The Path of a Black Sheep in a Fantasy World (BL)

Chapter 82

Decode by Paramore~

"Evan... what are you doing..." Adam asked as he came back toward his lover after hearing Ash yelp. He looked with a deadpan expression at the giant holding the snake like a naughty kitten, the shifter seemingly making biscuits with his hands as he tried to reach for the ground.

Blaze's head popped out from behind Adam, looking in bewilderment at his new brother being carried in such a weird way.

"He looked like he wanted to be carried like Blaze." Evan answered in a grumble, looking lost about what he did wrong. He could see that Adam wasn't happy with him, but he couldn't understand why.

Wasn't he carrying Ash like the kid wanted?

Adam signed, looking like he had suddenly aged a few decades. They were both bad with children, but suddenly the warrior felt like he wasn't that bad with them compared to his lover.

"You can put him on your shoulders, your head in between his legs and him facing the front." Adam suggested, explaining the position as well as he could to avoid any misunderstanding. The warrior had put his own bag on his front to accommodate Blaze on his back, but he felt like it would be faster to use this position for Ash instead of making Evan turn his backpack around, as the straps were more complex than his own.

The giant did as he was told, swinging the still frozen snake on his shoulders and holding down his small legs with his hands. Once seated, Ash clung to Evan's long hairs like his life depended on it, making the giant wince at the harsh tug.

"I got you, Ash. Don't worry, you can let go." Evan said to the child in the most comforting voice he could muster. The shifter made small animal-like whimpers, looking worried but still trying to trust the giant. He slowly untangled his fingers from the strands of hair, smoothing down the unruly bangs.

Ash took deep breaths in, slowly willing his fear to leave his body.

When Evan felt that the child was calm enough, he started to stride toward the waiting Adam. Ash instinctively wanted to hold on to the giant's hair, but he forced himself not to, wanting to trust the former slave. He tightly closed his eyes to avoid looking at the ground, his fists tightly closed at his tummy's level, ready to hold on Evan's head if he started falling. His legs were clamped around Evan's neck and he would have crossed them for extra support if the giant hadn't been holding them down with his rough hands.

Ash, in the dark, felt the warm caress of the wind touching his cheeks, the breeze brushing his hair back. The scent of muddy earth hit his nose, accompanied by the comforting scent of flowers dancing around. The rustling sound of the leaves was next to register in his brain. Squirrels playing around and birds chirping suddenly made him curious to see his surroundings as Evan walked deeper into the forest.

Ash tried to push down his desire to open his eyes, telling himself that he will be scared, but Blaze's distant laugher and shouts nagged at his timid mind.

Finally, the kid couldn't resist anymore.

His eyelashes fluttered as he opened his eyes, taking in the view. His eyes widened as he saw how high he was, and how much he could see things from a different perspective. When walking, he had always looked down at his feet, fearing eye contact but also being mindful not to trip. He hadn't yet found the feel to have a good balance with his tail behind him, still growing.

He never had the opportunity of being carried around, nor did he feel safe enough to look above the ground.

Now, he could fully immerse himself into nature.

Slowly, with the newfound courage brought by the beautiful view of the forest, Ash lifted his arms. He held them up like he saw Blaze doing, enjoying the wind on his skin and the feeling of freedom such a position brought.

It was his first time feeling so... carefree.

So safe.

Adam relaxed and turned back toward the front when he saw Ash finally letting go of his fears. He had wanted to make sure that the snake was truly comfortable.

They spent the rest of the day as such, Evan carrying Ash and Adam holding Blaze on his back. They didn't encounter any monsters, the surroundings peaceful. They made a few stops to enjoy the forest's wonders, like hidden caves with glowing rocks and flowers' meadows. Adam made sure to take notes of any interesting facts, with Ash acting as his staples' collector, the child having offered his help.

When night came and before it could get too dark to walk around, the family made their camp, adding extra covers so that they could all sleep together. They roasted the preys they had caught on the way, adding a little seasoning 'offered' by the village.

Ash had saliva dripping down the side of his mouth due to the aroma as the meat warmed up. Adam chuckled before wiping it away with a handkerchief, making Ash mumble an embarrassed 'thank you' as he made sure to stop drooling with his mouth open, his cheeks burning red.

When the meat was finally ready, Ash nearly cried at how good the food tasted, holding down his tears.

It was the best food he ever had.

It was a far cry from the moldy bread and muddy porridge he was normally given. He couldn't remember the last time he had any meat. Adam raised an eyebrow at the way the snake completely engulfed the rabbit's leg he had just given him. He chose not to comment on the child's manners like he would have done if he had been someone else, knowing that it was probably the most edible thing he had been given for a while.

Still, the warrior helped wipe the oil staining the shifter's mouth and its surroundings, finding the pouty child adorable as he kept him from rushing to finish his meat while doing so.

Then, the kid continued his engulfment of food.

Ash finished his part just as Evan started to eat the other half of his. The giant looked at the kid as the latter glanced at the empty bone with loveforn eyes as if heartbroken that he was all done.

Ash jumped as a half-eaten rabbit's leg was shoved in his face. The snake's eyes traveled up the hand holding it before him to its owner, seeing Evan looking at him with soft eyes.

"F-for me...?" Ash asked to be sure, knowing that the giant wouldn't have any other food for tonight. Their harvest from today's hunting was quite poor as the two men had been too busy showing new things to Ash. Evan nodded at the kid's words, feeling like it was more important for Ash to feel full than for him to have his fill. He was accustomed to having light meals in the past as his masters tended to want to avoid unnecessary costs.

Ash was already so small for his age, it was important for him to eat more.

Evan was quite concerned with the snake's small stature, feeling like he could crush his tiny head with one hand only. It worried him how he looked like he could be blown away by a gust of wind.

"T-thank you, Papa..." Ash said as he took the meat handed to him, starting to munch on it with puffy cheeks. Evan revealed a rare startled expression at the child's word. He turned to his lover, seeing Adam looking at them with a wide smile. Evan had felt weird at first when Blaze had started to call him Father, but then he had grown accustomed to it.

However, with Ash, it was a different matter. Knowing the child's past as a slave, and with how timid he had been, it was a surprise to hear him call him Papa so smoothly like that.

It made Evan feel warm.

Hey dear readers, a cute family moment!

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