'cause wings are made to fly

He isn’t surprised to see the deep lines of concentration fanning out from the other raven’s eyes — Muninn was always considered the overthinker between the two of them, the only one, aside from Odin, truly capable of keeping Huginn in line.    ❛    THEIR WORD, NOT MINE,   ❜   he makes sure to point out with a nonchalant shrug of his shoulders. It’s not as though the word itself is an important factor in their decision to copulate. Nothing is more important than Muninn’s compliance. If this is something he’s curious enough to try, then Huginn absolutely refuses to stand in the way of his desires. But he supposes he’s also at fault for permitting such curiosity and want to cling to him — impossible as they are to shake free of.    ❛    HERE, IN PUBLIC?   ❜   He asks, only half-serious. His body may be human, but he doesn’t possess their delicate sensibilities; voyeurism and indecent exposure may seem like a serious offense to most, but Huginn doesn’t see it that way. He is first and foremost a raven, and as such, he believes that gives him leeway to do as he wants. 

And then Muninn’s teeth close around his fuller, bottom lip, and a shiver overtakes his body, goosebumps rippling across his skin as he unconsciously follows Muninn’s retreat, hungry for some nameless thing that must have been building for awhile.    ❛    CAN WE?   ❜   He breathes, not at all referring to the park he mentioned before. He’s far more interested in surrendering to this rather intense feeling — something that has to be human in nature. How can it not be when this is his first time feeling such an intense hunger for something he can’t even put a name to?    ❛    CAN WE, PLEASE?   ❜   Hopefully Muninn will know what to do — since his oddly dazed mind can’t seem to come up with the right answer.

he is ever quick to shift the blame, thus SHIRKING the idea of taking responsibility for one’s words and all but passing it to the next person like this torch he’s overheard a few humans comment on. but that’s part of huginn’s charm; his almost childish outlook in all he does. he’s been that way for as long as muninn has known him, which is frankly long considering it was odin himself who breathed life into their crow counterparts, assigning them the role of messenger — and even though they took their jobs about as seriously as they could, it was usually muninn who had to PROPEL huginn along their designated path of flight. even without their wings, their roles reduced to practically nothing — it’s reached a point that he doesn’t even know what to do with the life he’s been given — that part of huginn hasn’t changed, and it eases his mind quite a bit to know that whatever the humans have done to them hasn’t irrevocably altered their bond in any way.    ❛    i’ve heard that public displays of human affection are frowned upon,   ❜    he SAYS, the warmth of huginn’s breath inducing a tingling sensation in his lips and intensifying his hunger. he wants another taste — and a better chance to savor it — but acting on his desire now won’t make the situation any better. fact is — he would much rather do it in a more private setting, which would at least give him free reign to do what this human body desires.

sonny stared hard at the other man. “are you ok?” his question didn’t express any care, but more wanting to know information. what noises? is this guy insane? should i leave? “the only noises that are irritating are the coffee machines, and even those you can drown out.” 

❛   i’m fine. why do you ask?  ❜   muninn REPLIES, his brow crinkling in confusion — before he smoothes it out using the first two fingers of his right hand; ironically, the region around his forehead is where most of the pain has concentrated.   ❛   the buzzing and whirring sounds, i can handle. but since i can barely hear them over them ...   ❜    he makes a wide gesture with his arm to encompass most of the coffee shop, hoping it will offer enough of a visual aid to make his point.   ❛   they think so loudly. it’s like they’re trying to drill a hole in my brain.   ❜

▎ refocusing the picture with nimble fingers, jin-woon snapped a couple shots, hoping that out of the few he snapped, at least one would emerge victorious — or at the very least, passable. he would have shot a few more if not for the deep baritone that suddenly sounded to his right. lowering his camera, he offered the stranger an affable smile. investigative work? not quite. but he supposed he could understand why he’d mistaken his current task for spying. “no, no — i just like taking pictures of people and things in a natural setting,” he answered, genuine in his love for photography. “they say a picture is worth a thousand words, but i’m actually aiming for five thousand.” at minimum. in his opinion, a picture wasn’t worth much if it couldn’t tug on one’s heartstrings in one way or another.      but then, as if just realizing what the other male had alluded to, a curious frown grazed jin-woon’s lips. “are you … not human?” now that he thought about it, this one didn’t give off the feel of a human. strange how he hadn’t noticed before.

