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erekiosuncreativeideas · 3 years

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The Part-Time Puppeteer - Chapter 09

<= Chapter 8

Summary : Lukas gets to have a conversation with a friend.

Also available on AO3 : https://archiveofourown.org/works/23828971/chapters/81432325

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Heehooo, new chapter ! I hope you'll like it !

Thank you again for all your comments, likes and reblogs. You're always making my day !

I get to see them when I wake up and let me tell you, this is the best thing I could get before going to work. Thank you so much.

This fanfic also makes me realize I'm not as bad at writing slice of life stuff as I first thought- Huh, good to know.

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Chapter 8 - “Was… Was he always like this?”

It was such a strange feeling for Lukas… Having won that duel when he had been so convinced he had no chance to begin with. He had been prepared so much to be downgraded to being a stagehand again that he had never truly considered what he’d do if he ever beat MJ.

So… He was an actor, now? The realization seemed surreal, like he was just imagining things… And yet, here he was, sitting in the staff break room, staring into space. His body was there, but his mind was somewhere else, lost in thoughts and unable to focus on the current situation. Even when other stagehands had come to congratulate him, telling him they were happy he put the diva in his place… He replied, saying thanks and every variant of it, without really being there at all.

In hindsight, the fact he had won wasn’t the reason he was feeling like this- it was that it had been so easy. Just like DJ Grooves had said, it was… A switch to flip. Sure, it required him to put his anxiety aside- but on this particular occasion, the anger he had felt towards MJ had been a way to temporarily shift his… Priorities, in some ways.

What the investor had said regarding the show had created quite the mess in the crew. While the Conductor and DJ Grooves had joined him for a private meeting regarding the scenario, most of the stagehands seemed lost. Lukas couldn’t blame them- with how the project had been questioned, it was hard to know whether to continue their job or wait for new instructions. A lot of them were exchanging thoughts about the whole thing: how they had been lucky most of the search of actors hadn’t officially started, how they were worried about a lot of their work going to waste… It was all understandable.

To think he might have been with them, perplexed about the same things… Apparently, fate had decided something else for him.

His attention was caught by the sound of a door opening, and he lifted his head. He didn’t know how much time had passed since the directors had started their meeting or how long he had been sitting in there… But he was pretty sure it had been at least a good hour. And so, when the student recognized Mike through the door frame, a feeling of confusion settled over him. Wait, didn’t he go to comfort his asshole of a twin…?

When the two young men’s eyes met, the puppet maker’s expression lightened up slightly. It didn’t take long for Lukas to understand his friend had been looking for him. Thus, he wasn’t surprised when he saw the other approaching him, before sitting next to him at the table.

-“Hey,” Mike greeted him, his voice clearly showing things hadn’t gone so well with MJ.

-“Hey,” he answered back, his expression turning concerned: “You alright?” he asked. He didn’t want to ask about the actor unless his friend actually wanted to talk about it- contrary to some people, he had been raised with manners and tact.

Said friend put his elbows on the table, leaning in as he rubbed his face:

-“I wish I could say yes, but I’m not,” he replied honestly. His mismatched eyes glanced at him, a sigh leaving his lips: “It’s not because of you,” he assured, probably not wanting Lukas to feel guilty. Well, too bad, he kinda did, with how upset Mike seemed to be.

-“Do you… Want to talk about it?” he offered, wanting nothing but to help his friend to feel better.

At his question, the puppet-maker remained silent, as if he were hesitating. Lukas waited patiently- he knew that if Mike needed to open his heart, then he would, but if he didn’t want to, then… It simply meant he wasn’t ready to, which was fine. The law student wasn’t going to force him. Eventually, though, Mike sighed again, moving his hands back to the table as he answered:

-“Morg- MJ, I mean, he’s not… He’s not a bad person,” his voice was faltering and he had to rub his eyes to hold back his tears: “I know he’s not easy to deal with, but… But he’s a nice person once you get to know him.”

“How much do you need to dig to find that ”nice person“, deep down?” Lukas thought to himself with sarcasm, but he did everything he could to keep those words to himself. Mike being related to that diva, the former most likely wasn’t objective- hell, Lukas’ relatives certainly weren’t perfect, but he still loved them nonetheless.

-“I’m sure he is,” he lied, his tone kind and comforting. With how Mike was dealing with everything, it wasn’t hard to guess some things had been said between the twins, and that it probably wasn’t the first time nor the last. Sure, Lukas couldn’t stand that guy, and the current situation wasn’t improving that, but he had no right to judge Mike for loving his brother. Still, what a great relationship… Not.

The puppet-maker sniffed and looked away. His eyes were getting red, just like his nose.

-“Sorry for… What he said to you,” Mike added after a minute: “And for… Him trying to punch you.”

-“It’s… It’s fine,” the student assured him, even if it wasn’t. Still, his friend didn’t need to hear that right now. Apparently, the other instantly noticed Lukas had just lied, as a weak scoff left his mouth, an insincere smile taking place onto his lips.

-“It’s not, you can say it,” he admitted with a shrug: “You wouldn’t be the first one to tell me that, anyway.”

Lukas turned his head, caught red-handed. Well, at least he had tried, he supposed… It was obvious Mike had gone through unpleasant conversations about his brother’s behavior- lying about everything being fine most likely wasn’t a good thing to do in those circumstances. The puppet-maker wasn’t stupid, after all.

-“Was… Was he always like this?” the young man dared to ask, slowly turning back to his friend, hoping this wouldn’t offend him. But it didn’t- on the contrary, Mike imitated him, facing him again. His expression showed sadness, pain, but also… Inner conflict.

-“… No, he wasn’t,” he shook his head, taking a deep breath as he tried to repress other, new tears: “A lot of stuff happened when we were kids, and… That left a mark. He’s never been the same since then.”

-“Do you… wanna talk about that?” the student asked, hinting at whatever trauma MJ had gone through. However, his friend frowned:

-“No. No, I don’t- I can’t,” he breathed out, leaning back against his chair: “Look, I’m… Not supposed to talk about that. It’s very… Personal, and I guess it just… Slipped out,” his eyes glanced to Lukas apologetically: “Sorry. I promised not to talk about it again, and he… Really wouldn’t like the fact I told you.”

Lukas tilted his head to the side with a wince- yeah, that was understandable. Still, he couldn’t help but be curious about what Mike was so secretive about. What kind of trauma could justify acting like an asshole to everyone? Sure, one could have gone through a lot of stuff, but that didn’t allow them to be a bitch to their friends and especially not their family! With how hard Mike was trying, it was frustrating to see the diva just… Hurting his own twin because he was frustrated or angry.

-“No, it’s fine- I get it,” he agreed, deciding not to push the topic any further: “You don’t have to tell me. Is he still around?”

-“No,” Mike shook his head, his breathing finally calming down through efforts: “He’s gone back home. I always tell him to when he needs to… Calm down.”

