#2 - Making Friends

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tbw

Vellumi was, to put it simply, a little bit of a wallflower. They had sprouted alone and eventually found their way to the orphanage in Fluorspar while they were still very young, but kept their meek and skittish demeanor anyway. They lacked any fundamental social skills, and while they did get along nicely enough with the other sprouts, geodes, and blooms that they lived with, they found that it was a little more tricky to actually make friends.

It didn’t help that, as was the nature of an orphanage, most others there were not permanent residents. Stellalye was a good friend of theirs, before, but Lye had gotten adopted by a mage, and so Vellumi didn’t get to see the bloom as often as before. Not to mention the good chunk of other kids here that shunned the idea that they might be here for a little while, and actively avoided any opportunity of kindness.

… Which was fine, of course. Vellumi usually didn’t bother trying with them- though they couldn’t really say in confidence that they tried very hard in the first place.

They were mostly content to stick to the sidelines, for the most part. They’d chat or wave a hand if greeted first but otherwise kept to themselves.

Not all was peace and harmony as often as one might assume from the outside, though. Despite Vellumi’s shy but easygoing nature, there was one bloom who made it a mission to pick at Vellumi whenever there was a chance. Taunting them about their history of having been found in the woods alone, and other hurtful things Vellumi didn’t care to repeat. Mostly about their shyness.

It didn’t usually bother them, and they did their best to ignore it, even if it became a little hard to bare at times. They didn’t know how to stick up for themselves and instead began to just duck their head and avoid the young pouflon in question. Vellumi was sitting in one of the main rooms of the building, keeping to themselves as usual with their nose in a book about plants. They were slow to learn to read, when they were younger, but enjoyed it anyway, even if they took a little longer than most of their peers. They allowed themselves to get caught up in the book, red eyes taking in the words as they ran a hand over the page, over the pretty illustrations of a tree, when they were jolted out of it by a hoof knocking the book out of their hands.

They jolted, having already been a very jumpy sprout to begin with, eyes blinking as they looked up only to see- well, exactly who they expected, really. Hawke, the bloom who loved to taunt them, with a snide look on their face.

“I don’t know why you even bother,” They rudely said, kicking the book further out of reach. “Staying here, I mean. Y’know you’re never gonna get adopted, right?”

Vellumi didn’t respond, watching the pouflon kick away their escape and ducking their head to hide behind their hair. Even if they could manage to speak in the moment, they knew nothing they’d said would help them.

“See, that’s exactly what I mean. You’re too quiet. Nobody’s gonna want you, s’why you’ve been here this long.” Hawke scoffed. “Can you even talk?”

The sprout opened their mouth to defend themselves, but nothing came out. Heat flooded their face in a mix of embarrassment and frustration, and they felt thankful that their fur was thick enough to hide it. Their only visual tell was how their ears flattened against their skull, barely visible amidst their hair, and how their tail tucked. It made the bloom laugh, their pathetic display. “You can’t even- OW!”

Another pouflon rammed into Hawke, then, head hitting against their side and knocking them into the floor. Vellumi felt almost like they were the one who was hit, their mind spinning to register what had just happened. The other bloom- one Vellumi recognized, but didn’t know the name of- kept his head ducked as he glared at Hawke, huffing air through his nose and pawing at the floor like he was ready to charge at them again if he so desired.

“What the hell, man?” Hawke exclaimed, getting back to their feet and shaking themselves off. “Me and Vel over here were just- Hey!” As they spoke, the other bloom shook his head and began to charge again, Hawke’s little “hey” doing nothing to deter him.

The two butted heads this time, both of their horns too small to really do anything, but they stayed locked on each other all the same, neither one of them wanting to give the other an opening. “You’re a liar.” The stranger huffed, “I heard you.”

Hawke’s lip curled into a sneer, annoyed at having been caught. “Yeah? So?” They shoved against the other harder, making his hooves slide back against the floor before he got traction again. “What’s it matter to you?”

“They haven’t done anything to you!” He shouted, pulling back briefly only to ram into them harder. Vellumi could do nothing but watch with wide eyes as the two blooms fought, curling against the wall to make themselves as small as possible. They felt, for whatever reason, like they were in trouble. Like they had caused this, by not being able to stand up for themselves. But the bloom continued to argue against their bully. “I’m not gonna let you be a stupid bully while I’m around. Nobody’ll wanna adopt you, knowing how you act.”

The words were harsh, and made Vellumi wince, even though they didn’t feel any sympathy for Hawke. It seemed to work, though- Hawke faltered, and the bloom was able to knock them out of the way further. “You’re an asshole.” They huffed after a moment, having to think of what to say.

They turned to leave, but not before whispering a, “Gotta get someone else to defend you, huh?” to Vellumi. The thread of the other bloom lowering his head toward them made them think twice about continuing the comments, though, and they soon scampered out of the room.

Vellumi watched them go, sparing a small glance over to the pouflon who’d helped them, though they were unsure what they wanted to say.

He approached them, though, once he was sure Hawke was gone for now, moving to grab the book off the floor and setting it down gently into Vellumi’s paws. They looked at him for real, then, lifting their head up from looking at the floor.

“You didn’t have to do that.” They said, softly, holding the book against their chest. “Hawke’s- Just a bully. They didn’t hurt me.” It was a half-truth. The words stung, but Hawke never got in their face.

The bloom blinked up at them and shook his head. “They were being a jerk. You don’t have to put up with that.”

Vellumi nodded, meekly. They knew he was right, even if they didn’t know how exactly not to put up with it, when their voice betrayed them every time they got scared or stressed. Words were always difficult, for them.

“I’m Vellumi.” They said, instead of responding directly, and reached a single paw out to shake. They figured it would only be polite to introduce themselves to the bloom that helped them, hoping to get his name as well. “I- Thank you, for. Telling them off.”

The bloom seemed to not expect that gesture, blinking in surprise and glancing down at their hand and back up at their face a few times before placing his hoof into their hand, just for a moment.

“Levia- Levi. And it’s fine, you don’t have to thank me.”

That didn’t sit quite right with Vellumi, not needing to thank him, but they nodded anyway. “That’s a pretty name.” They told him, “I like it.”

Levi’s eyes widened, and his ears went back a bit. Out of surprise or embarrassment, Vellumi wasn’t sure, but they found it a bit charming all the same. All the toughness from before was gone, and they guessed it was some sort of exterior he’d put up. He coughed to clear his throat and flicked one of his ears, his head lowering to avoid their eyes.

“Um. Thank you.” He paused, “Your’s is prettier, though. Can I call you Lumi?”

It was their turn to be surprised, but a smile played on their lips and they nodded again. “Sure. If you want to.”

Slowly, hesitantly, Vellumi moved to sit back down against the wall, moving the book into their lap and gently patting the spot next to them.

“You can sit here with me, if you want. I can show you my book, or you can pick your own,” They gestured to the shelf near them. “...If you want.”

It took Levi a moment to respond, just as hesitant as Lumi, but eventually moved to sit down near them on the floor. “What’s your book about.”

“Plants.” Vellumi said, simply, opening the book back to the beginning. They began carefully trailing their claws over the book, scooting closer to Levi and beginning to read to him, pointing at pictures as they went.