he isn’t SURPRISED that his guess was a little off the mark. can’t really blame a man for knowing nothing about cameras or the different ways they can or will be used ... can you?     ❛    why? what do you find so enjoyable about it?    ❜     he ASKS, more than just simple curiosity piqued. will he feel that same kind of enjoyment if he takes the camera in hand and snaps a few pictures? will he even know how to obtain the desired results? since he doesn’t know how to operate one, it’s very unlikely.    ❛    five thousand words? how? is it possible?    ❜    strange. he’s just full of questions today, which isn’t like him, especially not when a complete stranger is involved.

sonny cocked his head slightly to the side at the other man’s strange response. “what do you think? you banged into my table!” he asserted, his voice harsh towards the other man. “it’s not that loud in here buddy, you can hear me perfectly, unless you’re completely deaf.” sonny barked, his anger rising with every passing second. 

❛   did i ?  ❜   rubbing the corners of his eyes with his finger and thumb, muninn GLANCES from the other man to the table, noticing that it’s moved from its original position — then sighs.  ❛   so i did.  ❜  he says nothing more on the subject, however, already focusing on the stranger’s next words. not that loud in here? his ear holes must be caked with mud, then.  ❛   yes, it is,  ❜   he contends, resolute in his assertion that the noise level is steadily increasing, well beyond his ability to ignore.      ❛   so many voices gathered here — all clamoring to be heard. how can you not hear them? i wish i had your luck.  ❜

    “I TRY,” he graced the other male with another one of those irritatingly smug smirks, curious see if maybe, just maybe, he could provoke some kind of reaction — far different than the one he was determined to show — out of the man. But, at the same time, he wasn’t so oblivious that he couldn’t see the pain in his eyes. Whatever was wrong with him … Well, it had to be somewhat bad to give him such a pale pallor. “WHAT’S SO BAD ABOUT THIS THAT YOU’D BE TEMPTED TO LEAVE ONE DIMENSION FOR ANOTHER?”

wishing to be left alone to wallow in this pain that so often threatens to drag him under, without having to concern himself over questions he could care less about, muninn GLARES at the other male, hoping he’ll understand the gist of what he’s saying without the words to accompany the facial gesture. 

but no such luck.   

When he said it like that, she couldn’t help but wonder if he’d taken a bit of offense at her offer of assistance. Some people were like that, finding such offers completely unnecessary, even slightly self-centered - as if she made the offer for her own satisfaction. But if he’d known her pre-Stratox, he would realize just how genuinely helpful she was striving to be. Perhaps this was her subconscious attempt at making up for all the lives she’d ruined as a goddess. 

But that too could be looked at as a selfish act to make herself look or feel good. 

“Are you sure?” Artemis asked, not meaning to sound like the busybody he accused her of being - but considering the circumstances, was it really that unusual of her to make the offer in the first place? “Busybody or not, only an unfeeling person would ignore another person in pain.” - although that seemed to be the norm for mortals. She’d noticed the way many had bypassed him altogether on their way to their destination, not even bothering to look in his direction. “But if being a busybody offends you, I apologize.” Even if she didn’t mean it.

why won’t she just LEAVE him alone? she should’ve gotten the message by now — should’ve decided not to get involved when he clearly doesn’t want her to. but busybodies tend to follow the beat of their own drums, ignoring all else. how lucky is he to meet one on one of his more ... intolerant days? damn the voices and the throbbing pain they inflict upon his head.  ❛  i’m sure.  ❜  an EMPHASIS on the sure. anything to get her to go away.  ❛  or just ... cautious. extending your hand to a complete stranger is dangerous. you don’t know what they’re capable of.  ❜   even for him — if violence proved a help in quieting the voices, muninn might’ve done it for a temporary peace of mind. that's how badly it hurts.  

