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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bakerstreet2023-09-07 06:54 am
Gabriel Goodman | Next to Normal
no subject
Two ideas come to mind: she could show up and be only visible to him, or be picked up as a hitchhiker by his family depending on what would work best to set it up. Inbox is open if you want to hash it out there instead of comments.]
Sherlock Holmes | Moriarty the Patriot/Yuukoku no Moriarty | ota / MtP cast / Liam preferred
Terence | Final Fantasy XVI | m/m
no subject
Post-canon Dion lives but they don't find each other again for a few months or something. I guess Dion is the "stray" here since he fell out of the sky or whatever. Thoughts?
How did you do that?? That is a neat trick [also congrats on the username]
Terence had managed to bring Kihel outside of the old empire. To a small township that had just come up after Origin had fallen. Refugees were the entire population. He was something of a town leader now. Not that he'd wanted it, he was simply a strong back who was good at delegating. The place would fall apart without water, food, and shelter and he knew how to get things organized if nothing else. So he did what he could to help people and to make a decent place for Kihel to lay her head.
Kihel... his ward, his mission given to him by Dion. Darling beloved Dion, the man who broke his heart. He tried not to think about it, tried not to linger in the depths of despair while he was in front of her. She knew of course. She was clever. Still, Terence had given up his entire life for this, his brothers in the Dragoons, his love, his post... all to help Dion rest in peace a little easier. Hopefully he was looking down on them now with approval. Terence was determined to live a life his love could approve of when they met again in the afterlife.
It was only when he was doing rounds around the outskirts of the village that he noticed something. Someone. Another refugee, surely. They came in all the time. Wounded, sick, half-starved.
"You there." he called out in the distance. "Do you need help? Stay there, I'm coming." and he ran over, expecting a former bearer, a soldier, anything but what he found.
tyty i was glad to get this username!
Dion doesn't remember too much after the last blast, the tower wall opening, Bahamut's power raging and then fading. Clive and Joshua disappearing into the structure to go save the world. In truth, Dion did not plan to see it.
Apparently fate had other ideas.
With the disappearance of the Mothercrystals' and Eikons' power, Dion is left adrift in a sense. He's never been without Bahamut, not truly. There is something that feels like a hole inside him now. Ultima took everything in the end, though he feels this particular loss is deserved after what happened in Twinside anyway. He'd been lucky to be able to prime again at all after Clive absorbed Bahamut's aether.
Clive. Joshua. What became of them? He does not know, and it seems no one around where he wakes up knows either. Most of them don't even know the names of the Rosfield brothers, and Dion hears whispers of Cid, though from the description he knows they do not speak of Clive.
It isn't the first time he's been among refugees, dirty, bloody, unrecognised. He does not need their recognition, though if he is to live, it is his duty to eventually return home to whoever has managed to survive. The dragoons are largely still loyal to him, he knows, whether he deserves it or not. Is this penance, still being in the world that he nearly destroyed?
When Terence finds him, he looks a mess, blond hair still matted with blood, clothes torn. He doesn't know the extent of his injuries yet, but it matters not. He will endure.
He's so sure he's hallucinating when he hears Terence's voice. Making Terence leave was one of the hardest things he's ever done, though he cannot regret it. He wanted Terence safe, and he wanted to repay Kihel as best he could and keep her safe as well.
"Terence," he says, "you cannot be here."
Sorry for the delay, I drowned in tags with another character
The world was much changed. People were panicked more than ever. There was hope... but also fear as it became clear things were not going to return to normal. Some would turn to violence and theft, it may be anarchy if not for the remaining soldiers and Dragoons keeping some semblance of peace. Most of them still reported to Terence knowing Dion was gone, likely forever. They would be happy to see their prince again.
Especially Terence. When he sees him, even before he comes to his side, he knows. It cannot be and yet it is. By Greagor it is!
"Dion." his eyes felt hot, he could collapse right here but not for the horrific state his prince was in.
"You're alive-- Dion. It can't be." he was upon him then, skidding to a halt, arms open wide to catch his prince and hoist him to his feet. He wrapped him in his arms, feeling the tears flow down his cheeks. "I thought... I never thought..." this wasn't the time for tearful reunions. Dion was injured, badly at that. Terence put an arm around Dion's waist and pulled his other arm around his shoulders.
"Come with me, there's a village not far. We have healers there." several bearers who knew the true healing arts, not just magic. Ones who managed to learn so as to extend the length of their lives. He'd get Dion there, even if he had to bodily carry him which honestly... might not be a bad idea if Dion would allow it.
Either way he got him to his home with Kihel fast on their heels. She had been waiting at the village outskirts for Terence to return and when she saw who he had with him she bolted toward them.
"You came back! What happened??"
