Not the way his brother could. Not the way he'd seen others in the taverns they'd visited drink.
He'd always traveled alone, and he needed his senses to be sharp…on point. To drink to excess meant to dull those senses and to put himself at risk. So he didn't.
Normally.
But normally didn't account for finding your half-brother and traveling with him for the last year.
Normally didn't cover finding your mother after years of searching and finding nothing, only to find her alive and well and find several other half-siblings…and to discover that she knew as little or less than you did about why you were taken from her in the first place.
Normally didn't predict your recently discovered half-brother who you'd been traveling with for the last year just casually dropping the fact that he had a seven year old son that he'd been hiding from the world at large for the child's safety, which also included off-handily mentioning how dangerous said brother's life actually is.
Nothing about the last several days had been normal. And while he'd been able to put on a front while Raxwel was present (who was apparently unbothered by any of the events of the last year), pretend that everything was fine and he was coping, he most certainly was not.
"I'll be back in a week or so. Takes me a few days to get to where I'm going and then I tend to stay a few days, visit."
"…Yeah."
Raxwel paused, glancing over his shoulder with narrowed eyes. "You sure you're going to be alright, Kyden? You've been real quiet since we got back."
"Huh? Oh." A quick shake of his head and he was able to refocus trying to offer what he hoped was a convincing smile. "I'll be fine. Just a lot on my mind is all."
Raxwel appeared…unconvinced. "…Alright. Well - anything happens, Finn is just outside the city walls. I won't be gone long."
That'd been a few days ago and in the days since his brother's departure Kyden couldn't help but wonder what other secrets the older man was hiding.
Those spiraling thoughts had kept him up - and the inability to sleep had led him here…the bar, half empty drink in front of him, his thoughts once again racing, now with the room spinning a bit on top of it.
He normally didn't drink…and it was nights like this one when he'd hoped the alcohol was going to take the edge off only to realize too far in that the only thing it'd manage to do was make everything worse, that he really remembered why.
a big collection of questions based on color language! all questions under the cut 💕
