#naga!levi

It becomes increasingly challenging to focus on anything other than the man with whom you've formed such a strong affectionate bond. The world around you fades into the background as your attention remains fixated on him and nothing else. In his company, time seems to slip away, and the moments shared together become the center of your universe. With Levi's lips working urgently into yours, little else matters.

It feels like you're a teenager again, caught up in a whirlwind of hormones and an overwhelming, frantic, needy heat. The intensity of your desire is all-consuming, as if your senses are increasingly heightened by every touch and every glance. You love the way he holds you. It's cautious and gentle, yet lingering with an unbridled strength. Even with the length of him wrapped completely around you, the shuddering clasp doesn't feel the least bit smothering. Before, he was touchy for the sake of warmth and maybe more than a small amount of fondness, but now it's as if pulling away from you would pain him. You understand the feeling.

Levi's lips press hard into yours, displaying an endless and heated fervor. The sharp points of his fangs cautiously graze your bottom lip, eliciting a loud gasp from you. Your fingers scramble on his shoulders, swiftly moving to cup the back of his head and intensify the kiss. In response, he moans and sucks hard on your bottom lip, causing his fangs to dig painfully into your swollen skin. The sharp tang of iron floods your senses, but his tongue swiftly emerges to soothe the wound, healing it in the blink of an eye.

He rests heavily on top of you, exerting an all-consuming weight that presses your back into the soft bedding beneath. The sheer warmth and weight of his body render you borderline delirious. Each desperate groan he releases resonates loudly through your head, filling you with an escalating and desperate heat. Pulling away, your lips smack wetly, and a long string of saliva stretches taut between you. "You're getting good at this," you pant, your chest heaving.

Licking his lips, his intense gaze ignites a fire within you, fueling the heat that builds between your thighs. Smirking down at you, his nostrils flare with curiosity. His tail, wrapped around your lower half, spasms and tightens around your hips. "Are you fishing for a compliment?" he teases.

"Maybe," you playfully pout. "I'd like to think I've been a good teacher."

"I'm a quick learner," Levi responds with a huff. Without delay, he closes the distance between you, pressing his lips forcefully against yours, his tongue softly caressing the sensitive underside of your own. Letting out a soft moan, you close your eyes, succumbing to the sensation.

As you dig your nails into the scruff of his undercut, Levi emits a throaty groan, relishing in the gentle pain. Seizing the opportunity, you explore his mouth with delicate laps of your own. Despite his razor-sharp teeth, the rest of his mouth feels velvety and warm. Yielding to your attentions, his jaw eagerly moves in sync with yours. A soft moan fills the space between you, accompanied by his urgent fingers digging into your shoulders.

By now, you have become intimately acquainted with what makes Levi tick. You know every tender spot that causes him to tremble, and how to skillfully swirl your tongue to elicit delightful groans. He enjoys it when you take control of the kiss, sucking firmly on his bottom lip and pressing into his mouth. The underside of his tongue proves to be particularly sensitive, and urgently lapping at it earns you a quivering gasp.

"F-fuck," he curses, groaning your name in a long, breathy rasp. His hips rhythmically move between your thighs, circling against your own in a way that elicits a moan from you.

"Shit," you curse in agreement. That's new. Your thighs tremble as you roll your hips back into his. The sensation leaves you soaked with desire. Levi shudders above you, pressing his forehead against the hollow of your neck. His hips jolt uncontrollably against yours, rubbing against your center in a way that makes you pulse with anticipation. "Levi!" you gasp, unable to contain your pleasure.

Teeth scrape against your neck, causing a sharp and shallow pain that propels your hips forward once more. A warm wetness trails along the hollow of your throat as Levi sucks at the skin above your racing pulse. His hips roll into yours relentlessly, devoid of thought or restraint. With each movement, his tail wrapped around your hips spasms, forcefully pulling you into his thrusts.

"Fuck," you curse, your head rolling back as you gasp for air. Levi's lips work fervently at your neck, alternating between sucking hard and grazing the skin with his sharp fangs, before soothing the spot with the fiery relief of his tongue. As your fingers glide down the length of his back, his muscles quiver and ripple beneath your touch. "M-more," you plead, yearning for increased friction, desperately seeking a bulge to grind against. Grasping his hips, you attempt to angle him so that the seam of your trousers can stimulate your clit.

"There... there... yesssssss," you hiss, feeling the rough friction that still manages to catch your clit just right with each swirl of his hips. With your legs wrapped around his waist, you eagerly meet every frantic jolt of his hips, their strength causing you to bounce. Gripping his hair, you plead incoherently, "Levi. Kiss... I want to kiss..."

Suddenly, Levi freezes above you. He withdraws from your neck, his face displaying surprise and vulnerability in his eyes. Clearly, something has caught him off guard, casting a momentary shadow of uncertainty over his expression. Sensing the shift in the atmosphere, you instinctively reach out, placing a hand on his shoulder in concern. Levi's chest heaves, his nose flaring as his tongue briefly tastes the air. Rising onto his forearms, he flops over onto his back beside you. "S-sorry," he apologizes, his voice rough and shaken.

It feels like it's the first time in forever that part of him isn't touching you. Even the segment of his tail that was wrapped around your waist has pulled away, coiling up not too far from you. The absence leaves you with a sense of loss, and the lack of scales against your skin creates an uncomfortable ache in your chest. "A-are you okay?" you inquire softly.

Beside you, Levi covers his face with his hands. His chest heaves, and it appears that he's struggling more than usual to catch his breath. "Y-yeah, sorry," he stammers, his voice revealing a vulnerability that contrasts with his typically composed demeanor. It's evident that he's grappling with a surge of emotions, his apology carrying a weight that suggests a deeper internal struggle. Licking his lips, he gazes up at the rocky ceiling above. "I... I'm fine."

The dazed and shaken expression on his face deepens your concern, twisting your stomach with unease. Although he has withdrawn before to regain composure, this instance appears more severe. "Was it too much?" you inquire, searching for an understanding of his reaction.

He nods, swallowing heavily. "I-" he hesitates, struggling to articulate his thoughts. Uncovering his face, his heated gaze shifts from your thighs to your face. "I can smell you."

"O-oh," you squeak, feeling a wave of embarrassment sweep over you, causing you to clench your thighs together. Despite the lingering ache from the loss of stimulation, you push it aside. Shuffling nervously, you cautiously meet his gaze. A mixture of anticipation and trepidation swirls within you, creating a flutter of nervous excitement in your stomach. "I- I kind of suspected you could. Is... is that a bad thing?"

"No," Levi responds hurriedly. His nose flares once more, his features darkening subtly with desire and frustration. "It just makes me feel like I might lose control. This... this is new for me. I don't want to push you."

"You're not pushing me," you assure him earnestly, reaching across the space between you to pat his shoulder reassuringly. "I'm in a similar place, honestly. I understand feeling overwhelmed."

"I don't know what I'm doing," Levi grumbles unhappily, his bottom lip protruding in a cute, frustrated pout.

"Neither do I," you reply with a nonchalant shrug. Gesturing vaguely toward his hips, you add, "I'm not even sure how this will work."

Crossing his hands over his stomach, Levi's fingers fidget together in a nervous display, reflecting a blend of anxiety and anticipation. He swallows heavily, his face flushing as his mouth opens and closes several times. "It's possible," he finally says, his voice surprisingly steady.

"It wouldn't matter to me even if it wasn't," you assure him earnestly. Upon hearing your words, some of the tension in his face eases, and a subtle sense of relief shines in his eyes. "I like you. I enjoy our conversations and simply being in your presence. I don't need anything more. This... this doesn't have to change things too much."

Levi's eyes flutter closed, and he lets out a loud sigh. With each breath, the tension in his shoulders melts away. When his eyes reopen, they exude a newfound sense of calm and determination. "I just need to calm down," he explains softly. Rolling onto his side, he reaches across the space between you to pull you close once more. He kisses you gently before playfully bumping his forehead against yours. "Let's talk. Something happier this time, remember?"

"We did get a little distracted," you note with an amused hum. Beneath your palm, you can still feel Levi's heart racing. Tilting your head, you catch a glimpse of the entrance from the corner of your eye. The rugged stone opening reveals a narrow view of the bright blue skies adorned with soft, fluffy white clouds drifting lazily across the horizon. "When did the storm end?"

"It petered off last night," Levi snorts, his fingers drumming an unfamiliar pattern along your spine. His eyes twinkle with a soft gray hue as he chuckles at your momentary lack of attention.

"Doesn't look like much snow actually stuck to the ground," you observe. Although it's difficult to discern through the entrance, you can make out patches of the small meadow's dark green grass peeking through the fresh snow. "And the storm only lasted a few hours. That's a good sign."

Levi hums curiously in response, his fingers idly playing with the edge of your shirt. Judging by the sky, it must be somewhere around midday. The two of you have spent more than an entire day engrossed in kissing and napping, cherishing each other's presence. The book Metal and Glass lies untouched behind you, and you have no intention of opening it again.

"What's your village like?" you ask, your curiosity piqued. Having never left your hometown, it's challenging for you to imagine anything beyond its familiar landscape. The same old farmhouses, plain and weathered with decaying wood, always populate your mind's eye. Longing for change, you eagerly seek to imagine something different in their place. "You've described the area before, but I can't quite visualize it."

Levi points over his shoulder towards the back wall of the cave, using his thumb as a guide. "If you follow the river up the mountain, you'll come across a large circular meadow nestled between two peaks of The Spine. That's where my den is, utilizing the natural barrier of the mountain to shield us from the outside world."

You still find it challenging to envision. Sensing your confusion, Levi continues his explanation. "Imagine a vast open field enclosed by towering walls. The only openings are where the river descends from the highest peak of The Spine and where it flows out of the lower section of the meadow."

You hum in response, your mind's eye gradually painting the picture of a distant white-capped mountain rising high into the sky, casting a shadow over the lush green canopy of The Maw. "I could always see that peak from my bedroom window," you share, reminiscing. "When I was little, I used to trace its shape on the glass. The tip was always so pristine white, sometimes blending in with the clouds... It's amazing to think that you were right there all along."

Levi nods in agreement, a contemplative expression on his face. “I could see your village too, from up above. The view is obstructed from my den, but whenever I was out hunting WildOnes, I could see it in the distance.” He pauses, tilting his head slightly. “Did you know that each of the nine mountains in The Spine has its own name?”

“Nine mountains?” you inquire, surprised. From afar, you could only glimpse the snowy peaks of the smaller mountains as they stretched across the horizon. On clearer days, the jagged rocky ridges and deep valleys would come into view. “I could only see three of them.”

Levi responds with a knowing smile. “The Maw is much larger than it seems. My den is situated between the northernmost peaks, Prime and Skull. According to legend, the entire ridge is said to be the skeletal remains of an ancient colossal snake. My den rests in the hollow cavity where its brain would be. It’s all nonsensical mythology, but some of my den-mates are quite fond of the concept.

Raising your eyebrows, you balk at his explanation, “So we're at the base of Prime?”

Levi nods. “Barely. This cave is at the very bottom of Prime. I'm not sure if it even counts as being on the mountainside. Fuck if I remember half of the other names, but the rest of the winding peaks make up the snake's body, hence The Spine.”

“Sounds like we have quite the climb ahead of us,” you note worriedly. The journey here left you sore enough and it's not like you've gotten a lot of exercise in the last few weeks. You haven't even bothered putting on your boots in days. Already you begin to mourn for your poor feet.

Levi chuckles, a low rumble in his chest. “Don’t worry, we won’t be climbing all the way to the top. Just a bit further up Prime’s slope, there’s a narrow path that leads to my den. It’s not as treacherous as it may sound. I’ve taken that route countless times. If we stick close to the river the incline isn't too bad,” Levi assures you with a confident tone. “The gap between the mountains shouldn't be too much of a problem.”

You nod, trying to picture a big enclosed meadow. The only thing that comes to mind is the hardened grey stone of a dam, rammed straight against rolling hills of lush green grass. “I'm guessing the mountain walls keep you safe from the WildOnes?”

Levi nods, “It makes us difficult for humans to find, too. There's a few other small villages in The Maw. We occasionally trade with them, but we don't always get along. The mountain protects us from those squabbles as well.”

“Other villages?” You gasp excitedly, practically bouncing in place. “There are other villages?”

Levi nods, a hint of amusement in his eyes. “Yes, there are other villages scattered throughout The Maw. Most are sort of remote and isolated. They aren't nearly as eclectic as my den. They vary in size and composition. Some are predominantly inhabited by Naga like my den, while others are home to different magical creatures. Each village has its own unique culture and traditions.”

Your excitement grows, and you can’t help but imagine the diverse communities hidden within the vast expanse of The Maw. “I would love to visit those villages someday. It must be fascinating to see the different magical beings and their ways of life.” He'd mentioned before that his den consists of more than just Naga. What kinds of magical creatures could the other den-mates be?

Levi’s smirk widens. “Oh, I’m sure you’d find them interesting. The Maw is full of surprises. But be warned, not all villages are as welcoming as mine. Some prefer to keep to themselves, while others have a wary outlook on outsiders.”

With your mind whirling at the possibilities, you try to craft a vivid image of a little village based on what Levi has described. In your imagination, you see a picturesque landscape, with a rolling hill adorned by charming little brown houses. Each house exudes a cozy warmth, with smoke playfully spiraling out of their chimneys, hinting at the comforting presence of crackling fires within. The rushing stream carves its way through the heart of the village, its clear waters reflecting the sunlight and providing a soothing soundtrack as it babbles along. Behind the image of the serene little village, majestic mountain peaks loom high ahead, their stony ridges winding to surround the peaceful vista like a formidable guardian. Only ever having seen the peaks from a distance, you can't imagine how massive Prime and Skull must be up close.

Shit. You quickly scrap the image realizing that you'd accidentally filled the scene with farm houses, complete with sprawling fields and barns. “You mentioned fishing.. Do you have any farms? Wheat, cattle, stuff like that?”

“No,” he shakes his head, “Most of us can only really eat meat, so we don't really have a use for crops. And we can't really take care of any animals for three months out of the year. Miche, one of our hunters, keeps some rabbits and breeds them for food, but he always has to release a bunch of them come late fall.”

You frown. Everyone Levi’s mentioned seems to have some designated job to help out the den. “I want to contribute, once I get settled. I’m not sure where I’ll fit in.”

Levi reassures you, saying, “You don’t have to worry about that. After everything you’ve been through, you can just relax and spend time in the library if that’s what you want. A few of my den-mates spend most of their time there.”

“I appreciate that,” you reply, “but I think I’ll go crazy if I don’t move around every once in a while.” The idea of combing through the wide range of new and interesting information in the library is appealing, but your attention span can only stay still for so long. “I know you’ll be out and about dealing with WildOnes. I’ll figure out something to do.”

Levi pauses, his eyes slowly scanning your face as he assesses something in your features. After a moment, he nods, evidently satisfied with what he sees. "If that's what you want," he says. "You're strong and smart. I'm sure someone could use your help if you ask around."

Shifting slightly, Levi leans in and plants a quick kiss on your cheek. It's incredible how quickly he's become comfortable with these small, sweet gestures. Each one sends a wave of excitement through your heart, making it flutter in your chest. "The houses here are probably different from what you're used to," he remarks.

"Bigger, I imagine," you smirk, glancing at the curled expanse of his tail. The thicker part is pressed flat against your back, ensuring that Levi can hold you close. You enjoy it when he does this, enveloping you as if you were a precious treasure to be protected.

Levi admits shyly, "I'm actually on the smaller end of my kind. But yes, most of the buildings will probably seem spacious to you. They're also closer together compared to what I saw in your village. It's a tight-knit community, although my place is on the outer edge, near the river. Some of my den-mates can be... loud."

You interject with a playful tone, "I bet there aren't any multiple stories. I can't imagine it's easy for you to navigate stairs."

Levi huffs, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "I'll take your word for it," he replies, shrugging indifferently. "I'll have to remember to get a chair for you. I purposely don't have one to keep Hange from coming around too often," he explains with a heavy sigh. "But I guess that plan won't work. I bet that menace will never leave us alone."

The casual inference of "us" causes your heart to throb with a mix of excitement and uncertainty. The word lingers in the air, heavy with significance.

Wide-eyed, Levi begins speaking hurriedly, his words tumbling out with a touch of nervousness. "You— we can still have a house built for you, but—" He pauses, visibly grappling with his thoughts, his fingers digging into your hip in a worried manner.

You quickly intervene, soothing him with an eager smile and a reassuring voice. "No, no," you say, "I don't think that will be necessary if you're okay with me moving in. I like the idea." Your words carry a hint of excitement as you express your desire. "I don't think I could bear being away from you at this point."

He smiles softly, a small and gentle upward curve of his lips that matches the ache in your heart. The sight brings you comfort and reassurance. As he speaks, his thumb works a fond circle into your hip, a tender gesture that fills you with warmth. “I feel the same way,” he says, his voice carrying a softness that resonates deep within you.

Yet, a lingering worry persists within you, buried deep in your chest. It’s a thought you’ve been trying to push aside for days, but now it demands your attention. “Do… Do you think they’ll like me?” you ask, vulnerability evident in your voice. “Your friends?” The concern about being accepted by the important people in Levi’s life has been gnawing at you, cultivating a growing sense of unease.

His response comes immediately, a firm and certain affirmation that washes away your worries. “Yes,” he says with conviction, as if he doesn’t even question the thought for a moment. The assurance in his voice brings comfort to your anxious heart. His fingers fiddle soothingly along the back of your head, gently petting your hair, a tender gesture that helps to ease your concerns. “They’ll love you,” he assures, his words carrying warmth and sincerity.

“How can you be so sure?” you ask fretfully. Waving a hand towards his chest then yours, you continue, “And what- what about us? This has to be different..”

Shushing you softly, Levi pats your arm reassuringly. “Listen,” he starts, “Humans and Naga used to coexist at one point. It was a -fuck what's the word- symbiotic relationship. We'd protect you during the warmer months and you'd protect us during the cold months. This-” he mimics your gesture with the flick of a wrist “-this isn't something completely unheard of.”

It feels as if something in your brain has fallen loose, leaving your mind in a state of awe and disbelief. In just a handful of sentences, a profound shift has occurred, shaking the foundation of your reality and stirring a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions. It’s as if the world has shifted on its axis, leaving you reeling and breathless. “How do you know this?” you ask, voice carrying a mix of curiosity and wonder.

“Erwin has talked about it more than a few times,” Levi explains with a noncommittal shrug. “He has a bunch of old books from back then, so many that they don't even fit on his bookshelves anymore. He somehow keeps finding more, making a huge fucking mess with the stacks balanced everywhere around his house. Remember, he’s tried to convince me that we should reach out to human villages. He likes to point towards those as proof that things could work out well.”

Based on your previous interactions, you can guess at the answer, but you ask anyway, “Then…what happened?”

His lips thin into a grim line as he speaks, his words laced with a sense of bitterness and disappointment. “Exactly what you’d expect,” he says, his tone weighted with dread. “Erwin always fails to acknowledge how the story ends, focusing on the more idyllic portion of the tale. Humans eventually learned about the luck our scales could bring them. Things changed immediately. Their greedy natures became apparent in the blink of an eye. The filthy fuckers they-” Pausing, Levi hisses softly under his breath, letting loose a soft curse. “The Naga were thrown in cages, mistreated and farmed. Only some managed to escape into The Maw.”

“Better to run into danger than be tortured in captivity,” you hum knowingly. The choice between facing the perils of the unknown and enduring the torment must've been difficult. You hadn't even been able to contemplate taking that leap, the option had been thrust upon you.

“Exactly. You understand,” he agrees with a solemn nod. “The Maw was even wilder back then, teeming with gigantic Wild beasts around every corner, but they went into the darkness willingly. I don't blame them.”

“Me either,” you respond. “So my ancestors were cruel to yours…”

“Don't you dare apologize,” Levi chides softly in response, knowingly watching your lip quiver. His thumb comes up, smoothing across your bottom lip. “It was hundreds of years ago and has nothing to do with you. You're special. Kind. They were all monstrous pieces of shit, including the ones who kept me in chains.”

“Still…” you warble sadly. Your thoughts are interrupted by a high chirp. The sound is singular and high pitched, quickly followed by a distant echo. Coming from behind you, something small crunches the snow near the cave’s entrance. It's a familiar sound, the rustle of feathers and the flapping of tiny wings. More high pitched twitters follow. “Are those birds chirping?”

Head rising, Levi’s head tilts curiously towards the opening. “Sounds like it,” he confirms.

“This is the first that I've heard them,” you start, excited by the noisy trills promising of brighter days ahead. “It must mean spring is starting soon.”

Levi flops his head back down onto the bedding, emitting a soft hum. He avoids meeting your gaze, instead, his fingers fiddle with the neckline of your shirt absentmindedly. "Is there anything else you want to know?" he asks, his voice hushed with a hint of vulnerability.

"Why do you always do that?" you ask, your frustration evident in the glare you shoot him. "Lately, every time I've mentioned spring, you get quiet or change the subject. What's going on?"

Levi's mouth opens and closes several times, his throat bobbing with heavy swallows. His shoulders stiffen beneath your hands, turning as rigid as stone. “There-” He struggles to meet your gaze as he speaks, his voice filled with a mix of hesitation and anxiety. "There's something I've been meaning to tell you... about spring."

The way his eyes are pinched tight only intensifies the anxiety suddenly surging through you. It looks like dread. “L-Levi..?”

Levi speaks hurriedly, his words stumbling over each other. "I... I usually spend the first few weeks of spring here. I can guide you to the den and then head back. Or... if there's not enough time, you could go by yourself."

“W-what-”

He completely ignores you, continuing forward at a rapid fire pace. “You remember how to get to the river, right? It's just to the west, then you follow that north up the mountain.”

“-What are you talking about-”

“This early in the season, Connie will probably on guard-”

“Levi!” You stop him mid-word, grabbing his chin to force his gaze to meet yours. “The fuck are you talking about? What happens in spring?”

"It-" Levi's voice catches in his throat, his hesitation palpable. He swallows, as if his throat is constricted. The rest of his sentence comes out in a hushed, guarded tone. "It's mating season."

Oh.

Fingers twisting nervously into the fabric of your shoulders, he continues, “I can already feel it coming. That's why- I don't want to push you. This is new and-”

"I'm not opposed," you interrupt, your voice carrying a high-pitched squeak. A mix of embarrassment and excitement flushes your face, and a jittery thrill courses through your limbs. "I... I don't want to leave you all alone here."

He shudders, his gaze avoiding yours as he struggles to find the right words. "Y-you don't understand. It's different. If... if you're here, I'll lose control. I'm afraid that I won't be able to stop myself."

Frowning, you press him further, "So your plan is to send me off on my own into The Maw, and you just stay here alone? What will you do?"

He grunts, puffing out a heavy sigh. “Same thing I've always done. Fuck my own hand until it hurts,” he waves off your shocked gasp. “I’m used to enduring it alone. It's fine.”

“Enduring…” The vivid image makes your stomach clench, arousal flaring between your thighs. “You don't have to.. I-”

Tongue flicking out, his gaze darkens with a simmering heat. Leaning forward, that darkness bores into you like a dangerous, enticing threat. With a blink, some of the heat falls away, worry surging forward. “You don't understand. If- if we fuck during my heat I won't be able to stop myself. I'll mark you. This- this will be permanent.”

Something in your chest stills as you process his words. "Permanent?" you repeat, your voice barely a whisper.

