#augh!!!!!!!!

and maybe when he sees the man he moved in next to in full shining armour, prancing around with the title of knight, riding a dragon that looks just like the ones martyn was born of...maybe the first thing he feels is anger. or distaste. or fear. or resentment. god knows.

maybe ren will look out into the forest by his camp one evening and realise just how cold it's suddenly gotten. the forest was never this cold before. maybe he catches glimpses of blue eyes staring at him in the darkness, watching him, studying him, seeing whether or not he's a threat. maybe ren is collecting materials and sees martyn without martyn noticing- he sees the elegant, curling white horns, the way fantastically blue frost seems to start from each of his extremities and fade into white, he sees the scales going up and down his arms and his tail, reflecting torchlight like the finest of silver. maybe he notices the ridges that come from the stranger's back, jutting theough the fabric of martyn's clothes, and maybe, just maybe, the pieces start to fall in place.

maybe he leaves gifts at the mouth of martyn's cave. maybe martyn is immediately suspicious of this. of course he would be. but that doesn't stop ren from trying. from luring in this creature of cold with stupid notes and signs and vaguely impressive attempts at cooking, and maybe-

maybe, one day, martyn shows up at his camp. uninvited. like he's supposed to be there. and maybe ren takes it in stride, shows him something cool that he found on his adventure of the day, and sure, maybe martyn only stays for a few minutes, but maybe he'll come back. maybe ren somehow (somehow!) got him to lower his guard, to give friendship- with a knight, specifically- a try. maybe ren shows him what knights are supposed to be- caring and protective, beacons of light in the darkness, something- someone trustworthy. someone safe.