A "normal" walking [Free]

Your name is Vitreu Magnus, and right now you are in the middle of a walking trying to relax a little after an argument you had with your dear but sometimes annoying lusus.

"Go out for a moment and make some friends who can walk. Have you ever have a friend who wasn't a plant or a insect like me?"

You can't understand why he said that, your current friends are great: silently, not noisy and always willing to hear anything you have to say. Also, who would like to be your friend? All the trolls you have ever known are aggresive, boorish and nasty, unlike you: a very polite trolls with manners. Why would you lost your time looking for "walking friends"? As soon your feet start to hurt you sit under the shadow of a big and beautiful tree. Maybe you can wait for the new "walking friends" under that comfortable tree.

Last night was rather strange. He spent it at Eisire's house with no say on the matter, considering how he had been abducted by a dragon to take him to her cottage. And he had been more than a little nervous, considering how he had left his lusus all alone at the hive when he had the bad habit of bursting into flames at seemingly random. And him not being there to control the flames like he was so used to should've been enough to start a war between neighbors at his little hivestem system. But when he came back home, he found his lusus was preening himself in a corner and absolutely nothing burned. He knew he deserved a present for several reasons, the number one of them being his ability to keep himself under control until he was back (the number two was "because I left him alone all this time and didn't even bring a present with me so now I feel bad").

And that was why he was currently foraging at the woods, marking the way he had been walking on with little clay figurines, several baskets kept in his sylladex, inspecting every fruit and nut that came in his field range. It didn't matter if they were still attached to a tree, a bush, or just laying on the floor, if it was good he'd pick it up. Specially chestnuts. It was actually pretty calm and quiet until it kind of wasn't, because he spotted a rather large, lively and beautiful tree.

Curious about the rare beauty, he chose to approach and maybe inspect if it had some sort of special fruit for him to toy around with, not caring about the soothing sound sound that cracking leaves and branches made with every step. It only took five steps to realize that another troll was resting under it, immediately freezing in his place. Bad. This was bad. Worst possible bad ever. He disliked finding more trolls face to face. So far, he had always taken some sort of advantage, with how he contacted PT and AA first, and chose to approach Theiyw on his own terms. But now he... he was caught off guard, this he didn't expect. He took a little step behind, swallowing and hoping him to be as friendly as possible. Had he known beforehand, he' would have een a lot more less noisy.

There was another troll around, you guess it for his loud steps. You honestly have no interest of meet another troll, but this this you have no option. You turn your head slowly directly to the necomer: it was a lowblood, shorter and, apparently, weaker than you; but not for that you can let your guard down, what if the lowblood was stronger than he looks? Better to be polite with him, as always you are with strangers, no matter how you dislike some of them, or even hate. When the newcomer took a step behind, you realized that he was scared of you. It was very obvious, you are some castes above him.

After a few seconds of exchanging glances you decided to get up and walk slowly toward the red blood troll. Maybe this one is not ike those boorish trolls you met before.

"8o Are you looking for something, stranger? May I help you? 8o"

You take carefully a strange but apparently delicious food from that beautiful tree. At least you made a new friend who is not in your garden and it was the majestic tree, but for sure your lusus would say somethig like:

"That's just another "green" friend. Meet some trolls and talk to them!"

For sure your lusus has no idea of how trolls are actually for the way he insists in force you to have some "troll friends".

Several emotions and questions ran through Rubedo's brain all at the same time. Now he saw him clearly, it was a Jade blood. Very little did he hear from his lusus about their blood color, albeit enough to know that he was special due to his rare, rare blood color. Which was higher than him in the spectrum of course, even if he was still low compared to other of his friends, he had the benefit of the "only a very few of them are born per era" attribute. Of course he didn't know why that was. He was only a little grub who liked to fall asleep to the soft voice of his lusus communicating with him in his dreams, telling him about the hemospectrum in exchange for bedtime stories. For all he knew, Jade bloods may or may not be able to sprout a second head to devour him with.

Or did it had something to do with breeding? wait, no, weren't they the ones with blue and red psionic powers? the ones with mental control? the ones who were highly aggresive?

...The ones who could see the sun? Please let it be one of those, he'd give his left horn to know how the sun looked like, even in other troll's words.

The troll approached him, to which gesture the lowblood responded with... an actually very kind and gentle smile, apologizing for intruding on what was very probably the other's territory. But on the inside, Rubedo mentally cursed having taken a step back. He spent so many years dominating the art of charisma to live a more or less peaceful life in such a crowded place to lose them all in one single step, not to mention in front of one single troll. What kind of loser would he have to be to drop it all out of the window now? The answer was... he wasn't one. Period.

