Category: Writing

  • The Neighbor’s Dog

    The Neighbor’s Dog

    werewolf!charlie

    Ever since Thandi started seeing the wolf in her yard, she’s been sitting out every morning with a mug, before the fog even lifts. It’s always alone, and it seems intrigued by her. She’s been careful not to tempt it closer; the view is always enough.

    A dark shape emerges from the mist. The wolf trots into the yard and fixes her with a gaze that feels…

    That feels… intelligent. Wolves alone are smart, but when this one looks at her, she can almost feel his thoughts. It’s a puzzle.

    They stare at one another, as they’ve done every morning. Today, though, there’s something different. The wolf disappears into the fog, then reappears moments later, carrying a basket. It comes right up to her, and she finally sees that the wolf is collared. A big, leather collar with a glinting tag affixed to it.

    Briar.

    The wolfdog backs up and dashes into the mist, prompting Thandi to rise and peek at the basket. There is a card and a tin of tea, nestled in among peonies.

    Good morning. Thank you for keeping my dog company. I hope he has delivered this adequately. He is prone to wandering. We are glad to have a neighbor who seems to enjoy his company. Thank you once more.

    -C

  • Moping

    Moping

    fluff

    Charlie is insatiable. Thandi laughs as he kisses every bit of her neck as he can, excited to be with her again.

    “Darling! It’s only been a day!”

    “Yes! I didn’t have you for an entire day!” He squeezes her and lifts her up, spinning around, making her laugh more. The kissing resumes before her feet even touch the ground. “What am I supposed to do with myself when I have no one to read to? No one to eat with? No one to squeeze the life out of?”

    “I know you were fine, Charlie. Although… imagining you moping about, now that’s a funny picture!”

    “I wasn’t moping…”

    He buries his face into her neck, breathing her in. Thandi strokes his hair as he calms at last, smiling. “I missed you, too.”

  • Wolf Sighting

    Wolf Sighting

    werewolf!Charlie

    Thandi sees the wolf amid the brush. It watches her warily, so she moves slowly. Where there is one, there are sure to be more.

    Not only that, but this wolf… is odd. Unique with its brown fur, and the size of this thing! Perhaps it has been influenced by the introduction of magic into nature? She has to ask her host later if this is the case.

    The wolf, though, steps closer. Thandi feels her heart starting to pound, urging her to run. She’s too smart to try. The way it looks at her is… a tilt of the head, scenting the air, and the quiet thump of feet on earth are the last she sees of it. The tension calms and she breathes, calming herself. That was… magical. Not in the academic way, but the cherished remember-for-the-rest-of-your-life way. Thandi adjusts her bag and begins the trek back to the cottage.

  • Fever Dream

    Fever Dream

    Vampire!Charlie, Waif!Thandi, modern

    There’s a shivering bundle sitting along the path that Charlie walks along tonight. It gives him pause as he hears the rasp of illness, a rattle that threatens to become something worse. He opens and closes his hands, biting his lip.

    He’s a man of means and he has the ability to take care of this problem. But… there are problems with it… no, if he doesn’t do anything, and they die, then it may as well be his fault. The bundle stirs at his approach.

    The face that greets him is ashen, tired, and sweaty despite the frost on the ground. A young woman, perhaps in her late twenties, early thirties.

    “I want to help you. Do you need help to go to the hospital?”

    Her answer is a quiet one. “Please… I don’t… want to… go…” One look into her tearful eyes assures him that it’s fear keeping her from accepting. Again, he bites his lip.

    “What if I gave you a place to stay? Conditional, of course…”

    The woman ponders it. “I can’t…”

    “The condition being that you are okay with being a vampire’s roommate.”

    There’s a beat, and there’s a moment where he sees something like awe, or interest, on her face. “I…yes…” She tries to stand, but she’s shaking. He will have no choice but to carry her home.

    Thandi’s next few days are a feverish blur. Someone offered her a place to stay, took her home. Gave her a room. Clothes. Food. Medicine.

    It takes time for her head to clear enough to realize what she’d gotten into. And, well, why there was a man sleeping at her bedside, cool hand on the back of her neck. Why is he so cold?

    And, why is he using his hand in place of a washcloth? Seems absurd.

    Things start clicking into place as she stares at him.

    Vampire.

    That had caught her attention when he picked her up. It’s not exactly common. What does vampire mean to him, besides chilly hands and general paleness? She reaches out a shaky hand to touch his hair. It’s so soft! Aah… reminds her of a pet she had a long time ago.

    Perhaps it’s the fever still influencing her, but this is nice. He stirs, yawning, and smiles at her. His canines are a little bit more pronounced than normal, but it’s not wildly attention-grabbing feature.

    “Awake again. More broth? Or are you ready for solid food?” Slowly, she turns and stares at him. “Vampire…”

  • Time Skip

    Time Skip

    hook, Amnesia!Charlie, sad

    Charlie sits, leaning against the cabin wall. Why’d he come out here?

    The leaves of the forest tremble with the wind, and he breathes it in deeply. There had been a longing. A want. A need. Now that he was here, though, what was there for him to do?

