TRP: Goro and Hansel (Cave Adventure, Part 2)

IZZY

[SETTING: Day 368, the day after after Cave Adventure, Part 1. Morning.]

After a good night's sleep and a nice bout of planning and packing -- Hansel fuckin' loved getting ready for shit, planning out missions -- they arrived back at the cave, Hansel now with extra supplies a pleasing weight in his bag. He suspected this shit might be pretty deep, if things like that beholder, or whatever the fuck, were supposed to come from the Underdark -- well, he didn't figure it'd just come out of one cave and wandered around 'til it found another. Seemed more likely it just came from this one. If you found a bird in a nest, it was probably that bird's nest.

He adjusted his bandolier, shifting his bag and the extra weapon on his back -- he'd brought along his magic javelin, and the Clockwork Crow, and chalk to leave markers on the cave walls. Even had his goddamn grappling hook, which he'd never even used.

"You ready?" he asked Goro.

LINA

"Hell yeah." Goro held up his fists. "Gonna punch some beholder in the eye, or some shit."

IZZY

"Goddamn," Hansel said, trying to hide his amusement and affection. "Please don't."

LINA

"Why not? It's practice for, y'know, the big guy." Goro nodded surreptitiously at the sky.

IZZY

"Love, you're gonna get fuckin' smote one of these days," Hansel said, and hook his arm around Goro's neck to start pulling him into the cave.

LINA

Goro let himself be pulled. "Nah. If it was gonna happen, don't you think it would've happened already?"

IZZY

"Maybe he just ain't noticed. Maybe he's busy."

LINA

"Pfff. With what?"

IZZY

"Bein' a dipshit war god that picks on kids," Hansel grumbled, since that seemed to be Gruumsh's fuckin' deal.

LINA

"Hah. Fuckin' loser. Too much of a coward to mess with someone his own size."

IZZY

He snorted. "I mean, s'posedly the last time he tangled with another god, he got his fuckin' eye put out, so."

LINA

Goro grinned and rubbed his hands together.

IZZY

Hansel cut his eyes at Goro. "Much as I love you, shemeshi, you ain't actually a god."

LINA

"Nah, but I got one who likes me a lot."

IZZY

Hansel grumbled.

LINA

"Mask's whole gig is stealing shit, as you know. Why not an eye?"

IZZY

"Yeah, well, we'll see if he comes through," Hansel muttered. "Hey. You still want that uh, Father Shadow guy t'marry us? Probably ought be gettin' in touch with him or some shit."

LINA

Goro frowned at the subject change. But sure. "Yeah. I mean, I sent to him and asked if he would. And he sent back and said yes, and when was the ceremony? And then I just never answered. So."

IZZY

"Uhh."

LINA

"Uhh what?"

IZZY

"Probably shoulda ... followed up on that. Said you weren't sure yet."

LINA

Goro shrugged, apathetic.

IZZY

Hansel shrugged back. Goro was the one that knew the guy. Maybe he wouldn't care. "Anyway, uh, figured since Luci's a Selunite now -- we'd ask her. That good with you?"

LINA

"Oh. Hey. Yeah. I didn't even think of that." Goro nodded. "Fine by me. The whole Selunite part -- that's your thing, anyhow. Oughta do what feels best."

IZZY

Hansel made a vague sound. "Ain't sure what all feels best. Dunno about this shit. But, y'know, it's Luci. Family. S'what matters."

LINA

"Whattaya mean, you don't know about it? You already got married a couple times."

IZZY

"Nah, nah, I mean the Selunite shit."

LINA

"Oh. I getcha." Goro thought about it and nodded again. "Well, far as I'm concerned, the less people I don't even know there, the better. Luci was gonna come anyway, so."

IZZY

Hansel grinned. "Yeah, I know." He kissed Goro's head. "Fuckin' ... ain't like I know any other Selunite anyhow. Dunno if Serena counts. Bein' dead an' all."

It was fucking weird, her being ... dead, but him having talked to her not all that long ago. Knowing she still kind of -- existed. She wasn't gone. Not really. Just out of reach. he'd still rather she was where he could see her, and hug her hard 'til she flailed away from him and glared, but it wasn't so lonely, somehow.

LINA

"Huh. Well, if I died--" He stopped, realizing Hansel probably wouldn't find that a mere interesting hypothetical. "Uh, never mind." He laughed nervously.

IZZY

Hansel made an nnn sound. "If you died, what?" he said suspiciously.

LINA

"Ah, pssh, pff." Goro batted his hand in the air. "Don't worry about it."

IZZY

"I'm gonna fuckin' worry about it," Hansel threatened.

LINA

Goro groaned. "Was just gonna ask if you'd know any Maskarran clerics besides me. Yeesh."

IZZY

"Well ... nah." Hansel blinked. "Dunno any clerics 'sides you an' Luci and Mari. You know everybody I know," he pointed out.

LINA

"Yeah huh. And I tried to change my mind about asking."

IZZY

"Y'can't just say some shit about dyin' and then say nah, don't worry about it," Hansel protested.

LINA

Goro groaned again. "So, no going back when dumb shit starts to slip outta my mouth. Got it."

IZZY

"Aye," Hansel said. "S'how it works. You hear all the dumb shit that comes outta my mouth, eh?"

LINA

"Dumb shit never comes outta your mouth. You're all... quiet, and thoughtful, and shit. Me, my mouth's like a goddamn geyser."

IZZY

Hansel scoffed mightily. "Thoughtful. Uh-huh. Nah, ahuv." He kissed Goro's head again. "You say all sorts of smart shit. Insightful goddamn shit. Always thinkin'," he said fondly.

LINA

"Always talking," Goro corrected.

IZZY

"Same thing, ain't it? Y'do all your thinkin' out loud. Well, not all," he allowed. "Shame, though, 'cause I love listenin' to it."

LINA

"Psssh. Only 'cause you love me."

IZZY

"What, that ain't a reason?"

LINA

"I mean, I guess, but it doesn't like, count. It's like how moms always think their kids are so handsome or beautiful or whatever." He rolled his eyes.

IZZY

"Pfff. Mari's opinion don't count either? Shit, ahuv," Hansel teased.

LINA

"I mean, she's got an eye, I'll give her that much. 'Cause she called you handsome once."

IZZY

Hansel rolled his eyes. "Changin' the subject."

LINA

"And you'd know nothing about that, right?" Goro poked him in the side.

IZZY

Hansel psshh'd.

LINA

Goro grinned. "So yeah, lemme think, what was it she said about you... dashing? No, no, strapping, that's right. Handsome and strapping. Something like, 'Oh, you've found yourself a strapping, handsome man to marry,' or whatever."

IZZY

"Aye, well, she thinks I'm a nice young gentleman, too, eh?" Hansel didn't try to sound sarcastic about it. Was fuckin' charming. Fuckin' Amari, seeing the best in people, and shit.

LINA

"Yup. And she thinks you love me like crazy. Like, I dunno what makes her think she's got the authority to say, but she seems so fuckin' certain of it."

IZZY

"She got some of the right ideas," Hansel allowed.

LINA

Goro scoffed and flapped his hands around before hiding his face.

IZZY

Hansel grinned and snickered and kissed the side of Goro's head a couple times, roughly enough to tilt him over a bit.

LINA

Goro yelped and grabbed onto Hansel so he wouldn't lose his balance. "Dick."

IZZY

Hansel snickered some more and grabbed him back, grabbing his ass completely by coincidence. Yeah, totally innocent.

LINA

Goro yelped again, then giggled. "Gettin' frisky, huh? Hey, you ever fucked in a cave?"

IZZY

"Sweetheart, I've fucked everywhere you physically fuckin' can," Hansel said solemnly.

LINA

"Oh. How's cave fucking, then?"

IZZY

"It's fuckin'." He wasn't impressed, frankly. "Kinda, y'know, damp and uncomfortable. Rocks, and all."

