Freshly nineteen Lily felt like she needed to start finding her path in the world. All she knew was her siblings tried to gather paints and other art supplies for her when they could. She felt it wasn’t their job to support her dreams, especially since the things for her dreams could end up costing them more than coin. She was blessed whether it be by the wind or the moon with the ability to see colors beyond that of many people. So she thought why not try making her own paints, then maybe it would keep her family safe. So that day she packed a little bag with some glass jars to visit different places and collect samples. She went to move out of her tent before pausing. She quickly returned to write out a note to Luna with what she was doing so no one would overly worry about her.
After she was done with the note she moved out of her tent and let the warmth smack her in the face. She looked up to the sky seeing the swirls of the oranges and pink undertones. After a moment of admiring it she pulled her face away and looked around. It seemed most of the caravan were either asleep or out getting things for their people. “Perfect timing.” She muttered as she started to walk out of the line of the colorful tents of her people. Her walking soon turned into dancing as she hummed to herself practicing one of the routines that she often performed to gain some coin. She had grown dependent on the Wind to keep her safe so her eyes closed as she twirled around.
That was when she collided into a solid mass, falling back on her bottom she gave a gentle, “Ow.” She looked to her elbow as she checked to make sure she wasn’t bleeding before turning her gaze up to the young man who she had come to know as Hawk. He was so angry, and she still wasn’t sure why he wanted to be around the gypsy’s for as long as he had been. “Hello to you also, Hawk.” She said with the cheerful chim her voice always seemed to have as she pulled herself up off of the ground to stand fully in front of him once again. Though she was much shorter than him.
She could feel the anger just lashing through his soul, the young gypsy wolf turned her head to the side to watch him for a moment. “How about you tag along with me today?” She asked though her hand came to his and she started to pull him along behind her. “I am going to attempt to make my own paints. I may need some help collecting things. So kind of you to help me.” She said not giving him a chance to deny helping her as she used the wind to push him with her dragging. She reached the lake that she had been wanting to go to with ease. Her hand still in his, her eyes darted around. “Moss, water, rocks. Yes this has to yield some good color results.” She sat her bag down and pulled out a bottle to collect water.
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Sometimes the world stops- just long enough for you to take it all in and notice all the shattered pieces in your life and the life of others come together and make sense. In that sense, you suddenly wish this is what your life was all the time, that tranquil moment but it's just that - a moment in passing that you must take the opportunity to enjoy when it comes. This was Hawk's favourite time of day when the Gypsies switched shifts. The ones who slept were waking up and slowly gaining more sense of themselves as their grogginess lifted and they prepared for the dance circle around the fire. Those that stayed up all night were dialling down and pulling back preparing to sleep enough so they could participate in the dance circle. Hawk was most at peace with himself when the world was shifting around him all the Gypsies coming to understand by now to just leave him alone he wasn't going to harm anyone despite his curse.
He had lived among them for year's at this point growing into a rather complex young man of twenty-one. He knew all about them and even some of each of their lives but no one knew much about him even Mama and Leander knew very little about him. Everyone seemed to question if he could even speak because whenever someone would try he would just stare or maybe grunt or shake his head and sometimes he'd pretend he didn't even hear them which was often easy with all the noise from the Gypsies constant music and joy. He very clearly stood out among the colourful people in the way he dressed and looked sure, but mostly his mannerisms.
He was hard to miss so when Lily thumped into him and bumped his mind out of the moment of peace he was trying to enjoy his head snapped in her direction and his eyes glared down at her. He eased up when he noticed it was the queen and kings youngest biological daughter and his lips formed a straight line with his eyebrows remaining pushed together as he looked away. He was looking down at her again immediately though when her hand caught his and he didn't pull away and in fact, he followed her because he had this need to comply forced inside of him. He was a slave for long enough to still have this mentality of doing what you're told. That wasn't something anyone knew though even Mama and Leander but here he was following their daughter with the wind pushing against his back.
