tornsurvivors:

[ from my favorite kiss prompt. ]

i. The Ranger-Captain had known Caelyn was there the entire time, so it shouldn’t be a surprise she was… extra motivated today. Maybe she was showing off a little and even Velonara knew it. The younger ranger just rolled her eyes, standing back and letting her Captain demonstrate the proper way to do rapid-fire with her bow to the rookies. Nor should it be a surprise that Sylvanas was proud of herself, proven by the smug smirk curling her lips as she turned to face the rookies. “You will take turns, and do remember to aim…” With the emphasis on the last word, the Captain’s blue eyes gave a pointed look to a certain rookie who gave a sheepish smile. The same rookie who had sent a poor unsuspecting victim to the medic and have the arrow in their backside removed.

As Sylvanas stepped away and allowed the rookies resume their training for the morning, her long ears perked at the chuckle from a certain elf and raised a brow at Caelyn. “Something amusing to you?” Despite the seriousness of her tone, the slight twitch of her lips gave away the casual teasing nature that had always been there between these two. Caelyn just said nothing, sauntered up to her and did the one thing that made her heartbeats quicken. A kiss right on the cheek, near the lips. A silent, mutual yearning between them. Something they knew they couldn’t have due to their lines of duty.

ii. She never wanted to inherit her mother’s title like this, and yet – her eldest sister left with her no choice and she was angry. Oh, she was livid. She felt betrayed in a sense with Alleria’s departure shortly after their mother fell in battle… despite understanding that her sister had a different way of mourning. The newly anointed Ranger-General was standing at the edge of the balcony at Windrunner Spire, staring almost vacantly at the horizon. She had been too tired to bother changing out of the Regalia she wore for the ceremony today. It wasn’t long before she sensed the familiar presence behind her, but Sylvanas did not turn. The closest thing to acknowledging Caelyn’s arrival was the cant of her long ears, and twitching the slightest as the other elf closed the distance between them.

And there she was. The comforting stare with deep concern. However, the other elf catches her off guard yet again– as always –hands, warm hands on the sides of her face and then lips were on hers. More than enough for her to forget the deep emotional pain for a minute. The message the kiss conveyed was the loudest: ‘I’m here. Always.’

iii. Hatred. She had become the epitome of hatred – birthed by a cruelty too dark and gruesome. Burdened by the fact everyone looked the other way, or looked past the fact that monster violated her in the most horrendous manner. Instead looked at her as if she had chosen to become the monster she is now. Memories of her death and undeath were still fresh in her mind, swirling and feeding the dark entity that now resided in her altered body along with the remaining fragment of the Ranger-General’s soul that had clung stubbornly through her death. Prompting the banshee to gloat and rub salt in her open wounds. Anything that breathed near her, she would feel the urge to wrap her shadow tendrils around their throat and cut off their air supply. A sickening envy of the living.

And yet…

“You would bed this?” She hissed out the words to Caelyn at the same time gesturing at herself, ignoring how the living elf had flinched. But Caelyn did not back away. Only moving closer and this infuriated Sylvanas. “Do not pity me. I do not want your pity, Caelyn.” The only reason she was infuriated is because of the fleeting FEAR she felt. Fear for Caelyn’s safety and it only made her feel vulnerable. Because she had felt fear for the longest when she stumbled around in the infinite dark upon her death. She did not know how to handle emotions anymore, they would overwhelm her. Her muscles were tight, ready to snap like a bowstring – she was certain she would’ve struck Caelyn, but… she didn’t. Especially not when Caelyn pulled her into the softest kiss. Too soft, so damned soft. The black mist that had began to roll off her form with her agitation faded and her hands that had been clenched into fists, relaxed and opened. Of course, only Caelyn would have known what she needed. What she deserved. For the first time since her undeath, she felt a sliver of hope.

iv. She understood now… after all those times when Caelyn initiated the kisses, or touches. Or even an embrace. Understood why the other elf would do these little things for her, like crafting more arrows or even cooking one of her favorite delicacies. It was so clear in the way Caelyn gazed up at her, and the way they slowly moved together – swaying to a silent song by the campfire. She remembered how she could never get enough of hearing Caelyn’s laughter. Nor could she ever get enough of how perfectly in sync their sense of humor had always been. How achingly gentle Caelyn is with her. Because Caelyn had always cared… when no one else would. Except for her family in the past, of course. It was… it was just different with Caelyn. The special kind of difference she suddenly felt so fiercely protective of.

And she wanted Caelyn to know how much.

It would be enough to say how much in the way Sylvanas slowly dipped her head and brushed her lips over Caelyn’s, barely touching. Barely a full-on kiss, but it was still enough. She could hear it by the faint hitch of Caelyn’s breath, before the living elf’s eyes closed and nudged their noses together. Again, for the first time since her death… she smiled.

v. Panic suffocated her – and she no longer needed to breathe. That’s how bad it was, the crippling fear of losing Caelyn. Everything was a blur from the moment the Banshee Queen stormed in the medic tent. The wounded of the battle that blindsided them were ignored, burning crimson eyes flicking from one face to the next. Jaw clenching. No sign of the unique colored hair, nor the tall stature of the Kaldorei. No sign of the eyes that reminded her of stars on a clear night. Tighter and tighter, the fear coiled around her throat. Had her heart still beat, it would be trying to shatter her ribcage out of sheer anxiety, all while breaking. Just when she opened her mouth to wail for Caelyn– which wouldn’t go so well for anyone in this tent… her gaze found Velonara’s. The Dark Ranger did not question why. After all she’s known Sylvanas for over two thousand years.

Velonara simply turned her head, and led Sylvanas’s gaze to the rear of the tent, where she caught glimpse of Caelyn’s shadow. Within a blink of the eye, Sylvanas melted into a cloud of black smoke and darted out through the flaps of the tent – becoming corporeal in front of Caelyn. Eyes flicking over the elf, checking for any life-threatening wounds and found none. Then she fisted the collar of the Kaldorei’s tunic, dragging her into a crushing kiss that spoke volumes of her relief.