LINA

"Eh, doesn't sound so different from that beach by the river, right?"

IZZY

"S'pose," he said thoughtfully. "Fuckin' cave, though." He kissed Goro's head nicely and got back to walking. "Y'know how I feel 'bout caves."

LINA

"You could feel better about caves if you were fucking me, though. Is my thinking."

IZZY

He snorted. "Maybe."

LINA

They'd made it to the inner chamber by then -- the one where they'd fought the sorta-beholder thing. Goro held up a hand to make Hansel wait.

He pulled out his amulet and cupped it in front of his chest, bowing his head and murmuring a prayer to locate the ring. The amulet grew warm in his hands, and he felt a small tug on it, almost like a discharge of static electricity. He lifted his head to check the direction it was pointing him in.

"Pfff. Straight behind that wall." He nodded toward it. "Must be a tunnel that leads that way. Guess we'll just have to keep wandering 'til we find the right one. I got ten minutes to look before I gotta cast again."

IZZY

Hansel snorted at the direction. Wasn't the most useful thing, but it was certainly a sight better than flying blind. Worked out better above ground, he supposed.

"A'right." He gave Goro a squeeze and kissed his head before letting go to ready his shield and trident. "No sense wastin' time, then. You get to go in front this once," he said dryly.

LINA

Goro made a pleased noise and scampered into the next dark tunnel. He used his amulet like a compass, sort of, holding it out in front of him and taking note of where that staticky tug wanted him to go. Weren't a lot of options so long as they were in this tunnel, but he liked having a mental image, sorta, of where the ring was in relation to him.

He'd lit the nazar up with a cantrip again, but he was outpacing it, in a way; walking faster than the range of bright light could be useful for. And he paid for it, or almost did, when a couple of those annoying bat-sized things came swooping out of the darkness and made right for his face. He threw his arms up and dodged out of their way.

IZZY

Hansel grumbled and walked faster to keep up with Goro, which turned out to be fucking good, since a couple of those goddamn things came outta nowhere and flew at him. Hansel was getting used to them, now, though, and speared them out of the air fairly easily, like he'd managed to do before. Slipped around Goro to hook his shield around Goro, and -- remembering how the little fuckers mimicked -- whistled a little tune into the dark, readying to stab any more that charged towards them.

"Fuckin' hate those things," he muttered. "Too goddamn fast." He knew they hadn't hit Goro, but asked anyway, to make himself feel better. "You good?"

LINA

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine." Goro combed his hands through his hair and glanced at Hansel. "Wait... actually, I'm feeling a little faint. Think I might need you to carry me." His mouth twitched from fighting off a grin.

IZZY

Hansel fought down his own grin to threaten, "Aye? I'll do it."

LINA

Goro pressed the back of his hand to his forehead and leaned against Hansel. "Oh. Oh, Hans, I don't think I can make it another step. What ever shall I do?"

IZZY

"We're gonna get fuckin' attacked while you're foolin' around," Hansel said, amused. Probably shouldn't be, but here he was. Fuckin' too charmed by his fiance to pay attention, like some kinda dumbass.

LINA

"Oh... oh no... I'm so frightened I can't stand up straight." Goro slumped heavier against Hansel, all but collapsing to the ground.

IZZY

Hansel broke into snickers and gave in, wrapping his shield arm around Goro to hold him up. "Aye, fuckin' regular damsel in distress, I know. Poor fuckin' thing. Y'lucky I'm here."

LINA

Goro beamed up at him. "I know. Coulda used a guy like you around most of my life, really. But very least I gotta eat it up now that it's really happening."

IZZY

Hansel gave him a psshh, softening a bit. Couldn't really help it when Goro looked at him like that, anyway, and the sentiment was sad and sweet at the same time. He kissed Goro head and squeezed him tight with the one arm, other one still preoccupied with holding his trident.

LINA

Goro put some of his weight back on his own feet and leaned up to give Hansel a kiss. Then he attempted to worm his way out of the protection of Hansel's shield arm. "Anyhow. Onward?"

IZZY

"Be fuckin' careful," Hansel warned, and let him go. "Don't run off ahead, a'right? Gotta fuckin' ... listen where you're goin', and shit."

LINA

"What, you saying you can't keep up with me? Too fast for you, huh?" Goro made a couple mock jabs at Hansel's stomach.

IZZY

Hansel scoffed, not flinching. "Too fast for y'self, more like. Runnin' into bat-things."

LINA

"They ran into me." Goro marched on ahead, but checked over his shoulder to make sure Hansel was close behind, at least.

IZZY

"Uh-huh." Hansel followed along, close behind.

LINA

"What, you think I go looking for trouble?"

IZZY

"Uh-huh," Hansel said again.

LINA

"Look," Goro said, and took a moment to figure out how to respond. "I just don't like waiting around for shit."

IZZY

"Yeah, I know," Hansel said fondly, glancing around. Unexplored territory, and all. "Been tryin' to teach you patience, but you ain't a real good student."

LINA

Goro looked back and raised an eyebrow. "'S'that supposed to mean?"

IZZY

"Nothin'," Hansel said innocently. He swatted Goro's ass with the bottom of his shield.

LINA

Goro skipped forward to try and get out of the way, sticking his tongue out at Hansel. Only a few feet ahead, the tunnel forked, and Goro chose the path his amulet was tugging him toward. "I know how to be patient. Maybe I just put up a fuss so you know how bad I want it, eh?"

IZZY

"Hmm, mmhm. That's all, huh?" he teased. "Ain't 'cause you like makin' a fuss. S'all for my benefit. I gotcha."

LINA

"Well." Goro puffed out his chest a little. "I mean, I guess I kind of like making a fuss. Someone's gotta put you in your place, and all."

IZZY

Hansel grinned more widely. "Oh, aye? You wanna put me in my place. Huh. That's real interesting."

LINA

"Sure do." Goro stuck his tongue out again. For good measure, he stuck his thumbs in his ears and wiggled his fingers, too. "Think 'cause you're so big you can boss everyone around. Pfff."

IZZY

"Pretty sure I can, ahuv. Pretty sure I do," Hansel pointed out.

LINA

"Yeah, but listen."

IZZY

"Listenin'."

LINA

Goro pretended to be distracted looking at his amulet. He chewed on his bracelet for good measure.

IZZY

Hansel grinned and reached up with his shield arm to ruffle Goro's hair roughly.

LINA

"Pfff. Hey." Goro swatted at him.

IZZY

Hansel hooked the hand into the collar of Goro's robes to drag him back and kiss his head.

LINA

Goro kept swatting, and he snapped his teeth, biting whatever happened to be in range. He got a mouthful of Hansel's shirt collar, which he hung onto.

IZZY

"Krishi." Hansel nuzzled into his hair and wrapped his shield arm around him better, nice and tight around his waist, holding Goro close against him and walking them against the tunnel wall until his shield bumped into it.

Then he paused. "Hey. How much time you got left on that spell?"

LINA

"Uh." Goro spat out the shirt. "Dunno. Stopped keeping track." Which wasn't like him. But fuckin' Hansel was just real cute and sexy. God damn it.

IZZY

"Don't wanna waste the magic ..." Hansel trailed off, considering -- then grinned again and pushed his knee between Goro's legs. "Maybe you'll just have to be patient."

LINA

Goro's eyes widened. "Hey." He smacked feebly at Hansel's chest, then went for the ticklish spots on his sides.

IZZY

Snickering, Hansel twisted but ignored the tickling as much as he could, pushing in to nuzzle at the crook of Goro's neck and nip at it. Couldn't use his hands, so he supposed he just had to use his teeth.

LINA

"Oh, the spell's running out," Goro said, grinning and fighting him off. "Guess you're gonna have to let me go so we don't waste it."

IZZY

"Hmm, fuckin' shame, that," Hansel said, muffled against Goro's skin. He dug his teeth in a bit more, carefully, and dropped his arm to Goro's lower back, pulling Goro against his thigh -- then let him go. "Guess we better go do our goddamn job, then, huh?"

