pyrighteous | [OOC] Folkmore IC Inbox

Oh. I - well -

[ That little wince is an answer all by itself. ]

Belos … lashes out when he’s angry. I figured out that holding still is the best thing to do, but it took a couple tries.

[It's an answer Casey had halfway expected, based on what he knows of both Hunter and Belos, but it still hurts to hear it. Normal injuries from fighting a war or monsters, those are an acceptable trade-off for the kind of lives they've led, not ideal but not surprising, either. He has plenty, even if most of them are hidden under his clothes. But injuries from family, from people who are supposed to take care of you... that's still so unreal for him. But the proof is unfortunately right in front of him.

Very gently he sets aside the brush and wraps his arms around Hunter from behind, drawing him close, resting his head against the other.]

I'm sorry... he never should've hurt you.

[ Hunter gladly leans back into that embrace, taking in a few bracing breaths himself. He’s so far away from his uncle right now - literally in the arms of his boyfriend - and completely safe. The only ghost that can hurt him is currently chilling in the bottom of his psyche waiting for a bird body. ]

… Yeah. I realize that now. You and Rue and everyone have helped me do that.

[ his voice quiets a little. ]

He made a lot of things seem normal.

[Casey nods; no argument here. The fact that Hunter was so loyal for months after arriving in this world and seeing what a good, supportive family can be like is proof of what had been normalized for him, probably for many years. Some scars are older - much older - than others. The fact that he was hurt or threatened enough to learn what behaviours were safer than others...

He feels a wave of protective anger swell in him, and he has to stamp it down to keep his voice level. He's not angry at Hunter, and refuses to risk sounding like he is. Not after the last fight.]

...We'll keep reminding you, any time you need. This is normal. [His arms tighten briefly, a warm squeeze of a hug, and through the bond he sends love, support, sympathy, care. They care about him and want him to be safe.] This is how it should've been.

[ At least when it’s being transmitted directly like this it’s easier for Hunter to feel the distinction? He startles a little at that bit of anger, but then radiates a shy sort of gratitude back once he realizes what it is. He’s never had anyone angry on his behalf before. That’s … nice? It’s nice, actually.

He just ramps up that gratitude in return: he’s so glad, Casey. So very, very glad. ]

Thank you. I - I feel like I keep saying it over and over again but - I’m so lucky to have you.

[Casey chuckles quietly, and responds in kind, sending back a matching gratitude, warm and enveloping as the hug.]

I feel lucky, too. You bring more to the table than you think, y'know.

[After all the support Hunter's given him - even today alone, helping to coax him into taking a break to spare his health both mental and physical after months of pushing himself - how could he think anything less? He's given just as good as he's received, now that he knows how. At least in Casey's book. It's not like he's keeping score, but he feels plenty supported and loved.]

[ A lil trill of uncertainty - what does he bring exactly - but he decides to trust Casey rather than bring it up directly. If Casey thinks he’s good enough then that’s enough1! ]

I - uh - I’m trying! I have a lot to learn!

Well... in this case, it's not like I'm an expert. You're the only person I've ever dated.

[They're both learning as they go. He has a leg up because expressing and sharing love and affection is how he was raised, but for romantic experience, he's stumbling through it right alongside Hunter.

He does take note of that uncertainty, debating for a moment whether or not to address it. It's important! But Hunter didn't question it, at least... he leaves it for now, but with a big glowy pin in it.]

We're both learning together. You teach me, and I'll teach you.

[ Hunter nods at that and lets himself relax. Teaching each other … it’s a good way to think of it for sure. ]

I can do that. Yeah.

[Casey leans back, letting himself sink into the plush of the couch pillow, keeping one arm around Hunter while the other lifts, letting him card his fingers more lazily through Hunter's hair.]

Love you... always gonna be here for you.

[ Hunter lets his eyes close, then, fully going limp against Casey here. ]

Me too, Casey. Promise.

Mm... good. good promise.

[The exhaustion is really starting to kick in now that they're more horizontal, so... yeah, he's dozing off.]

[ Time for SNOOZE. And cuddles. Hunter is beyond content, and he slips off easily enough.

Eventually … Casey will feel a gentle tap on his shoulder, and a firmer shake if that doesn’t work to wake him up. ]

[Definitely takes the firmer shake, sorry bud. Casey stirs after a moment or so, squinting and lifting a hand to rub at his eye.]

Mm... Hunter, what...?

[ Look, Casey deserves some actual shut eye, as a treat. He is Allowed.

The guard withdraws his hand once he’s certain that Casey’s awake. Looks … faintly guilty, actually, one hand clinging to the notebook that he and Hunter have been using to write back and forth. ]

Sorry. Hunter left me a note saying I should wake you up, no matter what.

[Casey blinks at him for a moment, expression blank as his words sink into the brainfog. Then it clicks and he sits up, eyes widening. Poor guard, must have been awkward to wake up to cuddles... again...]

