omg hiiiiiiiiiii fellow funger connoisseur[leans on my bugatti, misses completely and falls into a bed to cash] ;]
anyway, may i ask for a moment of respite with August during termina? just a lil break in the bacchanalia. a moment of normalcy, like dinner 🙏
Yall,,,,,, I want that old man cannibal
Brown trout in the Vlata river are good and fat, but very fishy, so they go best with salt and herbs. An oven is the best, but in a pinch a spit will do just fine. You never knew a man could gut a fish so elegantly. August can use a knife like a fine instrument, and can keep a fire roaring even in the damp season. He splits it open, takes out the guts (“Would you like me to take the head off for you too, my dear?”) and uncerimoniously dumps them in the river. It goes up over the fire, he puts yarrow on it and something called “Česnek medvědí”.
“Are you trying to impress me?”
“No, no,” He chuckles. “I am just an old man with a hobby. That’s all.”
The fire is at a low purr like a cat. The sun has long since set. This part of the woods was unnaturally chilly, even compared to the city. You had been wandering westward for no particular reason and then got caught spinning around in circles. You survived three or four hours of this monotony by snacking on raw mushrooms (one of which gave you a tummy ache), until you saw a manmade knife slash on the side of a tree. You followed, and found another. You kept following, and here you are.
“What other hobbies do you have?” You ask. “Is that bow a hobby too?”
“It’s my occupation.” He pats the quiver on his hip. “I’m a… hunter by trade.”
You tilt your head. “Oh. There’s not many of those anymore.”
“Eh, no. But I do it because I love it.” He smiles.
He takes out a bottle of vodka and offers you a sip. It smells strongly. You shake your head. He gives you a shrug and takes a shot.
“I also saw you jumping from buildings.”
He nods sagely. “Did you like it?”
“…oh, so you are trying to impress me now…”
He has a nice deep chuckle that sounds pleasant to the ears. “The fish is done.”
You were borderline ravenous from the smell, so you perked up instantly. He cut you the most tender pieces, and ate the head and tail himself. You two ate with your hands, for lack of silverware. He seemed to watch you eat with fondness, even though your hair was ratty and your face tired.
He suddenly reaches out his hand. You flinch from the unexpected contact, but he makes a noise that’s almost… cooing at you.
“You have something on your face.” He takes his handkerchief up to your mouth, and dabs your lips gently. “I’m not supposed to be so fond of you, you know. I have a job to do. But you are so… cute.”
You lean into the warm touch. Afterwards, he sets the handkerchief in your hand. It is soft and embroidered with his name. “A memento.”
“I will have to go by the morning.” He says, quite suddenly. “You will probably never see me again.”
Your heart sinks. You don’t want to be alone in the deep woods, freezing and with an awful dry autumn wind. You don’t know how to get back to the city. You don’t want to. You’ve been chased, hungry, and beaten half to death all within the span of one day. It felt like you were here for years. It felt like you would be here for centuries more. You like the fire. It’s good and warm.
“I don’t want to,” You ball up your fists without even noticing. “It’s… cold.”
“I know, my dear.” He sighs. He wraps his big hands around you in a side hug. You realize just how big he is. His hands are calloused. Under the dinner jacket, he is muscular. “There’s quite a chill.”
He puts half of his jacket around you, so you’re sharing heat. You feel heat for the first time in a while, with warm food in your tummy and a bit of a blush.
“I’m a bit drunk,” he admits. “So I’ll just ask outright. I suppose you’re probably not used to sleeping on the grass, so you don’t suppose we could… cuddle up a bit. We wouldn’t want you catching a cold, now.”
You hesitate.
“You don’t have to say yes. If I’m being pushy, I apologize.”
“No, no, I’m just.. happy.”
He grins. “Good. That’s good.”
He lays down and sets his arm out, so you can use him as a pillow. He’s so gentle with you. He gives you a headpat before sleep. The night is still. You feel calm, good and calm, and your muscles relax. It’s good, it’s great even. He doesn’t snore, you hardly know if he slept at all. It’s not too long before you fall asleep. And as he said, in the morning, he was gone.
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