@dragonbleps' boy.

* character headcanons

Sin gave him an unamused look at his smug answer, but it was temporary until Dal began to list his aches. Sin nodded in agreement with his suggestion at a bath and tea, which is exactly what he would have recommended had Dal not done so first. Whatever possible amount of blush that had crept away from his cheeks quickly returned realizing Dalamus meant upon mentioning feeling bloated. Ultimately, he chose not to engage lest Dalamus get another chance to give him a smartass answer.

He didnt see any visible bruising upon the dunmer, at least not from where he sat, and if he had any, it was likely internal. A quick and gentle run of his hands along Dal's body confirmed nothing felt out of place, at least, dangerously so. Thank the gods vampires were resilient, he thought, almost weirded out as he realized that they were rather physically perfect for one another, at least in this context.

"Barbs?" Sin asked dumbly, bringing his eyes back up from his examination to meet his love's, his face blank as he registered what Dalamus had said--then his expression grew visibly confused. "Barbs??" Surely he wasnt mistranslating the word within his own head--usually that word meant dangerous spikes that stuck into things. And yet here was Dalamus insisting he wasnt injured, and Sin couldnt see any blood present anywhere, but still he couldnt wrap his head around it. "I-- I know absolutely nothing about true lions, so I cannot say anything either, but--barbs??"

He seemed too preoccupied with the inconceivable notion of a penis having barbs to register the also strange description of the size of his penis in Lion form.

Dalamus' eyes drift closed with a content hum as Sinbadaen's hands move over him with concern, gently testing him for injuries. Other than the aforementioned soreness, nothing raises any alarm at the prodding. Sinbadaen is always so diligent with aftercare.

At Sinbadaen's response to his mentioning barbs, he brings his eyes back to the Altmer, amusement sparkling in their ruby depths. Before he can answer, Sinbadaen repeats the word, clearly bewildered, and the vampire nods, a grin slowly creeping onto his face again.

"Oh yes," he assures, although perhaps assurance is not exactly what Sinbadaen wants in this instance. Now.. how to explain them in a way that does not cause more alarm...

"I am unsure how else to describe them. These little backwards spines. 'Hooks' is too severe a word, and there was no tearing or ripping, at least not that I know of. I suspect there would be blood if that were the case. It was more like.. dragging, like fingernails across one's backside. Perhaps a bit sharper." He recalls the sensation with a casualness that contradicts the intensity of the event, but Dalamus has always been one to minimize such things. What happened happened and he is still alive. At least his insistence about there being no injury is true this time.

"Quite a shock to feel them the first few times, but I do not mind a bit of pain with my pleasure." Thank the gods for vampiric regeneration. He will have to remember to stay well-fed before doing it again, otherwise his healing may not be so mercifully swift or seamless.

Sin bit the inside of his cheek as Dal reminded him, very clearly, that he had come such a long way in controlling himself as a Lion, even in the time the pair had been together. He knew it, he could see the results for himself. It was hard for him to admit, especially to himself, but Dalamus being unharmed other than an extreme amount of what was normal for sex was pretty damning evidence. He had the memories to back it up as well, so he couldnt simply write it off.

He couldnt help but smile at his beloved, hearing Dal's reciprocated professed love. If it was something that Dalamus trusted him with, then all he could do was continue to work on his control--if Dal wanted another go in the future, who was Sin to deny him, especially if he had the ability to make sure it was done as safely as possible.

He scooted closer to Dal, being careful not to press against him too hard, as he didnt even know where he hurt yet, and moved in to give him a deep kiss. Upon parting, he gave the dunmer a physician's once-over. "Where do you hurt? Is there anything I can do to help?" he asked dotingly.

Then a burning question came forth from his brain that made his brows furrow. So curious was he that he didnt even seem to realize that he should blush at his asking: "Wait... How didnt I harm you? I have to be absolutely massive within Lion form--the rest of me is. I dont understand?"

Relief is obvious in Dalamus' relaxed shoulders, glad to have reassured Sinbadaen of his control over himself, however slight. The thought of being in the grip of the Lion again in the future is.. almost embarrassingly tantalizing. But first, healing and rest. And then more practice. As excited as he is, he cannot ignore the potential dangers. Going through it without a plan a second time might be tempting fate.

He eagerly accepts the kiss, leaning into it, enjoying the sensation of Sinbadaen's facial hair tickling against his lips. The Lion was fun, but he is also glad to have back a face he can kiss so easily, and a voice that regards him with such fondness and care. Parting reluctantly, Dalamus places his hands on the floor behind him that he might lean back slightly and make any medical observations easier.

