TRP: Goro, Hansel, Pride, and Sam (Demon Dream)

LINA

[Setting: Day 355, Glimmerton.]

Was pretty nice having the Grangers so close by, since it meant nobody had to go buy cheese and milk in town anymore. Made Goro's shopping basket a hell of a lot lighter. Amari was supplying them with lots of vegetables from her garden, and of course they got all their eggs from the chickens now, so for the most part Goro just had to buy things like meat and flour and sugar.

He was a country boy now, and shit. It was great.

He made his way through the market, taking a leisurely pace, allowing himself to be choosy. Was way smaller and less stressful than Skyport's markets. Sometimes he could go five whole minutes without wondering if anyone was trying to pick his pocket.

IZZY

Out of nowhere, someone tapped Goro's shoulder behind him.

LINA

Goro jumped, jerking so hard he almost dropped his basket. He managed to keep hold of it, whirling around and backing up a few steps, scowling at whoever had the fucking gall to sneak up on him.

IZZY

Behind Goro stood a very tired-looking man, a few years older than him, probably about forty or so, human. He had dark-tanned skin and was around six feet tall, with a quarterstaff and a lyre strapped to his back, each peeking over a shoulder -- he had the build and general appearance of an adventurer, though it'd be hard to pin down exactly what type.

"Goro, right?" he asked, in a rather flat tone.

LINA

Goro scanned the guy up and down, taking in details. He never liked seeing musical instruments on people who looked like they could kill him. Usually a bad sign.

"Who the fuck's asking?"

IZZY

He managed to look unimpressed without his expression changing much. "I'm just here to deliver a message."

LINA

Oh, what the fuck was this. Goro worked his mouth around a second, then spat on the ground at the guy's feet. "Go on."

IZZY

The man's lips twisted a bit in distaste. "Someone's going to come to you in a dream. He wants me to politely ask you to let him."

His eyes flicked down to Goro's hand. Then he turned to walk off.

LINA

"Hey. Hey. Get back here!"

IZZY

He didn't.

LINA

Goro marched after him, then sprinted a little so he could get ahead. He stepped in front of the guy, trying to block his path. "Who the fuck are you?"

IZZY

He stopped, looking mildly annoyed. "I'm just the messenger, man."

LINA

"You gotta have a name, don't you?"

IZZY

"Sam."

LINA

Goro stuck his free hand out to shake, eyes still narrowed.

IZZY

Sam narrowed his eyes back and suspiciously, grudgingly shook Goro's hand.

LINA

"Who're you a messenger for, Sam?"

IZZY

"Let him into your dream. He'll introduce himself. That's not my job."

LINA

It was... well, alright, there was nothing fucking not weird about this whole setup, but it was weird how Sam kept saying to let whoever-it-was in. Goro assumed it was all in reference to a Dream spell, and in his experience, there was no "letting" involved with those. You just waltzed on in.

Except.

The hair stood up on Goro's neck, and he went cold all over. Sam had glanced down at his hand, before.

Goro stepped forward and grabbed the front of Sam's shirt, bearing his teeth in Sam's face. "The fuck is this about? How the fuck do you know who I am?"

IZZY

Sam glanced down at the hand knotted in his shirt, then back to Goro's face, still largely expressionless. He took a breath and sighed.

"My boss has eyes everywhere. He knows about your ring," he said bluntly. "He figured you probably wouldn't just let him in, not knowing what was going on. So he sent me ahead. To be fucking polite. And ask nicely."

LINA

Goro let go of Sam. He took a step back.

He slid his hand in his pocket and squeezed his Mask amulet. More for reassurance than anything; he didn't need it to cast the spell he wanted. His gaze darted around the market as he spoke his prayer.

My boss has eyes everywhere.

Was a popular saying with gang leaders and such. Goro couldn't put a finger on why he thought Sam was being literal.

The spell took effect. Goro hadn't been sure what to expect, but he sure hadn't expected this. There was something off about Sam, but not in a way Goro was used to.

He didn't much care for aberrations. Diva had been an aberration. Illithids were aberrations. Aboleths were aberrations. Just in general, a big ugly category of shit Goro had no interest in meeting.

Sam really wasn't--all the way there, though. He just kinda smelled like one, like he'd been cuddled up to one and it left its perfume on him.

"Black eyes?" Goro asked, trying to still look mean, but shaking inside like a scared little puppy.

IZZY

Sam blinked. He seemed a little caught off guard.

"Gold," he said.

LINA

Goro frowned slightly, confused. "Oh." He stared for a moment, but nothing coherent formed in his mind. "You really... won't tell me anything about him?"

