Voyaging on Dragonback is a sure way to share problems.
This is a short, unalphad ficlet Iâve been working on with two of my Original Characters, Vincent the Human and Dudless the Lich. Iâve been wanting to write an interaction between them for a while so I hope you like this as much as I enjoyed writing it! Please reblog if you do bc âlikesâ donât support me!
âYeah, because taking an extended trip on the back of a flock of dragons while on the run with an entire community after they burned their own village to the ground, as well as having a lovely conversation with a Lich is very normal. One of my favourite pastimes, I do it every other day.â
@artlessictoan @sweatersnscarves @spookyleluke @jokerteeth @flowerhalo @elletromil @insanereddragon
âI donât often get the chance to talk to people like you,â the human mentioned offhandedly âThe other members of the Cinnamon Roll Squad are allâŚSo fucking chipper.â Vincent continued, tone sour and expression slightly pinched as if the thought of having to spend one more minute with his longtime friendship group left an unsavory taste in his mouth.
Dudless responded with a small nod, not that he really understood. Heâd love to have a group of friends that radiated positivity, the Cinnamon Roll Squadâs 'all for one and one for allâ attitude was, if anything, something to be admired in his eye.
Dudless turned his stare to the blanket of clouds and blue skies ahead of them, the steady beating of gigantic leathery wings drowning out the chatter and laughter around them. If he concentrated hard enough then maybe he could pretend that he and Vincent were the only people here, although his sisterâs harsh cackling a few meters behind them made that rather difficult.
âSometimes, I guess, you just have to break away from the norm, you know?â He offered in an attempt to cheer Vincent up, though from what little he knew about the human, that also might be a rather difficult feat.
âYeah, because taking an extended trip on the back of a flock of dragons while on the run with an entire community after they burned their own village to the ground, as well as having a lovely conversation with a Lich is very normal. One of my favourite pastimes, I do it every other day.â
A huff of air left Dudlessâ useless lungs in a laugh at Vincentâs sarcasm and wit. âThatâs nice to know, 'cause we might be doing this for a few more days.â He glanced over at the other man again, holding back a smirk as the wind blew his thick, curly hair into his face.
âWhat, do you fly away from an evil scientistâs henchmen on dragonback most days, or?â Vincent quipped, pushing his copious amounts of hair back into place, the amusement in his green eyes contradicting his otherwise serious demeanor.
Dudless scratched his head unconsciously, his (now dull) scarlet hair sticking up on one side. âNo, my sister is friends with one of the Yachterelves, Knife. I figured she knows her stuff because, turns out, she raised three of the dragons here all on her own.â
âMhmâŚPeppermint, the blue one with the neck frills, Skelly - the small one? Looks kind of like an armadillo crossed with a beetle. Has a club tail. And, um, Opia, the gray one with the blue-green feathers and scary eyes.â
âAhâ said Vincent. He remembers seeing them around, although all the chaos of the last couple of weeks has made those memories a tad smudged.
âNot as scary as my eyes though.â
Itâs a quiet mumble, low and privet and meant for only Dudless to hear, but Vincent being right next to him still catches the self-deprecating jab.
Vincent frowns, turning to face the Lich slightly and doing a once over of his face. Dudless looks like heâs a kid been caught swearing behind his parentâs back, caught off-guard and guilty as though he didnât realise heâd said his thought out loud.
Vincent feel his stomach twist uneasily because he canât disagree to an extent; Dudless does look like something from a well-made horror film. His left cheek torn open with his teeth on display and a couple of strips of skin peeled off to show the muscle of the right side of his jaw. His eyes are the most striking though, Vincent agrees silently, with his blind eye, obviously dead and unnervingly on display with the lack of a lower eyelid, and a deep cut under the other...
Dudless looks away, fidgeting uneasily with the string of his ironic hoodie (the words printed âNOT A ZOMBIEâ in big, bold typography are amusing but mostly because itâs true and Dudless has a terrible sense of humor that Vincent has long since gotten used to).
âYou arenât as scary as Opia, holy shit, he turns people into stone with a look.â
âSo do I.â Dudless, stare still trained on the horizon, smiles a small smile that doesnât reach his eyes. âMy sister says so all the time. That Iâm scary, I mean.â
Vincent feels his jaw clench, teeth grinding for a second as a bout of stubborn anger at Dudlessâ twin flares up in him. He opens his mouth to say something when heâs interrupted by his friend.
âHey, Carcrash! Why the shocked face? Oh, I forgot, you canât close your fucking eye! Whatâs that? Oh, Iâve upset you? Shame you canât fucking cry about it, you canât even breathe! Useless, pathetic waste of space!â
If he could indeed cry right now, Vincent wouldnât be surprised if angry tears started to well up in Dudlessâ good eye. But they didnât because heâs pretty dead.
Vincent gapes at his sudden outburst, vaguely aware that the laughter around them has suddenly been replaced with silence, the occasional mutter sounding like a shout as the wind dies down.
Dudless takes in a deep breath through his nose and pushes back against the wooden wall of the airship from where he had been leaning against it and heads towards the bow.
Vincent races after him and does a quick double-take when he catches a glimpse of Dudlessâ twin, Alanza, whispering something to one of her new friends while looking in his direction.
Necromancer or not, Vincent is very tempted to just walk over and punch her in the goddamn face.
But instead, he continues on his way after sending her a pointed 'keep the fuck away from Dudless so help meâ glare.
Dudless is leaning over the side of the ship a small way, watching his arms sway in the bitterly cold breeze - not that it effects him anymore - looking utterly defeated.
Vincent sighs and walks over to him, crossing his arms and leaning against the wooden beam with him. Heâs pretty shit at comforting people, he thinks, or heâs the worst out of The Cinnamon Roll Squad. Even his best friend Jessie is ensuring that their new Minotaur buddy, Delta, is slotting in better than he ever did.
âAlanza is a bitch and can go fuck herself.â Vincent supplies.
Dudless just nods, face blank and stare distant.
Vincent takes a moment to contemplate boundaries before he heaves another sigh and rests a hand awkwardly against Dudlessâ back. He doesnât seem to mind though.
They gaze out at the bright, blue horizon, burdens shared and hearts a little less heavy than before.