❤️ RED ❤️
1. What is the easiest way to make your OC angry?
2. What aspects of a person—appearance, personality or otherwise—are attractive to your OC?
3. Does your OC enjoy sex?
4. How important is the concept of strength to your OC?
5. Is your OC vengeful?
6. Are people afraid of your OC? If so, is that fear warranted?
7. What would others consider the most attractive part of your OC?
🧡 ORANGE 🧡
1. How would your OC describe themselves as a child?
2. Does your OC embrace or suppress their emotions?
3. What first impression do strangers get from your OC?
4. Is your OC a risk-taker? Do they take well-calculated risks or are they impulsive?
5. Is it easy for your OC to step out of their comfort zone?
6. Does your OC hold others to the same standards they hold themselves to?
7. What is your OC’s favorite season?
💛 YELLOW 💛
1. Is your OC an optimist or a pessimist?
2. How energetic is your OC?
3. Does your OC lie easily? What scenario(s) would justify lying in your OC’s opinion?
4. Does your OC have many secrets? Would they ever tell a person these secrets?
5. Does your OC have a strict morning routine? If so, what is it?
6. How cautious is your OC?
7. Is your OC humorous?
💚 GREEN 💚
1. Does your OC get jealousy easily?
2. Does your OC believe in the concept of luck?
3. How much does your OC enjoy nature? Do they enjoy being outdoors?
4. What is your OC like when they’re sick? Do they try to push through it or are they completely bed-ridden?
5. Is world peace something your OC believes is possible?
6. Is your OC generous? If so, is their generosity conditional?
7. How adaptable is your OC? Are they open to change?
🩵 CYAN 🩵
1. Does your OC get stressed easily? Are they cool under pressure or are they easily made anxious?
2. What brings comfort to your OC (person, place, object, etc.)?
3. How easily distracted is your OC?
4. Is your OC more humble or arrogant?
5. Does your OC like to swim?
6. Are your OC’s decisions influenced more by their head or by their heart?
7. How observant is your OC and how much does it affect them? Are they clueless or nearly paranoid?
💙 BLUE 💙
1. Is your OC confident in themselves?
2. Is your OC comfortable letting others see them cry?
3. How independent is your OC?
4. How trusting is your OC and does it have an effect on their relationships?
5. Does your OC have a comforting presence?
6. Can your OC stand up for themselves?
7. Is your OC structured or do they go with the flow?
💜 PURPLE 💜
1. What is one of your OC’s biggest dreams and do they believe that dream will come true?
2. How affluent is your OC? Does their level of wealth matter to them?
3. Does your OC daydream often?
4. Does your OC have any artistic hobbies?
5. Does your OC have a commanding presence?
6. Is your OC book-smart or street-smart?
7. Is your OC stylish? How much do they care about the clothes they wear?
🩷 PINK 🩷
1. Does your OC like traditional romance?
2. How playful is your OC?
3. What is your OC’s favorite love language?
4. How good is your OC with children?
5. Does your OC believe in soulmates? Have they ever thought someone was their soulmate?
6. Does your OC have a favorite flower? If so, what is it?
7. How easy is it for your OC to empathize with other people?
🤎 BROWN 🤎
1. Is your OC reliable?
2. What animal do your associate with your OC?
3. How protective is your OC?
4. Is your OC polite?
5. How much does your OC enjoy traveling?
6. Does your OC abide by the rules?
7. Is your OC a homebody? Are they consistent with doing chores?
🩶 GRAY 🩶
1. How forgetful is your OC?
2. Is your OC open to compromise?
3. Has your OC ever thought about having children? Do they believe they’d be a good parent?
4. Is your OC emotionally open with the people around them?
5. How mature is your OC?
6. What is one of your OC’s happiest memories?
7. How helpful is your OC’s advice? Do others come to your OC for their advice?
🖤 BLACK 🖤
1. How far will your OC go to achieve their goals?
2. Does your OC have a strict bedtime routine? If so, what is it?
3. What is one of your OC’s greatest fears and how much does it affect them?
4. Has your OC ever broken a promise?
5. Is your OC comfortable at fancy gatherings?
6. What does your OC have nightmares about?
7. How well does your OC sleep?
🤍 WHITE 🤍
1. How much does your OC care about cleanliness?
2. Is your OC religious? How do they feel about religion?
3. Will your OC take care of someone while they’re sick? Are they good at it?
4. Is your OC a perfectionist?
5. Has your OC ever upended their life and restarted from square one? If not, have they considered it?
6. Does your OC idolize their past?
7. Does your OC enjoy the simple pleasures? Are they satisfied with the bare minimum?
36. Does your OC believe they deserve it when bad things happen to them?
Would likely depend on the "thing" to be honest. He doesn't think he's deserving of much - positive or negative, though he is more likely to wonder who he managed to irk for something to happen when things are going pear shaped than he is to believe he did something right when things are going well.
So does he think he deserved it? No - that's going a bit far.
Does he think he might have done something to prompt it? That is very much a possibility.
Kyden was only surprised that it had taken this long for the topic to come up. From what he knew of the man sitting beside him…when he had a question, he asked.
Raxwel drummed his fingers along the back of the bench, eyes scanning the various occupants of Silvermoon as they went about their business for the day — it seemed that his brother had every intention of behaving himself for once…at least for the time being. Though…he looked to be contemplating something, which was never good.
At least in his brief experience it wasn't.
"We've been traveling together for what? A year? Two? Something like that, right?"
Kyden paused, fingers teasing the edge of the hood he was barely resisting the urge to pull up over his head. "…Yeah, something along those lines. Why?" He tilted his head, wondering if he should be curious or concerned.
"Just noticed that you haven't mentioned a whole lot about your past, is all."
His fingers stilled, his entire body stiff — uncomfortable — that urge to pull his hood up almost irrisistable now. "Oh."
A quick shake of the head and he tried to relax…and he should have known better than to think that would have gone unnoticed.