IZZY

Sam was quiet for a beat. "He's hard to explain," he allowed.

LINA

"What's he want?"

IZZY

"Just to talk."

LINA

"Why?"

IZZY

He shrugged one shoulder. "I don't really remember."

LINA

Goro grimaced. He took another step back.

IZZY

"I did my part," Sam said. "If you don't want to talk to him, he won't force it." He shrugged again, and turned to go. "He's not like that."

LINA

Goro felt almost numb, but not quite. He was foggy, sure, but there was a little bit of something shining through it.

He wished he could say it was fear. He knew himself too good for that, though. Never had been much good at lying to himself.

Sam was starting to walk away.

"Hey," Goro said. "Do I know you from somewhere? You from Skyport?"

IZZY

"Yeah. Probably not, though. It's a big city." He paused, though, and looked back to squint at Goro a bit. "I don't have much to do with the church."

LINA

"I spent the first half of my life having nothing to do with the church, either." Which still didn't mean anything. There were neighborhoods Goro never spent time in as a kid, and if Sam was from any of those--well.

IZZY

Sam kept looking at him. "How old're you?"

LINA

"Older than I look."

IZZY

He turned back to look at Goro more closely, up and down. "I used to do this trick," he said, "on street corners, where I'd guess fancy ladies' ages and if I got it close to right, they'd give me a copper or two. Trick was to always aim low, though. Flatter'em. Thirty," he guessed.

LINA

Goro scoffed. He pointed up.

IZZY

"Thirty-five." He shrugged again. "Eh, I'm out of practice."

LINA

"You sure are," Goro said. "Think they just gave you coppers 'cause they thought you were cute, though."

IZZY

"Hm." Sam gave him another look and turned away again.

LINA

"Pff, don't take it personal," Goro said. "You seem like a good fuckin' con."

IZZY

"Thanks."

LINA

"Wasn't a compliment." That was a lie; it was. "Get the fuck back here and tell me what's going on."

IZZY

Sam stopped again and sighed, tilting his head back to look up at the sky. He muttered something like do I have to? -- then dropped his head and rounded back on Goro, rolling his eyes a bit. "Look, I can only tell you so fucking much." He glanced around the market square, and added, "This isn't really the place for it," before settling on the empty river shore and heading off in that direction.

LINA

Goro didn't follow immediately. He wanted to, but he'd lived enough of his life by now to have a budding sense of his own stupidly bad decisions before he made them.

He just had to let someone know where he was going. Yeah. He started after Sam, mentally sorting through his options. Just about everyone back in the castle would probably freak if he told them what he was up to, or at least ask him annoying questions he didn't wanna spend the magic to answer.

Luci. Now there was someone level-headed and utterly disinterested. He Sent to her while he walked. Trying something weird. If I'm not home in an hour, tell your dad to look in town by the river.

IZZY

Don't do anything rash, Luci replied, sounding distracted.

Sam picked a spot well away from anyone else, where fishing canoes had been pulled up onto land and overturned for repairs or cleaning. He picked one out to sit on, crossing one ankle under the other knee and slouching to rest his elbows on his knees.

The light reflecting off the river caught on the golden band on his left ring finger. He fixed Goro with a long-suffering look. "All right. What?"

LINA

"What's your deal?" Goro asked. "I mean, what are you?"

IZZY

"A human," Sam said flatly.

LINA

"Like fuck that's all you are. You know what I am, right?"

IZZY

"A half-elf."

LINA

Goro snorted, almost turning into a giggle. "I'm a cleric. Means I got a preternatural ability for sniffing out bullshit, you get what I'm saying?" He jabbed a finger in Sam's direction. "Something off about you, pal. You may not be a monster, but you been spending time with one. Lotsa time. Quality time."

IZZY

"You got me," he deadpanned.

LINA

"What's with that," Goro said. Like he didn't understand the appeal.

IZZY

Sam tilted his head, narrowing his eyes a bit like he was remembering something. He angled his chin at Goro's hand. "Where'd you get that ring?"

LINA

"Some fucking eldritch abomination who started the apocalypse over it. Why?"

IZZY

"Rings a bell," he said absently, like he was still thinking. "Just curious." Then he focused in on Goro more sharply. "You're full of shit. What's with that. Pff."

LINA

"That shit can backfire," Goro snapped. Sam seemed like a bright guy, though. He probably knew.

IZZY

"Yeah, I'm fucking aware."

LINA

"So, then? What's with that?"

