He finally felt better today. The burns and wounds were healing to the point he could move without too much pain, so he took the chance to tidy up the bungalow he had been housed in for the duration of his healing. Still mildly afraid to leave the room without permission, he hardly minded staying in. Spending a good part of his morning cleaning the bungalow, he was mostly dusting since it seemed rude to rearrange entirely.

Once he had finished dusting however, his body wasn't exactly geared for much work than this. With a yawn, his tired body moved over to the furs and pillows before nearly collapsing with a wave of exhaustion. Lucian wouldn't admit it, but he wasn't back to one-hundred percent yet by any means.

"Speech."

Erys had devotedly been taking care of the man he’d found while he had gone out with Chimera. Tending to his wounds, making sure he was fed, doing whatever he could to keep him alive. He didn’t know what would became of him so Erys tried not to get attached. He’d seen a lot of wolves come and go, though his life had changed completely he was still wary. It was like his heart was even softer now that he lived in Fenmyre.

Bringing breakfast down to the beach the galactic marked man always knocked politely on the door before her entered. It didn’t really matter if there was an answer on the other side, and unless he heard Chimera on the other side he would open the door. He was greeted with the healing, but exhausted, form of Lucian.

A soft grin rested on his soft features as he entered the room shyly, readying the meal at the freshly cleaned table. He raised a curious brow at his charge as he finally greeted him, "Good morning, eat up to regain your strength.” Erys encouraged softly. "How are you feeling?” Erys would be back with treatment if he had regressed anywhere. He’d address Luc’s wounds when it was time to redress.

"Erystotle Atlas"

Resting on the furs provided to him, the knock at the door surprised him and he jumped from his near-sleep when Erystotle came into the room with a fresh meal. He collected himself quickly, moving from his comfortable position to an appropriate one- sitting, slightly hunched, with his head and gaze down to his paws. The meal smelled wonderful, though he knew better than to assume it be for him regardless of all the times it had been before. Only once it was offered to him did he look at the meal, still surprised to see so much food laid out just for him.

"Yes, Sir." He spoke softly, moving towards the table and positioning himself before the meal as he was told. He was asked then how he was feeling and he took it for a trick question, as if the other man was assessing his readiness for work. He would be selfish to take another day to recover when he'd already taken so many days. "Better. I'll be ready to work whenever you're ready for me to, Sir." He spoke before taking a bite of the meal, lest he get in trouble for not eating in a timely manner.

"Speech."

Erystotle moved slowly, but even his caution couldn’t make up for a lifetime of conditioning and abuse. As soon as the door gently swung open his patient was upright and at the ready. Mismatched ears fell to Erys’ head in shame, he hadn’t intended on disturbing him so much. Of course, he wa swift to answer any demand, and even if Erys words had been gentle and meant to mean at his own leisure it was odd working with a slave over say their King. There was no commanding Chimera, but with Luc every suggestion was an order.

"You can call me Erys, its alright.” He reminded Luc softly as his eyes widened in surprise at the amount of food he had been broughten. Slowly since he had been introduced to Fenmyre, Erys had been giving him more food in quantity and richness. Starting slow so his stomach would not revolt. "I am not your master, I just want to make you better.” He added softly. "For now, your work is to become healthy.” And right now that end goal was still a ways away. Soon though, Chimera would judge him and decide where he belonged going forward. It was all too reminiscent of his first encounter with the dual toned King.

"Erystotle Atlas"

Food had never tasted so good, nor had he ever been given so much of it. He struggled to finish it all, mostly out of fear of being called fat, but also feared not finishing it for whatever punishment may come of that. No one had hurt him here, but he knew the day was coming. It had always come before.

It felt unnatural using anyone's name and he wasn't sure that he was comfortable with it, but he would do as Erys asked of him without question even if it did just seem like a suggestion. He was confused when Erys spoke again, brows furrowing as he mentioned that he wasn't his master. "Y-you saved my life... M-master Erys," He stammered over his words as he visibly started to shiver, the anxiety of speaking out nerve wracking.

"Speech."

Lucian was a tiny thing, surely his stomach was small and unused to the amounts of food he could get here. Erys was sympathetic, he felt the same way when he first got here. Now he was much better filled out, and if he wasn’t careful he was sure that Chimera would get more pounds on him.

The smaller wolf didn’t seem comfortable, not that anyone would ever be very comfortable living in the state of a slave. Erys hadn’t before. His life completely changed now that he was a free wolf in Fenmyre, he never realized how rich his life could be. Erys wanted to help Luc break out of the shell he lived in for so long, and he should have had much more in common with him. Erys lived that life, he knew where the man was coming from, but how to get him out? He had taken tiny steps with Chimera, maybe that was just what Lucian needed.

Erys wasn’t about to correct him again so soon, but Luc claimed he owed him his life. "Maybe I did, but it’s up to you what you do with that. You wont be used like a possession anymore, Luc.” He didn’t miss the way he started to shiver and shake, and Erys retreated into himself, feeling awful for causing such a response. "I can go now, I don’t want to make you uncomfortable in your own home.”

"Erystotle Atlas"

Erys was using a lot of confusing words like 'up to you' and 'own home' that he simply couldn't understand. Luci had never had a choice in his life, not a real choice anyway, and certainly was forbidden from owning anything, especially a home. He worked and served those that had homes, so naturally this was beyond confusing for the poor man.

