bsumone | ❝ spring for flirting but fall for the untamed delicious wild things ❞

There it was. The dumping he'd been waiting for. He closed his eyes to make sure none would get in his eyes then shook his head off before grabbing his mate to pull him onto his lap and nuzzle him. "Hmmmm...between leaves and you... I always pick you!"

He grinned then kissed his cheek, wrapping his arms around him so he could cuddle him.

"I'll see about getting some leaf piles for you at home though. It's really cute when you play in them."

Elyas squeaks in surprise when Silvio pulls him down and almost instantly tries to wiggle himself free of the wolf's grasp. As nice as this is, he's not ready to be held and restrained by Silvio just yet. Not when there are leaves right there, just waiting for him. They're just waiting to be crunched and rolled around in. Just waiting to make all of their fun sounds.

"I'm not crunchy like leaves though."

He turns just enough to pluck a stray leaf out of Silvio's hair, one that managed to last through the wolf's shaking. While it appears to be a kind gesture, the fox just crumples it in his hands and tosses it up into the air with the express purpose of trying to get it back onto Silvio. He couldn't get his thrown leaf confetti on him before, but he certainly can now!

"I was already starting leaf piles at home. But you threw them out."

"I just put them outside."

He didn't mind the leaves continuing to fall on him. It made Elyas happy, after all. And there were plenty around to keep his little fox occupied for a good while. So he smiled as he let his mate do whatever made him happy, content to hold him while he did.

"The leaves are still where you can get to them. I never throw away anything that's you care about."

"That's what I said. You threw them out."

Elyas turns his back to Silvio once more and grabs a leaf from the ground, this one having far more life left in it than the last. It's still moist and pliable. It's a vibrant yellow and not yet showing any signs of decay. There isn't a single dry, brown spot to be seen. Though it obviously won't for too much longer, it even still smells fresh. A perfect autumn leaf. He grabs one of Silvio's hands and presses the leaf into his palm.

"I bet you would've thrown out the leaf in the cupboard if you found it before I told you about it." Even though he went out of his way to separate it from the rest because it's clearly quite special to him.

"Maybe I did find it and left it because I was curious." And because there was only one leaf. Mostly though it was because he hadn't found it yet and that meant he knew exactly which cabinet it was in. So he'd find it when they got home and then make sure that precious leaf was preserved. Maybe even help his mate to hang it on the wall in the bedroom to help make that space more for him too.

Noting the leave in his hand, he gently felt it with his fingers before lifting it up to sniff it. Fresh still. Likely just fallen. No dryness.

"Describe it for me? What color is it?"

"Mm no. I don't think you found it." Maybe he did, maybe he didn't. Maybe he found it and decided that maybe there was something special about it since it wasn't just stuffed under the mattress or the couch cushions. Or maybe he did find it already and thought it was just a stray leaf that was accidentally separated from the rest. Or the start of a new pile the fox was making in the cupboard. Which would probably be all the more reason to throw it out. Signs of a future pile of leaves covered in dirt and bugs in the cupboard with the dishes.

Though it's sounding like whether the wolf really found it or not, it may still actually be there.

Eylas takes Silvio's hand to better guide it around the leaf. All along the edge and over each one of the veins, carefully so as not to even wrinkle the little leaf.

"I'm not familiar with what kind of tree it's from but you can probably feel that it's sort of teardrop shaped. Like a fat teardrop with jagged edges. It's yellow. Like the sun. Do you remember what the sun looks like?"

Relaxing his arm, he let Elyas be the one to guide him, feeling every detail that he showed him of the leaf. He had to admit that he wasn't familiar with what kind of tree this was from either yet he really liked it. A fat teardrop with jagged edges. The description made him smile because he could picture the shape in his head as his fingertip moved along the edge.

Yellow like the sun. "Right now I remember. Sometimes it's hard for me to because it's been so long. Is it a really bright yellow then?"

Once he's satisfied with how much of the detail Silvio has felt, Eylas takes his hand and lays it on top of the leaf. Silvio has already smelled how little decay there is on the leaf so now Elyas wants him to feel it. Not a single dry spot. There's actually not a single rip or tear in the leaf either. A perfectly healthy leaf that would have lasted a long time had the season not decided it was time for the little leaf to fall.

"Bright yellow. Like the sun. Especially the kind that a child might draw. Oh! Or like a sunflower. A sunflower is a much better comparison!"

Still filled with moisture. It wasn't dry yet. That was nice. He smiled as he felt it. Such a perfect laugh. "Beautiful."

He tilted his head a little, just to listen to how Elyas described the leaf, how he talked about it, the shift in his tone. He loved it. That joy in it. "A sunflower. I love it. This is a beautiful leaf. We should find a way to preserve it for you."

