The late summer breeze whips around them, a little stronger here atop Castle Krolock than it would be below, but making for a pleasant evening nevertheless. The roof is the perfect place to get a breath of fresh air and a few moments of rest between training sessions, and with a lovely view to boot. She could stay up here all night watching the stars, but sadly, they cannot allow themselves to get distracted for long! They came up here to work, after all.
Seras leans in to steal a kiss before taking Alfred's hand to guide him toward the edge of the roof. There's a mischievous quirk to her brow, her smile almost teasing as she turns her back to the edge and faces him.
"Let's raise the stakes, yeah? How d'you feel about a little game of catch?"
It's a nice night, Alfred thinks. The summer wind tousling his hair, the stolen kiss, Seras's smile - even though they are working to harness their powers for potential (and likely) future hardship, this moment is a good one.
It's with ease that he lets himself be led to the edge, fond expression creasing a little at the edges with confusion. He knows that look. She's up to something, but he can never quite be sure what.
"...What do you mean by 'catch,' Schatzi? Like - throwing something off the castle?"
"Mm," she hums, squeezing his hands as she swings their arms to and fro. "More like someone."
She bites her lip and glances behind to the forest below, the momentum of the swing beginning to slow.
"I was thinking... maybe it'd be a good idea to test your reflexes! You've got that sort of... point-to-point thing down already," she chuckles, turning to face him once more. "So, let's see if you can work with a moving target."
Does she sound insane suggesting such a thing? Perhaps, but it can't hurt to be prepared for events such as this!
It takes a moment for Alfred to comprehend the suggestion - but the moment he does, it's evident in his expression, his hands in Seras's tightening just a little.
"You mean - you would jump? I - what if I miss? Or - or what if I drop you? At this height, you could - I-"
His words turn into aimless sputtering as he looks between his girlfriend and the forest below, brows pinched together in alarm. He - could probably manage a catch, he thinks, but... isn't this kind of a big risk?
Of course it's a big risk, but they've already taken some pretty huge ones for each other so far, haven't they? This will be a walk in the park.
It warms her heart to see his concern, but seeing him distressed like this does make her regret suggesting it just a bit. She can already hear his heartbeat running wild, the poor thing.
"Darling, you won't!" Taking one hand from his, she lifts it to cup his cheek. "I trust you! You're so fast, and so much stronger than you think. You don't have to worry."
She's taken some pretty great leaps on her own before, and while it wouldn't be ideal to try to land from this height, she's still confident that she could.
"I'll be fine, I promise. This isn't my first rodeo, y'know."
She trusts him. She trusts him with her life, now and so many times before. That's the sentiment, more than anything, that makes him calm.
He trusts her too, after all. Seras knows what she's doing.
Drawing in a deep breath, he shuts his eyes for a moment, letting her touch against his warm cheek steady him...and then lets the air out in a shaky little sigh. His smile is crooked, pensive...but sweet all the same.
Seras grins, wiggling with the wagging of her tail. She's proud of him for his willingness, and more than grateful that he trusts her as well, but more than anything she's just happy to know that he's confident enough in himself to try something as risky as this.
"Great! We've got this." She squeezes his hand and brings it up towards her face to press a light kiss to his knuckles. "It'll be easy; just trust your instincts, alright?"
"We already know you can carry me--" Boy, do they. "But you've never really had to catch me before. D'you maybe wanna try that a few times first? I can jump pretty high." The process of her canine hindlimbs growing in might have been painful in the beginning, but she's come to enjoy the added strength and bounce they've given her.
"Right. Trust my...instincts." Briefly, there's a glint of Something in his eyes - not the far-away look of the Vampire, but something else, something more self-assured than before beginning to overwrite that darker association. The soft glow of the red in his Demon limbs thrums, and he could swear he feels a steadying mist at his back.
The Fog hadn't taken any of Alfred away. If anything, she's given more of him back.
He looks down first, then back to Seras, his own smile going just a little impish.
"...Well...if you are certain we can do this...then...."
Alfred stretches his wings out, letting them shudder back to half-folded.
