Pollux’s ears twitched at her words, a warmth or something like it curling in his chest. He shuffled backward a step, long, gangly limbs folding awkwardly beneath him, antlers dipping in a clumsy, self conscious bow. “I… I’m… thank you,” he stammered, voice rough and warped by the mimicry, hesitating over every syllable like it might break if spoken too quickly.
She was small.
Not just shorter, but compact in a way that made his own height feel suddenly immense. Delicate, even, halo and wings and soft lines where he was nothing but angles. The awareness made him shift his weight back instinctively, careful not to loom.
Then she stepped closer. Pollux noticed immediately. His ears tipped back, red eyes tracking her with uncertain focus. He had not expected her to close the space at all. And when she reached for him, he leaned back on reflex. It was meant to be a polite retreat. It turned into something else entirely.
His balance went at once, long legs folding awkwardly beneath him as his hindquarters slipped out from under his frame. With a soft, undignified thump and a startled huff of breath, Pollux dropped back onto his haunches, antlers wobbling as he scrambled to steady himself with a forehoof. He glanced at her sheepishly, “I… I… sorry… I didn’t…”. He froze there, seated awkwardly, limbs tucked at strange angles, red eyes wide and glowing a fraction brighter. The touch itself, gentle as it was, still buzzed through him, unfamiliar and disorienting.
“I’m… not used to that,” he admitted after a moment, voice quieter now, breath uneven. He made no move to stand, as if afraid of making it worse. “People don’t… usually come close.” His gaze flicked up to her small frame from his new, much lower vantage point, then immediately away again, embarrassed by the angle as much as the proximity. His nostrils flared briefly before he swallowed and dipped his head.
“They tend to leave,” he said softly. “Or run, they think I’m a monster.” He shifted again, nearly toppling before he stilled himself, tail flicking in nervous little snaps. A brief, unconscious lick of his teeth followed, quick and restrained, before he caught himself and pressed his lips shut. “Thank you,” he added, barely above a murmur. “For… kindness. I don’t… really know what to do with it.” He took a careful breath, antlers brushing the grass as he lowered his head further.
“I’m… I’m not hungry, I… I was born this way.” He added, his anxious gaze lowering. “I… I should probably introduce myself,” he said, attempting a small, seated bow that nearly turned into another wobble. “I’m Pollux.” A pause, then softly, “May I ask… your name?”
@“Lillia”
She was small.
Not just shorter, but compact in a way that made his own height feel suddenly immense. Delicate, even, halo and wings and soft lines where he was nothing but angles. The awareness made him shift his weight back instinctively, careful not to loom.
Then she stepped closer. Pollux noticed immediately. His ears tipped back, red eyes tracking her with uncertain focus. He had not expected her to close the space at all. And when she reached for him, he leaned back on reflex. It was meant to be a polite retreat. It turned into something else entirely.
His balance went at once, long legs folding awkwardly beneath him as his hindquarters slipped out from under his frame. With a soft, undignified thump and a startled huff of breath, Pollux dropped back onto his haunches, antlers wobbling as he scrambled to steady himself with a forehoof. He glanced at her sheepishly, “I… I… sorry… I didn’t…”. He froze there, seated awkwardly, limbs tucked at strange angles, red eyes wide and glowing a fraction brighter. The touch itself, gentle as it was, still buzzed through him, unfamiliar and disorienting.
“I’m… not used to that,” he admitted after a moment, voice quieter now, breath uneven. He made no move to stand, as if afraid of making it worse. “People don’t… usually come close.” His gaze flicked up to her small frame from his new, much lower vantage point, then immediately away again, embarrassed by the angle as much as the proximity. His nostrils flared briefly before he swallowed and dipped his head.
“They tend to leave,” he said softly. “Or run, they think I’m a monster.” He shifted again, nearly toppling before he stilled himself, tail flicking in nervous little snaps. A brief, unconscious lick of his teeth followed, quick and restrained, before he caught himself and pressed his lips shut. “Thank you,” he added, barely above a murmur. “For… kindness. I don’t… really know what to do with it.” He took a careful breath, antlers brushing the grass as he lowered his head further.
“I’m… I’m not hungry, I… I was born this way.” He added, his anxious gaze lowering. “I… I should probably introduce myself,” he said, attempting a small, seated bow that nearly turned into another wobble. “I’m Pollux.” A pause, then softly, “May I ask… your name?”
@“Lillia”