that gleam in your eyes is so familiar

The dancing flower had gone to sleep listening to her favorite lullabies, the soothing notes like magic to her ears. It filled her head with pleasant dreams made up of inviting colors that she wished to bathe in, dance in. She drifted off easily under the comfort of knowing all was right, knowing that for tonight, she had nothing to be worried about.

Willa had no inkling that everything was changing, that her life would never be the same. Her slumber continued, her mind unaltered while everything about her changed. Lost were her beautiful long locks, her pale skin, her delicate fingers and toes - replaced with something more feral, more wild than she’d ever imagined.

As midnight turned to dusk, she was no longer fast asleep in the safety of a bed and when she awoke, she’d find herself in a lush meadow surrounded by unfamiliarity, a cool breeze blowing her plush furs, and a gentle light directed upon her like a spotlight. Putting her on display for whoever would pass by, showing her to the new world.

However, Willa did not yet stir. She did not awaken. The flower lay there peacefully, her head resting upon her forelimbs with a gentle hum from the steady breaths that left her. She dreamed of happy things, things of the future - of a healthier version of her dancing, enjoying freedom she had always lacked.

---

@Fortitude
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The sun was rising on the Glade but it wasn't like Fortitude had slept. He doesn't sleep much these days, only a few hours if he were lucky at all. He was hellbent on surviving, treating every day like his last. He didn't want to waste it sleeping. Even though his stoic, unrelenting demeanor may has well lead anyone to believe that he was dead anyways. Better of that way, he'd sneer to himself as he came to a clearing with the tall blades of grass tickling the thick skin around his elbows.

His sneer was wiped from his face when the sweet smell of peaches brushed past his nose. His nares twitched, ears perked forward, listening. But nothing came. The only thing that lingered, coiled around his neck, was that sweet scent. It'd be a lie to say that he wasn't transfixed, lost in the smell of it. So he'd investigate.

He didn't go very far. His nose low to the ground, hunting her. As he got closer and closer, her scent only got sweeter. He felt his body heat, but his exterior showed no signs of the rising flames beneath his skin. His lip curled with an anticipating feeling of youthful mannerisms. But he wasn't a teenager anymore. Might as well act like it.

And what Fortitude came across was no short of what he expected. There laying in the field was a woman— girl— he corrected himself, judging based off of her scent alone. Fortitude had to learn to discern all the nitty-gritty information about wolves based off of their perfume. It was weird. He could tell male from female, young and old, just by the way the wind carried it. The differences weren't so profound, either. It was something he paid close attention to.

The beast would approach her but kept his distance. He didn't normally reach out, but her small frame, thin body...he looked around. Glanced from left to right. She's out here in the middle of goddamn nowhere by lonesome. What was he s'posed to do? Leave her here? Yeah, his mind shouted. But he only let out a soft grumble in the back of his throat to let her know that she wasn't alone.

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It was a soft grumble that pulled Willa out of her precious slumber and she let out a low whine, the hushed sound carried by whispering winds. She rubbed her snout with a paw, wishing for just one more moment of dancing, one more moment of the sweet escape she was only gifted in her dreams but it was gone, stolen away by that noise.

Her body was soft, languid in its movements as she began to stretch forward, starting with her shoulders and front legs as her eyes fluttered open, hazy from her long slumber. Her hind end came up only seconds later, pointing towards the sky and she let out a soft sigh as her muscles stretched themselves out, her entire body seeming to find relief. She felt...good, rested, healthy. Why?

Warmth exuded from the young flower as she settled down on her stomach with a sleepy smile, eyes adjusting to the world before her. The warmth from the sun that shone on her was comfortable, the heat warming her normally aching bones and pelt and she leaned towards it, fur aglow. Where was she? Was she still dreaming? Her brows furrowed then, confusion flickering across her delicate features. She began to look around, surprised there were no walls protecting her, no familiar artwork… and who-

Willa froze, having just noticed that she was not alone. A figure stood merely a few feet away, towering over her, watching her. A wolf. A giant wolf. She blinked, a gasp shuddering out but did not shrink away or attempt to run. She stayed put, her heart leaping bounds in her chest, going wild. She took a frantic look around, wondering if perhaps this wolf was here for someone else but her miscolored eyes did not find another soul.

It was just the two of them.

“Oh!” It came out in a quiet squeak and for some reason, she wore an almost apologetic look on her face as she spoke as if she had done something wrong. “A-...Are you going to eat me?”

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When the girl woke up, Fortitude didn't move. Her eyes, mismatched in color he reckoned, blew wide as she stared up at him. To her, he must be a thunderous cloud that loomed over head. To him, she was just a flower similar to these ones in this field here. She didn't stick out like a sore thumb or nothin', but he couldn't exactly deem himself a survivalist if he didn't take note of the world around him with intricate detail.

The obvious gasp that left her lips was a sign, too, that she may have made a mistake wanderin' into these parts. But Fortitude didn't say anything. There was nothin' to say. He simply stared down at her, a curious but muted look in his eyes as he scanned her.

She wasn't injured as far as he could tell.

