Transgender
strider
No mourners, no funerals
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Post by strider on Jul 22, 2021 19:11:25 GMT -5
โAll done?โ Nico asked, brow raising as he looked at Kelsier. โYou polished those off pretty quickly. You want more?โ Nico was fairly certain there were more in the garbage bin, but he didnโt know if Kelsier was actually still hungry or if he wanted something else? He didnโt look as desperate, and he wasnโt as tense and ready to pounce as before. The thing was, Nico had never spent much time around dogs or other animals. He didnโt really know how to read their body language, even if he wanted to be able to. He took a deep breath, then kneeled closer to Kelsierโs height. He wanted to prove that he wasnโt a threat, that he wasnโt going to threaten him.
โDo you feel better?โ Nico murmured softly, reaching a hand out for Kelsier to sniff. He had seen the tension in the wolf when he had first done that, and he wondered if heโd be able to tell anything from whether or not Kelsier was more relaxed this time.
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Post by ยฎHawkpathยฎ on Jul 22, 2021 19:31:11 GMT -5
Kelsier yipped lightly, his head tilted a little to one side. He wasnโt sure exactly what Nico was saying, but he wanted to stick around him. He padded forwards, pausing to stretch his neck out and sniff Nicoโs hand. He could tell better now that the boy wasnโt at all human, but he didnโt mind that. It meant that he wasnโt hungry for him.
He licked Nicoโs hand, then approached the rest of the way. He wasnโt sure exactly what he hoped to accomplishโฆbut he wanted to stay.
He sat down and yawned. Nico was welcome to stay, as far as he was concerned. If he pet himโฆthat would be good, too.
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Transgender
strider
No mourners, no funerals
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Post by strider on Jul 22, 2021 19:36:12 GMT -5
The wolf seemed to have undergone a complete personality shift. Nico could relate โ when he was hungry there was nothing he could do to stop himself from hunting โ and killing. He didnโt want to be a killer. Deep down, he didnโt believe this person, whoever he was in the day, wanted to be a killer either. Even if the wolf part of him was just listening to instincts. He took a deep breath, letting his back slide down the wall as soon as Kelsier sat down. He stopped when he was crouching, not sure he trusted himself to sit down fully. Not sure he trusted Kelsier enough.
โYouโre just a softie,โ Nico murmured softly, hesitantly reaching out a hand to bury in Kelsierโs thick pelt. โWe should get you home eventually, make sure you donโt get lost and stuck out here.โ
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Post by ยฎHawkpathยฎ on Jul 22, 2021 19:49:35 GMT -5
Kelsier let himself relax the rest of the way as Nico sat down, panting gently as he looked at the boy. Now that he wasnโt hungry and the scent of blood wasnโt in the air, he felt okay. Nico was a friend. He wanted to be close to him.
He yawned again, then flopped down, rolling over to expose his stomach in the hope of having it pet. He was acting off instinct, going off the need for physical contact.
He twisted his neck around, trying to see Nico again, a sort of grin on his face as he finally found him. His tongue flopped out, touching the ground.
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Post by ยฎHawkpathยฎ on Jul 22, 2021 20:26:11 GMT -5
Kelsier let his mouth hang open as he looked at Nico, his paws in the air as he rolled on his back, exposing his stomach as much as he could. His tail beat a steady rhythm against the ground, and he didnโt move as Nico scratched his belly, besides laying his head back against the ground and getting dirt in his fur.
As Nicoโs hand moved to his ears, he pushed his head into his fingers, rolling his head over to make sure Nico was petting in the bear spot. His tail beat faster, and he rolled to the side, looking up at him.
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Transgender
strider
No mourners, no funerals
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Post by strider on Jul 22, 2021 20:33:59 GMT -5
Nico gave a quiet laugh, watching as Kelsier managed to act more like a dog than any wolf he had ever seen. To be fair, he hadnโt seen very many wolves, he just assumed that not very many of them tended to act like dogs. They were wild animals, dogs had gone through centuries of domestication. There shouldnโt have been that many similarities between them, but Nico wasnโt going to complain.