"Oh. Uhm... well, this is embarrassing... I'm sorry, I was actually just looking for nuts. I didn't mean to disrupt you. Was I too loud?" He asked. He really couldn't tell if the other was irritated or not, but he sure hoped he wasn't!

Rubedo didn't move at his first and rude statement. He was kind of expecting it, either way, knowing which troll were rude on day one helped a lot with the whole survival issue. So when the jade blood cleared his troat and apologized, his smile dropped and got replaced with a shocked look due to the surprise because wow, wait, what? Apologies? And he was... opening up to him, too? Wasn't that the exact opposite of what was supposed to be happening? Wasn't he suppossed to attack or whatever it was jade bloods liked to do? Or was this their way roundabout way in making friends? First friendly seadwellers who could cull him alive if they wanted to, then a blue blood living outside his tent whom he hung out with, now this? What was he supposed to do or say this time?

He was... alert, if anything. He decided to charge on, after all he was here already. He glanced at the fruit he was holding in his hand, then at the big tree. Right. He came here to pick up nuts and fruit (and he guessed he should skip that tree today and come later, he didn't want to piss him off more for tonight) and nothing else. Calm down, Rubedo, it's not like you are going to see him ever again, right? Right. He decided to give him the benefit of the doubt and believe his words, mostly because he would feel like that too. He was also quite a bit of a loner, and thanks to his self-control he managed to talk to a few people, but just because he managed it didn't have to mean that everyone else would.

"Oh I see. Still, I'm sorry, if those were my conditions and someone walked on me I'd be annoyed too." And boy was he being sincere there. Even a little sigh escaped from him when he recalled all the things that had been going on this last week. The disruption of peace, even if he admited hadn't been half bad, still was something difficult to diges. "I don't really blame you, and I'm not even in a place to do that. So no offense taken." He smiled a bit more sincerely to him this time.

Well. Why not. He had been doing this all week already, right? trying this whole friendship ordeal and he was still alive and in one piece. So he may as well try it once again. "My name is Rubedo Promet. I was just foraging for some fruits and nuts for my lusus, it's a special occasion. May I ask for your name?"

Alrigth, he asked you for your name, now what? You really are going to trust this troll who it was foraging for some fruits and nuts for his lusus? What if he wants your name for some kind of strange spell or something? Oh God, is so difficult to make new "troll friends". Wahtever, stop of get lost in your thoughs and answer his question.

"8o Well... my name is Vitreu Magnus, and right noW I'm looking for... for... o8"

Ohh no, oh no no no no, you won't tell him why are you there! No matter how friendle he can look. Also, tell a stranger that you are a lonely troll who his only friends are the plants and insects in his garden? No, for sure he would probably make fun of that. Noy every troll can understand your complicated relationships with your lovely plants and those generous insects in your garden. But maybe for this time you can trust in this stranger. Clear your troath again.

"8o ... I'm looking for a friend, a troll friend! Uh... Would you like to be my friend, Rubedo? If you accept to be my friend I can share With you this delicious and special fruit, then you'll have What you need for your lusus, right? o8"

You try to give your most friendly smile. There's no way he can refuse your offer! You're so good at negotiations. Make troll friends can count as a "negotiation"? Well, you can't act with them in the same you act with yours plants, plants are a lot less violent. Oh, who are you kidding? For sure the lowblood sees you as an uncomfortable jade blood who doesn't know how to interact with other trolls. Sadly, the truth is that you really feel vulnerable right now. Something strange for someone who usually has a great confidence in himself almost the time; but now you are in front of a stranger trying to be friendly but looking ridiculous in the process...

...

This guy.

This strange, dorky guy. Who may or may not have reached new and unprecedented levels of loneliness. Because you had to be a really special kind of troll in the world to think of offering fruit in exchange for friendship. Of course Rubedo did something like that, but for him it was different. For starters, he offered food and conversation to people whom he knew would have to contact on a daily base, expecting to get tiny favors and peacefulness from them in return, since he really, genuinely enjoyed being left alone. But Vitreu, he... he looked like he wanted to bond with someone, and just asked him to be his friend in exchange for a fruit that... bluntly. And he expected it to work. It was like taking the naivest, tiniest biscuit of cluelessness in the world, only to cover it in the heaviest, most bittersweet glaze of dark feelings available.

