Hiii I really liked your writing so I wanted to make a request 👉👈 It can be Wanderer x reader or Durin x reader (since I can't choose one it's up to you!!). Giving them a handmade gift? Idk as long as it's fluff I'll be kicking my feet staring at my phone
Awww thank you so much for loving my writing, you are literally the cutest! 🥺👉👈 Like, why should we force ourselves to choose when we can just have EVERYTHING, right? 😉 Ta-daaa~ I actually wrote BOTH stories for you! 🎁✨ Wish you a happy reading, hope it makes you kick your feet! 🥰💗🌈
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The rain in Sumeru always arrives without warning.
By the time you hurried down the cobblestone path leading back to your small lodging, clutching a stack of books to your chest, the sun was still shining faintly. But just as you crossed the wooden bridge near the café, the first heavy drops of rain began to splatter against your shoulders.
You pulled your shawl over your head and tightly hugged the small box in your hands, terrified it might get wet. Inside was a gift you had stayed up for nearly three nights straight to make.
A small, crocheted yarn cat.
It wasn't exactly perfect. One ear was slightly crooked, and its eyes weren't entirely symmetrical. But you were still incredibly proud of it because, at the very least, it was charming in its own unique way.
And more importantly, it was made for him.
When you finally reached the house, Wanderer was standing beneath the eaves of the front porch, his arms crossed as he glared at the sheet of rain as though it had personally insulted him.
The first word out of his mouth was always so sharp.
You let out a heavy sigh, brushing the stray drops of water from your hair.
"It started raining out of nowhere..."
Yet, despite his harsh words, Wanderer stepped forward and gently tugged your wrist under the shelter of the eaves to keep you out of the downpour.
His hands were colder than you expected.
You glanced down at his fingers for a fleeting second before quickly averting your eyes, pretending to be busy adjusting your sleeves.
"…I didn't even finish my sentence."
You puffed out your cheeks and glared at him, while Wanderer merely smirked in amusement. But very quickly, his gaze locked onto the small box you were still guarding closely against your chest.
Suddenly, an overwhelming wave of embarrassment washed over you.
"If it's nothing, why are you hiding it?"
"You're holding onto it like your life depends on it."
Wanderer raised an eyebrow, staring down at you.
Unable to withstand his intense, questioning gaze any longer, you finally thrust the box toward him.
Silence hung in the air for a few seconds.
"Because… I wanted to give it to you."
Wanderer stared at the box in his hands as if it were the first time in his life he had ever received something without an ulterior motive or a string of conditions attached.
He opened the box very slowly.
And then, he went completely still.
The little yarn cat nestled quietly inside, its tiny scarf crooked by a poorly stitched line.
Your face instantly flushed red.
"I know it's a bit ugly—"
"…Oh." You let out a soft laugh. "A little bit."
"But actually very kind deep down."
Wanderer snapped his head up to look at you.
Your smile remained entirely natural, as if the words you had just uttered were nothing out of the ordinary.
But that was exactly why his chest tightened.
It was a strange, unfamiliar kind of discomfort.
Like something incredibly soft was forcing its way into a place that had always been completely hollow.
His voice was barely a whisper.
"I never said you were perfect."
"But you are kind to me."
The statement was simple to the point of being absurd.
Someone like him… had never been defined by the word "kind" before.
No one had ever used that word for him.
Wanderer lowered his eyes to look at the yarn cat once more. His finger lightly brushed against the crooked ear.
"I tried my best to fix it!"
"Terrible craftsmanship."
"If you're just going to criticize it, give it back!"
You immediately reached out to snatch it, but Wanderer was a step ahead. He held the gift high up, well out of your reach.
"You're taking back a gift you already gave?"
"Because you're making fun of it!"
"But I never said I didn't like it."
Wanderer shifted his gaze away from yours.
"Then can I make you another one next time?"
Wanderer remained silent for a few moments.
