there you go, buddy.

Paladin of the Grand Wizard's human army.

[mercifulpaladin]

Survival - Token&Butters

As soon as the first task was announced, it was Butters' intention to find the best way to maneuver through and succeed without taking too much damage. Of course, easier said than done, and now that he was standing alone in a segment of a large forest, he felt like it was going to be infinitely harder than he'd imagined.

Even so, he nervously ran his fingers over the strip of yellow cloth tied to his belt and sighed, starting on his way. It was probably best that he make haste, as there was always a chance that he could never find the other person with his color. And there was also the chance that if he didn't find Token, someone from another team would find him first. This thought but a bit of a spring in his step, and he was off, walking into the deeper reaches of the forest.

After a while of walking and panicking at the sound of birds or small animals scurrying, he heard a rustling behind him, and he turned on his heel, pulling his hammer free of its sheath. What he saw made him furrow his brow-- it was Token, which had immediately surprised him and left him on guard, but...

There was no sign of hostility on his face. He had his hands held away from his weapons, which were sheathed. Butters lowered his own weapon and raised a brow, looking up at him curiously. "Uh...well gosh, aren't you gonna attack me or somethin'?"

[mercifulpaladin]

Nature // Butters & Wendy

As far as people went, Druids weren't exactly known for their fondness of humans. He supposed it was for good reason. And, knowing this, Butters' approach of one of the places he'd heard word of Wendy spending her time in was all but synonymous with asking to have his ass kicked. He pushed through the thick greenery and sighed, wiping his forehead with the back of his hand. It was too hot, too tiring to wade through the leaves and plants, and he wondered faintly how the hell he was going to get through this challenge alive.

Even though it was but a day before the competition, he figured it was as good at time as any. His private preparations were few, as he was at a loss of things to do. He figured, upon seeing the bulletin, that it would be entirely stupid to try and cram too much skill-based training into one week, so he had been focused on a few in particular. Now, he was headed out to try and convince the druid to teach him something--anything--about the deadly grasps of nature they were about to be thrust into.

He entered a well-scuffed clearing and looked around rather nervously, trying to see if she was anywhere in sight. "Um, well... golly, if you're here, Miss Testaburger, I'd like your advice and guidance."

[mercifulpaladin]

Training ✛✛ Stan&Butters

[marshwalking]

"I really need you to block this, okay, even if you get scared. You have to trust me, because I know you can do it, okay?" He was feeling sick, forcing himself not to imagine accidentally wounding this poor soul in front of him. For a moment, he considered that he might be ill, but his body decided against it last-minute.

Receiving a nod from the paladin, he readied his sword. Holding it at his side, he brought it up and over his head, striking downward with enough force for it to make a crack against Butters’ hammer. Stan breathed a sigh of relief; Butters wasn’t split in half. In fact, he seemed to be holding up pretty well, hammer clutched between his hands, shakily holding up the weight of Stan’s swing.

"Good!" Stan exclaimed, bringing his sword to his side once again. "That was really very good! I’m surprised you blocked it so effectively, if I’m honest. You didn’t even stumble."

[mercifulpaladin]

Butters, surprisingly, started to feel a little bad for the knight. He felt sorry that he had to be so careful, that he was so sick with worry about sending the paladin back to the human kingdom wounded. Butters simply smiled reassuringly and nodded again, watching Marshwalker prepare himself to strike.

The paladin sucked in a breath and hissed it out through his teeth as he held himself steady and pushed up to counter the force of the knight's swing. He was shaking with nerves moreso than the effort, though the crack against his hammer left a buzzing on his skin that made him rub his hands together in an attempt to remedy it. When Stan let his sword drop, Butters could have jumped for joy.

As much as he liked the human kingdom, there wasn't much opportunity for praise for all of his little advances, and it felt heavenly to have someone as powerfully important to tell him that he was going a good job. "Well...uh, well golly, thanks!" His grin was wide and proud, cheeks flushing as he did.

[mercifulpaladin]

Training ✛✛ Stan&Butters

[marshwalking]

On the bright side, they were establishing a dialogue, albeit a tentative one. He reckoned, from his position, that the paladin would make a pretty good supporting or defensive class, should he become confident enough to work on his skills. That was his main problem, Stan decided. He just didn’t believe he was a good enough paladin. Self confidence would come later, though.

"Well, hm, that sure is a problem. Do you know of any obtainable training shields? I could perhaps manage to secure one, though it may be risky…" He trailed off, mumbling his thoughts aloud before snapping back to reality with a nervous laugh.

