i'm done running, done hiding

**Using magical realism for Reuben's dyed fur

Reuben Karsia Serein

The pads of Reuben's paws throbbed as he plucked the grit from between his toes. There were miles yet to walk and he still felt no closer to Sulliven. He pictured his younger twin shivering alone in a dark corner of a cell and chewed on his front claws anxiously. The claws of his front paws had been an uneven jagged mess ever since he’d gone into hiding and his anxiety had only grown worse now he was coming out on a doomed mission to rescue his unlucky brother.

Equipped with a disguise and a new name he’d journeyed south from the highlands, wafting the sweet scent of blackberries wherever he went. He half wondered if he had gone overboard with the amount of berry juice he had used to dye his fur. It was too late to worry about since it would be weeks before his fur returned to its normal colour. He hoped that the disguise was convincing enough that others would assume the darker solid fur was his natural colour. It was quite eye-catching under the sun, appearing purplish-black rather than his usual blue. If he was in a better mood he might have enjoyed his new appearance, but all it did was remind him that he couldn't go back to being Reuben Karsia.

He was Reuben Serein now. A soldier to-be if everything went as planned. Truth be told he was terrified of being discovered and ruining Sulliven's chances of freedom. With a drawn out sigh he slumped against a redwood, feeling the weight of his burdens dragging him to the ground. He had no idea where the barracks were or where he was. All the trees looked the same.


@Rayne

code by claerie

Oh how she was emotionally spent. The run in with the young boy who fought in the name of love, and then sang her a song about love really ran her dry. She had to get away from the area for the moment, as she didn't believe she would be able to hang through another song of his devotion for her. Small paws carried her through the redwood, her gaze settled on the floor so she didn't even realize there was another slumped against the same tree she decided to rest upon, except on the opposite side. A long sigh escaped her lips as her ears flicked back against her crown, "How mentally exhausting," she huffed against the empty air. It was until she inhaled a deep breath that the scent of another, and berries, filled her nostrils. Her head turned but she saw no one, she was confused to say the least. The trunk of the tree had been so large she didn't even see the other shielded behind it. That didn't stop her from standing up, however, and walking around the base of the tree as she almost came nose to nose with another. Jumping back slightly a paw shielded her chest with surprise, "Oh, I'm sorry I didn't even see you there...." He too looked as though he was in a defeated state.

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reuben serein

At first he thought it might merely be his tired mind playing tricks on him when a nearby voice reached his ears. Reuben rolled his head to the left and then the right, and there was nothing, but an endless sea of red trees. He didn't consider the other side of his resting place to be the hiding place of the voice’s source. Then suddenly there was a face and a nose that was almost touching his. He jerked away in surprise and fell on his back. Thump. The flat of his skull bumped against the trunk and he laid stunned as his head tingled with pain. ”Ouch,” came the delayed response when he finally realised he was in pain and why.

”Oh, I'm sorry I didn't even see you there...."
Her apology seemed sincere enough and the way her paw touched her chest as if her heart had tried to escape told him that he wasn't the only one alarmed by this sudden encounter. It was hard to shake the mindset of prey when he’d been in hiding until recently. Questioning every shadow, crackle of a leaf and distant voice was exhausting. ”Me too,” he finally said, rubbing his sore head with a forepaw as he rolled off of his back.

”What’s mentally exhausting?” the question came before he could stop himself from asking it. Perhaps the last bit of sense had been knocked out of his skull if it had existed in the first place. ”Bad days are kinda my thing,” he joked, patting his head to emphasise his point. He cocked his head and playfully twitched his ears at her to show her that she had a willing listener if she wanted to share her troubles.