Why he stayed was a different reason entirely because they weren't in Nowhere as it was Nowhere to him was Heaven and he was unsure if he'd get in. He wasn't a gypsy he just lived among them but he knew first hand what hatred they received on the day by day when their caravans sailed through each town. They were near a rather tumultuous town in regards to them now so Hawk felt like he couldn't just leave her alone out here. He sat next to her as she gathered water feeling rather useless while he looked away. Being cursed he didn't have much he could use to his advantage in this case but his fortune quickly changed as two men around his and Lily's age appeared across the pond and began to speak about her in a foreign tongue.
Hawk side-eyed Lily who seemed to be completely oblivious to the men or she was ignoring them. He then wondered if Gypsies were linguists having travelled the world the way they did one might think they would pick up on languages. If she knew what they were saying though she would've probably responded if she understood the foul things they said clearly about her. Hawk stood up with a huff and scanned around quickly finding a small boulder and using the one good thing -sometimes- about his curse, the unbridled strength.
He picked it up with ease and launched it at the two young men across the pond missing them on purpose and after a moment of them being stunned they turned their attention to him. There was another moment of stillness as all three men got into a staring contest before the other two began to yell at Hawk. "Oh sì bene succhiami il cazzo, fighe!" He yelled right back making a rather vivid motion to match his graphic words and for the first time revealing to anyone he could speak just fine. The two guys waved their hands at Hawk to brush him off before waking off themselves scowling and muttering to each other under their breaths and Hawk laughed. He laughed rather obnoxiously as he wiped his hands together and then did a faint shimmy which immediately stopped when his eyes met Lily's. Hawk had completely forgotten she was there and she was the reason he was here ANND she was the reason he threw a literal boulder at two people. His laughter stopped and his smile dropped while his lips formed that straight line once more as he turned on his heels and walked away staying around because again he didn't want to leave her here alone but just putting space between them.
As he stayed, she would steal sideways glances at the angry man she had known for a few years now. As she worked on collecting things she wondered if he knew, knew that she watched him from time to time. Wondered if he knew how she had a crush on the older boy that was quiet and just watched the gypsies. He was the strong silent type. She wondered if he would ever open up to someone. If he could and would open up to her one day. As she was lost in her thoughts she had no idea that any one had moved closer to the pair.
Though her wolf senses picked up on the words after a quiet moment as the males spoke about her in ways that they shouldn’t. She just kept working, picking up a few rocks she could use to grind together to make powders and other things. She set them beside her and tried her best to ignore the pair across the lake they were at. She knew enough in their travels to know what they were saying, it was something that just happened with their nomadic life. Yet pretended she couldn’t hear them. She never expected the quiet angry man beside her to react.
So when he stood up she let her gaze follow him, as he threw the small boulder her eyes widened, she took in his words and bit back the laugh that wanted to come up just hoping the men would move on. As he spoke though she noticed his voice the most as she stared at him lost in the actions he was displaying that. When he shimmied she felt the smirk touch her lips as their eyes met. Watching him turn from a bright light for a moment to being stone. As he moved away she frowned softly but didn’t want to push the issue at that moment.
She collected some different things and moved into the water at one point. “Tell me Hawk.” She said towards him knowing he wasn’t far as she moved deeper into the water. Her eyes glued to look for colors that no one else would be able to see. “Do you often tell people to suck your dick?” She asked knowing the words would shock anyone in her family as they left her lips. She was the innocent one, the one that must be protected. Luna words not hers. “You seem to know that phrase very well.”
She said as she dived down and scooped up some fallen scales and came back up tossing her hair to cause water to fly everywhere as she moved out to place them on the flat rock and started to grind away. “Tell me also.” She said as she sat back to look at him taking a break from the grinding. “What is your favorite color?” She was sure he had been asked many times why he was so angry so she wanted to avoid asking that. She was sure he had his reasons. Life was hard for many people, not just gypsies.
Avoiding without leaving her was what he was doing now as he squared near the water's edge. He cupped some in his hands as he poked the tip of his tongue into it trying to figure out if it was fresh and drinkable or salt. He smacked his lips together as the tiny drop touched his taste buds noting it was drinkable. He had only taken a few handfuls when her question rang into his ears. He choked and coughed out his last sip being caught off guard. "Yes, but they never take me up on the offer." He clears his throat and mumbles a bit sarcastically.
