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Snake557 : Thank you friend! I appreciate it :)
Song Listened To :
There's No Way by Lauv ft. Julia Michaels
*Chapter 115*
"Alright, ready!" Gideon called, his head thrusted back, his golden eyes peered all the way up the spire of the inner workings of the light house all beautifully lined with Kepa's climbing platforms.
Novus, stood at the very tippy top of said platforms, near the entrance to the lighthouse's lamp, held a single gummy bear between his bigger claws, and upon Gideon's word, he'd drop the gummy bear all the way down the huge height difference, down to Gideon on the ground, in the hopes that Gideon would catch it in his mouth. Kepa cutely perched at the half way point between both boys, crouched in typical gargoyle form, and though her wings were cutely sprawled in the promise of potentially interfering with the gummy bear drop, she patiently watched as Novus dropped said single gummy bear. In the silence of waiting for the treat to finally reach Gideon, Kepa held her breath in the prickled silence the three had, though the second Gideon lurched to the side and successfully caught said singular gummy bear, everyone loudly hooped and hollered in an eruption of excited laughter that made the lighthouse spire sing.
"There's no freaking way," Novus stabbed, his booming voice echoed from the higher distance between him and Kepa, and even further from him and Gideon.
"I'm chewing it right now, what are you saying!" Gideon staggered with a hard laugh, the way he was speaking made clear that he was definitely gnawing on said gummy bear.
"My turn!" Kepa called happily as she flung her arm upwards, spread her wings in preparation to fly to the tippy top of her fun, strategically placed climbing platforms, though the second she took in a deep breath and crouched down so to properly leap up into the air and continue to test the power of her wings and her new skill of flight to be honed, a terrifyingly loud explosion of thunder suddenly clapped directly overhead.
Kepa sucked in a tight gasp, thud back to the platform she was on and felt every ounce of the pixels in her body come unglued from her skeleton. Her fur raised in the full splay of true terror, pupils dilated to circles rounder than anything, her immediate, knee-jerk response was to tear her way to a nearby scratch post in a cling of full claws bared. In a grapple to said tall, sturdy scratching post, she glued herself to it in full terror, slapped her wings and tail tight about her body and immediately turned to stone as all the lights in the lighthouse haphazardly flickered as if they were in a horror film. Once the thunder rolled, the lights dimmed back to true normality and the three hovered in prickled silence with each other, Gideon was the first to stagger a notion up into the spire of the now electrifyingly prickled lighthouse spire.
"Uhh... No, that didn't terrify me whatsoever, what are you even talking about?" Gideon squeaked in a high pitched tone of playful, trembling terror. Although Novus stabbed a shaky laugh and peeked his head out from the high platform he was on, Gideon furrowed his eyebrows and immediately took note that Kepa was no where to be seen, and was dead-silent. Gideon raised his eyebrows in soft nervousness and began to hurry to the spiral staircase that lead up to each platform, as well as the lighthouse's lamp at the tippy top. He grappled the hand rail and kept his neck cranked back, so to try and source Kepa from the ground, "Baby?"
"She's, uh..." Novus staggered an apologetic laugh as Gideon firmly peered upwards, and though his heart raced from the sudden boom of thunder, he suddenly felt his heart ache in remembering that Kepa was genuinely terrified of thunderstorms. Novus watched as Gideon patiently hovered, though he bounced on his feet in readiness, "She's there, but she's stone."
"Dammit," Gideon huffed sorrowfully, he quickly allowed his body to succumb to the loose grip of his royal purple coding, and with a push, he urgently glitch-hopped all the way up the tight spiral of the staircase and came to her platform in mere seconds. He scuffed to reanimation, panted and peered hard to the scratching post her figure was glued to. He couldn't help but ease an apologetic smile at the adorable sight, her little body was entirely engulfed by the sheer wrap of her wings and tail about said post, the gorgeous, painterly splay of stripes Gideon hardly ever saw due to her rarely visiting her stone form whilst he was around. Gideon cutely pressed closer to her stone figure and cautiously spoke, "Keps? You okay?"
