Poppet Boyfriend: Vult Ludure 2 (complete)

Stubbed toes, smashed fingers, rammed elbows - all these and more have become a normal part of my life. Vult is new to his body, and much like a newborn fawn, his joints wobble and buckle as he grows used to them. Fortunately for him, he feels none of his falls, trips and tumbles; unfortunately for me, I do. I have bruises from my forehead to my toes, and I have come to rely on Aspercreme and epsom soaks like my ninety-year-old grandmother. 

Aside from that, I enjoy Vult’s company. He’s kind and sweet, and I think the guilt he feels over every tumble hurts worse than the bruises. I’m the youngest of ten children, and I’m used to being kicked around by my elder siblings. I’m just not used to the sad puppy stare this living doll gives me every time he has a mishap. He’s not sure on his feet, but his mind is as sharp as a tack. Already he’s written several comedy skits for the carnival, especially for the children’s performances. 

I guess my only complaint aside from the constant aches is Vult’s adoration of ABBA’s music. He and Mr. Faire have bonded, and Mr. Faire’s love for the band has become Vult’s. A few nights I’ve been roused from sleep by ‘Waterloo’ still playing on the record player. 

I wake up, turn the record player off, and marvel at how soundly Vult can sleep. I’m grateful he can sleep so easily, because that rest passes on to me like the bruises do. The injuries are easy enough to acknowledge, but I’m aware of other things that connect Vult and me. I feel more rested, and I’ve lost a bit of weight because of all his running around. There are also times where my heart starts pounding, but I don’t know if that is somehow connected to Vult. These palpitations usually occur when he is standing near me.

“Ulalume?” Vult asks quietly one evening. “May I ask you something?”

I’m working on a cross-stitch, something I do in my spare time to stock up on easy handmade gifts. “Ask away.”

“This is slightly awkward,” he murmurs. “But I thought the best thing to do would be to ask you about this. It just makes me anxious to ask, is all.”

I look up from my work and lay the cross-stitching in my lap. “Your options are to ask, or not ask. Whatever you do, there can be repercussions or success. So out with it.”

Vult sighs and twists his hands together. “Well, you see, something most unexpected happened today, and I have been ruminating over it ever since.”

I pick up my project and continue on with it. “What a word - ruminating. Continue.”

“I was asked out by one of the performers in the children’s pavilion.” He speaks quietly and nervously, constantly fidgeting in place. “She wants to go out on a date with me.”

“Ow!” I prick my finger and I quickly bring it to my mouth, tasting blood. “Sorry, Vult. Do you mind me asking who it was?”

He balls up his hand and holds it to his chest. “I can tell her no, if you want.”

“If I want?” I scoff. I lick my finger again. “What do you want?”

“I want to hear your answer,” Vult replies. “You and I are connected, and it would be rude of me to not ask your opinion on the matter.”

“You’re your own person, Vult. You can do as you please.”

Vult frowns and shakes his head. “I really can’t! If you and I are connected, then that means that whatever I experience, so do you. We share things even if we don’t mean to. So I need to ask and make sure it’s alright.”

I sigh, moving my work out of the way and placing myself before Vult. “Do you want to go on this date?”

Vult’s mouth is in a tight line. He looks at his hands, then back at me. “She’s a nice person, and I enjoy hanging out with her.”

“Then go and have a good time. I’ll be fine here. I have a lot to catch up on anyway. Just be careful out there, okay?”

I flash a smile, but Vult still seems guilty. “Only if you’re really sure.”

“I am.” I stand up. “Let me go get a bandage for this. I’ll be right back.” I step out and head to the first-aid tent. For some reason, I feel really agitated. I should have expected Vult to meet someone eventually. He’s smart and adorable, and who wouldn’t want a piece of that? I’m just surprised at how I felt because of him asking permission.

I don’t immediately return after I get a bandage for my pricked finger. Instead, I wander to the mess tent, where people are having late-night snacks and drinks. Everything is calm and still here - no glamors, no hiding, just usual folk in their usual appearance. I wander through, enjoying the easy and quiet air, get a coffee and take a seat at one of the long tables. I let out a heavy sigh, which stirs the steam coming from my cup. Looking around, I see cozy couples pressed together. I can’t count the number of weddings I have been to on my hands anymore. Most of them have been my siblings’. There’s no shortage of romance here at the carnival either; Mr. Faire celebrates a wedding like any holiday. I guess there’s a chance I’ll be celebrating Vult’s soon.

“There you are.”

I look up from my cup as Vult sits down. “I got worried.”