Elyas allows Silvio to enjoy the recently deceased, but still pristine leaf for just a little while longer before he decides that's enough. The wolf's time with his leaf has come to an end. Elyas gets his hand in under Silvio's, between it and his new leaf, letting the wolf feel as he traces it himself. Allow Silvio's hand to cover his as his fingers follow the edge of the leaf then run over all of it's many veins.

"Humans preserve things all the time, don't they? They seem to like keeping things around for an unnatural amount of time. So how do they do it?"

His hand was larger than Elyas' but he didn't use that size to block his mate. Instead he just tilted his head and felt him move over the leaf, enjoying the way those fingers moved under his hand. It was almost like they were guiding him somehow and he really enjoyed that feeling.

"There's a few ways. You want to preserve the leaf as it is right now as best as possible right?"

Once he's sure he's given every part of the leaf the attention it well deserves, Elyas lifts his hand and, in the process, Silvio's as well. Exposing his precious leaf once again to the elements. Allowing him to once again see his precious leaf in it's full glory. If only Silvio were able to see it as well. Elyas likes to think he's gotten pretty decent at filling in for Silvio's eyes, working in tandem with the rest of his mate's senses, but it's not the same. It'll never be the same.

A powerful nine-tailed fox with all that entails, and he can't do anything about his wolf's eyes. He hates that!

"That's a silly question. Of course I do. So tell me how."

"Pressing it will probably be the best method. We place it between two flat objects and have something heavy on it. After a time you have it preserved and you can put it in a frame."

It meant he'd have to stop in town to get the supplies like the glass and the frame but that was fine. He'd gladly do that so that Elyas could keep seeing the leaf in their home. Let it be one of his prized things that would never turn to dust. Silvio wanted to do that for him.

"I can go into the city to grab what we need to do that if you want."

"All of the things that humans have come up with over the years and one of the best methods they have for preservation is to just press something between two heavy objects?" And yet he likes the idea of it. It's uncomplicated. It sounds like a good way to keep it from being damaged. There likely won't be another to replace it with after this. Not until next year. Not one that looks so lovely.

Carefully, Elyas picks up the leaf and sniffs it, then holds it up to look at it from a different angle. It really does look so alive and smell so fresh. He wishes he could preserve its scent as well, especially through the winter months when the smell of nature is no longer quite so prevalent, but at least he'll get to see it in their home.

"I want to go into the city with you. The chances that we run into the hunters are pretty small, right? And I can hide myself in case we do run into them."

"Sometimes the simplest way is the best way."

Hearing him sniff the leaf, he decided that when they got back it was time to show him the surprise he'd gotten for him. A candle that smelled like the autumn leaves. Silvio had been impressed by how accurate the scent was so he was sure Elyas would enjoy it. But he'd wait to reveal that to him when he could light it. Let him smell it and wonder where the scent came from.

Oh he wanted to come to the city with him? Silvio broke into a bright smile. "Yes. Very small. And I'll be able to get us out of there before they can think to do anything. I can keep you safe."

"Mm sometimes." Sometimes humans actively try for simple solutions. Sometimes they just appear simple because they came from a simpler time. Sometimes humans just got lucky with a lazy solution. This time, it's just simplicity that works. Something that humans have done for a very long time now and have seen no reason to change it. How very not human-like of them.

Elyas looks up at Silvio with that bright smile on his face, then sits up a little taller so he can press his nose to Silvio's face, right next to the corner of that beautiful smile. "I can keep me pretty safe too you know. Your fox is no ordinary fox." He softly kisses that same corner of Silvio's mouth. "Humans are usually pretty easy to trick. I could probably change my hair colour and go unnoticed." And yet he's not gone into the city before because he worries that maybe the hunters are a little more perceptive than the average human. He did kill their friend. Maybe they remember more about him than others might.

"You're very clever and resourceful. But as your mate and you as my pack? I'm going to keep you safe."

He nuzzled that nose a little. Elyas was so sweet now that he was used to him. Now that they were mates.

"We'll go together and find the perfect materials for your leaf."

"That doesn't mean I can't help you with it. I don't have to make it easy for them to spot me if they're around." Yes, he's a shapeshifter and could conceivably change his entire appearance to go completely unnoticed by the hunters, but it's difficult for him. He's out of practice shifting into any but this form. Well this and a regular looking, single-tailed fox. But that's simple.. Changing smalls parts of his appearance has never been a difficult skill to maintain. Fox or human.

"We go home first so I can put the leaf somewhere safe, then we go into the city."

Now that Elyas is no longer quite so skittish around the werewolf, he now feels able to show him who he really is. He's not so standoffish anymore. He's not keeping his distance both emotionally and physically. He no longer feels the need to fiercely protect himself from the large predator. He's growing more comfortable. He can allow himself to be sweet with Silvio. It's nice, feeling like he can relax now and let his guard down.

❝ spring for flirting but fall for the untamed delicious wild things ❞

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