[ M ] I don't want the world to turn without you

  

Kenzo was asleep. The hour late and the world quiet. Even with the luxuries Adeline demanded, winter still nipped at the air in their home, fended off only by their shared warmth and the small fire. So when the air suddenly warmed around him, he took notice. Shifting, he stirred, uncomfortable at first by the sudden warmth. Blinking slowly, the night sky was dark and steam rolled gently off the lagoon in front of them. His head shot up then before leaping to his paws. Blood rushed in his ears as he tried to process his surroundings. They were no longer at home, no longer in their bed. How had they gotten here? His hackles bristled. Eyes and ears scanned. Nostrils flared, pulling in the oddly pleasant air as if it might tell him something. But he found nothing. The lagoon was clear, illuminated gently by the full moon and the steam above the surface promised warmth. Surrounded by the trees of an unfamiliar forest, mossy rocks decorated the lagoons beach. Whatever this place was, it was unnaturally comforting. Attempting to resist its pull was futile, but Kenzo didn't give in willing. Brows pinched together as he tried to cling to logic, this wasn't right. Begrudgingly, tension would leave his shoulders and his expression softened, truly softened for the first time since he had returned home. Turning to Adeline for the first time since waking up here, he looked at her, a boyish grin toying with the corners of his mouth. 'What do you suppose this place is?" He didn't truly expect an answer, she would be the one demanding answers from him. Somewhere in the back of his mind, a little voice demanded they go home, though how he would accomplish that, he didn't know. For now, they remained alone, seemingly isolated in their own little bubble of what could be paradise. "If the accident will." "Kenzo Speech." "Adeline Speech"

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using my ticket <3

She had been so cozy in the rug that was her husband’s warm embrace having returned to her, an embrace she was not keen on ever leaving her again. Of course, that was illogical, it wasn’t like she could ask him to stay home from work everyday but she wanted to more than anything, Quit his job and stay with her every second around the clock but there was a small thrill in him leaving each time as well. That anticipation for him to return to her making each touch far more electric instead of becoming bored with repetition. Each snuggle at night, like tonight, was the climax of her day that made her work hours long but was so worth those hours of tediousness to return to this. It was the most peaceful sleep she has had in what felt like eons even with the chill ravaging her bones, it simply gave more reason for her to nestle in as close as possible to soak in his warmth.

In her sleep she would start to pant a little bit as the temperature shifted, suddenly become excessively warm and it would cause her eyes to flicker open and glance around, brow pinching a touch at Kenzo when she at first thought he might be running a fever. Before she could even fully focus on that however, he was raising to his paws and pulling away from her, making her almost let out a yip of a complaint at him but no sound came out. Blinking a few more times, she would realize this wasn’t their bedroom at all and her fur prickled along her spine in confusion and uncertainty as her panting would cease.

Slowly, she would rise from the lack of sheets she had expected to be around her, finding none and slowly her tail would sway back and forth, strangely at ease despite the circumstances. It felt so much like a dream, she was tempted to write it off as one since it made the most sense as she started to walk along the peculiar stones. Where she had never been much for the stories of fantasy she would find in her family’s collection of tomes, she had to say this place fit some of those landscapes mentioned within them. If this was a dream, perhaps fairies would come fluttering out from the foliage that lined one side of the misty world they were in now.

The water would catch her attention the closer she got to her husband, looking past him as he spoke his question she lacked answers to. “A dreamstate, a utopia, maybe even death but at least you are in it with me,” she smiled at the tender look on his face, unable to hold onto any worries as much as she would normally have. Her knight was here, what more could she need besides maybe a servant or two to fetch her things?

