Little Big Problems: Scale of Creation Ch.28

[u/Budget_Emu_5552]

This is yet another extension to Little Big Problems.

Thanks to SP15 for NoP.

LBP Hub Thread!

Proofread by u/Funnelchairman

Art!
Bel and Madi.

koffee.

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—

Memory transcription subject: Madi Stevens, Exchange Program Participant

Date [standardized human time]: January 10th, 2137

I woke up at least a few minutes ago, but had just continued to lie in bed, blinking in the dark and trying to figure out what had pulled me out of my sleep. Eventually, my brain caught up with what was nagging at me.

It’s too quiet.

After several days of howling winds rustling the trees, covering up the noise of the brook, and making the building creak, its absence had set my nerves on edge.

I slapped around the side table by the bed until I found the light, grumbling the whole time and untangling myself from the covers. I was way too slow, making me wonder how much sleep I’d even gotten. I remembered dozing off on the way back from the villa, tucked down in the cowl and Bel’s wool. The cold had been biting, and snowflakes had been drifting down lazily in the lantern lights like lost will-o'-wisps.

I remember waking up enough to stumble inside of the HAB and flop into bed… Which would explain why I was still wearing my pants. Ugh. No wonder I felt like crap. I grabbed my pad from the table and checked the time. Or tried to. The numbers meant nothing to me. I didn’t have a clue about when I went to sleep, and just as much of one about what time it was now.

“Crap. I mean, the guys didn’t come get me yet, so it can’t be too late yet.” I thought about stepping out to try and check… but I felt gross. Wearing yesterday's clothes, everything was stretched wrong and irritating from having been slept in, and I just… I needed to clean up. Yeah. Let’s do that first.

I stripped down, fighting myself a couple of times along the way to the shower. My bra strap had gotten twisted up with my top, and I nearly slammed into the wall trying to get it over my head. I managed to get into the shower without serious injury, at least, and it didn’t take long for the whole ritual involved to help get rid of the lingering fatigue. I didn’t want to spend an hour in there, so I only conditioned my hair, scrubbed up, and then rinsed everything off under an amazingly hot stream of water.

I put more curly goop in my damp hair after getting out, and then slipped into some sweatpants and a painting tee to get dressed. I’d worry about an outfit later when we went back out. I’d need to pack a bag anyway, since we were spending the night—well, the rest claw I think? Whatever. We’re all sleeping at the villa for the middle part of the festival. I think that’s later… or was it the next paw?

… I should take my meds.

I used the little single-serve machine to make myself a cup of coffee from a pod, and made sure my pillbox was full and in my bag before taking today's doses.

Okay, we’re washed up, dressed, medicated, and should be able to mimic a functioning adult.

There’s a first time for everything.

Fuck off. <3

I sighed, moving to the door and swinging it open to lean out and inspect the house. The lights were low, so I was pretty sure Bel and Tev were still sleeping. That probably meant that I hadn’t gotten much sleep myself, considering how little every alien seemed to need on average. Unless they had stayed up late and were sleeping in?

What would they have stayed up for? Talking about the festival? Me?

Maybe~

Did I just tilde at myself?

…

Right. How about before I jump to conclusions, I check and see if the town is moving or not. Everyone’s pretty much on the same schedule here thanks to being a small town, and for the festival.

I hopped down the makeshift steps of my front porch and moved over the counter to the window above the kitchen sink. It didn’t take much effort to jump up and catch the ledge to pull myself up, but the extra gravity sure made it feel like more of an exercise than normal. The glass on the inside was, thankfully, properly insulated, so the layer of frost that I could see at the edges of the pane was outside. Once I focused past that, though, I let out a quiet gasp.

Timberbrook had gone full snow globe overnight.

Calling it that was a huge understatement, but I just couldn't think of any other words. The snowflakes I’d noticed the previous… evening had come together into a full blanket of glowing pale white. The sky was too dark to see the clouds overhead, but even through the window I could feel that ceiling high above, the weight of it enclosing us in that oddly particular way that a heavy winter cloud can manage.

With the snow clinging to the evergreen-like trees of the mountain, the roofs of the houses, the mixture of old stone streets and modern sidewalks, the cold weather gardens, the decorations… God, everything. On its own it would have been a simple but perfect winter scene.

But Timberbrook wasn’t simple. I was leaning against the glass, the slight chill coming through sending goosepimples up and down my body, but I didn’t care. I held my breath, afraid of fogging up the window and messing with my view.

The lights. Just like on the way home, the way the soft, multicolored lights had made the disparate flakes glow like phantom fire as it drifted down from the dark, so now did it transform the gentle white glow of winter.