"Whatever I do?" Her grin broadens, the tip of her tongue peeking between her fangs. That's what she likes to hear. One of her favorite things about him is how he's often so willing to play along with her.
"Well, if that's the case..." She releases his hand and takes a step backwards onto the ledge, stretching her arms out to her sides. Her own heart races now, but not with uncertainty or worry, but with the thrill of a challenge. The fall before flight was always the most exhilarating part for her, but without her own ability to fly anymore, she's perfectly happy to substitute her wings for another's-- especially his. One might consider this idea tempting death, but she would never play games like this if she didn't have some sort of contingency plan in place. Besides, she knows she won't need it; Alfred has this in the bag.
"Full Send it is~" One foot off the ledge, she allows the breeze to take her, sending her over the edge and towards the ground below.
It's funny, really - he has never considered himself to be a particularly brave man, but he has always been able to do the right thing under pressure when he trusts himself. Dashing through the woods. Moving fast to defend himself.
And now here he is, jumping off the roof of a castle. Go figure.
He's been working on his flight for some time now, and having never been particularly scared of heights, he took pretty naturally to it. That said, part of his stomach does a little flip at the feeling of diving down towards the dark woods, accelerating towards Seras's retreating form when he folds his wings tight to his body. His tail coils through the air behind him, helping to fine tune his steering.
He can do this. He can do this.
He's getting closer to her now, flinging out his arms to try and gather her against him....
Even through the curtain of blonde whipping about her face, she can see the bright ember glow of her demon companion streaking through the darkness toward her. He didn't hesitate for even a moment, he didn't freeze nor fret before following after her. We're her heart not so preoccupied with doing flips during this fall, it would swell with pride from this courageous act. He really is a hero, isn't he?
In seconds he's close enough for her to read the determination in his expression, a second later close enough to grab onto him as he reaches for her. She swings her arms around his neck as he pulls her into him, shutting her eyes tight.
Seras trusts him with her life, but the ground is approaching fast... Will they have enough time to slow down?
He's got her! He's got her in his arms, cradled against his chest, and now he just has to slow the descent. Except...even as he tries to pivot, they are still coming down too fast, MUCH too fast, and colliding at this rate is going to shatter his legs even if he DOES land on his feet -
"Hold tight to me-!"
It's all Alfred can get out before he whips his tail in a coil below them both, the whip of scales igniting in a circle as it connects with the ground. There is a rush of flame, a burning column that rises from the singed grass up around the both of them...and then the sickening sensation of gravity flipping as the pair reemerge from a matching wreath of fire a few feet away, popping up with no loss of momentum...quite upside down.
Twisting awkwardly around in midair, the young man rights them both about thirty feet off the ground, trying desperately to get his bearings back as he manages to slow their now-ascent to a reasonable rate with strong, insistent wingbeats.
Her hold on him tightens, now accompanied with the squeeze of her legs around his waist, clinging to him like the lifeline he is.
We're going to hit the ground her mind screams, but before she can even finish the thought her stomach has flipped with the sudden shift in gravity, making her just a bit nauseated but luckily not enough to ruin her dinner. She finally opens her eyes at his questioning, blinking a few times and glancing around to take in their surroundings. They're... still in the sky. Clearly, she missed how he managed to pull this off, but god is she glad he did.
"I-- I'm fine? I think?" Nothing burns at the moment, but really the adrenaline is pumping too hard for her to tell. Once they're back inside with the light, she'll notice some of her hair and tail fur burnt at the ends, but being this close to him seems to have kept her safe overall.
"H-haha, you-- you did it!" she laughs off the anxiety, gratitude and relief washing over her. "You did it, Alfred! I knew you could!"
Pardon the puppy-levels of excitement, but she absolutely must smooch all over his face now. If she's not careful she'll wag right out of his arms, but luckily she realizes that quickly enough to at least reign that part in.
The kissing is met with giggles - and very palpable relief, his arms around her loosening from a terrified death grip to a firm, sure embrace. Now that he's got his bearings properly (and is sure Seras is fine), Alfred smoothly ascends back towards the rooftop of the castle, eager to get them both onto solid ground again.
