yet ANOTHER g/t sideblog

these are two of the new characters i finally debuted on artfight !!

Gene is a mutant bioengineered to be a weapon who has umbrakinesis (aka he can manipulate existing shadows with his mind), and he frequently uses his powers to become a giant. He LOVES messing around with humans and playing 'games' with them, like chasing them and pinning them down, dangling them, stuff like that. Gene finds all of that stuff really fun, and he doesn't really understand that humans don't find that kind of thing very fun.

Their bike held firm despite the many cracks in the greyed sidewalk, and they took a deep breath of fresh air to try and clear their head. They needed to ensure that they didn't give away too much to Verne of course, even though the man kept to himself often. Casey didn't want anybody finding out about their interaction with the giant, both for his safety and their own. Coasting down the final hill, Casey slowed only for a moment to get a closer look at a home they had once known. The gardens were still maintained, magnolia bushes primed to bloom as soon as spring finally arrived, the paint still looked picture perfect, but there was still the one glaring flaw there had been so long ago. The shutter on one of the windows was still majorly chipped, and Casey felt their heart dip a little at the sight before they kept pushing forwards. They pulled their break once they finally made it to the front of Verne's home, noting how the mailbox was now dented and propped up on a stack of cinderblocks. They walked alongside their bike up to the front of Verne's garage, which he frequently left open. Casey was luckly enough to find it that way, notcing all the sawdust covering the floor and oddly labeled shelves in his small workshop. An old car was draped with a protective cover, and they smiled when they noticed the bleached deer skull still sitting on a flat rock beside his porch. They propped their bike up against his trashcans and stepped towards the front door, freezing when it swung open.

"I swear for the love of everything that is living if you people are-" He froze his shouted rambling at the sight of Casey, who gave him a small, anxious wave. He grumbled something under his breath and stepped down from the porch. "Whaddya need, Case?" He asked with his usual gruff old man tone, and Casey just offered him a smile. It never took that much to brighten his day, and they already knew that he had a soft spot for them.

"I found some bullets out in the woods." They were almost a little surprised at how easily the lie slipped from their mouth. Verne furrowed his thick grey eyebrows, but allowed them to continue. Casey produced the plastic bag of bullets and handed it to him. "I wasn't sure what they were." Verne held them up close to his face before clicking his tongue.

"They're .950 JDJ's." He said quickly, lowering them and narrowing his eyes at Casey. "Where the hell'd you find these?"

"Out in the woods." They replied simply, following up their lie to ensure that it sounded believable. Verne raised one eyebrow, pursing his lips. 

"Just... laying around? With this much fresh looking blood on 'em?" The older man pushed further, and Casey broke his gaze, cursing themself the instant their eyes flicked away.

"Well, um..." They trailed off, unsure of where to take the conversation from here. For as many times that they had imagined this conversation in their head, they had assumed that it would have gone smoothly. "Do you know why they were there?" Verne sighed, scratching at a dry patch of skin on his wrinkled forehead.

"Some big-headed out of towner waltzed into the shop about a week ago asking for ones like these." He admitted, still seemingly shaking his head at whatever conversation he'd had with the man. "Told me some fantasy about slaying the giant or whatever. I told him it was a pipe dream, a'course. Giants have been living in this area for longer than I've been alive. If any old bastard with a gun could take 'em down, somebody woulda done it already, I'll tell you that much." He shook his head disapprovingly again before finally allowing his mind to return to reality. "Again, I ask you where you actually found those." He pushed, Casey following his gaze down to the bullets still in his hand. Their eyes lingered there for a moment or two as they considered their options.

"I..." They took a deep breath, steeling themself. "I did something kinda stupid last night, and well, you heard him fall last night right?" Though it was painful, it was probably smarter to admit it all slowly. "Well, uh, he had a bunch of bullets in him, so-"

"Casey." Verne's tone was a mix of warning, concern, and frustration. "Look, I know you got a big heart and all, but you can't do things like that." He dropped the bag of bullets to the ground, gently grabbing Casey's shoulders. "If I were a younger man, I'd shake some sense into you." 

"He, uh, well, he has an infection, so I think that's why he collapsed. I... well I'm planning to run a blood test to figure out what he's got so I can treat him better." They offered the old man a tentative smile to try and assure him. Verne sighed deeply, releasing his hold of Casey's shoulders. 

"Did he harm you at all?" He asked, and they shook their head. Of course there were a few aches in their ribs now and then, but it was nothing all that bad. A typical dose of some ibuprofen seemed to do the trick. "It's a miracle he didn't. Promise me that when you're done, you'll never, ever do something like this again." 

"I'm not sure I can promise something like that." Casey laughed, and Verne rolled his eyes despite the slight laugh that came from his throat. 

"Fine. Different promise then. Promise me you'll call if you need help, or if anything bad happens." Casey nodded and the old man seemed to relax, if only a little. He looked at them again. "Say it three times for good measure." He noted. 

"I promise, I promise, I promise." Casey said quickly but genuinely. It was one of many superstitions the old man was often mocked for, but they really didn't mind. He never asked anything that was truly too much just to soothe his paranoia.

