pixie *・°☆

brynn orion. twenty. human. resident star boy.

[tinybrynn-blog]

vampiredarrell.

“Maybe I am. You weigh, like, four pounds,” Darrell teased him, poking at the very tip Brynn’s scrunched-up nose. He really had a tiny human to look after, one that came up to his shoulders and was easier to pick up than a kitten, but his watch’s size only made the vampire more determined to protect. So many creatures could take advantage of Brynn’s size and gentle nature; the thought that maybe sitting outside in the dark in the cold wasn’t really the best idea crossed Darrell’s mind, but…no, he’d just have to do his job as a protector. And that meant not only keeping him safe, but making him happy. “My jawline and browbone.” He couldn’t do much more than repeat the compliments, unsure if the human really knew what he was talking about. “Afraid I don’t know much about royal jaws and hands, but if you think I have them…” He tried to sneak a glance at his hands, trying to figure out what in the world Brynn meant. They were big compared to his bonded’s, sure, but royal? Next thing he knew Brynn was chattering questions, queries about his human days, and Darrell was very much an old person in that he loved talking about the days when he was young. He was still young, he supposed, but it wasn’t the same. “Hippie days, you could call them,” he said which a fond chuckle. “You wouldn’t believe how long my hair was then. I probably coulda donated it, it was so long. I did go to Woodstock, but that was after I turned. I turned in 1963, after—oh, shit. Where was that concert? Anyway, it was Joan Baez, and she was like…well, you probably know who she is, she hung out with Bob Dylan a lot, but back then she was, like, the folk musician for the intellectuals. If you were smart, or were pretending to be smart, you listened to Joan Baez. Like if there could have been hipsters before today’s hipsters. It was after her concert, and I was with some friends and we got high and I wandered off and, yeah, a vampire found me wandering around alone. Moral of the story is, have better friends who don’t let you wander off when you’re high,” he joked, realizing just how long he’d talked for. It wasn’t that he didn’t like talking—he’d gladly tell Brynn everything he wanted to know about himself—but he didn’t want to bore his human, or sound stuffy. So he watched Brynn turn the ring over in his hands instead, glad for a change of topic. “I mean, I liked it at one point, obviously, but I don’t really feel connected to it anymore. I think you’d make a lovely nymph, being one with nature and all that,” Darrell teased. “Really truly, you can—” If he could blush visibly, he definitely would have, nose crinkling up as Brynn kissed his cheek. “It reminds me of you. Tomorrow, do you want to come to the shop and help me pick out a new one?”

Every time Darrell touched Brynn it was with a softness the small human didn’t even know a vampire possessed. Even when he was being wrestled into staying inside, it was always gentle and Brynn never once felt like Darrell was aiming to manhandle him into something -- he absently wondered if it took a lot, holding himself back like he was. He kind of wanted Darrell to keep touching his little nose, maybe brush a fingertip along the bridge like he’s some kind of content cat but that seemed weird to ask so he just blinked over at his bonded, attention now entirely on the other. Why watch a movie when you could look at art? Beautiful, classic, royal looking art. “I don’t think you have them,” Brynn insisted with a sniff. “I know you have them. Is the thing about mirrors true? Can you really not see yourself?” It seems like a tangent but it kind of relates. If Darrell didn’t know how graceful he looked, perhaps he wouldn’t think Brynn was right (which he definitely and certainly was, thank you very much). The vampire’s gaze dropped down to his own hands and Brynn took that as permission to slide his smaller one in next to Darrell’s long fingers. His own were dwarfed in size and looked stubby, like a child’s hand, but that’s always how Brynn’s felt anyhow. “See?” He flexes his fingers to make his point before withdrawing to set his hands primly in his lap (though if Darrell actually can glean the point Brynn is trying to make from just that little gesture, he may just be a mind reader). A rapunzelline pre-vampire Darrell hanging out with his friends at a concert is a nice picture for Brynn’s mind’s eye and he made an interested chirp of a sound to indicate for his bonded to go on. He doesn’t actually know who Joan Baez is by anything other than name but letting Darrell ramble when it was usually his own way too energetic and high-pitched voice filling the silence between them was a nice change of pace. The vampire’s timbre was very soothing. Brynn could happily listen to it for hours, maybe even fall asleep to it. “I’ve never been high,” was the point Brynn chooses to make when Darrell finishes his story. “Unless you count being up high on the roof! Or high on a piggyback ride -- I like those very much. But I guess that means I will never become a vampire.” He looked down at the sun protection ring again where it sat upon his slender finger. It really was so pretty. He’s a very happy little human. “This is a very lovely gift, Darrell,” Brynn’s voice is even softer than usual and he hugs his ring-covered hand to his chest contently. How fated that Darrell chose a ring that would eventually come to remind him of his bonded. Maybe they were meant to meet each other for reasons above and beyond the protective bond. “I would very much like to go to the shops with you! I could get a chain for my ring!” They both know that it’s not going to fit to Brynn’s finger without slipping off but he wanted to wear it as a necklace. It seemed like a good idea, keeping something of his vampire’s with him at all times. Brynn didn’t even remember there was a movie on as he snuggled in close to his bond’s side, all kinds of happiness radiating off of him.

