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He sifted through the ground with dexterity and experience. His paw hovered over the rows of greens, blues, purples, and reds, only plucking once he found one that met his high standards. Normally, any one of them would do, he figured they were all pretty in their own way. However, he wasn’t trying to impress himself, but someone else. His eyes, constantly shut but always vigilant, scanned the rows of flowers in a sweeping pattern. He sat upon the earth by his haunches, one paw clutched a newly made bouquet, while his other followed his head’s sweeping gaze, slow and methodical. He suddenly reached down and grasped the base of the stem of a particularly red flower. With gentle digits, he plucked the stem from the earth, bringing it up for inspection. It had a nice length, a rich color, and no thorns to nick the paws, perfect.
Saint tucked the flower into his bouquet, finally satisfied with its composition. It was as perfect as he wanted it to be, not too many blues, not too many reds, and a balance of white to contrast with. The green slugcat rose onto his feet, inspecting his bouquet for any last minute blemishes. Thankfully, though, it was spotless, and the corners of Saint’s lips curled up ever so slightly in satisfaction. The slugcat produced a small measure of twine from a tiny satchel he had donned, wrapping the string gently around the middle of the stems, tying the flowers firmly together. The green scug started down the trail, back the way he came. The bouquet was only a small part of Saint’s plans for that day. It was a gift to prepare the recipient's palate.
Saint’s heart skipped a beat as he thought of him. Despite being boyfriends already for cycles upon cycles, he still felt fluttering in his stomach when he saw him. At first, he didn’t know what love was, considering he had been alone for a very long time. When he set eyes on Gourmand, he was awash with confusion and new emotions, none of them he knew how to deal with. He had no name for it back then, no references to go back to, it was new and scary. Through trial and error, he found that – no, he was not dying, nor was he sick.
The colony tree soon began to crest the hills he wandered by, the branches that arched upwards a beacon to grasp onto. When Saint had first arrived at the colony, he had trouble navigating the lands surrounding the tree. The tree served as a fantastic reference point in the times he got lost, and nowadays, he used it religiously as his go-to landmark. The dirt that served as the pathway underneath his paws also helped. Unfortunately, he wasn’t the fastest slugcat around, so the return trips always took time. There were times where he envied the mobility of his other colony members, their abilities worked fine when on flat terrain. His grappling tongue could only do so much in an area that lacked overhanging structures. So, he was relegated to the old fashion version of locomotion.
As he neared the tree, Saint began to pick up the chatterings of its inhabitants. He rounded the corner, the noise reaching a crescendo as he did. Slugcats mulled about, wandering to and fro, completing their chores or simply chatting with each other. Hunter was constructing… something in the far corner of the room. Saint watched as she smashed her thumb with the wooden mallet instead of the small nail. Survivor was collaborating with Spearmaster by assisting them with their mural painting. Survivor’s shining white fur was speckled with different paints, giving him a messy polka dot pattern along his front half. Lastly, Rivulet sat at a small table, chatting with Monk. His arms gesticulated wildly as he seemed to recall a story to the yellow slugcat. Saint hummed quietly to himself and scanned over the group again. Again, he did not find who he was looking for. The green slugcat wandered over to Rivulet and Monk, since they appeared the least busy. Rivulet glanced over as he approached.
“I apologize for interrupting, but do you two know where Gourmand is?” He asked in a monotone inflection. Rivulet put a paw to his chin, large eyes gazing aimlessly toward the ceiling in thought.
“I think he’s busy buildin’ that patio out back,” Rivulet’s eyes wandered down to the bouquet that Saint clutched in his paws, “Aww. Is that for Gourmie!? That’s so cuuuute!” Saint felt the familiar pinpricks of heat settle on his cheeks, however, his face remained unmoving.
“Yes…” The green slugcat answered. Rivulet clasped his paws in adoration.
“That’s so sweet! I’m sure he’ll love it!” Saint hoped he would, too.
“Thank you, I shall go find him, now,” Saint responded simply, he waved the two off as he walked out the main entrance, and circled around the tree. There was Artificer, crouched over a small table, furiously cutting away at a plank of wood. The smell of sawdust and smoke filled the air, both coming from the maroon slugcat. Small plumes of smolder billowed from the corners of her mouth, lips peeled back in a look of exertion. Beside her, with his brows furrowed in perturbation, Gourmand sat, on his knees, in front of a section of patio railing. His hammer was in the air half raised, stuck in the motion just before striking a nail. Gourmand had not seemed to have noticed the green slugcat.
“You’re not using the whole saw, Arti,” The hefty slugcat said. His tone was that of a guide, kind and understanding, lacking any belittling twang.
The maroon slugcat growled, “I am!” As she gyrated the saw violently.
“Here, let me show you,” Gourmand asked softly. Artificer released the saw’s handle with a huff, stepping back to let Gourmand grasp it. He positioned the end portion of the saw inside the cut that Artificer had made already, “You saw until you get this area, and then-”
Gourmand sawed down in a single smooth stroke, not cutting much of the wood for the purposes of demonstration, “-You cut, using all of the teeth of the saw. Then, you just do the same in reverse!” He smiled at her as he stepped away to let the more angry slugcat try. She immediately started gyrating the saw like she had been doing before. Her lips again peeled back in frustration. Gourmand gave her a simple look, a parental one. She mumbled something before slowing down and using Gourmand’s method. The saw cut through much more efficiently.
