Cutlass wakes early that morning, mind thrumming with restless enthusiasm as he slips from the den. the siblings, a plethora of personalities and coat patterns, snooze around him in inelegant heaps, but Cutlass’s mind turns stubbornly to the book he’d been ensconced in last night. unable to wait, the raider boy settles a few paces from the den and slings his satchel onto the ground, flipping the lock. excitement skitters up his spine as he takes out the book, eager to learn the mysteries of the previous chapter. flipping the cover, he’s quickly hooked by the words on the page and finds himself blind to everything else around him.

Since the accident, Gilgamesh barely sleeps. He is well out of the den before any of the pups awake. His trip through and around the ravine is a quick jaunt by now. His brain has mapped every corner, the entire border, and it doesn’t take him long to ensure peace is still to be had within their home.

It is on his return to the den to check on Modesty when he spies Cutlass up and outside the den. Gilgamesh stops, yellow gaze turning downward toward the boy, watching to see what he is doing. Upon noticing the book, Gilgamesh takes a seat, sliding his front paws down until his elbows touch the dried grass.

“What is it that you read?” Gilgamesh questions softly, trying not to startle the boy.

absorbed as he is, Cutlass senses his father’s presence a moment before the man settles beside him. drawing his gaze from the bottommost paragraph, Las meets Gilgamesh’s eyes with a stilted, shy lift of his chin. he’s not quite sure what to make of his father, large and intimidating and skilled in the art of battle. he craves his approval the way most boys would, but he also knows he’s shown little interest in learning to fight, and a part of him fears that makes him a disappointment. they do not have that avenue through which to connect, after all, so Las hasn’t allowed himself to expect much beyond a cursory greeting here and there.

“all sorts of things,” he murmurs at last, voice just as soft. he likes his father’s voice, deep and rumbling. he hopes his own voice is similar one day. “this one, um…is about a fierce hero.” he flips the cover, displaying it’s title. “but the other day, i was reading about…bugs.” he drops his eyes to his feet, shuffling awkwardly. he wants his father to approve, but then he feels foolish for wanting it.

"Cutlass Fallen"

The boy’s nervousness is not lost on Gilgamesh. He can see him practically squirm beneath his calculating gaze. Did he strike this sort of fear in all of his pups? Though nothing changes of his demeanor, Gilgamesh is still listening, still hoping to be somewhat of a good father through words this time around.

“A fierce hero,” Gilgamesh muses, eyes flicking to the cover before back to Cutlass. “Bugs, too?” He questions, head canting to the side. Maybe he would send Erish over to the Hallows to request more reading material for his son. Or the old building on the isle might still have some in good condition.

“Do you have a favorite you like to read?” Gilgamesh asks Cutlass, brows raised slightly in honest curiosity.

Cutlass nods along, silently pleased at his father’s attention. only…he hopes Gil doesn’t start thinking he’s got a special interest in bugs! “y-yeah,” he stammers, clearing his throat. “a little bit of everything.” he searches his father’s face, looking for a hint of approval or disgust, but he doesn’t find anything. Las’ shoulders drop in relief. he hasn’t gotten up and walked away yet, so that has to count for something. “i guess i like stories the most,” Las murmurs. “the ones where someone ordinary does…extraordinary things.” his cheeks warm, suddenly embarrassed. he must sound pathetic; a quiet little boy pining for adventure.

truthfully, Las has no real desire to make a name for himself, as it were. oh, he wants to succeed, of course, but he wants to do so by his own metric. so what if all of Boreas doesn’t tremble at his name? leave that to the Gilda’s and Korona’s; he’s satisfied to conquer this tiny corner of the world. “do you know any stories, Da?” Las gazes out at the horizon, attempting not to look too hopeful.

"Cutlass Fallen"

Gilgamesh nods along, a quiet hum in his throat as he listens. The boy reminds him of Rexx, one of his boys from the their first litter. Quiet, studious, never really quite as bold as the others. Truthfully, aside from Tarnish, none of their boys were rather bold, but Gilgamesh supposed he was okay with that. He would rather build up his daughters if he were being honest. The thought of having to toss one of his sons out for being a mouthy dumbass or pummeling one into the ground that tried to step up to the plate too early made his stomach churn. No, he quite liked that his sons were quiet, intelligent, and perceptive. The best of both himself and Modesty.

"A story?" Gilgamesh asks, pulled from his thoughts as he looks down at Cutlass. "I suppose I have a story for you," he smirks as he thinks back to what one would be best. An ordinary wolf doing extraordinary things...

"When I was a youth, I say not more than two or so, I came across a polar bear," Gilgamesh pauses, looking to see Cutlass had heard of one before. "A polar bear is a massive beast. All white in color, quite like your older sister, Calliope, but... larger and scarier. Not that one can be scarier than her," he chuckles, giving a gentle shake of his head before continuing. "I came across a woman, only slightly older than myself. She and her canines were tracking a bear. This bear had killed her pups," Gilgamesh winces, a pause at realizing how harsh that may have sounded, but moves forward. "I couldn't allow the woman to avenge her pups on her own. What if she too were slain by the bear?"

"So with as much courage as I could muster, I helped the woman attack the bear. Her canines distracted it by attacking its back legs. She attempted to attack at its side. While I? I went straight for its throat. We had tracked it far north, farther north than even the Armada live and it was so hard to see. A snowstorm had rolled in. The wind felt like being smacked a thousand times with each crystal of ice pelting my skin. That alone made it hard to even be up there and then face to face with a polar bear? A monster three time my size? I was in for it," the far away look in Gilgamesh's eyes was clear as day. He was enjoying regaling his story to Cutlass.

"Just as the wind picked up and attempted to blind me, I made my move. I didn't know if I was going to make it, but through perseverance and courage, I got ahold of the bear's neck. I held on for dear life as the bear grew angrier. It stood up on its hind paws, taking me with it. The bear shook back and forth, I flew about like a doll being played with. I was nearly knocked out, but I never gave up. At the last moment, as the bear came crashing back down, trying to squish me, I ripped open its throat. Blood coated the area around us as I fell to the snow. Exhausted and in pain, I lay there victorious as the woman ensured the bear would not rise again," he finishes with a swish of his paw, his chin tilting upward as he finds it hard to contain his smile.

"How was that?" Gilgamesh asks, turning his head back down to assess Cutlass' reaction.

The Raid King, Gilgamesh

table coding by bunni ♥