"I o-owe it to you for saving me. I want to serve you." The small amount of confidence in his voice surprised himself, bringing his gaze up to meet Erystotle's briefly almost pleading for him to accept it. It didn't last long though and soon his gaze fell back to the food, though he couldn't bring himself to eat another bite. Erys was right about him being uncomfortable, but wrong about the reasoning.

"It's worse when I'm alone." His voice was softer, almost a whisper now in admittance to his loneliness. He wasn't used to being alone, at least not for a duration of time. His nights were spent in the bed of his master and his day spent doing whatever tasks he was given for the day. He was anxious when alone in the bungalow, yet equally anxious about his new life.

"Speech."

He had a bit better understanding of what was going to happen when Chimera brought him into Fenmyre versus Luc with him now. The man before him was likely born into his servitude, where Erys knew a life of freedom before. He could see the confusion on the man’s features, but he wasn’t sure how else to explain himself. Luc spoke up quietly, there was a note of determination that Erys hadn’t expected. He wanted to serve him, because of his gratitude.

There was more in that statement than Erys wanted to understand. His gaze averted as he thought about himself and Chimera again. He wanted to serve his King and the kingdom he ruled over. Erys sighed softly and returned his ghostly silver gaze back to Luc’s delicate features. His gaze was looking down, as a proper slave would. Erys didn’t expect his little whisper as he turned to leave.

"I’ll stay,” he answered just as softly as he stopped in his tracks. He hesitated before stepping back into the room, just a little closer to where Lucian sat. He didn’t want to say it, but the words tumbled out. ”I won’t hurt you,” Erys promised as his gaze returned to Luc. He could see the lasting damage, the physical was easy to fix in comparison. He knew how deep it went, because he had struggled just the same.

"Erystotle Atlas"

It was almost as if the seconds between him admitting his loneliness and Erys answering had been minutes instead. A wave of relief washed over him when he'd promised to stay and moved closer that where he previously stood. With his eyes cast towards his own paws still, he couldn't even bring himself to look at Erys again. He felt ashamed, as if asking for something or even mentioning that he might want something was a luxury shouldn't be able to have.

The words he spoke next must have been some kind of dream. Even his nicest owners had their moments, always promising they wouldn't hurt him with the intention to do quite the opposite. Though for some reason, it felt different now... like maybe this time it was real. He knew better than to trust blindly, but what else did he have to lose? He sucked in a breath after a moment of holding it in immediate response, but with the movement of his lungs he began to crawl towards Erys, closing the distance between them and curling up tightly at, and slightly on, Erys' paws.

"Speech."

Erys had been in the same place as Lucien but he didn't know how to help someone there besides what he was doing. Being around, proving he wouldn’t go back on his word. Giving him time. The wounds beneath were worse than the ones on the exterior. The latter of which were coming along well. Helping someone like this wasn’t anything like Erys had ever done before. He was commanded to do things, and helping when he wasn’t asked was a new experience. It started with Chimera, but there was a debt felt there as well.

Erys returned to the middle of the room, uncertain if he was going to make himself comfortable. Uncertain how much this poor man needed him in what ways. But he wanted him here and Erys would stay. The pearlescent man was still and silent, trying to translate the subtle cues from the timid man. He didn’t need to do anything though, as he watched him begin to move. The last thing he expected was little Luc to curl up at his paws in a sad heap.

Mismatched ears slicked to his skull and haunches lowered to the floor as he sat over the poor man. Having a much closer set of experiences than he wished to admit, all he wanted was for Lucian to also know what he found. This freedom he was given in joining Fenmyre. A gentle paw lifted and began to stroke the pale fur of his shoulder, a tender touch to let him know he cared. That he was safe now.

"Erystotle Atlas"

Even if Erys was truthful about staying and not hurting him, he was still surprised the man didn't jump or shy away when he curled up on his paws. He was visibly shaking from the fear of being pushed away, yelled at, or worse. It would take him a few moments to calm back down, though he was ready to scamper away if needed. He certainly never expected to feel a kind touch and flinched at the first many gentle strokes, his skin and nerves acting on muscle memory to touch.

His flinching was less strong with each touch until it had faded away, quickly calming the small man and helping him relax at the paws of Erys. He still couldn't help but wonder why they were being so kind to him. He wasn't meant to be kind to, he was meant to be bossed around and used. "Why did you want to save me?" His voice was small, questioning more of why him than why in general. If only Erys knew everything he'd done 'wrong', then he probably wouldn't have wanted to save him.

"Speech."

The soft strokes over Lucian’s fur brought flinches from his flesh. Erys slowed his caress, but each one brought a little less of a reaction and he watched as the poor man calmed. Luc relaxed against pearlescent paws, and Erys found himself joining him. His heart rate slowed and he stopped himself from overthinking his actions. Really only time would heal, time and keeping his word. Eventually he spoke, Luc’s voice was soft and broken. Why was he saved, why did Erys save him? The horned man did not stop gently stroking pale fur as he thought about his answer for a quiet moment.

"I couldn’t just leave you there.” Not because he wanted to add a slave to Chimera’s collection, not because he was looking for a servant, but because he saw a wolf in trouble. Erys couldn’t have done anything but help. His heart wasn’t that hard. "You need help, and I can give that to others now. I used to be in a similar place as you, I was saved from that life by the King.” And Chimera would have his loyalty for life because of it.

"Erystotle Atlas"