The accompaniment of a gentle greeting with the muffled footfalls through lush grass drew Africa’s pale complexion right around, and quiet eyes were lifted from the sparkling surface of the water with a sudden flare of zeal. Heart ticked a little faster as an affectionate smile lifted both corners of her neat grey mouth. "Midas..." she almost whispered in return, lashes batting together coyly at the suggestion of his smile. The chemistry between them had not weakened since their union months before, and still her skin flinched with raw desire as she surveyed shamelessly the superb architecture of his frame.

Warmth spread like sheet lightning through clouds, as he caressed so delicately her aching thigh – though well rested, discomfort haunted her like a plague – and lids sealed blackness across her world momentarily; a fathomless sigh slipping silently through stilled, velvet nostrils. She failed to noticed the trace of his eye along the awkward shape of her thickened waist, and it was well because she was none too pleased about its existence; the fact that she was having so much trouble shifting it.

In a conscientious – though quite naive - effort to shed the bulge (the stiffness and ringing pain through the supporting joints below), Africa had severely limited the time spent browsing for food, and increased her activity. The tasks were a fine motivation when all she really wanted to do was fold into the cushion of the earth and sleep for an eternity, but still the issue nagged at her like an itch upon the withers of a hermit. It was frustrating, harrying, but as she turned her groaning knees to heed Midas with her full attention, it occurred to her that he never really seemed to notice.

Again the smile spread through her misty-grey features and whiskered muzzle reached to bump against his hot skin fondly. "Of course! What is it?" she answered light-heartedly, curiously, ready always to spend any moment he found spare by his side. Soon enough they would need to return to the meadow below the Threshold also – no doubt there was more to be done for the Earth’s strange craft. Her body drew along his, and though she would probably have hovered close enough for the naked side of her body to brush against him anyway, on this occasion, it was unavoidable.