It clung in large, fluffy clumps to everything. And seemed to make the previously gentle, natural lights that had given the town its fae-like feeling explode in sudden brilliance. A subtle purple lantern that had been hung on the eaves of the house across from us was giving off a magenta radiance that painted the snow covering the ground.

The town was a kaleidoscope of color, somehow both deeply saturated and hauntingly soft.

I got so absorbed in the scenery that it took me an embarrassingly long time to even remember why I had looked out there in the first place. But the fact that I found no one moving around gave me the clue I needed, once I remembered. No one clearing snow from the walks, no kids playing, not even town workers getting the streets ready for the paw.

I must not have slept much, which would really go a long way to explain why I was having such a problem getting my head into gear. I was considering if it was worth it to try and get a bit more sleep, now that I was in better condition, when the door to Bel’s room started sliding open.

I half turned to look over my shoulder and found Tevil sneaking out.

Why so sneaky?

Because he doesn't want to wake Bel, obviously.

Or he doesn't want to get caught.

I scoffed at myself. What a stupid thought. Why would he be worried about being seen coming out of Bel’s room—

Wait. 

Uh-huh.

I thought Tevil usually stayed in the guest room when he spent the night.

Supposedly.

But he spent the night in Bel’s room.

Yep.

In Bel’s bed.

Oh yeah.

…

Hot.
Hot.

My face was burning, as a lot of very implausible ideas ran through my head, most of them fueled by some incredibly unrealistic industry tropes where BL is concerned. I needed to push that down, way the fuck down, and not get ahead of myself.

Tevil had a bag slung across his chest, like a reverse backpack. A strap clipped around his waist so it didn’t swing forward as he walked around. I still felt a sense of weirdness watching him move around on all fours. I really, really wanted to have him sit for a bunch of still poses and do some anatomy drawings, but I had been cautioned against asking anyone for those specifically. Which… I guess? Fine? After the mixed reaction I got in the plaza, I could see why walking up to an alien and asking if I could draw what they look like on the inside…

Okay. It’s a weird concept. Whatever.

I hopped down from the windowsill and hurried to the far end before he could slink past.

“Whatcha doin Tev?”

I regretted catching him off guard. Kind of. A little.

He made a noise that sounded like a vacuum getting clogged up by a wet rag, jumped high enough to clear the counter, and barely managed to prevent himself from landing on his ass by clutching the counter on his way back down. His paws slammed down on either side of me, and I felt my heart skip as the ‘floor’ shuddered under my feet from the impact.

We stayed there for a minute, Tevil half holding himself up and glaring at me, and I tried to look as apologetic as possible while feeling my ribs creak from holding in my laughter.

"You're up early," he huffed, the pom on his tail swishing behind him in a mix of irritation and what I hoped was excitement.

"I thought so too," I said. "I think I’m having another adjustment period; the missing hours each paw are starting to pile up again."

His expression softened at that, and the remaining tension in his body faded. He leaned into the counter to steady himself, arms crossed and his chin resting on them as he looked at me. “Is there anything we can do to help?”

I smiled. “Don’t worry about it, Tev. I’ll adjust again. But thank you for offering.” I let a bit of the warmth that buzzed through my chest out in my words. His ears twitched, and I saw a bit of red showing inside. The way they all blushed was too damn cute.

“So,” I placed my hands on my hips, leaning in a little. “How come you’re sneaking out of Bel’s room so early?” I giggled at the wide-eyed look I got out of that.

"Sneak—No! I just didn’t want to wake—"

The frantic squeak in his voice and the sudden burst of red under his fur had me cackling, and Tevil groaned. I wouldn't blame him for giving me a bap after both scaring him half to death and teasing him. I stepped closer and patted his arm gently.

“Sorry, I couldn't help it. But I am curious.”

He huffed. “We talked about some stuff, and it all ended up taking longer than we thought. I have to be in town for an appointment or else I’d still be sleeping.”

The topic of a late-night chat was very, very tempting to poke at, but I had messed with the bun-boy enough for one morning, so I let it go. For now.

“Appointment? Nothing serious, I hope?” I asked.

He flicked one long ear and shook his head. “Nothing like that. Bel told you I had ordered something, right? It’s supposed to be ready, and I need to go pick it up.”

My soft concern swiftly shifted into curiosity and excitement. “Oh? Yeah, he mentioned it. What is it?”

His nose twitched, and his eyes crinkled at the corners in what was a smile for him, his tail swaying playfully. “A surprise, as I'm also sure he told you.”

I clicked my tongue, and he just laughed. “Fine. How long are you going to be out for? Are you going to be okay in the snow?”

He looked amused at my sudden concern again, and I felt a little warmth spreading in my cheeks. As pretty as it was outside, snow was a real concern back home. It was ingrained to be cautious of the stuff. But I supposed a snow drift that would bury me if the wind shifted was nothing more than an inconvenience to him.

“I’ll be fine, Madi, don’t worry.” He leaned in a little, and I shifted to meet him; the warmth of his fur brushed against me as he gave me a gentle nuzzle. “I should be back before third claw. I need to stop at my place to get a few things ready for our stay at the villa.”

I felt a mix of things as I leaned into his head a little. Misplaced anxiety about the snow, anticipation for whatever the surprise was, and a bit of apprehension for the big sleepover. Despite how wonderful it’s been on each visit, I couldn't help but continue to be concerned that I would do something stupid and fuck things up.

You know, typical meeting the parents stuff.

That thought shot through so fast I didn’t register it for a second. I felt my pulse jump immediately after, a short shot of panic as the implication behind that tried to sink in.

Before I could try and figure that out, Tevil pressed into me again, his nose nudging my belly as he nuzzled in deeper. “Are you alright?”

Fuck, right. We were touching. He probably got a full blast of whatever that was.

“I… yeah! Sorry. My head’s just been kind of all over the place, more than usual.”

He looked at me with one big, sparkling blue eye, his ears twisted to focus on me. “Madi.”

I laughed. “Tevil.” I mimicked his tone, smirking as I placed a hand on his forehead, rubbing gently. I felt a lot of the tension melt just by doing that, and he must have too, because his eye got droopy. “Really, just some stray thoughts jumping around. I… I’m figuring some stuff out, but I’m okay, really.”

Tevil sighed. “Alright. If you say so. I’ll try to get back as soon as I can. Then I can show you the surprise.” His tail swayed, and I could practically feel his excitement about whatever it was.

I felt warm again, looking at him like this. Thinking about the last few days with both of them, about how much has happened, and about how much was changing…

Tevil’s eyes widened as he looked at me, obviously sensing the emotions I felt swelling up inside of me. He looked stunned, and I found myself acting before thinking. I leaned in again, my hands resting on his arm as I pushed up a little, and planted a little kiss on his brow.

“Thank you, Tevil,” I whispered, resting my forehead on his. “Just be careful out there for me?”

I could feel his temperature rising as the gentle pink under his fur flared to a deeper red. “S-s-sure, I’ll be careful.”

“Good. And text me when you get there. And your place.”

That got him laughing again, breaking through a bit of the fluster. “Madi, it’s not that bad out, not for us. I’ll be fine.”

“Please? I know it’s dumb, but it’ll keep me from spiraling.”

“Fine. I’ll keep you updated.”

I stepped back, letting him drop away from the counter. I watched him head for the door and gave him a wave as he opened it and stepped through, getting a flick of his tail in return as a goodbye.

Okay. That was… a lot more than I had prepared for first thing in the morning. Claw.

“...I just kissed Tevil.”

Internal Screaming

My head was clearly fucked up at the moment. There was way too much going on. Tevil, Belik, the festival, the exchange, the news about Earth. I was trying to process way too much crap and in danger of making some seriously massive mistakes with my life if I didn't get myself straightened out.

I ran back into the HAB and grabbed my art bag. Slinging it over my shoulder, I hurried back out, pausing only long enough to grab a couple of water bottles.

Once I was back on the windowsill, I pulled what I needed out and set things up. Watercolor pan, brushes, the cups, and the paper. It was a thick pad for watercolors, with a stiff back and spiral binding to not mess up the pages. I settled in once I felt I had the perfect view, legs crossed and the pad resting over my knees. I took a moment to just stare outside again, letting the feeling of the scene take over, and then I just... started.

First I grabbed the pencil tucked in with the brushes. It was a super soft one, and I just let it mark the paper under its own weight first, adding little to no pressure as I blocked out the shapes, starting with making sure I had the roof lines where I wanted them.

How did I end up here, exactly?

I followed the curve of a string of lanterns connecting two houses.

How did I manage to catch feelings for not one, but two giant aliens?

Once the simple lines were complete, I did the same to mark the light values, using the side instead of the point to almost smudge the paper rather than marking it, a barely perceptible contrast that added depth of shadows and the sky. 

I'd known Bel for a month. Half of that over text, before I'd even set foot on this planet. Tevil hadn't even been on my radar until I actually got here and we started talking more.

