our thoughts are one

"I have missed you."Arsa said.

Red eyes flitted to his friend, before all of the sudden Revan became oddly interested in something to the opposite side. He didn't understand how anyone could miss him, hadn't it always been a relief when he was gone? He didn't understand the heat rising in his cheeks, either. But... "I've missed you, as well." Maybe he could understand that. In those few days that he'd been away from Arsa, he'd gone back to his hateful self - brooding about his past, stalking the shade of the forests, the usual pang in his chest; from loss, or from want? And then, even after the trek up this mountain, when he saw that familiar figure waiting for him, wanting to be with him, it all seemed to disappear. He trusted him, Revan thought, he could relax...

Revan turned his head back towards Arsa then. A soft look seemed to entrance his eyes as he gazed at the dirt between them. What was he doing here, sitting straight and readied, with his tail guarded around his flank? He was with Arsa, now, in this place they had shared before, where nothing had bothered them and nothing would. He did trust Arsa, he knew, he trusted him with his life, he could relax.

Exhaling softly, Revan shifted, and lowered himself down to lay next to his friend. Resting on his elbows, he even went so far as to kick one hind leg out laxly. For now, he gazed out over the valley, with the sun glinting in his crimson eyes. It just barely warmed his chest and forelegs, and with some relief, Revan imagined the cool, crisp air of night that would soon wash over them.

"How have you been?" Arsa broke the silence, though his words didn't break Revan's focus on the horizon. Without hesitance of words, he replied, "tired, morose, alone," he could probably continue listing off troubles, but in this moment, none of them concerned him. "But now," ruby eyes finally shifted, gazing at Arsa as warmly as the sunset they watch. "I'm alright." His voice, whilst low and gruff as usual, held a certain note of fondness. "And you?" He quickly asked, reminding himself to be courteous. He did care, after all, he found himself truly invested in hearing about Arsa's few days, in fact. Had he been alright? Had he eaten enough? Had anyone bothered him? Oh, if anyone bothered him, Revan would--

"Have you caused any more trouble?" It was as if Arsa had read his mind, sensing whatever violent ideas he'd been imagining. It was so perfectly timed that Revan couldn't hide his amusement. "Hmph!" He huffed, closing his eyes as a smile touched them. "Well, I haven't caused any fights as of late," he said through a smirk. "I believe it to be a new record." Revan attempted to return the jest. Though his humor was typically dry, or jokes flew right over his head, sometimes he did know how to share good humor, and with Arsa he found himself especially capable. It just felt... natural, was the best word he describe it as.

"Mm," he hummed softly, bringing his eyes back to the sky before them. Yellows and oranges were fading to sweet pinks and purples. Stunning, and it reminded him of Arsa - at least, that there was something he wanted to tell him. "There is something I'm eager to share, however." He began, a smile still present on his calm expression as he awaited his companions response.

"This is Revan speaking. This is Revan thinking which is dangerous.

"Alright." Revan couldn't help but offer a low glance over his shoulder, not exactly looking up at the man at his side, but enough to show he was curious. Just alright? He knew he had used the exact word only moments before, but...just alright? Had he been expecting something more in this moment? Was it concern that caught his mind, or the ideal that he was the only body with any melancholy? Perhaps he was just a hypocrite, so rather than asking further, he turned his head back to the view before them with a low sigh. He thought, it was so easy to trouble his mind, and he absolutely hated it. 'Don't ruin this, you bastard.'

A soft, ever-so-slight touch to his nape, and he couldn't help but feel lighter as he smiled again. "How scary." Said his companion, provoking another huff from the dark man. He opened his mouth to reply, some attempt at humor on his mind, but he quickly shut it as he caught Arsa moving in the corner of his eye. Pointing his muzzle to the side just enough, he watched Arsa join him in the relaxed position, laying next to him and, most of all, against him. Revan turned his head away quickly, being sure that the other man couldn't see his face as he broke out a broad smile. Was it a blush that rose in his cheeks, or just his muscles being so unused to smiling like this? Definitely the latter, he concluded, yeah...

It'd been forever since Revan had felt such a thing, such comfort from physical touch, at least something that lasted. He relished in it for the moment that he was turned away but swiftly tried to compose himself. He forced his expression to drop just enough, though unable to contain his smile, and exhaled slowly. Casually, Revan shifted his front paw nearest Arsa to fold under his chest; a position he often assumed, although this time he hoped his intention wasn't obvious - an excuse to lean against his best friend more.