IZZY

Sam unfolded his legs and stood up. "Did you have some kind of question about my boss, or did you just want to interrogate me?"

LINA

"What is he? If he's a fucking hivemind, I'm out."

IZZY

"What?" Sam squinted at him, looking incredulous. "No."

LINA

"Pff. Yeah, that you know of."

IZZY

Sam kept squinting at Goro like he didn't know what to make of him.

LINA

"He an aberration? Do you even know what I mean by aberration?"

IZZY

"He's a demon," Sam allowed, impatient. "A fiend. A patron."

LINA

Goro couldn't help it. He let out a sigh of relief. "Doesn't sound like an aberration."

IZZY

Sam shrugged.

LINA

"So why do you stink like one, then? That's the question."

IZZY

"Look, fuck if I know. I don't know what you're talking about."

LINA

Goro cocked his head to the side. He wondered if Sam might be bullshitting him. Didn't seem like it, though.

He'd already asked his next question, but thought Sam might be more amenable to answering it now, since they'd been chatting a while. "What's your boss want? Why's he after me?"

IZZY

He shrugged again. "I told you. I don't remember."

LINA

"How can you not remember? You a fucking dumbass?"

IZZY

Sam fixed him with a muted glare. "Y'know what? I've got other shit to do today."

LINA

"What kinds of shit?" Goro asked, genuinely curious.

IZZY

"Dumbass shit," he said flatly.

LINA

Goro snorted and snickered. He grinned at Sam, like he was expecting him to join in. Nah, this guy looked like he hadn't laughed in twenty years probably. Maybe ever.

"Well." Goro shrugged and crossed his arms. "Thanks for the message, I guess."

IZZY

"Sure." Sam turned away again, raising a hand over his shoulder.

LINA

In the main sanctuary of the abbey in Skyport, Goro sat in one of the pews, curled around his knees.

He didn't want to be there, but there was some job he was supposed to be doing. He couldn't remember what. They'd changed the inside of the sanctuary since he'd last been in it--the walls and ceilings were all mirrors now. He didn't like that, either. Kept seeing his reflection out of the corner of his eye, in a hundred different places.

Impossible to hide, that way. Impossible to not be seen.

IZZY

Someone touched his shoulder, very slightly, with two fingers. The room felt warmer.

No one was visible in the many reflections.

LINA

"Yeah? What do you want?" Goro asked, kind of sleepily. No venom like usual.

IZZY

"You don't want to be here," a gentle, unfamiliar voice said. "Would you like me to take you somewhere else?"

LINA

"Yeah," Goro said. And all at once, he remembered--with a wash of tremendous relief--he didn't have to be here. He had a home of his own now. A whole family. A fiance.

But he'd already agreed to... who the fuck was talking to him, anyway?

IZZY

All of the air rushed out of the room, leaving it cold, and black -- and then, everything returned, but was different.

It was a circular room, small enough to seem cozy. Goro sat -- just as he had been, wrapped around his knees -- on a chaise lounge, now, one with fine black-lacquered wood and pristine white cushioning. Below it was a white marble floor with distinct black veins, but a large, plush gray rug padded much of it.

Two clicks sounded behind Goro, and then the hooved footsteps fell quiet as the demon stepped onto the rug.

He was a good seven feet tall, his horns stretching slightly higher, and looked largely like a blue-skinned tiefling with a great many demonic traits. The tail, and goat legs, oddly colored eyes -- in his case, golden ones. But he also had wings, fuzzy like a bat's. He was covered in assorted glimmering golden jewelry, including rings on every finger but one.

To Goro's right, there was a double-door balcony, open to a clear, dusky, star-pierced sky, and to his left was a canopy bed with sheer black curtains, and an indistinct figure bundled in the dark silky sheets. There was a desk and a dresser in the room, as well, and a changing screen off to one side, styled like the lounge. Next to him there was a dark rosewood table holding a pitcher and glass, both full of water.

The demon stopped in front of him, and looked down at him, head tilted as if in concern.

LINA

Goro spent a good minute raking his eyes all over the room, and then the demon in front of him. His gaze fell to its hands, and he noticed the missing ring, and it bothered him.

Oh, but--

Finally, it fell into place. He remembered the events of the day.

"You must be the boss," Goro said. Thrilled, but uneasy, too. He'd let this thing into his mind, when he didn't have to. Could it read his thoughts?

IZZY

"Mm." It gestured to the room at large. Its nails were claw-like and gold, but trimmed short and neat. "If this isn't to your liking, we can talk somewhere else."

LINA

Goro pointed at the figure bundled up on the bed. "Who's that?"