It took him some seconds to recover from that punch to the heart. Gosh he failed to see that one coming.

"Uh..." He began, doubting how to proceed and scratching his nape in doubt. Then he smiled at him, a bit of a dopey grin, but it'd have to do. "I'm flattered. I really am, Vitreu! But you don't have to offer me anything at all. We can be friends!" Rubedo's smile changed for one a bit more gentle this time, hoping to make the whole thing less awkward and uncomfortable as he slowly recovered from what he believed to be the saddest thing he had ever heard. He spent all of his life trying to avoid other trolls, being somewhat successful on it, but now it seemed like the rules to the game had changed. He couldn't pretend he didn't have friends anymore, and this one in particular seemed to be some challenge of sorts to him, like destiny telling him "I pushed some friends in your face, but this one's heart is yours to decide what to do with".

Curse him for being so infuriatingly soft at times. He couldn't leave this guy on his own. You won this round, destiny. But like HELL if he was going to let go of his merry-go-happy-mask, in fact, he pushed it in more than ever. He sucked at socializing and didn't want Vitreu to know that. "I can even introduce you to some friends of mine as well, if you want, that way you will have more people to talk to. They all are kind, and friendly, I'm sure they'd like you."

He was nervous enough to have completely forgotten about the nuts.

Aw hell no, what was he getting into? Where was all the looking down on him? Or all of the mocking? Name calling? Not even one "I didn't know rust-bloods were capable of" whatever they wanted to add in there? Well... on one side, he was actually... happy? (He guessed that was how happiness felt like at least) because let's be sincere, meeting someone who was actually willing to treat you like a normal, decent being with feelings and stuff sounded kind of nice, and was a rare phenomena he didn't think he'd live long enough to witness. Specially with his short life span.

And now he was here, accepting fruit from a genuinely happy troll excited about the concept of friendship, unsure about what to do next because this was a new situation...

Forget about that, he felt himself grow at least 5 sweeps older when he heard the bit about his "real personality". How many times could possibly go wrong in one turn? Rubedo wasn't even sure he had a personality anymore or if he was all losing himself to his mask, and he really, really didn't want to find out... but the really, really worse turn of events was that... Vitreu really wanted to know about him in a non invasive way, he wasn't even expecting the huge mess he was under his mask. Oh for the love of whoever his ancestor had been, please please let Vitreu be incredibly shitty at getting to know stuff. His mind wasn't even registering the fruit in his hands anymore, feeling them as dead weight and "sort of there", fully concentrated on getting out of this one, at least for today, please.

He smiled and chuckled a bit "Really? That's quite generous of you, I'm sure my lusus will appreciate it. And I don't really have things to hide, although, well, maybe I can tell you this. I... I like to cook." He confessed, trying to make light conversation and hopefully to keep him blissfully oblivious of... whatever it was that was under his smile, because he no longer knew, and he didn't need to know. Hiding? Nope, no hiding here, no sir! ...Why was he so worried about Vitreu though?!! Wait. WHY DID HE TELL HIM HE LIKED TO COOK? How... how did he open up so fast?! Oh for god's sake, he was doing this because he was internally panicking, wasn't he? Well, there was no going back now! Onwards, it was! "Maybe I can cook for you some other day. Tomorrow or something, it would be like paying you back for the fruit, and as friends, too!" He smiled at him.

(He would be lying to himself if he told he didn't find Vitreu quite amusing and interesting, though, but he was too ridden by panic to notice). For once in his life, he was scared. He was uncertain, he had no way to get to know Vitreu because ironically enough he was being so open, while he, on the contrary, was being disarmed piece by piece. Just... just who was this guy?! was he even real?! "What do you say? Maybe we can have a little chat while we eat, so we get to know each other better."

"8o That's a Wonderful idea! Hahaha You can't Wait for knoW more about me, right? I can understand that. I mean, I'm an interesting and charismatic troll With a lot of virtues. You Will enjoy my company, and I'm sure I Will enjoy yours! o8"

Rubedo is one of the nicest trolls you have ever meet, and he loves to cook! Wonderful, maybe he can share some recipes or tricks with you. He's the living proof that not all the trolls are just nasty and retarded like the ones you met in the past, maybe it was because those trolls were annoying highbloods. Anyway, Rubedo is apparently a good one and right now you want to  know  more about him and his past. This gonna be a fun day!