Yes! Yes. Um. It's okay! I asked him to. [He didn't know it would happen so fast, but this is good! Perfect timing.] I wanted to tell you, I'm done! The body's all finished. Want to see it?

[ LITTLE BIT … but he’s used to it by now, at least, so whatever. He’s endured worse things for sure.

The guard blinks slowly - looks back down at the notebook as if that will provide an answer - then looks back at Casey with a lightly confused expression. ]

Where is it?

[ He hasn’t noticed the bird yet. Or rather, he sees it, but he hasn’t clocked that it’s a robot. ]

It's- [He looks. Oh, right, they just sort of left it out, oops. He'd meant to cover it before he fell asleep to let it be a surprise... well, if the guard hasn't noticed it, then it all worked out.

He scoots to the edge of the couch and carefully lifts the bird off the table, holding it up on both palms so the guard can see. His expression is eager, hopeful, and once again tentative, waiting for the one opinion that really matters most, ultimately.]

It's right here.

[Please be okay, please be okay...!]

[ The guard jolts in surprise - he STILL hadn’t realized what he was looking at even when Casey brings the bird body over - but when Casey points it out he abruptly leans forward, eyes going wide. ]

That’s - going to be mine - ?

[ The guard has always been terribly hard to read due to his muted reaction to everything, but there’s no mistaking this: he’s utterly awed by it. The fine craftsmanship - the feathers and the hint of wind and -

He’s entirely overwhelmed in the best way. His voice drops to a whisper as he gently, gently reaches out a finger to touch a beautiful blue wing. ]

I’m going to be able to fly?

Um- that's the idea, yeah! There's glyphs on the wings under the feathers, same as my staff, and between that and the galdorstone chip, it should let you fly. And Mom enchanted a few of the feathers to help you feel the wind, they should activate automatically. There's a warming enchantment on the head feathers, too, it should feel like sunlight.

[He's rambling a little, still nervous, but... optimistically so? The guard seems okay with it.]

You should have full motion, but if anything's twitchy or out of place, just let me know and I should be able to fix it. Lots of extra feathers, too, I kind of miscounted, so if any get damaged they'd be easy to replace. It's got artificial lungs, Master Draxum is gonna push air into them during the ritual- you should be able to breathe.

[Speaking of breathing, he stops to do that, after everything just comes out in a big rush. Inhale, exhale. Phew.]

...Is it okay?

[ The guard listens to all that - ALL of it, another layer after another it seems, and each a little more amazing than the last. Enchantments from Rue and sunlight enchantments and breathing and -

It’s more than he dared hope for. More than anyone has ever given him before. He’d resigned himself to death; instead it seems he’s going to get a life better than anything he’s ever had before. And the bird is SO beautiful.

He cups the little body in his hands. And then he can’t hold back a few sniffling tears. ]

It’s - amazing. Are you sure it’s for me?

[Casey's expression softens at that, his shoulders relaxing at last as it sinks in- he's happy. He's not just okay, he likes it.

It's like a weight's been lifted off of his shoulders, a full layer of exhaustion wiped clean in light of this humbling response he's receiving. All the hours he'd poured into it, blood sweat and tears, the moments of frustration when one part or another didn't work, the flashes of inspiration to add one feature or another, the triumph at seeing it all come together and work. His sore hands and stiff back and bagged eyes, all of it.

Worth it, just seeing the look on the guard's face.]

It's just for you, [he says quietly. It isn't mass produced, replicated, or cloned. This isn't Belos building a grimwalker he couldn't be bothered to give a new name, or outfitting and arming the Golden Guard to replace the last one he heartlessly destroyed. Every inch of it, built specifically for him and him alone.]

Just for me ...

[ The guard gets that immediately. Has he ever in his life had anything made specifically for him? Much less an entire body, completely free of Belos's taint. It's part of why he hadn't even been tempted by some kind of sharing arrangement with Hunter: this guard doesn't want anything to do with Belos. Nothing. Even something built by Hunter would have had that hint of their horrible heritage.

No, this is so much better. It's perfect. The guard can't stop the tears slowly rolling down his cheeks. Really, Casey could have made anything to stuff him in and the guard would have accepted it as a reasonable alternative. He wasn't expecting something this wonderful.

He twitches his hands, instinctively wanting to do something to communicate his appreciation, but so far away from the mental space of being able to just offer a hug on any level. ]

I can't repay you. I don't even know how to thank you.

[Casey smiles and shakes his head. This poor guard has had hardly anything at all his whole life, and what little he did have was taken from him with such cruelty. He couldn't dream of accepting any kind of payment even if the guy did have something to offer.]

Just saying it is plenty! You don't need to do anything. I feel like- I dunno- this is my way of apologizing to you.

[ At that, the guard interrupts his own teary expression to look at Casey like he just grew an extra head. ]

Why would you apologize to ME?

cw discussion of child abuse

Re: cw discussion of child abuse

cw discussion of child abuse

Re: cw discussion of child abuse

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject