"Travels and Troubles"

Chapter 3

Cadenceheart117

The trip to the market took about as long as Brandt had hoped it would. That is, not very long at all. He had hoped that for the most part, everyone would be at the church, leaving the stalls he planned to visit deserted. Still, they would house hopeful vendors, each looking to peddle their wares to any passing customers that might not be busy with other things.

Each stall they passed by had the expected hopeful looks when they caught sight of Brandt, but they shrank away when their eyes shifted to the smaller figure at his side. Darius, an Umbreon, was keeping pace easily as Brandt guided him around the unfamiliar area, surprising the Luxio. He hadn't expected him to be able to recuperate to fast. But Darius's mind was elsewhere, namely on the people watching him with clear disdain.

When they rounded the corner and the first rock was thrown, throwing up dirt as it hit the ground beside Darius, the Umbreon yelped, pressing up against Brandt in fear. Brandt paused, alarmed, and looked around for the culprit. Nobody could be seen. Of course.

Sighing, he turned to the Umbreon, nosing him gently to get his attention. "Hey Darius?"

"Yeah, Brandt?" asked Darius, ears pricked and twitching nervously as he looked around. Brandt felt his fear, coming off of him in waves now. It was like this for a while for Brandt, when he had first evolved; he understood completely. It saddened him, but more than that, it was beginning to make him indignant and angry at the people around him.

Reaching down, he picked up Darius by the scruff and, ignoring his yelp of surprise, settled the Umbreon on his back, as he had done for him when he was injured. "Don't fight it Darius." he warned, glancing back at the Umbreon with worried eyes. "If we have to leave, it'll be a lot faster if I carry you."

Darius, embarrassed at being treated like a kit again, nodded as he hid his face. That settled that. Turning, Brandt forged ahead, briskly moving towards his destination: a largely unmarked stall at the end of the street. When he stopped in front of it, he looked around. It, like the rest of this corner, appeared run down, old, and deserted.

Darius leaned forwards, tapping Brandt between the eyes with a paw. "Um... Brandt, there's nobody here." Brandt simply smiled, grinning cheekily at him as his ears wiggled.

"Is that so?" He reached out with a paw, tapping the wooden surface of the stand. When nothing happened after another twenty seconds, Darius shifted uncomfortably. "Yeah, there's no one here..."

"Boo!" snapped a voice, shouting directly into Darius's ear. Brandt watched, laughing loudly as Darius seemed to rocket three feet into the air. He caught him, holding him still with a grin as a Haunter appeared out of thin air. "Heyo, Brutus." he said with a grin, though his voice was muffled.

The Haunter returned his grin, looking from Brandt to Darius. "Hey Brandt. Ah, gee, I didn't frighten him too bad, did I?"

Brandt chuckled, shaking his head as the Umbreon squirmed in his grasp. He set him down, nipping him playfully. "Right out of his fur, probably."

Darius scrambled to his feet, huffing indignantly as he looked at the two. "That's not funny!" he said, scowling.

Brutus smiled again, shrugging. "Maybe, maybe not. What's your name?"

When Darius didn't reply, Brandt nosed him again. "Come on, Darius. It was in good fun. I'm sorry if we made you mad."

As stubborn as Darius wanted to be, he couldn't seem to stay mad at Brandt for long. He sighed, nosing the Luxio briefly. "It's fine. Just... Don't do that. I scare easily, and... Well, you can probably figure out why."

Brutus watched the exchange in silence, then reached out at the last of the Umbreon's words, resting a ghostly hand on his back. "Hey, I'm sorry I scared you, Darius. If I had realized it bothered you this much, it wouldn't have happened."

"Again, it's fine. Brutus, was it?" When the Haunter nodded in confirmation, he glanced at the stand, still bare. "Ah... Nice to meet you. Brandt brought me here so we could get some stuff for my room over at the tavern."

Brutus stiffened, looking around as if to make sure no one was listening in. "At the Starr? Are you sure that's a good idea, what with everything that happens around here?"

"Well, Brandt tried to tell me it wasn't a good idea. So did Belle, in a way. I didn't really listen though. I owe them both, so I stayed to pay them back."

"Can't really pay them back if you're dead, can you?" quipped Brutus. "That explains why you're around. Now, why my stall? I haven't got much, unless you're looking for dark colored cloths and blankets."

