The confusion on her face is clear as day as her eyes meet his. Had the tables finally turned? One of his brows raise in question at her words, his head tilting slightly with his own confusion. How had she not put the puzzle pieces together?

"I was injured too, ya know," he turns his shoulder to show her the scars that she would already know were there. "I needed the exercise as much as you do," it was a mutual benefit that would ensure she did get babysat and they both got to stretch their muscles. "I ain' no one's babysitter. Yeah, I'm an Apprentice so I gotta do what Oleander asks, but I only came by to help take ya for a walk. I didn' have ta help ya with the medicine or stick aroun," his own nose wrinkles this time, but more in confusion as himself than anything.

"Like I said earlier, I'm jus' tryin' to be nice," Wilder adds on, an exhausted sigh leaving him.

WILDER

She hadn’t really thought about his own injuries, or what he might be needing because of it. That was why he had walked her? Hmm. She sat up a little more on her coat, her wound still open from where Wilder had pulled back the bandages. But she didn’t let it enter her mind. Didn’t want it to. Instead, she concentrated on Wilder, and the weird things he was saying.

He had been here by choice, not orders. Hanging around her smart mouth, and she had tried to make it as unpleasant as possible for him this whole time. She had thought she was getting under the skin of her newest prison guard. She didn’t find his words easy to believe. The truth as she knew it was simpler, easier.

I’m just trying to be nice. She didn’t understand why. Maybe she never would. “I liked it.” She admitted, voice whisper soft at the weak admittance. Even while she was shoving it back in his face, there had been something oddly… nice about it.


"Speech"

He's surprised to see her sit up further onto the cot. Did that not irritate her wounds that were still out in the open? Deep down, he does feel bad for leaving them out like that, but part of him felt like she deserved it a little bit. She'd done nothing but been a total brat to him the entire time, but maybe now she was realizing how bad she'd been. Could he really see it on her face? The way she admitted to him, a soft, meek whisper that maybe was for the first time Vesper showing him her true self.

It confused him even more, but he wasn't going to risk ruining the moment of this little breakthrough with her. By far, it was no apology, but he would take it. Giving her a nod and a grumbly sort of noise, Wilder steps closer to the cot, still feeling a tad uncomfortable. "Well, let me help ya with the bandages at least," he nods his nose toward the open wounds on her back. "Least I can do," his own voice awkward and quiet, shifting his weight on his paws before taking a seat to try and rid of the weird feeling inside.

WILDER

Wilder wasn’t an authoritative wolf in this pack, he was barely a few steps above her in the apprentice rank he held. Perhaps that was why his attitude was so different from everyone else she knew. It was why she hadn’t tried to tuck a title of respect across from his name. The idea that he was here because he was choosing to spend time with her was about an alien a concept as they came.

“Alright.” She agreed. He had thrown her for a loop strongly enough to keep the sass away for a moment as she tried to untangle what kind of crazy wolf Wilder was. He took a seat beside her, and she looked at the bedding. It was easier than trying to meet his eyes. After a moment, she couldn’t stand her own confusion anymore. “Why?” She asked. “Why spend time with me, getting to know me isn’t going to do your career any good. I’m not your slave, and you clearly aren’t comfortable bossing me around.”

"Speech"

Once she's agreed to his help, he leans over her toward her back. Averting his own gaze to focus on rewrapping her bandages as neatly as they had been originally, he's surprised when she speaks up. His ears move forward to an alert position, but keeps his attention on the bandages. Her words aren't wrong and it's not something he's given much thought to. At first, Wilder doesn't answer. Instead, he finishes rebandaging her back, tucking the end piece under so it won't come undone until at least Oleander has come by to fix it. Then he leans back, thinks for a moment, and then sighs before turning his gaze toward her.

"Cause I ain' know really anyone 'ere," he explains first. Well, he knew Spider and Tethys before he joined and now he had met a few others like Wynter and Wylan, but they were... above him? It felt different. Words couldn't really explain how he felt. He wasn't used to pack life. Wasn't used to the ranks and the titles and the political wishy washy bull shit feelings that came with it all. "I guess it's cause I'm not from round 'ere so I still got lots to learn. Plus, I don' really understan' the whole slave nonsense yet so ta me, yer just another wolf," he shrugs, not really understanding the seriousness of it all.

