#foisting cranberry onto his godparent for a bit to justify him not being around for half of the crystalquest asks i've sent :'D

[ulircursed]

The second kiss comes as no less of a jolt than the first, but there is something even more tender to it, and Andrei finds himself relaxing into the raven's gentle touch, until they pull away to look each other in the eyes.

"Yes — of course," he replies to the other's offer, aware of how breathless he sounds. With fingers that fumble slightly around the pin, he takes his own teardrop crystal, glistening under the light of the chandelier, and fixes it to Naesala's brooch in exchange for the feather the other offers.

Cranberry's squeal is what truly rouses him from the trance, and he turns, stroking the young bird with a finger before pulling away.

"I trust you'll take care of him, for a little." It is a request he poses often enough to the other, now, to be comfortable doing so. And more than the trinket, leaving Cranberry with the raven is an ironclad promise that he will return before the end of the night. And he does intend to. (You can't run, can't be scared of this.) All he needs is a moment to himself, to think about what had just happened.

As he walks out of the main hall and towards the gardens, Andrei realizes the warmth that had settled in the pit of his stomach remains with him.

Perhaps he truly can't help but cherish this feeling, after all.

some enchanted evening.

ETHEREAL BALL - andrei & naesala