"That's exactly why I came here with him." put in Brandt. He smiled, picking Darius back up and settling him on his back once more. The Umbreon didn't complain, instead folding his forepaws under him and settling in. "His bedroom is dark, and he's obviously an Umbreon, so I figured something from your stall would do best."

Brutus, ever the sales savant, grinned at the compliment. "Well, that makes me feel rightly important." he said, turning and floating behind the stall. The moment he turned to face them once more, different goods appeared on the wooden surface around him.

"Just a little security measure!" he said, gesturing to the piles. "Can't exactly steal something if it's not here for you to steal." He began sifting through one of the stacks, humming to himself and occasionally glancing past it to Darius. Finally, he seemed to settle on something, and pulled out a midnight blue cloak.

"Here, try this." he said, throwing it over to him. The cloak landed around his head perfectly, and Darius shrugged into it, careful not to step on the edges of the cloak. When he was done, he hopped off of Brandt, twisting around to get a feel for it. Both Brandt and Brutus nodded in approval. The cloak, besides looking good on the Umbreon, covered him from head to toe. If he kept his tail down, it was covered as well; in fact with the hood on, the only bit of him that showed was the tip of his muzzle and the red of his eyes.

Darius flicked his ears gently, the hood falling away as he looked at the other two. "Well?" he prompted. "What do you think?"

"It looks good on you." answered Brandt honestly. "The blue matches your fur. And it means we might be able to get back to the tavern without much trouble." If that's even possible… Arceus knows who threw that rock before…

"Are you going to need anything else?" asked Brutus, spinning in a slow circle as the visible items disappeared. Brandt looked up towards the sun, and realized with a yelp that they had already lost about an hour. If they were going to make it back before church, they had to go now.

"Maybe later Brutus. How much do I owe you?"

But Brutus just shook his head. "Nothing. Think of it as an apology from me to Darius. But you two might want to scoot." he said, reminding Brandt of what he already knew. Brandt nodded his thanks regardless, and turned to Darius.

"Do you want to run beside me, or I carry you?" he asked, paws shuffling nervously beneath him. He knew Brutus would have vanished by now, but he wasn't worried about the old Haunter. He'd been here longer than most. No, Darius, who didn't seem nowhere near as nervous as Brandt was feeling, was his main concern. Already he could hear mumbled voices, coming from farther on towards the center.

Darius studied him for a moment, ignoring the question entirely. Finally he reached out, nipping Brandt's ear and pulling a yelp out of the Luxio. "We are going to walk back to the tavern, Brandt. And I do mean walk. You need to calm down too. If someone sees you like this, won't they freak out themselves?"

Brandt could see his logic, but that didn't help his case. He rubbed his ear with a paw, wincing. It wasn't bleeding, but it'd be a little tender for a while. "I guess, but I'd rather you were safe. We do need to go now, though."

They turned, walking back the way they had come. Stares seemed to come from every direction now, and Brandt realized after a moment that the Umbreon had yet to pull his hood up, and instead was holding his head up. It was like he was trying to piss off anyone who was looking. "Will you at least put the hood on?" Brandt practically begged. "The less people that realize you're a dark type, the better."

"Why should I hide it?" challenged Darius. "They can hate me all they want, but I can't change who I am. I wouldn't want to either."

But it stemmed a lot deeper than just hate. A rock smashed into the dirt beside Darius. And another. And another. Finally, the culprit stepped out, another rock in her hand. It was Victoria, a highly passionate leader in the church. She was also one of the ones who had advocated that Brandt be killed when he had first evolved. "Whoop-de-frickin' doo, Brandt. What, was you almost losing your life not enough? You're going to bring a full dark type into OUR town?"

Darius paused, unsure what to do about this new arrival. "Brandt, who's this?"

Brandt stepped in front of him, pushing him back gently with a paw. "Nobody, Darius. Come on, we were just leaving." He emphasized the last part, glaring at Victoria as if daring her to challenge him. She said nothing, stepping aside to let the two pass, and they continued on. But fifteen feet later, she taunted them yet again.

"Go on, Brandt. Please, for once, leave town. No one wants you here." As if to emphasize her words, the rock in her hand flew, smacking Brandt in the back of his head. He flinched, looking down and pausing, before moving to continue on. Darius, shocked, had no such reserves. He spun around, growling harshly at Victoria. The air around him seemed to fizzle, darkening slightly.