-“Do you think he’ll be okay?” Lukas asked out of politeness. To be completely honest, he couldn’t care less about MJ’s tantrum, but it was obvious his friend needed to speak about it. Comfort was the minimum he could offer for that.

-“I don’t… I don’t know,” the other confessed, rubbing his face again while his eyes stared into space: “It has never been that badbefore. I’m not gonna lie, this kind of thing happens… A lot. But this time, he just… Refused to talk to me. Usually, I can get him to speak his heart a little, you know? Today, he ignored me and drove back home- he didn’t even look at me.”

“What a jerk, what a jerk, what a fucking jerk,” Lukas did his best to keep that thought to himself again. Seriously, how could one act like an entitled brat that much?

-“Why… Uh,” he paused, joining his hands together as he struggled to find the right words to convey what he wanted to say: “Okay, this is going to sound bad no matter what I say, but… If he’s acting like that to you, his own brother, why would you… Keep trying?” At his sentence, Mike looked up, frowning at him- of fuck, he had been too direct, he should have kept his mouth shut: “I-I mean, don’t get me wrong, I understand why! But… You seem really upset, and you said it kept happening, so, you know…”

The student was now rambling, trying really hard to make up for his lack of tact, but eventually, Mike’s frown turned into a weak, genuine smile:

-“Because I love him,” he answered as if it were blatantly obvious: “And I guess… Because I feel guilty too,” he then admitted, looking away with an ashamed expression. Well… That was new. Him, feeling guilty? But what for? After all, Mike was perhaps one of the nicest person he had met! Apparently, his confusion must have been quite visible as the puppet-maker sighed.

-“Listen, I really can’t talk about this, it’s… Like I said, it’s something very personal for MJ. Still, well… MJ and I went through a lot when we were kids, but he had it much worse than I did. Compared to him, my childhood was easy. So… I kinda feel like I owe him my help, now that it’s over, because I couldn’t be there for him years ago. That’s all I can tell you.”

The law student fell silent- yeah, he could get what the other was saying. Still… He couldn’t help but feel like Mike was putting his own feelings to the side, prioritizing MJ’s first. It wasn’t healthy. A simple look at the puppet-maker was enough to see how upset he was!

-“Does he… Know you feel that way?” Lukas dared to ask, a bit hesitant after his previous question.

A soft and sad scoff left Mike’s lips:

-“No. I haven’t told him- but trust me, it’s fine, I’mfine,” he replied, his expression showing more determination: “I want to help him the best I can. I know he doesn’t actually want to hurt me, and that’s all I need.”

It took Lukas a lot of willpower not to retort anything about that, and so he simply nodded. Oh, he wanted to tell Mike he didn’t have to play the role of a punching bag, that he didn’t have to feel guilty about something that had happened when he was literally a child… But it was clear that Mike wasn’t going to change his mind. Plus, it wasn’t like he could have a say in this, he was just a stranger. He had no idea what had happened during the twins’ childhood and… Well, even if he didn’t think any of that would justify MJ’s actions… He still had to give both of them the benefit of the doubt.

Nonetheless, he couldn’t help but feel like this was really unfair.

-“Thanks,” the other added, visibly glad Lukas hadn’t insisted. He let out a sigh before glancing at his watch, his eyes widening as he quickly stood up: “Crap, my break’s over,” he mumbled, and then spoke louder: “I need to repair some costumes. I’ll, uh, see you soon.”

-“Oh, yeah,” the student nodded awkwardly: “Good luck.”

-“I’ll definitely need some of that…” the puppet-maker sighed again and quickly left the break room, barely looking back. His face had looked so stressed, but Lukas couldn’t blame him: with what had happened with his twin and the fact that his work had gone to waste… Yeah, that seemed to be a lot. Furthermore, Lukas guessed Mike had to postpone the work on the new puppet, considering he had to wait for the new script to be validated. Poor guy wasn’t going to design a new character when no one even knew said character’s personality yet.

The young man let out a sigh, his eyes glancing around: what was he supposed to do, now? He had been promoted, sure, but what could he do if he had to wait for his role to be remade from scratch? Even the other stagehands didn’t know what to do! It sure was a weird situation to be in. Maybe he could lend a hand to whoever needed it? There had to be someone out there needing assistance or something…

After taking a deep breath, Lukas stood up and left the break room. His legs led him through the different part of the studio, hoping to find something to do. At some point, he passed in front of a door, where loud voices could be heard through it- the Conductor’s, Grooves’ and the investor’s. Well, seemed like it was the meeting room, which was probably the last place Lukas wanted to be right now. It didn’t sound like they were arguing, no, it sounded more like an intense discussion. He couldn’t understand anything, as the voices were muffled, though it was enough for him to quicken his pace.

He then found a group of stagehands ready to put the props and backgrounds for the Moonjumper’s home back in a closet, never to be seen again. There were a lot of stuff and so, naturally, the young man decided to help them. The stagehands he joined were touched by the attention and thanked him for it. Once they were done, they offered Lukas to tag along for other tasks, and he happily accepted. Not like he had anything else to do anyway and, well, it was always a good thing to be close to the crew.

Hah, helping the stagehands… Not something MJ would do, huh?

In any case, the hours passed and most of the work was done by the evening, when it was time to leave. After saying goodbye to his co-workers and making a quick stop to Mike’s workshop for the same reason, the young man took the last bus of the day and headed home. What a day this had been… Lukas’ mind was unable to think anymore- how could he, after everything that had happened in only a few hours? His shift had been… Wild, to say the least.

Once he got home, the first thing he did was to let himself fall on his couch. Were all of his shifts going to be so exhausting…? He sighed in one of the cushions, already feeling tired enough to fall asleep- nope, he still needed to eat and do his homework. Doing the latter after such a day of work sounded terrible, though he didn’t have a lot of choice, as he didn’t want to procrastinate. Plus, thankfully, law was something he was interested in, so at least it wasn’t boring, just… Time-consuming.

After the previous night, he really, reallyneeded to sleep a good amount of hours. With that new, motivating goal in mind, the young man hurried up to put a quick meal in the microwave. As he ate, he started his homework in the meantime, his tired brain doing his best to produce a good essay. Thankfully, it was a short one, allowing him to go to sleep earlier than what he had first thought. And so… He went to bed, his head full of memories from today. He wondered what the next day would have in store for him…

It actually took two weeks for the studio to get a new, validated version of the script. In the meantime, Lukas kept helping the other stagehands the best he could. He visited Mike in his workshop during his breaks, trying to see if his friend was feeling better. It took a few days but soon enough, they were back at talking about various topics. Visiting Mike also let him have a look at the new character designs the other was preparing, various versions he was planning to show the directors, so they could pick a particular design. All of them were really different from one another.

Lukas didn’t get the opportunity to read the script yet, as the Conductor and DJ Grooves wanted to be sure it was perfect before showing it to the team this time. However, Mike had gotten some information on the new characters and changes, as he had to design them and couldn’t do so without knowing their personality. Thus, the other shared him the secret info he had been given- and so, apparently, the new character was going to be a ghost ruling over a forest or something like that… Mike wasn’t given too much information on the setting itself, but the student still got to learn that this character was going to be charismatic, sadistic, and mischievous. From what the puppet-maker had learned, he told Lukas the directors were most likely inspired by his performance to write this new character.