All these years living together in the same caravan and they'd never so much as shared a hum before now. It was all his fault obviously, he was both afraid and accustom to not speaking without permission and still trying to convince himself it was safe to do so. The gypsies certainly helped but even still Lily was the first of her family besides her parents that had heard his voice. She was the first that got him to reply verbally to her in any way. He cupped another handful of water using it on his face and running it through his hair to cool off. Whipping his eyes and giving her his full attention just in time to see her step into the water.
This wasn't his first time being dragged by her to go collect art supplies but he cocked a brow as he watched her wade in. She had never done this before. Both eyebrows raise faintly as she rises back up and flips her hair. Not even caring how the water from her hair slaps him right in the face. His intense gaze just stays on her, his eyebrows dropping as soon as they had risen. Lily was fucking gorgeous. He had always thought so but of course, never told a soul. It wasn't just her looks either; her heart and soul just feed into her beauty.
He broke his heated gaze away from her and shifted from a squat to sitting once he realised they would be her while more. He stares out at the water and huffs before turning his head to look back towards her. His eyes searching around as he thought about her next question. He knows going back to being silent at this point isn't an option. He leans back onto his hands and takes a deep breath "I don't know. Colours are new to me so it's hard to choose when I know I haven't seen them all yet." He shrugs as he answers and looks into her eyes. He twists his mouth; his answer coming with no knowledge of her ability to see more colours than the average being.
He turns and glances out at the water watching the sunshine hit it and shimmer. "Sea green." He says as if his mind could one day change. "The colour of the ocean." He continues and looks back her way. "Aquamarine. I think I heard someone call it that once years ago before I met the gypsies." His voice is softer than the angry appearance he normally and that appearance is a lot friendlier at this moment as he turns to look back out at the water.
The young gypsy made a popping sound with her lips as she thought for a moment since he had choked out an answer. “Would you take someone up if they dropped to their knees in front of you accepting your offer?” She tilted her head towards him. “Is that what makes you so angry all the time? You need sexual relief?” She let her gaze darken as it held his. She had watched Vega and others flirt in her time so she figured she would try. “You know they say Gypsy have a way of sexual healing. It is one of the reasons we are so disliked.” Holding that dark gaze as the water from the lake rolled down her neck in beads.
It was rare to have the man's full attention like she was having at that moment. Holding his gaze, trying her best at being seductive she caved. Feeling the heat of blush rise to her cheeks so she quickly looked down to the items she wanted to crush together and make different colors. She had no idea he was viewing her as gorgeous or that she had even captured his attention that way long before her flirting. “Many people talk that way about me like they did, Hawk.” She said softly as she placed the leaves on the flat rock and took the round rock and started rolling it over them. “I know the wind will keep me safe, and if it doesn’t I am wolf.” She growled faintly, playfully towards him.
She had worries, yes but she often didn’t let others know she had worries. She tried to keep the carefree spirit up and keep the gypsy lightness alive. She glanced back at him briefly before giving a gentle sad sigh. “Sadly like many you will also never see all the colors I can. Sometimes I wish I could let people see the world through my gaze. All the colors of the wind that dance around. How no human is actually the color we are categorized as. The beauty of everything.” She said softly looking towards the water. “I wish I could show you all the colors I can see.” Her gaze then moved towards him as she gave him a soft smile.
As he spoke his favorite color she leaned back for a moment and gave a gentle chuckle. “I think you are just so in love with the ocean it has to be your favorite color.” She teased him but then quickly moved to crush the dragon scale in with the leaf. She knew what she needed to do now. She could sneak into town and find a jeweler who sold aquamarine stones. She could get him a necklace so he could always look down and have a piece of the ocean with him. She smiled at herself about her little plan.
She moved to get the glass vials to fill them with the powder she had now crushed up and swirled it. Holding it up to the light. “Aquamarine.” She said and looked to him past the vial and held it out to him. “Close?” she asked his opinion. “I like when you talk with me.” she said softly towards him as she reached back, tucking back her wet hair behind her ear.
