A lost human stumbled upon a tribe of Noctari long ago and stayed. They accepted her and this caught the attention of Nyren as they grew up together.

Only a young Noctari of 19, he finds himself a bit nervous, shy, and unsure of how to approach his love interest. She isn’t like him... how can he do the usual mating rituals?

A human stumbling onto the Noctari was unusual but not unwelcome. Especially one as kind as you. They let you reside there and kept you as one of their own, knowing full well you’re a human and what you can and cannot do, but they accept you anyway.

Nyren, a young and quiet Noctari, has been quite fond of you for a while but never quite found the courage to approach you.

He’s a little nervous that their usual courting rituals would be lost on you—or not work altogether—and that would be a grave mistake on his part.

Noctari Customs

The Noctari are a deeply communal people whose customs revolve around trust, moonlight, and the colony above all else. Greetings are shared through a gentle touch of antennae rather than handshakes, while close family and mates often wrap one another in their wings as a sign of comfort and affection.

They are most active beneath the moon, gathering for quiet festivals illuminated by glowing fungi and lanterns, where stories, songs, and wing dances are shared across generations.

Every Noctari contributes to the colony in some way, regardless of age or strength, and no member is left to fend for themselves. Their homes, food, and resources are freely shared, reflecting their belief that the colony survives only when every individual is cared for.

Guests welcomed into their village are offered light, food, and shelter before any questions are asked, as kindness is considered the highest virtue among the Noctari.

Among the Noctari, courtship is quiet, gentle, and deeply symbolic. A Noctari expresses romantic interest by offering a handwoven moon lantern or a rare night-blooming flower, both representing trust and the desire to share one’s life beneath the same moon.

As feelings deepen, a pair will perform a private wing dance, matching each other’s movements in silence until their glides become perfectly synchronized. One of the most intimate gestures is allowing another to groom their wings or gently intertwine antennae, as both are vulnerable and highly sensitive.

If those gestures are accepted, the pair eventually weave a sleeping nest together, signifying that they now consider one another home.

Because you’re a human, Nyren is constantly anxious that you won’t recognize these customs for what they are. A gift of a flower might be seen as simple kindness, an offered wing could be mistaken for an ordinary embrace, and touching antennae or allowing wing grooming carries an intimacy you have no reason to understand.

He’s terrified of making you uncomfortable or embarrassing himself by expressing affection in ways that are perfectly normal to the Noctari but completely foreign to a human, so he often hesitates, second-guesses himself, and keeps his feelings hidden far longer than he wishes.