"I suppose the first thing is to, ah, show me how you would go about a block. I’ll swing, okay, and you block it how you were taught." The look on Butters’ face made him smile sympathetically, and he felt it was necessary to reassure his safety. "I—oh god, I wouldn’t swing it at you! Please, you make me feel like I’m going to murder you in cold blood, which I really have no intention of doing!" He raises his sword, slashing at the air a few times again.

"Are you ready?"

[mercifulpaladin]

"Well, I don't know if it would be any easier for me to obtain one, but... I'm sure I could scrounge up something." The paladin felt a little ill at the thought of stealing--no, borrowing-- some kind of equipment without the king knowing. Were he found, the Grand Wizard would probably hound him until he got the information out of him and forbade him from ever seeing his mentor again.

When Stan spoke again, Butters bounced a bit on the balls of his feet and tried to focus the most he could on his movements. His footing seemed solid enough, and he looked up at Stan, who looked even greener than him.

Butters simply laughed and twirled his hammer expertly in his grip, nodding. He felt a bit cocky at that small motion, how fluid and natural it was, and he jokingly piped up with, "I was born ready, Marshwalker."

[mercifulpaladin]

The Royal Escort ♚ Kenny&Butters

[maidenmccormick-deactivated2016]

There was just something about the paladin that made her want to tease him, but after her most recent bout of perhaps overly salacious remarks she decidedly held back. There were, after all, much more pressing matters at hand than satisfying her desire to see just how far she could push the seemingly bashful blonde before he’d get so uncomfortable she had to stop. 

She waited a moment after he’d spoken and then glanced up at him to offer a small smile. She was about to ask if he was prepared to leave within the next couple of hours, but something in his expression caught her eye and the princess found herself momentarily examining his face. Stepping around the table and closer to him she smiled again. “People don’t seem to notice it very often, but you’ve got some intensity to you, paladin.” With that she patted him on the cheek, a tiny quirk pulling at one side of her mouth as she looked at him. Spending only a moment there, Princess Kenny leaned back over the table and started gathering the maps and manuscripts. Once she got all the items neatly stacked together in her arms she turned to face Butters again. “I feel that much safer having you along for the ride.” Her mouth had that quirk to it again as she leaned forward for a second to press a chaste kiss to the cheek she had patted only a moment ago. She knew it had probably been a bit much, but that was just the way she was and she wasn’t about to change for anyone. It was easy for the princess to transition from her teasing demeanor to that of serious business and she was now standing with some space between herself and the other blonde. “Can you be ready to leave in a few hours?” Both of Kenny’s brows rose a little as she waited for his response.

[mercifulpaladin]

There was a comfortable silence that settled between them, and it surprised the paladin a bit when she broke the silence and spoke to him, once again buttering him up. He smiled bashfully and flushed as she placed her hand on his cheek, watchhing him for a moment before brushing aside.

He watched her as she gathered the papers together, and he stood himself, brushing down his tunic and even taking a chance on her not seeing him run a hand through his hair to brush it down. Were the princess not such a kind and honorable person, Butters might have felt a bit embarrassed that she was only a little less than a head taller than him, but it was... almost fitting.After all, their size definitely fit their personalities, Butters being small and easily looked over while the princess was anything but.

He was snapped from his thoughts as she leaned down and pressed her lips to his cheek. His eyes widened and he opened his mouth to speak, though he had nothing to say. All he could do was nervously tug at the hem of his shirt and blink, red-faced and flustered. "T-Thank you, my lady. And...ah, and of course, I'm ready to leave any time you are." He nodded enthusiastically, as though that would somehow make his answer more important.

[grand-wizard-king-cartman-blog]

Of Questions And Kings [CARTMAN+BUTTERS]

[grand-wizard-king-cartman-blog]

"You definitely have a damn face." He said with a slight chuckle. "You just cry and make people feel like shit, you could probably use that to your advantage."  This was a strange thing to Eric. Being this…comfortable with someone. All his life he had shut people out of his life, in fear of getting hurt by them. Eric frowned and pulled away from Butters suddenly, moving his arms to his side and his gaze to the floor.

"Not that it really affects me or anything." Eric snapped in his usual harsh tone, his walls reappearing once again. "I just think that some weak bastards out there would probably cave if you acted like a big fucking baby, that’s all"

[mercifulpaladin]

Letting himself relax a bit, Butters grinned and rolled his eyes. "Honestly, Eric, I don't think I could have the power to make people feel like that, just pity." He sighed and looked off at the wall, a bit distant, before the wizard pulled away, startling him.