Kepa remained stone, though Gideon was well aware she could hear him. He blurt a nervous chuckle of warm understanding and so lovingly rested his hand to the upper arm of her right wing, which hid her face and body from his vision. Obviously stone cold, an odd sensation, he so gently ran his fingers all along the wing of her arm, the rougher, lighter stone so beautifully stained with his painting job. Novus skillfully did what he could to maneuver his own clumsy clawing from platform to platform until he grunted in a scuffle of a sag to the shared platform Gideon and Kepa were on. Although he wanted to dive in and also show camaraderie of fear, he allowed the two space and knew Gideon was doing everything he could to welcome himself into this brand new branch of just what it meant to be a good boyfriend. Although Novus promised to give Gideon this opportunity, he couldn't help but to flatten his ears in soft submission and eye Kepa with the show of his fangs amidst a cheeky little smile.
"Pspspspsss," Novus hissed, a typical noise to entice a cat, though he barked a shy laugh the second Gideon's face sloped to full irritation in the form of a side-eyeing glower.
"Hey, I'm here," Gideon soothed quietly as he continued to rub Kepa's stone-cold shoulder, and though he anticipated Kepa remaining stone for awhile, he flinched as Kepa quickly came back to life. Her stone-form concealed the true, proven show of fear she now displayed, the display of her tail now fully poofed in full fear had Gideon recoiling in surprise. This also was prominent on her back and shoulders, and as her terrified eyes peered up into Gideon's, she trembled as she quickly unglued herself from the post and transferred all that energy to Gideon's tall being. With a grapple of wings, arms and her tail, she firmly burrowed her face into Gideon's chest in the continued show of true fear. Gideon firstly huffed a cute little laugh and draped his bigger arms about her shoulders, though the second he could feel Kepa's little figure quite literally quaking in full fear, he furrowed his brow in a sting of dreaded surprise and dropped the playful act, "Hey, heyyy... It's okay, User, you're shaking so badly."
"I'm going to venture a guess that it maybe didn't storm in Castle Run?" Novus patiently and politely wondered as he took a few steps closer to the two, though Gideon's gentle hands began to ever so carefully attempt to flatten the huge, billowy poof of her fur that still stood stiff on end.
"Guess not," Gideon patiently prod as he stood still for Kepa, her little arms and hands trembled as if she was a leaf on the wind. Anticipating her to simply brush off the fear and understand that the thunder genuinely wouldn't harm her, Gideon gently sagged his chin to the top of Kepa's head and gave Novus a true frown of concern as she wildly shook in Gideon's care, the wiggle of genuine terror coursed through her little body, her usually-lithe, beautiful tail was now nearly twice it's size around due to her thick fur stood stick straight. Although a genuine situation, Gideon couldn't help but huff an apologetic chuckle over the top of her soft hair, "You... Definitely weren't kidding when you said you were scared of thunder storms."
"Good thing it's not storming in ... Dead Zed," Novus caught himself, having almost slipped up and referred to Sugar Rush, "Our hunt would be cancelled, otherwise."
"User, I forgot about that, what time do we need to leave?" Gideon worried, he desperately tried to switch gears, though Kepa huffed a nervous meep of a cute inquiry into Gideon's broad chest.
"Please don't go," Kepa whimpered, Gideon furrowed his brow, peered down to the top of Kepa's head and finally gave Novus a concerned little smile, as if to be uncertain of just what to do or say in this instance.
"Well... I have to go, but Gideon surely doesn't, I mean, right?" Novus shrugged, Gideon bobbed a nod and looked off in contemplation.
"No, I guess I don't, I'd just have to text my parents and let them know I wouldn't be coming home," Gideon staggered shyly, "It would mean staying the night here, again, I don't want to intrude on-"
"Please stay," Kepa stabbed in the continued show of now shy terror, and though she was excited to have another sleep over with Gideon, she rode purely on the fact that she would do literally anything if it meant having another soul here with her during this intense of a storm.
"... Guess I'm staying," Gideon mumbled with a happy, definitive little smile, Novus beamed and rolled his big eyes.
"Oh, poor YOU," Novus taunted as both boys laughed, "You sure? I can definitely swing by later and get you, if the storm passes. I know she doesn't sleep, I'm assuming you wouldn't be overstaying your welcome, anyways."
"No, I... I think I'm very much welcome, in this instance," Gideon choked a happy laugh and so sweetly began to just barely sway Kepa back and forth, his bigger hands gingerly cupped the back of her head in soothing strokes down her beautiful hair, which included the tight, aggressive pin of her cat ears to her skull.
