#so rn i hv 1 dog and 10 cats

[syluxs]

mephisto’s feathery rival

pairing: sylus/reader

summary: you witness an unexpectedly soft side of him--completely captivated by a parrot.

notes: guys i am a big sucker for fluff too as u can see

"so, why are we here again?" sylus asked, glancing at you as you walked beside him.

"because i wanted to check on the birds," you replied, stretching your arms. "you make donations here, but i wanted to see if they're actually using the money for them."

you were excited to spend some time at the bird sanctuary, as you’d always been a fan of nature and animals, but you weren’t sure what sylus thought about it. he was incredibly kind to animals, and he had a deep interest and appreciation for them and the outdoors, often inviting you on hikes or quiet strolls through the forest, but you weren't very sure if he would be as enthusiastic as you were.

you were also thinking that maybe this was also a nice opportunity for him--an enjoyable break from the usual routine. 

you skipped all around the place, feeling all giddy as the peaceful chirping of birds filled the air, taking in the lush green surroundings. the birds were flitting in and out of the trees, the gentle rustling of leaves was a soft background sound to your stroll.

you could feel sylus’ gaze wandering around, but he didn't say much at first. his usual air of cool indifference remained intact--until you approached a particularly large enclosure, one filled with colorful parrots.

you admired their vibrant feathers, pointing out a particularly stunning blue and gold one. but then, without warning, sylus’ calm demeanor began to crack. his eyes widened as he watched a parrot hop onto the edge of its perch, cocking its head toward him.

"oh, that’s so cute," you said. sylus didn't answer, too focused on the bird. "he likes you!"

the corners of your lips quirked up, and you giggled quietly, noticing how his usual composed expression was slowly melting away. the bird squawked, and sylus blinked as it hopped towards his direction. he looked almost childlike--a quiet fascination that made your heart squeeze at how unexpectedly soft he looked.

without realizing it, you were stupidly smiling at the interaction. you had never seen sylus act like this before. he was usually the serious, no-nonsense kind of person, always in control. but now, he looked like a kid seeing something magical for the first time.

"you really do like birds, don't u?" you asked, your voice light with amusement.

sylus didn't respond. instead, he stepped a little closer to the enclosure, eyes glued to the parrot as it squawked and bobbed its head.

you watched as he crouched down, his usual coolness now slipping even further as he reached out a hand toward the bird. it was like he couldn’t help himself. his fingers lingered in the air, as if inviting the parrot to come closer. the bird hesitated for a moment before hopping even closer-- and then, to your surprise, it boldly stepped onto his outstretched finger.

sylus froze for a second, his breath catching as his eyes widened slightly. he looked almost startled, but then, his expression softened entirely. he didn’t move, letting the bird settle on his hand, his usual mighty self melting into something entirely different-- gentle, fascinated, completely absorbed in the tiny creature perched on him.

for a moment, you could hardly believe what you were seeing. sylus--your sylus--seemed utterly mesmerized. he had the expression of innocence and wonder you'd expect from a child seeing something new and exciting. he looked so adorable and endearing, you covered your mouth with your hand, it was so cute you wanted to explode right there at what you were seeing.

you leaned in slightly, teasing, "careful, sylus. mephisto might smell it on you when we get home."

sylus turned his head, eyes still wide but soft. "let him smell it," he replied, his voice a little quieter than usual. "i just..... wanted to see how close it’d come."

as if understanding his words, the bird fluffed its feathers and adjusted its stance, making itself comfortable on his hand. sylus’ lips curled into the tiniest of smiles, and he let out a quiet, genuine laugh--light, unguarded, and entirely unlike his usual self.

you quickly took so many pictures of him and the bird, unable to resist capturing the rare moment of sylus looking so captivated.

it was like a switch had flipped in him. the serious, calculated sylus was gone, replaced by someone far more approachable, someone who could be playful and curious. you were utterly enchanted by the sight.

"i didn’t expect you to be such a very-into-birds person," you said, teasing him gently.

sylus’ smile widened just slightly as he stood up again, brushing off his pants like he was trying to regain his composure. "i didn’t expect it either," he admitted, "but i guess i’ve got more to learn than i thought."

you chuckled softly, your heart swelling with affection for him. this side of him was refreshing. it made him seem..... less invincible, more like someone you could share moments like this with.

as the two of you continued through the sanctuary, sylus seemed more relaxed, more open to taking in the little wonders of the world. it was a side of him that was rarely seen, especially by others, and you were glad to witness it, even if it was just for a brief moment.

when you reached the end of the path, sylus glanced at you, his usual composed demeanor returning, but the warmth in his eyes didn’t fade. "thanks for wanting to go here," he said, his voice soft but sincere.