This was… Really flattering. For days, he had thought they had disliked his improvisation, but it seemed like he was wrong. Learning that made his day- his week, even!

Eventually, the script was finally ready and finished, with the investor’s approval. Lukas received a copy and was told to read his parts for the day after, so he could get familiarized with this new character. He was… Strangely excited to do so, knowing this character was based on him. In the meantime, the crew made another audition announcement, this time featuring all the new characters and removing the ones that were cut.

Lukas didn’t think he would be one of those people but… He actually couldn’t wait to go back to his job!

… Too bad this passion was going to be stained in the near future.

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Oh boy I love ending my chapter ominously huh

=> Chapter 10

14 notes · View notes

jasmehraj · 4 years

Text

Wedding au

A timinette.

This was a request from Huntressofartemis10. I hope you like it. I am thinking of making a part 2 of this story.

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Marinette was very excited. Today was the day, she will be finally wed. The day her dreams come true. The day when she will be Mrs. Agreste and she will have three kids and hamsters and and and....

"Girl I can hear you overthinking." Alya her best friend. I was so afraid I am going to lose my friends but she didn't. Adrien managed to convince Lila to talk with me and I admitted my defeat. She got everyone back. All her friends were back. Tikki wasn't very happy with it.

Me and Adrien grew close. He confessed his love for me on our 10th date. Kagami left the country but they were still friends. She was even coming to their wedding. When I told her about the wedding yesterday her eyes went wide, maybe Adrien forgot to tell her? and she hesitantly tried to tell me something... She said that she is going to be here tomorrow and then she hung up.

Lila, well Lila didn't even try to ruin it!! She was just smiling and said,"Congratulations."

I am also going to reveal my identity as MDC. Hawkmoth is still a threat so, the wedding is going to be in New York but I am not afraid because I have my friends to back me up.

Chloe talks to me every once a week. We are friends, she shows me the side she never showed anyone else. She always gets quiet when I bring up Adrien. She also tried to tell me something but I hung up because Adrien was calling me.

Now sitting in a flight to New York, her phone tinged, it was a message from Tim. She met him this month. He was a coffee addict just like her and sleep deprived. She loves hanging out with him. They both solve puzzles, mind-games, riddles and share coffee recipes. She doesn't know what relation she has with him but only thing she knows is that he understands her like no one else does. When she told him about the wedding he looked so lost. He excused himself quickly.

Luka just smiled a sad smile and congratulated her.

She was now sitting on a plane going to New York. She wanted to make her Wedding dress but Gabriel told her that she is going to be the face of Gabriel's brand after him and Adrien. So, she HAS to wear a Gabriel original. It was not what she wanted but she couldn't question. Adrien just gave her a small apologetic smile. She understood and obeyed that is what she is supposed to do. She looked at her phone. There were multiple messages from Tim and others but she didn't get time to read them because the voice of Pilot rang through the speakers.

The plane landed and she went to her room and started getting ready. It was time for her wedding. She sat in the limo and they made their way towards the hotel. There were many people there. Her father looked very sad. I took his arm and he led me inside. When I entered, Adrien wasn't there. Where is he? She looked everywhere. She can't see her friends either. Where are they? Many cameras were there. She was just standing there confusion clear on her face. Where are they?

Tim came in looking like he just came running from somewhere,"Marinette, don't hmphhh-" He was cut off when three guards came and held him one covering his mouth.

"Stop that I invited him."She dropped the bouquet. She was going to him but was stopped by a hand. He turned to look at Natalie,"Mr. Agreste has forbidden him to come here."

"He's my friend. Release him this instant."

"No, Marinette. Take him away." Tim was so done he just knocked them out. They were just three men he had taken care of bigger villains,"Marinette. Don't Marry Him."

"Why Tim?"

"Because-"

He was again cut off this time by Adrien,"Princess come here let's start the ceremony."

"No Marinette he is cheating on you." Everyone's head whipped towards Adrien.

"Marinette, princess I am not cheating on you. Why would I even do that? I love you."

The door flew open three figures came flying all in a purple attire.

"Kagami, Luka, Chloe."Marinette was panicking today was supposed to be perfect. What is the meaning of this?

"We are the truth. We take care everyone who lied and tried to hurt our friend."They went towards Adrien and surrounded him. Adrien suddenly started blurting out,"I don't love you. I just used you as a distraction when Kagami left me. You were never supposed to be successful. I wanted to ruin you. You will marry me ignoring everything because you are so deep in the fantasy world that you couldn't see me sneaking out at night, cheating on you everyday, you even ignored the fact that I call you princess which Chat Noir called you. I am Chat Noir. After we get wed, father will make you sign a contract that will make the brand MDC, every single penny his, mine. You will never get out of the house. You will be our prisoner. You will be a puppet who will be controlled and I will finally have my revenge when I'll see you cry." He gasped for air and then continued. "Kagami broke up with me because you pointed out Lila was a liar and that I knew she was, that I told you to take the high road. She broke up with me. Chloe stopped talking to me and that Luka, I wanted to get rid of him but he became famous, it became hard, sometimes I just wanted to cataclysm him. I never told them that I was dating you and I stopped you from mentioning that either. When you told them about the wedding they came flying to save you because they knew what I do every night.They told this scum-TIM too. I kicked them out but this scum somehow beated the security and came in here."

Marinette didn't know when she started walking, when she reached him. But when she did, she slapped him hard and took off his ring,"What-" He was cut off by another slap and another and another until he was unconscious. Then she ran away. The akuma following her. Tim ran to catch up to her and carried her bridal style. "Tim I-" Tim cut her off by putting a finger on her lips.

They somehow lost the akuma. He put her down. She couldn't cry now. No. She has a job to do.

She held out her hand to Tim," Timothy Jackson Drake Wayne. I am giving you the miraculous of Black Cat. Will you agree to fight alongside me and have my back to retrieve the miraculous from the hands of Hawkmoth? Do you agree?"

"Yes I do." He had a determined look on his face.

He put the ring on his finger. Plagg appeared and as soon as he did he was in her face,"Bug Gabriel Agreste is Hawkmoth. He did all of this so he can akumatize you to achieve his goal. It was his plan from the start."

Marinette turned to Tim,"To transform say, Plagg Claws out. To detransform say, Plagg Claws in."

He nodded,"Plagg claws out." He was now dressed in a cat themed suit but with a cape and a utility belt along with the baton.

She said,"Tikki spots on."Her dress changed. She was now wearing a much mature outfit with a full face mask and armored boots. She had multiple yoyos on her hips. She also had a dagger almost which was very hard to see near her yoyos."Let's go."

Tim followed her. They both reached near the akuma. It was still searching for Marinette and Tim.