"Oooo la-la," Novus teased, Gideon bashfully grinned and lulled his eyes closed in full annoyance, and though he wanted to feel potentially shy over the fact that he was now in the midsts of spending his very first night with Kepa inside of their brand new relationship, his mind focused tightly to the monumental fact that Kepa's limbs continued to tremble in the full show of still-harbored terror. Before Gideon could try and get his ducks in a row, try and wonder if they had time for another round of 'drop the gummy bear', conclude just what the sudden switch in plans was, Novus politely began to step away in the show of knowing he should probably see himself out and head home lest he be pelted by the insane, oncoming storm, "Welp... I mean, I WOULD say text me if you decide you want to come back home, but... I think it'd be weird if I started palling around with a phone."
"I'll text my parents or Lash or someone, but honestly," Gideon started cutely as he continued to methodically pet the back of Kepa's head and down her still-pinned ears. He glanced down to the top of her head before sweetly peering into Novus's happy eyes, "I'll be fine, here. She needs me."
"Also more reason to avoid Callum," Novus shrugged in delight and looked down to the spire's flooring in preparation to officially see himself out, "It's a win-win!"
"Thanks for earlier, Novus," Gideon cooed warmly, which ultimately caused Novus to scuff to a halt and peer tight to Gideon's eyes in a show of humbled, brotherly camaraderie. Gideon bobbed an assured nod, looked off in aimless contemplation before tenderly revisiting his gaze to Novus's big, curious blue orbs, "Thanks for treating Kepa like a sister. I know that means the world to her."
"I love her because I love you," Novus's deep voice pressed in a swing of warm seriousness he wasn't often caught displaying. Said hit to the heart had Kepa and Gideon now fully cocooned in a proverbial embrace full of all the warmth in the universe. Novus huffed a cute little chuckle of true understanding and bobbed a nod "Y'guys are my family. You know I'd do anything for you two."
"Thank you, Novus... Love you too," Gideon assured quietly, Novus perked his ears and stiffened with a widening, fang-filled grin.
"That's my sap quota for the month so cherish it dearly, hold it tight!" Novus cheesed with a happy laugh as he sprawled his wings a little, leaped off the platform Kepa and Gideon shared, glided to the ground with a thud and peered up with a smile, "Don't get TOO scared tonight, you two."
"No promises," Gideon called as Novus laughed his way out of the spire, out of the common room and out of the building for good.
Gideon sighed softly over the top of Kepa's head, his patient eyes scanned the platform the two were silently stood on, and though little clips of thunder rolled on the horizon and were easy going thuds that so gently came and went, Kepa's little arms still trembled in full-force. In a near-unforgiving grapple about Gideon's torso, Gideon patiently continued to stroke the back of Kepa's whole head and pinned ears, her velvety soft fur and hair was irresistible to the touch, the methodical, firm pets Gideon's much bigger hand deployed to her fragile, quaking little soul was something he was now sure he'd be happily doing for the rest of the night. The two stood quietly with one another as the sound of rain began to angrily splatter the outside of the lighthouse spire, though just as Gideon opened his mouth to inquire about what the two should do in order for her to be comfortable, the lighthouse's house lights began to creepily flicker, once more. Kepa tensed, her thick tail wrapped three times about Gideon's ankle in a death grip, something his mind aggressively bookmarked for another daydream, though for now, he focused on her comfort at hand. Gideon blurt a shy chuckle at the thought of Kepa's face now fully planted into the center of Gideon's chest, so much so that the bones in her face were starting to cause mild discomfort due to how tightly she was cemented to him.
"Easy," Gideon cooed, his deep voice crackled a tender chuckle, although he had little to no experience in any of this new boyfriend business he had somehow snuck himself into, he inhaled a shaky breath and glossed his eyes down to the top of Kepa's head. Grateful Kepa's heavy trembling now drowned out the very timid, gentle tremble his hands had taken on, he bit his lip and understood that everything he did, everything he was comprised of, his output was directly correlated to just how he'd like to be treated. He leveled his cheek to the top of Kepa's head and pondered just how he'd want to be treated in the throes of fear, grappled in the arms of the one being he was now slipping and falling harder for, he finally sighed a long, hot breath through his nose and felt dizzy. How long he had been aching for these kinds of moments was now suddenly tied with a bow and a kiss atop the head, all plopped right before him. He finally beamed a shy little smile behind closed eyes, swayed Kepa in a slow, snuggly cradle of care, he carried on with full confidence that his idea of comfort would fill her cup, and then some, "I'm not going anywhere, tonight."