you smiled, the day’s light lingering in your chest. "i’m glad you enjoyed it." you were also relieved to see that the birds looked healthy and thriving, knowing that sylus’ donations were truly being used for their wellbeing. "it's good to know they're in such good hands," you added, glancing at sylus with a satisfied smile.

he simply nodded, his hands in his pockets as you both walked out of the sanctuary, but the playful spark in his eyes remained, reminding you that even the coolest, most mature people could have a little spark of wonder within them.

you let out a small chuckle, thinking about the day’s events. "i can’t wait to tell mephisto what happened today."

you grinned, a mischievous glint in your eye. "oh, he’ll laugh alright--especially at how you got so excited about a bird..... he'll probably say that they’re sooo inferior to him."

sylus shook his head, a soft chuckle escaping him as he walked alongside you. "he'll probably act all smug about it too," he mused. "like he’s some superior avian being."

you laughed. "oh, definitely. he’ll puff up his little chest and act like he’s the king of all birds."

sylus sighed in mock exasperation. "he already thinks that."

[terkaterr]

oh damn oh jees I'm so normal sooo sooooo normal rn ahaha! emotionally, I'm feeling sorta ZGBZFDHZV HV ZDH DZVVZDS ZD ZZV LZV. like, it's trigun, I expected it to hit hard BUT I DIDN'T EXPECT IT TO HIT SO HARD spoilers for ep 10 under the cut as usual

tbh I'm mostly shaking about the next ep and impending season finale, but this one was still pretty brutal

firstly, the goofs. vash fucking SNEESING and getting ruthlessly bullied by wolfwood is pretty much in spirit of their relationship in 98' anime and I'd love to see more of it (pls I hope there'll be a season 2)

scar reveal! I was afraid they're gonna give him a glow up and yeah, some scars are barely visible, but the other ones look awful. so, everything I hoped for, good to see he's in pain /j. also nico tried so hard not to stare at shirtless vash... he's looking away respectfully

vash is such a wet cat pathetic paperbag of a guy... just let that guy take a shot, barely flinched, took the bullet 'cause he thinks he deserved it. didn't even think of attending the wound until wolfwood said so. and, mind you, vash doesn't have any superhuman abilities so that must've hurt like hell

nico's job is so funny because to keep vash safe he has to get into mega epic fights, but also remind that idiot to eat and take care of wounds. again, vashwood duo feels more like the original now, after the sandsteamer. I think nico actualy started caring about vash since he saved the orphanage, it's great to see him conflicted with his mission

also policemen from ep 1 and the guy who shot vash are like... second best side characters in stampede and this is not a compliment. the best ones are nomads who ate worms btw

oh meryl, she's gonna girlboss so hard now... woe to all the haters and naysayers, she's getting character development and faces the same conflict as vash and nico thus gaining more narrative significance!! don't get me wrong, manga and 98' anime meryl was a crucial character, but she's getting much more freedom in stampede to develop and get into action

the moment where she gets up during wolfwood voiceover is when we start to see the "iron lady" and I'm so here for it! now we just have to wait for her designated therapy dog girlfriend to appear and when I can be at peace

tbh I don't really care about roberto. no hate, just neutral, rip drunckle grumps

everybody just dumped zazie... so rude, meryl didn't even answer their question >:(

elendira is..... not bad, but disappointing in comparison to the manga's gorgeously evil and hilariour girlboss who was also explicitly trans! oh look, she's a child experiment plant hybrid now, yay... meh

TESLA CONFIRMED omg I'm SOO exited for the next episode we're gonna be in SO MUCH PAIN

knives yeeting vash into the pit got a giggle out of me, but also... damn he actually was preparing all these years, crafting a perfect trap. and all the plants... he couldn't fix them and boy oh boy, I'm pretty sure he gathered them not for safekeeping... HE'S GONNA DO A LAST RUN ON THEM TO "FIX" VASH!! that was probably what elendira was refering to when she started crying

I am the normallest about this. these twins are such hyppocrites I wanna study and dissect them. knives doing the most cruel thing to his sisters so he can get rid of everything that makes vash human in hopes that if they were on the same footage they would finally stay together.......

and the words that he says to vash hurt so much more because it's true. he does love humans, but the main thing driving him is guilt. in stampede, more than ever, vash blames himself for pretty much all human suffering, because he helped the great fall happen. no wonder he's so depressed and not nearly as goofy! homeboy doesn't just protect the lives rem saved, his pacifistic quest is penance for all the people he (thinks he) killed

july is going to destroy him.