NT veRse - Curses 2 - Homecoming (Patreon)

'I, Paul, was apparently born with no last name so my name was “Shepard.” I have a flock that was placed into my hands and a Mother and Father that look nothing like me. But they're mine. I don't feel much from them, but I also know they aren't like other parents. I hate when people say that I look different. I don't want to stand out or anything, I just want to live normally. I never felt ambition or wants. Even as I grew older I didn't feel arousal even once at the sight of men or women or animals. It's not even accurate to say that I'm a deviant. I, Paul am just blank. At least I have been until that night.'

- -

He clutched his throat tightly and began to sweat. As soon as the door shut he stared at it. Behind it there was a woman. A woman he had grown up with and never seen before. Not truly 'seen.' He was confused as the shape of her stood out in his mind for the first time. The way her body looked to him. For another first he wondered what she would look like without clothes.

'What”s happening to me?' He had drank wine before to no effect. Paul would become drunk but he would never wake up beside someone else as the other men in the village described. Because he was the 'blank' of the village. He was helpful to others and kind and his work helped the people in town and the surrounding area but it felt until this moment that he had no face to any of them. No presence outside of the small things he did. For that he was pleased and rewarded, but suddenly as the door shut he felt jilted and denied. Suddenly Paul went from a world without desire to having lived in an unfair world where he was not allowed to feel things to the same extent as other people.

'What”ll she do if I go in and take her? Would she hate me? Why am I thinking about this for the first time? Hannah, through my entire life, has never been a woman to me but now...' He knocked on the door.

'If you want to hate me, go ahead and hate me. I can”t stop.'

- -

“So this thing was causing problems.” Dinae rubbed her chin as she looked over the unusually large creature. Hooves at the back with paws at the front. An elongated snout with razors for teeth and sharp antlers sprouting from it's skull. It's fur was white with gray underneath; two coats.

“Something wrong, captain?” her subordinate asked, wiping blood from his sword.

“Humans don't know the tales, but this is a Forest Guardian. They're usually gentle. When they come out and start to rampage it signifies a change in season.”

“Ah... Is it going to get cool soon? I'll warn my cousin.”

Dinae watched him. “Ah... Yeah, I guess that's what most people would think when they hear that.” Her ears twitched as she heard hoof-beats. Her tail whipped back and forth as she sheathed her sword. Dog Beastfolk were not rare. In fact, they were rather common for guarding towns and villages. She was the only of her kind in the area, however. Dinae had black hair with a white lining around her ears and at the base of her tail. Her eyes were gray with a signature blue halo surrounding the iris. She turned to see riders approaching on a pacnal, a hoofed creature typically utilized to carry freight. They could be trained for war and ridden into combat as well.

“What is it?”

“Thought you'd need reinforcements!” The men were from the Central Cheshire Militia and had just arrived, likely after hearing of a great threat from one of the villagers who ran as Dinae and her man began fighting it. The Militia-man inspected the scene.

“No sir.” She responded simply.

“What right do I have in my position if I can't beat a little guy like this.” She gripped the antlers and shook it, causing the men that just arrived to flinch at the sight.

“W-we would have trouble handling this with just ourselves. Are you saying we don't deserve our positions?”

Dinae sighed deeply, running her hand through her dark hair. She looked up with a cocky grin and said. “I wasn't the one who said it.”

The lead man seemed annoyed. “Anyway... There's a lot here. Seems like we can make a killing with the carcass.”

Dinae grimaced. “Should just live it where it lay. If you don't let the forest take back it's own-”

“I don't care about your Beastfolk superstition.” The man snapped as he dismounted his pacnal.

Dinae muttered. “Is it Beastfolk tradition if we both used to believe it but only one of us forgot?”

“What was that!?” He asked confrontationally.

She began walking away, waving a hand behind her. “I said... I gotta go. A friend of mine just got back from the Academy.”

Dinae's subordinate stared down at the creature. It had a bad aura about it after what she said, so he quickly ran after her rather then share in the spoils.
“Dinae! Wait up.”

The two militia-men shrugged. “More for us.”

“What if it is cursed?” The other man asked.

“Don't be stupid. We'll take the antlers and some teeth. We can't carry much before it rots, anyway.” He grunted and began sawing with his knife.
“Dumb bitch...”

- -

“Dinae!” Leam rushed out as soon as he saw Dinae approaching the town. Leam was a young man with smooth red hair and pronounced freckles. He wore a pair of glasses that had been repaired and re-repaired over the course of his entire life in the small village of Blackliff.

“Hey Leam.” She waved fairly easily at him.

“So, uhm-”

“You seen Hannah, yet?” She asked.

