Spirits of the Earth

He'd done it! Again.

Mikhail had lost count of the times he had run away from this master, let alone the number of times he had run across every single master that had owned him the last decade. It never mattered how many times he made a break for freedom, it was always snatched away from him far too quickly. He was bitter about that fact, among so many others.

The dark metal collar around his neck felt like a giant weight, the few links of thick chain hanging from it rattled as he ran through the forest, red eyes well suited for seeing in the deep dark. Behind him, and gaining, were the howls and bays of hounds. His master hadn't wasted any time sending hunters to fetch him back. They were annoyingly persistent, and he was flagging with exhaustion. It was entirely the stupid collar's fault. He could never truly escape unless he could find a way to get the blasted thing off his neck. It drained his strength and blocked his magic power.

Mikhail heard an alarmingly close howl and turned his head, eyes darting through shadows behind him, trying to spot his pursuers. Those few  moments not paying attention to what was in front of him caused him to stumble right over a bank, falling to his hands and knees in a creek, breath coming out in ragged pants.

His thoughts had been so consumed with fleeing the slave hadn't even noticed that he'd run straight towards someone's camp, apparently. Mikhail looked up, noticing that there was someone there, and cried out in fright.

"Please, help me!" Asking for help wasn't something he relished doing, but what choice did he have? He was desperate enough to hope this stranger would be willing to aid him.

Though Theoden was normally a deep sleeper, the howling of dogs and a desperate call for help were enough to wake anyone. Jerking upright, the hunter looked around blearily, already grabbing for the serrated blade he kept tucked beneath his bedroll. "What in all hells?!"

His eyes flashed, lighting on the origin of that cry for help.

What the absolute fuck?

He got to his feet, kicking dirt over the glowing embers of what had once been a campfire to dull the glow.

"Hold up." He caught the running figure by the shoulders, looking over his shoulder into the darkness. "What the hells is going on?"

Mikhail shuddered slightly as fingers gripped his shoulders. The person he had found seemed pretty displeased with the intrusion. Also, who the hell was that tall? He had to look up to peer at the man's face in the dark.

"P-please. I can't go back. Please don't let them take me again." Instinctively his hands clutched to the arms holding him, looking up at the stranger pleadingly.

The young man had learned a long time ago to trust no one, but he was certainly desperate enough to bed someone he didn't know for help. He didn't have to trust the guy camping in the middle of the woods, he just needed him to be the sort of compassionate do-gooder that would take pity on a bedraggled boy running away from people that wanted to hurt him.

If he was lucky the man would be some kind of slave sympathizer, although it was just one guy, what if he couldn't help him? He could hear the hounds getting closer.

"Take you? What're you--?"

Another bay from the hounds cut him off. Cursing under his breath, he released the younger man to grab up his pack, rolling his bedroll quickly and shoving it inside before slinging it over his back.

"C'mon." He grabbed the stranger's wrist and took off, dashing into the trees. His eyesight was better than most in the dark, and he knew these forests. There was a stream not too far away, and if they could reach it they had a chance of losing the dogs.

Questions would just have to come later.

There wasn't exactly time to explain the situation in great detail. A flicker of terror and despair crossed Mikhail's red eyes as he thought that the man wouldn't even try to help him. Not that he would have really blamed him, the stranger owed him nothing.

He was surprised when the very tall person let him go and started packing up his things. Did he want to get away too? It would make sense that he wouldn't want to get pulled into trouble by some stranger from the woods. He almost turned to try to figure the best direction to flee from this point, but gasped when he was grabbed and pulled through the forest.

Mikhail could see very well in the dark, but he didn't know where he was going. All he could do was hope that wherever he was led was better than where he had fled from. Anywhere was better than back in chains. His collar clanked as he ran, a cold and heavy reminder.

It was hard to keep up with the long stride of the man dragging him along. He felt exhausted, having run quite a ways already and the enchantment in his collar draining his strength.

He could feel the boy flagging, and he realized they weren't going to get very much further before the dogs were on them. The stream was just up ahead, if they could just make it there...

"Yes," Theoden huffed under his breath, splashing into the cold water and dragging the stranger behind him. "Come on, almost there," he grunted, pausing a moment to get his bearings before he turned and ran a few yards upstream, gritting his teeth against the chill.

Once they'd made it to a copse of willows he jumped up onto the opposite bank and turned to pull the younger man up behind him. He looked the kid over-- kind of a scrawny thing-- then muttered a quick, "Look, I'm sorry 'bout this, but we don't got time to be polite."

Ducking, he easily tossed the kid over his shoulder, holding him like a heavy sack. He straightened with a grunt and turned, immediately starting to climb a nearby oak. "Hold on tight," he puffed. "I'm gonna do my best not to drop ya, but I make no promises."

If he wasn't running for his life, Mikhail might have been bothered by the cold water as they ran right into the stream. He immediately understood what the man had in mind when they stumbled upstream a short ways. What luck that he had stumbled upon someone so very woodsy and helpful!

Mikhail wasn't sure what the odds were that he would just happen to cross paths with just such a person exactly when he needed them. He was willing to bet the chances were pretty slim.

He was huffing by the time he was pulled up on the opposite bank. Why was he looking at him like that? Hadn't he ever seen a slim, out of breath man running through the woods being chased by dogs before? Most likely not, but he didn't have to be rude. Now what was he saying? This wasn't the time for chatting!

"Wha - ack!" Mikhail felt the world kind of spin as he was hauled from the ground and suddenly thrown over a shoulder. He immediately tried to cling to his carrier. Was he climbing a tree with him slung over his shoulder like a damn sack?

...that was actually kind of impressive. "You're pretty strong."

"Thanks." Theoden managed to bite the word out as he pulled himself up, branch by branch. Bare feet skittered against the bark of the trunk and he paused a moment to catch his breath. "Ge' off," he grunted, nodding to the wide berth of the branch. "Take a second and-- and you can climb on again, more secure. Put your arms around my neck, sorta piggyback."

As he spoke, he shifted his pack around so he carried it on one side, leaving his back open for the smaller man to cling to as they finished the climb.

Even a few moments to catch his breath was kind of nice, even if he was being hauled up a tree like a bag of dead weight. Mikhail squirmed down off the guy's shoulder when he was told, stepping carefully onto the branch. It might have been a short ride, but it was appreciated.

He was surprised when he was told to get back on. The change of positions would make things easier for his rescuer, but he wasn't sure why the stranger was willing to carry him.

"Oh. Okay." Mikhail wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth. At least not right now, he was too tired to fight or argue with anyone. It wasn't as if he'd asked to be carried - the man had taken it upon himself to pick him up before, and told him to climb on again now.

He carefully moved around the rather bulky male, he looked like an elf, maybe. Mikhail hadn't really taken the time to notice before now. His arms slid carefully around the other's neck and he gently hooked his legs around his waist too, making sure he was nice and secure. He really didn't want to fall out of a tree on top of everything else tonight.

With another soft grunt for the effort, Theoden set about making the last leg of the climb. He managed to get them relatively high into the forest canopy, but once the branches started to creak under their combined weight he stopped.

"Here's good," he muttered, tossing his pack to hang from a slightly higher branch and finally allowing himself to rest, leaning with one shoulder against the trunk. "Shouldn't be able to smell us from up here, even if they did keep our scent through the water. We just gotta wait 'em out."

Twisting to look over his shoulder, he narrowed his eyes a bit and demanded gruffly, "Now who the hell are ya, and why are ya runnin?"

They were up pretty high when the elf stopped again. Looking down was not the best idea, because Mikhail felt his head spin dizzily as he looked at the ground way down there. He didn't think he was afraid of heights, exactly, but it was certainly unnerving being so far in the air while feeling weak and helpless.

He turned his red eyes to look at the man when he finally asked the important questions. Mikhail tilted his head, listening to the sounds of the men and dogs that were still hunting for him. Very carefully he unwrapped himself from around the elf and settled himself onto a branch instead, lightly clinging to the tree as he looked down and felt that dizzy feeling again. No more looking down for him, he decided.

"My name's Mikhail." The young man lowered his eyes and looked away, one hand unconsciously fiddling with the broken chain attached to his collar. "I ran away. They want to take me back to my master."

Anger and embarrassment caused his pale face to flush as he clutched the chain tightly. "I won't go back again. They can't make me do this anymore."

"Ah, gee." Theoden rubbed the back of his neck and let out a long breath. "You're a-- you were a slave?"

Okay, probably a stupid question, but he was tired, damnit!

He sighed, eyeing Mikhail's collar, the broken chain dangling from it. "You'll have to go somewhere to get that taken care of," he rumbled quietly. "Maybe a blacksmith or something."

Not that he'd have the chance to handle that for a while. They were probably going to be stuck up in this tree until daybreak.

"Mm." It was more of a noncommittal hum than a true reply. Technically he had been a slave all his life, but Mikhail refused to view himself as such. He was no one's property or play thing. Even considering it was insulting to his very existence.

"Y-yeah. I guess." A blacksmith was a good idea to get rid of the collar. He brought his head back up, turning to look at the weird guy that had carried him to safety. Who did something like that?

His fingers relaxed from their death grip on the chain to fiddling with it idly once more. Clearly this man was not hostile or an enemy. It didn't mean Mikhail trusted him - not by a long shot - but the slave relaxed a little with a sigh. He wondered how long they'd be stuck up a tree. By the sounds of the searching hunters it might be a while.

"So...what's your name?" Might as well know the name of the person that saved him.

"Theoden," he replied gruffly, then winced. Great. Now he sounded annoyed. He wasn't, really, just tired, and more than a little confused.

Not to mention pretty far off his intended trail for this particular hunting trip. Shit. He'd have to reroute by about two weeks to get the kid to safety, wouldn't he?

"Uh, Theo," he added a little belatedly, rubbing at the back of his neck again. "If that's...I dunno, easier?"

"Theoden." Was the soft whisper, allowing himself to roll the name around on his tongue as he memorized it. Remembering the man's name was the least he could do, considering he kind of owed him one.

Big time.

"Do you like Theo better? I think your name is nice either way. And, uh, thanks for helping me. Some people would have turned me over hoping for some kind of reward or something." Mikhail winced, realizing that if that thought hadn't occurred to Theoden before, well he had just gone and put it in his head.

He shrugged, already starting to feel uncomfortable. Oh boy. This guy was a talker. That wasn't bad, necessarily, he just...didn't really know how to do that.

"Either one is fine," he muttered, hunching his shoulders a bit. Then he started and twisted to face Mikhail front on. "Hold on now, you don't think I'd just-- I'm not a monster! I'm not gonna toss you back to slavers for a handful of coins."

"Okay." It wasn't like it really mattered what he called Theoden, as long as it didn't piss him off. He instinctively leaned away from the rather huge man when he turned to him suddenly. Mikhail had to grab the branch again to keep from falling.