He continued to rub behind Kelsierโs ears, trying to ignore the pang of hunger in his chest and the way his body seemed to be fighting him. He needed to eat something before morning, probably, but he needed to make sure Kelsier wasnโt going to hurt anyone. He had to make sure that Kelsier got home safely.
โDo you know where home is?โ Nico asked, though he knew Kelsier wouldnโt understand. โHome?โ He repeated in English, hoping the word might ring a bell.
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Post by ยฎHawkpathยฎ on Jul 22, 2021 20:40:02 GMT -5
Kelsier didnโt know what he was supposed to be acting like. He just knew that he liked Nico, and he wanted attention from him, so he was going to try and get it. So farโฆso far, that was working out great.
He panted, his paws flopping over the ground as he scooted closer to Nico. He lay his head down contentedly, his eyes closing for a long moment, before he opened them enough to look at Nico again.
He stared at him, soaking in the words. He liked Nicoโs voice. It was soft, and low, and felt good in his head.
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Post by ยฎHawkpathยฎ on Jul 22, 2021 20:54:59 GMT -5
Kelsier rolled over, a little closer to Nico. He didnโt understand the words, but he did like them. He appreciated the fact that Nico was still talking and petting him at the same time. He didnโt know where home was, or how to get there, and he wasnโt even sure he wanted to go there, in the first place. He liked it out here. It was nice, being in the sun with someone nice, who didnโt run away from him, and who he didnโt want to eat. It was a sort of peaceful in between. He wasnโt hungry, and he wasnโt upset, and for once he wasnโt even lonely. Why would he want to change this?
He shoved himself closer to Nico with his back legs, pushing his face under Nicoโs leg and letting his knee rest on top of his nose.
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Post by ยฎHawkpathยฎ on Jul 22, 2021 23:08:08 GMT -5
Kelsier didnโt really know that the sun came up. He only remembered it being dark, since he was never around as his current self when it wasnโt. He liked the dark, thoughโฆthe piercing light of the indoors confused him. That was probably the main reason he hadnโt ended up lost in a restaurant trying to get food.
He liked Nico. He didnโt care about the time passing, he only cared about being here, with a friendly person. Who wasnโt warm, but gave good scratches anyway.
He sneezed lightly, Nicoโs knee ticking his nose. He didnโt move away, though. He was perfectly content to stay here, where he was happy and someone seemed to enjoy his company.
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Transgender
strider
No mourners, no funerals
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Post by strider on Jul 22, 2021 23:25:58 GMT -5
Nico didnโt want to move either. He was comfortable, and he could feel the heat radiating from Kelsier, even if heat wasnโt really something that registered to him anymore. He wasnโt cold, he justโฆ wasnโt used to temperature. Clearly, Kelsier didnโt seem to mind that his skin didnโt produce any heat, or that he smelled more of dead things than he did of the living. He was in between, but he knew he was much closer to death. Sometimes he wished he could change that.
โCurse you,โ Nico said softly, the closest he could get to โblessโ you without hurting himself. Hopefully, it would work well enough. It wasnโt as though Kelsier could truly understand him anyway. Still, it was the thought that counted.
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Post by ยฎHawkpathยฎ on Jul 23, 2021 0:00:48 GMT -5
Kelsier didnโt want to move. He didnโt want to leave. He didnโt care what happened next, as long as Nico continued to pet him. He didnโt care about the coldness of his skin, he just wanted to get attention, and maybe, possibly, attention specifically from Nico.
He stayed where he was for a long moment, his attention on Nico. He sighed, letting the rest of the energy fade away. He felt about ready to fall asleep right then and there
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Transgender
strider
No mourners, no funerals
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Post by strider on Jul 23, 2021 0:06:10 GMT -5
Nico wasnโt tired, but he could tell his new friend was. Were they friends? He wasnโt really sure that was possible, but he wanted to hope it was. Kelsier was a stranger, of course, but maybe he could be friends with the wolf part of him. The version that was next to him, pressed up against himโฆ he had to hide a small smile. This was more pleasant than he had imagined.
Like everything else pleasant, though, it couldnโt last long. Nico heard sounds from a block or so away, where Kelsier had nearly assaulted the girl. Mentions of tracking. Ofโฆ of killing. No.