But there's something strange in Rubedo... something really strange and uncomfortable... no, he looked uncomfortable for some reason you can't understand. Is has to do with you? What if he didn't actually like you and he was just acting because you give him pity? Impossible, you are a wonderful troll! But Rubedo... what's going with him? Is he.... maybe scared of you? How could you be so stupid? You are a jade blood, and he a burgundy blood! He was obviously scared of someone above him in the hemospectrum. For sure he was thinking you would kill him at certain moment of the day, what can you do to show him that you won't do that?

"8o Rubedo... do you really Want to be my friend? Because if you are scared of me, I can understand. If you are just doing this because you are scared of me, let me tell you something: I have no reason to hurt you... yet. So, you can relax for noW o8"

You sit in the ground, you hope your supposition was wrong and Rubedo actually wanted to be your friend.

Rubedo was feeling so much things at once, he was pretty damn sure his heart... or brain, was going to explode at any moment. He couldn't remember a single time in his life where he felt this much when exposed to one single person, he was usually the best at keeping himself cool and collected. And. Well. Friendly. It was frightening, feeling so much and not being used to it... although not as scary as forgetting you could feel in the first place. He couldn't even find refugee in the brutal honesty of Vitreu (seriously, "no reason to hurt you yet"?) and he had no idea about what to do next. He would if he was calm, but, he wasn't.

So his body chose the autopilot way out. He didn't know it yet, but within the next three minutes that choice would make him feel embarrassed of himself for the next few weeks.

"So I guess you saw through me then." He said with a slight, reassuring, genuine half-smile. God, it felt so good to actually smile in the way he usually did for once, not all forced and bright like some sort of clay doll. "I wasn't scared of you. It was just... not a lot of people actually like me, so your enthusiasm was really new to me. Well, it still is, in a sense, I guess? But I think you're pretty nice, and interesting. I... I really think I'd like to be your friend."

He sighed lastly, sitting at Vitreu's side, inching a bit closer. Who was he kidding here? Vitreu was just as lonely as he felt. Sometimes. Not all the time. No, not at all. Just... sometimes. Enough to make him feel bad about freaking out earlier, he just made the jade blood feel bad too. Wow, what a dick move. "I'll come back tomorrow if you still want me to. And I will still introduce you to my friends, too!"

Good! At the end he wants to be your friend, that's something wonderful. You have to be the luckiest troll in all Alternia, your first attempt of make a friend was successful! And Rubedo is not a bad guy, so, maybe one day you can invite him to your beautiful hive and have a tea party with your lusus. You are really excited with this, but don't show yourself so eager about this, what if Rubedo thinks you are weird? Try to stay cool.

"8o Rubedo... you are the first nice troll I knoW. All the other trolls are a lot of nasty and gross beings Without any sense of moral. We are differents, We are more polite and less stupid. Do you knoW hoW much I hate senseless violence? o8"

You found a perfect topic to talk with Rubedo: your complaints about most Alternian trolls. Well, actually you complaint about almost everything in Alternia, starting with highbloods, and then the dirty beasts, later some unpleasant lowbloods... anyway, the list is long and you don't want to spend the rest of your precious shared time with Rubedo talking about negative stuff.

Usually, when you start your conversations with your lusus or your lovely plants you end talking about all the wrong things in Alternia, starting with those gross clowns or those unpleasant sea dwellers, especially those GROSS, HORRIBLE AND SCARY CLOWNS. You just can't stand them. No, don't think on that anymore. Oh no, did you look weird while you though in those clowns? Quick, give your most friendly smile to Rubedo... at least try, genius.

"How come you always get into these kind of situations by yourself?" Rubedo was asking himself in his mind. And yet, no answer came to him. Aside from "because you're a dumbass rustblood and bad things are suppossed to happen to you" but that one didn't count, he'd pilled up enough coincidences on that one already and he figured he'd kind of chewed all of the juice out of the joke already.

Besides. Vitreu's speech kept making him FEEL for some reason. He was usually detached and cool and calculating. Feeling was not how he rolled... All he knew right now was that, yes, it should've been more than a little lonely for him. He didn't know it yet, but he felt close to what the jade blood was describing, feelings which he wasn't even aware existed yet. Except it was all a little lonely.