"Well how am I supposed to know that?" They had never met before. He was just some stranger he stumbled upon in the woods. He had no way to know what kind of person Theoden was. "I didn't mean to offend you or nothing, but I've never met someone that didn't just send me packing right back to a master, market, or slaver."

Theoden grumbled a bit to himself and adjusted on the branch, leaning back against the trunk of the tree. "Well... I won't," he muttered eventually. "Look, kid, why don'tcha just get some shut eye, and we'll worry about where you're headed in the morning."

He nodded to the ground far, far below them. "No telling how long your hunters will be prowling around. May as well rest while we're stuck up here."

Mikhail nodded slightly, but that didn't mean that he was sure he believed Theoden wouldn't turn him in with the right motivation. It just meant that he accepted what he said for now because there really wasn't much other choice for now. At the moment the elf fell into getting the benefit of the doubt by default.

"Sleep. In a tree. Way above the ground." The runaway looked down, eyeing the ground far below with a healthy dose of mistrust. His hunters were down there somewhere, and he wasn't convinced he wouldn't fall to his death awake let alone asleep.

"If you can do that, more power to you." Mikhail wasn't going to be getting any sleep while in a tree, that was for sure. Of course he didn't mention that it was too dark to sleep.

Theoden gave him a droll look, one eye already closed. "We're secure up here," he assured. "'Less you want me to tie ya to the tree or something."

He shifted a bit and relaxed deeper against the trunk, letting his eyes close fully. "Try to rest yerself, even if ya can't sleep. Probably a long trek in the morning."

"Please, no tying." Mikhail's voice had dropped low and he shuddered at the very thought of being tied up and helpless. His hand instinctively went up to the collar around his neck, readjusting it uncomfortably. It didn't matter how much he fiddled with the metal, it never rested comfortably.

Giving up, he sighed and hugged the tree branch. He was tired, but not sleepy. The dark made him restless, it always felt more natural to be active in the coolness and shadows of the night. Sunshine and brightness was what made him drowsy. Not that Mikhail had much choice in when he slept or worked. Free for now, he still wouldn't have a lot of choice.

"Good night." It was going to be a long night.

Theoden briefly considered the likelihood of a hole simply opening in the fabric on the universe and swallowing him right there. Deciding that was verging on less than one in a million, he glanced down and debated the pros and cons of allowing himself to fall out of the tree to avoid the crippling embarrassment of what he'd just said.

Yeah. That probably wasn't his best option either.

With a sigh, he settled for an awkwardly mumbled, "Right, kid. Sorry. No tying."

Kicking himself internally, he turned onto his side, resting shoulder and head against the tree's trunk and closing his eyes. "Get some sleep."

A long night indeed.

Getting comfortable in a tree was a lot harder than you might think, and most people were smart enough to think it was hard to begin with.

Mikhail was quiet as he shuffled and changed positions several times over the next few hours, but he did his best to let Theoden sleep, since the elf seemed to have a much easier time settling down for sleep than him. He was almost envious.

Almost.

By the time the sky started lightening, Mikhail had just managed to get sort of not terribly uncomfortable. Mainly by laying along a thicker branch on his stomach, limbs curled around the surface beneath him, hugging himself to the perch as he dozed fitfully.

It was clear simply by the fact that he managed to sleep through the night that Theoden was either used to strange sleeping positions, or used to sleeping in trees specifically.

Eventually, soft morning light began to filter through the trees and he groaned softly, turning his head slightly in an effort to avoid the light before finally admitting defeat and blinking his eyes open.

He glanced to the side and couldn't help the little huff of laughter that pushed from his chest. "Oi. Kid." He reached over to prod Mikhail's shoulder lightly.

Mikhail was definitely not used to sleeping in trees, and hadn't been asleep very long when the prod to his shoulder made him jerk away with a startled cry. He scrambled to cling tighter to the branch he had been laying on, heart racing as he felt the familiar terror of possibly falling.

Once he was sure that he wasn't falling, the young slave shot a glare at the one who had dragged him up in the tree to begin with.

"I'm not a kid." Mikhail huffed softly as he sat up and rubbed at his eyes tiredly.

"Whoa, easy." Without thinking, Theoden grabbed the younger man by the scruff of his neck to help him keep his balance on the branch, pulling him up a bit so that he was settled back toward where the branch was thicker, connected to the trunk of the tree.

Then he realized what he'd done and quickly snatched his hand back, blushing and clearing his throat. "Uh, right, ki-- you. Sorry. Not a kid, got it."

Being grabbed really didn't help much, in fact it only made Mikhail flail a little and almost fall again. "Will you stop!"

He didn't want to sound ungrateful, not at all, but he was extremely uncomfortable being so far from the ground. Not that he was afraid of heights or anything stupid like that! That was definitely not the reason he was clutching the tree for dear life now.

"Can we please just get down now? Please?" Mikhail wouldn't properly relax until they were out of this tree - and he was never climbing one again!

"Sorry, I'm sorry, I--"

Very red in the face, Theoden backpedaled quickly, holding his hands up to show he wasn't going to try to touch him again. "Right. Yeah, we can get down. Doesn't look like those people after you hung around," he muttered, already turning to start climbing back down through the branches of the tree.

Mikhail sighed and pressed his forehead against the trunk of the tree. Even with his eyes closed he really couldn't pretend that he wasn't high off the ground, clinging to a stupid tree like a baby. It was insanely embarrassing that he was almost more afraid of being stuck in the tree than being caught by his hunters on the ground.

At least Theoden seemed to think they were gone.

He wasn't able to follow his companion immediately. It took more steadying breaths than he was willing to admit to before Mikhail was able to muster the courage to actually move. At least when clinging he was less likely to fall than while trying to get down.

The young man did eventually will his limbs to work. His descent was slow and painstaking. It was painfully obvious how uncomfortable and fearful he was.

Theoden waited at the bottom of the tree as the younger man climbed.

And climbed.

And climbed.

Dear gods I'm gonna get old waiting for this kid.

"Hey, uh, Mikhail? Look, you're nearly to the bottom now-- if you wanna just jump, I'll catch ya," the hunter offered, hoping to move things along a bit.

"Jump?" Mikhail asked a bit disbelieving, pausing his climb down to gawk. He looked down, it probably wasn't all that far now, but to him it still looked like a long way. Damn he felt like a coward as he clung to his current branch and stared down at the elf with wide red eyes.

Sure he was moving slow, but was it that bad? The escaped slave closed his eyes and gulped. "You promise you're not going to drop me or something?"

Almost despite himself, Theoden felt a smile twisting at the corners of his mouth. "I promise," he replied, keeping his voice steady and sure. "You can trust me, okay? I'm not going to let you get hurt."

He took a step closer to the trunk of the tree, watching as Mikhail seemed to deliberate above him.

Mikhail didn't trust anybody, but who could blame him for that?

"Right, okay. I'll jump." His heart was hammering away against his rib cage. Jumping was scary, but it meant he would be out of the tree that much quicker, and there was nothing he wanted more at the moment than to get out of this tree and never climb one again.

Ever.

Awkwardly he positioned himself in preparation of his leap of faith, breath and shaking limps unsteady. "Okay, on the count of three?"

"One." Oh gods was he really considering this?

"Two." Mikhail squeezed his eyes shut.

"Three." He let go of the branch and dropped towards the ground and waiting Theoden.

Theoden surged forward, a hunter's reflexes working almost as much as critical thought as he reached up to catch Mikhail.

"Uff." The breath left his body in a sharp huff and he staggered slightly, but managed to keep his feet. Suddenly grinning, he looked down at Milhail and crowed, "See? Told ya it'd be fine."

He couldn't open his eyes. Mikhail grunted when he impacted with something, but it wasn't the ground. His hands had come up to cover his eyes, entire body trembling slightly as he processed what had just happened.

Mikhail slowly peeked out from behind his hands, eyes looking up at Theoden in a mix of relief and terror. He had just jumped out of a tree!

"Thanks." He squeaked, quickly looked away with a blush. The young slave didn't think he'd been this embarrassed in quite a long time. This completely stranger had seen him bedraggled running through the woods, had carried him up a tree, and now had caught him out of that same tree he'd dragged him up the night before. He could only imagine what the elf thought of him and the whole situation.

Theoden's grin quickly faded as his new charge blushed, and he felt an answering flush of heat rise to his cheeks. Right. Most people didn't just tell someone they'd just met to jump out of a tree into their arms, did they?

"Um, yeah. No problem." He quickly set Mikhail on his feet and took a few steps back, rubbing nervously at the back of his neck.

Mikhail was set back on the ground and immediately fussed with the rags he called clothes, trying to cool the edge of his embarrassment. It was far less about being in Theoden's arms briefly and much more about being seen to act so cowardly over something like heights. As a slave he had experienced true horrors, things worth being fearful of, and he did not consider a fear of being off the ground to be among acceptable fears.

"Thank you, again. Not just for catching me, but for last night. They would have caught me if you hadn't helped." Mikhail turned to Theoden and bowed deeply to him. "I owe you a great debt and I will pay you back as soon as I am able. You have my word."

"Whoa, uh..." Theoden just blinked at him, shifting uncomfortably. He wasn't used to being bowed to, and he didn't think he really cared for it.

"Look, it's not a big deal, ki-- Mikhail. Any decent person would have done the same," he muttered, glancing away and rubbing the back of his neck again.

"Then I haven't met any decent people before." Mikhail grumbled softly as he straightened from his bow, looking over Theoden and how uncomfortable he looked over being bowed to.

"I owe you regardless, and I'm both grateful for your help and sorry for causing you trouble. I really can't ask for you to do more than you already have. If you could just point me in the right direction that would be enough." He had no idea what direction would take him towards freedom and away from slavery.

Theoden could believe that the skinny young man in front of him had come across decency only rarely in his life, if ever. With a huff of breath, he shook his head and muttered, "You don't gotta apologize or anything..."

He glanced down at Mikhail, then off into the trees, then back again. A long, slow sigh pressed from his chest and he starting gnawing on his bottom lip, a habit when he was contemplative. "Look...I'm not super comfortable with ya just-- just walking off. I can get you to the next town, at least."

"Wouldn't that take you out of your way? Look, I don't like owing people for things, and I already feel like I owe you a lot." Mikhail frowned softly, looking down at the ground and rubbing at his arm uncomfortably. The elf had already done more for him than anyone else in a long, long time.

It made him suspicious and fearful. Nobody did things for him without a price. That wasn't how life worked. "I already don't know how to pay you back for what you've already done."

Theo shrugged and shook his head. "I was heading back into town to sell my catch anyway, don't worry about it." Of course, he'd been planning on staying out a little longer and bagging some more game, but the kid didn't need to know that.

