Advertise/Affiliate Other Forum Main Page The World Before You Play

F**k You and the Horse You Rode Up On!

Started by Volker, October 21, 2018, 08:07:35 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Volker

At first Joseph felt...relieved. He wouldn't have to go through the charade of pretending he was comfortable in his own skin. He laid down, back toward the door. Then he started thinking. He had laid himself bare for Natias, something he'd done very few times in his life and because he was afraid of the same reaction. Confronted with the ugly reality, Natias had said 'no thank you' and waltzed out the door. White hot rage began to slowly boil deep in Joseph's chest. Who the hell was he, demanding a thing like that and then turning it down? Insisting Joseph strip himself until he was showing every scar and flaw...then denying him? Having the fucking gall to deny him.

He had never been asked to appear as himself. It never occurred to most men when the idea of anything they desired dangled in front of them. Joseph getting shut down after having it requested hurt. It hurt, and hurt turned to embarassment to anger so quickly it might as well have been oil in a pan catching fire. He sat up sharply and yanked his shirt on, struggling into his pants.

When he shifted angrily, it tended to show. A perceptive man might be able to catch on to his emotional state and how he was feeling by how his forms looked...similar to a chameleon changing colors to communicate. When Joseph shifted into the panther this time, it wasn't graceful or beautiful. It was monstrous, with sabre fangs and quills growing out of its fur. He burst out of the wagon and roared to catch Natias' attention. He was on the verge of losing his temper, and it showed.

SanctifiedSavage

Natias was in the process of trying to relax. Had only made it so far as to strip out of his leather armor top and shirt. Feel the cool air on his skin while he idly brushed down Tial. Or rather, that was going to be his plan for a portion of the evening. A calming brush down of his war horse, stretch out in the grass, then...

But no.

Tial stomped once and squared off with something behind him, which gave Natias the indication he should turn. Just as Joseph, or what he assumed was Joseph, roared at him. He wanted to reflexively shoot the damn thing, but that wasn't going to really smooth things over, was it? So, instead, he remained where he was while reaching back to make 'shushing' motion to Tial. The war horse didn't always need verbal orders and understood the gesture well enough, but the horse didn't like it.

So. His attempt at a less than shitty exit hadn't worked. Obviously. Natias ran a hand through his hair and over one ear. "You're either going to attack me, and it's going to be bad for both of us, or you can shift back and we can talk." Those were pretty much the options. Natias' sword was but a quick crouch away, which he could certainly do if Joseph leapt at him. Friendliness aside, the haevar wasn't about to become wounded over all this or let a giant, fuck off cat-thing pounce on him without defending himself.

So they could either talk, or fight, but Natias thought it only fair to make it clear he would certainly fight back.


Volker

Joseph didn't want to fight. He really didn't. Even though he looked intimidating...he hadn't the faintest clue how to fight as a cat. His leg was still tucked up behind him, barely touching the ground enough to give him balance. He hissed as the horse squared off with him. Bring it, show pony. He wasn't afraid of any fleabitten donkey. He didn't want to attack Natias it was just....his anger usually manifested in a change, the same way people's anger manifested in throwing things.

He shifted back, angry, flushed. "Fuck you for doing that to me." he snarled. "You realize I've never offered that to anyone? Me? As I am? And you took one look at me, the real me, and decided I wasn't worth it. That you'd rather sleep on the ground. Well fuck you, rabbit." His jaw was tight, and he was practically shaking with rage.

SanctifiedSavage

Natias really had no idea what was going on. He'd half a mind ready to fight what was clearly one very upset shapeshifter. He could've guessed, but he was only going to be in the area of what it might be that was upsetting Joseph. Not what was really going on in the shapeshifter's head.

When he turned back, Natias' ears went from laid back, ready to fight, to pricked forward. Listening to what he had to say. Instantly, he realized exactly how that must have looked and winced like he'd been struck. That... was not what he'd intended at all.

This was exactly what he'd been trying to avoid. Getting caught up in emotional things he clearly did not understand. Natias ran another hand through his hair, over one ear, and let out a long breath. "Joseph, that's... not... what I meant by that at all..." He was picking his words mindfully, not wanting to make the same mistake again. "I just... don't want to have sex with someone who is clearly uncomfortable. That.. You can understand that, right?"

He chanced a glance up from the ground to the shapeshifter, wondering if he was making it worse. Probably worse. Maybe he should be holding his sword. "I also don't really want to be associated with... all those people you'd been talking about earlier in the day. So." This he murmured to himself. In his attempt to not be an ass, he'd just made a shit pile of the entire situation. That was clearly better.