“Nothing to worry about,” I laugh. “Just got a bandage and came here for a cup of coffee. I was heading right back after this.”

“That’s not why I was worried,” Vult murmurs. “I was sad.”

I stop mid-sip and give him a look. 

“What’s wrong, Ulalume?” His hand comes across the table and holds mine. 

“Nothing!” I yank my hand back and chuckle again. “What’s gotten into you? All I did was prick my finger.”

“Ulalume, don’t lie to me,” he scolds. “You can’t do that with me, you know that.”

I look away, casting my eyes on the ground. “You don’t need to worry about me, got it? I’m fine, and I will be fine. You deserve to live your own life, even if we are connected.” I force a smile as I turn back to him. “Your happiness is my happiness.”

Vult sighs and his shoulders sag. The long strands of fabric that make his hair fall over his shoulders. “But why were you sad just now?”

“Because Haytham didn’t have the bandages I like.” I show him my finger. “I like the fabric ones. They hurt less when you pull them off. These plastic ones hurt like the dickens when you take them off.”

“Ulalume,” Vult scolds again.

“Stop that! Go home and listen to your ABBA records, I’ll be back soon. I just wanted a little bit of time to myself.”

Vult sits still for a moment before rising. “Okay, if you say so.” He pats the top of my head as he walks by. “Don’t stay out too late.” 

“I won’t. I’ll be back once I‘m done.” I smile at him, then return to my coffee.

He doesn’t take two steps before he trips and falls, and I bite my tongue to stifle a yell. It’s hard to enjoy the coffee after that, so I take a long walk home. 

The night of Vult’s date, I work late with Oriharu. I’ve been getting his Versailles-inspired gown ready, and we’ve both been working hard on finding a way to make it easier to move around in without taking out some of the volume of the skirt. “I wish I had legs like you,” Oriharu scoffs.

“What the absolute fuck are you talking about?” I demand. “Your legs go on for weeks, and I have short chubby things.”

“They’re shapely, though. I have the knock-knees of a prepubescent boy. You have legs made for fancy stockings. I have to wear padding to look right.”

“I’ll take the compliment.” I tack a pin into the skirt.

Oriharu helps me gather fabric in hopes of laying it right. “How’s Vult doing? He’s not lonesome tonight, is he?” 

“Oh, certainly not,” I scoff. “He has a date.”

Oriharu gives me a look. “A date? Who the hell with?”

“One of the girls from the kids’ carnival,” I murmur. “He said she was nice.”

“I don’t care if she’s Mary crackwhore Poppins, she’s pissing on your territory.”

I can’t quite believe what’s coming out of his mouth. “Why are you so upset about this? I’m just hoping he’s having a good time.”

“Vult is your man!” Oriharu blurts.

I sit back and tuck the pins back into my bun. “First of all: How old are you? Second of all: What the fuck?”

“Don’t act dumb, Ulalume! I can tell how you feel. You’ve been absolutely sunny since Vult came into the picture, which is very weird for you. You’re my dark cloud, my pessimist, and I loved that. But ever since Vult arrived, you’ve had this cheery little smile. So don’t try to force that bullshit into a cow with me.”

“Hmm,” I sit back. “That’s quite a speech.”

Oriharu knocks on my head. “Are you okay with this date?”

I push his hand back. “Yeah. I told him so, too! Vult is his own person, and if he wants to go on this date, then he can. He even asked me.”

His eyes widen, and his head slowly tilts to the side while his shoulders fall. “He asked, and you said okay?”

“Yeah, why?”

Clicking his tongue, Oriharu tosses his hair off his shoulder. “He wanted you to say no! That’s why he asked you.”

“Why would he want me to say no?”

He throws his hands into the air and looks around like he’s seeking approval from an audience. “Because he likes you and he wanted to get you to tell the truth.”

I jump up and start collecting my things. “Has falling in love made you crazy?”

“Yes, as a matter of fact, it’s made me downright loony. But this could be seen by anybody, Ulalume!” Oriharu yanks my sewing kit from my hands. “Admit it to me that this date bothers you, even if it’s just a tiny bit.”

“There’s nothing to admit, not even a reason to admit anything.” I grab my sewing kit and try to take it back. “If this is what Vult wants, I can’t tell him no.”

“But it isn’t.”

“How do you know?” I take my kit back and tuck it under my arm. “Vult’s life is new, and it’s my fault. I’m not going to hoard him when he could be having fun and finding himself. It’s not fair.”

I turn to grab my bag when my heart throbs. I gasp, dropping the kit, and clutch my chest as panic courses through me. 