LINA

"Pfff." Goro swatted at him weakly again and started off down the tunnel, flushed all over and grateful for the cold air down here. "Damn straight you let me work."

IZZY

"Do like watchin' you work," Hansel commented idly, following along,

LINA

"Then do exactly what I say from now on," Goro tried.

IZZY

"Uh, nah. Ain't sure how that follows."

LINA

"I'm the boss now. The workin' man."

IZZY

"Oh, aye? Am I the damsel in distress now?" He leaned forward to prop his chin on Goro's shoulder, bearing some weight down on him as they kept walking. "Guess you gotta carry me, then."

LINA

"No. God." Goro shrugged his shoulder. "That's not how bosses work. They don't all carry damsels. Sometimes they just tell people what to do."

IZZY

"Pff, ain't a good boss," Hansel dismissed, straightening back up.

LINA

"'Scuse me? You lookin' to get fired?"

IZZY

Hansel snorted. "Yeah-huh."

LINA

Goro glared over his shoulder. "If I fire you, I won't suck your dick anymore. That's your pay."

IZZY

"Yeah?" Hansel laughed. "Gonna be too fuckin' bad for you, not havin' me at your beck an' call." He wrapped his arm around Goro's waist again to kiss the top of his head, teasing, "Who else gonna treat you so nice, the way you like, huh?"

He tried to keep it light, keep playing -- not acknowledge the dumbass insecurity in the back of his head. They were getting fuckin' married, for fuck's sake.

Still, he added -- quieter, into Goro's hair -- "Love you so goddamn much."

LINA

Goro couldn't hold back his grin at that. He twisted around and hugged Hansel tight. "Love you too." He kissed his cheek a few times, then gazed at him dreamily. He blinked. "Ah, fuck, I really gotta focus before that spell runs out."

IZZY

That worrying nervousness in the back of Hansel's head died down. It did that, sometimes, when Goro looked at him that way.

So he bobbed his eyebrows a little and angled his head back at the cave wall, and suggested, "Or ..."

LINA

Goro's eyes widened, and then he smiled. "Wait, wait. What're you thinking?"

IZZY

"Maybe I won't keep you waitin'."

LINA

Goro smiled even bigger and bounced on his toes. "I can cast the spell again later, and shit."

IZZY

"Yeah?" Hansel prodded, grinning back at him.

LINA

Goro spread his arms. "I'm at your mercy. You got me here in this cave. What're you gonna do with me?"

IZZY

"S'pose I could do anything I wanted," Hansel said, trying for thoughtful but grinning too much to sound anything but smug.

LINA

"Oh." Goro pretended to look surprised and wary, putting a hand to his mouth coyly. He backed away a couple steps until he bumped into the wall behind him.

IZZY

Hansel glanced around -- could always be more of those little flying bitey fuckers around, but they'd've probably swooped in by now, if they were. He'd keep an eye out anyway. Well, an ear, at least. Was hard to look away from Goro, after all.

So he sauntered forward that couple steps, taking the time to shift his trident onto his back. His shield arm came up to prop next to Goro, the shield itself between him and the deeper part of the cave. Just to be sure. Extra sure. A little bit of protection that Hansel didn't have to think about, so he could focus better on looming over Goro.

"Oh?" he teased. "All you got is oh?" He leaned in a little more, close to Goro's ear. "I reckon you oughta be screamin'."

As soon as he said it, he thought, ah, fuck. That'd probably just attract anything hiding out deeper in the caves, actually. Shit.

LINA

"Oh yeah? Why's that?" Goro kept giving him an innocent wide-eyed look. "Just what do you got in mind, mister?"

IZZY

"Well, first off," Hansel said, slowly, "changed my mind. No screamin'." Yeah, there. He could save this. He was great at this shit. "Ain't allowed, matter of fact." Fuck, no, if anything was gonna make Goro do shit, it was telling him he wasn't allowed.

So Hansel dragged his other hand up Goro's side, trailed up his throat, and pressed it firmly over Goro's lips. He paused, to see if that was okay.

LINA

Goro let out a pleased murmur under Hansel's hand. He put his hands on Hansel's hips and slid them up to his chest and shoulders, squeezing the muscles.

IZZY

Satisfied with that -- remembering it for later -- Hansel leaned in closer. Had to keep Goro quiet, and all. But if he got close -- real close -- and whispered real particular, specific things in his ear as he slipped his hands into Goro's robes -- he figured Goro would still make some real nice little noises for him.

- - -

LINA

When Goro was finished, all flushed and happy, breath leveling out, he leaned heavily into Hansel and scrabbled at Hansel's back for fistfuls of his shirt. A wordless don't let go, I need you to hold me. Best part was, he knew Hansel didn't need the words to understand.

IZZY

Hansel looped his now-free hand around Goro's waist to hold them close together and kissed the top of his head.

"Good boy," he whispered, a little teasing. "Didn't fuckin' yell and get a swarm of cave critters all over our asses."

LINA

"Psssh." Goro snuggled against him. "It's not too late, y'know. Might go and do that." He tilted his head up and bobbed his eyebrows. "Might gotta jam your dick in my mouth to really shut me up, eh?"

IZZY

"Dunno," Hansel said solemnly. "Y'kinda fuckin' bitey. Ain't sure it's safe." He broke fucking immediately and grinned, nuzzling into Goro's hair, cooing, "Krishi."

LINA

Goro snapped his teeth for effect, then added, "Hey, now. I never bit a dick in my life. Not once."

IZZY

"First for everything."

LINA

He frowned, pretending to think. "Yeah, but if I bit your dick, then I might not have it around for sticking in my ass anymore. Sounds like a bad deal."

IZZY

"Aye," Hansel agreed, "but are you gonna think of that when the fuckin' urge to chomp gets you, huh?"

He bent to chomp on Goro's shoulder a couple times for effect.

LINA

Goro shivered pleasantly. "Pfff. I got self-control. I got loads of self-control."

IZZY

"Nuh-uh." Hansel kept chomping on him idly.

LINA

"Yeah huh."

IZZY

"Ain't how it seemed in the cabin, while back," Hansel reminded him. "Don't remember a whole lotta self-control back then."

LINA

"Psssh, well, that was playing."

IZZY

"Yeah-huh? Wouldn't be if you were suckin' my dick, huh?"

LINA

"Nah, that's dead serious. I'm dead serious about dick sucking."

IZZY

"Ain't sure I believe you," Hansel said, trying the serious thing again. "Might need some proof."

LINA

"Oh yeah?" Goro grinned and started sliding one of his hands down south.

IZZY

"Only if you're gonna be serious."

LINA

"Yes sir." Goro nodded solemnly.

IZZY

"You sure?"

LINA

"Promise."

IZZY

"A'right, then," Hansel said, like he was real fuckin' generous.

LINA

Goro grinned, and tried to fight it, but that just made him break into giggles. "God fucking damn it," he gasped, snorting and burying his face against Hansel's chest.

IZZY

"Hey, now." Hansel ruffled his hair roughly. "That ain't bein' fuckin' serious. You promised."

LINA

"I know. I know." Goro snickered a little more and wiped away a tear that had spilled from the effort of trying not to laugh. He got himself together, though, and looked up at Hansel seriously. "Guess you'll have to punish me."

IZZY

"I think you just wanna be fuckin' punished," Hansel teased.

LINA

"No way! Who ever heard of wanting to be punished? That's crazy. I try so hard to be good." Goro cracked another grin.

IZZY

"Uh-huh."

LINA

"I do." He pouted.

IZZY

"Yeah? Y'know what you oughta do, then -- if you're tryin' so hard t'be good, you oughta tell me what kinda punishment you deserve," Hansel told him, then scruffed up his hair again, and added, "That ain't just somethin' you fuckin' wanna do."

