
@ElderGodSwimwithGamers group
Twili erased the board.
It's alright. Has he hurt you?" Twili carefully moved to sit down, giving Nik his space.
Twili erased the board.
It's alright. Has he hurt you?" Twili carefully moved to sit down, giving Nik his space.
Nik shrugged a little. "Not…not yet." he replied quietly, knowing it was probably inevitable.
Twili nodded a little. She erased her board, hesitating to write her next question.
What did he say your purpose was?
"I…I don't remember." he replied slowly, looking up at her.
Twili pursed her lips, then nodded slowly. She erased her board, not saying anything now.
He chewed on his lip for a moment, still cradling Smoke.
Is that your kitten? Twili finally asked.
He looked up, and nodded. "Oh. Yeah, he is."
Twili smiled softly.
It's good you're able to have someone with you from your old life. She hesitated, reaching out for Smoke. She paused, tilting her head a little. Could she pet him?
Nik nodded, moving so that she could reach Smoke. Smoke mewed quietly, still half asleep.
Twili gently rubbed Smoke, knowing just where it felt the best. She was a wolf most of the time, after all. She gave a soft, bittersweet smile.
Smoke purred softly, pressing into her touch sleepily.
Twili pet Smoke a moment more, but her head shot up. She had heard something, a certain someone on their way back. She pulled away, grabbing her board and backing away back towards the trees.
I'm so sorry, she wrote one last time. Then, she was gone, and Derlik stepped out on the other side of the clearing.
Nik watched her go, then his eyes flicked to Derlik. He looked away again quickly, chewing on his lower lip.
Derlik walked over to Nik, smiling.
"How are you doing?" He asked, his hand going to the top of Nik's head.
Nik flinched a little bit, closing his eyes. He shrugged his shoulders, holding onto Smoke desperately.
"Words, Nik," Derlik chided. His hand on Nik's head tightened a little. "You'll earn shrugging eventually, but you need to use your words now."
Nik flinched. "Please stop touching me." He blurted, not looking at Derlik and still holding onto Smoke.
Derlik raised an eyebrow at that, but he pulled his hand away.
"See?" He said. "Just follow the rules."
Nik was still clinging to his kitten, not looking at Derlik. He seemed very small, curled on the rock with the kitten in his arms.
Derlik sat down by Nik on the boulder, pulling out a pack of cigarettes. He shook one out for himself, offing one to Nik.
"Want a smoke?" He asked.
Nik blinked at the cigarettes, shaking his head a little. "I-I don't…I don't smoke." he said quietly, looking down at the kitten again.
"Alright then." Derlik put the cigarettes in his pocket, lighting his. He took a long drag, glancing over at Nik.
Nik was quiet, looking so small and unsure, curled in on himself on that rock.
Derlik took the cigarette from his lips, blowing the smoke around. It curled around both of them, obscuring the area around them for a moment before drifting away.
"Why are you so scared?" Derlik finally asked. "I haven't even hurt you yet."
Nik shrugged a little bit, not looking at him. He wasn't about to tell this god his entire life, why he reacted the way he did.
"It's no use," Derlik said softly, not looking at Nik either at this point as he continued to smoke his cigarette. "I'll find out eventually. I could know anything about you I wanted to, just by looking."
Nik narrowed his eyes a little, but didn't respond, still clinging to the sleepy kitten in his arms. Smoke purred quietly in Nik's arms.
Derlik glanced at Nik.
"I'm not going to, though. Do you know why?" He flicked his cigarette, the ash floating down slowly.
(gtg sorry)
He shook his head slightly, eyes still fastened to Smoke. Smoke squirmed a little bit, kneading Nik's chest with his paws.
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