Victoria just scoffed at the threat. Clicking her tongue, two Machamps appeared out of the shadows on either side of her, smashing their fists together as they looked him over. A small crowd had appeared behind them, mumbling lowly as they watched on. Despite all this, and Victoria's answer to his threat, Darius still growled, as if he could take on the entire town.

Brandt tugged weakly at his cloak, and shook his head. "Come on, Darius. Please… It's not worth it."

Darius's growl paused, and he looked back at Brandt. Despite the fierceness he was trying to put off, the Luxio could see the fear in his eyes; he was actually just as scared as Brandt felt. Again, Brandt tugged, gesturing for them to leave. "Let's just go, Darius."

This time he listened, and at Brandt's urge, climbed up onto the other male's back. Keeping their eyes forward and avoiding the voices that followed, they quickly made their way back to the tavern. He could only hope that the crowd wouldn't follow.

-!-

A loud crack split the air as fragments of what was once a windmill fell to the ground. Brandt was lucky no one was near it, but he still was in a bit of trouble. He looked down at himself, taking in his features. He had just evolved from a Shinx, but his fur seemed to glow an almost ethereal black. Something was wrong. Horribly wrong. The air around him buzzed with charged energy. There was no doubt about it. He had been the source of that dark pulse.

He looked back up towards his friend Victoria, who stared at him with the incomprehension he was feeling. "Vic, I-" he began, but as she yelped, scrabbling back a few steps, he stopped. He let out a low whimper, stepping forward hesitantly. Just once. But it was once too many for her, and she scrabbled back again, hiding in the crowd of onlookers.

Victoria was his friend, she had nothing to fear from him. But even as he thought this, he could see her through the sea of legs, pulling on her father's shirt and pointing from Brandt to the windmill he had accidentally destroyed.

It had happened so suddenly; he didn't even realize what was happening until he had already destroyed the windmill. They had been playing chase. Just having fun as kids should. When Victoria had jumped on him from behind, giggling madly like usual, he had yelped and fallen with a giggle of his own. Only his giggle turned into a destructive ball of dark energy.

Already, a quiet whisper had begun among the onlookers as he sat there silently, unsure of what to do. He looked behind him towards the church, where even the minister had taken up a whisper. He kept glancing at Brandt out of the corner of his eye, and the Luxio could see the accusations already beginning to form. The minister had raised Brandt to be a member of the church, though often joking that he was a "lost cause as a kit." And that he was "too playful for his own good."

And now, as a Luxio, he had realized Brandt was partially something he hated the most; a dark type. "N-no..!" he stuttered out, trying to step towards the minister. "This isn't right! Help me, father! Dad!"

The minister said nothing, but stared at him with a disdain that he had never seen before. "Help yourself, demon." He spat after a moment, flicking a vial of "holy water" towards Brandt. The Luxio was forced to dodge back, then out of the crowd of onlookers that was slowly closing in. Turning, he began to run, his eyes tearing up. He could hear steps pounding after him, but Brandt was fast. He always had been.

Even as stones, pebbles, old vegetables, and sticks crashed around him, he raced off, blinding escaping his pursuers. Only when he had not heard anything but his own pawsteps for over ten minutes did he pause to give himself a breather.

He breathed hard and long, the air never staying in his lungs long. It was taking everything he had not to cry out at the agony, the cruelty of the world.

And it was then that a massive headache overtook him, forcing him against a tree with a pained grunt. His ears were ringing, and spots appeared in his eyes as he began to black out. He felt, for the first time since he had lost his family, well and truly alone.

-!-

Something brushed up against Brandt's nose, and he shook his head, clearing the fog of memories from his eyes. He saw Darius looking him over with worry in his eyes and thought, briefly, that he might have had the same look when he had first found the Umbreon.

Again, the Umbreon flicked his nose with a paw, causing Brandt to pull back. "Are you alright?" asked Darius, sniffing nervously.

Brandt nodded, looking around. They were back at the tavern, and he didn't remember anything of how he had gotten back there… "I'm fine." he said, nosing Darius gently to reassure him. "What happened?"

"You mean you don't remember?" asked Darius. When Brandt shook his head, Darius nuzzled him, pushing a bowl of water up for him. "When you finally stopped running, we were at least a mile past the tavern. I got you to stop and brought us back. And when we did get back, you didn't say anything to Belle or me. You just went straight to your room. I was really worried Brandt. It was like... like you were in a daze the entire time."

