TRP: Goro and Larkin (Pet Names)

**Jen:**

 [Setting] Day 158, a few hours after the gang killed Asenka.
Tavern in Glimmerton.

"Double fours," Larkin announced, smiling over the
cup. Her thumb brushed the edge of a die, giving it the gentlest of flips just
she tilted the cup to cover her roll. Goro kept fixing her with a stare like he
was physically trying to spear the truth out of her mind. Was this how people
always felt when he started asking questions? Poor them. Luckily, Larkin was
sufficiently armoured.

Larkin tapped the table top with a copper coin, holding his
gaze easily. "Your turn, buddy."(edited)

**Lina:**

 Goro eyed the six and the three under his cup. It was a
pretty good roll. If he'd been playing anyone but fucking Larkin, he'd have had
this in the bag. There was no way in hell she'd rolled double fours, but he
knew if she lifted her cup up now that's what he'd see, even if he hadn't
caught her in the act.

He reached into his pocket and came out with a handful of
coins, which he threw in her face. "I quit, you fuckin' cheater."

**Jen:**

 Larkin shot a hand up to ward off the coins and laughed.
"Oh come on, you're not even trying."

**Lina:**

 He yawned. "Too fucking tired. One of those specters
did take a bite out of me, you know. Might've been an easy fucking fight but it
was still a fight." He reached across the table to scrape up any of the
coins that had landed there. Larkin could have the ones from the floor.

**Jen:**

 "Hey jackass, that's my money," Larkin said but
made no move to stop him. She picked up the coins from under the table and
around her chair. "You know, next time I come visit you I'd rather you get
me a cake or something like that, not a fucking ghost infestation. Or better yet,
how about you move somewhere else." She stopped and looked him straight in
the eyes. "Literally anywhere else."

**Lina:**

 "What's wrong with the castle? Now that the ghost's
gone."

**Jen:**

 Larkin held up a hand and started picking off fingers.
"The backstabbing visitors, the necromancer in the tower, the thieves
guild outpost, the cannibal possessed by a god, the paranoid fire
sorcerer..."

**Lina:**

 Goro yawned again.

**Jen:**

 "...and it's in the middle of fucking nowhere."

**Lina:**

 "Ah, your real complaint. I get it. Well, the bad news
is, if I do move somewhere else, I ain't getting any closer to Skyport. I'd
move to the Sanctuary, or something. Calimport." He'd liked Calimport, but
he wouldn't really move there for good, unless he could somehow convince
everyone--Larkin included--to go with him.

**Jen:**

 Larkin made an unhappy face. "What's wrong with
Skyport? Now that Diva's gone."

**Lina:**

 "Well, sometimes, when I go there, I get arrested and
almost sacrificed to Bane."

**Jen:**

 "That's just your face." Larkin grinned.
"Nothing we can't change."

**Lina:**

 Goro smiled and rolled his eyes. "What's so great about
Skyport, huh? Now that I'm not there, especially. For the last fucking time,
you should come stay in the castle. I wanna take you around with that pendant I
got you for Candlenight. I bet there's some secret passageways and shit no
one's found yet."

**Jen:**

 "You know, now that I got chained to this dung hole of
a town," she glanced around the room, at the faces of the villagers which
she almost all recognised and that after only a day. Horrible. "I think
I'm gonna be at the castle more. But only because I miss your stupid face. The
castle sucks and so does this whole place."

**Lina:**

 "Hey, the castle doesn't suck. It's a fucking castle.
And I get to live there. I grew up in a goddamn box, alright."

**Jen:**

 "So it's bigger than a box, fucking fantastic." Larkin
rolled her eyes. He didn't get the fucking point. What good was a damn castle
if he slept next to a death trap at night and had to hike four hours just to
get to the next place with more people than chickens? "Honestly, it sucks
not having you around back home but I'm still not gonna move in here. You're
asking a fish to climb a tree, man."

**Lina:**

 "Hey, you know, I get it. I spent my whole life in the
city, pretty much. But I've adjusted. I like the quiet, actually. And the
trees. You gotta give it a chance."

**Jen:**

 "I hate the quiet. Makes me nervous. And everyone here
knows my face, my name and where I fucking sleep. It's awful."

**Lina:**

 Goro frowned. "Not everyone. Where do you sleep? I've
got no idea."(edited)

**Jen:**

 "Oh, just ask Tom what's-his-face over there."
Larkin flapped a hand at the tap room, indicating no one in particular.
"We literally spoke like, five fucking words to each other but I bet he
could tell you."