"Kihel, he is injured, can you fetch us some water?"
"Right." and she was off like a shot, to the well and then into the house to begin her work. For the rest of it, most of their neighbors didn't recognize Dion in the flesh. Sure, they knew the prince of the empire by name but many had never laid eyes on him. Right now he was just another messed up refugee same as them.
Terence brought Dion to bed, laid him on his back.
"I do expect to know everything... when you are able to talk." he began taking Dion's clothes off and when Kihel returned with a bucket of water he'd clean him up and dress his wounds.
"Dion... I thought we'd never meet again... is this a dream? ... I know, if it were a dream you wouldn't return to me bloodied. But that you returned at all..." he was still shedding tears, still beside himself. This couldn't be happening.
no worries! i'm moving cross country so i'm gonna be slow but i'll backtag!
While he had convinced himself Terence would live, he certainly did not expect to see him again. He hoped against hope that Terence would find Kihel and that debt would be repaid, though he knows what he owes Terence is much more than he could ever repay.
"I came back," he says with a nod. Terence must have known he didn't mean to; was that not part of why he sent him away in the first place? As much as Dion wanted Terence to be safe and to live, he had no wish for Terence to watch him die.
He does not let Terence carry him — he still has some dignity, or tries to — but he leans heavily on the other man as they return to the house.
He makes some token protest about the bed but ultimately he cannot do much other than lay in it. He has to regain strength, which will come with rest, if he can find it. Perhaps here, with Kihel's talents and Terence's presence, he will find a way to survive.
He slings one arm across his eyes, blocking his own tears from view.
"Greagor be good, Terence, I have no idea how I could have survived," he says, softly. Had Bahamut somehow saved him? Had the Phoenix, with his regenerative abilities? He does not know and cannot know the answer.
His other hand finds Terence's and laces their fingers together. How long has it been since they had the luxury of even this? It has not yet sunk in that, should the Empire survive in any capacity, Dion can make his own rules. And should it not, then they are no one, free from the encumbrances of duty and station. There will never be a need to hide what he has with Terence ever again.
ooh good luck!
The commander knew Dion meant it when he mentioned his debt but he knew he was being sent away for Dion's sake, because the prince couldn't stand to lose one more thing, not one more person in his life. That and his need to repay his supposed debt to Kihel. The girl hadn't even considered it a debt to be repaid, the darling. Yet Terence had done it both as a way to have something to live for and to know that Dion could rest easier.
They'd made a tidy little life together. He and Kihel helped the other survivors. Kihel seemed to be blossoming when she wasn't worried about her next meal or having a roof over her head. Terence had distracted himself with it and the recovery effort, and the Dragoons who found him.
This alone meant he could swallow his tension and let go of his dread that he wouldn't see Dion again. He could crawl in that bed and cry. In fact he may just do that.
"I do not either, yet I will not question a blessing. You are here." he squeezed Dion's hand. "Do not leave again. Promise me this, Dion."
no subject
He turns as Terence joins him in the bed so they can face one another. For a moment he scarcely dares to breathe, afraid this is a dream or illusion and he will wake somewhere alone again. Making Terence leave was one of the hardest things he'd ever done, especially in the wake of the atrocities he had committed, but he still feels it was the only choice.
"I did not think to see your face again," he says, reaching up with a still-gloved hand to trace the line of Terence's jaw.
no subject
"As did I..." he didn't fight the tears as they came, as he looked at Dion and all his love, all his adoration came through. He didn't linger with the hand on his face. He moved in to pull Dion into his arms. It mattered not that he was crying. "My prince."
"Dion...My Dion..." he took a shakey breath, the sob coming out, muffled by Dion's shoulder.
Maedhros | the silmarillion | ota
Brook | I’m the Grim Reaper | OTA gen, ask about shipping
erik lehnsherr — xmcu ( ota )
xiao . genshin impact
naganohara yoimiya — genshin impact
nilou | genshin impact
kaedehara kazuha . genshin impact . m/f
lilium ( original )
wanda maximoff • mcu
Beth Greene | The Walking Dead
Tendou Satori ( Haikyuu!! ) m/m
Armarus (Timothy) | Fallen Angel
The Swede | Our Flag Means Death | OTA
sanji | one piece (la)
Mobius M. Mobius | ʟօӄɨ | OTA
or maybe you'd want to collect him for a change?)
natasha romanoff | mcu | ota
Crowley - Good Omens - ota
Maria Hill | MCU
tom hanniger | my bloody valentine
Alex Price | InCryptid | OTA
Alternately, he's literally trying to get you to adopt a literal stray animal he rescued, probably some kind of cryptid.]
serval landau | hsr
Soji Asha | Star Trek (Picard) | OTA