Volker

Joseph chewed his lip and glared at Natias. "Oh of course." he sneered. "You don't have to spare my feelings, I can take it. Just be fucking honest about what you want next time, because it's clearly not what you asked for. Can't blame you, honestly." Joseph strode over and picked up his whiskey bottle out of the grass. "What you were doing..." his voice was softer. "...it wasn't virtuous. It hurt." He uncorked the bottle and turned to head back to his wagon, drinking deeply out of the bottle. Joseph shut the door behind him and curled up in bed, sighing and nursing the whiskey as he fell asleep.

Despite the drinking, he actually woke up fairly early. Breakfast consisted of more whiskey, and a cigarette. He puffed on the tobacco in the chilly morning air, pausing to take small sips of the liquor in his cup. He let the horse free to graze and roll around in the grass for a little bit. He didn't mind not staking her out...they both knew he only needed three legs and an imagination to catch her.

SanctifiedSavage

Well. So much for all that. Natias didn't offer much of a response since Joseph didn't seem either in a state to hear it, or he didn't want to. Understandable, that, too. So he didn't say anything more and let him go. Once Joseph was in the wagon he let out a long breath and glanced back at his horse. "This. This very reason is why I travel alone," he grumbled before stooping to pick up the brush and pick up where he left off.

Natias needed something mundane and normal to settle him before he could even begin to go to sleep. Eventually, he mounded his back up and stretched out on the grass. True to his word, he liked it out beneath the sky and was able to doze off. Though it was hardly restful, and not because he was on the ground.

As the sky began to lighten, Tial woke Natias by running his nose over the haevar's face. A common occurrence. He waved the horse off and proceeded to collect his things. Quickly brush down the war horse before getting his barding on. Packing up some of his loose things and redressing in his shirt and armor. Natias was on the fence about whether or not he should stay. On the one hand, he said he would. On the other, he doubted very much Joseph would want him to. So he loitered around, looking busy but not especially so. Tending to Tial and eventually sitting near his horse to have a breakfast of celery.


Volker

Joseph smoked, and watched Natias desperately try and make himself look busy. Joseph wanted the company. He did. It was just...embarassing. He rubbed his hand over his opposite arm and sighed, shaking his head and finishing off his whiskey. He didn't want Natias to hang around out of some misguided sense of pity, but nor did he want to chase away his new bodyguard. He could use Natias where they were going. He stood up and walked over to him, offering him his sword. "I understand if you want to go." he said quietly. "I don't want you to, but I understand if you want to. I'm not in the business of making people do things they don't want to do either."

SanctifiedSavage

Natias' ears wilted some, reflexively, when Joseph approached. Honestly expecting the man to yell at him again. He was fully aware he'd made things awful between them in his attempt to do just the opposite, but he had no idea how to fix that either. Natias was a very uncomplicated person and Joseph was... well, quite the opposite. A mess of complications.

What he had to say, though, had the haevar's ears perk up a little and he shifted, considering. "It's not that I want to go... Ah..  I just feel like there was a really big misunderstanding... For that, I am sorry." He took his sword and lingered near Joseph. "I like you. You're crass and quite honest, but you're also a bit complicated. I'm not." Natias studied Joseph, looking him over. "I don't want you to think... that I really thought any of those awful things you said..." If that were true, Natias wouldn't be able to stay. That, more than anything, bothered him the most.


Volker

Joseph sighed. "Honestly? I don't know you well enough to make a declaration. It's just the awful sort of lies that people I come into contact with traffick in. It's like telling a fat girl you love her or taking home a girl just to find out it wasn't a girl at all. I was expecting that same look on your face. The same look every asshole gives when he's just found out he asked for something he didn't want. But I didn't get it....so...I don't know. You still ran." Joseph ran his fingers through his hair and took a deep drag off of his cigarette. "So I don't know. My heart says no."

Joseph looked at Natias. "Shall we?" he asked.

SanctifiedSavage

Natias didn't... understand some of his examples because they were inconceivable to him. Things he supposed were drastic examples but things people didn't really do. Certainly not the people Natias put himself around. His ears lowered a little and he watched Joseph a moment before leaning forward and placing a quick kiss on his forehead. "You're a bit rough on yourself, hm?" he said before nodding, sheathing his sword and turning to his horse. "I'll ride on Tial for a bit, then we can have lunch together if you're up for it."

He wanted to give Joseph some space. Let him sort it all out if he wanted. And, really, he could use a nice, easy ride up until lunch. Then they could see where they were at.