"Alright, go run your blood test or whatever." Verne stepped back and waved them off the same way he usually did, as though he were shooing some sort of pest as gently as he could. Casey smiled and rolled their eyes. "I've had enough of your youthful energy, it's making me older." He joked, and they laughed as they picked up the baggie of bullets and placed it back in their messenger bag. They turned and waved one final time to Verne before biking back up the hill and towards their home again, deciding it would probably be smarter to leave the baggie of bullets at home and pick up the antiseptic they owned while they were at it. Once they had the new item in their bag, they left for the doctor's office their neighbor worked at. Casey glanced at their watch before taking off, noting the time and deciding to take the shortcut through the less traveled part of town to save time. Now that they knew the giant personally, it almost felt safer to go through that area. Almost. Of course, there was always the chance that Anton would harm them on a whim, though after the two had a genuine seeming conversation, Casey heavily doubted that he would do so without a good reason. They continued on their way, as quickly as the terrain would allow, when suddenly a massive hand appeared out of nowhere and they slammed into it. Their bike carried on without them for a few feet before hitting the ground, and Casey felt the world around them turn slowly as they were lowered.

"Finally you're not out in the open." Anton huffed above them, slowly beginning to lower himself closer to them. Casey's head still spun from the impact, but they did their best to try and shake it off. "I thought you'd never stop." He grumbled, glaring at them. "Had you forgotten about me so quickly?" 

"No, no, I-I was planning to run a test on what I have, then I'd come find-"

"I told you yesterday that I would find you. And yet, you didn't even bother to try staying in one place out of the open long enough for me to grab you." Anton lamented gruffly, jabbing a clawed finger towards them with another huff. Casey couldn't help but tremble the at the idea that he had been following them without them noticing all day. It was eerie, how could a being so massive be so silent? 

"Okay, I-I can treat you now." Casey said, fingers fumbling around the antiseptic as they grabbed it out of their bag. Anton puffed a hazy cloud of steam from his nostrils, but lifted his still dirty shirt up over the wound, and they winced. "Is there any possibility you can wash what you're wearing?" 

"I suppose I could." Anton closed his eyes as they approached, and Casey hesitated for a moment.

"It shouldn't hurt as badly as it did the first time, so long as you make an effort to keep the wounds clean." They instructed, continuing on their way towards the puffed spots on the soft skin of his side. They brushed against him accidentally with their fingers and felt him tense up beneath them. Casey got to work quickly though, not quite rushing the process but still moving quickly enough so that it would be over as soon as possible. They eventually stepped back with a deep inhale, half expecting him to pounce again. Instead, the scaled giant simply sat back up and allowed his dirty clothes to fall back down over his skin. "If-" Casey's voice caught in their throat as he looked at them, and they quickly cleared it. "If you don't mind, I-I wanted to suggest that maybe we meet more often? You seem very touch adverse, and-" 

"No. I do not want to be exposed any more than I have to be." He exhaled deeply through his nose. "Are you still going to tell me about what the bullet man said?" Casey blinked.

"Did... weren't you following me around today? Didn't you hear him?" They asked honestly, their fears slowly easing. Anton's jaw untensed for a moment, as though he were somewhat shocked by the question.

"I do not stalk people, Casey." He grumbled, and the human breathed a sigh of relief. "I simply know where they are because of their smell." They stiffened again, their heart skipping a beat.

"You... what?" 

"Must I always explain myself?" He grumbled with a sigh. "My sense of smell is good enough that I almost always know where the normal townspeople are, as long as they are outside." Casey sort of nodded to themself, thinking it through. He did appear to be somewhat reptilian, so they reasoned that such an ability was plausible. A little creepy, but still plausible.

"Well, apparently there was just some out of towner who wanted them for glory. They don't seem to be typical hunting bullets." Casey explained, and Anton's shoulder's seemed to relax.

"Good... good." He muttered to himself, taking a breath that seemed to be for calming reasons. Casey raised an eyebrow but didn't question it, at least not yet. There would always be more time for questions, so long as the giant didn't do anything too stupid. 

"I'll be back later." They noted, before noticing his face and correcting himself. "Back tomorrow, I mean." That seemed to satisfy Anton enough to leave without another word. "Bye!" Casey called after him, though he didn't respond as he disappeared into the trees. 

Once he made it to the clouds, he looked down once again and noticed that there was blood seeping through his shirt. He cursed another time and quickly grabbed his final spare shirt, knowing that he would have to find some way to hide two different blood stains from the giant when he went to wash his clothes. Finally, he continued on long enough to reach the massive bakery and travel along the back to enter through his usual point into the kitchen. He had never asked why Edmund was so particular with his entry point, but he would always be sure to follow it. After he had finished climbing up to the windowsill, he checked one final time, and was lucky enough to find his tunic clean of blood. He smiled and squeezed himself through the opening he used.

"Edmund! Honey, I'm home!" He called as loud as his voice would allow, grabbing the last Faery Treat before slinging his bag to the countertop and taking a few steps forwards. Now that adrenaline wasn't pushing him through it all, he was beginning to crumple towards that side, and quickly sat down to try and prevent the giant from seeing. The floor rumbled slightly, and Hendrick felt the butterflies rise in his stomach. He had long waited for this moment, since he had that conversation with the old woman and her boy. His giant turned the corner with a wide, excited smile, practically rushing over to him.

"Hello, angel. I'm happy to see you." He grinned, leaning down and planting a kiss right on Hendrick's hair. Briefly, the man wishes he had washed it, if only so it could've felt softer against Edmund's lips. He was rough all over, and he greatly wished that he could be softer for the sake of Edmund's comfort. "What do you have?" He asked sweetly, and the knight snapped out of his thoughts.