Then her words came. Delicate, soft against his ears. It warmed him.

"Haven't decided yet."

Silence again. He looked at her, his olive eyes narrowing. "You alone out here?"

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'Haven't decided yet.'

His words made her shiver, a whisper of fear and something else she couldn't quite place - maybe excitement - blossoming in the pits in her stomach. She looked back at him, really looked, admiring the beast that stood before. She had never seen a wolf up close; he was nothing like a dog, sharing no similarities with the creatures she was familiar with.

He was magnificent. Beautiful. He donned a dark pelt, a mixture of grays and black that rippled across powerful muscle. He was ginormous, truly a beast from legends, and she felt as if she had to look up and up just to find his face, just to meet his eyes. Eyes that were the most ravishing shade of green. Olive green, a favorite of hers.

She gulped, letting out a giggle as she offered the beast a rather sheepish smile, her cheeks warm with embarrassment. "I don't think I'd taste very good.” She had never had much meat on her bones and she was sure her body, even now, had to be riddled with illness and would never provide much substance for such a wolf. He could do much better finding a meal to fill his belly.

The young flower mustered up the courage to climb to her feet, ignoring the flowers that clung to her pelt as she did her best to not topple back over. Her gaze fell then, taking in the four limbs she now stood on and the soft fur that she wore. Puzzlement clouded her face as she brought up a paw, inspecting the claws, the soft pink pads, nose wrinkling. Huh, how odd… But kind of cool? She had always wanted to be something else, something stronger.

His next question had Willa looking at him again and she shook her head, as if it were obvious. “No, of course not.” There was a part of her that told her she should have run away from him, run from this beast while she still could but another part of her begged her to stay put. That was the part she listened too.

Her lips pulled upward into a warm smile, the corners of her eyes wrinkling. “You’re here with me.”

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She was staring at him. Gawking at his figure. In any other world, he'd brush that off with a scoff. But in this one, staring at her delicate figure, warm hues of auburn and white, he couldn't help but ogle himself. And Lord, the way her sweet scent had him in raptures drove him wild. Fortitude realized after a short period of time that he was just another fuckin' animal at the end of the day. God forbid he acknowledge beauty right before his eyes. But she was just a girl, nothin' more.

Despite her small size, it didn't lessen the number of petals that seemed to stick to her. It was a pure sentiment, washed by the water of God himself. She had an edge of softness to her, something that he thought the woodlands out here would quickly destroy. It piqued something inside him, something gruff, primal. Fortitude had a desire to keep it safe, that softness, and not let anyone else rob her of it. But who was he kiddin'. He was just a bad man who typically continued to do bad things.

'I don't think...'

She sounded breathless, nervous maybe, as a smile crept up her face. Her pale cheeks betrayed her when he noticed the soft tint of rose claim them. He took a daunting step closer to where she laid, his head low to the ground, imitating a hunter's stance. Dropping an octave, a rough cadence took hold of his throat. "Y'sure 'bout that?"

The girl took to her feet. She looked...confused as she looked down at herself, shifting from one paw to another. But her answer to his question came smoothly, her honeyed melody kissing the tips of his ears.

Fortitude scoffed, raising his shoulders to his full height and looking around them. "Ain't stickin' around f'much longer." He'd say to her, looking back to be taken by utter surprise of the smile she adorned. He almost cracked then, letting the dark desire rope him down into hell. But he didn't. He stayed strong. His survival demanded that of him.

"Stop fuckin'—" Fortitude grumbled, forcing himself to stop looking at her. "Stop lookin' at me like that."

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Willa wondered if he truly meant it, if he truly were a predator ready to take a bite. Was she merely a sheep that had been led away from the safety of her flock only to be devoured? For some reason, she didn’t mind the thought and there was an intoxicating thrill in the way her heart spiked at his warning. It made her feel alive in a way she hadn’t felt before locked away in her castle.

He blocked out the light that had shone upon her, basking her in darkness but she merely gazed up at him, her odd colored eyes wide as she looked him over. Admired him.

“No, please!" She startled, taking a step towards him, her tall ears glued down to her skull. She wasn’t sure why she suddenly felt afraid of the thought of him leaving but she knew that wouldn’t do. He mustn't go so soon. Not if she had any say in it. “Don’t go.”

The young flower was surprised by the heavy scent that clung to him and the way it flooded her senses, clouding her mind. She couldn't recall ever having smelled someone so strongly in her past life, nor been able to taste it on her tongue. It was…intoxicating. She inhaled greedily, surprise fluttering across her face. Could he smell her too? Taste her?

Did he like it?

He looked away from her then and she took another step towards him, frowning. Had she upset him? She really hadn’t meant too. “I-” her words stuttered out as it hit her just how close she had gotten. She was so close she could touch him if she only leaned forward, only tilted her head ever so slightly. She gulped, her tail tucked between her legs. He was so large, this beast. She found herself craning her head again, looking up towards the sky to find him. Another sheepish smile was given, her nose wrinkled in embarrassment as she fought to find the words now. “I don't mean to stare, honestly. I’m sorry…You’re just…I’ve never seen someone so… Beautiful.” And he was. A beautiful dangerous beast.