“You got it! Great job!” He trilled. Artificer rolled her eyes, grumbling under her breath. Saint did not feel any venom in the muttered words. A warmth built in the green slugcat’s chest as he watched Artificer now begin to saw at the plank using the Gourmand’s new method. That was one of the attributes that made Saint fall in love with the larger slugcat. Gourmand was never the frustrated type of teacher; he was patient, kind, and supportive, no matter how long it took for someone to grasp a concept. He was the colony’s de-facto teacher, a title he reinforced time and time again.
Saint recalled the times when Gourmand would teach him about basic agriculture. The green slugcat knew – vaguely – about the techniques of Ancient farmers. He had skimmed a few pearls that held as much. However, it was Gourmand who taught him the specific, nitty gritty details. It was him who taught Saint how far to space the popcorn plant seeds in the tilled ground, or how to test the ground for proper moisture, so as to not let the plants get oversaturated during the nights where it would rain. Gourmand had taught the smaller slugcat more things about farming than he would’ve had he stuck to the pearls. He was thankful for it, as agriculture had become one of his favorite hobbies. It was Saint searching for suitable farmland to be the reason for how he discovered a hidden field of gorgeous flowers hidden behind a grassy knoll.
Saint lightly squeezed the bouquet that was now hidden behind his back. He walked up slowly to his large boyfriend, nervousness fluttering in his chest. Gourmand immediately noticed him, the beige slugcat’s face splitting into a warm grin.
“Hiya, sweetie,” He swooned, swiftly wrapping two large arms around Saint. The green slugcat was unable to reciprocate, due to his arms being pinned to the side. He felt Gourmand’s arms brush against the top of the flowers, eliciting a curious hum from him. He pulled back, head tilted slightly in intrigue.
“Are you holding something?” The beige slugcat asked. Saint revealed the bouquet to his boyfriend in lieu of a verbal answer. The large slugcat’s eyes practically widened to the size of dinner plates. He softly took the bouquet in his paws, appreciating the swaths of color on the petals. His smile returned, wider than before, “This is beautiful, Sainty. Thank you so much.”
“I’m sure you remember what day today is?” Saint asked tentatively. Gourmand pecked Saint’s cheek before draping his arm over the green slugcat’s shoulder.
“Of course I do, I’ve been very excited,” Gourmand began to lead Saint off the half-built patio, “Lemme put this in a vase it deserves, then we can set off.” Gourmand suddenly stilled, he tilted his head in Arti’s direction.
“Sorry, Arti, almost forgot: You don’t have to continue if you don’t want to!”
The maroon slugcat thought for a moment, “Nah, I just got in the swing’a things.” Saint felt Gourmand shrug, before the two continued. Saint felt a cocktail of emotions as they began to circle back around the tree. Hope, excitement, worry, and nervousness all swam in his tummy, leaving the green slugcat to feel as if the walk was simultaneously going too slow and too fast. He had planned the date with Gourmand for quite a while. It wasn’t quite their anniversary, but Saint still wanted an excuse to spoil his boyfriend. He felt that he wasn’t giving enough in their relationship; Gourmand was loving, kind, and full of generosity, Saint wanted to reciprocate at least some of that.
The bouquet was only an introduction to the plans Saint had in store for his boyfriend, a sort of way to prepare Gourmand's proverbial palate. He had a few things planned, all of which were tailored for Gourmand’s interests. Hopefully, he would love it. Saint could only let time tell. The entered back into the tree, Gourmand took his time waving at all the members as they passed by the main room. All of them briefly paused their activities to wave back, Rivulet shot Saint a double thumbs up as he glanced at them, he shot one back.
They entered their bedroom, a small, cozy den that lay inside the wall of the tree. The floor, walls, and ceiling were the same wood of the tree, apparently, Gourmand had found the odd room already formed within the tree. It only took a little bit of carving to touch up a few details here and there, but not much was needed to renovate it. It was Gourmand’s originally, however, Saint had quickly moved in once their relationship had grown to suit such a move. The den was littered with an assortment of amenities and furnishings. On the walls were weaved wreaths made from a variety of different plants. Gourmand had stated that he had been inspired to make them after inspecting an Ancient’s abode. The nest laid in the middle of the den, plush and warm from the diversity of woven plants that it was constructed from. In the farthest wall of the den, there was a large table filled with a multitude of knick knacks and trinkets found along both of their journeys.
Gourmand approached the table, grasping a small vase that sat on top of it. He slid it toward himself, before placing the stems of the bouquet within the skinny lip of the ornament. Saint watched him adjust its placement along the table a few times, before settling on placing it on the left hand side. Saint’s boyfriend stepped back, putting his paws on his hips as he appreciated the gift. Saint’s tail swayed slowly from side to side as he watched Gourmand’s glee at the new furnishment. The beige slugcat turned around.
“So, what do you got planned, Sainty?” He asked. At that, Saint remembered something that he also needed to grab from the den.