He frowned when Mikhail protested that he needed to pay him back. With a sigh he offered, "If you're that worried about owing me, why don't you help me with my next hunt? Make up for a bit of time I lost out here."

It was a spontaneous offer, and one he didn't really imagine the young elf would take.

"Fine." Mikhail wasn't convinced that Theoden was telling him the truth about already planning on going back to town, but he didn't have it in him to argue more right now. The sun was coming up, he was drowsy, and desperate.

"A hunt? Uh, I I've never hunted, like, out in the woods for game animals before, but I can try to be useful?" The slave rubbed at his arm sheepishly as he considered that he might not be all that helpful on a hunt out in the forest when he was supposed to do it to repay the elf for helping him escape recapture.

"Alright." Theoden smiled and nodded briskly. He shouldered his bow and took a quick glance around, getting his bearings, before setting off into the trees. "C'mon then."

Mikhail darted after the tall elf. His legs were shorter, but he would have little trouble keeping up. He may have protested taking more of Theoden's help for fear of owing the man, but now that it was settled he definitely didn't want to stray too far from him.

He'd have gotten lost quickly, and the giant elf made him feel a little safer - at least from the slavers.

After a couple minutes of walking, Theoden suddenly remembered that his legs were nearly twice as long as his companion's, and he abruptly slowed down, face reddening as he tried to do it casually-- and failed miserably, nearly tripping over his own feet.

"You, uh..." He coughed awkwardly. Gods, why was conversation so difficult? "Where exactly...were you running from?"

He winced. Great. Excellent. Just the fucking epitome of tact.

When Theoden slowed down, so did her. Mikhail watched the elf nearly fall over nothing as he throttled back the pace they were traveling - and watching how red the giant turned.

"From my master, he is some nobleman from outside of Ketra. He liked collecting things he thought interesting, that included people. I hated him, but not any more than I hated any of my other masters before him. They're all basically the same. We aren't people to them, we're objects, toys, trinkets. Things to be used, broken, then tossed aside when they grow bored or we are no longer useful." He scowled and rubbed at his eyes angrily. The sunlight was heavily filtered through the trees, but even the mild day light was annoying. Also he wanted to scrub away unshed tears before they could incriminate him.

Theoden winced again, tossing a glance at the kid out of the corner of his eye.

No. Kid really wasn't appropriate. Even if Mikhail was a bit younger than him and that instinct was there... No, he definitely wasn't a kid.

Sounds like the poor guy's been through a lot. not really knowing what to say or do, Theo dropped his eyes again and continued trudging forward, following game trails that wove through the trees.

Mikhail was content to let the silence linger for a while, simply following Theoden quietly, stewing in his own thoughts, dark as they were. At least he was free, for now, how long that would last this time was still hard to say.

He refused to go back again.

"Where are we going?" He finally broke the silence, looking around at the forest. They were clearly taking trails, but Mikhail knew nothing of the area. He knew so little about the world beyond the bars of a cage or the end of a chin.

"Town not too far," Theoden answered gruffly. "Shouldn't be more than an hour or so hiking."

He fell quiet again quickly, feeling awkward and out of place-- which was odd, because usually the only place he felt even remotely comfortable was out among trees and wild places.

"Oh. Okay." Mikhail lowered his eyes to stare at the ground as he fell silent again. He wondered what the town would be like. Theoden didn't seem like he was all that interested in talking to him, or he might have asked more questions. He knew that this was out of the elf's way and he was a burden, so he didn't want to bother him more than he already was.

The hunter continued to walk in silence, occasionally glancing back over his shoulder to make sure Mikhail was keeping up.

"So, uh..." crap. Maybe if he was going to speak up he should figure out something to actually say. Crap crap crap...

"What do you like to eat?"

...Really?

Theoden silently prayed that the ground would just open up and swallow him.

Being spoken to again was a little surprising and Mikhail raised his head to look at Theoden, tilting his head. What an odd question. Maybe he was concerned that he was hungry? It had been a while since he had eaten, that made sense.

"I usually settle for whatever my master is willing to feed me. I can eat most things anyone else would eat." He wasn't sure if telling Theoden that he preferred blood would be well-received information.

"Ah, right. Right, okay." Theo went quiet again, glad his pack was turned to the younger man so Mikhail couldn't see how red in the face he was. "I mean...that's good to know and all, but-- what do you like to eat? I mostly just hunt my food, but if you're gonna be taggin' along for a while, well... I mean we're heading into town anyway, if there's something you want I could...pick it up?"

"Oh, no. You don't have to do that. I don't need anything special. It isn't really something you can just buy, anyway." Mikhail rubbed his arm nervously, eyes darting around everywhere except to look at Theoden. "I'll eat whatever is available, or I'll feed myself. You've already done so much for me."

"Well. Uh...okay then." Theoden nodded sharply, as though they had come to a rather important conclusion, and fell quiet again, continuing to lead Mikhail along through the trees in silence.

It was at least another hour of hiking through the brush before they'd even be able to see the town. The wood elf was entirely unsure if he should be putting an effort into conversation, or just let the silence last.

Everything felt so awkward, and Mikhail wasn't sure why or how to fix it. Was it just because he was that much of a nuisance and the elf's conscience just wouldn't let him leave an escaped slave out there to be recaptured or lost?

Mikhail felt his hands go to his collar, fiddling with the metal nervously. It was almost a soothing action. How many hours had he spent alone trying to find a way to remove that collar? He didn't really want to know, undoubtedly the answer would be depressing, since he had attempted such a thing every time he had been left alone.

"What if they are looking for me in the town?" If the slavers failed to find him in the woods last night they could have made it to nearby towns to see if he had made it that far.

Oh.

He hadn't thought of that.

Excellent. Way to think ahead, moron.

Theoden sighed and scratched absently at his jaw, his stride slowing for a moment as his brow furrowed. "If they are..."

Shit, what was he supposed to say? Was there a solution to that, besides the obvious?

Another sigh and he shrugged, glancing down at his feet. "If they are, we run like hell. I know these woods pretty well, I'm sure I could get us a few towns over, somewhere else we could get that collar off where the slavers won't have reached."

Mikhail nodded his head at the answer he was given, but he continued worrying and thinking about it as they walked. A minute later he came to a realization.

"They don't know you're with me. We might not have to run at all, you could go into town to make sure it was safe while I hid in the woods. If the slave hunters are there you can just go about your business and leave like you would normally. They wouldn't have a reason to suspect you for anything, right? You could pick me back up and we could head to another town to try again. If they aren't in the town you could come back and we could both go to the blacksmith with no trouble." It seemed like a good plan to him.

Well. It certainly wasn't a bad plan, but...

"You sure?" Theoden eyed him sidelong, taking a slightly longer stride to get over a fallen branch without really looking at it. "If there are people lookin' for ya in the town, they might be just as prepared to find ya in the woods. You sure you're okay...being alone?"

Mikhail hadn't thought about them searching for him outside of the town. They could have a perimeter search to make sure he didn't slip into town. He had to jump over the branch that Theo had managed to just stride over casually.

"It's a risk either way, but I think if I hide really well staying out of town until we know the coast is clear might be the slightly safer option? If they find me I'll just run again until they give up or catch me." There honestly weren't any better options for him. He was used to being caught by now, even if the idea of being dragged back was sickening.

Theoden rubbed at his chin, brow furrowed as he trod the familiar path through the underbrush. "Look, ki--Mikhail. It's...up to you. I'm not gonna force you to do anything."

He walked a few more paces in silence, then huffed out a breath and added, "But, for my money... It's better off if we just stick together. No offense or anything, but you don't exactly seem like a bruiser. I know you're probably a quick bastard, but it'd do you good to have some muscle on your side. Y'know. Backup."

Mikhail pursed his lips petulantly as he considered what Theoden had to say. He didn't honestly know how strong he might or might not be. The collar around his neck weakened him and robbed him of his ability to use magic, making him vulnerable. Nobody he knew enjoyed being vulnerable.

"I really appreciate you trying to help me, but are you sure? I really don't want you to get hurt because of me. I don't want to be the reason you have to deal with trouble." He hated the idea of being a burden on someone else. Mikhail certainly didn't want to cause issues for someone that had shown him kindness and had helped him to escape his hunters.

"Hey." Theoden tilted his head and smiled, awkward but genuine. "I deal with trouble all the time. Just usually I don't have such a good reason for doing it."

He nodded up along the path, toward where the trees began to thin. "Way I see it, there's not much better reason than helping someone like you. Now c'mon; quicker we do this, quicker we can be on our way again."

"Someone like me." It wasn't really a question, but Mikhail did contemplate the words. He knew Theoden probably meant an escaped slave. If he was to be placed in a category that seemed like the most appropriate for the elf to place him, but his companion knew nothing else about him, really.

"Okay, let's get this over with." Maybe the town would be perfectly safe and he could be out of his collar very quickly. Mikhail hoped that were the case, if not, they would have to run.

"Er, yeah." Shit, was that offense? He hadn't meant for that to be offensive...

Shaking himself mentally, Theoden quickened his pace slightly as they drew ever nearer to the town. His ears seemed to almost twitch and he suddenly paused, glancing around warily--but it was just the ambient noise of people up ahead, and he relaxed again fairly quickly.

"Alright, I know the blacksmith here," the larger elf muttered as he gestured for Mikhail to follow him along the edge of the trees, back behind most of the small houses and around toward the center of the town. "I can probably trade him a few smaller catches for a favor. But...you should probably stick close, okay? Just to be safe."

When Theoden quickened his pace Mikhail had to do the same just to keep up with the much taller elf's stride. Which caused him to almost bump into him when he paused suddenly. He also looked around warily, keeping very close to his unexpected protector.

"Okay. Thank you." Mikhail had thanked him plenty of times already, but he doubted he'd stop any time soon. He owed the elf a great deal already. Shortly after they began moving around the small houses Mikhail couldn't stop himself from getting really close to Theoden, his arms reaching to wrap around one of the other man's arms. It might have seemed strange, but hugging the elf's arm was comforting as he became more fearful the further into town they moved.

Theoden's steps stuttered and he glanced down at the smaller man, wide-eyed. Then he cleared his throat and reached up with his other hand to pat Mikhail's arm in what he hoped was a comforting manner.

"Hey, it's...it's gonna be fine," he murmured, and tried for a small, quick smile. "I'm right here, okay? We're gonna get you freed and be on our way and everything is gonna be fine."

Mikhail kept his head ducked down, but nodded slightly as Theoden tried to comfort and reassure him. He had gotten very lucky running into someone as nice as the tall elf.

"Okay, but...um...can I keep holding onto you? Just until we get to the blacksmith? I know I'm being annoying but the contact helps." He knew he was being a big baby, but he didn't really care about seeming like a coward right now.