[hellomynameisscreams-deactivate]

me: *sees stars and points at them* yes

person: what?

me: *sounding more forceful* YES

[tinybrynn-blog]

vampiredarrell:

It had been unseasonably warm all autumn, but Darrell wasn’t about to complain if it meant more nights under the stars. The picture in his head was startlingly clear—a few blankets, maybe a box of cookies, some hot chocolate, and Brynn’s soft, high voice telling him about the stars. He might not mind the plunging temperatures, but even all the blankets in the house wouldn’t keep his human from catching a cold and as Brynn’s protector, he didn’t want to risk even that. “Lots of movies,” he promised. “And all the popcorn and snacks we can find.” By this point the film was just background noise, a setting for their cuddle and conversation. The vampire watched, his face surely contorting into a gross expression of fondness, as Brynn blinked, looking a bit like a very adorable owl. Though really, at this point Darrell was hard pressed to find anything about Brynn that wasn’t adorable. “Elegant and refined?” He couldn’t help repeating it with a laugh. Of all the compliments Brynn gave him, that had to be the one he believed least. “You shoulda seen me the night I turned. Tripping on acid—that’s what they say now, right?—and about as far from elegant and refined as possible.” He shook his head; some days the memory was negative, but today it didn’t hurt too badly. After all, if he had never turned, he never would have met Brynn. And he realized that he’d never spoken about how he’d turned, never really talked about it with anybody at all, but Brynn deserved to know, if he so wished. “No, not much protecting at all,” he agreed, slipping his ring off and offering it to Brynn to look at and touch. No worries about the sunlight leaking in, not with the heavy velvet curtains he had drawn. “Found this in a shop about thirty or forty years ago. I don’t really like it anymore, but there’s a shop in town here so I’m gonna get a new one.” He paused, trying to remember why in the world he’d picked one with these complicated knots and trees. “You can have this one.”

If subsequent movie nights were anything like this -- tucked up with blankets and his bonded with nothing else he needed to do besides listen to the soothing sound of the vampire’s voice -- Brynn might even be okay with not being able to go outside that often. Besides, he could always curl up with Darrell in one of the many window nooks and look through the frosty panes at his beloved stars. He fantasized about installing a glass ceiling somewhere in the home -- then he could take Darrell on a trip through the constellations without spiking the vampire’s protective urges to keep Brynn safe from the trials and tribulations of being a human with a susceptible immune system. Maybe he’d bring that up later too -- it sounded pricey, even to Brynn who rarely considered things beyond his imagination. “You’re trying to plump me up,” he accused playfully, nose crinkling. “All the snacks we can find would be a lot of snacks!” He propped his hands on his tiny belly, patting it in exaggeration before dissolving into giggles. He quieted rather quickly when Darrell was the one laughing -- the sound filled Brynn with a kind of warmth only comparable to a cozy fireplace, lighting him up from the inside. “See, I believe you, I do! But even tripping on acid you’d have that jawline of yours and your browbone, both which practically scream royal. Don’t even get me started on your hands. No one should be allowed to have such pretty hands.” Brynn’s half turned away from the screen now, far more interested in the thought of Darrell’s descent into vampirism. “Was it like... hippie days? Oh my god, were you at Woodstock? Did you have longer hair back then? What were you wearing? Tell me more!” His eyes are glittering with more brightness than the night’s sky, intrigue and curiosity piqued. The ring falls into his palm neatly and he holds it reverently for a moment before letting thin fingers curl around the warmed metal. He unfurled his grip to analyze it in greater detail, a fingertip of his free hand stroking the ornate nature designs along its rim. “You don’t like it?” he pouted, feeling slightly silly for having praised its beauty aloud when Darrell wasn’t too fond of it himself. Brynn still found it pretty, though, despite the bashfulness that overtook his posture curled into his vampire bond. “It reminds me of nymphs. I used to want to be a nymph you know -- flitting through the forest all daintily, singing and dancing to their heart’s content. I think I’d be a star flower nymph.” There’s no such thing. “I’d assume the form of a patch of star flowers in case a wandering man ever got too close and spooked me!” Brynn slipped the oversized ring onto his proper finger, smiling as it hung loosely on the digit. “I can really have it? Really truly?” He turned his head this way and that to see it glint. “Thank you.” He settled on, graciously, before leaning up to peck a quick kiss of thanks to the vampire’s smooth cheek.