Brandt hated to admit it, but he didn't remember any of this. "I'm sorry Darius. I just… zoned out. Bad memories came up."

"Did it have anything to do with Victoria?" pressed Darius, folding his legs beneath him as he settled in. Brandt nodded, his head dipping. When he didn't say anything more, Darius nuzzled him again. "You can tell me, Brandt. I'm not going to tell anyone, and I'm here for you no matter what."

He sat there silently for a moment longer, then began to return the nuzzle. "Thanks, Darius. Sometimes I feel like I've known you my whole life, and not just a couple days." he said, giving the Umbreon's ear an affectionate lick. This brought a slight blush to his face, and Darius returned the lick with a mischievous nip, relaxing his head on Brandt's paw.

"Shush, you. Tell me whenever you're ready, and I'll listen."

Brandt nodded and, with only slight reservation, began. "Victoria… She was my friend, a long time ago. She found me as a Shinx, and brought me to the church. I was raised there. Was going to be a big part of it too…"

His head dropped in shame at the thought, but Darius just nuzzled him again, urging him to continue. He bore no ill will. "Anyways… I was doing good. Everyone liked the cute little kid."

"And then… I evolved. At first, nobody minded. I was congratulated by some people, and was given new responsibilities in the church. Then little things began to happen. I'd find myself waking up at night… Food and things from the churches kitchen would appear randomly, even with me just thinking about it." He shivered for a moment, paws clenching. "Then came the moment everyone figured out I had a bit of dark type in me. I was out playing a game with Victoria one day, and I just… shot off a dark pulse."

His eyes seemed to glaze again at the memory, his mane fluffing up in apprehension. "I destroyed a windmill by accident. So, they tried to destroy me."

"How did you escape?" asked Darius, pressing a paw against Brandt's side. "I can't imagine they would have let you live in peace."

"They didn't." sighed Brandt. "I got away because I outran them, and hid. When I hid, I passed out. I was lucky they hadn't found me. I woke up here, in this very room." He stretched, pointing a paw towards a mirror.

"Those scratches in the wood around the mirror? Those are there for every day I had to hide out in here." Darius looked over, and sure enough, there were several fine scratches in the wood. At least a hundred, by first glance.

"One hundred and thirty-three." said Brandt, confirming his thoughts. "Belle kept me safe. She fed me, gave me board, and all she asked of me was that I tell her what happened."

"And when I did, she helped me. Got me some work with old friends of hers outside of town, and… I still work there now. I started appearing in town. Secretly at first, of course, but then I showed my face more and more. Now… well, everything is good as long as I stay away from the center."

Darius nodded, taking all this in. "What about Victoria? How did things happen with her?"

At this, Brandt whimpered, shaking his head. He didn't want to speak about her just yet. Darius was fine with this, and nuzzled him fiercely. "It's alright, Brandt. I won't push for anything, and I won't judge you. Remember?"

He remembered that, and more. In fact, he really hung onto the dark types every word. Darius didn't see him for his type, or his past with the church. He saw that Brandt was trying his hardest to be happy in a world that owed him nothing and took from him everything. But more than that, Darius could see Brandt for who he was. Someone worth being friends with.

Darius slid over, rubbing along his side gently and coming to a stop as he neared his flank. Then, he turned, hopping up onto Brandt's back. "Don't worry." he said with a giggle when he saw Brandt's questioning glance. "I'm not going to hurt you. Just going to… help you relax."

Well. That raised a few red flags.

Brandt began to object, but it was lost in a grunt as Darius began to press into Brandt's back with his paws. Again Darius giggled, and he winked once. Each knot the Umbreon came across slowly came undone. He knew what he was doing, and he was good at it. When he was done, he slowly climbed off, nuzzling a now sleepy Brandt gently again. "I'm gonna head off to bed, okay? I'll see you in the morning."

Brandt nodded, mumbling something Darius couldn't hear, and dropped his head. He was visibly relaxed, and seemed a lot less tense than he had been before. Soon, a light snore was coming from him. For a long time, Darius sat there watching him, thinking.

