The Experienced Huntsman

[Identity V Ask blog for The Experienced Huntsman Eli - Follows from ask-tracy-reznik-the-mechanic ] [Inbox: 6]

[ask-the-huntsman]

“To have ended up here, have you lost your way? Be wary on your path out the woods, lest you end up in the maws of beasts.”

“For now, rest. Tell me what ails you.” [A little bit about my interpretation of Huntsman for this blog: Eli was cast out from his village for speaking the truth far too candidly. He earned the ire of the elders who would have preferred to keep the villagers blissfully ignorant to some truths and thus the visions they once called gifts, were now blasphemies. 

Bitter, Hunt forfeited his trust of ‘civilized’ mankind and retreated into the deep woods where the reality of life and death is just as uncontrived as he is. 

From his perch up in the trees, he watches over the denizens of the woods and judges lost travelers, whether or not they’re worthy of passing through. In some cases, he may even assist them.]

Guidelines below

 Please refrain from sending hateful or negative asks

 Both serious and silly questions welcome

 Other Identity V Character and OC interactions welcome

 Ship content alright, if unsure feel free to DM - Mun is over 21

( Some extra tasty(+18) ParasitexHunt content available here: https://privatter.net/u/LinxThings )

[ask-the-parasite]

(Another art post for rp thread here with huntsman Eli, soft fools I care them sm)

[memeasaurus-promptus]

Please Reblog This If It’s Okay To:

Send questions about yourself

Ask questions to/about your characters

Ask about your headcanons 

Send questions about your works (fanfics, art, music, RPs, etc) 

Ask about popular ships/headcanons

Ask about plot ideas you’ve had but haven’t acted upon yet (snippets of AUs, a scenario you wish to write/draw but haven’t gotten to yet)

Questions about other ships/headcanons that aren’t as popular or are rarepairs

Questions or comments about favorite tropes, headcanons, characters, foods, weather, or anything else you are okay in answering!

[ask-the-huntsman]

The Parasite wakes up early into the morning. He feels slightly disoriented, blinking in the bright sunlight and trying to get his bearings about him. The summer sun is persistent, its light crawling in through the smallest of gaps and making the wolf feel a little bit too warm even in the shade of the safe haven. He's only slept for a few hours since the sun-up and the bleariness is a bad combination with the humid heat of the hideout, quickly souring his mood.

Not often one for moving around in the daylight, the parasite is reluctant to get up but he pushes himself up and climbs out of the haven, knowing he won't be able to fall back asleep before dipping into a river or stream. He desperately needs to wash away the clamminess sticking to his skin, if he is to have any hope of getting a few more hours of rest before sundown.

Emerging into the light of the day, Parasite blinks furiously, shielding his eyes against the brightness while his eyes adjust. His clothes feel too hot under the glaring sun and begrudgingly, Parasite removes the wolf pelt, shaking his ponytail free to unstick the hairs the heat has glued to his neck. He is reluctant to leave the hat behind, but finally, the parasite decides it is well enough hidden at the haven and he'd rather not drag it around while he looks for a place to bathe.

Leaving the safe place behind, Parasite takes off towards the closest spot of running water he knows. It doesn't take long for his ears to pick up the lively sounds of a stream and although he moves slowly, warier traveling the forest in the daylight, it's a relief how quickly he reaches the riverbank.

(@ask-the-parasite)

The heat of daytime is a little more bearable above ground where the wind picks up from time to time. However, it’s unfortunately not enough to keep the huntsman from stirring now and again when a warm beam of light catches him from between the swaying foliage.

The spot he picked to rest was a tree close to one of the running streams, favoured by Brooke for how easily she could go take a dip if need be. For him it would be more of a hassle climbing down and up again, but at least the soft babbling of the waters below is a soothing distraction from the blaring heat.

The distraction however turns to a temptation when a surprisingly brisk breeze sweeps by and sunlight reaches his face, beaming all too hotly for him to remain still. Even Brooke trills from her perch above his but defiantly the falcon tucks her head back in and continues her slumber.

With a tired sound Eli sits and blinks himself awake to take in the area; though not completely unfamiliar, the daytime woods look quite alien with the lush greenery and all the light bouncing to-and-fro. The stream runs bright and there are more sounds of life about, and while he can appreciate such a lively scenery, he could appreciate it plenty more were it not for all the sweat at his nape.

Hunt slips down from the tree, leaving behind his cloak on the branches as the base of his makeshift ‘nest’. He’ll just have a quick dip to cool off then resume resting, hopefully until dusk next time…

The cool stream water on his skin is a welcome change before he’s even fully dipped in, still slowly wading into the deepest part reaching barely to his waist, Hunt lets out a content sound and simply basks for a moment. That brief passing of silence however carries the sound of approaching footfalls to his ears and wary immediately, the huntsman tenses and peers about, feeling just a tad defenseless in the waters as he is, until-

“.. Hm? Oh, the heat drove you from your rest, too, I see,” his expression turns sympathetic and light when he shifts to greet Naib stepping fully into view. With a look he could tell Parasite is all but happy about having to be out in this heat and light, clearly quite disgruntled. Their shared predicament is annoying for certain but luckily the remedy is right there.

Whether Naib needs the privacy or no, Eli turns to shift about in the waters, wading with his back to the other for a while to give him a moment. They’ve never bathed in the same area so he can’t say what the other would prefer or if he’d rather move further along the stream entirely but Hunt himself isn’t all too bothered being in the waters already.

[ask-the-parasite]

Naib shuffles through the foliage to where he had left his clothes, waiting a while to dry before putting them back on. The persistent heat on his cheeks leaves the parasite a confused mess of emotions, pacing back and forth on the forest floor. In the end, he dares not take terribly long to dry himself, shimmying the clothes back and ignoring the furs remaining slightly damp still. The clothes would dry quickly enough in this heat.

He hears Eli’s tentative call of his name coming from the direction of the stream and he tries and fails to keep his heartbeat steady. Naib presses a palm over his left breast, feeling the brisk beating of his heart. The parasite takes a deep breath, willing a neutral expression on his face. He- doesn’t wish to worry the huntsman needlessly. No doubt Eli had already picked up on his odd behavior, and Naib can’t blame him if the huntsman mistook it as cause for worry.

Naib snaps out of his thoughts only when the other’s voice comes from much closer and the concerned tone almost makes him feel guilty. He shakes his head hurriedly at the question, ignoring if the gesture might seem too fervent to be exactly reassuring.

“All is well,” he rasps, slightly vexed to hear how his voice catches in his throat but ignoring it in favor of gauging Eli’s countenance. Naib looks over to try and make his stance more convincing- he feels ridiculous and doesn’t quite know what came over him but it is difficult to look the other straight in the eyes. His gaze strays from Eli’s face, only to fall on his disrobed chest.

The low cleavage of his robes mean the tattoos on the huntsman’s skin are always exposed, but it is not equally often that his whole upper body is bare and Naib suddenly doesn’t know where to place his attention. They had just shared the stream to bathe, both entirely unclothed, certainly, but seeing Eli like this within the shade of the forest feels- different. Without the running stream or the vigilance called for keeping an eye on his surroundings in such an open area, Naib finds his eyes lingering longer; On the blue ink running across Eli’s skin, the surprisingly tones lines of muscles on his lithe body- and the deep blue eyes that return his stare but with much too great amount of worry etched into them.

“No need to be worried,” he clarifies clearing his throat. “Just… Got a bit light-headed there.”

What a shoddy excuse to give- Naib had hardly ever been ailed with such inconveniences but perhaps Eli wouldn’t think too deeply on it. At the very least, it was true that the parasite wasn’t accustomed to being awake during the peak of the day when the temperature was at its highest. On the other hand, something so rare could well just add to Eli’s worry.

“I’m better now,” he hurries to add, “The shade… helped.”

A droplet of water falls on his shoulder, his locks still damp from the dive- since he scurried into the cover of the trees with such haste, he can’t say he is terribly surprised. Naib pulls the makeshift hair tie off, shaking his head a little to let his hair fall freely over his shoulders to dry. His ears tilt towards the huntsman attentively.

“The soak sure helped,” Naib says with a relieved expression, trying to think of something to guide Eli’s attention elsewhere. He doesn’t quite allow his eyes to return to the huntsman, however, feeling the way the sight of Eli’s shirtless form has his thoughts wander slightly untoward.

[ask-the-huntsman]

Naib says all is well, but Eli is not that quick to believe him. Not now when the other acted so unnaturally in contrast to how he usually behaves; not outright panicked as he would be with a serious distress but almost skittish, rather. In his presence no less—

Eli believes he’s in the right to be concerned until further notice, even as the parasite tries to settle his worries with words and a self-assured front. The huntsman’s brows furrow the slightest at the display, his own gaze wandering over the other in turn; Naib’s cheeks have their original hue somewhat, but he seems to have donned his clothes with haste, the fabric in part soaked now.

The parasite seems extremely determined to brush it all off though, redirecting the topic with another easy going expression. Eli however continues to scrutinize him, quiet and still, not too unlike an owl would view an unwitting mouse in the fields. He’s noted the way Naib’s voice catches and how his eyes dart about, unable to settle on any one point, on him least of all..

”If you are certain?” Eli wonders, unsure himself whether it’s a statement or a question to Naib. The very least Naib isn’t making an attempt to get away again which he takes as a positive thing. From there worry slowly molds into something else, however, confusion and fervent thinking taking it’s place; Naib is acting oddly, his attempts at making little of the prior scene consequently digging his hole deeper. Eli knows though, that there is a line here somewhere he probably shouldn’t cross, as close as he feels they’ve grown, so he holds back from being too obstinate in his questioning. In the direct method, at least.

Watching as Naib lets loose his hair, the huntsman decides to tak a first, slow step closer, ”Would you allow me to be sure, too?” When he doesn’t see Naib pace back or seem put off in any other way, Eli approaches the other until they’re barely an arm’s length away. He lifts his hand, nudging the top of it gently to the Naib’s forehead, feeling for his temperature a moment. Perhaps it’s a bit above what would be considered normal, but not worrysome, at least, he concludes after a bit and retracts, a small smile finally getting a foothold on his lips.

