({[A/n]:Have this ball of cuteness as payment for your troubles of this notification of this chapter's re-write.})
**3rd person pov:**
(Y/n) was busying himself on checking over his armor, the only real break he found was in the back of his chestplate, slowly he looked it over, a sigh following as he then debated on how to best repair this hole. Though he didn't have the materials right now on him, so he simply set the armor set that had just been polished and cleaned from being in the rain, beside his mattress.
Slowly he held up his helmet, looking it over. 'This is the best I've got really...at least it will match with the spare armor.'
He had taken two sets of armor alongside with him, slowly he reached to his side and grabbed hold of a phone, because he had to dull his claws fully he didn't entirely like dealing with phones, though this one was a gift from his sister in days of old. Well...sister...she wasn't his sister. She was a childhood friend.
We were inseparable before but now? Now we just want to be able to find each-other, at least that's my wish, I hope hers is the same but we've been apart for who knows how long now. Maybe she...found someone already. I wouldn't blame her, it's been how many years now? She probably thinks I'm dead.
He could hear a song in his head coming up so he decided to hum along to it slowly. His claws softly sharpened as he gathered together the spare armor, putting on his clothes, then the gambeson under-armor, finally the chain-mail before he started to tighten the straps for the plate armor guarding his body, it was a mix of armor that allowed him to effectively combat other threats.
Full-plate was unwieldy and heavy, not to mention limiting movements, chain-mail alone would be doable, but if one foe got a thin dagger between the rings, or possibly an arrow, or even a bullet. Then it would just be worse even if it was lighter.
Slowly he put his helmet on and tested his movement with the armor, all this time a scent drifted on the wind, sniffing the air he could tell it was...human? No, too stagnant, a sour decay on the wind which didn't sing well with a living being.
This was an undead possibly, or perhaps someone masking their scent to try and throw him off. He grabbed the axe and oaken branch from last night, putting his right arm through the branch and kicking up the axe, catching it in his left hand as he walked outside slowly.
There it was, it wasn't undead. That stagnant scent was another, there was more than one person nearby now.
As quick as the scent was there, it was all gone. Slowly he looked about as the fog got worse and a static filled the air this time. (Y/n) got into a combat stance, axe in front with the branch calmly across his own chest, his clawed feet remaining poised for a dodge just in case.
Then he heard it, steps coming up to his right. And when he turned with the axe raised. He stopped, a white featureless face greeted him. Raven-black locks falling gracefully down to frame the 'face' that was there. And tendrils that coiled about her, melding to her clothes to give her a long dress. A woman who was by no means short, taller than him.
Slowly (Y/n) lowered the axe but kept on guard, he may be strong but even he knew that a being of the supernatural could do more to him than he could do to them right now. Not without 'that' being used.
**Slenda's pov:**
I walked towards him. His helmet was on again and because of that, I couldn't see who or what was underneath the armor. Though I could tell now, he was indeed shorter than me. I had to estimate around 7'4? Possibly more in the middle than the lower end really.
A slow movement of my hand forward, watching his guard be raised as he thought I was about to attack, but I just held my hand out. Situations like this, were delicate. And even one small movement, could disturb a balance that was so delicately kept in a conversation with strangers.
That's what we were, he knew nothing of me and I knew nothing of him. Perhaps he had read the stories on me, but even stories like that can have holes on the logic and truth. So I waited, admittedly excited of this new interaction.
**(Y/n) pov:**
I sighed as I looked Slenda in the...face really...she doesn't have eyes. Or...wait does she have eyes but they're just not visible for people to see? Or am I just imagining something that doesn't exist.
But her hand was outstretched, I moved the oaken branch off my right arm and cradled under my left arm. Reaching forward, I accepted the out-stretched hand and waited as I heard that voice...one that was all around me but only in one place at the same-time, a gentle voice not full of hatred or mystery.
But one of curiosity and a budding like, as if one were eager to meet another. "I'm Slenda. I assume you are the one to make this are a little safer with Zalga's Mad-folk gone?"
In truth, that voice made me calm a bit. How long had it been since I had heard someone really TALK with me in a gentler voice. The last time I remember was my friends back in Idonia...but that was now eight years ago.
Slowly I retracted my hand to my side and spoke up. "Yes, that'd be me. You can call me-" I debated on telling her my real name, slowly I mulled over the option. But there was no need to tell her a false name. "You can call me (Y/n). I live here." Compared to her gentler voice, I had a more scratchy and gravelly voice. I had been through a lot...my vocal chords were still damaged from...
No. NO! I won't think back to that, I wasn't myself then. I...that is a time long past!
Though I felt a hand tracing my helmet then gently lifting my helmet up, now usually I would hate this, but right now in this moment of weakness. A moment I let show because of how that voice lulled me into a sense of security.
A curse was hissed at myself mentally. Letting myself be caught out like this. But in the end...I didn't hate it. A gentle hand removed the helmet and my scarred muzzle was visible to her, to this woman who...instead of cursing at me, instead of fear or horror. I felt...curiosity. That hand traced along my muzzle and then rested on the side of my head.
"Those scars tell a tale I assume...such a tense stance, eyes that stare into the distance but never looking at someone. The pain you endured."