"I think the akuma is in the stack of photos they came with as an evidence." She nodded and they get back to work. Ladybug called her lucky charm, It was a statue that looked like her but curled up. She immediately got the idea. She put her in an alleyway and told her plan to Tim. They called the akuma to follow them and it did follow them. They reached the alleyway and swung away but the akuma got distracted by the lucky charm. She tied them up mid-air using her yoyos. Tim cataclysmed the pockets of all three of them and a black butterfly fluttered out. She purified it and called her miraculous ladybug and everything was back to normal.

She looked at Tim to see he was searching for something in the baton. His ears twitched and he threw his head over her head calling cataclysm,"Be careful Ladybug, Hawkmoth is sending Akumas for you." She shut all the emotions she was feeling and turned to Tim,"What are you doing?"

"I am a detective, a hacker and an inventor. I am tracking Hawkmoth Aka Gabriel. AHA."

"You found him?" She looked at him.

"He detransformed and is at the wedding avenue. It is all over the news."

"Let's go."

They went through the front door. Gabriel was speaking to the reporters,"Don't listen to anything he said. It was under the akuma's influence-"

"Gabriel" Ladybug's voice was firm but strong that made every single person quiet down. Her parents came running to her,"Is our baby alright?"

"Yes, we have taken her to a much safer place." They looked loads relieved but still tense.

"Gabriel." She spoke again.

"Yes." She came near him.

"Why did the akuma attack your son?"She asked. All the while Tim stealthily reached behind him and pulled some tape from his utility belt. As he was talking to Ladybug he covered his mouth with tape and grabbed his arms. Many people came forward including the police.

"Back off." Ladybug showed the dagger threateningly. They all seemed smart enough. She ripped his tie off and snatched the miraculous. In her peripheral she saw Natalie trying to escape but she threw two yoyos one rolled around Natalie and the other was wrapped painfully on her open mouth drawing blood and stopping her mid sentence (Dussu-). She walked to her, the crowd parted for her. She pulled a chunk of her dress off. She was wearing the peacock miraculous. She ripped it off to and both were secured in her yoyo. They threw them with each other.

"Gabriel Agreste and Natalie Scouncer. I ,ladybug the guardian of the miraculous curse you for eternity for misusing the miraculous of butterfly and peacock miraculous and giving pain to them. Thus you will feel all the pain you ever gave to anyone, you will feel all the pain you've given to Paris and the miraculous together and you will never be able to wield the miraculous again. Citizens of Paris the reign of hawkmoth has thus ended."

Then she turned to the police,"Arrest them they are the terrorists who terrorized Paris for 6 years. You must have got the idea. You can search for Parisian news if you want to know what I am talking about." The police officer nodded. They cuffed both of them who were glowing and growling in pain.

"Miss. Dupain Cheng will reach the hotel along with her friends in an hour." The Dupain Chengs nodded.

"BUG out." "GOODBYE."

They both landed in an alleyway and detransformed. She immediately cried on Tim's shoulder. Tim doing the same as they hugged each other and Tikki and Plagg nudging their cheeks with sad faces.

This wedding was not what her dream was like. Even Adrien was not how her dream Adrien was like.

After an hour they both somehow reached the hotel. Their friends tackled them in a hug.

"I have to change this. I can't bear to wear this." Said Marinette. Everyone nodded.

They all changed their clothes and cried hugging each other and fell asleep. At least they were in this together.

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Tim is from another universe. He has yet to find a way back. Suggest me should I make a part or not?

Love,

Jasmehraj.

82 notes · View notes

musesofolive · 3 years

Text

Cat and Mouse

warning: some suggestive lines, cursing, and animal violence/death. Minimal of that last bit though, and more towards the end.

This situation was... different. Not new by any means, but definitely different.

Normally when bounty hunters came to collect Riley, they would jump him in alleyways, or in the woods at night. Always going for the element of surprise where they could easily stow away with him... not that it was ever easy, considering he had yet to be caught. But none were usually so bold as to do such a thing in public, in a ballroom filled with nobles no less.

Riley had been working a group of them, selling them vials of water that they believed to be potions to make themselves irresistible to anyone they wanted. It had been working so far, and he had made himself a very tidy profit from it. He had charmed his clients so thoroughly, they invited him to one of their annual balls, and with his success blowing up his ego, he accepted.

So, there he was, in the cheapest yet fanciest suit he could buy, standing off to the side of the room with a glass of wine, watching everyone laugh and dance. The night was going even better than he expected, grabbing five more clients to sell to in the morning. Though his luck eventually came to an end when a large figure made it’s way to his side.

He glanced upwards and green eyes met the flashing blue of a strangers with an odd mark on his face. Two wavy red lines high up on his left cheek, only slightly covered by his shaggy, semi-slicked back black hair. He appeared to be roughly the same age as him, early twenties, maybe younger. Though, he was taller than Riley by a good two inches, with a lean, muscled body hidden by dark and barely presentable clothes.

His eyes widened as he felt something sharp poke into his back. “Is that a knife or do you just like what you see,” he quipped.

The sharpness was pressed further into his side as the man leaned down to his ear with a light growl. “Unless you want me to run you through right here and now, you’ll come with me, quietly.”

He winced slightly. “Alright, big guy, have it your way.” Riley relented, walking to where the bounty hunter (he assumed to be a bounty hunter, anyways) nudged him. They made their way to the doors, just about to walk out, when a group of nobles called out to him, stopping both in their tracks.

“Luka, where are you going? The party’s just starting, and the good wine should be coming soon. Who’s the fellow next to you?” The seeming leader, Roland as Riley remembered, asked.

There was an even sharper poke from the bounty hunter’s concealed knife than before. A warning: make a call for help, and you won’t live to see the next morning.

Riley resisted the urge to roll his eyes, as if he needed to be reminded. He wasn’t a fool. Instead, he turned to face his group of clients with a pleasant smile, charming as always. “That wine sounds positively divine, my dear. But, I’m afraid I must be going with my friend here, he’s quite eager to discuss a deal with me and would prefer us to be in a more private setting for such an occasion. You understand, yes?” He took a small step forward, hands out in an apologetic fashion.

Roland paused, clearly saddened by the brunet’s sudden leave, but nodded nonetheless, stepping forward to shake his hand. However, his sad expression quickly shifted to that of a flustered variety as Riley brought his hand to his lips, kissing it softly with an even softer smile.

“I thank you, all of you, for this wondrous night, however short it was. It is one I will treasure always. Though I’m afraid I must leave you now, I wish you all a beautiful night and pleasant dreams,” he announced in the sweetest tone he could muster. It pacified the group as they dispersed with a last bow to him. He fought back a smirk, it really was too easy to manipulate this crowd.

Riley’s smugness dissipated at the less than friendly reminder of the bounty hunter’s presence, and with a small sigh, walked onto the cold streets with him. “I don’t suppose you have a name I can call you on our little journey?” He asked, bored of the silence between them. He frowned upon the hunter only giving him a grunt. “Woah there, careful not to talk my ear off,” he muttered sarcastically.

