bakerstreet | Strayed back

Strayed back

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

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

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

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.

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.

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.

sᴇʟғʟᴇssɴᴇss —

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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?

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.

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.

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

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?

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.

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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.

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.

ᴡɪʟᴅᴄᴀʀᴅ

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[ Roommate AU with an unruly bunnie woman 💃 Will probably be the worst roommate, but at least it won't be boring? Anyone in canon/ cross-canon 💖 ]

[Stray]

[She's definitely the (reluctant, but also desperate for family she gets to keep) stray; prefs/permissions
Gen/friendship/found family vibes are the best, also open for shippy things (esp if you are Kate Bishop).]

[The stray.]

[ the stray. ]

ooc: reincarnated, stray

(Could be either, really)

[[Info + preferences. Could easily go either way.]]

[[Definitely the stray.]]

[Plot some AUs w me?]

[ ever want a feral cat who bites you if you get too close but gets mad if you leave? ]

[Taking in the stray. Gen or shipping; canon or cross-canon.

Available as a cheerful, optimistic teen or weird, polite adult.]

[Most likely the stray, but not on a permanent basis--maybe he's in your town delivering a message or package and doesn't have a place to stay for the night.]

Alessandro Romero's office was dark, lit only by candles. The furnishings were dark and expensive. Desk, side tables, and the several book shelves were all made of heavy, dark-colored wood. The chairs clustered around the desk, as well as the couch and chairs near the empty fireplace were all covered in soft leather, overstuffed and comfortable. The dozens of candles reflected flickering light everywhere. Perhaps oddly, there was not a reflective surface in the room. Not a mirror, not even a bit of wood that was too highly polished.

And then there were the shadows. They flickered around the room, moving like living things, even setting some of the heavy drapes fluttering as they passed.

Alessandro sat behind his desk, looking at the message he'd been brought. He hadn't opened it, for it wasn't for him. Not really. Given to him, yes, but he knew who it was for. The one who'd made him like this, the leader of their little band of misfit Fae. Who had made himself scarce of late. This time of year was always draining for him. Alessandro would likely find him in Ireland, but he didn't expect a courier to know that. That he at least found Alessandro was work enough.

"I'll make sure this gets to my lord." Outside, thunder boomed, rattling the windows. This high up, the wind howled like a living thing, and rain beat against the glass. "Now, I'm not going to make you leave in weather like this. Especially since I'm sure you have a long way to go. I have a couple guest bedrooms in my penthouse if you'd like to stay the night."

What had the courier been told about Alessandro? The former Roman vampire had made a deal with an isolated group of Fae a long while back, something they desperately wanted for something he wanted. And so he lived again...sort of. As a one of their number. They were hunters, mostly, and all of those who followed their lord loved the chase, the kill. They loved the fear of their prey. Alessandro looked as he always had for now, but his shadow sometimes appeared like that of a large horse with a wet mane and tail and too-sharp teeth...

"I really can't stay..." And if that comes out to the tune of Baby, It's Cold Outside, that's to be expected to some degree, it's a protest given as much because he should as because he's absolutely scared witless just being in the presence of Alessandro. The True Fae who had changed Bunny into exactly what he is now was a hunter, too, the Masked Prince of Savage Dusk, and he and his hounds had hunted and killed and eaten Bunny repeatedly.

And yet, the idea of heading to the train station on foot to take the last train of the night home didn't seem any wiser an idea.

"Nonsense, the weather is horrible outside. I doubt you'll make it to the train station in time to catch any of the decent trains." He could have someone drive the poor courier home, but somehow, he doubted that would go over well. From his limited experience with the Fae, he'd learned quickly that information and power were just as important to them as they'd been to elder vampires.

He smiled at Bunny as disarmingly as he could. The effect was slightly ruined by dozens of shadows who looked vaguely human out of the corner of the eye. "Besides, I'm not in the habit of turning people out who have done me a service. Treating a messenger ill would be rude."

"Yes, well, there's loads of people who think they can get away with rude to me, because of my nature."

Alessandro's seeing Bunny's fae mien, and thus sees how his ears droop slightly as he says that. Predator Beasts and certain Darklings think that a rabbit is inherently weak or a plaything. And when he's acting as emissary outside fae concerns--there's been times he's been sent to meet with werewolves or vampires who have assumed he's meant as a snackrifice instead of a messenger.