Your pulse quickens, matching the intensity of his gaze in the flickering firelight. His fangs glisten, a testament to his true nature. Levi's voice is low and husky as he explains the implications of a mating bond, his nails grazing the sensitive skin of your neck. "There wouldn't be any turning back," he murmurs, his voice filled with a mix of longing and vulnerability. “I wouldn't be able to stop myself from claiming you.”

A surge of emotions fills your chest, making it hard to find your voice. "Levi," you manage to whisper, your voice laced with both curiosity and a hint of fear. "Is that something you want?"

His expression flickers with a mix of uncertainty and raw desire. "Yeah, I... yeah," he stammers, his cheeks flushing with embarrassment. "I've never felt this way before. It's overwhelming, but it's what I want."

Levi's words hang heavy in the air, his desire and uncertainty intertwining in his expression. Your heart races, the weight of his emotions echoing within you. Gently, you speak his name, your voice filled with a blend of tenderness and yearning. "Levi," you murmur, your fingers caressing his cheek, tracing a gentle line along his cheekbone. The realization hits you like a wave crashing against the shore—you love him. But instead of uttering those three words, you convey your commitment in a different way. "If it's what you truly want," you say softly, "I'm willing to take that leap with you." Cupping his face in your hands, you convey your decision clearly. "I'll stay."

His eyes widen in surprise, unable to believe what he's hearing. "What- you- you want that?" he stammers, his voice filled with a mixture of shock and hope.

You meet his gaze with unwavering certainty. "Yes," you reply firmly. "I want to be with you."

Levi's eyes scan your face, searching for any trace of doubt or hesitation. His mouth opens, but before he can speak, you interject. "Yes," you reiterate, emphasizing your decision. "I'm sure."

A wave of tension releases from Levi's shoulders, and his spirit seems to soar free. Relief washes over his face, radiating like the first rays of dawn after a long and stormy night. You can't help but smile, leaning forward to place a tender kiss on his lips.

"How long do we have?" you inquire, curiosity tinged with eagerness.

Levi's chin bobs forward as he returns your kiss. "Soon," he murmurs, his voice filled with anticipation. "It'll be soon. A week. Maybe even a handful of days." The promise lingers in the air, fueling your excitement for the future.

A sudden surge of anxiety twists your gut like a metal vice. A handful of days... In only a handful of days, you'll be... You've never really thought too much about sex, and your continuing virginity doesn't really rank high in terms of things that actually mattered. Still, it's daunting to realize that there's now a solid time frame until it'll be gone. Until... Your eyes instinctively dart downward, quickly appraising the smooth dark grey scales below his stomach, before bouncing back up to his face.

Seeing your concern, his forehead bumps into yours. He frowns, softly cupping the back of your head. “Are you sure about this? I might be rough. Heats are normally quite.. frantic. I don't think it'll be a nice first time.”

Nervously, you begin, your fingers fiddling anxiously at his shoulders. "I-I've heard that first times can be sort of painful... Could we... would you be opposed if we explored a bit first?" You pause, gesturing vaguely towards his lap. "I'm not sure how you work."

Levi huffs, rolling his eyes, his cheeks turning a bright and rosy pink. The color deepens, spreading to the tips of his ears like glowing coals. His eyes briefly glance down to your thighs, and his tongue peeks out with a short flick. "I... I don't really know how you work either," he admits, his voice tinged with a mix of curiosity and uncertainty.

Laughing softly, you nudge his nose with your own, urging him to kiss you. The playful touch fills the air with anticipation, a gentle spark igniting between you. His eyes meet yours, reflecting a mix of desire and affection. In that tender moment, the world fades away, leaving only the two of you connected by an unspoken understanding. Time stands still, fingers press into your scalp, and soft lips meet yours.

A blazing inferno ignites, passion filling the atmosphere with an electric charge. He sighs into you, lapping softly into your mouth with an urgent heat. Just the hot slide of his tongue is enough to have you moaning, all of your senses narrowing in on nothing but him. The intensity consumes you, melting away any inhibitions and flooding your senses with a wave of desire. Every touch, every breath, fuels the raging flames filling your blood, leaving you with an undeniable yearning for more.

“Levi,” you groan into his mouth, lips not even breaking away from him. Somehow, you've ended up on your back. Levi hovering over you, one forearm pressed to the bedding beside your head, the other hand softly cupping the base of your skull. It's like he's been let loose, suddenly wild with a need he's been holding back for too long. He's everywhere, both skin and scales wrapped tight around you. “Fuck.. Levi.”

Moaning your name, he shifts to tug urgently at your top. Even in desperation, the touch is gentle. The sharp points of his claws pull up the bottom hem, only barely grazing your skin. “Can I explore you?”

Gasping, your fingers scramble across the smooth porcelain of his back. “N-not that i'm opposed but w-where's this coming from?” His hips jolt roughly into yours, cutting off the thought and sending your mind spiraling into buzzing arousal.

“Want you,” he breathes with a hot gust of air. Lapping at the pulse of your throat, sharp teeth graze your skin in a short delicious pain. Rolling his hips, he shifts so that the seam of your pants perfectly catches your clit. “Your scent has been driving me insane.”

It's harder and harder to think with every roll of his hips. The grip he has on your hips tightens, pulling you to match his steady thrusts. His fingers wander beneath your shirt, teasingly dragging along the small of your back. Sharp teeth graze your earlobe followed by a hot gust of air and a heated whisper, “Can I?

“Yes,” you moan. “Take it off.”

The next thing you know your upper half is bare. Pulling away to sit upright, Levi's intense gaze lingers on your bare skin, darkened with a mix of desire and reverence. The weight of his stare feels like a gentle caress, making your heart race in anticipation of what is to come. The intensity in his eyes speaks volumes, conveying a profound appreciation for the vulnerable moment shared between you. It's as if time stands still, his throat bobbing in anticipation.

Trembling fingers drag curiously up your torso. Grey eyes locked with yours, another heavy swallow follows as his nails slowly skim up along your skin, towards your bare breasts. “Soft,” he says breathlessly. “You're so soft.”

He looks astonished, jaw dropping with a shuddered gasp. Cupping your right breast, the way he holds you is almost devout. His thumb skims a cautious circle around the tightened peak, making you moan openly.

Surging forward, Levi’s lips crash into yours with revived intensity. Heated, the lip lock has lost all finesse, quickly growing sloppy as his hips reestablish their rolling thrusts. He drinks in all of your little noises, filling your throat with his own eager groans of excitement.

For what seems like an eternity, Levi slides his tongue against yours with an intense, heated fervor. Too soon, he abandons the kiss, lowering his head to bathe the column of your neck in sloppy wet kisses. Trailing further down, the occasional sharp sting of teeth makes you gasp, head falling back onto the bedding. He takes the opening greedily, sucking little marks into your exposed throat with a pleaser moan.

Lowering his head, Levi's breath washes over your chest in a hot gust, causing goosebumps to rise along your skin. The warmth and proximity of his breath sends a shiver down your spine, heightening your senses and igniting a delicious anticipation within you. He kisses you, each touch soft and quick, starting with your collarbone. Then, with an irresistible magnetism, he moves a bit lower, planting another delicate kiss. The rhythm continues in an endless staccato, creating a symphony of sensations that sends shivers of pleasure cascading through your body. Each kiss is a tantalizing tease, building a crescendo of desire that leaves you yearning for more.

The next kiss lands right at the center of your chest, his lips pulling teasingly at the skin there with a long wet suck. His heated gaze remains locked with yours, unyielding and intense, as if trying to convey a thousand unspoken desires. It's thrilling, filling you with a rush of exhilaration and burning anticipation.

Resting the side of his head heavily on your belly, he gazes up at you with pure heated adoration. The pink of his tongue peaks out, lapping softly at the underside of your right breast. You jolt, “Ahh, Levi!”

“Your skin tastes so good,” he tells you in an awed breath, swirling his tongue higher and higher along the peak. Sucking at the rounded curve of your right breast, his teeth leave a small mark in their wake. “I could bathe every inch of you with my tongue.”

"It's just sweat," you pant, your fingers threading into his hair as you try to pull him upward for another kiss. The intensity of the moment, coupled with the heat between you, has beads of perspiration forming on your skin.

“It's you,” he breathes into your skin, his words tinged with a mixture of awe and reverence. The heat of his gaze, intense and unwavering, is fixed upon your face, causing your mind to spiral and your thoughts to stumble and falter before they can fully form. “I don't think I'll ever get tired of you. Your taste. Your voice. Your smell. Your heat. Everything.”

His words are dizzying. Tugging harder at his hair, you beg mindlessly, “Kiss..kiss..” Resisting your pull, his tongue swirls a slow circle around your nipple. Pure sensation floods through you and suddenly you can't tell up from down. It's as if reality narrows, the hot press of his tongue becoming the entirety of your world. Keening loudly, you immediately switch to thoughtlessly pulling his head closer to your breast. “More, Levi. More!”

"So sensitive," he murmurs against your nipple, the warmth of his breath sending shivers down your spine. His lips graze your skin with wet, featherlight kisses, tracing a path of tantalizing sensations just around the hardened peak. After what feels like an eon, his lips enclose around the hardened bud, tugging urgently at the sensitive skin with a satisfied hum.

"God, fuck!" you gasp, your head falling back. You're forced to pinch your eyes tightly shut as a sharp surge of pleasure and pressure shoots through you. Every nerve ending tingles with the intensity of the sensation, overwhelming your senses and leaving you breathless. It's so much. “Good! Shit, Levi,” you cry nonsensically, “Don't stop!”

Digging your nails into his scalp, the pain only urges him to suck harder, his forked tongue swirling quick circles into the bud. Pulling away with a wet smack, you whine airily in protest of the loss. The sudden shock of cool air against your heated skin has you aching. Levi's thumb quickly comes up to the abandoned bud, working warm and dizzying circles into the oversensitive peak. Delirious, you chant, “Ah- aaah! Levi. Too much! It's too much!” The touch is almost overwhelming, sending a jolt of conflicting sensations through your body. You're torn between wanting to squirm closer, seeking more of the pleasure it brings, or pulling away, overwhelmed by the intensity.

Your hips jolt uncontrollably, bumping hard into his abdomen. He grunts in response and in an instant the thinnest portion of his tail comes up to encircle your waist with a surprising strength. It holds you in place, anchoring you to him with a firm grip that prevents your hips from continuing their thoughtless churn. His scales are smooth and cool, a distinct contrast to the warmth of his skin and the heat of his gaze. Shivering from the extra layer of sensation, your fingers skirt across the smooth scales.

You can’t help but voice your need, the urgency in your voice evident. “Levi… I… I need…” you trail off, your voice filled with longing.

“Soon,” he responds, his voice laced with heated desire. The word hangs in the air, fueling the intensity between you, promising that your desires will soon be fulfilled. His gaze locks onto yours, burning with a dark and primal promise. “I'm still exploring.”

Turning his head, he treats your left breast with the same amount of care as he did the right. Slow and patients, he matches the same pace as before, starting out by sucking at the fatty underside of your chest. The process unfolds achingly slowly, every moment drawing out the anticipation as his lips slowly move up. Levi’s darkened eyes remain locked onto your flushed face the entire time, you can feel the heat of it burning into you even as your eyes fall closed. “Shit,” you gasp, trembling in his grip. This time, he sucks at your nipple with a fevered pressure, his thumb working dizzying circles into the abandoned bud. Sharp teeth graze the peak, resulting in a deep shudder that sends your back ramrod straight.

It feels as though every nerve in your body has been struck with lightning, igniting a fire that races through your veins with a fevered intensity. Every lap of his tongue echoes straight through you, burning all the nerve endings straight from your torso to your thighs, making your clit throb in a painful need. Desperate for friction, all you can do is squirm in his grasp, your hands clutching onto his head as you pull him closer, craving more of the electrifying sensations he’s stirring within you.

Humming in satisfaction, every little noise he makes vibrates through your skin. The sound is hungry and desperate. Every heated exhale and muffled moan that escapes from his lips fuels the fire within you. Abandoning your chest with a soft pop, Levi looks down at you, his dark eyes drinking in your flushed face with a potent mix of satisfaction and burgeoning lust.

Repeating his actions before, Levi's lips leave a trail of soft and quick kisses as they continue their adventure downward. One after the next, they trace a winding path across your stomach, igniting a fluttering sensation within you. The intimate attention causes your abdomen to clench in anticipation, a mix of nerves and desire intertwining. Tugging hesitantly at the band of your pants, he asks, “This next?”

“Please,” you beg, already wiggling your hips up to help remove the garment. You're so wet, you can feel the slickness leaking along your upper thighs. You don't think you've ever been so aroused in your life, not that you've had a lot of free time to explore.

Soon enough, you're completely naked beneath his gaze. Levi pauses, his gaze fixed on you, his expression filled with curiosity and perhaps a hint of surprise. His piercing eyes bore into yours, as if searching for something beyond your words. The flickering flames cast an eerie glow on his scales, accentuating the enigmatic aura that surrounds him. His thumb shifts, working curiously into the meat of your inner thigh.

You’ve never felt so bare. His eyes flicker from your face to between your thighs, his face contorting with a perplexed expression, as if he’s trying to decipher something. His tongue flicks out, tasting the air around your simmering heat. Dark grey orbs drag slowly along your folds, the sharp points of his nails digging into your skin in a surge of anxiety. Mouth dropping open, his chest heaves with an unsteady breath.

Beneath his curious gaze, a surge of nerves flares to life, electrifying your every fiber. Squirming in his grasp, you involuntarily clench your thighs together. Anxiety surges through your heart with a frantic beat, its rhythm matching the racing thoughts in your mind.

Seeing your nerves, Levi's fingers work soothing circles into your thigh, his touch offering a comforting reassurance. His gaze flicks up to assess your face, his eyes heavy with intensity as they drink in your anxious features. With genuine concern, he speaks softly, "We can stop if you want."

The softness in his expression causes your heart to skip a beat, a rush of affection and tenderness flooding your senses. With sincerity, you assure him, "No," your voice filled with earnestness, "I want this." Your chest surges with relief, catching anxiety lingering in his own features. “I want more. Please?”

He smiles at you softly, his eyes reflecting warmth and understanding. Without hesitation, he leans forward, closing the distance between you, and presses a quick, gentle kiss to your lips. Levi's gaze lingers on your body, specifically the cleft between your thighs, a mix of curiosity and fascination evident in his eyes. "You have hair here too," he notes, his voice filled with genuine awe.

“Y-yeah,” you stutter, heart thudding as you watch his fingers prod curiously at your folds. His heated gaze dances back and forth between your soaked center and your flushed face, nose flaring. The touch is inquisitive, delicate and gentle, his fingers tracing the strands with a careful curiosity.

Using his finger and thumb, he spreads you wide, the petals of your labia falling apart with a sticky wetness. The curiosity in his gaze bleeds into open hunger. “So wet,” he coos, sliding a finger through the slickness in a dizzying wave of sensation. You jolt thoughtlessly, pressing into the teasing touch. Eyes burning with lust, he locks his gaze with yours, emanating an overwhelming heat. He watches your jaw drop with burning anticipation, his eyes fixed on your reaction, as his fingers prod into the wet heat of your folds. In a heated voice, he asks, "Is all this for me?"

His tone is filled with a mixture of disbelief and desire, as if he can hardly believe that the extent of your arousal is because of him. You bob your head nonsensically in response, hips jolting uncontrollably. Words fail you in this moment, but your actions speak volumes, confirming that yes, all of this is indeed for him.

His touch is too soft, too gentle and both too low and too high. The pads of his fingers are slowly dragging along the spread petals of your labia, a dizzying tease that makes your hips wiggle against the tight clasp he has wrapped around your waist. Whining loudly, you throw your head back, churning your hips thoughtlessly in an attempt to move the touch upwards. Tugging at his right bicep with desperate strength, his name leaves your lips in a needy plea, the sound laced with desire and urgency. “L-Levi, up- higher- touch me higher!”

"What do I do?" he asks, his eyes wavering up and down your body. Licking his lips, the swell of his throat bobs in a heavy swallow. His voice carries a mix of uncertainty and anticipation. "Show me," he pleads, his desire evident in both his words and the way he looks at you. He's eager to learn and explore, ready to follow your lead and fulfill your desires.

Swallowing heavily, your fingers skim down, trailing along the soaked petals of your labia. Gathering some slickness, you shudder beneath his heated gaze. “Here,” you rasp, swirling a smooth circle into your clit. “Little circles, like this.” Watching you with eager anticipation, his fingers tighten their grip on the meat of your thigh.

Impossibly, the intensity in his gaze grows, his eyes locking onto your movement with unwavering focus. It's as if nothing else exists. The weight of his gaze sends shivers down your spine, surging the liquid heat filling your veins. It's a potent mix of curiosity, longing, and a hint of vulnerability, all encapsulated in the depths of his captivating eyes. The ache within you intensifies. Every fiber of your being yearns for his touch, for the connection that promises to unravel the depths of your desires. Your voice trembles with need as you plead, “T-touch me. Levi, please! It’s not enough…”

“I will. Don't worry, I will,” he says, voice filled with determination. Bringing his hand up to his face, Levi brings the sharp talon of one of his claws between his teeth. The pointed tip presses against his teeth, and he applies pressure, his fangs sinking into the hard surface. With a firm bite, he snaps off the pointed end, spitting it out into the distance. The process repeats as he bites off the tips of his other claws, determined to remove all the sharp tips on his right hand.

“Wha- what are you doing?” you ask, your voice filled with a mixture of surprise and confusion, as you try to make sense of his actions.

Once Levi finishes biting off the sharp tips of his claws, he takes a moment to examine his fingertips. His gaze lingers on the now blunted claws, their appearance resembling human nails with rough rounded edges. As he looks at them, he offers an explanation, “Don’t want to hurt you.”

"Oh," you breathe, your voice catching in your throat. The sight of his dulled claws evokes a mixture of gratitude and tenderness within you. It's a sweet, thoughtful, and considerate act, one that resonates deeply in your heart, causing it to throb with affection and appreciation.

Just as you'd shown him, his fingers quickly slide along your cleft to gather some slickness, before carefully prodding at the swollen bud throbbing above. His heated gaze bounces between watching his fingers work and observing your features as they twist with pleasure. “Like this?” he asks, voice uncertain.

The combination of uncertainty and desire in his voice sends a shiver down your spine. You nod eagerly, encouraging him to continue, your voice laced with anticipation as you affirm, "Yes, just like that. Don't stop."

Two of his fingers work a quick tempo into your clit, moving in tight and fast circles in a way that leaves you clenching. As you gasp and quiver, his tail tightens its grip around you, ensuring your hips remain still as his touch sends waves of pleasure coursing through your body. Nails digging into his shoulders, you suddenly feel empty. “I can feel you throbbing,” he notes excitedly. Sliding his fingers down to gather more slickness, the rapid pace shifts to match the hot pulse of your clit.

“Fuck,” you manage, blinking hazily. You've played with yourself plenty of times before, both out of a healthy mix of boredom and curiosity, but nothing your own fingers did could ever measure up to this. Chest heaving, you pant his name in an urgent plea, “Levi -it's ah- Levi!”

"Yeah," he breathes, his voice oozing with an excessive sense of satisfaction and composure. While your mind seems to unravel at the seams, his voice remains steady and deep, with just the faintest quiver. "What do you need?"

“Inside,” you urge him breathlessly with a desperate jolt of your hips. Digging your nails into his shoulders, you tug at him urgently. “Put them inside.”

Stopping the attention at your clit, he prods the pad of his finger along the rim of your entrance. The tip barely presses in, a dizzying teasing pressure just past the ring of muscle. Licking his lips nervously, his voice trembles as he speaks, “Here?”

“Yeah, yeah,” you nod, chest heaving with exertion and anticipation. The atmosphere between you is so oppressively hot and sticky that it's challenging to catch your breath. Seeking stability and leverage, you curl your toes behind his back. Your digits make contact with the slick coolness of the scales at the base of his spine, sending a shiver of excitement down your spine. Using the contact, you lift your hips, urging him forward with a needy whine, “Levi, please!”

“Shit,” he gasps, watching the digit disappear into you with stunned awe. His jaw falls slack, revealing a mix of surprise and disbelief as his finger wiggles curiously in your depths. “You feel so-” It's as if the ground beneath him has crumbled, leaving him momentarily speechless. Slowly, he regains his composure and steadies himself, pulling back before pushing in again. Then again, filling you with a slow and steady rhythm.

Overwhelmed by the sensation, your head lulls back into the bedding’s soft embrace. Eyes fluttering closed, you can still feel the burning intensity of his gaze on your skin. You can almost feel the weight of his eyes as they traverse your face, tracing every contour and line with an intense, eager heat. “Levi,” you moan loudly, peeling your eyes open to meet his fevered gaze. Your hips jolt, fighting against his grip to meet every thrust in short, abated swirls. “s’ not enough,” you manage to tell him, tongue heavy and voice slurred. You quiver, clenching down around as the digit works a curious circle into the over sensitive skin. “More! Gimme one more!”

“You're so tight,” he breathes, voice filled with awe. Speaking to himself, you can barely hear the words in your daze. They're hushed and quiet compared to the loud roaring in your ears. “Will I even fit?”

Dazed, you only process his finger pulling away, leaving you empty and aching. Nodding nonsensically, you beg, “Please please please! Need it! Need more!”

Eager to appease, a second digit quickly joins, twisting into you in an urgent rhythm. It's a bit of a stretch, but the pressure is delicious in a way that makes your toes curl. You're so slick that each ingress is an easy, gentle slide, filling the air with a filthy wet squelching that makes your ears ring and your heart hammer a thunderous beat.

His fingers twist deliciously inside you with every stroke, the pads pressing curiously into your gummy walls. He’s clearly searching for something, jabbing and curling his fingers. Through your shuddered vision, you watch him carefully assess your face, his brows furrowed in a mix of curiosity and uncertainty. Despite the blurred edges of your vision, you can still perceive the intent behind his gaze. “Where-,” he asks, his voice brimming with genuine curiosity and a palpable eagerness, “How… how do I?”

The mix of excitement and anticipation evident in his tone sends a shiver down your spine. “Curl them-” you instruct him breathlessly, reveling in the earnest heat flooding his face. You haven't even touched him, and yet his skin is flushed bright pink. Even portions of his chest are spotty and flushed with excitement. “Curl them upwards like- ah shit!”

Your words are cut short as he immediately follows instruction, quirking the digits up just right to leave you gasping for air. “There,” he notes gleefully, satisfaction evident as he observes the dazed look on your face. Wrapped loosely around his waist, your thighs spasm from the surge of sensation. His left hand digs excitedly into the fat of your thigh, incensed by the breathy moan that escapes your lips. Bearing down on you, his fingers jab repeatedly into the sensitive spot in an unrelenting fervor. “Is that good?”

“Y-yeah,” you manage to utter, your voice trembling with a mix of overwhelming emotions. The intensity of the moment leaves you momentarily speechless, struggling to find the right words to express the whirlwind of sensations coursing through your body. “L-Levi,” you squeal, voice cracking in excitement. The overwhelming intensity of the moment engulfs you, causing you to pinch your eyes tight as your vision blurs. As your eyes close, the darkness behind your eyelids transforms into a swirling vortex of vivid colors and shapes, creating a mesmerizing kaleidoscope. The external world fades away, its presence diminished as your senses become hyper-focused on the sheer ecstasy pulsating through your body. Desperate for something to ground yourself, one hand instinctively claws into the bedding behind your head. Shifting his hand, his thumb rises to work quick circles into your clit. “Aah- fuck- y-you're good at this.”

You can’t see him, but from the tone of his voice, there’s a distinct smirk underlying his words. “Told you I’m a quick learner,” he replies, his voice carrying a sense of playful satisfaction.