"I've been starting to think lately that maybe it's the world we live in. I've met some actually nice trolls lately... maybe it's this world, these... rules, what are poisoning everyone's minds. But we can't exactly change that, can we?" Specially not him. Anyone who attempted to change the rules... he thought they were delusional. Something bigger was needed for that to happen. Slowly, he looked at him, from the corner of his eye. This moment felt private and fragile, and he was trying to respect that nature. "I hate senseless violence too." He half-smiled. "What do you think of more violent trolls, thou--...?"

And blinked.

He shouldn't have.

Now he was certain he was a Jade blood at least, if all the blood he saw on the floor pouring from his chest was telling him anything. He usually stayed calm but now, with this particular troll, he had his guard down. He blinked again and it all was gone, but he was more than slightly alarmed and gasped, every hair in his nape getting up like they had just been electrified, his skin getting cold and his pulse accelerating. This was getting too frequent. What did it all mean?! Was he going to die too?! Why did all the people he met always looked like they were dead?!

Make it stop!

"So.... sorry. I... I kind of lost track of that sentence there." He gulped trying to calm down. He didn't want to alarm him with nonsense. But he'd be damned if he let this one pass, enough was enough, he was going to find the cause. One that didn't end in bleeding friends, preferably.

He noticed the shift in his mood and had no problem pinpointing its exact origin. People usually worried. "What did I do? Or is he just a prick?" because no one liked to see someone's expression shift out of nowhere, so suddenly, like he had just done. He didn't intend to make him feel scared or awkward at all, and he knew he had to repair the damage he had done by being scared of losing (losing everything!) him and the rest of his friends, so he smiled at him to calm him down, to reassure him (or himself?) that everything was going to be alright.

Don't push yourself so much, Vitreu.

"Oh, I'd love to do both, actually. I rarely leave my hive during the day so butterflies are a rare sight." He told him as he stood up from the shade of the tree to follow his energetic and bouncy step. Wow, he seriously wants to have a picnic right here and right now, doesn't he? Another warm smiled escaped Rubedo's lips. For some reason, he felt so alive being near this guy, like it was some sort of aura he irradiated. Seeing him dead felts so alien now. Like it was impossible for him to die!

That was an stupid thought, however.

"I have an idea. I can come back tomorrow, and prepare a nice lunch with the fruit you gave me. And then you can formerly introduce me to your lusus, if you still want to." He remembered his own lusus and the danger he implied to anything that set on fire easily, like. Well. This forest was a great example. He didn't want to destroy that, so he sighed and scratched his cheek, thinking. "I might not be able to bring my own lusus over, he's small enough, but he's a phoenix and might burst in flames accidentally. I don't want to do that to this charming place."

"8o I understand, Who Would like to burn this forest? Is beautiful as this strange tree! That reminds me, I have to research more about this one... o8"

You get lost in your thoughs, this one is an interesting tree... wait, Rubedo wants to have a lunch with you? And cook food with the fruit you gave him? Wonderful! So... he wants to have the picnic with you and later have the luch to the next day? Wow, this crimson blood has more iniciative than you, and that's good! You need someone who can inspires you to do new activities, like Rubedo! For sure for him is really easy to make friends... unlike you.

"8o Yes! That's a good idea! So... do you Want to have the picnic and have the lunch With me tomorroW? You have so many good ideas! And... I can meet your lusus later if you Want to invite me to your hive... of course, just if you Want! But of couse you Want, I'm a very good friend!  o8"

This time you sit in the roots of the three, his shadow is so comforting. You look at Rubedo and smile.

"8o Ey friend, let's take a nap first, you knoW, before the picnic... o8"

There were several things wrong with those previous statements set by the jadeblood. For example, Rubedo really didn't want to bring him over to a place full of resentful and potentially dangerous plus aggresive plus resentful lowbloods, some of which were rather strong psionics. Just because he himself wasn't gifted in the superpower department, it didn't mean he was safe.

So yeah, better not invite someone over, no matter how friendly they were.He couldn't protect Vitreu of psionics when he himself had none (well, aside of seeing dead people, he guessed) because that would be suicidal. He was pretty useless now that he thought about it, ugh, no wonder everyone disliked him so much if he was such a good for nothing.

Although he befriended people, so maybe he wasn't that bad? And this one had a cute way of showing enthusiasm that made him smile, so yeah, fuck his neighborhood, he did something awesome today.

But seriously keeping him away from his hivestem complex was a good idea.
L
"I... I'd like you to see my hive, but I live in an area crowded with psionics and it would be somewhat risky. I myself am not gifted, so I can't do much to prevent a disaster, either. Sorry, I bet it would've been fun" He smiled aqpologetically at him.