He swallowed again and looked down to the floor, where he toed at the scratched wood. "O-Of course. I wouldn't expect anyone like you to be affected by that, you're...well, you're strong. Impenetrable defenses, right?" There Eric was again, calling him a big baby. He sighed again, this time wistfully, and looked up at the ceiling.

[mercifulpaladin]

The Royal Escort ♚ Kenny&Butters

[maidenmccormick-deactivated2016]

The reaction Princess Kenny had received was the one she’d been basically expecting and smile that had graced her features became more of a grin as she watched Butters get flustered and tumble over his words. If she was being honest, she’d say she found the other blonde adorable. He was a little dorky and some of the things he said occasionally made her sigh, but overall he was a good guy and she genuinely liked him.

Right now was one of those times that made the princess sigh a little. While his fumbling with speech was sort of cute, it was also a bit frustrating how innocent naive the guy could be. Her grin fell a little and remained a somewhat lopsided smile as she waved a hand dismissively at his last statement. “Nonsense. Never let anyone make you believe that you are unworthy of anything, okay?” At this, the princess’ gaze turned a little fierce, her palms pressing onto the parchment pages of the maps and opened manuscripts on the table.

After saying her piece, Princess Kenny pulled away from her leaning position and sent her gaze back down at the table as if considering the position she’d marked out on one of the maps. After a few beats of seeming silence, she spoke again in a nonchalant manner. “Besides… It isn’t as if I’d be unwilling to teach you whatever it is you might need to know.” Raising her eyes back up again to look at Butter in the face, she didn’t bother leaving room for misinterpretation. It was a seconds long glance, though and soon after she was back to focusing on the map.

She already had an idea where to start the search and could get whatever she’d need ready fairly quickly. In fact, they could leave the kingdom in a few hours if it was all on her and as fun as it was to get the Paladin all rattled, she really did want to get going on this search.   

[mercifulpaladin]

When the princess grinned at his being flustered, he couldn't help but return the gesture with a smile of his own. She was contagious, and Butters found himself more at ease than he had been in a long while. The princess was someone that he felt comfortable around, despite the status and rank separation. It was almost like...well, she was homey. Her jokes were usually light and laced with something fierce, but her tones were light and she had an air around her that was like an invitation for friendship.

When she sighed, he furrowed his brow a bit in worry, but perked up a bit as her ferocity grew and she gave him another round of encouraging words. She was very good at that, and he wondered if that was something that they learned when taking lessons in etiquette. It seemed as though she'd finished on the topic, though, when she looked down and carefully examined a few spots on the map.

It was silent, and Butters sat in waiting for her instruction, taking a more professional approach...until she spoke again, and his face flared back up. He supposed it was less embarrassing and more flattering, her words. She, the princess, would be willing to be patient and kind even in such an... intimate situation. The fact that she was considering this kind of situation with someone like him, it was almost obscene! But she seemed to rather dislike his self-deprecation, so he fought the urge to protest and managed on an embarrassed smile.

"Well, ah, thank you, my lady." After a long moment, she seemed to focus up, looking down intently, and he nodded, watching her closely and awaiting instruction.

[grand-wizard-king-cartman-blog]

Of Questions And Kings [CARTMAN+BUTTERS]

[grand-wizard-king-cartman-blog]

He looked down as Butters leaned his head against Eric’s large shoulder and let out a soft chuckle. “You better not tell anyone I said that, okay?” His tone was playful, but with a serious undertone. He didn’t want the whole kingdom hearing word of this softer side of his.

"That’s usually a pretty good thing to keep concentrated on."  Eric sighed and  rested his head against Butters’ slightly. "Not getting killed is a good thing. I don’t think anyone would actually kill you though. You just give them that damn face…"

[mercifulpaladin]

Eric's words, Butters' own were solemn, but light. The king did have a reputation to keep up, and going around calling people like Butters cute wasn't exactly good for it... or the paladin's, for that matter. For a fleeting moment he wondered if the king would return the favor and not go spilling to anyone Butters' weakness as he had many times before.

Butters scooted a little closer as the king's head came to rest against his, grinning to himself. But when the king spoke, he sat up, looking up at the king quizzically. His head tilted to the side a bit, his eyes large and searching as his brow furrowed a bit. "I don't have a 'damn face', do I?"

[mercifulpaladin]

Day 5:

Resources and abilities:

Where did they learn their abilities? The healing and holy fighting were all taught to him in a small but prestigious school for people entering the way of a Paladin.

