[Backstory Ficlet] vi. step by step
One more ficlet to go, and one unposted log. I think I need a timeline for these.
vi. step by step
Haku always went first. No matter how fast Yuuta walked (or ran), Haku always trotted ahead of him. Most of the times Yuuta didn’t mind, because Haku had an uncanny sense of direction while Yuuta simply had none. Because of place-memories, Yuuta gathered from Haku’s thoughts. Scents and shapes from places he’d been to left indelible impressions in Haku’s memory. Haku couldn’t forego his instincts even if he’d lost his true shape, and good memory was critical to a wolf’s survival in the wild. Added to that was a human mind, an analytical mind that could look both forward and backward, and synthesize reasoning with fluid and precise acuity. Mind like a steel trap, he’d say, but he doubted Haku would appreciate the imagery.
Haku always reacted to other humans before Yuuta could. Within the first few seconds, by scent and sound and sight Haku made judgment on those who approached before single word was exchanged. It was bizarre. Often frustrating as well, because Yuuta’s opinions on people differed from Haku’s more than half the times. Worse, Haku stubbornly clung to his initial judgment no matter what Yuuta said. Wolf instinct over human reasoning. After the first dozen people they met, Yuuta stopped trying to convince Haku anything about anyone as long as Haku kept his teeth and claws to himself. So their truce held.
Haku was rarely wrong. And almost never afraid. The combination culminated in a Haku who was ever so sure of himself, who never questioned himself or second-guessed his decisions.
Sometimes, though. Sometimes Haku studied Yuuta in a peculiar, thoughtful way. And while Haku kept his thoughts to himself in those moments, he slowed down until Yuuta was walking almost by his side, not behind him.
Yuuta was used to chasing after someone. In fact, he’d been doing it all his life. He didn’t mind, most of the times. But he found “not minding” was very different from “happy with” during one of the rare times he and Haku were walking almost side by side.
Yuuta wondered how it would feel to actually walk side by side. Haku had no answer, for once.
So they waited.
vi. step by step
Haku always went first. No matter how fast Yuuta walked (or ran), Haku always trotted ahead of him. Most of the times Yuuta didn’t mind, because Haku had an uncanny sense of direction while Yuuta simply had none. Because of place-memories, Yuuta gathered from Haku’s thoughts. Scents and shapes from places he’d been to left indelible impressions in Haku’s memory. Haku couldn’t forego his instincts even if he’d lost his true shape, and good memory was critical to a wolf’s survival in the wild. Added to that was a human mind, an analytical mind that could look both forward and backward, and synthesize reasoning with fluid and precise acuity. Mind like a steel trap, he’d say, but he doubted Haku would appreciate the imagery.
Haku always reacted to other humans before Yuuta could. Within the first few seconds, by scent and sound and sight Haku made judgment on those who approached before single word was exchanged. It was bizarre. Often frustrating as well, because Yuuta’s opinions on people differed from Haku’s more than half the times. Worse, Haku stubbornly clung to his initial judgment no matter what Yuuta said. Wolf instinct over human reasoning. After the first dozen people they met, Yuuta stopped trying to convince Haku anything about anyone as long as Haku kept his teeth and claws to himself. So their truce held.
Haku was rarely wrong. And almost never afraid. The combination culminated in a Haku who was ever so sure of himself, who never questioned himself or second-guessed his decisions.
Sometimes, though. Sometimes Haku studied Yuuta in a peculiar, thoughtful way. And while Haku kept his thoughts to himself in those moments, he slowed down until Yuuta was walking almost by his side, not behind him.
Yuuta was used to chasing after someone. In fact, he’d been doing it all his life. He didn’t mind, most of the times. But he found “not minding” was very different from “happy with” during one of the rare times he and Haku were walking almost side by side.
Yuuta wondered how it would feel to actually walk side by side. Haku had no answer, for once.
So they waited.