Not once did Mec dare allow himself to dream of having the privilege that was affirmed by his and Shallan's declarations to each other. Did he ever truly believe that he would be allowed to be loved in such a way, wanted and desired. In spite of his unique powers, his ability to commune with the mysterious G, his own aspirations to help others, a significant part of himself could not, or rather, refused, to believe that Mec Fiska was of significant value in the vast, wide world. That he was anything more than peripheral. Instead, he challenged any praise he had been given. Believed it to be wrong, misguided or ingenuine. Believed that his desires and aspirations were just the products of desperation to escape a bleaker fate. Perhaps he was right in some ways, but as he felt Shallan's embrace, as he pressed his cheek to the top of her head while she leaned against him, he realized that the vast wide world was not the scale he truly cared about. Realized that to the one closest to him, he was adored, admired, enough. Maybe, Mec too, should consider Mec Fiska enough.
The sentiment, while encouraging, was difficult to put into practice right away. Taken aback by Shallan's invitation, Mec felt his face grow warm. He was sure Shallan could feel the heat at her fingertips. A nagging feeling, or rather a pestilent impulse, rattled within him with the threat of escaping. To ask Shallan if this is really what she wanted. Even after the mistakes Mec had made during their journey, even though he was not worthy, even though he could not even keep her safe from common perverts at a sorry old tavern.
Self deprecating thoughts, like the buzz of a mosquito, were only audible in the absence of significant, meaningful sounds and stimulus. As Shallan looked up at Mec, as she drew closer, all of Mec's thoughts of pushing her away, delaying what they both desired, were silenced. They yielded to a much stronger feeling, one that Mec knew he would hang on to forever. One that challenged everything he ever thought of himself, one that felt so sacred that allowing anything else to share its spotlight felt like an act of desecration. He accepted Shallan's invitation, then, gently moving closer.
A rush of sensations, physical and emotional, washed over the young pair the moment their lips touched. A relieved breath, shaky and cold, shuddered through Mec's nostrils. His hand trembled as he reached for Shallan and gently placed his hand on her neck, slowly moving upwards until his fingers paused just underneath of her mandible, below her ear. They continued to hold on to each other even as their lips finally parted. When they opened their eyelids, no force could pull their gazes away from each other as they stared deeply into each others eyes, presenting what was behind the windows of their souls. They held onto each other like this for a long time, so silently that it almost felt holy.
Finally, Mec pulled Shallan towards him again, initiating another kiss, then another, and another, until the line between when each kiss ended and the next began had become almost nonexistent. Intoxicated by the new experience, Mec subconsciously pressed closer towards his partner until his shoulder, which they had been careful to avoid so far, panged with an intense pain. He winced, apologetically pulling himself away from his partner while stifling a grunt. "Owww," he gasped, a lighthearted chuckle in his voice. He gingerly rubbed around the spot where he experienced the sudden pain. The initial throb itself had mostly subsided, but the memory of the sudden jolt continued to linger. "I may have been a little too excited."
Mec smiled towards Shallan, his partner in a new, exciting sense of the word, before giving the area around them a once over. As reluctant as he was to leave their warm spot near the fire, overlooked by the calming glow of the setting sun, their interruption provided an opportunity to complete the rest of the evening's chores before it became dark. The summoned wolves nearby had also began prowling and sniffing around the cabin, as if trying to preoccupy themselves while giving Mec and Shallan a moment of privacy. It was admittedly an impressive showing of intelligence from the beasts, but also a mild source of embarrassment for the pair of sweethearts. "We should get things ready before dark," Mec said, rising to his feet before extending a hand to help Shallan join him.
Bookmarks