Sin heartily returned the kiss, but his brows knitted in concern and empathy at how stiffly and sorely Dal was moving. He moved to sit up himself, carefully stretching his own muscles back into working order post-shift.

He watched his beloved speak, ears rolling back at how hoarse he was, his brows remaining knitted. Before he could retort that Dalamus quite obviously did not look unharmed, he was being told that Dal would like to do it again. The realization sunk in that he had enjoyed it, which unknitted his brows and brought a creeping but overwhelmingly dark blush to Sin's face, turning him totally amber.

He put his face in his hands. Their relationship had desensitized many aspect of sex for the altmer, and he'd even gotten to the point that casual talk of it did not bring him to blush. But, he had never once considered bedding his beloved in Lion form before--at least, not with a positive outcome. And certainly never considered it as a repeat affair. It was so far outside the realm of his consideration that he wasnt even sure how to reply.

He winced his eyes shut as he tried to put all his memories of his shift last night into chronological order. He had been wholly aware, truly had been, but his animal memory was tainted by instinct, and certain instincts were more powerful than others, causing those thoughts to be brought up first.

As he relived the experience with mer clarity, somehow he managed to grow a deeper color of amber than before, and it even tinted his ears. He let his eyes open to sweep across the state of the bedroom, and to examine Dalamus, then slow blinked them back shut.

"{Yes}," he replied, initially in altmeris, then cleared his throat and moved his hands to bury into his hair. "Yes," he clarified, returning to common. He opened his eyes to meet with Dal's. "Yes, I... thoroughly enjoyed myself. And, quite obviously, you as well." He couldnt help but chuckle, his blush staying right put where it was.

He embarrassedly moved a hand to scrub at his beard. "I ..quite honestly do not know what came over me... I felt the itch in my bones to shift and obliged, but... I... must have caught wind of you and... I love you." He let his hands drop unceremoniously into his lap, and gave the most sickly sweet, love drunk expression to Dalamus. "...Apparently that remains true in both of my shapes. ..But that also scares me. You say you are not injured, but you are quite obviously in pain, and my lapse of judgement is to blame--and I fear I could take it too far without meaning to. I was in control, and still managed.... this."

Dalamus does his best to hide the state of his body through humor and charm, but he knows Sinbadaen can see through it. One did not need to be his lover to see how sore he is, the caution of his movements, how gingerly he sets himself down. But he is alright! He will heal! He is not.. well, he hurts a little bit, but he is not wounded.

Sinbadaen blushes and Dalamus grins in response, but he sobers somewhat as Sinbadaen drops his face into his hands. The vampire can sense the embarrassment, yes, but also the conflict warring within his lover, can see it in his shoulders. Dalamus places a hand on the werelion's thigh, stroking bare skin with his thumb in an attempt to offer some soothing presence while he wrestled with his thoughts.

The fang-filled grin returns full force at hearing that his lover had enjoyed their night together. It had been exhilarating, experiencing the extreme end of being the mate of a werelion. And when Sinbadaen professes his love, with that sweet smile of his and his voice so sure, Dalamus feels his heart swell again, his grin softening to an affectionate smile as he squeezes his lover's thigh in silent reciprocation. He wants nothing more than to climb into Sinbadaen's lap and kiss him, to hold him tightly until they are both warm again. But he continues to listen.

Sinbadaen's worries are not at all unfounded. Dalamus had had the same concerns just the other night. The smallest error could have resulted in wounds, broken bones.. or worse, with little-to-no effort at all on the lion's part. He had chosen to trust, but trust itself could not have prevented anything from going wrong. You could never hurt me, he wants to say, but it would only make him sound reckless. He wants to reassure, but does not wish to dismiss the very real risks.

"I... I am in a bit of pain, yes," he admits. He wants to lie, to save face, to assure Sinbadaen that there is no need to worry, but it would be no use. "I will heal. No permanent damage has been done, and as I mentioned, I rather enjoyed it. You have come so far in terms of control that I was willing to trust you in such a way even as a lion." Not that he would have been able to fight the lion off, but that, too, had come down to trust.

"The pleasure outweighed the pain. But I do hear you, my love, and we need not engage in such risk again if it worries you. Certainly not before my aches clear. It could have gone much worse, yes, but it did not, because you were in control. I am still here, eager, and unendingly in love with you." His voice is as ragged as the rest of him, but his face, his ruby eyes, soften as he looks upon his beloved.

