Chapter 25: Homecoming.
Riss was utterly amazed at the welcome she received from the people of Runs's village, she'd expected them to be utterly terrified of her but they just weren't, nervous and a little cautious yes, but scared?
Not at all it seemed.
No sooner had they been led into the village itself and the gates closed behind them than the whole village turned out to look at the strange newcomers in their home, Riss noticed children peeking out from behind the legs of their parents curiously looking at her and indeed all of them with wide eyes, in fact, it didn't take long for one of the braver ones to break free of their mothers grasp and to run right up to Visa of all people.
It was quite a sightseeing the small human boy standing looking up at the huge female deathclaw while she stood staring at him curiously as well, she must have seemed like an utter giant to the boy who couldn't have been more than five years old, he was dressed in what looked like traditional deer leather clothing with a small pair of mocassins on his small feet and his jet black hair was tied at the back with an assortment of beads and strange-looking ties while two large bangs constantly swished across his face making him blow them out of the way.
Everyone froze solid like they fully expected the huge claw to either snatch him up and devour him in a single bite or swipe him clean in two with her wicked claws, but instead, Visa simply leaned down and with a single hand gently plucked the little human from the ground before placing him on her back where he sat atop on of her spine with his arms wrapped around her neck.
"Hold tight little one I don't want you to fall," Visa said in the softest voice Riss had ever heard her make, undoubtedly Seven had heard her speak softer in their nest together but everyone else just got deep growly Visa.
The boy squealed with utter delight and clung tightly to the neck of his mighty claw steed as she rose back to her full height, Riss could actually taste the worry washing off his parents in waves as they stood wringing their hands silently praying for their child's safety.
But they needn't have worried for a single second, little did they know that Visa was a human loving claw and would never ever raise her hand in anger to a child of any race let alone the one she had fallen so deeply in love with.
"Get the feeling I'm getting a rare glimpse of mamma Visa right here" Seven chuckled softly patting his big claw girl's long right arm and she shot him a look that quickly morphed into a sly grin.
"Indeed you are my human and I must say these little creatures are delightful, I expect you to give me many of them of our own," she said grinning as everyone could practically feel Seven paling under his armoured helmet, but never one to back down from a challenge Seven as if feeling all the eyes upon him simply puffed out his metal-coated chest and nodded.
"Well I can but try," he said and Visa's grin widened.
"Indeed we can my human, practice makes perfect as you humans say and we will practice vigorously until we get it right," she said making her brother snort a laugh.
"What the hell have you done to my sister Seven, can't ever remember being this bold or forthright before?" Ven said and Seven just shrugged.
"Simple dear brother, he showed me who I truly am and made me accept it, now I am who I am meant to be and I am with who I am meant to be with, no more need for masks or pretence, I honour my male as he honours me and I care not one shit who knows I love him or who knows he loves me because I am proud to stand at his side and call myself a human lover," she said proudly puffing out her chest and standing tall making her little jockey squeal with delight as he got even higher moving to sit atop her shoulders now and gripping onto her horns.
Ven glanced at Gregory and slid an arm around his slender shoulders, "Amen to that sister, amen to that" he said feeling Gregory hug his side unashamedly.
Riss let out a happy little hiss and flicked her tongue at the group happily, she could taste the joy in the air radiating from the two large claws, their pride was a truly heartwarming thing to see and in such a public setting no less, it made her very hopeful that her own human would be just as proud to stand at her side as both Seven and Gregory stood at the sides of the ones they loved.
In fact just as she was having such a happy little daydream Runs returned to her and grabbed her hand making her jump slightly having not heard him approach, he gestured for her to follow him and then did the same to the others, it seemed that Visa's little gesture to the brave boy who was still riding on her shoulders had quite the effect as now she and Ven were utterly surrounded by a group of them all trying to get either a claw ride or just to be able to touch such mighty creatures.
The pair had to be very careful where they stepped as they waded forwards through the group and when Riss glanced back at them it seemed to have spread to both Seven and Wisp as well as Seven now had one on each huge shoulder pauldron and one on the back of his head while Wisp was beginning to look like a bus with some many of them hanging onto every surface as she rolled forwards.
Runs led them through the village which was made up of a large collection of large tent-like structures shaped like large upside-down cones made from what appeared to be leather covered with both intricately woven leaves and grasses, with a wooden skeletal structure giving it both strength and flexibility from within.