WILDER

She could feel him moving around the bandages on her back, through it only stung a little despite the beating she’d given her back today. She had to admit it, the salve he’d rubbed on earlier had helped. Perhaps she shouldn’t be such an ass to Wilder, but he was an easy target, and those were hard to come by.

Just another wolf. That was an odd idea to her, and she supposed she bounced back and forth to treating Wilder as if he was an equal rank, to that of a higher one worthy of insulting. She wasn’t exactly sure where to put him in her mental ranking either. She settled back down on the blankets, and slipped the alcohol out from under her pillow. “Want to try this together? My masters always seemed to be the drink, there must be something to it?” She suggested, changing the subject.


"Speech"

Honestly, he's not surprised that she changes the subject. Doesn't blame her, really. The subject they'd been on had been a bit deep, especially since they'd just met. But he had said what he said and at least it was the truth. If she wanted time to dwell on it, he'd let it. Or hell, never bring it back up again either. Not like they had to have deep and meaningful conversations all the time.

Yanking himself from his thoughts, he blinks at Vesper for a second at her offer. Should he tell her that it's rubbing alcohol and not drinking alcohol? Was there really a difference? It had been in the storage cupboard where Oleander kept all the other healing medicinal items... As much as he wanted to let her do it, he also didn't want to poison her either. "I don' think that stuff is safe," Wilder mentions, grabbing the bottle from her clutches to show her the label with a red 'X' on it. "If ya really wanna have a drink, I can go snatch somethin' from the kitchen," he lifts a brow, wondering if that was really something she wanted to do or if she just wanted to change the top of their conversation.

WILDER

She stared blankly at the senseless squiggle inscribed on the bottle. To ask or not to ask? She scowled, disliking the feeling of ignorance. “Cool, it's a…letter.” She said blandly. That was the correct word, right? For the stupid squiggles the Armada liked to put on everything. 


She was quick to latch onto his change of subject again. The weakness of her ignorance made hers want to poke at him with sarcasm. “You gave me a faulty product, it's the least you can do” She told him dryly. Why would the healer's stuff be different from what her masters had consumed? She'd never even heard of a healer before Ollie. More ignorance.

Wilder looks at her good, noting how her tone had changed. It wasn't unusual for a wolf to be unable to read. He could hardly read himself, but he knew enough to dictate between bad and good. Perhaps he might have been inclined to push her buttons, but after everything that's happened so far in their day, he wasn't in the mood to push it. If she wanted to be bad and try some booze, he'd go snatch some for her.

"Ya won' even notice I'm gone," he answers cheekily, shooting her a playful wink before disappearing out into the warren corridors. Thankful for his long legs that provided long strides, it wasn't long before he was at the food storage area near the kitchens.

- Exit Wilder, Wilder sneaks some booze, Wilder returns 20ish? minutes later -

Peeking his head into the infirmary, his gaze looks around to see if the coast is clear. With bottle between his teeth, he approaches Vesper's cot and plunks his butt down onto the cold stone. Placing the glass bottle beside her, he nudges it as if to say she could have first swig. "You can have the honors," Wilder comments, gaze curious and mischievous as he watches.

"Wilder"

Despite her touch of sass, Wilder remained in good humour, teasing a smile out of her as he winked and trotted away. She sat up a little on her bedding, making careful movements so she didn’t aggravate anything. She was accustomed to long periods of waiting, so she was surprised to realise she was impatient as she waited for Wilder to return to her.

He returned, clearly victorious and she grinned at him. “You came through.” She teased him lightly, snagging the bottle in her forepaws and using her teeth to pry it open. She took a swig - and almost lost the bottle when she lurked forward, coughing. “What is that, poison!?” she rasped, clearly not expecting the strong taste of booze.