"…Just "oh." huh? Want to try that again?"
Kyden shrugged one shoulders — a sad half-hearted motion. "There's not a whole lot to tell."
"Body language says otherwise."
"Nothing that's worth remembering…that better?"
"Kyden…"
Here he did pull the hood up, shifting back on the bench and crossing his arms over his chest tightly. "It was painful enough the first time through can we just…not."
He could feel his brother's gaze on him, he didn't need to turn and look to see it.
"Not…not today, at least."
"Aye kid…not today."
He felt a hand reach up and ruffle his head through the hood.
One day they'd talk about it.
But for today those excrutiatingly painful memories could stay locked away just a little longer.
Kyden barely had time to glance up before a bag was dropped onto his lap — done in a way meant to catch him off guard. He narrowed his eyes at his brother's retreating form before suspciously checking the contents of the bag.
"You didn't buy out any poor vendors this afternoon, did you?"
"Nope. Not this time anyway. No one pissed me off between this morning and this evening, so it was just enough to keep you from getting hangry. Works out better for both of us if you're well fed."
Raxwel grinned playfully as he settled down, leaning back against one of the nearby trees and pulling a flask from his jacket. "You know, we really should consider just getting a room at the inn, probably would be a little more comfortable…" His gaze turned towards his brother as he removed the cap of the flask. "You're overthinking. About what?"
"I'm not…"
Kyden trailed off with a sigh as the flask was lifted to Raxwel's lips. "…I was just thinking about what I'm doing."
"In regards to…?"
Kyden waved his hands around, motioning in the general area around him. "Just…as a whole." He flopped back onto his back, reaching up and scratching Finn's chin when the worg came over to sniff — making sure he was alright (and certainly not to see if he could see what was in the bag he was holding.)
"I can't follow you around for forever. I need to figure out what I'm doing eventually…Savia…my mother wants me to visit, eventually and I don't know when. O-or if I even want to. And."
"…Kyden."
"And you go off on these trips sometimes, and I just can't sit here and wait for you to come back with Finn, and he looks lost when you do that. I think he knows where you go and wants to go and he can't because I'm here…"
"……Kyden."
"And what if you have work, because I know you have to have work. The last job was a job I gave you and you didn't even get paid for that. And eventually you're going to need to get paid and-"
"…KYDEN!"
The last attempt to gain his attention was accompanied by something landing, rather uncerimouniously on his face.
A pastery.
One of the, gods knew, how many his brother had purchased that morning.
Kyden sputtered before sitting up and whipping around to glare at Raxwel who took a moment to take another sip of his flask.
His brother exhaled, eyes closed before slowly capping the flask and finally…eventually, opening his eyes to look at him.
"Are we done?"
"…For the moment."
"Good. So let me poke a few holes in some things. I'll find work when I find it. It's not an issue. You can wait with Finn — if that's what you want to do. These trips…I'll tell you about them eventually, just not yet. And if it gets to point where you're ready to wander off, after you figure out what you want to do, then you can. You don't have to figure it out right now."
"…And Sav- My mother?"
"Don't have to call her that if you're ready to, kid. You can sort that out in your own time too. I would suggest visiting at least every once in a while. Doesn't mean you have to do it next week."
Kyden barely resisted the urge to pull his hood up over his head as he felt his brother's gaze narrow on him.
"How long did you sit out here thinking about all this?"
He muttered a response.
"Want to try that again?"
"….All afternoon."
"I figured. Whelp, seems keeping you out of trouble means dragging you into mine. This should be fun."
"Wha-what?"
"Don't worry about it. Get some sleep though. Tomorrow could be…interesting."
Kyden stared blankly at his brother for a moment before turning to the contents of the bag — trying to imagine what he'd just gotten himself into.
i know this topic is a bit overdone, but i wanted to make a more sfw romance & relationship headcanon meme! most if not all of these questions are related to romance and topics that may arise within romantic relationships, but without explicit nsfw topics!
1. what is your muse's sexual/romantic orientation?