“Ulalume?” Oriharu is immediately at my side.

“I got scared all of a sudden. I don’t...” I stop when I realize I’m not the one who is scared. “I need to go. I’ll come get my things later.” I run from the cabaret, already knowing where to go. 

I leave the carnival and head into town, and find myself at a cafe just as a woman comes storming out. I run inside, and look around. I don’t know what Vult looks like with a glamour, but I don’t think I see him here. I continue to the men’s room door, and enter to find a man at the urinal.

“Hey! Lady, can’t you read? This is the men’s bathroom!”

“I can read braille, and your dick says ‘disappointing’.” I walk up to a stall and knock on the door. “Vult, you in there?”

“Ulalume?” His voice trembles. “Is that you?” The door opens, and he’s standing there in a human glamour with long hair and beautiful dark eyes, which are dripping with tears. “What are you doing here?”

“You were scared.” I wipe the tears from his cheeks. “I came to check on you.”

Vult smiles weakly. “I’m glad.”

“Let’s get out of here, and you can tell me what happened.”

I lead him from the bathroom, and we go to a booth in the back of the cafe. “Everything was fine,” he sniffles. “The date was fun, and I thought we were having a good time.” He rubs his eyes again, and I can feel the burning ache. “She wanted to go for a walk in the park, but I felt uncomfortable and asked if we could come here. She kept insisting on walking in the park, but I said it was getting too dark.”

I take his hand on the table, holding it tight. 

“She said fine, but when we sat down, she got really close. She kept touching me and trying to kiss me, but I told her I didn’t like it.” He squeezes my hand tight and places his other hand around it. “She said if I liked her, I should enjoy it.”

I scowl. “If she liked you, she would have stopped. Vult, I’m so sorry!”

Vult smiles shyly at me. “I’m glad you came. She got really mad and left when I went to the bathroom.” His smile wavers. “Can we go home?”

“Yes, of course.” I stand and hold out my hand to him. He takes it, holding it tight as we walk back to the carnival. “I’ll speak to Mr. Faire about that girl for you.”

“I don’t want her to get in trouble,” Vult murmurs.

“She should!” I look up at him and my anger melts away. “We don’t have to talk about it now. Let’s just get you home.”

“I’d like that.” Vult’s smile faintly returns. “I know you don’t like them, but could we just sit quiet and listen to my ABBA records?”

“I like ABBA,” I reassure him. “Just not when you play them over and over again. But tonight I’ll make an exception.”

Vult walks closer to me. “Just for a little bit.”

Once back at home, Vult removes the glamour. In the tent, I turn on the record player, and start to dance as it plays.

Vult comes up behind me. “Can you teach me to dance?”

I chuckle. “I barely can myself! I was just...” My heart skips a beat, but I can’t tell if it’s him or me. “You sure? If you step on my feet, I’ll stop.”

“I’ll try.”

I take his hands and guide them, placing one on my waist and holding out the other. “Okay, well, it’s been a while now. But when I was little, my dad showed me how to dance like this. Watch my feet.”

Vult looks down and knocks his head against mine. I look, up and we collide again. “Watch me! Wait...” He turns too hard, and hits our hands against a tent pole. “Vult, easy!”

“Sorry!” His foot strikes mine and I yelp. “Sorry!” He jumps away from me, but when he does he hits one of the beds and topples over, flipping over the bed to the floor.

“Ow! My neck!” I sit down on the bed and hold my neck in my hands.

“Oh god! I really did it this time!” Vult quickly scurries to me. “I just wanted to do something nice, and I still ended up hurting you.” He starts kneading his fingers into my shoulders. “How is that?”

A rush of warmth flows through me, and my neck begins to unstiffen. “That’s… actually nice.” I drop my hands. “A little more left.”

“Okay.” He sits directly behind me, massaging my neck while ‘The Name of the Game’ plays. “Like this?”

I moan and crack a smile. “Perfect.”

He swallows. “Oh, I see.”

I sigh and relax, easing into his palms. I bump into his chest and realize I’ve basically slipped into his arms.

“Oops!” I sit up, alert, and look back at him. “Much better, thank you.”

He nods silently. I keep my eyes averted, but steal glances at him, taking in his cute eyes and shy smile. “Do you mind if I ask you something?”

He shakes his head. “No, go ahead.”

“Did you really want to go on this date tonight?”

He’s quiet for a short pause. “No,” he confesses. “I mean, I didn’t mind going out. But really, there were other things I would have preferred to do.”