Before him Naib looks a little bewildered, like he’s frozen in a spotlight. It’s a little endearing, actually. The closer look at him with his hair down and gaze so wide, makes Eli chuckle softly and audibly, leaning back from Parasite’s personal space just the slightest to give the poor wolf a breather.

With the immediate concern for the others well being dwindling, curiosity takes its place instead.

Eli lets out a soft, agreeable hum and his gaze relents on Naib finally, ”It did, yes, I feel we might be able to get some rest now,” he agrees, certainly feeling heaps better after the dip, but sleep doesn’t feel that much closer in truth; his thoughts remain occupied by the other and the peculiar episode.

”Will you return to your haven to rest now? I would offer to go with, but perhaps you need the cool space all to yourself—” Eli begins to offer, wholly understanding if it’s truly so for any reason really, but if his intuition is to be trusted then..

”Either way, I won’t be far should you feel unease again. There’s no need to hesitate calling on me, Naib.”

[ask-the-huntsman]

The Parasite wakes up early into the morning. He feels slightly disoriented, blinking in the bright sunlight and trying to get his bearings about him. The summer sun is persistent, its light crawling in through the smallest of gaps and making the wolf feel a little bit too warm even in the shade of the safe haven. He's only slept for a few hours since the sun-up and the bleariness is a bad combination with the humid heat of the hideout, quickly souring his mood.

Not often one for moving around in the daylight, the parasite is reluctant to get up but he pushes himself up and climbs out of the haven, knowing he won't be able to fall back asleep before dipping into a river or stream. He desperately needs to wash away the clamminess sticking to his skin, if he is to have any hope of getting a few more hours of rest before sundown.

Emerging into the light of the day, Parasite blinks furiously, shielding his eyes against the brightness while his eyes adjust. His clothes feel too hot under the glaring sun and begrudgingly, Parasite removes the wolf pelt, shaking his ponytail free to unstick the hairs the heat has glued to his neck. He is reluctant to leave the hat behind, but finally, the parasite decides it is well enough hidden at the haven and he'd rather not drag it around while he looks for a place to bathe.

Leaving the safe place behind, Parasite takes off towards the closest spot of running water he knows. It doesn't take long for his ears to pick up the lively sounds of a stream and although he moves slowly, warier traveling the forest in the daylight, it's a relief how quickly he reaches the riverbank.

(@ask-the-parasite)

The heat of daytime is a little more bearable above ground where the wind picks up from time to time. However, it’s unfortunately not enough to keep the huntsman from stirring now and again when a warm beam of light catches him from between the swaying foliage.

The spot he picked to rest was a tree close to one of the running streams, favoured by Brooke for how easily she could go take a dip if need be. For him it would be more of a hassle climbing down and up again, but at least the soft babbling of the waters below is a soothing distraction from the blaring heat.

The distraction however turns to a temptation when a surprisingly brisk breeze sweeps by and sunlight reaches his face, beaming all too hotly for him to remain still. Even Brooke trills from her perch above his but defiantly the falcon tucks her head back in and continues her slumber.

With a tired sound Eli sits and blinks himself awake to take in the area; though not completely unfamiliar, the daytime woods look quite alien with the lush greenery and all the light bouncing to-and-fro. The stream runs bright and there are more sounds of life about, and while he can appreciate such a lively scenery, he could appreciate it plenty more were it not for all the sweat at his nape.

Hunt slips down from the tree, leaving behind his cloak on the branches as the base of his makeshift ‘nest’. He’ll just have a quick dip to cool off then resume resting, hopefully until dusk next time...

The cool stream water on his skin is a welcome change before he’s even fully dipped in, still slowly wading into the deepest part reaching barely to his waist, Hunt lets out a content sound and simply basks for a moment. That brief passing of silence however carries the sound of approaching footfalls to his ears and wary immediately, the huntsman tenses and peers about, feeling just a tad defenseless in the waters as he is, until-

“.. Hm? Oh, the heat drove you from your rest, too, I see,” his expression turns sympathetic and light when he shifts to greet Naib stepping fully into view. With a look he could tell Parasite is all but happy about having to be out in this heat and light, clearly quite disgruntled. Their shared predicament is annoying for certain but luckily the remedy is right there.

Whether Naib needs the privacy or no, Eli turns to shift about in the waters, wading with his back to the other for a while to give him a moment. They’ve never bathed in the same area so he can’t say what the other would prefer or if he’d rather move further along the stream entirely but Hunt himself isn’t all too bothered being in the waters already.

[ask-the-parasite]

Naib simply flicks his ears cheekily at the other’s comment, too preoccupied to pay attention to how Eli makes to splash him with water. The handful of cool water straight to his face makes Naib splutter minutely, taken aback by the huntsman’s reaction before a smile paints over his features again. He shakes the droplets from his face but the continuous paddling of water to stay afloat is already beginning to make him feel sluggish and Naib swims closer to the shore until his feet reach the bottom. 

“You can always try,” he teases, “But you’ll have to try harder than that.”

The water now up to his stomach, Naib glances up to the sky, where sun has finally found a slim cloud cover to create a ceasefire in the sweltering heat. A sigh escapes his lips unbidden, the wolf not caring to mask his relief for appearances’ sakes. He soaks in the stream a while longer, letting the water wash by him with eyes closed and simply feeling and listening to the gentle sounds of the nature around them.

Although the worst of the heat has passed, the temperature is warm enough that he doesn’t feel chilly even above the surface. Instead, Naib brings his focus on the sunlight dapping over his skin, already beginning to dry the soaked fur. Content and knowing himself safe in Eli’s company, the parasite blinks his eyes open with no haste. He expects to see the other washing up or perhaps taking a swim but unexpectedly, he finds the huntsman standing near where Naib had last seen him, barely moved and gentle eyes on the parasite. 

The unanticipated attention makes him shift, eyes averted in confusion. Eli’s gaze has never made him feel ill at ease and neither does it now- But Naib finds himself perplexed by the odd tingling that comes over his abdomen seeing the other’s attention fixed on him. He has the urge to clear his throat, or to clarify that he didn’t meant to stare if Eli had hoped for privacy to wash up. But his words come out low and perhaps too quiet for the other to even grasp properly.

To give himself a break to pull himself back together, Naib turns around and begins to waddle towards the shore. 

“I’ll- get going first,” he murmurs and climbs up from the stream, rivulets of water running down his skin. Naib pretends he doesn’t feel the way the skin of his neck is heating up. Throwing a glance in the huntsman’s general direction, the parasite musters:

“Take your time, I won’t be far,” before disappearing through the bushes.

[ask-the-huntsman]

“Perhaps I need to show you that my title is more than an empty claim, then,” Hunt challenges back, unable to hide a toothy smile, something nearing a grin even. Hunt has never boasted with his talents; being quietly confident in them by himself is enough, but the teasing wolf and his playful fit manages to rile even him up a little. With a deep breath, Eli wills himself to cool off however; as harmless as this all is in their good fun, he values for himself to stay on an even keel.

While Naib retreats to where he may wade more comfortably, Eli returns to his own devices and enjoys the gentle current a while longer, surveying the nature around them casually. As lively as all of it is, the vibrancy of color is near blinding when he tries to imagine the familiar hues of the night he’s seen a dozen of times with Naib. They stick out sorely in the greens here, night-time definitely lending it’s boons better in terms of cover. In the end they both are rather ill-suited from dawn-to-dark, he concludes with a hum.

The thought brings his eyes back to Naib and soon Eli finds him watching the parasite fondly and how he’s enjoying the mix of cool and warm in the shallow waters. His gaze lingers, longer than intended but he can’t help it when Naib looks so at ease, near smiling in the sunlight that is a rare treat for them altogether. It’s their personal preference to rise at dusk but there is no denying that daylight has it’s blessings too with it’s warmth and light. As unbearable as it may feel in the current heat. He doesn’t think to divert his eyes when Parasite blinks from his reverie, watching unwittingly with the very same, fond smile, until Naib meets his gaze and it gives him pause. His eyes dart away before Eli can even blink, donning an expression that looks increasingly more uncomfortable the longer the huntsman watches.

Past the noises of nature, as subdued as they may be, he doesn’t quite catch what Naib says next. Partially due to how into himself he mumbles but also because his attention is on the other’s face and the dim hue of red that he seems to catch. Is it simply a result of the blearing sun on skin that’s not used to it or— Eli can’t tell before he’s confused once again when Naib high-tails it so abruptly, water sloshing loudly out of his way with every step before he is fully ashore.

It leaves Eli reeling a bit, unsure what exactly came over him but it didn’t seem that dire to warrant being followed. Naib seems as if he needs the breather, if the red of his face was any indication. A certain tension permeates the air afterwards, leaving Hunt to his thoughts as he washes up properly, rinsing his body, hair and face one last time. He may only guess, not assume, at what got to the wolf so suddenly, the uncertainty and the guesses that come with it making him glance to the foliage time and again.

With thoughts awhirl he cuts the soak short and rises to the shore, allowing for himself to dry a bit in the sun and wind. Eli makes sure to at least secure his robe to his waist, the top left to be carried along, before he makes for the treeline with tentative steps.

”Naib?” he calls into the woods, approaching the spot he saw the other disappear through into the foliage. He doesn’t follow entirely yet, not wanting to prod too much while the others exact source of ’distress’ isn’t clear, but he can’t rightly ignore it either. In a word, he’s worried. Was something done wrong? Did he grow hesitant over the state of his own body? Surely Hunt’s gentle teasing couldn’t cause that wild of a reaction— The one last thing he could plausibly think of, Eli briskly brushes aside with a shake of his head, lest his chest unsettles any further..