LINA

Goro's brow furrowed as he thought. "Uh." It was hard to think of stuff he didn't really want Hansel to do to him. "Um. Blindfold me? But... I don't--actually want you to do that, and you don't wanna do stuff I don't actually wanna do..." His frown deepened, trying to parse it out.

IZZY

"Pffft." Hansel messed with his hair again, but petting it, this time, and leaned down to kiss it, too. "See? Fuckin' impossible to punish."

He tried briefly to think of how he could explain this whole thing to Goro, but Goro had this tendency to take shit all literal sometimes, or not really get the difference between fooling around and being serious. Other times he took to it real well, though. Hansel tilted his head.

"Maybe," he said, slowly, taking his time and petting Goro's hair, "what you deserve is to have your hands tied up behind your back, and to get shoved down on your knees and have'em tied to your ankles, too, so you can't get up. Gotta stay on your knees, 'cause that's where good boys wanna be anyway, hm?" He paused to kiss Goro's head. "An' then you can beg to suck my cock, since you want it so bad. You wanna see if you can beg real pretty for me, chatichi?"

LINA

Goro flushed anew while Hansel described it. He stammered a little in response, then managed, "Can't. I'm not pretty."

IZZY

"Are so," Hansel said affectionately, nuzzling into his hair. "You arguin' with me, huh?"

LINA

"'Course I am. Can't just let you say wrong shit."

IZZY

"Uh-huh. I see," Hansel said. He kissed Goro's head again, and shifted to curl his shield arm around Goro to free up his other hand, which dropped to the loop of rope on his belt. He uncoiled a length idly and sheared it off on one of his axes, also hanging on his belt. "You know talkin' back's how you get punished too, right, motek?"

LINA

"Psh. If you don't like it, you gotta jam something in there."

IZZY

"Uh-huh," Hansel said again, fondly. He took Goro's wrists and gently, firmly pushed them behind his back, looping the rope around them nice and tight. "Y'know, the more of a fuckin' brat you are now, the sweeter you gotta beg once I put you in your place."

LINA

"I ain't got a sweet bone in my body, so good luck with that." Goro stuck his tongue out.

IZZY

"I ain't the one that's gonna need luck with it."

Hansel shoved him by the shoulder down to his knees in the cave floor, and gripped a handful of his hair. Shame they didn't have his collar, but, well. Wasn't like they'd fuckin' planned on fuckin' around. Had to admit, though -- focusing on Goro was kinda distracting him from the whole cave thing

He checked their surroundings again as he circled around behind Goro. Still safe. He knelt down and, one-handed, sheared off another length of rope.

LINA

"I could just teleport away, y'know," Goro said, shifting on his knees to try and get more comfortable on the rough ground. No dice.

IZZY

"You could." Hansel secured the rope around one ankle and ran maybe a foot and a half over to tie around the other. "Still be all trussed up for me, though, wherever you went. Pfff." He let go of Goro's hair to give the length around his wrist a solid tug, straightening his arms out to knot the excess to the middle of the ankle rope, and teased, "You fuckin' think I don't know how dimension door works with bein' tied up an' shit? Please."

LINA

"Pfff, well, listen. I'd just dimension door myself straight to someone who'd help me. Someone who cares about me not being tied up. How about that?"

IZZY

Hansel kissed the back of his head and stood back up, coming back around him and leaning casually on the cave wall to look down at him. "Yeah? Who d'you reckon, huh?"

LINA

"Iuno." Goro kept trying not to grin. He chewed his lip. "Pretty much anyone in the family, 'cept you."

IZZY

"Uh-huh. Lemme see." Hansel counted'em off on his fingers. "Well, Mishka would just bring you right fuckin' back t'me. Bet Raef would, too, or he'd leave you there and come get me, anyhow. I think Larkin'd head for the fuckin' hills and you wouldn't ever see her again, she'd be so fuckin' done. Lessee. You gonna run home t'your momma? That it?" He gave Goro a smirk and stretched out one leg to press his boot against Goro's crotch. "You want her to see you like this? Don't fuckin' think so."

LINA

Goro scowled, his cheeks turning pink.

IZZY

Hansel stayed where he was, and pulled a half-formed chunk of wood out of his bag, and his knife off his belt, and started whittling.

"I got all day," he said. "Beg."

LINA

"Fuckin' excuse me?"

IZZY

"Beg to choke on my cock, since you want it so bad," Hansel said patiently.

LINA

Goro tugged at the bindings, narrowing his eyes. "You think so, huh? Think your cock's that great?"

IZZY

"Pretty sure you think it is," Hansel said calmly. "Since you been tellin' me how I should shove it in your mouth."

LINA

"Yeah, for your sake. Not mine."

IZZY

"Uh-huh."

LINA

Goro grinned and did his best to shrug. "I already got off."

IZZY

Hansel pressed his boot down again.

"I can wait."

LINA

"Me too," Goro said, and started looking around the cave like he was perfectly content to do it all day.

IZZY

Hansel kept whittling.

LINA

"What? Don't wanna get your dick wet? Psh, your loss."

IZZY

Hansel started humming to himself absently.

LINA

Goro snorted. "Listen, big guy."

IZZY

Hansel didn't look at him.

LINA

"C'mon. Lemme suck your dick. I know you want it."

IZZY

He kept whittling.

LINA

Goro sighed and rolled his eyes. "Oh, please, sir. Please let me suck your glorious cock."

IZZY

Hansel snorted.

LINA

"It is a really nice cock," Goro admitted, letting some sincerity slip through.

IZZY

"You can do better than that," Hansel told him.

LINA

"It's... the best cock?"

IZZY

Hansel fought back a grin. Well, no one ever fuckin' said Goro was the best at being flowery, or anything. Charming as all hell. He tried to keep his poker face on, but he'd never had much of a poker face. "Lookin' for somethin' a little more descriptive, sweetheart."

LINA

"Huh." Goro squinted at Hansel's crotch. "Well... it's big. It, uh. It gets hard when you're turned on, like most dicks."

IZZY

Hansel snorted again, not able to hold it back, and leaned forward and down to pet Goro's hair and kiss the top of his head -- not able to keep from doing that, either.

"Stop fuckin' complimenting my dick, dumbass," he said fondly. "Be descriptive with the beggin', I meant."

LINA

Goro smiled, shyly pleased. He liked it when he made Hansel laugh like that, when he wasn't supposed to. He loved the feeling that Hansel enjoyed almost everything he did, 'cause Hansel just liked him. As if he was a one-man show and Hansel kept coming back to the audience every night, eager for more, never getting tired of it.

Psh. Cheesy.

"I wanna suck your dick," he tried, "'cause I wanna make you feel good. Please?"

IZZY

Hansel hadn't really stopped smiling from last time, but he still felt the corners of his lips twitching up. Fuckin' precious, the way Goro looked up at him, all shy, now. Out of everything he could do to Goro, he liked doing that best -- getting him to be soft and vulnerable. Just to see that part of him, and praise and pet and kiss it. Keep it safe. Keep him happy.

"Good boy," Hansel told him, gently. "You're gettin' warmer. Keep goin'."

LINA

"I wanna suck you off 'til you come," Goro said, fidgeting in his bindings again. "I wanna make you feel so good you pull my hair and make me choke on your cock. Like that?"

IZZY

"Like that." Hansel moved forward again, stashing his knife and his little whittling project, giving Goro all of his attention -- like he hadn't been before, like the whole thing hadn't been for show. Like he wasn't weak for Goro begging, and just as weak for him arguing.

He stroked Goro's hair again, threading his fingers through it to tug on it a little, as he went. "Good boy," he said again, pleased. "More."

LINA

"Um." Goro was glad he'd made it this far, but he wasn't sure what else to add. Dirty talk was hard. Seemed like it was too easy to make it sound dumb or ridiculous. "I want it... really bad?" He knew he'd begged before when Hansel wouldn't touch his cock and he was desperate to come. Usually he just got fucking grouchy about it, though. So he added, "Fuck you."