**Lina:**

 "God, and I thought I was paranoid. They're just a
bunch of fishermen and farmers, Larkin. They don't give two shits about you.
Who cares if they know your name and face? Motherfuckin' Diva knew your name,
face, and where you slept, and you're no worse for the wear from it. I've got a
damn good feeling Renar Basha knows where I sleep, and yet--" He gestured
up and down at himself.

**Jen:**

 Larkin snorted. "So? Just because you do it doesn't
mean it's not stupid. Yeah, most of 'em are just farmers but they're not the
ones I'm here for. Also, better safe than fucking sorry."

**Lina:**

 "Who are you here for, anyway? I mean, I know you
missed me, but given how much you apparently hate the place I doubt I'm enough
to keep you around."

**Jen:**

 "People with dull blades." She slipped out a knife
and flipped it in her hand, fingers briefly forming the sing for "Skyport
Thieves".(edited)

**Lina:**

 "Oh yeah?" He lifted his eyebrows. "Lots of
those in the area?"

**Jen:**

 "Don't know yet. I'm just getting set up. Finding
customers takes time."

**Lina:**

 "Where is your shop, anyway? I wasn't kidding when I
asked where you're sleeping. How am I supposed to find you?"

**Jen:**

 "And I wasn't kidding when I said literally everyone
here knows." Larkin took another disdainful glance around the room. "You
know what, though, I got enough of this place. Wanna find out first hand?"

**Lina:**

 "Sure do." He stood up from his chair and looked
toward the others, planning to catch someone's eye and wave. They were all
absorbed in what appeared to be some kind of drinking game, and a scam to boot.
Eh, it was fine. "Lead the way," he told Larkin.

**Jen:**

 She led them out the tavern and down the market street. Most
of Glimmerton's houses were made of wood and clay, built on stilts either
directly above the river or on shorter ones to keep the moisture of the swampy
ground out of the houses. The place Cat and her set up their shop in was no
different, if only a bit more dilapidated from neglect. A tree grew through one
of the walls and they hadn't cut it down yet.

Larkin hopped up onto the narrow wooden porch and spread her
arms, presenting the thing to Goro. "Looks cozy, huh?"

**Lina:**

 "Well good god, no wonder you hate the place. Look
where you're staying." He climbed onto the porch after her. "You sure
you wouldn't rather be in the castle? It's not that far, you know."

**Jen:**

 "Mask, I don't wanna spend one fucking night in
here." She turned to look up to where the castle lights shone on the hill.
"But I kinda have to. Keep up appearances, you know. Also, dunno if I can
leave Cat alone." She sighed and went to undo the locks.

**Lina:**

 "You got a cat?"

**Jen:**

 "No, that's-" Larkin halted and frowned down at
the locks. Two were hidden and could be used from both sides of the door (first
fucking thing she'd installed) but the third was in play view, one sided, and
it was locked. "That's the little shithead who's supposed to be inside and
sleeping, like I fucking told him, but has probably run off to get
shitfaced." She opened the door and inside, did a quick sweep of the three
small rooms, confirming no one was there.

**Lina:**

 "Ah, jeez, that's the problem with living people. They
kinda do whatever they want. Hey, maybe you could kill him and have Gwydion
resurrect him for you. Undead servant kind of thing." Goro moseyed in
after her, glancing around in the dark space. Nothing much notable about it.

**Jen:**

 "There's no way in hell I'm gonna let anything this guy
magiced up near me." Larkin knelt by the riverstone hearth and poked the
embers until some lazy tongues of flame started licking up and she could feed
them wood.

**Lina:**

 "Alright, well, if your Cat-friend's not around, so
much the better. No one to eavesdrop. Why you out here, exactly? Pissed off ol'
Unc?"

**Jen:**

 Larkin turned her head to shoot him a venomous glance "
The fuck I did. No, it's.... ah, fuck." She shook off a spark that'd
landed on her hand. "I'm here with a small gang. We're supposed to find
out what the fuck the guild wants with Glimmerton. Show some presence. Renar
said it's an opportunity for me to prove myself or whatever but I call bullshit
on that. Not many ways to do that here in any case."

**Lina:**

 "Huh." Goro frowned. "You sure you didn't
make him mad?"

