he watches her as she gets up, rummages around in the drawer, eyes drawn to the frame in her hand upon her return. sure enough, it was as he expected — somewhat.
[break][break]
"ye, that's emma alright. looks a bit less like someone kicked 'er puppy in this, as she did when i knew 'er." he tries not to talk about her as if she was dead, but, she likely wasn't returning to hoenn anytime soon.
[break][break]
"ah, look ye. don't think i've seen ye cheese this hard in the time i've known ye." he chuckles at that, taking in the youthful innocence of both women. and how, in some way or another, through one trial or another, it had been taken from them.
[break][break]
"fuck, yer still the same height ta." that one causes him to guffaw for real this time.

[attr="class","notes"]freya morningstar[break]

[attr="class","wizzcredit"]☉

emma. and though it's her name, though it's only natural others would know it, there is a twist of jealousy that knifes its way through her. because emma's past is still shadowed, still hidden from her purview. they'd never found time to confide in each other - truly and honestly - before the world tumbled down a path of no return. 

and emma left, believing freya would never get her bearings. 

"how well did you know her?" she asks and then relents, shaking her head. "nevermind."

she shoots a look at him as she sidles closer, tucking her chin atop his shaking shoulder. "oh, hush. i'm a normal height." but his laughter is infectious and without meaning to, he nearly manages to get her to mimic that smile in the photo. this one, in the present, is still heavy with the weight of everything that plagues them, but there's a certain amount of hope there - that laughter, bliss, it's not all gone. 

"regardless, yes - that's me. i loved her for a very long time. never did right by her by any means. i think, partly, that's why i never had the courage to tell alexander how i felt. i valued our friendship too much. and then it was too late."

she nuzzles his shoulder. "so here i am, heart on my sleeve, throwing caution to the wind. i'm tired of inaction. so, wayland, let's you and i see where this goes, hm?"

KING WAYLAND

☉

this was a level of honestly that he'd never have expected from her — freya, heart on her sleeve? she'd been more likely to rip out yours, when you'd least expect it.
[break][break]can't say the change isn't.. nice, though.
[break][break]
"my enemies aren't somethin' ta take lightly, princess. ye throwin' yer lot in with me has bigger consequences than yer normal, average everyday house husband." this causes a chuckle out of him, and it deepens slightly as a question forms.
[break][break]
"should i be worried 'bout this alexander?"

[attr="class","notes"]freya morningstar[break]

[attr="class","wizzcredit"]☉

her nuzzling stops and she peeks up at him with one humorous blue eye, brow raised. "king, if you think i'm remotely looking for an 'everyday house husband,' then you don't know me at all." but his chuckle ensures her he's mostly speaking in jest. she dapples her fingertips against his chin, grazing the stubble there. 

though she can't quite see his expression, her fingers catch his frown. her hand goes lax again, curling decidedly against his chest. she sighs. 

"no." she half-closes her eyes. "he did so, so much for me - designed my bow and arrows, helped lyune to fly again, and urged me to return to hoenn. and i did, eventually, but he died on the warfront before i mustered the courage." 

and here, she props up on her elbow. "even at his funeral, i couldn't make things right." it's why she is tired of hiding. why she will stand in the way of king's enemies, fire in her throat.

"and i'll carry that weight the rest of my days. but no, king, you don't have to worry about alexander. and you, hm? crazy ex aside, is there anyone i ought to worry about?" she says with a forced smile in an attempt to lighten the mood. 

KING WAYLAND

☉

"hey, i cut a mean figure draped 'n just an apron, ye?" he gets the cut of humor in, before the mood sombers slightly.
[Break][break]
dead, huh? he files that away.
[Break][break]
"besides a member of the elite four 'n his infamous girlfriend with a bad taste 'n men? well, probably, somewhere. got a lot of enemies."

[attr="class","notes"]freya morningstar[break]

[attr="class","wizzcredit"]☉

she snorts. and then shifts from her propped side, leg thrown over him so she can straddle his waist. she plants her palms on either side of his head and stares down at him. her hair slips over her shoulders and splays over him like spilled starlight. 

"but no one else that might have your affections?" she says, lips tilting in the barest hint of a smile. 

KING WAYLAND

☉

he settles into the bed further, pushing himself deeper into the pillow and mattress even without her added weight.
[break][break]
his hands move to her hips, to the lip of her pants. he tucks his thumbs into the waistband. he doesn't hold his smile back, it pulls back, a grin sharpening his features.
[break][break]
"mm, not sure, now that i think 'bout it there might be one or ta. what's it ta ye?"

[attr="class","notes"]freya morningstar[break]

[attr="class","wizzcredit"]☉

"well, that's just the thing," she says. her face looms closer, eyes wide, almost like molten gold in this half-light. "us dragons, we're not known for sharing." the untamed ones are less kind than her own, slaughtering broodmates over a wooloo haunch. even lyune must be fed away from her others.

she grins at him - a toothy grin, mischievous as his own. and when she gets close enough, she kisses either side of his smile, as though to keep it there. 

KING WAYLAND

☉

he laughs, mischievous and haughty, grabbing her at the low of her back. with a quick tuck and twist, he rolls them over, until he's the one hovering dominantly over.
[break][break]
"ye? ye can bet ur cute little ass that i'm not ta keen on it either." he grins, clicking his tongue appreciatively, as his gaze consumes her entirely.

[attr="class","notes"]freya morningstar[break]

[attr="class","wizzcredit"]☉

the move is reminiscent of their spars, but here they have no drunken audience. no rank smell of liquor and sweat. just dusty sheets and an empty house, creaking with the cliffside wind. the pillows rumple under her and she juts her chin up, almost defiantly, as his gaze sweeps over her. 

they've not talked about what this is and that fact alone does not bother her. to know that they won't be sharing the other - well, that's enough for her. the rest is inconsequential.

"good," she says and pushes playfully at his chest. "now get off me so we can sleep. i'm exhausted."

KING WAYLAND

☉