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⟪ here's something else she appreciates: when he's quiet for a moment, her heart's still at ease. she's learned it's no bad sign, just him taking his time.
he probably can't see her smile, but it's there in her voice, too, with a soft kind of warmth to it that she always feels when he shows her a part of himself she's not yet seen. ⟫
I like it. ⟪ she's a bit worried about saying something dumb, seeing how she's not culturally fluent in the least. she knows columbus was a bastard, she knows the first nations got fucked over and still get fucked over. proper details, she's learning. ⟫ It... makes your culture really yours, in a way.
he probably can't see her smile, but it's there in her voice, too, with a soft kind of warmth to it that she always feels when he shows her a part of himself she's not yet seen. ⟫
I like it. ⟪ she's a bit worried about saying something dumb, seeing how she's not culturally fluent in the least. she knows columbus was a bastard, she knows the first nations got fucked over and still get fucked over. proper details, she's learning. ⟫ It... makes your culture really yours, in a way.
( he huffs a laugh, his breath warm against the back of her neck as he leans in to get a different angle on a knot. )
Well, that's the hope, anyways. It's harder with my grandparents passed on. Mom never had much to do with the culture. Rez school bullshit, you know. Most of what I've learned has been from Tashina in the last decade or so. My older sister.
( his mom is a lawyer for the tribe, but she hasn't ever really embraced the culture the way tashina did. she keeps herself separate. fear, trauma, penance, he's given up on trying to understand why she does the things she does. all he can do is respect and support the choices she's made for herself. )
Well, that's the hope, anyways. It's harder with my grandparents passed on. Mom never had much to do with the culture. Rez school bullshit, you know. Most of what I've learned has been from Tashina in the last decade or so. My older sister.
( his mom is a lawyer for the tribe, but she hasn't ever really embraced the culture the way tashina did. she keeps herself separate. fear, trauma, penance, he's given up on trying to understand why she does the things she does. all he can do is respect and support the choices she's made for herself. )
⟪ good to put a name to the facts – this must be the sister who taught him lakota, too. ⟫
I'm... I'm learning a little Russian, for Vasya. Just because language is such a part of life and trying to understand where someone comes from.
⟪ she's going somewhere, promise. ⟫
Would you teach me a few words, too? If that's okay?
I'm... I'm learning a little Russian, for Vasya. Just because language is such a part of life and trying to understand where someone comes from.
⟪ she's going somewhere, promise. ⟫
Would you teach me a few words, too? If that's okay?
( he blinks. his hands still briefly on her back. then, soft, )
Sure. Sungila you already know. Crow is kȟaŋǧí. ( glancing around for inspiration: ) Fire is pȟéta.
( his fingers trace a pattern on her skin. gently, )
Woman is 'wíŋyaŋ'.
Sure. Sungila you already know. Crow is kȟaŋǧí. ( glancing around for inspiration: ) Fire is pȟéta.
( his fingers trace a pattern on her skin. gently, )
Woman is 'wíŋyaŋ'.
Wičháša.
( his accent still isn't perfect. but it's better than it was. he's lucky tashina had the patience for him. )
( his accent still isn't perfect. but it's better than it was. he's lucky tashina had the patience for him. )
⟪ her accents loudly announces chicago, even though she tries quite hard to match his pronunciation as best she can when she repeats the words. there are whole phrases she wants to learn – she wants to be able to tell him how much he means to her, not just in the language they share, but in the one he has spent so many years making truly his own. ⟫
How can I say 'thank you'?
How can I say 'thank you'?
Philámayaye.
( he's almost glad she can't see his expression right now, if only because of how cracked open it must be. )
Careful. Tradition is, you're one of us if you speak the language.
( he's almost glad she can't see his expression right now, if only because of how cracked open it must be. )
Careful. Tradition is, you're one of us if you speak the language.
I think I'm a good decade away from that.
⟪ she... isn't used to putting the things she feels into words, though she's practiced more and more, both around him and the rest of her friends and in the journal she has begun to keep. easier to tell what it is, how to express it, what it all means.⟫
But the better news is that I'll be a little closer with each day.
⟪ she... isn't used to putting the things she feels into words, though she's practiced more and more, both around him and the rest of her friends and in the journal she has begun to keep. easier to tell what it is, how to express it, what it all means.⟫
But the better news is that I'll be a little closer with each day.
( her love of the world is always a welcome warmth to him. she can be excited about anything, appreciate anything. she works hard to broaden her horizons, more than anyone else he knows.
he shifts his hands further down her back, between the wings of her shoulder-blades. )
Wa cheen txan e tch ya yo. 'Have patience'. Though men and women have a different way of speaking, you'd end the sentence with 'yea'.
he shifts his hands further down her back, between the wings of her shoulder-blades. )
Wa cheen txan e tch ya yo. 'Have patience'. Though men and women have a different way of speaking, you'd end the sentence with 'yea'.
