Gif Credit: Tay-swifts

gif credit: tay-swifts

you can’t see it but i’m actually on my knees in this scene

he couldn't believe it was working, he was playing horribly, but stolas was giving him the confidence to trust the process; to trust him. for a moment he felt like he was back with christopher, back when he wasn't alone and things just made sense, but thankfully before they settled in for too long and darkened his mood and mind, those ghosts were chased away by the snake's hiss and the witches voice cutting through the mental fog to let him know everything was going to be okay.

dropping the flute without any care for the instrument, he looked down at the snake and held his breath. if stolas was right, if his magic worked, the elf he was definitely taking home her back home and spoiling her, and making her into his official companion. scoffing in disbelief, smiling softly, he stared at the spat up rat bone for a moment as he reached out to scratch the top of her head. the second the snake signaled that she was feeling better, alton was moving around the table and extinguishing any distance between himself and the witch.

wrapping his arms around the other's neck, pulling him into a hug, alton let out a heavy sigh of relief as he squeezed his grip tight around stolas. "you're incredible," he finally said plainly, without hiding his voice or showing reservation for needing help. he meant it. holding onto him for a tick of a second longer, he finally loosened his grip just so he could step back and, caught up in the moment, steal a quick chaste kiss from the other's lips. he was saying thank you. "i owe you for this stolas, really. we both do."

another second slipped by and the elf was letting him go as if nothing had just happened. turning back to face the table, in a strange turn of events the usually stoic look that liked to settle on his features was replaced with a beaming smile. "she already looks worlds better. i need to get this girl a name, and build her an enclosure so i can keep her inside. actually," he questioned, words flying out of his mouth rapid fire, as he looked back over his shoulder at stolas. "do you have any books on magically caring for-- books-- oh, right. you still need help finding that book, don't you?" he was so distracted he'd almost forgot he promised he'd help look for it.

"Listen handsome, we got this. Just do what I say and I'm sure things will go smoothly. Now play." Stolas was happy that the other seemed to not hesitate as Alton really seemed to care about this animal. He could feel the other's energy as he pressed his lips to the flute and blew. He let Alton play for about 4 whole measures before he started to chant in his incantations as he ran his fingers up and down the snakes body searching for any signs of open wounds that the hawk's claws could of caused.

"That's it keep going Alton you're doing great." He nodded as he used some healing magic on the snakes abdomen and then using his fingers ran them up the snake from the tail to his mouth, expelling any bad chakra that was still ailing this snake. The snake softly hissed and spit out a pool of saliva that had a tiny rat bone admist the puddle. "oh would you look at that he left you a surprise." he chuckled. "I think she should be all better now, you can stop playing. she might not want to eat right away but let me know if something else goes wrong. "

in his youth, back in the wild lands, nature came first and foremost. not friends. not family. nature. that was one of the few mentalities the elf agreed with from the settlement he'd grown up in. in nature, surrounded by wild animals and basking in the beauty of the environment around him, is where alton usually found his peace. that connection, that he held so close to his heart, was unfortunately muddied when he left the elhead forest behind to fall down the rabbit hole of his curiosity towards humanity but more recently, after he lost everything, he realized he'd confused his priorities. people were nice but they were temporary. nature was eternal; and it deserved his respect.

after rebuilding that connection and relationship he had with the natural world around him, the elf fell back into his reclusive ways; spending less and less time in the bustling town center and chosing, instead, to lose himself in the forest; or at the ranch; or here.

his first time visiting the sanctuary had turned awkward after the owner, whose name he forgot to ask for, stumbled upon him wandering around after feeding some of the smaller animals. you would think the elf had learned his lesson and would have, at least, taken a more direct approach and followed the path towards the front so he could announce himself rather than just going where he pleased but you would be wrong. as acclimated as he was to this world, he social graces were still a bit lacking at times.

in his defense, however, he wasn't sneaking around this time. he knew how to move without being heard; he could have rendered himself invisible if he had wanted too. no. alton was purposefully disturbing the ground, stepping on twigs and making noise as he approached, so that if the other was around he would hear him.

pausing to look through the trees and try to get his bearings straight, he finally spotted the other off in the distance and began moving again. stepping out into the clearing, he pursed his lips together in a weak smile as the other called out to him. had alton managed to startle him again?

"morning," he offered, his voice a mumble, as he lifted his right hand with a half-hearted wave. "i-- i wanted to apologize about the other day." when he was trespassing. like he was doing again today.

open to: everyone location: Tao's Animal Sanctuary

@newhavenstarters

Crunch. Crunch. Crunch.

