Dabbles and Writing practice

"Then why are you letting him sleep in your room?" - SR Party

After a day of travel, the party arrives at the Shadow Hunter's base; Autumn Nox's guild. The base is surrounded by a tall scrap wall, and in the center is a tall tree that is slowly returning to life with the returned magic of the world. Green has slowly begun to return to the wasteland. It's strange to Autumn to see life come back to the place he's watched die for five hundred years now. He'd been the one to prove himself to the gods, well mainly the top god. And yet it felt bitter sweet.

'I'll just fucked it up.' The thought had entered his head yet again as they walked through the gate. He finally returned his sniper rifle to its normal spot. He was content to lead the group safely through the wasteland, most of the party were seeing it for the first time. He spent a bit to show the ground around before dealing with his own business.

The older Nox boys looked around, honestly impressed with what Autumn had managed. Ume would never say it out loud though. Winter got to chatting with Lu and Ciel, two of the guild's field agents or fighters. Ume and Niall were content to talk to the local doctors.

The Takahashi siblings were looking around the area where Autumn said a shrine could be placed. Osamu certainly knew Natsumi was lucky that the kitsune male has a soft spot for kids. Which was something he found odd but a bit endearing. As endearing as one could find an otherwise heartless killer. Osamu knew he personally fell more into the grey area of morality but Autumn was too far for his comfort. Ever since he was brought out of the nine hells(ten hells? Nine hells plus basement? Whatever..) he's learned what he could about the company his sister had been keeping. Kuro was amusing to him, but Autumn scared him a bit. A very powerful kitsune that doesn't know how to control his powers, or himself. But Natsumi believed he could be good. For all their sakes he really hoped she was right about that.

Kuro found himself just waiting while Autumn was gone. He felt awkward for once. As if he'd been removed from his element. But he's a bard, large groups are his thing and he'd never cared about making a fool of himself. Actually the party was sure most days it was his goal. Pushing his luck and trying to see how much trouble he could create was a lot of fun. But here he was standing in the guildhall watching other people talk and laugh. 'Why do I feel so sad?' He shook the thought from his head. The blue hair of his main form settling in his face. After a moment he forces a smile and approaches a group of Autumn's guildmates and strikes up a conversation.

Autumn wasn't back until the sky was turning dark. He'd already made up his mind about the group sleeping in his house, which was just as run down as the rest. "Oh, and this is Momo." He motions to the girl, around fifteen, that he'd come back with. Her hair is white and eye are bright red, much like Autumn's primary eye color. "I found her under the base. She seems to have a connection to the world tree." Momo nods.

They keep chatting to the minimum, no one really knowing what to talk about. "Ah. This is my place." Autumn says as the approach one of the larger houses. "It's got extra rooms because some of the Five Wolf guild members crash with me when they're here. Well, them and Darkwing. But it works out cuz y'all can stay here.." Autumn was trying to make himself feel less awkward.

The inside of the house was better than most would've expected. Though most of the group were sharing rooms. Even without Aria here, Autumn wasn't letting anyone sleep in his little sister's room. Niall and Ume were sharing a room, something the duo are more than used to. Osamu and Natsumi happily share another. And Winter and their newest member, Strom, share the last.

"Kuro, you can take my bed. I'll sleep on the sofa," Autumn is already getting a spare blanket and pillow for himself. Most of the group have made their way upstairs. Leaving Autumn, Kuro, and the Takahashi siblings in the living room.

"Alright," Kuro begins to head up the steps.

"You like him, don't you?" Natsumi looks at Autumn with a smile. Kuro stops mid step.

"Tsk. Hell no," He found himself answering a little too quickly.

"Then why are you letting him sleep in your bed?" Her brother was trying so hard not to snicker at Natsumi's persistence.

Autumn is quiet for a moment. "Shut up," he grumbles.

Kuro swiftly heads the rest of the way up the stairs. Natsumi giggles as Osamu motions for them to head to bed. "Night Autumn," she says as the two exit the living room.

"Night," he half heartedly calls after. He flops on the sofa, tugging the blanket over himself. She has to be wrong. There's no way he likes that useless brat. But why does that thought make his cheeks feel warm? He curses himself and rolls over. It doesn't matter. Even if he did like Kuro, not saying he does, there was no way he'd like such a fucked up man. Right? 

{Author's note}

Howdy reader.  Thanks for taking the time to read this. It's the first chapter of this book that isn't made with a prompt and that's because it's based on a moment from a DnD campaign :D Most of the charters in this chapter are played by me. But Niall and Natsumi are my fiancé, Ehtan's, characters. And Momo is a npc played by our lovely DM Turtle. This was the first real moment that I hinted at Autumn like Kuro.

Autumn is a gay kitsune gunslinger with massive issues that we've only partially gotten into. And Kuro is the first stereotypical bard I've played, he's pansexual and will bang anything. Which is made easier by the fact his race can shape-shift naturally.

Again, thanks for reading. I'd appreciate any feed back!