cecil, a sheepish smile on her beautiful features. “I’m so sorry,” she apologized. The fox made a whimpering sound until she looked back at him, as if he wanted her to pay attention to him instead of Cecil. Perhaps that was why he stopped him from kissing her. Maybe he was an attention hogger, and was jealous of Cecil getting all of her attention. The thought made her smile with amusement as she scratched him beneath his chin, earning a pleased wag from his tails.

He suddenly pulled away and padded off from the two by a few feet, then turned back around to face them. Nelanna watched him curiously as he sat there, but turned her attention back to Cecil, figuring the fox was done getting attention. She felt awkward, though, not sure what to do nor what to say after a failed attempt to kiss. What does one say in such a situation? Do they act as if it never happened? No, he might think she wasn’t interested. Yet, if they tried again he might think she was desperate. She released a light sigh, until she heard a quiet poof.

Nelanna turned her head back to look at the fox, but found a man standing in its place. She blinked with confusion and surprise, but said nothing, and only tapped Cecil’s leg to draw his attention in the same direction.

The strange man was handsome with fox-red hair, and instead of human ears, two long, black ears stood atop his head. He wore a samurai’s kimono, standing with proper poise, his amber eyes looking down at her whilst gleaming with mischief, as his lips were curved into a smirk. His eyes were the first thing she had found familiar, but the moment she saw nine fox-red tails with white tips, she realized he was the nine-tailed fox, somehow.

“Allow me to introduce myself,” said the man, pressing a palm against his chest. “I am Kohaku.”