Riss assumed this gave them both flexibility and possibly mobility as well as she figured that with skilled hands such structures would be rather easy to erect and take down allowing the whole tribe to relocate their village quickly should the need arise.
As they followed Runs Riss's swivelled her head left and right constantly, taking in the sights, sounds and smells of her beloved human's home, other than those gathered around them she could see the tasks that people had been hard at work on, from hunters carefully preparing their latest kills for the pot to feed the people, to gathers having brought in a harvest of various herbs for both medicine and food which sat in woven wicker baskets in neat rows around preparation tables.
There were even tanning racks where skins had been stretched and were now trying to be turned into a whole host of things like clothing and covers for the buildings, they even had a rather primitive blacksmith who had a little forge and clay smelter to turn any ores the tribe found into anything from tools to weapons, the place just seemed so full of life and purpose.
Riss and the group were presented to a group of four, two women and two men with a fifth standing behind the group and by his sheer presence Riss could tell that he was the man in charge around here, his clothing was covered in a great variety of what appeared to be trophies like bones and little skulls, not to mention an array of beautiful feathers that had been woven together to form beautiful rainbow-like plumage across his shoulders and in his hair.
"These are honoured elders and chief of the tribe, Fights-Many-Bears, he earn his name chasing bears from our lands and saving the people" Runs said proudly then he turned and said something to the elders in his native tongue and Riss swore she heard her name being mentioned and to her sheer delight Runs took her hand in his and held it seemingly very proudly before the group.
The chief stepped forwards and fixed Riss with a stae that seemed both challenging and thoughtful, Riss felt her heart starting to beat hard and fast in her chest and she had to fight the urge to deploy her camo and scamper off to hide in the village somewhere under the intense gaze of the powerful leader but Runs squeezing her hand and fixing her with a warm smile gave her the strength to endure.
The chief turned his curious gaze to Runs and noticed the pair holding hands, he said something to Runs and Runs nodded and said something in what sounded like a proud voice to Riss, "What doessss he asssk my love?" she asked and Runs looked at her.
"He asks if you are my woman because we hold hands I say yes, I tell him that I is proud to stand at your side as you claims me under the stars to be yours and after yous saves I's life it is yours by right but that I is happy to stand proudly at yours side," he said proudly.
His words made her both happy and somewhat conflicted, she didn't want Runs to feel obligated to be with her because she had helped save his life, she wanted him to be with her because he loved her plain and simple, she would have to speak to him in private when she got chance.
The chief seemed rather confused by this and spoke to Runs in what sounded a bit of a harsh response but judging by the equal harshness that Runs responded to him it sounded like he was defending her honour, something that got proved a moment later when to Riss's utter surprise Runs turned around grabbed hold of her head and pulled her down to his height before sticking his whole tongue into her mouth right in front of everyone causing more than a few gasps of shock.
Riss utterly melted as she felt her beautiful male's tongue roaming around every single inch of her mouth, when he finally pulled away he turned and fixed the chief with a defiant stare, the chief stepped up to Riss and looked up at her before speaking.
"He asks if you a spirit of our people truly love I" Runs translated and Riss looked between them before fixing the chief with a defiant stare of her own.
"I am no sssspriit but a flesssh and blood female who ssssimply lovessss her male, I do not care that he issss different to me in either sssspeciesss or appearance, he issss mine and I am hissss, I claim him because I love him not becassssue he owessss me anything, I want him becausssse his issss beautiful to me, it issss that ssssimple" Ris said defiantly both for the chief's benefit and for Runs, she wanted her man to know in no uncertain terms that he owed her nothing and all she wanted was his love, end of story.
This seemed to touch Runs's heart and his face broke into a warm and bright smile as he translated her words for him and the chief seemed genuinely surprised and impressed by them, then he turned to the rest of the group looking between them with a mixture of curiosity and surprise like he was just seeing them for the first time before fixing his hard stare on Seven before speaking.
"He asks you to remove armour so he can see you" Runs said and Seven nodded before his armour opened like a metal flower and he stepped out so they could see him.
Instantly she chief's face set into a hard scowl and he spoke again and Runs spoke back at him in an equally hard and defiant tone, "What's he asking?" Seven asked.