“I must grab something. Meet me at the entrance to the tree,” He stated. Gourmand smiled and obliged to Saint’s request. Once the green slugcat was sure his boyfriend was gone, he approached the table. He scanned the – frankly cluttered – pile of items before his eyes landed on what he was looking for. Hidden in the assortment of odds and ends, was the dull gleam of a metallic handle. Saint began to gently remove the items from the rectangular object that connected to the handle. A small, handheld box. It was brown and fairly flat for a box, more long than it was tall. Rivulet had told Saint that it was called a “briefcase.” Said briefcase was exactly what he needed for his plans for the date. He had hidden it in plain sight on the table, knowing that the sheer amount of trinkets would help to hide the special item. Once Saint was confident that there was nothing that could fall off of the briefcase, he grasped the metallic handle gently, and lifted it off the desk.
The briefcase was heavier than he remembered, most likely due to the fact that he had slowly filled it with materials and essentials for the date over time. It was also it’s weight that caused Saint to underestimate how low it would dip when he moved it off the desk. The Saint, while rotating slowly toward the door with the briefcase lifted, so as to not push anything off the desk, cuffed the lip of the vase that sat just at the left side edge of the table. Due to both paws being used to lift the briefcase, he could only watch in silent horror as the vase slowly tipped off the edge and careened right into the floor. The green slugcat froze as he heard the telltale shattering of delicate ceramic. His eyes flitted toward the spot of impact, wincing as he saw the shattered remains of the vase strewn along the floor. Guilt stabbed in his chest as the shock began to subside, he slowly lowered the briefcase to the floor. That vase was a favorite of Gourmand’s, the only piece of furniture he had taken whilst exploring a few Ancient homes. It was something that Saint couldn’t replace, nor something he could fix. He had no idea where to look for one that looked identical, and for all he knew, that was the only vase of its kind in existence.
Saint kept his face stolid despite the roiling guilt that had then settled in his stomach. He had no time to clean the mess, Gourmand was waiting outside. Saint decided to leave the mess where it lay, as he could address it when they got back. The green slugcat exited the den with the briefcase, swiftly heading over to where he saw Gourmand.
“Oh! What would that be?” Saint’s boyfriend asked, leaning in closer to examine the briefcase.
“A secret until we get there,” Saint answered, a teasing lilt to his constantly monotone voice. Gourmand just shrugged, gesturing for his smaller boyfriend to lead the way. The Saint grasped Gourmand’s larger paw with the one not holding the briefcase, and the two began down the path. Saint had planned the route to the dedicated spot for multiple cycles, as such, he knew exactly where to go. The two enjoyed the sights of the rolling hills of the Outer Expanse, dotted with flowers and brilliant red grass. Several trees like the colony’s were sprawled all along the hills, none as large and magnificent as the one they lived in, though. The dirt was soft underneath Saint’s paws, pleasantly warm from the overhead sun. Eventually, Saint spotted the specific tree he chose for their stop. It wasn’t the same species as the colony tree, but still just as large. Its leaves were more akin to vines, drooping down to reach the ground. The soft pink that colored the leaves served to color the sunshine that shone through it a soft rosy tone. The duo ascended the hill that it sat on, before Saint sat on the soft grass just below it. Gourmand followed suit, gasping at the sight from under the tree. The sun shone down on the grassy hills, looking like a sea of maroon. Fauna of various shapes and sizes dotted the waves, all making their way over the brilliant fields.
“Wow… This is stunning, sweets!” Gourmand said, “Where did you even find this?”
“I found it while simply getting my bearings when I first arrived. I hadn’t thought much of it before, but later I decided it was a perfect spot to take you,” Saint replied. Gourmand swiftly leaned over and planted a kiss on Saint’s forehead.
“Well I’m glad you did! It’s beautiful.” The corners of Saint’s mouth turned upwards just a little at the praise. He watched the sunshine twinkle in the large eyes of his boyfriend as he scanned the landscape. While he figured the hills were pretty, he felt content just to appreciate his boyfriend’s face, as odd as it sounded. Of course, that was not all Saint had planned for the trek. He slid the briefcase in front of himself, unlocking the two small latches that sat on either side of the slim handle. He made sure to position himself so that Gourmand would be unable to see the contents of the briefcase. By then, his boyfriend had chosen to instead watch the green slugcat fiddle with the contents inside, gasping again as Saint produced two small canvases. Gourmand sputtered some more as the green slugcat then sat a palette and a variety of homemade paint brushes and paints alongside them.
“S-Sainty? Is this for us?” The beige slugcat asked in awe. Saint simply nodded, before shutting the briefcase and sliding it to the side, “I’ve always wanted to paint on a canvas! Thank you so much, sweetie!” Again, Gourmand planted a sloppy kiss on Saint’s face. At that, the Saint smiled much wider.
“I wasn’t able to get any easels, I apologize if that causes any hassle,” He explained.
“I don’t mind one bit. I’m just glad I can paint.” Gourmand wasted no time in adding dollops of color down on the palette. Before Saint knew it, Gourmand had already seemed to have an idea in his head, and was quickly expanding on it. Saint mulled on what to do. He was never the best with painting, always more of a writer. He decided to use the landscape in front of him as his piece, and began to squeeze his own colors of paint upon the palette. Judging from the colors that Gourmand was using, he probably was using the hills as his subject too. Saint wasn’t able to confirm that, however, as Gourmand had tilted his canvas’ surface away from sight.