”If you’d rather have bathed alone, you could have let me know. I wouldn’t have minded,” he speaks into the woods, trying to spot a glimpse of the familiar blue, ”you may resume your bath now if you prefer. I can move and rest further away,” offering the chance, Eli takes a slow step forward and ducks into the treeline, seeing Naib just a little further ahead, backside to him. He’s not sure what to make of the other from here, but decides to try again for his attention as gentle concern slips into his tone, ”are you unwell?”

[ask-the-huntsman]

💦

💦 - mannerisms that your muse has when they’re shy or nervous

[ ‘ Now that I consider it, feeling shy or nervous didn't have a place in my life for years.’]

[‘ and, if not for Naib, I doubt those emotions would be nothing but obsolete.’ ]

[ '.. For those are sentiments borne out of consideration for others. ']

[' however, it has been a while, so I find my reactions to be out of my control at times.']

[ask-the-huntsman]

The Parasite wakes up early into the morning. He feels slightly disoriented, blinking in the bright sunlight and trying to get his bearings about him. The summer sun is persistent, its light crawling in through the smallest of gaps and making the wolf feel a little bit too warm even in the shade of the safe haven. He's only slept for a few hours since the sun-up and the bleariness is a bad combination with the humid heat of the hideout, quickly souring his mood.

Not often one for moving around in the daylight, the parasite is reluctant to get up but he pushes himself up and climbs out of the haven, knowing he won't be able to fall back asleep before dipping into a river or stream. He desperately needs to wash away the clamminess sticking to his skin, if he is to have any hope of getting a few more hours of rest before sundown.

Emerging into the light of the day, Parasite blinks furiously, shielding his eyes against the brightness while his eyes adjust. His clothes feel too hot under the glaring sun and begrudgingly, Parasite removes the wolf pelt, shaking his ponytail free to unstick the hairs the heat has glued to his neck. He is reluctant to leave the hat behind, but finally, the parasite decides it is well enough hidden at the haven and he'd rather not drag it around while he looks for a place to bathe.

Leaving the safe place behind, Parasite takes off towards the closest spot of running water he knows. It doesn't take long for his ears to pick up the lively sounds of a stream and although he moves slowly, warier traveling the forest in the daylight, it's a relief how quickly he reaches the riverbank.

(@ask-the-parasite)

The heat of daytime is a little more bearable above ground where the wind picks up from time to time. However, it’s unfortunately not enough to keep the huntsman from stirring now and again when a warm beam of light catches him from between the swaying foliage.

The spot he picked to rest was a tree close to one of the running streams, favoured by Brooke for how easily she could go take a dip if need be. For him it would be more of a hassle climbing down and up again, but at least the soft babbling of the waters below is a soothing distraction from the blaring heat.

The distraction however turns to a temptation when a surprisingly brisk breeze sweeps by and sunlight reaches his face, beaming all too hotly for him to remain still. Even Brooke trills from her perch above his but defiantly the falcon tucks her head back in and continues her slumber.

With a tired sound Eli sits and blinks himself awake to take in the area; though not completely unfamiliar, the daytime woods look quite alien with the lush greenery and all the light bouncing to-and-fro. The stream runs bright and there are more sounds of life about, and while he can appreciate such a lively scenery, he could appreciate it plenty more were it not for all the sweat at his nape.

Hunt slips down from the tree, leaving behind his cloak on the branches as the base of his makeshift ‘nest’. He’ll just have a quick dip to cool off then resume resting, hopefully until dusk next time...

The cool stream water on his skin is a welcome change before he’s even fully dipped in, still slowly wading into the deepest part reaching barely to his waist, Hunt lets out a content sound and simply basks for a moment. That brief passing of silence however carries the sound of approaching footfalls to his ears and wary immediately, the huntsman tenses and peers about, feeling just a tad defenseless in the waters as he is, until-

“.. Hm? Oh, the heat drove you from your rest, too, I see,” his expression turns sympathetic and light when he shifts to greet Naib stepping fully into view. With a look he could tell Parasite is all but happy about having to be out in this heat and light, clearly quite disgruntled. Their shared predicament is annoying for certain but luckily the remedy is right there.

Whether Naib needs the privacy or no, Eli turns to shift about in the waters, wading with his back to the other for a while to give him a moment. They’ve never bathed in the same area so he can’t say what the other would prefer or if he’d rather move further along the stream entirely but Hunt himself isn’t all too bothered being in the waters already.

[ask-the-parasite]

Naib makes his way through the forest, pushing foliage aside as he reaches the water’s edge. His ears perk up, eyes widening as he sees someone else has already taken a dip into the cooling waters- The parasite almost turns on his tail but then the stranger speaks up and Naib realizes it’s not a stranger at all; the overbearing heat has made his thoughts slow and sluggish, almost embarrassingly so, taking so long to recognize Eli. 

The parasite simply offers Hunt a tired smile, his guess spot on as to the reason Naib happened intending to bathe at the same time as himself. The turning of his back is almost surprising gesture in the clear invitation for Naib to join Eli if he would so like- Under other circumstances the parasite could have hesitated, but he wastes no breath for such modesty in wanting to rid himself of the uncomfortable sheen of sweat.  

With the wolf skin left behind at the haven, there are only so many layers of clothing for parasite to remove but he does so regardless, not wishing to return to rest with his only change of clothes wet. Or better yet, not wishing to walk around the forest bare of clothing altogether.

Naib doesn’t consider himself a shy person, but he appreciates the offer of privacy nevertheless- He finishes stripping down and drops into the waters with an unceremonious splash, sighing contently as the cool water of the stream makes contact with his skin. The shore is steep enough to allow Naib the room to crouch and sink into the water up to his chin. He soaks there for a good while, before his legs begin to protest and Naib eventually stands up. 

He walks deeper, slowed by the running stream but he is in no hurry now that the discomfort from blaring sun is balanced out by the cool water. Glancing over at the other, Naib finds it almost comical how much further Eli has had to walk to be submerged as wholly as himself much closer to the shore. He blinks lazily, but his lips quirk into a mischievous smile as Naib kicks off from the rock bottom and dives under the surface.

Even with his eyes closed, Naib knows where Eli was standing well enough to find and tackle the other, pulling the huntsman under. He can hear the yelp of surprise even underwater, before Eli falls over with a splash. Naib swims to the surface with just a few kicks, laughing by the time the other breaks through. The huntsman’s hair is soaked and sticks to his face but Naib can’t help but smile at the sight. Rarely does he see such genuine, untailored emotions on Hunt’s face. 

Somewhat begrudgingly, Naib makes note of how Eli can still stand in the stream, the water reaching up to his neck- Meanwhile the parasite himself is left paddling the water to stay afloat. 

[ask-the-huntsman]

At the first splash, when Naib first leaps in without any reserve, Eli looks over his shoulder with a blink; the other was certainly eager about getting into the waters, more than anticipated. He doesn’t stare for too long however still intending to wade deeper, but he does watch long enough to see the immediate improvement in Naib’s mood as he squats into the cool waters. It gives cause for the huntsman to smile, happy knowing neither needs to be shy; being bare is quite natural after all and Naib seems fine sharing the waters as they are.

Eventually reaching a point where the water laps at his chin, deep enough to cool all of him at once. Eli settles and relaxes for a moment intending to simply be and listen for a moment, allowing Naib a moment to adjust too. 

First, he hears the calm, coursing waters, followed by the wind in the trees and lastly a splash somewhere not too far off-- it piques his curiosity enough that he peeks one eye open to find Naib gone; likely to take a proper dip to cool off. 

The huntsman’s brow furrows with a thought; how cruel the heat of the day must be on Naib, donning not only the wolf pelt but also dealing with the tufts of fur along his back. Whereas Eli may remove any article, Naib is less fortunate with how he is--

Eli can barely blink before the thought is cut off. Something collides with him underwater, toppling him into the stream with a yelp that barely gets out. The momentum and confusion stun him briefly just before the situation dawns at the sight of blurred blue and he fumbles to regain his footing.

Eli resurfaces with a gasp soon, mouth remaining slightly agape after and eyes blown wide from the surprise. He stands there stupefied, almost in disbelief, before blinking his focus onto Naib who seems more than just pleased with himself, all grin and mirth as he laughs. It’s a warm sound to him, contagious enough for Eli to chuckle along once while wiping small rivulets of water from his face.

“Awfully proud, aren’t you?” his tone is anything but admonishing, rather he sounds amused to the point there’s another breathy chuckle in there somewhere. The joy in the other is also contagious, Eli’s eyes curved into soft crescents not from the bright light but from a genuine smile.

The playful streak he’s noticed rear it’s head every now and again in Naib is awfully comforting every time; the last he remembers was when the other pounced him into the ground, back then very proud of his achievement as a hunter. It’s been a while and a lot has passed from then to now, but to see Naib so casually bend to his mischievous whim when fancy strikes is nothing but a fond sight for the huntsman.

The reminisced moment has Eli exhale deeply, contently, before he looks over to Naib who is staring back while he bobs on the water’s surface with his paddling. Eli doesn’t often think of how much shorter Naib falls of him but here it’s quite humorous to note.

“It's beginning to seem almost as if you intend to make a habit of catching me by surprise. Perhaps I need to best you once or twice, too,” he teases with a warning, the playfulness from Naib catching on just a bit. It doesn’t incite anything as major as another tackle, but it is enough for Hunt to feel satisfied as he slowly raises his hand underwater and brings it to the surface right before Naib to flick a bit of water into his face.

[ask-the-huntsman]

The parasite wakes to the restless movement somewhere nearby, sitting up to blink until his eyes focus on Hunt tossing and turning in his sleep. It doesn’t happen often enough to be a pattern, but in the time they have known each other Parasite knows it is not nightmares the huntsman is fighting. It must be another vision, of pasts lived or futures yet to be seen, he can never know. The only thing Hunt has been able to share with him is that he is not able to speak of the visions, lest terrible things happen to him or those he saw in the vision.