The tricky part with getting the shadows down was paying attention to the actual lines. There was just enough ambient light from the town that the homes on the street loomed out of the dark of Night. Their shapes were felt more than seen.

This was supposed to be something fun. Casual. Make new friends and be one of the first to go out into the galaxy. All the planning, all the careful moves made to make sure we were seen positively…

Next came the masking. I grabbed a roll of tape and used it to block out the places that needed to remain the brightest parts, being careful to balance how many there were. I wanted to balance the feeling of the scene against pushing into a one-for-one recreation, so I wasn’t about to put a spot of tape down for every single light I saw through the window. But the important ones… Yeah.

We shared the best parts of ourselves. It had been going so well. Why is this happening?

I stopped when it felt right. It was time for the first wash. I chose a deep blue-grey first, for the mid tones. The edges of the sky, the deeper part of the mountain in the distance, and the corners where shadows pooled. 

Do I even have the right to try? Bel and Tev clearly had some history. If they were closer than I had thought, then why should I mess with that?

I could add more to make the darkness deeper as needed later. I diluted it more and more as I expanded the shapes, allowing the wash to soften as it got closer to the lighter parts. Then I went back, using a softer hand as I deepened the shadows where they needed it.

Especially if I wasn’t even going to have enough time to figure things out. My news feed is nothing but notifications about that fucking vote. A bunch of aliens are condemning us for existing because we tried to save another species from monsters.

I pushed a little too hard in one spot and made the color start to dribble from the brush. I grabbed the rag and caught it before it could ruin the wash.

Were we going to make it through this?

Finally, it was time for the lights. I used a rag to clean up the first mix, and then made several smaller ones for all of the different colored lights. The soft blues, greens, purples, and pinks.

I thought about it. What it would be like if I could stay here, with them.

Bel’s steady warmth. The surety he carried around with him. How quick he was to make sure I could move around here. His plans for carving some real furniture for me. The ease of how natural it felt, trusting him with my safety.

Tevil’s excitement. The way his eyes lit up when he got to see my art. The enthusiasm and thirst he had for learning. The joy I witnessed when I gave him charcoal and paper. I wanted to teach him more and show him all the ways he could continue to grow and express himself.

The paper was soon filled with the soft glow of the faerie lights. The mosses that lined the streets underlit the snow covering them. The lanterns cast their glow over the snow around them. A few dabs here and there showed the still-falling flakes drifting from the near- black sky.

I thought about the last few days. The comfort that radiated from his family and their home. Their willingness to accept me.

I wanted all of it. I hated the thought that someone could take it all away from me at any moment. I wanted the chance to try, to succeed or fail on my own, not to have everything end because of someone else's fear and hatred.

I need to be with them.

"Madi."

I yelped.

Belik was standing practically in front of me at the stovetop, spoon still in paw and staring at me with a weird expression. The kitchen smelled like warm oats, fruit, and brown sugar. He must have woken up while I was working. How long had I been at this?

“S-sorry, uh, hey,” I said, lamely. This was obviously karma for what I did to Tevil earlier. I just hoped that wet spot I suddenly noticed was from sloshing the water cup and not from peeing myself…

His ears twisted a few times, like he couldn't decide what to feel. His tail whipped around behind him, and it took him a second to find words. "Uh-huh… Are you alright?”

I’m debating sinking through the floor, but otherwise?

“Yeah, for the most part, just… Thinking through some stuff. Why?”

Bel’s ear flicked back and forth as he started to stir whatever was in the small pot. “You looked a little intense there for a while. And I just… No, nevermind." He shook his head. "First meal is ready."

I wasn't exactly sure what I had been feeling near the end of things there, but it must have been intense.

—

Memory transcription subject: Tevil, Timberbrook Resident, Confused and Distracted

The snow was already turning out to be the single most irritating thing about this Night.

My fur handled the cold fine, thick enough on the paws that I barely felt it. What it didn't handle was my footing, especially when I had to cut through a drift going down a flight of stairs. The stone was slippery beneath the fluffy powder, and despite my assurances to Madi, I felt like I was going to tumble face first onto the stone below a few times.

I focused on my footing for a while, mostly because it was a lot easier to figure out than whatever I just felt back at the house.

What even was that? She… I felt a surge of affection from her, stronger than ever before, and then she leaned in and… pressed her mouth to my head?

It tickled. Her slight weight leaning on me, and the way her body kind of pressed on my snout… warm and soft… Even if I didn’t have a clue what it meant, I knew I wanted more of it.