Saint began with the hills, laying layers of brilliant maroon upon the white canvas. He swaths different, lighter tones of red on top of eachother, adding the illusion of depth. He next went on to the sky, the sun’s arc was beginning to change the sky from a blue to an orange, so Saint reflected that in his sky. He blended the area where the two colors met, adding an astonishingly nice gradient to it. Saint did not feel that self-fellation – as Artificer so eloquently put it – was a good way to grow someone’s skills, however, he did feel a little pride at what he managed to paint. It did not look one-to-one, of course, but it was a start. Saint decided to move on to the trees and foliage. He added thick brown trunks in the distance, with pink petals fluttering in the sunlight on the tops. He added the vines that draped underneath the canopy as dark lines arcing behind the leaves.
“Done!” Gourmand said, punctuating his statement by dramatically lifting his brush off the canvas. Saint paused, stunned that his boyfriend was finished already. He was always better at art, anyway, it wasn’t too surprising.
“May I see it?” Saint asked. Gourmand answered by flipping his canvas to face the green slugcat. There, painted in elegant detail and loving attention, was Saint, sitting in the lotus pose, diligently studying his canvas. It was a near perfect recreation of how Saint sat with his own canvas. Of course, Saint had a suspicion that Gourmand made him a bit more handsome than he was, “painter’s bias” he assumed.
“That’s stunning,” Saint said. He wanted to say more, but he wasn’t entirely sure how. He wasn’t the most eloquent with talking, he’d always found it easier to put his thoughts to paper than to voice. Despite the lackluster compliment, Gourmand smiled, his cheeks flushed ever so slightly rosy.
“Can I see yours? If you don’t mind of course,” Gourmand asked. Saint was suddenly awash with shame. He glanced at his comparatively pathetic piece. It was nothing like Gourmand’s. How selfish was he? Gourmand’s first thoughts were to paint him, and Saint’s were to focus on something other than his partner. His boyfriend had decided to paint a loving piece about his love. Every stroke was filled with adoration, care, and attention to detail, while Saint’s was a drab recreation of an otherwise stunning landscape.
The green slugcat slowly rotated his canvas toward his boyfriend, looking at the grass in shame. Despite his expression still being stony and monotone, he still felt that the embarrassment was clear on his face.
“Oooh! I love it!” Gourmand shifted closer, leaning his head toward the canvas, “There’s the trees over there, oh, and the pack of lizards! There’s the grove over there, and the top of the colony tree! This is so good, babe! I love the attention to detail.”
“I don’t feel I did as well as you, but thank you…” Saint replied.
“Nonsense! I love it to bits! If you want to get better, though, you know I’m always available to teach you.”
“I know,” Saint said, feeling warm despite the still lingering bits of shame that settled in his chest. He glanced at the sun, humming to himself. It had passed the apex of its arc, now beginning its slow descent toward the horizon. They still had time, though, “This isn’t our only stop, Gourmie.”
“Oh?”
“I have somewhere else to take you.”
“Well, then whisk me away~.” The two got up, Saint gathered the stray materials and neatly placed them back into the briefcase, electing to carry the palette due to the paint having not yet dried. Suddenly, just as the green slugcat turned, an object engulfed his vision. Gourmand held out the painting of Saint to him, and the green slugcat took it with gentle paws.
“Careful, I think the paint’s still drying,” Gourmand said. Saint felt warm again as he held the painting with his free paw, appreciating the brush work and detail. It truly was beautiful, Saint was lucky he had such a talented boyfriend. He did feel a twinge of guilt as he carefully maneuvered his own painting to be taken by Gourmand.
“I’m aware it may not be the most impressive, but I want you to have it,” Saint explained. Gourmand took it with love and care, staring intently at the canvas with a warm smile on his muzzle.
“Nonsense. I love it,” The beige slugcat grasped Saint’s freepaw as soon as he managed to tuck his canvas carefully under his arm, “Now where to next?” The green slugcat wordlessly began to lead his larger boyfriend down the hill the opposite side they approached from. The descent was much easier than the ascent, still, Saint felt the burn of exertion in his frail legs. The walk wouldn’t take them far, thankfully, they had to simply pass through a small grove. The two enjoyed a comfortable silence as they began to pass into a particularly packed mass of trees. They were a unique species; white bark with brownish markings and stunning blue leaves with hints of gold upon their edges. The grove was bathed in a cooling blue tone as they passed through. Bugs of various shapes and sizes whizzed past while some elected to simply float aimlessly. A few stopped briefly to inspect the two slugcats – Saint swore he saw Gourmand wave to them – before they seemingly lost interest and flew off.
Saint spotted a familiar tree, one stamped with a short spear with blue cloth tied to the end – a marker that they were near their next stop. Sure enough, the trees slowly began to dissipate, causing the two to find themselves in a clearing. It was a large, circular opening of grass lacking any trees, in the middle sat a large, leveled tree stump. The two approached the stump, Gourmand hummed once he got a good look at it.
The beige slugcat slid a paw over the discolored tree rings “This is very smooth. Did you do this?” He asked.
The green slugcat placed the briefcase gently on the stump. It was tall enough that the two could comfortably drape their arms over it while standing, “No, it was simply a serendipitous discovery, and a good surface.” Saint said while unlatching the briefcase’s locks. He flipped the top upward, before rummaging through the items. He grasped what he needed, placing the glass bottle down on the table. The water inside sloshed ever so slightly upon the flat surface. Gourmand watched with intrigue, which turned into shock as soon as Saint produced the next item. He placed a block of something wrapped in wax paper and tied with twine on the natural table. Gourmand prodded it with a curious paw, furrowing his brows as it seemed to give under the slight pressure.