2. has your muse been mainly attracted to masculinity, femininity, androgyny, or an even split (between two, many, or all of the options specified)?
3. has your muse been mainly attracted to men, women, non-binary people, another identity not specified, or an even split (between two, many, or all of the options specified)?
4. does your muse find any specific features particularly attractive?
5. what is your muse's ideal first date?
6. would your muse kiss on the first date?
7. where is your muse most sensitive?
8. is your muse a good kisser? are they experienced or inexperienced?
9. is your muse monogamous or polyamorous? would they be interested in a polyamorous relationship?
10. has your muse ever been cheated on? would they ever cheat on their partner(s)?
11. how comfortable is your muse with their appearance and their body?
12. does your muse get flustered easily? how would they typically react to compliments from someone they are interested in/dating?
13. what traits does your muse value in a romantic partner?
14. what traits does your muse want to avoid when it comes to choosing a romantic partner?
15. how does your muse feel about valentine's day?
16. what is/are your muse's love language(s)?
17. what are some of the signs that your muse shows their care/love without saying they love/care about their partner?
18. how does your muse feel about marriage? would they ever want to get married?
19. how many serious relationships has your muse been in? are they experienced or inexperienced when it comes to dating?
20. how does your muse feel about public displays of affection? would they engage in them?
21. is your muse more flirtatious or shy, or does it depend on the context?
22. does your muse tend to take on a more dominant or submissive role in the relationship, or does it vary based on circumstance?
23. would your muse be good at recognizing their partner's needs right away, or would it take some time?
24. is your muse proactive in communication with their partner(s), or is this something they need to work on?
25. does love and romance mean a lot to your muse? do they seek it constantly or let it come when it does?
26. is your muse more likely to be loud and proud about being in a relationship, or are they more quiet about it at first and open up about it over time?
27. is your muse more confident or shy when it comes to approaching someone they like?
28. would it bother your muse if they had differing interests from their partner(s), or would they delight in it?
29. how important is having (a) physically attractive partner(s) to your muse?
30. would your muse ever be in an open/non-exclusive relationship? would it make them insecure, or would they be open to trying it?
31. does your muse develop crushes easily? would they be open about it to a friend or keep it to themselves?
32. does your muse have an ideal "type"?
He didn't see Raxwel roll his eyes, but he could just about feel it from where he was standing, just a step or two ahead of his brother.
And…he could understand. It would have been different if this had been the first time he'd asked the question, and not the one hundredth.
Okay that might have been an exaggeration…eightieth.
"What do you talk about with anyone you're just meeting for the first time, Kyden? It doesn't have to be the deepest conversation you've ever had. It also doesn't have to be the only conversation you're ever going to have with the woman. Just start to get to know her."
Now it was his turn to roll his eyes. "You act like it's that easy."
"Because it is?"
"For you, maybe."
"Kyden…"
"I'm serious." Kyden turned around, almost causing both Raxwel and Finn to plow into him at the abrupt change of direction.
"A little warning next time?"
Finn plopped down with a little yip, looking between the two men.
"Sorry…look. You open your mouth and words come out and people just go with it and talk to you. I don't get it. I open my mouth and a jumbled mess comes out and I end up wanting to pull my hood up and hide. I don't know how to talk to people."
"Speaking of the hood, push it back."
"Wha…"
"Push it back and look up."
Begrudgingly, Kyden did as he was asked, pushing the hood back off of his head and looking up to meet his brother's gaze.
"Better. Now, you don't 'know' how to talk to people because you don't do it. Savia wants to talk to you. She wants to get to know you. You don't have to impress anyone here. There's not right or wrong way to do this. Just be you, kid."
"And what if…"
"What?" Raxwel fought back a sigh, tilting his head and slipping his hands into his pockets.
"If it goes wrong, where are you gonna be?"
"I've got a lead to follow, I'll be gone for a few days. You're staying with Savia - or I can leave you some gold and you can stay at the inn if it comes down to it. I'll even leave Finn."
