An excerpt from my upcoming fic.
“Oh,” you said aloud, relaxing slightly, “you’re Bruno.”
He blinked in a solid, heavy motion; eyebrows furrowing.
“I am… and, uh,” he said with a long pause, eyes darting between your own. He didn’t know your name, so he added awkwardly, “you’re… in my house.”
“I am,” you immediately agreed, still feeling the sharp little fingers of the oddly fearless rat as it perched on your shoulder. You glanced at it while a large shiver of apprehension dripped down into your core, “were you, uh, looking for this?”
You pointed at the rodent, and it stopped grooming to sniff your fingertip.
Eyes wide, he glanced at the animal on your shoulder, then back to you, then again at the rat, and then finally back to you. For a second you thought he was about to call you ridiculous for ever insinuating that he would be purposely looking for a rat of all things – and you felt like an idiot for even suggesting it – but then he nodded.
“Wait,” you frowned, “you - you are?”
The man took a step forward, his unsure gaze turning to look at the rat properly. Now that his attention was on the rodent and not you, he seemed to loosen his body language a little, crouching ever so slightly and reaching out. As he approached, he held his palm flat towards your shoulder. You watched him with an utterly rapt awareness as he steadily closed the distance, fingertips almost poking you.
“C’mon,” he cooed, closer now, eyes locked on the rodent that was staring daggers back at him, “you've had your fill. Time to come home.”
With a tiny squeak, the rat started grooming itself again in defiance.
Summary: The reader is helping the town as they plan a big party over the next four days to celebrate the magic returning. You chance encounter Bruno on each of these four days, and by the arrival of the party, will he have warmed up to you?
I'm having fun writing this one. Stay tuned.
Will be posted to AO3, Quotev & FF.Net
origamiaround
turnnoffyourmind
janainaart
snowghoul
yousharknotpass
annaxmalina
jacobvanloon