Red eyes glanced over to the beige fur lighted by pinks and oranges. Arsa seemed to have his head in the clouds, Revan thought with a warm smile. Following his gaze to the skies, perhaps he wasn't all wrong, either - shifting over so softly, the clouds above them seemed so close. A blanket of silk, it seemed, with waves reminiscent of the ocean doused in the colors of the sunset. Revan spoke so softly, that he leaned over to make sure Arsa heard him, brushing his spiky cheek fur along his just barely. "It brings to mind when we had met on the beach." What had that place been called, Lawyer Ridge? For the moment, he was too entranced to recall the name. It did, however, serve as the perfect opening for the subject he wished to share. "Do you recall that pack that we were in?"

His gaze lowered to the male, and he caught those ochre, sparkling eyes - they caught the oranges of the sun perfectly, he noted. Not to get distracted, he gave a subtle nod before gazing back out to the darkening valley. Arsa didn't have to respond for Revan to know he was interested, and he liked that; if there was no need to speak, then there's no need to waste breath. "There's this group in the valley," He began, hesitating as he tried to remember what it was called. "A guild, I believe. I met the leader." Revan glanced back over to his companion without shifting his head. How would he take this? "She described it to me, trying to recruit as they always do," he scoffed, "but, it seemed... Intriguing."

"This is Revan speaking. This is Revan thinking which is dangerous.

For the most part, Arsa was silent. Revan had paused, waiting, and waiting, to see how he would react and to read his thoughts on the subject as best he could. Perhaps the man was simply considering, but whatever prolonged contemplation he was going through only made Revan more hesitant to continue. Where was he going with this, after all? He had come here so eager to share this knowledge with his companion, so… hopeful for a little change, a little break from this aimless wandering. How foolish. There was no guarantee that whatever idea his mind had been toying with would sit well with his companion, after all, and he would never commit to anything that would go against Arsa.

"Who are they?" Finally, Arsa inquired. Though Revan was reluctant to continue for a moment, perhaps he could just backpedal and forget about it all? But, that sounded more idiotic than the proposition he had prepared since meeting that guild woman. He believed in finishing what he started, after all.

"They're a guild," he deadpanned, as if that hadn't been made obvious already. "Evidently some diverse group for rogues and loners; able to continue on with their lifestyle whilst also honing their skills and specialties by being hired on assignments." He relayed the information Ember or Hinder or whats-her-face had given him as best he could - albeit not very well, most likely, given his horrible memory for small details. He tried his best, though, and hoped his wording would be just as intriguing to Arsa as it had been to him when the leader of the guild explained it. For him, it was the prospect of having a job that caught his attention most. Having something to distract him from his brooding meandering, and without the cost of having some leader boss him around on how to do his job, when to be back at the pack camp, all the things he was still saucy over from Lawa Ridge? It sounded like an opportunity that would be a shame to pass up. But, would his companion feel the same?

"It is…only a fleeting thought," the dark man spoke again, his voice gruff with contemplation. He rarely thought about the words he said, but this time, he wanted to speak his mind well. Red eyes cast to his paw outstretched in front of him, he finally asked: "but, would you ever be interested in joining another group?"

"This is Revan speaking. This is Revan thinking which is dangerous.

More silence. Horrid, indiscernible silence. Revan kept steady eyes on his front paw, the other still tucked beneath his chest, and only dared a glance over to his friend once. Of course, there was no need to rush, but by all means, Arsa, please hurry it up.

Finally, the still moment was broken as Arsa spoke. Revan listened, head turned just enough to keep the man in his peripheral, a sharp ear swiveled towards him. "I'll go where you go." His soft words stayed with Revan for a moment, as it was his turn to bring silence between them. It was... sweet, he thought. Only one being had ever wanted to follow him anywhere without using him or simply out of compliance, and instead just to be with him. He felt a fondness swell up in his chest: content, pride? Almost bashful, making a smile pull at the corner of his lips and red eyes cast to the side. He didn't know how to respond, and though he knew somewhere in the back of his mind that he shouldn't ruin the moment, it was the only thing he could think of.

