Hope you guys are ready for backstory
┌─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───┐
𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟑𝟏
└─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───┘
"W...What is Louis─"
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"...to me?"
"Yes, I'm sure Oguma explained it?"
The female in front of her questioned. Her body seeming to tower over the younger girls own as she stared down at her. Obvious hints of jealous were hidden behind her eyes. Though she covered it up with her usual emotionless face.
"Azuki-"
"I want an answer [F/n]."
The two of them were clearly on different sides of the spectrum. One, a red deer coming from a very wealthy family. Her elegance and pride had always been shown to anyone that was in a room with her. Even for just small amounts of time.
Meanwhile the younger human showed almost the complete opposite. Her clumsiness and her baggy clothes showed that she wasn't anything like the deer. And yet she was still able to seemingly crawl into Louis heart so easily.
"I didn't mean anything by coming"
"You didn't MEAN anything? Then, pray tell, are you constantly following Louis. Why do you stick to him like an over attached bug?"
"B-Because he's my friend"
The younger girl didn't really know how she was meant to respond. Given that she'd never put a label on her and the deer's friendship with one another. But it didn't matter to the taller girl standing in front of her.
"Friends? That isn't what I heard. Remember where you came from and what you promised in return for this life, got it?"
'What I promised...'
[F/n] looked up and wordlessly nodded. Hating that realization that some day her future was going to be set. Her fate was already set in stone all because she was scared. All because she said something so rashly without thinking.
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"Open like this...ahhh"
Following the grown woman's facial expressions the younger girl did the same. Old enough to know exactly who to eat but being treated like a baby even so. Both adults not wanting to see the younger girl grow up.
"Good job!"
"She's already 5 honey, not 2"
"I know, I know"
The man chuckled and handed his wife a small towel. Taking it with care she wiped it across the younger girls mouth. Cleaning up all the left over food rather carefully as to make sure she didn't hurt the girl at all.
"I think it's almost time for a-"
The woman stopped talking after hearing a small knock to the door. Her head turning towards it and she subtly stood up. Though the moment she did her husband placed his hand on her own. His eyes narrowed towards the door.
"Stay back"
He whispered to her, getting up and grabbing a small knife that was on the table. Considering they lived so deep into the forest no one ever simply came to visit them. They went out and traveled for miles until they got to the cities where they'd pay someone to get food.
There's no connection to them and the house that any beast had known of. And yet someone was at the door. Knocking again only this time harder than before.
"Take [F/n] to the back door"
"What about you? I won't leave you"
Without looking back at her the man cursed. Knowing how much his wife loved to fight against him. Always wanting to stand beside him no matter what.
"I know you won't, but you need to...for her. This isn't just the two of us anymore"
Though the woman was about to argue back she knew that he was right. She'd be more than willing to stay back with him if something dangerous was waiting for them but the child wasn't. The happiest thing in their lives shouldn't have to stay with them and go through that.
"I love you"
"I love you too, and I'll say that to you again after this"
Even though neither of them knew what lay behind the door, they both silently bid a finale farewell to one another. Though saying they'll see one another later deep down they both knew that wasn't true.
"Hel-"
Both his wife and child were near the backdoor when he finally opened it. The moment he did a lion jumped out and him and tackled him to the floor. Finally being able to see their enemies the wife didn't see much hope for them.
Somewhere she truly wished it was just someone coming to visit. That, or another human had somehow found them while they too were going to hide out. But it being a carnivorous predator meant that they wouldn't have much time to get away.
"[F/n] I want you to go run that way and don't stop"
"B-But"
"Listen to your mother! I need you to go, now!"
This was the only way left in the mothers eyes. Though she would've loved to run away with her daughter she knew all too well that she couldn't. She'd put on perfume that morning like she always had, her scent would be much more clear to the lions.
The fact that a small drizzle had been slowly turning into heavy rain was going to help as well. The little girls scent would've been washed out faster than the mothers. The lions would no doubt go for the grown woman.
