nomadicnovelist

[nomadicnovelist]

clione-of-heart​:

“It sounds rude when you say it that way, you know,” Clione greeted, turning to face the increasingly familiar face of the romance writer he’d met once before. 

As the remarkably white-haired man introduced himself again, the thought struck Clione of whether Orion remembered his name or was repeating his own in hopes Clione would introduce himself as well. He decided not to, solely on that. If the man hadn’t bothered to remember his name then he’d just have to think harder. 

Trying to make sense of what the other was asking of him —cooking zoo animals sounded illegal, though it was true Clione was a pirate, but he wasn’t so sure he fit the description of a ‘different civilization’— Clione decided to just give up and give in. Orion didn’t seem like bad company, and it wasn’t like he had much to do anyway. 

“Sure, I guess, so long as we’re back before dinner.” Clione still had to prepare a meal for twenty people, after all. “Lead the way.”    

Hopefully he’d find out what a petting zoo was sooner rather than later.

"Oh, thanks," he breathed out a sigh of relief and stood up straight, looking around. "The petting zoo is-" he trailed off, searching for landmarks he remembered and orientating himself in the area- he lifted his arm and pointed to a building on the opposite side of the road. "Like a quarter mile this direction." he smiled and looked to Clover. "Of course, we can't go there in the straight line." He nodded and turned to head down the way he had come from.

Clover wasn't the correct name - Orion was sure of that - but it kept on popping into his head and refused to leave, overeager like a puppy, taking all the space and barring the correct answer from coming to him.

On second thought, a 'puppy' was a bad metaphor because Orion would pick it up and coo at it for at least half an hour instead of trying to shoo it.

Speaking about pups, Tishy pressed her head against Orion's back.

"Oh, yeah, I don't think you met before," Orion stepped to Tishy's side and scratched the oversized, pure white wolf behind her ears. "That's Tishtrya, but you can call her Tishy." Orion now scratched the back of his own neck, a crooked smile on his face. "It's not an exaggeration to say I would have died without her."

Tishy moved closer to Clione and lifted her head, sniffing at his face.

[nomadicnovelist]

post-mortem-lullabies​:

Emil lifted her hands - a knife in the right, a half-sliced mushroom cap in the left - when Orion pushed his head onto her lap. Shaking her head - an endeared smile on her lips - Emil put those onto a cutting board beside and wiped her hands with a tea towel. She had sliced up a small mountain of button mushrooms to freeze but guessed the rest could wait.

She dipped her fingers into Orion’s hair and massaged soft circles into his scalp. “And instead of going to the bed to sleep, you came here to tell me that.” She gave a soft chuckle and lightly flicked his earlobe. “Since when is my leg comfier than a pillow?”

"It's not," Orion admitted, snuggling further into her and pulling his feet closer. Tishy came up from her napping spot near the bow of the ship and pressed her head into Orion's chest. With a hum, he let go of Emil's knee to scratch Tishy behind her big, fluffy ear.

"But a pillow won't give me head pats." Now they only had to figure out how Tishy could give Bor head scratches and Bor to Emil and the circle would be complete... The square?

"How's going for you?" Orion turned his head and cracked one eye to look at Emil's face but he failed - he would need to turn the entire torso to do that. "Sensing anything interesting out there?"

[nomadicnovelist]

@clione-of-heart wanted [a starter]

Orion nibbled at the tip of his pencil; with eyes on his notebook, he paid hardly any attention to the surroundings. Tishy strolled beside and nudged or pulled him whenever he was about to walk into a lamppost or stumble over a bench.

He frowned, groaned and stopped in his tracks. "What do you think, Tishy?" he hummed, finally looking around - not surprised he had left the park and stood on a side of a road. "Should we find some library to research thi-" his jaw dropped and eyes widened as he spotted a familiar hat (hood?) on the other side.

"Hey!" Waving his notebook over the head, Orion jumped to meet the shorter man. "Oh, hey, you're the Heart Pirates cook that pays no attention to animals other than how to cook them, right?" He asked with a gleeful grin. "I'm Orion. A writer." He tapped his chest with the notebook, unsure if the other even remembered him at all. "I have an odd request if you don't mind. I'm trying to do research on possible ways a different civilisation could cook their food and-" Orion clasped his hands together - the notebook in-between - as if praying- "would you mind going with me to the local petting zoo?"