“Shit,” you curse dazedly, barely managing to peel your eyes open to look at Levi. Throbbing rhythmically around him, the knot building in your stomach pulls taut, twisting tighter and tighter with every thrust. A surging tidal wave of pleasure lingers tantalizingly at the edges of your senses, its presence buzzing around the back of your skull. It looms just on the edge of your consciousness, an intoxicating mixture of sharp pleasure and desire. The intensity of it builds with every thrust of his fingers and every heated grunt that escapes his lips. Watching him through wet lashes, the heated intensity of his gaze only sends your mind spiraling further towards the edge. It seems poised to crash over you at any moment. “L-Levi! I’m close!”

His eyes widen in response to your words, the pink of his tongue peaking out to taste the air. You’re so slick, the scent must be drowning his senses completely. “Not yet,” he says with a deep, shuddering breath. His fingers twist, pressing hard into the sensitive patch of tissue before going still. “You can't come yet.

The sudden lack of stimulation makes you whine, your hips wiggling in his grasp in a sorrowful attempt to get some more. Everything inside you aches, the surge of overwhelming pleasure fading with painful disappointment. With your head lolling back against the bedding, you express your dissatisfaction with a whine, “Why?”

Humming mysteriously in response, his fingers slide from your fluttering grasp. The sudden emptiness only worsens your ache. Raising the digits to his face, the pink of his tongue peaks out once again, licking a long trail along the soaked digits from base to tip. His eyes flutter closed and his chest heaves with a long, pleasured shudder. He sucks eagerly at the digits with an intensity that makes your breath catch. Groaning at the taste, he explains, “I've been dying to taste you.”

Shuffling downwards in a rippling display of onyx scales, he pulls your thighs to rest over his shoulders, holding you in place with a soft and steady grasp. Resting the side of his head against the plush skin, he presses a quick kiss to the crease of your inner thigh. “Ohh look at that,” he breathes in a soft coo, staring down at your soaking pussy with open hunger. His eyes are such a mesmerizing shade of dark and stormy grey that you can barely see the sharp slits of his pupils. Eyes widening with an unmistakable expression of lust, his mouth drops open in sheer awe. “I can see you clenching,” he breathes excitedly, his breath bathing your over sensitive cunt with heat.

A tremor builds, starting right between your shoulder blades and coursing through your entire being. You find yourself clenching uncontrollably in response to his words, right beneath his watching gaze. Goosebumps surge up your spine, causing your back to instinctively straighten. As you wiggle within his grasp, the small of your back arches, lifting slightly from the bedding below. It seems impossible, but even more heat surges into your face. Even your ears feel flushed and warm.

His tongue peaks out, the forked edge bathing your inner thigh with a warm and wet heat. The touch is teasing, slowly and gradually lapping at the skin of your inner thighs, soaking in the taste of your skin with pleased little hums. He's teasing himself, you realize, slowly working his way towards the slick heat of your cunt.

You gasp, hips canting uselessly as one long lick traces between your folds from bottom to top. “Fuck,” he groans, fingers tightening into the meat of your thighs. His grasp on you shifts, pulling you impossibly closer with an intense strength. Eyes pinched closed, he groans openly into your pussy. “You taste so fucking good. Just like I thought you would.”

Repeating the process, he laps urgently along the length of your folds, every hot slide stopping just short of your clit. “Levi,” you whine. “Ah- fuck, Levi!” Instinctively, you reach down and fist your hands into his hair.

“Mhmm,” he moans deliriously, circling the tip of his tongue around your entrance to lap at the slickness that's gushing out. “There's so much. I want all of it. I want to taste you forever.”

You clench, gushing even more. With pleasure burning a dizzying haze through your brain, it's difficult to keep your eyes open, but you fight to keep them locked into his face.

The forked tip slides up to wind dizzying circles into your clit. You moan helplessly as latches himself onto your clit, sucking on it gently and flicking it with his tongue. Lips tightening around the bud, he suckles it with a heavy groan. The strong pressure has you gasping, your stomach clenching in tight little shudders. Between your thighs, Levi's face contorts into an open display of pleasure, his brows knitting tightly together as his jaw works urgently against you. Every eager groan he releases is dizzying, vibrating through your skin and echoing into your very soul.

Working his way back down with several long laps along the spread folds of your labia, the tip of his tongue works smooth circles along the rim of your entrance. The appendage presses in, lapping softly at your gummy walls. His pointer and index fingers rise to work quick circles in your clit. His tongue may be thin, but it's long, filling you with a wet, writhing heat.

His nose huffs a pleased, warm gust of air where it's mashed against the crease of your thigh. It's like he's kissing your entrance, his lips working urgently and pleased little groans rumbling through his chest as his tongue pumps deep. It's so slick and wet, his broken groans vibrating through you beside a loud filthy squelch. Impossibly, the wet muscle twists just right, curving into the sensitive patch of skin along your front wall.

“Fuck, fuck, fuck-” you gasp thoughtlessly, sheer overwhelming pleasure forcing your bred to lull back and your eyes to pinch closed. Groaning into you, the slick pumping increases to a rapid fire pace, sliding past your g-spot with every thrust. The familiar coil builds back at the base of your stomach with an alarming speed. “L-Lee -I- I’m gunna-”

“I can feel it,” he says in a fevered tone, barely pulling away to speak. His fingers swirl hard, rounded circles into your clit, making you squirm and whimper. He coos softly, blowing a gentle puff of air onto the swollen bud. “You’re fluttering so softly. Come for me, right around my tongue.”

The slithering mass quickly fills you again, thrusting into you with a burning heat. A squeal escapes you, accompanied by a ringing sensation in your ears, while the knot in your stomach tightens painfully. Your thighs tremble, and with a desperate strength, your fingers dig into the soft pelt beneath you, clawing at it. Chanting his name in between heavy breaths, it becomes the sole word that occupies your pleasure-soaked mind. You come, pure white flooding into the darkness behind your eyes. A flood of warmth gushes from your core, which he eagerly laps up with a pleased groan, his diligent attention sharpening your peak and dragging it on for what seems like an eternity.

As awareness gradually returns, it is accompanied by the urgent press of his lips against yours. The sensation pulls you back into the present moment. Meeting the messy lip lock, your own taste fills your senses, rich and musty against your tongue. He emits an eager hum, filling your mouth with the warm rush of his breath. “You make such beautiful noises…” he begins with a shaky breath, “cute little whines and gasps. I want to hear more.”

Leaning flat above you, every breath makes your stomachs brush. His eyes are so hot, filled with a burning intensity that resurges the heat fading from between your thighs. In the flickering firelight, the entire lower half of his face glistens, moist and shiny, casting an alluring glow.

"W-what about you?" you stutter, summoning the courage to slide your hand down his abdomen, feeling the spasming flesh beneath your touch. As your fingers graze the boundary where alabaster skin transitions into tiny onyx scales, you venture into uncharted territory. The act fills your throat with a surge of anxiety, causing you to swallow heavily.

Your attention is drawn to a damp spot along his lap, where his dark scales gleam in the flickering light. As your fingertips glide over the smooth scales, they encounter a warm slickness. “Did I do that?” you inquire, a mix of curiosity and uncertainty lacing your words.

His muscles quiver beneath your touch, and he shakes his head in response. "No," he murmurs. "That's why I wanted to stop earlier."

Sitting up with his back against the wall, he gently guides you to sit on his lap. Looking up at you with a mix of nervousness and desire, his throat visibly bobs with anticipation. An arm wraps around the small of your back, providing a comforting and secure embrace, radiating warmth. His mouth repeatedly opens and closes, as if attempting to form words that never quite make it past his lips. His expression reveals a struggle to articulate his thoughts, leaving his words perpetually aborted.

“Is it my turn to explore?” you ask coyly, sliding your hand across his chest. Tracing the shuddering muscles of his abs with one hand, your other circles your thumb teasingly around the pink bud of his left nipple. He gasps, squirming into the touch.

“F-fuck,” he moans, breath escaping is a sharp gasp as you pinch the sensitive skin. Leaning forward, you lap a hot circle around the right bud, reveling in the shaky breath that shakes his form. His free hand closes around your upper arm in a desperate, frantic clasp.

“And you called me sensitive…” you hum teasingly, closing your lips around the bud. Sucking softly, the taste of his skin floods your senses, rich and masculine with a hint of salty sweat. He groans loudly above you, tugging on your arm with dazed desperation. His scent fills your nose, enveloping your senses with a distinctive blend of earthy musk, delicate notes of pine and sandalwood, and a lingering touch of comforting warm vanilla.

Your name escapes his lips in a low hush, his head lulling bonelessly back against the stone wall. Beneath you, his hips churn up between your spread thighs. More wetness surges, the scales beneath you becoming warm and slick. Your fingers slide curiously into the clear sticky mess, gathering it on the tips of your fingers. “Is- is this cum?” you ask, drinking in the embarrassed heat flushing high on his cheek bones.

“Not exactly,” he corrects you softly, peaking his tongue out to wet his lips. “It- It's more like yours.”

“How- how do-” you start hesitantly, staring down at the soaked scales between your thighs.

Taking your hand in his, guides your fingers along the scales right below his abdomen. “There,” he breathes, hips jolting up into the touch. “There's a slit, right there-” with a light pressure, he guides your fingers along a thin gap between his scales. The skin there is swollen and grey, leaking a thick trail of slick as it quivers beneath your touch.

“Here?” you breathe, heart hammering. Dipping your finger in, you watch as his eyes shutter closed. The little hole spasms frantically beneath your finger tip, practically gushing as you press the digit in, just to the first joint.

“Y-yeah,” he gasps, explaining unevenly. “There- there's a ring of muscles there, keeping my cock tucked away.”

Something soft and slick lurches beneath your fingertip. “You're holding it in?”

“Y-yeah,” he manages in a wheeze. His explanation escapes him in a rush, “It- it's different. I didn't want you to-”

“Show me,” you insist, looking hungry down at the wet little slit. Using your pointer finger and thumb, you spread the lips of it wide, revealing a rounded grey pucker that throbs beneath your heated gaze.

Hips bucking uncontrollably, a loud whine escapes his lips. Suddenly, there's a rippling spasm in the muscles of his abdomen and his cock slips out with a filthy slick sound. It slaps hard into his abdomen, leaving an oozing trail of slick across the pale skin, making it glisten tantalizingly in the firelight.

“You're so pretty,” you note in a mesmerized tone. It's a struggle not to call him cute. His cock is deep grey in tone and thick, so much so that it's a struggle to wrap your fingers around the base of him. The blunt head is equally thick, and as you stroke him softly the rounded flare of his tip peeks out from his foreskin with a more human-like tone. A deep, aching purplish red meets your gaze, the pinhole at the tip throbbing white that oozes down along the flare of the head and joins the slick coating the length.

"Don't—" he stammers, a deep blush spreading from his cheeks to the tips of his ears. You can tell just from the way his fingers grip your thighs that he desperately wants to hide his face in embarrassment. "Don't call it that!" he protests.

“But it is,” you insist earnestly. You've never even seen a grown man’s dick before, much less touched one, but you know the truth in your heart. Stroking him down to the base, the oozing tip makes your mouth water.

The sight of him surges you with a renewed wave of heat. A sudden, agonizing ache fills the emptiness within you, intensifying the feeling of longing and yearning. All around you the coiled length of his tail spasms in pleasure, mirroring the tight quivering along his abs. His hips jolt in short abated thrusts, thoughtlessly meeting each of your rapid strokes. “T-tighter,” he gasps, shuddering as your thumb swipes curiously at the tip.

Instead, you scoot upward on your knees, slotting the length of him between your folds. “Fuck you’re so wet,” you gasp. Even with his cock out, the slit around the base of him is still oozing slick.

"It's messy," he utters nonsensically.

Rubbing back and forth the length of him, both of his hands quickly lock around your hips, pulling you to help the dizzying slide. Leaning forward, his lips catch yours in a shallow, heated kiss that sends your senses spiraling. A series of breathy kisses trace a path down the side of your neck, each one sending shivers of pleasure through your body. Eventually, he buries his face in the crook of your neck, his hot tongue lapping softly at your pulse.

Rolling your hips, you watch in awe as the needy purple of his tip peaks out from your folds with every thrust. You're still puffy and sensitive from earlier, the stimulation already has the back of your head buzzing with pleasure. It gets messier and slicker between you, the rolling thrusts of your hips slide his cock between your folds- back, then forward- stimulating your clit with the head each time you fuck it along the length of your pussy.

“Ahh- shit,” he whines, jerkily beneath you. “Y-you're going to kill me. I'm not going to last...”

Slowing down, one swirling thrust makes the flare of his head catch breathtakingly along your entrance. An overwhelming surge of desire floods your senses, engulfing you in an intense craving. Your core aches with a relentless need, leaving you breathless. Tentatively, you ask, "Can we...?"

"Yes," he breathes the word against the sensitive skin of your neck, the sharp brush of his fangs adding a tantalizing sensation. His hips jolt in anticipation, and he pulls his head back from your neck, meeting your gaze with eyes filled with intense desire. "Please," he pleads, his voice filled with longing and need.

Worry fills your voice as you start, stumbling over your words. "Y-you mentioned... about mating season-"

He interrupts you, his tone reassuring yet determined. "My heat hasn't started yet. I can't bond out of season. I won't knot you." Beneath the words is a clear underlying implication of yet. Eyes dancing between your face and your thighs, he stutters, “I-if it's what you want, we can.”

“I want to,” you affirm determinedly, pressing a quick kiss to his lips. As always, the sharp points of his fangs dig into your bottom lip, sending a thrilling shiver down your spine.

You can feel him smile against your lips. Wrapping a hand around himself with a soft clasp, he strokes it with several quick jerks. Wetness oozes from the tip, shiny and white. Pressing the head into your fluttering hole, his jaw falls open. “Oh,” he breathes, chest surging inward as if all the air has been punched from his lungs. The steady grip on your hip becomes shaky, his fingers trembling.

With a shaky breath, you lower yourself carefully onto him. The width of his tip spreads you wider than anything ever before. Your pussy is still stretched from his previous attention, but this stretch is so much more. Straining down, the fat tip presses past your ring of muscle with a soft pop.

“Shit,” Levi gasps, muscles twitching violently. The grip around your hips tightens. He looks down to where he's disappearing inside you with awe. “This- this doesn't hurt you?”

“It stings,” you admit tightly. His face twists, so you rush to sooth his concern. “Just a bit. It's already fading, don't worry.”

Taking a breath, you sink further onto his cock with several abated thrusts. With slick glistening all over your pussy and thighs and more still bubbling up from his base, the combined arousal makes the last thick portion of his base slip easily inside of you. “Shit,” you hiss, “You're so fucking deep.” It feels like you can taste him in the back of your throat.

Levi's eyes shift between you, fixated on the captivating sight before him. He appears mesmerized, unable to tear his gaze away. "Don't move until you're ready," he murmurs, his voice laced with a mix of tender concern and rough heat.

You sit as still as possible, willing your body to quickly adjust to the new sensations. The sheer awe on his face mesmerizes you, prompting you to ask, “How does it feel to you?”

“Tight. Hot. Wet. Shit,” he gawps open mouthed, throbbing hard inside of you. Judging by the tension in his body and the slight tremor in his muscles, he's struggling to remain composed. “I don't ever want to leave. You're so fucking soft.” His heated praise makes you clench involuntarily around him, causing his hips to jolt up despite his will. “Fuck! Don't do that,” he chastises you with a soft curse.

You let out a soft, understanding chuckle. The laughter causes the muscles inside you flutter involuntarily, tightening around the hot length stretching your walls. Face twisting, his hips jolt again. “Can't exactly control it,” you explain with a gentle smile.

You can tell that he’s struggling to hold still, his fingers tightening painfully into the skin at your hips. Clearly trying to distract himself, his eyes roam along your face, gauging your features. He asks, “W-what does it feel like to you?”

“It's a lot. I'm so full,” you start, voice trembling. You didn't think it'd feel so different. His cock is scorching hot inside you, throbbing with a burning heat. You think you can even feel the tip leaking. It's startling to realize that the most intimate and sensitive part of him has slipped within the most intimate and sensitive part of you. “I- I didn't realize it'd be so much. I can feel you twitching.” The burn around your entrance is starting to fade, pleasure beginning to throb deep within. “I think I can move now.”

In a long breath, he instructs you with a plea in his voice, "Slow... I don't think I'm going to last."

Knees pressing into the bedding, you raise your hips, allowing most of him to slip free from your grasp. Canting your hips forward, you drop back down with a groan. “Shit, Levi,” you gasp, repeating the movement. “F-fuck it's so good.”

It's perfect. The angle has his head dragging softly across your g-spot with every downward thrust. Thighs quivering, you work to set a rapid pace bouncing up and down on his cock.

“F-Fuck! Soft… you’re so soft!” he praises deliriously, his long tongue lapping along the pulse of your throat. “So fucking tight… It feels like you’re sucking me in.”

His fingers find your clit, working quick circles into the puffy bud. Every time you throb, a deep groan rumbles through his chest. As he gazes down at the shimmering slick mess where your bodies meet, his eyes burn with a dark and intense heat. “Look at that! You’re taking me so well,” he utters with a mix of awe and desire.

Following his gaze, you watch the inhumanly dark grey skin of his cock disappear between your folds again and again. The pool of slick around his base has become a frothing foaming mess, a sight that makes your mouth suddenly feel dry. The whirlwind of pleasure creates a kaleidoscope of dizzying colors within your mind, overwhelming your senses. The knot in your stomach tightens abruptly, causing a sharp, welcome pain.

As you bounce up and down, your knees creak in protest, straining against the movement. "L-Levi," you whine, your fingers instinctively gripping into the spasming flesh of his abdomen. "It's not enough. I... I can't..." Your words trail off, unable to articulate the yearning and desire for more that consumes you.

Groaning your name with a fevered heat, his hips work up into yours with a thoughtless, fevered tempo. The thinnest portion of his tail curls around your hips, aiding in pulling you harder down onto him, intensifying the connection. “Fuck… I can’t wait to mark you as mine,” he utters with a mixture of longing and possessiveness. “Fuck-fuck-fuck-” he chants nonsensically, features twisting tight in a way that almost looks like pain. Suddenly, his hips jerk up hard before stilling. His eyes roll back, a long shudder wracking his frame. A wet hot heat fills your pussy, so much that it leaks from around him as he continues to fill you with short, abated thrusts, pooling between your thighs in a large sticky mess.

Almost immediately, his erection fades, sliding out from you to tuck back within his slit. Dazed and lost in the depths of his peak, his eyes remain distant and foggy for several minutes. However, with a blink, awareness gradually filters back in, and his gaze fixates on the visible signs of your exertion—your heaving chest and trembling thighs. A worried frown appears on his face as he hesitantly gestures vaguely between your thighs.

"Y-you didn't..." he starts, his voice quiet and embarrassed.

"It's fine," you interject, leaning forward to plant a quick kiss on the tip of his nose. You appreciate how dazed and flushed he looks, finding it endearing. "I already did once, remember?" you remind him.

He stops, looking down at his hands with a deep scowl. The claws on his right hand have already grown back, curving upward in long sharp points. Grumbling unhappily, he sighs, working a soothing circling into the still quivering meat of your thigh.

Suddenly, a noticeable shift occurs in his gaze, and you observe the return of a fiery heat in his charcoal grey orbs. It's evident that gears are turning in his mind as he contemplates something. The tip of his tail rises, winding its way up the length of your left leg. As it draws closer, it tantalizingly skims the still-wet crease of your thigh, sending shivers of anticipation through your body.

"I have an idea," he declares, his voice taking on a dark and ominous tone. The combination of his intense gaze, the suggestive touch of his tail, and his cryptic words stirs a mixture of curiosity and excitement within you, leaving you eager to discover what he has in store.

"Y-yeah?" you squeak, your voice betraying a mix of anticipation and nervousness. Your eyes remain fixated on his midnight-toned scales as they coil tightly around your left thigh. The tip dips in between your thighs, gathering slickness before pressing into your hole. The blunt tip is wide, a bit girthier than the head of his cock had been. It presses into you, the tip just barely sliding past the rim of your still aching pussy. “Fuck, Levi! Oh my god!”

“To much?” he asks, watching your face for any signs of upset. The dexterous limb fills you with a series of slow, heavy thrusts, quickly reigniting the heat that had only just begun fading.

“No- It's- Don't stop!” you gasp, churning your hips. It's so wide, the portion at which he stops feeding it into you has to be more than four of your fingers combined. The sensation is exhilarating as his scales brush against the soft, delicate walls. They're rough, yet smooth, all the little groves dragging against your insides with every measured thrust. Fingers scrambling up to dig your nails into his biceps, you beg, “F-faster! Faster, please!”

Smirking, he immediately follows your plea, filling you with quick, equally hard thrusts that wrack your frame. With every one, the rough texture curves inward, sliding deliciously against the sensitive patch of skin along your front wall. “You like that?” he asks, “I can feel you throbbing. Are you going to come around me?”

Dazed, you can almost imagine that it's still his cock that's filling you so urgently. Nodding bonelessly, all you can do is gasp and hold on. “Yeah- I'm- Levi i'm-”

Your words abruptly cease as a blinding white light engulfs your vision anew. A scream escapes your lips, but it is drowned out by the deafening roar echoing in your ears. Your muscles convulse uncontrollably, as if all the air is forcefully expelled from your lungs in one breath. The knot in your stomach tightens, far surpassing its previous intensity, and you reach an unimaginable climax. Your pussy pulses, throbbing heavily around the thrusting length in a new, overwhelming wave of pleasure. In a long, breathless wheeze, his name escapes your lips. Then, overwhelmed by the sheer pleasure, darkness descends upon you.

When you regain consciousness, you find yourself lying on your side, nestled against Levi's chest. He holds you tightly, whispering soothingly into your hair. His tail envelops you completely, providing a secure and comforting embrace. Levi's gentle touch grazes through your hair, lightly caressing the back of your head with a sharp hint of his claws.

This time, the warm weather lingers. Spring bursts forth in a whirlwind of balmy temperatures, announcing its arrival with an exuberant chorus of chittering birds. The once-dormant landscape awakens with renewed energy as nature's vibrant palette comes alive, painting the world in hues of fresh green, delicate blossoms, and lively blooms. A gentle breeze carries the scent of blooming flowers, intermingling with the invigorating fragrance of earth and dew-kissed grass. With each passing day, the embrace of spring deepens.

The last of the snow melts over the course of three days, revealing a forest floor coated with half- decayed leaves and broken branches. The underbrush, once concealed beneath the snow’s frozen grasp, awakens with newfound vitality. Small bushes begin to sprout tender leaves, eager to soak in the warm sunlight. Alongside them, quickly blooming ferns unfurl their delicate fronds, adding touches of verdant green to the evolving scenery. These resilient plants find their place amidst the forest floor, spread intermittently in the few spots of light that manage to penetrate the forest’s dark canopy.

Amidst the lush forest floor, a vibrant sight catches the eye—a bright red cardinal gracefully hopping about, its movements brimming with energy and enthusiasm. With each nimble hop, it explores the underbrush, its beak pecking with eager curiosity. Standing in the narrow path of sunlight, the cardinal’s scarlet plumage stands out vividly against the backdrop of green foliage, like a flickering flame amidst the verdant tapestry of nature.

Its beady black eyes sparkle with a sense of purpose, scanning the ground for hidden treasures or delectable morsels concealed beneath fallen leaves and twigs. Its slender, pointed beak skillfully probes the earth, unearthing small insects or seeds that serve as its sustenance.