Carefully, he shuffles closer, touching a steadying hand on Hunt’s shoulder. The other jolts, eyes flying open. The parasite can’t read the expression on his face but when Hunt’s eyes focus on his face a feeling of unease makes it home in his chest- Before he can speak the huntsman’s name, the other whispers out uncertainly but clear as day:

”Naib.”

(@ask-the-parasite)

The name leaves his lips before the freshly awakened huntsman can even sit, blinking slow as he takes in the parasite’s worried features with utmost care. A moment passes in that silence, Hunt’s lips a thin line as he deciphers the others face.

“Naib,” he tries again with no further explanation, eyes honing in on the parasite’s who, in a word, now looks entirely blindsided. 

Hunt takes a moment longer to gather himself next, swallowing thickly but gaze never wandering off the other’s. What was shown in his vision still lingers at the back of his mind; there was a community, friends and family, a place to call home. They were pieces of the parasite’s past that he could never again talk about himself.

They are his memories, he is certain, for the parasite he saw was but a human; a man no less a part of his home than the next. A man such a far-cry in appearance from the half wolf before him now, but still recognisable after all the time they’ve shared.

Blinking, Hunt slowly sits up, his mind now calm enough from the fleeting visions wake. Still, it leaves an ache in his chest; the weight of a memory not his own nor for him to share with the righteous owner, both a guilty burden and a blessing.

It carried with it a piece of Parasite he feels confident enough to share after all.

“That is your name, isn’t it?”

[ask-the-parasite]

The offer to see go see the sunset comes as a surprise- but not an unpleasant one. In silent agreement, Naib takes a last steadying breath and pushes himself off of the wall, heading in the direction of the cliffside he knows bare of any trees that would block off the sky view. 

They walk in silence, both undoubtedly processing the earlier events- and the emotions that inevitably followed. To notice Hunt walking next to him, instead of following a step behind or leading in the front, evokes a warm feeling in his chest. Naib is aware of how their shoulders brush at times, walking side by side but he finds it doesn’t make him want to increase the distance between them. 

Brooke having stayed behind at the haven, Naib glances at the huntsman: Knowing Hunt’s vision knows dimmer with every step they travel further from his companion, the parasite takes care to stay by his side. He knows the other capable of relying on his other senses to navigate once the darkness takes over, but with Hunt having supported him every step along the way, Naib wishes to return the gesture, even if only in such small measures.

When the other starts to talk again, Naib keeps his eyes ahead to steer clear of wayward roots and rocks, but can’t help the occasional glance towards Hunt. His chest tightens at the sudden change in the air around Hunt, the voiced will to share his name with Naib making his heart skip a beat. It isn’t something he expected or would ever have felt entitled to knowing. He had learned to know the man walking by his side by the name Hunt- never wanting more or needing a reason.

But with the impact of his own name returned to him only moments prior still so fresh in his mind, the notion makes Naib stop for the fraction of a moment. He can’t help but sense the air of hesitation, even before the word leaves his mouth.

When Eli speaks his name out loud, Naib finally halts in his steps completely- He doesn’t intend to do so, but the moment catches him of guard. 

“Eli.” 

Naib tries the name on his tongue, eyes never leaving the huntsman’s face even as the other keeps his gaze steady on the horizon. He doesn’t think the name makes him feel differently about the other, but he does feel the name is a stark difference to the traits he instinctively connects to Hunt. 

Eli sounds- a lot softer but at the same time, Naib did not expect anything at all. It is ink on an empty canvas- an addition to the title the other had picked for himself, by his own volition. He doesn’t know what exactly it was that made the huntsman seemingly abandon this name he now spoke out loud for the first time in Parasite’s presence.

Perhaps it was sense of obligation, now being privy to the parasite’s name to return the favor but Hunt did explicitly say the revelation was as he himself willed it. Naib- wants to believe he is right in thinking of Hunt as someone proud and strong enough to not share something so private if it wasn’t what he truly wanted.

“…Eli,” he repeats again quietly, almost more to himself than for anyone else to hear. Naib finally looks away to give the huntsman more space but he stays standing where he is to not leave the other standing on his own in the dark.

They never quite ended up reaching the cliffside but Naib can still see the sun sinking lower in the sky, leaving a trail of blazing colors in its wake. To learn Eli’s true name left him with an impact he hadn’t known to brace himself for- But it was a sign of trust, one he knew to cherish dearly.

He felt like after the years they spent together out of necessity or for convenience’s sake, the walls between them were finally showing cracks. He wants to ask whether he could use the name or if the other still preferred Hunt. but for the moment he was content to let the revelation soak in, allowing Eli his time in silence. 

[ask-the-huntsman]

With Naib’s steps coming to an abrupt halt so do Eli’s instinctively stop. The mask of the huntsman’s title is wedged off, and while it was never a facade for anything it does unearth things within he’d let go of. The call of his true name brings with it hard to place emotions to the surface and as Naib repeats his name to him, Eli’s chest rises and falls with a solemn breath.

It’s bittersweet to hear again after many long years, his prior memory of it a chorus of yells and screams ranging from grief to anger with voices overlapping, both begging and demanding him not to go.

However, as perturbed as he may seem the truth is he’s anything but. There’s instead an onset of relief, something tightly wound coming undone and allowing him, Eli, to feel lighter. His name was never a secret, just a link to an unfortunate past he tried to sever away but hearing Naib speak it, the word so pure on his tongue, breathes new life into it. It gives bud to a hope; perhaps it can yet be salvaged.

“.. If you wish to call me Eli, I won’t mind,” he offers after a considerable silence, unseeing gaze finally wandering to where Naib stands beside him, his willingness to remain so close a welcome reassurance. ‘It would make me happy’ is omitted; the choice ultimately left to Naib with no pressure. The smile in his voice however, may be telling enough the notion is not unwelcome at all.

Ever since they first gave one another names to be called by, Hunt was his sole call and though originally a title, it’s grown on for a good few years to be a good enough name, special in that it was something only the wolf knew and used. However, he weighs Naib and wolf in his mind as well and the choice isn’t difficult to make; to embrace the other, to accept him with his every vice and virtue, the name, no matter how sullied by others one might think it, feels wholly integral.

As the very final rays of the sun start to catch them from between the foliage, dappling warm spots of light Eli can feel over them, he finds himself shifting the slightest step closer to Naib. He smiles into the warmth unabashed in his revelation, eyes half lidded and brows gently upturned; an expression seldom seen with all his softness so bare.

“Eli or Hunt, Naib or wolf-- I believe we can be content either way we choose,” he speaks with warmth seeping openly, fondly, into the words. It feels strange for Hunt, being so overtly sentimental and unreserved, so if even for this briefest of moments he allows it wholly.

All these years he may have considered himself a watchful figure for the other; there to aid and guide Naib into his new life in the woods over a slowly closing distance. What he never saw coming though was how in turn Parasite would affect him, allowing him to veer away from total isolation, to trust and enjoy the company of another again. It was a joy he maybe didn’t need but now that he’s had a taste once more, Eli finds himself quietly, selfishly wishing for it to last.

Before he lets slips every thought too freely, as they each have plenty to consider already, Hunt closes his eyes and turns from Naib to face the horizon again, a small curve remaining on his lips.

“.. It’s good that we met, Naib.”

[ask-the-huntsman]

The Parasite wakes up early into the morning. He feels slightly disoriented, blinking in the bright sunlight and trying to get his bearings about him. The summer sun is persistent, its light crawling in through the smallest of gaps and making the wolf feel a little bit too warm even in the shade of the safe haven. He's only slept for a few hours since the sun-up and the bleariness is a bad combination with the humid heat of the hideout, quickly souring his mood.

Not often one for moving around in the daylight, the parasite is reluctant to get up but he pushes himself up and climbs out of the haven, knowing he won't be able to fall back asleep before dipping into a river or stream. He desperately needs to wash away the clamminess sticking to his skin, if he is to have any hope of getting a few more hours of rest before sundown.

Emerging into the light of the day, Parasite blinks furiously, shielding his eyes against the brightness while his eyes adjust. His clothes feel too hot under the glaring sun and begrudgingly, Parasite removes the wolf pelt, shaking his ponytail free to unstick the hairs the heat has glued to his neck. He is reluctant to leave the hat behind, but finally, the parasite decides it is well enough hidden at the haven and he'd rather not drag it around while he looks for a place to bathe.

Leaving the safe place behind, Parasite takes off towards the closest spot of running water he knows. It doesn't take long for his ears to pick up the lively sounds of a stream and although he moves slowly, warier traveling the forest in the daylight, it's a relief how quickly he reaches the riverbank.

(@ask-the-parasite)

The heat of daytime is a little more bearable above ground where the wind picks up from time to time. However, it’s unfortunately not enough to keep the huntsman from stirring now and again when a warm beam of light catches him from between the swaying foliage.

The spot he picked to rest was a tree close to one of the running streams, favoured by Brooke for how easily she could go take a dip if need be. For him it would be more of a hassle climbing down and up again, but at least the soft babbling of the waters below is a soothing distraction from the blaring heat.

The distraction however turns to a temptation when a surprisingly brisk breeze sweeps by and sunlight reaches his face, beaming all too hotly for him to remain still. Even Brooke trills from her perch above his but defiantly the falcon tucks her head back in and continues her slumber.

With a tired sound Eli sits and blinks himself awake to take in the area; though not completely unfamiliar, the daytime woods look quite alien with the lush greenery and all the light bouncing to-and-fro. The stream runs bright and there are more sounds of life about, and while he can appreciate such a lively scenery, he could appreciate it plenty more were it not for all the sweat at his nape.

Hunt slips down from the tree, leaving behind his cloak on the branches as the base of his makeshift ‘nest’. He’ll just have a quick dip to cool off then resume resting, hopefully until dusk next time...