"Thank you," Kepa whimpered quietly, she finally unglued her face from Gideon's chest and peered out to the room about her, simply from the peak over the top of Gideon's strong, bare bicep. Her nose wrinkled in sniffling assessment, her eyes scanned the light housing bevelled into the walls nearby, her whiskers were at a full mast of curiosity, as if all the electricity in the room was overwhelming to her senses, "I'm sorry you have to deal with me. I'll... Try to be brave."
"... I don't view it as having to 'deal with you' at all," Gideon lilted in smiling disbelief, the two finally caught eyes due to their close proximity, Kepa just barely unhanded Gideon, though she still kept a loose hug about his torso, "C'mon. Let's head downstairs, maybe... Light some candles in case the lights go out, watch some tv, cuddle on the couch? Or... Unless you need something entirely different that I'm unaware of."
"N-No, that all sounds good," Kepa mumbled shyly, though she tightly gasped a genuine little meep of terror as lightning suddenly clipped their dark, windowed surroundings.
With an equally as terrifying explosion directly over head, thunder clapped with the storm's vicious movement. Gideon sharply grit his teeth, grappled the back of Kepa's head and secured her tight to his chest as she successfully re-glued her face back to the spot she was previously in. Gideon groaned a sweet little cooing noise of apologetic understanding as Kepa's trembling arms squeezed his body in a tight death grip of quaking terror. Gideon firmly and slowly pet the back of her head and secured her sensitive ears to her skull as his gentle laughter of understanding was what rode the coattails of the rolling, scary thunder. He gingerly swayed Kepa and shook his head in mild annoyance for the game's mechanics, currently.
"Alllright, c'mon, c'mon. Let's get downstairs," Gideon ushered in full, chuckling certainty.
Knowing the storm would eventually pass, and the threat of losing power would equally dissipate over time, his heart began to thud at the exciting notion at hand. Not much of a knight in shining armor, he was grateful he at least was granted this moment to come rushing to Kepa's aid, to be the big stronghold for her fragile feelings, more opportunity to earn trust, for both parties. As Kepa hesitantly unglued herself from Gideon's figure, for good, and head down the spiral staircase with Gideon tight in tow, the two sagged into the dim common room and took note of the near-pitch black visual just outside of the porch's glass doors. Although said porch had a dainty porch light, the only thing that angrily splayed into the fray of said light was torrential downpour and ocean mist. Gideon sweetly held Kepa's hand, looked about their cozy, lovely common room and assessed just what needed to be done.
"Is there a reason you're so scared of thunderstorms?" Gideon patiently wondered, he was worried there'd be some scarier, deeper meaning, though he was almost relieved to see Kepa shrug and shake her head with a whisper of a quaking giggle.
"No, no particular reason, Novus was right," Kepa murmured, she stood hunched with her arms crossed, ears pinned, tail tucked up between her legs.
Gideon blurt a small laugh of understanding and firmly rubbed her upper arm, causing her to jostle a little. He patiently assessed their shared kitchen area and wondered if he should make the two a hot drink for comfort. Gideon eyed her, bobbed a nod, began to prepare the kettle and stood with opened body language to hopefully make clear to her that he was available for a hug lest she get scared, once more. Kepa leaned her hip against the counter nearest Gideon and patiently watched as he began to prepare Kepa a cup of chamomile tea. She held her breath and watched as he successfully ran through the few steps he was only barely versed in, the few ingredients she liked in her tea. Successful with the sprinkle of cinnamon, the tablespoon of sugar and the droplets of vanilla, Kepa squeezed her arms tighter across her chest and sagged in a dreamy, lovestruck little smile of full flattery. Honored that Gideon was so meticulous with tiny details, diligent to keep up, to match her intuition, to prove to her that she was most definitely worth every ounce of his energy was something she was well aware he'd love to receive in return. Noted, she knew this night was his to claim, this was her moment to be fully catered to like the times she had been there for him, in the past.
"It only ever rained in Castle Run, at least on the cliffside," Kepa's voice continued to lightly tremble, and though she was being brave and standing firm in Gideon's presence, it was obvious to Gideon that she was eager to sag into a snuggly embrace on the couch amidst hiding in blankets and pillows. Eager to give her the escape she wanted, Gideon hurried to make her tea as quickly and thoroughly as he could. Kepa pressed on delicately, her ears finally eased from the tight pin they were previously in, "Never got any massive storms."