Without a second thought, she trotted past him with an air of no cares in the world as she went into the waters. It was like she was a youngin again, eager to jump into luxury but without any worries. Her tail gently played with the surface of the water, causing shimmering moonlight ripples that framed her beautifully. “What does it matter? Join me, love. Whatever will a lady do out here all alone?” she giggled, twirling around to face him and creating a gown made of water.

table ; bunny

  

Whatever drug filled the air, it had a similar affect on Adeline. She looked just as relaxed, just as sheepishly excited to be here with him. Making her way to him, she wondered out loud. Death. It had briefly occurred to him. Maybe they had died in the night, some unseen force ripping them both from their world and into the next. If that was indeed the case, at least they were together. When she trotted by him, he would reach out, letting his nose skim her skin as she went by, headed for the clear waters. Kenzo stood and watched as she dipped her toes in first, enjoying herself far more than he had ever seen. The water sparkled as she disturbed the surface, causing it to glitter in the moonlight. For all the things his father had done wrong in his life, at least he had gotten this right. Adeline was beautiful. Captivated, he stood on the banks, content to watch her, even as she beckoned him in. It was her soft laughter that had him stepping into the water lagoon, its heat chasing away any lingering chill, any stubborn reservations. Gentle waves lapped against his wife as his mass shifted the water, ripples stretching out far beyond them. She created more small waves as she spun, twirling in the water as though she didn't have a care in the world. As if neither of them were troubled by the consequences of the war. Here, wherever here was, his dark existence didn't touch him. He forgot about the sleepless nights, the burn of bourbon as it slid down his throat before he went home, the responsibilities that came with his new station. Here, only the good matter. Adeline and the smile that warmed her face. The secret pleasure of finally reaching the top could grow, unencumbered by the weight of how he had gotten here. Kenzo was a Colonel. And his wife was happy. A slow smile stretched across his features, one far more familiar as it dripped with arrogance. As Adeline danced, he stepped into her, wrapping himself in her warm. "I wouldn't want to keep my lady waiting alone." His mostly emerald gaze shimmered with mischief. Without warning, he leapt at her, hooking a foreleg around her middle to drag into deeper waters with him, soaking her immaculately kept coat, the water turning it dark. "If the accident will." "Kenzo Speech." "Adeline Speech"

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Water was far from her preference of places to go but when it was warm like this, it was hard to say no to it as it soaked away her worries. It wasn’t like anyone else was here in this ethereal world away from home, only he would be witnessing her defluffed. There was no sense in hiding something already his and perhaps he would enjoy the view for all she knew, seeing each curve far more pronounced should she escape the watery confines any time soon. She had no plans to, however, more than pleased by the heat that kept the winter chill from creeping back into her bones and the fact she could feel it all so far made her assume it wasn’t some dreamscape. That didn’t offer her any answers of how she got here. Maybe Kenzo had carried her while she slept but that still made no sense and she didn’t care enough to try to make any of this make sense.

The way the water rippled seemed to entrance her far more than worry or confusion, feeling like she was running on a contact high like never before, almost feeling like she wasn’t in her body at all despite touch being very much real. She smiled up at Kenzo, waiting for him to make a decision for the both of them as she took him in with endless warmth and more patience than she usually could afford. Perhaps the only thing that might have made her wish to pull her own fur out and ruin this serenity was if he wholly declined her invitation. Real or fake or anything in between she would always believe she should get what she asked for like the spoiled brat she was.

Her head would delicately tilt when he smiled, feeling like the ghost of an old lover was coming back to prance around with her and indulge her every desire. Her muzzle gently glided along his jaw lovingly. Though there was a look in his eyes that told her otherwise and before she could even think to react, he was lunging into the water like a bull. Anger managed to surface out of that relaxation as she was sent far deeper into the water than she ever wished to be, never enjoying getting her ears wet. “Kenzo, don't you-!” she yelped right before she slipped under, shutting her eyes tight as his forearm dragged her under. She gargled a bit of water as she stayed submerged for a few long seconds, burning her nostrils and her throat. Her fur seemed to levitate with each passing current, making her look imbued with magic.

So long as he didn’t hold her under, she would surface back up gasping for a few gulps of air before hot headedly shooting water in his direction with her paws. “You nuance! Are you trying to drown me?” she growled a bit, glaring at him with a pout. “I didn’t like you throwing me in that pond after that failed party. What made you think I’d enjoy that!?” she leapt forward to snag her fangs on his cheek to pull him under with her this time if she was so lucky. Underneath it all, there was a playfulness that sparked into the anger.