"Hmph. Likely a grave mistake," He chuckle-huffed, a jesting tone to his quip. There, bury it all with sarcasm and wit, that's better. Perhaps it was selfish, but the dark man didn't even stop to ponder the idea; how brushing off something so sentimental could turn out poorly in the long run. And just as selfishly, he didn't consider that Arsa may just be attempting to please Revan rather than himself. He was intrigued by this guild, and he would admit, he wanted to pursue the idea. Taking the soft words his companion spoke as permission granted -- not that he thought he needed permission from anyone, but, he still did want to know Arsa's thoughts -- he continued on with more confidence.

"I would appreciate looking into this guild, at the least," Revan informed, a slight smile gracing his features as he gazed out to the darkening horizon. "Perhaps it is a mistake, but tickle me curious--" that phrase was all wrong, but that's how it was used...right? "--I remember the location where I had met the leader; perhaps, she is still within the area, and we could search for her there." Red eyes turned to look at his companion, expectance on his face. It felt good, to have some goal in mind, and the prospect of having a goal each day within a respectable group teased his mind. But of course, ever the pessimist, Revan would not get his hopes up. Speaking aloud to reassure both himself and his friend- "If push comes to worse, we will leave. And fight anyone who dares try to stop us." Revan smirked. Mm, violence.

"This is Revan speaking. This is Revan thinking which is dangerous.

As he was speaking, Revan's pointed ears had perked upwards to the trilling hoot of an owl, calling from somewhere in the forest just below. Until, he heard the most faint of snickering, and the ear nearest Arsa swiveled to capture it. A sound which simultaneously brought him a feeling of joy and bafflement. He took a quick glance at his companion, with his sharp brows screwed in a quizzical manner. Was it something he said? But he couldn't have said anything wrong, and surely not mispronounced anything, his speech was impeccable. He concluded that Arsa was, in fact, simply a strange and endearing man, and just as ruby eyes slid away did his peculiar friend reach over and ruffle the fur on his nape. Revan leaned away with his head at a comical angle, and his lips pulled back as if threatening to bite, but the way the corner of his mouth pulled up in a grin said otherwise. And that grin only widened as he paused, committing to memory the way that Arsa's smile touched his eyes. He liked that, being able to bring such a genuine smile to his friends face. With an indignant huff, Revan shook out his mantle to dislodge that feeling of misplaced fur, though he couldn't shake the smirk that remained on his dark face.

A master at repressing his emotions, Revan quickly regained composure as he listened to Arsa speak. Briefly he stuck out his tongue at the man's reference to tickling, in the very mature way that he always handled things. But, Revan couldn't deny, Arsa wasn't wrong. His level of intrigue surprised even himself. After all, shouldn't he had learned by now that him and pack life just didn't get along? Maybe he could be called a glutton for punishment, going back to the same old situation that would inevitably end in humiliation, just like last time. But... dare he hope, maybe this group not being a 'pack' but instead a 'guild' would be the change he needs. "It is likely foolish," He admitted, but not without a subtle sigh. "But, I believe that I need...something. I have been wandering all of my life, and admittedly, it gets old." To be fair, he would still be wandering if he did join this guild thing, if he had understood their leader correctly, that is. "Not so much the nomadic lifestyle, but instead the aimless drifting. And, I do not expect you to follow me through with this," He glanced over to his friend, his expression a might softer. "I do not wish to guide you into my idiotic life choices." Or, in other words, he was a dumbass and would lead anyone who followed him through moronic trepidation. For a moment he wondered if Arsa would still be his greatest friend, had he seen some of the foolish things he had done in the past. Revan chuckled to himself at the thought, a deep, warm sound. Nevertheless, he wanted to share this with his friend. After all, it was hard to imagine his life without Arsa, now, and to be honest he didn't even want to try. But, he made sure to remind himself that he needed no back-up if he jumped into this. If this guild proved unsuitable, then he would leave, simple as that. And if anyone tried to stop him, well, it would be their mistake, to say the least.

“I doubt fighting will be necessary. It’ll do no good if you injure them because someone will have to patch them up.” Revan huffed through his nose once more, amused. He couldn't say he was surprised. In fact, he could bet that Arsa would take the time to mend the enemy if they truly needed it, ever the caring soul that he was. Revan, personally, couldn't quite understand it, but that didn't stop him from admiring it - despite his teasing jests. "Sounds like your problem, all I must do is win." He said with a smirk.