“Shut up, I’ll remind you the bounty on your head is dead or alive. If you keep annoying me, I might just bring you in dead,” the man responded gruffly. He was shuffled in close to Riley, knife still being pressed to his back. Escaping wasn’t going to be easy like this.

No matter, he hadn’t gotten this far by being impatient.

He merely grinned behind him at the man. “Ah, I know your type well, Mr. Hunter.”

“That’s not my name.”

“But I have to call you something if I am to avoid being killed by boredom rather than your knife.” His smirk increased as his companion’s frown deepened. “As I was saying, I know your type well. Big and brooding, but under all that mystery, a deep and impassioned heart. Probably have someone waiting for you at home that you have to pay the bills for?” The hunter’s eyebrows furrowed and Riley pat himself on the back. He still had the magic.

His eye kept getting drawn back to the mark on his face, though. He hadn’t seen it on anyone, but wasn’t one of the other hunters talking about something like that? All at once the memory hit him and he laughed. “I knew I’d heard of that mark! The Red Tide, that’s your hunter name, isn’t it? Very scary, I’m shivering.” He pressed on despite the knife getting shoved deeper into his side. “You haven’t been in this business very long, but you’ve made quite a name for yourself among your peers. They’re all jealous of you, by the way. I should know, the last time a group jumped me they wouldn’t shut up about how unfair it was that you were getting paid so quickly.” The con man leaned back towards him, fighting the urge to snicker as the man leaned away in turn. “So, what am I? Your fourth hunt, fifth?”

“Fifteenth. But the first one I’ll be delivering alive.”

Riley made a gasp of awe. “The first alive? I’m honored, Red.” The nickname got a disdainful grunt out of the hunter, and he took that as incentive to make that his permanent name.

But his attempts to get Red to talk anymore were shut down as he stopped responding to the comments, and Riley reluctantly went silent with a last huff.

It was hours of walking before they made it to a run-down inn. From there, the con man was marched up the creaky stairs and plopped in a chair where his arms and legs were properly bound. “You hunters sure love your ropes and knots, don’t you,” he asked cheekily.

Red just put a hand to his face, looking more tired than Riley even felt. “I thought you were hard to catch because of your skill. But they must be letting you go voluntarily so you don’t drive them insane,” he grumbled. The bed squeaked beneath him as he sat down.

He shrugged with a cheshire smile. “Well, don’t get me wrong, I am very skillful with my tongue-”

“Shut up.”

“But, you may come to find I have quite a few more tricks up my sleeve.” His grin faded as he noticed the dark haired man getting more settled on the bed and he raised an eyebrow. “You can’t be seriously going to sleep, are you? What if I escape?”

“There isn’t one floorboard of this inn that doesn’t squeak. And I’m a light sleeper, I’ll be hearing if you move even an inch. We have a long journey to the port of Evenere, I can’t afford to give you an escape route because I’m lacking sleep.” He grumbled, eyes beginning to shut.

A frown settled onto his features. “So there is a brain underneath all of that muscle, very rare among your kind.” There was no response and he huffed, leaning back against the stiff chair. He might as well try to get some sleep too.

~~~~

Riley stirred slightly with a groan at something prodding his ribs. It was still dark out, but his memory was coming back to him now that he was awake, and he could make out the shadowy figure of his captor in the sun’s first rays of light. With an incoherent curse, he sat up straighter, stretching as much as he could in his restraints.

He was then grabbed to his feet with an apple shoved in his hands. He stared down at it unimpressed before staring back up at him with the same expression. “Really, an apple? You wake me up this early for an apple?” He asked.

Red merely rolled his eyes, pulling his bag over his head. “You’re the prisoner, you’ll eat what I give you. We need to get a move on.” With another push, he was guiding Riley out of the inn.

The con man was grumbling and complaining the whole way. From the city to the forest trail they now walked, there was not a moment of silence from him. Thus, no reprieve for Red. “Ugh, I’m so hungry! How are you not as hungry as I am? I didn’t even see you eat anything-”

“For fuck’s sake, here-” He grabbed some bread from his bag and put it in Riley’s hands. “Now be quiet. You’re more annoying than Maz...”

His ears perked at the mention of a name. Finally, he was getting somewhere with information. “Maz? And who would that be?” He didn’t get a response and he pouted. “You know I’m just going to keep talking until you tell me. Do you really want that? Because I can go for hours-”

“Mazarine, she’s my little sister,” Red cut him off gruffly.

He nodded, walking a few steps in silence. “Siblings, they can be quite the pain, can’t they? I know my younger brother definitely was,” he chuckled.

That earned him a side-eye from the hunter. “You have younger siblings?”

“What, is it that surprising?”

“You’ve always travelled alone, and you never go to the same place twice. I didn’t think you had family.” He responded, earnesty lacing his tone rather than malice.

His smirk faded as the familiar bite of bitterness sank into him at that sentence. As far as he was concerned, they weren’t his family. He only called them as such in order to present himself as someone more relatable to others. “Yes, well, there was some bad blood, we’re both travelers, family reunions aren’t much of a recurrence.” He waved it off as best as he could. “I’m guessing you aren’t quite the same with your sister, though. So, was I right?”

“Right about what? You talk so much I can barely keep track,” Red grumbled.

Riley laughed. “My assumption, is she the one you took this job for?” He asked, tilting his head towards the bounty hunter.

He was silent for a long time before he eventually nodded. “She needs this expensive medicine every month and regular jobs don’t pay high enough.” His lips pressed into a thin line as he narrowed his eyes on the road ahead.

The brunet hummed at the response, fiddling with the bread he had been given. “Your parents are out of the picture then, I assume?” He asked, looking for a clarifying nod. Instead, he was ignored, but the silence itself was answer enough. “Well, you have my condolences for your loss.”

“As if a word out of your mouth is even remotely genuine con man,” the hunter huffed.

Riley gave an offended gasp. “I’ll have you know, I always give someone a nugget of truth in my words if not the full truth.” He claimed, ignoring the way Red raised his brow.

“Really? So, it’s not a complete lie when you tell them your name is Luka or Stewart or any other alias when your actual name is Vyn?”

“Technically, I have multiple papers stating that all of those names are mine-”

“Forged papers, you mean.”

“Legal looking documents all the same. And besides, who says Vyn is my actual name? It’s the name the state of Evenere has given me. That doesn’t mean it’s considered my real name.”

“You are impossible.” He rolled his eyes, giving Riley an extra shove as he noticed they had slowed down in their debate.

The man stumbled forward with a grin on his face. “Yes, well, unless you choose to kill me, you’re stuck with my impossibility.” He gave a shrug, grin widening at the annoyance that crossed the hunter’s face.

“Just eat your bread,” He growled. His frown only lessened when Riley finally relented, and let out a sigh at the silence.