IZZY

Hansel snorted, grinning. Well, it'd been a good try. He figured Goro deserved a reward for doing as well as he did. Ah, he was fuckin' soft, like that.

"Y'know what, I'll take it." He leaned back against the cave wall, grabbing the front of Goro's robes to drag him closer. "Only 'cause I fuckin' love you so much, though. Only 'cause you're so chatich."

LINA

Goro scoffed mightily but couldn't fully fight off his smile. Then he paused, frowning a little. "Uh. You actually gonna make me choke?"

IZZY

"Dunno." He ran his hand through Goro's hair, petting him the way he liked. "You want me to? Y'do choke real pretty for me," he added affectionately, dragging his fingernails across Goro's scalp. "But you do everything real pretty for me."

LINA

Goro ignored the pretty thing just this once. "I want to. But--" He wiggled his hands. "Can't tap or nothing if I need to stop."

IZZY

"Shame," Hansel said. "See, if you'd've been good, wouldn't've had to tie you up. Then you could get what you want."

LINA

Goro frowned. "Hold."

IZZY

Hansel knelt down immediately and kissed his forehead, holding his face. "Aye, love?"

LINA

"What if I need to stop?" he insisted. "I don't think I'll want to, but..." He didn't think him or Hansel would like it if he was having a bad time and couldn't do nothing about it.

IZZY

Hansel was puzzled for a beat before getting what Goro meant. "Oh. Nah, I'm just ... I ain't gonna choke you, motek. S'fine. You can just pull back when you need to."

LINA

Goro stared at him for a moment, then pushed forward to nuzzle the crook of his neck.

IZZY

Grinning, Hansel looped his arm around Goro's waist and nuzzled him back, kissing his neck and shoulder.

LINA

"I do like it when you make me choke," Goro said, muffled. "Mostly."

IZZY

"I know," Hansel said amiably. "See, that's the punishment. Ain't gonna make you. Guess you just gotta suck my dick nicely and do it yourself."

LINA

"Psssh." Goro snickered and chomped Hansel's neck.

IZZY

Hansel just nuzzled against him more. "Good?"

LINA

Goro nodded, face still tucked against Hansel's neck. "Yeah, hurry the fuck up. My knees fuckin' hurt."

IZZY

"You don't fuckin' tell me what to do," Hansel said, amused. He kissed Goro's head again and straightened back up. "How fast you get to stop bein' on your knees is all up to how good you suck my dick, sweetheart." He snapped his fingers a couple times, acting impatient. "Better get to it."

LINA

Goro opened his mouth to object that he couldn't very well pull Hansel's dick out when he was tied up, but he caught himself. "Lemme guess. I gotta do everything with just my mouth."

IZZY

"'Less you can figure out how to do it with your hands," Hansel told him.

LINA

"Pfff. You're lucky you're hot, you know that?"

IZZY

"I'm lucky I got such a good, sweet boy," Hansel cooed, making it sound ridiculous on purpose to annoy or embarrass Goro -- either one'd be fine with him.

LINA

Goro made a nasty scraping sound in his throat and spat off to the side. "Hey, how about you suck your own dick, motherfucker?"

IZZY

Hansel gripped his hair and pulled him in, keeping up the overly-sweet tone. "How about you get to fuckin' work, huh, slut?"

LINA

Goro snapped his teeth.

IZZY

"You bite my dick and I swear to god somethin' bad is gonna happen to that pretty face," Hansel said, too amused to sound threatening.

LINA

"Nuh uh. Then you wouldn't get to enjoy lookin' at it."

IZZY

"Nah, I'd still enjoy lookin' it."

LINA

Goro narrowed his eyes. "You gotta quit calling me sweet and pretty and shit. I'm a little bitch. Call me a little bitch."

IZZY

"My sweet, pretty little bitch," Hansel teased.

LINA

"No." Goro thrashed against the bindings. "Motherfucker! Alright, asshole, take your dick out. Do it now."

IZZY

"You gotta do it yourself. What, I fuckin' gotta do everything around here?"

LINA

"Yeah, you gotta, 'cause you can do it faster. I'm too impatient. I want that fucking cock in my face. C'mon. Do it. Please?"

IZZY

"Nope."

LINA

"Please. Come on." Even as he said it, he leaned forward. He bit one of the laces on Hansel's pants and tugged.

IZZY

"There you go," Hansel said, pleased, petting Goro's hair.

LINA

"Come on," Goro pleaded. "Help me out."

IZZY

"You're bein' so good for me, though," Hansel said, shifting to get more comfortable against the cave wall, relaxing. "Gonna enjoy it."

LINA

"I'm not being good." He clumsily used his teeth to try and shift fabric out of the way.

IZZY

"Aye, you are," Hansel told him, amused.

- - -

Afterwards, Hansel slid languidly down the cave wall, satisfied and breathing hard. He scooped Goro against his chest, fumbling to unsheath his knife so he could snap it easily through the rope holding Goro's wrists together -- left the one between his ankles, just for now, because the important thing was that they could hold each other. Always the important thing.

He nuzzled into Goro's hair happily, giving him lazy kisses and murmuring, "So good. Good boy. Love you so much."

LINA

Goro let himself soak in the affection for a minute, burying his face against Hansel and enjoying the warm and the rumble of his voice.

Couldn't totally stop being cheeky, though. "I ain't good." He'd swallowed already, but to make his point he sat up and spat off to the side again.

IZZY

Hansel snickered. He pulled Goro back in to cuddle him vigorously. "Good boy. My good handsome karish."

LINA

"I'm all sharp edges. Just teeth," he complained futilely while making no attempt to fight off the cuddling.

IZZY

"Uh-huh," Hansel agreed, continuing to relentlessly cuddle him.

LINA

"I'm vicious," Goro insisted.

IZZY

"Aye, motek." Hansel rubbed his beard against Goro's cheek.

LINA

"I don't love cuddling. Only killin'. You're just too big for me to take."

IZZY

He snickered again. "A'right. I'll stop."

(He didn't.)

LINA

"Pfff. Hey. Can I tell you a secret?"

IZZY

Hansel kissed his head. "Always, ahuv."

LINA

Goro wiggled his way up to whisper in Hansel's ear. "Don't stop, 'cause cuddling's actually my favorite."

IZZY

Hansel faked a gasp. "I thought suckin' my dick was your favorite."

LINA

"Well. Depends. Can a person have more than one favorite?" Goro nibbled Hansel's jaw.

IZZY

"Ain't how favorites work. Gotta have just the one. Better be suckin' my dick, too," he teased, still cuddling Goro emphatically.

LINA

"Oh yeah? That an order?"

IZZY

He snorted. "Nah, 'cause I know how you feel about orders."

LINA

Goro hooked his chin over Hansel's shoulder so Hansel couldn't see him grinning. "Fine. Let's try this another way. Which do you like better--cuddling me, or getting your dick sucked by me?"

IZZY

"I ain't the one claimin' to have favorites," Hansel said smugly. He slipped his hand into Goro's robes, up under his shirt to stroke his back, skin to skin.

LINA

Goro shivered pleasantly. "Okay, but listen, I was just gonna say, I like whichever one you like best. 'Cause I like making you happy."

IZZY

Hansel melted. "Aww. Pfffft." He felt himself blushing and turned to start kissing the side of Goro's face viciously. "Aw. See," he insisted between kisses. "So good. Sweet li'l shyshark."

LINA

"Nuh uh."

IZZY

"Mmhm."

LINA

Goro started nibbling the side of Hansel's neck, but he swore he could feel the skin there heating up. He pulled back a little to make sure. "Haha. You're all flustered 'cause I love you."

IZZY

"Nuh-uh," Hansel tried, grinning.

LINA

"Yeah huh." Goro started giggling 'cause Hansel was so cute. "You love that I love you. You big softie."