The cool stream water on his skin is a welcome change before he’s even fully dipped in, still slowly wading into the deepest part reaching barely to his waist, Hunt lets out a content sound and simply basks for a moment. That brief passing of silence however carries the sound of approaching footfalls to his ears and wary immediately, the huntsman tenses and peers about, feeling just a tad defenseless in the waters as he is, until-

“.. Hm? Oh, the heat drove you from your rest, too, I see,” his expression turns sympathetic and light when he shifts to greet Naib stepping fully into view. With a look he could tell Parasite is all but happy about having to be out in this heat and light, clearly quite disgruntled. Their shared predicament is annoying for certain but luckily the remedy is right there.

Whether Naib needs the privacy or no, Eli turns to shift about in the waters, wading with his back to the other for a while to give him a moment. They’ve never bathed in the same area so he can’t say what the other would prefer or if he’d rather move further along the stream entirely but Hunt himself isn’t all too bothered being in the waters already.

[ask-the-parasite]

(Kiss already you pining fools)

[ask-the-huntsman]

The parasite wakes to the restless movement somewhere nearby, sitting up to blink until his eyes focus on Hunt tossing and turning in his sleep. It doesn’t happen often enough to be a pattern, but in the time they have known each other Parasite knows it is not nightmares the huntsman is fighting. It must be another vision, of pasts lived or futures yet to be seen, he can never know. The only thing Hunt has been able to share with him is that he is not able to speak of the visions, lest terrible things happen to him or those he saw in the vision.

Carefully, he shuffles closer, touching a steadying hand on Hunt’s shoulder. The other jolts, eyes flying open. The parasite can’t read the expression on his face but when Hunt’s eyes focus on his face a feeling of unease makes it home in his chest- Before he can speak the huntsman’s name, the other whispers out uncertainly but clear as day:

”Naib.”

(@ask-the-parasite)

The name leaves his lips before the freshly awakened huntsman can even sit, blinking slow as he takes in the parasite’s worried features with utmost care. A moment passes in that silence, Hunt’s lips a thin line as he deciphers the others face.

“Naib,” he tries again with no further explanation, eyes honing in on the parasite’s who, in a word, now looks entirely blindsided. 

Hunt takes a moment longer to gather himself next, swallowing thickly but gaze never wandering off the other’s. What was shown in his vision still lingers at the back of his mind; there was a community, friends and family, a place to call home. They were pieces of the parasite’s past that he could never again talk about himself.

They are his memories, he is certain, for the parasite he saw was but a human; a man no less a part of his home than the next. A man such a far-cry in appearance from the half wolf before him now, but still recognisable after all the time they’ve shared.

Blinking, Hunt slowly sits up, his mind now calm enough from the fleeting visions wake. Still, it leaves an ache in his chest; the weight of a memory not his own nor for him to share with the righteous owner, both a guilty burden and a blessing.

It carried with it a piece of Parasite he feels confident enough to share after all.

“That is your name, isn’t it?”

[ask-the-parasite]

Naib focuses on the gentle touches running across his face, clenching his jaw as he refuses to let the curse take its hold of him. Not here, not in front of Hunt. Not again.

The huntsman’s closeness soothes him like a pool of water in summer heat and the parasite leans into his touch, ashamed he spiraled so easily but leaving no room for thoughts of the kind to fuel his panic. Instead, Naib listens how Hunt’s voice joins his own in the assurances that everything will be alright and eventually he ceases muttering what almost sounds like pleas to some entity; ‘I will be aright; You can’t hurt me’.

His breath still hitches on the way in on occasion, but Naib feels his heart stutter for reason entirely different from the curse when Hunt speaks up once more. When the huntsman spells out what Naib has only just begun to realize feeling himself towards the other; ‘you are important to me’.

He wishes he could muster the words back but he finds no such courage, or strength amidst wrestling down the fear. Naib doesn’t resist when Hunt lifts his face to have their eyes meet again. The ache in his chest grows tenfold and his eyesight blurs, robbing his sight of Hunt despite retaining the eye contact- only until the tears spill over and he blinks away the haze.

His breathing stutters, but is it now almost solely to blame on the immense relief, and an emotion equally strong, a name of which Naib hesitates to place. Throat clogged enough to prevent attempts at forming words, the parasite leans in the remaining small distance between them, pressing his forehead against Hunt’s.

‘I believe you’ he wants to say to the only person who offered him such deep empathy and understanding. After being chased out, for a time Naib lived believing he would never again find another willing to accept him as he was- But not once had Hunt deceived him or shown fear of him- not even when it would have been right.

Hunt doesn’t flinch away from the contact so Naib allows himself to stay until his breaths grow even, looking into the deep blue eyes, listening to their steady heartbeats. He can’t remember ever once retaining his senses after the panic started to take over but as he started to lose himself into the ocean of Hunt’s eyes, a calm settled over him like a blanket.

“I’ll be worthy of your trust,” Naib murmurs, finally pulling himself together and he fights to show Hunt a small, grateful smile. The bedding rustles as he begins to stand up, refusing to wobble on his feet but leaning on the cavern’s wall for support. He takes a minute to feel confident in holding his own against the curse, it’s wicked claws resolutely pushed to the back of his mind. Then he turns around, wanting to be free of the haven that after the episode has started to feel too suffocating to wish to remain.

“Won’t you… walk with me?”

[ask-the-huntsman]

Hunt only smiles knowingly, he is certain Naib will prove himself worthy. To Hunt and hopefully to himself just as well; he may take the physical form of a beast when cornered so but the soul within is not that sullied. Whatever his past may have held, he now lives earnestly in these woods with him and through the time they’ve shared, has become an integral part of the huntsman’s life too. 

Perhaps, he wonders, Naib never imagined anyone would look to him and not cower in fear but in turn, Hunt had not seen this coming for him either; the shared meals, times they’ve occupied the same haven for rest and eves spent by campfires, even if in silence, were things he gave up in the past thinking never again.

Watching Naib rise to his feet, a little unsteady but determined to remain standing, Hunt figures he’d like a little fresh air after such a close call. However, the invitation to go with him comes as a surprise; he’d have figured the other may have needed a moment alone to clear his head then again, with what he’s witnessed today, asking for company may not be as outlandish as it once was. The huntsman’s mouth hangs open a moment before it eases to a tiny, glad smile, his chest light with relief among other simmering emotions.

“Of course.” 

They duck out of the haven, greeted by a sky that’s slowly starting to ripple with the hues of sun down. Right away it’s easier to breathe, the fresh air clearing his mind from the remnants of the visions fog. However, his plight was never as dire as Naib’s and Hunt looks to the other when he’s had a chance to stretch his limbs and draw a few deep breaths. It will surely take a while to shake the remaining tremors of panic from his limbs but they’ve all dusk and night to make sure the curse won’t step in.

“We should take the chance to see the sunset, we often sleep past it, don’t we?” Hunt offers, giving something lighter to consider for a moment as Naib still recollects himself.

Brooke greets them with a questioning call from her perch, worried a moment that they’re out so soon from their rest but after a moment of not sensing distress the falcon settles back to sleep. Hunt won’t bother her to follow them; he may go without sight if they wander too far but knowing Naib will be there he isn’t worried.

Starting upon one of the faint trails where setting sunlight catches the lowest branches and beams though, warming them just enough to be comfortable, Hunt finds his steps falling in line with Naib’s. Usually if they happen to wander together, one goes before the other to find footing but here the ground is blessedly even and there is enough space. Though their arms may brush or shoulders bump however, it’s anything but a bother. 

Rather, it’s a nice reminder, a sign that neither are alone anymore.

Hunt, as his sight slowly dims around the edges the further they walk, can’t help a fond smile surfacing. The thought has always been present that here in the woods they are each others only company but why is it only now that he sees the depth of it? It was never a necessity for him to meet with Naib as often as they did but rather a thing of circumstance and chance. Perhaps it was fate even, a piece of the future he never saw.

Whatever it was, Hunt finds himself only grateful as they pad along in a comfortable silence, his heart finding a pattern it’s not known in so long. The dusk above fades into the familiar purples they both know all too well by now, and Hunt gazes skyward to catch the fading hues before his sight fades entirely, steering his steps a little closer to Naib’s, taking guidance of the way he walks.

“.. Names can be significant, or not. It depends entirely on how you decide to see them. A deer can live without one and so can we if we so choose,” there’s a pause then, a pensive expression coloring Hunt’s features a moment but his gaze never leaves the horizon that ever dims before him.

“You can choose whatever you want for yours but- I would like for you to at least know mine.”

“Eli,” he speaks, features softening over the meager syllables, a strange feeling taking place to hear it, even if it’s from his own mouth. It’s a little ironic after speaking of how meaningless it can be that he would then feel so strongly, so softly for it.

“My name is Eli.”

[ask-the-huntsman]

The parasite wakes to the restless movement somewhere nearby, sitting up to blink until his eyes focus on Hunt tossing and turning in his sleep. It doesn’t happen often enough to be a pattern, but in the time they have known each other Parasite knows it is not nightmares the huntsman is fighting. It must be another vision, of pasts lived or futures yet to be seen, he can never know. The only thing Hunt has been able to share with him is that he is not able to speak of the visions, lest terrible things happen to him or those he saw in the vision.

Carefully, he shuffles closer, touching a steadying hand on Hunt’s shoulder. The other jolts, eyes flying open. The parasite can’t read the expression on his face but when Hunt’s eyes focus on his face a feeling of unease makes it home in his chest- Before he can speak the huntsman’s name, the other whispers out uncertainly but clear as day:

”Naib.”

(@ask-the-parasite)

The name leaves his lips before the freshly awakened huntsman can even sit, blinking slow as he takes in the parasite's worried features with utmost care. A moment passes in that silence, Hunt's lips a thin line as he deciphers the others face.

“Naib,” he tries again with no further explanation, eyes honing in on the parasite’s who, in a word, now looks entirely blindsided. 

Hunt takes a moment longer to gather himself next, swallowing thickly but gaze never wandering off the other’s. What was shown in his vision still lingers at the back of his mind; there was a community, friends and family, a place to call home. They were pieces of the parasite’s past that he could never again talk about himself.