“You can unwrap it,” Saint stated. His boyfriend obliged, gasping the second the wax paper fell away. There lay a block of gray clay, tinged with a hint of bronze.
“Saint! You didn’t…” Gourmand asked in awe. The green scug couldn’t help but smile a little, it was a little difficult obtaining such an item. Clay was plentiful of course, but it was usually mixed with a multitude of other types of sediment and dirt. The clay he had managed to get from one of Rivulet’s trips was a special type. It was specially processed by the ancients, and kept pristine all the way until then.
“It is indeed pottery clay, taken from an Ancient’s home. I had made sure it was suited-” Saint was interrupted by a sudden and all enveloping hug from his large boyfriend. All sides were pressed by warmth, Gourmand’s strong arms held the green slugcat in a firm but loving grip. The green slugcat relaxed into his plush boyfriend, reciprocating the hug with as much love as he could give. The two released, and Saint pulled back to see the pure elation on his boyfriend’s face.
“Thank you! I’ve always wanted to do pottery!” Gourmand excitedly stated. Saint knew that. He had worked hard to try and find something like it. He took numerous expeditions back into the land past the retaining walls, scrounging the best he could to find something. Unfortunately he had come up empty for each trip, and only managed to find clay thanks to Rivulet’s own explorations. He would need to return the favor for the blue slugcat somehow. Gourmand quickly split the block of clay into two (vaguely) equal pieces, handing one to the green slugcat.
“There’s so much to do, though… What should I make?” Gourmand wondered aloud. His paws hovered over his hunk of clay, twitching with indecision.
“Perhaps something practical,” Saint answered. Gourmand smiled.
“Good idea! Y’know what? I’m gonna make you a cup.”
“Then I shall make you something as well.” What would he do, however? Would also doing a cup be appreciated by Gourmand, or would it be too derivative. Would it be plagiarism in a sense? Saint recalled how the iterator that loomed in the distance, Five Pebbles, had explained the concept to the green slugcat. Maybe it would be rude. If not a cup, though, then what? Perhaps Saint was overthinking it. He should stick to something simple, like a bowl. His boyfriend always preferred his large portions of a meal, so Saint decided to make it one that could fit his appetite. Saint dabbed a portion of the bottle’s contents on the block of clay, before he began to massage the mass. Slowly but surely he began to form the brick into the vague shape of a bowl. It was wobbly, but it would serve as a good start. The two fell into a comfortable silence, the duo were pressed right next to each other. Gourmand broke the silence with a question.
“Do you remember when we first met?” He asked with a fondness lacing his tone. Saint smoothed a section of the bowl’s lip.
“Mmhmm. I had failed to eat anything that cycle, and you found me curled within a shelter,” Saint reminisced. He was lost then, having given up a “holy” goal that he was ashamed to perform. One that he vowed to never perform, ever. So, he had no ambitions, and was simply a nomad that was apathetic to the world around him. He didn’t fail to eat as he told his boyfriend, but chose not to. He didn’t care, then, didn’t care if he starved alone. It was all a blur back then, one without an end in sight. A swirl of apathy and pain.
“Lucky that I like to bring a couple snacks with me at all times, hmm?” Gourmand lightly bumped Saint with his hip. Indeed, the larger slugcat did not hesitate to give Saint a large portion, if not all of his food the second he noticed his predicament. The green slugcat was reluctant to eat at all, but the worry of the new arrival touched Saint in a way he hadn’t felt before. Initially, Saint elected to eat simply to make his new companion happy.
“Indeed, I was quite the ugly, skinny thing back then, was I not?” Saint recalled, grimacing internally at the memories of the constant hunger pains.
“No! You were still a cutey back then. However, I’d be lying if I said I don’t adore your added meat nowadays.” Gourmand giggled as he suddenly used his large paw to grab the padding on Saint’s tummy. The green slugcat quietly giggled himself as Gourmand tickled him, before he returned to his cup. Once Saint decided to tag along with Gourmand, he definitely began to slowly, but surely, return to a healthy weight. It was something he was thankful for. Saint had never known the joys of food, always looking at sustenance through the lens of survival. Before, it was just an entry on his checklist of things to make sure he didn’t die, but now, food was something to look forward to. Gourmand had shown the green scug all the possibilities that food could give, all the combinations of flavor, all the ways to savor it. He could never thank his boyfriend enough for it.
“I think your kindness that day was why I fell in love,” Saint said. Gourmand responded with a curious grunt, “I had never met someone so kind, so willing to help others. You show generosity to everyone you meet, expecting nothing in return.”
Saint smoothed the base of his bowl so that it would lay flat against the surface, he continued, “I was taught that altruism was a part of the sin of the third karma. It perpetuated connections, which would tie a creature down to the land. It was supposed to be something avoided, but… That day marked when I began to slowly realize that the karmas, and the concepts behind them, were useless.”
The green slugcat made sure to make the bowl’s rim level, “You taught me that enjoying life is not something to be ashamed of. It is a wisdom that the Ancient’s themselves failed to learn, and one that is – to its core – a facet of life entire,” Saint turned, noticing his boyfriend looking at him, “I apologize, I was rambling again.”