    The stars are bright. They twinkle at him, bringing a sort of peace with them. Actually, stars aren’t supposed to do that: twinkling becomes flashing, brightening, swirling, growing.

    He straightens from his lean and watches in awe as it seems a hole appears just above the treeline. What in the world?

    There’s a shriek and something white falls. Charlie runs and dives, hands reaching out, and the full weight of this thing lands on him. They slide on the ground and he realizes in the next moment that he’s broken something catching her. The pain lances up through him and he’s thankful that it’s at least him this happened to. The bundle in his arms wriggles and pulls a hood down from her head. Her eyes grow wide.

    “Ch-Charlie?”

    He blinks. “Um… yes, uh… th…”

    Her eyes are swollen from crying and it’s now that he sees that she’s covered in blood. Her hands are shaking as she reaches out and touches his face, runs her fingers through his hair.

    “Charlie… oh, gods, my Charlie!”

    “Ma’am… clearly you’ve been in an accident… are you okay?”

    “You’re alive…”

    “I have been all my life. Er, may I have access to my arms? They’re. Um. Broken. And the adrenaline is wearing off.”

    The woman obliges, already weeping over his arms. Charlie, meanwhile, takes a breath. Bones crunch and slide back into place. Bruises bloom backwards and his fingers tingle. He hisses with the pain and pushes himself off the ground, only to be hugged tightly by the strange woman before him.

    “Charlie! I’m so relieved! When you fell…! When they cut you…! I thought… you were dead…”

    “This is… awkward. I don’t know you, ma’am. Is it ma’am? Mixter?”

    Her face pales and she reaches out, yanking his shirt up, touching his stomach as she sees a long scar across him. He steps back and pulls his shirt down, looking ill. She points, mouth agape. “It is you… but… you…” Tears start to form and her lip trembles. “…you’ve forgotten…”

  • Blushing Fool

    Blushing Fool

    Charlie’s thoughts (the Big One)

    Before meeting Thandi, Charlie could hardly be said to blush. It was a rare occurrence, and he often removed himself from caring about anything at all which would normally prompt a blush.

    He was used to humiliation, being a frequent victim, and it didn’t do more than irritate him any more. Potential partners didn’t have the ability, the looks, or the wit to catch him off guard; rather, Charlie paid them so little mind he barely spoke more than needed. If he spoke at all, it was to insult or deflect them. In fact, he hardly spared a smile for most.

    So, when Thandi managed to coax a blush out of him, it was a shock. He’d managed fairly well to distance himself from the party, but Thandi insisted on his company. There wasn’t much place to run without her tailing him, and she chastised and advised and touched him with little regard to his status.

    And then, Charlie couldn’t stop blushing when she got involved. She teased him, and he enjoyed it. She touched him, and he adored it. She told him off, and he valued it. Logically, he knew it shouldn’t be the case, but something clicked in him every time she approached.

    She is magnetic. He can’t help being pulled in. She’s different, she’s clever, and she can be adorably ignorant at times. Something about her made him want to care for her and coddle her and treat her special, and he couldn’t not do it. Even when he became furious at her, his heart wasn’t in it for long and he just wanted to make up and be close again.

    To him, she’s the ideal picture of a wife for him. Her tolerance is high, and she doesn’t get cowed easily. He enjoys talking to her, even when they disagree, and she wasn’t bad to look at. He wouldn’t mind engaging in the child making process with her.

    That thought surprises him.

    It’s obvious, certainly, by how his body reacts around her, but to want to do such a thing with her, beyond lustful fantasies? With growing unease, he recounts his past instances.

    Thandi.

    Thandi.

    Thandi…

    Oh, gods damn it all. He might love her.

  • Fragile

    Fragile

    pining, confession

    “I love you.”

    Thandi stops in her tracks, looking at Charlie over her shoulder. He’s staring after her, rubbing an arm, looking… pained? Hopeful? Frightened?

    “You… love me?”

    “…yes…”

    It’s puppy love. It’s because he has no one else right now. It’s because he needs the comfort and security she offers him. Whatever the case, Thandi is certain that if it were tested, he’d leave her in a heartbeat.

    “Charlie. I can’t. You know I can’t…”

    Hair slips in front of his eyes as he bows his head. He takes a deep breath, and for a moment, Thandi thinks he might spiral into an anxiety attack. Instead, Charlie nods.

    “I know. I know. I just… want you… to know. I do. I love you. And… and… all I want is… for you to… not get hurt. I can’t take seeing you bleed and break.”

    “What can you expect while we’re on a journey? It’s part of the work. Besides, you’re an excellent healer!”

    “I don’t like healing you.”

    Thandi blinks and tilts her head. “You mean, I’m a chore?”

    “No!! I just!! Um!! It. It…”

    Thandi shakes her head, severe in her words. “You shouldn’t be worrying about only me, either. A party is your family on the road! You should be taking care of everyone equally!”

    “Yes, but, I love you.”