A stick snaps loudly beneath your foot, causing the bird's head to jerk in your direction. Sensing your presence, the bright red cardinal abruptly halts its delightful foraging and squawks loudly at your proximity. In a split second, the cardinal’s wings unfurl gracefully, stretching wide to catch the air. With a burst of energy, the cardinal takes flight, its wings beating with a rapid flurry. The once-hopping bird now becomes a fleeting vision, soaring through the trees in a panicked response to your nearness. Its brilliant red feathers quickly vanish into the forest's darkness.

"I didn't realize how beautiful The Maw is," you note in awe, your eyes trailing into the dark greenery ahead, attempting to catch glimpses of vibrant colors. On the forest floor, delicate purple and yellow flowers have started to bloom, their petals barely emerging from their green husks.

"You're just easily amused," the man by your side teases with a soft huff. "Stick close to the trees," Levi advises, his grip gently tugging at your elbow, guiding you forward. "Don't want you tracking mud everywhere."

You shrug nonchalantly, contemplating the practicality of his advice. "I can just take off my boots when we get back," you suggest. Nonetheless, you allow Levi to lead you closer to the side of a towering evergreen, just one of many casting a dense shadow over your surroundings. As you step closer, you become aware of the uneven ground beneath your feet, disrupted by an intricate network of enormous roots.

This early in spring, it's still a tad chilly out. It's just warm enough that you decided to leave your coat back in the cave. However, the occasional gust of wind carries a crisp bite, causing a shiver to run down your spine. Levi, on the other hand, is still sporting his odd mismatched coat of furs, wary of the lingering chill that could seep into his semi-cold-blooded form.

As you navigate a steep root-encased slope, the uneven terrain poses a challenge, causing you to wobble and struggle to maintain your balance. In contrast, Levi’s inhuman form seems effortlessly adapted to the forest’s obstacles, allowing him to move with grace and ease.

Seeing your struggle, Levi’s hand rises immediately to assist you. With a gentle touch, his hand finds the small of your back, offering support and guidance. His touch is both firm and comforting, stabilizing you as you make your way down the slope. The pressure of his hand against your back serves as a tactile reminder of his protective presence, allowing you to feel more secure in your steps.

With Levi’s guidance, your descent becomes smoother and more controlled. You can’t help but appreciate his thoughtfulness and the way he effortlessly adapts to the environment, always looking out for you.

Pausing for a moment, you turn to Levi, curiosity evident in your voice. "Why are we out here again?"

Levi responds with a mixture of amusement and mild exasperation, his voice laced with affectionate familiarity. "Your attention span has been terrible lately," he teases, his playful remark accompanied by a light chuckle.

"Oh, I wonder why that would be?" you tease in response, bumping your arm playfully into his.

He playfully raises an eyebrow, his voice infused with a touch of mischief. "I wonder…" he echoes your words, a playful glint in his eyes. Pausing, his expression shifts into one of genuine concern. His raised eyebrow lowers, and his mischievous glint gives way to a thoughtful gaze. There's a hint of vulnerability in his eyes as he directs his attention towards you, his voice carrying a softness that reflects his genuine care. "How are you feeling, by the way?" he asks sincerely, his eyes briefly flickering down to your thighs before bouncing back up.

"I told you I'm fine," you reiterate honestly, your words filled with sincerity. You understand his caring nature and how deeply he values your well-being. The memory of the passionate night you shared together brings a slight warmth to your cheeks, knowing that Levi had been concerned about any lingering discomfort you might have experienced.

A soft smile plays on your lips as you continue, wanting to put his worries to rest. "I appreciate you asking, but I'm fine, I promise," you affirm, your voice gentle yet firm. You understand that Levi's concern stems from a place of genuine care for you, but you want to assure him that the soreness has subsided and that you are healing well.

Levi's brows furrow slightly, his gaze searching yours, as if trying to gauge the veracity of your words. "Still..." he begins, his voice trailing off.

You interject, wanting to alleviate any lingering concerns. "It's been days," you assure him, your tone filled with reassurance. "The soreness faded halfway through the next day, I promise. It was mostly just my knees and thighs anyways," you explain, with a soft smirk. "I haven't exactly gotten much exercise lately."

Levi takes a moment to absorb your words, his gaze softening as he comes to terms with your explanation. Slowly, a smile tugs at the corners of his lips, indicating his relief. "Alright," he finally concedes, a hint of playfulness returning to his voice. "Just remember, if you ever need anything, I'm here for you."

You reach out, gently squeezing his hand, gratitude and affection evident in your touch. "I know, and I appreciate that more than you know," you respond sincerely.

As you continue your journey beneath the giant darkened canopy of The Maw, you observe Levi's presence beside you. Something seems subtly amiss, and your keen perception picks up on the subtle changes in his demeanor. While it may be barely noticeable to the untrained eye, you sense a distinct shift in the way he carries himself.

Levi's shoulders appear slightly tense and on edge, as if he's holding himself differently, as if he's ready to spring into action at any given moment. Moreover, he seems to have developed an unconscious gravitation towards you. Even in this moment, he leans into you, his side brushing against yours as you walk.

Your concern lingers as you observe Levi's demeanor, the tension in his shoulders and the subtle changes in his behavior prompting worry within you. Unable to contain your worries for even a moment longer, you voice your thoughts, "I- is there something dangerous out here..."

Levi's response is a mixture of reassurance and uncertainty. His tongue flicks out, a subtle gesture that reflects his heightened senses as he tastes the air, trying to detect any potential threats. "I don't sense anything," he finally responds, his voice calm but guarded. The fact that he doesn't meet your gaze adds a layer of complexity to the situation, leaving you wondering about the true nature of his unease.

As you walk side by side, the back of his hand brushes against yours in a fleeting touch before quickly retreating. Sensing his internal struggle, you can't help but smile. He wants to hold your hand.

"You're silly sometimes," you chuckle affectionately, interlacing your fingers with his. The simple act of intertwining your hands immediately sends a surge of relief through his shoulders. As your fingers meet, you feel the warmth of his hand and notice a soft pink hue spreading across his cheekbones.

Levi swallows heavily, shooting you a shy look. His fingers tighten around yours and the thumb works a firm circle into the back of your hand. “We're heading towards a meadow, not far from the river we went to before. I- we need to get new branches for the nest.”

You think of the layers of pine below the soft pelt blankets. “They have gotten sort of mushed,” you concede with a hum. Over the past week you've noticed that the cushion they provide has steadily decreased. Some of them have even become scraggly and brown, though that's mostly the outer patches closer to the entrance. “But we're only going to be here for a little longer, why bother?”

“It's my instincts,” Levi explains. “Since i’m right on the edge of a heat, they're practically screaming at me to make the nest perfect.”

As you round a colossal oak tree, its majestic presence acting as a gateway, the dense embrace of the forest reluctantly relinquishes its hold, revealing a breathtaking sight—a picturesque meadow, bathed in the golden embrace of sunlight. The once-tangled foliage gives way to a carpet of vibrant green grass, stretching out before you like a tranquil haven. The warm rays of the sun pierce through the gaps in the forest canopy, casting a radiant glow upon the meadow’s beauty.

In this idyllic scene, the melodies of nature fill the air, carried on the wings of countless birds. Their elegant flight adds a vivid touch to the tableau, their feathers a kaleidoscope of colors that dance against the azure sky. The harmony of the meadow, with its sunlit expanse and lively avian inhabitants, stirs a sense of wonder and tranquility within you.

Stepping forward, you feel the gentle caress of sunlight on your skin, its warmth serving as a comforting embrace. Lost in the beauty of your surroundings, you muse aloud, “Surprised you don’t want to clean all of the furs…” The question lingers in the air, carrying a hint of curiosity and a touch of playful banter, directed towards Levi.

He huffs, smiling softly at how well you know him. “I do, trust me,” he shakes his head. “The smell helps. It's hard to explain, but it makes me feel less on edge to have our scents mixed together everywhere.”

Your gaze shifts to the far end of the meadow, where a cluster of more reasonably sized evergreens beckons. The verdant giants stand tall, their branches swaying gently in the breeze. The two of you quickly make your way towards them.

Reaching the side of a trio of them, you note that even though they're smaller than their neighbors, they still tower high above you. You take a moment to assess the situation, realizing that all the larger branches are well beyond your reach. A note of uncertainty colors your voice as you inquire, “How do we-”

Before you can even finish your sentence, Levi springs into action. With remarkable agility, he swiftly maneuvers himself around the base of the tree, using the natural grooves and irregularities of the bark as his handholds. His tail, a sleek and powerful appendage, coils tightly around the trunk, aiding in his ascent as he deftly pulls himself from one branch to another.

As Levi effortlessly navigates the intricate network of branches, you find yourself in awe of his unexpected tree-climbing prowess. The sight of his muscles flexing and the fluidity of his movements captivate you. In a mix of surprise and admiration, you shout up towards the branches, unable to contain your astonishment, “You can climb trees?”

His voice carries down to you, infused with a touch of playful sarcasm, “No, what would make you think that?”

The lighthearted banter in his response brings a smile to your face. Playfully rolling your eyes, you reply, “You know, no one likes a smart-ass.”

Levi’s progress up the tree continues, each branch serving as a stepping stone towards an elevated vantage point. As you watch him navigate with ease, amazement fills your heart.

“That’s clearly not true,” he chimes down at you, his voice carrying a playful undertone. From this distance, his features are obscured, but you can sense the mischievous smirk in his tone. “As long as I can wrap around the base, I can get up most trees, no problem.”

Looking up at him, you suddenly feel a pang of uncertainty. Feeling useless, your hands fidget aimlessly. “What do you want me to do?” you ask, seeking direction as you yearn to be of assistance.

His voice carries down, filled with a mix of determination and trust in your abilities. “I’m going to slice down some larger branches. Make sure to keep out of their way. Can you pile them up so they’ll be easy to drag back later?”

With an eager nod, you move to stand at a safe distance away. Levi's tail coils around the base of a substantial branch, lending stability as he deftly wields his sharp claws, severing the limb with a single, precise swipe. The detached branch teeters momentarily, precariously balanced in his scaly grip.

Levi's urgent call reaches your ears, his voice laced with caution. "I'm going to drop it. Make sure you're out of the way!"

Responding without hesitation, you shout back in affirmation, reassured by the distance between you and the impending descent of the massive branch. Though Levi can clearly discern your safe position, you appreciate the consideration and warning.

With a resounding crash, the branch collides with the ground, creating a thunderous impact that echoes through the meadow. The sheer size of the fallen branch overwhelms you—the trunk of it surpasses the thickness of your leg, while its sprawling branches, adorned with pine needles, extend and dwarf your own stature. Just from looking at it you can tell its weight is substantial, but determination fuels your efforts.

Grasping onto the branch, you summon your strength and begin to move it, inch by inch, towards the center of the meadow. The task is demanding the muscles in your arms and thighs burning from physical exertion, yet you persevere, driven by the knowledge that this collective effort will prove worthwhile. The earth beneath your feet resists, but your determination prevails, and you gradually overcome the resistance, dragging the branch along with grit and determination.

Meanwhile, Levi deftly maneuvers within the tree, seamlessly transitioning from one branch to another, expertly severing more limbs with the swift motion of his claws. His actions are almost as if he anticipates your progress, ensuring a steady supply of branches for you to collect and arrange.

As you laboriously haul one branch into place, he provides a continuous stream of fresh additions, reinforcing the growing pile with each subsequent slash. Together, you create an organized collection of branches, neatly stacked and ready for future use. Somehow, Levi had assured that the first branch had been the largest, each one getting smaller and lighter than the last and the pile rises above the grass.

Beads of sweat begin forming on your brow, forcing you to instinctively wipe them away with the back of your hand. Despite the physical strain, a wide smile splits across your face. The rhythmic movements and the growing pile of branches elicit a sense of accomplishment, fueling your determination to complete the task at hand.

With the sprawling branches now surpassing the height of your waist, you pause for a moment, pondering the quantity needed to adequately line the bottom of the cave. Your curiosity prompts you to voice your thoughts, asking, “How many do we need? Shouldn’t this be more than enough?”

From the canopy above, Levi emits a thoughtful hum, his voice carrying a note of assurance. Leaning over his perch, he eyes the stack you've made so far. “Just a few more,” he replies. The words hang in the air as several more branches succumb to gravity, crashing to the ground. As you move to gather them, Levi once again exhibits remarkable agility, swiftly descending from his lofty perch. With his assistance, the last remaining handful of branches are swiftly gathered to join the pile.

Standing side by side, you survey the accumulated bounty, the amalgamation of your joint efforts. “How are we supposed to drag these back? I can't even imagine how much this weighs..”

“It shouldn't be a problem,” he assures you with a shrug. “We just need to make sure all of the branches are tucked together. It's always a bitch when one falls off midway.”

Nodding in agreement, you crouch down, determined to secure the loose outer branches and create a more manageable load. As you grasp one of the upper branches, your fingers encounter an unexpected sensation—a squirming beneath the soft pine needles. Involuntarily, you let out a startled squeal, instinctively retracting your hand and clutching it protectively against your chest.

A small, blueish-grey head emerges from the pine needles, revealing oozing empty black eyes that fix their hollow gaze upon you. The creature, with its pointed ears and tangled, matted hair, unfurls its firefly-like wings, their faint glow casting an eerie light. In a flurry of motion, it swiftly rises, hissing menacingly mere inches from your face, exposing its rows of black, needle-thin teeth. Panic seizes your heart, causing it to hammer wildly in your chest, and a scream lodges in your throat, ready to burst forth.

Moments later, another of these mysterious creatures breaks free from the branch, joining its companion in a frenzied buzz, circling in front of your face. They twitch and spasm oddly as they hover terrifyingly close, their little mouths snapping hungrily at your skin and the corners of their mouths foaming sickeningly. You manage to muster a shaky plea, your voice quivering in a quiet squeak. “L-Levi!”

In an instant, Levi’s attention is fully on you, his eyes widening in alarm as he gasps your name. With remarkable agility, he swiftly moves to your side, placing himself between you and the hissing, fluttering creatures. Baring his fangs, his expression twists into a display of fierce determination as he emits a loud, angry hiss that sends the creatures scurrying back into the depths of the dark woods at the edge of the meadow.

Turning back to you, Levi’s intense gaze studies your features, his touch gentle as he cups your elbow. Concern lines his face as he asks, “Are you alright?”

Taking a shaky breath, you nod, still feeling a bit dazed from the encounter. “Y-yeah,” you manage to reply, your voice wavering. “W-what were those creatures?”

Levi’s scowl deepens as he answers, “Pixies. Wild ones, by the looks of it.”

Pixies. The word echoes in your mind, evoking both fascination and a newfound wariness. Your next question emerges hesitantly, “W-were they going to… eat me?”

Levi’s response is blunt, his tone conveying a somber reality. “They probably wouldn’t have gotten far. One or two pixies can’t do much damage, but a dozen or more… They can pick someone’s bones clean in a matter of minutes.”

A chill runs down your spine at the realization of the danger you narrowly escaped. The forest suddenly feels more ominous, its enchantment now tinged with a hint of menace. Feeling the weight of your fear, Levi’s expression softens with regret. He releases his hold on your elbow and reaches out to gently touch your arm, seeking to provide comfort. “I’m sorry,” he apologizes sincerely, his voice filled with remorse. “They were so small that I didn’t catch their scent. I should have been more vigilant.”

With the gravity of the situation sinking in, you appreciate Levi’s apology and the understanding he expresses. You take a moment to collect yourself, allowing his touch to soothe your frazzled nerves. Despite the fear that still lingers, you find solace in his presence and the reassurance he offers.

As your pulse slows, frustration surges forth within you, leaving a sour taste in your mouth. "I shouldn't have frozen up like that," you frown, berating yourself for your inaction. The knife hanging from your hip remains untouched, dangling heavily against your thigh. They'd been easy enough to startle away. You should’ve done something other than stand there quivering in fear. The realization hits you hard – there is so much to learn about The Maw, including vital fighting and survival skills.

Levi's gaze meets yours, his expression filled with remorse but also a renewed sense of determination. "We need to be more cautious from now on," he asserts firmly, his voice tinged with resolve. "Especially as the forest comes alive."

You nod, determination replacing the initial shock as the weight of the encounter lingers. Your palm finds the hilt of your knife, a reminder of the need to grow stronger. Swallowing heavily, you cast your gaze upon the large mound of branches before you. "Are we ready to head back?" you ask, steeling yourself for the journey.

Levi responds with a nod, his strength evident as he pulls the trunk of the large bottom-most branch up over his shoulder with a grunt. Despite its massive weight, his shoulders remain steady and upright, his biceps displaying minimal strain. The long length of his tail slips beneath the pile, lifting it effortlessly from the grass. "Stick close," he advises, his voice carrying a sense of caution and protection.

You nod in response, a vague sense of fear prickling along the back of your head as you eye the darkened forest edge. With Levi taking the lead, you fall in step beside him, keeping a close distance as you begin the journey back to the cave.

As you traverse through the forest, the sunlight filters through the dense canopy, casting small dappled patterns on the forest floor. The rhythmic sound of your footsteps is accompanied by the rustling of leaves and the occasional call of birds in the distance. Even with the giant load balanced on his shoulder and tail, Levi moves terrifyingly quietly. The air is filled with the earthy scent of moss and damp soil, intermingled with the sharp fragrance of pine.

Time seems to pass in a blur as you make steady progress, the distance gradually shrinking between you and the safety of the cave. Each step brings you closer to your sanctuary, where the warmth and familiarity of home await.

As you continue walking, a comfortable silence envelops you. Your gaze occasionally drifts towards Levi's swaying hips, a mix of admiration and another indescribable feeling lingering in your thoughts. You find yourself captivated by the way he moves, the easy and thoughtless sway of his hips, completely unaware of the effect he has on you. Despite his size and the sheer strength he possesses, his movements are graceful and nearly soundless. The enticing sway of his hips from side to side holds your attention, as if he were dancing, drawing you closer in some enchanting spell.

Three days. It's been three days since he'd been inside you, tongue, tail and cock. The mere memory has heat surging in your thighs, an open ache of yearning fluttering to life within your core. You believe his recent intensity is due to his approaching heat. He had mentioned that it would arrive soon, within a few days to a week, and there’s something in the way he carries himself that suggests it’s imminent.

You can't help but feel a surge of excitement. The anticipation of what lies ahead leaves you with a dry mouth. Almost involuntarily, your gaze lingers on the delicate strip of pale skin at the small of his waist, tracing the subtle sway of his hip as he gracefully moves beside you.

Shifting close, Levi catches your attention by brushing his arm against yours. Sensing the direction of your thoughts, he breaks the silence, his voice tinged with a hint of uncertainty. "You can still change your mind, you know. I know we already..” His frustration manifests as he runs his fingers through his dark locks. The arm raised above head to balance your haul on his shoulder flexes, the muscles of his bicep straining in a display of tension. He sounds almost resigned, “I wouldn’t blame you if you felt it was too much..”

You interrupt him gently, speaking his name softly. "Levi..." you chide, shooting him a soft, exasperated look.

He lets out a huff, his tone shifting to a more practical note. "You know how to get to the Den if it becomes too much, right? From the entrance of the nest, go straight west and follow the river north."

A small smile tugs at the corner of your lips. "Honestly, I don't even know which way is West.” The frown you get in response is almost severe, complete with a flat deadpan. “But I want you to know, I'm not going to change my mind." The determination in your voice is unmistakable.

“I think-” he starts hesitantly, “I think my heat is going to start tomorrow.” He raises his free hand, lightly pressing his nails into the skin above his heart. “I can feel it already it's- it's never been so intense before.”

“What does it feel like?” you ask, your gaze locked on his face, wanting to understand the depth of what he’s going through.

“Like lava is burning along the edges of my senses,” he explains, head tilting back as his eyes flutter closed in a shudder. Adjusting his grip on the trunk, the muscles of his back twitch in a violent shudder. “It's sort of like an itch that's just out of my reach, so I can't scratch it. One that's gradually getting more and more intense.”

The news fills you with a mix of concern and curiosity. “How long will it last?”

He shrugs, “Every time is different, but i've always been alone before. Sometimes it's lasted a week-” your shock must be evident, because Levi quickly rushes to assure you, “I don't think it'll last as long this time though. I’ve heard that having a partner and forming a bond helps.. satisfy it quicker.”

Finally, as the mouth of the cave comes into view, a sense of relief washes over you. Despite the burden of the branches weighing him down for almost an hour, Levi appears unfazed.

Levi carefully sets the branches near the entrance of the cave, and together, you roll up the pelt bedding, stowing it away in a corner at the far end. Upon closer inspection, you realize the branches are in worse condition than you initially thought. They appear old and scraggly, with most of the needles turned brown from age. Numerous branches are broken, their thin twigs snapped off into dry and messy pieces of wood.

Squinting at the sun, Levi observes its position as it slowly lowers along the middle of the horizon. "It's getting late. I'll go catch us something to eat. Could you clear out the old debris while I'm gone?" he asks.

"Of course," you reply, nodding in agreement. As Levi's tail disappears into the darkness of the woods, you begin to remove the larger branches from the cave. The floor is covered in a tangle of brown needles, and you do your best to sweep them out of the entrance. As you sweep away the brown needles and clear the entrance, your attention is drawn to the small divot in the cave, where Levi keeps his odd collection of books and bobbles. With a clearer view, you realize it's not a natural groove but rather a result of claw marks. Silver scrapes adorn the corners of the crevice, indicating the strength and power behind Levi's claws. The realization prompts questions to swirl in your mind. Just how strong is he? How dangerous can his claws be?

While contemplating these thoughts, you continue tidying up, appreciating the utility of the small brush you retrieved from Levi's collection of odds and ends. It's a versatile tool that he typically uses to clean up ashes from the fire or to remove mud from his scales. Its bristles serve you well in clearing out the debris, making the cave entrance cleaner and more inviting.

By the time you finish clearing the floor, Levi returns, his catch of the day slung over his shoulder. However, to your surprise, it's not a small game like a rabbit but a much larger animal— a brown deer.

"An entire deer?" you exclaim, astonished, as you assess the limp form draped over Levi's shoulder.

He nods, a hint of pride in his eyes. "My metabolism is revving up again, and considering the upcoming days, we might not have much time to eat.” He places the deer carcass down onto the grass near the cave’s entrance. “I'll skin it later. Let's focus on finishing the preparations for the nest before the sun sets.”

You nod in understanding, realizing that daylight is fading quickly. Shuffling the brush between your hands, you add, “I’ve just finished clearing out the loose needles.”

“Thank you,” he praises softly, his eyes scanning the area you've just cleared away. “You didn't do a terrible job.”

The half-compliment brings a sense of satisfaction to your chest, especially considering his earlier criticism at the creek. "The branches you grabbed are much larger than the ones from before," you comment, noting the massive size of the bottommost branches.

He hums in agreement, his claws effortlessly slicing free a handful of smaller branches that jut out from the main body. “We’ll use these, so there aren't any excessively thick twigs below. The pine is supposed to help protect us from the layer of cold stone, but we don't want it to be a bitch to lay on. The thicker trunks will serve as good firewood for next year."

Pulling your knife from your hip, you join him in slicing free all of the smaller branches. Following his lead, you carefully sort through the branches, ensuring that each one is no larger than the width of your finger. Together, you work diligently, and soon enough, the entire floor is covered in a thick layer of fresh green pine. The scent of pine fills the air, lending a refreshing and earthy aroma to the nest. With the branches in place, you roll the pelts back over, and it’s as if nothing has changed—except for the improved comfort and insulation provided by the fresh bedding.