"But -"
"No —no buts. It's not going to go wrong, Kyden. You did just fine getting to know me. You did just fine getting to know Madison. You've managed plenty of first conversations before — this one isn't any different. Just take it slow and you'll be fine. Now."
Raxwel gripped him by the shoulders and turned him around so he was facing down the path once again. At the end of the road, waiting was an older elven woman who seemed to be watching the pair patiently. "Go. I'll be back in a few days and you can tell me all about it."
A deep breath…and maybe a nip from Finn to his backside, and Kyden started forward.
Maybe his brother was right…the conversation didn't have to be that deep…it just had to be.
Raxwel considered himself to be fairly imaginative.
During the time it had taken him to travel back to the inn from the small village where Savia and her family resided he'd played out how the conversation with Kyden could possibly go…in a thousand different ways.
He'd imagined his brother having a complete meltdown at the idea of meeting his mother for the first time. He'd imagined Kyden being absolutely ecstatic and ready to bolt out the door at a moments notice. He'd also managed to come up with a variety of scenarios that varied somewhere in between the two extremes.
One thing that had some how escaped his imagination was simply failing to convince his brother to leave the room at all. Which was how he'd come to stand absolutely perplexed at the foot of his brother's bed, looking at the lump of covers that currently represented Kyden, Finn sitting on the floor next to him, sniffing the lump hesitantly.
"You know, hiding under there isn't making a decision any faster — and it makes this whole trip seem awfully pointless to just avoid her after coming all this way."
He heard…muffled something. He could only assume it was an attempt at an answer. A quick glance down at Finn, who's head was now tilted in the direction of the mound of blankets, indicated that while yes, there had been an attempt to communicate, no…it hadn't been a very effective one.
Raxwel sighed, walking over to the bed and gripping the edge of the comforter and without warning pulled it away, leaving Kyden to yelp in surprise as his "shield" left him.
"What'd you do that for!?"
"So I can hear you and we can have an actual conversation."
"I was talking!"
Raxwel leveled him with a stare as he laid the comforter over one of the nearby chairs. "Into one of the pillows? Couldn't understand a damn thing you said. I've talked to drunkards more coherent. Let's try again."
"I said, what if I don't measure up."
"To what, Kyden?" Raxwel flopped down unceremoniously into one of the nearby chairs, resisting the urge to reach for his flask.
"Not what…who. You said there were other kids…"
"Small kids. She didn't seem the type to compare, she was more interested in just getting to meet you at all. Isn't that what you had me look for her for? To meet her." A tired sigh left him as he reached up, running a hand through his hair. "You have a conversation, get to know her a little, she gets to know you. It's not that bad."
"What if it is, what if it completely unravels and goes terribly?"
"And what if it doesn't? First few weeks with me didn't go terribly."
Kyden lifted his head from under the pillow he was now hiding below. "…That was different."
"Oh really? How?"
"I…" He huffed, pulling the pillow back over his head before speaking, the sounds muffled again.
"What was that — I missed it."
The pillow was thrown in Raxwel's general direction, missing by at least a foot. "I said it wasn't, you ass."
"Oh, good, then we're in agreement." He hummed thoughtfully. "Well, since we're in agreement, perhaps we can extend that and you can agree to get up and we'll get going — I'd hate for you to interrupt their dinner because you took forever to get up and dressed."
"…Still an ass."
"But an effective one! Up and at 'em little brother. We've got work to do!"
He ignored Kyden's groans, and when he wasn't up after a few more minutes he sent Finn after him, which did get the younger man moving.
He could understand the trepidation, but in this…failure wasn't an option.
It'd been a week…maybe a week and a half, just long enough to meet with a few contacts that he didn't trust with the knowledge that he had a half-brother, and long enough to visit with his son over the Winter Veil holiday.
He'd warned Kyden about what he was doing. Told him how long he was going to be gone, why he was doing it, when to expect him back…even left Finn with him for good measure, just to make sure he knew he was going to return.
He thought everything was fine…and it seemed fine.