[nomadicnovelist]

source

[nomadicnovelist]

@post-mortem-lullabies​​ wanted [a starter]

"I'm done." Orion groaned as he climbed onto the outdoor bench - his shin hitting the edge with a dull thud. Wincing, he crawled on all four closer to Emil and collapsed, his cheek on her thigh. "I finished the draft." He shifted, turning to his side so his neck wasn't bent at an odd angle.

He closed his eyes but opened his mouth in a long, loud yawn. Snuggling into Emil, he rested one hand on her knee. "Now, that the brainrot is gone, I can sleep."

[nomadicnovelist]

Starter call

[nomadicnovelist]

archived-postmortemlullabies​:

Excellent! He didn’t take her statement Bor helped her out seriously. It provided her with the wonderful ammo of ‘I’ve told you,’ should Bor grow in his presence, bewildering him.

She wondered what animal friend he had. Was it perhaps this oversized wolf sitting in the bushes nearby? It hadn’t moved from the spot in a while, and it - she - seemed to be watching them but not in a threatening way.

Orion burst out in excitement and got into her face. Her empathy aspect of observation haki was rubbish - nonexistent - but it couldn’t be any more clear that he couldn’t wait to see her jump over benches, scale buildings and leap from rooftop to rooftop. 

Emil grinned at him, from ear to ear, wondering how would he react to a statement she can give him a piggyback ride as well! "Sure!” There was this thing about her: she couldn’t care less about people’s opinions of her but enjoyed their excitement when she showed off. Perhaps it was only craving for attention of any kind?

She leaned in closer, nearly connecting the tips of their noses as her grin transformed from a cherry one into impish. “On one condition, though,” she turned her head to poke her cheek, “if you give me a kiss.”

Would he be willing to do it? That was her question. He had gotten into danger, but would something plenty of people considered 'intimate’ be too much?

His teeth clicked as he snapped his mouth closed; his jaw had dropped at her request and his eyes widened. A kiss? A kiss on a cheek? He hadn't expected such recompensate. Perhaps he should have? It seemed so insignificant, so trivial. Had Orion ever done that before? He couldn't remember. He had kissed before but not as a form of payment of sorts.

"Sure, Emil." He took her hand, lowered it from her cheek and leaned in to press his kiss against it. Orion held for a second or two; unlike her cold fingers, her soft skin was comfortably warm under his lips.

He pulled away and gave a soft smile before looking down at their hands. Her small one in his big palm. He rubbed his thumb against the back of her chilly fingers to warm them up.

Orion looked back up and frowned. "Emil?" He leaned in, his eyes on hers. How come he hadn't noticed it before? It wasn't unusual for people to have light coloured eyes but hers... In Emil's case, even the pupil was pale grey instead of black. "Can you see me?"

[nomadicnovelist]

source

[nomadicnovelist]

keirstory​:

The Energetic Corgi would be showered in love from Orion. He was unsure who this stranger was but boy, did he already enjoy the fact that the stranger gave him treats! Fido would snatch the bone-shaped treat from the man’s hand, dragging it down to the ground before putting both of his tiny paws on it and went to town the treat! 

Meanwhile Jake was just more so grinning seeing his Corgi being happy like this. His attention was drawn up to the man with his nice comments towards him again. He knelt down and petted Fido as he was eating the treat. “Me? No, I don’t work with animals really. Just run of the mill, dog lover. Though I do try my best with my dog here. Love this little guy here.” It took him back when he first met Fido. 

Looking up to Orion, “And I’m going to take a wild guess that you’re an animal lover of some kind? A veterinarian? Or something like in that field? Or are you just a dog lover like I am.” A soft grin to the other man. 

With Fido's entire attention on the treat now, Orion rested his elbow on the knee and propped his head on the hand; an endeared smile on his lips. Fido was an adorable dog.

He looked up at the man, his eyes lingering on the mechanical arm for a second, an idea to ask about the story behind it fleeting through his mind before he focused on his face.

"An animal lover, yes." Orion nodded, studying the other's features; the shape of nose and jaw, the scar on his cheek. "But it's entirely unprofessional. Years of experience might have taught me how to take care of my Tishy, should she fall ill-" he lifted the pack of dog treats to signalise what she was "-but I would be unequipped and lost if asked to treat any other animal."