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Riling his wife up was a pastime he enjoyed and one that was easily indulged. Her anger was just as hot and explosive as it ever was, but out here, where her tiny paws had nothing to brace against, there was only splashing of the waters surface. His laughter was unapologetic as it filled the lagoon air, his eyes glittering with humor. Kenzo didn't regret his choice one bit and something lurked in his eyes that promised he would do it again if given the chance. "I didn't think you'd enjoy it one bit." He clarified. "But I did." A wolfish grin stretched across his porcelain lips, his laughter a deep rumble, a rich sound. There was a playfulness to the young Colonel that was naturally sparse but even more so this winter. It chased away the seriousness that added weight and years to his visage, it reminded anyone that saw them that Kenzo was still in his prime, one of the youngest in his position, if not the youngest. His ambition had driven him to the top and it was not without cost. Before the army, there had been a different Kenzo, one that was softer, one that could enjoy the small things and take pleasure in a simple game with someone he treasured. She leapt at him and he made no effort to stop her. Colliding with him, her fangs snagged his cheek, tugging roughly at the tender skin though not enough to truly hurt him. All was fair in love and war. Water sloshed around them both, rivulets running down his skin, parting his thick coat. Adeline was even more delicate with her fur completely plastered against her skin, giving him a true view of how petite she was. "Third times a charm, maybe?" He teased, attempting to wrap a foreleg around her again. This time he was slower, giving her a real chance of escaping him - for the time being anyways because there was nowhere on this earth that she could go that he wouldn't seek her out. Adeline could race towards try land and swim out to deeper waters and he would follow, a shadow looming on her tail. In this part of his life, she was the constant, she had stayed the same despite the trauma that darkened their lives. When he stood on uncertain ground, she was there. He wasn't entirely sure she was aware of her place in his life, of the value she held to him. When they first started, never did he image her playing such a vital role in his life. Now, here, without the weight of everything, he could look at her with true adoration. "If the accident will." "Kenzo Speech." "Adeline Speech"

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Rage danced in those threatening chartreuse embeds, her tail thrashing and disturbing the water with each twitch, rippling the surface tension and dusting away a bit of the fog. She was supposed to be the headache, not him! He was supposed to be the one that reigned her in or punished her in one of his more alluring ways that made her feel small but equally excited for something more grand. Instead, she felt like an idiot all over again like at every party she ever seemed to go to and got shit faced at. That smug face of his wasn’t helping her rising temper and desire to make his life a living nightmare as a reward. He had some gull for someone that had been so depressed since he returned from those prisons and had been adorn a new title. Don’t get her wrong, a man in uniform was hot as hell but she felt like he wasn’t using it to his best capacity to make that new badge worth it.

Instead, he decided to ruin her beautiful fur and her mood with a single action and now his response only fueled her more to attempt toppling him into the water and it seemed he had no intention of playing keep away as she had obtained easy success. She knew he could easily overpower her and outwit her in a fight which might have made the outcome less than satisfying but to get him nose down into the water brought forth a rather sadistic glee, as if she had just unlocked the greatest achievement with some crude tactics. There was no time to celebrate, of course, because she too was back down in the water with lungs instantly burning as it rushed into her lungs, having failed to hold her breath.

As she emerged from the mist coated waters, she let out a few exhausted pants that didn’t fully regain before his limb was back around her again. Unlike the first two times it had happened, she was able to slip out of his grasp this third time, if only because he had given a heads up rather than surprise snagging her. In the process of getting away, she would twirl quickly to cause a water whip from her soaked tail, aiming it clearly at his face to blind him if she was lucky before frolicking off into the mist. If he wanted to act like a child, then he could play hide and seek as her coat would eventually vanish, fading into the wall of vapor.