They are his memories, he is certain, for the parasite he saw was but a human; a man no less a part of his home than the next. A man such a far-cry in appearance from the half wolf before him now, but still recognisable after all the time they've shared.

Blinking, Hunt slowly sits up, his mind now calm enough from the fleeting visions wake. Still, it leaves an ache in his chest; the weight of a memory not his own nor for him to share with the righteous owner, both a guilty burden and a blessing.

It carried with it a piece of Parasite he feels confident enough to share after all.

"That is your name, isn't it?"

[ask-the-parasite]

Parasite stares, hearing Hunt call the name a second time but still it feels odd- distant. But for anything resembling a memory of his forgotten past, the echo of nostalgia in those four letters is the closest he has ever felt to remembering. How the huntsman learned the name and what he saw will never be for his ears but for the moment Naib is too staggered to feel any sense of loss over the fragment of his past.

It is his name, on some level the parasite knows this but he has grown so disconnected from it- and yet when Hunt called out to him, he instinctively looked towards the source. The parasite is flooded with emotions, pulling him every which way but any that he tries to chase lead him to a dead end. He knows there is myriad of memories connected to that name- His entire life spun around it- but all his attempts at recollection of anything lead only to a pounding headache and the man curling in on himself to hold his head in his hands.

Naib takes a deep breath, sitting cross legged across from the huntsman but then leaning his forehead to rest on the other’s shoulder. He has seen the kind of toll the visions can take on Hunt.

”Are you alright?” He’s holding his eyes closed, trying to ward off the looming headache but he contentrates on the feeling of the huntsman’s shoulder pressing up against his head, close enough that Naib can hear his breathing.

[ask-the-huntsman]

The other doesn't need to speak, for the way the name draws his attention was telling enough; his mind may have forgotten but the given name is etched into his heart. He recognises it, for better or for worse, and now it's a proven link to a past so tightly sealed away.

Though Hunt has never tried to inquire nor has the other for that matter, a wordless agreement existing between them to leave history to it's own devices, that small peek roused its own questions of course. How did that man he saw end up here, seeking solace in woods seldom travelled, so averse to others? Perhaps he'll one day see the truth of him, whatever it may be.

As the silence spans longer Hunt allows his own thoughts to wander, refocusing into the present. The vision has rippled away from his mind but left behind cold sweat and a dull, vacant thrum instead. Visions take up a space as they come and go, blotting out thoughts and at worst inducing even headaches the longer they last. This one left him with a faint throb in the back of his head, nothing Hunt couldn't work through but present enough for him to squint in discomfort.

Yet his eyes blink open blearily when theres a nudge to his shoulder, a weight settling there to stay. Even as he stares, it takes a good few seconds for the thought to register that the wolf- Naib, has leaned on him, and a few more for him to note the question asked,

"I'll be alright," Hunt murmurs, a little groggy but willing himself to focus on the other to distract from the ache. With steady breaths he observes Naib, ".. Are you?" He parrots suddenly, truly unsure beyond the visible show of confusion what the other may be feeling or thinking.

"Are you happy to have your name back?"

[ask-the-parasite]

”I’m not sure yet,” Naib admits quietly, cracking his eyes open. He was bold to impose himself on the huntsman but selfishly, he is hanging onto their point of contact in hopes of reassuring himself nothing has changed integrally. He could always have picked a new name for himself but it had never felt of importance. It was enought that Hunt had found a way to adress him and beyond that, he hadn’t longed for a deeper connection to a particular set of sounds.

Having his name back and so suddenly at that, certainly leaves him reeling. It is his- he knows so without a shadow of doubt- but that is the extent to which the revelation offered him any clarity.

”It makes me feel… More human,” he ruminates in the low rumble of his voice, before furrowing his brow. Having something that before felt so insignificant returned to him it also makes it much more difficult to ignore the rest: Everything else that had once been attached to his past, along with the name. He’d never understood how he ended up like this but it had been easier to distract himself not knowing anything at all. Living his days as a shell of a human, only focusing on his survival and the most immediate troubles that would threaten his life in the forest- their life, he realises.

”It’s not just happiness, but…” Naib sighs and straightens his back, giving up the warmth of Hunt’s shoulder against his forehead, ”It’s somewhere there, too.”

The parasite swallows and shifts around so he is sitting next to the huntsman, not quite breaching his space but close enough. It’s comforting, even if he doesn’t dare to invite himself much closer. To his understanding Hunt is a very private person, not much unlike himself- he is grateful for having been allowed the closeness before but Naib would rather not risk making the other uncomfortable now, on top of recovering from the vision. He glances at the huntsman next to him, watching his expression.

”I don’t know what you saw, but…” he thinks about his next words, eventually glancing away but eyes not really returning to the meet the other's properly before he can bring himself to continue; the hesitant edge to his voice nigh impossible to miss. ”I hope- it doesn’t change how you see me.”

He’s always thought no good person would be punished to spend their life like him- He never adressed the topic, but he has killed even after coming to the forest. He knows Hunt tries to soften the impact everytime it happens, knows that it has probalby happened even when he was on his own. The thought paves way to the terrifying idea of how much still happens that he doesn’t know of- What he has done that he has no memory of. What kind of life did he lead to earn such bitter fate.

Hunt’s vision could well have shown him something worth deciding that being damned into living on the border of losing himself day after day, was what he rightly deserved- That he didn’t deserve another’s company after what he had done. Naib doesn’t realise how terrified the possibility of Hunt leaving makes him feel, before his breath hitches with effort and the foreboding flares of pain shoot down his jaw. The parasite concentrates on his breathing, palm pressed to the side of his face. He doesn’t think if it is to cover up how his mouth tears open from its corners or to will the seams of the eyes on his cheek bones from opening but he grunts with effort, repeating like a mantra:

”I’m alright, I’m alright,” over and over.

[ask-the-huntsman]

For someone who knew nothing of his past, a thing as simple in principle as a name must bring a whole new breadth of things to consider. Perhaps it’s too soon for him to decide how he feels of it but at least his question can guide the others’ wayward mind a little if naught else. 

When Naib mutters so carefully that it brings to him a sense of humanity, the huntsman feels a small smile tug at his lips. The significance of names are how they link to a sense of self; they are a sign of being sentient and draw the line of difference to a creature of the wilds that doesn’t care to pick a name much less have need of one. While they live not unlike the animals of the woods Hunt can’t help but wonder if having his name, his true name, returned to him could serve to ground Naib when the curse threatens to take him next.

The hunstman listens patiently as Naib gathers his thoughts, all the while leaning upon his shoulder as pillar of support; it may have thrown him off a moment to be so suddenly touched but in the end he finds himself not minding. Rather, it somehow warms him to know Naib is comfortable in doing so, if even just to alleviate his distress. He knows words at times don’t come so easily to the other, be it his throat disagreeing on the syllables or not, and Hunt has long since learned to give him ample time to form his thoughts and speak.

“You need not decide now how you feel about it- your name,” he speaks to Naib in the soft tone that’s often present when he’s offering comfort, having found his voice easier to use than gestures when at times he simply can’t see, “whether it makes you happy or sad, or feel more human. It’s for you to decide if you’ll carry it once more or cast it away.”

Hunt watches as Naib retreats then and he can sense the reluctance as the other settles to sit parallel with him instead, close enough to feel the heat of his body but lacking that point of contact now. It somehow feels a little wrong.

That small gap seems to always be there; a certain border remaining unbreached when all is well. Over the years they’ve closed the distance, slow and sure, even broken through when things were dire enough or the other simply needed that shoulder to lean on. But that line of courtesy redraws itself time and again, no doubt built from their early conceptions of one another to prefer it there. However, after Naib sought his comfort so unfettered, Hunt can’t be so sure anymore. Do they need that wall any longer? Do hardships need to be the only validation for touch?

Meeting Naib’s worried glance as he begins to speak again of the worry he’s harbored over his vision, Hunt doesn’t let his own gaze fall away even as the other falters. What he saw wasn’t whole, definitely not enough to place judgement on the other should he aim to do so but the entire idea that he’d shun Naib for a past he doesn’t even remember never crossed his mind.

“It doesn’t,” Hunt’s answer is short but calm, reassurance in his eyes that have still yet to turn away. Perhaps he’ll one day see things he didn’t ask for, see what might have brought unto him karma worth this curse but here in these woods he left his own history behind and it’s a courtesy he’s long since extended to Naib too. It’s only fair and were it up to Hunt, he would never know what path paved the others way here; all he knows it’s hard to imagine a life without him now.

There is but a brief silence before Hunt notes the change in his breathing, the pace telling of oncoming panic and right away he tries to focus his gaze. He has to give it some effort but soon he sees the way Naib’s cheeks have began to split into a wider maw, markings of blue threatening to blossom further as he repeats reassurances by himself to still it all. It doesn’t take much to figure out the source of the anxiety and his brows knit with worry right away.

There is no second guessing needed then about their appropriate proximities as Hunt shifts himself closer again, legs brushing as he sides himself with Naib and reaches for him, to bring him back.

“You’re alright,” Hunt speaks in unison with his own words, hand pressing to Naib’s other cheek over where his mouth threatens to split. His hold is firm enough to be felt through the flare of change but kind in equal measures as his thumb begins to draw a repeated line across his cheek, soothing away those fearful eyes, “I will not leave nor shun you for your past. Come what may, you are-”

A companion? Friend? Family? It was never defined and perhaps it doesn’t need to be but Hunt finds himself seeking the words they need regardless.

“.. You are important to me. Whether you are wolf or Naib,” his voice rings out, laced with resolution above the soft tone this time as his hand gently guides for their eyes to meet again, “I would not wish you gone by what my visions show me.”

[ask-the-parasite]

”The wolf’s hulking form shifts to wraps around the human, limbs cradling the other against his chest."

