@creatureshrieks said: Though no one could rightly say they fully trusted the newest 'addition', what with all his escape attempts, let alone due to the sheer fact he'd trespassed on their property to expose them, Bubba found he didn't mind Leland so much anymore. Not like his eldest brother who still insisted they should kill him and be done with the whole mess, but even Bubba had begun to protest these comments in his own way. Leland didn't hurt him anymore - and that was good, right? Bubba had been out working in the fields for part of that day, but his lumbering footsteps and half-words are easily heard as soon as he enters back into the house - especially as he seemed to be calling out for Leland. He makes his way towards him, holding an exceptionally large sunflower in his hands. He presents with a grin, hidden just barely underneath his 'leather' mask. He sounds happy, even a little insistent for Leland to take it. It's a gift for him!

leland had started to suspect he wasn't ever getting out of this place. and really — it had been some time since he'd last tried. he still thought about it, sometimes, of course. whenever a door was left open, or it seemed as though no one was paying much mind to him. he still missed his friends, and his family. but he knows better, now. after all his failed attempts at escape — and after being wrangled like a runaway animal enough times — mostly, leland was tired. it was never worth it. and getting to feel the sun, even through the upstairs window, was far better than the cell he'd spent his time in. he has the slightly amusing thought, that this was probably what most house cats must feel like, perched by a window watching the daylight shift across the world outside.

anyway — the people here, strangely, tolerate him most of the time. treat him okay. though, maybe that was more in an effort to avoid johnny's ire, or sissy's complaints, about treating their guest with some respect. leland knew the truth, of course — he was still on a leash, even now. and the quiet voice in his head says; if anyone outside really missed you, they would have come looking, right?

the sound of the front door abruptly opening from downstairs pulls him from his thoughts — makes him realize he's been re-reading the same line of text over and over for the last minute or so. leland tilts his head toward familiar, cheerful vocalizations coming up the stairs;

❝ big guy, hey, ❞ leland shoots bubba a careful smile, looking up from the book he balanced on a knee. a dusty thing he found amongst the junk downstairs — and a little more thrilling than a farmer's almanac, at least. it was about friends on a roadtrip, and it was dog-eared in a few places already, probably from its previous owner. he tried not to think about whose belongings he had gone through to find it.

once, he might have been put on edge by the sight of the large masked man lumbering toward him; the big guy — bubba sawyer, who despite his imposing figure, and the trouble leland had personally caused him, still tended to hassle him the least around here. was almost friendly — and had bandaged his injuries once or twice when he was still down in the cells.

in his hands, probably the biggest sunflower leland had ever seen. he was familiar with the fields surrounding the sawyer property; he'd wandered them when he was allowed to. but this was an exception — which meant bubba probably took some time picking it out. the gesture is kind. a simple one, but one that makes leland's expression brighten genuinely. brows shoot up in question;

❝ oh uh — for me? really? ❞ he peers up at bubba again, who quietly urges him again to accept the gift. leland laughs gently, setting down his book next to him, and taking the flower from bubba's insistent hands. one hand clutched supporting the stem, he lightly adjusts the petals with his fingers, smooths them delicately. ❝ ... i think you might have found the most model sunflower ever. like, if there was a competition, it'd probably win first place. ❞ they’ve had a few discussions of this kind; bubba had noticed him staring out at the fields before. and leland told him about how a friend of his had once told him all about sunflowers, and marigolds, and roses, and,

— leland feels his chest squeeze, and he lets out a shakier sort of breath, but his smile remains; ❝ it’s really pretty. thank you. ❞