IZZY

The demon looked back. Its expression softened. "Sakincha." My knife. "You've met."

LINA

"Sam," Goro guessed. "You know, I uh... didn't feel like I made the best impression on him. What do you think?"

IZZY

The demon smiled. Its sharp teeth peeked out. "I wouldn't take it personally. He's just very tired." Then it held out its hands, claws unfurling delicately. "You can call me Aziz."

LINA

Goro looked at the outstretched hands, then looked into Aziz's face. "What do you want?"

IZZY

He kept smiling, withdrawing his hand. "Sakincha told you that I'm a patron. I presume you have no interest in making a deal of that sort with me."

LINA

"What's the deal, exactly? What're you offering?"

IZZY

In the background, Sam stirred and made a quiet sound. Aziz looked over his shoulder again, then bowed his head to Goro. "Excuse me for a moment."

He turned to walk softly over to the bed. The rug seemed to ripple under his steps, as if something was moving under it, and after three of four steps, the ripples took on a life of their own and rose up -- as if growing and organic, liquid and solid simultaneously, sprouting and weaving into a lounge much like the one Goro sat on. Sam's quarterstaff and lyre sat on it already.

Ignoring this, Aziz went to the bed, parting the curtains and leaning down. He spoke softly. I'm here. It's all right.

Sam straightened a little, looking sleepy and a little disoriented, and Aziz touched his face and kissed his forehead, and led him up further, holding his arm and his waist to direct him over to the new lounge, where both sat down. Sam folded himself against Aziz's side, closing his eyes again, and sighed. He looked healthier than he had, awake -- relaxed and rested. He didn't seem to have really noticed Goro's presence at all.

"Forgive the interruption," Aziz said, more quietly, now. He stroked Sam's hair idly. "I'm offering you my aid -- in the form of Sakincha -- in erasing the Church of Bane from Skyport."

LINA

Goro watched Sam and Aziz together with fascination. He couldn't lie, the way Sam relaxed and folded against Aziz, seemed to immediately settle when he sensed him nearby--it reminded Goro of how he was with Hansel.

Aziz was Sam's Hansel, then? That seemed all kinds of fucking wrong.

Goro turned his attention back to Aziz when he spoke. He stared at him. "Why?"

IZZY

"The Church is in possession of a relic. I need it." He twirled Sam's hair around one claw. "We need it. Sakincha will help you, and you will help us."

LINA

"What relic?" Goro had been on cleaning duty in that part of the abbey enough times, he figured he'd know what Aziz was talking about, whatever it was.

IZZY

"No. If I tell you, there's every possibility that you'll simply steal it for yourself." He smiled. Sharp, again. "Sakincha knows what to look for. You don't need to know."

LINA

Goro narrowed his eyes. "You think I'm gonna be satisfied with that, do ya?"

IZZY

Without opening his eyes, Sam mumbled, "Yeah, he's an asshole. Should've mentioned."

"I'm sure he's only cautious," Aziz admonished. "We can put it in writing, if you like. You can take as much time as you need to check it for loopholes."

LINA

Goro scoffed. "How do I know this relic, whatever it fucking is, ain't some take-over-the-world kinda jobby? That gonna be one of the loopholes?"

IZZY

Aziz tilted his head. "No. I'll tell you exactly what I want it for. It will allow me to cross into your plane. As easy as parting a curtain. That's all."

LINA

"Huh. Yeah. Easy as pie." Goro pondered. "Ain't there... some kinda rules or laws against that? Gods can't cross over here, and shit. Not that you're a god."

IZZY

Sam snorted.

"I see no reason to follow foolish rules that serve no purpose," Aziz said serenely.

LINA

"Oh, fuckin' same here. I mean, I'm a career criminal. You probably coulda guessed." Goro tipped his head to one side. "So lemme get this straight. The deal is, we work together--me and Sam--and take down the church, and you fellas get this relic you're after, and I get to see my life's work finally come to fruition? That the gist?"

IZZY

"Mm."

LINA

"Sounds like loophole city, pal. You gotta sell it a little better than that. Come on."

IZZY

Sam roused again and glowered at Goro with lidded eyes. Aziz kept petting him.

"What further assurances do you need?"

LINA

"Some specifics would be nice. Is there a plan in place? What's Sam got to offer? What are you expecting outta me, exactly?"

IZZY

"I imagine your knowledge of the Church would be helpful. Moreover, Sakincha is only one man -- he needs allies, regardless of his power. You have allies. Powerful ones." He paused. "I could speak with them, as well, but I assumed that you might be the most amenable, as we share a goal."

