Trick or Tease had gone off without a hitch, everything perfect and though Jackary had been working most of the evening, could it have really been considered work when his job was to look pretty, sparkle and make sure people were enjoying themselves at the party?
“I’ll see you later at home, Gaston?”
The last words he’d heard from Dicenne and while they’d just been between the pair of friends, the idea of ‘home’ was sentimental, the fact that Dice had so willingly taken Jack in and referred to it as their own meant a lot to the beast and it further warmed his heart, especially after Jack had voiced his concern about encroaching on the Blacksmith’s life for so long already. Yet, Dice would never know just what sort of nightmare it was holding back that Jack wasn’t left alone to his thoughts, to the Emerald Nightmare corruption that was stilled within his heart.
At the end of the day, the Tart’s fun-loving Jackary was still a dragon, he still suffered in silence over things that one wouldn’t give much thought to.
“I’ll be home, soon!” He had wanted to keep an eye on the dwindling guests and he had a sneaking suspicion that home wasn’t Dice’s first stop. It also left him time to spot a familiar Goblin sitting off to the side, nose and fingers in a book, scribbling away at whatever private thought he was having.
The first time Jackary had ever tried to speak with Kavo, it hadn’t gone as well as hoped but he also knew the Goblin was a busy fellow and then, Jack had been just a face in the crowd. Even now, working together, there were some that the creature wasn’t as close to as the others, something he wanted to remedy. They were all his family, after all.
What at first was like pulling teeth to get the entertainer to even smile soon relaxed into a fair and fine evening, both conversed and the longer they did so, the more they realized just how much they truly had in common. Hours had gone by and the last of the party dwindled, leaving just Kavo and Jack to sit next to each other, laughing through the evening together.
“I’ll walk you home,” the goodbye had started, Kavo doing his best to show Jackary some manners.
“You’re going to walk me home? AAAAAAALL the way to Dicenne’s from here?” Jack chortled at the thought. “We’d arrive by sun up if that was the case!”
At first they both joked they were Mages but as the pair had finally pushed themselves up to leave and ascended the steps to get out of the Keep, Jack slowed briefly, tilting his head.
What if we just... walked there?
As guessed, the sunrise had been beautiful as he and Kavo walked together, naturally only using just a bit of magic to put them on the correct continent. Their motions were calm while they talked through the night, both rather joyful of each other’s company and by the time they reached Dice’s place, the unlikely friends parted their separate ways, both agreeing a shower and a nap were well in order after the full night of party.
Once Jack stepped inside, there was a quick realization that Kara was still asleep and Dicenne? A quick whiff of the air indicated that he hadn’t even come home yet. It was little to worry about or think on, and instead the dragon drudged his way through the kitchen, easing off his shirt to set it in the dirty laundry before hands were at least cleaned of the glitter that remained coated all over the sweat still on his form from quite happily walking all night. It had cleared his head and left him to focus on the morning.
The Mage had decided to at least surprise Kara with breakfast, gathering the necessities for pancakes and to cure his hangover that was quickly starting to catch up, a batch of mimosa was chilled and ready to go. In the midst of setting the pancakes on the griddle, a familiar noise sounded of the front door opening and when Jack glanced over just to make sure it was who it should have been, Dice pulled himself through the entry, a hand pushed through the messy, bleached blond hair from his costume the prior night.
Both glanced to one another, as they were both still in the party costumes, Jack’s hair still long and black from the illusion which was an indication he hadn’t even bothered to shake it off yet. It was instantly that they both knew each of them had quite a long night.
“Well good morning, Sunshine.” Jack kept his voice low, winking to Dicenne who gave the telltale groan of having perhaps had a bit too much fun Before coming home. A second glass was snagged from a cupboard and soon filled with the lovely mimosa to be slid over in a peace offering.
“You just get home?” Dice mumbled, sinking down upon the table once he took the drink to nurse it, fully knowing it would have at least helped him to bed.
“I was out with Kavo all night, just got in not but half a chime before you and you... I can smell what you’ve been up to, so....Pancakes?” Giving a knowing wink, Jack met Dice’s briefest Deer-In-The-Headlights glance before the two shared tired chuckles.
“So my buddy Hyjal has a way to possibly find Dar,” Jack opted to finally touch on the conversation they briefly had the night before at the Howling Owl, it was an idle talk and very soft so as not to disturb the headaches both were trying to survive through. “I know I said I wouldn’t be home for a while, just have to grab something from the farm house and then I’ll have more details. Not sure when, just yet... But I didn’t want you to feel like it was sudden or something was wrong.” As Jack spoke, he flipped the pancakes, reaching to take another sip of his drink soon after. “Hyj seemed pretty convinced he could track him down.” In truth, Jackary was hoping to find the fate of his Knight before Season started. Though, it didn’t help that he already felt itchy.
“Good morning!” Before Pancakes could even be served to the groggy boys, Kara had made herself known like a ray of sunlight in the bleak darkness of still trying to catch up to the night. Happy, peppy, delighted at pancakes, her normally beautiful greeting and chipper attitude was a stark contrast to the soft whispers Jack and Dice had been sharing previously.
They loved her, but that morning? It was painful.
“How about you get the first pancakes and you can tell us if they’re any good—” Jack tried to quell the situation once Dice’s head hit the table, though the only thought truly running through the beast’s mind had been one word: Mood.
As excited as Jack was to have a lead on possibly finding Darnath, in the process of serving pancakes to Kara and the pair urging her to go eat and play outside so they could have a bit of peace and quiet in their own self-inflicted agony, he realized that this had become a family to him, something he hadn’t truly had since the days of Chaoti and the adventures with his cousin. The world seemed to slow down for a moment when this thought hit and even hungover, Jackary was all smiles. Tired smiles, but smiles.
He’d found a home and family and now all he needed to make it perfect was his partners to return. He had hoped that somewhere in the stars, Azurick was still enjoying the exploration and that wherever Darnath had been, he was safe, sound and knew that his Dragon still searched, if only to make things right. Even if severely hungover.
Hi everyone! Looks like Tumblr’s going out with a bang, so I’d like to direct you guys to all the websites I’m on for art, games, AND general communication! My blog will stay up, but my activity on it (especially art-wise) is going to disappear almost completely. So if you love my work please support it these other places!!
N/S = Not safe S = Safe (so you know what you’re getting into)
Twitter -N/S
Twitch -S
FurAffinity -N/S
Patreon -N/S
Ko-Fi -S
When Pillowfort and other such website comes around, I will be joining those as well. I will put out the call on my Twitter and FA about the move there too when the time comes.