If they have an income, where does it come from? Though it's a very meager income, he recieves payment from the castle for serving closely its inhabitants.

Do they have a job? Do they like it? How do they feel about their co-workers? His job is both a warrior in the human kingdom and the main healer/holy man. He rather likes his job, although it ends up with him bruised and battered with not much to show. As for his co-workers, he likes many of them, although he knew they don't feel the same way about him.

[mercifulpaladin]

Training ✛✛ Stan&Butters

[marshwalking]

It was kind of amusing at how quickly Butters’ mood could change with just a simple compliment, and the idea that it was Stan that made him feel better made him feel pretty good. It wasn’t his intention to make Butters feel bad about himself; he honestly didn’t have very good training, it seemed.

"Well, I’m pretty strong, I suppose. When I was about your size, it was definitely a struggle to hold, but I’m taller and older and now I can hold it right." To test his own words, he lobbed the sword around in his hand—it felt as light as his old training swords had, and he wondered to himself how long ago he had become strong enough to make that comparison. "Soon you’ll be pretty strong, right?" He recieved a beaming nod from the paladin and took it as his cue to keep talking. He backpedaled, rubbing his neck with his free hand. “Okay, um, Butters, right? Yes, okay, well, the first thing you need to do is learn how to effectively block and dodge with that hammer. If you have a shield, it’ll be easier, but until then, we’ll work with the hammer.” Stan smiled, looking at the paladin, who was eating up his words like they were a feast. “Have you been taught any ways to block?” He figured if Butters did know any technique, he could build off what he already knew and fix any missing information.

[mercifulpaladin]

It was honestly hard to imagine Marshwalker--tan, muscular, tall-- ever being Butters' size. The thought was strange, and Butters wrinkled his nose."Well, I don't really think I'll get much bigger than this, I'm afraid. I'm about out'a growing power."

Butters smiled softly and watched Stan thinking, before nervously beginning to speak. Honestly, Butters didn't know why he was afraid at all! He had a commanding presence, and his words were careful and measured with the slightest hint of hesitance, as though he was scared he was going to frighten the paladin off.

"Oh, uh. I have a shield, somewhere, but...well, it wasn't actually mine. My father's, and I can barely hold it, let alone drag it around in battle." The paladin looked down sheepishly, holding his hammer and spinning it in his hands. "I've been taught, but I wasn't very good. Battle wasn't exactly an imperative part of my training as a paladin, you see, 'cause most of 'em play supporting roles. But the human kingdom's got too many'a those, so I got stuck on the front lines. Sometimes the fellas back home call me the human shield, since that seems to be all I'm really good for." Again, Butters looked down sheepishly.

[paramecie]

I gathered these flowers but you should just take this one because it’s the prettiest.

[grand-wizard-king-cartman-blog]

Of Questions And Kings [CARTMAN+BUTTERS]

[grand-wizard-king-cartman-blog]

He blushed again as Butter’s squeezed his hands, but he didn’t say anything. He enjoyed the silence; there was a nervousness there, but it wasn’t all unwelcomed. He looked up at the other boy and let a small smile cross his face.

"You’re so fucking happy all the time, what is even up with that…from what I know, your past was shit. Your present is shit. It’s impossible to think about what goes on in that cute little head of yours." He chuckled, but stopped suddenly, his face deadpanning.

Shit, did he just say that out loud?

[mercifulpaladin]

Eric looked nice when he was happy. Butters took note of this, watching the wizard's face soften a bit as he looked down at the tiny, smiling paladin. Butters hummed a bit as he kicked his legs out, trying to occupy himself rather than say something incriminating.

At the word 'cute', he perked up a bit, blinking slowly. Did he actually just say that? About him? Butters' grin grew wide and he kicked his feet a bit more in his excitement. "Well gosh, I didn't know you thought that way, my lord!" He giggled out the words and leaned over onto the king's shoulder rather affectionately.

"If you wanna know, a lot of what goes on is concentrating on not getting myself killed!" It was mostly a joke, but true nonetheless.

[mercifulpaladin]

The Royal Escort ♚ Kenny&Butters

[maidenmccormick-deactivated2016]

She maintained her focused stare on the worn maps littering the table the two of them were talking over. There weren’t many things the princess found herself so ardently interested; often content to simply go along with things if they amused her. Why let yourself get too bogged down with the mundane, she occasionally thought to herself. However, this was clearly a fairly important matter to her and even if the research was not exactly something she relished in, it needed to be done. She was only glad to have someone else willing to help her out with this.