Dal's shifting and pained groan roused the Lion just enough to make it aware of it's own uncomfortable position, having been sleeping in one spot for far too long for the massive beast. It drew an extra large breath, stretching it's ribs as wide as they would extend, before loosing it in a heavy huff, seeming to wake itself with it. A different type of exhaustion wracked it's form--a tell-tale sign it had spent far too long as a Lion for it's body to sustain, and the itch to shift back bit at it's bones.

It registered the weight atop it, and gave a sleepy grumble that somehow sounded positive, for such a large and intimidating creature. Tightening it's paws on the mer, gently but protectively, it swung it's hind legs in counterbalance in order to carefully roll onto it's side, bringing Dalamus with it in order to gingerly set him on the floor beside it.

It gave him a contented sigh, seemingly in preemptive reassurance. It didnt give him a chance to reply before the telltale crack of joints changing and realigning harkened the beast's shrinking form. The Altmer replacing the huge creature breathed heavily from the exertion, but bit back any sounds of pain, regardless of whether it was obvious the shift was excruciating.

He took a few moments to allow the pain to pass before opening his eyes to meet with Dal's. He gave him an adoring smile, his eyes softening after being clouded with pain. "Good morning, my love," he greeted, his voice cracking as he stretched reformed vocal cords on the first two words.

He moved a hand to brush hair out of his own face, allowing the sunlight filtering through the window to catch it like a halo. "I... apologize greatly for taking you off guard, last night... I am not entirely sure what came over me. Are you okay? Did I injure you?" he asked, moving his hand then to caress Dal's arm and shoulder.

Ah, despite his best efforts, he has woken Sinbadaen. Perhaps it is for the best, after all. Dalamus braces himself as the lion inhales deeply and he is lifted, then again as he gently rolls with the lion and is placed on the floor, presumably to make room for shifting back into a mer. With some mild discomfort, Dalamus sits up.

No matter how many times he bore witness to Sinbadaen's shifts, hearing his beloved's bones and joints snap and reshape is never easy. His ears lower and turn away as if to somehow avoid the sounds. He watches as the lion shrinks, as fur disappears, as the facial bones rearrange to conform to a mer's shape. It is difficult not to wince. Sinbadaen acts as though it is not so painful, never uttering so much as a whine. Dalamus is not entirely convinced.

But his heart swells with joy at seeing the Altmer's face, his ears perking up again and a smile gracing his features just as surely as one did Sinbadaen's. At his beloved's questions, Dalamus shakes his head mildly before somewhat unsteadily lifting himself slightly and leaning over to kiss Sinbadaen--kiss him in greeting, but also in reassurance, and in gratitude--then slowly sitting back down.

"Your apology is appreciated but unnecessary, love; I am unharmed," he assures, voice still hoarse from all his.. enthusiastic vocalizations. He clears his throat mildly, but it helps little. "I am.. incredibly sore everywhere, including muscle groups I did not know were involved, but I am unharmed." He gives a toothy, good-natured grin.

"I did not think I would enjoy it so thoroughly, and yet.. I find myself looking forward to the next time." An ear twitches with slight embarrassment at his presumptuous eagerness. "Ah, if there is a next time, if you would enjoy that. Did.. you enjoy yourself last night? If my lower half and the state of the room is any indication, I would guess so, but, I wish to hear how you feel about it."

A blisteringly hot huff of breath woke Dalamus with a start. His red eyes met odd-colored yellow and green, and plumes of strawberry blonde fur filled his vision as a soft, dry leather nose plunged itself into the open space between his chin and neck.

“Ah, Sinbadaen has shifted,” he thought to himself and a light chuckle escaped him as he lifted a sleepy hand to pet the enormous head intruding on his space. “Good morning, Sinbadaen,” he tried to coo, but it didn’t come out quite as playful as he wanted, with the sleep constricting his voice.

{ adding a background was a bad idea (it’s supposed to be a fur al;kdjsf god i’m bad at backgrounds)

i needed this yes. actually, EVERYONE needed this, yes. )

{ hell yeah this blog has been dead for three years but guess what, these two arent!! …..well i guess dal is huh LOL

decided to do a redraw of this piece because it’s been a beloved one of myself and @dalamusrex and it deserved a face lift. Nine Years Later.

how has it been that long… i actually forgot how to draw Old Paper™ elves in that time, oops.

(also, check out the spicy version under the cut!! vvvvvvvvvvv))