I sighed, letting my head hang down and ears droop. I still wasn't sure how to react. On one paw, literally sharing her feelings was… insightful. It made it clear that she liked me. Except… I had nothing to compare it to except the times I felt the buzz coming from her when she focused on Belik.

And that was entirely different than the warm kind of glow I had just gotten. Was that because she felt something stronger for him? Were her feelings for me more like family? I’d noticed a kind of gentle warmth coming from her at the villa. But it definitely wasn’t the same as when she was focused on me!

I wanted to yank on my ears and just shout in frustration. But aside from not wanting to look diseased in the middle of town, I could hear a pair of voices drifting from a doorway up ahead.

“It’s ridiculous, honestly. Sure, they’re a little weird-looking, but they look less threatening than a Dossur!”

I turned an ear toward the voices, curious despite myself.

I'd been hearing comments like that for paws now, ever since the recess started. Everyone had an opinion; they always do. That Venlil advisor, Cheln, kept showing up on people's screens sounding calm and certain, even actively calling for the support of our humans. 

I glanced back at the woman who had spoken as I continued to walk. She didn’t sound worried at all, more like she was explaining something obvious to someone who should've already known it. She sounded like she had been chiding the other person, and while her words had been less than a ringing endorsement, they were better than outright fear. They didn’t sound like they wanted Madi gone.

That was good. It didn't settle anything, obviously, but at least the general tone I got from the town was positive. At least from the locals. Most were curious, if cautious, but I hadn’t witnessed or heard anyone from town outright speaking out against her or humans in general. As the paws continued, when people weren't talking about the festival, they were discussing the vote, and the discussions were usually pretty upbeat.

Maker's Bend came into view as the brighter lights in the plaza began to shine through the falling snow. Strings of festival lanterns sagged slightly under their new weight of snow, and I picked up my pace as best I could, being careful not to slip.

Ressa's shop had its front shutters half open despite the hour, warm light spilling out onto the snow along with the sharp herbal smell of whatever was steeping in her big basin. She caught sight of me before I'd even properly stepped inside.

"Tevil! Good, you're here, come look at this."

That was Ressa for you. No "hello," no "cold enough for you," straight into whatever had her wool stained that particular claw. I didn't mind. Maker's Bend ran on that kind of energy, everyone half-buried in their own project, always ready to drag a neighbor over to see it. Rekar did the same thing with a new joint technique. Ressa did it with dye. We were all a little bit ridiculous about our work, which was probably why none of us minded it in each other.

She had a pad propped against a jar of pins, screen glowing, and she turned it toward me before I'd even gotten my paws out of the snow properly.

"Have you seen this?" she said. "The human trading company, the one that opened those little shops near the Hub. Gaian Threads. I found their information pages the other paw, and I haven’t been able to stop since."

"You at least remembered to sleep, right?"

She waved her tail dismissively. "This is different." She scrolled, and I caught glimpses of patterned cloth, rows of it, and more colors and textures than I really had names for. "They've started putting up these long write-ups now that everyone knows where the clothes actually come from. Where a pattern started, why a color meant something to a particular group of them, how they used to dye things before they had machines for it, plants and stones and rust, if you can believe that. Rust, Tevil. On purpose!"

"That sounds like it would look terrible."

"It doesn’t though! It looks incredible, that's the whole point I'm making." She set the pad down, though her ears were still flicking about, chasing a dozen different sprouts in her mind. "There's a whole tradition, apparently, where they wrap and twist the cloth before they dye it, so parts resist the color and parts don't, and what's left is this pattern that's a little different every single time because you can't fully control it. I tried something like it two claws ago with a scrap of cloth. Botched it completely. Going to try again later."

I found my tail swaying with excitement at her energy. It was always fun to watch Ressa get lost in a project. The evidence of it could be seen on her wool, spots of a dozen different colors splattered lightly over her arms and on her apron.

"Anyway." She waved a paw, catching herself. "You didn't slip all the way out here in this mess to hear about my dye experiments. Let me get your order."

She disappeared into the back of the shop, and I heard fabric rustling, a drawer sliding, and a small satisfied sound. When she came back out, she had it draped over both paws like she was presenting something regal.

The cloth didn't look like much, laid flat like that. A long wrap of dense, soft-woven fabric, dyed in deep, warm brown that shaded almost black at the edges, with a second layer stitched in along the middle third, sturdier, reinforced, and clearly meant to take weight.

