War Painting

The morning sun leaked through the cracks in the curtains, landing on the rather soft bed where a couple laid in their slumber. It was still early, the birds just starting to wake themselves and singing the morning songs they often did. Even in hell, animals found a way to continue lives just as their more normal above ground counterparts. Habits were a hell of a thing though, and the pair were often ones to rise and sink with the sun unless it was the busier season. Today was no different, as both started to wake but enjoyed those last moments in bed before they gave into the call of being awake.

Ace was the first to awake more fully, rolling over the bed with his still sleepy eyes that looked around the rather dark room while he laid and woke up more. Rubbing his cheek, he stared at the pink colored paint as he remembered once more his markings were fading. They had been slowly disappearing for a while now, marking the time to redo them, but he often didn’t think about it long enough to act upon the thought. Even now, the thought was pushed away as he rubbed on his darker colored wife that laid next to him and wrapped into his mass of fluffy tail. She looked so at peace, enjoying the warmth of the bed before the blankets were tossed aside and their day started.

Reaching out a hand to gently touch her face, Riya cracked open her eyes with a soft ‘mrow?’ of a noise, closing them once more as she enjoyed her husband’s touch. They didn’t need any words in the morning, cuddling for a moment more before both stared lovingly into each other’s eyes, letting this be the first thing they saw in the morning. Alas though, she knew it was that time of day to rouse, start the day and make the most of it.

Tenderly kissing Ace’s hand, she looked over her husband. His hair was a mess, to be expected after sleep, and would need quite some time to brush out. Reaching out a hand to gently touch at his ears where his markings had almost fully faded from she cooed softly.

“Darling, your markings are fading...”

“Yeah, they have been for a few days. Yours have been as well, my darling.”

“A shame...” Sighing, Riya wasn’t all that fond of repainting her markings. They were rather simple, but she had such shy eyes and they fluttered so when anything got near to them.

“I can help you paint yours, darling. Not to worry.”

“Are you sure? You have yours to do as well and I know they--”

“Shhhhh, it's alright. Let's take a shower and wash the rest of the old markings away first.”

Returning from the warm shower now naked to the world, hair blow dried and brushed out, Riya sat with her eyes closed as the feeling of the wet paint brushed over her face. Even despite her age, it was always an odd feeling to her as it went from wet to dry. Her horns were first and finished, the easier part as they required less finesse. Followed by her ear and then face. The process was always quick when Ace did it though, holding her face gently as he painted on her markings. The final part was always her lips, but also the fastest as they were done with one smooth stroke.

Opening her eyes as Ace let her face go, she took the mirror he offered to examine the work and smiled at him. The lines were clean and sharp, care taken with each part.

“Thank you, darling. They turned out perfect.”