**Jen:**

 "Not as far as I fucking know, no."

**Lina:**

 "Fucking weird. I wonder if there was something he
didn't want you to see, or some shit. Or... someone he didn't want you
around."

**Jen:**

 Larkin tilted over on her heels to sit back against the
hearth, sighing heavily. "I don't know. Like what? Who? He usually just
tells me stuff, y'know. "

**Lina:**

 Goro took a seat on the floor nearby. "You tell me, I
got no fucking clue. You're the one who called bullshit on his excuse,
anyway."

**Jen:**

 "Yeah, maybe it's not bullshit. Dunno. He's had me do
things like that before, you know. Man, all the times I had to sit through him
meeting with this gang lead, or cutting up that rat." She shook her head.
"Feels like fucking punishment but it's never like I did something.
Usually when I fuck up, he lets me know. He sure fucking does."

**Lina:**

 "Yeah, that's fair. He doesn't strike me as the
passive-aggressive type." Goro shrugged. "Must be something he's not
telling you, though. I mean, maybe not even about this, just... about shit in
general. Not like you're his second in command, or anything."

**Jen:**

 "Yeah... Nah, that's Bretta. She runs everything when
he's not around. I think he tried grooming me for a position when I was
younger, what with him making me attend all his business meetings 'n shit, but
then I met Finch and decided I'd rather rob houses with him." She cracked
a smile. "Tieflings. Can't trust 'em."

**Lina:**

 "Mm. Yeah." From what Goro recalled from that one
time they'd met, Renar wasn't very respectful of tieflings, so it wasn't that
funny.

**Jen:**

 There was a stretch of silence after that but it wasn't the
usual companionable sort. Larkin scratched at splinters in the floor board,
trying to think of something to talk about.

"So, Hansel, huh," she said before thinking better
of it. "He treating you well? I mean-" she snorted. "Under the
circumstances. You happy?"

**Lina:**

 "What's that supposed to mean, under the circumstances?
Yes, I'm fucking happy. I mean, happy as a sorry bastard like myself can ever
really get."

**Jen:**

 "I mean the circumstances of him turning berserk and
trying to snap your skinny neck in half."

**Lina:**

 "He was fucking possessed, Larkin. That wasn't
him."

**Jen:**

 "...yeah. Whatever." Didn't change much from her
point of view but there was no arguing with Goro about it. Things like that, he
became stubborn as an ass. She turned to the fire and shoved more wood in.
Place was fucking damp. "How is it, having a boyfriend?" she asked,
still poking around the fire with a piece of wood.

**Lina:**

 Whatever, she said. Like it wasn't the literal fucking
truth. He let it slide this time, since arguing with her wouldn't do any good.

"It's... I don't know, kind of weird, since he's
already married." He scooted closer to the fire and held his hands up.
"You know, I'm a greedy son of a bitch, and I'd love to have him all to
myself. Sometimes, the way he looks at me, it's like I'm the greatest fucking
thing in his world. But then I see him looking at Mishka and I know it's not
true. Eh. It's alright. I'm dealing with it. Talked to Amari about it. She says
it's... fine, to be jealous, or something, as long as I don't expect Hansel to
have to fix it. Gotta keep it to myself. And now you, I guess."

**Jen:**

 "God, that's so... fucking sappy." She hung her
head, smiling. "Mask. You know what I think about your choices of..."
she handwaved it. "But man, I like seeing you so happy. It's nice."

**Lina:**

 He glanced at her, surprised. "You thought that was
sappy? I was telling you the worst part." Well, no. The night Asenka
attacked him had been the worst part. But he wasn't going to tell her about
that; she'd refuse to drop it. "You should hear me talk about the kind of
shit we say to each other when we're cuddling. You'd be vomiting all over this
room." He grinned. "Hey, speaking of, when's your wedding?"

**Jen:**

 She hurled a piece of kindling at him. "Shut the fuck
up. Fucking big mouth for one who was still a virgin like two months
ago."(edited)

**Lina:**

 He tried to dodge out of the way of the kindling, but it
smacked him right in the face. He laughed anyway, cupping his eye. If she was
making fun of him for being a virgin, that meant he'd won. "Can't say the
same, huh? You're not saving yourself for the honeymoon, then?"

**Jen:**

 "I sure as hell am not." She gave him her dirtiest
grin. "Don't get your hopes up, pal, you're not officiating for me. I
don't get attached to them like you do."(edited)

**Lina:**

 He watched her for a moment, face serious, then a smile
spread slowly across his lips. "Uh-huh. Sure you don't."