[tinybrynn-blog]

vampiredarrell:

Darrell could sense a question lingering between them, could feel curiosity radiating through their bond but he let it go, deciding Brynn could bring it up later if he wanted. “Of course they do,” he said with a laugh, casting a brief glance out the window to the darkening sky. “Maybe tomorrow night, we’ll go out and do that and you can tell me all about the stars.” Darrell was more than happy to indulge Brynn’s interests—it was always worth it to see the human beam and feel the waves of contentment across their bond. And he has his selfish reasons too, of course, he knew his own hobbies were admittedly few and far between and having Brynn around, to fill the place with noise and life and someone else did a lot for the vampire’s mood. He pulled the blankets up, tucking them around Brynn so he’d be warm, and made a face as Brynn mentioned sucking blood. “It’s not fun,” he said with a little pout. “Having to go to the store and buy blood. And I don’t like attacking random people to feed on.” They’d had this conversation once before, or tried to, about Darrell feeding from Brynn. but he didn’t dare bring it up again. Not when they had this nice set-up, with the blankets and the movie. “I think I have, but I don’t remember. We’ll have to watch that too, one day. Maybe soon since it’s getting colder.” He’d have to put a watch list together, fill it with movies they liked and had yet to see to keep them occupied through the cold winter months. The compliment, paired with a fuzzy warmth seeping into his consciousness, made him smile. “I’m rather fond of you,” he muttered back, unsure if Brynn could even hear him. Darrell’s list of gripes with Meyer’s portrayal of vampires was long, starting with the glittering Brynn brought up. “I feel like that’d be annoying to look at all the time,” he said, nose scrunched up lightly. “Distracting? How’m I distracting?” Laughing, he poked Brynn’s side to tickle him for a moment. “And these vampires don’t even wear sun protection rings. They’re the only reason I can walk in the sun, you know. I don’t think I’d like to glitter. That’d be weird.”

His smile was easy and, around Darrell, it seemed to be neverending. A night beneath the stars, before it got too chilly outside, sounded like an absolute dream. He could read off all his little constellation app facts and throw in a few of his own knowledge -- after all, he’d been reading about the stars since he was little ( more little than currently ). He clicked his heels together excitedly and gave a chipper nod of agreement; or as much as he could given their cuddling position. His giggle was quickly accompanied by a flush as Darrell tucked him further under the blankets. It was as though his bonded had read his mind. Or maybe, he just wanted to keep him cozy warm. Brynn missed Darrell’s expression, too busy on the opening scenes of the movie visually but his auditory attention entirely on his vampire’s words. Speaking of his vampire’s diet called to mind their previous conversation. Brynn still wanted to try it, to have Darrell feed from him, but it seemed inappropriate to bring up once again. He slouched down further, making himself tinier against Darrell’s side. “We can do lots of movie nights once it’s fully winter?” he offered, a little saddened by the approaching season. Cold weather meant less time outside. It also meant the death of the star flower garden they were going to plant. But it also meant more oversized clothes and hot cocoa so Brynn couldn’t complain entirely. There’s a soft utterance that Brynn wasn’t even sure he’d heard correctly. It drew his attention fully back onto Darrell’s face, trying to glean from his current expression whether or not he’d actually just said something so affectionate and sweet. He blinked at his bond with a doll like expression of confusion before deciding to not address the compliment. He, instead, saved it close to his heart for later, letting the dark blush on his cheeks be the only indication of his suspicions. “I mean, you’re all elegant and refined! You know a lot of things -- you’ve seen so much more of the world than I have plus you’re eternally gorgeous which is hardly fair, I might add. I feel like a scrawny little kid when I’m next to you by comparison! If you sparkled on top of that, I’d have a harder time looking away!” Harder because he already struggled not staring. “I’m glad you’re protected from the sun -- I wouldn’t want you to shrivel up. Not sure how much protecting you’d be able to do as a pile of ash.” The sun really was the most unforgiving of stars. Almost absentmindedly, Brynn’s hand reached for Darrell’s, fingers stroking over the ring in question. Though it was getting late and he could probably take it off, Brynn wanted to touch. “’S pretty, too.”

