Forever on the Run [DragonSong][M]

Zero · August 27, 2020, 09:14:22 AM

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.

DragonSong · August 27, 2020, 11:51:11 AM

"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."

Zero · August 27, 2020, 12:04:54 PM

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."

DragonSong · August 27, 2020, 12:31:31 PM

"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."

Zero · August 27, 2020, 12:47:27 PM

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.

DragonSong · August 27, 2020, 01:00:09 PM

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.

Zero · August 27, 2020, 02:06:57 PM

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."

DragonSong · August 27, 2020, 02:30:34 PM

"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?"

Zero · August 27, 2020, 04:59:08 PM

"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.

DragonSong · August 27, 2020, 05:30:01 PM

"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.

Zero · February 05, 2022, 03:18:39 PM

"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.

DragonSong · April 21, 2022, 01:36:49 PM

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.

Zero · May 22, 2022, 03:56:09 PM

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.