feed me, mememore ([personal profile] sneaks) wrote in [community profile] bakerstreet2025-05-26 11:15 am

Stray

S T R A Y


Taking in strays is, all in all, an understandable vice. The dips in between their ribs, those large and forlorn eyes, they can help you forget the claws and the teeth and the danger lurking beneath fur. But the habit's a knife edge; your efforts may not be rewarded with kindness (animal instincts aren't discretionary) and you may get bit despite what you've overlooked. A stray doesn't care about pity. All it can know is survival.

These warnings apply to strays of the more human(oid) sort, too.

But what may even more perilous with this type than any drawn blood is what you can get when they grow to trust you. You can earn their undying loyalty...or their love. Either from such a wild thing is a precarious path to go down, if you allow yourself to do it.

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PROMPTS


  1. ғɪɴᴅɪɴɢ — Who's that? They're no ordinary passersby! Were they in an accident? Are they foreign? ...should you approach them?

  2. ʀᴀɪɴ, ʀᴀɪɴ, ɢᴏ ᴀᴡᴀʏ — The elements make this night no time to sleep out of doors.

  3. ʙᴀᴄᴋ ᴛᴏ ʜᴇᴀʟᴛʜ — Cuts, broken bones, injuries all of sorts...you have to stitch them back up, then make sure they don't get any

  4. ɢᴏᴏᴅ ɢᴜᴇsᴛ — It's all you can do to show gratitude to the person who took you in. Fix them a meal, care for their house, whatever you can do once you're able.

  5. ʙᴀᴅ ɢᴜᴇsᴛ — FUCK THIS PERSON AND FUCK THEIR COUCH. You didn't ask to be brought here. Let them clean up after you, you don't even care.

  6. ᴡʜᴏ ᴀᴍ ɪ? — How you got into this situation is a mystery. Even more of a mystery is your identity, and why the person you were would be so displaced.

  7. sᴇʟғʟᴇssɴᴇss —

  8. ʟᴇᴀʀɴɪɴɢ — If you've been injured badly enough or can't remember all too well, you might have to relearn a good deal. Luckily, you have a helping hand.

  9. sᴄᴀʀs — Scars from the encounter that lead you here or scars from prior, you don't want them to see either. You still have your secrets to keep.

  10. sᴛᴜʙʙᴏʀɴ — Ugh, your house guest is so stubborn! They always get up when they should be resting, have the worst habits, and completely disrespect your home! You'll get to them, one way or another. Or you'll throw them out. You don't want to, but you will.

  11. ᴄᴏᴍғᴏʀᴛ — Bad memories or nightmares wreck you; your host and nurse comes to your side unexpectedly.

  12. ᴄᴜʟᴛᴜʀᴇ ᴄʟᴀsʜ — The person who's taken you in is from a different culture or lifestyle than you, and adapting is harder than you thought.

  13. ᴄʀᴇᴀᴛᴜʀᴇ ғᴇᴀᴛᴜʀᴇ — Think learning about a new culture is hard? Try being a different species. Can you keep your little eccentricities at bay for the good of your station?

  14. ᴊᴇᴀʟᴏᴜsʏ — Now that your emotions towards your caretaker/host/jailer are softening, you're finding yourself unusually jealous of those in their life who were close to them before.

  15. ɴᴇᴡ ᴀᴄᴛɪᴠɪᴛɪᴇs — You never thought you'd have fun after all that's happened, yet such simple gestures as a picnic or a movie make all the difference.

  16. ʀᴇᴀʟɪᴢᴀᴛɪᴏɴ — You love them, this person who's taken you in or this person you've found. It's not a pity or a thankfulness, it's love, and you know that now. What you choose to do with this information is

  17. ʜɪsᴛᴏʀʏ — Suddenly, the person who's been so nice to you finds out that the two of you have a history. You killed their loved ones or caused something terrible. How can they forgive you?