Inevitably, his mind was drawn back to that morning, when he had first overheard Brandt and Belle talking. Could it be that they were talking about him? Why would Brandt be thinking about having a chance with him? He shook his head to clear it, shrugging that thought away. Two days was nowhere near enough time for anyone in their right mind to begin thinking about such things. And Brandt seemed to think logically, so why trouble himself?

Still, even as he watched the Luxio breathe slowly in and out, he couldn't deny that Brandt was attractive. Perhaps not as much as an Eeveelution was, but he had his perks. His eyes, a yellow like fresh lemons, drew Darius's attention each time Brandt talked. He had a nice, calm personality when he wasn't fussing over Darius, something the Umbreon found endearing at times. And then there was his smell.

It wasn't the most pleasant scent, of course. But Brandt worked the earth. He had a deep, rich earthy smell, with hints of cut grass and the summer air. It showed how hard he pushed himself despite his typing, and again, it was something Darius found attractive.

Before he could really think about it and stop himself, Darius leaned forwards, taking a gentle whiff of the sleeping Luxio. He let the scent of what was quickly becoming familiar fill him, warming his heart. And then, again before he could stop himself, he kissed Brandt's cheek. It wasn't anything magical. No angel chorus, no ache of longing for more. It was a simple kiss.

And Darius enjoyed it, even as a guilt spread alongside the warmth. If Brandt woke up and saw Darius kissing him, he might be angry. Still, he didn't pull away, holding still with his eyes closed and imagining his heart beating right alongside Brandt's.

The pounding filled his ears, slowing down just until Darius pulled away. His eyes slid open, and he studied Brandt. The Luxio hadn't moved, and hadn't seemed to react either. Of course, that didn't stop others from noticing. A gentle tap sound came from the other side of the room, near the door.

Darius turned, glancing up towards the door. Belle stood there with arms crossed, a knowing smile on her face. As his eyes likely shrank to near pinpricks, she covered her mouth to mask a giggle, then waved him over with a hand. Knowing he had no choice but to follow, Darius sighed, glancing back at Brandt once before following her out of the room.

As it clicked behind them, Darius looked up at her almost pleadingly. "A-am I in trouble?"

When she didn't say anything, he continued. "Please don't tell him! That was inappropriate, I know, but he's always so nice to me! I couldn't help myself!"

Now she giggled again, her body shaking in laughter as she bent down and scooped him up. "Stop freaking out Darius. I'm not gonna say a word." Now Darius was bewildered. She had every right to. She should, actually. It was to his relief, yes, but still…

"Thank you, but… Why?"

"Well… let's just say he wouldn't mind you kissing him in the slightest." She said, smiling. Her hand rubbed his head gently, pulling a purr from him regardless of the situation. She began walking towards Darius's new room, opening it and shutting the door behind them.

"So, no new décor, huh?" she said as she looked around.

"Yeah." replied Darius. "We didn't have enough time to grab anything before church let out. And we ran into Victoria as we left."

Belle clicked her tongue in disapproval, letting him hop down. "Victoria, huh? Did Brandt tell you about her?"

"No, he couldn't… It was too much for him. Though I did get him out of whatever stupor he was in." Darius looked around, climbing up into the blankets he had used that morning. Despite the warmth, he couldn't shake the feeling that he was missing something, or someone.

Brandt.

Belle saw him, seeming to notice how uncomfortable Darius was. "Y'know Darius… Brandt's been making quite a fuss over you since he's met you. You've really grabbed his attention."

Darius blushed slightly, ducking. "I-I know. I think he's worried I might hurt myself again."

Belle shook her head. "No, it's not that. You mean a lot to him, Darius. Before he met you, he was reserved. He talked to me, sure, but he never showed any interest in anyone. It was like he was going through the motions. If he did talk about something, it was usually work."

Darius understood that much, but one word caught his attention. "Interest meaning..?"

Belle rolled her eyes. "Come on, Darius. Brandt is many things, and that includes obvious. He's falling for you, hard."

Darius's breath caught in his throat, his eyes widening. "He's…" If he couldn't believe his ears, his eyes told him everything he needed to know by how serious she seemed. Belle was telling the truth. "It's kind of cliché." she said simply. "Two days in, and you've got him like honey on flies. Now, how do you feel about him?"

He blinked, stuttering as he tried to seek out a response. She was blitzing him with questions he wasn't prepared to answer. Sure he liked Brandt. Much more than he'd be willing to admit openly. But to actually come to terms with it and tell Brandt was an entirely different thing.

