# The Walk Home

Title: The Walk Home
Status: Anon, Fang
Characters:
Rating: SFW
Classification: One Shot
Author: Skogsraon
Summary: Anon and Lucy take some time for themselves on a hike up in the mountains.
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The lake in the evening was even prettier than when we’d arrived - the last rays of sunlight were creating a carpet of soft shades of orange and purple dancing across the waters as they bounced off the gentle waves.
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The trek up here had been rough, many brambly paths through rough underbrush leading into rocky terrain where there hardly was any safe footing - but it had all been worth it. There was a tranquility up here in the mountains that was hard to beat: no trash left behind, no graffiti, no aggressive honking, and no other people for miles. Just the two of us, we did make it, after all.
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Lucy had learned fishing from her dad, so while she set out to start catching us some dinner I put up our tent. Just like I practiced back home after we bought it, no need to stress - stress would only make me have to start over.
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Soon enough, a solid two-man tent with rain cover and bag storage had been erected - heh - by the lakeside. Lucy seemed to have got into her fishing and was sitting on a camping chair casting, the sole whipping of the line and plipp as the jig hit the water breaking the silence every now and again.
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Finding some rocks to make a fire ring was easy this close to the lake, within minutes I have a solid base built and soon thereafter a fire was crackling in the middle of it. Dark had fallen quicker than expected, we'd made camp just in time - it was all too dark to set up a tent now.
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There was a small skillet in our camping kit, so I retrieve it and a small cutting board to aid with gutting the fish. We'd fry up some sausages too to gain a full meal no matter how much Lucy caught. Wrap some potatoes in foil and grill them over the fire. We'd brought some sauces and beer too, no skimping since we'd only be out here for a day or two we didn't need to keep our packs all too light.
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After setting it all up, I walk down to where Lucy was sitting in peace slowly reeling in the jig, having it dancing just underneath the moonlit surface of the lake. I walk over, only the faint crunch of pebbles under my boots making my presence known but in all this quiet I might as well have been blasting her band's newest CD on max. She looks back at me, smiling, yet still sitting there awaiting my company.
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Approaching her, I stand behind her, hugging her gently as I break the silence:
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"You look so cute when you focus."
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"Don't you dare say that out loud when it's not just the two of us around, dweeb."
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"I won't."
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She snuggles up against my head resting on her shoulder, rubbing her snoot against my cheek while letting her wings unfurl and hold me close to her. There was a certain crisp chill in the night air up here; not a humid cold like in the valleys but a fresh cool and reinvigorating breeze.
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Lucy tries her best for another throw or two, but without any luck. I try to give her a few words of comfort:
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"There's a day tomorrow, you're the greatest ptero fisher I know."
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"I'm the only ptero fisher you know. Let me fish in peace."
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"But I want my cute ptero to come to camp so we can warm ourselves with my ancestors' greatest invention."
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"Pfft, you're taking pride for the creation of fire now, too? You know that's revisio-"
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"Cuddles, babe.", kissing her cheek to fully sell in my pitch.
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This seems to hit home finally and with a sigh she reels in the jig one last time, collapsing the rod and resting it next to the chair before getting up. Giving me one last retort:
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"Only because it would be sad to see you sitting alone."
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"Good thing I have you, then. Even if the great ptero comes back empty-handed."
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Lucy scoffs, then shoves me to the side while laughing before responding:
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"Hey, I caught one at least! We'll get more tomorrow."
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We walk back to camp hand in hand like a couple fresh in love. But it had been a long while since we met, even if I still felt as strongly for her as I did back then.
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Her dorky smile betrays that she feels the same.
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The dancing flames welcome us home as we start to prepare dinner. Wrapping some potatoes in foil, frying up some sausages, slicing some bread. It was a mixture of everything we had at home when we spontaneously decided to head off for a trip.
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Working in tandem, doling out tasks, aiding each other, and working in sync. Like we were part of the same being.