"Speech"

Her teasing helps shift his mood to something lighter. At least if she were feeling better and not being so sassy, he wouldn't be so grumbly toward her. He reminds quiet though as she snags the bottle from his paws and eagerly yanks the cork open. His eyes widen in surprise, a smirk playing along his lips at how the next moment was going to unravel. She really had no idea what booze was did she... Wilder thinks to himself as he watches the bottle meet her lips.

The laugh that sputters from his own lips as she lurches forward cannot be contained. After a moment, he brings up a paw to silence himself, but the enjoyment is there with the crinkle of his eyes. "Well yeah, what did ya think it was?" Wilder questions as he grabs the bottle back from her. Taking a hearty swig himself, he lets the liquid burn the back of his throat. Only coughing a little bit, he hands it back to her. "That's much smoother than the hooch I've been offered out in the wild," he admits, his muzzle still displaying that teasing humorous smile as he awaits to see if she'll take another sip.

"Wilder"

She coughed a few more times to clear her throat, and playfully growled at Wilder. Laughing at her, was he? Wait until he tried it! Except when he did, he clearly took it a lot better than she did. He barely seemed to notice the burn at all as he took a good swig. She scowled at him, her expressions seeming just a tad bolder, more exuberant.

“They make worse ones?” she demanded in surprise. “Why on earth did the Masters drink it like water?” she scowled, looking over at the bottle in his paws. His own sip of it seemed like a challenge to her, and she snatched it back out of his paws with a scowl. She took another sip, and, yip, still burned. Her coughing was a little less this time, now that she expected it. She felt something odd in her paws, some of the terrible emotions that always sat in her heart like an anchor seemed to clear a little. It was… invigorating. Was that why they drank it? She took another big swig before Wilder could take it from her again. A loud burp escaped her, and a giggle that was far too girlish to be her own echoed in the room.


"Speech"

He's a large wolf so it takes more booze than the average sized wolf to start feeling the effects. But even after one sip, since he drank so infrequently, he too could feel the tingle in his toes and the warmth in his belly. His smile doesn't disappear even after she looks at him in disbelief. "You'll understand after ya get a few more in ya," Wilder explains, his eyes widening once more as he continues to watch Vesper drink and cough and to his surprise, a burp that was followed by a giggle. He honestly didn't think the girl was capable of such a thing.

"Feelin' better?" He questions, head canting as he takes the bottle back before she can take a third drink. Taking a deep swallow of his own, he coughs a bit more this time, the burn catching him right where it hurt the most. Scrunching up his face and giving his muzzle a shake, he takes one more sip before offering it back to her. "So what're ya gon' do when Oleander finds ya piss drunk?" Wilder teases, slowly slipping down onto his side in a more comfortable laying position.

"Wilder"

She couldn’t feel the grief, the guilt she had bene carrying since she had left her mother to die a terrible death alone. It was still there, somewhere inside of her, but it was like she couldn’t grasp it, even if she tried to. All her pain and fury and fears seemed to brush quietly away. It was just her, and Wilder here. Her ghosts had left them alone for the first time.

She giggled again at Wilder’s question, and raised a paw to her face, trying to stop the sound. It didn’t help, if anything, it made it worse. “Think it’ll put a bee in his bum when he finds out?” She asked, snickering. “Say, Wilder. I wasn’t going to tell you, but did you know you're a handsome wolf?” She asked, leaning a little more towards him. Reaching out a paw… and snagging the bottle out of his grasp. She took a quick swig of it, burping again.

"Speech"

The giggling coming from her is still unexpected. She was so rigid on the outside. A thick protective shell that refuses to fall. He had not expected a few swigs of booze to diminish all resolve she had within her. Wilder couldn't disagree though. Her giggles are cute and the way she slurs her words is something that he'll tease her about later. "Yeah, I reckon it will," he replies, uncaring for the repercussions it would potentially bring him as well.

Before he could say anything else about it (which was probably a good thing he didn't mention the whole slavery business in her current state), Vesper was commenting about him being handsome. Speechless as she swipes the bottle back from him, he stares at her with wide eyes. "I-I uh, yeah? You, uh think so?" Were the only words he could stutter out as she belched loudly again.

