I was tired, my body felt heavy, and some part of me was conscious that I was starting to dream, as other part stood alert in some sort of half-awake half-asleep state.Been unable to move was unnerving, as if a great pressure pushed my body down. I frown, or tried to, I don"t know, but I felt my ears stirred as from my closed eyelids I grasped some sounds, strange sounds, as if I was far away from the woods, from the island, the comforting crash of waves disappearing and confusing me.
Them another place erupted upon my senses; the greasy smell of oil, sweat, tobacco, alcohol and food, adding the loud sound of people clas.h.i.+ng gla.s.ses, talking at the same time, some rock music and cars buzzing around. It was all too much, even without my eyesight, so much information at once that I did not know where I should focus on and what was happening.
"So…" Someone spoke beside me, their breath reeking of alcohol and cigarettes, making me consciously hold my nose in place so I wouldn"t grimace. "How many languages you speak again?"
"Six." I answered for the third time.
"Wow, still as impressive as the first time I heard it."
I stop myself from rolling my eyes, sipping my acid drink and trying to ignore his annoying drunkenness by giving a small smile and a nod.
He wasn"t my boss, at least, though as bad by been his son; and when your bosses son invites you out, well, you go out.
At least by not been my boss I could douche him and leave earlier. He always ended up so drunk that he wouldn"t even remember when I left anyway.
That thought brought a slap to my face.
Wait, what?
Another slap blurs the sounds and smells, and suddenly I could feel something… thin and fluffy hit me in the face again, but not strong, a simple brush.
I open my eyes wide.
And scream.
I fell down backward from the sofa to the floor, with no time to rub my hurt bottom as the thing hides from view. I feel Leo come behind me, staring at the same ma.s.s that stood behind my pillow, hiding and cowering in fear.
Leo, seen an unknown presence, comes with his sword by my side, ready to strike as the thing squeaks and hides further in the blankets.
"Wait! Wait Leo!"
I hold onto his hand, stopping him mid-motion. Gosh, you don"t simply attack what appears right in front of you, you brute!
"Ok"
Ops, did I said that out loud? Oh well.
Once he calms down I turn my attention to the thing resting on my sofa. I haven"t sensed any evil intention, not even a presence from starts, so I use my third eye to see its status:
Red Mushroom Kin – These are humanoid little mushrooms. Usually dormant in their plant state, they can transform and gain limbs and conscious by consuming great amounts of exp. This kind of mushroom can learn how to speak, s.h.i.+nes in the dark, and are very docile.
At that I relax; how docile a species needs to be to appear even in his status? I kneel down beside the sofa them, and with a soothing voice say:
"Hey little buddy, no need to be afraid, we are not going to hurt you. You can come out now."
The covers shuffle for a bit and a red top comes out of the blanket, some black little eyes peeking out underneath the red hat.
I smile, rea.s.suring, at the little creature, stretching my hand to it.
"There"s nothing to be afraid of, you can come out."
As he comes out of his cover I need to hold a not very manly owwww from coming out of my lips, but nothing stops me from owwing inside my head.
He.
Is.
So.
Cute!!
He was holding his red hat in embarra.s.sment, his tiny lower body covered by a grey fur, adding a small pink nose, tiny hands and feet, little pads covering the tip of the fingers making it all the more chubby.
I want to squish it.
Deep breaths now, don"t want the scare the little one.
"What"s your name little one?"
He peeks under the hat, and with great effort climbs up the blankets onto my hand, hugging my thumb, opening his little mouth and showing off his little canines as he says:
"Moma!"
Owwww, that"s soo cu- Wait, what? He looks at Leo then and says:
"Papa!"
Wait! Why I"m the mother? No, I mean, that"s not the matter here!
"We are not your parents little on-"
The moment I tried to say anything his eyes turn wide and his little snout start to tremble and sob, his little hands brus.h.i.+ng his eyes.
s.h.i.+t, I don"t-I mean.
"It"s ok, everything is ok little one, M-moma is here ok?"