Until he took one step into the place he'd rented out for his brother for the last week and realized how quickly things were not fine.
It wasn't just the state of the place — clothes scattered all over, a few empty bottles…he'd seen worse. (He'd been the cause of much worse.) It was the warning yip from Finn and the items flying at his head that was really the indication that things were not ideal.
Raxwel dodged to the side, managing to avoid the first thing throw at the door (a pillow), and caught the next item throw (a glass), his eyes turning in the direction the items seemed to be coming from. He heard Finn huff — a sound quickly followed by a short scuffle and Kyden grumbling something about wanting the Worg to get off.
Ha!
"Maybe we should try using our words instead of throwing shit at the first person to walk through the door and he wouldn't be inclined to lay on you like that."
"Wouldn't be throwing shit if -hic- ssomeone hadn't left in the fir place."
Oh good. We're drunk.
He tried not to roll his eyes…he really did, and that didn't stop the tired sigh that escaped him. Wandering over to the sink he filled the glass that had been lobbed at his head with water before heading the direction of his brother's voice, only to find the younger man pinned beneath Finn, who looked very proud of himself.
Raxwel took a seat on the edge of the bed, swirling the water in the glass at he looked down at Kyden…who looked a tremendous amount like Reynault in this moment — pout and all. "You ready to talk, or are you going to throw something else at me if I tell him to let you up?"
"No…"
"No what, Kyden?"
"I won't throw anything."
He reached over and tapped on the top of Finn's head gently. "Good boy. Up."
Obediently the worg popped up and wandered over to the corner of the room, leaving Kyden sprawled out on the floor.
Raxwel quirked an eyebrow before offering him the glass of water in his hand. "Water? Sounds like you had an interesting evening."
"Shut up."
"You threw a glass at my head when I walked in. I think I have a right to give you shit for getting drunk off your ass."
"I'm not…"
"Kyden."
He huffed as he managed to sit up, taking the glass and then taking a generous sip. "…Okay - but only a lil' bit…"
The doubt was clear on Raxwel's face as he eyed the empty bottles throughout the room, but he didn't press. On that topic at least. There were other buttons to push.
"So…remember when I told you I was going to be gone for up to a week and half."
"…yeah."
"How long as it been, Kyden?"
"…Not a week and a half."
"Mmmhm." Raxwel crossed his arms over his chest loosely. "Gonna tell me what got your knickers all up in a twist, or am I going to have to drag it out of you? Because there are going to be other times I have to wander off and you're going to have to wait and if it's going to be like this every time…"
He could see the wheels turning, just like the glass in his brother's hands.
"You left."
"I did. There were-"
"No, you left. Just like everyone else. And you said you were coming back, but so did they. People always leave and they say they're going to come back…and they don't. And you left."
Aw fuck.
It didn't take a request from him for Finn to trot over and sit next to his brother, nudging the younger man and laying down, his head on his thigh.
Raxwel took a moment to gather his thoughts, reaching into his bag and pulling out one of the apples he'd been given before returning. He eased down onto the floor next to his brother before offering the apple to him, nudging him with his shoulder.
"…Aye, people leave. Some without warning. Some tell you they're coming back and they never do. Some mean to, some don't. Some try their hardest to get back and they can't. Some we find again when we don't mean to. Six months ago I didn't know you existed, kid."
Kyden took the apple, setting the water down before turning the piece of fruit between his hands.
"And…now I do. There are still some secrets that I can't share, and I'm sure there are some secrets you can't share and that's okay. And it doesn't mean I'm going anywhere. I left to take care of some things. And I came back once they were taken care of. Just gotta trust a little bit at a time."
The only response he got was a small nod…and that was enough.
"Alright…let's get you up and into bed, you're gonna hate yourself in the morning."
"Huh?"
"Drank all that, didn't you? Could've told you the answer to your issues wasn't gonna be at the bottom of the bottle. I tried that already. Didn't work out so well." Raxwel motioned at the room.
"…yeah. Well…I thought it might help."