โGet up,โ he hissed at Kelsier, getting to his feet and glancing in the direction of the trackers. โGo home. Home. Right now. Iโll fend them off, make sure they donโt find you.โ Nico knew Kelsier couldnโt understand him, but this was the best he could manage. Hopefully, Kelsier would understand the desperation in his voice. Hopefully, the metallic scent of the hunters would alert him to the fact that they were carrying silver. They needed to go, right now.
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Post by ยฎHawkpathยฎ on Jul 23, 2021 0:18:38 GMT -5
Kelsier was just dozing off when Nico moved, startling him awake. He scrambled to his feet, backing away quickly, eyes on Nico. He didnโt understand, but he could sense the intensity behind Nicoโs words, shocking him out of his sleepiness. He stood still for a long moment, unsure of what to do or how to reactโฆand then he heard it.
He stiffened, testing the air. He could smell them, too, not normal humans, but others.
He bolted before he could think, heading for the shadows, and home. He knew where to go to be safe again, and away from the bad people.
It wasnโt too far firm where he was. He could go a long way, but he didnโt tend to, not usually. He liked his territory. He wanted to stick around, so when things like this happened, he would be able to get home.
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Transgender
strider
No mourners, no funerals
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Post by strider on Jul 23, 2021 0:22:32 GMT -5
Nicoโs heart, while not technically necessary, was thudding in his chest. He glanced in the direction of the hunters, grateful they couldnโt see him from where they were. Were they just werewolf hunters, or would they take a vampire if they could get their hands on one? Fear flooded through him, but not before Kelsier had bolted in the opposite direction. Good. Nico glanced over his shoulder, then ran after him, blurring until he was right behind him, hot on his tail. They were probably leaving tracks, but if they wereโฆ hopefully Nico could distract them before they followed the tracks all the way to whatever it was Kelsier considered home. It seemed to be a fairly normal house, Nico realized as they drew near. That was good. Not conspicuous, if the hunters managed to follow them. Hesitantly, Orpheus watched Kelsier approach, then turned around to start obscuring the track. They werenโt going to get Kelsier. Not tonight. He hadnโt done anything to deserve it.
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Post by ยฎHawkpathยฎ on Jul 23, 2021 0:38:54 GMT -5
Kelsier didnโt stop running, not until he was home again. He didnโt look back, either. He didnโt want to do anything until he made it back, and that included checking for Nico.
It was a fairly ordinary home. How Kel had escaped it was a bit of a mystery, but once heโd made it to the yard, he paused, looking back again. He noticed Nico again, and he shied away a little, still tense. Nico was a friend. But Nico could also be an enemy. He just wasnโt quite sure which it was at the moment.
He didnโt go inside just yet. He probably could haveโฆhe had a feeling he knew how, but he didnโt plan to try it, not yet. He watched Nico instead.
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Transgender
strider
No mourners, no funerals
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Post by strider on Jul 23, 2021 0:43:44 GMT -5
--
It had been a month since Nico had first met Kelsier. He had watched the moon wane until it wasnโt there anymore, then wax until it was nearly full. Tonight, for the first time since, it was full. Nico told himself it didnโt matter. Told himself not to get involved. Somehow, though, he found himself in front of Kelsierโs house, a drained raccoon caught between his arms. He didnโt know if it would be enough, but it would be better than a human, at least. Maybe not as filling, butโฆ it would prevent the man from becoming a killer. Nico hadnโt spent much time at all watching him after the full moon. He had glanced in just enough to know that it was a man who lived there, then he had left. He didnโt want to spy on a stranger. Somehow, though, he couldnโt let a stranger go. He crouched in a tree, waiting as patiently as he could for the wolf to emerge.
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Post by ยฎHawkpathยฎ on Jul 23, 2021 0:51:17 GMT -5
Kelsier didnโt remember his life as a man. He didnโt know what he did in the day, or when the moon wasnโt full. He had no idea what other life he led, he only knew that when he opened his eyes, he was starving.
He padded around the room, searching for food, but there was none. He was tempted to rip up the blankets, but he didnโt do it. Eventually, he found himself outside, looking at her moon high above him, as though that might be able to satiate him.