"A new treat for you to try. I-I quite liked it." He couldn't keep himself from flushing pink as a massive hand laid itself out in front of him. He placed the treat on Edmund's fingertip, watching as the hand slowly retreated. "It's called a Faery Treat." The giant squinted at his fingers, staring at it before popping it into his mouth and chewing slowly. His brows shot up in surprise, and a gleeful smile came to his face. Hendrick felt his own joy surge.

"It's so sweet, and yet... delicate. I like the way it bursts on the tongue." The giant noted to himself quietly, thinking through how he'd make such a treat. "What did you say it was called again?"

"A Faery Treat." Hendrick replied simply, feeling incredibly lucky to have such a simple joy in his life.

"Hm." Edmund nodded slightly to himself. "I'd have to change the name if I made it, but I do really like it..." he trailed of slightly, taking a glance at the blonde on his counter. "Do you think the seller will mind?" Hendrick laughed.

"I doubt you have the same customers." His shoulders shook with mirth. "I'm sure she won't mind." He took a deep breath after his laughter, trying to regain his composure, but it hitched as a sharp pain shot up from the wound on his side. If Edmund had been a less observant man, he might not have noticed. But of course, he did.

"Are you alright, angel?" He leaned in close again, scooping around the knight with a few fingers. Hendrick was quick to shoot him an assuring smile.

"Of course, sweetums. Just... tired from traveling." He lied, loathing the way it seemed to scald his tongue. It was against his virtues to lie, against he oath he had sworn to uphold. But of course, there was a loophole he often used. Lying was alright so long as it protected the innocent from a truth that would harm them. Edmund's eyebrows furrowed, and for a moment Hendrick felt himself begin to twitch.

"Oh, okay. Would you... like time to rest?" He asked gently, drawing back his fingers. Clearly the giant had assumed that he did not want physical touch, and the knight was quick to reach back out for him.

"You make me feel rested, Edmund." The giant flushed a deep red, a small giggle emitting from his throat. No, Hendrick's little secret wouldn't be in vain, so long as his lover was protected.

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"Come on, Porkchop, we-we have to go home." They said, even though it went against what they wanted to do. They wanted to go and check on the giant, as it had seemed like something painful had happened to him. Casey was still in school, trying to learn something in some sort of medical field, human or animal. They hadn't even finished their undergraduate degree, but they still knew that from the sounds of things, the giant was not in great condition. Porkchop pulled them forwards again, and this time, Casey allowed it. When Porkchop started running, so did they. Eventually, the trees surrounded them fully, and only then did they worry about not being able to get out. The tops of the trees, though still barren because it was winter, blocked out more light than they would've liked. Sticks tore at their clothing as they sprinted, the misty air freezing against the back of their throat. Only when Porkchop slowed did Casey pause to catch their breath. After a few moments of bracing themself against a tree, they looked forwards, and nearly jumped back. Before them laid the giant, an almost impossibly large human-looking creature. They couldn't see his face, but they could still hear his breathing and see his chest pumping up and down in a steady rhythm. They exhaled, letting go of Porkchops leash to let her inspect the situation. She sniffed around the limp form of the giant, quickly disappearing around the giants massive form before Casey heard her bark again. They followed the sound, noticing the large red stain on the giants clothes. They winced, staring at it. Without a first aid kit, they weren't sure there was much they could do. They looked at Porkchop again, who's tail was stiff and alert, before remembering something. Porkchop was a working dog. She was trained to retrieve specific items. 

"Porkchop," Casey whistled to catch her attention, mimicking the whistle their neighbor would often use. The dogs ears perked up, and she padded towards Casey. "Can you get me the first aid kit?" They asked, watching as the dog's ears remained perked up. "Fetch the first aid kit, Porkchop." They said, hoping it was the right command. They whistled again, clicking their tongue against their teeth right after, and finally Porkchop took off. She was much faster now that she didn't have Casey to slow her down. The college student then turned their attention to the giant bloody stain before them. They clenched and unclenched their fists for a moment, reaching up to the sleeve of their shirt before struggling to tear it off. They needed some sort of makeshift mask before getting any closer. The first aid kit most definitely had gloves, but they weren't sure if it had a mask. It was better to be safe than sorry. Eventually, they finally managed to rip the fabric into a strip wide enough to cover both their nose and mouth, then tied it around their face.

"Alright, let's get a closer look..." Casey muttered to themself, approaching the giant. Though they trembled with each step they took, they knew they had to finish helping him. They grabbed a small section of his shirt and pulled it up over where the blood was, and finally they could see the wound. Or rather, wounds. The giant had several large bullet holes in his skin. They looked at the area for a little longer, observing the fact that there was a scattered scale pattern that began just above it, and if they looked closer, there were some tiny scratches on a few of them. It seemed his scales were dense enough to protect the parts they covered, but his fleshy stomach was left completely open to the bullets. Looking them over again, Casey's eyes widened as they realized just how large the bullets were. They were wider than two of their fingers, and based off of the one that was the most shallow, the bullets were likely as long as their entire hand. Luckily, that meant they would be easier to remove. What was incredibly unlucky was the smell coming from the wounds, and the color of the skin around the wound. Barking echoed in the distance, and Casey briefly turned their head to look in that direction. When they looked back, they got an eerie feeling. They looked towards the giant's head, still unable to read his expression or even see his entire face. Still, it felt like they were being watched. They let out a shaky sigh just as Porkchop returned with the first aid kit. Casey let out another sigh, this one of relief, as they took the kit from the dogs mouth.