"O-oh, uh...yeah, sure. Whatever--whatever helps, I guess..."

Face very red, Theoden gave himself a mental shake and started walking again. He hesitated a moment, then shifted slightly to pull his arm from Mikhail's grip, instead wrapping his arm loosely around the smaller man's shoulders.

"This okay?" he muttered out of the corner of his mouth. "I mean, I figured...it sorta hides the collar from people just glancing our direction, y'know?" And it maintained the contact, which he had said was helpful, so...

"Thank you." Mikhail said very quietly as they started walking again. A moment later the elf was pulling his arm out of his grasp and the runaway ducked his head and hunched his shoulders as he let his own arms drop. Well it wasn't like he didn't know he was being annoying.

Then Theoden wrapped that arm around Mikhail's shoulders and he let out a soft sigh as his shoulders relaxed and he tucked himself close to the elf's side.

"Yes, it's okay. You're very nice." Mikhail glanced up at Theoden through lowered lashes, a nervous smile on his lips.

Aw, jee.

Kid had puppy eyes. Damnit.

"Nah, I'm just...being decent," he tried to deflect, summoning up a crooked smile of his own. As they moved further into town, he squeezed his arm a little tighter around Mikhail's shoulders, pulling the smaller man against his side in a clearly protective gesture as they passed a small group of young men--probably a group of farmers' sons in town for the afternoon, but you couldn't be too careful.

"Smithy's just up there, see? He'll get that collar off in a shake, I promise."

"Well I think you're really nice." He mumbled as he let his red eyes cast downwards once again. Mikhail was quick to press closer to Theoden when he felt the elf squeeze him tighter. He cast a quick glance at the group of young men before quickly diverting his eyes once more.

"Okay, I trust you." If this kind stranger, who had gone out of his way to help him, said that the smith would be able to remove the damned collar, then Mikhail had no reason to doubt Theoden.

Theoden felt his chest tighten a bit. Gods, he just hoped he'd live up to that trust.

No, screw that. He would. He'd stick by the kid's side until he had him set up in his own damned house somewhere if he had to.

...Wow. That kinda came out of nowhere.

They approached the smithy and Theoden sort of ushered them around to a side gate, whistling twice to be heard over the dull ringing of hammer on metal.

"Garen! It's me, you in?"

The ringing stopped, replaced with shuffling and grumbling, then a few muffled curses, then: "Theo? You're not due back in town for another week yet, what do you want?"

Theoden winced and gave Mikhail a sheepish kind of smile. "He's, ah...a little gruff. But not so bad, really."

The "not so bad" in question stomped into view. He was a burly sort of man, by profession if nothing else, but actually not quite so tall as Theoden. He was still holding his hammer in one meaty fist, eyes narrowed as he looked the elves up and down.

"Well? What's all this then?"

Mikhail remained quiet, nestled against Theoden's side the short rest of the way to the smith. He looked up at his very tall protector as he whistled and called out to the man making all noise somewhere out of sight.

He winced at the way the smith responded, wondering if the man would be willing to help him, after all, this Garen didn't even know him, although apparently he knew Theoden.

Mikhail involuntarily shrank back as the large man came into view. His body turned arms coming up to lightly grab at the elf's shirt, clinging to him with a faint shiver of poorly suppressed fear. He looked up at Theoden uncertainly when they were asked what 'all this' was.

"T-Theoden said you could h-help me." Mikhail's voice cracked softly with terror. The man was intimidating, his collar made him weak and he was just tired and afraid that he would be caught again.

A low growl rumbled through Theoden's chest--it was an instinctive sound, one he wasn't even initially conscious of making. He didn't realize he'd tightened his grip on Mikhail either, or that he'd physically moved the smaller man behind him.

All realizations that occurred to him at the same moment. His cheeks flushed and he quickly dropped his arm, taking a step back from Mikhail and clearing his throat.

What the hells was all that?!

"He needs the collar off," he bit out, then winced at how curt and gruff he sounded. He cleared his throat again. "I'm willing to trade. I've got a few smaller catches, and you can have first pick when I do come back next week."

Garen simply stared at them, expressionless, for a long moment. "...What's it for? This isn't gonna come back to bite me in the ass, is it?"

Mihail started when suddenly Theoden was...growling? He didn't resist as the elf squeezed him tighter or put himself before Mikhail and the smith. When Theoden stepped away and let him go he flashed him a panicked look.

The small slave wrapped his arms around himself and threw his eyes to the ground as he heard the elf that had been nothing but kind to him speak so gruffly. He shuffled his feet guiltily when Theoden spoke about ways he could trade for the service. Mikhail felt bad for costing him something. They were stranger, the hunter owed him nothing, and yet he was doing all this for him.

"I don't think so?" He shifted uncomfortably again, looking at Theoden helplessly, not sure how much he should say to this smith about the situation. Would the guy help them if he admitted to being a runaway slave?

"It won't," Theoden confirmed, voice calm and even and confident in a way it only rarely was. He gave Mikhail a quick pat on the shoulder and a small, encouraging smile, then looked back up to Garen. "Look, what I'm offering is well worth twenty minutes of work, if that."

The smith huffed, then relented, "Alright, fine. Bring 'im in. Then go get this catch of yours. I don't see it on ya."

Theo rolled his eyes, one arm around Mikhail's shoulder again as he guided the escaped slave after the blacksmith into the shop attached to the forge. "Yeah, alright. I'll just take me half an hour. You can have this done by the time I get back." It maybe should have been a question, but his tone almost made it an order.

Garen shot him a look. They certainly didn't know each other well, but the elven hunter had never exactly been an...assertive personality.

Maybe it shouldn't have been as comforting as it was, but the pat on his shoulder had some of the tension leaving Mikhail's body. He didn't trust people. A slave that trusted people was generally a foolish slave. Still, he'd placed some trust in Theoden, because for some reason he felt that the elf would not betray him.

Mikhail unconsciously leaned into Theoden's side as the elf put an arm around him yet again, guiding him into the smith's shop. The elf's tone even had him looking at him curiously. They didn't know each other well or for long, but he'd seen Theoden a lot less self-assured.

"You're coming back for me, right?" Mikhail questioned softly, glancing up at his hero stranger with a concerned frown as he hugged himself again.

"Oh--yeah, I am. Of course I am." Theoden started to reach for his shoulder again, then seemed to think better of it and drew his hand back. "I'll be quick. Less than an hour, promise." He gave Mikhail a nod and a smile, then turned to head out again, brushing passed Galen.

Lowering his voice so the escapee wouldn't hear, he muttered, "If you sell him out for a quicker cash grab, I'll make you regret it."

Without waiting for a response, he strode out into the village proper again, then started toward the edge of the forest.

Mikhail watched Theoden's face as he assured him, and for a few moments after, before nodding his head slowly.

"Okay. I trust you." It wasn't as if he had much of a choice, but it was more than that. He believed him. Theoden wouldn't abandon him, even though it would be easier for him to leave Mikhail to fend for himself. He watched the elf leave silently, and then he stood alone with the smith in this place he didn't know.

"Theoden has been very kind to me. I feel very bad that he is trading his things for my sake." Mikhail was still speaking quietly as he looked over at the smith with hooded red eyes.

"Is there not an arrangement I could make with you? I don't have much to offer except," Mikhail gestured at himself, "myself. Could I pay you with a service? I am not inexperienced with paying in favors. I've been told I'm quite good."

The smith looked at him consideringly for several long moments.

"I suppose that depends on what you're offering."

---

It didn't take Theoden too long to locate his cache just outside the village. He had a few scattered around--for pelts and things, meat spoiled too quickly--and this one was close enough that it took him less than half an hour to get to it. Gathering up enough payment for Garen was a simple enough task, and he began the trek back.

He didn't realize he was anxious until he noticed how quickly he was walking. Quick enough that he wasn't being nearly as quiet as he usually was.

Wow. Alright, maybe take a breath. He shook his head at himself with a wry little smile. The smithy was in sight again--he decided to approach from the front, rather than coming around to the side again

Whelp throwing out some feelers had certainly gotten him a hook. Mikhail let himself rake his eyes up and down the smith, biting his lower lip before smiling coyly at the man. He wasn't exactly what the hybrid would have called a prime partner, but this was business, not for his own personal enjoyment.

"What would it take?" Mikhail's voice had turned from the nervous waver to a sultry purr as he walked towards the smith, letting his hips sway. "I can do amazing things with my tongue, so I've heard, and there's definitely more I can offer you. I'd do almost anything in exchange for getting this collar off."

He batted his eyes at the smith, putting on his best puppy eyes as he tugged at the metal with one finger. "It's so very uncomfortable. Please help me and I'll take very good care of you."

Garen seemed more than willing to let Mikhail pay his own way, as it were

He was so thoroughly distracted, that he didn't seem to hear the door to the forge open, or the hunter's tread across the floor.

Theoden froze.

What--

What.

That same growl he hadn't understood before rose up in his chest. "What. Are. You. Doing." His eyes never left Garen, snapping fire, and he'd curled his hands into tight fists at his sides, shaking slightly.

The moment the collar came off, Mikhail's red eyes flared brightly before darkening. It felt so good, so liberating, that tears of relief actually came to his eyes. He sighed heavily in a sort of satisfaction before dropping to his knees.

A deal was a deal, and he wasn't one to leave something owed to someone if he could help it.

Preoccupied as he was, Mikhail didn't hear Theoden coming either. The sound of growling immediately had him gasping and turning his head to look at the elf with wide eyes. His face flushed deeply, although he wasn't exactly shy about such acts, well for some reason he felt a bit of shame being caught by him.

"I-I'm paying him. For the collar. I didn't want you to have to pay for me..." Mikhail looked down shyly and cleared his throat. "We're almost d-done."

"Theo, relax, he just--"

Theoden slammed the smith back against his worktable, his arm a solid bar across the other man's chest while his other hand dropped to grab Mikhail's upper arm and haul him to his feet. That thrumming growl was back, echoing off the scraps of metal with a dull ringing sound that actually managed to snap him out of...whatever it was that had just happened.

He stepped back, eyes wide and breath coming a little too harshly. He didn't know where to look, what to do, what to think. Movement sharp and jerky, he tossed the promised pelts at Garen's feet and took another step back, herding Mikhail behind him.

"There," he hissed. "Payment. We're leaving."

He turned, arm around Mikhail to usher him along back out onto the street.

Mikhail had no idea what he was really expecting, but this was a bit, well, weird. Sure, the situation could have looked kinda bad if you stumbled into it, but he had figured explaining would calm Theoden down, maybe made him go back outside embarrassed.

He let out a small yelp as things happened quickly, and a little alarmingly. Red eyes were wide and slightly afraid as he watched Garen was slammed against the worktable, giving a little whimper as the elf pulled him to his feet.