Gourmand shook his head softly, “Don’t apologize, I love hearing you talk,” Gourmand returned to his cup, now looking like it was near its finished stage, “I agree with you, though. I never got their whole ‘purity’ deal. What’s the point of life if not to enjoy what it has to give? It shouldn’t just be filled with suffering. Suffering for the sake of suffering doesn’t help anyone, kindness is what brings about positive change.”
Soon, their respective pieces of cutlery were finished. Gourmand’s cup was pretty good, its base and sides smooth and pristine. Saint found it hard to believe that Gourmand had never worked with clay before. His bowl fared much less favorably, one side was lopsided and wobbly, the other too thick. Saint glanced at the sky, the sun was now beginning to near the horizon bathing the sky in a brilliant orange glow, traces of pink and purple painted the edges of the clouds overhead. Speaking of the clouds, it appeared that a few trace storm clouds from Five Pebble’s can were wandering over to their general area. They were nowhere near their area, though. Saint hoped that they would be able to do the last activity before then. Saint’s gaze turned back to their clay molds.
“Are we gonna cook these over a fire,” Gourmand asked.
“According to Moon, the clay is special in that it can dry air naturally,” Saint replied. Gourmand hummed in contentment, before his stomach suddenly grumbled.
“Perhaps I should’ve brought some snacks,” Gourmand lamented.
Saint calmed his boyfriend’s woes, “I have food handled.”
“How?” Saint didn’t reply, electing to simply start washing his paws of their clay with the water in the bottle. Gourmand did the same, and soon, the two had packed up and were heading toward a different direction. They quickly swapped their respective pottery, Saint inspected the cup more closely once it was in his paws. It was indeed well made, smooth and without cracks. It was the size of the cups he would use for tea, the green slugcat had a feeling it would soon be a new favorite, after it dried of course. The two passed back into the grove, taking a different turn this time. There were more bugs out now that the temperature was much cooler. Some bioluminescent insects had begun to appear from their places of rest, now blinking soft blues and reds as they floated throughout the canopy.
As they weaved through the trees, the sound of running water was beginning to grow closer and closer. The source soon becoming evident: a churning river lay at the edge of the grove, serving as an artificial wall. One of the trees closest to the river had a rope wrapped around it, the rope spanned to the end of a small boat, slowly bobbing in the current. Gourmand had yet another moment of shock, however, this time he just squeezed Saint’s paw.
“Downright amazing, hun’,” He stated simply. Saint was proud he found the spot. It was difficult getting the boat to the actual spot he wanted, due to its hefty weight. He had Hunter help him out with the heavy lifting. Her price for the labor was for Saint to swing her around the colony tree using his tongue. It wasn’t the most dignified job, but he’d take a small bruise to the ego just to impress his love. The duo boarded the boat, Gourmand’s bulk rocked it side to side much harder than Saint, but luckily it didn’t capsize. Saint untied the rope holding the boat in place, lightly tossing it onto the river bank. The boat began to slowly drift downstream; the direction of their final destination. It was the part that Saint prepared the most for. He had put a lot of love and care in the activities for the date so far, sure, but the last spot was supposed to be the crescendo of the night. He had tailored every detail of it to make sure that his boyfriend would love it, and was confident he would love it… (hopefully.)
The boat rocked side to side gently as they drifted down the river, the sky was growing dark, the storm clouds had finally managed to reach them, much to Saint’s chagrin. He prayed the clouds would only loom threateningly over them, and not actually cause any rain. Of course, hoping for something like that was like betting on a scavenger that didn’t like pearls. Hopefully they had enough time. Gourmand’s stomach broke the comforting silence with a mighty growl. Saint smirked a little at Gourmand’s sheepish reaction. The tinge of rose graced the larger slugcat’s cheeks, and he looked away in embarrassment.
“Sorry, I forgot to eat before we left,” He explained. Saint kept his smirk.
“You’re usually so brazen, where did that go?” Saint chuckled.
“Well. Uh. I don’t know, it feels like my body’s complaining to ‘hurry it up’ or something. I don’t want to rush anything.”
“We’re close, so don’t worry, handsome.”
Gourmand sputtered, “Handsome? My my, Sainty, if anything you’re the brazen one.”
“Why is that brazen? It’s true,” Saint said, watching Gourmand’s face flush even redder.
“I just haven’t been called that before.” Saint couldn’t help but frown at that.
“I find that hard to believe.”
“It’s true, unfortunately. Not many others like a slugcat with so much… Bulk,” Gourmand said, gesturing vaguely at his tummy. Saint felt a pang of anger in his chest.
“Well I love you for everything you are. I wouldn’t trade anything about you for the world.” Gourmand smiled warmly at Saint. The green slugcat couldn’t help but reciprocate with a grin just as wide. Gourmand’s eyebrows rose minutely at Saint’s smile, but he didn’t mention it. Saint’s eyes flicked to the left of Gourmand, to the bank of the river.
