CC | A Little Gift (Jubilee 4/5)

Blood pumps rigorously, straining against the handle of the tool she held. Another sweep of a curve, wood chips falling around her. Both hands grasping the tool, one loosening up so she could bring the circulation back in. Fingers wriggled, extending her claws out, and flexing the knuckles. Fidelia let out a sigh as relief came flooding back, before grasping the tool again. Her tail flicked back and forth, rattling as she bit her lower lip, trying to refocus on the wood plank in front of her. Another job to do, details carefully made over what the customer had asked. It was new to be asked for a wood carving than what her usual customers asked, armor or a sword, jewelry for their amor.

Her heart hesitated in its next beat, ears pinning themselves as she thought over that word. She swept her tongue over her lips, before returning to her task in hand. Carefully, she tilted the carver and scraped again, making a deeper, finer line on what was to be a stream. Flowing down, flowers blooming around them like the place Akeem had brought her and the two little ones. Though, Vita had grown since the ruckus she had caused when she had found her, wet, sticky sand against her belly, biting like a ravage cat.

'Mierda,' she hissed as she stopped her carving.

She shook herself, frustration burning her up like she was in El Inferno. Gods, what her mamá and papá would say on such carelessness. The blood was trying to burst from her palms, heaving as she placed the tool down. Flexing her claws and knuckles, tilting her head as she tried to refocus on her job. Another scraping of the stream, digging away at wood, smoothing down areas roughly. This was new to her, to make a wood carving for payment. Or, well, truly for this one, it was a design, to be placed on the wall like a painting, to be admired. Her metalwork was not like that, all for purpose unless it was some jewelry, which to be honest, she never made much anyways.

Malakai had suggested it to her and heat poured back to her face, remembering how happy he seemed to have his little wooden Rivia. He had, cuddled it, like if it had been real, like what she did with Aila or Vita if she wasn’t putting on a brave face for everyone. It made her heart quiver, trying to suck in a breath. He thought her carvings, ones like the gift she had done for him, was good enough to sell. Despite her shaking that off, it never left her mind, and, now. Now, here she was carving a portrait for someone instead of smelting metal and bending it into a proper shape. And she couldn’t even focus, her thoughts jumping, bounding from one thought to the next. The blush wasn’t helping, with her ears pinned back, heart-clenching and unclenching.

“Mierda,” Fidelia finally muttered under her breath, sharp and low as she lowered the tool down. Placing it down to the side, she tiredly rubbed her face, settling down on her knees, tail curling close.

Dropping her hands onto her lap, she eyed over what she had done so far. It was going alright so far, good for two-days' work in-between her other work for customers and...

“Stop it, Fi,” She snarled to herself, shaking her head angrily, tail revving in frustration, fur bristling. Why was she like this? Could she go at least one minute without feeling embarrassed over her crush on Malakai?

Likely not, she admitted to herself as she pushed herself up, grabbing the carving tool and placing it down into one of her work desk's drawers. Turning her head to look out, she watched the sun carefully settle down, waves of reds and pinks washing away the pale cerulean blue. The village was quiet, her neighbors having already decided to settle down for the night it seemed. She snorted to herself, leaning against her note-covered wall. Not like back at her birth village, the sound of yelling being heard throughout the night. Teenagers getting in trouble for the first time, workspaces up and bustling for the deadline, all gone here. Silence echoed around her and she sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. At least with her workspace clearly open to the neighborhood, her privacy was still respected.

Despite that, a nagging feeling overcame her as she thought about it. She could make windows, shutters really, so she could close out the world and just enjoy herself in a true sense of privacy. Or, if Malakai ever came over, then they could work on a project together without one of the madres deciding to snoop and…

‘Dioses míos, ¿qué me pasa?’ She hissed to herself, ears once more pinning themselves back. This was getting even more ridiculous, it was becoming even embarrassing for her conscience. He wouldn’t visit, she knew that, and their projects were so far apart and different.  Dejection hit her harshly as she thought of that and her tail fidgeted awkwardly next to her.

'Stop it,' she scolded herself as she turned to grab the woodwork.

Tracing a finger over the lines, she smiled to herself before she placed it down, hiding behind the work desk. At least she got something done, instead of moping around the house with her thoughts clouding her. Tapping her fingers against the palms of her hands, she quickly decided on what to do and went inside her house, going down the hallway into her walk-in closet. Carefully, grabbing the soft, white fabric, putting one hand under it and the other over it, she slid it out from its slot on the shelf. Walking back into the forge, she laid it over the work, crouching down on the balls of her feet to get it completely covered, smoothing out wrinkles that were made when placing it down. Despite the coverage, she frowned, shuffling a reminder to tell Aila that it was not a new toy.