"Cons of living right on the ocean," Gideon's voice deeply grumbled, he shot Kepa a cute little smile that peaked from the corner of his lips, the stubble on his strong jaw glinted brighter little strands of golden red amidst the firm kitchen lights that splayed the two, "I can manifest myself an energy drink, but... I mean, I have to warn you, I will eventually fall asleep tonight. Are you going to be okay?"
"Yeah, I'll be okay, I'll just... Stay snuggled up to you," Kepa murmured in an almost self-dejected kind of way, though she brightened with a shy smile returned to Gideon's curious, patient, loving gaze of intent. He bobbed a nod, peaked a handsome, toothy, youthful smile and looked down to his chore of pouring the boiled water into the cup of tea fixings for Kepa. An aroma of lovely steam that lifted into his nose, he bookmarked the idea of eventually making himself a cup of tea, as well, though he knew he'd have to do so closer to when he was due to falling asleep. Gideon sweetly sagged a small spoon into Kepa's tea, offered her the creamer he had pulled from the fridge and delicately set the cup of hot tea on the counter right next to her, "Thank you, Gid... You really don't have to spoil me, like this."
"What, is my new title of 'boyfriend' just a joke?" Gideon scoffed playfully, quietly, his tone was delicate and easy so to counter the mess of chaos happening outside. Kepa's ears gently splayed to Gideon's figure, eager to pick up any bounce of information his lovely, raspy deep voice had to offer, "This is new territory for me, but... What I DO know is that we're supposed to spoil each other, especially when the other isn't feeling their best. Let me spoil you, dammit."
"Okay, okay," Kepa choked a cute, shaky giggle and covered her face in the sag of her ears and shoulders, she grinned behind her hands before she began to finish up fixing her tea, Gideon stationed tight by her side, his bigger hand so lovingly held to her upper back for physical camaraderie while thunder continued to threaten it's scary existence, "Thank you, truly. Wh-what would there be to watch on tv right now?"
"I have no clue, maybe some cartoons or something light," Gideon shrugged, the two began to leave the kitchen, and with lights out, Gideon flipped on another light switch, nearby, to gently illuminate their living room, which sagged to soft carpet and branched from the more open floor plan of the common area and kitchen to a lovelier sag of a lower ceiling and cozy ambience, "Get cozy, I gotta text my mom."
"I'm assuming they wouldn't be upset, I mean... You just spent almost a week with them on vacation," Kepa staggered cutely as her and Gideon rounded the massive sectional couch. Every piece of said couch was tightly squeezed together to form one giant square of never-ending cushions of coziness, easily the size of the California King sized-bed Gideon had manifested for Kepa upstairs. Daintily, Kepa set her tea on a nearby end table, after having taken a few sips, climbed onto the couch and squished into the bend of a corner to make blatantly obvious that she not only wanted to be snuggled to death by Gideon's presence, but she wanted to do so with her back equally buried into the security of the couch's cushions. She tucked her tail over herself and cutely waited for whatever ideas Gideon had for their snuggly slumber party, in terms of blankets or pillows. She patiently continued on as Gideon stood at the edge of the couch. He patiently lit a few candles on the end table nearest Kepa before he pulled his phone out and thumbed Vanellope a message, "They wouldn't like... MAKE you come home, would they?"
"No, no, User," Gideon choked a cute little laugh, shook his head and skillfully multitasked as he texted Vanellope and concluded his words to Kepa, "I may still live at home, but they're always cool about me coming and going whenever I want."
FauxFox : Hi mom, I just wanted to let you know I won't be coming home tonight. There's a nasty thunderstorm in Turbotime right now and Kepa's scared. I thought I'd maybe just come home after the storm passes, but it's already late so I just figured I'd stay here with her so she's not scared. Novus is on his way back to Sugar Rush right now, but yeah, I'll be back sometime tomorrow. Hope that's okay.
"Thank User for that," Gideon added after the gentle silence, the angry splay of rain that hit the glass of the porch doors, off of the kitchen. Gideon grit his teeth, huffed a chuckle and adjusted his sweat pants a little before he began to climb onto the couch, so to join Kepa, "Damn, this better not be hurricane-status..."
"Sh-should you ask Lash?" Kepa worried in a spike of pupil-tightening terror as she firmly looked over her shoulder, though she flinched as Gideon grunted, saddled himself tight next to her and shook his head.