[tinybrynn-blog]

vampiredarrell:

Darrell loved when Brynn giggled. It told him he was doing something right, even if he wasn’t trying to. “They do! I could make those jokes about how when I was a youngin, I didn’t even have a phone! No cell phones back in the 60s,” he teased. “I like all the apps they have. Sometimes I can’t believe all the ones they have. Do they really have one for constellations? Actually, no I shouldn’t even be surprised that they do. Next time we get a clear night and you’re not sleepy, we should go outside and use it,” he told his bonded with a smile, turning his head to nose into his hair for a second before pulling up the Netflix menu. “I never liked horror movies! Being something scary doesn’t mean I like scary things. I don’t even like to think that I’m scary.” He felt Brynn’s feet nudge up against his, and it was times like this he wished he were still human—cuddling up against a creepily pale and cold vampire couldn’t be very cozy. But he wasn’t going to question it. He liked Brynn’s compact warmth, like a little space heater, next to him and under his arm. “I like all of those! We’ll have no problem finding something there. You probably like movies in space, yeah?” He tried to scroll past the Twilight movies before Brynn commented but, as he should have expected, his companion was too quick. “You really want to watch that?” Darrell asked weakly, already knowing he’d acquiesce. “I was curious! I wanted to see how they did the vampires…oh, sure, we’ll watch it as long as you don’t mind me commenting through the whole thing.” Smiling down at the human pressed against his side, he hit Play, letting the opening credits come up. He clapped once to turn off the light, very pleased that he’d invested in a clapper.

Thinking about Darrell as a ‘youngin’ was a comical image for Brynn. Actually, thinking about Darrell as human at all kind of baffled him though more in an intriguing way than anything else. He had half a mind to curl up closer and ask all about Darrell’s vampire history but he didn’t know if that was something too personal for him to bring up -- even though their bond was already becoming increasingly personal by the day. “They do have one for constellations!” he chirped, smiling fondly as he felt the cold touch of the tip of the vampire’s nose in his hair. “We’ll go outside and use it,” he agreed joyously. Darrell had this way of indulging Brynn’s fascinations and quirks that made the excitable human’s heart flutter rapidly in his chest. It felt nice to have something you loved so validated and affirmed. “I suppose I don’t think you’re scary either,” mused Brynn as his head lolled on Darrell’s shoulder. He wouldn’t really be so cozied up to someone he found to be scary. “But you suck blood! That sounds pretty spooky so it would make more sense for you to like horror flicks.” He giggled again and shook his head. “I appreciate the irony.” Brynn leaned on Darrell completely, his minuscule weight not even the slightest burden for the stony bodied vampire. While Darrell couldn’t necessarily function as a heat source, the constant pressure of a body next to his own was nice. Plus they were buried in blankets for a reason -- Brynn was happily snuggled up, even without shared body heat. Movies in space made another pleased sound slip from Brynn’s lips and he nodded vigorously, tipping back his gaze to peek up at Darrell’s profile. “Have you ever seen Wall-E? It has a lot of space scenes, is funny and it’s animated with a minor romance subplot. Ten out of ten would recommend.” Now, though, his focus was on Twilight and the vampire’s frankly endearing reaction to having been caught with what appeared to be his guilty pleasure. “I want you to comment through the whole thing,” Brynn insisted with a contented little sigh, finally having found the most comfortable cuddling position with his bond. “I don’t know if you’ve noticed but I’m rather fond of the sound of your voice.” It was an oddly intimate thing to say and it was delivered in a hushed, private sort of tone. Brynn could blame the whisper on the movie starting and lights going low but, really, it was more because he wasn’t entirely sure he wanted to speak the words out loud. Just seemed too sappy, he supposed. He kept quiet for an uncharacteristically long stretch of the opening credit before letting his gaze slip back up to Darrell, watching the screen light his almost regal features. “I’m glad you don’t glitter in the daylight,” he stated with a quick nod. “You’d be even more distracting than usual.”

[tinybrynn-blog]

vampiredarrell:

It’d hadn’t taken very long at all for Darrell to start thinking of certain spaces in the house as “Brynn’s.” The lowest shelf on the bookcase by the window in the library, the space under his arm, the corner of the sofa—even this side of the bed had quickly become designated as “not Darrell’s spot” in his mind. Sometimes he wondered if he should be alarmed by how quickly and comfortably Brynn slipped into this spot in his life, a spot he wasn’t aware he had open. “Figured that ice cream would make you kinda hyper,” he said with a chuckle. “Course we can put a movie on. I gotta say, this Netflix thing is one of my favorite things from this century. Great idea. What kind of movies do you like? I just realized I never asked you that. I’m not really that picky, but I don’t like horror movies too much.” Trying not to disturb Brynn in the process, he reached over for the TV remote, turning on the smart TV and navigating to the Netflix menu. His recent history immediately popped up, bring a blush to his cheeks as he tried to scroll away from all the Twilight movies he’d watched in the last month. “Ah…let’s not talk about those. What did you say you liked again?”