LINA

Goro shifted uncomfortably in his seat. He supposed in reality, he was in bed right now. Holding onto Hansel, probably.

Or maybe that... wasn't reality. Maybe this was. Goro remembered Amari trying to teach him something about dreams and waking, something soothing, but it felt too distant to remember now. He grabbed for the bracelet Jonn had given him, just to fiddle with it, but found he wasn't wearing it. He wasn't wearing any of his bracelets in this dream.

Goro felt cold in a way that had nothing to do with the temperature of the room. He felt lonely.

"Uh," he started, and faltered. Like Diva had stolen the words right out of his mouth. Same way she'd stolen some of the guts he'd had before he met her.

He recovered enough to force some more words out. "How long do I get to consider things? You said you'd put it in writing."

IZZY

Aziz seemed to consider this. He combed his fingers through Sam's hair. "You have more pressing concerns. I won't rush you."

LINA

"I have..." Goro paused. He wanted to know just how close Aziz had been watching. "Do you know which lord I serve?"

IZZY

"Yes. Mask."

LINA

Goro nodded. "I'll have to commune with him before I go signing on to anything with you. For obvious reasons, probably."

IZZY

"I don't have any interest in your soul," Aziz said gently. "I wouldn't ask you to do anything that goes against your lord. But of course. Whatever you need."

LINA

So very, very reasonable. Such a reasonable patron. Not like those others, who want souls, oh no.

There was some fucking shit here, alright. But Goro doubted he was gonna get to the root of it tonight.

"Alright, so. Tell me what happens if I say no."

IZZY

"Nothing. I'll leave you be. You'll never see us again."

LINA

"You gonna forget about the whole church thing, then, or what?"

IZZY

"Oh, no." He leaned his cheek against Sam's head, and Sam arched into him. "No, we'll simply take care of it without your help. It would be unfortunate. But there are many people I could enlist to aid Sakincha in your plane."

LINA

Goro smirked faintly. "And supposing I got in your way. Decided to keep all those relics for myself, so I could find the really good ones."

IZZY

Sam spoke, lowly. "If you get in my way, I'll fucking kill you."

Smiling, Aziz smoothed out the hair he'd ruffled. "I would hope it doesn't come to that."

LINA

Goro didn't react.

"I wanna go now," he said.

IZZY

"Would you like me to wake you up, or return you to your own dream?"

LINA

"Wake me up." He was kinda pissed Aziz had the power to do that, but whatever.

IZZY

"Very well. If you decide you wish to speak to me again, I'll be watching."

He snapped his fingers, and Goro woke up.

LINA

Goro gasped, suddenly in the dark bedroom again. He was on his back, stiff and shivering. He pinched his arm a few times, reassured right off when his hand brushed against his bracelets on the way.

Hansel was asleep facing him, with an arm over him. Goro rolled toward him, face against his chest. He grasped Hansel's shoulder and shook it, making urgent little mm noises.

IZZY

Hansel made a groggy mmph? sound and wrapped around Goro, rolling on top of him without putting any weight on him and fumbling blindly for his trident off the edge of the bed.

LINA

"Mmm." Goro shook his head. Wanted to explain the trident wouldn't be any help, but he didn't think he could talk. He tried to grab onto Hansel and squeeze him tight, but just dug his fingernails in instead.

IZZY

"S'goin' on?" Hansel mumbled. He gripped his trident and blinked around, registering that Mishka wasn't there and tensing, but then spotting the dim lamp that Mishka would turn on for him, in case he woke up and Mishka had just gone for a late-night snack or to talk to Joan. He relaxed a little.

Goro was still clinging to him, but the room was clear, so he let go of the trident to wrap around Goro better, kissing his head a couple times. "S'wrong, ahuv?"

LINA

I'll be watching.

God. What would Hansel say if Goro told him?

Goro whimpered some more and kept scratching at Hansel, trying to get a good hold on him. "Dream."

IZZY

"Okay. S'okay." Hansel shifted off Goro to push himself up against the headboard, pulling Goro onto his chest and dragging the blankets up to hide him. "Hey. I got you. S'okay, love," he whispered. "You're awake. Over now. You're all right." He kissed Goro's hair and squeezed him good and tight.

LINA

Goro felt himself relax a little, just automatically. The opposite of things that made him tense and jump without any reason, Hansel squeezing him and murmuring to him soothed him, even if shit was bad.

It wasn't over. That was the thing.