Feeling the heat rising swiftly to his cheeks, he snags the bottle back from her. Taking another deep drink, he lets out his own rumbling burp. "I figure all the women think I'm handsome. They just too 'fraid to say it," he teases back, trying to recover from his foolish reaction to her compliment. Was it a compliment if she wouldn't remember saying it the next day?

"Wilder"

She snickered at the blush in his cheeks, and reached up a paw to pat along the dark line beneath his eyes. Yeah, he was cute. She vaguely remembered having the plan to never tell him that. Why had that been again? Oh well, it couldn’t have been important.

“Yah know” She said thoughtfully, her eyes wonderfully vacant as she looked at him. “That i’ve never initiated sex before?” She couldn’t even feel her back anymore. The pain was gone, the fear was gone. There was nothing else in her head, and her breaks (which had never been great in the first place) were completely malfunctioning. She rolled slightly into Wilder, so her side was against his. “We should have sex, handsome wolf.”


"Speech"

His mind was just beginning to swirl, his nerves fuzzy and logical reasoning slipping out the door. Even as she looks at him with vacant eyes, he looks back with interest. Until what she says registers in his fuzzy brain.

Wilder’s expression changed quickly. His cheeks both hot and cold at the same time. Utterly and devastatingly speechless time as he registers what she’s just said. Had she actually just said that?

Still at a loss of words as she rolls closer to him, leaning against his side, he feels that warmth spread from his belly to nether regions. But surely now wasn’t the time. She was a slave after all and had been abused and formed up.

“Ves, I don’t think we should,” Wilder replies gently after that awkward pregnant pause. “We only jus’ met an’ I ain’ a man of one night stands,” he goes on to say hoping that she’ll leave the reasoning at that. While he doesn’t push her away, he does reach over her to grab another drink of the booze. Which was feeling surprisingly feeling light already. How much had that drank?

“Why don’ we play 20 questions instead?” Wilder offers, trying to smile at her without thinking of the confusion of emotions twirling around him. Yeah she was pretty, but a lot came with being with a girl like her… surely the Warlord and Oleander would not be pleased if they found out.

She wasn’t the kind of girl that committed. She didn’t even know what a commitment was. She’d never seen a healthy relationship in her life, so she barely understood what he meant when he spoke of one night stands. All the masters in her old world shared, property was communal after all.

She leaned a little more into him, rolling her head a little until it was upside down, and licked his chin. Why had she done that? She wasn’t sure, but she grinned cheekily at him. That was okay, she was sure she would win him over. “Alright then, you ask the first question” She told him. She’d never heard of the game, but it sounded simple enough.


"Speech"

In truth, Wilder had never had another girl this close to him before. He had flirted and toyed with the idea but he was as close to virginity as one could imagine. So as she rolls further into him, their bodies molding together, he stiffens only for a moment. His nerves tingle in ways that he’s not used to and it takes some adjusting. Some… getting used to. He was growing comfortable with the cuddling situation until she reaches up to lick at his chin.

Surprising his own self, Wilder’s eyes close and a little rumble slips out. Had he… liked that? Why was she doing that? He wasn’t upset about it, clearly.

Thankful that she agrees to the game, he clears his throat and tries to relax the tension that tightens the tingling along his body. Why did she have to make it so hard?

“Do ya got a middle name?” Wilder begins with an easy question which for her, he’s actually not sure if it was an easy question or not.

Seeing his reaction, Vesper couldn’t help but do it again. Bruising her tongue across his chin, dangerously close to his muzzle. She was grinning wickedly by the time she was done. Apparently a Vesper on alcohol was just as much trouble (if not more) than a sober one. She wanted… She wanted control. Even with all her feelings fuzzy, she wanted to take the lead on something. Perhaps it wouldn’t really be a surprise that the things she wanted to control was the very thing she had had the least control over all her life.

“I don’t know.” She said truthfully. “Guess if I did, I was never told it.” She needed a question… she looked up at Wilder, and grinned. “Who’s your favourite person in the Armada, if you had to pick one?” Her words were slurring massively by now.


"Speech"