IZZY

"Pffft. Am not. Vicious. Pirate. Terror of the Calish Seas."

LINA

"Big soft boy who loves his fiance." Goro started kissing his way around Hansel's face.

IZZY

"Well, now," Hansel grumbled, 'cause he couldn't argue with that second part.

LINA

Goro kept kissing him. "My favorite's actually just being with you. Cuddling, sucking your dick, kissing, don't matter. Long as I'm with you. 'Cause you're so good."

IZZY

"Nuh," Hansel argued weakly. "Terrifying pirate. You're the good one."

LINA

Goro shook his head emphatically. "Terrifying pirate, and also so good."

IZZY

Hansel hmmm'd. "I'll allow it."

LINA

Goro beamed. "Good. Damn straight. Who's the good boy now, huh?"

IZZY

"Still you," Hansel said simply, nuzzling into his hair.

LINA

"Psh. Both of us, maybe?"

IZZY

"Nah, nah. Just you. Such a good boy," he cooed, kissing Goro's hair a few times roughly. "I'm a good pirate."

LINA

"Hey. Hey." Goro pulled away to scowl at him. "No more hair kissing 'til you admit you're a good boy."

IZZY

Hansel pulled him back and pinned him against his chest and kept kissing his hair.

LINA

"Hey!" Goro flailed helplessly.

IZZY

Hansel kept smoochin'.

LINA

"Alright. Alright, I got it. If you're a good boy, keep kissing me."

IZZY

Hansel snorted with laughter and tried to mask it with grumbles, and kept kissing him, accusing, "You fuckin' fight dirty."

LINA

"I sure fuckin' do. I grew up on the streets of Skyport, buddy." He snickered. "Good boy after all."

IZZY

Hansel squeezed him and finally just rested his lips against Goro's hair. "Pfft, fine, s'pose I'll just have to start callin' you the best boy. 'Cause you are."

LINA

"Hey now. Hey. You can't keep raising the stakes like that. I say you're the best."

IZZY

"Who said you get a vote, huh, pretty boy?"

LINA

"Who said I don't?" Goro tried to sound hurt so Hansel would give in.

IZZY

"Me."

LINA

"That hurts my feelings," Goro tried.

IZZY

"Poor me'at krishi," Hansel crooned, not buyin' it. "How can I make it up to you, huh? More snuggles?"

LINA

"Nah, asshole. Givin' me a fuckin' vote is how."

IZZY

"Ain't on the table."

LINA

"Alright, well, think I might stage a coup then."

IZZY

"Yeah? You can try."

LINA

Goro started tickling him.

IZZY

Hansel snickered and squirmed and started tickling him back with the hand already under his clothes. He used to try to act like it didn't get to him, but it was kind of ... more fun to not. He kinda liked it better when Goro knew that he was ticklish, and messed with him, and Hansel just sorta let himself be messed with and laugh about it.

LINA

"Keep trying, big guy." Goro didn't even flinch from Hansel's attempts at tickling.

IZZY

He changed tactics, pushing his hand up instead to muss Goro's clothes up more and curl fingers in the hair at the nape of Goro's neck, leaning into shove in against his neck and bite down at the same time he tugged purposefully on Goro's hair.

LINA

"Ah." Goro's head tipped back and his eyes fluttered closed. "Cheating."

IZZY

"Pirate," Hansel reminded him, through a mouthful of Goro.

LINA

"Mm." Goro switched from tickling (weakly, now) to rubbing his hands around Hansel's hips and low back.

IZZY

Hansel took a brief break from biting to kiss Goro's neck a couple times, then gnawed on him happily like a dog with a bone and stroked his hair instead of pulling, now that he was being nice.

He cracked an eye to look around the cave, just checking. Frankly, this whole 'fuck Goro to forget the cave' thing was really working out for him.

LINA

"Hmm." Goro's eyes were still closed. He felt all nice and relaxed. "Once you recover a little, you know what we oughta do?"

IZZY

"What's that?" Hansel said, amused by the idea that he hadn't fuckin' recovered. Psshh.

LINA

"You fuck me in the ass, right here in this cave."

IZZY

Hansel went pfft at first, about to ask if Goro'd packed lube for their little expedition, but then remembered that he had cooking oil in his mess kit. "Hmm," he considered.

LINA

"You pull my hair and bite my neck like that, I mean, what d'you think I'm gonna want?"

IZZY

"Think you're a needy li'l slut," he teased, chomping down on his neck again, about as hard as he could without drawing blood. "S'all I'm thinkin'."

LINA

"Mhm. Sure am." Goro cracked an eye open and grinned.

IZZY

"Love it," Hansel said, letting up to kiss his neck again, sweetly. "Love you."

LINA

Goro shivered again. "Love you too. Love you so much I wanna fuck you in a cave, eh?"

IZZY

He snorted. "Don't seem like a high bar. Pretty sure I could make you wanna get fucked any time, any place." Then he nipped at Goro's neck a couple more time and pulled back, slipping his hand back out of Goro's clothes to start riffling through his bag for that cooking oil.

LINA

Goro scoffed. "Well... yeah. Guess I'm a needy little slut, like you said. Still. Love you like crazy."

IZZY

"Aye." Hansel looked away from his bag to grin and kiss Goro quick, then looked back to his bag. "Hm. Fuck. Y'know, I didn't fuckin' pack any lube."

He mostly wanted to see how Goro would react. It wasn't a lie, anyway. Goro usually saw right the fuck through him anyway, but he thought it might be cute if Goro got sulky about it. Or maybe Hansel'd tease him and fuck his thighs, like that first time, then surprise him with the cooking oil. Ah, Goro didn't really like surprises, though.

LINA

"Liar," Goro guessed. As if Hansel was ever actually unprepared for fucking his partners.

IZZY

"I really didn't," Hansel protested.

LINA

Goro paused. "Oh." He slouched.

IZZY

Hansel bit at his lip, half pleased he'd actually fuckin' sold it, but this wasn't a cute Goro sulk, so he pulled the little glass bottle of cooking oil out of his bag and waved it.

LINA

Goro grinned slowly, then snickered, then dove forward to snuggle against Hansel's chest. "You gonna be an asshole and refuse to get me off and shit while you fuck me?"

IZZY

"Maybe," Hansel said slyly. "Or maybe I wanna treat you."

LINA

"Maybe you gotta make me beg for it first," Goro said in a low voice.

IZZY

"You ain't had enough beggin', yet?" Hansel said, grinning at him.

LINA

"Psh, I barely even got started. You gotta get me real desperate."

IZZY

"Oh, aye? Maybe I don't wanna fuckin' work that hard," Hansel said, amused. "Maybe I just wanna fuck you and you don't get a vote on how, either."

LINA

"So, what? You gonna force me to come?"

IZZY

"Psh, nah. Pretty sure that's up to you. Don't matter to me none." He acted all lazy and blase.

LINA

"Pfff." Goro dug his fingers into the ticklish spot again. "Like you don't love getting me off."

IZZY

"Oh, aye," he said again. He batted Goro's fingers away and caught his hand to bring it up and kiss his knuckles. "Sure fuckin' do, ahuv. See, thing is, though --." He switch to curl his hand into Goro's robes and pulled the fabric of the collar tight around his throat, twisting his wrist into it and drawing Goro in close. "Maybe what I'm gonna do is strip you down, pin you down on this hard cave floor, and fuck you 'til I get off. You gettin' off sometime along the way ain't gonna stop me."

LINA

"Hm." Goro nodded thoughtfully. "But you ain't gonna stop me."

IZZY

"Nah."

LINA

"Deal."

IZZY

"Psshh." Hansel twisted to choke Goro with the collar of his shirt a little. "Didn't I say you don't get a fuckin' vote?"

LINA

Goro pawed at his shirt collar, trying to get a finger in there to keep Hansel from tightening it any more. "Didn't I say I do?"

