The wind sways their high den.

Umirin startles awake, heart alight with fear. He waits, fisting the blankets he's laying on tightly.

One moment. Another. Nothing.

He lets loose an unsettled breath, relaxes his grip. They won't fall, he tells himself. None of the houses ever have, even though they sit atop beams high into the air, which is fairly dangerous in his opinion.

Their ancestors had hardly had a choice though, escaping into the skies had been their one salvation.

He slowly turns on his side, his beloved's sleeping face next to him coming into his view. His unease melts away like snow under sunlight at just this sight of Shanirin's soft features. A familiar deep ache of love rings out in his chest, and Umirin can't help but shift closer to him. He curls his body so that he can tuck his head beneath Shani's chin, his nose burrowed against his husband's chest.

It makes breathing a little cumbersome, but he could not care less.

Shani shifts then, as if the poor thing has been trained, and slides a heavy arm around Umirin's middle, mewling in his sleep, his embrace warm and grounding.

Umirin could happily die in Shani's hug.

He hopes today's trip to the ground will go well, it always makes him nervous when it's their turn. He would rather stay here with Shani, in the safety of their home. Umirin's never been very brave, after all.

Ah, but it must be done, he knows that. They must travel down to gather ceremonial soil for the council's vault. They run low on it so often with how many people need some handed out every day for their burial rituals.

Burial. That word has become incredibly relative since the Wezrin Sah have migrated upward into open air from the ground. They technically cannot bury anything anymore, not properly.

So their culture adapted to their new ways.

It annoys Umirin slightly. Perhaps the traditions could do with some changing too. He sighs against Shani's chest when the thought flits through his head though. He speaks from cowardice. Of course his culture matters.

It's just difficult to be brave when he has precious little in life, and stands to lose even what he has got every time they venture to the ground. To lose so horribly he is certain he would never recover. Umirin sniffles in a shallow breath.

He feels his eyes stinging at just the thought of Shani-

"You're sniffling," a quiet, gentle voice coaxes Umirin's attention away from his dour thoughts, and he tips his chin upward to get a look at his now awake husband.

"I...am alright, my love," Umirin mumbles, smiling a little. He doesn't like upsetting his darling.

"Lying is mean," Shani tilts his head to Umirin's face and presses a loving kiss against his forehead.

Umirin's eyes flutter shut, the sense of belonging and warmth that lights up within him setting him at ease. He can't contain his little giggle at the other's innocent wording, "I could never be mean to you," he hums quietly, too mellowed to speak up further.

"Our trip will go just fine, little one," Shani reassures instead of pressing more, like he always does, he always knows, "it does every year," he smiles so brightly, and Umirin just admires him for a moment, stunned.

"I...yeah, I suppose you are right," he nods a little when he replies, pursing his lips into a pout, "I just cannot ever lose you to those beasts below us." It would be too horrifying a reality.

Shani's arm around him tightens and Umirin is drawn closer into a cradle. He goes willingly, extending his own arm to wrap around his husband, clinging to his presence.

"I know that," Shani confirms, "and you won't. Not ever," he states it so firmly. As if it is an immutable fact.

Umirin presses himself closer all the same, his heart fretful. Shani is just far too important.

"Must we go? Can we not say we have fallen ill?" he whines a little petulantly. He knows what the answer will be, but it is always worth an attempt.

As expected, Shani laughs softly, beaming down at Umirin, his expression brimming with amusement. He tuts, "Little one! Haven't I already told you lying is mean?" he playfully scolds, his musical chuckles slowly subsiding.

Umirin pouts, disliking this response much as he'd known he would get it, "Well, maybe we can be mean sometimes," he cajoles, softening his expression into that of a little pup, hoping to appeal to Shani's soft-hearted nature.

Shani bites his lip when he is faced with Umirin's ploy, waffling for a moment, but shaking his head in the end, "It's for the good of the nation, my dear, we have to bear with it."

Umirin sighs, nodding slowly as he falls silent. He understands, of course. He'd be lying if he said his heart doesn't twinge with awful guilt whenever he entertains these thoughts of betraying his people. He often wonders what would cost him his head in the end, if push should ever come to shove, his fear or his guilt.