"Th-Theoden!" Whatever had come over the elf seemed to snap out of it. Not sure what else to do, Mikhail clung to his side as he was herded back out of the smith's shop. His voice sounded very small. "Are you mad at me?"

They were nearly three streets away before the question properly registered. Theoden's steps slowed, and he only then realized he'd already been steering them back toward the forests. He glanced around, feeling oddly...hunted.

"I--"

He looked down at Mikhail, and his stomach lurched uncomfortably.

What the hells am I doing?

"No," he said on a heavy exhale. "No, I'm not mad at you." He reached up to drag a hand down his face, groaning softly. "Look, I...I shouldn't have...done that. It was--I thought he--" He gritted his teeth, a muscle fluttering in his jaw. "You didn't have to do that," he managed to bite out. "I didn't-- Look, it was really no trouble to pay him. You don't...have to do stuff like that."

It was a relief when Theoden finally answered him, a few streets away from the shop. Even with the collar now off and feeling stronger, well Mikhail had felt a sense of fear when the elf had gotten so angry and aggressive.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you." His voice was still that small, timid whisper. Theoden said he wasn't mad at him, but Mikhail could see the way his jaw muscle twitched and how the elf gritted his teeth. If Theoden wasn't mad at him, well he certainly was still mad. "You've already done a lot for me, I didn't want you to feel like you had to more. It really isn't...I'm used to it. Stuff like that."

Ah, shit.

He's scared him. Fuck. Guilt instantly swamped him, tightening his chest. He quickly drew his arm back, trying to give Mikhail some space.

Guilt was quickly followed by rage that he was used to it. He shouldn't be surprised, really. He shouldn't be having this strong of a reaction, he just...was.

Okay. Breathe.

"Look, Mikhail." He sighed, running his fingers awkwardly through his hair. They'd nearly reached the treeline now, though he didn't entirely seem to notice, adjusting his step easily to muffle the noise he made in the underbrush. "I'm...sorry. I didn't--I didn't mean to scare you. Back there. I really shouldn't have...reacted like that. But I don't want you to think--"

He paused, sighed through his nose, closed his eyes. Damnit, he was so bad at talking to people. "You're your own person," he muttered eventually. "You get to decide...what you do. How you do it. Who...who you want to do it with. Whatever. I don't want you to think I'm...trying to control you, or tell you what to do. But I also don't--"

He growled, frustrated. He couldn't figure out how to say it. "I don't have to do anything. I want to help you. It's really not some sort of burden. And I don't want you to feel like...like that's how you have to get by in the world. Like..."

His breath left him in a huff as he trailed off and shook his head. "Still, I--I shouldn't have done that. I think I frightened you, and I'm sorry."

Mikhail actually liked it better when Theoden's arm was around him, it felt warm, comforting, and oddly safe, but he didn't protest when it was pulled away. He was keeping his eyes lowered, only risking brief glances towards his companion. It was reassuring to see some of that awkwardness return to him.

Listening to Theoden stumble through what he wanted to say, Mikhail tried to work through his own thoughts. He still wasn't quite sure why the elf had reacted so drastically to what he'd done. Why did it matter how he got by in the world?

"I didn't want you to be mad at me." He said softly, finally raising his head to look up at Theoden. "Do you think what I did was wrong? Is getting by in the world like that not a good thing?"

"What--no. No, that's...no." He bit back a frustrated groan. How did he try to explain this? "No, there's nothing wrong with it, if that's what you want to do. But if you're just...if you feel like you have to, or if you are just used to it..."

He sighed and stopped walking, turning to face the smaller man. "Mikhail...you just got a damned collar off your neck. You were..." A slave. "Just...tell me this. Did you do that because you wanted to, or because it was an easy way to pay someone?"

"It was all I had to pay with." Mikhail answered without hesitation, because that was the simple truth of the matter. What else did he have to offer anyone at the moment? Nothing at all. His body was literally his only real possession. He had stopped with Theoden and looked up at him with an expression of resignation.

This was just how things were for him. He was a runaway slave, how did the elf think he was supposed to make it? Maybe if he was smart he could eventually trade or pay his way through life in a more "normal" way but for now his options were pretty limited.

"I'm sorry." Mikhail lowered his eyes back to the ground, hunching his shoulders slightly. He just didn't want Theoden to be upset with him.

"Aw...Gods, kid, don't apologize." He shook his head and looked away, annoyed with himself. Glaring at the forest floor, he muttered, "It's not. All you have to pay with. I really don't mind helping you out--I want to help you. Whether that means getting that collar off, or...I dunno, teaching you some trade or getting you somewhere you can learn so you don't have to do that."

He sighed, his shoulders caving forward. "But I'm not...angry with you. I promise. I--I was angry with him. He knows what a slave collar is, he should've--"

He was getting angry again. He flexed his fingers, forced himself to breathe. He had never known Garen well, but he'd always thought him a decent sort of person. Not someone who would take advantage of someone as clearly in need of help as Mikhail. Particularly since he was already getting paid.

"You don't have to apologize to me," he repeated quietly. "Look, I..." He trailed off, sighed, closed his eyes. Then he shook his head and looked back at Mikhail, and tried for a smile. "Come on. It'll be dark again soon. We should find someplace to sleep."

It was a good thing he hadn't offered Theoden that kind of repayment for his kindness earlier when he'd told the elf he owed him.

Theoden wanted to help him. That was certainly a beneficial thing for Mikhail, but he still didn't know why the elf wanted to help him. Would he sound ungrateful for asking? It was all very confusing and tiring. He'd had an eventful couple days, maybe questioning his good fortune further could just wait a little bit.

Although maybe he should feel just a little bad that the smith was getting all of the anger when it was Mikhail that had suggested repaying him with a sexual favor.

"Okay, I'll try." Mikhail couldn't help that he felt compelled to apologize. He had always been a defiant slave, but Theoden was not his master or one of his master's cruel friends. It was impossible for him to even think of someone that had treated him so kindly for no reason.

Theoden started to reach for him automatically, then caught himself. He drew his hand back quickly, curling it into a fist at his side. "Right. Um...this way. I know these woods pretty well, I can find us a safe place to sleep."

He turned and started into the trees again, glancing back over his shoulder at his companion every so often to make sure he was keeping up.

The further into the forest they got, the more Theoden started to relax. His steps lightened, shoulders rolling back and down, fingers uncurling from his palms to hang comfortably at his sides rather than remain in fists. The sun crept lower and lower in the sky, shifting the angle of the light through the leaves, and the sounds of small rodents and insects gradually shifted into the night-sounds of the forest: the occasional hoot of an owl, crickets calling to one another...sounds that had always been a comfort to him. 

"Yeah, okay. Safe is good." Mikhail didn't miss the way Theoden began reaching for him before changing his mind. He hugged himself once the elf's back was turned, wishing that he was tucked against the side of his new friend(?).

They were silent, but the forest around them was a sort of natural, wordless song. Mikhail noticed that they further they moved into the woods, the more relaxed Theoden seemed. He supposed that did make sense, he was an elf and apparently a hunter, of course he was happier in the wild than in a town. It made him feel better to see Theoden no longer angry or tense.

Mikhail had trailed just behind him, but he picked up his pace and started walking beside the hunter again, although he didn't try to press into his side for now. He yawned and shook his head with a frown. Normally he was more awake in the night than the day, but he hadn't slept very much the night before or at all through the day. "We get to sleep on the ground tonight, right? Please don't make me climb another tree."

That earned a chuckle from Theoden, almost despite himself. "Sure, we don't have to climb tonight," he agreed with a small smile. "No real big predators in this area, and chances are slim the people who were after you would be searching this part of the woods."

He glanced down at Mikhail as he fell into step beside him, brow furrowed a bit in concern. "You need to stop now?" It wasn't all that late, but they had been walking a good part of the day. Not to mention however long Mikhail had been running from those slavers before that. Poor thing was certainly within his rights to be exhausted.

They didn't have to climb tonight. Did that mean they were going to have to climb other nights? Mikhail had suppress a groan. He had learned something about himself last night, and it turns out he really, really did not like heights.

"No, I can keep going." Mikhail couldn't suppress another yawn and brought his hands up to rub at his eyes. Dusk was usually when he'd prefer to just be waking up, but they had been busy through the day, and he was used to having to adhere to a "normal" schedule. It was just that even that had been thrown off. "It's usually daytime that makes me sleepy. I like nighttime."

"Really?" He looked down at him again, slowing his step slightly. "I mean...if you'd rather, we can keep a more nocturnal schedule until we get you...wherever it is we're trying to get you."

He cleared his throat and shrugged, looking away again. "I can do either. Work by day or night, I mean. Some hunts need you to be awake at night, so...not like it's any real hardship."

Theoden paused, looking at him out of the corner of his eye. "But for tonight, I think we should probably call it soon. I'll keep an eye out for a good place to bed down." Regardless of what Mikhail said, he looked tired, and Theoden didn't want to make him keep moving. They could start switching to night travel gradually, shouldn't take more than a few days.

"Oh, no that's okay! You don't have to change your whole schedule around me." Mikhail wrung his hands a little, once more overcome with guilt over just how kind and accommodating Theoden was being for him. It really was more than he had ever been shown before. "I don't even know where I'm going or what I'm doing..."

Those would be good things to start trying to figure out. He couldn't rely on Theoden's generosity forever. Mikhail didn't want to have to rely on it at all. The elf had already done so much, he really didn't know how to repay him.

"I really don't want to be more of a bother to you than I have to be. I know you said I'm not a burden and you want to help me but you've already done more than I could have possibly asked of someone I knew, let alone a stranger." Mikhail looked up at the man beside him, still not quite sure what to make of the extremely kind elf.

"Really, it's no trouble." Theoden paused, then adjusted their course slightly and led them into a smallish sort of grove. It had enough natural covering that he was able to relax a bit more as he glanced around. He dropped his pack into a dip in a cluster of roots and stretched his arms up over his head.

"I don't think we should risk a fire, but it's not too cold. Just bundle up, you should be fine." He ignored Mikhail's assertion that he shouldn't be doing all this. He really didn't know how to respond to it, honestly. He didn't have a good answer--by all rights, he shouldn't care as much as he did.

But...he just couldn't not care. He had no idea what sort of life Mikhail had led, but in the last couple days he'd learned enough to have a horrifying idea, and the idea of leaving the kid to fend for himself was just...abhorrent. He wouldn't leave anyone like that.

"Get some sleep," he urged quietly, nodding toward his pack to indicate the blanket that had half fallen out when he tossed it down. "I'll keep watch for a while."

There really was no arguing with this guy, was there? Mikhail wanted to be annoyed by the stubborn determination to be incessantly kind to him, but he found himself ducking his head and smiling slightly with a faint blush. If Theoden couldn't be talked out of being so helpful, well they could go around and around arguing over what was or wasn't too much, but that would be exhausting, so he decided to drop it - for now.