"O-Okay"
"Your mommy and daddy love you"
Before the girl could say it back she took off running. Something inside of her screaming for her to run away before it was too late. Not looking back no matter how much she wanted to. Fearful that she might've seen something happen to her mother.
She was lucky enough the woman covered her eyes when her dad had gotten attacked. She didn't know if seeing something like that would be good.
'my legs hurt'
The little girl cried to herself but still continued on. Trying her best to not think about the pain burning in her throat. The only time she'd ever been running was around the house. The wilderness that surrounded it was very foreign to her.
'I don't want-'
The child let out a small scream when her foot slipped on the mud. Causing her body to fall to the side and down a hill. Crying and begging someone to help her as she continued down it. The mud coating, what felt like, her entire body.
Not knowing at the time that the fall had been the only reason she survived. Her body getting covered in mud had been the final factor to wash away all trace of her from the house.
"Who's there?"
The girl snapped her head up at the sudden voice. Wiping her eyes and trying her best to get as much mud as she could off of her face.
"M-Me! I'm here!"
Hearing the voice that shouted back to him the man walked over to where it came from. His umbrella being held high above his body as to not touch him in any way as she stared at what called back to him.
His mouth scrunching up in disgust at the girls appearance.
"P-Please my mommy a-and daddy are-"
"What are you?"
After interrupting the girl he watched as she froze in place. Not knowing if it was okay to tell this man what she really was. Chances were he might've never seen a species like her before.
"H-Human"
"A human? Here? And you wish for my help"
"P-Please"
The male looked back at the house that wasn't too far from the two of them. Thinking about how great of an opportunity this would be for him. There's no way he couldn't take this chance.
"How much do you want me to help you?"
"P-Please, please save me! I-I'm begging"
He found it rather humorous as the small human crawled over to him on her hands and knees. The stinging pain on her knee making her flinch as she did so. Reaching out and touching his shoe as she continued to cry to him.
Her hands wrapped around his ankle crying out. Begging him to save her from whatever nightmare she was just forced to live.
"I won't save you,"
"W-What?"
"But, I'll grow you"
The girl didn't know what he meant but still nodded at his words. Whatever he was talking about she was willing to take it. It would surely beat waiting out for the time in which she'd die.
"Do you have a name?"
"[F-F/n]"
The male nodded and grabbed the girls muddied hand, pulling her up and forcing her to her feet. When she was he began to walk away with her following behind. Her body tripping a few times as she attempted to keep up with the man.
"I'll grow you, [F/n], like a small plant"
"Grow me...?"
[F/n] questioned, hearing him say it a moment before but hearing it again made her wonder more. There's no way a human can be grown like a plant. Or at least, she didn't think so.
"Yes, like a small plant I'll grow you until you're in full bloom"
"Then what? A-Are you gonna leave me?"
It was a sudden fear that bubbled up inside of the girl. She'd never been scared about being left on her own for a short moment of time, but now it was different. Being away from people and not knowing if they were coming back or not frightened her.
"No...no I'm not planning to leave you, in fact, we'll be ever closer than before"
"Okay..."
Oguma looked back at the girl as they reached the home doors. Seeing her figure looking a bit more brighter as she held onto his hand. Tightly squeezing it in her own as if to tell him she wasn't letting go anytime soon.
That had been the first time Oguma had felt something. The first time that a small bit of warmth spread through his arm and to his chest. Picking up Louis the boy was afraid of him. Even as he grew he kept himself distant.
But this smaller girl, one much too blind to see her fate, had been staying close to him. Refusing to let go of him.
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"Go"
The boy yelled out, pushing the girl forwards more and more. Her body trying it's best to stop the male as he continued to push her.
"Stop it Louis!"
"No...you gotta go!"
The girl didn't understand why the deer was trying so hard to get her away. This had been something that seemed to happen everytime Oguma wasn't within eye or earsight of the two.
"Do you not like me?"