Satisfied with your work, you step back into the entrance to admire the transformed nest. Behind you, Levi effortlessly stacks the empty branches into a pile, ready to be dealt with later. Using his claws with practiced precision, he swiftly skins the deer, bringing a substantial pile of pink meat to the fireside. He starts to work, swiftly impaling the pieces on sharp sticks to cook them over the fire.

"I'll take over," you wave him off, eager to contribute to the meal preparation. Smiling softly in appreciation, he curls up to sit by your side.

As you tend to the cooking, Levi's fingers deftly weave some of the leftover small branches together. Intrigued by his actions, you observe as a thick rounded edge quickly takes shape. "I..." he starts distractedly, his fingers continuing their intricate twining. "I might be different in the morning. I might wake up with my heat..."

The thought thrills you, and Levi's heated gaze confirms that he senses your excitement. "I'm fine with that," you respond, a playful glint in your eyes.

Levi nods, his expression becoming more intense. "You might want to sleep naked," he advises, his voice low and suggestive. His eyes flicker down, catching the fabric of your blouse, before bouncing back up. His shoulders hunch shyly. "I don't want to tear them."

A mischievous smile spreads across your face. "You'd just fix it again," you note, a hint of anticipation in your voice. "Probably a good idea though. Oh! I never thanked you for fixing my coat!"

He rumbles softly, his voice filled with warmth. "It was my fault it got torn in the first place."

As the fire crackles and the enticing aroma of cooked meat fills the nest, you find your attention drawn to the rhythmic shifting of Levi's lithe fingers. The small twigs are swiftly woven together, forming a flat sheet that continues to grow, revealing a glimpse of his skilled craftsmanship. Soon enough, the pine coated branches sprawl across his lap in a thick, square-ish plate.

With a determined expression, Levi lifts the woven sheet and carefully positions it in front of the scraggly entrance of the cave, effectively closing off the outside world. The interwoven branches create a natural barrier, providing some privacy and protection. In the top right corner, there is enough space for the smoke from the fire to billow free, ensuring ventilation within the nest.

He's closed you in. As you swallow heavily and gaze at the carefully braided expanse of verdant pine, you can't help but feel a mix of anticipation and excitement. Rather than feeling trapped or confined, the enclosure created by Levi's handiwork ignites a thrilling sensation that tingles at the back of your mind. The intimate space seems to foster an atmosphere of closeness and heightened emotions, fueling the excitement coursing through your veins.

By your side, the chunks of meat sizzle and gain a tempting char. You swallow, feeling your stomach growl in response to the mouthwatering smell. Gesturing vaguely at Levi's handiwork, you start unevenly, “Wh- why did you?”

Levi’s expression softens, his eyes meeting yours. “Because I care about you,” he replies sincerely. “During my heat, I want to provide for you and ensure your comfort.”

The warmth of his words fills the air, and you can’t help but feel a surge of gratitude and affection for him. As the meat continues to cook, you find yourself drawn closer to him, the anticipation of the coming days mingling with the scent of the meal, creating a sense of intimacy and shared purpose.

His voice continues as he tucks up tightly against you, his tail encircling your waist and his arm draped across your back. The intensity in his eyes returns, a deep and burgeoning heat that sends shivers of anticipation down your spine. "It also gives us some privacy," he explains, his voice laced with a mix of need and desire. "My instincts are kicking in and they want to ensure we aren't disturbed."

Nose flaring, Levi reaches across you to grab some meat, his movements driven by both hunger and urgency. “You should eat,” he urges, pressing the meat kabob in your direction, his voice low and husky. “I don’t think we’ll be able to get more food until things have… settled.”

Concern fills your voice as you reply, “Hopefully there’s enough water in the cooking pot.” Reaching over, you grab the proffered stick, savoring the juicy, thick slices of deer as you quickly devour them.

As Levi gorges himself on the meat, tearing it apart easily with his sharp fangs, you follow suit, consuming the food with equal fervor under his watchful eye. He encourages you to eat more, emphasizing the need for energy.

By the time you both finish, the sun has almost disappeared beyond the horizon, casting a warm orange glow through the covered entrance of the cave. Levi’s worried expression becomes more pronounced as he tugs at the hem of your shirt, his thumb tracing gentle circles on the fabric. He presses soft kisses to the sleeve, a mixture of affection and concern in his voice. “We… we should sleep. You’ll need your rest before it starts.”

The weight of his words settles in, and you nod in agreement, feeling a mixture of anticipation and apprehension. The night ahead holds unknown experiences and uncharted territories, but you trust Levi to guide you through it.

As you and Levi prepare for sleep, he assists you in removing your clothes, handling them with care as he folds them and sets them aside. Then, he enfolds you in his arms, drawing your chest flush against his own and guiding your face to nestle against his neck. His tail wraps around you, providing a comforting weight akin to a cozy blanket.

With tender lips pressing against the top of your head, he whispers softly into your hair, expressing his concerns for the next day. His fingers delicately weave through your hair, offering soothing and affectionate gestures. "I'm sorry if I'm... if I'm too much tomorrow," he murmurs, his voice filled with a mix of vulnerability and care.

Nuzzling into his chest, eyes heavy with fatigue, you reassure him softly. "I'll be fine, Levi," you assure him, your words laced with understanding. "I trust you."

Guided by the gentleness of his touch and the security of his presence, you gradually surrender to a peaceful slumber. The sensation of his scales against your skin creates a cocoon of intimacy and protection, fostering a deep sense of comfort. Wrapped in Levi's embrace, you find solace and rest, ready to face whatever challenges the coming days may bring.

You wake as a loud hiss pierces the air, accompanied by the sensation of fangs pressing against your throat. Blinking to awareness, your body tenses with a surge of adrenaline. The sharp pinpricks send a jolt of pain through your senses, and a deep rumbling growl reverberates through you, jarring your awareness.

Instinct kicks in, and your mind races to assess the situation. With a surge of urgency, you realize that the dynamics have shifted, and the once-familiar embrace of Levi now feels threatening and dangerous. His heat had started. You become acutely aware of the primal instincts at play, reminding you of the unfamiliar nature of your partner. Gasping for breath, your feet kick frantically and your hands squirm at your sides, desperate to find purchase on his shoulders.

Struggling against the darkness surrounding you, your eyes slowly adjust to the dim moonlit beams that manage to penetrate the barred entryway. Trembling, your voice catches in your throat as the sharp points tighten around your windpipe. A shuddering breath escapes Levi’s lips, and the hot length of his tongue slides across your throat, leaving behind a wet heat. In a moment of urgency, your hands reach up, entangling in the dark tresses at the back of his head, tugging with urgency. “L-Levi,” you manage to squeak out.

With a deep, rumbling growl, the sharp grasp around your throat loosens. Levi hovers above you, his features twisted into a raw and primal display. Moonlight reflects off the sharp points of his glistening fangs, appearing even longer and sharper as they hang menacingly above your face.

In the dim light, his eyes emit a luminous glow, while the whites shine with an unsettling brightness. His pupils, like tiny pinpricks, are sharply defined, enclosed within a shade of deep burning charcoal grey. The air in the small cave becomes suffocatingly hot as his chest heaves, his mouth releasing a sticky, balmy heat. As he gazes down at you, his chest swells with a deep rumble, and his nails dig painfully into your back.

Lacking any of his usual care, the grasp is far from gentle. You think you feel a wet heat welling up from where the sharp points are digging into your skin, the telltale sign of blood beginning to trickle from around the tips of his claws.

Squirming, you notice a warm slickness coating your bottom half. He's leaking, practically gushing, and his cock is already out, jabbing your belly and leaving a slick warm ooze against your skin.

"Maaate," he hisses, his urgency evident as he fervently licks at the skin of your throat. In the scorching intensity of his heat, it seems as though all rational thought has vanished, replaced by a primal instinct. Levi's presence has completely vanished, replaced by a relentless beast.

His tail coils tightly around you, its scales constricting to the point where movement becomes impossible. Your arms and legs are firmly immobilized within its sinewy grasp, leaving you completely restrained. Your heart stammers, its rhythm faltering in response to the overwhelming surge of fear and anticipation coursing through your veins.

“Maaaaate,” he growls again. His hips jolt and more wetness oozes between you. There's so much of it, warm and slick dripping to coat the entirety of your stomach and thighs. You can feel the tip of him throb, leaking a thick trail of white along your abdomen. His face contorts and those dark glowing eyes delve deep into your own. It's a question, you realize. Even out of his mind with lust, Levi is confirming that you're okay with this.

“Y-yeah,” you manage to gasp, your breath catching in your throat. With an ardent nod, you express your agreement. “I’m your mate.”

He growls in response, his tail trembling with excitement as it continues to coil around you. Leaning forward, he affectionately nuzzles his nose against yours with a happy hum. Nudging your nose into his, you pull him into a shallow lip lock that quickly becomes heated. Hot breath bathing your face, it's like he's drinking the taste of you with a pleased hum. He moans, the sharp points of his teeth pressing into the supple skin of your bottom lip, inducing a slight prickle of pain and flooding your senses with the metallic taste of iron.

"Shit, Levi," you gasp, the metallic taste of your own blood lingering on your lips. Surprisingly, rather than deter you, it only serves to further ignite your desires, sending a surge of intense heat coursing through your veins at an alarming pace. Urgently pressing your thighs together, you deepen the kiss, pushing your mouth against his with an eager sigh, yearning for the sound of his pleased little moans and hums.

As your tongue brushes against the sharp row of his fangs, you can't help but notice that they are longer, their pointed tips resembling tiny blades. Running your tongue along his incisor, the taste of iron intensifies, flooding your senses once again.

In response, he releases a loud, pleasure-filled moan, his lips fervently pushing and pulling against yours in an unending display of passion. Drawing in a sharp breath, he inhales your scent deeply, releasing a hot gust of air that tickles your cheek. His hands firmly grip your hips, matching the tight and pulsating hold of the scales enveloping you. Jolting, your hips roll into his with a needy whine. Trapped between you, his cock throbs, the slick mess between you only growing.

In a flurry of motion, the coil of his tail suddenly twists you over onto your hands and knees. His claws drag down your bare back in one long sweep, the edges barely grazing your skin. The touch sends a long rolling shutter down your spine. Parts of his tail wrap around each of your thighs, firmly holding them apart under his intense, fiery gaze. Another wider section of his tail remains securely coiled around your waist, exerting a tight and twisting pressure, effectively restricting your movements.

Trapped. You feel trapped, but fear doesn't fill your heart. Instead, an amalgamation of anticipation, curiosity, and desire takes its place. The loss of control intensifies the throbbing sensation in your chest, as you surrender to the captivating and passionate experience unraveling before you. It’s a mixture of emotions that adds an exhilarating edge to the encounter, heightening your senses.

You can feel the intensity of his gaze burning between your thighs, drinking in the sight of the slick that's already leaking to the crease of your thighs. His hands shift from your waist, spreading your ass cheeks wide. “Wet,” he growls excitedly, pressing his teeth against the curve of your right cheek. The sharp edge causes a sudden jolt of sensation, making you shudder within the tight grip of his hold. “Mine,” he asserts possessively, hot breath bathing your soaked center.

Apparently he can only express himself with singular words, limited by the overwhelming sensations and desires coursing through him. Each word he utters carries a weight of raw emotion, stripped down to its core essence, conveying his primal instincts and unbridled passion in the simplest yet most intense way.

In response to his limited but powerful words, you find yourself trembling with a mixture of vulnerability and surrender. With a shudder, your toes curl into the soft bedding below. The weight of your admission, “Y-yours. All yours,” hangs in the air, expressing your deep longing and desire to belong to him completely.

As his thumbs shift down to spread open your folds, you clench helplessly beneath his gaze. Watching you flutter, the growl that leaves his chest can only be described as a whine. “Pretty,” he groans, voice thick with desire. Blood rushes to fill your face with heat, causing your face to flush with a mixture of embarrassment and arousal.

You feel so open, with him behind you looking straight inside your entrance. Part of you wishes you could see him. You long to see his face, to witness the expressions and emotions that accompany this new dynamic. It feels different from before, and amidst the excitement, you find yourself yearning for the soft, reassuring weight of his gaze.

Squirming in embarrassment, the tight grasp around you suddenly tightens severely. The section of his hold encircling your ribs constricts, nearly squeezing the air from your lungs. Simultaneously, one of his hands applies strong pressure between your shoulder blades, its force posing a risk of toppling you forward.

In a sharp, hissing tone, he commands, "Still." The urgency and authority in his voice demand your compliance, leaving little room for hesitation.

Something prods your folds, making you gasp in shock, jolting your hips forward despite his warning growl. Nails dig into your cheeks, spreading you wide, and then something wet and hot slides along the crease of your folds in one long stroke from bottom to top. It's his tongue, you realize with a shaky gasp. He's bent over behind you, claws digging into your skin as he hungrily sucks at your folds. A hot, shaky breath bathes your folds. “Mine,” he breathes hotly into your cunt.

Levi tongues urgently at your entrance, lapping mindlessly along the length of your folds. It's aimless and frantic, pleased groans buzzing along your sensitive skin with every flick of his tongue. Untouched, your clit aches. Spit soaks your core, dripping down to bathe the crease of your thighs.

“Ahh, Levi,” you moan, struggling to hold still. Every part of you seems to throb, desperate for more stimulation. Raising your hips, you try to guide him with a needy whine, “H-higher. My clit. Please!”

The only response you get is an eager huff of air from his nose, blown directly into the crease of your ass. He's preparing you, you realize, as the forked tip of his tongue presses searchingly into your hole. He's soaking your already slick entrance with his spit in preparation for you to take his cock.

He works diligently, stretching your rim with the tip of his tongue and shallowly lapping inward. As you thoughtlessly roll your rolling hips into his mouth, his nails dig into the skin of your ass, pulling you in with a heady groan. Working his way deeper and deeper, the slick appendage writhes deep into your guts. It’s like he’s transformed into a primal, untamed creature, hungry and thoughtless. Every ravenous moan emanating from him resonates deep within you, stirring a primal response that shakes you to your core. Your clit hasn't even been touched and yet your thighs are already shaking.

Eventually, he withdraws, seemingly satisfied. Aching and empty, you can't help but jolt back searchingly, eager for more of the hot slide of his tongue. You can hear his lips smack with a wet and pleased hum.

“Mate?” Levi’s voice echoes once more, a deep rumble filled with longing and uncertainty. He rises, pressing his chest firmly against your back, creating a closeness that envelops you in his presence. The sharp points of his fangs delicately graze against the sensitive skin of your neck, sending a shiver down your spine. With a deep yearning, his hips begin to sway, tracing a slow and desperate circle. Slick scales glide along the back of your thighs and the length of his cock drags teasingly along your folds with a boiling wet heat.

“Y-yeah,” you answer dazedly, mind reeling. Your hips jolt as the blunt curve of his head bumps into the ring of your entrance. It spurts, leaking a hot sticky mess along your folds.

Chest rumbling happily, he works the tip of himself just past the ring of your entrance in short little jabs. Then, he fills you with one smooth stroke, the glide slick and easy.

“Shit,” he curses, his voice carrying a rare moment of clarity amidst the overwhelming sensations. It’s the most cognizant he has sounded thus far, breaking through the primal haze that engulfs him. He holds still for several months, his fingers working soothing circles into your hip. As you both immerse in the intensity of the moment, you feel the pulsating tightness of his coiled form, vibrating with pleasure all around you. It's like the coiled length of him is throbbing, matching the beat of his cock as it pulses inside you.

"L-Levi," you strain, your voice trembling with a mixture of pleasure and need. The name escapes your lips as a fervent plea, a testament to the overwhelming sensations that consume you. Every nerve in your body feels alive. Levi hasn’t even moved yet, but just the weight of him, over and inside you, is enough to make your toes curl and your breath catch. Taking short, heavy breaths, you feel overwhelmed just by the feel of him: heavy and big and solid.

He pulls most of the way out with a filthy, slick squelch that makes your ears ring. Just the tip of him remains, throbbing tucked into the quivering ring of your entrance. His breath shudders, causing his chest to hollow against your back. A deep groan begins to build at the base of his chest, resonating with a primal intensity. The sound emerges from deep within him, a raw expression of pleasure and desire that escapes his lips. The grip around you tightens, encompassing you with a firm hold. One hand wraps tightly around your thigh, forcing your knees to widen and your back to bow. His chest fills again with a shuddered breath and his other hand pulls at your hip, urging you to meet him as he fills you with a hard, sharp thrust.

"F-fuck! Levi!" you wail unevenly, your voice filled with a mix of pleasure and surprise. Your fingers scramble against the bedding, seeking an anchor in the midst of the overwhelming sensations. The strength of his thrust propels you forward, causing you to bounce involuntarily. Instinctively, you press your forehead into the soft pelt below, seeking a momentary refuge in its comforting texture. The intensity of the experience leaves you gasping for breath, caught between ecstasy and surrender.

With that singular thrust, his short moment of sanity ends and the beast returns with a deep rumbling growl. “Mine,” he repeats in a fevered growl, fucking into you mercilessly, his hips jolting so hard and fast that you can't even begin to try to meet him. It's so much different than the last time he was inside you, so much more fevered and intense in comparison and the experience is completely out of your control. It's like you're just being used for his pleasure, a thought that sends your mind reeling. “Mine- mine- mine-”

“Ah ah ah -shit-” you cry, eyes pinching tight as your body rocks completely out of your control. The angle is excruciatingly tight and the delicious friction of his cock dragging along your walls is enough to make you drool uncontrollably into the bedding. The spongy tip of him drags against your g-spot with every forward stroke, making you whimper and throb helplessly. The wet slap of his scales against your puffy and oversensitive petals has you nearly mindless.

He penetrates you with an incredible depth that leaves you gasping for breath and squirming in response. The sensation is overwhelming, pushing you to the limits of pleasure and sending waves of sensation coursing through your body.

Overwhelmed, you shift your weight from your hands to your forearms, burying one shoulder into the bedding as you arch your back. Wrapped tightly in his scaly grasp, he continues to give you more and more, rendering you utterly helpless to resist. Hard and fast, you can't do anything but take it. The intensity grows, unrelenting and fast-paced, and you find yourself unable to do anything but surrender to it. The sensations become nearly overwhelming, teetering on the edge of painful overstimulation. “F-fuck! Levi! Slower! Slower, please!” you beg, your plea escaping your lips without thought, desperate for some respite.

Suddenly, his hips press hard and impossibly deep into you and still, his cock lurching inside you with a heady throb. The hand on your thigh shifts, gliding through the sticky mess between you to swirl at your clit. "Oh, shit! Ah! God-" you gasp, feeling your back shudder and stretch as your muscles spasm uncontrollably.

With a grunt, he resumes his pace, thrusting harder and filling you in a way that overwhelms your senses. Your knees tremble under the intensity of the moment, barely able to support you. Between you, Levi is still oozing slickness from around the base of his cock. With every thrust, you can feel wet droplets splash to coat the backs of your thighs.

As you fall forward, your chest meets the soft pelt beneath you, sinking into its comforting embrace. The coil of his tail tightly wrapped around your belly keeps your hips elevated, keeping you up and spread for him to fill you again and again. The intense sensation of his thumb swirling and gliding over your sensitive bud has you trembling uncontrollably. Your gasps for air become loud and desperate, and your thighs begin to shake with the overwhelming pleasure coursing through your body.

Overwhelmed by the intense sensations and emotions coursing through you, tears stream down your face as sobs escape your trembling lips. Your fingers instinctively claw desperately into the bedding beneath you, seeking something to hold onto amidst the overwhelming pleasure and vulnerability. The heavy knot in your stomach tightens agonizingly, reaching its peak as pleasure courses through your body. With a shudder that ripples through you, you reach your climax, releasing a guttural scream of ecstasy that echoes through the air. The intensity of the moment consumes you completely, leaving you breathless and trembling in its wake.

You’re aware, distantly, of him cursing and pressing himself flat to your back, his face dropping to the curve of your neck, his hands holding your hips and fucking up into you faster and faster until, with one deep thrust, he stills. He spills inside you with a filthy groan, throbbing heavily.

His hips jolt in several broken thrusts as more and more warmth splashes against your walls. It's so much. He comes so much, you can feel the thick spurts that follow every heady throb. As Levi growls deeply, the low rumble reverberates through his chest, creating vibrations that resonate within both of you. The intensity of the sound sends shivers down your spine, and you can feel the vibrations spreading throughout your entire body, from head to toe. Suddenly he shifts, jolting impossibly deeper inside you as a sharp pain appears at the pulse of your throat. He's biting you, you realize, humming eagerly as his fangs dig deep into the side of your neck. Oddly enough, it doesn't really hurt. The only bit of pain is when the sharpened row of teeth initially clamp and sink through your skin. After that the only sensations you know are heat and pleasure.

As his fangs remain firmly embedded in the side of your neck, the conflicting mix of sensations confuses your senses, but you cannot deny the unusual pleasure that accompanies his bite. As you continue and throb and flutter with the tail end of your peak, something at the base of his cock swells painfully wide to form a warm and heavy bulb that stretches your rim painfully wide.

"Wh-what?" you stammer, your mind dazed and disoriented. You can feel the tremor in your voice, but it's as if the sound is muted, lost in the overwhelming haze. The sensations coursing through your body have left you in a state of confusion and sensory overload, making it difficult to fully process or comprehend what is happening around you. Nudging his hips forward, the stretch of your rim is nearly excruciating as he continues to work the knot deeper. He's plugging you up, keeping the copious amount of seed that's sloshing around inside you tucked right where he wants it. The intense mixture of pleasure and pain sends shockwaves through your body, pushing you to the edge once more.

You can't be sure, but you think that you black out for a moment. The first thing that you consciously think about as you come back to your senses is that Levi is warm above you, comforting as he boxes you in; the second is that your ears are ringing. You clench and unclench your hands a few just to try and start to get that far-away feeling out of your limbs — your thighs have already started to ache and your toes burn from being locked in a tight curl.

A feeling of fullness startles you into gasping, and you realize that Levi hasn't pulled out yet. He's still inside you as far as can be, the scales of his pelvis pressed flat to your entrance as the swollen flesh at his base continues to pulse and press eagerly into the ring of your entrance.

You feel Levi's hand tracing the curve of your hip soothingly, his touch creating gentle circles on your skin. The ringing in your ears gradually subsides, allowing you to hear him calling your name softly. "L-Levi," you groan, your eyes fluttering open.

He calls your name once more, his voice slightly rough but noticeably more coherent. The beastly presence has receded, and Levi's awareness has returned, though you remain uncertain for how long it will last.

The swell at his base finally gives, lessening just enough so he can pull free from you with a wet pop. He swiftly turns you around, his hands firmly cupping your shoulders as he searches your face with a worried expression. "Are you okay?" he asks, genuine concern evident in his eyes.

"Yeah," you wheeze, feeling dazed and trying to regain your breath. Stretching out on your back, your gulp eagerly at the sticky air. "I'm fine."

Finally, you get to look at him. Drinking him in after what seems like forever, you note that Levi’s chest is adorned with spotty flushes, his cheeks and ears cast a rosy hue that speaks volumes about his state. His disheveled appearance mirrors your own state of composure and an odd sense of gratification washes over you. His chest rises and falls rapidly, his breaths coming in gasps as he greedily inhales air to replenish his oxygen-depleted lungs. Beads of sweat glide down his forehead, tracing a path down his neck and along his chest, evidence of the intensity and exertion. His eyes, half-lidded and darker than you've ever seen them before, possess an alluring depth that draws you in. In their depths, you witness a potent blend of desire, passion, and vulnerability, reflecting the profound connection forged between you.

