thehauntedfrequency | fairyland fun! (your levels of fun may vary)

fairyland fun! (your levels of fun may vary)

[New day, new town, and hopefully new opportunities. Specifically opportunities to make some money because Zel and Emery’s funds have been running kind of low after their most recent misadventure. This has meant a temporary separation while Zelgadis goes to look for merc-type work and potential cure leads and Emery goes around chatting up the locals without terrifying them.

Or at least that was the plan, until Calanthe showed up.

By the time Zel gets back to the inn, Emery’s still busy talking to Calanthe in their inn room, although the conversation’s just about wrapping up. If he’s perceptive he might even catch a bit of Emery’s words.

“...some funds this time? ...Seriously, is that it? He’s always such a cheapskate. …Okay I got it. I’ll see you later.”

A few moments later a woman wearing a green cloak exits their inn room. Her hood is up, partly obscuring a pale face and hair, and she barely spares anyone a passing glance as she drifts down the hallway.

Emery is still standing inside the inn room looking pensive, but when Zel enters he’ll give him a bright smile.]

Oh! Hey, Zel. Did you manage to find anything?

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[For a moment Emery blinks- and then he smiles over at Zel and you can practically hear the sparkle filter and shoujo bubbles as he replies.]

Yeah!

Uh-- [oh no the shoujo bubbles do their thing and cause the dokis.] G-good...

[godsdammit he's in love with this guy. while being made primarily of rock. why is the universe like this. Zel can't help but carefully tilt his head down and kiss at Emery's forehead in light of all that.]

[The kiss prompts a happy little hum from Emery. He's not at a good angle to return the kiss properly, but he does shift enough to press a kiss against Zel's collarbone.

...He kind of (very much) wants to do more than that, but he's pretty sure that fucking inside the goblins' root cellar could get them in trouble. And Zel is injured. Even if that spring guardian got his face instead of his dick.

Still, as Emery settles back down, remembering makes a little concern well up again.]

Do any of your injuries still hurt? I could try using another healing spell or something...

[it's fine, he's already blue-skinned; Zel can spend the night blueballed as well. it's for the sake of optics! he can't piss off whomever has his goddamn pants by sullying the vegetables.

once Emery settles, Zel drapes his arm over him, as much covetous as it is protective in nature. he doesn't even get the time to second-guess himself (yay!) because he has to think about his injured face (oh no!).]

...It's still pretty dulled out from the spell for now. I can't tell much yet until the mend has settled.

[surely it can't be that bad! he's made of rock! he's weirdly certain of that, especially since he hasn't seen the way the hairline marks still linger like marks connecting the raised ridges under his eyes to his jawline.]

[And Zel's already naturally hard as well! Funny how it all works out.]

Well if it gets any worse you'd better say something instead of trying to tough guy it out. We can always detour to look for an expert healer.

[It's the fae realm after all- surely there's more than a few who have the power and skill necessary to heal an injured chimera.]

[with a pass at being grouchy without having to commit:] Why would I want to make things worse for myself on purpose?

Trying to be manly and cool? I don't know, some guys can be pretty dumb about this kind of thing.

[Zel, Emery loves you dearly, but you do seem the type to convince yourself you must Stoically Bear With It. It's the whole emo boy thing.]

[hey--] I'm not stupid. Long-term injuries would only inhibit how strong I could be down the road.

And you got to me almost immediately...is there some reason to doubt your magic didn't take?

[Is Emery wrong!!!]

No, but I'm not a very experienced mage. Don't most priests start training when they're kids? By comparison I still have a lot to learn.

[As a human magic user... And as a fairy. Emery thinks back to the mess he made at the spring, trying to help Zel. He's seen the Field Lord manipulate plants before, and he's tried it himself, but he's still clumsy.]

[he concedes that point with just a grumpy sound.]

When I get a chance to look at a mirror, I'll see about it. For now, it feels about how a healing wound is supposed to.

[Emery closes his eyes.]

Okay. I trust your judgment here.