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Fortitude froze in place. From when he started to move he dug his paws into the dirt, seamlessly sinking into the Earth itself. Curiously he would raise a brow towards her. This girl didn't even know who he was. What he's done. There isn't a single clue that she had gotten from him about what lingered beneath the surface.

She looked up to look at him when he returned her gaze. Her hopelessly beautiful eyes. The mismatched colors had him glance from left to right, acknowledging their individual beauty as it came. She fought at what words to say to him. He continued to wait. Fortitude could be a patient man when he wanted to be.

'Beautiful...'

Both of Fortitude's brows rose. His lip curled to retort what she said, but nothing came out. Instead he let out a gruff grumble from his chest. "Talkin' nonsense."

Fortitude didn't know what to say. He wasn't beautiful or anythin' even close to the sort. As sweet as she looked, he didn't peg her to be a liar. Guess he had to be more on watch for girls like these. "What's yer name?"

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A delighted smile took over the girl's pale face, her eyes alight with satisfaction when the beast stopped in his tracks and decided to stay. She didn’t even mind the reason, she was just glad. He wasn’t going anywhere.

“I'm not crazy.“

She shook her head, the furs around her neck ruffling. Her voice rang out clear as she assured him with a sweet chuckle that came from deep within her chest, a little song just for him. Her ears flicked as she looked him over again, starting at the tips of his ears, to his ruggedly handsome face, down to his large chest and then all the way down to his paws before nodding her head at him. Yup. She was right.

Beautiful.

Willa settled down into a sit in front of him, her long tail curling around her paws as they looked at each other, her cheeks still flush and bubbling with heat. She just couldn’t get over how big he was, how magnificent. Shefelt so tiny. So breakable. It wasn’t a new feeling to her but for some reason, this time it filled her with a tingling excitement. Like a kid in a candy shop, she was enthralled, captivated by her favorite snack.

Her gaze fell then as she took in her plush tail, her limbs and her paws with a delighted wonder. She was surprised by the ease it took to move and the lack of pain in her joints. Even her lungs felt clear of any simmering burn, the floral scent of the meadow and Fortitude’s thick scent easily captured with each steady breath. It was amazing, shocking and she hoped this dream wouldn't end anytime soon. She really didn’t want to wake up.

His question pulled the little flower out from the depths of her wonder and she looked up at him through her lashes, another smile on her face. Warm and curious. The way he spoke, his voice gravelly and thick, his accent completely unknown to her, it made her want to hear him talk more. She wondered if he could sing.

“I'm Willa,“ she offered without pause, her eyelashes fluttering, odd colored gaze full of an unmistakable warmth, basically sparkling at the beast. Her last name was said with a slight tilt, the hints of her own birthright, an accent that normally lay dormant peaking through. “Willa Auclair. It's really wonderful to meet you....?“

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It had to be then when he realized that she had to be crazy. What woman in this age wouldn't be if they had to defend themselves otherwise? Fortitude knew for certain that he wasn't beautiful, and wouldn't even go as far as to deem himself 'handsome.' And even if she dared to challenge him, he wasn't even sure if he stood a chance with her smile and sweetly fruited scent that had itself coiling around his ankles. Her scent that dared to drag him under, and under. He could drown beneath her, drown in her sweet scent. ''

She moved to sit down before him, a clear statement that she wasn't in any hurry to leave. With a defeated sigh, Fortitude would observe the surrounding area, satisfied to see that there was nothing before the naked eye that should worry him about a potential intrusion. Paranoid as always.

But the girl kept looking at him. She didn't stop in fact. When he had to look down at her all he could see was the flowers dappling her pelt, the petite body she adorned. He was a behemoth compared to her, and yet she showed no fear. Yeah, he thought, definitely crazy. If Fortitude had been as cruel as he painted himself to be, he probably would've eaten her alive. But as he was just a man, he could think of another way to devour her.

Fuck.

He looked away from her again. His weight shifted momentarily, but he made no move to sit down before her. He stayed there, idling over her like a looming giant. His shadow embraced her, covering the soft gingers and pale creams of her silhouette. She could be just as easily swallowed by the navy furs of his chest if he sat down. But he couldn't give into that temptation. Fortitude wasn't a man like that. Couldn't be. Couldn't, or wouldn't?

And her name had been just as sweet. Willa. She even had a surname that he didn't know much of. Sounded like one of those posh people from overseas. But it didn't sound gangly from her tongue. No. It sounded elegant, regal. Is that what she was? Royalty? He wouldn't be surprised. Royalty these days didn't have any skills when it came to their survival. And judging by her lack of fear in her eyes, she may just be apart of a crown line.

A crown jewel, maybe.

It had been even better when she bore such gracious manners. "Fortitude." He would offer her. But his voice would be distant, cool, as his body would be anything but. A muddle of heat and tension boiled in the pits of his stomach, made his abdomen twitch.

"Why you out here then? Hmm?"