"I - am glad that you trusted me, Seras," he murmurs, soft and sweet. "It...it helps me to trust myself. You, and Phil, and - well - and the Fog."
The last bit is spoken lightly, gently - like something he's still trying to understand himself.
"But - I would never let anything happen to you anyway. Not if I can help it. I - I couldn't."
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timeasmymeasure
[Action] backdated to late August
Date: 2022-09-03 07:50 am (UTC)The late summer breeze whips around them, a little stronger here atop Castle Krolock than it would be below, but making for a pleasant evening nevertheless. The roof is the perfect place to get a breath of fresh air and a few moments of rest between training sessions, and with a lovely view to boot. She could stay up here all night watching the stars, but sadly, they cannot allow themselves to get distracted for long! They came up here to work, after all.
Seras leans in to steal a kiss before taking Alfred's hand to guide him toward the edge of the roof. There's a mischievous quirk to her brow, her smile almost teasing as she turns her back to the edge and faces him.
"Let's raise the stakes, yeah? How d'you feel about a little game of catch?"
no subject
Date: 2022-09-03 07:03 pm (UTC)It's a nice night, Alfred thinks. The summer wind tousling his hair, the stolen kiss, Seras's smile - even though they are working to harness their powers for potential (and likely) future hardship, this moment is a good one.
It's with ease that he lets himself be led to the edge, fond expression creasing a little at the edges with confusion. He knows that look. She's up to something, but he can never quite be sure what.
"...What do you mean by 'catch,' Schatzi? Like - throwing something off the castle?"
no subject
Date: 2022-09-03 07:36 pm (UTC)She bites her lip and glances behind to the forest below, the momentum of the swing beginning to slow.
"I was thinking... maybe it'd be a good idea to test your reflexes! You've got that sort of... point-to-point thing down already," she chuckles, turning to face him once more. "So, let's see if you can work with a moving target."
Does she sound insane suggesting such a thing? Perhaps, but it can't hurt to be prepared for events such as this!
"What d'you think?"
no subject
Date: 2022-09-03 07:52 pm (UTC)"You mean - you would jump? I - what if I miss? Or - or what if I drop you? At this height, you could - I-"
His words turn into aimless sputtering as he looks between his girlfriend and the forest below, brows pinched together in alarm. He - could probably manage a catch, he thinks, but... isn't this kind of a big risk?
"You could get really hurt - or - or worse-"
no subject
Date: 2022-09-03 08:50 pm (UTC)It warms her heart to see his concern, but seeing him distressed like this does make her regret suggesting it just a bit. She can already hear his heartbeat running wild, the poor thing.
"Darling, you won't!" Taking one hand from his, she lifts it to cup his cheek. "I trust you! You're so fast, and so much stronger than you think. You don't have to worry."
She's taken some pretty great leaps on her own before, and while it wouldn't be ideal to try to land from this height, she's still confident that she could.
"I'll be fine, I promise. This isn't my first rodeo, y'know."
no subject
Date: 2022-09-03 09:05 pm (UTC)He trusts her too, after all. Seras knows what she's doing.
Drawing in a deep breath, he shuts his eyes for a moment, letting her touch against his warm cheek steady him...and then lets the air out in a shaky little sigh. His smile is crooked, pensive...but sweet all the same.
"...Okay. Okay, we can - we can try."
'We,' not 'I'. They are doing this as a team.
no subject
Date: 2022-09-03 10:27 pm (UTC)"Great! We've got this." She squeezes his hand and brings it up towards her face to press a light kiss to his knuckles. "It'll be easy; just trust your instincts, alright?"
"We already know you can carry me--" Boy, do they. "But you've never really had to catch me before. D'you maybe wanna try that a few times first? I can jump pretty high." The process of her canine hindlimbs growing in might have been painful in the beginning, but she's come to enjoy the added strength and bounce they've given her.
"Ooor, we can just go for it. Full send."
no subject
Date: 2022-09-04 12:26 am (UTC)The Fog hadn't taken any of Alfred away. If anything, she's given more of him back.