IZZY

He tightened up a little more. "You did. Was real cute, you thinkin' that."

LINA

Goro gagged. "Not cute."

IZZY

"Are too." Hansel tightened up a little more, then let up. "You gonna be good and sit pretty and still for me, or am I gonna have to hold you down while I get you ready?"

LINA

Goro put a hand over his throat and scowled.

IZZY

"Gonna need an answer, there, sweetheart," Hansel said, grinning.

LINA

Goro shook his head, still scowling. "Dick."

IZZY

Hansel paused, his smile fading a bit, and he pulled Goro in gently to kiss his forehead, asking, "All good, love?"

LINA

"Uh huh," Goro said, but he turned his face away, not looking Hansel in the eye.

IZZY

"Uh huh," Hansel said back, quietly, a little teasingly, and wrapped both arms around Goro, tucking Goro under his chin. Kissed his hair and threaded fingers up into it again to pet him before saying anything else.

LINA

"I'm fine."

IZZY

"Too hard on the chokin'?" Hansel asked, since that fuckin' clearly wasn't true.

LINA

Goro shrugged. He didn't wanna be a fucking wuss.

IZZY

"S'okay." Hansel kissed his head some more, and slipped his hand back around Goro's neck, loosening up the robes he'd been wrenching tight and stroking his fingers softly against Goro's skin -- along where the collar had been, and up and down his throat, too, under his chin like how you'd scritch a cat, down to graze along his clavicle, too, before moving back up.

LINA

"I'm not a wuss," Goro blurted.

IZZY

"Never said you were, motek," Hansel said calmly. Fuckin' distressing, sometimes, the ideas Goro got into his damn head.

LINA

Goro gave in and pushed closer to Hansel, holding him tight and shutting his eyes. "Just... um. I dunno."

IZZY

Hansel kissed his head a couple more times, thinking. "Thing about you not gettin' a vote?" he guessed. "Y'know that you do, yeah? Only one that matters," he promised.

LINA

"Nah, nah, that was... that was fine." He cringed. "The choking, just, um... I dunno, for a second I just..."

IZZY

Hansel nuzzled into his hair. "Mm?" he encouraged. "S'okay."

LINA

"Just got scared for a second." Like a damn wuss. "Not 'cause I thought you were gonna hurt me, just... wasn't really any thinking."

IZZY

"S'okay," Hansel said again. He thought for a second, not wanting to leave Goro hanging, but needing to put together the right words, and pulled away from his hair to kiss his forehead, cup his cheek to tilt his head up and kiss his nose and his other cheek.

"Y'know," he said finally. "I mean. If fuckin' ... someone else was chokin' you, in a fight or some shit, don't think it'd exactly get you fuckin' hard. Your body don't always know we're playin' around, right? Don't make you a wuss. Pretty normal fuckin' reaction to have, honestly."

LINA

"I guess," Goro said, no less frustrated. "My body's a fuckin' dumbass, though."

IZZY

"Your body wants you t'be fuckin' alive," Hansel pointed out. "Kinda like that about it, myself."

LINA

"Pfff." Goro ducked his head and muttered, "'Gainst my better judgment sometimes."

IZZY

Hansel scowled a little, to himself, firmly tucking Goro back under his chin and squeezing him. "No."

LINA

"I mean, not lately," Goro clarified. He squeezed Hansel back. "Not anymore."

IZZY

Hansel grumbled uneasily because he didn't know if he quite fuckin' bought it.

LINA

"I'm serious," Goro said. "I'm talking about back when, y'know, I didn't have any family." He swallowed, uneasy at how much he had to lose now.

IZZY

"Then your body ain't a fuckin' dumbass, is it," Hansel grumbled. He squeezed Goro protectively, possessively.

LINA

Goro sighed. After a minute, in a quiet voice, he said, "Guess not."

IZZY

Hansel grumbled a little more. Couldn't knock off the fretting that easy. "'Kay," he muttered, and cuddled Goro against him aggressively.

LINA

Goro held him quietly for a moment. "Sorry for ruining the mood," he mumbled.

IZZY

"You didn't," Hansel said firmly. "Didn't ruin shit."

LINA

Goro narrowed his eyes skeptically. "You gonna fuck me, then?"

IZZY

He huffed.

LINA

Goro pouted.

IZZY

"If you want me to," Hansel said after a moment, trying to not sound reluctant. He didn't really fuckin' ... feel like it, but he figured he could get it up. Didn't want Goro to think he'd done something wrong, and Hansel wasn't gonna wanna fuck him anymore, or something.

LINA

Goro pulled back a little, slowly, giving Hansel a wounded look. He bit his thumbnail, glancing around the cave like he was hoping to find something to help him. "See, if I just--hadn't fuckin' said anything--" He made his hands into fists and covered his face.

IZZY

"No," Hansel said quickly. "No, no, hey --." He went to pull Goro back against him, then second-guessed himself, because he did wrong shit a lot -- said wrong shit -- and he was probably doing it now -- and froze up instead in fucking indecision. He could feel himself getting all fucking upset, and the cave seemed like it was getting smaller.

"You -- didn't do anything wrong," he tried, almost called Goro love, out of habit, but had the piercing thought that he shouldn't, that he didn't get to when he fucked things up. "I'm sorry. Sorry."

LINA

For a second, Goro forgot why he was upset. He heard the tightening in Hansel's voice--that strain, like he was having a hard time getting enough air. Goro didn't know why--didn't make any fucking sense--but it didn't matter. He uncovered his face and rose up to put his arms around Hansel's head, hugging it to his chest.

IZZY

Hansel made a distressed sound and started to push Goro away, because Goro wasn't supposed to fuckin' be nice to him -- he didn't deserve it, and he shouldn't fucking need it, especially not when he was the one fucking up -- but his hand just clenched in Goro's robes, instead. He shouldn't push Goro away, either. That was just ... also fucking bad, and wrong. He locked up again.

LINA

"Breathe, ahuv," Goro said softly, and kissed the top of his head. "Breathe. I got you."

IZZY

"No," Hansel said forcefully, through clenched teeth.

LINA

"Yup." Goro wasn't even sure what part Hansel was objecting to, but either way. He kissed his head again and combed his fingers through his hair.

IZZY

Hansel intended to growl, but it came out as more of a whine. He wanted to argue -- or he should, anyway. He'd already kind of ... fucking lost track of what he was meant to be arguing about. Just felt confused and fucking bad. It felt like he'd been okay just a goddamn moment ago and he didn't understand why he wasn't, now, why he was such a fuck up who couldn't even fuck his own fiance when he wanted it.

He really didn't want to be in this fucking cave anymore.

He gave in and pressed close into Goro's chest, squeezing his eyes closed and hiding. He wasn't fuckin' supposed to -- shouldn't need to -- fucking coward -- but maybe if he just managed to block it out, for a moment, then ... he'd feel better, and he could act like a fucking person again.

LINA

Goro kept murmuring to him, s'okay and love you and got you, still holding him tight and kissing his head between every one.

"Can I tell you something?" he said quietly after a couple minutes.

IZZY

Hansel made a dejected little mmf sound.

LINA

"Kinda weird. Just thought of it all the sudden." He paused to kiss Hansel's head again. "I knew this cleric back at the abbey, long time ago. Not one of the shitters. I think she was actually a Helmite. Ended up moving away to Calimport a while back. Anyhow. She had this weird kinda sickness that wasn't one none of us could fix. You know when you go stand up somewhere high, and you look down, and your head kinda spins? Vertigo?"

IZZY

Hansel nodded a bit, as much as he could without moving his face from Goro's chest. He wanted to offer how he'd had a swabbie like that, one time, who wanted to work the sails but kept losing his shit over it when he got up in the rigging. Didn't have the voice for it just yet, though.

