Lunar Eclipse!inwhichwarSeptember 13 2012, 03:47:44 UTC
It is.
[It's been a long time since Maria's been this far out of the city -- any city. She's spent most of her adult life surrounded by concrete and brick, and this is a nice change. It's peaceful, without the light pollution from several million other human beings around. Just her and Ben.]
[He's got a spare set of clothes in a backpack, because this isn't his first lunar eclipse by a long shot, and he knows how they affect him.
And to be able to have it affect him out in the open, not caged, not in the middle of a city, not having to worry about what a Master might do or how a Mistress might react...
It's unimaginable luxury. He spreads a blanket on the ground for Maria to sit on and opens the cooler in which frosty beverages reside. Some of which are distinctly alcoholic. But hey, neither of them are driving.] Thank you for this.
Me too. [The parks they manage on actual moon nights aren't really the same, and there's always the danger that the authorities won't like a wolf running around loose like that. Cops have collar controllers with the batteries in.
Ben's modesty issues around Maria have been mostly excised. She would never take advantage of him, and he trusts her utterly. So it's the most natural thing in the world, especially with the world being what it is, for him to sit down and unlace his boots, pulling them off and tugging his t-shirt over his head. Jeans and socks follow in short order, and he crouches on his knees, face up toward the moon and eyes closed.]
[And Maria turns her eyes upwards, too, watching the moon and the vast expanse of stars. She'd forgotten that you could see so many of them, out here where the city doesn't cloud the view, where there's no haze of smog and shine of streetlights.]
It's beautiful. [And then a shadow takes a tiny bite out of the side of the moon, and fur ripples down Ben's newly-healed back. The old scars came back, just like always, and the fur is still white over them.
The process is slow, and it Changes him, slowly. He doesn't get to savor the sensation very often.]
[And Maria turns her attention from the sky to watch him for a moment, marveling at the process, which still seems slightly unreal to her, like something from a film. Anatomy should make it all impossible, or agonizing, but it's neither, and watching it happen slowly like this adds another level of amazement to it. Between that and the eclipse, it's a night for wondrous sights, clearly.]
[By the time the shadow covers the whole moon, Ben's tail is swinging in wide circles. He jumps up and prances around the blanket like an undersized horse, finally stopping in front of Maria and giving her a very gentle lick with the very tip of his tongue on the cheek.]
[Yeah, well, he thinks you're pretty spiffy, too, honey. His tail gyrates, and he flumps his butt down next to her and rests his giant head in her lap. God, he's happy. It's a good feeling, one that's been a long time coming.]
[Maria strokes his fur and scratches behind his ears, leaning back on her other hand and just savoring this moment -- the quiet, the night air, all the stars and the dark place where the moon ought to be.]
[Maria delves into the bag they brought with them and draws out a large, shallow bowl and the bottle opener, then reaches into the cooler and draws out a couple of bottles. Her expression is every so very slightly impish.]
[What a good idea. Ben sits up, and his front paws do a dance of anticipation. He can't talk to her like this, but he's pretty sure the body language is unmistakable.]
[Maria laughs and pops the cap on one of the bottles, pouring it out into the bowl for him. Honestly, she doesn't find it that hard to understand him when he's wolf-shaped. Some things can be communicated without the need for words.]
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[It's been a long time since Maria's been this far out of the city -- any city. She's spent most of her adult life surrounded by concrete and brick, and this is a nice change. It's peaceful, without the light pollution from several million other human beings around. Just her and Ben.]
This was a good idea.
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And to be able to have it affect him out in the open, not caged, not in the middle of a city, not having to worry about what a Master might do or how a Mistress might react...
It's unimaginable luxury. He spreads a blanket on the ground for Maria to sit on and opens the cooler in which frosty beverages reside. Some of which are distinctly alcoholic. But hey, neither of them are driving.] Thank you for this.
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[Maria eases herself to a sitting position and sets her crutch aside, waving one hand.]
It makes a nice change. All the fresh air and the open places. It's a very long time since I was out in the open country.
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Ben's modesty issues around Maria have been mostly excised. She would never take advantage of him, and he trusts her utterly. So it's the most natural thing in the world, especially with the world being what it is, for him to sit down and unlace his boots, pulling them off and tugging his t-shirt over his head. Jeans and socks follow in short order, and he crouches on his knees, face up toward the moon and eyes closed.]
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Ach, look at that.
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The process is slow, and it Changes him, slowly. He doesn't get to savor the sensation very often.]
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Ach, you are such a beautiful creature, Volchok moy. I never shall stop thinking so.
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My sweetheart. My Ben.
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He never thought he could be this happy, ever again. It's a gift.
Maria is a gift. He thinks so, every day, and thanks Dad for her, every day.]
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Shall we drink a toast to the lovely evening?
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