“I didn't.” Leam looked down awkwardly.
“They immediately went back to her house and didn't come out at all.”

When he said 'they' Dinae immediately knew that he was talking about Paul and Hannah, because in town those two were usually spoken of in the same sentence. She exhaled through her nose and scratched her fuzzy ears.
“Since it's those two, I don't think anyone would ever worry about something happening while they're alone.” She grinned at Leam.
“If that's what you were thinking about.”

His face became bright red. “I- I wasn't!”

“Right.” She walked past, leaving him behind. As she moved past Leam briefly came eye to eye with the boy that had become her subordinate in the town militia, Dalton.

“Remember what I said...” Dalton offered cryptically.

Leam averted his gaze and felt a pit form in his stomach. His face twisted in despair. Those words only meant one thing. He thought back to the awkward talk they had a month ago when Dalton first began following Dinae around like a Dog. His words were still fresh. 'If you don't say anything to her, I'm going to keep getting closer. I'm not slowing down for your sake. Put in a claim or step aside since I'm intending to make Dinae mine.' Leam held his head in his hands.
“Why am I so pathetic...” He quickly ran after her. He had always hoped that someone would happen if he simply stuck by her side throughout her life. If he was there for all the important parts it would be like they were together, even if they weren't and gradually it would become official without him having to do anything. In so many ways, though, Dinae drifted away. She joined the Militia, the took part in expeditions, she hunted. Meanwhile Leam remained back at the town, alone with his thoughts and emotions.

Unlike Leam Dalton was a very forward man. They shared interests. Dalton was a type that Dinae described on a few occasions. Straight-forward. If it was him, Leam knew he wouldn't wait. He would have been working to make something happen all of the many times they are alone out on patrol. Leam rushed up to Dinae's side.
“We're going to see them?”

Dinae smiled at him. “Yeah. Let's both go.” She glanced back.
“Dalton?”

He shook his head. “I'll just be awkward since you all are old friends. I'll see you on Patrol.”

“You bet.” She gave a loose salute.

“Y-you two close?” Leam asked before immediately regretting it. Dinae stared at him with a neutral gaze aside from a raised brow and asked very simply:

“Why?”

“N-nothing! Forget I asked.”

She smirked. “Well now I'm curious. What do you mean by 'close?' Have we had sex?”

Leam covered his face. “I genuinely didn't mean it like that.”

“What did you mean?” She walked a little closer down the path.

“I just-”

“We haven't had sex. I haven't yet with anyone.” She offered rather forwardly, looking up in thought.
“But I think I'll probably end up doing it pretty soon.” Dinae explained casually. She had always been like that.

“Why?” Leam balled up his fists tightly.

Dinae stared at him from the side as she walked. “Well, I think he wants to, so we're bound to do it eventually. That's just how it goes. Eventually you just 'do it' with someone that's close to you and then maybe you keep doing it until you have kids and such.”

“It sounds like you've either thought about it a lot or not at all.” Leam assessed somewhat bitterly. It added insult to injury that his plan was exactly what she said.

'But I can”t be the one that remains close to you and reaps that reward?'

“I guess...” She tapped her lips. Leam stared at those plush lips intently as she spoke.
“I've thought about it not at all. That's why I can say all that.”

'Of course.' He sighed.

They approached the door. Dinae was the one to knock. Paul answered. Both could tell that he seemed a bit uncomfortable. As the door opened and he saw Dinae he covered his mouth and stepped back. It looked like he had seen a ghost.
“Heeey! Where's Hannah?” Dinae asked warmly.
“Also, how're you doing? I haven't seen you much since-” As she placed a friendly hand on his shoulder he quickly brushed it off and leaned back.

“Don't touch me!” He snapped.

Dinae raised her hands and blinked rapidly for a moment. “Woah!”

“Hah-Hannah!” He called out, rushing quickly towards the room. While calling her name it sounded like he was panting. As her bedroom door opened they rapidly traded spaces.

“Sorry about him. How are you two!” Hannah asked, trying to play hostess in Paul's stead. Something crossed her mind though and that was how hard he was as he was entering the room.

“What's his deal?” Dinae asked, stepping in to sit down at Hannah's kitchen table. She noticed a turned-over cup with red seeping out to stain the tabletop.
“Hmm.”

Hannah gulps. “Good question, I better check. You guys wait out here a minute.” With that she retreated back into her room. Dinae and Leam sat down across from one another. To Leam, the Human he had no clue what it was. He only knew things were strange. For the Beastfolk however her ears were powerful and without even trying, her 'radar-dishes' picked up on the sounds of talking without really hearing what was said, then the sound of a bed moving. Slowly her face became redder and redder as she heard moans and mewling. For Dinae, she was quite casual when speaking to Leam, but actually hearing it in the other room was entirely another.