Pushing herself back up, a small groan rumbled in the back of the base of Fidelia’s throat, narrowing her eyes at the knowledge she still had a mess to clean up. Back into the house, she went, curving instead towards the kitchen, grabbing out her broom and dustpan. With a swing of her hips, she brought herself back into the forge, dropping the dustpan down and busying herself with cleaning up the mess she had made in her carving session. As she swept, she was reminded once more how easier smelting had been, a clean-up more of putting her tools away and cooling down the flames of her forge. Sure, this was easier, quicker even as she lacked the need of putting out fires, but, not something she was used to, especially with a portrait that she was being paid to do. Malakai’s wooden Rivia had been easy in comparison, simply putting the shavings into a trash bin.

A pang hit her chest as she thought of Malakai and she paused in her sweeping. Shoulders met her wall, hands clenching and unclenching the handle in her palms. Fingers traced it as she closed her eyes, flicking her tail slowly. She never got around to paying him back for all those months ago of helping her find Akeem. The armor she had offered to make was still in a phase of working out kinks, family and her having to get money putting it in the back of her mind. Shit, she was better than that.

Opening her eyes up, she curled her fingers tightly around the base of her handle, ears perking as she finished sweeping up the wood shavings. Placing the broom against the wall, she picked up the dustpan to empty it out, before returning it back to its rightful place. Might as well keep the broom out in the forge though if she was to keep working on her carvings. Putting her apron up, she took a detour and entered her bedroom, bed tousled after having to drag Vita out and Aila hopping around her legs. Flicking her tail against the edge of a blanket, threatening to fall off, she picked up what she wanted.

Her notebook.


The chill of the night air grasped at Fidelia’s fur as she walked down to the dock, notebook, and pencil in hand. The splashing of water could be heard even up from where she had made her home, hiding over the squeals of joy her littlest one seemed to be making. Bare feet met the wooden docks that oversaw where ships would come in, straddling the beachy sand before it lapsed into the ocean. Sturdy and not yet battered by the storms that occasionally ravaged the land.

Coolness overlayed over the warmth her body gave off, her pale green gaze finding where Akeem was playing with Aila. Him, submerged in the ocean, making spirals of the ocean to splash Aila, who pranced around on his back. She was tiny in comparison to Akeem, a small, pink dot on his dark blue back, trying to scramble onto his head. Her shrill laughter and giggles could be heard even from where Fidelia stood, Aila's enjoyment rolling off her in waves. She ducked her head, trying to futilely escape from the splash of water Akeem gave to her, a line of water running after her.

A smile, soft and gentle, slowly spread on Fidelia's lips, ears flicking as she idly listened to her dragons' play. She started to walk further down the dock, before finally settling down. Akeem had yet to notice her, his gaze so focused on the little dragon running around on him. If she drifted her gaze away from the ocean, where Akeem laid adrift, her gaze found themselves onto Vita. A chest laid next to her, claw marks showing her once futile attempts at trying to open it up. Fidelia had to tilt her head and lean forward for try to get a better view of the chest, while her feet dangled over the lapping ocean.

The chest looked to be old, mold forming on edges, seeming to have seen better days. The gold buckle, now ripped apart and lost to the sand, was edging away to rust. The chest itself was the color of hickory, dark like it had been submerged once upon a time, and drug out from its watery prison. Likely Akeem had brought it out for Vita, most likely his way of apologizing for his teasing about her and Grimsby.

Vita, from the looks of it from Fidelia's vantage point, seemed to be pleased by his apology. There, in the sand, much closer to the grassy hill that leads down to the warm beach, compared to the salty ocean that lapped at it, she was looking over treasures. Lying down, taking out what seemed to be a gold necklace and tapping it, sliding it between her claws, before dropping it into a pile. There, she went, taking out pieces of treasures to examine and see what was best, before dropping it into one of the random piles scattered around her. Content was there, underneath the frustration from this morning after Aila's accidental splashing and anxiety for Grim. It was strong, slowly climbing its way over everything else.

Seeing how her dragons were content, Fidelia purred, leaning back, eyes closed, soaking in the last of the sun's rays. Reopening them, she pulled her legs onto the dock with the rest of her, crossing her legs. She placed down the notebook onto the center, opening it up and scanning over the pages. She finally found what she wanted and she smiled.

It was time for her to finally return the favor, and her heart felt relief pour in. Taking her pencil, she slowly finished the last of the sketches, making notes on what to get and the prices of everything. She felt at peace, working on a gift for Malakai, as she listened to her dragons and felt their own happiness mix in with hers.