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They knew leaving the bunker, especially alone, wasn’t the smartest decision they’ve ever made. But the woods weren’t far, and anyone who normally accompanied them was injured— and those injuries wouldn’t heal until they were able to get herbs to make medicine, so really, what else were they supposed to do?
The woods were quiet, unsurprisingly. Occasionally a bird would chirp or they would hear the faint rustle of animals scurrying about, but other than that the words were still, alone serene in its peace.
If only Caretaker could feel the same way.
Despite them trying to brush off their nerves, from the moment they stepped into the forest, they couldn’t help but feel as if they were being watched. Whenever they would look around to see if they could spot anything, though, there was always nothing.
Caretaker swallowed their nerves, shaking their head slightly as they hurried to grab the herbs needed, less careful than they usually were as the stems were not-so-gracefully pulled from the ground.
They couldn’t help the way their hands trembled as they ignored the instinctive feeling that they should run, their mind screaming dangedangerdanger—
Just a few more, they argued with themself, blinking down and realizing that they had gathered all the herbs growing in that spot.. but what they had wasn’t enough yet. With a shaky, nervous breath they pushed themselves up, torn between getting more or just returning to the bunker.
That decision was promptly taken from that as they saw a blur of black lunge toward them before the world titled and they were sent to the ground, a mix between a gasp and yelp torn from their throat as their back colliding to the ground, the air rushing out of their lungs.
Their eyes squeezed shut in fear, and they scrambled to try and get whatever was ontop of them off. It didn’t budge, and a shiver ran down their spine at the feeling of coarse fur beneath their hand. They could feel large… paws? Claws? They weren’t sure, it was covered in fur like the rest of its body, but the hands were more humanoid shaped, fingers fading into large, reptile-like talons. Regardless, they were pressing down heavily on their shoulder and torso, pinning them in place with little room to struggle.
Oh god, oh god, oh god— this was a mistake, they shouldn’t have gone out alone in the first place.
Their eyes remained squeezed shut, not wanting to look at whatever was inevitably going to kill him. Their breaths came in panicked, short gasps as their mind ran in circles.
Everything stopped as the feeling of sharp claws digging into their flesh or teeth tearing their throat out never came— instead, they felt a gentle nip on their cheek, sharp teeth scraping against their skin and lingering for a moment before pulling away.
Along with that, the pressure on their chest lessened as they felt the creature stop actively pinning them down, though its hands remained in place, like it didn’t want to let go.
They worked up the courage and opened their eyes, blinking in surprise to see Pursuer perched on their chest, expression unreadably blank as those unnerving, unnatural-looking black eyes surrounded by teal stared down at them. Once they met its gaze, its eyes dilated further, and the claws dug in slightly before loosening against, as if he had to remind himself to not harm them.
“…Pursuer?” Caretaker blinked in surprise.
It’s usual grin tugged back onto its face, and it leaned down to nuzzle against their head, cheek digging into the side of their head before it pulled back again.
Caretaker continued to remain frozen in surprise and lingering fear for another moment before sighing, feeling the tension uneasily start to drain from their form. “You need to stop doing this. You scared me.”
If Pursuer was paying attention to what they said at all, he didn’t acknowledge it as he moved to bump his forehead against theirs, remaining in their face and staring at them as if asking something for something it couldn’t voice.
Well, it could— probably —it just didn’t care to.
Caretaker sighed, pressing their forehead back against his, and smiling slightly as they heard— and felt —the soft rumbling in Pursuer’s chest increase tenfold at the action.
That smile was replaced by an uncomfortable noise of complaint as the apex predator proceeded to slump ontop of them like an oversized housecat. Caretaker couldn’t tell if they felt more or less trapped with Pursuer draped ontop of them, though as claws dug into their waist and their head got tucked under his chin, they quickly decided on the former.
It’s tail swayed behind him a couple time in contentment before moving to curl around Caretakers ankle and calve, making sure that the sharp, bone-like ridges were extended outward and not toward the robloxian’s skin.
“…You weigh a ton,” Caretaker commented flatly, doubting Pursuer would care about the implication that they were uncomfortable, but trying anyway.
Unsurprisingly, Pursuer only snorted at that, sounding amused despite the lack of words to convey it.
“You’re not gonna get off, are you?” Caretaker sighed, unable to help leaning into Pursuer’s hold as they accepted they probably weren’t going to be heading back to the bunker anytime soon.
Pursuer’s make another amused noise at that, like he found the idea too silly to even consider, before pulling back slightly to—
“Eugh! Pursuer, I told you to stop doing that,” Caretaker protested as they felt the familiar teal tongue drag across the side of their face, action slow and deliberate as if he was savoring the action. They tried to squirm away, but Pursuer held them in place before he retracted it’s tongue back inside it’s mouth.
A repeated noise that was undeniably laughter came from Pursuer, and Caretaker glared at the smug-looking creature. The glint in its eye gave Caretaker no doubt that yes, it was intentional, and no, he didn’t regret it one bit.
“Well you’re feeling extra friendly today,” Caretaker grumbled, wiping the saliva off their face with their sleeve, grimacing slightly.
Pursuer stilled and stared at them flatly, and once they noticed the stare, they couldn’t help but feel like they were being judged for something.
They shifted uncomfortably under the gaze, “…what?”
Pursuer rolled its eyes, letting out a grumbled sigh instead of responding, instead returning to his previous positions as it curled around them again.
Caretaker raised a confused brow, but figured it was pointless trying to make the creature explain as they merely shook their head. “Alright then,” they murmured, glancing toward the sky and wondering how long had passed since they arrived… people probably noticed they were gone by now. “…I have to go soon.”
Pursuer made a weird mix between hissing and clicking noises at the information, giving them an irritated look, “…have to?”
“I was getting the herbal medicine for a reason, people back at the bunker need it… and might I remind you that you’re the one who mauled most of those people?” Caretaker gave Pursuer a very unimpressed look.
Pursuer froze momentarily, like a dog caught doing something it wasn’t supposed to, before slumping and making an annoyed whining noise in complaint, as if he was the one wronged because he had to face the consequences of his actions. It’s not his fault robloxians are so tasty.
“You are so dramatic,” Caretaker mumbled in a mix of exasperation and affection, unable to resist the urge as they ran their hand through coarse fur, smiling softly as Pursuer purred louder at the attention.
Curling tighter around the robloxian, claws pressing as firmly they could against their skin without causing pain, Pursuer let himself melt against them, determined to keep them there for as long as possible.