"Sit girl. Thank you Porkchop." They replied, and the dog's tail wagged as she sat down, her tongue popping out of the side of her mouth as she panted. They'd be sure to give her plenty of treats and water once the two of them were able to return home. Casey then opened the kit and put on the gloves. The first course of action was to remove the bullets and hope none of them had broken off deeper into the giants skin. They'd need antibiotics if the wounds were that deep, and they had no way to get them. It was also incredibly unlikely that anyone in town would ever offer the giant any sort of medicine, nor were there any guarantees that an oral antibiotic would even work on a being so massive. Taking in a deep breath and steeling themself, they gently stuck their index finger and thumb into one of the wounds, grasping the base of a bullet as firmly as they could before slowly pulling it out. Casey held it in their hand for a moment, carefully inspecting it. The tip was pointed, sharper than any other bullet they had ever seen. To be fair, weaponry wasn't exactly well known to them, but they at least knew what the typical bullets used for hunting looked like. This certainly wasn't it. Hesitantly, they wrapped it in a clean glove, tying the end shut. Then, they could run a blood test and figure out exactly where it had come from. They continued meticulously, placing each one into a plastic bag to ensure they weren't left behind. Luckily, none of them seemed to pierce deep enough to be of concern, but just as they removed the last one, they heard a soft sound come from Porkchop. She was now standing, attentive, with her ears perked up again. She was pointed directly at the giant's face, and Casey trembled as a wave of discomfort washed over them. Hopefully, they wouldn't disappear for this. They looked at the giants head for a moment, still unable to see much of anything from this angle, and they didn't dare to approach him any further. Instead, they turned back to their work, hands shaking against the final bullet.

"Easy, Porkchop. It's okay." Casey said to the dog, though it was more directed at themself. After depositing the last bullet into the bag, they took a shaky breath and grabbed the bottle of antiseptic before reading the instructions. "One to three times daily?!" They exclaimed, probably louder than they should have. There was no way the giant would allow that once he woke up. Even if he did, there was no way Casey would be able to find him each day. The size of the bottle certainly wasn't suited to him, and he probably wouldn't know what to do if they just left the bottle with him anyway. So, they set the bottle down and began thoroughly cleaning the wound. The giants flesh was uncomfortably warm, and they felt him tense beneath their touch. Their head snapped in the direction of his, once again hoping he was asleep, or if Porkchop's intuition was correct, simply just docile. They glanced at the dog again, who still seemed tense. They swallowed and finished cleaning the wound, degloving before grabbing the antiseptic again. Carefully, they began spraying it onto his wounds. Not even a second after they had started, Porkchop growled and lunged forwards. They turned slightly, but it was too late. A giant hand had snatched them up, and now it was lifting them up into the air as the giant moved to a sitting position.

"WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?!" The giant boomed, his grip tightening around Casey's torso. They groaned in pain, listening to Porkchop bark for them. This was the loudest the usually calm dog had ever been, and she was now leaping as high as she could trying to reach them. The giants hateful gaze turned to Porkchop, and he raised his other hand into the air. Casey acted quickly, assuming they knew what it meant.

"DON'T HURT HER!" They screamed out, more worried for the dogs sake than for their own. They couldn't bear to see poor Porkchop in distress, much less in pain. The giant faltered, his face falling for a mere moment before rage consumed him again.

"HOW DARE YOU INSINUATE THAT I WOULD HARM A POOR ANIMAL?!" He boomed again, his voice practically skipping Casey's ears and instead vibrating their entire body. "YOU'RE THE HARMFUL ONE HERE, SPRAYING THAT STUFF ON ME!" He roared, his grip tightening for a moment. Casey leaned forwards, the edges of their vision blurring with black spots until the pressure released. 

"I-It's just an antiseptic! A-A medicine!" They yelled back, desperately hoping that they'd be released. "You-You have an infection!" They decided to add, just in case they were smashed flat in his grasp before he could finish receiving care. At least then he could know what was wrong. The grip around them loosened, if only a little.

"An infection?" The giant quizzed, his voice quieter but still just as intense. "You'd better not be a liar..." He threatened. Casey was quick to reply.

"I swear I'm not a liar! I-I just heard the fall, and it-it sounded pretty bad, so..." They rambled nervously, wishing that they'd just shut up. "I-I just assumed you had no one else to help, and-and I've got first aid training so I thought I could-could help." The giant grumbled.

"I'm a giant. I'm better than you." He stated, like it was a well known fact. Casey felt their stomach drop. It seemed they would be one of the ones who wouldn't return after all. "There is nothing you could do for me that would help me." He huffed, lowering them but not releasing them. Casey could practically taste their freedom, but their concern for him outweighed their survival instincts by just a little. They had already tasted the poison, they might as well lick the plate clean.

"But you-you're hurt-" They began, but his loud voice fully covered up their own.

"My wounds would've healed on their own time." He scoffed, as though the idea were foolish. His gaze then softened, his tone following suit as he continued. "But, I do feel... better... now that those bullets are out." There was a beat of silence before he set them down. "Now, take your things and leave. Do not tell anyone I let you free. Trust me, I'll know if you do..." He grumbled omniously, and Casey shivered as they picked up the rest of the first aid kit. Porkchop growled at the giant once more before turning her attention to Casey and licking their hand. They smiled lightly, then scratched the dogs favorite spot right behind her ear. Once they were sure the dog was okay, they turned their attention back to the giant now towering over them. 