"He asks why I bring a white man here, I tell him you is good, that you and friends save our people for no reason other than is right thing to do," Runs said never taking his eyes off the chief, that's when Seven did something incredibly surprising to all of them, he took a knee right in front of the chief and the elders.
All of them looked at him in wide eyed surprise and curiosity as he did, "Honoured chief and elders we do not wish to impose on either yourselves or your good people here, we met your beloved tribal son Runs-With-NightStalkers in the place you call the city of dead white men while we were passing through, the super mutants whom you call green skins had captured him and his beloved sister Soars-With-Eagles and although we were too late to aid her we could not simply walk on by and leave him to the same fate so we intervened, Runs told us of the plight of your people and we agreed to help because it is the right thing to do and because we are in need of a guide, so a fair exchange nothing more our aid and strength for his skills, expertise and knowlage, not to mention our NightStalker friend Riss here is in utterly in love with him and to pull him from her arms after her soul has called out to the void and spirits for someone who would see her not as a monster but as the kind and gentle woman that she is for her whole life and he is the first and only one to answer her, but if you are not welcoming of our help then we will leave in peace but we will ask for your permission to take young Runs with us because tearing him from the arms of the woman that loves him and whom he loves would be a fate worse than death itself" Seven said with Runs translating for him.
The chief stared at Seven in true and utter amazement, then he turned and looked at Runs, then Riss then the whole group one by one, both claws stared at him proudly their gazes never even wavering for a second, in fact, Visa went one step further and stepped up behind him and embraced her male and showing both the chief and everyone else gathered just who that man belonged to.
The chief looked back at Runs and spoke to him and Runs became very animated but finally, things seemed to settle down and it seemed that the chief had reached some kind of decision, he began to speak addressing Seven directly.
"The chief is surprised that a white man would come here to us and show not only respect but honour, he thanks yous for your actions in saving not only I's from the green skins but our girls from the white legs, he accepts your offer of help and he thanks you for it, he opens our village and our arms to you, he also thanks Riss for protecting I's and instructs I's to love her and protect her like a proud and noble man of Dead Horses always should and I's tells him that he has no fear that Riss will always be loved as long as I's heart and soul is in this world and even when it is in world of the spirits" Runs said proudly smiling at Riss during that last part and making her heart flutter.
Suddenly there was a lot of yelling and whooping near the gates which caused the whole group to spin around and face the gate, "What's happening?" Visa demanded.
"It is white legs! They come to attack us!" Runs exclaimed.
Seven's face darkened and he stepped back into his power armour, "Runs get your people into cover everyone else on me, Wisp spin up your guns we're going to show these fuckers what happens when they fuck with us!" he snarled and he heard a high pitch set of double whines coming from her arms as Runs ushered the kids that had been hanging all over her to safety.
"Way ahead of you Seven let's show these murdering, raping fucks what happens when you mess with our friends" she snarled.
Seven rushed towards the now-closed gate and peered through the gap in the wood, above him on the ramparts men and women with bows lined up ready to defend their home, there were about twenty armed men on horseback gathered in front of the about a hundred and fifty feet from the gate, they weren't even attempting to hide.
"Riss take Visa and Ven and loop around these fuckers, sneak up behind them but stay in cover until the shit really hits the fan, I don't want any cute tails getting shot off I'm rather partial to Visa's and it just won't be the same not having to try and sneak a peek under it if it's not there," he said and Riss nodded, Visa growled deeply and gave the aforementioned tail a mighty swish before leaning in and pressing her forehead to his.
"Stay safe my male because if they harm you I will have to kill their entire tribe with my bear claws and teeth" she growled.
"Same here my sexy alpha," he said and then just like that the three non-humans slipped around to the side of the village and leapt over the wall into the thick bushes and out of sight.
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Seven took a deep breath and motioned for the gate guards to open it, they looked at him like he was crazy but the chief nodded and they obeyed, opening the gates and letting Seven and Wisp step out ready to face their new enemy head-on.
The riders on horseback seemed more than a little surprised to see both Seven and Wisp flanking the chief who had accompanied him as he headed out to meet them, Seven could see them exchanging worried glances as both of them trained weapon on them, though to be fair Wisp's guns were just a little bit more imposing than Seven's single laser rifle.
The chief called out them in their native language and the leader responded with obvious anger and hostility in his voice, then he turned and addressed Seven directly.
