one of the few things joaquim allows itself to pride itself in is its reflexes. superhuman, due to his hybrid monster nature. made twice as extreme in the presence of arvin. arvin can handle himself. the fellow hunter knows this.
but joaquim can't help but be protective, muscles twitching at any potential threat or contact. it's as natural as breathing. fucking. eating.
the hunt this time around was simple enough. a gigantic, sulfurous creature that was stinking up the lower hills of a tourist town. not good for business, which meant the mayor paid a hefty amount for the couple to get rid of the monster in question. the hideous thing had finally gone down with a final arrow to its supposed weakpoint. joaquim and arvin exchange a victorious kiss and joaquim gives arvin's bum an appreciative pat.
arvin goes to retrieve her last arrow when joaquim notices the spark in the air. a chemical reaction, no doubt, as the creature's skin began to recede and decay in mere seconds.
it happens in a moment. the monster's corpse combusts violently, but joaquim has already tackled and manhandled arvin behind a nearby tree, completely shielding her with his impressive frame, draped, of course, in the pelt of the firebear they slayed together years ago. even with the pelt, joaquim can feel the tickle of warmth on his own back. joaquim looks over a broad shoulder once it is sure the explosion has died down.
the surrounding trees and land are charred horribly. a bubbling, hissing pool of violet left in the wake of the sulfuric beast. the pool condenses into a crystal: beautiful and shining and expensive, no doubt.
"good boy," is what arvin says in place of a boring "thank you." joaquim cracks a sharp toothed grin and straightens out.
oh, he's going to make arvin squirt into next thursday.
waited impatiently and finally i can post my chimken falins
my WIFE i love her SO!
btw (since im likely to want to post spoilers eventually BAHAHA) if i post any manga spoilers from this point onward i will be tagging them with "dungeon meshi spoilers" !! please block that tag if you're an anime-only and would like to avoid me spoiling you by accident on how the story goes -- i've read the entire manga so there's a lot i can accidentally spoil 💀
also bonus chimera laios because i CAN and i WANTED TO ! ! ! he'd be happy about it