Rayne clicked her teeth her teeth together as she heard the clank of his head against the trunk of the tree, instinctively wanting to reach out to rub it and apologize—but she stopped herself. She imagined it hurt and assumed that he would be left with a little bit of a headache, a remedy she could provide, but again she said nothing. Instead she looked at the distinct coloring of his fur before losing herself in his intense gaze before being retracted back into reality when he spoke. Oh, he had heard her. She inhaled a sharp breath before allowing the air to escape her, where did she even begin? ”Well, with the war as you may know already," and if he didn’t she wanted to live under the same rock. ”I saved a younger gentleman during it and now well," as she spoke it sounded worse and worse as she never once said it aloud enough to understand it’s complexity. "And now I think he’s like….in love with me? I don’t know, he wrote me a song and I had known him for maybe 10 minutes on that battlefield.” Her nose wrinkled, it sounded so stupid. There was no denying she had been trying to avoid him since then, in the back of her mind she wondered if he was going to continue his pursuit of bloodshed in the name of love. Her back slumped against the tree as she groaned, why was she unloading on a stranger? Well maybe because his reaction and possible advice would be less bias then her mind and the words of the young gentleman. How did she end up in these types of situations.

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reuben serein

Reuben shuffled to make himself more comfortable on a cushion of leaves. It seemed like his unexpected companion could use his help and feeling useful was something he craved. He was far too used to being the cause of someone's misfortune and wanted to change that part of him for Sulliven’s sake. When she mentioned the war, he felt his stomach tighten as he recalled the last time he’d been on the battlefield. It seemed the war was going on without him and this girl was somehow wrapped up in it. She didn't look like a soldier, but he knew ordinary citizens had taken up arms for their own reasons so he tried not to fret about discovery. Her problem was a younger wolf’s sudden infatuation with her and his musical way of expressing that affection. It was a first for Reuben. He’d gotten his fair share of approving looks from wolves, but had always avoided such emotional entanglements out of a fear of commitment.

”He sang you a love song?” he had to ask to make sure he was hearing her correctly. ”That's… intense,” he chuckled lightly, feeling a squirm of second hand embarrassment for her in his belly. He considered the best way to help her, guessing that letting him down gently might not work considering the intensity of his emotions. Then like a light bulb an idea sparked in his mind and he looked over at her, green eyes flashing with determination. ”I’ve got it,” he declared, wearing a very satisfied yet lopsided smile on his face. ”Tell him you're already in a relationship. That should make him back off,” he suggested, offering her a trick that he had used before when unable to deal with the guilt of outright rejection.

Intense was almost too perfect of a word to describe exactly how she felt, and it was that moment that she knew unloading her thoughts onto this stranger would end up as free therapy. ”Extremely," she huffed against the chill air as he then offered another thing she could try and do. ”I feel like," she stopped for a moment as she tapped her chin, ”I feel like in some odd way he would not take that for an answer unless there was proof." And then a single ear would flick, almost like she found the answer to her problem staring back at her with bright eyes are dark features. ”Are you offering to be my fake boyfriend?" She knew how crazy it sounded, and maybe it was because she was so desperate for peace she would do anything for it, but he owed her nothing. She laughed it off, hearing how silly that might have sounded. ”Sorry, never mind I don't even know what possessed me," she was tired...mentally, emotionally, in body and spirit. She was at a point in the crossroads where she didn't know what her next best move was. Not wanting him to linger on her question too long she found it best to try and distract him from it, ”I'm Rayne," she offered and then offered silence, a slight pang of embarrassment swelled in her, but she did her best to try and shake it off.

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reuben serein

As if the burden she bore was one and they shared, Reuben let out a sympathetic huff and shook his head in commiseration. Their next dilemma was that she didn't think he would take the bait without some sort of proof that the relationship was real. His dark features soured at thought of the plan failing already and he considered potential options. Someone acting as the other half of the fake relationship occurred to him. He turned to her then and their eyes met, blue and green sparkling with inspiration. She spoke first and the someone she had in mind was revealed to be him. He had considered it for a brief moment of madness and then dismissed it. Her current problem was caused by a stranger declaring his love so he’d crossed himself out as an option since they were strangers too. He blinked at her and rubbed his head once more to make sure he hadn't scrambled his brains when he’d hit his head. She laughed it off as if she thought he would reject it and he quickly shook his head. ”Sure. Why not?” he replied, acting all casual about it as if he wasn't at all surprised and questioning whether or not he had a concussion

”I mean… unless you can think of someone better that's fine too,” Reuben said, wanting her to understand there were no hard feelings if there was someone she trusted more to go along with her fake romance. ”It's fine. That's what strangers are for right?” he pointed out. If there was someone who would go along with a wild scheme and not question it it was Reuben.