"Why you here white man? This is nothing to do with you, we here to avenge brothers killed by these people" their leader snarled in a heavily accented voice.
"You mean the murdering, raping scum that we killed while they were trying to snatch two innocent girls from here? Yeah, that was us, not them, so I'd say you have an argument with us then don't you?" Seven replied watching as three rather large shapes silently slipped out of the undergrowth and then took up positions behind the horsemen in the cover of the bushes.
"That was you white man? You kill eight of our brothers?" the leader exclaimed sounding incredulous.
Seven nodded, "Yup that was me, you see and feel free to call me crazy here but I just have this real problem with rapists and with murders, especially when they target children, just I dunno really sets my wild side loose, so if you came here looking for vengeance or reparation here I am, take your best shot, but let me first warn you that if so much as one of you lifts a bow, none of you will leave here alive and that goes for any so your so-called dog shit brothers who come anywhere near this place from now on, you see me and my friends guard these people now and if you try to harm them, you will answer to us," Seven said angrily.
The leader snarled and spoke to his people in his language quite a few of them laughed indicating to Seven that he was being mocked, "You think that tin suit and that puppet will be able to protect you from us, white man? We are the White Legs! And we rule these lands! We take what we want or who we want, when we want and you cannot stop us" he snarled lifting his bow.
"Wanna bet?" Seven said and with that, he lifted his hand.
The leader flew off his horse and into the air hanging like a puppet from invisible strings before the other riders, the other riders began to shout and yell aiming their bows at Seven but he was utterly unfazed, he knew the arrows wouldn't even nick the paint let alone hurt him, though he could still see a rather cute tail swishing about angrily from a bush as Visa tried to restrain herself from attacking till he gave the signal.
"I give you all one pass, just one and only for one very simple reason, you take a message to your leaders and you tell them this, the Dead Horses are protected now, you come here, you die, now repeat what I just said to your riders so they understand," Seven said menacingly to the leader who was flopping about in the air trying to break free of his invisible grasp.
He did as he was told and the riders looked between the man and Seven, "Did he tell them?" Seven asked Run who had now appeared next to him and was looking wide-eyed at him, he nodded his head.
"Yes he tells them," he said.
"Good, now allow me to show you what happens if you don't listen," Seven said and with that, he closed his hand.
A wave of power shot forth from Seven and the grip of the man tightened like was suddenly caught in an ever-shrinking invisible box, he began to wail and scream in pain as his bones crack and splintered, the riders began to yell and scream and wave their bows around but not before Seven with one last squeeze crushed the man down to the size of a coconut letting out a bellowing roar as he did in part to combat the incredible pain in his skull from the effort, but to them, it would sound like pure rage.
He dropped the gooey dripping mess that had once been their leader right in the lap of what was obviously his second in command and fixed him with a rage-filled stare through his visor, "Don't come back" he snarled and Runs repeated his words in their language.
It worked beautifully, without another word the riders turned tail and fled as fast as their horses could carry them, Seven leaned on Wisp for support as his head pounded like someone was hammering a nail into the back of his skull, "Holy shit Seven, don't you think that was a little too far?" Wisp asked sounding concerned as she rotated her metallic head to look at him.
"Honestly I was wondering that myself but then I thought about what those bastards had planned for those two innocent girls we pulled out of their clutches and then I thought it probably wasn't far enough, there's only one language people like that understand and it isn't words and threats, its action and promises, now they've seen with their own eyes what we are both capable and willing to do to protect these people, now the choice rests with them, they either heed the warning or they come at us with everything they have" he replied straightening up as Visa and the others appeared from the bushes and Visa instantly grabbed him upon seeing how unsteady on his feet he was.
The chief of the Dead Horses looked stunned and he spoke to Runs who answered him, "What's he saying?" Seven asked as Visa propped him upright.
"He wants to know if you are a shaman or a demon, I tell him, powerful shaman, I tell him that you possess power of great vengeful spirit inside you and you use it to do good" Runs said, Seven thought about trying to correct him but figured it would just take too long to try and explain it, so vengeful spirit would do nicely for now.
The chief led them back into the village and closed the gates behind them, the people began to reemerge and the chief addressed them telling them what he had seen and they all looked stunned for a moment looking at Seven in awe and wonder before they started whooping and yelling in joy, this was obviously the first time they had won a fight with the White Legs without losing a single person.
