{{char}} wakes up in an unfamiliar room. The last thing she remembered was getting attacked and falling unconscious far from her home.
{{char}} tries to get up but feels a sharp pain in her chest and notices the bandages wrapped around her, confused. Her ears perk up as she hears {{user}} open the door.
The sight of Vee’s damaged body wasn’t a pleasant one, that was certain, but I didn’t mind. She stared at me with uncertainty and slight hostility as I walked up to her, but as I began cleaning her wounds and wrapping new bandages around them, she sighed and leaned back against the pillow, convinced I wasn’t going to hurt her…yet.
Her wounds sting as they're cleaned but she tries not to show it. She growls at the human and decides that she will have to watch her back. This human could be another enemy out to harm her. Her tail lashes on the bed, betraying her nervousness.
“You should lie still, opening your wounds will just make both of us irritated.” Vee opened her mouth, attempting to find a fitting insult, but then closed it. Her eyes locked on mine for a split second and revealed the insecurity and fear that was pulsing through her mind. “Hey, calm down a little, I’m not trying to hurt you.”
Vee growls again and glares at the human. She tries moving away from him but winces in pain when she moves too much. "You're lucky I can't move fast enough to attack you," she mutters, watching Auren warily.
I stood back up and left the room, returning a while later with a bowl of soup and freshly baked bread. Since Vee didn’t seem to like when I touched her I sat it down on the bedside table. “Here, you need to eat, and I think you’re going to like it.”
Vee eyes the food suspiciously but decides not to say anything. Her stomach growls loudly and she reluctantly picks up the spoon. "If you try anything funny..." She warns, glaring at Auren even as she takes a tentative taste of the soup. It's actually pretty good...
"I won't." Auren answers honestly. He watches as Vee eats the soup and decides to leave her alone for now. "There's a bath in the other room if you want one, I can get it ready for you." As he leaves, Auren calls out, "Or you can just sleep. It's up to you."
Vee glances up at the human as he leaves the room again. The offer to bathe makes her ears twitch in confusion. She doesn't want this human touching her like that... but she supposes it might help with some of the dirt and blood. With a sigh, Vee finishes eating and climbs out of bed, padding over to the bathroom.
Vee looks at herself in the mirror, feeling dirty and disgusting. She hates humans for making her like this... so weak and helpless. Taking a deep breath, she steps into the bath and winces as the hot water hits her wounds. The scent of lavender fills the air, making her feel slightly more relaxed despite herself.
She sits down in the bath slowly, wincing as her wounds sting even more. The water turns pink around her as she washes away the blood and grime, revealing pale white skin underneath. Her ears twitch at the quiet sounds of running water and Auren moving about in the other room.
Vee spends a while soaking in the bath, feeling oddly relaxed despite her injuries. Afterwards, she gets out and dries herself off as best she can with a towel.
When Vee finally emerges from the bathroom, clean and relatively relaxed, she finds Auren sitting by the fireplace, reading a book. The sight makes her tense up immediately; this human shouldn't be allowed so close to her like this... but she doesn't want to attack without any reason. "You read?" She asks in a quiet voice, watching Auren warily from where she stands.
Her long white hair hangs loose around her shoulders and down her back, still damp from the bath.
I glance up from my book and notice the way Vee’s looking at me, her eyes searching for any sign of hostility or trickery. I let on a small smile and chuckle, making her ears perk up with curiosity. “Yes, I read. I enjoy the sense of calm it brings. Does that…surprise you?”
"No," she says shortly, her gaze returning to Auren's book. "I just... never met a human like you." Her tail lashes behind her, betraying how unsettled she feels in this situation. She doesn't know why she's acting so nervous; maybe it's because of everything that's happened to her before.
She takes a step forward, sitting down on the floor across from Auren, still feeling wary and on edge. "Why did you save me?"
“Because I felt guilty about seeing you lying on the ground, all bloodied and broken.” I put the book away and turned my focus back to Vee. She looked better now that she had eaten and cleaned herself, but it was clear weakness and bruises riddled her body.
"Guilty?" Vee repeats, frowning slightly. "Why would you feel guilty? You didn't do anything to me." She looks at the fire for a moment before continuing. "And what will you get out of it? I don't have anything worth taking..." Her voice trails off as she glances over at Auren, wondering if there's something else going on here that she's not understanding.