"I-I won't tell a soul." They replied, though it wasn't like anyone would believe them anyway. No one had ever happened across the giant while he was awake and told the tale. They paused, thinking something over. "This... This antiseptic, it needs to be applied at least once a day." Casey added tenatively. They should've kept their mouth shut. They had already been granted mercy.

"You're not very smart, are you?" The giant grumbled, and for a moment Casey trembled again, not even bothering to take offense. Then, he sighed. "Fine. I see what you're insinuating, and I can agree to it. But only once a day. And I don't want you coming around after I'm healed." He replied sternly.

"Of course. I-I know better than that." Casey nodded quickly. Just as they turned to walk away, they paused. "Um, one more thing... if you don't mind?"

"What?" The giant groaned, sounding exasperated. 

"It's... well, I'm supposed to know the names of my patients. I'm Casey. What's your name?" They asked, stumbling over their words a little. They knew they were overstaying their welcome, but they couldn't help themself. The combination of curiosity and the determination to do this right kept them here.

"My name is much too hard for humans to pronounce." He waved them off, rolling his eyes. Casey's head dipped with disappointment. "But if you must call me something... I suppose Anton is fitting enough." They looked back up at the giant with a determined but shaky smile.

"Alright, Anton. I'll be back tomorrow." Casey waved at them as they left, and even though Anton didn't wave back, they had the feeling that they had at least done one interaction right. Porkchop walked by their side, still seeming alert. Casey paused, looking back. Anton was still staring at them. "Um, is something...?" Their mouth went dry as a massive hand covered them in shadow. Porkchop whipped around, barking, and the hand froze. 

"Is that animal yours?" The hand retracted, and the giant narrowed his eyes. Casey looked at the dog, and she seemed to soften her snarl as they scratched a spot behind her ear. 

"No, unfortunately. I wish." Casey joked, a laugh on their voice as Porkchop licked their hand happily. "She's my neighbors." They stared at him for a moment, glancing away for a moment when they saw him blink. Like a crocodile, he had a third, transparent eyelid that closed just before his usual ones. It was a little unsettling, but they supposed it made sense considering his other features.

"You can go back to leaving now, I was only curious." He turned his head away, his left ear twitching as though he had heard something. He ducked a little lower, and not even a moment later, a muffled gunshot rung out somewhere deeper in the wood. Casey startled, covering their mouth after making an undignified noise. They flushed red with embarrassment as Anton narrowed his eyes at them. "Hm. You dislike the hunters as well?" 

"Well, I, uh, sort of?" They fumbled, struggling with their words. "Lots of people do it to eat, so th-that makes sense, but um..." The giant raised an eyebrow, seeming curious. 

"Do you believe that is why they shoot at me?" He asked, his tone sharpening. 

"No, no, of course not! You're much too large and human looking to really want to take down for the purpose of eating." They explained, realizing just how bad that sounded after the words had left their mouth. "Um, by-by that I mean-" Casey was interrupted by a deep sigh from Anton. 

"No, no, that logic makes a lot of sense. Aside from the human-looking part, as I look nothing like you." The giant seemed to understand, and they were relieved that he didn't seem offended. "Do you always fawn so much in front of others?" He asked, allowing himself to slide lower. Whether it be out of concern for his safety or simply to talk to them better, Casey wasn't sure.

"Uh, I mean... yes and no?" They looked away for a moment, scratching their scalp. The giant rolled his eyes.

"You humans always needlessly overcomplicate things. It's an easy yes or no question." He huffed through his nose, and a light cloud came from his nostrils. Casey wondered if her was some sort of fire breathing dragon or simply just had a hotter internal body temperature. Quickly, they diverted their thinking back to answering Anton's question.

"Then..." They contemplated a moment longer. "Probably no." They decided, and immediately regretted making a choice. They did often just sort of comply with what they were being asked, Casey had learned a long time ago that it was just easier to do that than anything else. 

"Hm." The giant blinked, his expression relaxed yet firm. He remained low, much to Casey's surprise.

"Are you nervous about the hunters?" They asked, and Anton narrowed his eyes at them.

"And why would I be nervous? I could smash them easily, long before they could shoot at me." He huffed, rolling his eyes.

"Then... how did you get shot in the first place?" Casey asked tentatively, and the giant glared at them for a moment before looking away. His eyes flickered with something akin to confusion, and they decided that a new tactic was needed. "If it makes you feel any better, they most definitely don't have bullets like those." The giants gaze returned to them, and he raised an eyebrow.

"How would you know?" He asked accusingly, but he still seemed genuinely interested in their response. It seemed he had been nervous after all. Casey allowed a small smile to form on their face. It seemed the giant was not as imposing as he tried to make himself appear.

"Well, um, those bullets were massive. Bigger than anything I've seen, actually. There's a gunsman in town, I was going to ask him about them." They explained, trying to sound comforting despite the subject matter. Porkchop pressed her nose against their hand for a moment, reminding them that they needed to return her soon. "I can tell you about it when I come back tomorrow, i-if you want?" They offered, and Anton huffed.

"Alright." He allowed. Casey smiled wider, still not showing their teeth in case it was considered some sort of threat like it was to some animals. They had turned and taken one step before they realized something.

"Oh, uh, how will I find you tomorrow?" They asked, even though Porkchop was pulling at her leash. The giant huffed, again releasing a slight steam.