"I will if it gets any more intense than this, but it should be okay," Gideon huffed through a whispery sigh as he opened his arm for her. Without hesitation, she sagged into his side embrace, amidst their snuggly half-sit and wrapped her right arm in a flop about Gideon's chest. The two gently fidgeted in snuggly wiggles as they got comfortable in each other's arms, and much to Kepa's whole delight, Gideon manifested the biggest, heaviest, fluffiest comforter his coding could afford, and as it thud down on the two, Kepa grinned. Gideon blurt a chuckle, groped for the tv remote off to his left and eyed the buttons on said remote, "You want some pillows? More blankets? I know you're not sleeping, but..."
"I'm happy," Kepa whispered amidst the close of their eyes.
Shyly, the two began to stir in the melt of limbs underneath the heavy, cozy blanket that now drowned them. Gideon powered on the tv and began to thumb through the channels with the volume low. Kepa long-blinked in delirious delight and, although she still was spooked by the potential of more thunder, she felt a strike of understanding hit her heart. Somehow, she felt heavy, her eyes took a longer time blinking, she could feel her hands want to fall into kneading routines, the rumbling purr inside of her body hung at the ready, she felt confusion kiss the underside of her brain as somehow this new, lovely routine of snuggly, sleepy delight embraced her soul in a death-grip and vowed to never let go. Gideon's strong right arm and hand remained embraced about Kepa's shoulders and upper body, he cocooned her tight to his broad chest, she practically vanished into the heavy deploy of blankets laid atop the two. Kepa gingerly sniffled at Gideon's shirt in cute assessment, her ears sagged in relaxation, and though all of this was new and pressing on with uncertainty felt natural, she managed to cutely tangle her legs in Gideon's, alongside the slither of her thick, long tail about Gideon's thighs. She heaved a heavy, finalized sigh into Gideon's right peck, where her cheek and jaw remained sagged, though she jostled as Gidoen suddenly choked a cute, quiet laugh as his thumb continued to channel-surf the remote.
"That happy, huh?" Gideon whispered into the top of Kepa's head, with assured love, he shoved his face into her bangs and pushed his warm, plump lips into the skin on her forehead. He firmly puckered a few tender, prolonged kisses onto her forehead, the mess of her bangs tickled his nose, his hot breath gingerly splayed her face as the two eased into one last, final wiggle of snuggly correction before settling amidst the completed tangle of limbs and skin. Gideon's phone vibrated once in his pocket, he set the remote down and pulled out his phone from the depths of the big blanket the two were melted under, his tender voice carried on, "There's this really funny game show my brother-in-law likes to watch, I'll see if it's on..."
"Okay," Kepa meeped quietly as her eyes lazily glued to the large tv across from them, an informercial droned on, a channel Gideon only briefly hung on while he read his mother's reply.
VerySchweet : That, there, is good boyfriend material if I ever saw it. Thanks for letting me know, we would've worried. Will you be home for dinner tomorrow?
FauxFox : Thanks mom, um I'm not sure. We have a beach party planned, if it's not still storming this bad. I guess I'll keep you posted.
VerySchweet : Okay, bud. Be safe, okay? I love you.
FauxFox : I love you, mom.
Gideon sighed happily, sagged his phone back into his pocket and opened his mouth to begin telling Kepa all about the show he was just talking about, though a loud clap of thunder suddenly erupted, once more. Not nearly as loud as the last two eruptions, Kepa still stiffened, gripped her arm tighter about Gideon and scrunched into a tiny little ball tucked tight under Gideon's arm. Gideon huffed a cute, knowing chuckle and was eager to now deploy every last ounce of comfort over her shivering soul, there was not a single second of his life that he wanted her to be in this fearful state.
"It's okay, it's okay," Gideon ushered quietly as he hugged Kepa's body tight with his right arm and firmly cupped the back of her head with his left hand. The lights angrily flickered, the power to the tv clipped off due to the temporary loss of power, Gideon grit his teeth and shoved his nose and face into the top of her head as she whimpered a small noise of disgruntled, fearful upset, "I know, I know... But it's okay, you're alright."
"Why won't it just pass? Even just ten miles off would be much easier to handle," Kepa's voice rushed in a high-pitched tone of girly dread, she shook her head and managed to get her limbs and tail somehow more into a tangled mess in between Gideon's legs. He blurt a chuckle as Kepa urgently began to burrow into his side, using the shield of the big blanket as safety, as well, "C-Can you re-power the lighthouse if we lose power?"