  • Momentary Distraction

    Momentary Distraction

    sleep, pining, fluff, sad

    Charlie’s face presses to Thandi’s chest as he sleeps. It’s not uncomfortable, since they twine their legs and he takes care to avoid making her uncomfortable as he falls asleep. She’s got a leg hoisted over his side, while one of his knees slips tween her legs.

    He is very attached. Every night, Charlie slinks in, pulling their bedrolls together and settles in next to her. She’s come to look forward to these tender moments, since outside of their privacy, it seems he becomes all spikes and no rose. She teases him at times, calling him Briar.

    He’s grown fond of the name, using it to refer to himself in private. This earns him her laughter and teasing, so he keeps on with it and she obliges. In their lovemaking, too, she’s taken to teasing him with the name, and it seems to pull a very favorable response from him.

    Thandi strokes his hair as she thinks on all of this. She’s taking a big risk, one that he might not fully appreciate the scope of. Despite this, though… she feels like a treasure to him. There’s something wonderful about being treated with as much reverence as he gives her. Granted, he still oversteps bounds by presuming to know what’s best for her, but even this defect is fading. She certainly chastises him for it.

    Would it be worth leaving everything behind just so that she could be coddled and loved on?

    No.

    The memory will comfort her later on, she’s sure. So she must make as many as possible before she’s got to begin following her master’s steps more closely.

    A kiss distracts her from her thoughts. Charlie shifts, laying kiss after kiss on her chest before settling down again, barely moved but certainly more comfortable. The stroke of the bracelet on her skin is a nice, soothing touch, and she finds herself becoming more drowsy.

    The dark, the warmth, and her lover’s even breathing lull her to sleep. Enjoy the peace.

  • Secret Lovers

    Secret Lovers

    fluff

    It was normal now, for Charlie and Thandi to be a set. They rarely ranged out of one another’s sight unless asked, and even this was done rarely.

    It is insufferable.

    Charlie, usually abrasive and shy, chattered incessantly to Thandi; meanwhile, Thandi occupied her time proposing to him theories and problems that they would each puzzle out loud.

    Granted, there are quiet periods. Sleep. Eating. Sneaking about. Despite all this, they are adjoined.

    It’s grating to see them cuddling up at the fire, giggling to one another, settling into the tent together. And the noises they made sometimes!!! The rest of the party discreetly began to isolate their tent.

    The worst part? The two seemed to think that what they had was a secret!

  • Drunken Cuddling

    Drunken Cuddling

    drunk!charlie, fluff, sleep

    Oh no.

    Someone had started Charlie on the drink. He’s a dangerous drunk for everyone—not in the way that he would get violent, but rather… violently affectionate. She’s got to get him away and tucked into a bed before he goes beyond tolerable.

    Thandi sighs as she approaches him, laying a gentle hand on his shoulder. “Charlie…”

    “Thandi! It’s you. I love you. Hello!” Great. He’s already beyond tolerable. It’s always a sure sign, when he starts declaring his love for anyone and everyone.

    “Charlie, it’s time to go to bed…”

    “So forward today, my love! My darling. Ooh, look at you. Eyes like gems. Skin! So soft. Let me hold you…”

    “Charlie, no, we should really—” There he goes, hugging her around the middle, swaying her back and forth. He kisses her stomach and rubs his face into her. “Darling…” Well. Now it’s the only way to get him to bed. “…of course, darling. Let’s get going, shall we?”

    “Thandi! Such a flower.” Charlie stands at her words, taking her hands in his to give each of her fingers a kiss. “Such a wonder. Such grace, such beauty, oh, I love you so.”

    “Mm-hmm. Come on, darling.”

    She leads him through partygoers, tugging on his hand as he waxes poetic nonsense. It truly is nonsense, and she is sure that he has no idea what he’s saying. Into her room, then, or else he’ll faff about, trying to get himself ready for bed rather than just passing out. She shuts the door behind them both, to better get him to sleep, and she yelps as she’s swept up into his arms.

    “Thandi! My love, the shining star of my life, the only one I live for, oh! I do love you so.”

    “Charlie—”

    He squeezes her again before collapsing into the bed, her still in his arms.

    “I love you! I love you! I love you!!”

    “You mean that?”

    “Who else could I ever love but my beautiful wife-to-be?” He kisses her cheeks and her nose. Thandi feels her face get hot and a smile tug at her lips.

    “Well then, would you do your wife-to-be a favor and sleep peacefully tonight?”

    “If she’s feeling up to keep me company, I shall sleep like war never existed, my love!”

    That gets a giggle out of her. She pushes herself off of him and tugs off his shoes as he fawns over her, fascinated by a lock of hair, or the shape of her hips, whatever it is. One more night next to him isn’t going to kill her, but he’ll certainly die of embarrassment. She shakes her head and grabs out her sleeping clothes.

    “You know the drill, darling.”

    Charlie turns away obediently, burying his face in the pillow as she changes. He only turns to see her when she touches his shoulder. Obedient to a fault, at times. She leans down and taps his nose with hers, smiling as he flushes that funny shade of red. He reaches out and pulls her into his arms, kissing her forehead as she settles in for a warm night.

    It’s good. It’s peaceful. It’s safe. It’s a shame it can’t last.