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Willa very much felt like a kid in a candy shop who had been given free reign to pick whatever she wanted. And right now, what she wanted was Fortitude. She wanted his company, his attention. And most of all, she didn’t want to be alone. She had been alone long enough.

This was one of the first real conversation she'd had in weeks, maybe months? Besides the occasional chatter with the helping hands in her house who brought her meals and the doctors who checked in on her, Willa had mostly been alone. Even her parents were away most of the time. She was stuck finding solace within her stories and music. It was all she had.

So this? This was everything. She didn’t even care if he intended to eat her. She just hoped he made it quick.

“F–ooorrti-tude... Fortitude.“ The girl tested out his name like she was trying out candy, letting the flavors dissolve on her tongue and envelop her senses. It was an odd name and her made her brows furrow for a moment as she first began to sound it out before she grinned up at him, nodding as if she approved. Somehow it fit him, this beast. She couldn't picture him with a regular name like James or Richard. No, those were too boring. Too regular.. And he was anything but.

“It’s wonderful to meet you, Mr. Fortitude,” she repeated sweetly, her tail swaying against the grass behind her, the furs dragging along the foliage. It tickled and Willa couldn't contain the little giggle it caused, her head dipping in embarrassment. She would have to get used to feeling and smelling everything. Even now, his thick scent was intoxicating and at moments it was all she could think about, all she could taste. It kept the flush of her cheeks steady. Her heart racing.

His question had Willa frowning suddenly, the corners of her lips pulling down. It didn't quite fit her face, out of place on her soft features. Why was she here? She had been hoping he knew. “I had thought this was a dream when I first saw you,” she admitted, nervously, wondering if he would laugh at her. Think her a fool. “I wasn’t here when I went to sleep... But you're here, so it's okay.” And it would be, she'd decided. Everything would be okay now that she had found him.

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The giant almost rolled his eyes as she attempted to say his name on her foreign tongue. It sounded weird. Back home, deep rooted in the blades of grass and bales of hay, it was no issue for those around him to pronounce it. But with her twinge of words and vernacular, he inwardly cringed. He almost felt sorry for her and was half-tempted to apologize for have such a difficult name. "Fort is fine."

There. He caved.

Her sweet mannerisms still caved in around him like a bear trap. A braided lasso that snapped around his feet and had him wanting to collapse to the ground. He felt like he got whiplash with the way he cracked his neck at the sound of her giggle. It was just a delicate sound, a spectacular one. He wasn't sure the last time he heard the sound of a woman's laugh. Girl's laugh, he would remind himself. She was too young to be gawkin' up at him like that, her eyes flashing with a primitive emotion that he wouldn't allow himself to return.

Willa's head dipped down. Embarrassment? Why would she be embarrassed? Fortitude didn't think she had any reason to hide from him. What was he gonna do? She had already rendered him incapable of leaving the Glade. Her eyes that were glazed with innocence, the soft sweep of her tail against the grass as she spoke to him. All for him. Shit. Get that shit out. His eyes only reflected the inner turmoil that was going on inside his head.

He cleared his throat. "You as well." He muttered.

Fortitude only regretted his question when he watched the way that her face soured. Dampened by the trough of reality. He never wanted to see that joyful look in her eyes disappear because of his words again. It felt like he ripped the sun out of the sky and replaced his world with a blanketing sheath of darkness once again. Let the sun rise again.

"You mean you..." he paused, reeling in at the awed words she used to describe him. It's okay because you're here. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. His lip twitched, his abdomen riled with heat. To pull at him like that...he huffed. Just a girl.

"Y'just woke up here?" Fortitude would wish to clarify with her. But then he would tsk, shaking his head in a feign of disappointment. A shadow of playfulness reaching in the depths of his words. "Y'don't even know me, peach."

---

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Fortitude.

Fort. She hadn’t yet made up her mind if she liked his nickname more but it was much easier to say and for now, it would have to do. She was thankful for his accommodation, the kindness she assumed was so easily extended to her and Willa showed it with an appreciative grin, leaning towards him. Part of her wished to bound forward and hug him, to show her thanks but she held back, teetering in her seat.

The want didn’t dissipate though and it was still there as she kept her awed gaze glued to him, fleeting thoughts of what it would feel like to be buried in his large chest and enveloped in his dark fur wisping around in her mind. He looked soft, warm. Cozy. Somewhere she could fall asleep easily, no worries in the world. Somewhere safe.

Her brown ears swiveled in his direction when he muttered as if he had not intended for her to catch his words. But she did and it made her beam in glee, basically wriggling. He was happy to meet her too? A magnificent beast, finding it wonderful to meet her? A girl who had always been so frail, so invisible? It made her light up, the air around her static and alive.

“Yes.. I’ve never been here before… or like this.” It fizzled though, that glee, when he began to question her, digging for answers she did not have. Oh how she wished did. Willa wished she could give him what he wanted so badly. It surprised her. The feeling was loud and demanding and it tickled at what little restraint she’d had, breaking the thin rope that held her in place. She rose to her feet with a slight sway, stepping closer to him, peering upward. Did he have the answers? Did he know?