“Ah. We have arrived,” Saint stated. The green scug hopped out of the boat, quickly rushing to a length of rope that was tied to a particularly large rock. He snagged the end of the boat, tying the opposite end to the small hook that sat on the front end. Gourmand tentatively stepped out, nearly tripping due to the boat tipping dramatically to the side. He thankfully kept his footing, huffing in exasperation as he walked away from the tripping hazard. Saint opened his paw out for Gourmand to take, and the two were back to paw-holding. They were at the foot of a sizable hill, one tall enough that it could almost be classified as a small mountain. There was a crude trail marked with short sticks spanning the entire length up; made by Saint himself. Hopefully his boyfriend’s stamina could handle the trek. He was quite strong, but his cardio was an area he lacked in. The two began their ascent. As they rose, the view of the local landscape grew more and more clear, and soon, as they finally crested the half mountain half hill, the beauty of the Outer Expanse was plain to see. The two took a few seconds to catch their breaths.
“One more hill, and then we’ll finally be there,” Saint assured his boyfriend between pants. Soon, the two regained their stamina, finally making it to the top. The view was just as breathtaking as last time, this mountain had the plus of being able to look over the land that lied past the retaining walls. The mountain(?) was quite close to the land of Five Pebbles, in fact, so close that the clouds had fully enveloped the sky around them. Instead of the golden rays of sunset casting its glow on the land, the Outer Expanse was cast into a gloomy gray. Saint stifled the inkling of dread that crept up his spine, electing instead to B-Line it to a nearby tree; the only one that laid on top of the mountain. It was short but thick, and sported a comforting dark blue bark. There was a knot within the side of the trunk, one that led to a hollow spot of the tree. That hollow spot held exactly what he needed.
He reached a paw into the opening, feeling around until it brushed against his target. He grasped the handle of the basket, pulling it out of the knot as relief swelled in his stomach. He had worried for the entire date that the basket would fail to stay secure, especially–
A few blue fruits fell to the floor. Saint stared at them in shock. The basket was torn in half, the straw holding it together shredded and ripped like something had chewed through it. The foodstuffs within the basket had been stolen, leaving only shredded leaves and crumbs of what once was. Saint’s exterior was stolid, but internally, he was devastated. His heart sank to his feet, his eyes widened ever so slightly from their eternally closed position. He had worked incredibly hard on the basket full of their dinner. There was a meal for each of them, strategically picked to make sure his boyfriend would love it. He had worked hard to perfect the recipe the best he could, he was confident that it would impress his boyfriend. Whatever had gotten in – lizard or otherwise – ran off with everything in the basket, save for the blue fruits. Saint’s breathing grew short, his lower lip trembled.
“Is everything alright, Sainty?” Gourmand asked from the other side of the tree. Saint glanced at the beige slugcat. He was sitting cross legged on the soft grass, reclined ever so slightly on the slight incline he was positioned near. Saint struggled to think of anything; he wasn’t sure how he was going to afford to give the news. They now had little to nothing to eat. The dinner was supposed to be the best part of the night, the thing it was leading to. It was one of the major joys of their lives, and now they would probably starve for the night. Saint’s mind froze as he heard his boyfriend approach the tree. He didn’t bother trying to hide the tragedy, and simply hung his head as he limply held the massacred basket.
“Oh dear. Was that our dinner?” Gourmand asked. Saint sadly nodded. Gourmand tapped his chin with a digit, clearly thinking. He leaned down to grab a few bluefruits, the gears turning in his head clear on his furrowed brows. Saint just watched him think as the shame made a hole in his stomach.
“We may be able to scrounge something up,” Gourmand proposed. Saint didn’t respond, the lump in his throat was too large to speak with. His boyfriend walked around the edges of the mountain top, scouring the land for something. Saint decided to look, too. He felt bad already ruining the dinner with his bad planning, he shouldn’t force his boyfriend to do all the work. He strained his vision to see if anything caught his eye. Most of the landscape was pretty bare, not much could be found tucked between rocks or foliage. Guilt welled up at that realization. Saint had ruined the night with a lack of foresight; he should have figured the tree wasn’t a good spot. What was he going to do? Something impacted the ground right next to Saint, pausing his train of thought. He stared at the spot. Wet dirt, displaced from a… drop of water.
Saint’s stomach dropped for the umpteenth time as he felt a sudden rumbling shake the very earth beneath him. He glanced at the sky. Usually the rains at the colony tree were harmless, if a little uncomfortable, but they were quite close to the retaining wall. Close enough that the rain would be deadly. Gourmand had a similar look of worry on his face, glancing around in growing worry. Thankfully, Saint knew of a shelter nearby. It was originally so that they could relax after the mountain top meal, but it looked like they would have to use it for the usual use.
“I know of a spot, follow me!” Saint urged his boyfriend. The two raced down the side of the mountain, the rumbling reaching a deafening crescendo. Saint nearly tripped a few times from the sheer speed of the descent, but just barely managed to stay upright. The two scurried between bushes and vines, eventually Saint saw the entrance to the shelter. The slight rainfall began to meteor in titanic, destructive drops. Saint watched the dirt around him get thrown around like it was hit with a grenade. Saint practically dove into the shelter, his boyfriend following suit quickly. The whirr of mechanics served to slowly drown out the roaring outside, soon, it was a dull murmur in the background. Saint was soaked, his fluffy coat retaining a large amount of water. Said water was beginning to pool around him in a small puddle.
“Are you fine, Sainty?” Gourmand asked, concern lacing his voice.
