[ P ] Blank Space

Sif Asgaut

A brisk chill ushered foliage to dance around the landscape, decorating it in a myriad of colors that were not so foreign to this scene, more often than not dressed in flowers. Gaze of a matching amber hue would argue the raining leaves are prettier than delicate petals. An ever apparent cycle of life and death carried in the leaves that would surely shrivel up in a matter of days. A fleeting moment yet one so impactful to a young mind. It played with her own far more than it should but when was the last time she really looked at the world? Mind always clouded by misfortune, drugs and misery, childhood long stolen before it could start. Somehow, she was still here.

Her ears would flicker as a stray leaf lightly tapped her on the ear before drifting to the ground, causing her to stop and glance down at the faintly tattered beauty. Black rimming damage done, bruised and discarded by a collector. A breath in would fill her lungs before a sigh departed from the subtle fragrance of water in the air; overshadowing the earthen loam that was far more prominent. Rain was creeping in faster than she anticipated, nipping at her heels to move on. “How bothersome.” So much for leisure, she’d have to run if she wanted to make it to the College before the water may grip her and soak her bones. A day off spoiled by nature. The North would surely blame it on the fae, an omen but all she saw was an inconvenience, hindering the harmony of what was supposed to be a perfect day to spend with a certain child of hers.

Gradually she’d start to move again, taking note of the sun becoming muted, causing her steps to quicken till she was in a jog down the path.

Bloop.

A drop of rain would pelt the bridge of her nose and shoulders, sending a shiver to trail along her spine. Rather than try to outrun something against her ability to overtake, she’d search for shelter in hope the gods were lacking in tears for it to last long.

It didn't take much effort to find a ledge to shield her. A small cottage she was no stranger to, having been inside once before a long time ago but she would assume it empty at this time of day. She would not tread within, far be it for her to break into someone’s home, only allowing the side of the building to block the moisture from reaching her fur.

@Khepri

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The rain came out of nowhere and woke Khepri from his drug induced slumber. At first the gentle pitter-patter was almost like a lullaby but then he realized something in the back of his hazy mind... you're late...

Khepri jolted upright, his fur a mess, and breathed a string of obscenities. "SHIT!"

He groaned and rolled out of bed, bustling about the small cottage as he tried to gather his things for class. He was late, so late... too late...

once he got everything collected, he tossed it in a worn out satchel and slung it over his shoulder. with a few more curses strung from his lips, he made his way to the exit. he squinted at the shadow in the doorway but thought nothing of it as he made his way outside and not quiet into the rain before he realized someone was at his door. "s-sorry, can't talk. i'm la-" he fumbled before he turned his head to see Sif standing there. His throat tightened up and he started down at her with wide chocolate brown eyes. the fur atop is head swirled upright, giving him a sloppy sort of look, but he didn't realize it at all. he was too intensely focused on the woman before him.

"s-sif?" he choked out, as if saying her name would make her very being disappear.

he wanted to wrap his arms around her and pull her in for a hug, but his body was frozen. he couldn't move and he couldn't think. in fact, he forgot all about the fact that he was late to class and instead, just continued to stare at her in wonder.


"we're all young and naive still"

table ▶▶ claerie

Sif Asgaut

She’d easy to a seated position, resting her form against the building as her lone eyes panned up toward the sky, admiring each droplet without having to douse herself within it. Like little beads of crystal, flickering light as they fell before splattering into glitter but even with the steady strumming of the rain, the sound of movement didn’t go unnoticed from within the ruin, ears flicking back as her head tilted to the side. At first she thought it was a prey animal or badger that might be wreaking havoc inside till an utterance reached her ears, though it was hard to make out at all what it had said, if it were words at all. It seemed wolven yet she couldn’t say she was certain. That was until profanity was slowly echoing, becoming louder and more urgent, causing her head to turn toward the door frame. Brows would raise as she heard the steps fumbling closer, prepping to get up, half expecting a thief to come jogging out and she was more than willing to apprehend them if it were.

A thief? Her reflex to rise would be thorted. The thought quickly became amusing once she saw the fools gold that hobbled half haphazardly out the door, stopping mid sentence like that of an old bard's tale than any real individual.

If bedhead were a wolf, he illustrated it well with the tossed fur and what she swore was possibly drool that had been along his muzzle but maybe it was her own imagination playing tricks on her. The faintest smile couldn’t help but curve the sides of her muzzle before her head would turn away and with it the smile disappeared, body sinking more as tension dissipated with a prolonged sigh as if taking a drag from a cigarette.

That amusement would quickly fade, stripped from her as she realized exactly who this was and his fixed gaze made her uncomfortable. Her name sputtered off his tongue only making her skin crawl as her ears pulled back, though she couldn’t tell if that crawling was bad or good. Every memory with him had been far from pleasant though usually not of his own volition. Yet, she couldn’t help but blame him. It was… easier.

