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↬ After Ever After

She'd know her beast anywhere.

But it never occurred to her what she might do if the beast ever returned. Alwyn ran to her, arms fast around the other's waist as she twirled the not so beastly beast 'round the room. Delighted gasps of, "How lovely!" from nearby courtiers and maids colored their cheeks as they broke from their kiss for breath, muffled giggles escaping into the space between their lips. Their conversation melted minutes into hours, hours into a golden sun setting over them nestled in each other's arms.

"I thought I'd lost you."

Beast leaned into Alwyn's touch, closing her eyes with a soft smile as the other peppered kisses over golden freckles. Silk sheets rubbed against their bare skin as their weight shifted on the bed, beast moving overtop to lay her chin on Alwyn's chest. She brushed a stray curl from her lover's face, Alwyn laying her hand over Beast's as it settled on her cheek and pressing a soft kiss into her palm."I thought I'd never see you again- hold, touch you again. I...", Alwyn's voice trailed off, eyes closing as she struggled to find the right words- the pretty words she'd learned from the knights at court.

"The knights dragged me away no matter how I kicked, wouldn't let me run back- I desperately wanted to! I screamed until I lost my voice, loud enough for the gods themselves to hear like it would just... will you back to me somehow."

Beast felt the sting of tears against her hand as Alwyn continued, grip tightening around the former's hand.

"I dug and I dug until my fingers bled and then kept digging, but all I ever found was your necklace in the rubble. I fixed it, hoping for a opportunity to return it, even when the court called me a lovestruck fool. I knew you weren't dead- you couldn't be, I felt in it the air and in the water and earth and- everything screamed your name at me wherever I went."

"I'm here, love." Beast leaned forward, bumping her forehead against Alwyn's. "I won't leave you alone again."

"You were all I thought about there", beast started after a pause to press her cold nose to Alwyn's cheek, drawing a shiver from the latter. "Wherever there was. I'm.. I don't know what happened, I felt... everything was heavy and dark for a long time. After, you were all I thought about; your name fell from my lips 'till I lost count, the warmth of your smile... the air stung in my lungs when I screamed your name for the forest to hear- alarmed at my hearing my own voice after so long. And suddenly I wasn't ... me anymore, I'd turned into.. this. I'd lost my claws, my fangs reduced to this- " she bared her teeth, fangs longer than a human's poking at her lips from either side, "- and-"

"I think they're endearing!" Alwyn squeezed beast's cheeks together, making her lips pucker as the latter huffed. "You're like a small, angry bat."

"My fangs turned to THIS, and the only thing I was sure of was you. It... took me longer than I thought to find you. Everyone I talked to had naught but praise to sing of you and your exploits. And of your conquests", she raised her eyebrow, hiding a cheeky grin.

"You've bewitched me body and soul, my love, my heart aches only for you."

An amused hum espace from beast's throat, her finger twirling a lock of Alwyn's hair absentmindedly.

"Coming here was the first time in my life I felt true fear- what if the knights recognized me? Or- what if you didn't? I'm not sure what I would've done with myself if you hadn't..."

Alwyn lifted beast's chin, pressing a light kiss to her lips with a laugh, "I'd recognize you anywhere, beastie."