(I wanted to doodle a scene from here because my arm was busted at the time I couldn’t draw it for the RP itself. A very tender moment ;-;)

[ask-the-huntsman]

The parasite wakes to the restless movement somewhere nearby, sitting up to blink until his eyes focus on Hunt tossing and turning in his sleep. It doesn’t happen often enough to be a pattern, but in the time they have known each other Parasite knows it is not nightmares the huntsman is fighting. It must be another vision, of pasts lived or futures yet to be seen, he can never know. The only thing Hunt has been able to share with him is that he is not able to speak of the visions, lest terrible things happen to him or those he saw in the vision.

Carefully, he shuffles closer, touching a steadying hand on Hunt’s shoulder. The other jolts, eyes flying open. The parasite can’t read the expression on his face but when Hunt’s eyes focus on his face a feeling of unease makes it home in his chest- Before he can speak the huntsman’s name, the other whispers out uncertainly but clear as day:

”Naib.”

(@ask-the-parasite)

The name leaves his lips before the freshly awakened huntsman can even sit, blinking slow as he takes in the parasite's worried features with utmost care. A moment passes in that silence, Hunt's lips a thin line as he deciphers the others face.

“Naib,” he tries again with no further explanation, eyes honing in on the parasite’s who, in a word, now looks entirely blindsided. 

Hunt takes a moment longer to gather himself next, swallowing thickly but gaze never wandering off the other’s. What was shown in his vision still lingers at the back of his mind; there was a community, friends and family, a place to call home. They were pieces of the parasite’s past that he could never again talk about himself.

They are his memories, he is certain, for the parasite he saw was but a human; a man no less a part of his home than the next. A man such a far-cry in appearance from the half wolf before him now, but still recognisable after all the time they've shared.

Blinking, Hunt slowly sits up, his mind now calm enough from the fleeting visions wake. Still, it leaves an ache in his chest; the weight of a memory not his own nor for him to share with the righteous owner, both a guilty burden and a blessing.

It carried with it a piece of Parasite he feels confident enough to share after all.

"That is your name, isn't it?"

[ask-the-parasite]

Parasite stares, hearing Hunt call the name a second time but still it feels odd- distant. But for anything resembling a memory of his forgotten past, the echo of nostalgia in those four letters is the closest he has ever felt to remembering. How the huntsman learned the name and what he saw will never be for his ears but for the moment Naib is too staggered to feel any sense of loss over the fragment of his past.

It is his name, on some level the parasite knows this but he has grown so disconnected from it- and yet when Hunt called out to him, he instinctively looked towards the source. The parasite is flooded with emotions, pulling him every which way but any that he tries to chase lead him to a dead end. He knows there is myriad of memories connected to that name- His entire life spun around it- but all his attempts at recollection of anything lead only to a pounding headache and the man curling in on himself to hold his head in his hands.

Naib takes a deep breath, sitting cross legged across from the huntsman but then leaning his forehead to rest on the other’s shoulder. He has seen the kind of toll the visions can take on Hunt.

”Are you alright?” He’s holding his eyes closed, trying to ward off the looming headache but he contentrates on the feeling of the huntsman’s shoulder pressing up against his head, close enough that Naib can hear his breathing.

[ask-the-huntsman]

The other doesn't need to speak, for the way the name draws his attention was telling enough; his mind may have forgotten but the given name is etched into his heart. He recognises it, for better or for worse, and now it's a proven link to a past so tightly sealed away.

Though Hunt has never tried to inquire nor has the other for that matter, a wordless agreement existing between them to leave history to it's own devices, that small peek roused its own questions of course. How did that man he saw end up here, seeking solace in woods seldom travelled, so averse to others? Perhaps he'll one day see the truth of him, whatever it may be.

As the silence spans longer Hunt allows his own thoughts to wander, refocusing into the present. The vision has rippled away from his mind but left behind cold sweat and a dull, vacant thrum instead. Visions take up a space as they come and go, blotting out thoughts and at worst inducing even headaches the longer they last. This one left him with a faint throb in the back of his head, nothing Hunt couldn't work through but present enough for him to squint in discomfort.

Yet his eyes blink open blearily when theres a nudge to his shoulder, a weight settling there to stay. Even as he stares, it takes a good few seconds for the thought to register that the wolf- Naib, has leaned on him, and a few more for him to note the question asked,

"I'll be alright," Hunt murmurs, a little groggy but willing himself to focus on the other to distract from the ache. With steady breaths he observes Naib, ".. Are you?" He parrots suddenly, truly unsure beyond the visible show of confusion what the other may be feeling or thinking.

"Are you happy to have your name back?"

[ask-the-huntsman]

The parasite wakes to the restless movement somewhere nearby, sitting up to blink until his eyes focus on Hunt tossing and turning in his sleep. It doesn’t happen often enough to be a pattern, but in the time they have known each other Parasite knows it is not nightmares the huntsman is fighting. It must be another vision, of pasts lived or futures yet to be seen, he can never know. The only thing Hunt has been able to share with him is that he is not able to speak of the visions, lest terrible things happen to him or those he saw in the vision.

Carefully, he shuffles closer, touching a steadying hand on Hunt’s shoulder. The other jolts, eyes flying open. The parasite can’t read the expression on his face but when Hunt’s eyes focus on his face a feeling of unease makes it home in his chest- Before he can speak the huntsman’s name, the other whispers out uncertainly but clear as day:

”Naib.”

(@ask-the-parasite)

The name leaves his lips before the freshly awakened huntsman can even sit, blinking slow as he takes in the parasite's worried features with utmost care. A moment passes in that silence, Hunt's lips a thin line as he deciphers the others face.

“Naib,” he tries again with no further explanation, eyes honing in on the parasite’s who, in a word, now looks entirely blindsided. 

Hunt takes a moment longer to gather himself next, swallowing thickly but gaze never wandering off the other’s. What was shown in his vision still lingers at the back of his mind; there was a community, friends and family, a place to call home. They were pieces of the parasite’s past that he could never again talk about himself.

They are his memories, he is certain, for the parasite he saw was but a human; a man no less a part of his home than the next. A man such a far-cry in appearance from the half wolf before him now, but still recognisable after all the time they've shared.

Blinking, Hunt slowly sits up, his mind now calm enough from the fleeting visions wake. Still, it leaves an ache in his chest; the weight of a memory not his own nor for him to share with the righteous owner, both a guilty burden and a blessing.

It carried with it a piece of Parasite he feels confident enough to share after all.

"That is your name, isn't it?"

[ask-the-huntsman]

Words from the Huntsman’s Tale

.. However, every breeze must end somewhere and so does the people’s adoration also wither.

The truth he glimpsed was bitter, for some too much to bear. Even if it would come at a cost, Eli knew the right thing to do; turn his vision to words and raise his voice.

There were wrongs to be righted, his own attempt at redemption spilled with the truth but it is there where he realised his words had worth only when spoken with another’s favour.

Now they only garnered for him ire and enemies, hollowing his chest of the love they once projected.

(Part 1, Part 2)

[ask-the-huntsman]

@ask-the-parasite​

(Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 )

Hunt doesn’t stir from basking in the warmth of the fire, not until he feels the weight of his cloak settle on his shoulders that is. Curious, he turns his head to peer up at the wolf who decided he’d be better off wearing it still. Donning a calm smile, Hunt wordlessly thanks the parasite with a dip of his chin.

The quiet of the night is swallowed by the crackling of the fire again and the huntsman allows himself to be absorbed by it, but keeps half his attention on the wolf now whom seems to have become aware of the state he’s in if the huff is anything to tell by.

Hunt turns his way again, offering a bit of a sorry smile at his predicament. Having dried blood crust and itch isn’t a pleasant sensation at all so Hunt well understands the aura of annoyance about the wolf when he sweeps his tail and tugs at the dried clumps.

When the wolf wanders off shortly after, Hunt hums by himself and turns to watch their food again. It should be ready soon and just the thing to help Parasite forget about the irksome sensations..

Above the sound of the bonfire, Hunt can hear how the wolf drops into the waters a little ways off and chuckles breathlessly to himself.

By the time the wolf makes his return, the huntsman has already taken the fish from their spots by the flames and set up another pair. Their ready meals give off a mouth watering scent that makes the pang of hunger ever clearer. The past day and night were fueled by adrenaline alone, but he notes in himself and the wolf too that their movements have grown sluggish, needs finally catching up with their bodies.

“Here,“ Hunt waits until Parasite is seated to offer him his food, watching a little amused how he begins to feast before taking a hungry bite of his own.

As they sit in silence and eat, Hunt observes the wolf, still slightly dripping from his dip in the waters. He’s likely too occupied with the long awaited meal to care. At least the blood is all washed out he notes, but some longer tufts of fur still seem to be in tangles.

After a few more bites, Hunt scoots closer to Parasite with an unhurried pace and looks to his eyes once more, offering a nod to placate whatever worry or questions may rise within him from the action, “It’s alright, you can eat.”

When the wolf seems settled enough, Hunt lifts his hand to brush along the fur. The first touch is careful and slow, skirting over the knots still. Repeating the motion a few times, Hunt watches for signs of discomfort before allowing his fingers to rake a little deeper into the wolf’s fur. They catch onto small tangles and undo them, but whenever there’s too much resistance, the huntsman eases up and watches for the wolfs reactions before proceeding to groom his fur.

[ask-the-parasite]

Parasite digs into the food with starved fervor, eating so fast he nearly upsets his insides that have gone empty for longer than comfortable- He only stops eating when he notices Hunt come closer, freezing in his actions. The other reassures him that all is well and the wolf may keep on dining and slowly, the wolf returns to his dinner. He minds that way his fangs are tearing into the fish now that Hunt is so close, making an attempt to appear more collected- it requires more than a little patience, with his gut again protesting painfully to the extended period of neglect.