He curls up against Shani more, letting out a pathetic little sound. He doesn't know what someone as lovely as Shani sees in him. He is just entirely devoid of good qualities, in his opinion. Maybe it would do everyone a favor if the Soulbiters snatched him up today.

Shani holds him tighter into his arms, frowning, "You're spiraling again, aren't you?" he asks gently, his demeanor full of concern.

Umirin hates that he makes him worry so much, that he isn't good enough to just stop being weak. He shakes his head, not wanting to pressure Shani into comforting him, "No, I'm okay," he says. It probably isn't really healthy how much he relies on his husband for stability anyways, he just couldn't have helped how deeply attached he'd grown over the years.

Shani shakes his head, and Umirin feels him press a kiss into his hair. It is so tender he feels stripped raw. He doesn't allow himself to express it though, sticking to his claims of being well.

"You know I know you too well by now, little one. You always have this emotional spiral before our trips. You can't hide it from me," his husband presses, so worried as always, enveloping Umirin into his hold even more. He starts to gently stroke his fingers through Umirin's hair.

Umirin shudders and closes his eyes, pressed so close to Shani, his arms clinging to his husband's waist. Oh Heart, it feels so disarming when Shanirin plays with his hair like this.

"I'm...I'm sorry, my love," is all he can think to say in response. Of course his husband noticed this pattern over the years. No matter how many times they've done it, even with nothing going wrong, Umirin's terror never lessened.

And how could it? When every other trip, every other month, someone will return from the journey alone, their partner lost forever. It's only gotten more dangerous over time as more and more Soulbiters have crowded the Forest below.

They roam, rooted to the soil by their ankles, rowing through it in long tracks as they glide their way through the brush. Silent as the night. Eyes in the dark. Hungry.

Cursed.

"Oh, little one, don't apologize," Shani immediately shakes his head when he responds, so visibly upset by Umirin's words, "I love you, I love you so dearly, I just want to be here for you. Please hear me when I tell you that everything shall be okay, as it has been before," he says, full of conviction and confidence. He, of course, has reason to be. His skill is great, in hunting and warring alike. For all of his sweet, loving nature, Shanirin could be a force to be reckoned with when needed.

And even then, it matters little, which is all the more terrifying. The Soulbiters cannot be injured, nor killed. Their best warriors have tried generation after generation, and the only thing it's ever accomplished is creating more Soulbiters as the curse spread further. Umirin is certain these beasts don't bleed. There is no heart inside them. And how fitting would that be, given the history...

He shakes his head, casting those thoughts away. It only makes him panic more after all, and he shouldn't be indulging it this much, "I love you so deeply too. And...I'm trying my best to believe you," he nods at Shani, because he truly is. He does not wish to be swarmed by so much fear and panic constantly. He wants to believe nothing will go wrong and his husband will be safe. Oh Heart, he wants to believe that so badly.

"I know, and I'll remind you as many times as it takes," his husband smiles as he replies, tipping his head lower to kiss Umirin.

Umirin melts when he feels their lips press together, his husband's words grounding him within a comfortable state of mind at last. He returns the kiss with a deep fervent love. Shani's lips taste of honey, and Umirin can never get enough.

He truly feels deeply honored by how much faith Shani has in him. To improve and get better. On some bad days, like today, it's all Umirin can do not to give in to his wicked mind.

Shani breaks the kiss after a moment, tilting his head forward to press their foreheads together, "I wager I can gather more soil than you today," he smirks a little mischievous grin, his amber eyes sparkling with amusement where they meet Umirin's own.

And it is so painfully endearing and lovely that Umirin can't help but chuckle, his spirits rising in wake of his beloved's playfulness, "Oh, is that so, my love?" he asks equally as coy, smiling in turn, "I suppose we shall just have to wait and see then, won't we?"

Shani chuckles again, grinning so brightly, his wonderful fingers still stroking gently through Umirin's hair, much to his bliss, "The race is afoot, little one," he teases.