~~~~

The last two days had been largely uneventful, as Red was learning if he ignored Riley and fed him, the man would stay quiet long enough for the hunter to keep his sanity. He was especially quiet at night, oftentimes his eyes closed long before his own were. It was night now, the stars glittering through the small breaks in the branches. Red was taking the rabbit he had just caught off the spit, freshly roasted.

His face was very concentrated and he was even more quiet than usual, something Riley picked up on as he was handed his share of the meal. “You’re a bit more brood-y than usual, something on your mind?” He asked, green eyes alight in curiosity.

Red remained silent for a few moments, before locking eyes with the con man. “We’re less than a day away from the port. Not once have you tried to escape, yet you’ve never let any other bounty hunter take you this far. Why?” His confusion was palpable, and it looked as if it had been troubling him for a while.

“For one thing, your colleagues prefer to bring me in dead, so there’s not much incentive to play along. For another…” He paused, looking over his frame and leaning closer towards him. “You interest me, Red. All things considered, it would be easier to kill me. Your hunter name suggests you don’t have a problem with killing, and yet, I’m the one you show the mercy of life to. It’s curious, so while we’re asking questions, why are you keeping me alive?” His head was tilted, eyes never leaving the other man’s face.

It seemed to fluster him and he averted his gaze. “Don’t read too much into it. I was looking for a challenge, bringing you in alive seemed the best way to do that,” Red explained gruffly. “Would you stop calling me Red? It’s weird.”

Riley raised an eyebrow, not totally believing him before letting out a small laugh. “Alright, how about a name for a name then? You give me your real name, I’ll give you mine. If you don’t agree, I’m going to keep calling you Red. Apologies, but The Red Tide is too much to keep repeating. Unless there’s something else you’d like me to call you. Maybe dad- ” He was cut off with an elbow digging into his gut and let out another laugh, though it sounded more in pain than the last. “That’s a no, then. But, my proposition still stands.”

Red wasn’t talking, seeming to prefer focusing on his dinner, and Riley took that as him choosing not to participate and followed suit. It wasn’t until both men had finished eating that he said quietly, “Kane.”

It almost didn’t register that he had given his name, but a smile made its way on his face once it had. “Huh, sounds strong. It’s nice to finally meet you, Kane. The name’s Riley.” He introduced himself with a flourish, bowing as much as he could from where he sat on the ground. “I would shake your hand but alas, I’m pretty tied up,” he joked lightly.

“That’s exactly how you’ll stay, all the way to Evenere,” Kane told him, clearing away the bones and putting out the fire.

The grin turned into a smirk. “Such confidence, I do like that in a man.” He teased, the flirtation clear in his voice.

The hunter scoffed as he settled down on the ground across from him, hand settled over the hilt of his sword. “It’s more like a mantra. Once I drop you off, I’ll be rewarded with both money and the pleasure of never having to hear your annoying voice ever again.”

“Annoying? Most tend to compliment my voice as melodic or sultry. Are you sure you’re not trying to cover up some hidden attraction for me? It’s alright to be honest, many do,” Riley assured him, not bothering to hide any of his cocky attitude.

Kane merely stared him down with a frown. Despite any more attempts at teasing, he wasn’t talking, and so with a yawn, the con man gave up and shut his eyes.

Only to open them a half hour later, making sure that Kane was fully asleep before sitting up a bit straighter. His attention turned to the rope around his hands. The knots were complicated and it had taken fiddling with them every night for the past two days while Kane slept to try and figure out how to properly undo them. He was so close to figuring out the last piece that would unravel it, it just took more time to fiddle with it. Hours went by before he finally figured it out, and the rope went slack around his wrists, almost falling off him completely. Riley fought the urge to yell in victory, settling for a triumphant grin instead. His efforts had finally paid off, and now he was free. He stood up quietly, tiptoeing his way across their mini camp. For as light a sleeper as Kane claimed to be, he was definitely knocked out enough to not hear his light footsteps as he walked deeper into the forest. He’d stay in the woods for now in order to avoid coming across any other bounty hunters.

He was almost completely out of sight, and he grinned wider as he looked back. Which turned into a mistake, as the second he looked away from his footing, he landed on a dead branch that broke underneath his weight with a loud CRACK. He froze, the grin wiped clean off his face as he saw the shadow that was Kane startle awake. Letting out a quiet curse, he took off in the trees, wincing as he heard the bounty hunter’s frustrated yell from behind him. His head turned wildly, there was no way he was outrunning him, which meant he had to find somewhere to hide.

The forest didn’t provide too much cover, and as he looked, he could hear Kane catching up. Riley found a rock at the last minute, and he ducked behind it, hearing him run past it. Still, he hid, making sure he couldn’t hear any footsteps and for the blood to stop rushing in his own ears. He let out a sigh of relief upon not hearing him, only to let out a grunt as he was tackled to the ground.

Lo and behold, above him was Kane wearing a very angry expression. “I told you, you’re not getting away,” he barked at him.

The con man clucked his tongue as he looked up at him. “Sorry Kane, but I think you’ll find I am. Maybe you can try your luck again when you’ve become more of a pro. For now, try not to take this too personally.” After the words left his mouth, he brought his knee up harshly between the hunter’s legs and rolled his now hunched figure off his body. He fled not long after, confident he’d be able to outrun Kane now.

His confidence was short-lived as he heard footsteps behind him and he groaned. “I wish he’d just give up…” He muttered, looking for a branch or a rock he could use to knock him out.

However, in his haste and while he stumbled in the dark, he tripped right into a hole with a yelp. He winced as he sat up, his face scrunched up in confusion as he looked around this...cave that he had fallen in. And...what was that smell? It was so musky, and thick, it was practically choking him. His blood froze upon hearing an animalistic growl, and with what little light was provided by the moon, he saw a certain striped snout.

Badger-wolves.

He ducked as the first one leapt out to attack him, and jumped out of the way of a second attack. “Hey, hey, no need to attack. We can be friends here! If you’d just let me,” he had to dodge another bite to his legs, “out.” Riley frowned, he didn’t know why he was trying to reason with them, but he was running out of options without signs of an exit.

At that moment, he heard the scuffling of boots and a deep voice call his name. “You didn’t seriously fall into a badger-wolf den, did you,” Kane asked rhetorically.

Riley growled, getting out of the way of another attack and kicking another of the animals away from him. “Mock me later! You’re not getting your money if I get torn to shreds by these little mongrels.” He jumped back at another swipe and frowned. “Yeah, I called you mongrels, what are you gonna do about it?”

“Don’t antagonize them, you idiot. Here, my cloak’s coming down, you should be able to use it to climb out.” After some more shuffling, Riley could spot the black cloth dangling from where the hole opened up to the cave.

It took some more kicking and swerving out of attacks, before Riley delivered a last blow to the nearest one, and latched onto the cloak. Using the wall of the hole combined with Kane helping to pull him, he managed to crawl back up to open air. That was when an idea struck him and just as his foot hit the top of the hole, he used all his force to jump back to the other side, tugging the cloak as hard as he could. The action caused Kane to lose his balance, and with a shout, he fell in just as Riley landed safely at the top.