⟪ there's another happy chirp from the back of her throat, the kind he might have heard if he's ever absent-mindedly scritched her ears in fox form. ⟫
Wa cheen txan e tch ya yea? ⟪ just to make sure she's got it right. ⟫ I'll have a lot of time to learn.
Wa cheen txan e tch ya yea? ⟪ just to make sure she's got it right. ⟫ I'll have a lot of time to learn.
Yeah. You will.
( it's a soft affirmation, and he drags his hands down the outside of her arms mostly to rub some of the lotion off there. )
I should put another log on the fire, one sec.
( up he gets to do just that, sidestepping around her to where the fire is a slow-burning wall of warmth. )
( it's a soft affirmation, and he drags his hands down the outside of her arms mostly to rub some of the lotion off there. )
I should put another log on the fire, one sec.
( up he gets to do just that, sidestepping around her to where the fire is a slow-burning wall of warmth. )
Because you're secretly a masochist?
( he wanted working jets, flora, come on!! )
( he wanted working jets, flora, come on!! )
( he laughs. )
Well, I'll take the compliment, then. But both would've been nice, you know?
Well, I'll take the compliment, then. But both would've been nice, you know?
Ooh, dangerous. But delicious. Yeah, sure. Your back feeling good?
( he's happy to keep going, but he wouldn't object to s'mores, either. )
( he's happy to keep going, but he wouldn't object to s'mores, either. )
Never felt better. ⟪ she rolls her shoulders, eyes shutting with pleasure. ⟫ At this point, I'd just be looking for an excuse to be sitting this close to you.
⟪ instead she gets up, wraps the blanket a bit more tightly – and goes on over to her backpack, pulls out an oversized t-shirt she's been meaning to sleep in, but that makes for comfortable around-the-cabin wear all the same. and, of course, crackers and marshmallows. ⟫
⟪ instead she gets up, wraps the blanket a bit more tightly – and goes on over to her backpack, pulls out an oversized t-shirt she's been meaning to sleep in, but that makes for comfortable around-the-cabin wear all the same. and, of course, crackers and marshmallows. ⟫
( it gets a smile out of him. )
You need an excuse? News to me.
You need an excuse? News to me.
( affection is easy-come between them. it always has been, in a way. he remembers holding her small fox body against his chest, scratching her ears. it's easy to pet an animal. easier still, perhaps, to kiss a woman.
he waits for her to return with the marshmallows and the crackers, in a shirt so big on her it slips off one shoulder. )
Flora. Come here.
( he says it soft. it's a request, not a command. one hand held out. )
he waits for her to return with the marshmallows and the crackers, in a shirt so big on her it slips off one shoulder. )
Flora. Come here.
( he says it soft. it's a request, not a command. one hand held out. )
⟪ it's happened so easily with him. they'd been watching something or other, she'd shifted –– they had been at her place, so it had been partly done for space reasons. then, she'd rested on his chest, her tail curled a little around him, and he'd petted her, until her eyes fell shut.
the shirt, she'd gotten on a sale somewhere.
he might delight in the fact that it has a racoon on it.
at any rate, she's quickly over, having found the wood barbecuing sticks they'll need to roast the marshmallows over the fire, and she sets them down on the end table to take his hand. she'd like nothing more than for him to pull her in his lap, but she leaves the choice to him. ⟫
the shirt, she'd gotten on a sale somewhere.
he might delight in the fact that it has a racoon on it.
at any rate, she's quickly over, having found the wood barbecuing sticks they'll need to roast the marshmallows over the fire, and she sets them down on the end table to take his hand. she'd like nothing more than for him to pull her in his lap, but she leaves the choice to him. ⟫
( he clasps her hand, twines their fingers. it's perhaps the single most intimate thing he's done. then he just tugs her forward, until she's standing between his knees.
slowly. slowly. he lifts their hands together, and kisses the back of hers. )
slowly. slowly. he lifts their hands together, and kisses the back of hers. )
⟪ in its way, it's not traditional intimacy – and yet, it's so good, so fitting for the two of them, and it feels every bit as close as if he'd kissed her lips instead.
for her part, close as she is, she pulls his hand up to her lips, returning the gesture with a light blush to her cheeks that could be blamed on the fire. ⟫
Would you like if I –– ⟪ lord, words. ⟫ Could I be in your lap? I just want to be close to you.
for her part, close as she is, she pulls his hand up to her lips, returning the gesture with a light blush to her cheeks that could be blamed on the fire. ⟫
Would you like if I –– ⟪ lord, words. ⟫ Could I be in your lap? I just want to be close to you.
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