fairyland fun! (your levels of fun may vary)

[fair_trouble]

[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?

Comments

[fair_trouble]

[Touches and kisses assure Emery like nothing else can, taking him away from that terrible scene at the spring and grounding him in the moment, where Zel is certainly at least well enough for kisses. Emery is happy to partake, and the press of Zel's body against his helps to rebuild his sense of contentment.

Alas, the wet and the lack of clothing catches up to him eventually. Emery shivers, and it's not a horny shiver. He pauses between kisses to speak.]

We should probably bundle up before I really do catch a cold.

[chimerad]

[the remark quickly undercuts the little sense of dismay Zel feels in their small parting and it gives him cause to straighten up and look about.]

...Right. Here-- [while withdrawing his hands from Emery, he toes at the unrolled bedding fare he'd been given and unceremoniously dumped on the floor in favor of empty hands.] You can use these, too, if you need them.

[hell, he'll even set this shit up, trying to maximize the amount of space they can get out of this cramped cave of carrots and tubers before Emery gets his chance to fluff things to his own preferences.]

[fair_trouble]

[Emery takes a step back to let Zel fuss with the bedding.]

We can share.

[He's genuinely not sure how much of a difference things like blankets make to Zel's comfort levels, but surely he has no complaints about cuddling! It's not the first time they've done it and with any luck won't be the last.]

[chimerad]

[ah, yes: snuggling in a pocket-dimension cellar. peak romance.

...it's honestly not that bad (it'd be better if Zel had awareness of where his pants were and control over when he could have them back, but--).

Zel settles in first so he can do most of the unobtrusive adjusting to cater to Emery's comfort, letting him dictate where or how he ought to move without complaint. it's just embarrassing to complain, especially when he's the uncomfortably built one in this equation.]

[fair_trouble]

[It's always peak romance with the two of them!

Emery easily takes over the process of settling in, adjusting the bedding and scooching the two of them around so that they're not lying on any vegetables. Eventually he winds up curling up against Zel's side, with an arm resting on Zel's torso, rather as if he were cuddling a giant stuffed animal made out of rock.

It's a comfortable enough position for him; not as good as a proper bed would be, but better than sleeping outside, and none of Zel's sharper bits are digging into him. And there's something pleasant about the sensation of Zel's rocky skin gradually absorbing the warmth of Emery's body.

Still, because Zelgadis is the one who got injured and all, Emery will check in:]

Is this position okay for you?

[chimerad]

[he's never said so aloud, but Zel likes when Emery rests the bulk of his weight on him; he can't feel the texture, but the pressure and ambient warmth is present. it's comforting in that angsty, wish-there-were-more kind of way - the kind of sweet torment he's naturally gotten into given his circumstances.]

I'm fine. Are you? [because he can endure a sore back or shoulder if it meant Emery rested soundly.]

[fair_trouble]

[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!

[chimerad]

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.]

[fair_trouble]

[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...

[chimerad]

[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.]

[fair_trouble]

[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.]

[chimerad]

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

[fair_trouble]

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.]

[chimerad]

[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?

[fair_trouble]

[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.]

[chimerad]

[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.

[fair_trouble]

[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.]

[chimerad]

[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.]

[fair_trouble]

["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?"]

[chimerad]

[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.]

[fair_trouble]

[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.]

[chimerad]

[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?]

[fair_trouble]

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?

[chimerad]

[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.]

[fair_trouble]

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.]