He took a moment to regain his breath, peering over the top of the hole with a smirk. “You didn’t seriously fall into a badger-wolf den, did you?” He repeated the hunter’s earlier question, laughing as the only response he received was a jumbled curse. He straightened up with a stretch, ignoring the dubious threats and beginning to walk away. However, one shout in particular made him pause.

“I swear, you selfish bastard, if you make me leave my sister alone!” He didn’t get to finish as he let out a cry of pain, slamming one of the badger-wolves against the rock.

Something tugged at his heart then, and he sighed with a shake of his head. He supposed he could afford to have a conscience just this once. Spotting the bounty hunter’s sword, he picked it up and walked back over to the hole. From there, he waited for one of the badger-wolves to position themselves at the bottom, and when one did appear, he dropped the sword on it, watching it give a final snarl as it died. “You have a sword and a knife, and killing is what you do. Don’t be so dramatic. You’ll make it back to her just fine. But, I really do have to be going. Maybe we’ll meet again, Kane.” Standing up, he brushed off the dirt that had gathered on his pants.

The sounds of the fighting grew fainter as Riley walked away, unaware of the game he had just started with his one act of compassion.

#Musings #my writing #Riley #Kane #WHOOOOO #oh man I’ve had this sitting in my draft for WEEKS #I think a little over a month actually #it feels nice to get it posted #tis 11 pages in my docs #which is the most I have written in a while #so yeah enjoy this big ol’ monster #olive writes

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01littleunicorn · 6 years

Note

For the writing prompts 8 U for graybin Please ♥ (am I abusing the fact you told me u could request more than once? Definitely yes)

Hey there!! Not abusing don’t worry, I’m always happy to write for you ^^

For explanation, the lovely person up there is my bff hence why I made an exception to the ‘’only Awakening/Fates’’ rule. She knows exactly where I am in the game and therefore knew not to ask for things happening in the later parts of the story.

Anyway first time writing for Echoes’s characters! Tobin and Gray are two of my favorites so I hope I did them justice ^^’’

8. ‘’I just want to sleep’’

U. Quiet Campsite

Pairings: Gray/Tobin

No warnings, possible spoilers if you haven’t played the game ^^

Enjoy!

The fire had finally diedout and even the remaining ashes were now running cold. A heavy silence was reigningon the campsite, with the exception of the occasional snore coming from one ofthe soldiers. The moon was high in the sky and everyone seemed to be sleeping.

Well, almosteveryone… For what felt like the thousandth time, Tobin turned around on hismakeshift bed, trying to fall asleep.

Tomorrow would be abig day. The Deliverance was going to walk on the Sluice Gate to defeat one ofDuma’s faithful and free Luthier’s sister, Delthea. The fight ahead was notgoing to be an easy one, as those arcanists from Rigel were known to be bothpowerful and vicious, but Alm refused to abandon the young mage to her fate,despite the overwhelming odds.

Coming from a largefamily, Tobin had instantly related to Luthier’s plea to save his sister. Ifany of his siblings had found their way into that kind of danger, the archerwould have begged anyone to help him rescue them. Though, living in Ram village,the dangers he would’ve had to face would’ve been more along the line ofpredators from the woods or the occasional brigands.

In any case, he wasglad Alm had agreed to help save Luthier’s sister, no matter what other membersof the Deliverance might have to say about this decision. Somehow, it remindedTobin that his friend was still the simple man he remembered from hischildhood, even though he was changing more and more into a true militaryleader.

Their battle atDesaix’s fortress remained fresh in his mind and he clearly remembered theevent that took place there. Most of them were too busy celebrating Mathilda’srescue and their victory over Zofia’s traitor to notice, but he had been therewhen Alm found the treasure residing in the general’s vault.

The sword was beautifullydecorated and automatically caught Tobin’s eyes. However, no matter how hard hetried, the archer was unable to pick it up. Though he might not be as strong asAlm or, even if it pained him to admit it, Gray, he stillknew his way around a sword. And this one was impossible to lift. Yet, Alm thencame and took it like it was the easiest thing to do. While Tobin might not bethe smartest guy around, it was pretty obvious to him that if you can wield aweapon that legends say no one else can lift, that must mean something!

The regal weapon wasnow sitting at Alm’s side like it was the most normal thing in the world, yet hisfriend refused to talk about it to anyone. Both him and Lukas hadn’t uttered aword on the subject, even to Clive, and the archer couldn’t figure out why. Whydid Alm choose to just dismiss this event as if it was nothing? What made himnot mention it to at least his friends?

Tobin didn’t knowmuch about war and strategy and stuff, but something did not sit right withthis situation and he couldn’t stop thinking about it.

With a sigh, thearcher closed his eyes again, trying once more to find some semblance of sleep,when a ruffle nearby caught his attention.

- Pssst… hey…Tobin… psst!

Recognizing the voiceof the annoying mercenary, Tobin simply rolled his eyes, attempting to ignorehis friend by pretending to be asleep. That was counting without Gray’sdetermination.

- Tobin…..Tooooobiiiiiiin…. pssst!!!

Fearing that theother man’s loud whispers would wake up the entire camp, the archer finallylooked at him with an annoyed face.

- Shut up Gray! Ijust want to sleep…

He didn’t truly thinkthis would be enough to really silence the mercenary and the latter proved himright by simply smiling at the exclamation and answering jokingly.

- Bah, you can sleepwhen you’re dead!

Even though he knewthis was just a jest, Tobin did not find it funny and simply responded with adisapproving look.

They were at war anddeath was following them at every step. It could come for any of them, at anytime, and every battle was a new wager with the reaper. Tobin was always afraidthe next fight would be his last, a fear Gray didn’t seem to share with all hisjoking and boasting around.

The mercenary justheld up his hands and simply added apologetically.

- Sorry, sorry… butstill, you must have a bit of time to spare for good ol’ Gray?

Technically speaking,Tobin would have been better off sleeping to regain his strength for tomorrow. Realisticallythough, he doubted he would ever manage to fall asleep any way and was somewhatcurious about what Gray wanted to talk about.

- Fine… what do youwant then?

The other man smiledat his capitulation and proceeded to bring his own makeshift bed closer. However,he sported a more serious look when he whispered to Tobin again.

- I wanted to askabout Alm… I mean… don’t you think he’s been changing recently?

The question didn’tsurprise Tobin that much and it took him back to his recent thoughts. Heanswered with a sigh.

- Of course, he’sbeen changing… but, honestly, everything keeps changing since we left Ramvillage! I barely recognize myself sometimes. Alm is just… more affected Iguess.

He didn’t want tobring too much on the subject. Whatever Alm’s reasons were for keeping secrets,they were his own and Tobin would respect that.

As for Gray, he seemedto think about it for a few seconds more, before adding.