[With that matter settled, it seems it's time to try getting some rest... Presuming Zel doesn't have any questions or anything else he'd like to say.]

[thing about Zel is that he might have things to say, but it'll be well after Emery's breathing levels out in sleep before they come to mind. typical.

...it can wait. or stay kept to himself while he spends some sleepless hours mulling over the events that led to where they lay, idly poking at the inside of his cheek with his tongue and wondering if it'll always feel strange from here on out.

he tries to pivot his focus and instead meditate on Emery: the weight of him against him, his scent now mingling with some lingering notes of the water and earth he trudged through to save Zel's hide, the gentle drumming of his heart...

of course, he lets himself angst over not being able to properly feel him, because he's Zel. but to his credit, he moves on with things! and actually lets himself sleep.

at least until he hears a click from on high that makes his eyes snap wide open, bloodshot.

what now. what year is it.]

["Oh good, you're awake."

From overhead appears the wrinkly face of that goblin woman they're becoming so well acquainted with. Beside Zelgadis, Emery stirs and blinks blearily in the dim light that pours in from the opening.]

Mnmngh?

["Here's your clothes back, they might still be a little damp but they'll do." As she says this, Tantabel goes ahead and drops their clothes down on them.]

Mmph!

[A few folded piles of clothes paffs Emery's head and Zel's torso. Emery startles himself into a sitting position, pressing a hand hard against Zel's chest as leverage in the process. Which might be uncomfortable for Zel if he wasn't made of rock and all.

"We'll be moving on after breakfast. Pass up that jar of peas, will you?"]

[the correct response to the sudden invasion of privacy would be to hastily dislodge Emery from him and protect their flimsy cover as guard and guarded - for what that's worth.

of course, doing that would've launched poor, featherlight Emery into a rack of canned beets and corn and honestly...not a good day-starter. if it's day at all.

so instead of doing the worst-correct thing, Zel just freezes, eyes big and bloodshot as he rolls flat on his back, arm dropping hard to his side.

this woman is going to give him heart failure. after raining clothes on him.

he is a mute mannequin as Emery processes the pleas for peas.]

[Seeing that Zel has decided to play dead, that leaves a still bleary Emery to handle the procurement of peas.]

Uh. Peas. Right-

["Bottom of shelf, to your left."

Emery obligingly locates the desired legumes and stands up to hand Tantabel the jar, which then leads into Emery also having to locate some spice jars, and a small wrapped up package of cured meat (origin unknown.) So Zel will get to watch Emery step back and forth across the pantry space (and occasionally over Zel) in order to get everything.

When this is done: "Thank you kindly. You'd best stay down there for a few more hours 'til we're well out of town, but if either of you need to relieve yourselves it should be safe to step out for a few minutes."

Emery blinks, looks down over at Zel, then back again.]

-Can you give us a minute to get dressed first?

["Right then."

Tantabel looks at Zelgadis in particular for a moment, then her head withdraws. Emery crouches back down next to Zel.]

Come on, looks like it's time to start the day.

[As he says this, Emery also takes a moment to subtly examine Zel's injury.]

[to his credit (or testament to his unwillingness to let himself openly fuss in front of giant onlookers), Zel is still throughout most of the process, save for sitting up and ensuring his dignity is still intact (ma'am he does not care how many children you have you have no business seeing his bits).

he eyes the bright-open sky suspiciously even as Emery returns to his level to encourage him; there's still hairline cracks between the stone protrusions below his eye and the ones lining his jaw - like the way a teacup that was close to shattering would have. they're less like divots and more like someone took a pencil and traced lines to connect these "dots."

after a beat, he turns his head to peer sidelong at Emery, catching the concentration on his face.]

...Well? [what's your verdict, nurse?]

They look better. Thinner.

[Emery carefully reaches out a hand and brushes his fingertips over the cracks, gradually pressing a bit harder if Zelgadis doesn't seem to flinch.]

Does it hurt at all?

