Fated (Bloodhound x Eve (OC))

Peace Offering

"Artur is not quite a pet. He is more of a...companion, a fickle hrafn, but a friend nonetheless."

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Eve rolled up the sleeves of her hoodie and threw her hair into a messy pile atop her head. It was Sunday - cleaning day. Bloodhound showed her the little paper chart inside the cover of their sketchbook of what chores needed to be done when. She had looked this over with wide eyes - the words weren't in English, but it was clear there was a lot to do. It wasn't that she thought they would've lived like a slob, but their level of fastidiousness surprised her. Her tolerance for disorder was higher than theirs, and living with them was an adjustment for her. But, they'd been patient so far, and helping them keep their shared space tidy was a small price to pay to stay together.

Her first duty for the morning was to sweep the floors. After she finished the dining area, she zoomed into the bedroom, broom in hand. She smiled when she saw Bloodhound in the bathroom hard at work. They were on all fours, a little cleaning brush gripped tightly in their hand while they scrubbed the tile. Their auburn hair had been tied back and braided to keep it out of the way. Eve was envious of their skill with plaiting hair - even this quick look was far superior to the basic, practical braid she usually wore.

As she moved around the bedroom, she backed up to catch a tiny ball of dust she spotted under the bed. She whirled around suddenly at a loud metallic clattering noise to see that she had knocked the birdcage near the window onto the floor. All the little odds and ends that rested in the bottom below the perch were now scattered across the freshly swept floor.

"Oh, shit," she muttered. Eve leaned the broom up against the bed and picked up the silver wire cage, replacing it gingerly in its proper place. The pieces had gotten everywhere. She dropped to her hands and knees to pick up each bit.

Bloodhound's sock-clad feet entered her vision. As they bent to join her, she caught the whiff of the lemon oil cleaner they'd been using.

"Sorry," she said. "I bumped it off the table."

"It is not I who requires an apology," they replied, a small smile tugging at the corners of their mouth.

Eve eyed the empty cage. Since she'd been staying with them, the cage had remained open, but bare besides the tiny treasures in the bottom. The window was always left ajar, but she'd never thought to question it until now. "I didn't know you had a pet bird, I thought it was just decoration or something. I've never seen anything here."

Their green eyes crinkled in amusement. "Artur is not quite a pet. He is more of a... companion, a fickle hrafn, but a friend nonetheless."

"Oh. Will I get to meet him?"

"Perhaps, though it is not my decision to make," Bloodhound replied, scooping the bird's treasures back into the cage. "He is wary of strangers after some... Þúst , less than friendly encounters with the other Legends. In time, he will make his presence known."

"I didn't mean to make him uncomfortable in his own house." Eve spotted one last item, a tiny red pebble underneath the dresser and bent to pick it up, arranging it next to the other similar stones in the cage.

They patted her shoulder comfortingly. "His true home is in the trees, with his feathered brethren. This is more of a resting place when he deigns to grace me with his presence."

The pair resumed cleaning, but Eve couldn't stop thinking about Artur. She didn't like the thought that she had pushed him out of his home and taken away his safe haven. Despite Bloodhound's repeated reassurances, she couldn't help but feel guilty. The feeling nagged at her like a thorn in her foot, causing flashes of painful memories to cross her mind, but she quickly pushed those aside and focused on how to make things right with the raven.