The brittle sound of leaves and twigs snapping underfoot cut through the tranquil morning air. Tao paused, his hand hovering over the food trough as he listened intently. The footfalls were too heavy for a deer or fox, yet not quite the lumbering gait of a bear. No, these steps had a distinctly human rhythm.

He glanced down at the rabbits huddled at his feet, their noses twitching as they awaited their breakfast. "Just a moment, little ones," he murmured, carefully setting the food down before straightening up.

The footsteps grew louder, closer. Tao's mind raced with possibilities. It was uncommon for visitors to arrive at the sanctuary so early, especially unannounced. Could it be a lost hiker? A poacher? His jaw tightened at the thought.

He strode towards the barn door, his boots scuffing against the hay-strewn floor. The scent of warm earth and fresh dung filled his nostrils, a reminder of the life he'd built here - the animals he'd sworn to protect.

As he reached for the weathered wooden door, a flicker of unease danced up his spine. Steady, Tao. He drew in a deep breath, feeling the cool air fill his lungs, and pushed the door open.

Sunlight flooded in, momentarily blinding him. He blinked, his eyes adjusting to the brightness as he stepped out into the crisp morning. A gentle breeze rustled through the trees, carrying with it the earthy scent of the forest.

The footsteps had ceased. Tao scanned the tree line, his gaze searching for any sign of movement. The sanctuary lay nestled in a small clearing, surrounded by a dense thicket of evergreens and oaks. It was a secluded haven, one he'd carefully chosen for its privacy and natural beauty.

A twig snapped to his left. Tao's head whipped around, his body tensing instinctively. He could hear fabric brushing against bark, the soft exhalation of breath. Someone was definitely out there.

"Hello?" he called out, his voice carrying across the clearing. "Is someone there?"

there was a subtle dusting of blush over his cheeks as he was called out for having ulterior motives. the offer to buy the man a drink was genuine and, well, so was the rest but the young witch wasn't going to admit to that right out of the gates; he didn't want to look like just another desperate omega looking for a knot. "or maybe i was just trying to be neighborly and buy you a drink since i've never seen you around before, and i've been here for a few months now." he countered, his smirk showing that he was arguing playfully rather than having an attitude with the alpha. of course, his blush only darkened at the mention of not being able to sit with the other without leaking through his pants.

clearing his throat, already feeling something stir in his loins, he tried to ignore the rising feelings as he he shook his head and laughed. "i'd say confidence looks good on you but that'd be a waste since i'm pretty sure everything looks good on you and, honestly? you wouldn't get thrown out for making an omega react like that-- i won't, because i have self control," and a sense of humor it seemed, "--but you're definitely going to have some omega's that would leak just because you looked at them. around here that would just make the other alpha's regard you as a superior or something. i don't really get how all that works, it's some kind of glorified pissing contest, but you'll be fine."

laughing softly, still lingering a bit too close to the man and crowding the doorway, the omega made a step back so he could lead them towards the bar only to stop when he realized the man had said it had been almost two centuries since stepping into a bar. another time traveler. "wait, two centuries?" he questioned with genuine curiosity and a loose smile on his lips. "you're a time traveler? did you-- did you just get here? that's insane. you don't need a drink, you need a welcome to the modern world blowie in the bathroom." he teased. so much for not wanting to seem desperate.

there was a hospital, there were books in it. there were... strange machines, with lots of things in them. rubbish, he gathered, but some of it...

journals. details about medical procedures he could only have dreamt of. and he hadn't. that pissed him off. it made him wonder...

after his the sweet unruly omega took him back to town he spent most of his time locked up in there, trying to catch up. asking endless questions but mostly, watching, reading, learning.

unlearning a lot. his brain was on fire, in the best and worst of ways, and he needed to see more of this town, to get to know the place he was stuck in for now apparently.

that's how he found himself in a bar, that's how he found himself approached by an omega first thing. he snorted, could smell his need a mile away, a hint of desperation, all omega in need of an alpha and his knot.

"i'm guessing a drink's not what you're after, sugar." he drawled with a smirk, "but we can start with that." he wouldn't be caught dead letting an omega pay for him before, that was just not right but these times... having the omega throw himself at him? well, he could give him a little rope. "think you can sit down and drink with me for five minutes without leaking through your pants? i don't want to get thrown out of the first bar i walk into in almost two centuries."

Veronica Roth // Charlotte Eriksson