The morning came easily, birds chirping causing his eyes to flutter open easily. It was a dreamless sleep, and that he was grateful for. He packed up his gear as the sun began to rise, and headed for the nearest town. He was far from Edmund's, and for a moment, he allowed himself to consider it as his home for a moment as a small comfort. He had entered the day market before he had truly realized it, taking a deep breath to try and bring himself into the moment. Instead, he caught the scent of buttery pastries, and nearly choked as Edmund was brought to his mind. Being away was simply just torture, but it was always worth it if it meant he was serving his purpose and protecting the innocent. He stopped at the cart selling the pastries to find an old woman and a young boy sitting at the front.

"Hello, sir." The old woman bowed her head to him, and Hendrick bowed his own in return. "Have you eaten breakfast this morning?" The blonde smiled.

"I don't believe so." He took a glance at the selection. His eye caught on a particular dish he had never seen before, that was covered with a shimmering bright pink glaze.

"Oh, those are my favorite!" The boy spoke up from behind the old woman. Hendrick smiled brighter at him, and the boy sort of retracted into her coat.

"Really?" The blonde entertained him for a moment, reminded of his nephew when he was younger. Brighter. He could only hope that with the company of Mabel and Roger that his boy could regain himself again. "What is it?"

"It's called a Faery Treat!" The boy continued, glancing at the old woman, who nodded. He stepped forwards with a bright smile and continued. "It's s'posed to taste just like fae food, but without the price of your soul!" Hendrick laughed at the child's blunt way of putting it.

"I'll take two." He chuckled softly to himself, watching as the boy excitedly moved to pack up the Faery Treats. "Y'know..." he began, and the boy paused. "I've actually met a few faeries before..."

"Really?" The boy asked excitedly. His eyes were wide and sparkling with interest.

"Mhm." Hendrick nodded, keeping his smile on his face before repeating the old tale he had been told many times. By now, he knew it probably wasn't true, but there was no harm in allowing the boy to have some sort of wonder around them. A safe amount of fear, too, of course. "When I was a lad, stumbled upon a brood of faeries sitting before a flower. I thought it was quite beautiful, and wanted to pluck it to bring to my mother." He winked at the old woman, who smiled knowingly. "Of course, when I reached for the flower, they tied me up in vines faster than I could blink. I explained my situation, wanting the flower as a gift for my mother, and the faeries tittered at me angrily. That was the day I learned that little faeries are born with the blooms of flowers. And that day, I watched as it bloomed with a gentle glow, and a tiny winged faery emerged. She was embraced in a chorus of beautiful buzzing, and the vines around me loosened in a display of gentle mercy. I left that day humming the tune, and that, of course, was the greatest gift of all."

"You know that song, don't you little one?" The old woman asked the boy, and he smiled brightly with a nod. He began to hum it, albeit a little crudely, and skipped around to the back of the cart. The old woman passed Hendrick the Faery Treats.

"How much do I owe you?" He asked, laughing slightly. The old woman's eyes crinkled.

"For you, sir, nothing." She exhaled deeply, remaining smiling and peaceful. "Between you and me, that was the song his parents used to hum to him. Thank you, sir. Thank you for reminding him of that joy." She cupped one of his hands in her own. "May you return to your family peacefully and joyously." She bowed her head to him again, and Hendrick allowed himself to breathe with her. When she let go of his hand, he had swiftly slipped a few gold coins into her palm and left without another word.

Hendrick took one of the Faery Treats out of the bag and bit into it with a crunch that soothed him. As he chewed, he was hit with a lovely raspberry jam center, and before he knew it, he had devoured the entire thing. He stared at the remaining treat in the bag, the corners of his mouth dipping. He closed it quickly and added it to his pack, encasing it in a small chest so he knew it would remain intact by the time he returned. For Edmund, of course. He knew the giant baker was always searching for new recipes to add to his bakery. Because of his size, however, Edmund would never get to try most human dishes. It was up to Hendrick to bring them to him.

He continued through the market, searching for a jeweler of some sort to ask about the piece he had in mind for Edmund. A ring. He hoped it wouldn't be strange to bring the giant a ring if it wasn't for the purpose of marriage. He didn't want to rush into something like that despite his yearning for the giant, as he knew exactly what happened when relationships went south while bound by marriage. He spotted one and sighed with relief before stepping in. A burly blonde man stood at the counter, arms crossed over his chest.

"Can I help you?" He asked gruffly. Hendrick nodded, eagerly stepping up to the counter despite the unwelcoming energy.

"Yes, I, um, I am in the market for quite the piece, if you are willing to craft it?" He stuttered, flushing red with embarrassment. He couldn't be acting like this in front of other people, not when he was supposed to be a somewhat stoic, forever handsome knight.

"What kind of piece?" The jeweler asked, raising a thick eyebrow.

"A ring." The jeweler's face brightened.

"What kind? Engagement? Wedding?" He seemed interested now that it appeared the ring would come with a hefty price tag.

"Well, um, just... a ring." The jeweler looked at him with furrowed eyebrows. "It is for my partner, of course, but I, uh..."

"Ah. Yes, yes, you are much older than I'd expect to be a lovesick soul." The jeweler laughed loudly. "What makes you think it will be expensive, then?"

"Well, I need it to be quite... large." The jeweler nodded and Hendrick continued. "Perhaps... wide enough to fit around my head is large enough for him?" He muttered to himself, and the jeweler's eyes widened.