Brynn would act affronted that Darrell is accusing him of being hyper if it didn’t make him want to giggle (which he did as he nuzzled into Darrell’s sturdy shoulder). “I’m glad our newfangled technologies can appeal to you. Personally, I’m a big fan of the smartphone apps that tell you about the constellations but I guess Netflix is a close second.” His voice sounded uncharacteristically soft to his own ears, toned down from his usual state of exuberance. He attributed it to being this close to his bonded, close and soothed. “A vampire who doesn’t like horror movies -- I love it,” another tiny bubble of laughter burst through and he stifled it against the fabric of Darrell’s sleeve. He appreciated the irony -- but also the way that Darrell moved with deliberate intent not to disrupt their cuddle too much. He tucked down further, slipping his feet underneath Darrell’s legs so that they wouldn’t get too cold. “I like cheesy romance movies. Comedies! Also cartoons? You probably could have guessed that one.” Twilight was the last series he expected to see in Darrell’s most recently watched and the awkward way the vampire handled the subject made Brynn instantly light up in amusement. “Oh my god!” he squeaked excitedly, tapping Darrell’s chest and then pointing at the screen. “You watched that? Can we watch that? This is perfect!” His fist closed around the fabric of the vampire’s shirt, eyes glittering as he awaited an answer. “You can tell me all the things that are wrong with Meyer’s vampires, please!” Brynn leaned into Darrell’s figure, hopeful for a positive answer.

[tinybrynn-blog]

vampiredarrell:

It’s getting harder and harder to hold back his grins whenever Brynn does pretty much anything. The bounciness in his speech and his walk and the pure reactions to the smallest things are something Darrell thought had been slipping away from humans, even in the short amount of time he’d been alive. And he was sure Brynn could feel it too, through their bond, feel the warmth in their connection despite the coldness of the vampire’s body. He felt Brynn yank his hand away suddenly, immediately making himself at home under the covers and popping up like a cute small rodent. “Two blankets and one vampire, coming right up.” Darrell pulled two fleece blankets from the closet, the softest ones he had, and spread them over the bed, leaving most of them on top of Brynn. He saw the hand held out to him, which he took as he crawled into bed with an ungainly oof before picking his other arm up for Brynn to cuddle under if he wanted to. The routine of having his human around was one Darrell had gotten accustomed to alarmingly quickly, and one he didn’t plan on giving up anytime soon. Brynn fit too perfectly, everywhere—under his arm when they walked or cuddled, into the house with the large windows to see the sky, into the prized library with the new section carved out just for him. “Think you could fall asleep, or do you want me to read to you or something? Put the TV on?”

Reading his vampires emotions through their bond was one of Brynn’s favorite parts of the connection. He felt like it created an intimacy between them, especially as the predominant feeling rolling off the other being in waves blossomed with warmth and affection within Brynn. He wanted to bottle up that feeling, or to somehow make Darrell feel that way all the time. It probably wasn’t his place, though, and he stayed quiet as he watched the vampire gather the blankets. Still, the smile on his lips grew as his hand was once again entrapped in Darrell’s chilly grip and used to help guide the much taller male into the bed. There’s not even a moment’s hesitation when Darrell’s arm is lifting for Brynn to cuddle. His heart skipped several beats which he’s sure the vampire can hear if not feel through their bond. He wriggled over into his spot, the one where he found he fit rather perfectly, leaned up against the sturdy support of his companion. Besides, despite the coldness of Darrell’s body, Brynn found cuddling up to him (especially beneath the soft, fuzzy blankets) very warm. Warm enough to draw another blush to his cheeks, or at least that’s what the small human was telling himself. “I am very tired,” he announced in a voice that was as soft as the moment they were sharing. His head tipped onto Darrell’s shoulder and he let out a huffy little breath. “But I’m also still a bit sugary from our snacks. We could put a movie on? Those always make me sleepy.” He didn’t want to say it out loud but just this -- being tucked up next to Darrell and able to feel the safety that goes along with it -- this is all he needs.

