Haunted Wood with a whisper

@Santiago Arcos <3

It had been several days since Clarence had spoken with Serem, and the whole conversation had left him feeling unsettled and down. As a result, he'd been avoiding almost everyone, including the man they'd spoken about. Not to be malicious or anything, of course, it was just... overwhelming.

The spotted boy had slept halfway beneath a fallen tree, mostly sheltered from the rain, and was chewing at the bracelet on his wrist. Teeth connected with metal, clinking quietly over the sound of the rain falling through the canopy. Logically, he knew he'd have to talk to Santiago eventually - if there were others who had noticed their proximity, was it that obvious that they were... 

What were they? 

A troubled sigh escaped him and he went back to obsessively gnawing the bracelet in an attempt to get it off.

The low hum of the gentle rain is constant noise in his ears, so is the feeling of cold droplets of water falling onto his pelt. Paws walk through the soggy ground ripe with mud, sticks, and other common debris found lying around the forest floor. He’s been searching for the piebald wolf for about an hour now, with no luck. Even though luck isn’t always on his side, when he was approaching the point of possible return, a hint of the other scent peeks through the cracks. Picking up his gait to a trot he follows it eagerly. Only to see in the distance beneath a fallen tree a ball of white fur. 

“Clarence?” Santi asks curiously. Then upon further investigation he realizes that–yes, it is Clarence. Instantly his demeanor changes, a winning smile greats his muzzle and he laugh erupts from him. “I’ve been looking for you, amor.” He exclaims lowering his upper body to slink beneath the tree to nose at the others shoulder. “I see I’ve found your hidding place.”

Clarence jumps a bit and bumps his head on the tree he's concealed beneath, wincing and peering up at the black-and-white wolf who'd approached him. A small smile forms on his maw, regardless of how conflicted he felt, and his ears pressed back as he pressed his head to Santiago's neck. "I'm not hiding," he responded, even if he kind of maybe was hiding a little bit. 

He pulled back and red eyes sought out silver. "How come you were looking for me?" the boy asked, tilting his head to the side in confusion. Had he wanted to talk? That was probably for the best, considering Clarence had wanted to talk to him too.

Santi cringes and squints his eyes with a grin on his face when the male hits his head on the roof of the hollowed tree. A small bubbling of chuckles slip past his lips and a quick muttering of a slightly teasing–“Damn, cariño. You okay?”

Then as a head is pressed to his neck in affection, his heart might’ve swelled in his breast. The odd feeling still makes his hair stand on end. Ruined ears face toward his mark as those beautiful eyes gaze up to him happily. After not seeing the boy for a bit, the big bad wolf almost swoons at how cute he is.

Finally, Santi gives him a jokingly suspicious look and tilts his head down to him. “Are you sure, Clarence?” He prods at the boys defenses in hopes of forcing a confession as to why Santi hasn’t seen him in some time. Or maybe he’s just having Clarence withdrawals and it really hasn’t been all too long.

Then he lies down onto the soiled, grimy forest floor. Knowing he’s too big to fit beneath the tree with the other man, he’ll happily sit in the rain to speak with him.

“Just wanted to see you.” He replies sweetly, accent rich and voice smooth with affection. Half-lidded, silver moons gaze to him tenderly.

// Wanna fade this in favor of a newer, updated thread?

Clarence feels his skin heat up in embarrassment and nodded his head. "I'm okay," he assured, scanning the man over with soft red eyes. It was strange how being around Santiago made him feel so... warm. Happy.

"No," he admitted, but didn't elaborate further. Instead, when Santiago laid down, the boy scooted out into the drizzle to lay beside him, deciding that if they were going to do this they should at least be soaked together. 

A smile crossed his maw and he licked the man's cheek, nuzzling drowsily into his shoulder. "I always wanna see you," he said quietly, deciding that for now, any stress or anxiety could be set aside.

Yes fade!

Gazing dashingly to the younger he chuckles. “Good, lindo.” Scooting closer, he cranes his neck around to settle it beside the others, properly cuddling him. 

At the odd answer of no Santi tsks at him, shaking his head with a smile. “Then we’d have to talk about it sometime.” 

Lapping a large flat tongue over his cheek, leaving a trail of drool behind. Staring at him he smirks back. “Good, I’d be insulted if you didn’t.”