It took a moment for the haevar to orientate himself, adjust their course, then start to lead them. If nothing else, traveling with the shapeshifter was proving to be an adventure already.


Volker

Joseph actually enjoyed the slow ride across the plains. He made his tea, read a book, wrote in his journal, napped. It was easy when his mare was happy enough to follow Tial's lead, and happy that her master was for the moment in a decent mood. There was one other creature she could trust in this whole mess, and that was the other horse. She stuck close to Tial, which was coincidentally exactly what her master wanted.

Joseph lazily napped inside, curled up in his bed with a cup of tea and a book. He was still smoothing out his rumpled feelings, and it felt better to be in the skin of another. He'd crafted a favourite of his clients': a young, muscular, blonde creature with piercing green eyes and a perfectly symmetrical face. It was the very picture of ethereal beauty, sprawled out on the cushions with a book. It was some of Joseph's best armor, and of all his forms this, and the female version of this, he'd put the most effort into. Try as he might he couldn't change his leg, but if he flicked a blanket over his bad leg, and just...laid there, he felt better. The hands gripping the book weren't slender and feminine but strong and masculine. His chest was broad, and he'd spent hours on getting the craftsmanship on his abdominal muscles and adonis' belt just right.

He made cucumber sandwiches for lunch. After their first meal he'd figured Natias for a vegetarian. It made sense, being a rabbit and all. He didn't shed the form, however. It was a wall, and one he was comfortable behind.

SanctifiedSavage

They stopped for lunch when the sun settled directly above them and Natias thought it'd be a good time to let the horses rest. Tial could go for the entire day, but there was no reason to ask that of his horse if he didn't have to. He gave his horse a quick brush down, only taking a couple of minutes, before allowing Tial to graze as he liked.

He gave the mare that pulled the wagon the same quick, gentle treatment. Brushing her down and making sure the harness wasn't rubbing in any bad places. He glanced at Joseph when he came out and offered the other a small smile. He wasn't sure if it was for the best to act as though things were just fine or... well, he had no idea. Natias was a smile haevar with a pretty simple life.

Or had.

Either way, he did perk up when he saw what they were having for lunch. Fresh vegetables would always beat the rations he had with him. Content to sit in the grass, he let Joseph pick where he wanted to sit before, casually asking, "You have a nice ride this morning?" He did want to make sure that Joseph was okay...

Volker

Joseph saw the way Natias perked up at the sandwiches. So like any good rabbit, fresh vegetables were the way to his heart. Good. He staked out his own horse, letting her graze and roll the sweat away in the grass while they ate. He settled down, getting his leg carefully set in the grass so it didn't put pressure anywhere strange. 'You could have just told me you didn't like meat." he pointed out, sighing and looking out over the grass. "I'll cook something meatless for dinner."

He looked at Natias. "I'm sorry about this morning." he muttered. "I'll get some coin to pay you when we hit the next town." Natias had made it clear. It was embarrassing, but Joseph could realize when he wasn't wanted. He sighed and ran his hand through his blonde hair. "What about you?"

SanctifiedSavage

Natias waved a hand dismissively but accepted the sandwich with a small smile. "You don't have to cater to me and I understand that others enjoy meat. It'd be silly to expect such." He took a big bite, chewing happily before adding, "And it's not that I don't like meat, it's just... Ah. The only meat I do like is fish." He chuckled a little and shrugged a shoulder. "Island life and all that."

He leaned back on one hand and watched Joseph warily when he mentioned the morning. He didn't know if he was being baited or if it was a trap. His ears lowered a little and he took another bite, watching his horse graze a short distance away. "It's whatever you want to do, Joseph. I'm just here to escort you around, hm?"

Which was really the heart of the matter, wasn't it? Just to be a guard. Just to be protection. He didn't need to try and be anything more... Especially if that meant he was going to muck it all up and further upset Joseph.

Volker

Well that was something they could agree on at least. Joseph hadn't cooked a lot of fish but he could try. He ate quietly, and got up when the food was finished. "You don't have to feel badly about it." Joseph shrugged. He couldn't expect Natias to put any work in. He knew he wasn't worth it. He was determined to be a bitter husk, hiding behind images he made in his own head. Maybe some day he'd forget what he looked like, and maybe he'd be stuck in something better. He took a deep breath and headed back toward the wagon. Maybe he'd put a little whiskey in his tea this time. Something to dull the pain.

He sat in the driver's seat this time and gestured to Natias to continue leading them. He was quiet. He hated being alone with his own thoughts. Drinking would get that gone. Drinking, and whoring himself while he was drinking, along with whatever he could snort or get down his throat. His bodyguard had no idea how long, deep and miserable that cut ran.