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The warming thoughts of sharing a life together as we made up for each other's weaknesses.
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I could get used to this.
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I looked up from the skillet I was frying some bread in, to take in the sight of her.
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Her scaly skin glistened in the firelight, wings folded in tight to keep her warm. A content smile danced on her lips as she gutted the fish with precision the likes of which has never been seen before by this lakeside, mark my fucking words.
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Hehh.
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She notices me looking at her, so she turns her head up and meets my eyes. The fire- and starlight glittering in her deep amber eyes make it seem like there are galaxies swirling around in her head, promising an untold number of lives to live through.
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I only wanted this one life with her, though. We smile at each other, reach forward, and kiss. Her lips are soft and warm, her face carrying the campfire's heat. Her hair brushes against my face as I stroke her cheek with my hand.
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We pause and lean back, the world holding its breath. I want her to stay in my life forever. There's so much love in her look. I don't want this moment to end so I carefully chisel out a nook in my memory to keep it in.
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She finishes gutting and filleting the fish, washing her hands in the lake. Then we huddle up close, throwing our blanket over our shoulders with her resting her head against mine as we sit staring at the crackling fire and sizzling skillet. The smells of campfire cooking had made us both realize how hungry we were, stomachs rumbling in tandem.
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Digging in, Lucy devours her meal quickly. I savor the moment cozied up with the biggest dork of a ptero to walk these lands as she slaughters her foes indiscriminately.
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We sit there in silence for a while after dining. Taking the opportunity when the beast had settled, I give her a peck on the cheek; prompting the blushing ptero to turn around and give me a deep kiss, pulling me close to her with her wing while drumming on the log we were resting on with her tail.
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By the campfire we tell tales of our lives, reminiscing about our time in High School. How we'd met, the friends we had, what we had done after. It all seemed so inconsequential now, sitting here with her all alone in the middle of nowhere.
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If this was the rest of my life, I'd be more than content.
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After finishing our meal, we clean the dishes, wash up, brush our teeth, and as Lucy takes a quick bathroom break I pack up our stuff under the rain covers of the tent before extinguishing the fire.
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We crawl into the tent, our campsite now only illuminated by starlight. Kicking off our boots, stripping while giggling like school children, bumping into each other in the all too cramped tent.
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Crawling into our shared sleeping bag, I feel her naked body up close to mine, the movement of her soft scales just barely tickling my skin as her wings fold up and turn into an insulated blanket of feathers between us. She curls up into the small spoon, draping my arm around her and huddling closer. Kissing her neck, she shivers and rests her head on the pillow.
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It had been a long day, we deserved some rest. A final reminder:
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"I love you, Lucy."
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"I love you too, Anon."
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"I'm glad you suggested this trip."
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"Mmm. I knew your inner caveman would enjoy it."
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"Racist dork."
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"Skinne dweeb.", her cheeky grin wasn't visible, but I could hear it.
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"See you in the morning, babe."
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"Sleep tight."
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She clasps my hand in hers, letting her body relax as her breathing calms.
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I let the embrace of sleep take me too, for tomorrow was set to be another day with the woman I loved.
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The soft early rays of sun hitting the side of the tent greeted me to the dawning day, the chirps of birds in the forest around us, and the gentle splashes of waves against the shore was a lot better than the alarms we would set back in the city.
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Lucy was still asleep clutching my hand, smiling softly in her sleep while mumbling to herself.
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Taking the opportunity, I kiss her on the cheek and whisper:
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"I love you more than anything, Lucy. I'm so very, very glad to have you in my life."
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Her smile widens, but she does not seem to wake.
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So I lie back down, unsure whether I will return to sleep or not; it matters little as long as she's by my side. I can feel her heartbeat echoing throughout the both of us as we lay intertwined in the sleeping bag. Having her close is all that matters and no matter where we go from here on, we'd have each other to count on.
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Only we can hold on to our memories.