His muscles tense when he feels the warm touch of a hand on him but this time the wolf will himself to keep eating. One ear flicks towards Hunt as he combs his fingers carefully through the drying mess of Parasite’s fur. His touch is gentle, so much so that the wolf feels himself slowly unwind, eyes growing hooded and shoulders relaxing. When the first tangle catches onto Hunt’s fingers, the wolf holds back the urge to pull away- he knows it was not intentional and although uncomfortable, the huntsman is doing better job than he could ever manage on his own.

It doesn’t take awfully long for the wolf to finish the last fish but he is reluctant to get up, the comforting motions of Hunt’s fingers carding through the navy fur. His eyes slip closed and the wolf finds himself nearly disappointed when the huntsman finally retracts his hands from his coat of fur. The wolf shakes himself lightly, thoroughly enjoying the lack of tangles and knots. He huffs contently, attempting a smile but it sits ill on his lips, tugging at the torn mouth corners and likely turning out more a show of sharp canine teeth than a pleased expression.

With a hint of trepidation, Parasite lifts up a hand; claws carefully bent towards his palm. He extends his fingers but seems to struggle with himself, settling on twisting his wrist until the back of his hand is faced to the huntsman. The touch is feather light- like he is afraid of using too much force, but the wolf smooths his hand over Hunt’s hair.

[ask-the-huntsman]

When satisfied that the wolf’s fur sits well enough, Hunt hovers for a moment, wondering should he give the other his space back to not overstay the given welcome. However, the hesitation is short-lived; Parasite himself shows no wariness for the proximity, rather he appears happy where he is.

Not only was he willing to allow Hunt so close and to touch him so casually, the wolf seems pleased enough by the results for it to have sparked a smile. The attempted grin of mostly teeth might be off-putting to many, but Hunt returns it without hesitation, his gaze turning a hint fond at the gesture.

Curiously he watches how Parasite begins to fiddles with his own hand, endeavouring for quite a bit with how to hold it until he finally settles for a position and reaches out to Hunt. The first grazing touch is gentle, nigh ghosting his head, but it’s there regardless of hesitation. When the motion repeats Hunt finds himself leaning into it a little to prompt the wolf’s courage; as it may serve to encourage the other he even lets a soft, content hum go. 

Eventually as Parasite continues, the huntsman finds himself truly lulled by the action, light as it may be, and unable to resist lets his eyes droop shut in turn, body nudging just a little more towards the other. There’s something in such a gentle touch he can’t wholly resist, more than likely the lack of such contact for having chosen a secluded life. While he had more or less accepted such a solitary existence, now that the wolf is there the aspects one could crave in company become more defined.

He could never have guessed the changes the wolf would bring about when he first wandered into the woods. He may be cursed in his existence but to Hunt, he is anything but a misfortune.

While aware they would be better off taking more distance from the happenings of the foregone nights, Hunt decides they can allow their respite to extend a while longer. At least the huntsman thinks so when he can’t stifle a soundless yawn that makes sleepy tears prick his eyes, coaxed no doubt by the hunger that’s finally been relieved and Parasite’s gentle touches. Not to mention the healing wound.

“Let’s stay here a while wolf, we can move when the fire goes out,” he sets them a timeframe, something to prompt them into motion a little later on, but for now Hunt is content where they sit side by side. Even Brooke has tucked her head into rest on the branches above, save for the occasional peer down when either of the shift too much.

“You may rest your head if you like,” he offers first, blinking his bleary gaze away from the embers to look to Parasite who’s settled to quietly bask in the warmth, “and if not, I would lay for a moment.”

[ask-the-parasite]

The wolf huffs in response, shaking his head at the other’s offer to lay down to rest. He’d still rather wait for his fur to dry completely and besides, the wolf thinks it is Hunt who needs the rest more.

So he waits until the huntsman picks up on his intention to stay up, and eventually Hunt does concede, settling down for sleep; Although, not before reassuring the wolf that he will rest but for a moment.

The wolf has no intention to wake him up- not unless he senses someone wandering too close for comfort. The parasite watches over the sleeping huntsman, but despite sitting as still as he can, Hunt does still on his own by the time the fire finally begins to flicker out. The wolf grumbles in protest, but there is no talking down the huntsman, demanding that they move on. He knows that Hunt is right to ask that they travel further before the next sunrise; They must find proper shelter and better hunting grounds are yet further away. It doesn’t diminish the wolf’s worry over his companion’s still healing side.

Reluctantly, the wolf follows Hunt’s example and gets to his feet. It will be many nights of hunting and days of resting, before the wound will be properly healed over. The wolf stares after the huntsman silently, noticing how he is still careful of using his arm on the side of the injury. The least he can do is to make sure the other won’t make any early attempts to contribute to finding food. The wolf growls low and quiet- If one didn’t know any better, it could almost be taken as a sigh.

The days turn into a week, every nightfall greeting the wolf with more clarity than the last. His recovery is slow as ever, but the parasite doesn’t understand to long after a form that is more human- Instead, he spends the nights making sure Hunt doesn’t strain himself, but by the fifth night the wolf no longer protests to the huntsman joining him on the search for suspectible game.

They spend the sixth day traveling to the northest safe have, which Hunt assumes the least used and thus the best place if they were to settle down for a longer period of time. Although the parasite doesn’t understand the concerned looks Hunt sends his way when he think that the wolf is not looking.

The safe haven greets them unoccipued, a welcome discovery after hours spent trekking through the challenging terrain of the forest. The parasite can’t hold it in, before a yawn manages to escape his maw. His limbs ache, eyes straining to stay open. The early rays of the morning sun makes his eyes hurt, and sharp as ever, the huntsman picks up on his plight and ushers the other into the haven ahead of him.

Although the past days the wolf had been nothing but reluctant to leave the preparations for the next day for Hunt alone, he had no energy to protest. With heavy foot falls, the wolf clambers inside the well-hidden entrance to the cave in the cliffside. His head feels hazy, clarity of his mind vivid and entirely gone the next moment. Parasite’s tail swishes restlessly against the stone floor as he sits waiting- But who was he waiting for again..?

The human picks the most fortunate moment to enter the cave with Brooke in tow; The falcon makes an urgent sound and it makes the wolf’s attention snap to the form covering his exit- His heart rate spikes- But then Hunt begins to speak in that calm, soft tone and slowly the wolf comes back to himself. He whines once, quietly, but the other’s presence is grounding, helping him focus on breathing slow and steady.

The splitting headache and shivers running through his tired body urge the wolf to settle down. Perhaps the past days he spent sleeping less to watch over the huntsman are finally catching up to him, because despite his resisting, the wolf falls asleep to Hunt’s gentle murmurs; He doesn’t know when, but at some point the other had begun to stroke his head in soothing motions and the light pressure of Hunt’s touch is the last thing the parasite remembers before falling asleep.

Parasite wakes with start, gasping for breath he feels he can’t get enough of. Wide eyed, he glances around his surroundings- He has no memory of coming here, the last thing he remembers was Hunt-

The parasite tries to stand up too quickly, the hay bedding slipping under his weight- And as soon as he turns to catch himself, Parasite sees the huntsman lying in the spot beside him and his pulse settles. The other begins to stir, no doubt awakened by the noise Parasite made in his haphazard attempt to leap to his feet. He is glad beyond words that the huntsman seems to be safe, but he knows what the the blank spot in his memories before getting here has to mean. The parasite presses his eyes shut and takes a deep breath, pressing the palms of his hands over his eyes. How long did he take? How many more times, until there was no more coming back?

[ask-the-huntsman]

When Hunt wakes to the Parasite fumbling about so erratically in his first moments of clarity, even without proper sight, he can guess at what has finally come to pass. All the signs were there moments before exhaustion took the wolf into this slumber. The huntsman knows enough to be at ease, thankful for his gift of light sleep, and knows not worry for a threat approaching, instead rising to a sit as he hears Parasite heaving a deep breath.

Although the swell of relief is immediate and comforting, Hunt subdues the celebration for the other who is lost, having not truly been present for the last seven sun downs. No words are required to tell of the worries in Parasite’s mind, for he too shares in them having observed it all, and in the silence where only the others breaths sound, Hunt offers a sympathetic look in silence. Slowly moving closer as the other no doubt attempts to catch up with himself for a weeks worth of time, he offers a comforting hush and a whisper, “you are safe.”

The first touch is a gentle hand upon Parasite’s shoulder, a grounding squeeze taking place as Hunt leans in. The past week was rife with worry for him; while the slow progress of recovery was there, the most he could do was wait and see. How much his presence contributed in the end is uncertain but any weight it had is good enough for Hunt; against the rising odds the other finally arrived at this point of awakening after all.

When Parasite doesn’t budge even after a few moments, understandably too caught in whatever disarray mangles his mind at present, Hunt considers his options and after a moment shifts to sit facing the other. 

It may be a bold move but a succour the other might need now most of all; Hunt moves slow and steady, reaching his arms around Parasite, allowing time between for the other to pull away should it feel too smothering. When he notes no resistance however and his arms loop the entirety of the other safely in his arms, Hunt gently guides and tucks Parasite into himself.

There he can feel the parasite’s pulse clearly, still rapid as it’s winding down and it’s incentive enough for him to gently stroke along the other’s head. Combing through tousled, navy hair in their shared silence, the huntsman falls silent to his own thoughts. 

Perhaps the curse is destined to grow worse with every instance it gets a hold of the other, any struggle against it a vain one. If only he could see the path the parasite is set upon, peer into the distance and know at least for himself that he will yet live a long life as himself, he would. However, it’s not a thing done on a whim and that comfort would have to remain his alone either way.

What he can do here and now though Hunt finds the most worth in and so, with his voice a whisper, low and soft as it’s oft been for the Parasite, he speaks, “Welcome home.”

Gone is the worry he held of not being able to speak the words at all; Parasite, as long as he may have taken, has finally returned to him. And while there is plenty to say; apologize for his hasty actions and tell of week past, Hunt decides it can wait a while longer. Parasite’s current bind right now is of more importance and Hunt will heed his silent call.