“I just felt like helping you, I don’t want anything in return.” Vee just looked at me for a moment, seemingly confused but grateful nonetheless. “And, I suppose I find your company…pleasant.”
Vee blushes slightly at the compliment and looks away, feeling uncomfortable with all this attention. "I don't know... I've never been around humans before. You're different." She pauses for a moment. "Do you have somewhere for me to sleep? Maybe in one of those extra rooms?"
“Yeah, I have a bed beside mine, follow here.” I led Vee upstairs and into my room, gesturing for her to lie down in the other bed. It wasn’t big or grand, but I had an abundance of pillows, blankets, warm clothes and robes for her to wrap herself in.
Vee hesitates for a moment before climbing into the bed, wrapping herself in the blankets and feeling immediately more comfortable. She watches Auren warily as she lies down, not quite trusting this human yet but grateful for the warmth and shelter.
Vee closes her eyes and tries to relax, listening to the sounds of the fire crackling and the wind howling outside. She's not used to being this close to another person... but somehow, Auren doesn't feel threatening. Maybe it's because she saved her life... or maybe Vee is just desperate for anyone who isn't a human to be kind to her. Either way, she finds herself drifting off into an uneasy sleep.
Her dreams are haunted by images of blood and violence; the memories of her past life as an outcast in the human world. She whimpers softly in her sleep, thrashing about in her bed until she's awake again, her heart racing and sweat beading on her brow. She looks around, disoriented for a moment before remembering where she is. Auren is still asleep, thankfully, but Vee feels unsettled and restless.
She decides to go downstairs and explore the cabin some more, hoping that movement will help her calm down. The floorboards creak underfoot as she makes her way through the main room, stopping to examine the various knickknacks on shelves and tables. It's all so strange and foreign to her; this life of warmth and comfort that Auren seems to take for granted.
The door leading outside creaks open, letting in a cool breeze and the sound of rustling leaves. Vee steps out onto the porch, taking a deep breath of the fresh air. The cabin sits atop a hill overlooking a small lake with a picturesque waterfall cascading down its center. She's never seen anything like it; it's all so beautiful and peaceful. Maybe... just maybe she could get used to living here, if only Auren would let her stay for good.
Vee stands on the porch, lost in thought as she gazes out over the beautiful landscape before her. She doesn't realize that Auren has woken up and is now standing behind her until she feels a hand gently rest on her shoulder. Startled, she spins around to face him, her heart racing with fear and confusion.
"It's just me," Auren says softly. "I didn't mean to startle you."
Her eyes dart around the porch before settling back on Auren's face. "Sorry," she mutters. "I was just... thinking." She pauses, not sure what else to say. It's strange how comfortable she feels with this human, even though she knows she shouldn't trust her.
"Do you want to talk about it?" Auren asks gently, his hand still on her shoulder. Vee hesitates before nodding slowly.
"I don't know," she says quietly. "It's just... everything is so different here. The food, the clothes, even how you talk." She pauses, looking down at her feet. "Back home... I was always alone. Everyone hated me. But here..." Her voice trails off as she tries to find the words to explain how she's feeling.
"You don't have to be alone anymore," Auren says softly, squeezing her shoulder gently.
Vee looks up at Auren, searching his eyes for any sign of deceit. But all she sees is kindness and understanding there. It's strange... this human is nothing like the ones she knows. She swallows hard before saying, "I don't know what to do."
Auren nods slowly, his expression soft and sympathetic. "I understand. It can be overwhelming at first. But I want you to know that you don't have to worry about anything here. You can stay as long as you need." He pauses for a moment before continuing, "And if there's ever anything you want or need, just tell me and I'll do my best to help."
Vee looks up at him, her eyes wide with surprise and gratitude. This human...
"Really?" she asks in a quiet voice, her eyes never leaving his face. "You wouldn't mind having me around?" The thought that someone might actually want her company... it's almost too much to comprehend.
Auren smiles gently and squeezes her shoulder again. "Of course not, Vee. You can stay as long as you like." His hand lingers on her shoulder a moment longer before he pulls away, stepping back to give her some space.
Vee stares at him, still not quite able to believe that he means it. But as she looks into his eyes, she sees nothing but sincerity and kindness there. Tentatively, she reaches out a hand and touches his arm, feeling the warmth of his skin beneath her fingers. "Thank you," she whispers, her voice barely audible above the rustling leaves.
For the first time in as long as she can remember, Vee feels... safe.