Song Listened To :
Run (Taylor's Version) ft. Ed Sheeran
hi I support this fucking girlboss of a queen and if you do as well I need some swiftie friends cause I've been in the closet about it for almost 15 years now and I'm desperate to geek out with someone about it besides my husband someone send help lmao(Tessa's Version)
*Chapter 121*
With a cute little scuffle of the feathery fur on the tip of her tail, Kepa dusted the windowsill near the front door, she inhaled a refreshed breath and slapped the damp rag onto her bare shoulder, and with a thrust of her hands and arms, she messily threw her pale pink hair into a messy bun atop her head. Wearing cozy black cotton shorts and one of Gideon's much bigger tank tops overtop a black sports bra, Kepa spent the morning deep cleaning her's and Gideon's shared space, the downstairs common room. Her eyes often would trail to the painting of his, the unfinished tiger mural gorgeously splayed near their turquoise front door. With the promise of more artwork to come, ones that would eventually eke their way into the cat tower of the century, the inner spire of the light house, she hoped Gideon would wake soon so that she could prod his mind for more artistic ideas, collaborations they had started together.
The black finishings on the faucets and stove top knobs glistened from the morning sunshine Kepa let into the place, the patio's french doors hung open to let in the cooler morning breeze, fresh off of the ocean. The sound of the waves filled the space with peace, she lazily twirled once and began to cutely clean down the kitchen island with the rag she previously slung to her shoulder. She hummed a little tune to herself and worked about the counter spaces, though as she came to the nook right next to the fridge, she noticed it was starting to become a catch-all area. It would catch Gideon's keys, her hair ties, half-empty coffee cups, wonky sea shells Novus had collected for sport, it was here did Kepa sigh and figure she should likely sort through the mess. Starting with collecting the lot of it by the support of the thin stack of messy papers underneath the mess, she flattened her ears in curiosity and began to scoot said papers out from the mess, and in the reveal of musings lost in faint coffee rings, Kepa froze and held her breath in a swing of delighted shock as to just what she saw drawn out in rough pencil.
Beautiful, thoughtful sketches of Kepa that Gideon had done, candid figure drawings of her lithe, feline figure and adorable little catches of her face, Kepa audibly gasped, tucked her fist into her sternum and began to so tenderly sort through the gorgeous renderings of her own self. Gideon's eye captured her like the art he very clearly saw her as, candid snapshots that Kepa now desperately understood were far more precious than any printed photo could afford, she covered her mouth in blushing, smiling delight and took note of the beautiful aspects of Kepa that Gideon appreciated, the way he added twinkle to Kepa's big, gorgeous eyes, the messiness of her cute ponytail. Kepa shook her head and continued to slowly sift through the sheer treasure she had stumbled upon. Certain Gideon probably would treat these sketches as just simple musings he probably wouldn't miss, Kepa clutched them to her chest and now hurried to safely secure them up into her bedroom. In the scurry up the stairs, the swing into her sunny, clean bedroom, she pressed to her dresser, peered down to the messy, precious drawings one last time, gave the stack a cute little kiss and pushed them into the top drawer of her dresser with a secured thud of a close. She perked up high as she could hear the front door squeak open, the huge smile that suddenly sprawled her face, she merrily skipped out of her room and down the staircase with hefty excited thuds, surely understanding now that this was what it truly felt like to be in love.
Kepa came about the second bend of the stairwell, thumped down the stairs and to the ground. Gideon perked up, peered down into her face with a loving little smile and resisted verbally greeting her due to the cute little scamper of a run she took in his direction. Gideon huffed a surprised chuckle and gently readied his embrace for her, and as she thrusted her feet to a stand of full height, she draped her arms about Gideon's broad neck and thumped him the puffy, trilling, almost purr-like of a chuffing greeting. Alongside the fervent nuzzling against Gideon's jaw, she relished in the way his cute, raspy laughter breathed quietly into her ear, she squeezed her eyes shut and marinated in the way his scratchy stubble felt against her face. She grinned and blurt a silent giggle as Gideon desperately tried to give her said chuff of a greeting in return, and although it could never be perfect, she was forever thrilled that he was at least trying and practicing. Kepa grinned, pulled away from Gideon and peered into his eyes as they stood eye level with one another, his bigger hands sweetly rested to the tiny dip of her waist and onto the rounder curve of her hips.