The bigger problem she would quickly find is she was starting to get lost herself as every direction looked far too similar for comfort, though she wasn’t about to admit defeat just yet. She wanted him to beg for her instead of the other way around.

table ; bunny

  

She was mad. He had pressed too far and soured her ever fickle mood. It wasn't enough to keep the amusement from hanging off his lips as he eyed her though. Whether she saw it or not, affection lingered in the shadows of his stare. The war had forced him to pay a heavy price, one that he was paying on his own. Isolation hadn't been his intention, but it had made things easier and harder. He knew she was struggling, though her struggle was something he couldn't relate to. Kenzo was trying, trying to pick up the pieces of his life and put it back together. That was why he followed her, even when she spun from him, splashing him square in the face with water. Sputtering, he shook himself, shaking some of the excess water from his face and eyes. Adeline was swimming away and Kenzo didn't hesitate to follow. But he wasn't exactly built to swim or tread water. She was difficult to keep up with and the color of her coat soon disappeared amongst the water and steam. Dual toned eyes scanned, legs propelling him forward as he watched the rippling water ahead of him. The gently ripples were the only trail he had to follow. "Adeline." The timber of his voice carried over the waters surface, his tone beckoning. But he didn't anticipate her compliance, not when she was mad. If he knew anything about his wife, it was that she was going to make him work for it. Surely she knew though, the longer she evaded him, the worse it would be for her. Pale lips twitched with a faint smirk. Hunting her wasn't an issue for him, it wasn't something that grated on his nerves or tested his patience. He followed her trail diligently, with the patience of a predator. Slowly but surely he closed the distance between them, making just enough noise in the warm water in an attempt to drive her where he wanted her to go. Towards shore. An occasional splash here and there with a sprinkling of her name spoken in an alluring growl. Nostrils quivered, testing the air and following her perfume like a man possessed. Her place in his life was the one thing that had remained unchanged, even if he currently wasn't doing a good job of showing it. Anticipation had him coiled tight, a dark excitement bubbling to the surface. "Come on, love." He purred. "If the accident will." "Kenzo Speech." "Adeline Speech"

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His voice was like an incubus lulling her to a sense of safety and potent lust that she could taste upon her tongue, though it hardly lowered the temper that shivered along her skin in waves as she at first waded deeper into the waters. Thankfully she was a good swimmer, having spent much of her time in baths since she could really remember, a creature obsessed with cleanliness and pristine appearances that it was a common relaxation tool for her. The waters were like a memory link, not having to think at all in each stroke of a delicate crimson paw dipping and rising as if covered in ink as it darkened to nearly black. A grin would pull at her lips, starting to forget her own ire at the comfort the mist coated pool provided the lone noblewoman. It wasn’t everyday she found a hot spring so vast as this one to the point it felt neverending. Each stroke releasing built up tension if it wasn’t for a certain someone on her tail.

The sound of splashing, the coo of his voice, they were all too announcing his presence within the confines of this dreamscape. She could not entirely zone out like she had started to wish to in what was otherwise a perfect dream. There would be no peaceful solace when he was hunting her like this and her anger was slightly rekindled as she foggily remembered his misdeed from mere moments ago. They were transgressions she wasn’t keen forgiving so easily but the more she ran from him in the depths, the more lost she felt like she was getting. None of the scents were telling to her, not when her nose was just filled with the lagoon’s water and dampened her senses. She felt she was in a sensory deprived room. Maybe this was limbo.

Much to her own displeasure, her tail thrashed in her annoyance with him, causing a slight splash to echo along the long void of nothingness. Her paws had also found ground at some point, making her ears preen once she would notice the mild chill of a wet frame entering the cooler air. Goosebumps covered her skin, shivering faintly as she made it to a shore. She wasn’t sure if this was a haven or a red herring to salvation. She couldn’t make out much even with only her paws in the water. A quiet off fled her lungs as she shook herself off, sending noises in multiple directions as droplets splayed all around her at quite a distance. She hoped it would redirect him so she might hear his whines for her instead of his beckoning.

