Rufus

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Rufus is a SkyWing butcher who lives in the city of Squall's End. He is currently in a relationship with Betta.
== Appearance ==
* Stocky and muscular build
* Larger than most SkyWings his age
* Broad wingspan
* Scales are primarily orange, with reddish scales along his spine
* His underbelly and wing membranes are a pale yellow
* Horns and spines are a dark wine red
* His eyes are a green-gold
* Doesn't wear jewelry since it gets in the way while he's working
== Personality ==
* Outwardly, he appears warm and charismatic
* Likes to banter and crack jokes with customers
* Silver-tongued; good at swaying others
* His true emotions are difficult to read
* Rarely ever loses his temper. When he does, he acts cold and detached rather than flying into a rage
* His victims are primarily those who have wronged him or Betta
== History ==
Rufus's parents, Aidan and Rose, were residents of Brisval, a mining town known for its religious fanaticism and strong distaste for magic. Aidan's parents passed away when he was 7, leaving his younger sister Carmen in his care. The two grew extremely close and swore to stand by each other through thick and thin.
One day, their cottage was struck by a falling tree during a particularly violent storm. In a moment of panic, Carmen revealed herself as an animus and used her powers to pull Aidan out of the rubble and heal his injuries. She believed that her brother's love for her would outweigh his prejudice towards animus magic.
But she was wrong. Horrified by this newfound discovery, Aidan turned against her and told the rest of the townsfolk about her magic. Carmen was exiled from Brisval during the bitter winter and left to fend for herself. She begged her brother to come to her aid, but he refused to even look her in the eye. Furious and heartbroken at Aidan's betrayal, she vowed to exact revenge on him.
A year later, Rufus was born. He grew up under the oppressive talon of his father, who often forced him pray for “atonement” in a small closet for hours at a time. His mother never lifted a finger to intervene, claiming that her husband only ever had their child's best interests in mind.
After multiple failed attempts to escape from home, Rufus had almost given up hope when he was approached by an older SkyWing on the very outskirts of town. Much to his shock, she revealed that she was his aunt. Rufus only knew of Carmen from the stories Aidan told about her to terrify his child into submission. In these stories, he portrayed her as a wicked sorceress who had attempted to “bewitch” him before she was caught and banished.
But unlike his father, Rufus did not share the same hostility towards animus magic. Upon learning of his situation, Carmen agreed to strike a deal with him. She would help him escape from Brisval in exchange for one thing: his father's life.
Although reluctant, Rufus agreed to her terms, and their pact was sealed. She gave him a pouch of enchanted herbs that he was to slip into his parents' food—once consumed, they would fall into a deep slumber until the next day. Carmen also handed Rufus her dagger and instructed him to kill his father with it by midnight—otherwise, the spell would be broken and their deal called off. And she did not take kindly to dragons who broke their promises, she warned him.
Steeling himself for what was to come, Rufus returned home and snuck the herbs into his parents' dinner. Within a matter of minutes, both of them woozily retired to their rooms for the night. Later that evening, Rufus entered his father's bedroom and poised the dagger over his heart. But despite everything, he couldn't bring himself to kill Aidan.
As soon as he let the dagger clatter to the floor, Aidan awoke. He immediately recognized the dagger as Carmen's and turned on his child in a blind rage. During the ensuing struggle, Rufus clawed him across the face. The scent of blood unlocked a primal hunger deep within him, and he began to attack his father with a ferocity he had never experienced before.
When Rose finally entered the bedroom to investigate the source of the noise, the first thing she saw was the bloodied corpse of her husband. Large chunks of flesh had been torn from the body, as if it had been devoured by a wild beast.
Rufus was nowhere to be found. After realizing what he'd done, he had immediately flown away, traveling as far as his wings could carry him.
His hunger was ravenous and ever-growing. Although he tried to sate it by hunting small game, the meat was like sawdust in his mouth compared to the taste he'd had of his father's flesh, and he could feel himself growing weaker by the day.
On the outskirts of the Sky Queendom, Rufus was suddenly ambushed by a bandit. Desperate to ease the gnawing in his stomach, he killed and ate his attacker, instantly feeling his strength return.
After days of near-constant flying, Rufus eventually arrived in the city of Squall's End, penniless and bedraggled. He was taken in by a MudWing butcher named Cypress, who offered to train him as their apprentice, as they had no dragonets of their own to take over their business.
While working at the shop, Rufus met a SeaWing named Betta who was a regular customer. The two immediately hit it off and began to develop feelings for each other.
But after some time, Betta stopped coming to the shop altogether. When he finally saw her again after a few weeks had passed, the SeaWing looked rather disheveled, with a strange look in her eyes. He later learned that her newborn dragonet had recently passed away.
A few days later, he stumbled upon Betta once more on coast near the city. She was hunched over the body of a dragon that she'd impaled with a harpoon, pink talons stained with blood. Rufus was taken aback, but his shock was soon overpowered by his curiosity and hunger. He'd had few opportunities to find new quarry since arriving in Squall's End, and animal meat alone was not enough to sustain him.
After noticing Rufus, Betta immediately confessed her crimes to him and pleaded for him to help her. In turn, he confided in her about his curse. The two managed to drag the body to an abandoned cave, where Rufus made quick work of it.
Since then, Rufus and Betta have entered an odd sort of partnership. Betta continues to kill dragons, which she then gives to Rufus for him to prepare and eat.
== Relationships ==
=== Arbor and Grim ===
Business partners. He sells them obscure dragon parts for their elixirs.
=== Betta ===
Rufus's girlfriend! The two clicked almost instantly when they first met, and they've only grown closer ever since learning the truth about each other. He likes creating new (non-dragon) recipes for Betta to try and would do anything if it means keeping her safe and happy.
=== Aidan ===
Rufus was utterly terrified of his father, a domineering dragon who used his child as an outlet for his anger. He often found himself on the receiving end of Aidan's rages and doesn't regret killing him in the slightest.
=== Carmen ===
Rufus hasn't seen his aunt since the night he escaped from Brisval, but doesn't hold any ill will towards her. In a strange way, he is grateful for her curse, as it allowed him to finally free himself from his father.
=== Rose ===
Rufus never had a good relationship with his mother, who was complicit in his father's abuse and even tried to justify his actions. Secretly, he sometimes wishes that he'd gotten the chance to kill her as well. He doesn't know her current whereabouts and plans to keep it that way.
== Trivia ==
* Although he greatly prefers the taste of dragon meat, he also enjoys eating lamb.
* Rufus was originally intended to be a shepherd.
* He has claustrophobia due to often being locked in a closet as a dragonet.
== Gallery ==
Rufus Joy Ang.png|Base by Joy Ang, relined by K9Pestilence
Rufus Reference.png|Base by SoFizzticated
Rufus and Betta.png|Rufus and Betta by crossaik
Rufus Mayuri.png|Mayuri
Rufus and Betta Pluto.png|Pluto
Rufus Betta Human.png|Human Rufus and Betta (source)
Category:Mature Content
Category:Characters
Category:Non-binary
Category:SkyWings
Category:Occupation (Cook)
Category:LGBT+
Category:Status (Commoner)
Category:Content (TheSeafoam)