He still looks concerned, so you quickly assure him with a comforting pat on his shoulder. “I’m fine. I promise. Just.. dazed and a bit sore.”

In response to your assurance, he frowns momentarily, but upon searching your eyes, he accepts your words. Leaning over you, he delicately licks at the mark he left on your neck, his actions infused with a blend of tenderness and possessiveness. "You're mine," he breathes, his voice carrying a tone of awe and disbelief. The declaration reveals a profound sense of connection and a newfound realization of the bond between you.

The mark on your neck radiates a burning, intense heat, distinct from the familiar sensation of healing. Intrigued, you raise your hand to touch the wound, feeling the distinct imprints of each of his teeth—shallower where his molars had pressed and significantly deeper where his fangs had pierced your skin. Finding the deepest indent, right on the hollow between your shoulder and throat, you ask, “Why'd you bite me?” Surprisingly, there's no blood under your thumb, only warmth and an unconventional sensation of pleasure.

Levi, with a softness in his voice, explains. "It's a mating mark," he murmurs, his words resembling a gentle coo. "If the bond is accepted, it will take on the color of my scales. Everyone who sees it will know that you're mine."

The weight of the proclamation fills your throat with emotion. You can't help but inquire, "Am I supposed to give you a mark in return?"

Levi shrugs, his face retaining an unusual tenderness. "I don't think you can," he replies, pressing a quick kiss to the broken skin. "But I appreciate the offer."

He gasps, thumb trailing along the deepest part, sending a strange surge of pleasure directly to your thighs. “It's already turning black,” he breathes excitedly. The look of excited awe on his face makes your heart throb, a soft smile forming on your lips.

“Of course it is,” you reply, your smile growing as you meet his gaze. As he hovers over you, a joyful glint in his eyes, he playfully nudges his nose against yours.

As he shuffles forward over you, the movement causes the wet tip of his cock to jab into your thigh. You gasp, “Y-your cock didn't go back in?” The last time, it'd disappeared the moment he finished coming, and yet right now it's bobbing between you, heavy and full. It's so odd to see it out, the sensitive grey skin dangling free from the wet and shiny scales of his abdomen. With every vein bulging from the skin, you can practically see his blood flowing and filling the organ, making it lurch as Levi’s breath audibly catches in his throat. It's slick and shiny, the head such a dark swollen red that makes your mouth water. It throbs heavily beneath your gaze, the tip leaking a thrilling white that streaks your thigh with warmth.

"It won't go down until my heat is over," he explains through clenched teeth. His muscles visibly twitch and his shoulders tighten, revealing the struggle for control he's experiencing. The intensity of his desire is evident in his strained expression.

You ask him with concern, "Are you okay?" His chest rises and falls heavily, his breathing becoming labored. His eyes flutter, filled with desire, as his awareness starts to fade away.

As you shift, his gaze darts down between your thighs, widening at the sight. “Look at that,” he coos heatedly. The blunt tip of his finger prods your folds, spreading your labia wide so he can look hungrily at your stretched and quivering entrance. You can feel some of his hot seed ooze free to trickle along your folds.

He gasps, mouth popping open and eyes locking into the white leaking from your folds like it's the most fascinating sight in the world. Using the tips of his fingers, he glides the sticky warmth up and down your folds. The hungry look in his eyes tells you that, if not for the sharp points of his claws, he'd fuck the seed back into you.

Levi's voice is low and possessive as he declares, "Mine." In an instant, the primal beast within him resurfaces. His eyes, already dark, seem to deepen even further, conveying a predatory intensity. Surging forward so that he holds you captive between his forearms, the way he gazes at you sends a shiver down your spine, making you feel both vulnerable and desired, like prey in the presence of a predator.

Pressing his chest flats to yours, he slips inside you in one smooth stroke. This time, he fucks into from above, his grip so tight around your hips that you know it'll bruise. This time, when he pulls out, his thrust back in is somehow even harder, deeper; and any semblance of a thought you could have come up with is gone, just like that. You release a shaky gasp, and Levi responds with a primal growl, his breath hot against your ear. "Mine," he hisses possessively, sinking his teeth into the sensitive flesh of your throat, marking you once again with his claim. The mixture of pleasure and pain sends a jolt of electricity through your body, intensifying the connection between you.

Caught in a whirlwind of overwhelming sensations, you're unable to articulate coherent words, reduced to a symphony of whimpers and moans. Your legs instinctively wrap around Levi, desperate to match the rhythm of his rolling thrusts. The change in angle ignites something new within you, causing your back to arch and your entire body to convulse with pleasure. Waves of ecstasy ripple through you, leaving you trembling and breathless in the wake of the intense sensation. You come again, barely feeling the buildup before you fall over the edge.

Moaning loudly, Levi deftly maneuvers you with a swift movement of his tail, repositioning you so that you're lying on your front, your chest pressed against the soft pelt beneath you. The firm grip of his tail keeps your hips elevated, allowing for deeper penetration. His breath hot against your ear, “Again,” he hisses with an insatiable hunger, relentlessly driving into you with a powerful and unending rhythm that sends your mind spiraling into a realm of sheer ecstasy. Each thrust churns and twists, overwhelming your senses and leaving you lost in a maelstrom of pleasure.

Overwhelmed by the intensity of the sensations coursing through your body, you whimper in protest, unable to believe that you can continue. “I can't! I can't!” you scream out in a desperate plea. Yet, despite your protests, your body betrays you. Your hips instinctively meet his thrusts, your inner walls clenching around him in a desperate attempt to hold on to the pleasure that threatens to consume you. With your hips raised, Levi is able to sneak a hand under you to play with your clit. You shriek, one of your legs kicking feebly at the overstimulation, tears overflowing from your eyes, but Levi just coos at you and keeps going.

It feels good, too good; you’ve never felt like this before. Trembling and oversensitive, you feel simultaneously on the very precipice of an orgasm and too exhausted and rung out to ever come again, simultaneously certain you can’t and certain you will. Each thrust pushes you closer to the edge, the pleasure mingling with a hint of pain that amplifies the sensations coursing through your veins. The climax crashes over you like a tidal wave, a mixture of ecstasy and agony that leaves you gasping and trembling in its wake.

Time and sensation both start to bleed together after that. Your orgasm stretches on forever and it’s hard to say when or if it even really ends; it leaves you gasping for air, legs twitching, constantly trying to sink down to the bed, the coil around your waist constantly keeping you up. He murmurs things now and then to the air, your back, the nape of your neck, but you aren't coherent enough to try to understand it — you feel floaty and wonderful, so euphoric that it almost hurts, crying out for more even as you wonder if you can take more at all.

Levi fucks you and fucks you and fucks you and you come what feels like constantly, getting a few brief moments of dizzy reprieve to suck in some desperate breaths before you’re shuddering into an orgasm yet again. It never seems to end, and even as you lie there prone in a puddle, you don’t want it to end. You want all of it —

“Mine! Mine! Mine,” he growls in your ear, releasing pleased little hisses that echo nonstop in your ears. The repetitive echoes of his possessive hisses and moans reverberate through your mind, sending shivers down your spine. The intensity of his words, coupled with the overwhelming sensations coursing through your body, create a whirlwind of pleasure and surrender. It feels like your brain has become a warm liquid puddle, oozing right out from your ear as his warm breath bathes your senses.

As you gasp for breath, the only response you can manage is a breathless affirmation of your complete surrender to him. “Yours,” you repeat again and again in an endless mantra.

Time loses all meaning. For some time, all you know is the hard snap of his hips and the hot slide of his cock. The scent of sex and sweat is so thick in the air that it's almost difficult to breathe. You lose track of how many times you come and how many times he works the rounded swell of his knot past your rim. The only sounds you know are the pleasured grunts and groans alongside the rapid filthy slap of slick scales on skin.

Full. You feel so full, all of your insides filled to bursting, coated with his sticky seed. You can't tell if the filthy slick sounds are from the slick gushing between you or the copious amount of seed sloshes inside you with every thrust. Everytime his knot pops free, it leaks from you in a long constant flow to cake your inner thighs and paint the bedding with a slick mess. He mourns the loss by adding more and more in an endless cycle.

As Levi's moments of awareness eventually begin to lengthen, you start to witness the stark contrast between the beast's intense, primal strength and the tender gentleness that emerges when he regains control. In those fleeting moments, he becomes a nurturing presence, focused on soothing and caring for you.

After his release, he immediately directs his attention to your well-being. With soft, careful licks, he tends to the nicks and cuts he's left on your skin, his tongue offering a soothing touch that promotes healing. His efforts extend beyond the surface wounds, as he seeks to ease the soreness that lingers in your thighs and core, bringing you comfort and relief.

However, the intimate act of his healing touch quickly reignites the fire within him. The surge of desire and the primal instincts that drive him overwhelm his control once again, leading to another passionate encounter. It becomes a cycle of tenderness followed by unrestrained passion, each phase intertwining in a dance of intensity and intimacy.

Despite the unpredictable nature of Levi's shifts between the beast and his gentle self, you find solace in the moments of tenderness he offers, cherishing the connection and care that shines through even amidst the raw, consuming desire.

By the end of the first day, Levi’s regained enough control to focus on basic needs. He insists that both of you eat some leftover deer, heat simmering in his eyes as he watches your throat bob with every swallow. His control snaps shortly after you eagerly gulp down some fresh water. With nighttimes soft starlight filtering softly through the entrance, the final time he fucks you is much slower, though no less frantic and heated.

In the aftermath of your intense encounter, Levi embraces you in a protective huddle of his scaly body and strong muscles. His presence is a comforting shield, offering a sense of security and warmth. You observe him as he quickly succumbs to a deep slumber, his usually alert and intense demeanor replaced by a profound exhaustion. It strikes you as odd to witness him in such a vulnerable and peaceful state, completely surrendered to sleep. Normally, he struggles so much. It’s a rare sight to witness him in such a vulnerable and peaceful state, completely surrendered to sleep. The sight warms your heart.

As you observe him snoring softly, warm puffs of air escaping his lips in a steady rhythm, your thumb instinctively finds the healed mark along the side of your throat. It serves as a constant reminder of the profound connection you now share. His. You're his now. His mate, a permanent, lifelong connection. Just the same, he's yours as well, even if you can't leave behind your own mark on his throat. You find solace in the fact that you’ve shared an intense connection that has left both of you physically and emotionally spent. As you drift off to sleep, nestled within his protective embrace, you feel a deep sense of contentment and safety, alongside soreness and satisfied exhaustion.

You awake to a gust of hot breath in your ear, resulting in a long shutter dragging down your spine. He's behind you, spooning you as he works the tip of himself past your rim. You're so soaked that he must have already mouthed you in preparation.

This time, he fucks you roughly, pulling one of your legs back up and over his hip with a tight clasp. This time, his knot doesn't swell. Instead, he plugs you with the tip of his tail. The entirety of your day is spent in a sticky, wet daze of pleasure.

You shouldn't be here.

Giant, ancient trees tower above, their twisted and gnarled branches interwoven to create a dense, impenetrable canopy that blankets the ground in an engulfing darkness. These colossal trees are so massive that even ten people, hand in hand, would struggle to encircle their trunks. In the face of such enormity, you feel minuscule, like a tiny mouse in a vast expanse, overshadowed by the towering branches that stretch higher than anything you've ever witnessed.

In your childhood, the edge of this forest marked the distant boundary of your small village. As young children, you and your friends would engage in daring games, cautiously venturing beneath the green canopy one foot at a time. Each step toward the darkness held a thrill, with adrenaline surging in your ears and laughter bubbling in your throat. You remember playfully nudging each other to go deeper, whispering tales of monsters until the alarmed cries of someone's parents would bring the game to an abrupt halt. It was all innocent play, a group of children tempting danger and challenging one another to venture further into the ominous jaws of the forest.

The Maw.

Now, every step forward fills you with an overwhelming sense of dread. The childlike wonder that once fueled your adventures has vanished, replaced by a pounding heart lodged in your throat. The once enticing forest now instills a deep sense of apprehension and unease.

You're in The Maw.

It's named such because it is a place that devours all who dare to venture into its depths. It teems with perilous creatures, their forms etched in your mind with vivid clarity—claws that rend, teeth that tear, and the sight of crimson blood staining the ground. The inhabitants of this forsaken realm include both savage beasts and eerie abominations, a chilling blend of half-human hybrids, demons, and towering giants. While rare for these creatures to stray beyond the forest's edge into your humble farming village, the disappearances of unsuspecting villagers were all too frequent. Vanished without a trace, they would be snatched from their beds in the dead of night or plucked from the fields in broad daylight. Some incidents left behind gruesome remnants of carnage, while others left nothing but an eerie absence. The Maw's hunger was insatiable, claiming lives and leaving a haunting sense of dread in its wake.

“F-ffuck,” you stutter, fighting against a stiff breeze to keep the hood of your cloak tight to your ears. It's cold. Fucking freezing actually. With each labored step, your body fights against the biting cold that gnaws at your skin. The hood of your cloak strains against the relentless wind, desperate to shield your ears from its icy grip. The weather has turned unforgiving since you entered the forest.

What began as a serene sunrise, painting the sky with hues of pink and yellow, has given way to a harsh reality. The gentle dusting of snow beneath your feet has transformed into a thick, heavy flurry. The temperature has plummeted, sending shards of icy pain with every breath you take. The bone-chilling cold seeps into your very core, inflicting aches that reverberate through your entire being. Each step is an agonizing struggle, your weary knees protesting with every creak. It feels as though you've never walked this far before, the physical toll becoming increasingly demanding with each passing moment.

Can't go back. Can't go back.

In the relentless darkness, your sense of time has become distorted, making it impossible to gauge how long you've been journeying through this treacherous forest. It feels like hours, perhaps even most of a day, has passed since you first set foot on this path. The initial signs of caution marked your entry into this perilous realm, with wooden boards warning of the impending danger, are long behind you. The words "Turn Back" and "Danger" were hastily scrawled in bright red, urging you to reconsider your course. The last sign you recall, which feels like an eternity ago, ominously proclaimed "Death Ahead."

The biting cold has taken its toll, numbing your body and rendering your toes distant and fuzzy within the confines of your leather boots. The wind howls in your ears, drowning out all other sounds, but occasionally you catch the panicked shuffling of small creatures seeking refuge from the tempest. Every noise, no matter how faint, puts you on edge, heightening your anxiety with each passing moment. Progress becomes increasingly arduous as you press forward, battling against the biting cold and the relentless forces of nature.

The oppressive darkness seems to intensify the longer the day drags on, engulfing your surroundings and adding to your growing fatigue. You struggle to maintain your balance, feeling the weight of exhaustion in every step. The biting cold cuts through your clothing, seeping into your bones, and you tightly wrap your coat around yourself in a feeble attempt to shield against the frigid air.

With determination in your voice, you mutter to yourself, "Can't go back. Can't go back." Despite the numbing cold and the seemingly endless journey, turning back is not an option. You press on, summoning whatever strength remains within you.

As you trudge forward, a brief break in the dense canopy allows a glimpse of the sky above. However, there is no welcoming sight of an evening sky with its fading hues. Instead, a tumultuous scene unfolds with dark and furious clouds obscuring any sense of time. In the distance, the white-capped peaks of The Spine stand resolute, yet seemingly no closer than when you first embarked on this arduous trek. Doubt begins to creep in, and you repeat to yourself, "I can't. I can't."

But you have to. Of course there'd be a storm. Just your luck.

The bitter cold continues to gnaw at your body, its icy grip sapping your strength and resolve. Hopefully the weather convinced any hungry mouths to stay home. The storm raging around you adds to the foreboding atmosphere, amplifying your sense of vulnerability. You can’t help but feel a sense of grim irony that the weather itself might be the cause of your demise before any of the lurking dangers within The Maw.

Navigating through the labyrinthine depths of The Maw is no easy feat, especially without a clear destination in mind. The absence of a guide or a map leaves you relying solely on your instincts and determination. The path ahead remains shrouded in darkness, and uncertainty tugs at your thoughts. You don't even know where the fuck you're going.

Despite the doubts and the physical strain, you carry on, propelled by a mix of resilience and desperation. The legacy of fear and caution instilled by your village only adds to the weight on your shoulders, reminding you of the countless tales of those who ventured deeper into this forbidden territory and never returned.

The heavy snow has engulfed your legs, reaching up past your shins and creeping closer to your knees. Each step is an arduous struggle, accompanied by a resounding crunch and leaving behind a trail of deep boot prints in the snow.

The words escape your lips in a desperate whisper, “Shelter. Need to find shelter.” Your teeth chatter uncontrollably, and you hunch your shoulders in a futile attempt to shield yourself from the biting wind that threatens to knock you off balance. The hood of your cloak is pulled down as far as it can go, obscuring your vision, and you strain to see the path ahead. Forward is the only option. Forward is the only way to endure.

The Spine dominates your thoughts, an unwavering destination that holds the key to your quest. It is the mountain range at the heart of The Maw, and you must reach its base. There is no turning back, no retreat, not unless you find them.

The weight of the task ahead feels insurmountable, overwhelming you with a crushing sense of impossibility. The magnitude of the journey, coupled with the harsh realities of The Maw, fuels a nagging belief that survival is unattainable. The specter of death looms ominously, casting its dark shadow over your thoughts.

You're going to die out here.

An abrupt sound shatters the eerie silence, reverberating through the desolate expanse of The Maw. It resonates with a weight that sends shivers down your spine, amplifying your sense of unease. Instinctively, your hand reaches for the knife attached to your belt loop, its familiar weight grounding you in this perilous moment. It was your fathers hunting knife, the only thing you have left besides the clothes on your back and a small bit of supplies in your bag.

As your fingers clasp around the knife’s handle, a surge of adrenaline courses through your veins, mingling with the cold that permeates the air. The tremor in your hand betrays a mix of fear and the biting chill that surrounds you. Your grip tightens, seeking solace in the solid presence of the blade as you brace yourself for whatever lurks in the darkness.

Someone -something- curses in the distance. The distant swear cuts through the air, resonating with a chilling familiarity that freezes your very core. It echoes with a human quality, evoking haunting memories of voices that once whispered from the edge of The Maw during your childhood summers. Those beguiling voices, whether belonging to silver-tongued demons or ravenous wendigos, possessed a deceptive innocence, luring the unwary towards their perilous embrace. They wore the guise of familiarity, mimicking loved ones and casting their sinister spell.

But this time, the sound does not persist. It does not morph into the soothing tones of your mother's voice or the mischievous giggles of your younger brother. Instead, an unsettling silence descends upon the forest, amplifying the eerie stillness that pervades the surroundings. The once-constant symphony of rustling leaves and distant whispers is replaced by an oppressive hush, broken only by the howling wind that pierces your ears.

The skeletal branches of the ancient trees loom ahead, their gnarled forms resembling bony fingers reaching out in a macabre invitation. The forest, now stripped of its foliage, feels even more sinister, as if the very essence of its secrets and lurking dangers is concentrated in this barren landscape. Your instincts scream at you to tread cautiously, to be alert to the unseen perils that may lie in wait within the shadows.

Prey.

You have the sudden, panicky realization that you’re prey. The thought builds a solid, uncomfortable itch between your shoulder blades. Every fiber of your being trembles with the realization that you are nothing more than some predator's next quarry in this treacherous domain. The weight of vulnerability settles upon you like a suffocating shroud, your senses heightened to the point of hypersensitivity. There could be something hungry watching you in the distance, just waiting for you to tire yourself out. The notion of unseen eyes fixated upon your weary form fuels a primal panic, evoking a primal fight-or-flight response deep within your core.

Your fingers, numbed by the biting cold, clench around the knife, its presence offering a meager reassurance in this harrowing moment. With determined resolve, you steady your breathing, allowing each inhalation to calm your racing heart. One deliberate step at a time, you advance through the snow-laden terrain, your movements slow and measured, as if treading upon fragile ice.

Every crunch of snow beneath your boots feels deafening, resonating through the wintry silence. The haunting stillness amplifies the tension, heightening the suspense as you inch closer to the source of the disturbance.

It's a man, slumped against the trunk of a massive tree, his body partly concealed by the swiftly accumulating snow. As you cautiously draw nearer, you observe his disheveled state, lying motionless on his side. Your attention is immediately drawn to his coat, a patchwork of furs and skins stitched together from different animals. The garment stands out as peculiar, though it appears to provide warmth in this frigid environment.

There's someone else out here? The presence of another person this far into The Maw surprises you. Something along the back of your mind flares red in warning, reminding you of the possibility that this could be a trap. With this warning at the back of your thoughts, you proceed with caution, prepared for any untoward situation that may arise.

Knife held steady, you kneel next to his form. The snow immediately soaks through the material of your pants, burning cold against your skin.

With your knife still in hand, you carefully lower yourself beside the man, the icy snow seeping through your pants and chilling your skin. “Hey,” you call quietly, eyes assessing the stranger's face.

The thought crosses your mind: What if he's in a situation similar to yours? Lost and vulnerable in this treacherous wilderness, in desperate need of assistance?

Despite being unconscious, the man continues to shiver uncontrollably. His trembling is so intense that it causes the snow around him to tremble as well. The exposed patches of skin beneath his peculiar coat are inflamed, their bright pink hue indicative of discomfort. His features appear slack, his hair splayed out against the snowy ground, forming a stark contrast of black against white. You observe that his lips have taken on a slight bluish tint. Worry grips your heart as you implore, "Hey, you need to wake up. We have to get you up."

With mounting urgency, you observe the man's lack of response as his head remains nestled in the snow, becoming adorned with a delicate layer of white flakes. The sound of the knife slipping back into its sheath echoes softly, as your hands instinctively reach out to press against the stranger's shoulders in a desperate attempt to rouse him. "Hey, come on!" you plead.

Although his chest rises and falls with each shuddering breath, indicating that he is indeed alive, you still place a finger on his neck to feel for a pulse. It's slow, alarmingly sluggish compared to your own racing heartbeat. "Fuck! Wake up, wake up, wake up!" you chant urgently, slapping his cheeks with your gloved fingers. His skin feels unnaturally cold, even through the protective layer of your gloves.

As the man's eyes flutter open, his brow furrows with confusion, and he mumbles something barely audible. His head lolls back into the snow, and he shifts, his elbow digging into the snowy ground.

"Hey, hi. That's it. Look at me," you urge, your voice filled with a mix of concern and determination. You grasp his shoulders and gently tug, trying to encourage him to sit up. "Come on, you can't stay here. You need to get up. Is there somewhere warm nearby?"

His eyes finally open fully, revealing a glimpse of gray irises before they quickly close again. "No, no, no, come on!" you implore, cupping the base of his skull with one hand and using your other hand to deliver a firm but gentle slap to his cheek, attempting to bring him back to consciousness.

If he's here, there must be some sort of human settlement nearby. Somewhere warm and safe.

As you contemplate the possibility, your attention is abruptly drawn to your left by a movement in the snow. Panic grips you as you witness something massive and black emerging from beneath a thick layer of white.

"F-Fuck!" you scream, unable to contain your shock and fear. Your eyes widen as you realize it's a colossal snake tail, stretching out straight and partially buried in the snow. The unexpected sight causes you to lose your balance, and you fall back onto the cold ground, landing on your backside. "What the fuck!" you exclaim, your voice filled with a mix of terror and disbelief.

He's a Naga. An actual Naga, half snake half man. You've only heard of them in legends, tales whispered back and forth among the children of your village. Even in the darkness of the forest, his black scales glitter up at you like diamonds.