"I trust your judgement, we were okay without a fire last night." At least they were after climbing the tree. He felt bad that Theoden was once again sacrificing for his sake. If it weren't for Mikhail the elf wouldn't have to worry about a fire attracting attention.

"What about you? Don't you need to sleep? Won't you get cold?" Mikhail didn't want the elf to do without for his sake. Again. The idea of taking and taking from someone without giving anything back made his stomach twist up in knots. It was too much like how he was used to being treated for comfort. He didn't want to take advantage of Theoden's kindness.

"Ah, I'll be alright." He settled himself down into the curve of the roots just beside where he'd dropped his pack, flashing a quick smile in Mikhail's direction. "I've gone longer than this without sleep, it's no big deal."

Not entirely a lie. He'd certainly gone longer without sleep, though he typically tried to avoid it if at all possible.

Looking out into the steadily darkening trees, he jerked his head toward the blanket again. "Go on and settle in. If you can grab a couple hours of shut-eye, we can get moving again before the sun's up, then set up a proper camp. We'll be safer from wild animals and slavers both if we take to sleeping during the day."

Mikhail frowned softly and hugged himself again. Theoden had a nice smile. He was still being very stubborn though. Why'd the elf have to be so frustratingly nice? Thoughts of further protest were cut off as he raised a hand to try to cover another yawn. He tried to shake the sleep from his head, but it only made his head spin a little.

"There's no reasoning with you." Mikhail accused gently as he walked over to the pack so that he could pull the blanket out of it. He looked around, considering where to curl up to try to get a little rest. Well he knew where he'd be most comfortable.

Without hesitation the slender young hybrid sat right next to Theoden, draping the blanket over himself and the elf's legs as he leaned against him with a soft sigh and faint whisper. "Thank you, Theo."

"I think you'll find I can be pretty fucking stubborn," Theoden agreed with a soft chuckle, leaning back against the trunk of the tree and relaxing a bit further.

Or at least he started to, before the younger man had curled up against his side and snuggled in with the blanket. He went stiff as stone, eyes wide. He suddenly had no idea what to do with his arms, and the heat rushing to his face felt like it could have caused a spontaneous forest fire.

He forced himself to breathe, trying to focus on the movement of air in and out of his lungs. Gods, why were people so difficult to predict?! Most other animals, he could read their body language and figure out what they were planning to do. Two-leggers...

Shit.

Carefully, he shifted a little in the hopes that he'd make himself slightly more comfortable. Damn, if the kid wanted to sleep on him, well...that's what he'd do, apparently. Poor thing probably just wanted some heat, since they couldn't build a fire.

He still didn't know what to do with his hands.

"...G'night, Mikhail."

It was easy to let his eyes close as he nestled in against the other man. Theoden was warm, that was part of it, but more than warmth the contact was comforting. Mikhail could feel every breath that the elf took, could hear every beat of his heart. It summoned feelings of safety and love left over from before he'd been taken from his mother and twin, when the three of them would sleep all snuggled together like this.

As easy as it would be to just fall asleep with those distant, fuzzy memories, Mikhail sensed the way Theoden had stiffened, how he had shifted trying to get comfortable.

"Is this okay?" He asked, voice still low and not lifting his head from where it rested against Theoden's chest. "I should have asked first. It's just that you feel safe and warm. I liked it earlier when you held me protectively against your side. It felt nice."

Well.

This was how he died.

That was fine.

Theoden swallowed thickly, and his voice was a little strangled when he replied, "No no, this...it's fine. You're fine. This is fine."

Well that was convincing.

Gritting his jaw and determinedly not looking at Mikhail, he slowly shifted and lowered his arm to rest curled around the smaller man's side. He swallowed again, mouth dry with a sudden rush of anxiety. "This, ah...this okay?"

Oh yes, very convincing.

Mikhail thought about sitting up and moving away, but as he felt Theoden slowly bring his arm around him he sighed softly. He could tell that the other man wasn't comfortable, his body language made that clear, but he said it was okay. Conflicting input wasn't the best, but he really wanted to snuggle.

"Yes, it's really nice." Mikhail turned his body slightly, draping his arm over Theoden as he nuzzled his head into the side of the elf's chest. "Thank you, Theo. Good night."

Yup, he was absolutely going to die right there.

...Honestly, he could think of worse ways to go...

No, stop that! Poor thing just needs warmth and a little kindness, don't go enjoying this! Theoden shook his head--at himself, at the situation, he wasn't sure--and tightened his arm around Mikhail a little more. Well, he'd said it was nice.

"Rest up, Mikhail," he murmured, letting his head thunk back against the bark of the tree trunk. He didn't sleep, he did still have to keep watch after all, but he at least allowed his body to rest after an...he was going to go with eventful day.

Mikhail's only response was a soft, sleepy hum of contentment. He was warm and comfortable, the way Theoden's arm squeezed him a little tighter made him feel that much more secure nestled against his side.

Despite it being night, the little hybrid found closing his eyes and drifting to sleep remarkably easy, something he would attribute to feeling whole and free with the collar removed, and safe with someone that had displayed rather clearly that they were protective of him. It was surprising, sure, but also touching, and appreciated. Mikhail hadn't had someone care for him and try to protect him since he'd been ripped from his family.

Theoden let him sleep; he figured the ex-slave deserved as much rest as he could get. It was simple enough to keep watch--he was really only worried about slavers, he knew the patterns of the animals in this part of the woods and wasn't too concerned that some large predator might happen upon them.

As the night wore on though, his eyes did eventually start to droop. He had to shake himself awake a few times, eventually digging his nails into his thigh in an effort to stave off exhaustion.

Eventually, evening turned to night, and night turned to early morning. As the jet black of the sky started to lighten to a navy blue, stars still bright, he finally rolled his shoulders back and shifted against Mikhail slightly. He slid his hand to the smaller man's shoulder and gave him a gentle shake. "Hey. C'mon, up ya get. We can walk another couple of hours before we've gotta set up a proper camp."

It was extremely peaceful sleep, unclouded with anxiety or fear of being captured by his former master's hunters. Or a fear of falling out of a very tall tree.

Mikhail grumbled softly when his shoulder was shaken, turning his head to nuzzle further against his warm, comfortable pillow (Theoden's chest), before he lifted his head and blinked while looking around sleepily. He sighed and rubbed at his eyes for a moment, before blinking and looking up at the sky.

"The sky doesn't look right." Mikhail frowned for a moment, not fully awake brain turning the information over in his head, before his eyes grew wide. "Theo! You said you were only going to let me sleep for a couple hours. Have you been awake all night?"

Theoden started, a little surprised by the sudden vehemence, and just blinked at Mikhail for a moment. Then he chuckled, smiling sheepishly, and ran a hand back through his hair in a nervous tick he'd thought he'd lost.

Apparently not.

"Well, I mean...it was a few hours, really? And I'm fine, it's not a big deal." He waved off Mikhail's concern and shifted away from him to get to his feet, gathering up the pack and blanket and slinging them over one shoulder. "C'mon, we're burning day--starlight."

"No, that wasn't a few hours." Mikhail protested with a pout, watching Theoden with anxious red eyes as he got up. If his companion was going to neglect his own well-being then he guessed that he'd have to make it a priority himself.

Still pouting, Mikahil got up and folded his arms across his chest, to emphasize his displeasure with this turn of events.

"You really shouldn't have let me sleep so long. It isn't good for you not to sleep this long. I would have been okay." It occurred to him that the elf considered him pretty frail. Mikhail wondered if he should take offense to it, but given his appearance and circumstance he really couldn't hold it against Theoden to assume he was weak.

"Seriously, it's not a big deal," Theoden tried to sooth with another slightly awkward smile. "And I've gone longer without sleep. And we'll be camping again in a few hours anyway, so it's fine." That made sense, right?

He hefted his pack a little higher on his shoulder and jerked his head in a "follow me" gesture as he started walking again. "We can probably get nearly to the edge of the woods before full dawn. After that..."

He trailed off, realizing suddenly that he had no real idea where he was supposed to be taking Mikhail. "Uh..." He looked back at the other man. "Don't suppose you have any...travel destinations in mind?"

"Just because you've gone longer without sleep doesn't make it okay." Mikhail sighed, knowing that this was a losing battle anyway. The elf really was stubborn as a mule. He followed along after Theoden, listening to him speak about their plans. At least until his new companion realized that they didn't really have a plan.

"Not really, no..." As a slave Mikhail didn't really have a home. All he'd known was centered around residing with a master. That wasn't to say he had no idea of what he'd like to do, he just didn't know where to go. "When I was very young, my master at the time sold me, separating me from my mother, and my twin brother. I - I don't even know where to start looking for them."

Theoden's steps slowed, then paused. He glanced back and down at Mikhail, brow furrowed.

"...Do you remember where you were? When they so..separated you?" He stumbled over the word sold, though he wasn't entirely sure why. It wasn't as though Mikhail seemed overly squeamish around talking about it.

"No, I was very young. They only waited until we could survive without our mother. I'm pretty sure we were in Adela, but I don't know what became of them. They could have been sold to anybody, and more than once. I can't even be sure they're still alive..." Mikhail hung his head and hugged himself tighter. He thought they were alive, but he wasn't sure if that was just desperation and denial.

"I'm sorry. This is depressing. It doesn't really matter where I go. You don't have to take me anywhere. I don't want you going out of your way because of me. Just letting me follow along with you for a little while is more than enough. When you get tired of me just tell me to scram. I'll figure out how to fend for myself." He kept looking at the ground, turning his thoughts inward.

Theo turned to face him, starting to reach out and grasp his shoulder before he thought better of it and let his hand drop. "Hey. Look, kid--" He winced. "Right. You don't like that. Sorry. Mikhail."

He rocked back on one foot, eyes darting around awkwardly, though the tight twist to his mouth seemed more from thought than his usual lacking social skills. "There's...if it's something you want to do, there's ways we can try to find them. They're your family, right?" He waved a hand vaguely. "I mean, by blood. Some tracking spells can link with stuff like that."

His expression softened slightly and he finally met Mikhail's eyes, if only for a moment. "And I'm not just going to ditch you in the woods somewhere. I'll get you where you need to go, or at least as close as I can."

Mikhail didn't like it because he wasn't a kid. He was at least twenty! Still, that wasn't all that important right now.

"But...why?" He had listened to what Theoden had to say, and he couldn't help but ask that very simple question. Why would he go out of his way to help Mikhail track down his family? Why wouldn't he just leave him in the woods? The elf didn't owe him anything.

Mikhail on the other hand owed Theoden everything. The man had given him back his freedom by helping him escape those hunters and getting him to the smith to have the collar removed.