"You know that the White Legs will want blood for this don't you?" Gregory asked looking at Seven and he nodded.
"Yeah but I'm hoping that kick in the balls I just gave them will set them back just long enough for us to not only help these people shore up their defences but to come up with a plan to put an end to them once and for all, I mean I'd honestly prefer to try and do this without killing if at all possible but I highly doubt that that's going to be an option," Seven said.
"Same but we should look into all-out options before settling on wiping out a people just because we can" Wisp said and both claws agreed.
"Indeed as much as I will lose no sleep over killing bad humans, my love for my good human has changed my mind about their worth and value to this world, if there is but one good human among their number then we should try to save them and that goes doubly for any hatchlings among their number, I will not harm innocents, no matter what," Ven said darkly and Gregory reached up and stroked his big claw boys horns both lovingly and soothingly.
"And I know Seven would never ask you to my scaley lover, Seven is a good man, he would never do such a vile thing even to protect others," he said making Visa nod in agreement.
"Agreed, their village will be filled with such innocents, just like this one is, you saw and felt our grief at the loss of the nest at the train station and I saw the grief in your eyes, my love, you felt the same pain as I at the loss of those innocent young lives, I know and trust that you would never be a part of something so vile," Visa said proudly.
Seven nodded, "Agreed, the village is off-limits, we either fight them on a field of battle away from potential innocents or in defence of this place, if it comes down to it I will find a way to remove their children from any potential harm but I won't let them get hurt, no matter if it costs me my life in exchange, at least then if there is a realm of spirits like Runs said I can stand there with a clean soul knowing that I did my best to protect the innocent" Seven said.
Suddenly the chief appeared again and he seemed to want the group to follow him, they did so and he led them to a group of three Tee Pees in the centre of the village, he spoke to Runs and pointed to the tent-like buildings.
"Chief says these are for you so you can live among us until White Legs are no more" Runs explained Seven turned to the chief and offered him a hand to be shaken, the chief nodded and shook his hand.
"Thank you chief Fights-Many-Bears, we accept your hospitality," he said and the chief nodded and headed off leaving them to it.
"Well, I guess it's two to a tent, well except Wisp you get one to yourself," Seven said stepping forwards and peering into the sparsely decorated simple space of one of the teepees.
"What about ussss?" Riss asked looking at Runs.
"Oh yous will live with I, that is I's home there" Runs said proudly pointing at another teepee a little ways off, "Soars-With-Eagles and I's lived there, now it just I's and you's," he said both sadly and happily at the same time.
Riss obviously sensed his pain and stepped forwards and wrapped her human up in her love, wrapping her long arms around him and her long tail as well.
"Alright peeps let's get some rest eh? Something tells me we're going to need it" Seven said heading into one of the teepees swiftly followed by Visa, Gregory and Ven vanished into another one.
"Think I'm gonna take a roll around the village and get a feel for it, don't exactly need much in the way of rest" Wisp said and she rolled off swiftly picking up a little trail of children as she went like a metal pied piper.
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Runs took Riss's paw and led her to his home, for some reason Riss began to feel somewhat nervous, she had never been invited into the home of another before, let alone the home of someone she loved, it seemed to carry a rather unusual amount of emotional weight with it.
Her tail began to rattle softly and Runs glanced down at it then up at her, "What worries you beautiful one?" he asked.
But honestly, Riss couldn't answer that because she honestly didn't know herself, Runs reached up and placed his warm strong hands on the sides of her face, her tongue flicked out and tasted his wrist, tickling him and making him smile, "Worry not Riss, yous is welcome in I's home, is yous home now too, yous is one I loves" he said softly stroking her face before reaching up and without a single hint of shame or care as to who may be watching, kissed her full on the mouth.
Turns out Runs was a lot sneakier and smarter than Riss gave him credit for which made her feel slightly ashamed of herself because while she was distracted by the kiss he pulled her through the doorway of his home and into the interior.
When they parted Riss realised what he'd done and smiled at him, "Sssneaky human" she said softly and he smiled up at her.
"See nothing to fear loved one, is your home too now, come sit, let me feed you and make you comfortable," he said and her mouth dropped open in surprise.