I felt weak in my knees as her words went through my mind, briefly before quickly collecting myself. I may have missed having others to talk to, but I had to collect myself.
Gradually I moved my head out of her hands and looked to the side. "You seem to think a lot of me then, with how you're trying to comfort me. The past I hold is not one that any should know, nor have to endure. It's a long story and I do not know you much. And I do not know your intenti-"
Then that hand moved away and her words came again as I listened to her. "I intend to only speak with you. None know I am here. Not even my own people. The fog shields us." She said this in a gentle tone, and in truth, I felt her words true. Dragonkin are able to sense it, because we can sense the changes of those around us. We are born of dragons, beasts of greed and emotion.
As I felt that she was indeed here to know me, to just speak. I relaxed. Slowly my body lost it's tense stance. A sigh left me as my eyes trailed up to her face again. "Alright...I'll trust you this once. I hope you're not planning to back-stab me when I'm resting."
A shake of her head, and very slightly, very faintly a tug of my lips in a smile. But it didn't last long. I turned and walked back to the house as I open the door. "Hope you can mind your head well. Haven't made this place for people that much taller than me yet."
I remarked to her, and stepped inside. Setting my axe and the oaken branch shield to the side now.
**Slenda's pov:**
What has he been through. His every movement, his hesitation. What was done to him that someone acts this way. it's note just his movements but those eyes...the eyes of someone who feels a regret thatthey think would drown oceans. There has been many of those types in those I have seen enter this forest for a death.
What has happened that even a proud soldier would be driven to this? Hah. Soldier...is that what he is or is he something else. But at this rate I don't even know. At least I know what he is in terms of his being. Obsidian black scales, light blue eyes, horns either side of the head. Scales. He's a dragon, but has a dragon ever been in such a humanoid form before?
That is something for another time. I followed him inside of the house, sitting down at the now dimly burning fire as he set three logs onto the fire and exhaled a light flame into the fire-pit. This house was nothing to be called a proper dwelling but to him was it enough?
I heard something behind me, a distinct sound of metal clanking to the ground. So I turned around and...let's just say I should have asked first, but what I saw wasn't. Well his body is scarred but he didn't look too bad.
Though I quickly shook my head, patting both sides of my own face as I heard him talk. "You ask to come into my house just so you can eye me over woman?"
Again that fiery blush came back but I screeched in embarrassment internally before shouting at him. "Nothing of the s-sort! I was just curious what that noise was behind me!"
Before covering my face and then mumbling. 'He could have warned me about this...'
Slowly we both settled at the fire again. I saw him wearing an old long-sleeved green tunic and a pair of what looked to be well kept silken pants dyed dark blue. He seemed relaxed so far, but a question tugged at my mind.
"Why do I wear armor so much when I am covered in the hardened scales of a beast of myth and legend."
...was he reading my mind?
**3rd person pov**
As they sat there in silence, Slenda having an existential crisis and wondering if (Y/n) had mind-reading powers and then there was the opposite end of said spectrum sitting calm as can be with his tail swaying about behind him in amusement of how easy it was to fluster the woman of the forest.
"Tell me then, did you like what you saw under my armor then seeing as you're blushing so much?"
Slenda just screeched at (Y/n) and smacked him on the top of his head but a chuckle was all that was heard from him while Slenda shook her hand and grumbled at how she hurt herself when trying to hit him.
"I am covered in scales! What were you thinking was gonna happen!?" (Y/n) was still chuckling as the guest in his house was embarrassed now three times over.
And in such a quick succession even, it was going to be an interesting few days from here on he felt.
As the time drew on to the night, Slenda and (Y/n) spoke about a few things here and there, idle chatter, about the going on in the world, a bit about what dreams they had.
Though it took (Y/n) some time to think on such. "Dreams huh...I don't know if I really have such a thing after all that has happened to me."
A flick to the side of his head which did get him, though didn't hurt Slenda nearly as much as it wasn't a full pelt smack. "Everyone has some sort of dream so come on."
Rolling his eyes, the dragonkin just huffed at the childish nature of the one next to him, but it did amuse and make him happy.
A genuine happiness he had not felt in a long while. Then he realized, looking around he then remembered the mattress and dragged out a comfortable blanket for Slenda with his tail and used his tail to then drag the mattress on the other side of the house away from the hole in the roof.
Slowly he pointed to the mattress. "You'll sleep there. I don't mind sleeping near the hole here."
Though as he pointed behind him, the storm from last night was still ongoing. The heavy pattering of the rain, the thunder was gone, but the wind was picking up. A wordless howl in the air.
Slenda just huffed at him and headed over towards the mattress, pulling the blanket over herself as (Y/n) sat there, looking to the fire with a scratch of his head. "...yeah...this feels...nice again. It feels nice to relax again."
...
*Thud*
(Y/n) was now laying on top of the sleeping bag with a flustered face, a very tiny blush on his right cheek. 'What the fuck is wrong with me...'
A confused screeching voice echoed in his mind.
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Here ya go, two re-written chapters in one day. I'll be taking a little break so I don't hit a writer's block but I hope you enjoyed on this.
As usual, leave comments and pointers below. Let me know what you liked, what you hated, or what you want to see more of.