"Yup, well, about that. Ain't enough bread and water on this planet to save you from the hangover waiting for you tomorrow. Gotta learn somehow."
"I don't…"
"You will, don't worry."
And learn he did…good, bad or otherwise.
Maybe next time he'd trust that his brother was telling him the truth.
He'd been convinced that he was never going to see it again.
The way the clouds just seemed to go on forever…and the way that it just kept raining…day after day, it didn't seem to matter how many days they traveled or how far they went, the weather just didn't seem to change. He was absolutely, completely convinced that this place just didn't see the sun.
Ever.
So when Kyden woke up — one of the rare evenings that he and Raxwel had managed to find and inn rather than having to set up camp in the middle of the woods somewhere — and hadn't heard pouring rain outside the cracked window he'd scarcely believed it.
Raxwel, already up and working, had barely acknowledged him, as he'd bolted upright and shot over to the window having to double check and make sure his senses weren't being fooled.
"It's not raining."
"…Not at the moment. Doesn't mean—"
"Great!"
"Kyden, you still might…"
He didn't bother to wait, pulling on his pants and boots and shooting out of the room and down the stairs and out of the inn, desperate to see sunshine.
…and he did, for all of five minutes.
Maybe he should have waited to hear what Raxwel had to say, because when the rain started up ten minutes later, and Raxwel was waiting just inside the door with a towel and a far too amused grin, Kyden yanked the towel from his hands with a huff.
"I did try to warn you. There are dry clothes upstairs…socks included."
"…shut up."
His brother's amused laughter followed him up the stairs…but at least he saw the damn sun, even if it was for only five minutes.
It was cold, it was wet. And for fuck's sake, did it ever stop raining?
Kyden trudged along behind his brother and behind his worg, clutching his jacket around his frame and huffed — not for the first time and not for the last time glaring up at the skies overhead and wondering how it could possibly still be raining. They'd been walking for what felt like forever and it hadn't let up, even for a minute.
He was so focused on glaring up at the unforgiving sky that he hadn't noticed that Raxwel had stopped walking and was giving him a curious (amused) look.
"You know, I hear that if you keep making faces like that it'll end up stuck that way. And you're much less likely to get a repeat evening with Madison if your face is stuck like that."
Kyden blinked, before balking at the notion. "I…I wouldn't. I didn't…shut up!"
He crossed his arms over his chest defensively, shaking his head to try and get the water out of his eyes…if anything it made the situation worse.
"…Alright, well, we just ate not that long ago, so you're not grumpy because of that."
"No."
"We haven't been walking all that long, so it's not that either."
"Really?"
"You slept plenty last night, and snored to boot…woke up poor Finn…"
"I did not!"
Finn huffed in response.
Kyden narrowed his eyes at the worg, "Traitor."
"Okay, seriously, what's the issue, you were fine when we left this morning."
"How are you not miserable?!" Kyden through his arms up before pointing at their surroundings. "My socks have been soaked for hours, and I feel like I've been walking through a small lake since we left the last village. You're acting like this is perfectly normal…HOW?!"
To his credit, Raxwel tried to keep a straight face. He did.
And he didn't succeed, almost double over in laughter as his brother glared at him.
"I fail to see how this is even remotely funny."
"Kyden…did you not bring extra socks?"
"I…what?"
When he finally managed to calm down, Raxwel threw and arm over his brother's shoulders, guiding the younger man over to a secluded spot out of the rain and pulled a pair of extra socks from his bag. "I've been changing mine every time we stop and drying them out over night. It rains like this all the time here…"
Kyden blinked again, looking a bit sheepish as he pulled his boots off, pouring no small amount of water from them. "I…um, didn't think about it."
"And didn't think to ask either. Have a bit to learn, huh?"
He reached up and rubbed his neck before taking the offered socks with a nod. "…a bit."
He paused for a moment, chewing on his bottom lip before starting to speak again. "Um…Raxwel?"
"Yeah?"
"…While you're in there, you don't have any snacks do you."
The only response was an amused snort before a piece of jerky was thrown at his head.