"... Well SOMEONE'S in a good mood, today," Gideon stated through a quiet laugh as Kepa eased her eyes closed and grinned, an adorable show of full fangs and fanned whiskers.
"I'm just cleaning, I feel like a million bucks since getting that full night of sleep, the other night," Kepa mused quietly, she sagged to the flat of her feet, thus loosing an entire foot of height and causing the slip of Gideon's bigger, gentle fingers off of her figure. She began to step away, her tail lazily and cutely curled about Gideon's lower leg, it slithered off of his skin as she separated herself and stepped deeper into the kitchen, from the front door area, "I swear, it like unlocked something in my brain."
"Well, I know you have the ability to avoid it, but... Sleep is the best thing for you, y'know," Gideon mumbled, he took his sling bag off of his shoulder and set it on the island, as they approached. His pupils tightened as his golden eyes were thrusted with the view of the sunny beach out beyond the gape of the opened patio doors, the breeze whisked the gorgeous cream curtains about, "Did you sleep last night after I left?"
"No, User," Kepa sighed, she opened the fridge and pulled out her water bottle, it was clad with cute cat stickers her and Mara had gone shopping for.
"Whynot," Gideon whispered loudly, the handsome curl of a smile across his face had Kepa side-eyeing him in smiling annoyance from the toss of her head and the gulps of water she happily took. She finally choked a giggle and surfaced from drinking as Gideon tenderly groped for her tail, successfully grabbed and very daringly gave her tail the softest tug. Happy she received such physical banter well and in the form of cutely curling away from him and slipping from his grip, he took a few brave steps closer to her and began to take off the red zip up he was wearing, "I taught you well, didn't I? Should we take a nap and I'll show you again how it's done?"
"I know, I guess I'm just not smart enough to catch on," Kepa's voice playfully drawled, her tail held in a cute swoop of an upward curl, the tip flit from side to side, telltale signs of curious happiness.
"That's not what I was getting at," Gideon huffed in smiling annoyance, he rolled his eyes and peered to the cozy couch, pillows all fluffed and tidied due to Kepa's morning cleaning.
"It was easier to fall asleep with your assistance," Kepa admitted quietly, she set her water bottle on the island and in the lean of the side of her hip to the island as well, she held her hand to the free side of her hip and glued her lovely, vivid orange cat eyes tight to Gideon's, "What a confession. I'll ONLY sleep with you."
"I'd be honored," Gideon choked and looked down in boyish, geeky delight, though he gasped a silent inhale, snapped his jaw shut and peered his now speckles of pupils tight to Kepa's. The sight of her ears now perked taut atop her head in full, shocked curiosity had Gideon back-tracking, "I-I mean... I AM honored. Not..."
"Your feet are too big for your mouth, Gideon, I'd be careful what you say," Kepa erupted into girly laughter and covered her mouth with scrunched shoulders, the bashful glow off of the two rivaled the sunshine.
"I mean, I guess it is the truth, either way," Gideon stated cooly, desperately trying to bounce back, desperately trying to act as if this conversation stumbled upon didn't have his heart in a chokehold. Kepa could sense his inflated ego, so she crossed her arms and sagged her ears with the soften of seductiveness.
"Oh, so you're saying... You'd be honored to have sex with me?" Kepa gently asked with the easiest cadence of nonchalance. She tried not to beam the widest smile with the sheer color of red Gideon's face was now shyly swathed with, "You said you WOULD be honored... Meaning, this isn't something we obviously have experienced yet. As opposed to you already BEING honored for simply getting me to innocently fall asleep."
"I... Uh," Gideon grappled for the chest of his tank top and eyed his bag playfully. He began to grope for it as if to insinuate that he was due to leaving, "I just remembered that... I forgot something at home."
"Oh, stop," Kepa stabbed with a cute smile as she balled her damp cleaning rag and lazily tossed it at Gideon, he grunted a happy laugh and caught it as the two sagged, "I'm just pulling your leg."
"Which one?" Gideon dared, Kepa stiffened and gaped in unadulterated, embarrassed terror, though Gideon was now the one to fully erupt into excited laughter.
"Gideon!" Kepa squealed in full, nervously giggling annoyance.