"No." Goro fumbled to get more words out, knowing Hansel would shush him gently if he didn't. Assume it was just a dream. "No. It... it's... I did something. Earlier today. Bad."

IZZY

Hansel frowned. "Okay. S'okay, love. We'll handle it." He kissed Goro's head. "Just ... tell me what happened."

He started stroking Goro's hair.

LINA

"Nn." Goro shook his head. He didn't want to lose this. Didn't want Hansel to pull back, hold Goro at arm's length--whether it was shock, or disgust, or anger, didn't matter. Hansel would stop holding him close. Goro shifted against him, clinging tighter.

IZZY

Hansel didn't say anything, for a moment. "Hey," he said, then, gently. "I'm not gonna let go, okay? It's all right. Doesn't matter what you did. I love you."

LINA

Goro took a minute to think about that. Let it soak in.

Hansel wasn't a liar.

Goro held on a little tighter, anyway.

"I met this guy." He swallowed, his throat dry and thick. "At the market today. He came up to me and tapped me on the shoulder. Said some weird shit, so I talked to him for a while. He said his boss... his patron, his warlock patron, was gonna try to get into my dream. My ring blocks it, though. He knew about my ring."

IZZY

"The fuck," Hansel muttered, and held Goro tighter.

LINA

"And, um." Goro swallowed again. His heart was racing. "I... I was curious. I was real fucking curious. So I let him in."

IZZY

"Goro." Hansel squeezed him even tighter, agitated. "Shit. Fuck. What happened? What'd he do?"

LINA

"Not much." Goro wiggled, testing the hold. "He... took me someplace. His plane. Offered to help me take down the church. But, um." Goro buried his face against Hansel and let out a low whine. "Said he'd be watching me. He's been watching me. I don't... I don't know."

IZZY

Hansel growled. He kind of glanced around the room, but -- all secure. No windows. Door locked. Mishka had his key to get back in. No one else. People could dimension step in and out, and -- be invisible.

This thing was on some other plane. Okay.

"The guy you met, in the market. What'd he look like?"

LINA

"Um. Human guy. Forty or so. Tall, but... not as tall as you or anything. Dark hair, and a beard." Goro thought of Sam in the market, and then the Sam in Aziz's realm, and the vast difference there--how he was rested, comfortable.

"They loved each other," Goro said, almost guiltily. Because his mind was already jumping ahead. We gotta kill this thing. Maybe we could save the guy. Save him from his Hansel. His eerie, demonic Hansel.

IZZY

Human, dark hair, tallish, beard. Hansel grumbled to himself. Not much to go off of. Plenty of people that could be. Still, though. Hansel could keep an eye out.

He frowned a little more at the other thing. Shit like Diva, and the thing that had its hooks in Raef now -- he had his doubts they could love anything. Had the same doubts about gods. That shit from other planes, that they were like little insects to -- he didn't trust them to have anything in them that was like real people. Maybe they did. But he sure as hell wouldn't count on it.

"Don't give a shit what they love," he growled. "They come back an' fuck with you, I'll kill'em both." That was all that mattered. He held Goro tight.

LINA

"Mm," Goro agreed. Didn't know what was gonna happen, didn't know if any of that was practical yet, but it felt good to have Hansel say it, anyway. There was that part of his brain, deep deep down, that believed nothing could touch him when he was in Hansel's arms. Nothing could hurt him.

Goro kept his face against Hansel's chest, breathing steadily, letting the warmth and scent of Hansel's skin wash over him. Calm him some more.

Kept trying not to think of how Sam had arched into Aziz's touch, sleepy and soft.

Goro groaned. "I'm so fucking stupid, Hans."

IZZY

Hansel winced a bit. It sure as hell hadn't been the cleverest shit Goro had ever pulled, letting some bullshit like that into his head. "You got the ring," he said firmly. "That shit ain't gonna get close t'you again."

Not unless Goro opened the goddamn door, anyway.

"It's all right, ahuv," he said anyway, kissing Goro's head. "Probably wasn't the best decision you ever made, yeah. But it's all right. We'll handle it. I got you."

LINA

"Um. What if... I do it again, though?"

IZZY

"Don't," Hansel suggested grimly.

LINA

Goro didn't say anything.

IZZY

"Goro."

LINA

"What."

IZZY

"Why?"

LINA

Goro started gnawing on his lip. Oughta be chewing the bracelet instead, but it felt like too much trouble to get it to his mouth.

"'Cause... I mean, d'you mean like in general, or this specific time?"

IZZY

"How 'bout both?" Hansel leaned into the headboard so he could look at Goro, frowning in concern. "Why would you fuckin' wanna talk to this thing again?"