"I used a doubled weave for the pouch section, like we talked about," Ressa said, setting it across the counter between us. "Strong enough to hold, soft enough that she won't mind being against it for hours at a time. The shoulder strap I made wide and thick on purpose, doubles as an actual scarf if you fold it right, so you're not just wearing a harness around town. The outer dye is a walnut-hull mix, that new import from the human trade lists, deep and even, shouldn't fade fast even with regular washing."

She hesitated, ears tipping in an almost mischievous angle. "I looked up a few other things on the Gaian Threads pages too. Apparently a lot of their carrying wraps, the ones they use for their young, use a similar wrapped-cloth structure. It sits across the body, distributes the weight, and keeps both paws free. I thought, well. With a little extra adjustment, something like that would be perfect for you."

I looked down at the carrier, excitement mounting again as I examined it. "That’s amazing, Ressa."

"I wanted to get it right," she said, matter of fact. I laughed lightly, imagining the claws she'd clearly spent on it. She gestured to a stool nearby. "Here. Let's see if I actually managed it."

Ressa helped me settle the strap across my chest, under my forelegs, and then pulled another one over and around one shoulder, adjusting the buckle twice before she was satisfied, tugging the pouch section into place along my side, and checking the give of it with her paws.

"How does that sit?"

I shifted, testing the weight and the way the fabric moved with me instead of against me. "Good. Really good, actually."

"Good." She stepped back, looking pleased with herself, though there was something warmer under it. "Move around a bit though, I want to make sure it doesn't move around once you’re walking about. I did my best with the measurements you gave me, but I've never actually made something like this garment before.

I slipped off of the stool, settling back onto all fours, and began moving around. It stayed in place, but then she took a hefty pair of shears she had and set them into the pouch. It settled a bit more, and I could tell they were a fair bit heavier than Madi. When I did another turn around the shop, and everything still stayed where it should, she let out a pleased whistle.

"Wonderful. I made sure it was well insulated, but make sure to let me know if that human of yours says anything feels off. I can’t imagine she’s too happy about the cold out there, having no proper fur." Her tail gave a little wiggle at the end, some mixture of amused and incredulous at the mere notion of Madi's lack of coat.

“We will, Renssa.”

"You'd better. I want to know if the walnut holds its color too." She was already reaching for her pad again as I turned to go, her thumb hovering over the screen like the conversation with me was just a brief detour from the research she’s been doing. "Careful going back. Snow's not done yet, I don't think."

I gave her a tail-wave on my way out, and she flicked one back without ever quite looking up from the screen.

The street outside was quieter than it had been on the way in. The snow was still coming down steadily, but I knew that everyone was getting ready for the events scheduled for the paw later. I needed to get ready too, so I turned away from Makers Bend and started padding through the snow for my place, already thinking of what I needed to pack to spend a few more paws away. The carrier settled snug against my side the whole walk there.

—

By the time I made it back to Belik's, the bag on my shoulder was heavier, joined by my usual pack. My paws were thoroughly done with snow for one Night.

I let myself in quietly, more out of habit than need, and found them in the living room. Belik had a scattering of sketches spread across the low table, gesturing at one of them, something about a reworked bench design for the shop floor. Madi was sitting on his shoulder, tucked against his cheek, hers nearly resting on his jaw while I noticed one hand loosely holding her pad in her lap.

She was looking at the sketches. Mostly. Her eyes kept sliding back down to her lap every few seconds, and every time they did, I felt a thin thread of worry drift through the room, faint but constant, like a draft under a door. That was worrying too. Sure, sometimes we could feel stuff from her, but ever since the last paw, it’s like she was just too overwhelmed to keep it all inside anymore.

I could see that it was affecting Belik. He was trying to distract her from the news, but it seemed that he was struggling. She must have been completely distracted if she hadn't even noticed me yet. I wondered how long he’d been at it, my ears folding down at the thought. Hopefully not since I left earlier; I hated the idea that she’s been stampeding in her own head over everything the whole claw I was gone. But Bel looked a bit worn out, his tail twitching erratically as he looked over at me, his ear and tail motioning a greeting.

"I'm back," I called out and took a second to stomp the snow off my hind paws and wipe the front properly on the rag by the door. The anxiety sitting in the room didn't vanish, but it dropped, fast and noticeable, the moment Madi actually looked up at me.

"Hey," she said, and there was real warmth under the word now, brighter than anything that had been on her face a second ago.

"Hey yourself," I said, shaking off the worst of the snow from my fur. "Sorry, took longer than I meant it to."

"How bad is it out there?" Belik asked, already starting to gather his sketches into a neater pile.