As if suddenly remembering she was not alone with the maps and dog-eared manuscripts, Princess Kenny glanced up at Butters when his hand fell upon her own gloved one. Her blue hues zeroed in on the paladin’s own and she allowed a small smirk to pull at her lips as he spoke. While this was still a serious matter, it was fairly rare when the princess didn’t take an opportunity to use her so-called charm.

"You are so noble, Paladin. What did I ever do to deserve someone like you agreeing to assist me on such a foolhardy quest?" The princess’ eyes were bright underneath the strands of hair that had fallen out of place and obscured her features some. She had decidedly taken both of Butters’ hands in her own to shake them a little in earnest as she leaned across the table. "I’ll have to up the reward," she quickly added with a wink of her eye as she dropped his hands. It was layered on a bit thick, perhaps, but in actuality the princess meant it. She was truly grateful for the help she was receiving from Butters.

And while the princess would like to thank him in various ways, but thought better of it, Kenny didn’t think Butters would be entirely too receptive such “thanks”. It would probably also be unbecoming of a princess, wouldn’t it?

[mercifulpaladin]

Was it just him, or was it getting rather warm in the library?

Her compliments were accepted graciously, with a warm smile and a mat to her hands again. However, what came next was something he couldn't have imagined. She took his hands, seemed to look down into his mind and picked out something she knew would make him flustered.

And sure enough, Butters tugged at his collar, his face heating up and his eyes growing wide. And as much as he might have liked to try and tell himself otherwise, the lady's implications were anything but innocent, especially if that wink was anything to go by. "M-My lady! If you're implying what I think you are, I--" He waved his hands a bit as he tried to complete his sentence, but it was a losing battle that he was fighting. He closed his mouth and buried his face in his hands.

"I couldn't, and...well, even if I could, I wouldn't know what to do!" God, how embarrassing was this, admitting such incriminating things--and to the princess, no less! "I-I apologize, my lady, for proving so unworthy of your, ah, affections?" Was that really the right word for it? It certainly seemed to make enough sense.

He managed a glance up at her and his heart fluttered a bit. The smirk on her lips was devilishly sweet, and her hair, as it fell loose, shone in the window's light like a halo surrounding her head. He sighed rather wistfully before remember exactly where it was that he was sitting, and snapped back to looking at the maps.

[mercifulpaladin]

Day 4:

What are some of your character’s hobbies? What do they do with their time? Timid and unskilled as he is, Butters tends to keep himself within the kingdom for fear of not returning. He does a lot of tending to the garden and reading in the library, since the castle doesn't offer much entertainment for people besides the king and princess.

Favorite color? Would you believe it, blue.

Favorite music artists? Movies or TV shows? Books or authors? Actors? He likes listening to all of the local performers, and he reads about anything he can.

Political stance? Are they active in politics or do they not care? While he doesn't get a say in what goes on between kingdoms, he has very strong beliefs about the Humans and likes to think himself active in the political movements.

What are some of their pet peeves? Nail-biting, people who purposely make things click or make noise over and over.

What sort of gifts do they like? Honestly, he's not very picky. He thinks it's not really about the gift, but the giver. :-)

What is their favorite time of day? Favorite weather? Season? Late afternoon, sunny but breezy, and spring!

Where do they like to spend their time? The library or the church.

Favorite food? Favorite drink? Hot drinks, soft drinks, or alcohol? He really likes the different stews they serve at the castle, but he would have to say his favorite food is probably something like mushrooms. He's not a big fan of alcohol, but he'll take a pint of the weakest stuff any time he's pressured/feeling a little stressed.

Favorite animal? Rabbits! They're all around the garden and they're super friendly.

Do they have any pets? Do they want any? He really hasn't got the time for them.

What relaxes them? Being alone in peaceful places, praying and performing rituals. Spending time with the king, sometimes.

Do they have any bad habits? He tends to bite his lip and the inside of his cheek. Also, knocking together his knuckles when he's nervous or upset.

[grand-wizard-king-cartman-blog]

Of Questions And Kings [CARTMAN+BUTTERS]

[grand-wizard-king-cartman-blog]

Eric stopped mid-turn as Butters spoke and let out a slight chuckle before turning back. “Yeah….I guess you are my idiot.” He turned and looked at Butters hesitantly before taking a seat at the end of his bed. “I’m a bigger idiot than you though.”