Peach. He called her peach and she didn’t know why but her knees almost buckled and it made her entire body warm in a way that she had never felt and when she spoke, the words were quiet as if she were worried they’d be snatched up and taken away from her. “But I want to.” Embarrassed again, Willa leaned forward to hide her face into whatever part of him she could reach, nudging with with a gentle and shy touch. Despite her own surprise, she didn’t pull away. In fact, she inhaled greedily, a loud noise that made her let out another giggle, a softer sound than before. Her ears flattened, long tail a gentle sway.

“You smell good, Mr. Fort.”

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Fortitude thought for a moment by the look in her eye that Willa may decide to jump and climb him like a tree. If she had...he didn't know what he'd do. He wouldn't imagine hurting the poor thing, but he wouldn't react otherwise. Couldn't, even if the pang of needed flustered deep in the core of his abdomen.

Her words struck him as even more odd. 'Like this,' and she gestured to her lithe body. What...? Did she mean..."You were human?" The question, he realized after he said it, may have been too invasive. But the curiosity that overtook his mind had been overwhelming. He hadn't met anyone that was like him living the past 50 years of his life on two legs instead of four. But when he woke here his joints didn't ache, he could run just as fast as he did when he was in his 20s. He didn't want to go back. But that was him. A machine designated for lone survival.

But a sweet thing like her shouldn't be walking these woods alone. Could she even hunt? No, how could she possibly know how to do that? If she had been a two-legged human before this, wrapped up in the real world, she wouldn't have had to lift a damn finger for her food. Fortitude would know. He remembers the days of eating fast food on his way home from late night jobs, but now here he was, hunting. Hunting and sometimes skinning his own rabbits, his own game just for the sake of survival. He hadn't thought about the food he missed out on until she mentioned the slim possibility that she wasn't even from this predatory world. He wasn't even sure if she had a singular instinctual bone in her body.

'Specially with how she picked herself up from the ground and took herself over to him and his unwavering shadow. She didn't even falter when she looked up to him for the hundredth time today. There was nothing but a hue of warmth in her gaze and Fortitude relented seeing such brazen innocence. The ways he could ruin her. Just standing here before her could begin to taint her mere existence.

'But I want to,'

This poor thing.

And then she sealed their distance, her face deep within he furs of his neck. She made that place of his body her own with the way her snout burrowed against him. Her touch had been feather light, cautious, but still prominent. Fortitude didn't make a motion to move, but he didn't make a move to caress her back. Just a girl, just a lonely girl. He didn't fester on girls younger than him, did he? Did he? He ain't ever claimed to be a good man. Not once did he ever picture him as some golden boy any respectable lady's daddy would like.

She inhaled him deeply.

"Miss Willa," he breathed. If she wanted to play the honorific titles game, he would win. She pulled at the strings that were deep rooted within the creation of him alone. Southern hospitality would be all that anyone could ever compliment him about. Southern hospitality. The things he wanted to do to her wouldn't exactly be considered 'hospice.' In fact, they'd be considered anything but. A gateway to hell. One way ticket and no return. There was a rumble in his throat. "Maybe y'gotta lay down. Head's not thinkin' straight."

And yet the beast didn't make a move to pull away from her. No. He stayed perfectly still against her, a steady heartbeat, mountain, whatever she wanted him to be for the moment, he would be. There wasn't a morsel of doubt that he could be used for whatever she wished, but he'd have to be— have to be— a good man. A good man doesn't give into such carnal desires. Red hot pulsating lust. He'd let his ears flatten against his head. The tinge of selfishness curling at the kink of his actions.

His head tilted down for only a split second. He inhaled and his hips twitched. A sound that was groggy in the back of his throat could be considered a hushed groan. She smelled so insatiably sweet. Like honey, no, like flowers and honey peaches. "Smell just like a peach."

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‘You were human?’ The question had her pausing, caught off guard. Her eyes widened, a soft breath of air blowing towards him.Were. Not you are. So, this wasn’t a dream. This was real. She wasn’t human, not anymore. She wasn’t a frail girl locked in a cage anymore. No longer was she stuck watching the world change around her. No longer stuck making up stories, friends, lovers or dreams. She was… free.

“Yes.” Willa finally decided, almost proudly, her chest puffing like she was on display before him. Could he see it? Could he see how her body trembled with a newfound strength, how a healthy glow she had never had before surrounded her small frame? Could he tell? Her eyes glimmered, a mischief, a sense of pride there at the thought. Yes. She had been a human. Had been.

Willa was like him now and that meant everything even if she didn’t fully understand it yet. She didn’t have too. Didn’t want too.

Perhaps that’s why the flower so easily melted into him, any fears or doubts washing away with his very scent. The moment it clouded her senses, she didn’t have a worry in the world. She could taste it on her tongue and it was unlike anything she’d ever experienced. It was so thick, so male. So delicious. It left her dazed, selfishly taking in all she could, a ringing in her ears that was almost comforting. So enthralled, Willa almost didn’t notice when he uttered her name with a low rumble, so polite, so kind that it made her blush with a sheepish upward pull of her lips. Was it obvious?