Stuck in your awe, now waist deep in the snow, you're suddenly reminded just how cold it is. Even with excited adrenaline making your limbs all jittery and sweaty, it's still freezing. The snow is falling more rapidly now, wind whistling through the trees to twist and warp their smaller branches.

Surging forward onto your knees, you move to cup his face yet again, intending to continue your prodding. If only you could get him up, he could save you both.

“Hsssssssh,” he hisses at you, teeth bared. His head doesn't rise, resting heavy in the snow, but a jaw full of sharp fangs widens in full aggressive display right next to your hand. Silvery eyes suddenly wide and alert, he glares up at you with a vicious heat, flaring a pointed tongue out to taste the air. “Hhhuman,” his nose curls up at the word.

The sight of his long, white incisors strikes cold fear into your heart. It brings you pause, fingers trembling against his pale cheek. “H-hey,” you start shakily, struggling to meet his gaze. His pupils are sharp, the thin pin prick lines of a predator. When he blinks, a thin translucent membrane precedes the eyelid, startlingly inhuman. You pause for a moment, your fingers still trembling against his pale cheek. Despite the fear coursing through you, you muster the courage to speak, your voice quivering. Meeting his gaze, you try to convey empathy and urgency.

“Hey,” you stutter, your voice barely audible as you try again. “I understand you’re wary, but we can’t stay here. It’s dangerously cold. We need to find shelter. Please, let’s get up and find somewhere warm.”

“Cold,” he repeats with a hiss. Claws dig into the snow by your knee. He blinks heavily, struggling, “Why…”

He’s clearly disoriented, prompting you to speak slowly and gently, trying to guide him to sit up.

“Come on! We need to find somewhere nearby, somewhere warm,” you encourage, tugging at his shoulders in an attempt to rouse him from his daze.

“Warm,” he mutters, eyes fluttering with a vague sense of recognition. Slowly, he rises, causing his magnificent, 20-foot-long tail to shake off the snowy coating. Its pitch-black scales glisten in the dim light, an awe-inspiring sight. “Nest.”

“Do you live somewhere nearby?” you inquire, keeping a close eye on his movements. Once he manages to prop himself up on the bend of his tail, he leans heavily against your side, almost toppling you over. With one hand on his back for support, you guide him forward, urging him to lead the way.

“Where is your nest?” you ask, hoping he can direct you to a warm and safe place nearby.

"Cave," he slurs, his voice muffled against your neck. As he stands upright, you realize he's slightly shorter than you. His heavy eyes close and open, struggling to stay alert. He trembles against your side, his senses keen as he tastes the air once more. "Human. Don't need your help."

The mention of a cave ignites a spark of hope within you. If there's a cave, it must be located on the edge of The Spine, nestled among the rocks on the mountainside. With renewed determination, you wrap your arm around his back, fingers pressing gently into the small of his waist. "Come on. Can you guide me there?" you implore, relying on his knowledge to find the refuge you both desperately need.

“Mhmmm,” he mutters nonsensically as his face burrows into the warmth of your neck, his cold nose pressing against your collarbone. He doesn’t respond to your question, instead leaning heavily against your side. “Warm.”

“Hey hey,” you pat his hip, trying to pull him forward as you take a step forward. “Don't fall asleep again. Come on, move with me.” He does, tail sliding back and forth through the snow behind your huddled forms.

The progress is slow and arduous, each step a struggle as you practically drag him forward through the snow. The falling snow obscures your vision, but you spot a faint path ahead, partially covered by fresh snowfall. The wide trail left by his tail serves as a guide, leading you deeper into the wintry landscape.

"Come on, almost there," you urge, your voice strained. The weight of his body feels overwhelming, causing your bones to protest with each movement. The biting cold sears your face and ears, and the wetness on your pants becomes a painful reminder of the freezing temperatures. You can only imagine the suffering the man at your side endures. His fur coat, now soaked through, adds to his misery, and you feel his trembling against your side. How long has he been out here, exposed to the elements?

Throughout the entire journey, the Naga’s delirious muttering continues against your neck. His words are incoherent, mixed with occasional hisses and the repeated mention of warmth. You even feel the wet brush of his forked tongue against your skin at one point. He clings to you, one arm draped across your back, fingers digging into your far hip.

“There we go,” you gasp, the strain evident in your heaving chest as you continue pulling him forward. The physical exertion keeps you warm, though having sweat-soaked clothes in the midst of the storm is far from ideal. As you near the base of The Spine, the path grows more treacherous. The rugged terrain, with its sharp rocks and hidden crevices beneath the thick snow, demands careful navigation. Each step becomes a deliberate effort, further slowing your progress.

The winds howl fiercely, swirling the snow around you in a blinding flurry. It’s difficult to keep your bearings, but you know you can’t afford to stop. The cave must be near, offering the possibility of respite from the harsh elements. You cling to that thought, pushing through the exhaustion and pain.

After what feels like an eternity, you catch sight of a dark opening nestled among the rocks. It's the cave you've been searching for. Relief floods through you, pushing you forward with renewed determination. With every ounce of energy you can muster, you guide the Naga towards the entrance. It's camouflaged amidst the snow-covered rocks, barely noticeable. The opening is a narrow crack in the cliff side, just wide enough for you to squeeze through.

Naga!Levi who is pure predatory muscle. His human half is packed with pure muscle, yet thin and lithe. Rows and rows of abs coating his firm belly, hardened shoulders and thick biceps. His tail is HEAVY. And he's BIG, though when he settles to sit upright on the curled up length of his tail, he's looking up at you by several inches.

Naga!Levi who is a predator, pure and simple. He eats meat. He hunts and stalks his prey, coiling the length of his tail around them over and over again, snapping bones and literally squeezing the life out of them. Tearing them apart with the sharp length of his claws, rending their flesh with his elongated fangs. He hisses. He glares, flicking his tongue out to taste the air.

Naga!Levi who, even though he doesn't realize it, is entrancing. Despite his size, the pure weight and muscle that he carries, he's nearly silent whenever he moves. Hips canting enticingly from side to side, you can't look away whenever he moves. It's almost like he's dancing, beckoning you to him in some sort of spell.

Naga!Levi who doesn't hibernate, though he's supposed to. Due to his half-snake nature he should. The rest of his den does, gorging themselves on meat before packing in for the winter. The cold makes him lethargic and slow. But he can't hibernate. His childhood didn't allow him to get used to the cycle, starvation and desperation keeping him awake. He sleeps, but on and off, not for the entirety of winter.

Because of this, Naga!Levi spends the winter seasons away from his friends and family. He doesn't want to worry them, doesn't want to bother them, so he finds a small cave relatively near by and makes it into his temporary den. At a loss for his usual agility and speed, he spends the colder months surviving like a human would. He can't be fast. He can't be stealthy, his form burrowing a huge trail in the snow in his wake. Hunting only small prey, rabbits for example, and fishing the way a human would. His metabolism is much slower anyways, he doesn't need nearly as much food when it's cold.

That's how you find him. Glittering black scales coated with white flakes of snow, his form collapsed and quickly disappearing beneath the weight of a snow storm. You've never seen anything like him before. Beautiful, both man and creature. He greets you with an aggressive hiss, eyes peeling open to wary slits at your approach. He's too heavy from the cold, to lethargic, but you help him to his cave. You save him, getting him warm.

Naga!Levi who, after meeting you, struggles even more with hibernation. He wants to stay up, to spend all your waking moments alert and by your side. But as it gets cold, his limbs become heavy and his eyes falling heavy lidded. You decide to cuddle up to him and keep him warm, and he's happy enough with that.

Naga!Levi who is so gentle with you, despite his nature. He's always cautious with his claws, so careful about only grazing you with his fangs. His tail can squeeze you tight, particularly during heated moments, but it's never too much. He hold you like you're precious. The coiled tail wrapped around you is securing, comforting, like a weighted blanket. Whenever you sleep, it's in his arms, the length of him wrapped tight around you.

Naga!Levi who worries about spring. He gets quieter, holding himself stiffer the closer and closer it gets. You end up having to ask him what's bothering him, prying the issue out of him like pulling teeth. He blushes so adorably, the tips of his pointed ears a burning pink, while he struggles to explain. It's mating season. He worries about it, how it'll go, with you being human. He's only ever dealt with the resulting urges by himself before.

Usually Naga!Levi prefers you to take control during intimate moments. He loves exploring your differences, his long tongue tickling the length of your thigh, sharpened fangs dragging breathtakingly across your skin. He prefers you to ride him, claws digging into the plush of your thighs and they shake and shudder beside his hips. He hisses in pleasure, the sound bleeding into a moan, music to your ears.

Naga!Levi who, come spring, suddenly becomes so needy. Every moment is spent touching you, fingers smoothing along your back as he glides by your side. Tongue flicking out to taste your scent, wetting the skin of your neck. All of him seems to be extra sensitive, the littlest touch along the soft underbelly of his tail sending him into lust. This holds even more true for the soft skin of his neck.

Naga!Levi who suddenly can't hold himself back. His tail locks so tight around you that it'd be terrifying if not for the soft kisses pressing to your collarbone. All he can do is fill you again and again, the hardened length of his cock exposed from his slit, leaking a constant stream of white seed. He can barely stop between knots to lick at your sore and swollen pussy, the forked tip both soothing you and pushing his thick seed back in. He wants you full, stuffed with his knot. Bred.

Naga!Levi who begs and whines, hissing out all of his love and affection wet and airy into your neck. He's normally quite vocal, tell you how soft you are, how good you take him, but the heat of spring loosens his lips further. He whines, he hisses, he whimpers. He needs more. More more more. More of you. He's mindless, accidentally nicking you with his claws, digging them too hard into the plush of your thighs. He soothes all the little scapes with a urgent swipe of his tongue.

Awareness filters in as the smell of smoke and cooking meat permeates the air. You attempt to speak, but only a garbled sound comes out. “Guh,” you groan nonsensically, blinking frantically to try to clear your vision. Suddenly, Levi's pale figure comes into focus, anxiously leaning over you. His side brushes against yours as he hovers close.

"Hey," Levi says, calling your name, his fingers gently pressing against your cheek. "How are you feeling?"

You groan, your eyelids fluttering in discomfort. Even the dim flickering light from the fire causes your eyes to sting. Swallowing heavily, your throat feels as dry as sand. Letting out another groan, your voice comes out rough and gravelly, "Feels like I ate some parched bread."

The Naga chuckles softly. "Better, then." As you keep your eyes shut, you can hear him shuffling away momentarily before returning close to you. He cups the back of your neck, gently tilting your head forward, and places a cup against your chapped lips. "Here, drink slowly."

You gulp eagerly, savoring the fresh and soothing water that brings instant relief to your scratchy throat. As your hands rise, your fingers brush against his, taking the cup from his grasp. "Easy... easy," he chides softly, "not too fast."

Pulling away from the cup, you gasp with relief. Blinking blearily, you struggle to clear the spots in your vision. Your voice cracks as you try to speak, "How... how-"

"How is your fever?" Levi interrupts, swiping the pads of his fingers along your brow. It feels wet and clammy, making you acutely aware of how drenched in sweat you are. His forehead dips forward, pressing gently into yours.

“I had a fever?” you croak, blinking lazily. He's so close. The sheer proximity makes your heart lurch and your stomach do an odd somersault. “How long was I out?”

“You were practically boiling,” Levi frowns, leaning back slightly. “I tend to run colder than you, so it’s hard for me to gauge…” His fingers sweep along your brow again, gently pushing back your hair. His warm skin against yours feels comforting. While his demeanor remains stoic and expressionless, there are subtle signs of concern on his face. A faint furrow in his brow and tightly pressed lips. Something intense lingers in his eyes, a look you’ve never seen before, causing your stomach to tighten. “-but I think it’s finally settled. You’ve been in and out for three days.”

"Three days?" you repeat in a weak rasp. The gurgling of your stomach becomes loud and noticeable, causing you to feel embarrassed as you catch Levi's slight smirk.

"Your eyelids were fluttering a lot, so I was hoping you'd wake up soon," he explains. His hand slips behind your shoulder, gently urging you to sit up with a light pressure. "Can you sit up?"

"Nnhgh," you strain, exerting effort to rise up onto your elbow. "I-I think so..."

Surprisingly, it turns out to be relatively easy to pull yourself up, and you find your back against the nearby wall. "M-my leg," you mention, your voice tinged with worry. To your surprise, there isn't much pain. There's a slight stinging sensation in your upper thigh, and your foot feels warm, but aside from that, the limb feels fuzzy and tingling from sleep. You keep your gaze fixed on Levi, hesitating to look directly at it, fearing what you might see.

"It's still healing," Levi reassures you softly, shuffling to the side and retrieving something from over the fire. "I'm sure you're hungry."

He presents a piece of meat skewered on a sharp stick. It's freshly cooked, steaming with a hint of char. "Rabbit?" you recognize, identifying the meat. Suddenly, your eyes catch sight of a patch of fur near the fire, fluffy and bright white. You pause, realizing, "I-is that the rabbit I was trying to catch? How is that even possible?"

"Your trap worked," Levi explains. Pushing the meat closer to you, he insists, "Eat. You need to regain your strength."

"Have you eaten?" you inquire, noticing the subtle click of his jaw. The response is evident in his expression. "You should have some as well."

"I'm fine," he insists. "I've told you before, I don't need to eat as much during winter. My metabolism slows down."

You frown, pushing the meat stick back towards him. "I've heard your stomach growling while you sleep. I know it's been at least a week since you last ate. Please, there's more than enough for both of us."

Crossing his arms, he grumbles something unintelligible under his breath. Another growl from your stomach fills the small cave, causing your face to flush with embarrassment. You maintain a defiant glare, your shoulders squared and unwavering.

Letting out a huff, he reluctantly concedes, firmly pushing the stick back towards you. "Fine, but make sure you eat your fill first."

"Deal," you agree, accepting his offer. The piece of meat is greasy, but its taste is delightful. While some people say that rabbit meat tastes like chicken, to your palate, it has a distinct earthy flavor. Though lacking in spices, the meat is tender yet somewhat plain. Nevertheless, the moment it touches your tongue, a wave of ravenous hunger washes over you.

Levi observes you as you devour the meat, offering you another piece once the first one vanishes. "Have some berries too," he suggests, extending one of your cups toward you. The cup is filled to the brim with a cluster of small, round berries. They are shiny and red, unmistakably cranberries.

You know that he only consumes meat, so you chew quickly before reaching out to take the cup. "Why did you get these?" you inquire.

A soft, almost emotionless expression passes over his face. By the fire, the gray of his eyes takes on a gentle blue hue. "You mentioned that humans enjoy sweet things."

That's sweet, very thoughtful of him. Rattling the berries around in the cup, you smile at his thoughtful gesture.

His thoughtfulness warms your heart, and you find yourself smiling at his gesture, the cup of berries rattling in your hand. But amidst the sweetness of the moment, a realization strikes you with intensity. You like him. The sudden surge of emotions nearly causes you to choke, prompting a moment of panic. In an attempt to divert your thoughts, you hastily stuff a handful of cranberries into your mouth.

The cranberries leave a bitter and tart taste in your mouth, but you choose not to mention it to Levi. You don't want to dampen the kind gesture and the pleased expression on his face. As you slow down, Levi takes a portion of the rabbit for himself, keeping his promise.

"I don't think I've ever felt so satiated before," you remark with a contented sigh, reflecting on the fulfilling meal.

"That's good," Levi responds, his words interspersed with chewing. "The magic you've been using likely drained a significant amount of your energy."

As the mention of magic, you're reminded of the reason behind your stupor. You've been trying to push the thought aside, but now it demands your attention. With a heavy sigh, you lean your head back against the stone wall, mustering the strength to confront the reality.

Taking a deep breath, you finally glance down at your leg. During your sleep, Levi had tucked you into his coat, leaving your legs exposed. The sight that greets you fills you with awe. "Impossible," you whisper softly, running your fingers along your thigh. The grisly wounds that were present only a few days ago now appear as thin, angry lines. Your foot shows significant healing progress as well, with the skin around your ankle only slightly swollen and bruised.

"You're healing so slowly," he frowns, finishing his meal before making his way over to your side once again. With gentle precision, the sharp points of his claws trail across your upper thigh, tracing the outer edge of your wound.

"No, this is incredible," you assure him, your voice trembling at his delicate touch. A surge of butterflies flutters in your stomach. "If it weren't for you, I might have lost my leg. I can't believe it…"

Biting his lip, his sharp fangs loom over his plump bottom lip. "So fragile," he whispers under his breath, his voice barely audible. His fingers dig gently into the softness of your thigh, his gaze filled with darkness and sorrow. "There might be a scar."

"That's nothing new to me," you remind him.

In response, he scowls intensely. His darkened eyes briefly meet yours before swiftly returning to your injured skin. He swallows heavily, his Adam's apple bobbing in his throat, and lowers his head in contemplation.

Your voice fills with startled panic as you hastily interject, “H-hey!” He is so close, his long forked tongue carefully swiping along the bottom edge of the shallowest scar near your knee. Unlike before, it doesn’t cause any burning sensation. Instead, it brings a pleasant warmth, and coupled with his dark eyes meeting yours, it stirs a sense of arousal. You like him.

As discreetly as possible, you clench your thighs together. “You don't have to do that,” you exclaim, trying to regain some composure. “It'll heal just fine on its own.”

He responds with a soft voice, his eyes filled with determination. “You don’t need any more scars,” he insists. “Not for my sake. Not if I can help prevent them.“

You utter an uneven response, struggling to hold back a whimper. “O-oh.”

Gently lifting your left leg, Levi continues to softly lap along your thigh, up and up and up towards the inner crease. The sight of him has your heart pounding, dark heavy-lidded eyes boring into yours as his tongue laps softly against your skin. The pink tongue works its way slowly closer and closer to your clothed center. Your thighs clench involuntarily. “Relax,” he tells you softly, thumb working into the muscles there. Huffing warm air against your thigh, his nose flares curiously.

Heat floods your face. You're soaked. If he can smell your blood then he can definitely smell the arousal soaking into the fabric of your panties. His tongue flicks out, tasting the air, while his head tilts to the side in curiosity. Unable to maintain eye contact any longer, you find yourself looking away, desperately seeking a distraction. Your gaze darts towards the entrance of the cave, where you realize something. It's quiet—remarkably so. There is no whipping and howling wind, and the snow is no longer rapidly falling.

"It's quiet," you breathe, stating the obvious, acknowledging the newfound stillness.

"Hmm," Levi blinks slowly with double-lidded eyes, refocusing on his task. There's only a small portion left for him to attend to—the deepest and most sensitive area. Where flesh had once been torn down to the bone, what remains is now just an angry scar. His lips delicately brush against your skin, and he murmurs, "The storm ended almost two days ago."

"Ahh," you hiss, feeling the sting of pain intensify. Your eyes pinch closed as you confess, "That part still burns."

His fingers continue their diligent work, kneading the muscles along the back of your thigh. "I'm sorry. I know. It's almost done," he assures you. As his tongue swirls, the pain gradually fades, replaced by a soothing sensation of warm wetness that engulfs your senses.

"The storm," you begin, finally processing his earlier statement. "The storm is over?"

Leaning away, Levi nods, his nails gently dragging down your thigh as he cups your bruised ankle. "It's been warm enough that the snow has started to melt. That's how I managed to go out and get the rabbit," he explains, his expression turning concerned as he examines the remaining damage to your foot.

"I-I have to go then," you panic, twisting your foot in his grasp, which triggers a surge of red-hot pain. While it was definitely badly broken several days ago, now the bone feels mended, and you're able to wiggle your toes. "Ahh -shit-"

"Shh- shh," Levi hushes softly, releasing your limb. He hovers over you, his gaze filled with warmth. "Don't worry. You can stay, remember? As long as you need to."

"Why are you even helping me?" you spit, your glare fixed upon him. "The last thing I remember is you trying to kill me!"

He grimaces, his expression pained. "I wasn't trying to kill you-"

With a hiss of pain, you struggle to rise, attempting to put weight on your foot, only to be met with excruciating agony. "-Pushing me outside to bleed into the snow counts-"

"Stop," he insists, his hand pressing firmly into your shoulder, gently pushing you back down. "You're only going to hurt yourself more. It was... something you said that changed my mind. You reminded me of myself."

It's as if your own words are echoing back to you, spoken only a few days ago. With a long sigh, you deflate and flop back down onto the bedding. Your lip trembles as uncertainty fills your thoughts. "I don't know what I'm supposed to do..."

Levi's voice soothes you, speaking softly, "You don't need to do anything. Just relax and heal." Shifting his position, he settles next to you, his back against the wall, his shoulder lightly brushing yours.

"I've never been good at that," you grumble under your breath. "I mean, where am I supposed to go? How am I supposed to survive out here all on my own? With my luck, I'll be dead within the week."

"You don't have to-" he begins, but you interrupt him with a somber tone.

"It would be safest for me to go back to the village, but... they threatened to burn me at the stake if I showed up empty-handed," you confess, a hint of fear in your voice.

"Of course they did," Levi responds, his voice filled with disgust. He clicks his tongue in disapproval. "Fucking barbaric."

You nod, your panicked and hurried words pouring out. "The crowd had been so excited when they mentioned it. People cheered!" Tears well up in your eyes, streaming down your face. Choking on your sobs, you fight to continue speaking. "A-and I can't go to another village because he'd find me. It would be best for me to go back, but-but-"

Your attention is momentarily drawn to the nearest portion of Levi's tail, resting by your hip. The nearest portion of his tail is resting by your hip, the one not against his own. The large expanse of his tail spreads out across the entirety of the bedding, its gleaming black scales creating a stunning display of onyx. The very tip of his tail, thin and tapering to a rounded point, brushes against your side.

Carefully, you reach out and brush your fingers against the shiny scales there. Each scale is tiny, barely the size of the tip of your pinky finger.

The tip of Levi's tail flicks by your side, responding to your touch and leaning into it. "Even if I were to give you some of my scales," Levi begins, his voice filled with determination, "I'm not letting you go back there."

Disbelief and hope intertwine within you as you process his words. "You- you would do that? For me?"

Levi shakes his head, waving off the thought. "No," he replies firmly. "Naga scales do horrible things to humans. I won't put you through that. But I won't let you face that danger again either."

"I guess the execution was just delayed," you mutter morosely, a sense of resignation in your voice. You bite down on your lip, fighting back tears. "You said that you're only going to be here until spring. H-how much longer do I have?"

"It's probably still a while until spring. Maybe a handful of weeks. That definitely wasn't the last snowstorm of the season," Levi responds, his tone tinged with uncertainty. He hesitates for a moment, his mouth opening and closing before he continues, "And you don't have to stay here on your own. You could come with me to the Den."

Shock floods your features as you process Levi's offer. "Wha- really?"

Levi shrugs nonchalantly, as if the answer is simple and obvious. "It's an option, if you want."

You can't help but feel incredulous, considering the circumstances. "You barely even know me..." You reflect on the fact that you had spent nearly three days lying to him and scheming, like a crafty thief after his scales. "After everything... you'd trust me like that?"

Levi's fingers trail softly along your thigh, tracing the scratches that remain. His gaze lingers over your shoulder, or perhaps just above it, as he speaks, "I know enough. I trust you."

You huff, feeling a rush of warmth spread across your face. The combination of his gentle gaze and the sensation of his nails trailing across your upper thigh makes your stomach flip with anticipation. Looking away, you divert your eyes to the roof of the cave. "I don't know how much longer I can stay sane living in a cave. Humans need sunlight, and I'm not sure how well I'd cope with The Maw's darkness. I can barely see."