“What's going on?” Leam asked.

“They're... Talking it out.” She cleared her throat.

A few minutes later both of them heard. “O-oh god!”

Leam stood up. Dinae looked at him. “Leave it.”

Hannah emerged from her room. Her buttons were out of alignment and her clothes otherwise looked a bit ragged, along with her brown hair.
“Haha... Sorry. We were talking about moving furniture.”

“Where's Paul?” Leam asked.

“He's resting, since he tired himself out moving the... Furniture.” Saying he moved the bed was a bit close to home.

“But what really happened?” Dinae asked, resting her cheek on her hand.

“Huh?”

“Everyone knows you and Paul are closed. You've never been embarrassed about chasing him so it's not weird at all. Wasn't even going to say anything but you lied about it... Why?”

Hannah stared at her friend. “Is it so hard to believe that I didn't wanna discuss 'it' with you guys? So what...”

“Now you're being nonchalant. Besides that, what changed. That blank and you-”

“Don't call him that!” Hannah snapped.

“Sorry.” Dinae exhaled sharply.
“I meant.. Paul never had eyes before.”

Leam suddenly felt very curious as well. He had always thought of Paul as someone he could relate to, since both of them were unable to express their feelings.
“What changed?”

Hannah frowned deeply. If there were people to tell it would be Dinae and Leam. “I cursed him a little.”

“Huh!?” Dinae stood up.

“Calm down! It was a harmless one. It was supposed to make him aroused at me. I didn't want to spend another break beating around the bush. You guys don't get it...” She clenched her fists tightly.
“Paul never made a single move but he was always so nice... Somehow I just KNEW that he wanted to but couldn't so I thought I would help in the only way I could.”

“Oh god, Han... A curse, though?” Dinae grimaced.

“N-no. I think I understand.” Leam said seriously.

“H-Hannah can we talk?”

She was surprised. “You and me?” Leam would never make a request like that. He was the type who would tag along but never made requests or suggestions. He stood up and walked out. Hannah followed reluctantly. He kept walking far, far out. She guessed it was because he knew that Dinae would hear if they were just outside.
“What's this about? I'm guessing it's not just that you wanna scold me in private.”

“No... I want you to curse me too, Hannah.” Leam said ashamedly.

“W-what!?”

Leam dove forward and covered her mouth. “Shhh!” He begged.
“I- I like Dinae but I'm losing her. I can't say anything. Whenever I'm around her I can't speak or say the things I want to say. I want to tell her I like her but every time we're alone my I freeze and all I can think is... 'Next time. Next time for sure.' But there is no next time, not anymore... I'm going to lose her like this.”

Hannah softened. “Leam...” If Paul was like a childhood friend and desired lover, Leam was a little brother.

“Please, Hannah. I need this...”

She scratched her chin while avoiding his gaze. “You want to be cursed? I-I guess that's no better than tricking Paul into getting cursed. In reality... It's probably miles better. How could I judge you at all for wanting that?”

Leam gasped. “Y-you tricked him!? Does he even know what's happening to him?”

“He knows.” Hannah nodded. Leam was relieved.

“Just tell me what I have to do.”

“Your situation is a little different. It seems like you actually want it really bad. With Paul, he didn't even seem to know. For you I think I would look for something that removes your inhibitions and makes you less filtered.”

“That's perfect!”

“The flip-side is that you... Will have no filter at all. I guess that's exactly what I said but it's probably not all that great and might get really embarrassing.”

“There no way to fine-tune these things?”

“What I'm doing is using pre existing methods. If I was a graduate or a professor I could maybe start to develop my own but I'm not that advanced.”

“Got it. So what do you need from me?”

“Need you to wait and help me out with the materials. Also, since we're doing this I need you to back me up when it comes to Paul, okay?”

“Yeah, of course.”

“Thanks, Leam.” She hugged him and the two began to walk back.

As they got in Hannah took a few great steps back as she saw Dinae pressed up against the wall of the kitchen. Paul had his hand on her chin while his mouth was buried in her neck. Her face was bright red, her tail was curled between her legs and her ears were on a swivel.
“L-little help? I don't wanna hurt him.”

“Paul!” Hannah shouted.

He breathed and stepped back. On his face was plastered a look of horror. “Oh god... What's happening to me? What's WRONG with me?” He whined, tears in his eyes. He looked at Hannah with an expression like he was lost.

Hannah stared at him and immediately felt immense guilt. Aside from that however something caught her eye.
'Were his eyes always so... Green?'