As he took his turn with her own perfumes, Willa began to lower herself to the ground, taking his advice. Lay down, he'd said, so lay down she did. Right at his feet. She did it achingly slow, his words making her pause for just a moment, a blush flooding her face. Peaches? Maybe he did want to eat her. Pondering the thought, the little flower settled on her stomach before she shifted to her side, exposing the soft underside of her speckled belly only to peer up at him. No, to gaze at him. Her eyelashes fluttered, her voice oozing with curiosity. Innocence. "Are you still thinking about eating me?"

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Willa had been surprised to hear that this magnificent beast before her had been human, just as she had. It was a shocking realization. He seemed so… perfect, just the way he was. Even with her rampant and wild imagination, she had a hard time picturing him as something else, something less than. Maybe he had been like many of the men from her stories, the ones she read in secret under the covers in shame of being caught or ridiculed. She could see it then: Fortitude, a knight in shining armor who was there to whisk her away from her tower and give her the happily ever after she wanted more than anything.

It made sense, when she really thought about it. Even now, he had found her. Saved her.

The thoughts, the fantasies, they swirled around in her mind as she lay there, still looking up at him. Always looking, always gazing at the dark beast, captivated by his shadowy, towering figure. Willa found she had a hard time looking away; she enjoyed the way it made her feel. Warm, fuzzy, bubbly. She could feel it all the way to the tips of her toes to the deepest parts of her belly. It left her hot, her entire body flush with life she had never felt before. It was a heat she didn’t know how to explain, couldn't pinpoint it but all she knew was she didn’t want to go away.

Not now. Not ever.

’Y'want me to, darlin'?’ She all about swooned, ready to melt into a puddle on the field of flowers before him when he spoke, calling her ‘darlin’. It was almost as bad as when he’d called her peach and something about the way he said it, in that thick drawl of his, it made her want to squirm. It made her mind fuzzy, her sense of clarity blurring and leaving her dazed. It didn’t help when he leaned in and drew his teeth along her neck and she gasped, a whisper between her lips, her entire body shuddering as electricity sparked. A part of her knew she should have been afraid, knowing there was a chance that he could very well decide to eat her then and there.. But another part of her, wanted him to bite her.

She just didn't know why.

Unable to form words or offer him a coherent reply, Willa let her head tilt to the side, exposing the entirety of her neck to him. Giving him easier access to do as he pleased. Bite her? Eat her? She wouldn't fight him. She was at his mercy.

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Willa reacted just as he imagined her to. Gaping whines and tempestuous gasps that were all meant for him. Fortitude was a selfish man only wanting to take, take, and take. But for her sake she deserved a chance to take of her own. So when she shifted against his forearm, he would let her kiss him. Let her rake her velvet tongue up the expanse of his forearm. If she wanted a taste in return, he'd let her.

"Cute." He uttered low, a sound of amusement vested in the back of his throat. His muzzle came down to caress the side of her cheek in an affirming manner. Fortitude decided then that he wouldn't leave her here. Not by her lonesome. She couldn't survive out here. The sudden thought of her rubbin' up on any other man that came through here made him violent with thoughts.

And when she agreed to his lessons, he would pull back from her. The resistance of doing such a thing felt like a magnet pulling from its southern counterpart. He knew already, based on her actions, she would make a fit. With a low, encouraging tone, he would ask her; "Can 'ya walk?"

It would be a problem if she decided that her legs weren't suddenly working. Maybe he would have to leave her here. Survival was Fortitude's main and only goal ever. The woodlands out there were apart of the unknown. He couldn't have any dead weight that he was hauling.

"C'mon. Give it a try, Peach."

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Willa found herself grinning, pleased with herself when he nuzzled against her, squashing any thoughts of doubt or embarrassment she had felt about her kiss. He even called her cute and while his chosen nickname for her seemed to have more of an effect on her, that still left her blushing. Left her feeling warm and fuzzy.

‘Can 'ya walk?’

Could she?

She blinked as he pulled away from her, her lips pulling down into a frown. She wanted him back, wanted to keep whatever this was going but his words had her peering down at her paws, a rather a serious look on her face. Her brows furrowed and she wiggled her toes, blowing out a little sigh. As dazed as she was and as disoriented as Fortitude had made her feel, there wasn’t a single part of her that wanted to disappoint him.

The girl gave a nod of her head and she pulled herself upright with a slight tremble, swaying just once before she found her footing. She let her paws press down into the long grasses, trying her best not to smother too many flowers. They were far too pretty. Her entire body seemed to quiver as she stretched out, rolling her shoulders and leaning forward to try and wake herself up. She felt sleepy, sluggish from the trance but she tried for him.

Willa lifted a leg, stretching it out a few times before she set it back down, nodding her head in satisfaction. Her gaze was full of glee, her joy as clear as day. She hid nothing on her face. “These legs work better than the ones I had before,” she noted nonchalantly as if that wasn’t something of importance. Like it didn’t matter. Her tail swayed behind her as she leaned down to sniff at the flowers at her feet, having already moved on, her nose twitching. Even the flowers smelled better here. Stronger, more enchanting.