LINA

"Well, her deal was sometimes that'd happen to her for no reason. Her head'd start spinning and she couldn't stand up straight. She'd get these episodes, right? And couldn't do nothing 'cept curl up on the ground for a while. But then it'd pass, eventually, and she'd get back up and be alright."

Another head kiss. "Sometimes people got sicknesses like that, where their head does weird things and they can't help it. Reminded me of her, is all. The way sometimes you get kinda panicky. S'okay."

IZZY

"Not fuckin' panicky," Hansel mumbled, sullen. "Fuckin' stupid. Weak. Sorry."

LINA

"That's... that's what that is, Hans. When you get real scared and can't breathe. That's panic."

IZZY

Hansel shook his head.

LINA

"Yeah huh. Amari told me, when it happened to me."

IZZY

"S'different," he protested weakly.

LINA

"Oh yeah?"

IZZY

"Nn." He sniffled and tried to put some words together, but it was just fucking ... hard. He didn't want to argue about it -- he wanted to say okay and let Goro just be right and be kind to him and take care of him. But it was just as much of a fucking struggle to let that happen as it was to fight against it. "You get upset 'cause fuckin' ... 'cause bad shit's happened t'you. Makes sense. I'm just ... fuckin' ... stupid. Bad."

LINA

"The fuck." Goro tried to process that for a moment, sure Hansel hadn't said something that incomprehensible. "The fuck? You grew up in a town where kids threw rocks at you and sicced dogs on you and shit. The fuck?"

IZZY

"Don't have anything to do with this," Hansel mumbled.

LINA

"So when I get upset, it's cause of the bad things that happened to me... but when you get upset..."

IZZY

Hansel made an unhappy sound.

LINA

"You're not stupid or bad," Goro grumbled, and gave him another kiss. "God."

IZZY

He groaned, all muffled against Goro's chest, and nodded again. "Fuckin' stupid. Can't even fuckin' ..." he trailed off, because it would sound fuckin' stupid coming out of his mouth, too.

LINA

Goro shifted his hold so he could rub Hansel's back. "Can't even what?"

IZZY

He sniffled and didn't answer, just sitting there feeling fucking small and embarrassed.

LINA

Goro kept rubbing his back. He rested his face in Hansel's hair. "You remember what I told you my favorite thing is?"

IZZY

"Nn." He did. Couldn't say it, though.

LINA

Now that the rush of needing to help Hansel feel better was starting to fade -- now that Hansel was settling some -- Goro's thoughts went back to where they'd been right before. How he'd fucking ruined shit from not being able to take things in stride. He claimed to like it when Hansel was rough with him, but then things crossed the teeniest line and it all just fucking broke.

He didn't wanna make Hansel feel worse again, though, so he just frowned to himself and kissed Hansel's hair some more.

IZZY

Hansel sniffled again.

He couldn't say it, but he'd -- kind of hoped that Goro would.

LINA

"Love you," Goro whispered.

IZZY

"Love you," Hansel mumbled, and again, "M'sorry."

LINA

"For what?"

IZZY

"Fuckin' up. You didn't do anything wrong," he said again, trying to sound firm, but it came out kind of fucking pathetic. "M'sorry."

LINA

Goro was quiet for a while. There were a lot of fuckin' things he could say to that, and he wasn't sure which one to pick.

"Did so."

IZZY

Hansel shook his head fiercely.

LINA

"I was having a good time," Goro said weakly. "And then--if I'd just--" He pressed his lips together. Fuck. He was making Hansel feel bad for not wanting to keep going.

IZZY

"Not your fault," Hansel insisted. It was his fuckin' fault for not being able to go along with it. It was fine. He should be fine.

LINA

Goro didn't say anything. He rocked Hansel a little from side to side.

IZZY

Hansel sniffled.

LINA

"Maybe we should... head home," Goro said quietly. "And I'll get Tilly's ring another time."

IZZY

"I wanna help," Hansel mumbled, miserable. He wanted to do something fucking right. "Wanna be useful."

LINA

"You can be," Goro said, a little puzzled. "Ain't like I'm gonna go do it without you."

IZZY

He was quiet for a moment, and kind of reluctantly said, "Okay." Not because he thought Goro would lie to him about it, or something, but just because it seemed ... too easy. That they could just try it again. That it was fine.

LINA

"Maybe--maybe for now we can just go home, get cleaned up. Have some hot chocolate, or something." He shivered at the mention. But, hell. It was fuckin' July up at the surface, too warm for hot chocolate. "Maybe cold chocolate. Is that a thing?"

IZZY

Hansel was quiet for another beat.

"Chocolate milk?" he said, puzzled.

LINA

"Oh. Huh. Yeah."

IZZY

He sniffed again. He still felt fucking ... bad. It'd help to get out of the cave, probably, but they were fairly deep in, and he didn't want to walk. He didn't want to ask Goro to teleport them, because he didn't want to fucking have to ask Goro for anything. But he just kept fuckin' looping back on himself -- telling himself he just needed to fucking stop, so he could take care of Goro, and get a grip on himself, and he never should've lost his shit in the first place, anyway, and what was fucking wrong with him --

And then he was just upset again, and tried to shush it and tamp it down. He needed to fucking stop.

Goro kind of seemed ... okay, though.

He shifted, uncomfortable, grinding his teeth for a moment 'til it made his broken tusk hurt, then forcing out, "D'you ... mean it? About ... just liking t'be with me. So ... so if ..." He swallowed, struggling with it. "So if I get ... upset, an' I don't wanna fuck around when you do, that's ... all right?" He cringed at how fucking pathetic he sounded, how pathetic he felt, adding in a small voice, "'Cause ... 'cause we're still together."

LINA

Goro let out a tiny aw and lowered himself back down into Hansel's lap, kissing him all over his face. "Yeah. Promise. Just wanna be with you."

IZZY

Hansel fought to hide his face again, pressing into Goro's neck.

LINA

Goro accepted it, putting his arms around the back of Hansel's head again to hold him safely in place there. "You make me feel so good. Just 'cause... just 'cause you love me. I mean--you like me. I think."

IZZY

Hansel nodded furiously. He managed an mm, mmhm, because his throat was all closed up again.

Made him think of how Goro had ... noticed that. That he would start feeling like he couldn't breathe. Panic.

LINA

"What's wrong?" Goro asked, worried. Usually once Hansel started feeling better, he was just okay. Maybe it was something about the cave. "You want me to snuff us out of here, love?"

IZZY

"Aye," Hansel mumbled. He still felt fuckin' embarrassed and bad about it, but -- but if Goro was offering.

LINA

"'Kay." Goro squeezed him and frowned, trying to estimate how far they'd walked. "Dunno if I can get us out all the way. But we'll be closer to the entrance. You ready?"

IZZY

Hansel nodded again, and managed, "You're so good."

LINA

Goro gave him a quick kiss in response, closed his eyes, and whispered his prayer. He kept frowning in concentration -- the narrow passageways made it more likely he'd aim wrong and slam them both into some rock. He had to picture it carefully.

He finished his prayer and stepped them into the very first stretch of cave -- close enough to see daylight ahead. He kept a tight hold on Hansel in case he struggled to find his footing.

IZZY

Hansel's stomach lurched, but he'd calmed down enough that it didn't make him gag. He clung to Goro anyway, sort of out of habit, or just because he was doing it already, and tentatively peeked up from Goro's shoulder.

As soon as he could sunlight filtering into the cave, he felt himself relax in some way -- he hadn't even realized he was that tense. But he let out a breath and rested his face on Goro's shoulder again, just resting, now, instead of hiding.

LINA

"C'mon ahuv," Goro said gently, coaxing him to start walking.

IZZY

Hansel nodded, grateful. He edged forward a bit with his face still down, then lifted it back up again, reminding himself the sunlight was there.

And, more than that, Goro was there.

[END]

TRP: Goro and Hansel (Cave Adventure, Part 2). Day 368. Local boys go into cave to get ring, just flirt and bang instead, then panic and have to leave.