He tipped his head back and howled. Then he turned, sniffing the air, searching forโฆ
It wasnโt human, but he did smell meat. He slipped around to the front, his paws quiet against the grass, then paused.
He knew that smell.
He poked his head out, then crept out the rest of the way, trying to spot him.
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Transgender
strider
No mourners, no funerals
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Post by strider on Jul 23, 2021 0:56:11 GMT -5
Nico dropped the meat first, allowing Kelsier to come get it and eat before Nico even considered dropping down from the tree bough. The raccoonโs blood hadnโt been enough to satiate Nico, but it had made him at least functional. He hoped it did the same for Kelsier. He hoped he didnโt need the blood to enjoy the meal. Hopefully, the two of them could coexist like this. His original plan had just been to drop the food and leave. It was the least disruptive plan, but he knew he should watch for a little bit, just long enough to make sure that Kelsier was full enough not to go in search of some hapless human who might just have contacts in the werewolf hunting world. Nicoโs skin still crawled when he thought of the last full moon. He could still taste his own fear, acrid on his tongue. But Kelsier was alive, which meant they hadnโt found him. Good. That meant something. It meantโฆ well, it meant that Nico had saved more than one life that night.
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Post by ยฎHawkpathยฎ on Jul 23, 2021 1:11:59 GMT -5
Kelsier heard the meat hit the ground, and he perked up. He could smell it from here. It wasnโt human, he knew, but it was meat, and he was okay with that. He sprang over and seized it, shaking his head back and forth as though it were a toy, then dropping it and digging in.
It didnโt take him long to demolish it. He licked his lips, chewing the bones for a long moment before he straightened up and looked around.
Meat wasnโt the only thing he could smell. He looked up, searching until he found the boy in the tree. For a moment, he just stared, and then he jumped up with his front paws on the trunk and waved his tail.
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Transgender
strider
No mourners, no funerals
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Post by strider on Jul 23, 2021 1:15:58 GMT -5
Somehow, Nico hadnโt expected to be noticed. He had positioned himself more or less downwind, trying to make sure that he wouldnโt be in the way if Kelsier went somewhere. He hadnโt expected the wind to change. He hadnโt expected Kelsier being able to pick up his scent in the wind. It made sense that he could, though, Kelsierโs sense of smell was surely better than Nicoโs own. They were both exceptional, of course, butโฆ the point was that Kelsier had probably never smelled anything quite like Nico. He would stick out. He would be distinctive.
The other thing Nico hadnโt expected was for Kelsier to be pleased to see him. He had taken control of him last time, he didnโt quite understand how Kelsier had forgiven him so quickly for that.
Nonetheless, Nico jumped down from his bough, landing lightly on his feet about a foot away from Kelsier.
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Post by ยฎHawkpathยฎ on Jul 23, 2021 1:31:40 GMT -5
Kelsier was technically aware that Nico had taken control of him. He knew, but it wasnโt important. Nico had been nice to him, and he had fed him. Kelโs opinion of him was high at the moment.
He yipped the moment Nico touched down and ran over to him, tail whipping back and forth in his excitement. He ran a full circle around Nico twice before he ended up in front of him again and play bowed, his tongue hanging out in a wide grin.
He wanted Nico to play. He also wantwd Nico to pet him. He wasnโt thinking of which one he wanted more, only that he wanted very much to spend time around Nico.
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Transgender
strider
No mourners, no funerals
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Post by strider on Jul 23, 2021 1:35:33 GMT -5
A surprised laugh issued from Nico, a sound for foreign and strange to the boy that he almost leapt back in surprise. He hadnโt expected itโฆ it seemed there was a lot he was learning about both himself and Kelsier as time went on. It would have been easier if he could justโฆ step back and let Kelsier be, but he wanted to stay. It had been a very long time since he had felt welcome anywhere, but he felt safe her, with Kelsier. With a wolf who could easily snap and kill anyone with less than a momentโs notice. It was an odd place to feel safe, but they were both technically monsters. Neither of them really wanted that label. They just wanted to survive. It occurred to Nico that he was humanizing Kelsier just a little too much for someone who had never met the human version of the wolf.