“I’m okay. Just wet,” Saint replied. The green slugcat visually inspected the beige slugcat, seeing no injuries upon him. Gourmand was quite tough, and has literally survived much worse circumstances (according to the siblings), so Saint did not worry too much. Saint moved on to taking stock of his items. He had the painting still tucked under his arm, as was the briefcase, but where was the cup? He swiveled his head around the shelter, searching for the tinge of brownish gray against the garish grime of the shelter. Gourmand thankfully held the bowl in his paws, the clay seemingly untouched by the rain. Realization hit the green slugcat like a tidal wave: he had forgotten the bowl outside. The shock of losing the dinner mixed with the panic of incoming rain caused him to lose track of it. Saint suppressed a whine, slumping downward even more than he was before. The cup was definitely going to be crushed by the titanic sheets of rain, and there would probably not even be traces of it by the time it let up. How awful a boyfriend was he? Keeping the gift safe was such a simple task, but just like the dinner, he had still managed to find a way to mess it up.
Saint froze as he remembered the painting that his boyfriend had gifted him. He slowly untucked the canvas from under his arms, his paws trembled as he slowly rotated it to face him. His heart sank further than it had before as he finally got a good look at it. The water from both his fur and the rain caused the paint to run, what used to be an image of Saint was now an ugly smudge of greens and browns. That time, Saint was unable to stifle the low whine that emanated from his throat. His lip trembled as he felt the sting of tears prick the sides of his eyes. He had truly ruined everything… The date, the gifts, both destroyed by his incompetence.
He felt a warm body sidle up next to him, and a large arm drape gently over his shoulders. The dam broke. Saint dropped the canvas and hugged his boyfriend as he let out a soft wail. Tears flowed freely down his cheeks, mixing in with the rain water that still soaked his fur.
“I’m sorry, Gourmie, I’m so sorry…” Saint wailed. Another arm wrapped around him, hugging him snuggly to his boyfriend.
“For what, dear?” Gourmand asked.
“For ruining it all. For the gifts and the dinner.”
“Oooh, sweety,” Gourmand hugged him closer, laying his head over Saint’s, “It’s okay…”
“I’ve ruined your night, and wasted your time!”
“Wasted? What do you mean? You didn’t ruin anything,” Saint leaned back to get a look at his boyfriend's face, a warm smile graced the beige slugcat’s lips, “Today was NOT a waste, it was never a waste.”
“But I had ruined so much of it… I just wanted to give back everything you’ve done for me. This date was supposed to be the way I would repay all the kindness you’ve given me. I’ve ruined it!” Saint exclaimed. Gourmand gave him a look, one that was a mix of several emotions. Pity, sadness, realization, all mixed into a peculiar look. Suddenly, however, it was washed away with a look of unabashed love. Gourmand pressed a firm kiss to Saint’s forehead, his paw holding his head in place.
“You never had to repay it, dear. Even if you needed to, you’ve already done more than enough.”
“How..?”
“Through everyday. You visit me when I work, you comfort me after long days, you work hard and help me when I need it!”
“They're so simple and small, though…”
“That doesn’t lessen their impact for me, Sainty. Just because they're ‘small’ or ‘simple’ doesn’t mean they’re not clear signs of love. They mean so much to me! The fact that you went through such an effort to give me such a wonderful date means so much to me! The flowers, the painting, the pottery! It’s all so amazing!” Gourmand embraced Saint in another hug, this one filled to the brim with as much love and care as the beige slugcat could give, “Nothing has to be perfect to matter to me. The fact that you care enough makes the entire thing perfect already. You have given me so much and then some, sweety!” Saint melted into the embrace as more tears fell down his cheeks, these ones not of sorrow, but of all encompassing joy. The pressure of all the negative emotions that weighed his chest down began to fade, leaving a warmth in its wake.
“Is it that simple, though? I wanted to give you something to remember, something big,” Saint lamented. Gourmand rubbed the green slugcat’s back slowly.
“You don’t need to make something bombastic or elaborate to make something memorable. All you have done is enough, and will continue to be enough,” Gourmand softly said. Gourmand used his paw to softly wipe the tears off of Saint’s face, earning a small smile from the green slugcat. His face turned neutral yet again as a question spawned in his mind.
“What will we eat for dinner?” Saint asked. His boyfriend smiled before producing a few items from behind himself. There was a lilypuck, a few popped bubble fruit, and some more bluefruits.
“Snagged these while we were running,” Gourmand explained, setting Saint’s clay bowl on the ground, “I think we have enough to make a salad.” He snapped the lilypuck in half, using the two tough shards like spoons to toss the ingredients around the bowl. Saint felt drained, electing to lean against his boyfriend as he watched him make the fruit salad. Gourmand was warm, and firm; a perfect pillow. The dread and worries he felt for the entire day felt like a distant memory. Only an inkling of an idea in the back of his mind at that moment. He breathed a long, drawn out sigh, slumping further into his soft boyfriend. The date did not go as planned, but perhaps it did go in a way Saint wanted. He had still impressed his boyfriend, spent a wonderful amount of time with him, and was now relaxing with him. He felt a new security with the relationship, he hadn’t realized how much he had previously worried about “giving back.” Gourmand was content with the simple existence of his boyfriend, and the small things he did.
“I love you, Gourmie,” Saint muttered.
“I love you too, Sainty,” Gourmand replied.
Perhaps the date had not gone how Saint believed it would, but he decided that Gourmand was right.
It was perfect already.