[slidcr-deactivated20190622]

Darrell was hoping, though he knew he would probably have to give it time, that once he got this library in order—or at least most of the boxes off the floor and out of the corners—that Brynn would like to join him for parts of the day. His human already seemed to like the idea of perching on the window seat to see the sky at night, so Darrell figured anything he could do to make the space feel like both of theirs would help. The bright smile on Brynn’s face as he placed his books on the shelf he’d cleared, shuffling them around till he was happy, was answer enough. Because it was one thing to be a dusty old vampire with dusty old books in a dusty old room, but quite another to be those things with a vivacious, interesting human to spend the time with. “Later,” he agreed, not in the mood to do much heavy cleaning when his human was awake. Chuckling, he caught Brynn’s hand in both of his, tickling his palm, and nodded. “Cuddling sounds amazing. Let’s get you warmed up. Though I’m not sure if I’ll help much,” he added offhand, taking one cold hand away and starting to head upstairs with Brynn. Brynn was always warm against his side, warm and solid and so completely human that sometimes Darrell missed his mortality, missed not needing blood to live and missed not being feared. “Blankets or no blankets?” he asked, pulling the covers out from the neatly made bed and fluffing the pillows.

[tinybrynn-blog]

Brynn giggled, looking down to where both of Darrell’s hands enclosed around his dainty one. He allowed himself a moment to just gaze on in appreciation. Though no blood ran through Darrell’s body of its own accord and the touch was icy at best, he enjoys it. Being small, Brynn’s never been a fond of a chill -- he catches one often and can’t seem to shake it from his petite frame once he’s caught it -- but he’s extremely fond of Darrell. Maybe the cold is an acquired taste and with a creature as lovely as his vampire, it was bound to happen. “You’re plenty of help! You’re very attentive to me and I like leaning against you when you read and stuff” He’s prattling as they walk, grateful that his hand was still being held. There was a tiny bounce in his step, a pep lingering from the sugar of their snack and his excitement over his new possessions. He felt a bit like he wanted to buy Darrell something in return but the thought was tucked away for now. He didn’t have all that much to offer -- it was why he needed a bond, among many reason. The companionship was another reason and his bonded was doing an amazing job on that end. Brynn dove into the bed the minute the covers were pulled off, burrowing himself into its warmth. “Two blankets!” he decided, poking his head up, hair all a mess from his antics. “Two blankets and a vampire to cuddle please and thank you!” His request was a bright chirp though a blush colored his cheeks. His hand had been dropped by Darrell’s so he could clamber into bed and already the fact it was warming up was surprisingly undesirable. He held it out for the vampire to take once more, if he wanted.

[slidcr-deactivated20190622]

Darrell was already starting to imagine their star garden, maybe putting the low-growing starflowers around the perimeter with the taller lilies behind, and— “Oh, one thing about the starflowers. We have to be really careful with them because if we crush them or squish them, they smell like onions!” He knew his human would absolutely love the purple-edged flowers, and couldn’t think of anyone more gentle to care for them. “We can go back whenever you want. Once I sort out my library I’m probably gonna be going there at least once a week. I love adding to it, whether they’re dusty or new,” he said with a laugh. Brynn’s small frame fit perfectly in Darrell’s arms, and his lightness combined with the vampire’s supernatural strength made lifting him easy as anything. They could probably go all day like this—good to know in case Brynn were ever in trouble and Darrell had to get him away quickly. Darrell could feel his human swinging his feet, leaning forward to place the star books on the empty side of the shelf, and bit back a grin. He was almost like a small child sometimes, in the pureness of his excitement and his interests; Darrell was hopelessly endeared. “There’s room for tons more,” he agreed, setting Brynn gently on his feet before clearing his own stacks away to leave the entire shelf bare. “For anything you want to keep in here. Sorry, all my stuff’s kind of all over the place because I’m still sorting and getting everything in order, but it’s gonna be neat. One day.”

[tinybrynn-blog]

Not knowing what these flowered looked like in particular, the vision in Brynn’s mind was a galaxy in a garden patch. Enhanced with the knowledge of how the starflowers smelled, the human giggled and crinkled his nose. “Onions? I’ll have to be very careful then,” he nodded. Knowing him, he’d probably crush at least one so he hoped Darrell didn’t mind the smell too much. Presumably not since he was allowing them to be grown in the first place. “I’ll come with you,” he bobbed his head in a nod before tipping it to rest against his bonded’s chest as he was carried to the library. He felt very royal, being paraded everywhere without his feet having to touch the ground. It was comfortable as well and allowed him to be close to Darrell and physically reminded of that closeness at all time. “My little shelf,” he hummed affectionately, stroking fingertips along it before he was put back on his feet. He watched, wide eyed as Darrell brushed aside his own things, making room for plenty of Brynn’s belongings should he choose to bring them. He liked that thought very much. “Thank you!” he beamed, arranging the few books in an order that pleased him before stepping back to assess the shelving unit as a whole. He liked that his shelf was surrounded by others belonging to his vampire. They were mingling in possessions as well as in person. “We’ll get to it,” he brushed off the idea of cleaning and organizing for a later conversation and held out his hand, fingers wriggling. “Wanna go upstairs and cuddle? All that ice cream has made me kinda chilly.” It wasn’t a lie. With his tiny frame, Brynn got cold easily, even in the warming weather.