  18. ᴘʀᴏᴛᴇᴄᴛ — So much has been done for you. The least you can do in return for the one who helped you at your lowest is make sure they never have such a low point.

  19. ᴅᴀɴɢᴇʀ ᴄᴏᴍᴇs ᴋɴᴏᴄᴋɪɴɢ — Anyone in the way of getting to you will be destroyed, and that includes the person you're staying with.

  20. ʟɪᴠᴇ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴛʜᴇᴍ — You've been given a home, maybe which you've never had before. You don't want to leave.

  21. ʀᴏᴍᴀɴᴄᴇ — Not only are you living with them, but you're starting a proper life with them.

  22. ʀᴇᴠᴇᴀʟ — All secrets are laid out on the table. You've decided to tell about your past and what lead you here.

  23. ʀᴇᴠᴜʟsɪᴏɴ — What you've done and who you are is so heinous, they want nothing more to do. You're to leave their home and leave them alone.

  24. ᴀᴄᴄᴇᴘᴛᴀɴᴄᴇ — It doesn't matter what they've done. You've opened your home and your heart to them, and nothing's changed.

  25. ᴘᴀʀᴛɪɴɢ — All things must come to an end. No matter what you feel for each other, it's time to leave. Hopefully, you'll see each other again.

  26. ʜᴀᴘᴘɪʟʏ ᴇᴠᴇʀ ᴀғᴛᴇʀ — Come what may, you've decided to stay at your new home with the person you love. Now, it's safe enough to do so.

  27. ᴡɪʟᴅᴄᴀʀᴅ

flippin_peachy: icon by https://thehollowedartists.tumblr.com/ (well now)

[personal profile] flippin_peachy 2025-05-28 05:11 pm (UTC)(link)
"I'm sure she's very grateful that you did get involved." He says gently, "Too many people in Gotham look the other way."

It's sad but true, Gotham is a harsh city to live in and whatever doesn't kill you here tends to make you stranger.

"You hurt at all?"
tamonten: (unsettled)

[personal profile] tamonten 2025-05-28 05:28 pm (UTC)(link)
"I'll be fine."

That's not a 'no', though, and Sakura hasn't started walking away, because he doesn't want a limp to betray him. Early in the fight, he'd taken someone's steel-toed boot to his ankle, and it's beginning to throb as adrenaline wears off.
flippin_peachy: icon by https://thehollowedartists.tumblr.com/ (curious)

[personal profile] flippin_peachy 2025-05-30 04:38 pm (UTC)(link)
Alfred can tell the boy has sustained injuries by the way he has his weight shifted slightly off one leg and the way his arm curls around his waist, but a dark alley is no place to offer medical care so instead he decides on plan b.

"Well I don't know about you but a fight always makes me hungry, there's a diner around the corner. You feel like joining me for a burger?"
tamonten: (resting tsun face)

[personal profile] tamonten 2025-05-30 05:54 pm (UTC)(link)
Sakura's eyes narrow at the offer, like he's looking for a catch in there somewhere.

"What do you want?" There's no such thing as a free lunch, but also, that's not a no. He's ready to set aside dignity for a good meal.
flippin_peachy: icon by https://thehollowedartists.tumblr.com/ (hazy look)

ooc: sorry for the wait, I'm sick XP

[personal profile] flippin_peachy 2025-05-31 09:39 pm (UTC)(link)
"A burger and possibly a cup of tea if they have it." He says and turns away from the young man to start heading towards the diner, figuring that if he wants a free meal he will follow. And if not, that's his choice.
tamonten: (concerned)

you're worth waiting for. feel better!

[personal profile] tamonten 2025-05-31 10:32 pm (UTC)(link)
Sakura hesitates, and then follows, limping somewhat and trying to play it off as much as possible. A burger is protein, that'll be better to heal on than an air sandwich. And in a public place like a diner, it's unlikely the old guy will pull anything too overt.