"Ah. Got yourself tangled with one of them big'uns, huh?" He smirked, and Hendrick flushed bright red. Of course, the man was correct, but that only made it all the more embarrassing. He was terrible at being calm when it came to anything other than his job.

"Yes." He admitted softly, and the jeweler laughed. Hendrick raised an eyebrow. "You don't find that... troubling?"

"Ah, no. My daughter is in love with an orc, herself. You young people just really seem to like explorin' your options." He laughed again, uncovering his counter to show off his gemstones. "Now, what were you thinking?"

"Well, I was initially thinking of using amber, but, uh..." Hendrick drew back on himself as he reconsidered the idea. Perhaps making the gemstones the same color as the giant's eyes wasn't the best gift. If only he knew Edmund's favorite color... He had always assumed the giant was partial to purple based on his usual belts, but he could always be wrong. "I suppose I'm not actually... sure..." The jeweler shook his head slightly, tsking the knight.

"Classic." He laughed again. "You can come back when you have a better idea, if you'd like?"

"Oh, yes. That's probably a good idea." Hendrick agreed, bowing his head to the man. "I apologize for wasting your time, sir."

"Please, it's not like there's a line out the door behind you." The man waved him off simply, waving his hand up and down. "I'll keep it in mind and figure out what I can use for the banding.''

"I greatly appreciate it sir." Hendrick bowed his head again, reaching out and shaking the mans hand eagerly to accept the deal. At least he still had the Faery Treat, and maybe he could collect a few more baking items for Edmund along the rest of his travel. As he left the jewelry shop, he smiled brightly.

"Really? But you always say no!" He exclaimed, his eyes widening with sheer excitement. Roger laughed gently.

"We can try it this one time. We'll see how it goes." Roger permits, wiggling his fingers before setting his hand down on the table. He just needed to stay focused on Jack's body language and movement the whole time to prevent injury. There was no way it was as hard as Bucky made it seem. "How... How do you want me to go about this?" He asked, trying to figure out the best way to start. Usually it was just a tackling match until somebody gave up, which was usually Jack, but Roger wasn't sure that was the best way to go. Jack looked away for a moment, chewing his lip.

"Oh, I know!" He said when he was struck with an idea. "Maybe you can chase me?" He phrased it as a question, and Roger considered it, looking at his fingers. He shrugged his shoulders slightly, bending his fingers experimentally. The calluses left from woodcarving were probably smooth enough that they wouldn't scuff Jack up.

"Sure. I'll give you a headstart." He agreed, his smile widening. He hadn't done anything like this since he was a child playing in his father's garden. His smile faltered slightly at the thought that he hadn't truly changed, as he was still delighted to pretend he was terrorizing a human, but he refocused the moment he caught Jack starting into a run in his peripherals. "3..." He once again flexed his fingers, just to keep them nimble. "2..." A laugh burst from Jack's throat as he glanced back over his shoulder to look for the giant's hand. "1..." Roger tapped the table twice with his index finger, happy to see Jack so happy. "Here I come!" He cheered at a reasonable volume before allowing his fingers to chase the teen across the table. He tried to make them coordinate to almost resemble a spider running, but he was sure they were a little too clumsy for that. He gained on Jack quickly, bent his fingers to allow for some sort of warning before trying to pounce on the boy. Jack tumbled to the tabletop and rolled just underneath his fingers, laughing gleefully.

"Too slow!" He taunted. Roger's smile widened. The words were permission to make the game harder. Clearly Jack was capable of holding his own here, so the giant might as well make the game a little more fun for himself. Surely this wouldn't be a mistake. He began to lessen his focus on Jack's body language, upping how fast his fingers crawled at the boy from across the table. This time when he pounced, one of his fingers clipped Jack's arm as the boy dodged, causing the teen to stumble a little before quickly getting back to running. Roger focused solely on the smile, and the way Jack seemed to favor his arm went unnoticed.

"Not as nimble as you think you are, are you?" Roger teased, not even giving the boy time to rest before charging his hand at him again. This time, Jack had almost no time to try and dodge as the giant's palm slammed into his chest and whacked him forcibly onto the tabletop. The boy's back hit the ground first, knocking the wind out of him. Then his head hit the floor, and black spots danced around the edges of his eyes for a moment or two. Roger laughed lightly, not noticing the way Jack's eyes rolled back for a moment or the way he gasped desperately for air. "How will you get out of this one?" He laughed, leaning closer to the table with the intent to really scare him this time. But he froze the instant he saw Jack's pained expression. His hand came away as though he had touched something hot, before floating back for just a moment. "Jack?" Roger's voice wavered. The teen flinched, and the giant backed away quickly.

"I-I'm okay." Jack said first, rubbing the back of his head and trying to take deeper breaths. "Ow..." He mumbled, and Roger's heart nearly stopped. This was bad. Incredibly bad.

"Where does it hurt?" He asked quickly, impatient to hear an answer. His hands hovered over Jack, waiting for the teen to say something, anything, but he just kept trying to catch his breath and keep himself from flopping over with dizziness. Roger felt his eyes begin to sting, and he quickly worked to try and push the tears back in with the heels of his hands. It wasn't supposed to go this way. He'd never seen Hendrick ever really hurt the boy, and Bucky never seemed to do damage like this either. Sure, Jack would walk away with some sort of bruising, but there was always some sort of strange comradery in it all. Hendrick would help him up at the end, complimenting all the things he had done well. Bucky would offer a reward, usually food or some sort of interesting trinket Jack seemed interested in. But Roger had nothing to make it better. He had nothing to justify the pain Jack had just gone through. A tear escaped from his eye and hit the tabletop. Followed by another, and another, until Roger finally decided to cover his whole face.