Orion leaned in a bit closer, his eyes on the other's. He had a pretty hair colour but... "People probably tell you often that you have gorgeous eyes, don't they?" He smiled and reached out his right hand. "I'm Orion."

[nomadicnovelist]

postmortemlullabies​:

Brilliant colours, huh?

Emil smirked to herself. Orion hadn’t noticed her blindness yet and she was curious how long she could keep it that way without outright hiding it.

“No, Orion, dear, I did not dazzle the guard with my smile,” Emil replied with a smirk, turning her head toward him only for a bit and unaware her blush turned a shade darker. “Nor did I wait for the guard to come in at all.” She ruffled Bor’s head feathers before resting both hands on her stomach.

“The butterfly house had windows up high. They were opened from the inside and one of them was close enough to a tree I was able to reach it. They weren’t locked so I sneaked out without a problem.” She shrugged. “It was tight to close it behind once I was outside but the glass wall was dome-shaped so I managed and sliding down wasn’t that hard either.”

Emil chuckled and once again turned her head toward Orion only enough to wink at him. “I do plenty of parkour in my spare time, I’m used to falling from high places.” She laughed and nodded down to Bor. “Plus this lil’ fella helps me out, slowing down my fall." 

Her response was peculiar. Orion squinted his eyes a bit as he watched her profile, her wink. She seemed playful - mischievous even - but not in the slightest embarrassed. Yet there it was, right in front of his eyes: a blush.

Orion looked down at her chest, at the tiny bird nested there, enjoying his scritches. "I'm sure he helps a lot," he chuckled, wondering just how much smaller she would have to be to have any effect.

Perhaps he could write a story set in a world where tiny people fly on sparrows' backs?

"I doubt I would be able to pull out something like that," he hummed and wiggled his shoulders to get comfy on the grass. "I'm not clumsy, but climbing trees and glass walls is beyond me." He closed his eyes, enjoying the warmth of the sun on his face. "My animal friend is not a bird either, so she wouldn't be able to help me with that either."

"Oh!" He snapped his head to face her. "Do you think you could show me some parkour?!" He inched closer, holding his hands up to his face as if praying. "Please? Pretty please? I've never watched anyone do that up close."

[nomadicnovelist]

postmortemlullabies​:

“Heh, I’ve told you no one calls me a lady.” Emil reminded him but there was only amusement in her tone. Yes, he definitelly was a flatterer, throwing superlatives left and right like that. He was worse than Emil!

What she was completely unaware though, was that her cheeks turned a light but visible shade of pink.

“And to answer your previous question…” Emil puffed her cheeks, squinted, poped the air out. What was the last ‘stupid’ situation? She had gotten into 'dangerous’ situations far more often… She shifted and slid down the low wall. With her legs propped up on it and the back on the grass, it might look like she was still sitting on the wall if only someone looked at her sideways. Literally, not figuratively; then again, both could be the case too.

Bor chirped and flew down to her, nesting on her chest.

“There was a botany garden in another town. They also had a butterfly house in there. A big one. I wanted to enjoy it without anyone bothering me so when no one was watching, I climbed one of trees and hid in the canopy, following the movement of all the butterflies, with all the rustling and ripping of the water, I fell asleep.” Emil grinned from ear to ear. “When I woke up, it was night and all the doors were closed.”

Orion pouted in silence for a moment - Bor had left at a drop of a hat and he already missed the fluffy sensation on his fingertips. It was Bor's right though and Orion shall not complain.

The pout was gone though when he looked down at Emil's face - her cheeks were still dusted pink. He had called her 'Lady' before; was it because he called her 'pretty' this time?

"A butterfly house sounds like a lovely place to take a nap." He followed her example and - upon taking his backpack off - laid down on the grass with his legs propped up on the wall. "All the brilliant colours had to be hypnotising for sure."

He squinted and pulled his headband a bit lower on his eyes. How Emil could lay there with her eyes open and nearly cloudless sky above her was beyond him.

"How did you get out?" He mused, turning his head to look at her profile. As silly as the situation sounded, it would fit perfectly in a young adult romance. "Did you wait till the morning and dazzled the guard with your beautiful smile?"