Then, he reached out and gently pulled down your damp shawl, his movements clumsy but significantly more careful than usual.
"…Do whatever you want."
You burst into a soft laugh.
The rain outside showed no signs of stopping.
But for the first time in a very long time, Wanderer thought...
Perhaps being remembered by someone through a clumsy, handmade gift like this...
Wasn't so bad after all.
The small room was so quiet that only the crisp, repetitive snip of the thread-cutting scissors echoed in the dead of night.
Hunced over the wooden table, your hands clumsily tied the final knot. The red threads had tangled into a chaotic mess after nearly an hour of struggling with them.
You sighed, looking down at the finished product in your hands.
It was a small, crocheted star keychain with a sparkling reddish-orange gemstone embedded right in the center—a gem you had spent the entire afternoon picking out.
In fact, it was a little lopsided.
But every time you pictured Durin's face when he received it, you couldn't bring yourself to unravel it and start over.
Footsteps echoed down the hallway, drawing closer.
Then, the door burst open.
Durin poked his head into the room first, his white hair a bit disheveled as if he had just run back from somewhere. He grinned brightly the moment he caught sight of you.
"I’ve been looking all over for you—"
He stopped mid-sentence.
Durin’s gaze fell upon the keychain in your hands.
Startled, your reflexes kicked in and you quickly hid the gift behind your back.
"Why?" Durin blinked in confusion, his curiosity piqued as he stepped closer. "What is that?"
Durin leaned down, trying to peek behind your back, while you spun around to dodge him. The two of you practically circled the small table like a game of tag.
"Then let me guess?" His crimson eyes lit up with excitement. "Is it food?"
Durin fell into serious thought for a few seconds.
Seeing your reaction, Durin instantly flashed a radiant smile.
"I guessed right, didn't I?"
He was so thrilled he looked ready to jump up and down. The tail behind his back wagged in sync with his every movement.
Having run out of excuses, you slowly brought your hands forward.
"...Here, it’s for you."
Durin accepted it with both hands.
The moment he saw the small keychain resting in his palm, he fell completely silent.
His eyes widened, staring intently at every slightly uneven stitch and every clumsy little knot.
"Did you make this yourself, [Reader]?"
"Did it take a long time?"
In truth, you had to pull it apart and remake it four entire times.
Durin still couldn't take his eyes off the gift.
"It's not beautiful at all," you mumbled softly. "It's even a little crooked."
"But you made it for me, right?"
Durin looked up at you, his expression earnest to an unusual degree.
"Then that makes it the most beautiful thing ever."
Your heart skipped a beat.
Before you could figure out how to respond, Durin happily held the keychain up under the light.
"This color looks just like fire," he beamed. "I love it."
"I was afraid you wouldn't like it."
Durin protested almost instantly.
"This is the very first gift you’ve ever made just for me, [Reader]."
"...It's only a keychain."
Right after that, Durin excitedly pulled the small pouch at his hip closer, carefully attaching the keychain right in front of you.
The little yarn star swayed gently with his movements.
"Now I can carry you with me everywhere I go."
"What are you even talking about..."
You burst out laughing at his childish phrasing.
But Durin didn't find anything strange about it at all.
He just happily tapped the keychain one more time before suddenly leaning in close to you.
"Next time, will you teach me how to make one?"
"You want to make one yourself?"
"Yeah!" Durin nodded vigorously. "I want to make a gift for you too."
"Though I’ll probably make it look really bad."
Looking at his serious, hopeful face, you couldn't help but let out a genuine laugh.
Durin’s eyes instantly lit up with pure joy.
And before you could even react, he threw his arms around you in an excited embrace.
The hug came fast and was completely innocent, bringing with it a comforting warmth and the familiar scent of sunshine that always lingered on him.
While you stood there completely frozen, your face flushing bright red—
Durin was already smiling so wide his eyes curved into crescents, his hand still tightly clutching the small keychain like the most precious treasure in the world.
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