Unfortunately, Belle was figuring him out faster than he could counter her. "I thought so." she said with a grin. "Darius, you need to talk about this with him."

That, he had an answer for. "How? That's like throwing kerosene on a fire. Not to mention what would happen if the town found out."

"'The town' can burn, as far as you two should be concerned." she said, glaring at him. "What you should be worried about is what will happen if you break Brandt's heart."

"I'm not going to break his heart!" he defended, not realizing what her words implied. When he figured it out, he blushed, groaning. "You're evil, you know that?"

"That's my job~" she said, her voice almost singing as she giggled again. "So. Again. You need to talk to him." "When?" asked Darius. "I don't know anyone around here." He still didn't like the idea, but Belle was set. There was no point in arguing.

Belle shrugged, turning and walking back towards the door. As she opened it, she paused, glancing back towards him. "Try tomorrow. Brandt has to work, so maybe you can go with him. Grace, a Gardevoir, comes here sometimes, even. She's married to Brandt's overseer. I'm sure she'd love to meet you."

Her eyebrows waggled at the suggestion, and before he could react, she shut the door, leaving Darius alone. He groaned again, burying his head in the blankets. 'I wonder who's going to be the death of who…' he thought briefly, meaning every word with the affection he was beginning to feel for her. She was a friend, definitely, but more like a big sister, overprotective of her little brother. And that made Darius the brother's item of interest.

Metaphorical thoughts aside, at the moment he needed sleep. He closed his eyes, forcing his breathing to even out as he began to try for the one thing that just didn't seem to want to come.

-!-

And he was still there an hour later. No matter how much Darius shifted, what side he rested on, nothing worked. He still felt as if something was missing, and the more time went by, the more he figured it out. He wanted Brandt with him.

So, gathering his blanket around him, he wandered out of his room, across the hall and over into Brandt's room. As he pushed open the door, he looked around briefly. Brandt was still on the cot, where Darius had left him. But he had moved around. A lot. Darius realized, a smile almost coming to his muzzle, that Brandt couldn't sleep either.

He crossed the room quietly, nosing Brandt in an attempt to get his attention. "Brandt, wake up." he said, a paw brushing his side. Brandt's eyes opened slowly, and he yawned, scanning the room. He looked tired, as much as Darius felt.

"Darius? Is something wrong?" he asked, eyes focusing on the Umbreon after a moment. Darius's breath caught in his throat, and he ducked his head, embarrassed. Thoughts about his talk with Belle flit across his mind, and he stumbled for words.

"Um… I-I couldn't sleep." he said, his ears and tail low. "I was hoping… I could stay with you? If it bothers you, I'll go, but-"

Brandt just waved him off, leaning forwards and gently pulling the Umbreon against him. "I don't mind Darius. You know that." The position mirrored their last one, and while Brandt didn't pay it much mind, Darius noticed it. He pushed back gently against Brandt's chest, rubbing against him. But still, it wasn't enough. Taking a risk, he turned, so his chest and stomach was against Brandt's. "Um… Brandt?" he asked, looking up at him.

Brandt, slightly pink now, looked down at him with a smile. "Yes, Darius?"

Darius held his breath, then pushed up, pressing his muzzle against the Luxio's. Now it was Brandt's breath that got caught. Darius didn't move though, holding the kiss. Eventually, Brandt began to return the kiss, wrapping a paw around Darius and pulling him even closer.

Eventually, they parted, staring into each other's eyes as they panted for breath. "Well… That was unexpected…" said Brandt with a chuckle. Darius returned it, albeit nervously.

"So… You're not mad?" he asked, tilting his head.

Brandt shook his head, smiling. "Not in the slightest. In fact… there's some uh… stuff I wanted to talk to you about."

Darius had a pretty good idea about what that was. But he leaned up, pecking another brief kiss against Brandt's muzzle. "We can talk about that tomorrow. For now… let's sleep, hun."

Brandt blushed at his wording, but nodded, hugging him closer. Together, both fully satisfied, the two fell asleep, neither tossing and turning in the night.

-!-

One or two more chapters everyone! If you pushed through to this point, I'll make sure the next chapter, which won't be fluff but full on happy time, is a good one! It was fun writing this story, and I hope y'all enjoyed.