"Would you swear a pledge of hospitality, that no harm come to me within your domain?"

"There are loads of people without honor." What Bunny would see of Alessandro would be his mortal guise, but layered over it like a shroud, a shadowy Each-Uisce, the predatory water horse of myth, but with something slightly...off about it.

He eyes the scared courier like a cat with a mouse for a moment before coming around the desk, closer to him. "Very well. I can give you my word, no harm will come to you so long as you remain a guest in my domain."

Bunny binds that promise, calling upon the Wyrd to witness it. Even with Alessandro's sworn word, he's scared.

~~He's always scared, though, so that's not going to stop him.~~

Still, he takes a small step closer, managing a hint of a smile for even the strange Fae. "Right then, I accept your offer to stay the night."

While the elevator in the office leads to other floors of the building, there is a door off to the side of the desk that has remained shut thus far. Alessandro waves Bunny toward it and opens it up for him. Beyond it are the dark hallways of an opulent two story penthouse dwelling. Like the office, it's dark, lit only by candles and flickering oil lamps. The dark wallpaper and wood paneling make it appear even darker. Like the office, there isn't a mirror or reflective surface in sight.

"Come, this way." Alessandro leads the way through a sitting room, past the main entry of the penthouse, and through a dining room to the kitchen. There's a large pot of chili on the stove bubbling away, which Alessandro checks carefully before nodding to himself. "Go ahead and get a bowl if you like, I'll be taking the rest downstairs soon. I cook sometimes for my employees who work the night shift here. Humans, all of them." The chili is vegetarian, and there are toppings arranged on a platter nearby. There's two bowls on the counter, as well. Clearly Alessandro intended to eat as well.

"Your room is going to be up the stairs, first doorway on the left. The bathroom is down the hall. You can look about as you like. Anything you shouldn't have access to is locked. I'll let security know you're staying here for tonight so they don't lock down the elevator."

Bunny sniffs the chili for a few seconds before helping himself to a bowl, visibly surprised that it is meat-free. And he adds plenty of cheese and sour cream to it, hungry after making his way here. Chili is sort of the perfect meal for a stormy night, the kind of thing that warms one from the inside out.

"That almost sounds like a kind of invitation to be nosy, letting me know I can look around. The Autumn King wouldn't want me to be a rude guest, not when I'm here in his name."

Alessandro helps himself to a bowl as well, and then he waves Bunny into the dining room. "I don't mind you looking around, I only ask you don't interfere with my employees. Most of them are human and have no knowledge of anything beyond their own mundane lives. And that's the way I'd prefer them to stay."

Shadows move in the dining room. One gains enough solidity to pour water into two glasses for them and set them down on the table. "I usually have a very good idea of what's going on in my domain. I'm not worried about you messing with things you shouldn't."

"I'm not going to say nothing to the normal folks; my boss'd get on me for that too. He's got Rules about that sort of thing, spilling secrets." His gaze follows the shadow, a look of curiosity on his face. That's a new sort of power; he's not familiar with anyone who manipulates shadow. The closest he gets is William Book, who manipulates ink

"I'm not really here to mess with nothing, anyways. Just trying to find a place to lay my head tonight."

Alessandro smiles kindly to Bunny. "You can call me Alex. We're not that formal around here. My lord's court isn't much affiliated with any of the others for a reason, he doesn't like the formality or the headache of dealing with it. I feel much the same way. Especially this time of year. It's tiring."

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Strayed back

princess serenity | sailor moon | f/m

Mirko | My Hero Academia

Maedhros | the silmarillion | ota

Yelena Belova | MCU

Angel | OC

wei wuxian | mdzs / the untamed.

Lumine || Genshin Impact || ota

(smol) Nicholas D. Wolfwood | Trigun Maximum

Agent Washington | Red vs Blue | OTA

Nate Boyd | original | ota

Abigail Hobbs | Hannibal | ota

Mezo Shouji | MHA | OTA

kni | trigun stampede

Bart Torgal | Subnautica

julie kostenko (the legion) || dead by daylight

Kurogiri/Shirakumo | My Hero Academia | ota

Alec 'Bunny' Stebbins - Changeling: the Lost OC

Have one fae?

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al rothstein | dceu