— Curious despite the irritation welling up in his chest, threatening to spill over into his every thought, Zaid EYES the stranger with a faint kind of vexation, not enough to prompt violence or hostility on his side of things but strong enough to convey his annoyance. “What do you refer to then if not verbalization?” He RETORTS sarcastically, placing his hands on his hips as he continues to regard him in a negative light befitting that of a nuisance. “Do you, by chance, hear voices in your head? Quite the quandary, that is.” It’s a simple explanation — if insanity is, indeed, at FAULT for whatever situation this odd creature has found himself in. 

considering the ramifications of ignoring the other male’s question, muninn finally relents after a long moment of deliberation. curiosity is often stronger than any emotion, which makes it hard, maybe even impossible, to conquer without assuaging it.  ❛  yes, ❜   he REPLIES nonchalantly, inwardly struggling to compartmentalize a pain that doesn’t seem willing to disappear. at least then it’ll be somewhat manageable. but of course that would be the fair thing to do. too bad this world lacks fairness.  ❛  they’re loud and obnoxious, indifferent to the consequences that arise from the torment they unleash upon me every day,  ❜  

      OH ho! Cleverness, such a wonderful, appealing trait. It was the perfect antidote to sarcasm — but only if Lucien let it be. And today, he wasn’t in the mood to let anything slide. “NON,” the demigod countered, a faint playfulness about him that provided a rather obvious hint regarding his future, conversational contribution. “THAT EIGHTH STEP WILL CARRY YOU ACROSS THE THRESHOLD INTO A NEW DIMENSION, SPACIOUS AND CURRENTLY UNINHABITED.” An exaggeratedly delighted smile pulled at his lips, exuding just a trace of amusement that couldn’t be concealed. “YOU’LL GET A WHOLE DIMENSION TO YOURSELF. DOESN’T THAT SOUND NICE?”

an impulsive, easily offended individual may TAKE one look at that smile — more smirk than smile, let’s be honest — and sock him in the face, explaining with actions rather than words how unamused he is. but muninn is the opposite of impulsive and easily offended, which is why he doesn’t feel slighted in the least or even inclined to respond with violence.  ❛  cute,  ❜  he MUTTERS, determined not to let the pain temporarily cripple him as it so often tries to do. he supposes it helps that he’s grown quite accustomed to living with it in the years he underwent cruel, perverse treatment at the hands of humans.  ❛  iif there was even a smidgeon of truth to what you just said, i’d accept it in a heartbeat. anything had to be better than this.  ❜ 

Growing up together, practically entwined — almost as though they’re one entity — Huginn has always viewed Muninn as his other half. You can’t have one without the other. And even now that they’ve been given these human bodies to do with as they please, he still sees the other half — of his beating heart, perhaps even his soul — whenever he looks at Muninn. They were originally an extension of Odin, their thought patterns identical to the point that they knew what the other was thinking and feeling without having to say a word. And this new existence forced on them — not quite human but not quite shamanic spirit either — doesn’t change that or the connection they’ve always shared. 

So naturally, before Muninn can even bring up the topic of love and sex, he’s already mentally configuring the best answer to give him, one that will satisfy them both. Because as creatures with bodies designed to mate, it’s bound to happen sooner or later.

❛    I HEAR THE EXPERIENCE IS COMPARABLE TO A HIGH — CAN’T SAY I AGREE OR DISAGREE, SINCE THE ONLY HIGH I’M EVEN REMOTELY FAMILIAR WITH COMES WITH WINGS AND A FRIENDLY GAME OF CATCH-ME-IF-YOU-CAN,   ❜   They used to play that often whenever Odin sent them on errands. Lightly brushing the tips of his fingers against the other raven’s cheek, Huginn moves back just enough to take a gander at the expression on his long-time companion’s face. He has a feeling there’s more than just dubiousness behind Muninn’s comment.   ❛   WE COULD GIVE IT A TRY IF YOU’RE THAT CURIOUS.   ❜    The idea itself holds a certain appeal. The closeness of the act — and its intimacy —  is homogeneous to their bond. If it manages to bring them even closer, then all the better.