“Why didn’t you say so? When you asked me, I thought it was something you really wanted to do.”

Vult looks away again. “I was nervous.” He purses his lips and slouches. “I thought it would be rude to just say no for no real reason.”

“You didn’t want to. That was reason enough.” I pull my legs up onto the bed then put my hand over Vult’s. “Next time, just tell me, and we can do what you would rather do.”

“Okay,” he murmurs.

“So what would it be?” I lace my fingers with his. “What would you rather be doing if you hadn’t gone out on that date?”

He smiles at me and squeezes my hand. “This. I just want to spend time with you.”

My face goes hot to the tips of my ears. “Seriously!” I start to laugh and give him a playful push.

“I mean it, Ulalume!” He grabs my hand. “I like being with you. I like feeling your chest flutter when I’m around.”

“You feel that?” I press my palm to his chest as he holds it.

“I feel a lot from you.” He cups my cheek.

I hold my breath as a smile begins to break across my face. “I thought I was the only one feeling anything.”

He holds up the same finger as the one I had pricked. “I felt the needle,” he says. “But I didn’t want to make you worry.”

“You could have said something.” I move close to him, running my hand from his chest to the side of his neck. 

Vult dips his head down. “I know what you want to do, and it’s okay.”

“But just tonight, you were...”

“I didn’t want what she was offering,” Vult murmurs. “Because she wasn’t you.” He closes his eyes as we kiss. Warmth flows through me as he holds me in his embrace, and I get warm and fluffy all over.

When I break away, Vult giggles and kisses the tip of my nose. “I’m glad it was you,” he whispers. He presses soft kisses to my cheek and ear. 

“Me too.” I loop my arms around his neck. “I just wish our first kiss wasn’t to ‘Dancing Queen’.”

Vult snickers and kisses me again. We lie down in bed, kissing, laughing and talking until we fall asleep. When I wake up in the morning, I reach out to turn off the record player so I can enjoy the quiet, then relax in Vult’s warm arms. Being with him is like being wrapped up in my favorite blanket.

“Good morning,” he whispers and kisses my temple. “Sleep well?”

I roll over into his chest. “I did. You’re a good cuddler.”

Vult gives me a tight squeeze. “Very proud of that.” He rests his cheek on top of my head. “Do you have to work with Oriharu today?”

“We’re still working on that Versailles gown. It’s giving us a tough time.” I don’t want to move, though. I’m happy and comfortable here with Vult. 

“I can come and help today if you’d like. Maybe an extra set of hands would make the job a little easier.”

I stretch out, tangling my legs with his. “If you’d like, I would appreciate the help.”

“Maybe I should start working in the cabaret now anyway,” he murmurs.

“If you’re comfortable with that.” I lift my head just enough to give him a soft kiss. “Or I can go and punch that lady.”

“Please don’t. I don’t want you to get in any trouble.” He holds me tight again. “I don’t want you to hurt your knuckles.”

I chuckle as I cuddle back against his chest. He smells comforting, like an old quilt just taken out for winter. “I want to just stay here for a while longer.”

“Me too.” Vult kisses the top of my head. “I’m glad we feel the same way.”

I take Vult with me to work with Oriharu. While there, he and Oriharu start talking, and an idea blossoms between them, and Vult begins writing an opening monologue for the cabaret, one he can perform himself. I start making him a new suit, tight and form-fitting, which gives him a sleek appearance to suit the cabaret. I admire his waist as I fit him.

“I’m never going to look as pretty as Oriharu,” he laments.

“That’s because you’re not Oriharu. You’re Vult Ludure, and you’re perfect as you are.” I give him a kiss as I remove a pin from my bun. “Don’t forget who made you.”

Vult smiles brightly up at me. “I know. I just wonder if I’m not more suited for the clown act than the cabaret.”

“You’re going to ve fantastic. There isn’t just one look for the cabaret.” I place a hat on his head, then turn him to the mirror. “See? You look amazing.”

“Only because your magic is impeccable.” He turns and kisses my cheek. “I owe everything to you.”

“Not everything.” I smooth the strands of fabric that make his hair away from his face. “I didn’t plan everything. A lot of you is just you.”

Vult grins brightly and kisses me. “I need to practice. How much longer for the fitting?”

“Just done! I’ll take this off and get to putting it together. You can go and practice with Oriharu on the stage, if you’d like.”

I take off the suit so I can tailor it. Vult smiles at me as I place everything by the sewing machine. “What magic will your needles put into it?”

I turn back to look at him, and my heart flutters. “Just yours.”