โYou wanna play?โ Nico asked, crouching down himself. He glanced around, gaze catching on a rather large stick that had fallen from a tree. He picked it up, waving it in the air. โYou wanna catch this?โ
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Post by ยฎHawkpathยฎ on Jul 23, 2021 2:12:23 GMT -5
Kelsier bounced around in a circle in front of Nico, his teeth flashing in the moonlight as he bounded. He ran a short ways away, then darted back, again and leapt at the stick, trying his best to snatch it out of his hand. He wasnโt being particularly careful as he did it, but he tried his best not to bite Nico, anyway. He didnโt want to hurt him. He desperately wanted to play with him, though.
He finally stopped, right in front of Nico, his eyes on the stick and every muscle tensed and ready. He knew this game, though he didnโt know how he knew it. He wanted to play, he wanted to play more than heโd ever wanted anything before.
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Transgender
strider
No mourners, no funerals
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Post by strider on Jul 23, 2021 2:17:43 GMT -5
Nico gave a small, genuine smile as Kelsier bounded around. It was difficult to match his level of energy (Nico wasnโt sure there was a match for that much energy), but he was excited as well. It had been a long time since he had done anything just for the fun of it, and this seemed to count. He lifted the stick as high above his head as he could, knowing full well that Kelsier might be able to reach it if he got up on his hind legs and put his paws on Nicoโs shoulders. Nico wouldnโt have minded if he did, he was just well aware that it might bowl both of them over.
As Kelsier seemed to reach a stopping point, Nico lowered the stick and grinned, glancing far out in the distance before looking back at Kelsier.
โGo get it!โ he said, levity in his tone as he flung the stick as far away as he could manage. Giving his vampire strength, that was pretty far.
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Post by ยฎHawkpathยฎ on Jul 23, 2021 2:40:45 GMT -5
Kelsier stared at the stick, almost ready to leap and try to grab it out of Nicoโs hand, but not quite. He waited with baited breath, ready to strike, untilโฆ
The moment the stick was released, he ran at full speed after it, his paws a blur against the ground. He could see it, spinning through the air at top speed, going further than heโd anticipatedโฆwhich, of course, made him even more excited.
He leapt into the air and snatched it, his teeth catching on in midair before he landed again and turned on a dime, nearly flipping over in his haste. Then he was running back to Nico at top speed, bounding more than running, leaping across the grass.
When he made it back, he nearly crashed into him before he managed to stop again. He didnโt let the stick go, just ran around Nico in a full circle, bucking and kicking in the thrill of the game.
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Transgender
strider
No mourners, no funerals
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Post by strider on Jul 23, 2021 2:47:39 GMT -5
Nico wasnโt actually certain how fast a wolf could run, but he had a feeling that Kelsier might have broken a record. The stick had gone far, and Kelsier had managed to catch up with it before it hit the ground. So maybe being a werewolf gave special powers, just like being a vampire did. It wasnโt beyond the realm of possibility, and it was something that would probably serve Kelsier well in the future. Assuming there was a future. Assuming he didnโt get himself caught at some point. The thought made Nico tense, but he managed to get himself back in control by the time Kelsier returned. He let out a soft breath, forcing his smile back on his lips. It wasnโt difficult โ Kelsier was quite amusing, bucking and prancing around like that. He wasnโt nearly the dignified hunter Nico had seen the month before.
โHey,โ he laughed, reaching for the stick and managing to grab an end. โI canโt throw it for you if you donโt give it back to me!โ
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Post by ยฎHawkpathยฎ on Jul 23, 2021 3:01:47 GMT -5
Kelsier was prepared to dance circles around Nico all night, if he wasnโt stopped. He kept moving, his paws only touching the ground for a moment at a time, until Nico caught the end of the stick, forcing him to stop bouncing away.
He pulled at it, play growling loudly as he tried to yank it back, bouncing in place and shaking his head to try and tear it out of Nicoโs grip. He couldnโt remember ever being this happy before, and he wasnโt thinking of the future, only the present and the fact that was being played with, which felt better even than being pet. Or at least just as good.
He yanked his head back, planting his feet to give him more leverage. He was going to win this tug-of-war, no matter what Nico did.
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