LINA

"'Cause it's interesting. 'Cause I need to know whether I gotta kill it."

IZZY

"If we gotta kill it, I bet we're gonna fuckin' find out some way other than you lettin' it get in your head." Hansel couldn't put much force behind it. He guessed Goro was gonna do whatever he wanted, anyhow.

LINA

Goro put a hand over his face, since he really didn't feel like being looked at, and hiding against Hansel's chest wasn't cutting it when Hansel could just pull back the way he had.

"I'm just... like this, y'know," he said after a minute. "I don't like to sit and wait. I like to go after shit. I'm too fucking curious."

IZZY

Hansel was quiet for a bit, thinking. He shifted to rest Goro's face against his chest again, hands and all, and absently stroked his hair, holding him there securely.

"I just don't want you to go gettin' hurt, ahuv," he said finally.

LINA

"Yeah, but." But nothing. "You get hurt all the goddamn time."

IZZY

"Not on fuckin' purpose, Goro. Not 'cause I went lookin' for trouble."

LINA

"I don't look for trouble," Goro insisted, kind of hurt. Which didn't seem fair. Wasn't like he couldn't see where Hansel was coming from. In fact, it sounded so fucking dumb now that he'd said it, he gave up on trying to defend himself. Just waited to see what Hansel would say next.

IZZY

"I mean, fuck knows it finds us often enough," Hansel muttered. Was what'd happened today, he supposed, if some jackass had tracked Goro down. Watching. The idea made him squeeze Goro tighter. "Y'don't have to follow it when it does, y'know?"

LINA

"What? Of course I do. What the fuck. You can't just let shit walk away."

IZZY

Hansel sighed. He didn't wanna argue. "You do whatever you wanna do, ahuv," he said softly. "Just lemme know, a'right? So I can keep you safe."

LINA

"What if I said I wanted to make a deal with this guy," Goro said, just testing.

IZZY

"Goro."

LINA

"What."

IZZY

Hansel groaned.

LINA

"What?" Goro said again. Then he groaned himself. He fucking knew what.

He pushed his way off Hansel's lap, crawled to the empty half of the bed, and curled up into the tightest ball he could manage.

IZZY

Hansel followed and curled around him silently.

LINA

Goro grumbled, dissatisfied, and curled up tighter. He knew Hansel wanted to cuddle him, but that didn't mean he deserved it.

IZZY

Hansel made up for it by squeezing him tighter again.

"Hey," he said, after a moment.

LINA

"Mm?"

IZZY

Hansel nuzzled against the back of his head and neck. "I love you."

LINA

Goro uncurled just enough to roll over and snuggle up facing him. Damn, he was such a sucker. Couldn't resist the allure of a warm Hansel for more than thirty seconds.

"Sorry it's hard," he mumbled.

IZZY

"It ain't," Hansel said softly. "Never is."

LINA

"You're the greatest person in the world," Goro mumbled, knowing Hansel wouldn't like it, but motherfucker, sometimes it needed to be said.

IZZY

"Nah." He kissed the nape of Goro's neck, and was quiet another moment. "Lissen. Just ... no deals for souls, and time, and shit, y'know? Just ... I want you t'be safe."

LINA

"'Kay," Goro said. "I mean... I know I just shouldn't make deals, period. God, I thought I fucking had it with that Diva thing. Well, you know. You were there. I pinned her down. I wanted every fucking detail. I was fuckin'... full of myself, thinking I'd thought of everything."

IZZY

Hansel had been there, but it hadn't exactly been his priority at the time. Hadn't paid that much attention to what Goro was doing. Lot of that time was drowned anyway. "Yeah," he said, though. "Y'know, if ... I mean, fuck, ahuv. I don't want you t'make any kinda fucking deal with this thing, but -- if you're gonna -- y'know, maybe ... get some other fuckin' opinions." He wanted to suggest Mishka, but he didn't really want to bring up Diva shit around Mishka. "Ombre, maybe. Dunno. Fuckin' Wyn if you can track her down. Other smart folk."

LINA

Goro deflated even more at the mention of Morgan. "Man. Morgan Wyn'd be perfect for this. I ain't dragging Ombre into anything, she fucking freaks when I wanna do dangerous shit." He paused, realizing what he'd just implied. "I mean I'm not gonna do it."

IZZY

"All right, but ... if y'do ..."

LINA

"Yeah, yeah. Second opinions and shit." Goro sighed. "They want a relic from the abbey. I asked which one, but they wouldn't tell me. 'Parently it would let Aziz--the demon--it'd let him travel to our plane. S'why I think we can't just ignore this shit."