Hawk was still deciding whether to answer her or not when she furthered the conversation. Digging into why he was angry. His reaction to her words is nearly unnoticeable as his eyes widen softly and his brow knit together. She was suddenly the driving force keeping this topic alive when really all he was trying to do was hurl an immature insult at boys across the water. The gypsies being disliked for their ability in sexual healing was news to him and he of course wanted to test that theory. But "No. It's not why I'm angry." His voice held a forced dullness to it as he set his gaze upon the water. "I've dipped my wick enough to last me a lifetime..." While his words were true they weren't prideful or bragging and his reflexes weren't fast enough to keep her flirtation from going right over his head. "...but that doesn't mean I'd stop someone if they offered me their mouth." He shrugged.
The young cursed one had no filter, it was either he didn't speak or he spoke very bluntly. He didn't understand the purpose of a filter. Watching your tongue for your or someone else's sake was a new concept to him and he was far more familiar with not being allowed to speak at all. His eyes met hers again as she spoke about colours as if they were just as alive as he or her and he blinked in a slight confusion inching closer to her for a second to try and understand what exactly she had just shared with him. He looked away as he thought and it wasn't until she held one of her vials up to the light that he fully focused on her once more.
Hawk's eyes glowed vibrantly for a second, as he looked past the vial and right at her. Tilting his head even to look around what was obstructing his view of her. Unaware of what or how his eyes looked in the moment as his intense gaze glued on her. "I don't understand. Don't you see colours just like I do?" He didn't mean for his tone to come out as cold and maybe even as harsh as it did but he was confused and wanted answers without knowing how to ask for them.
Lily thought for a moment on if he was truly someone who would accept an offer of an open mouth so willingly. She knew she could test the theory after all she was already on her knees. The bold thought ran wild just like the wolf inside of her. She gulped softly as the heat touched her cheeks affecting her for the first time. She felt as if she was never hot being of sun dancers blood. She focused, slowing her rapid heartbeat and her body stirring at such thoughts of lust. Maybe she was going in heat. Did they go in heat? That was now what she was thinking as she focused on the colors she was attempting to make.
Unaware that he was confused by her words when it came to the colors she saw. The beauty that her eyes were aware of that others were not so blessed with. She learned of it from a younger age that she was special as she pointed out things others couldn’t see. Holding the vial high for his approval her gaze fixed to it as it swirled with greens, blues and browns. She was captivated by the swirling effect she had created when he spoke. Not aware of how intense his gaze was on her until his words registered to her ears.
Swallowing, she lowered the vial, moving to place it in her bag wrapped up to keep it protected before she answered. “I figured like most among the gypsies you know about my special eyes.” Finally she turned her body to him since his tone was harsh and cold. Shifting slightly closer she held her hand up. “What do you see looking at my skin? Just tan skin right? Like my siblings? What I see is tans, pinks, peaches, browns, a little purple. Swirling and mixing together.” She waved her hand to the air.
“Take the wind? You only feel it correct, know it's there because it moves the grass and trees, creates waves. I see the colors of the wind. I see the soft whites, blues, and greens that form the breezes.” She sighed softly looking down at that moment. “I feel as if I sound crazy at this moment.” She said as the quiet rested over them. “I was born with this ability to see more colors than a person with average vision.” Wondering if he would be able to understand or he thought she was ranting the thoughts of a mad woman.
The young cursed one had never spoken this much before; not even to The Gypsy Queen and King. It made him uncomfortable and nervous as he was now wondering with every other thought when his curse would rear its ugly head. He was used to living his life looking over his shoulder for it but throughout his conversation with Lily today he forgot to watch his back for his own shadow. He valued Lily higher than the rest of the gypsies because she always went out of her way to make a friend of him. Though he knew he was a terrible friend who always bought the mood down or didn't change it at all because he'd just stand or sit there so quietly you'd forget he was there.
He had to learn to stop going into his own world and today had been a step in the right direction. Until his paranoia set it and locked his jaw. The conversation they were having didn't help his nerves because if any of her siblings heard or found out they would skin him alive for threatening her innocence. Still, the moment she blushed his head turned slightly to her to see it and he leaned in just faintly enough to not make it obvious that he was trying to get a better look. Hawk was amazed she had such a response and he wondered if it was because of him but of course, his pessimistic thoughts swayed him away from that possibility. She had to be blushing over someone else; whoever the hell she's clearly thinking of.