SanctifiedSavage

Natias smiled just a little. "You should let me cook for you, if we find some fish hm?" He wasn't the best, of course, but there were some things that he'd learned from his family. His father had been a fisher so he liked to think that he knew how to cook it. At least how he liked to eat it.

The haevar could be as dense as mud but he knew that there was something bothering Joseph. Especially when he seemed so quiet and reserved. He just wasn't sure what he could do about it. Some things were really so ingrained in people that there wasn't much to be done about it.

So they continued on through out the evening, making pretty good time. From what he remembered, they might be a day or so out. If they made good time.

Natias didn't have them stop until the sun was well below the horizon and it would've been foolish to walk the horses in no light. So, he slid off his own and went about the nightly ritual of prepping Tial for the night. Taking off his barding. Brushing him down. Natias took his time. Letting Joseph do as he would and giving the other man some space. He was still unsure what he should be doing and where he fit in all of this.

Volker

"Sure. There are always fishmongers in towns." Joseph pointed out. He was grateful when they stopped for the night; he'd spent the time making a tagine. It was crushed tomatoes and roasted yams poured over basmati rice. Filling and tasty given the spice rack he had above the oven. He didn't know how he would live were it just him and the horse. He was in a better mood come dinner and handed Natias a big steaming bowl of rice topped with the concoction. It was thick and hearty, with flavors of cardamum, cinnamon and a slight touch of anise.

Joseph settled down next to Natias. "I may be an asshole, but Im an asshole who can cook. When we get to the city Ill buy you a bath and a decent meal." he told him. "At the very least I have an infinite amount of the world's most universal currency."

SanctifiedSavage

With both horses taken care of, Natias shrugged out of his own armor and shirt. It was nice, being able to relax out in the open. There were a lot of days that he just missed the easy, casual clothes of his people. A nice wrap around his waist and he could just... go wherever. But such a thing generally drew attention to him that he didn't want.

Wasn't like his ears didn't already draw looks. The stylized tattoo up his left side, chest, and arm would likely draw just as many looks. He was decidedly a foreigner.

By the time Joseph came out with dinner, Natias had stretched out and propped himself up on Tial's saddle. He did sit up when he saw the other man and offered him a smile in the steadily darkening evening. "You really can," he confirmed, quite delighted with what he was presented.

He did glance at Joseph when he made mention of a bath and meal, shaking his head some. "You don't need to do that, especially..." Natias cut himself off, deciding that broaching such a thing was probably not where he wanted to go then and there. He just didn't want Joseph to literally have to put himself out to do anything for him.

Natias' ears lowered some as he continued to eat. "You could probably work as a cook too. This is great," he offered instead.

Volker

"Ah yes, working on my feet in some sweaty kitchen with men bustling around me and stepping on me sounds like the life's dream. I can cook for myself and for others. I don't think I could deal with the chef's life." Joseph pointed out with his cheek full of food. He looked at the tattoo. Natias wasn't a badly cut figure, but the tattoo must have taken a long time. He gestured at it with his fork. "So what's that." he asked. "And trust me a hot bath is the best thing this earth ever made. I need to make an attachment to the wagon so I can haul a washtub around. It's the best feeling in the world....sinking down into hot water. No pain, no discomfort at all. Everything washed away and soothed. Your skin, hell your bones feel better."

Joseph gestured at the wagon. "You take the bed tonight. Ill sleep out here."

SanctifiedSavage

Natias chuckled a little. "I don't mean in a kitchen. You do know larger caravans higher chefs, yeah? You could travel, get paid to cook, and it'd just... that easy." He smiled a little while he took another big bite, turning his attention to the lightly clouded sky overhead. They'd been blessed with sunny, beautiful weather thus far and it looked like it'd hold up.

Rain would really put a damper on things.

An ear turned Joseph's way before the haevar actually looked at him. "Ah. It's... it's a bunny thing, I guess. We all get them as we come of age." He looked down, sitting up so he could free his hand to trace the stylized waves. "To honor home. Family. The things that are always important." He glanced up at Joseph and smiled a little. Talking about home always made him a little home sick.

Never enough to go back. Natias was a wanderer at heart. He'd just become restless after a time and leave all over again. That didn't mean he hadn't loved it there or the family he'd left behind.

"I suppose. I won't say it's bad. I like water in general, no matter the temperature." Though he shook his head and continued to eat. He didn't want to argue with Joseph who was sleeping where, so he'd deal with that when the time actually came to it. Even if it meant he had to carry Joseph into his damned wagon.

Tags: