Cera & Ilaria
And how you were so gentle with my heart
Just as you always are

No matter how deep Cera may dive into his thoughts, Ilaria always had the presence of mind to steer him true. It was part of their bond, their perfectly paralleled and contrasted personalities. So while Cera had his mini-crisis regarding the handsome blue trailing at his flank, Ilaria lounged like a greek goddess across the boy's rump to watch said stallion. He was an intriguing fellow, that was without question. Enigmatic, puzzling. And while Cera normally would have been more interested in unraveling Mercutio, he was too busy tripping over his own hooves trying desperately to impress the nomad. So the task was left to Ilaria. 

Truly there was not much she disliked about the wanderer yet. He was respectful, gentlemanly, and charming. Maybe a tad bit too charming, considering her Prince and his measly defenses against such flirtations. But it would be good for Cera to be subjected to such appraisal and compliments, maybe it would bolster his lackluster sense of self. Yet he was also mysterious, something sad and gruff coiled in the corners of his eyes. Ilaria laughed quietly to herself, tail swaying over the curve of Cera's hip bone, nose twitching with amusement. Undoubtedly Cera found Mercutio even more fascinating, with that hint of darkness lingering on the edges of the stallion's aura. Cera had never been able to resist the damaged and the damned, his kind heart preventing him from feeling anything but a deep abiding love for them. Wanting to take his hands to the raw parts of their souls, heal the damage he found there. How he hadn't ended up a healer was beyond the red panda. 

Ilaria grinned to herself as Cera finally took action, shuffling backwards to the safety of his spine between his wings, allowing the Prince the courage and daring he needed to smile brightly at the grizzled, handsome stallion on the bank. Cera laughed as Mercutio strode daringly after him, dancing away further into the water, verdant eyes almost sparkling with his contained amusement. Like he was so full of light that the only way he could stand to live was for it to glow out through his eyes and his smile. He'd never met someone so forward, so daring, an it was exhilarating to draw Mercutio further into the stream. Right into his little trap. 

And it was so worth it. Mercutio's stunned, spluttering face was absolutely perfect, and Cera couldn't help but bursting into peals of laughter because of it. Except the laughter hiccuped as his breath caught when Mercutio's deep, soothing vocals rumbled forth and Cera turned and really looked. And good gods but it was unfair how right Cera had been, because the water trailing down Mercutio's beard and chest...oh yeah, he definitely looked good wet. Cera jolted in surprise and danced away as Mercutio splashed the water onto himself, a puzzled look passing over his cherubic features, head cocking to the side like that would somehow help explain why the other stallion had purposefully drenched himself. 

Then Mercutio was striding forward with a devil-may-care grin, and Cera had never been much of a rebel, but he was stuck in place beneath the glint of mischief and roguish cheek on the handsome face coming so close. His eyes were surely the size of a newborn deer's as Mercutio flexed each muscle, the sinful drawl of his voice so blatantly inviting that Cera swallowed hard. He didn't even notice Ilaria abandoning ship, scuttling from his back without an ounce of guilt for what was coming her bonded's way. His brain had screeched to a stop on the way Mercutio said sunshine, the warm breath that tickled across his pale lips with how close the stallion was. 

And then Cera was showered with cold water, and it shocked him from his daze with a squeal of surprise as he went bounding away from Mercutio, wings coming up and ducking behind them as he began laughing. Hiding behind them as if they were shields, only peering back up over the bend of one to glare playfully at the charming blue before finally lowering them entirely. "Oh, you're gonna pay for that mister," he grinned, and went racing towards Mercutio without curbing his speed, seeking to push the grullo backwards into the deeper water. He kicked his hooves through the water, wings wide and curling forward like he was herding the taller male backwards. "I will have my revenge!" Cera crowed to the sky dramatically, walloping Mercutio gently with his wings before an idea popped behind his eyes. Grinning, Cera dunked his wings into the water and then went back to playfully smacking at Mercutio with them, trying to get him as wet as possible. Feathers dried far faster than fur, after all. 

Ilaria watched them from the bank, amused by their antics, and simply preened her fluffy tail. Boys would be boys.