"We don't live in caves," Levi corrects you with a playful eye roll. "I imagine it's similar to how you humans live, with houses and communal buildings."

"Really? But... den implies..." you trail off, still uncertain about the terminology.

"That's just a term that Naga use for home. And communities. You'd probably call it a village," he explains, gesturing towards the far corner of the cave. "It's not too far from here, up the mountainside, nestled within the ridges of The Spine. There's plenty of sunlight up there, so don't worry."

It's kind of amazing how close you'd gotten while wandering blind in the snow.

“I don’t suppose you guys have chairs,” you joke, a light-hearted tone replacing your previous worries. The gratefulness and excitement fill you, making you unsure of how to contain it. Twisting your hands together in your lap, you playfully bump your shoulder into his, relishing in the newfound camaraderie.

Levi's laughter fills the air, a short and endearing chuckle that makes your heart throb with warmth. "We do have chairs. Not many, though. There are a handful of our group who aren't Naga."

Surprised, you look at him with curiosity. "There are?"

Levi nods, his silvery gaze fixed on your expression. There's a glimmer of hope in his eyes as he waits for your response. His usually impassive face makes it hard to discern his true emotions, but you can sense a genuine earnestness. "Is that a yes?" he asks, his voice filled with anticipation. "You'll be safe there."

"Yeah," you breathe, feeling a sense of relief washing over you for the first time in almost a week. "It's a yes."

Hope fills your heart as you contemplate the possibilities ahead. However, there's also a lingering uneasiness, like a sour taste in the back of your throat. Levi doesn't know the whole story, doesn't know what you did. Taking a deep breath to steady yourself, you gather the courage to continue, "I... I-”

Unaware of the inner turmoil you're facing, Levi carries on, "There's plenty of room in the meadow. I'm sure you can stay with someone while a place is built for you."

Your resolve begins to waver as the weight of your secret bears down on you. Fear of judgment and the potential change in Levi's perception of you looms over your decision. The thought of being separated from him, even for a short time, fills your heart with an ache. Gathering your courage, you speak in a quiet and timid voice, "Can I stay with you?"

In surprise, Levi's eyes widen and his fingers tighten their grip on your thigh. Flicking out his tongue to moisten his lips, he swallows deeply, his throat bobbing visibly before he replies, "Sure. As long as you can clean up after yourself." You find comfort in the gentle pat of his hand on your thigh, his thumb working diligent circles into the flesh.

Suddenly, a wave of self-consciousness washes over you as you remember the heightened senses of a Naga. You realize that you must still be a clammy, sweaty mess from your injury and subsequent fever. Your hair is likely unkempt and you recall his blood-soaked hands cradling the back of your head. Filled with embarrassment, you quickly apologize, "I'm sorry. I must smell pretty bad. I remember you mentioning my sweat before."

Levi reassures you, "No, it's not your sweat. I've grown accustomed to your scent. It's the smell of your blood. It feels like I can't taste anything else." As if to emphasize his words, his tongue flicks out briefly.

Upon hearing his explanation, you become acutely aware of the extent of your disheveled state. Large patches of dried blood mar your skin from your thigh down to your foot, creating a flaky and unpleasant sight. Your attention is drawn to the corner of the cave where you notice several blood-soaked furs and the remnants of your clothes. That pile of furs must've been the ones that were beneath you while he was attending to your injury.

Levi picks up on your gaze and suggests, "I began repairing your trousers, but they might be beyond salvaging. Since it's warmer now, would you be willing to accompany me to the nearby stream? We can clean up there and freshen up a bit."

As you continue to observe Levi, you realize that he too is covered in your blood. The crimson stains his far side, where you had been leaning against him during the journey back. His pale skin and dark scales on that side are now adorned with the remnants of your dried blood.

Suddenly aware of how sticky and grimy you are, the desire to wash up grows stronger within you. "I can't get up- how will I-"

Levi's voice is reassuring as he responds, "I'll carry you there." He rises from his spot, his tail extending and gently curling around you as he makes his way to the far end of the cave. "Do you mind if we pack all the bloody things into your bag?"

You nod, feeling apologetic. "I'm sorry I ruined your furs."

“You still apologize too much,” he shoots you a look over his shoulder. “Relax, this won’t be the first time I’ve gotten blood out of them.”

Shuffling over to the back wall of the cave, Levi lifts up the bedding in what you deemed “his spot.” From a crevice below, he swipes up a small blue bag, before pausing. “Oh,” he turns, holding something out to you. “This is yours.”

Curiosity piqued, you scoot over to take a closer look. A shiny metal pommel meets your gaze. “My knife.” So that’s where he hid it. His words from before flutter along the back of your mind, ‘So you can stab that shiny little knife of yours into my back later?’ The cool metal filling your palm is material evidence of just how much he trusts you. It warms your heart. You place it by your side.

Quick and meticulous, Levi gathers up all the bloody furs, carefully placing them in your backpack along with the small blue bag. He then turns to you and asks, “Are you ready to go?”

“Yeah.” With a nod, you signal your readiness, preparing yourself for the journey to the nearby stream. Levi approaches your side, his eyes momentarily scanning your legs as if calculating the best way to lift you. You feel a mix of anticipation and vulnerability as he reaches out to lift you, his arms wrapping around you with care and strength.

One arm cradles your legs while the other supports your back, creating a secure and comfortable hold. As he lifts you effortlessly, you find yourself pressed against his chest, your head nestled near his heart. It's like how a groom would carry his bride. The steady and comforting rhythm of his heartbeat resonates in your ears, soothing your nerves and providing a sense of safety.

You marvel at how effortlessly he carries you, as if your weight is insignificant to him. It’s a testament to his physical prowess and the trust he has in his own abilities. Feeling his warm embrace, you relax into his hold, finding solace and a sense of belonging in his strength.

Tucking through the entrance of the cave, bright morning light immediately greets you. It's nearly blinding after the caves barely-lit darkness. As Levi carries you towards the stream, you feel a mix of sensations: the brightness of the morning light, the cold breeze caressing your skin, and the gentle sway of his movements. The contrast between the dark cave and the small meadow immediately outside is striking, and you find yourself adjusting to the new environment.

Taking a moment to soak in the surroundings, you breathe in the crisp air, feeling a renewed sense of freedom. The remaining snow is a testament to the passing winter, and you watch as Levi’s tail creates a deep trail behind him. It’s a mesmerizing sight, the dark scales against the pure white backdrop. The way he moves is so smooth, a fluid back-and-forth led by the gentle sway of his hips.

Passing through the small opening, the darkness of the trees looms overhead once again. From over his shoulder you watch his tail trail a wide path into the pure white snow. As the trees begin to loom in a dense canopy overhead, it becomes so dark that you can barely see the end of it. Shadows dance ominously in the distance, causing worry to fill your throat. “W-what about any WildOnes? What if we run into something?”

He pauses for a moment, his grip on you tightening as if to provide reassurance. His voice rumbles against your ear, comforting and steady. “Most of the forest’s inhabitants are nocturnal,” he explains. “And this time of year, many of the more dangerous creatures should still be in hibernation.”

“But… the shifter…” you worry, your voice trembling with unease.

Levi’s response carries a hint of frustration and resignation. “One of the few exceptions. It figures you would stumble right the fuck into one,” he remarks, his fingers exerting more pressure on your back as they glide slowly up to your shoulder. There’s a mix of concern and exasperation in his touch. “You did mention being unlucky, didn’t you?”

His words send a chill down your spine, amplifying your anxiety about the shifter encounter. The memory of that dangerous encounter lingers in your mind, fueling your fear of the unknown lurking in the darkness. You take a deep breath, trying to steady yourself.

“Right.” If only you knew what that really meant. You should tell him. You should . But you don't want this to end. You don't want to leave him and you don't want to die. Feeling torn and conflicted, you bury your face into Levi’s chest, seeking solace in his embrace. His reassuring touch and comforting words provide a temporary respite from your inner turmoil. The weight of your secret weighs heavily on your conscience, but the fear of losing him or putting yourself in danger holds you back from revealing the truth.

As Levi senses your worry, he responds with a gentle pat on your back, his touch offering both comfort and a reminder of his heightened senses. “I’ll smell anything dangerous before it gets too close,” he reassures you, his voice steady and calm. Levi’s touch tightens, his grip both reassuring and possessive. “I won’t let anything harm you,” he asserts, determination lacing his words.

His words provide a glimmer of reassurance, reminding you that you’re not alone in this journey. You find a small measure of comfort in his presence and his unwavering determination to protect you. For now, you choose to hold onto that reassurance, hoping that his heightened senses will indeed keep you out of harm’s way.

Taking a deep breath, you try to push aside your concerns and focus on the present moment. The snow crunches undertail as Levi carries you through the dark forest, his steady pace and the rhythmic swaying of his movements lulling you into a sense of security. You lean into his warmth, allowing yourself to trust in his abilities.

The journey to the creek turns out to be relatively short, accompanied by the soothing sound of rushing water growing louder as you approach. As the darkness of the forest gives way, you’re greeted by the breathtaking sight of bright, sunny skies. The creek sparkles with clear blue water, reflecting the sunlight as it cascades down from the mountain’s slope. The contrast between the foreboding forest and the serene beauty of the creek leaves you in awe.

Levi finds a comfortable spot for you to sit on a large, sun-warmed boulder by the creek’s edge. The warmth seeps through the fabric of your clothing, providing a pleasant sensation against your skin. He settles beside you, retrieving the small bag he had grabbed earlier. With a razor in hand, he informs you of his intention, “I’m going to trim my hair first.”

You watch as Levi carefully tends to his hair, his movements focused and precise. The sunlight catches the strands, emphasizing their dark hue. It’s a strangely intimate moment, watching him groom himself with such care. As he works, you take the opportunity to observe your surroundings. The gentle rush of the water, the warmth of the sun on your skin, and the peaceful atmosphere of the creek all contribute to a sense of tranquility.

With each sweep of the razor, you notice Levi’s hair gradually taking on a neater and more refined appearance. It’s a simple act, but there’s a certain intimacy in the shared silence between you. The worries and uncertainties of the outside world momentarily fade away, replaced by the calming presence of the creek and the bond you’re forming with Levi.

As you watch Levi trim his hair, a wave of admiration washes over you, and you find yourself captivated by his appearance. The realization hits you like a bolt of lightning—Levi is undeniably handsome. For so long, your attention had been drawn to his unique, otherworldly features, but now your gaze eagerly travels along his human half.

In the soft morning light, his pale skin seems to glow, accentuating the taut muscles that ripple beneath the surface. His broad shoulders and chiseled abdomen speak of strength and power, perfectly complemented by the tightly packed muscles that define his physique. Every subtle movement reveals the sculpted contours of his body, as if each motion were carefully choreographed to captivate your attention.

Your eyes are drawn to his arm as it shifts with precision, creating sharp lines in his undercut. The sight of his bicep, bulging and defined, elicits an involuntary response, causing your mouth to water. The flex of his pectoral muscles leaves you yearning to reach out and touch him, your fingers itching with desire. Your thighs clench.

As you continue to drink in Levi's presence, your gaze roams over every curve and contour of his body, tracing the arch of his spine, the curve of his waist, and the broad expanse of his hips. Each line and shape seems to emphasize his masculine allure, captivating your attention.

Lost in your observations, you suddenly notice a shift in Levi's demeanor. His head rises, and his gaze locks with yours, an odd look crossing his face. His nostrils flare, indicating that his heightened sense of smell has detected something.

“Uh-” Your heart lurches in panic as you realize your obviousness. You like him. Oh no. Desperately trying to switch gears, you stare worriedly at the water rushing by your side. “It's there anything dangerous in the water?”

Levi sniffs and points up the creek towards the towering peaks of The Spine. “No,” he assures you. “This is actually directly downstream from the Den. A deeper portion of this river runs straight through the middle. We fish there all the time. This one is perfectly safe.”

This one?

The urge to keep watching Levi is strong, but you resist, shifting your attention to the black hairs floating downstream. Extending your good leg, you cautiously dip your toes into the water. "It's freezing!"

"Way to state the obvious," Levi chuckles, finishing up with his hair. The tip of his tail flicks into the stream. "We shouldn't actually go in, it's still too dangerous." His tail ripples like the water beside you as he moves closer. "Come on, lift your arms up."

His fingers pinch the bottom edge of your top, pulling it up to expose your hip. "H-hey, woah!" you protest, quickly pushing his arms away.

Levi appears shocked, his eyebrows twisted in confusion. "What?" he asks, clearly taken aback by your reaction.

"I'm not exactly comfortable being... naked," you tell him, feeling the heat rise in your cheeks. You hastily tug the hem of your top back down your thigh. The oversized fur coat may have covered him decently, but it barely provides enough coverage for you, reaching only mid-thigh. You're grateful for its closed front, even though the v-neck is a bit low. Shuffling uncomfortably, you confess, "Especially around others."

Levi raises an eyebrow and points out matter-of-factly, "I'm naked." He gestures to himself, emphasizing the point with the sharp tip of his nail against his bare chest.

The thought hadn't even occurred to you. While his upper half is bare and undeniably enticing, his lower half consists of smooth scales. "I-it's different!" you stammer, feeling flustered.

Levi grumbles in response, "I've seen you topless before. Why does it matter?"

You struggle to recall the circumstances through the haze of blood loss. It feels like a distant memory, shrouded in panic and darkness. "I was kind of out of it then," you admit, your voice laced with uncertainty.

Levi hums curiously, tilting his head to the side. His gaze traces up your legs and along your torso before meeting your eyes. "Naga don't reveal themselves without their finery unless it's intimate," he explains.

Confusion clouds your expression as you blink in question. "Finery? Why are you telling me this?" you ask, genuinely curious.

Levi's eyes soften as he continues, "Our jewelry. You mentioned them before, in your children's stories. Naga with breasts often cover their upper halves with necklaces or other metal pieces, but nearly everyone wears something in public. So, I'm naked. Is it something similar to that?"

So this whole time you've been intruding into his space in multiple ways. An apology sits on the tip of your tongue, but before you can utter a word, Levi waves you off dismissively. "It's fine, it's not something that was ever really impressed upon me as a child," he says, indicating that it's not a big concern for him.

You apologize too much. You rub your arm worriedly, shoulders bowing inward. “I-it's not that exactly..”

“I won't look,” he tells you softly, trying to reassure you. “I'll just clean your legs, if you're willing to do that part.” Pulling you forward with a hand at the small of your back, he positions your legs to dangle over the ledge. His hand dips into the water, causing an unhappy hiss to escape his lips.

The blue little bag turns out to also contain a small, chunky, yellow bar of soap. Levi dips it into the frigid water before sliding it against your skin, gently cleansing your leg. You jolt away from the chill, and he tsks at you softly. “You have soap?”

He shrugs modestly, his hands moving with a deliberate and gentle touch. The intimate act of him washing you fills your heart with a heavy buzz. “It's just made from animal fat, along with a handful of other ingredients. It's not too difficult to make. I'm sure you've gathered how much I value cleanliness.”

Levi's touch on your leg is gentle and soothing, as he swipes the soap along your skin with smooth and sweeping motions. The soap creates soft bubbles, gliding effortlessly over your leg, and you notice a hint of pine in its woodsy scent. The dried blood flakes away easily with every splash of water.

"Oh, I sure have," you chuckle softly, appreciating the focused and tender expression on Levi's face. His eyes remain fixed on your leg, his touch unwaveringly gentle even on your raw wounds. "I've always wanted to learn how to do crafty stuff like that."

"I could teach you," Levi says softly.

"I'd like that," you breathe, a sense of ease washing over you. With a relaxed smile, you remove your top, briefly catching Levi's gaze before he resumes his work. Surprisingly, you don't feel exposed or self-conscious in his presence. There is a comforting familiarity and trust between you. As you splash water onto your side, dark, flaky remnants of dried blood easily wash away.

"I think there's some blood in my hair too," you mention. Tracing your fingers along the back of your head, you discover small clumps of dried blood. It's spotty, but you vaguely remember something hot and sticky pressing into your scalp.

"I'll take care of that later," Levi replies distractedly. He frowns, his attention focused on the task of cleaning your wound. As he works the suds around the puckered edge, his touch becomes even gentler, his fingers tracing along the delicate edges. His frown deepens, and his thumb pauses momentarily as it glides along the deepest claw-mark on your upper thigh.

His mouth opens and closes several times, a question clearly struggling to form. Finally, he manages to speak, his voice filled with a mixture of curiosity and concern. "The top... is it because of your scars? I've already seen them." His gaze shifts to meet yours, searching for an answer.

You shrug, raising an arm to scratch back between your shoulder blades. There's a little scar there, a thin line that you can barely reach. Shoulders hunching inward, you don't meet his gaze as you continue, “My parents weren't exactly… nice.”

Levi’s expression softens, understanding dawning in his eyes. He continues to clean your wound, his touch now gentle and comforting. “That's a huge fucking understatement.” The grip on your thigh tightens. You wince as his grip tightens, but his quick apology and soothing touch on your thigh ease the discomfort. “Why would they carve up your back?”

“I acted out… a lot,” you explain, your voice tinged with a mix of sadness and frustration. “I was a bit of a wild spirit, always wanting to be out exploring and learning, instead of conforming to their expectations. They punished me, both physically and emotionally. They called me a disappointment, a failure.” The memories of the older scars are hazy, blurred by the passage of time and the weight of trauma. But they had started long before your brother came into the picture, and things had only worsened with his arrival. Taking a deep breath, you finally meet Levi’s gaze, his concern evident in his eyes. “They had their reasons,” you reply, your voice tinged with bitterness. “They believed it would make me more obedient, more controllable.

Levi’s anger seethes beneath the surface, his voice laced with frustration as he responds, “What absolute pieces of shit.” He releases a growl, a mix of empathy and indignation. “You didn't deserve any of that. Didn't anyone notice?”

You nod sadly, lost in thought, as you recall the harsh reality of your past. The memories weigh heavily on your heart as you speak, "It was a cruel norm in our society. Those who dared to be adventurous, particularly girls, faced punishment. Sometimes it was even done publicly in the town square."

Levi's expression tightens with anger and frustration. His low growl betrays his indignation, and you sense his empathy and understanding. "And yet they have the audacity to call us monsters," he mutters, his voice filled with disdain for such hypocrisy.

The word "monster" reverberates in your mind, triggering painful memories of the crowd's jeering and the taunts that plagued your past. Your frown deepens, and you instinctively draw in a sharp breath, feeling the weight of those hurtful words once more.

“You have some too,” you note, carefully brushing his shoulder. He's so pale that they're difficult to spot. Most of them look like little knicks, spread out sparsely across his skin like silvery stars. They're smooth under your touch. “How is that possible? I thought Naga healed almost instantly.”

As you glide your thumb slowly along the edge of one, he suddenly jerks and shoulders your hand away. “That's none of your business,” he spits with a cool glare. The words are short and sharp, piercing the chilly air like knives. His shoulders are stiff and his eyes quickly shoot away from you to the water. Uncomfortable. The only way you can describe the way he looks is uncomfortable. It's clear as day that he doesn't want to talk about it.

You retract your hand immediately, sensing his discomfort. His sharp reaction catches you off guard, and you quickly apologize, realizing you've touched upon a sensitive topic. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to pry. It's none of my business."

Levi's tense posture and avoidance of eye contact confirm your assumption. He seems guarded, unwilling to discuss the origin of his scars. You decide to respect his boundaries and change the subject, not wanting to cause any further discomfort.

“Can I clean your side?” you gesture towards where his waist is still caked with your blood. “Make things a bit more even?” He shrugs with a deep frown, handing you the soap.

As you gently clean Levi's side, you notice his distant expression and the faraway look in his eyes. It's clear that his mind is elsewhere, lost in his thoughts and memories. You wonder what might be occupying his thoughts, what hidden emotions he's grappling with.

Without prying or pushing, you continue to clean his side in silence, giving him the space he seems to need. Your focus remains on the task at hand, but your curiosity lingers, wondering what thoughts and emotions lie behind his distant gaze.

There's so much he doesn't know about you, but there's also so much you don't know about him. He's stiff against your hands, back ramrod straight. You try to be just as gentle as he was with you, slowly lathering the soap along his side. As you continue to clean Levi's side, your fingers tracing the scars on his abs, you notice his initial stiffness gradually giving way to a more relaxed posture. It seems that your gentle touch is helping him find some comfort in the moment.

Leaning back slightly, you pose a question, hoping to distract him from whatever thoughts were troubling him earlier. "What do you do during the warmer months?" you ask, your voice soft and curious. You observe his face closely, waiting for his response.

He jumps slightly, startled by your sudden words. Blinking in surprise, he tells you, “Some of my den sweeps the forest for WildOnes, killing any we come across.”

Levi’s admission catches you off guard, and you momentarily stop working the soap into his scales as you process his words. Confusion lingers in your expression as you question his motive. “But you hate humans. Why would you protect us?”

Levi’s gaze shifts away, his features contorting with a mixture of frustration and resignation. “It’s complicated,” he mumbles, his voice tinged with bitterness. “That’s mostly just me. I wouldn’t have invited you to stay if that wasn’t the case. And it keeps us safe as well,” he says. “But Eyebrows - er - our leader thinks it’s best if we protect the nearby human towns. By his logic, the fewer deaths you have, the less likely you’re going to wander into the forest and find us.”

“That doesn’t really make complete sense,” you start, your hand continuing its gentle motion. The little bits of your blood seem to cling to the grooves between his scales, requiring more effort to clean. But soon enough, his side begins to glitter softly in the sunlight. “Wouldn’t it be better if we were fearful of the forest?”

Levi’s gaze flickers to yours, a touch of contemplation in his eyes. “Perhaps,” he concedes, his tone thoughtful. “But fear can be a double-edged sword. A healthy amount is fine, but too many deaths would lead to anger. Humans tend to lash out and destroy.” Even still, his gaze remains fixated on the waves. As you pull the top back on, his eyes immediately meet yours. “Plus, Erwin has wanted to reach out for peace several times over the years.”

Erwin. You immediately file the name away for safekeeping. “That sounds like it was a point of contention.” Levi grunts, telling you that ‘yes, yes it was.’ with a simple noise. “But then what about my village? Dozens of people go missing a year!”

Levi's fingers drums curiously along your thigh, the tips of his claws barely grazing your skin. There's an odd look on his face, one that brings you pause. Something terrifying buzzes along the back of your head.

You gasp. The realization hits you like a lightning strike. The words come out in a horrified whisper, “It's the town heads. They're getting rid of people.” You can tell just from the dark look on his face that Levi had come to the realization as well. It makes too much sense.

The weight of the revelation hangs heavy in the air, a suffocating silence enveloping you both. The pieces of the puzzle begin to fit together, forming a grim picture that you can no longer ignore. The town heads, the disappearances, the atmosphere of fear—it all aligns with the sinister truth that has been lurking in the shadows.

Levi’s gaze meets yours, and a shared understanding passes between you. There’s a mixture of anger, sorrow, and determination etched on his face. He nods, “We've spotted a handful of humans over the years, wandering into the woods. It's mostly the others that go close to the human villages, but the ones they find always scream and run off before they can approach.. and then it's too late.”

Not all of the sentences are public, it seems. The people who just disappear or end up just a gory mess, at least some of them must be victims of theirs. Killed and blamed on the creatures living in The Maw or sent off to their deaths with a hopeless quest.

You remember the teen who had braided your hair, filling your mind with myths and legends. Andrea. You remember now, her name was Andrea. The realization dawns upon you that she may have suffered a similar fate, cast off into the unforgiving forest to meet her demise. Curiosity feeds death.