Oh! She suddenly let out a quiet giggle and carefully took hold of the largest flower nearest to her with her teeth, taking great care to not damage it as she picked it up. Willa didn't give the man a chance to complain or stop her as she stepped towards him, eyes narrowed with focus. She had to rest a paw on him to lean up high enough to reach and she placed the flower behind his ear, tucking the stem in his furs. She let her tongue linger for a moment, a featherlight kiss. Willa grinned as she pulled back, happy with her work. Perfect. It looked good in his fur, highlighted the blues and greys of his pelt. It even made his eyes seem greener. He was so handsome. So mighty. Beautiful.

“Are we going somewhere?" Her voice was quiet but full of excitement. She was ready for whatever he had planned, survival skills and all, intent on following him anywhere he went. She was eager to see more of the world, maybe even meet others. All of it.

---

stylist skill
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Fortitude didn't know what he liked more. Seeing her blush, feel the heat of her face against his leg, or the way her brows knitted together with blatant frustration. It was an added bonus, too, of the little huff of air that she let out in pure frustration. Mad at me, little one? He bit back the words that dared breach his tongue, but the stoicism of his figure remained dominant above the rest. He didn't know this girl, didn't want to, and would only keep her around until she knew how to survive on her own. Then he could rest easy at night knowing that he did a good deed.

Willa looked like a freshly born fawn with the way she wobbled on her legs. What in the world... Fortitude didn't have a clue what Willa had done in her past life, but with the way she was inept to walkin' so funny... he could take a brazen guess that maybe this was the first time she walked. Ever. But she seemed happy with the results, stretching her legs out, and Fortitude's gaze was latched onto the nimble limbs of her body. Awestruck.

Her joy wasn't masked, either. Fortitude couldn't share the same blatant expressions. After long years of training himself to be unfeeling, he supposed it transpired to his body here. He'd watch her with that same deadly, predatory stare once she got to her feet. Steadily. He took note of the meticulous detail of her footwork, despite having the energy of a newborn, and how she dodged the patches of flowers she was keen on sidestepping. "They'll grow back."

And then she snipped one from its stem, the largest one out of the field he could tell, and turned back to face him with a troublesome gleam in her eye. His eyes flickered from the flower hanging from her lips and the doe shape of her eyes. He shook his head. "Y'better not think about—"

But he froze when he felt her paw brace the expanse of his chest, leaning up to place the flower between the crescent of his ear and head. Was this really happening? A girl that was so brave to face him and have the nerve to climb him like the tree he was. This fuckin' girl... there was a low rumble in his throat. A complaint. His lip curled with a light sneer when she pulled away. He didn't even look at her when he mumbled, "Fuckin' itchy."

He moved to stand when her question came, giddy and all. With his gargantuan frame he'd pivot in the grass. His eyes glanced at the flowers on the ground. He, too, would be careful not to crush them beneath his weight.

"Gonna teach you how'ta hunt."

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Willa couldn't wait to walk, to run and to truly enjoy her newly acquired body. Even now, as she gained her footing and managed to conquer the clumsiness, it left her wanting more. She hadn’t run in years, at least not well and not for long and she could only imagine what it would feel like to do it here with the winds flying through her soft furs.

“Just because they’ll grow back doesn’t mean you should ruin them, Mr. Fort," she had replied with a huff, her expression taking a more serious note as she admired the flowers, mesmerizing their scents, their beauty. It reminded her of the gardens from back home and the artwork that hung on the walls of her home. She had always made sure to keep her favorite flowers in vases around her room, smelling them every morning she woke up. It had been the little things that had kept the smile on her face.

“Shhh," Willa crooned, tsking at his obvious annoyance, blowing air in his direction. He looked good with the flower there, even if he didn’t agree. His sneer had her frowning and she leaned upward to brush her snout against his lips, wishing to wipe it away. Her touch was slow, a soft caress against his skin as she held her breath. A breath she only released when she’d pulled away from him, watching him behind her lashes, full of adoration for the beast. “I can wear one too if it makes you feel better.. But you’d have to help me.” Her offer had her flushing and gaze dropping to the ground, knowing very well he might just laugh at her. But she didn’t want to make him feel out of sorts, and besides, they could match… And well, that just made her giddy.

As Fortitude rose to his feet, Willa made sure to stay close to him, ears perking upright at his announcement. Her stomach dropped, a pang of anxiety sharp in her abdomen. Hunting? The girl worried she wouldn’t be any good and the idea of eating raw meat, well, it worried her. Her diet before had been very restricted and most of the time, she’d barely had an appetite and often found herself emptying her stomach before she retired for the night. Nonetheless, she nodded at him, offering him a timid smile. For him, she’d give it a go. She’d try her best.

The girl's smile grew larger and she wiggled on her paws, forcing herself to ignore the anxiety that pulled at her skin. “Let's go kill some stuff!” Yeah! She could do this!