“Professor, shouldn’t you be at the school by now?” she breathed out, zoning for a second as she gathered that unnerved feeling by the neck in her mind. “Go, go, don’t let me keep you, your students surely need you. Pretend I’m not even here,” she casted a glance out of the corner of her eye past her lashes, hoping he would do exactly as she requested, urging calmly.

"I’ll be on my way once the rain settles," she assured.

@Khepri

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It was the tiny smile on her lips that he first saw that made a smile of his own show in reflection. However, the thought that this reunion would be a happy one was quickly dashed as the smile was wiped from her face and she looked away. His own faltered and fell away just the same and he cleared his throat, the need to look presentably suddenly befalling him. He lifted a paw and swiped at the fur atop his head and around his face, only furthering the mess he could not see. He glanced toward Sif again but she was still looking away from him. Was she angry with him? Was that why she'd disappeared (at least it had seemed to him like she'd disappeared) so long ago? Then... why was she back now? Khepri didn't quite know what was going on, but she didn't even use his name when addressing him.

The word didn't dance of her tongue so nicely this time as she urged him to go to class, that he should just leave her there in the rain and she'd be gone by the time it let up... probably to never see her again. "Like hell I'm leaving," he growled.

"come in, come in," he urged, moving closer and nudging her gently. "it's warm and dry, mostly, and my class has probably honestly left by now anyway." he said. he glanced up at the sky, but there was no way to tell just what time it was with the rain clouds blocking the sunlight. he assumed it was somewhere around midday with the brightness that cast through the clouds, but he couldn't be certain. his class would have likely left within the first few moments of his absence, happy to have a free day to themselves.

he stepped partway in the door and looked at her expectantly. "don't make me drag you in here," he added, trying his best to be playful. he didn't want her to go, not yet. he had missed her greatly all this time and that was hard for him to put into words.

however, he highly suspected if he tried to truly drag her in the cottage he'd end up without ears, or worse. he was a fool, but not that foolish.


"we're all young and naive still"

table ▶▶ claerie

Sif Asgaut

She had only captured a glimpse of his smile as if returning one she had done herself, oblivious to the fact any of the amusement had shown on her own visage but at least that penetrating gaze was no longer so heavy. Not that it brought her any comfort, it was still better than the dead goldfish look. One ear curved back at the flem noise, half expecting a lecture prepared just for her if he was like any other teacher that walked the floors of the Arboretum as it sounded like he was readying himself to give one. The bit of movement caught her attention but not enough to acknowledge it, not knowing him to be violent at the very least.

Suspicious and skittish maybe but no beast soaked in blood.

What she wasn’t expecting was a growl and defiance, so sharp. Internally her heart fluttered, startled by the sudden noise that she had never heard from him before. Had it not been for words accompanying it, she just may have thought another had joined the party. No. It was clearly from the male, there was no denying that. No need to look around and check her surroundings.

Just as her head went to turn toward him, her space was swiftly invaded. A rigidity echoing from his touch, into her body like a serpent twisting its coils around her as she fought instinct to react in an inappropriate fashion. Rather, she raised a paw to push firmly onto the nose that prodded her as if swatting away a fly, tempted to shove him over in that moment. Restraint. She wouldn’t actually bop in a way that could harm him. There was a chance she missed altogether as his head had turned away from her to peer up at the sky.

It took a second to process what he actually said, the buzz of discomfort making the world a bit foggy. "If my daughter was upon your ledger, she’d remain till the day was done. You present or not. Surely there are others no different; not so quick to run from their lessons,” she huffed plainly, looking toward the threshold before turning her head back toward him. Good thing he wasn’t her teacher with this lack of punctuality and care, so quick to abandon for his own mess up. Had she been late to attend to her subordinates and should they have presumed it as an off day because of it, they would not be simply excused. Patience and ambitions were virtues she cherished both for student and teacher.

Discipline.

Joking or not, the last words hit a sour note on her ears, canting her head at him with an eerily calm expression for a moment before rising to her paws in one easy motion. Between the growl and the playful threat, so many thoughts flooded her mind, none of them good as memories played in a shuffle. Without warning, she’d grab him by the ear and use a paw to trip his footing up, aiming to send his back into the earth though not in means to give him pain either. Rather, a paw would press down onto his sternum, nails itching to slide onto his neck but would not. If she was successful, she’d be standing over him, looking down. Dominant and unwavering. “If you are going to command me, do so with conviction,” there was no pinpoint emotion in her voice or on her face, though one could view it as a challenge or a warning.