He sighed bitterly as he looked away and remained silent as she spoke about her vision. It was clear that it was something unique to her but he still pondered on whether it was a special ability from the wind. He had heard of the special gift each gypsy gets to choose at some point in their life but what she described didn't sound like that. "So. You're just blessed and highly favoured on all fronts huh?" He was really trying to speak lightly and not be so harsh in his tone but he always failed. So rather than appear sarcastic it came across as jealous so he scoffed at himself. Probably making it all appear worse from her perspective. He was leaning back on his elbows and watching the water glisten when after taking in the peace with a depressing look in his eyes he decided to rise. He brushed himself off and stretched.
"Why don't you listen to your family when they tell you to stay away from me?" Now that he said with a purposeful firm attitude as he glared down at her intently. He wasn't supposed to know about that but he also wasn't offended by it either. Hawk knew they just wanted her to be safe and deep inside he knew with his curse he couldn't keep her safe... From him. He didn't wait for an answer as he turned on his heels "you should listen to them I'm not the best company in the caravan. There are plenty of others better." He crossed his arms over his chest as she spoke with his back to her. Mainly he didn't want to see any hint of pleasure or disappointment. He didn't want to see which emotion if any crossed her face because it would affect him and due to his curse he could never be sure how he'd respond. "We should move to the next spot you want to check for colours before those boys come back. I doubt they'll offer me their mouths if they do." He sighed before smirking at her over his shoulder.
As Hawk moved to lean in to see the blush on her cheek she didn’t move, letting him see pink that dared touch her cheeks at thoughts she shouldn’t be having. Yet she was thankful that she wasn’t asked about it. While she would probably give a bold answer she for some reason was struggling to find words, or self control. She swallowed hard, rolling her fingers together with the color she was trying to gain with the pigments she was grinding together. She wondered if she was making his stay there harder with her unsolicited flirting. While he always seemed to talk a bit more with her, she always worried she was making him far more uncomfortable.
As he looked away and stayed quiet she felt then that was the case, that she in fact made him far more uncomfortable than her siblings did. So moving the conversation on to something else was in the efforts to distract herself from making him more uncomfortable mentally going over every word they had spoken back in detail to try and recall his reactions. Her gaze drifted to him as she raised an eyebrow, “I am no more blessed than my siblings. You could view it as a curse. I see a world no one else does and they don’t understand how overwhelming it can be sometimes.” She scoffed back to him not realizing that she was getting protective. She would never admit it to her siblings but sometimes she hated feeling as different as she did. She never wanted to let them down because she felt she was held to a standard and pressure, one she was really only applying to herself.
Lily moved to collect the color she had been working on in a jar and felt the hair on the back of her neck raise up. Not looking at him she placed the jar back in her crafted bin. “They think I am too young and making something up.” She said with a shrug as she moved to work on the next color. “The moment I met you I felt a spark, a connection.” She scoffed out at the thought of her siblings telling her she was wrong. “Say I just found myself fascinated with the first stranger who came knocking. When that isn’t the case. I know what I feel.” She said the tail end of her statement so only she could hear it, not that he seemed to stay close enough to catch any of it.
Looking beside her seeing the wet dirt she dug her hand into the moist earth and pulled up enough to form a ball and she hurled it at him hitting him square in the back so he would look at her. “I am old enough to make my own choices of who I want to spend my time with, but if you don’t wish to spend your time with me. Go back to the Caravan to your moody corner.” She shot back at him. With a huff she grabbed her basket and moved in the opposite direction of where he was.
"Huh" Hawk huffed as he thought about Lily's words and how peculiar it was to hear someone tell him they felt cursed when he was. He bit his tongue to avoid sticking his foot in his mouth at the rather innocent terminology. Or maybe she truly felt cursed and maybe she was. Hawk shrugged at his musings as he tried to figure out if she was just saying it or if she meant it without having to ask her. "Then we're both cursed I guess," he mumbled with a serious undertone as he didn't take when people spoke of curses as a joke. Except now and until the day he would come to realize her vision wasn't really a vexation he would be scoring the realms for her curse breaker just so she could choose what she wanted to do.