[nomadicnovelist]

keirstory​:

Fido was always excited to come across new individuals. Especially when they gave him the warm reception that Orion had given him. The Corgi puppy sniffing and licking at the hand he’d offer, wanting to be spoiled by the touch of the stranger.  The dog owner himself, Jake, was watching it all take place as he was taking his Corgi out on a walk. A small faint smile on his face as glanced towards the man playing with his dog, even so much so as offering ‘Dog Goodies’ for him. Still, hearing him calling him handsome was rather flattering “That’s your way of breaking the ice with strangers you come across? Offer their dogs some goodies and slide in a compliment?” Jake chuckled as he watching his Corgi being played with. “But sure, Go for it. I’m sure, Fido will love it.”  

"Who's the good pupper? You are!" Orion cooed, scratching Fido's cheeks. On the side of a park path, he didn't care and sat down cross-legged on the dry ground. He let the dog get onto his lap and kept on scratching and petting the soft, short fur.

Orion looked up at the owner again. "It depends: if they have no dog, I might start with a compliment." Guilty as charged - Orion enjoyed handing out little compliments. 

He dug inside his jacket pocket and took out a half-empty bag of dog snacks. Holding it up, out of Fido's reach, he took out one bone-shaped bit and neared it to the dog's nose, wondering how soon it would be snatched.

Oh, speaking about compliments - Orion grinned at the man. "You must be taking amazing care of Fido; he's such a happy and lively doggo! Well done~ Do you perhaps work with animals?"

[nomadicnovelist]

source

[nomadicnovelist]

On Following

Thought I should throw it out there as well: another aspect of keeping this blog’s activity on the quieter side is that mun initially followed only a handful of blogs (funnily enough, it was exactly 5 of them). Mun is happy to interact with more people, to flesh my character out from other angles and because your muses are amazing but any further follows will most likely be ‘follow back’s only.

[nomadicnovelist]

Anonymous said:

How did you and Tishy meet?

@themercsadventures​ said:

How did you and Tishy become friends?

"Well, you see..." Orion trailed off. He covered Tishy's ears as if she could understand what he was about to say. "My dad killed her mother."

He let go of Tishy's ears and ruffled her fur on the neck. "My dad is the captain of the guards. Sometimes the wildlife starts attacking our cattle so they are tasked with hunting those down. Years back, it was a white wolf. They found her and only after they killed her they realised she had pups. They brought them over and I asked if I could have one. My family had pets before but Tishy was the first one that was my responsibility."

"She was a gluttonous but very good pup. Still is."

[nomadicnovelist]

Anonymous said:

Becoming a novelist is a unique dream to follow in an age of piracy and constant danger. Do you often run into trouble or are you able to keep a low profile?

"Oh, dear Anon, it's not the 'novelist' part of the Nomadic Novelist title that puts me in danger. I'll give you that my curiosity and desire to learn new things to find inspiration lead me to many precaurious situations but I could have just as well done that from my bedroom, back in Champion. I could have learned from manuals and essays and from corresponding with professionals instead of travelling around. Had I chosen this lifestyle, my dream of being a novelist would be linked to no more danger than that of a shopkeeper or an accountant. Heh. I dare to say they would be in more danger since they deal with money."

With a soft smile, Orion patted Tishy's head and scratched behind her ear. "I try to keep a low profile. I might forget myself and realise only in hindsight what I've done to get some research material was very dangerous but if someone has an unlucky day, they might simply dine in the very same bar some ruffians decide to visit and make a mess."

Orion leaned in and pressed his temple against Tishy's head. She turned and licked his cheek only to bump her head against his again. "That's where my Warrior Princess comes in. She's good at picking up people's intentions and I trust her instincts. If she doesn't like someone, we leave. She can fight but we prefer to flee from any danger and she's big enough she can carry me on her back if needed."

Orion was sure he would have died a long time ago had it not been for this overgrown, white wolf.

[nomadicnovelist]

On Memes and Asks

Since my mun has other blogs and wants to keep the activity here on the quieter side, they don’t plan on reblogging any rp memes but you’re more than welcome to send in random asks.

Remember: this blog is mutuals only. OOC asks will be accepted but nothing IC.