He looks down first, then back to Seras, his own smile going just a little impish.
"...Well...if you are certain we can do this...then...."
Alfred stretches his wings out, letting them shudder back to half-folded.
"I'm ready for whatever you do."
no subject
Date: 2022-09-04 03:30 am (UTC)"Well, if that's the case..." She releases his hand and takes a step backwards onto the ledge, stretching her arms out to her sides. Her own heart races now, but not with uncertainty or worry, but with the thrill of a challenge. The fall before flight was always the most exhilarating part for her, but without her own ability to fly anymore, she's perfectly happy to substitute her wings for another's-- especially his. One might consider this idea tempting death, but she would never play games like this if she didn't have some sort of contingency plan in place. Besides, she knows she won't need it; Alfred has this in the bag.
"Full Send it is~" One foot off the ledge, she allows the breeze to take her, sending her over the edge and towards the ground below.
no subject
Date: 2022-09-04 06:21 am (UTC)It's funny, really - he has never considered himself to be a particularly brave man, but he has always been able to do the right thing under pressure when he trusts himself. Dashing through the woods. Moving fast to defend himself.
And now here he is, jumping off the roof of a castle. Go figure.
He's been working on his flight for some time now, and having never been particularly scared of heights, he took pretty naturally to it. That said, part of his stomach does a little flip at the feeling of diving down towards the dark woods, accelerating towards Seras's retreating form when he folds his wings tight to his body. His tail coils through the air behind him, helping to fine tune his steering.
He can do this. He can do this.
He's getting closer to her now, flinging out his arms to try and gather her against him....
no subject
Date: 2022-09-04 07:32 am (UTC)In seconds he's close enough for her to read the determination in his expression, a second later close enough to grab onto him as he reaches for her. She swings her arms around his neck as he pulls her into him, shutting her eyes tight.
Seras trusts him with her life, but the ground is approaching fast... Will they have enough time to slow down?
no subject
Date: 2022-09-04 08:06 am (UTC)"Hold tight to me-!"
It's all Alfred can get out before he whips his tail in a coil below them both, the whip of scales igniting in a circle as it connects with the ground. There is a rush of flame, a burning column that rises from the singed grass up around the both of them...and then the sickening sensation of gravity flipping as the pair reemerge from a matching wreath of fire a few feet away, popping up with no loss of momentum...quite upside down.
Twisting awkwardly around in midair, the young man rights them both about thirty feet off the ground, trying desperately to get his bearings back as he manages to slow their now-ascent to a reasonable rate with strong, insistent wingbeats.
"I - did - are you okay? Nothing singed?"
cw: nausea mention
Date: 2022-09-05 05:56 am (UTC)We're going to hit the ground her mind screams, but before she can even finish the thought her stomach has flipped with the sudden shift in gravity, making her just a bit nauseated but luckily not enough to ruin her dinner. She finally opens her eyes at his questioning, blinking a few times and glancing around to take in their surroundings. They're... still in the sky. Clearly, she missed how he managed to pull this off, but god is she glad he did.
"I-- I'm fine? I think?" Nothing burns at the moment, but really the adrenaline is pumping too hard for her to tell. Once they're back inside with the light, she'll notice some of her hair and tail fur burnt at the ends, but being this close to him seems to have kept her safe overall.
"H-haha, you-- you did it!" she laughs off the anxiety, gratitude and relief washing over her. "You did it, Alfred! I knew you could!"
Pardon the puppy-levels of excitement, but she absolutely must smooch all over his face now. If she's not careful she'll wag right out of his arms, but luckily she realizes that quickly enough to at least reign that part in.
no subject
Date: 2022-09-09 03:57 am (UTC)"I - am glad that you trusted me, Seras," he murmurs, soft and sweet. "It...it helps me to trust myself. You, and Phil, and - well - and the Fog."
The last bit is spoken lightly, gently - like something he's still trying to understand himself.
"But - I would never let anything happen to you anyway. Not if I can help it. I - I couldn't."