"User, well... I mean, maybe," Gideon staggered in curiosity as he broadened his gaze, he lifted from the top of Kepa's head and tossed his eyes across the back rest of the couch and to the kitchen, though he came back to their predicament and began to firmly rub and pet Kepa's head due to the revisit of the full-quake all of her limbs now delivered, "Don't be scared, it's okay, I'm here..."
"I can't stop shaking," Kepa whispered in mild annoyance, she lulled her eyes closed and looked as if she wanted to resort back to the more cat-like notions of comfort she was used to, and though she was well aware Gideon wouldn't discourage it, she still held suspended in the vulnerable state of shyness she was trapped in.
"Just focus on me, I'm right here with you," Gideon cutely grumbled, he pressed a few firm kisses into her forehead, once more, and now began to focus his bigger fingers into the back bend of her adorable, bigger ear. With slow, methodical clenches, he gripped her ear between his fingers and his thumb and began to massage the inner nooks of her ear, slowly and in small rubs at first, "Surely there's a few purrs in there, Kitten. I know purring is a comfort, for all parties involved, huh?"
"I don't have it in me, right now," Kepa murmured in a playfully disgruntled tone, though she heaved a shaky breath into Gideon's right peck and hugged his torso a bit harder, she fluttered her eyes and tried not to make too obvious that she was succumbing to the magical touch Gideon had on the back and inside of her ear.
"Ohh, I think you do," Gideon cutely assured with a dollop of whispery snark, he grinned in cute delight as Kepa very obviously did what she could to stifle a wide smile from erupting across her sweet face. She continued to dreamily flutter her closed eyes, her long lashes, and due to Gideon's slow-turning, mildly vigorous digs of an ear massage he had now successfully wrangled Kepa into, she huffed a bit of a louder sigh and now began to eagerly tilt her head into the hand that was rubbing her ear. Gideon now choked a happy laugh and continued on, he was successful in leaning down and placing a few kisses to her soft, smiling cheeks, "I would say you could also knead on me but I'm scared I'll wake up tomorrow missing my limbs."
"I-It's not like that, I'd be careful," Kepa choked a shaky, breathy little giggle through her whispering, as if she was now doing everything she could to concentrate on the heavenly feelings Gideon was supplying her. She sagged a bit more into Gideon's hand and now felt inhibitions escape her, the urge to just open up and unflinchingly be herself, over and over, no matter what, was now something she couldn't stifle, she was well aware Gideon knew it, too, due to the mild man-handling he cutely deployed on her bigger ear. Thunder crackled over head, to which Gideon surely assumed would rattle Kepa from this moment, though he was shocked to see her be almost entirely un-phased. Kepa now squeezed her eyes shut and felt the trilling, breathy rumbles of purring brim at the back of her throat and nose, and as she spoke, cute, methodical thumps of whispery purring laced her patient, polite demand, "A-A little to the left."
"You've forgotten about the thunder," Gideon whispered on her adorable little nose, and much to his whole entire delight, Kepa sniffled at Gideon's stubbly chin as the motor inside of her began to thump out of her in rhythm with her slow breathing. Gideon grinned, tilted his head back to get a better view of her and was floored to see her nuzzle her jaw and face tight into Gideon's chest and shoulder, eyes tightly closed. Her nose scrunched as she continued to lean into Gideon's loving touch, she confidently spilled loud, dreamy purring out into the atmosphere to rival the sound of the rain, and as Gideon spoke, her ears twitched to the sound of his voice, "There she is..."
Gideon continued to rub Kepa's ear, though just as he was convinced this was likely the most he was gunna get out of her really digging deep and submitting to being entirely comfortable, he was floored to feel her push her open palm into Gideon's abdomen, clench in a grip of kneading delight and return, open-palmed in a fervor of instincts she was born with. Gideon winced a little as he could feel her scary, sharply hooked claws catch with the fabric of his shirt, thus also catching his skin underneath in little prickles, though he could tell she was being careful for the sake of not drawing blood. Although her left arm was mildly crunched underneath her own body, due to their snuggly side-laying state, he could feel her smushed hand also move in the rhythm of proper kneading she tried to deploy, though was only successful with her right hand to Gideon's abdomen. Gideon grit his teeth and desperately tried not to laugh, due to the tickling sensation, though the more she confidently pressed on, the more he got used to it, prickled-claw grabs and all.
