wildroseofarran - Tumblr blog

[wildroseofarran]

"I knew you would!" His arms were around Brett's shoulders, looking quite proud of the ghoul, and much pleased with himself. He'd been held like this before. Many, many times by this man. The trust was absolutely there.

He had, hadn’t he? Olek had been in his arms countless times while Brett carried him from place to place around the house.

And this time, like every other time, he kissed Olek’s head, squeezed him, and kept walking. Carrying this giant man was no different than carrying the cat he truly was. “Come on, fluffy baby.”

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The familiar gasped. He was always the one to pick people up! His arms were out, which was the only warning Brett was getting before his cat leapt into his arms.

It was a good thing Brett had quick reflexes to go with his strength, otherwise Olek would’ve likely toppled them both over.

Luckily, that didn’t happen. Brett caught the familiar quickly and easily, laughing as he shook his head. “Give a guy a head’s up! What if I hadn’t caught you, huh?”

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Olek just smiled. Whatever Brett wanted to do, really. He just wanted the ghoul to feel proud of himself, to show off what he could do in a positive light.

"Let's do it."

“Want me to pick you up too?” Brett asked over his shoulder as he led the way. It was nice to be using his strength to entertain someone instead of just working out.

“You’re light as a feather compared to the Beetle.”

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"But it's the Beetle! You can do it!" He thought for only half a second before adding, "I'll help!"

“I can but not over my head! It’s still hundreds of pounds of metal!” And he was still very squishable despite his ghoul strength.

“We can go out in the woods and find a big fallen log for me to lift over my head, how’s that?”

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Gasp! "You can lift a car?!" Yes, that! He was sitting up, eyes bright. "Let's go lift the Beetle!"

Brett had to laugh. Olek’s enthusiasm and joy were so infectious. “Not over my head, mind you! But I can lift it. I can even squat with it.”

Out to the garage!

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Olek just shook his head, but he'd leave it at that. A little private smile warm on his face. There was something he wanted to do for a long time, and now finally had the opportunity.

"We should play. Show me what you can do."

Brett wondered what that smile was for but he wouldn’t ask. Let Olek keep his secrets.

“You and Bo can do more impressive things than I can,” he chuckled. “But sure. What do you wanna see? Wanna see me lift the car? Vanish from sight?”

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"But you've never been ordinary."

“I’m not now but I was once. When I was younger, before I left home. Even for a while afterward.”

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"You would have made a better familiar," Olek smirked.

Brett smiled and shook his head. “That’s sweet of you to say, but I think what I’ve always been suited to best is just being an ordinary person.”

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Olek just nodded, turning his head inward, eyes closed. One arm stretched out, the other curled around Brett's waist. Enough of that subject. It was the past.

"He doesn't cry as much anymore."

When Olek was in his lap like this, it was easy to pet him the same way Brett would if he were in his cat form. Given that, it was unsurprising how quickly Brett had adjusted to person Olek.

“I wish I could make it so he never felt the need to cry again. I wish I could take away every single thing that hurts him.”

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"I made him a room of things he could break. The room upstairs. It was soundproof. He used it almost every day. Coming home and seeing me, he would cry, sometimes. Happy things make him see the bad things."

Brett sighed and rested his hand in Olek’s hair. None of what he heard surprised him. With an upbringing like Bo’s, an outlet for his anger would’ve been necessary for his well-being.

“Sometimes…seeing how different things could be makes the way things are seem that much worse. And the way things were for him…”

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"You're so different from him," Olek whispered.

“From Bo, you mean?”

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It was easy to say two rather than a hundred when it was only two people who influenced his life in any measure of the word. He walked past greed every single day. Just ugly little weeds by comparison.

But what did they matter, with a wildflower like Brett in his company? He could be himself. Speak how he preferred. Smile with abandon. He could care, and touch, and love without judgment.

"Can Olek help?"

“You already do, fluffy boy,” Brett said with a soft smile for the familiar. Human form or not, that nickname was never going away.

“Coming home and knowing there’s peace and comfort waiting for me helps more than you know. People are always going to be people, we can’t change that. But at least we can come home.”

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The familiar gave it some thought, shook his head, and smiled. "Not that I remember! Came close once, I think? I met a selfish person and another selfish person. But that's just two people."

He took one of Brett's hands to examine. "Maybe Brett is a little pessimistic?"

Only two? Olek had been very fortunate if that was indeed the case. “I’m glad they didn’t make a cynic out of you. It would be a shame to give a mere two people that power.”

Brett nodded. “That’s a battle I fight every day. Sometimes I lose, sometimes I win.”

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"Were you ever cynical?" When did his head get in Brett's lap? Hmm, curious. Oh well.

It didn’t matter when it had happened; there was a head in his lap, therefore hair was going to be played with.

Brett shook his head. “I don’t think so, no. I could’ve easily let myself become cynical at multiple points in my life but it’s never happened. Have you?”

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Brett had probably heard sympathy before. 'Oh, I'm so sorry,' from someone unable to think of something else. It was the modern phrase taught from childhood.

"And now you have what you want. Are you happy?"

“I sure do,” Brett said with a content sigh. Somehow, despite everything, he’d managed to build a beautiful life and home with the man he loved. That alone proved that hope moved mountains.

“I’m happier than I ever thought I could be.”

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Olek closed his eyes, leaning into Brett's hand. "Do you want to tell me about it?"

Brett smiled and pet Olek more. “I had a difficult time growing up, that’s all. It isn’t easy being the gay child of homophobic parents.”