****Thank you sincerely for the comments with typos etc! These chapters (especially during the WPC period) were written and not edited hard because of the time crunch. I WILL go back and fix what you see soon so don't hesitate to point them out!*** -
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Asta knew he was right, that it was time for bed, so they made their way back up the spiral stairs, into the dark of the bedroom.
"Do you want a light on?" Molaki asked. He knew how she had been calmer in the pitch black cell, but this wasn't a prison.
Asta thought about it for a second, and then decided she wouldn't mind it. The wolf lit a candle on the farthest corner of the room, by the closed window, giving of a soft dancing glow that made the room feel calm and welcoming. She still turned around to look at her exists. She sighed as soon as she did it, not knowing if she was ever going to be able to shake off this instinct, even inside her own home.
"I can crack that window open," Molaki offered, without skipping a beat. It wasn't warm outside by any means, so opening a window wasn't something he normally would have done. But as he strode across the room to the opposite side, by the tiny kitchen-like area, he prayed that this would make her feel comfortable enough that he wouldn't end up sleeping on the floor. Luckily, it wasn't a windy night, the curtains barely moving once the window was opened.
"....How high can you jump from?" Molaki asked slowly, looking down from the second story.
"Pretty high, actually," Asta answered. "I mean I haven't pressed it. It's mental, I know. But yeah, in my deer I would actually be fine leaping out that window."
There was a pause.
"I won't, though."
Molaki wasn't sure if he believed her. Not that she would want to leap out a window, but that her instincts would drive her to, one day. Maybe. He knew how the true pairing made him feel, that he would jump through a window to get to her, but he didn't know for sure if she would ever experience the bond like he did.
He held his breath, his back still towards her, and reached over his shoulders to drag his shirt by its color over his head, his ears back, listening to hear if she was shrinking in on herself. When he heard nothing, Molaki turned around.
Asta's eyes were wide, mostly in overwhelming love - that's what this was, right? but also with a twinge of wariness. Just like she may always need an exist strategy, there was a way of carrying himself that Molaki had that was undeniably predatorial. He naturally rolled his shoulders forward slightly, his arms at his sides loose, but like he could strike out in a flash if he needed to. His way of standing was similar, his legs just slightly bent like he may pounce. On prey, or on her.
And she wasn't sure that would even be a bad thing, which put her off balance.
His chin was tipped down, eyes questioning her, as if he was waiting for her to run down the stairs. But she didn't. Slowly, he reached back again to untie his hair, letting the messy white strands fall haphazardly down around his shoulders.
Molaki cursed his leather pants, knowing it would probably be a step too far tonight to take them off. He would have to go and bring home some proper bedclothes for himself tomorrow. If he could get Asta back out of the house again, they could go shopping together so she didn't have to wear hand me downs anymore. But for the immediate moment, the small step was just going to sleep.
Attempting to look casual, the male walked over to his bed, pulling back the covers - which were rumpled because he hadn't made the bed before they left earlier - and got in, then looked at Asta which questioning, and possibly a hint of fear of being rejected. It didn't matter that she had clung to him like a long lost lover when he had woken up from being unconscious. The only thing he was ever taught about the plant eaters growing up, besides that they were enemies in the war, was that they could change their behavior at the drop of a pin.
"I... I just want to hold you," he croaked out, like the words were going to get stuck in his throat.
Asta felt like a fool. It wasn't like she needed permission, but she somehow needed the affirmation that she should get in the bed, to make her feet move. As soon as Molaki broke the silence, she padded over, silently, crawling up into the bedframe that was just a little too big for her, pressing into the mattress that was plush and downy.
His body was warm, making her realize immediately how chilled the room had become because of her exit window. Asta shivered against her will, Molaki immediately grabbing the covers and pulled them up over her so that she wouldn't be cold. The soft quilts felt like home to her. The rest of the house didn't yet, but the memory of waking up, snug and safe in this room, was the first vision she had of Lyko that hadn't been terrifying.
She inhaled the scents of lavender and - now she smelled a bit of thyme - of her mate. The one the Idols had made for her, inexplicably. If it wasn't for her unwavering belief in the Idols, celestial beings that made the world work as it should - she would have backed out and believed this was a mistake. But as the mere presence of being close to this man calmed her heart, she knew that while she hadn't yet figured out the reason she was here, there had to be one.
Molaki hadn't realized he had been basically holding his breath this whole time, until Asta sunk into his chest, burying her head into his shoulder right where she kept inexplicably fitting as though they had been molded for each other. He exhaled, realizing she wasn't going to run, relief washing over him. And love. And adoration. For someone he had known for a few days.
There were many stories about True Pairs, but most were from the elders, and the younger wolves mostly rolled their eyes at the idea that there could be someone that you could fall in love with just by looking at them. They assumed the old wolves were just being dramatic, though some of Molakis friends - such as the ones who were so excited to meet Asta - had fully bought into the romantic idea, holding out that their True Pair might be out there. Molaki hadn't bought into it, assuming that he would eventually find someone to settle down with, not particularly worried if they stayed together or not, since his mother was doing just fine on her own now. Never had he entertained the idea that he would be hit with a wall of emotion that would consume him like this little doe had.
Protectively, he reached over her, pulling her into his chest and engulfing her with his warmth and safety. It was instinct, not considering the prey animal could feel confined, but to Asta's delight, she didn't find herself trying to wriggle free to keep her eyes on the exists. She didn't need them. All she needed right now was to be exactly where she was, surrounded by Molaki, being reassured that this as her safe space, hopefully forever.