[slidcr-deactivated20190622]

When he was with Brynn, everything seemed ten times more exciting solely because of the way his human would react. Darrell had suggested the star garden on an off thought, but Brynn really took to the idea so the vampire found himself cataloguing every flower he knew, thinking of what to plant in that garden. “Perfect! Off the top of my head I’m thinking starflowers, stargazer lilies, stardust jasmine? There’s something else I know but I can’t think of it. Oh, I know! We can go to the bookstore and find some books on flowers, cos I don’t know how many of those I have.” The idea of Brynn getting old and eventually passing on was one that Darrell found jarringly—sad. They’d only been living together for, what, a month?—and the thought of not having him around was nearly unfathomable at this point. He shook his head, sure that Brynn could feel his unsettlement through their bond and didn’t want to upset him as well. “Our house,” he repeated, hugging the human close when he heard the whispered words. “Can I?” he asked again, just to be sure, before gathering Brynn up in his arms bridal-style and carrying him into the library so they could go through the books. There was a half-empty shelf that, once reconfigured, would be a perfect spot for any books or notepads or anything Brynn might want to keep in there.

[tinybrynn-blog]

Brynn felt all kinds of light and bubbly, impossibly endeared by the thought of Darrell catering to his obsession with the stars, even in garden form. The star garden made his heart pitter patter with excitement and he let out a blissful little sigh at the vampire’s list of flowers with stars in them. “That’s so many already!” he chirped with a clap of his hands. Not to mention they sounded awfully pretty. This was the best idea. “We can definitely go back to the bookstore. A different day though -- I wanna read my star books first!” The cloud that had filtered over their bond was Brynn’s fault, he knew. The thought of Darrell staying young and alive forever was a nice one for him -- his vampire deserved endless years. The reverse was a lot sadder to think. “Our house,” bobbed the human in a nod, tipping his head back to smile up at the other, flush cheeked. He allowed himself to be easily scooped into his vampire’s arms, a giggle emitting from his lips. He kept his books cradled in his arms and swung his feet sweetly, looking at shelf after shelf as they walked past. He spotted where Darrell was taking him and reached out without leaving his arms, starting to arrange some of his gifted collection onto the shelf. “There’s lots of room for more,” Brynn smiled wistfully, already imagining his constellation globe and other knick-knacks on the shelf.

[lonecarsons-blog]

“so…do you think like…taco bell or subway deliver to places this remote?” alistair asks whoever he’s closest to, flicking on his phone for the nearest place that does greasy food. “or even five guys. my cholestral level’s gone down since i got here and it’s a bummer, really,”

[tinybrynn-blog]

“i don’t think any of those restaurants deliver at all. maybe taco bell but i wouldn’t know since i don’t really, um, eat there? but i’ve never heard of subway delivering so i’m gonna go with no. final answer.”

[duchessclementina-blog]

“Well, I’ll be. That’s wonderful! Maybe I should do that myself, considerin’ some of these creatures don’t even eat. If there won’t be much use for the plant either way, I reckon they might as well look nice.”

[tinybrynn-blog]

“us humans eat though! though i think flowers look much nicer. did you know there are flowers that have star names? darrell said we could make a separate little garden with star flowers just for me!”

[duchessclementina-blog]

“I’m thinking about making a garden so it’ll feel more like home, but I don’t even know if vampires and other critters like vegetables.”

[tinybrynn-blog]

“my vampire and i are making a garden in front of our home together! i don’t think it’ll have vegetables but it’s gonna have loads of pretty flowers!”

[slidcr-deactivated20190622]

Darrell laughed. “I don’t know if there’s a color just for that, but I think we can get that across if we plant some flowers in your favorite colors next to some flowers in my favorite colors, right? And I know of a few flowers with the word ‘star’ in their names, so we can do those too. Maybe set aside a piece just for a star garden?” he suggested. There was plenty of space around the house, they could do as many gardens as Brynn wanted. “Maybe the old dusty thing will kick in when I’m older. But I still feel pretty young…I guess it’s ‘cause I was so young when I turned,” he said with a shrug as they entered the house and he flicked on the light. “Quirky is good, I think. At least it means you and I get along well, huh? Hey, it’s your house as much as mine, I’d say.” The vampire wrapped his arm around Brynn’s shoulders, hugging him close and resisting the inexplicable urge to pick him up and carry him around. He was probably strong enough, with these fancy vampire powers, but he wasn’t about to push it.