❛    I DIDN’T MEAN TO,   ❜   he hastens to assure the other male, patting his shoulder with his free hand to add credence to his claim.   ❛    IT JUST KIND OF HAPPENED THAT WAY, BUT!   ❜   A quick interjection, in which he leans forward to rub his nose against Muninn’s.   ❛    WE COULD HIT UP THIS PARK, RIGHT? RIGHT? IT’S NO BIG DEAL. LET’S DO IT.   ❜ 

it doesn’t SURPRISE him at all when huginn answers his question before the words even have the chance to leave his lips. they’ve been together long enough that such actions are expected; more than that, they’re anticipated — when the day comes that they fail to completely and utterly understand one another through nothing but eye contact and a mind link, one of them will have died ... because that’s the only way a failure of that caliber would have occurred. there’s an even higher chance of one following the other into the afterlife, considering how closely BONDED they are. but such dark thoughts have no place in their current conversation.

❛   a high?  ❜   a line, one of deep contemplation, begins to form between his thick, dark blond brows as he absently LEANS into the gentle but fleeting caress, a low humming, melodious in nature, erupting from his throat at the contact. it’s been so long since he felt the urge to sing, the avian trait a troublesome thing. as a bird, even a shamanic spirit, behavior classified as avian can be seen as normal. but as a man? it takes on a strange cast, making one wish to avoid it. and yet huginn isn’t the type to push him away for instinctively falling into the same pattern as before when he was muninn the bird and not muninn the man. but then huginn suffers from the same problem, which in turn gives them yet another thing to bond over. perhaps that’s why their bond is so strong. their situations are identical, and they understand one another so well that they could probably switch bodies and still manage to live similarly as the other — with none the wiser.   

❛   i wonder if this purported high is the same ... i can’t deny a sort of curiosity to find out for myself.  ❜  cats may be thought to be curious creatures, but birds aren’t all that far behind on the curiosity meter.  ❛   am i wrong to assume you feel the same way?  ❜   waiting only until after huginn touches the tip of his nose with his own, muninn nips affectionately at the other raven’s bottom lip, unashamed to admit he’s not above feeling attraction for his avian companion.

If he was trying to provoke a complete stranger into some kind of negative reaction … Well, it wasn’t working, at least not on her. “Are you all right?” Artemis asked softly, taking notice of the way his brow wrinkled. “Should I contact someone for you?” It was the best she, an unrelated bystander, could do in this situation.

at the woman’s concern-filled question — if she’s feigning worry, she’s doing one hell of a job of it — he WAVES away her suggestion.   ❛   don’t bother. it won’t change anything.   ❜    he supposes he can ask her to contact huginn, but since he doesn’t know where the other raven has gotten off to — and they don’t exactly have a means to contact one another outside the mind-link they share — he figures it’ll be pointless to try.   ❛   you’re the busy-body type, huh?  ❜   he ARCHES an eyebrow, quite confident in his perception of her.

“In a public place in the heart of the capital of sin?” The girl quipped, her brow cocked as she side-eyed her company “I think you’re shit out of luck”

it’s irksome how right she is — frustratingly so. having this large of a crowd around him essentially means that despite wishing otherwise, he’ll hear every, little, pointless thought that tumbles through their minds.   ❛    i don’t like being cooped up.   ❜   he RESPONDS coolly, explaining away his refusal to leave when quiet is the very thing he seeks.    ❛     i had hoped i’d find somewhere with less ... noise ...    ❜   rolling his shoulders to relieve the tension, if not in his head then at least in the rigid set to his shoulders, he continues,    ❛    but my luck has always been shit.   ❜   or maybe he just enjoys being the one who complains about everything.

It comes easy to him, this interesting thing called human affection — the only thing about being a human that does. But Muninn’s reaction to his chaste kiss wrings an amused chuckle from lips that produce more sounds than a beak is capable of making.  

❛   POINTLESS DRIVEL,  ❜   he remarks with an irritated shake of his head, indifferent to the looks their embrace draws — some judgmental, some curious. Humans and their useless, trivial thoughts … When will they learn to suppress them?

