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The Gift

Daniel's Storyline, Chapter 2.1

copyright comidacomida 2018

I don't remember much about the movie we watched but that wasn't really the point of having a movie night. By the time the movie came to a close the guy-bonding was progressing nicely. Sure, I'd realized, Herne got a bug up his ass, but, as night turned to early morning and pre dawn the rest of us were getting along just fine! Aiden told some crazy story about the problems the movie's director had dealing with the stars and Talapus related that to an age old issue humans had with getting other humans to follow directions. From there, Kon simply laughed off the entire affair, explaining that humans were silly creatures in general and said that we desire too much autonomy to really belong.

I had a few beers and continued to hang out with my new 'room mates'. Starting to put together a crazy sitcom idea in my head, I began comparing them each to a stereotypical sitcom personality. Kon was definitely the zany and funny room mate while Talapus was more of the intellectually humorous one. Aiden, despite being somewhere around a hundred years old or so, still looked at the world with bright and excited eyes so he'd be the naive and impressionable roomie. Where did that leave me?

Toward the end of the night, just as the sun was coming up I realized. After mentioning something about being ready for bed I ended up with three sets of eyes on me. I was the focus of the "will they/won't they" relationship only, instead of sharing that with just one of the cast members, apparently I was a 'target' for everyone. My mind lingered on what Herne had said the prior night and I started for the hallway leading to my room. "I'm going to bed alone. Gnight."

A chorus of responses ranging from "Catch ya later, David!" (Aiden) to "Are you sure you don't want company?" (Kon), I exited their company and retreated to my room alone... or so I had thought.

Herne was seated on my bed holding a pad of paper in one hand. I immediately recognized it as a notepad I used to record personal thoughts; I usually kept in my desk. His ears focused in on me the moment I noticed him. "You have quite a list of desires when it comes to the kind of man you want in your life, Daniel."

I wasn't sure whether I was more embarrassed, angry, or curious. The first and second emotions won over. "Hey! That's personal."

Heading over to my desk I opened it and rummaged around until I found the very pack of paper he held and I immediately paused. "What the heck?"

Herne stood up and set his 'copy' of the notepad next to me. "I apologize if I overstepped my bounds, but I wanted to understand you better and we have not had much time to talk."

His words, despite being fairly unemotional still somehow felt genuine. He explained his point, but it still didn't excuse his snooping. "That's all private. None of you respect privacy, do you?"

The Elk reached down and took hold of my wrist and slowly raised it and the notebook within my grasp, then lowered them down so that my writing settled onto the copy he'd been holding. There was something intimate about him guiding my movement but, at the same time, I found it a little invasive. Just as I came to that conclusion he let go and stepped away. "I respect privacy, and that is why I apologized for the transgression."

His straight-forward statements started to rub me the wrong way. "So it's easier to ask for forgiveness than it is to ask for permission?"

Rather than looking suitably cowed, Herne looked almost... proud? He smiled. "Yes it is... and it is far better that you understand such a thing in this way than in something much more destructive."

I wasn't sure I bought the idea that he was just trying to teach me some kind of lesson. "So you snooping around in my business had NOTHING to do with the actual snooping, or are you just using this as an excuse because you were caught?"

Looking up at the Elk and trying to be mad was a difficult proposition but I tried my best; he was still imposing, and I found that it took all my will to be successful. Regardless, he didn't seem even the least bit concerned. His eyes gleamed Emerald and he reached up to take some kind of jade torque off of his arm. "I gladly Vow, Daniel Serrit, that I will not lie to you nor seek to deceive you."

Looking down at the strangely solid piece of jewelry handed to me by the spirit, I paused for just a moment before looking back up at him. He seemed so old, and wise... he even knew my full name even though I'd never introduced myself. "So... what was the deal then? Were you snooping just to snoop?"

He smiled patiently, making me feel for just a moment like I was a stupid little kid throwing a tantrum. "No, Daniel. I read nothing aside from your name on the front cover. I am simply wishing to make a point."

The statement made me feel even dumber; of COURSE I had my name written on it. Come to think of it, now that I look back on things, THAT was a pretty dumb thing, especially considering some of the stuff I'd written in it... pretty lewd things... pretty... well... uh... let's say 'questionable' things. Which, at that time, brought up another good point. "If you didn't read what was in it, how do you know it had to do with guys?"

The Elk made a point of glancing around the room: his eyes went to my bookshelf and the yaoi collection there; he then glanced toward my dvd collection which included plenty of porn; his gaze ultimately went to linger on my computer, which had a scantily clad muscle bound cat guy as its desktop wallpaper. "It was an educated guess... and I assume I was not wrong."

In one sense I was angry that he was trying to paint me into a corner with his preconceived notions of who I was, but in another sense it was really enlightening that he wasn't wrong either. That really drove it home-- but I was still frustrated by his actions. "The theatrics aren't really appreciated, thanks. Besides, I have lots of other interests too. I like video games... and music... and movies-- not just porn movies too!"

Herne nodded. "Yes. You are an individual with depth. I understand that, and it is something I like to see. You should show more of yourself in that way."

He was impossible to argue with-- not because I knew he was right (or not JUST because I knew he was right), but it felt like he was somehow cheating at arguing. There's no real way to describe the feeling, but I could just TELL that he innately felt he was right and, despite the sneaky, underhanded trick with my private notepad, I couldn't help but feel that too. In the end, all I could do was hopelessly state "I'm going to bed. It's almost dawn and I don't want to sleep the whole day away."

His antlered head fell forward in what felt like a gesture of 'permission'. "I will leave you to it then."

Even as he got up to leave I couldn't help but stop him. "You... aren't going to ask to stay in here with me?"

He flicked an ear, still facing the door as he spoke over his shoulder. "No, Daniel... I will not ask to stay in here with you; that is presumptive and rude.. This is your room; I will wait until you ask me to stay with you."

I wasn't sure whether he was trying reverse psychology or some kind of misdirection; he'd mentioned he was interested in me-- I was sure of it, in fact. I almost opened my mouth to object, but he departed, walking out through the door with nothing more than a polite "Good night."

Although there were for spirits in the next room with nothing between us other than a wall that I knew any of the four could easily walk through, I felt like I was alone enough to take care of 'other business' before sleeping. For the first time in a long time I didn't bother with dvd porn, internet porn, or even magazine porn; I had a menagerie of imagination material in my apartment. Aiden had that smile; Talapus had that self-confidence; Herne was that imposing alpha male; Kon-- well... Kon was Kon.

By the time I was done I'm pretty sure I needed twice as many tissues as usual but, god, four sexy furries all fighting for my attention? And, I guess it goes without saying, yes: the euphoria didn't last very long when I realized that what I'd done only proved Herne's point. Sighing, I went to sleep, realizing that I--