"I really don't mean to sound ungrateful. I really don't, because I have never been more grateful to someone in my life, but I just don't understand why you're willing to do so much for me. I don't deserve it. I haven't earned it." He looked up at Theoden with an expression that was so many emotions - fear, uncertainty, sorrow, and a flicker of hope. "Are you really just that good? I didn't know people could actually be like you..."

"Whoa, whoa." Theoden raised his hands as though trying to ward off Mikhail's words, backing up a step. His eyes were rather wide, cheeks darkening with yet another blush. "Look, Mikhail, you don't--you don't have to earn kindness. And giving it to you doesn't make me particularly good! I'm just...being decent."

Or trying to. He made a concerted effort not to think about how much he'd actually liked having Mikhail snuggled against his side, or the way he'd lost it with the smith. None of those things were good.

He groaned quietly and dragged a hand down his face, rubbing the back of his neck with the other. "It's not like I'm really putting myself out all that much. I can hunt anywhere, and sell game pretty much anywhere. Having you along doesn't change things all that much. Don't...don't make me out to be something I'm not. Some kind of...hero or somethin'. I'm not."

The breath he'd been holding was released in a huff, and he dropped his hands, eyes darting around once more. "We should--we should keep moving."

What was he supposed to say? The more Theoden spoke, the sadder Mikhail's expression became. It was clear to him that the elf really did believe what he was saying. How could Theoden not think he was a good person? He was more than just decent! Obviously telling him that was not working to make himself see differently.

"Well you're a hero to me." Mikhail whispered, so quiet maybe the other wouldn't even hear him. He nodded his head a little dejectedly as he started walking again, still moving the way Theoden had been leading him. The night sounds of the forest kept things from being completely silent now that they had stopped speaking, but it still felt uncomfortably silent to Mikhail. He didn't know much of what to really say though.

Wood elves' senses tended to be better than an average human, and Theoden had honed his for nearly a century out in the wilds, hunting.

He definitely heard Mikhail.

The blush got worse.

He tried to play it off, clearing his throat quickly--and winding up giving himself a real coughing fit. It passed easily enough and he sank back into the comfortable quiet of the night-sounds of the forest around them. At least, it was usually comfortable.

Not so much right then.

"So..." Oh gods, small talk? Was he supposed to make small talk? How did he do that?! "You, um...what's with the night thing? I mean--" He winced. "Er, you said before that you--you mostly stay awake nights. You just...like it?"

Dear gods. Was it possible to drop dead from awkwardness?

"Oh, that." Mikhail rubbed the back of his head, trying to decide how best to really break it to Theoden. A little part of him was very afraid that the elf would immediately reject him and want him gone. Okay a very big part of him was afraid of that, but he didn't want to be deceitful with the man that had done so much for him. "It's not that I just like nights - I mean I do like nighttime but that's not why - uh, look, I understand if you don't want me around after I tell you this, but I hope you'll still want to be my friend..."

Mikhail sighed and ran his fingers through his hair, trying to stop his rambling. It was a simple enough question, with a straightforward answer, he just needed to spit it out. "The thing is...Iamhalfvampirepleasedon'thateme."

The words came out in an anxious rush, and he looked away, not wanting to see a sudden look of disgust or hatred from Theoden knowing what he was.

Theoden glanced down at him. Why was he being so cagey? Sure, he didn't really know him all that well, but this seemed...off.

Then his eyes widened and his step stuttered. "You're...oh." His eyes went a little wider. "Oh. Oh!"

Well, that...that...

He stopped suddenly and turned to face Mikhail, brows drawing together in the start of a frown. "You. You're a dhampir. You. Really? That-- hang on."

That actually made a bizarre amount of sense.

"Have you been--I dunno what it's called. Magicking me? Y'know." He waved a hand airily around his head. "With the whole...vampiric gaze or whatever."

Mikhail winced and kept his face turned away, stopping to hug himself again. Dhampir. Ugh, what a word. His chest tightened painfully. Theoden was going to hate him now! He had worried that he would, but that didn't make it easier to hear the elf stumble over his words.

Then Theoden said something that had Mikhail whipping his head around, red eyes wide, and then a flash of hurt swept over his features.

"What? No! Of course not. I - I can't even do that. Do you really think I've been tricking you this whole time? I know vampires probably don't have the best reputations, but, but...you think I used magic on you?" It really did hurt that Theoden thought he would do something like that, after everything that the elf had done for him.

No. No he hadn't. Of course he hadn't--

Oh no.

"Shit." Theoden started to reach for him, instinctively, then quickly drew his hands back. His chest tightened at the plain hurt in the younger man's voice and he winced. He'd done that. That was his fault.

The thought turned his stomach.

"I--I'm sorry," he started babbling, "I just thought--I dunno what I thought, but I'd never been like that before, back with Garen, and I thought maybe, even if it wasn't necessarily intentional--shit, I'm sorry, really, I didn't mean--" He snapped him mouth shut and closed his eyes, feeling the heat rise up through his whole face out to the tips of his ears. "Fuck."

Mikhail hunched his shoulders, still hugging himself. He winced again when he heard Theoden curse and noticed that he reached for him, but stopped. What had he intended? Did he want to restrain him? Maybe he regretted freeing him now that he knew what he was. He whimpered softly and took a hesitant step back, heart racing and all sorts of negative scenarios running through his mind in that short few seconds.

Then Theoden was apologizing and again stumbling all over his words. He was sorry?

"You - you believe me? I'm used to being...mistrusted." If someone thought you could mess with their mind then they tended never to trust or believe you because what if it was part of the trick? Of course Mikhail really hadn't used any magic on Theoden. He didn't even have the ability for that kind of psychic power.

Mikhail sniffled and wiped at his eyes, realizing that he'd started to cry. He looked at Theoden's blushing face, even his ears were red. Unlike the elf who kept hesitating when reaching for him, Mikhail threw himself at his companion, burying his face against him. "I really wouldn't use magic on you, Theo. You've been so kind to me, and I like you, and I really want you to like me, and I'm sorry if I have caused you even more trouble than I thought."

Oh shit.

"Hey, no, don't--don't do that, don't cry, please, I--" His voice cut off in a choked gasping sound as Mikhail suddenly threw himself against him. He reeled back, a small corner of his brain marveling that the slight half-vampire could manage to throw all six and a half feet of him off balance. He stared down at the top of his head, arms thrown up and eyes wide.

"H-hey..." He swallowed thickly. He could feel a very slight dampness where Mikhail's face was pressed into his chest, and it just about broke his heart.

...What the hells was wrong with him?

"...Hey," he repeated softly, and allowed his hands to drop down onto Mikhail's shoulders gently. Gods, it felt like he could snap him in half if he wasn't careful. It made him even more nervous, though he knew it was irrational. "I...I believe you, alright? It's okay. I'm not mad."

Before he fully realized what he was doing, he'd wrapped his arms around the smaller man and was holding him gently against his chest. His cheek somehow managed to rest against the top of his head, and he thought the heat in his face must surely be burning the poor thing. "I..." He huffed. "I like you too, Misha, okay? You're not causing me trouble, I was just...surprised."

Feeling Theoden's hands on his shoulders immediately had Mikhail relaxing, although he kept his arms around the other man, face still pressed against his chest. He felt foolish for crying, but also relieved that Theo wasn't mad. As much as he'd said he would learn to fend for himself and that he didn't want to be a bother to the elf, well he really didn't want to be alone.

If the hands on his shoulders made him relax, well being held against Theoden's chest had the hybrid practically melting. Theo liked him, despite what he was. The acceptance meant a lot to him. He sighed softly against the quite nicely toned chest, nuzzling into the warmth as he felt Theo's head resting against his. How could he have thought that this sweet man would hate him for what he was? He felt bad for thinking the guy who had rescued him would turn on him immediately over something that Mikhail couldn't even help.

Misha?

"Thank you, Theo." He said quietly, voice a little muffled by the fact he was still firmly pressed into the other's chest. "I'm really glad you don't think I'm trouble and that you like me. I'm sorry for crying. When I thought you were going to hate me and leave me all alone I just couldn't control it."

"No, hey, it's--it's okay." Theoden stroked his back awkwardly. "Don't apologize, you...look, if you need to cry just go ahead and cry. Stop apologizing to me." He let his hands come to rest on Mikhail's shoulders again, squeezing gently.

He just held him for a little while longer, not really sure what else he could--or should--do. Eventually, he cleared his throat and shuffled his feet, then pulled slowly away, hands still on Mikhail's shoulders to hold him at arm's length. He tried for a smile, head tipped slightly to the side as he looked his new, odd little friend up and down.

Impulsively, he reached up to shuck him gently under the chin, smile growing just a bit. "Feel any better?" His voice had dropped to a low rumble from the extended quiet.

It was easy to just let himself enjoy being held while it lasted. Mikhail looked up as Theo moved to have him at arm's length. He couldn't help but smile when he felt the touch under his chin. It was a shame he couldn't cuddle against the elf for longer, but he consoled himself with the idea of snuggling against Theo once they made camp.

"Yes, thank you. I guess we should probably keep moving? The sooner we find a good place to camp, the sooner you can get some rest too." Mikhail felt bad that Theo hadn't gotten any sleep at all, when he had gotten several hours.

"Yeah, right." Theoden looked at him a moment longer, a slightly befuddled smile on his face. After a moment, it dawned on him that he was trying to catch a flash of fangs in Mikhail's smile. He flushed and looked away again quickly. "Right! Okay, c'mon."

He started walking again, reaching up to sling his arm around Mikhail's shoulder automatically, an unconscious gesture of comfort, seeing how much the half-vampire seemed to like physical affection.

At least, it was unconscious, until he took three more steps and realized what he was doing. His cheeks heated--yet again--and he pulled his arm back quickly, clearing his throat. "We, er, we probably have another two hours before it's full dawn, and I figure that's as good a time as any to start looking for a place to make camp..."

Mikhail felt himself blushing slightly as Theo agreed about moving, and then just kept looking at him, but he never stopped smiling. His fangs were not large or prominent, but they were certainly there. Not that he knew that was what the elf was looking for. He chuckled softly when Theo got all flustered again.

It was a little surprising when he felt the larger man's arm come around his shoulders again. He had gotten the impression that Theo was hesitant to initiate such contact - at least when he wasn't being protective. It made him happy, though. Of course the arm was gone almost as quickly as it had arrived and Mikhail looked over at his friend a little confused. He wondered why Theo behaved that way. Did he like that contact with him or did he not? Maybe it wasn't appropriate? It wasn't as if he would know what was normal interactions between two people.