- Yeah, maybe… Imean he’s always been kinda… different, I guess? You know, like he didn’tbelong at the village with the rest of us… I suppose it’s normal he found hisplace here, among all the knights and noble warriors. They’re more his pace, ifyou know what I mean…

There was truth inGray’s words and Tobin had to admit it. While they all had come a long way, Almhad always been the one standing out, much to the archer’s desperation. Alwaysthe brave and strong hero, it wasn’t much of a surprise that he seemed to befitting in his new leader role quite this easily. Maybe it was just his fate,who knows?

- Still, sometimes itfeels like he’s slowly leaving us behind to live this big hero life! He couldat least save some of the glory for his ol’ friends, you know.

Gray had added thatlast part with a wink, making Tobin roll his eyes once more. Gray was often goingon and on about that whole glory thing and the archer knew that was a big partof why he joined the Deliverance in the first place. It wasn’t that Tobindidn’t care about being recognized as a hero, but his main focus had alwaysbeen to bring money back for his family. The fame and glory would just be abonus… if he survived, that is.

- Say Tobe… what doyou think the future will be like for us?

His friend’s voicebrought Tobin out of his thoughts, making him reflect on the question. Truth betold, the archer hated thinking about the future. With every step, they seemedto get more and more involved in a situation that surpassed him and he dreadedwhat was coming on the horizon.

He sighed, turning onhis back to look at the sky.

- I don’t know…Heck! I don’t even know what tomorrow will look like… But, I guess, if I’mstill alive after all this, I would go back to Ram village to help my family onthe farm.

That was the planafter all. Go out there, fight to earn gold and bring it back to his family. Itseemed so simple back then.

Gray looked surprisedby his answer and he added, with an inquiring look.

- Really, that’s all?Is that really what you want Tobin?

There was a rareserious tone in his voice and Tobin was taken aback by the question. What elsewas there to want after all?

- Well… yeah Iguess…

But he wasn’t so sureanymore. Trying to ignore those new uncertainties, he turned his attention backto Gray.

- What about you? Anygreat plans for the future?

The reaction wasimmediate for the mercenary who responded, with a huge smile.

- Easy! I’ll marryClair and we will settle down and have lots of little Grays running around.Maybe I’ll even name one after you, Tobe!

As the darker skinnedman started to chuckle at what he probably considered a hilarious joke, Tobinsimply sighed.

Of course, Clair wasalways the answer. Ever since the young woman had rejoined the Deliverance, shewas practically all the two guys ever talked about. How beautiful she was andwho would win her heart. Tobin had to admit he didn’t have much hope for thatlast part though. If Clair was always chastising Gray about his flirtinghabits, she was at least talking to the mercenary. Beside a salutation duringtheir first meeting, Tobin had never managed to exchange anything more with thePegasus Knight, making his chances even slimmer than the laughing man’s besidehim.

Yes, Clair wasgorgeous, strong… and completely out of his league. He should just give up atthis point.

- Sure… well, Iwish you the best luck then mate… Make sure she doesn’t kill you before sayingyes…

He thought hisattempt at a joke would be enough to stop his friend from prying forward, butGray’s laugh died out almost instantly as he looked at Tobin with concern.

- Since when are youso okay with Clair and I? I mean, I know we agreed not to fight over it but…I mean, I thought you would still wanna have a chance, no?

Being a competitive man,Tobin had always strived to beat Alm or Gray at anything. Yet, he also knew hehad to choose his battles and that was a fight he had already lost.

- What chance? Shedoesn’t even look at me. Compared to Alm, or even you, I have no way of everwinning her heart. She’s a sophisticated noble; I’m a lowly commoner… that’swhat it is.

He then turned tosmile dryly at Gray.

- But don’t let thatstop you from trying for what you really want. Maybe, miracles can come true.

He added that last partmostly as a jape, although the mercenary didn’t seem to catch it. Looking atthe sky and nibbling on his bottom lip, Gray was obviously lost in thoughts andTobin had to call him twice before he responded to his name, with a bashfulsmile.

- Sorry, I was justthinking….

The need to tease wastoo strong to resist.

- I saw that and itlooked hard to do…

- Oh! shut up Tobin!

The archer simplychuckled at the mercenary’s exclamation before asking, more seriously.

- Nah, but really,what’s troubling you? Isn’t marrying Clair your dream?

Gray simply sighed,seemingly searching for his words, before answering.

- Sure… but,like… maybe that’s all it is. A dream, I mean…

He then turned backto look at the sky as he added.

- This journey’salready crazier than what I could’ve ever imagined, yet… I don’t know, maybeI just enjoy dreaming too big…

Somehow, Gray’s wordsfelt really relatable and Tobin could only nod in agreement, whispering back.

- Yeah… I know thatfeeling.

For a moment, the twoboys fell in a comfortable silence, with only the stillness of the nightsurrounding them. In this restful atmosphere, Tobin could feel his eyes closingas he yawned silently, slowly falling asleep.

- Say, Tobin…

Gray’s voice wakedhim up from his sleepy state and he turned his attention back to his friend.

- Hum?

- No matter whathappens tomorrow, or even later… we will always stay together, right?

There was a reallyserious tone in his voice, one Tobin didn’t hear often, and almost a hint ofworry. Gray sounded truly afraid that he might lose him someday and Tobin suddenlyrealised he seemed to be sharing the same fears. At the thought of losing the mercenary;of not seeing him again; of not hearing his dumb jokes once more, the archercould feel a void in his heart and blaming it on their long lasting friendshipdidn’t feel quite right.

But that was too muchthinking for this time at night.

- Of course… westarted this together and we’ll finish it together.

And, with a smile, hejokingly added.

- Besides, no matterhow hard I try, I could never get rid of you anyway.

- Hey!

The exclamation was accompaniedby a playful hit on the shoulder, as both boys started laughing loudly, tryingto stifle it enough to avoid waking their fellow soldiers.

They were both still smilingwhen Gray put his hand on the archer’s shoulder, adding with a familiar smirk.

- And, you know, lifewould be quite boring without you, my Tobi-poo!

The possessive use ofthat appellation and the gesture were enough to make Tobin blush slightly, but hesimply responded with an audible grunt.

- Aw…come on, youknow I hate that nickname.

Gray smirks just grewbigger as he winked at him.

- Oh! I know…

Then, with a yawn anda large grin, the mercenary lay down on his bed, whispering.

- Well… good-nightTobi-poo!

Remaining annoyed by theuse of the ridiculous pet name, Tobin barely answered before lying down again, hopingto be able to fall asleep this time.

But he already knewthis was a lost cause. As he closed his eyes, Tobin could still feel the heaton his face and, in the midst of all his swirling thoughts, all he could seemto think about was Gray, with his loud laugh and his dumb grin…

Damn it!

#request #fanfic #fire emblem echoes #tobin fire emblem #gray fire emblem #graybin #fire emblem echos: shadows of valentia #for @by-the-blue #thanks again for the request #I had to address the sword event #cause I mean come on guys theres oblivious #and there's stupid xD #shut up tobin #spoilers #maybe?

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