The Tradition

Shuule and Set stood in the empty room, together, silent, Shuule looking down at the ground, shoulders slumped.

"I know.... that this is a lot to take in," stated Set.

"Why didn't you tell me who your family was?" Shuule whimpered, her lip beginning to quiver.

The snake tilted his head at the girl. She cried a lot, he felt, but she was young, and had been through much the last few days. And perhaps the women in his memories just didn't cry enough.

"Would it have made a difference?" he answered quietly. "Would I have been more tolerable if I broadcasted that my mother was famous? Or that she wasn't a snake?"

Shuule's eyes went wide, and started to stutter a retort, but Set moved towards her in a sweeping slide, putting a finger up to her lips.

"You don't have to answer. I'm sorry. I could have said something. Don't cry, Shuule. You're safe. We're going to figure out a life here. I know it wasn't part of your own plans, but, I always imagined I would move to the city if I found a spouse. Women are always safer here. I know it'll be okay. Okay?"

Teary eyed but holding herself together, Shuule nodded vigorously, Set pulling her into his chest and enveloping her into his arms as he did when she had woken up at Harvey's house. This time, in the calm and stillness of the private stone walled room, it wasn't a clawing of desperation, coated with the fear of losing each other. Instead, a warmth swelled between the two of them, Shuule exhaling for what felt like the first time since she heard that rootless leopard's growl in the jungle.

Set too, felt her relax, kissing the top of her head, and taking her chin into the palm of his hand to turn her gaze to meet his. He remembered when he did this the first time he encountered her, his heart sinking. How could he had been so angry and cold, practically grabbing her teeth to force her to look at him, her eyes filled with hate and defiance? How could she have ever forgiven him, and moreso, where was that defiance towards the city now? Had he shattered that within her, somehow?

"I'm sorry for ever hurting you," he said, barely above a whisper.

"I-" Shuule almost lied, wanting to make him feel better, wanting to tell him he never did, but that wasn't true. What was true, was that Set was the only male who had ever been unkind to her, but honestly and truly made up for it later. "It's okay."

Her right arm throbbing, she took her one good hand and reached up to stroke Set's pale cheek, drawing the lines of his own green warrior stripes. "Stop apologizing for your nature. You've done so much for me, Set. I've chosen you. You're my first true mate, the first one I've chosen by my own free will. It's not out of fear, or pity, or obligation," her mind shot to Ukko. "I want you by my side for the rest of my life, and if you keep putting this off, I'm going to start to have a complex."

Set sighed. "You're injured. This isn't how I imagined it."

Shuule could barely handle it anymore, the tiptoeing, kid gloves, and excuses. With a whine, she squinted her eyes at her mate and nipped his chest where she had her head nestled.

"Are you going to make me beg you?!" she hissed.

Surprised, Set moved his arms off of her, but quickly grabbed her face again and pulled her into a passionate kiss, his serpentine tail shifting to his full human form. One hand moved to the small of her back, pressing her whole body into him as she returned his kiss.

Set stopped kissing her long enough to whisper in her ear. "There's one more thing we didn't discuss."

Shuule growled, ready to bite him again, but as she was about to, she felt it. Or them. Leaping back, she saw Set naked in his full human form for the first time. He was tall, well built, his legs long, his abdomen chiseled. His jet black and red hair draped down his sides stopping halfway down to the small of his back. But what was different, about Set, about the snake man, was that they had... two.

"I ... should have said something about this too. I promise I won't hurt you."

Shuule couldn't help but give Set a downward glance, a small part of her ready to call it off after all this time waiting for him to make a move. But ...

"I trust you," she breathed. She wasn't sure if she was telling the truth about this specifically, but overall, she did. If he promised not to brutalize her, he meant it.

Set strode forward on those long legs, removing the space between them, and for the first time, he finally gave over to his desires. Taking Shuule's head into his hands again, he kissed her, engulfed her entire being, pressing her into him. Shuule returned his embrace, grabbing onto his shoulder with her left arm, wanting to sink her claws into him, but holding back the urge.

Set in turn clawed his hands through her hair, down her shoulders, and started to undress Shuule - his mate, his gift for being restrained. He untied the tiger print top, then trailed down her back, grabbing the waistline of the matching skirt with his thumbs and dragging it down until it fell limp around her knees.

He lowered one arm even further, down her thigh, cupping it and pulling her upwards off her feet. Shuule squeaked, but wrapped both her legs around Set's waist, as he walked her backwards towards the door - only to slam it shut and press her up against it.