"Oh. Um. Okay. You would know better than me about that. I'll try to learn quickly, though." Mikhail knew it would be beneficial to learn as much as he could about surviving from Theo. He didn't know for sure how long the elf would be around. The walk became quiet again for a few moments, then Mikhail spoke up again. "Hey Theo? Does touching me make you uncomfortable?"

...

Yep.

He was absolutely going to die of embarrassment. He was now more than convinced that that was indeed a thing.

"Wh-what-- No! I mean, er, maybe? Not--not uncomfortable, it's more...I mean...fuck." He couldn't exactly drop his head into his hands while they walked--didn't want to wind up running into a tree--but he did run his fingers back through his hair in agitation.

"Doesn't it make you uncomfortable?" he finally asked in exasperation, looking up through the trees toward the ever-lightening sky as though it might provide some solution. "I mean, I'm...I didn't...damnit, I don't even know what I'm trying to say?"

Mikhail tilted his head as he watched Theo struggle through, he wasn't sure if it was because he wasn't sure how he felt himself or he was worried about hurting his feelings.

"Not at all." There was no hesitation in the answer. "I really enjoy it, actually. It feels nice, You don't touch me like I'm used to. I miss people touching me like that. I'm used to...well anyway. No, you don't make me uncomfortable. I don't want you to be uncomfortable either, though. So if you want to hug me or put your arm around my shoulder or hold my hand or something, then I wan't you to know that I don't mind."

"O-oh..." Theo stared at him, then swallowed. He had to take a few careful breaths in through his nose and exhaled through his mouth before he managed. "What you're...used to. Like--back with Garen?"

Oh gods, why had he said that? He really didn't want to think about it. Mostly because it was confusing. And made him want to hit something. Possibly Garen. Probably Garen.

He took another breath, then stopped walking, hesitated, reached out, hesitated again, then huffed out the breath and draped his arm around Mikhail's shoulders again. "Just...tell me if you don't like it. Or push me away or something."

Mikhail didn't answer that, just dropped his gaze to the ground. He knew that Theo'd gotten really upset when he'd caught him with Garen. Clearly that was not a topic to really get into. It wasn't like he'd ever felt ashamed of what he did - it was just how things were - but the elf actually made him feel self-conscious about it.

When Theo stopped, so did Mikhail, and he looked up at him in confusion for a moment before smiling as he felt that warm, strong arm again. He sighed softly, closing his eyes with a smile. "I promise I'll tell you if I don't like something, Theo."

The breath left him in a sharp rush and he nodded briskly. "Right. Good. Okay." He started walking again, pulling Mikhail in just a little tighter against his side as he did. He told himself it was to make sure his friend wasn't going to trip over roots or ground foliage--he wasn't as used to the woods, after all--but even he didn't really buy it.

He lapsed into silence as they walked, not really sure what else he should say. Or if he should say anything at all. The soft rustlings and chirping for crickets and smaller voles and things seemed abnormally loud, but it was still oddly soothing, at least to him.

Mikhail ducked his head a little and smiled as he felt himself being gently pulled more tightly into Theo's side. The elf was clearly extremely awkward, but he liked that his new friend seemed to enjoy the affectionate contact as much as he did - even if he had a little bit of a hard time expressing himself.

The sounds of the forest were peaceful. He didn't normally get to just listen to the music of nature, you couldn't appreciate such things when you could never relax. Mikhail leaned his head against Theo's side and enjoyed the other man's company in silence for a little while.

"Hey Theo? Are you always out hunting alone? Do you ever get lonely?" Maybe the silence was nice, but he couldn't contain his curiosity about his companion. Mikhail wanted to know all about Theo.

"Ah..." Theoden blinked down at him, a little startled at how close he'd managed to wriggle himself--despite the fact that he was the one who'd initiated the contact. "I mean...yeah. Yeah, I do. Hunt alone, I mean, not..."

He huffed. "I don't...really know, I guess. I never really think about it. You're never really alone alone out here, y'know?" He gestured to the forest around them. "So...no, I don't really get lonely, I don't think."

He lapsed into silence for a moment again, then sort of blurted, "I mean, if you still want to work with me--at least until we can get you somewhere safe--it's not like it has to be done alone. It's just...easier, usually."

Mikhail remained quiet, just listening to Theo answer his question, then seem to nervously try to explain and justify his answer. He didn't look up at him, keeping his head down, watching his feet as they stepped through the uneven forest floor.

"Oh." A brief pause. "I see."

Silence returned as Mikhail allowed himself to process the fumbling words. Theoden obviously very much enjoyed solitude. It made him consider how much his presence might burden the hunter. Then again, it also made him a little sad for the elf. Was he really not lonely or had he convinced himself that he didn't get lonely?

Seeking companionship was a very natural thing for most humanoids. They were social in nature.

"I don't want to make things harder for you, Theo. You're a very nice person and I want to repay you for what you've done for me, and I like you. I haven't really had friends but I want to be yours, but only if it isn't going to burden you. If you really like being alone I don't want to annoy you, but also I don't want you to be lonely. I know you said you don't get lonely, but if you're always alone how would you really know?" Mikhail knew he was rambling at this point, but he really couldn't stop himself. "Maybe if you kept me around for a little while you'd decide you like that too."

"Oh, no no, that isn't what I--it's not like you're a burden, you're just--no, that's not it either, I don't...I, um..."

Thoroughly red in the face, Theoden started to draw his arm back automatically, an instinctive reaction to his embarrassment. But at the last second he realized Mikhail might take that as some sort of rejection, which was sort of the opposite of what he wanted, and he impulsively tightened his grip instead.

"You don't...count," he mumbled finally, glancing away. "For being, y'know...not alone, or whatever. You're...here, and that's nice, and..."

He huffed out a breath, eyes closing for a moment. "Y'know what, I'm just gonna stop talking. But I, ah...appreciate it. You wanting to, um...yeah. Anyway."

He cleared his throat and tried to focus on finding the easiest path through the trees. "...Thanks, Misha."

Mikhail felt his chest instinctively tighten when Theo started pulling back, a flash of panic overcoming him as he thought that he'd said the wrong thing. It was hard not to notice just how red in the face his friend had become. Then the elf was tightening his arm, holding him even closer and he felt his heart start to ease back out of his throat.

Theoden was painfully awkward, but he didn't mind if his elf was not the most eloquent of men. There were other, far more important qualities that Theo did possess. He turned his body enough that he could wrap his arms around the hunter's waist in a hug. It made him happy when Theo called him Misha.

"I'm really glad I found you, Theo." Mikhail sighed softly, nuzzling into the warmth of the very large elf.

Flushing to the tips of his ears, Theoden found himself drawn up short by his new friend for what felt like the fifth time in the last hour.

"I-I, uh..." He blinked, looking down at the top of Mikhail's head. Then, slowly, he lowered his arms to wrap around those slender shoulders, returning the hug with the same amount of delicacy he would have used holding a baby bird.

His voice had dropped to that quiet rumble again when he replied, "...Me too."

And he was. Not just for his own sake--and the half-vampire really was growing on him, surprisingly quickly--but for Mikhail's, too. If he hadn't, who knew how long it would have taken him to get that collar of, or if he could have gotten away from his pursuers at all? Even if he had...Theoden knew he was hardly the only person who hunted these forests, and he wasn't convinced that no one else would have taken advantage of Mikhail's situation.

Mikhail was vaguely aware that he had caused them to stop multiple times, and he hated to think that he was slowing Theo down, but he wasn't fully thinking of such practicalities. He just wanted to enjoy being with him.

A small shiver went through him as Theo spoke in that quiet rumble. It was very nice. Mikhail liked it a lot when the elf spoke like that. It gave him chills. Good chills.

"I'm sorry. I keep making us stop." That wasn't his intention, but at least he became aware of the fact that they were once again just standing in the forest hugging. "I just really like talking to you. And hugging you."

"Whoa, hey, don't apologize--" Once again his voice choked off and he found himself just staring down at the top of Mikhail's head in bafflement. His instinct was to shy away, or maybe say something to change the subject. But...

Well. If he was going to be looking out for Mikhail until the ex-slave had a more permanent solution...maybe he should try actually talking to him?

"Right. Ah..." He cleared his throat, then gave Mikhail's shoulders a little pat and started to pull away. "That's...good to know. Ahem. Well, if we find a place to set up camp in the next hour, we could...maybe sit...and talk. Y'know. If you want..." He tried for a slightly crooked smile. "That way we won't be stopping every few paces to do it, yeah?"

"Maybe, but you need rest so maybe we can sit and talk after you wake up?" Mikhail looked up at Theo, a frown creasing his brow as he looked the elf up and down with concern. "Let's go, I'll try to keep quiet until we camp so I don't distract you more. Okay? Maybe when we're both rested we can practice talking while walking, without all the stopping."

His face smoothed gently and he tucked his hand into Theo's much larger one, smiling a little at the prospect of getting to hold the elf's hand. Of course having an arm around him was also great, but maybe it would be easier for him not to cause them to stop this way.

"Meh, don't worry about that." He smiled again and started to reach to ruffle Mikhail's hair, then thought better of it and drew his hand back again quickly. "You can talk if you want. I'll let ya know if we need to be quiet."

Not all forest critters took too kindly to intruders, after all.

He started walking, then nearly stalled again when Mikhail took his hand. He just barely managed to keep his stride, glancing away and clearing his throat in the hope that it might give his blush a few seconds to cool. Futile hope, but hope nonetheless.

Right. Camp. Find a place to camp. Focus.

"O-okay." Mikhail didn't know what else to say at that moment. He didn't want to keep being troublesome, but he also wanted to accept that Theo really didn't mind his constant chattering. If he was being honest he wasn't usually this talkative, but the ex-slave had usually been in company he found less than pleasant. He didn't want to speak to his masters and oppressors, but the kind man who had helped him - who was still helping him - was another story entirely.

Still, he really did want to stop making them stop. Mikhail kept sneaking concerned glances over at Theo, wanting to hurry and see that the elf got some rest.

Theo shot him a quick, slightly bemused smile and found himself giving his fingers an automatic, gentle squeeze before he could quell the impulse.

They trekked in relative quiet for a while longer--the hunter was hardly good with small talk at the best of times, and he was currently rather well engaged in searching out a place to camp. Eventually, they made it to something of a small, uneven clearing with a thick carpet of moss covering nearly every inch of earth, rock, and root beneath their feet.

"This should do," he grunted, glancing around.

Mikhail looked around at the clearing, taking note of the way moss covered everything. The moss looked kind of soft, at least comparative to just the uneven ground, and definitely compared to a tree branch. He would never climb another tree!

"Okay, good. You can get some rest now, and this time I'll keep watch." It was the least he could do, after everything Theo had done for him, and how the elf had watched over him while he slept just a short time earlier. Mikhail had felt rather helpless and burdensome to his new companion, but protecting the elf so he could rest, that was something he could actually do.