“I’m... excited.” Revan turned to the larger man with a smile then, his face a stark contrast from the dark and gloomy expression he typically wore, and instead held something light in his eyes, almost childish. To say the least, he was glad that he had intrigued Arsa, his expression saying for him that he was just as eager. Maybe cautiously peeking from the years of walls he had built up around that part of him that could hope, but still, eager, curious. At Arsa's suggestion Revan gave a sharp nod of agreement. "Yes, I would prefer it to be done promptly. Tomorrow?" He truly did hate to waste time, after all, and the sooner that they confronted this idea, the less time they would have to spend building up what could be a false hope.

"This is Revan speaking. This is Revan thinking which is dangerous.

The sudden pressure against his neck was unexpected, a sheer difference from the playful touches from before, and it stilled Revan to the point of his breath pausing. He waited in acute silence, but what Arsa said came as no less of a surprise. ”We deserve so much more than what we have.”

You do, Revan thought. But me? Surely not. He had already gotten all that he deserved. For all his hostility and all his misfortune, he could hardly expect life to grant him riches. And even still, somehow he still had more than he could ask for - he had Arsa. A friend who cared about him and understood him, and most of all someone who puts up with the majority of his bullshit. Someone who doesn’t judge his poor memory or scorn him for being so ill-tempered. Someone that he could return to after days of lonesome wandering, someone he could call home. Someone who hadn’t turned their back on him yet.

”Needing more isn’t foolish. Hoping isn’t foolish.” Revan had to swivel an ear to catch the faint words leaving his companion's lips. He listened intently, gaze set ahead, allowing Arsa to continue. And when he lifted his head from the cushion of his fur, Revan turned, eager to catch those ochre eyes as if they could explain all the meaning behind their owner's words. It hardly made sense to him, and he found himself following Arsa’s gaze to the moon, lost in thought. Hoping was foolish, or, so he thought. Every time he had once hoped for something, it had never come to fruition, or he had succeeded and it had been ripped from his grasp soon after. He had adopted a sense that such youthful ambition would do nothing but hurt him in the end, and when he found himself hoping for something, even if vaguely, he trained himself to remain pessimistic. That wasn’t to say he wouldn’t try obtaining what he wanted, but he wouldn’t dare let himself be hurt should it go south. But, what if he was wrong? Was he a cowered to hide behind the walls he had built up? Perhaps Arsa being at his side was the only reason he was willing to take this leap because otherwise he would be too scared, and chalk it up to him and pack life just not getting along.

He turned to Arsa as he spoke again, his sharp brow creased with reeling thoughts. He was happy. Proud. All because he was taking a step toward change. Did that mean he was a coward, then? Why else would Arsa be proud of him if he wasn’t doing something extraordinary? Revan wasn’t sure if this was a compliment or an insult, but he assumed that his best friend would never intend the latter, and he himself would much rather be determined than cowardly. ”Perhaps it is you by my side that gives me the confidence to do so,” The dark man finally spoke, his tone held neutral. He wasn’t sure how to feel; he certainly had a lot to think about. ”I… hope this goes well.” He tried. And he ‘hoped’ that it wouldn’t come around to bite him in the ass.

”After all, I won’t be rid of so easily.” These words paired with a gentle nuzzle provoked a chuckle from Revan, deep and warm, his thoughts lighter. Revan pivoted his head to rest his nose against the bridge of his friend’s muzzle, a small show of affection before he jested, ”Just give it time.” and quickly nipped at his muzzle - gentle so that his teeth barely even grazed fur - before pulling back and turning away, a devilish sheen in his red, squinted eyes, touched by a smirk.

Revan gave a sharp nod at the confirmation. They had a plan set and it put it into action come early morning, something that made him content. It was good to have a goal, no matter the outcome or how short-term it could be; in that regard, Arsa was correct. “Try not to cause any trouble. I would like to leave a good impression on her.” For the last time this night, Revan stilled, his lips pursed as he stared to the side like a child caught lying. ”In that case, I should warn you that I met their leader by stealing food from them.” He informed casually. Revan stood then, dipping into a lean stretch, and turned so that his body was facing the opposite of Arsa’s. ”Don’t worry about it. I’m going to sleep.” He knew that his friend would, in fact, worry about it, but before he could be questioned he unceremoniously plopped himself against the man’s back, curling into his regular ball with his hind legs tucked under his front. As he lay his head down, a small, mischievous smirk remained present on his dark face.

"This is Revan speaking. This is Revan thinking which is dangerous.