Dust rose from beneath him as he gently kicked the ground with the toe of his boot. Looking every which way but towards Lily as she answered his question. He eyed her when she mentioned a spark "mmm" he hummed with a faint purse of his lips. "Then you're truly cursed and should let me go." he spoke blatant and coldly before looking away never hearing her soft words whispered to herself. "Unrequited feelings are murderous. Or so I've been told." he said these things softer but the unrequited part wasn't true. The only emotions the young cursed soul could ever remember feeling were rage and sorrow burdeningly weighing him down and his curse kept everything repressed. Deep within his heart, he could feel them burning and begging for air but there was nothing he could do to help his other emotions flow. Except break his curse. In his mind, she was better off sparking for someone who could spark back for her in the same way.
All at once everything faded when he felt something strike him in the back. It wasn't hard enough to hurt or be a threat and it came from Lily's direction so without looking he could surmise she was the threat. He glanced over his shoulder and the look she gave him told him it was so. "My moody corner has a name. Geraldo, and he'll be very offended you didn't know that." he shot at her before rolling his eyes away and back towards the water. Hawk didn't know it but the way he stared at the lake was like a siren was calling to him or like he was a man in love. Water had always been quite alluring to him from small wishing wells the Gypsies set up during their carnivals to the ocean and everything in between. Maybe it was because he knew his curse breaker was out there on the seven deadly sinful seas but he also knew if he left he could never return to the gypsies and more secretly important, Lily. "Those boys are on their way back I can smell them but they have friends this time." he wrinkled his nose but quickly turned a foot and grabbed Lily and her things before dragging her away.
He never meant to hurt anyone certainly not Lily. She had been the one person in his life to remind him what human decency was like and neither of them was human. He couldn't look her in the face or even at her face when pain crossed it. He hadn't expected to see it there but when the consequences of his words appeared on Lily's face he suddenly realized her feelings for him. All her hinting and flirtations were slowly making sense and he began feeling worse the more he conceded. He wished to speak more about this and explain what a fool he had been because he thought her attraction to him was minor; just child's play like puppy love and nothing more. She told him it was fine and that she could handle herself and he never doubted that about her but he wasn't bound to peace as she was. Hawk could do what was required to stop these boys permanently if need be and for her, he would.
When she snapped free of his grip his immediate thoughts were that maybe he had hurt physically now too. He was often unaware of his strength and what it felt like to other people when he interacted. His next thought was to urge her that now wasn't the time for such a conversation as this and his senses were going haywire the closer the boys drew with their mob. Everything zeroed in on her and all else faded when she pushed his chest. He had heard every word she said beforehand but just had no clear way of replying. Then it hit him in her last question that she didn't know the truth about him. It didn't surprise him really since not many people in the caravan knew he was cursed and for those that did they never spoke of it. Yet he was still stunned, maybe it was a combination of everything happening around them. "I'm hexed." he caught her hands as he managed to speak "It's why I can't commune with the wind like you and your kind Lily. It's why I can't do many things because I'm spellbound in the worst way. Cursed in the literal sense of the word." he words came softly as his frown deepened with each thing he said.
The mob was closing in "We have to go, please!" he begged, he didn't want to have to fight them. "I promise this conversation isn't over. Just paused." he picked up her crate and honestly if she still refused to move he would pick her up too but for now he held her hand. The caravan was rather far off but if they could make it there they'd be safe. They would be surrounded by Lily's family and Luna's pack. Hawk had never asked The Wind for anything before but right now he was begging it at the very least keep Lily safe. This mob was his mistake, he didn't know what reaction his naive words would cause and certainly didn't expect an angry mob chasing them down. If he were alone he would face them because he knew he could handle them due to his curse but being with Lily he didn't want her to see that part of him. Nor did he want her to have to defend herself. All they had to do was keep moving and make it to the caravan.
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