"It sssshould be me who lookssss after you," she said and he simply guided her over to a large comfy looking padded bedroll that was padded with fleece and soft leather where he sat her down.
"Yous and yours friends saved mys people today, I loves you with all I am, I is your man and a man should take care of his woman, so say the laws of the spirits, so I's will take care of my woman, I's will make Soars-With-Eagles proud to be mys sister and yous proud to be my woman," he said proudly.
Riss just utterly couldn't believe that it was possible to love someone as much as she loved this beautiful man right now, her eyes roamed over his exquisite masculine body, watching his muscles flexing and twisting as he started preparing a meal for her, she watched him light a fire in a deep pit set right into the floor and then start setting up pots to make them a beautiful stew made from prime cuts of venison making her mouth water as the scent of cooking meat coated her tongue setting her tail happily rattling away as it played out her heart's tune.
After their meal was done Riss insisted on cleaning up nearly having to restrain him to stop him trying to help, but finally she got him to relent and she happily washed the pots and pans stacking them back where she found them, she'd had to cross the village to the water pump they'd built and she could see a lot of people looking at her as she walked but none of the looks was either angry or disgusted, more curious and much to her continuing surprise, happy.
Riss slipped into the tent and she found Runs waiting for her with a smile on his face, her tail instantly began to rattle as she looked him up and down, he was just so incredibly beautiful, her tongue tasted the air and she could taste his scent in the air and it lit her heart and her loins on fire oh how she wanted him, how she utterly yearned for him, for his taste, for his touch, tonight was her night, she was going to love and take care of this beautiful man in the most beautiful way.
She couldn't take it any more, he was just too fucking beautiful, quick as a striking snake she shot across the room and swept the startled human up into her strong arms smashing her scaley lips to his warm soft fleshy ones, as his mouth opened to gasp her tongue shot right into his mouth and seized hold of his.
Runs made a soft little whimper noise in his throat that made pure electric thrills run up and down her spine making her tail go crazy, the taste of his mouth and his tongue lit her mouth aflame, the taste of his mouth and saliva was exquisite, she pulled back and looked right into his beautiful milky brown eyes, "I want you sssso badly my beautiful male, pleasssse let me have you tonight, let me sssshow you my love" she said and Runs searched her eyes before nodding.
"I's belongs to you if you wants I then I's is yours to have," he said softly and she smiled but then a thought came swimming back to her.
"Runssss I want to assssk you ssssomthing, do you love me becassssue you believe you owe me ssssomething or becaussse you truly love me?" she asked softly and suddenly a look of hurt passed through his beautiful eyes.
"I's loves you for who you are, yous is most beautiful woman I ever sees in my life," he said sounding hurt.
"I am ssssorry to asssk but I wasss worried, I needed to hear it," she said softly and suddenly Runs lifted her chin and kissed her mouth deeply and powerfully.
"I's loves you with whole heart Riss, you is I's woman and I's is your man, that is all I's needs, it is all I's will ever needs and so much so that when I's people is safe I's will come with yous and Seven where ever yous will go, where ever yous treads I's will be there shoulder to shoulder with yous, I's will be proudly at yous side as yous husband," he said proudly filling Riss's heart with joy.
Infact her heart felt like it was going to burst through her ribs as she felt the true weight of his words hit her, "H-H-Husssband?" she exclaimed in shock and right before her Runs dropped to his knees and held out what appeared to be a beautiful handwoven bangle covered in beautiful hand-polished beads and braided feathers.
"Will Riss be I's wife?" he asked presenting the bangle to her.
Riss broke, her emotions couldn't take such pure joy and tears began to stream from her eyes, she took the bangle and placed it on her wrist before sweeping her beautiful male off his feet and hugging him tightly to her chest as he dangled, "Yesssss! Yessss I will be your wife my Runssss!" she exclaimed and locked him into a deep and powerful kiss.
When they broke he beamed at her brightly, "Soars-With-Eagles made that bangle for I's to present to woman who I's wished to be I's wife and now is yours, now if yous still wants I's, please Riss, make love to I's, I's will be yours and only yours this night and all nights from now on" he said softly.
Riss kissed him deeply and it took all of her strength not to simply tear his clothing from this beautiful man and throw him on the bed before ravishing him, but instead, she chose to gently lay him down, because tonight was going to be a night of pure and gentle love, the way it should be.