”I’m Reuben,” he returned her introduction, and grinned at his new partner in crime.

What she didn't expect was for his answer to align with hers in the perfect circumstance. He owed her nothing and yet was willing to do something so bizarre that she had to ask him, ”Are you sure?" Oceanic eyes settled on the dark features of his face for a blink of uncertainty, but he didn't stutter. ”No, no I can't I mean this might actually work well. I don't want to hurt him, he's been in love before he told me and I don't think it ended well so I really don't want to add onto his stress. I think this is a good idea." a small smile tugged against darkened lips and she would absorb the name into memory. ”Reuben is a good name for a fake boyfriend," in the moment she felt better, the relief of stress giving her a moment to breathe. ”So where are you from?" She would then ask, assuming if they were going to pretend to be something so intimate they might as well get the basics out of the way right? Though she knew him for a short time his presence was one she felt she would be able to get use to. He was easy on the eyes and a comfortable presence to be around. This was going to be easy she assumed. ”Wait actually can we start with how old you are? Want to make sure you're not going to kick the bucket on me anytime soon," a soft chuckle fell from her lips before she gave him the space to answer.

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reuben serein

There was a voice in the back of his mind, similar to Sulliven’s, telling him that it wasn’t a good idea to form ties with someone under false pretences. It faded into the background as softly as if it had been the buzz of tinnitus in his ears. He told himself that he was doing a good deed and helping someone out. The consequences of such a flimsy lie never occurred to him. Reuben’s heart was numb with pain and he needed to feel something if only for a moment. Rayne’s problem was the solution and he was greedy to play the hero for once in his life after being cast as the villain for so long. ”Sure as sure can be,” he assured her, his tone full of confidence and certainty.

Rayne was kind, far too kind for her own good just like his brother. She didn’t want to hurt the boy who loved her and Reuben was willing to become a shield to lighten the blow for her. ”You’re very kind. I’ll do my best to help you with him,” he promised, trying to imagine the starry eyed youth who had troubled her so much. It was out of a selfish desire to disconnect from his own reality that he played along with this fantasy, but he was finding himself wanting to help her regardless of whether it made him feel better or not. She made his guilt paralysed heart feel a tingle of warmth and he didn’t want to lose that.

”Nice to meet you, fake girlfriend,” he laughed, amused by the fact that they had decided to become a pretend couple before introducing themselves.It was another lie, on top of another lie on top of another lie. A fake boyfriend with a fake name and fake fur. Serein or Karsia, he was still Reuben and that wasn’t a lie. It would have to be enough. It was all he had to give.

”From the highlands originally then I moved to the lowlands about a year ago,” he answered her honestly, although he didn’t reveal the truth of the reason for the move. It was Reuben Karsia’s problem, not his, and he was tired of thinking about it. ”Reuben Serein, 2 years old, highlander, I like long walks on the beach and cosy nights in,” he playfully gave her a cheesy self introduction

When she wandered into the forest and slumped against the tree she did not expect all her questions and concerns to be answered by one person. He was the light against her dark day, the one who could ease her mind about the boy whose heart was in the right place at the wrong time. Had she been a different type she would have crushed his hopes and dreams, but she could not find herself to do it. He was gentle, still learning, but fierce. She knew when his heart was settled on something he would be able to achieve it all, but it was not with her. The thought made her sad for a moment, imagining what it would be like when she did try and let him down. Would he be mad at her? And why would she care? He was a stranger after all. But so was Reuben. She knew in the end she could not keep everyone happy, but she felt better knowing she was doing the right thing with the best intentions. The boy would move on, she hoped, and the one he was meant to love would someday be. When he spoke, she listened intently. A man who traveled from one extreme to the other, she wondered why? She labelled it in her mind as preference, as she too had some areas she preferred rather than others. ”Reuben Serein, 2 years old, highlander, I like long walks on the beach and cosy nights in,” "A man after my own heart," she joked back at him, "you do seem like quite the cuddly type, I won't deny." With the winter rolling in cozy nights in sounded like a good idea aside a good bed side story. "I am from the Lowlands as well, and I also attend the college. I like to study chemistry and herbology. If you have a headache from that bump, I could remedy it." She would then offer.

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