That hurt my pride. That really hurt it.
But his bright little smile made me forget all about it. Ok, maybe, just maybe, I have a weakness against cute stuff.
Just maybe.
Slightly.
I bring him closer to me as he rubs his little head on my palm, feeling a bubble of warm grow inside my chest and turn me into puddle.
~~~~
Pov: Leonel"s
I watched the scene with a serene expression, but I was actually holding a strange expression from coming up; at the same time I wanted to frown from the sudden intimacy between the… thing and Thilgon, but at the same time I wanted to smile at the warm scene, watching how delicately my little hound holds onto the fragile creature, his eyes warm and s.h.i.+ning in a welcoming and warm way that I have never seen before.
I wanted those eyes s.h.i.+ning like that only to myself.
I shook the selfish thought away; my little hound would be p.i.s.sed if he knew that that thought has even crossed my mind; but how much I wanted to simply take him away, have those bright eyes only for myself.
He would hate me for that, for sure, he took proud of his independence, on his strength, and who would I be to take away those important things from him? My conviction to go against my own desires for his was proof enough of how much he meant to me.
He saved me when everybody trampled over me.
He showed me a side of the world that I could have never imagine.
And yet his anger prevented me from reaching out to him. I wasn"t able to save him from himself.
But everything was different now.
Though he wasn"t ready for the intensity of my feelings yet, I realized, thankfully before I scared him away from me.
Which lead me to think what I could do different this time, even more because he was still a child, too young and innocent.
So I concluded that I should conquer him, even if only as a friend at first, and make myself worthy, little by little.
I watch him again, now sitting on the floor with one leg up and the other curved down, tail swinging behind him, as he patted the little guy"s head with a soft little smile, and even the silver diamond crystal on his forehead appeared to s.h.i.+ne brilliantly. His black silky hair was a bird nest from sleeping, which gave him a casual look that fluttered my heart.
"Did you like him?" I ask in a soft voice as he nods, not taking his eyes away from the creature. I search from where the creature came from, and my eyes fall upon the bag that I gave Thilgon.
"I think he ate your crystals."
At that he tenses, looks down at the little mushroom, who looks up with a guilty pleading face, as Thilgon pulls the bag closer to him.
"There is only one left."
The stays silent for a moment, weighing the bag in his hand, and sigh, letting his shadow swallow it. "I"ll give to my brother later."
Probably to give him a human form too, I bet.
"You should name him."
"But I don"t even know if I"m going to keep him. He is a plant after all, and I"m made of fire, they don"t mix well together."
"I can take care of him for you then."
"Really?!" I nod.
"Elves are naturally good with things related to nature. We should be fine."
He nods then, pa.s.sing his finger on the small back of the creature as he stands up and stretches his hands towards me, making the little face come closer to my own. Those little dark eyes watch me curiously, as he puts his little hands in the air, waiting for me to grab him.
He fits perfectly in my hand, strongly holding onto my fingers when I move him closer.
"… I"m terrible with names" Thilgon says, making me look up only to find him very close, enough that I could draw his features with my eyes, his nose, his fluffy ears standing crooked and relaxed, his beautiful silver eyes, his full lips.
My heart races at the sight.
Sigh. This would be a long mission, but I"ll be sure to make the best of it.
~~~~
MC: So, what should we name him?
ML:*Thinking*
ML: d.i.c.khe
Author/MC: NO!
~~~~
Author: So… who do you think is cuter?
MC: Whom? *Author points at Hunthor and the mushroom*
Younger B.: *Thinking: Need to be cute, the cutest~~sits down and with puppy eyes covers his snout with his paw, tail wiggling as he looks up shyly, only to open a full teeth smile and let his tongue hang sideways, flopping on his belly*
Mush.Kin: *Everybody is looking at me~Nervous nervous~ hides underneath his hat, but feels his moma getting closer, so it jumps out with open arms, saying: Peek-boo!
Author:…
Author:… We lost the MC to blood loss.