No wonder poor Muninn’s head hurts all the time.

Placing his chin in the crook of Muninn’s neck, Huginn presses even closer to him, relishing this nice feeling of companionship. 

❛   OH, I’VE BEEN HERE AND THERE. THIS CITY’S INTERESTING.  ❜   It’s interesting enough to warrant a thorough exploration.  ❛   THEY HAVE THIS RIDICULOUSLY TALL, HUMAN CONTRAPTION THAT MAKES YOU FEEL LIKE YOU’RE FLYING. IT’S AMAZING.  ❜   The sensation one undergoes as they soar through the air always is.

finding COMFORT in the other raven’s presence, muninn unconsciously rubs his cheek against huginn’s, the thick spread of bristles tickling his skin. it reminds him a little of odin’s beard — just not as thick or as full.  ❛  all she wants is for her husband to pay her the attention he so readily gives their neighbor.  ❜  he DISCLOSES calmly, as if reciting the words directly from a passage in a book. 

that particular thought is the most prevalent one in the human’s mind. but at least he no longer has to listen to her sniveling voice. huginn has made sure of that.  ❛  do you think love and sex are really all that great to have so many humans constantly obsessing over them?  ❜  animals mate, true enough, but that’s one function they were never EQUIPPED with. it isn’t necessary for shamanic spirits to engage in mating rituals, and as a result, they aren’t saddled with the chore of continuing their species. 

and it must be a chore, since so many humans find fault in it.

This pain is something Huginn has long since familiarized himself with, the psychic bond he shares with Muninn allowing him to feel what the other raven does. And that’s why he doesn’t bother letting the male know what he intends to do. 

Chances are Muninn already knows. 

Such is one of the many perks of sharing a bond on the mental level. 

Leaning forward, he presses his lips against the throbbing temple of his long-time companion, casually draping his arms around Muninn’s waist as he waits for the pain to subside. The wait isn’t very long, but throughout its duration, he hums quietly, a sound that vibrates in his throat — a trait he picked up long ago, as a method to soothe ruffled feathers.

❛  HAVE THE VOICES STOPPED?  ❜  he asks after awhile, giving Muninn’s waist a gentle squeeze to show that he’s not alone. He’ll never be alone again.

leaning back into huginn’s loose embrace, muninn allows his eyes to drift closed, content in the peacefulness the other raven’s presence brings, but when he feels the gentle press of lips against his skin, his eyes POP open to reveal stark surprise. he’s no stranger to huginn’s affection, spending most of his time flying through the skies of midgard with him by his side, but a raven’s wingspan away — but that was as a shamanic spirit. human affection is marginally different.

❛  for the time being  ❜  he ANSWERS dispiritedly, crossing his arms as he tilts his head back to regard huginn with complacency, indifferent to the prospect of falling prey to their irritating, yammering voices again.  ❛  where've you been?  ❜

    FIVE minutes of quiet? Was that even doable? Clucking his tongue in thought, Lucien gave an exaggeratedly sad shake of his head and leaned toward the younger-looking male, hand lifting to cup his mouth as if about to impart an important secret. “YOU KNOW, I’M BEGINNING TO THINK IT IS.” Quietness seemed to be such a commodity nowadays. 

    “BUT I BET IF YOU TAKE EXACTLY EIGHT STEPS IN THAT DIRECTION — ” He gestured with a wiggle of his fingers in the opposite direction, far too amused to take this unexpected encounter seriously. “YOU’LL FIND YOUR PEACE AND QUIET.” 

sarcasm practically oozes from the man. any other time, muninn would answer sarcasm for sarcasm, but since his head feels like it’s on the verge of splitting open, he can do nothing but GRUNT at the fact that someone obviously finds this situation amusing. huginn’s about the only creature on the surface of this planet who can get away with dousing him with sarcasm — certainly not this man.  ❛  why eight steps? will the earth open up and swallow me whole once i take that eighth step?  ❜  he FROWNS, irritated, wincing as the noise grows steadily louder with every thump of his heartbeat against his chest. jeg får lei av dette.