Wait a second. A nap? Oh no. Oh no no no no no no no...

"Sure" Rubedo said, smiling and lying on the somewhat fluffy grass. He closed his eyes and secretly begged himself to not fall asleep. Mimic sleeping? Maybe. But do not, ever, under any circumstance, fall asleep outside of your recuperacoon when there is someone watching

You didn't heard his answer at all, for some reason you feel really sleepy and all you want is a nap iwth your new friend. You usually take naps with to your closer ones, like your lusus or... the plants in your precious garden. Now Rubedo lies at your side, close to you. But... he was uncomfortable again? It was your fault? It doesn't matter, you had an incredible idea! And for sure it'll make Rubedo feels better! Or at least more comfortable.

"8o Rubedo... can you tell me a fairy tale While I try to sleep? o8"

Yes, you love fairy tales, especially the ones with happy endings! Butterfly dad always tell you a fairy tale when you can't sleep or you just want a nap, like right now. Rubedo was now a close friend to you, so, you think he won the right of tell you a fairy tale. But which fairy tale? Did Rubedo likes fairy tales, too? What if he not? Nosenses! Everyone loves them! Even the embittered ones!

"8o Do you... like fairy tales? I love them... a lot. Do you knoW Why? Because I like their magical World, is more beautiful, magical and idyllic than... Alternia... o8"

You are so ridiculous, you fell in love with a not existence universe...

Eisire had told him before how warm he was. He had no idea of this before, and assumed she was just complimenting him as a way to excuse herself for taking a nap in his lap. But seeing how this was the second troll he accidentally was putting to sleep, he was starting to considerate the fact. Maybe he was one giant electric blanket. He'd take that into consideration in the future.

Actually he could try to do something with that knowledge now. He sat up and leaned against the big tree, wood wide enough to be comfortable. Then he placed Vitreu on his lap, full aware of the fact that he was trapping himself here, but he didn't care that much right now. Like he had done with Eisire last time. Except now he patted his hair to make the sleep come faster to him.

So a fairytale. He never paid attention to them. But he couldn't tell if that wad because he just didn't think too much of them, or because his own life as a wriggler was too full of harsh realities to even believe in those anymore. But he could narrate them. That was definitely something he could do. He had done weirder things for other trolls after all.

"Once upon a time, there was a prince..."

You procceed to improvise the prettiest piece of fake magic you can conceive, for the sake of a jadeblood you met just today.

Rubedo was so warm... in both senses. You feel like in your wrigglerhood sweeps, when Butterfly dad used to tell you those wonderful stories full of magic and with handsome and brave princes as protagonist. You like to imagine yourself as one of those wonderful princes who always find a happy ending with their true love. And talking about true love, you'll find a matesprit one day? Or a moirail? You didn't think of that in a long time, you never feel the need of fill your quads... or did you? After all, sometimes you feel kind of... lonely? Impossible! With your garden and your lusus, how is that even possible? Oh... and why Rubedo's voice is so sweet? You slowly closes your eyes. Everything is darker than before, is a wonderful feeling. You feel like if no one could hurt you once you sleep.

For the second time in his life, someone fell asleep on him. This time however was different for a number of reasons that were already nagging at him in his mind: he let his guard down, for starters. Incredibly down. So down, in fact, that all the walls he had carefully constructed over the years just crumbled like they were made of the most fragile puff pastry ever.

Oh, but that was only step one! The second thing was that he had been the one who put him to sleep. Encouraged him to sleep on his lap, of all places. Caressing his really, really soft hair, telling him a tale of the ones that constantly made him roll with eyes. And he was actually comfortable here! He was being sincere when he said he didn't want to move! He wanted to stay here caressing his hair and maybe just maybe take a nap at his side? He felt like for some reason he would be able to actually sleep without needing sopor slime as long as he was with him. Like no nightmares would assault him. He wasn't exactly warm and yet he felt... happy.

And now he was being stupid. He looked around, trying to find the direction where his hive was at. But there was no luck. Guess he'd have to leave him here, then? Ugh, please let his lusus come back before the sun rose! Very carefully (in part because he didn't want to wake him up, but he also wanted to stretch the moment as much as possible) he let him sleep on the floor. He uncaptchalogged one of his aprons, the red one, and placed it on him so it would work as both a sign for his lusus and as a way to keep him warm.

"Goodbye, Vitreu. See you tomorrow." He whispered really, really low as not to wake him up. And then, he left.