"I had to turn the tables, sorry, I hate being put on the spot, like that," Gideon's deep voice ushered playful staggers of laughter he hardly had control over. Kepa cutely squealed a quiet little noise to herself and covered her face with the shrug of her shoulders, though it was here did Gideon understand that the both of them were desperately trying to figure out just what page they should land on. Gideon cleared his throat, softened his disposition, stepped into Kepa's bubble and so gently wrangled her into a loose hug, "Hey, alright, let's... Let's set something straight."
"What," Kepa whispered in exasperated, mental exhaustion, and although playful, her eyes almost desperately peered up into Gideon's as she loosely let her arms drape about his lower torso.
"Look... I may be naive sometimes, and... I may act like I'm oblivious to a lot, considering this is my very first romance, but," Gideon sighed as he trailed off, his eyes patiently assessed the adorable choppiness of Kepa's bangs. His bigger fingers carefully brushed the few strands out of her beautiful eyes, she peered up to him in a shy downswing, and though Gideon wasn't technically giving her bad news, he still felt his heart begin to thump as he erected a bit of caution tape around his heart. He narrowed his loving gaze and gave her a teasing little side-eye, "Don't think for a second I'm blind to all the flirty invitations you've been aggressively throwing my way..."
"... I really thought I'd have to just give up trying and throw myself on you, sooner or later," Kepa staggered above a whisper, her voice shook in dainty cuteness, she shyly looked off and now began to feel the embarrassment kick in. This was something Gideon was cued to, and in fervent passion to keep her confidence in tact while patiently expressing a boundary, he lovingly tucked his finger underneath her chin and allowed the two proper eye contact.
"I wasn't kidding... I'd be honored," Gideon's voice was deep and quiet, serious and loving, the two held eyes as Gideon did whatever he could to just barely bring the two down a peg without shattering hope, "I can tell that you want it. Trust me, I want it as well..."
"I'll ease off, I'm sorry," Kepa assured, a whisper the back of her throat ushered in continued, tender shyness.
"I'm not giving you a red light, I'm not saying no," Gideon corrected, he gingerly cupped her adorable face in his bigger hands and gently jostled her for emphasis. She blurt a cute, shaky giggle due to this, "We're in a relationship. Sex usually comes along with it. I'm just not ready, right now... And this is when adolescent-Gideon goes home and kicks himself into an oblivion because why the hell would any guy suggest any of this."
Kepa now erupted into trembling, happy laughter as she gripped her tiny hands to the backs of Gideon's. He grinned and cutely pulled her into the loose hug the two previously had each other in. Kepa sighed in giggling understanding and rested her hands to Gideon's broad chest.
"I get it... It's probably too soon, anyways," Kepa sighed, she aimlessly peered to her hands and shook her head, "I think I'm just getting ahead of myself because this is all fun and new to me, but... It doesn't really feel real cause you keep evading me. I'd probably feel the need to slow down, too, had our situation been in the reverse."
"I've had several instances where I could've made it a real thing in two seconds flat, and we probably would've dove right in," Gideon grumbled cutely, Kepa peered up to him in innocent, almost nervous listening, "But, that's... Huge. Especially a trade of coding, I'm just not prepared for that, right now."
"I'm glad we're having this conversation now," Kepa mumbled, she tried not to look too dejected, "I'm sorry I didn't just come right out and ask if that's what you wanted, right now."
"You asked in your own adorable way," Gideon shrugged, he laid the sweetest smile into her eyes, "It was beautiful, unique. It's you... And trust me, I've seen every single one of your advances, I'm cued in."
"You really had me fooled," Kepa grumbled Gideon sneakily looked off and smiled.
"I'm good at masking," Gideon muttered, Kepa rolled her eyes and remained sagged in Gideon's loving embrace as he returned his loving eyes to hers, "I don't think my remote-remark was fair. I goaded you... I'm sorry."
"Yeah, that..." Kepa sucked in a breath through her teeth and was happy the two now suddenly erupted into laughter with each other. Kepa grinned and carried on through her giggling, "Not gunna lie, it confused the hell outta me."
"How?" Gideon furrowed his brow and contained his laughter alongside his wide, youthful smile, "It... Didn't make sense?"
