He was gigantic.
The 7'0 monster of a man towered over her, even though he was sitting. Bright cyan eyes gazed down at her unreadably.
He gestured with his large fingers for her to come closer. She'd anxiously waddle up to him.
His bare chest was o...
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The stranger took a bundle out of his cloak.
Caribou pelt was carefully tied together with a string. He'd offer it to her, hidden gaze peering at her gently.
She took it with both hands, looking down at it in fascination. "Do I open it?" She asked softly, peering up at the stranger. He nodded curtly.
Pulling away the string, she unfolded the pelt to gaze at what it hid.
Dark red and brown beads were tied together to form a necklace, the small tip of an antler tied at its bottom. The piece of jewelry was clearly handmade- but she struggled to imagine him making something so beautiful with his massive hands.
"It's beautiful..." She whispered, grazing her fingertips along the antler piece. It was real.
Looking up at him, he appeared to tense under her gaze. Lily wished, more than anything, that she could see his face. "Why are you giving me this...?" She'd ask, not ungrateful but curious.
"... Beautiful women deserve a man that can protect and care for them." He began, lowering his crouch to sit on the ground. He was hunched over but still towering over her smaller frame. "To keep them warm, fed, and safe." Lily's face lit up red at his indirect compliment. "I made that for you." He rumbled, clenching and unclenching his fists- as if he were fidgeting. "Thank you." She beamed, "That's... that's so generous of you. This makes me so happy."
He watched as she tied the necklace around her neck- letting it hand overtop her cowl so it could be seen.
"You're adorable." She blurted.
He tensed further, breath catching at her sudden compliment. "I'm not adorable." He quickly argued.
"I'm a hunter." He'd say, "I hunted that caribou and skinned it with my bare hands. I sawed a piece of the antler to make that necklace."
"I'm a deadly man."
Lily giggled girlishly, smiling brightly. "You're right." She agreed, but that wouldn't stop her from believing he was adorable. Going out of his way to do this? Trying to prove to her how capable he is? He was absolute husband material.
"What's your name?" She asked eagerly, slightly leaning toward him. He leaned toward her- but quickly pulled himself back.
"... I-" He stammered, "I can't tell you that."
She'd frown, which seemed to upset him. "I'd tell you a fake one, but-" He turned his head to look down, "... I don't have the heart to do that."
Oh, god, he was such a sweetheart.
Lily couldn't help but wonder why he felt such conviction and loyalty toward her. This was their third meeting- and he appeared to be slightly clingy. She was beginning to think that they... knew each other. Suddenly, his much larger and calloused hands were rising. His fingertips grazed her cheeks and jaw before he rested his palms on her cheeks. Lily's face got extremely red, the tips of her ears brightening. Her pale skin definitely wasn't helping hide her flustered nature.
The stranger rumbled with a chuckle, making her heart skip a beat.
"Let me make it up to you." He muttered, taking his hands away from her face- to her dismay.
Suddenly...
His fingers grasped the hem of his hood.
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