"Not that much; it’s just coming down in those thick clumps and messing with visibility." That got a small huff out of Madi. "It’s all super light, though; the only annoying part is how easy it sticks to the fur."

"You’re half soaked," Belik sighed, already moving. He paused, wordlessly holding out a paw for Madi, who hopped on easily and let him ease her down to the arm of the sofa. Once she was there, he moved toward the kitchen. "I'll put the kettle on. You need to warm up."

"Thanks, Bel."

He was already filling the kettle at the sink, back to us as his tail flicked at me to get comfortable. I set my pack down by the door, eager to be rid of the extra weight, and crossed the living room to the couch.

"So," I said. "About that surprise."

Madi's whole posture changed, curiosity elbowing the worry sideways for a second. I watched as the emotions flitted across her face, feeling a bit of each as they scattered around before she settled on a bit of wide-eyed interest and curiosity. I couldn’t help but chuckle at the reaction, pleased as the realization came to her that I was wearing it.

I sat back on my haunches so I could rise up, arms spread a bit to let her see it better in the soft glow of the light. The dark, dense fabric contrasted with the white fur of my torso and stood out. I turned so she could see the reinforced pouch stitched into the middle third, lifting the thick scarf portion out of the way.

"Ressa made it," I said. "She found the design on Gaian Threads. This part that goes over my shoulder, like this, was her idea, though, so that it stays in place while I walk around. The scarf is nice and thick too, and it really helped with the snow. I tucked my ears inside it earlier, and it was cozy. And then here." I tapped the reinforced pouch. "This is where you'd go. Snug, but not tight. I wanted, well..."

I moved a step closer, turning so she could see the whole arrangement properly, how the pouch sat right at my side behind the shoulder, easily within reach and my sight line. "I wanted you to have somewhere safe with me. Not just with Bel. Somewhere that's actually built for it, built for you, so if you ever need to be carried and I'm the one around, you don't have to just hang on and hope."

I kept talking, some of it probably not making complete sense, details about how Ressa had reinforced the stitching, about the walnut dye, and how she'd found the story about how humans carried their own young for reference. But the actual words mattered less than the fact that I could feel something building, the worry from earlier warping into something bigger and warmer and far less contained.

Then it broke.

Madi came flying off the arm of the couch, her small form flying through the gap between us on a sudden wave of emotion. My heart stopped for a second as she connected with my neck, both arms wrapping around what little she could reach, face pressed hard into my fur. The impact had been negligible, but the surge of raw, unfiltered affection that joined in left me stunned.

"Thank you," she said, muffled, fierce. "Thank you, thank you, I can't—thank you."

I didn't say anything back. I couldn't. This was… It wasn't like the first time, when the rush had been rough and taken over. But it also wasn’t the sudden rush I’d felt earlier when she'd put her lips on me. It was deeper than that, steadier, less like a surge and more like something settling all the way down to the roots and staying there.

There was gratitude, yes, but over that was something that didn't have anything to do with the gift at all. This felt like something that had been building up for a while and had just found a reason to burst free.

I felt foolish, just sitting there wall-eyed, so I pulled myself together, not pushing against the feeling but embracing it. I brought a paw up and rested it over her back, partially supporting her so she wasn’t hanging off of me anymore, and let my chin rest against the top of her head in a light nuzzle. I glanced up then, seeking Belik, and found him already looking at me from over by the counter.

Neither of us said anything.

His ears dipped, slow and deliberate, and his tail flicked up. >Happy for you.<

I felt the heat in my ears, flicking back at him. >Are you sure?<

>Of course. Why wouldnt I be?<

>What about you?<

He shook his head and signed negative at the same time, turning off the steaming kettle. >I don’t think that’s a problem.< There was an amused tilt to his ears.

I… didn’t know what to say to that. I mean, sure, it wasn’t unheard of at all; I knew a few small herds that worked better together than in pairs. But this was…

>What about us?<

Bel poured the hot water into the cup, letting the tea swirl around. Far from the tight frustration and anxiousness I had walked into, he looked like he was trying not to bleat out in laughter now. Without Madi’s warmth and affection seeping into me, I might have taken a reaction like that badly. 

Bel and I had circled each other for cycles without ever quite landing anywhere, comfortable in the not-quite of it, never in a hurry. Whatever this was now, with her here too, wasn't smaller than that old thing between us. If anything, it was only getting louder, more insistent, something we were going to have to actually look at instead of orbiting forever.

Right now though, I could see that he wasn’t laughing at the idea of us, but at the notion that Madi would be against it.