He hoped Butters would keep all of this private. This whole thing had been really…emotional. In a good way. But not good for his reputation. He knew Butters would never intentionally say anything to let the others know about what he saw as his weaknesses, but he knew that Butters had a tendency to slip up.

He let out a soft sigh. “I’m kind of an asshole. And I’m sure if I weren’t the king, you’d probably hate me. Or at least you should.” He twiddled his thumbs in his lap and stared down at them as he spoke. God, he probably looked like such a child.

[mercifulpaladin]

"Oh, I don't really think so." Butters quickly put away his things before plopping back onto the bed, laying back and letting his eyes close. "Why, I think you're one of the smartest guys I know! You have to remember that you're only human, and it's only human to be wrong sometimes. Why, I'm wrong a lot, and I still manage to be happy and keep on!" Butters smiled and peeked up at the king, and his smile fell when he saw the way he was sitting. He sat up and hesitantly placed his hands over the king's.

"Come on, now, I could never hate you. You're one of the only people that puts up with all'a my nonsense! Gosh, Eric, you're one of the best people I could possibly think of!" He smiled brightly, hands moving to squeeze the king's large hands in his own tiny ones.

They sat in silence for a few moments before Butters, nervous, dropped his hands, bringing his own to sit in his lap. "You think you're a real bad guy just 'cause you make me upset, but.... well, I get upset over nothin', so don't fret." He looked down a bit sullenly before sighing and rubbing his knuckles together.

[grand-wizard-king-cartman-blog]

Of Questions And Kings [CARTMAN+BUTTERS]

[grand-wizard-king-cartman-blog]

Eric blinked a few times before looking away, failing to hide the blush rising to his cheeks. He let out a slight huff, more trying to get rid of his sudden nervousness than showing any sort of actual annoyance anymore.

He wrapped one of his big arms around Butter’s small shoulders, pulling him closer to him and pressing his lips to the blonde’s forehead. It was quick and light, but it definitely said a lot. He quickly pulled away and ruffled Butter’s hair before speaking. “You’re an idiot.” The words were familiar, but the tone was soft. He let his hand linger in Butter’s locks before he pulled away completely from him, half-turning as he intended to head for the door.

[mercifulpaladin]

Butters swayed a bit in the silence, trying to keep himself light and happy. And truth is, he was. He looked from his feet to the king's face, and oh gosh, was Eric actually blushing? He bit his lip in a rather coy smile, swaying the slightest bit more, before it was knocked straight off his face and Eric's lips connected with his forehead.

His face immediately burned, and he looked up with wide, hopeful eyes, mouth opening and closing in astonishment. Butters was almost afraid to blink as the king dropped his arm and ruffled his hair. He shut his mouth and sighed a bit with content as his fingers brushed through his locks. It was calming, significantly so, even when paired with his half-hearted insult. "Well, yeah, but..." He hesitated, then swallowed and finished his thought, "but I'm your idiot!" The king turned to leave and he frowned a tiny bit before reaching down to pick up his discarded clothing.

It seemed the most logical thing to do, as he didn't really know what was to come.

[grand-wizard-king-cartman-blog]

Of Questions And Kings [CARTMAN+BUTTERS]

[grand-wizard-king-cartman-blog]

Eric tensed up and stared down at Butters as he hugged him. It was strange, having physical contact like this. Eric was a big believer in ‘don’t touch me, I’m royalty’, and this was probably the most touching he had done in quite some time. Not that he disliked it. Butters was warm and gentle, something Eric felt mirrored his own personality quite drastically.

He couldn’t help but frown a bit as Butters pulled away and spoke. He pressed his mouth into a flat line. “Yeah, you have heard it before. A lot. Too much. And…I don’t fucking know why I always do that to you.” He sighed before looking Butters right in the eyes.

The entire ordeal has finally come full circle. Eric and Leopold standing face to face, eyes locked, and the same five words falling from his lips. But it was different this time. His tone was softer, his eyes full of a strange mix of sadness and confusion.

"Why are you even here?"

[mercifulpaladin]

Butters could feel his face and neck heating up as the king looked straight into his eyes, and he smiled softly, eyes flickering to something behind him a bit nervously. Even though a lot had happened between them, Butters couldn't help that he felt a little intimidated, even now.

Even so, though, Butters returned his gaze, watching his eyes with worry and curiosity on his face. When he spoke, his eyes flickered down and then back up, and hopefully this went without notice, even as he flushed all the way to the tips of his ears.

He giggled softly, stepping forward a bit and bumping his nose with Eric's before stepping back. "Golly, sir, I guess I really don't know, even after all this."