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A rush of warmth spread over Sharpness.
Some kind of lazy comfort.
Unfamiliar; it was nice.
It was hard to tell the time but some stray streaks of light had crawled from the gaps in the window blinds.
A few hours past dawn perhaps?
Sharpness’ chest felt heavy but not from pain or the overwhelming realisation of the unaccustomed setting he was in.
Instead, a mop of purple hair rested on his chest.
Sharpness squinted his eyes. That wasn’t it : around his waist he could feel arms loosely wrapping themselves around, the steady beat of a heart on his stomach and the softness of the mattress he was on.
Where was he?
More importantly.
WHO WAS HE SLEEPING WITH?
Finally the realisation had struck its mighty boulder, crushing Sharpness’ drowsiness and re-activating his senses.
Sharpness felt his heart react to this sudden rush of adrenaline and before his brain could even begin to register, his muscles snapped him up, throwing off whatever that was lying on his chest.
A loud thud hit the wooden flooring followed by a startled cough.
“Ugh…What the hell man?” A voice grumbled as Sharpness was slowly met with a peculiar creature…
No.
This felt all too familiar.
He’d done this before hadn’t he?
Some case of Deja Vu?
Sharpness twisted his middle that seemed to feel…
Fine.
He scanned his arms and legs – sure enough there were scars yet no stinging pain or stiffness; they were just reduced to temporary marks etched on his skin.
Nothing more or nothing less.
Wasn’t he being pursued?
Wasn’t he close to death?
His peril seemed inevitable.
It was Dolphin who was after him, no way he got out with his life.
Sharpness knew his own skills and strength were credit worthy but that was the first time he’d come stumbling to death’s door.
Phantoms of his pain seemed to slink back into his body, like a hungry dog waiting in the dark, ready to strike.
It wasn’t until the incoherent noises of his hyperventilation reached his ears that he realised shaking in his limbs and the frantic pulse pounding violently in his chest overtaking his body.
Every gasp gave a choking sensation and every heartbeat felt like a stab.
How?
What?
Why…?
He was dead. Right?
“Sh, sh,”
They sniffed him out…They knew…
An arm found itself around Sharpness’ shoulders.
It won’t be long til’ they find him again…They’d make sure he didn’t leave with his life…
“You’re safe now, it’s alright.”
No. No. No.
“Hey, hey look at me!”
He felt fingers gently wrap themselves around his wrist.
Red velvet pupils met his own grey storm clouds. Rubies amongst the rubble.
“You’re fine now, you’re at my place and I saved you.”
A rough, dry summary. Not the most theatrical example of an explanation but enough for Sharpness to grasp some extent of what he was experiencing.
He could feel his consciousness and senses.
He could feel the rise and fall of his own chest.
He could take in his strange yet cozy surroundings.
He could hear the faint chirps of the birds and the wind smacking branches as it ran past.
He could feel himself being ‘alive’.
He was alive.
He was fine.
Yeah.
It was over.
Every thought of reassurance seemed to add to his peace until his body let go of its flight or fight and lifted off some of its guards.
Security he so desperately yearned for.
“Better?”
Sharpness looked down at his feet.
“Mhm.”
“Right then, we should get some food.”
Sharpness nodded as the person sent a squeeze on the side of shoulder and left the room.
He couldn’t brush the feeling that he knew this person.
Or was it a person?
The purple rabbit ears and stubby tail on its behind said otherwise.
Some type of creature.
He couldn’t put his finger on what though.
Sharpness brought his knees to his chest and lean back on the headboard.
Even if he did know who it was, was it a friend or a foe?
Questions circling around his head like a carousel.
That won’t do him any good.
Then again, what would do him good in this circumstance?
Mindlessly obey the questionable creature or try to get some answers on what happened.
His brain-space seemed to be dominated with air, making his memories nothing more than some pieces of fuzz.
There didn’t seem to be any imminent danger calculating its next move, nor did there seem to be any signs of threat.
He could say that he really was safe.
He probably was out of harm’s way for now.
Sharpness caught himself biting the nail of his thumb as he snapped back from his thoughts.
He was a knight not a scholar or a philosopher.
He was a knight. A brave warrior with scars as trophies of his victories despite the injuries.
He was a knight. His weapon was a sword not his mind.
“I made some honeytree tea!” The creature walked in holding mugs carved from dark wood with steam softly wafting upwards.” Best to drink it up while it’s hot! The octo-fish are on the grill machine so our breakfast is on its way.”
The creature set one of the mugs down on the side table and slid next to Sharpness on the mattress as it let out a few delicate blows to slightly cool off the drink.
“Here.”
It lifted Sharpness' chin and pressed the hem of the mug on his lips.
“Drink.”
Sharpness reluctantly obliged, letting the nectar from the mug down his throat.
It was… Exquisite. That’d be one word to describe it.
Otherwise, some type of addictive drug is filling him up.
Whatever it was, it came pouring down from the mug and in through his mouth and snaked around his body, making his insides burn— it was more of a refreshing, gentle fire.
If fire was refreshing ( of course it isn’t but if it was, this would be how it would be).
“Honeytree has healing properties and it’s good to eat,” the creature said. “In small amounts if you’re not injured or it’s as good as any drug.”
Sharpness coughed.
“Y-you drugged me?”
The creature let out a sigh.
“No, you were dying so it’s fine. Think of it as medicine that you shouldn’t have unless you’re severely injured.”
⋆༺𓆩⚔𓆪༻⋆
Stepping out of the bedroom felt like crossing enemy lines without a shield. Sharpness kept his right arm within the reach of this left hip– where his sword should’ve been– as he balanced himself on the cold, wooden flooring.
“Aw~”
“Shut up.” Sharpness grumbled.
“Oh my,” it teased. “ Are you still on guard? You really are a beautiful disaster, aren't you?”
Sharpness slumped himself on the sofa (it looked like a sofa?) and shot the creature a glare.
“Happy.”
“Very.”
The creature held out a tray, placing it on the table in front before joining Sharpness on the sofa.
“Before the plot moves forward, can I clarify something?”
Sharpness blinked twice before replying with a reluctant nod.
“Can you stop calling ‘the creature’ in your internal monologue?"
Sharpness scrunched his eyebrows.
“It’s JudeLow or just Jude for short.”
The creatu–
“JudeLow!”
“Right."