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Willa certainly had a rigid sense of morality when it came to the growing flora around them. It was adverse to what he was used to. He always avoided flower fields at every cost, or didn't care if he walked through 'em. In a previous life he'd only know that girls liked red flowers and he'd buy them even if they costed a shit ton of money. Because that's what they do. Buy flowers for girls. And that's what Willa was, right? Just. A. Girl.

His head snapped back towards Willa once he felt the wet skin of her nose brush against his lips. When she pulled away, he feigned a click of his jaws, wishing for her return. But he said nothin'. 'I can wear one too,' she whispered to him with a shy, demure tone. Now that made Fortitude's brow rise. With ebbing curiosity, there was a plethora of thoughts that traveled through his head. Wholesome ones, dirty ones. Fortitude had already been on serious edge— the image of Willa laying herself out on the ground before him, belly-up, flashed before his eyes. He swallowed a thick lump in his throat before he got his thoughts together. The best he could.

"Y'wan' me t'put a flower in 'yer hair?" His voice dropped low to a deep, bone-chilling octave. He didn't realize how close his head had gotten to her face in that moment, too, out of reflex. She was just the pure image of...of...being pretty. He had no other word for her. Beautiful, sure, but there was a glaze of youthful elegance that swathed her like a newborn. Too fuckin' young.

"All 'ya gotta do is ask, darlin'." Fortitude whispered this time. Shit. He wasn't supposed to fall in this trap. Her trap. This trap of only thinking of her, her, and more her. The protect her, care for her like a man should. He lost his opportunity in a previous life, his own daughter dying in his arms, his wife leaving him with nothin' but an infant. Fortitude thought he was shit out of luck from every good thing in his life. Everything he touch would wilt and cripple beneath his harsh sun.

Until Willa bloomed.

At Willa's excitement to hunt, they'd begin to walk. He set a slow pace, assured in his speed, whilst he kept a close watch on Willa. She seemed a bit to...exuberant. Did she know that hunting involved killing something? Fortitude thought that this was going to be a long day. A long lesson. Maybe he wasn't cut out for this type of shit. What did Fortitude think? That he was going to be some revolutionary mentor for her to look up to? Hell, they just met. He shouldn't mean shit to her...and she certainly shouldn't mean a god damn thing to him.

But was that the case? Was it?

Fortitude couldn't help the laugh that was drawn out from the thicket of his throat. Seeing such fervent actions certainly added excitement to his life. While he could do everything on his own, everything, he had to admit that Willa's company was something of its own unique experience. His experience. Fortitude took the moment to look around. No one here. It was best that it stayed that way. And certainly he couldn't help but let his muzzle swing over to Willa's nape, nosing the fur around there. He took a soft inhale and was proud to smell not only her drunken sweetness, but the tang of his own smoke.

He drew his head back. Bad fuckin' idea. This whole idea was a bad one. But the theme in Fortitude's life seemed to be that he rode these 'bad waves' out and they turned into something new and shiny. He continued to lead them through the forest and out of the open field. There should be prey here somewhere, and the expanse of the region would be just fine for her to learn. Or for him to take the reigns himself.

---

can fade in your next post— i can pop up another for us!

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Willa would get him to appreciate the beauty around them, she decided. Even if it took weeks, months. She would do it and would start with the flowers. Maybe they’d watch a sunset next, where the skies began to change and she’d show him why they were the subject of many masterpieces around the world. All of it. She was sure of it.

His voice, gruff and low made her squirm, that foreign tightness building in her belly. The man’s drawl had her feeling every which way, a euphoric tune to her ears. Her lips pulled upward in a grin and she nodded at him, just as aware as he was by their close proximity. She wished to run her snout over his face again and again, to kiss the furs behind his ears, to burrow her face in his nape. She wanted those things just as much as she wanted lay at his feet again, drunk on his scent.

But she did none of that and instead, the girl nodded, her words coming out in a whisper as she politely asked him to put a flower in her hair. Willa had little inclination that they most likely wouldn’t last once they’d begun their lessons but any time at all was more than enough.

As they walked alongside one another, the young flower did her best to keep up with Fortitude, making sure to keep her footing. It was a wonder, how well her limbs worked, the lack of pain and soreness in her joints. It made her heart soar, her eyes wide in wonder and her lips spread into a grin. Despite her task of keeping up with him, she couldn’t help but stop to sniff at the flowers they passed, the changes in the ground and even a rock here and there. She had never been so encompassed by nature, so free. She had been missing so much her entire life. The girl couldn't believe that this hadn’t happened sooner.

When Fortitude's head dipped down to nose at her furs, she leaned into him easily, pulled away from the nature that surrounded them, her focus solely on him. With his touch came a feeling of security, a feeling of warmth she couldn't get enough of. So when he pulled back, she was unable to hold back a disappointed frown or the whisper of a whine. Too soon. He'd moved too soon. She thrust her nose against his shoulder, wanting his touch for a few moments longer before they continued on forward towards an open field. The girl still bubbled with excitement, doing her best to ignore the quite drum of anxiety that had hunkered down in the back of mind. She would try. She would.

/end
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