After awhile, Gideon's fervent ear-rubbing dulled to gentle petting across the side of Kepa's face and to the side and back of her head. Although her head was slumped to Gideon's chest, and she had her eyes closed, he knew she was awake due to the continuous kneading she kept up on Gideon's stomach. Though softening movement continued in a downswing from both parties, Kepa's fervent purring never ceased. Lovely, healing reverberation that hugged Gideon's eardrums in a bass of deep, methodical vibrations, Gideon fluttered his eyes and happily tucked his chin to the top of Kepa's head. Eager to get a show going while Kepa played her part in feeling confident to self-soothe inside of Gideon's fervent care, he cautiously picked up the remote and began to surf through channels, once more. His right hand and arm continued to keep Kepa cradled and tucked tight into his side, his palm was gripped to her soft upper arm, his thumb methodically stroked up and down her littler arm in time with her heavy purring, the splay of her hot breath on his pecks was enough for him to almost stare head-long at the tv and know he was surely not comprehending any information from it whatsoever.
After about a half an hour of rolling thunder, the continuous splay of aggressive rain against the side of their lovely abode, Gideon's soothing rubbing continued on Kepa's arm all sweetly sagged in the timing of her rhythmic, vibrating purring and breathing. He fluttered his eyes as he had landed on a channel, and though he finally allowed his brain to succumb to information outside of Kepa's purring and kneading, he furrowed his brow in a gentle nudge of realization. He glanced down to Kepa and grunted due to not being able to get a good look at her. Her kneading had almost ceased to a roll of a stop, her hand was simply now a fist-full of Gideon's shirt, limbs and tail still tightly woven into Gideon's legs, her purring had leveled out and was now a heavy, loud, rolling idle of a powerful motorboat. Feeling sure he could just sit and listen to this sound for the rest of eternity, it having been lulling him into a drowsy state for the past half an hour now, he beamed a lazy, incredulous little grin and tilted his head off to the side, a little more, so to properly see Kepa's face.
"Purring, one. Thunder, zero," Gideon chimed quietly and cutely as he held smiling eyes to Kepa's forehead, though he furrowed his brow in a strike of frozen, almost gasping surprise and felt his heart stop at the sight of Kepa's skull loosely lulling back and to the side as Gideon just barely readjusted his sitting position.
Gideon sharply halted all movement and now had a very clear downward view of Kepa's face, and much to his entire, frozen surprise, Kepa's whole face read blissful slumber. Out like a light, jaw shut, pink lips barely agape, the peel of her black, second eyelid was only barely seen through the seal of her outer eyelids, she was fast asleep, something that had Gideon holding his breath for a lot longer than he anticipated. After what felt like five minutes of just staring down into her snoozing face, contemplating his next, detrimental move, he finally exhaled a long, trembling breath through his mouth and eased the widest, most elated grin through the gape of his lips. How desperately he wanted to erupted into a big display of full excitement, his hands began to tremble with the concealed fervor of happiness he was now honored to be crowned with. As delicately as he could, he still held suspended in a gape of stunned, heart throbbing surprise as his shaky hand cupped the back and side of her head, held loose in the limp, vulnerable slumber she had successfully slipped into, for the first time in years.
Gideon felt his heart just race and race as he cautiously held Kepa's head supported in his still mildly trembling hand. He scoffed a silent little chuckle on her face, one of breathy delight, her nose confidently continued to thump out a slow-breathing, heavy purr of peaceful snoozing. Her whiskers twitched in her sleep at the feel of his breath on her face, and though Gideon felt his heart ache previously, due to her cute antics, he snapped his jaw shut in hot, almost terrified realization and firmly allowed his eyes to scan her sweet face. He thumped a tight swallow of almost romantic dread, the idea that his liking for Kepa had very easily sagged to a ruminating brew of love, though it was in this raw moment of her full trust, full vulnerability, did he feel as if he was now suddenly entrusted with the honor of truly falling in love with the rare gem that was Kepa, a gift from the universe he swore he didn't deserve. With care, he cradled her head and felt the emphasis hit his heart over and over again as his trembling thumb so delicately stroked her cheek, just under her closed eye. His heart memorized every single vibration of purring, every single little trill of sweetness that just poured from her soul, he lulled his eyes closed in a long-blink of disbelief, amidst a gentle, equally as disbelieving head shake, and vowed that from here until when she woke, he wouldn't dare move from this spot, no matter the circumstances.
