💋 - All it took was jeers of being cowardly for Tobin's eyes to narrow with resolution, "I am not a milksop. I'm not afraid of some dare!" Tobin replied, stepping towards Gray somewhat aggressively. While he still had the courage, he grabbed a fistful of Gray's shirt and crushed their lips together in a fashion that clearly demonstrated his lack of experience. When he pulled away, a faint blush was evident on his face and he was unable to meet Gray's eyes, "There. I did it, yeah?"
( @weirdlyaverage most of this is under a cut because it got Loooooooong, whoops)
Thelast night watches were the worst. Not quite early enough to catchsome sleep afterwards, not quite late enough to get more than acouple hours beforehand. That's why Gray usually assigned the watchto himself, since he at least could sleep on horseback the next dayif he had to.
Plushe had Tobin with him to pass the time on this patrol, which was awelcome respite from watching the stars creep across the blackexpanse of sky. Time moved faster sitting by his best friend, bumpingshoulders and cracking jokes in the pre-dawn quiet. The past year anda half had been kind, only courtesy patrols around the capitol neededto keep the peace, and Gray was happy for the opportunity to justexist in Tobin's orbit.
Theydidn't often get a chance to just BE anymore. Even now they weresupposed to be keeping watch, but you could keep watch and have funat the same time, right?
Graywas a firm believer that yes, you totally could.
They'drun out of new jokes an hour ago and had moved on to a game of truthor dare. Most of it was silly things: opinions on the patrol's horsesor the camp cooking, dares to get on all fours and bray like adonkey... but Gray had never been too good at coming up with newquestions and he was beginning to scrape the bottom of the barrel.Metaphorically speaking.
It'shis turn now and he makes a show of thinking, stroking an imaginarybeard and considering his options. Well, his option. He really onlyhas one idea left and he's grateful that dawn hasn't yet crept intothe sky to illuminate his burning face.
“Idare you,” he begins, drawing the words out partly for the suspenseand partially to keep his voice from shaking. “I dare you to kissme. Full on the mouth.” The words hang in the air and Grayimmediately wishes to snatch them back. It's a supremelybad idea, and the only way he could make it better is... “If you'renot chicken that is. If you give up I win!” The words feel falsecoming out of his mouth and he knows he's fucked up in some kind ofway when he sees Tobin's eyes narrow.
"Iam not a milksop. I'm not afraid of some dare!" Tobinsays, crowding into Gray's space, more aggressive than Gray has everseen him and... that's a hand gripping his shirt and dragging himforwards. Then Tobin's lips are against his own and Gray knows he'smade a mistake because he's never going to forget this. He is nevergoing to forget the way their teeth clack together and the slightlychapped feel of Tobin's lips or the warmth of his best friendcrowding into his personal space and figuring out how to keep theirnoses from bumping. It's horrible and it's perfect. Gray makes asmall noise of surprise... then it's over as suddenly as it began.
“There.I did it, yeah?” Tobin manages to get out before Gray instinctively reaches out andpulls him back, pressing his lips firmly against Tobin's, reaching upto cup his best friend's cheek with one hand. He tells himself it'sfor better control... but really he just wanted to commit this tomemory. It's the softest, slowest kiss he can muster, trying to poureverything he feels for Tobin into this one kiss because when thehell is he ever going to get this chance again. Tobin had sounded soresigned. It couldn't be that much of a burden to kiss him could it?
Hisface is flaming when he draws back, it is a wonder Tobin can't feelthe heat from mere inches away. “Couldn't let you have all thefun,” he says by way of explanation, grinning in a way that doesn'tquite reach his eyes. He resists the urge to abandon watch altogetherjust to pull Tobin into his lap and kiss him a third time. Quitehonestly he shouldn't have stolen that second kiss, not after Tobinhad sounded the way he had. The thought hurts and he pushes it to theback of his mind as he takes a careful step back from his friend.
“It'salmost dawn,” he says. It's abrupt and he winces slightly. “Justa few more days and we'll be back in the city.”
Theyspend the rest of the watch in heavy oppressive silence, and theguard that comes to relieve them lets out a great sigh as she watchesthem go. Gray near sprints for camp, not even being subtle as he flees the obvious sexual tension that hangs in the air.
Shedoesn't get paid enough to deal with this, something must be done.
Luthier stifles a yawn, shifting his satchel higher up his shoulder. Pulling all nighters and waking up the next morning while running on about three hours of sleep wasn’t exactly the greatest feeling in the world. He regretted it for sure, but it was so satisfactory to continue reading up on history of the next country over for no reason... he just had to stay up for a few more hours.
So, as such, he decided to swing by the corner coffee shop to collect his lifeblood- the thing that allows him to survive his late night excursions. All he wanted was to grab a nice, large coffee, and maybe a muffin. Or a croissant. He wasn't very picky.
What he didn't want was an incompetent consumer wasting his time by bumbling in response to the barista's prompted questions.
Luthier straightens and crosses his arms, tapping his foot impatiently. He coughs meaningfully behind his hand, giving the man in front of him a stern glare through his bangs.
We're all waiting, the glance said. Might as well hurry up.
She sees them walking in a straight line,That’s not really her styleAnd they all got the same heartbeatBut hers is falling behindNothing in this world couldEver bring them downYeah, they’re invincible, and she’s just in the backgroundAnd she says
I wish that I could be like the cool kids‘Cause all the cool kids, they seem to fit inI wish that I could be like the cool kidsLike the cool kids
Honestly, I said I think we need a miracle/Evening heat and you were tired of a love fit for a theme park ride/Motioning, hail a cab for the airport/Empty streets, but I was never one for short endings and cheap goodbyes/I’m a reckless lover, you already know/And the sweet, sweet summer, I’m here on your coast/And I call your number, we meet at the late show/I, I never let it, I never let it go
(( I think Sevvy and I have pretty similar music tastes! (0w0)/ she’d probably enjoy indie rock, or soft songs with an edge. Reckless Lover has a tinge of sad nostalgia I think she’d relate to. ))
Sinday: "Hey Genny. Mind explaining what happened to the cheesecake that was sitting here?"
Genny’s head whipped around, eyes wide and startled. “I don’t...” she started, sounding muffled. She swallowed, looking a bit guilty. “I don’t know what you’re talking about...” She didn’t make eye contact and scrubbed uselessly at her mouth with the back of her hand. She missed the bit of cake hanging off her upper lip.
“Something doesn’t feel right…” Tobin trailed off, gazing at his immediate surroundings. He swore the trees that surrounded him looked uncannily familiar, despite having walked for miles. The villager wasn't even quite sure how he arrived here, let alone with a strange priestess. Then, as if on cue, the ground began to tremble underneath them, "Woah!" Reaching for a tree to steady himself, Tobin glanced ahead with urgency, "What in the Mother's name is that!?"
Deirdre was becoming weary of wandering without success. “Tobin, may we perhaps stop and make a plan on how we’re going to proceed through the forest?”
As she spoke, the ground shook. What’s happening? Could this be one of those earthquakes Grandmother told me about, or a mudslide…or a monster?
The movement pushed her against a tree, though she was uninjured. Her companion was uninjured as far as she could tell, as well. She followed his gaze and gasped.