[tinybrynn-blog]

Brynn smiled brightly. “That’s so cute -- our favourite coloured flowers mingling together. Oh , a star garden! Darrell that sounds so lovely! We need to do that!” He tugged on his vampire’s arm, like that would make it happen quicker. Leave it to Brynn to still be an excited child over things like gardens and the stars. “I don’t think it’ll ever kick in. I’ll keep you young, especially once I start going gray -- you’ll feel positively youthful by comparison!” It’s a bit of a bittersweet thought and one that he doesn’t linger on; Brynn doesn’t want to leave his vampire. He shed his shoes, stocking covered feet wriggling against the carpet of the entryway. “Our house then?” he asked for clarification, turning glittering blues up onto his vampire. Brynn found himself closed up in a tight hug and indulged in return, slim arms wrapping around the other with a dark blush on his cheeks. “Our house.” He nodded this time, assured. The pixie like boy was practically vibrating on his feet, lifting up onto his toes as he felt something trickle through their bond. “If you want to you can,” he whispered, not reading the entirety of Darrell’s desire but also gathering enough to read the twitches in the muscles of his arms as the urge to pick up Brynn’s tiny form.

[slidcr-deactivated20190622]

“Sure, I know a few. Did you know that different color roses and different numbers of roses all have different meanings? Like yellow is for friendship and red is for love, that kind of stuff.” Darrell honestly couldn’t remember where he’d learned that—a book somewhere, probably—but he did wish he’d had someone to give flowers to. Maybe Brynn would appreciate bouquets from time to time. They could have a game out of trying to figure out the meanings. “Yup, I can! Used to make them all the time. I guess you could call me a flower child?” He chuckled, watching Brynn get excited over the prospect of the flower crowns. Thinking about the fun they could have, sitting in the grass weaving the daisies together, he felt another smile coming on. Then again, when wasn’t he smiling around his human? “Now where did you learn to garden so much, hm?”

[tinybrynn-blog]

Brynn listened in awe, smiling at the tidbits of knowledge being given to him. “What color flower says a vampire and a human happily cohabitate here then?” he giggled. “Are there flowers that mean moon things? Or, like, stars?” He furrowed his brow in concentration, nodding, though that expression lightened at the mention of his vampire being a flower child. “Breaking brooding stereotypes left and right. I’d very much like to learn that -- how to make them and put them all in your hair.” He beamed, warmed by the thought. In their own corner of Safe Haven, things actually felt safe. “Oh, well, I didn’t have many friends growing up. Kinda quirky, you know? So the flowers would be my friends in the daytime and the stars would be my friends at night.” He flushed, a bit shy about his home life but he nudged Darrell’s side before wrapping a slender arm round his waist to fold in neatly. “And now our house is going to benefit from it! Er, uh, your house. That I’m... living in. Sorta.”

[lipisms-blog]

“Fuck-” He hissed, quickly withdrawing his arm, holding it close to his chest and wincing when touching it proved just as painful, “I knew that - fucking - bag needed to be held.”

[tinybrynn-blog]

“That... are you supposed to be doing that? It sounded painful. Are you okay?”

[slidcr-deactivated20190622]

“It does.” Darrell frowned, looking up at the overcast sky. As much as the sun hurt if he wasn’t wearing his ring, he did enjoy the brightness it lent to his surroundings. And he knew the appearance of the home didn’t help matters. It was the closest he had come so far to the dusty old vampire stereotype—dark wood paneling on the exterior and on the lower half of some of the walls, shuttered windows, and heavy velvet curtains in most of the rooms. Brynn, though, was a welcome ray of light in this part of his life, and honestly anything he wanted, Darrell would do for him, including letting him take over the gardening project. “It sounds like it’s gonna be beautiful. And I’m glad you know about flowers, because I have no idea how to grow them. I know a few of their meanings but don’t ask me to grow anything,” he said with a laugh. “Can we do roses, or would that really make the place feel creepy and vampire-y? Maybe daisies. I always liked daisies. Great for making flower chains and crowns out of.”

[tinybrynn-blog]

Brynn giggled, clutching his new gifts to his chest with an affectionate glance up at his vampire. “You know their meanings? That’s so neat. Tell me what the ones we plant mean, okay?” he smiled. “Nooo, I was actually thinking of roses too. Besides, they come in all sorts of colors so we could get some that brighten the place up. Although, I happen to have a particular fondness for things that are vampire-y.” That much was only too obvious. “You can make daisy chains and flower crowns? A man of many talents, hm? Would you make one for me? I think that would be lovely.” His heels clicked together excitedly at the thought, imagining weaving his own buds into Darrell’s long locks. He’d look even more beautiful than he does on a daily basis.