@Khepri

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As she batted his nose away, he smiled again faintly. It was like she was knocking away a pesky fly and he wondered if he would even be able to get her to move from her spot beneath the awning. She started talking about discipline and his smile faded once more, though not fully.

Discipline was precisely why he was not in the Army where he should be, with his family. He had no discipline, and hated the very idea of it. The work, the dedication it took to be a soldier, it was not in him and never would be. He'd expect nothing more of his students than to leave when he was unable (or unwilling) to show up. The idea of Aurora sitting there all day and waiting on him would be comical if it weren't so sad. "Would she now? I can't imagine one of my kids doing that. They're always begging to leave early," he said. Maybe he was just a bad teacher too... oh well. If worst really came to worst from one day off, he'd just give it up like he gave up the Army. Then what would he do? Honestly, he didn't know. Maybe he'd try his hand at a merchant's stall.

The thought almost made him laugh aloud, but the notion was cut short when he felt hot breath upon his ear. He turned his head slightly but it was too late. His paws tripped over something and he found himself thrown off balance enough to fall. He hit the ground with a thud and an 'oof' that escaped him as he lay winded. Without much effort, Sif was now standing above him with an unwavering look upon her face he couldn't read. He couldn't tell if she were angry, sad, upset... nothing, really. Discipline. He grunted and narrowed his eyes slightly.

"You want conviction?" he said quietly. "Get in the damn house, Sif!" he said, his voice as unwavering and hard as her expression, but still just as quiet as before. He was far less amused now than he had been. He picked up his paws and pushed at her chest so that he could stand up, if she'd let him.

once he stood, he stood over her (barely) and looked at her with a small fierceness in his eyes. He could never tell what she wanted from him, but for once he wanted to do what he wanted and that was get him, and her, out of the rain.


"we're all young and naive still"

table ▶▶ claerie

Sif Asgaut

He was always rather physically emotional, that was one thing she had learned about him over the years, flicking through them to convey his feelings directly on his sleeve. Today, she could argue, he was extra animated in that sense, constantly shifting in response to her words and actions. “Then maybe you need more attentive students, though I know not what you teach. I’d assume medicine based on your prior… qualifications,” it wasn’t meant to be a jab, there was no blame for her missing eye placed on him, not from her. That said, she was disappointed in his choice to flee from his past job, especially when it seemed he didn’t take teaching very seriously. She supposed it was no surprise if he turned tail on that, it was no oddity for him to do this thinking about it.

Perhaps any other man she might have tensed from the order or challenged it back but the fiery that shrouded his face was hardly intimidating, head canting to the side before a grin pulled her muzzle into a curved line. A brow would arch as he tried his best to appear large and in charge when he was hardly bigger than her, such a small fellow with equally sweet features when they weren’t dripping in drugs and lust. The thought would fault her smile a tad, smoothing but not going fully away as she took a step forward, cutting off the space more, curious if he would continue to hold his ground and quickly crumble the moment she seemed unphased. Two tone tail swayed, raised even but calm with no sign of submission.

“Profanity doesn’t suit you,” she stated, the rain failing to interrupt her as she took another step closer. If he didn’t move, there was a good chance they would be nearly nose to nose as she kept her stance firm, meeting his eyes with little emotion of her own. “Nor does such a face. You look more like a disappointed father, than anything. Does that make me your baby?” she hummed faintly, staring him down for a moment as she took in his scent. Valerian. The perfume was dangerous, a craving for its side effects nipped at her brain to numb her senses once more. She had been clean for a little while now, avoiding the taverns and herbs alike but it would take a single taste to defect once more to that sense of mental bliss. There was no chance she was going to let that happen, not today.

She’d turn without taking a single step back, causing her tail to gently brush under his chin unintentionally before she’d move away from the cottage a little bit. “I don’t owe you company, Professor,” she sighed out her own belief, glancing over her shoulder at him before turning it back to look ahead of her to the pellets. A little rain wouldn’t kill her, she decided, no matter how much she hated the feeling of soaked pelts pressed to her skin. How much it made her feel like she was suffocating. “Nor do you owe me any favors.” Another belief he may not agree with and she knew this, he needn't shelter her, she wasn't a child ignorant of what she was doing. She'd be warm soon enough. If she got sick, then maybe she'd think again on that matter.

With that, she would leave, ears flattening on her skull, expecting to look disgusting by the time she made it to the college like a drenched rat.

[Exit Sif unless stopped]

@Khepri

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Khepri wondered if she were truly concerned for his students or simply looked for a way to get rid of him. It didn't make any sense to him that she would show up at his door only to wish him away when he appeared. Then again, Sif had never made a lot of sense to him. "Yeah. Medicine." he responded. It was almost ironic that he taught the very thing he'd failed at... and this was only a reminder of that as he looked into her single eye.