"It-It's okay, I-I'm fine." Jack noted, groaning slightly. Roger winced beneath the cover of his hands. He couldn't believe he had let himself act like that, especially after he had assumed he had changed. But no, he had enjoyed every part of it. Had he... Had he enjoyed harming Jack? He jolted up, his chair scraping against the ground loudly.

"I-I'm going to go get Josey." He attempted to flee the scene quickly, trying desperately to wipe the tears away. He couldn't be here right now, not like this. Jack needed someone stable, someone healing, someone-

"Wait!" Jack stood from his spot on the table, wobbling but jogging to reach the edge of the table. He looked scared. "I-I'm sorry, I-"

"Shit, no, no, don't apologize to me!" Roger whipped around quickly, probably too quickly considering Jack flinched back. He pinched his eyes shut, sucking in a deep breath through his nose. He wasn't supposed to curse in front of Jack, he reminded himself. He had already scolded both Hendrick and Bucky for doing so. "Please, no, don't apologize to me!" He had hardly calmed down from before as he approached the table. This was bad, he needed to stop, he needed to leave, he needed to get-! No. What he needed right now was to try and calm down. He took a deep breath, squeezing his hands as he breathed in, and letting go as he breathed out. Looking at Jack's face again, he re-evaluated his guess at the teen's expression. It wasn't fear. It was concern. Concern for him, the man who was supposed to be the responsible adult taking care of him.

"I-I didn't mean to ruin the game, I was having fun, really, I was!" Jack said, voice wavering as he looked away. Roger kept hold of the word the teen had chosen to use. Ruin. It was a sentiment the boy had expressed before. The giant furrowed his eyebrows, exhaling through his nose.

"No, Jack. You didn't ruin anything." He held firm, moving cautiously to sit back down in his chair again. Running away like that never did him any good, even if it felt easier than admitting that he was insecure about this sort of stuff. "I'm the adult. I should know when what's happening is too much for you." Roger explained, watching Jack take a few steps back so he wouldn't have to crane his neck quite as much. He was the one who had to be hyper-aware of every detail, because just a flick of his wrist could end catastrophically for Jack.

"But... you..." Jack took a breath, moving from his wobbly legs to sit down again. He turned his head away from the giant shamefully. "I know sometimes you can't... hear me too well. Or see me too well." He admitted softly, unfortunately proving his own point as Roger needed to think about what might've been said and process it before responding.

"That... is true, but-"

"Then I need to be better about telling you when I'm hurt! Or even just when I'm tired!" Jack interrupted, raising his voice but not to the point of yelling. Roger smiled, appreciating the thought and Jack's passion to make things better.

"That's a good suggestion, Jack." He affirmed the idea first, but he knew that this particular one wouldn't have fixed the situation. "But I think that maybe we just can't mess around the way you do with your uncle." He replied, and Jack frowned.

"But why not?" He asked genuinely, seeming to wilt. Roger's heart ached for the boy, but needed to put his foot down.

"Because it'll only ever end with you being hurt." He was a fool to think otherwise, and he was sure of that now. He was too strong, and yet not strong willed enough to focus and ensure Jack's safety. He cupped his hands around the teens back softly, pushing him forward. "Are you still hurting?" He asked, and Jack looked away guiltily. He didn't answer. Roger's heart sank. "Do you think... you'll need a doctor?" He asked tentatively, almost not wanting to hear the answer. It would mean he had harmed the teen incredibly badly, and he really didn't want that to be the case.

"I dunno." Jack slurred quietly. He was back to mumbling, almost closing himself off from the giant. Roger felt his eyes begin to burn again, and he took a deep breath to try and keep himself from crying again.

"Jack, I... I'm so sorry. I really didn't want to hurt you." He began, then took another breath as he felt his hands begin to tremble. "But I need you to tell me what hurts so I can fix it." Jack seemed to perk up.

"I need to be better about telling you when I'm hurt." He repeated to himself, before continuing. "My... My arm hurts a little, but my head hurts the most. I couldn't breathe for a little bit but I can now." He admitted, rubbing at the spot where Roger's finger had caught on him.

"What part of your head, Jack?" Roger asked, thinking back to what he had done during the roughhousing session. He had practically slammed Jack against the table, that had probably caused the head injury and the temporary trouble with breathing. He furrowed his brows, wishing he really knew just how forceful it felt to the boy.

"The back. My vision was all spots for a little bit but I can see fine now." The boy detailed, rubbing his eyes for a moment. Roger nodded, maneuvering one of his hands in front of Jack. Josey had taught him something a long time ago, some sort of strategy for determining the severity of a head injury, but now he found himself struggling to remember it. Jack reached out in front of himself, leaning forwards until both of his hands were resting against Roger's index finger.

"Are you having trouble getting up?" The giant asked, watching as Jack leaned against him. The boy shook his head. "Do you... want ice or anything?" Again, the boy shook his head before propping it on Roger's finger. The giant sighed gently as Jack stared up at him.

"So... now that you know I'm fine, we can wrestle again, right?" Jack smiled up at him mischievously, cocking his head to the side a little bit. Roger sighed deeply.

"Jack..." He began tiredly, and the boys smile faded away quickly as he leaned back.