IZZY

Hansel grumbled. "Probably easier to kill if he's already here." Not necessarily, though. When fuckin' gods and shit crossed over, they weren't exactly easy to off. "Kill the other guy first, then. The one that found you in the market. Before he can do anything."

LINA

Goro didn't say anything.

He'd... kinda liked the guy.

IZZY

"You wanna save him," Hansel guessed, after a moment.

LINA

"No," Goro said. God, it was fucking worse than that. "Um. I mean. Like I said. They love each other."

IZZY

"Yeah, well. I love you more. Fuck'em."

LINA

"No, I mean--" Goro sighed, frustrated. And he felt himself blushing, preemptively, at having to admit what he was thinking. "The demon was like his Hansel. I can't take him away from his Hansel."

IZZY

Hansel squinted. "What?"

LINA

"He was--okay, look, you didn't see him. You gotta take my word for it. Alright? But he was... when I met him in the market, he looked real tired. Just... jaded. And he seemed lonely. I realized I knew him from somewhere, actually. He used to be a conman in Skyport, back when I was a kid. And he seemed real... lively and interesting, then. You gotta be, to pull a good con in the city. But when I saw him yesterday, he wasn't lively anymore.

"I thought, that's a motherfucker who's just real fucking shut down. Just done with everyone. Thought maybe I could get a rise out of him one way or another, but nah. Even Morgan had more give and take with me than that."

Goro was rambling. He shook his head a little and got to the point. "He was there, in the dream. Sleeping in the demon's bed. And then he woke up a little, and... alright, like I said, you gotta take my word for it. But he... he loved that demon, Hans. It made him soft. It helped him rest. It was like watching you and me. Only, y'know, if you were a freaky demon with big horns and shit."

IZZY

Hansel grumbled a bit.

"You think that demon loves him back?"

LINA

"The way you love me? Probably fucking not. But he either doesn't know or doesn't care."

IZZY

He huffed out a sigh. Wanted to say it didn't fucking count, then. Having some thing that didn't really give a shit about you pretending like it did was worse than nothing. He wasn't sure if that was true, though. Maybe the guy did know and didn't care, like Goro said, or -- if he didn't know -- maybe he'd never find out. And he'd just think he was loved, and ... maybe that could be fine.

"I dunno," he mumbled after bit of thought. "I ain't got any answer, here. But if that thing is dangerous, it's just too fucking bad. He can go down right along with it, if he wants to."

LINA

"Mm," Goro murmured sadly. He repositioned himself again, curling his arms around Hansel. Was stupid he'd crawled off before--it'd been perfect, right where he was, lying against Hansel and shielded by the blanket.

Goro supposed if someone was bent on destroying Hansel, and nothing could be done to stop it, that was the choice Goro would make, too. Going down with him.

He wondered what would happen to Aziz, if he came to this plane and they killed him. Maybe just go straight back to his own plane. Maybe he'd drag Sam with him, if Sam wanted it. Goro knew he probably shouldn't give a shit. He'd talked to the guy for ten goddamn minutes, if that. Was just hard to shake that feeling--this guy's like me, and I'm talking about ruining his life.

"What if someone wanted to take me away from you?" Goro asked. Not a real question. He knew what Hansel would say; he just wanted to hear it.

IZZY

"I'd fucking kill'em."

LINA

Goro smiled faintly and snuggled closer. "And you remember what I did last time someone took you away from me?"

IZZY

Hansel squeezed him nice and tight. "Got me back."

LINA

Goro squeezed him back. "Always. Anywhere. You ain't ever getting away from me." After a second he added sheepishly, "'Less you want to."

IZZY

"Pffft." Hansel found Goro's hand and tapped a finger against the twine ring. "What d'you think this means, eh?"

LINA

"Mm. Dunno." Goro smiled again, safely hidden against Hansel. "Forget. You should remind me."

IZZY

"Means forever, is what it means." He nuzzled against Goro's hair. "Means mine." He linked his and Goro's hands, so their rings clinked together. "Means yours. Means ours. Always."

LINA

Goro squeezed his hand. "Wild. That's nuts."

IZZY

Hansel snorted.

[end]

TRP: Ba'alchem, Goro, Hansel, and Sam (Demon Dream). Day 355. Sam asks Goro to let his boss dream at him. In the dream, Ba'alchem offers Goro help in taking down the Church in exchange for help in acquiring a relic. Afterwards, Hansel cuddles Goro.