"No I do, that's why you have to leave!"
No matter how hard the male would push her the girl wasn't going anywhere. She, for one, didn't want to leave the safety of the house itself. And two there's no way that the older deer would ever allow her to leave. Not when she still had her promise to keep good on.
"You..you don't know what's gonna happen to you!"
"Happen to me?"
"Yes that's why you need to go, hurry!"
It was very kind to have someone her age that seemed to care about her. Through her whole life she'd been growing up with those older than her. Even the first few months of living with the deer she never got to meet him.
Oguma saying something about how he 'wasn't ready' to meet her yet. Though it didn't seem like he was now either. Not with the way he was acting.
"Louis-"
"Don't you understand? HE WANTS ME TO EAT YOU!"
Tears finally began to flow from the deers eyes. This girl was his only friend, he didn't want to do something so horrible to her. After everything he'd already been through, he knew the horror of waiting for your death, he didn't want her to feel the same.
But even so he felt her hand touch his own. Making him blink to get the tears out of his eyes. When he finally did he noticed the human smiling at him. Something he wasn't shown very often from anyone other than herself.
"I know that Louis"
Those words alone were enough to make the male collapse. All this time he believed she was so oblivious to it. That she was living life and looking forward to the future that she wasn't going to have. And yet she claimed to know it all along.
"That's the reason I was taken in, that's the only reason I'm alive"
"But why? Why do you want to live like that!?"
"I don't want to"
Louis once again looked up at her hearing her words. Everything that was happening between the two of them had gotten even more confusing. How in the world was he meant to know what she was saying if she didn't speak clearly.
All this back and forth between them only made his head hurt.
"I don't think anyone wants to die. But I don't have anything else, I'd rather live here and be happy for a bit rather than living on my own hiding away from everyone"
"E-Even if it means you die?"
Louis just completely couldn't understand, which he thought he would. After the years he spend being auctioned off and waiting for his time to die, he knew that he'd do whatever it took to survive. Yet the girl in front of him was so much different.
She had gone through something as well, where she too almost died, and yet still accepted the fate that had been placed upon her. Almost as if it was nothing out of the ordinary.
"Yes, even if it means I die. That's why,"
The human bent down to the boys height now, seeing as he was still collapsed onto the floor. She grabbed his furred hands in her own and lifted them up to the middle of them. Once again smiling at the male as she tried her best to be strong.
Not only for herself but him as well.
"We need to spend as much time together as possible. We need to make memories I'll never forget. But Louis I want you to promise me something"
"What is it?"
[F/n] didn't want to say the words, but she knew she had to. Oguma had warned her something like this might happen when the two met. That they'd get so comfortable with one another that Louis would pull this.
Also warning her that, if he did, he could end his own life for her. That if she was in trouble he'd rush out to help her much like the elder deer despised. So she had to say it, she had to make him promise.
"Promise me...that even if I'm in danger you won't come save me"
"NO! I can't-"
"Please Louis! My life will mean nothing if you don't live on"
Seeing the tears now coming out of her eyes the boy didn't feel like he could deny her. If she really wanted that then who was he to object to it. No matter how much it burned his chest to do it he promised her.
Setting into stone that, no matter if he had to watch her die, he wouldn't move from his spot. He wouldn't reach out to her and save her.
"Thank you"
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The girl let out a small scream when Legosi suddenly touched her shoulder. A cold sweat going down her body as she turned to him, realizing he didn't seem as upset as before. Possibly because of how far gone she was into her own mind.
"He's-"
"Is that carnivore attacking that human?"
"Someone get a guard!"
The girl didn't have time to answer the male's question before another beast suddenly came to the two of them. Yelling at Legosi to let go of her, obviously misunderstanding what had just happened.
The girl had already accepted her fate, but there's no way she'd allow someone else to die without her doing something. Knowing how unjust the law system would be on the wolf for doing nothing. Grabbing the male hand she moved in front of him before turning back and yelling.
"Lets run!"