"Well... Y'know what," Kepa firmly pat the center of Gideon's chest, "Why don't we just talk about this when the time's appropriate. I don't understand human male anatomy, but maybe one day you can help me understand."
"... And, in return you can tell me how the hell it could possibly differ from male lion gargoyles," Gideon sharply furrowed his brow and peered hard into Kepa's eyes, to which she sighed and shyly looked off.
"Theirs is short and comes to a point, it's barbed, it induces higher chances for loading bars, sex is over in twenty seconds," Kepa rattled and shook her head, though Gideon squeezed his eyes shut, shook his head in discombobulated shock and peered hard into her eyes upon release.
"I-I'm sorry... Twenty seconds? BARBED?" Gideon choked in shock, Kepa grinned and shrugged.
"I'm praying yours isn't?" Kepa squeaked, she clasped her hands together and brought them to her chin in a praying fashion, "Please say no, please say no, please say no."
"NO!" Gideon erupted into still-shocked laughter as he unhanded Kepa and grappled the shorter auburn hair on the sides of his scalp, "Barbed! What the heck, that wouldn't be fun for you at all!"
"No, it's not supposed to be fun," Kepa shrugged and furrowed her brow in grinning contemplation, to which Gideon sighed in smiling delight and looked off.
"Hooo yes it is," Gideon breathed cooly, he cocked an eyebrow and gave Kepa a playful smolder, "We'll have fun, Kitten. I promise."
"I'll hold my breath," Kepa muttered in embarrassed annoyance as she crossed her arms, though she blurt a giggle as Gideon wrangled her into yet another hug.
"One day, but for now," Gideon started patiently, "I have something I want to tell you."
Kepa popped her eyes open as she sagged the side of her face into Gideon's chest, and though she was almost anticipating Gideon's next move, she held her breath and firmly peered up into Gideon's eyes. She immediately began to inwardly panic, she suddenly felt dread sweep her. Had Gideon actually garnered the courage to tell her that he loved her, here in this moment, she knew she'd either say it in return and mean it, molt outside of her threshold of readiness, or, not return the favor and risk breaking Gideon's heart. Gideon sighed and hovered, baited, as if he knew Kepa was scared here. She felt her heart race, she could feel the fur on the back of her neck stand on end, she felt scared over the fact that she truly wasn't ready for this moment yet. Molting in a big expression, she knew it was surely designated for Gideon, though she bit her tongue and was terrified that all of this was now happening so fast.
"I may not be ready for sex or code swapping, but..." Gideon looked down before he cutely peered into Kepa's eyes, "I do have another power, of mine, that I'd love to introduce you to. I'm nervous to do this, but... I want to open up to you a little more, if you'll have me."
"Ohh. Sure, Giddy," Kepa sighed with a dreamy, relieved smile as she clutched her chest. Although she'd love to exchange 'I love you's between her and Gideon, she held her breath and knew she needed more time to feel truly ready to come into her own, to molt into an entirely new evolved form, a huge deal for her species. Gideon smiled and innocently peered into her eyes as she tried not to act way too exasperated by all of this, "I'd love to know what else you could do... Does it involve your coding? Being able to easily access it on your skin like you showed me last time?"
"I guess you could say that, yeah," Gideon bobbed a nod and looked about the light house's common room, as if to wonder just where they could go so he could demonstrate. He craned his neck and looked over his shoulder, to the huge, gaping entrance to the tower's inner spire, Kepa's climbing area, "Paired with my manifestation skills, I guess."
"Show me," Kepa whispered sweetly, she stood to her full height and cutely pushed a firm kiss into Gideon's cheek.
"I think your tower will do fine, for this," Gideon mused as he peered down into her eyes, he softened and gave her a humble smile, "Thanks for... Well, hearing me. For continuing to be patient with me."
"Hey, you're not going anywhere, I'm not going anywhere," Kepa droned as she gestured between the two, "Who knows, maybe in five year's time, we'll move on from first base."
"Five years," Gideon repeated in playful mocking as he rolled his eyes, he gripped Kepa's hand and began to press towards the open, airy entrance to the lighthouse's spire, "Maybe three."
"Gideon," Kepa complained as her voice clipped the sudden, sheer height difference of the ceiling as they stepped into the spire, their cute, shared laughter echoed to the skies above.