As he watched her expression untighten, her brow arch and a smile blossom upon her lips, he wondered if she was actually going to listen to him and come inside. She came closer and he smiled back, thinking she was simply going to come in, but then she paused before him -- almost nose to nose -- and then she began to scold him again. His smile fell away and he felt in that moment he wanted to claw his own damn eyes out with how stubborn she was being. "W-What? No, it doesn't." he sputtered at her comment about her being his baby. He didn't feel like a disappointed father, he felt like a damn joke. Maybe that was the point of all this.

As she turned away from him, her tail brushed beneath his chin and his face grew hot with both embarrassment and rage. "I-" he began, before she cut him off and told him that she didn't owe him her company. He closed his mouth, swallowing in hard agreement. She didn't... but that didn't mean he didn't want her to stay. With her last words, she walked out into the rain and meant to leave him there, alone again, with little to no explanation as to why she had ever come in the first place. Like many of their meetings, this was just as fleeting as the last, and it was like a kick to the gut as he watched her walk away. He decided in that moment that he couldn't do it again. He was tired of feeling deflated, defeated, unworthy... he was just tired of it all. So why were his paws carrying him after her without his permission?

Khepri trailed after her and before long, he overtook her and came to stand in her path. The anger that had swelled within him was long gone and only sadness filled his chocolate eyes to the brim. "Please, don't go yet. You're right, you don't owe me your company but I... I'd really appreciate it."


"we're all young and naive still"

table ▶▶ claerie

Sif Asgaut

As he abruptly padded to block her off, her lip would curl reflexively but a snarl would not bubble up into the beast that wanted to slither out from the depths, twisting in her chest at this foolishness. She didn’t understand his attachment, his need to have her attention. He was a grown man but had that stopped…? The thought trailed off, not wanting to go down that dark and bloody rabbit hole of her past, the past that had also conjured in his presence within the demonic forest. A reminder. A reminder of bad times that were probably not real to begin with, a hallucination of a tortured mind. He was gone. He was dead. He was not within this Professor's eyes but was this not an obsession? He had tried to find her the day of that festival and not for any viable reason in her mind. Bothering her child of all things. Her gaze was hard upon him as she had stopped, ears attempting to rise to hear him better but would quickly fold back down as a raindrop soaked into the tunnel, resisting the urge to shake her head free of it.

The pleading was strange, the sadness even stranger as it drowned his lens, making him look like a helpless puppy. Each wrinkle along her muzzle would lessen, the curl that slightly showed sharp used fangs curtaining them once more. It felt like manipulation. Maybe that was just her mistrust and irritation yelling, giving her any reason to leave but she didn’t trust… men. Trusted them even less within their own territory and this was his.

He was just a professor. A doctor. Still, the wary feeling didn’t want to go away.

“Not here. Not now,” the ire ebbed away entirely as she released a sigh. “If you so desire my company, I will hear you where the sky falls to earth, reflecting it beautifully. When the sun sets the world ablaze tomorrow evening. Don't keep me waiting. If you are late, don’t bother coming for I’ll take the same invitation as your students: to leave if my time means nothing to you,” she stated wearily. If she was going to agree to anything, it would be on her own terms. A place where drugs wouldn’t be in reach and where she knew the landscape better than he likely did and most of all, hopefully the worst that might be there is snow.

She would not wait for a response, this time going around him and running off, all the more eager to withdraw from this awful weather and seek warmth in one of the few furs that gives her comfort.

[Exit Sif Attempt 2 lol ]

@Khepri

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The rain poured around them and for a moment he thought she might attack him. He didn't know what else to say, or do... but he just didn't want her to go. Unfortunately, she was in no mood to stay and told him as much. A sigh left her and she told him she would meet with him later, where the sky falls to earth tomorrow evening. "Okay," he said softly, though whether she heard him through the rain was unknown as she was already running around him to get away.

Khepri blinked and watched her go, his ears splayed atop his head in dismay as her figure grew smaller and smaller until it was nothing at all.

He didn't know what he had done wrong or why she wouldn't stay, but she didn't want to be here that much was clear. She'd rather meet elsewhere than stay one moment in his home. Khepri wondered if everything he'd imagined was just all in his head and honestly, in that moment, it felt like it. But he would show up tomorrow, where she requested, all the same. Why? He didn't know.

He was a lonely man and had little friends and even if Sif thought nothing of him, he thought a lot of her. He sighed and looked down at his drenched bag, then decided if it wasn't too late he'd head to class after all. He didn't know if anyone would still be there but at least he could get some work done either way.

[exit khepri]
"we're all young and naive still"

table ▶▶ claerie