[the way it's described is still confusing to him, but Zel's too scared to ask for better detail. his imagination would run far, far away with that until he could get in front of a mirror.

his eyes nearly close when Emery's hand draws near, and he braces for the slightest chance he could feel how gently his fingers graze his skin.

...nothing. as usual. that's...probably a good thing, but still.]

...I don't feel anything. [good or bad.]

Well, that's probably better than pain.

[Emery removes his hand and leans in to give the injury site a brief kiss before withdrawing to look for the clothes Tantabel tossed down. He finds Zel's tunic, cloak, pants, and underwear all bundled together and hands them over.]

Here's your stuff.

[It smells faintly of cypress and sesame from whatever soap the goblins were using.]

[honestly, the fact that there's no surprise holes or missing pieces is what surprises Zel; he's used to not only foul play, but just...hijinks in general, even from the assumedly good-natured.

especially them.

maybe it's expecting the nonsense that's keeping it at bay? but, no, no...Zel had expected nonsense with the fish-people, and got precisely that. and hit by a cart for his trouble, so...

so he's going to just be grateful he can climb back into his clothes without event and everything fits right and there's no comically-positioned tears or holes to be seen; despite not being able to properly, fully feel them, it's a relief to have it all back on him. his sigh says as much while clipping his sword-belt back into place and grabbing said sword off the side of the wall.]

So how does this excursion rate so far compared to your ones in the past? [is it more harrowing? more stupid?]

[Emery also sets about getting dressed and in some semblance of order. A root cellar isn't the best location for him to get dolled up but c'est la vie. At least he can comb his hair and put a shirt on. Emery's just pulling his boots on when Zel asks his question.

This excursion...? Well, when he compares this foray to the last one...

Emery flashes Zel a smile.]

I'm glad I have company this time.

[Disasters with spring guardians aside. Technically he'd been escorted by Calanthe the first time around, but while Emery wouldn't say he dislikes her or anything, he definitely prefers Zel's company. Helps a lot that his loyalty isn't to the Field Lord.

And also that Zelgadis is so very sweet and fuckable.

With a little hup Emery grabs the edge of the hole in the ceiling (even though it looks like it should be too high up to easily grab. spatial magic is fun like that.) and pulls himself up and out into the back of a wagon.]

[it's a positive note, but...vague. company this time leaves things open to speculate that such things as water guardians and ambushes were still as rampant without him there.

he'll take the approval, but not without carrying the weight of what if along with it.]

What the--

[in hoisting himself up into the spatial shift, Zel nearly shoves Emery over, but catches himself by the edges of the suitcase, grimacing and blinking through the daylight and change of scenery.

where the hell is the ground?!

...there it is. okay. wait--

wagon??

he looks around, over his shoulder.]

How far have we gone...?

Looks like we're not out of the woods yet. Er, quite literally.

[As Emery says, there's still a lot of familiar greenery surrounding the road. The donkeys are pulling the wagons along at a leisurely pace. So leisurely, in fact, that a few of the taller and youthful goblins are opting to walk, and not struggling to keep up with the rest of the caravan.

Emery's crouched nearby, holding out a hand to help Zelgadis out of the trunk... Even though he can't actually lift Zel... Look, it's the principle of the thing.]

[it still quietly astounds Zel that these goblins - strangers - haven't just hung them out to dry (or drown, as it were). sure, most people are decent and not cruel...to other people.

~~maybe they'd be decent to you if you interacted with them more than just in transactional situations, Zel.~~

he fully climbs out, perching on the lip of the trunk before getting a foot out and onto the wagon properly. what a weird (useful!) contraption... he closes it shut once he's free, quickly noticing his weight starting to register on the wagon and hopping down, starting to walk behind it, eyes sweeping the area.]

...If something like that happens again, we may need to cut our losses. [and lose the entourage, no matter how helpful they've been.]

[Emery follows partway after Zel, taking a seat at the back of the wagon rather than opting to hop out.]

Cut our losses? I thought we got out of there pretty quick. [Not as quick as he'd like, of course, but Emery thinks it goes without saying that "before anyone got injured" would have been the ideal.]

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