Prancing off into the woods, her tail swayed, only getting all the more lost as she somehow ended up at the edge of water once more, leaving her puzzled on what was happening. Had she just gone in a circle? It felt like she had been going straight. She wouldn’t call out for him, but she would stay put as she slipped into shallow water to at least try to be a little more invisible. She wanted him to find her but was too prideful to announce her loss.

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She wouldn’t be taking it easy on him tonight. Not that he had truly expected her to. Ears perked immediately when she splashed, the sound echoing across the waters surface. The sound was distorted. However, it was not Kenzo’s first time tracking someone. Granted, it was a bit more difficult to do so across water than land. Luckily for her, her husband didn’t give up easily. Years of training had prepared him for such about everything and it came in handy when he needed to his fiery wife. In the heavy, damp air, her perfume hung, just enough to follow, just enough to be tantalizing to his senses. Again water splashed, but this time was different. It was lighter, not the loud crash of a wave, which made it harder to follow. She’d hear no whine from the young Colonel as he tried to pinpoint its location though, he would disappoint her in that manner. She might hear the growl that vibrated low in his throat, crawling up from his chest in the beginnings of his own annoyance. Impatience bristled down his spine, even as his toes caressed the ground. Land was a relief in more ways than one. Hauling himself ashore, he shook the excess water from his coat before he lifted his nose and followed it. Indulging her game left him time to be alone with his thoughts as he prowled the lakeshore, paws splashing in the water. She would know he was coming for her. No matter what awaited him when he found her, he searched for her regardless, like a month to a flame. He’d all to happily accept her teeth against his skin if his meant to got to be beside her. Not once had he wavered in his belief that he would do anything for her. Even if she was infuriating. Expecting her to be sprawled on the beach waiting for him was wishful thinking. He nearly walked back by her as she relaxed in shallow water, submerged to make herself less noticeable. His huff was silent as he pivoted, approaching her without a word. “You’re a difficult woman to find.” He breathed as his head lower, attempting to press his nose to the tender spot where her throat met the corner of her jaw. "If the accident will." "Kenzo Speech." "Adeline Speech"

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A low rumble was heard along the water’s depths, further from her. She could only hope it was Kenzo, and not something that might eat her in this mysterious landscape so different from home. Should it be a dream, she was starting to desire to awaken so that she was back in familiarity instead of obscurity, left to hopelessly wonder. A maze she had never thought would be built like this, so much more effective than one made up of bushes and vines. She could cut into any direction, but all directions could return to the same direction, forever lost and forever wanting to find a way back out. Even with the presence of the only one that truly matter to her within this labyrinth, it didn’t make it any less terrifying to think she might be trapped here into eternity. She hadn’t seen even a piece of food, a sip of wine or fully dry land. No other life existed but them. It was like a wish had come true in the deadliest of ways where death might hang around the corner in the form of starvation.

If this was limbo, would food be needed at all? Should she forget her worries and focus on the part that was a blessing? Alone with Kenzo forever? Her thoughts were spiraling the longer she was alone, hopping between different moods of a drunken mind. Yet not a single sip of fermentation had touched her lips. She felt drunk yet couldn’t be.

Splashing would stir her mind back out of her thoughts to focus on everything around her, it suddenly far closer than it was a second ago. Time might be just as twisted as direction. Though, as she saw that soot and ash coat, she couldn’t help the sway of her tail in relief to no longer be by herself, driven to insanity. Water swirled around her, framing her frame and ripples grazed against his legs, though broken up by the ripples his own movement caused. It made him look ethereal the way it danced around him, and he came all the more into view. Excitement was growing once he popped past her personal bubble, feeling a spark of energy surge and her fretting vanish.

A giggle budded from her throat at the gentle press of his nose, a shiver running along her body and temporarily silencing the heat of the water. That zealous energy would make her head rise up and gently nip his nose, just enough to give him a punishing blow that wouldn’t likely hurt. “You are failing at being a gentleman, you know,” she huffed, as if her ire was still far more prominent than any other emotion dancing inside, still craving those wishes of forgiveness to escape from his lips. “A rose has thorns. Are you so eager for them to bleed you dry?”

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