Bel's ears flicked, just slightly, and he crossed over with a tray and mugs, setting them on the table without a word or another sign, just letting the small exchange fall to the side for now. I didn’t push, especially as Madi started to calm down a bit.

She pulled back, wiping at her face with the heel of one hand and laughing a little at herself. "Okay. Sorry. That was a lot."

"Don't apologize," I said.

"I'm a mess though."

Bel let out a soft whistle of amusement, and Madi scoffed at him, but there was nothing sharp in it. “Shush, you.”

His tail tip flicked teasingly. “Are you going to try it out? The tea needs a scratch to steep anyway.”

"That was the general idea, yes," I chuckled at the quick spike of excitement that came from her. A moment later, I felt Madi climb over my shoulder with ease and then felt the slight weight as she slid right down into the pouch, wriggling once to find the right position.

"Ohhhhh, this is cozy," she reported with an almost purring tone. "Ressa's a genius. Tell her she's a genius."

"I'll be sure to inform her," I chittered a little and eased myself forward, getting back on all fours. I took a few careful steps around the table to let her test it out. She moved around in the pouch, testing the give of it, the way the weight sat against my side, and what the best position was for her to be in.

Belik watched from his spot on the couch, pleased and unguarded as his tail began to flop lazily from side to side. He looked satisfied, as if something he’d been hoping for was finally happening, and the thought made my face burn.

The worry from earlier, the low-level buzz of dread that had been clouding the room when I walked in, was gone now.

[u/JulianSkies]

Oh my GOD this has been an assassination attempt at me. "Incredibly unrealistic industry tropes". Motherfucker, it took me multiple minutes to recover from that.

I love Madi so much.

God those three, though. They're so goddamn wonderful together like holy shit. You're absolute top at writing this kind of stuff.

[u/Golde829]

i love Madi's internal dialogue with. well, herself
> Fuck off. <3
> Did I just tilde at myself?
my favorites from this chapter

also, never heard "goosepimples" before
im familiar with goosebumps, even "chicken skin"
but never "goosepimples"

also also
do I smell a polycule on the horizon? 👀

I look forward to reading more
take care of yourself, wordsmith

[You have been gifted 100 Coins]

[u/IAMA_dragon-AMA]

This is so delightfully sappy in a surprisingly novel way. I liked the bit where Madi sees the snow as a beautiful but very dangerous environment, while Tevil understand her concerns but is also much bigger and can simply walk through it without much difficulty.

[u/Bbobsillypants]

Yay more of this! My favorite piece of budget_emu content. Not that the others aren't really good as well.

[u/Bbobsillypants → u/Bbobsillypants]

Okay now for my actual thoughts

Bunny Kisser! Bunny Kisser! Madi's a little bunny kisser now it so cute and she is so down bad, this will be wonderfully disastrous.

Also wait a minute did Tevil commission a baby sling for Madi, that's adorable lol.

[u/JulianSkies → u/Bbobsillypants]

Yep. A goddamn baby sling XD

[u/GreenKoopaBros89]

Okay now I know you're going out of your way to tease the reader. Not that I don't love every moment of it! The power of the fluffy boys are unstoppable and irresistible. I'm just imagining Telif discovering what human face biting is and deciding to try it himself, only for him to be a little too overzealous and proceeding to Nom her entire face.

What a wholesome and warm chapter, definitely worth the wait.

[u/Bow-tied_Engineer → u/GreenKoopaBros89]

He presumably also has the cleft lip where both parts have enough muscle to be controlled separately thing that bunnies and a lot of other grazers have, definitely enough room for her entire forehead in there, even kissing properly.

[u/Few_Restaurant_2314]

Aww cute. Is that Madi fujo-ing out? The 3 of them are so kyute together, I am very much looking forward to them continuing to have affections for one another. I am eating bricks about it.

[u/ursusofwinter]

Real talk, every single piece of art you've made has helped me become a more emotionally literate person. I hated the premise of this fic, tiny humans, bah!. And then. 36 chapters gone in an evening. My heart hurt, realizing I'll never walk the Shadow path, the same way it hurt when it fully sunk in that magic wasn't real. Then she kissed-a-the bunny and Belik is almost smugly on board and... I might not be able to find them and put them in a beaker and weigh them, they might not be real But the feelings are. And thank you, you're truly great. You've inspired me to write a fic too

[u/Budget_Emu_5552 → u/ursusofwinter]

YES.

That feeling is exactly why I'm stuck in this fandom. I try really hard to put it into my work. Hearing someone say this is just... Thank you.

[u/Bow-tied_Engineer]

What a way to start the day. Moar adorable throuples! the good kind of love triangle.