**Jen:**

 She rolled her eyes. "What, you think just because some
guy I fucked once sends me flowers I get all lovey-dovey doe eyed like you do
with Hansel? Please."

**Lina:**

 Goro examined his fingernails, all casual. "Oh, no, of
course not. I'm sure you have very different ways of showing your affection.
Very Larkin-esque ways."(edited)

**Jen:**

 "Hey, the fuck's that supposed to mean?"

**Lina:**

 "Hey, hey, it's alright, don't get defensive. I'm just
saying, whoever the guy is, he's probably into knives and shit. It is a guy,
right?"

**Jen:**

 "It's- yeah, I don't... hey, hey why d'you think you
know- you know what, Goro? Shut the fuck up, that's what."

**Lina:**

 He just grinned at her. "So, when do I get to meet
him?"

**Jen:**

 She bit her tongue and forced her face still and her eyes to
lock on his. "If you don't drop it, I'll start telling you about the
Larkin ways in really fucking graphic detail and you'll never be able to get
that outta your head."

**Lina:**

 "Hm. Harrowing." Goro fought off a smile, trying
to look serious as he nodded. "You wanna go? I let Hansel fuck me in the
ass."

**Jen:**

 Larkin opened her mouth, then snapped it shut again and
pressed her lips together. She nodded, then held up a thumb.

**Lina:**

 "No, not like that. With his cock."

**Jen:**

 She groaned and covered her eyes with a hand. "Fuck,
man," she said, snorting, and shook her head. "Was it any good? Big
guy like that must pack some."

**Lina:**

 "Was it any good? Larkin, I think I saw God."

**Jen:**

 "You saw Mask? He sexy?"

**Lina:**

 Goro smiled and wagged a finger at her. "That's enough
outta me. Tell me about your special friend."

**Jen:**

 "What's there to tell?" A whole fucking lot but if
Goro wanted to know things, she wasn't going to tell him what he didn't ask
for.

**Lina:**

 "Name, what he does for a living, that kind of shit.
Race. Fingers crossed he's a half-elf. I know you've got a soft spot for
half-elves."

**Jen:**

 "Hm, let's see." Larkin held up a finger to start
counting. "Sir None of Your-Fucking-Business, doesn't give fucks for a
living and, oh, right, after that info about your ass, literally anything but
half-elf, thanks."

**Lina:**

 Goro picked up the piece of kindling she'd hit him with and
threw it back at her.

**Jen:**

 She spluttered out laughter at the look on his face and
swatted at the thrown kindling uselessly, the thing hitting her in the face and
making her snort even more.

**Lina:**

 "See, normally I'd refuse to tell any more information
until the other person reciprocates, but in this case I think I need to do the
opposite. You wanna hear more details? No? Tell me about the guy."

**Jen:**

 "Man, you think you can shock me with that?" She
caught her breath and waved a hand. "Please. You caught me off guard 's
all. C'mon, do your worst."

**Lina:**

 "Well, let's see." Goro thought for a minute, and
his face grew hot. He hid it behind his hands and laughed. "Fuck. Fuck, I
can't. Fuck you. Just tell me, you fucker. I wanna know, god damn it."

**Jen:**

 She made a triumphant noise. "Fucking knew it. You're
still new to this game, don't worry." She leaned forward and patted him on
the head. "Fine. His name's Azriel and he's a tiefling. He is... a con
man, or a spy or something. Great with the violin." And great... she
smirked and let the thought slip out. "Great tongue and fingers."

**Lina:**

 Goro winced. "Oh, god. I mean, I'm real happy for you,
though. But gross."

**Jen:**

 Larkin shifted to get more comfortable against the fire
place, giving him a big shit-eating grin.

January 17, 2019

**Lina:**

 "How'd you meet him?"

**Jen:**

 "Caught him swiping pockets at the Sanctuary. Showed
him how we do it in Skyport."

**Lina:**

 Goro leaned forward, mouth open. "The Sanctuary? You've
been seeing him for that long, and I'm just now learning about the guy?
Hell."

**Jen:**

 Larkin shrugged. "You never asked. Should I tell you
about all the hookups I have or only the really good ones? Or only the ones
that send me roses?"

**Lina:**

 "Fuckin' did so. Before I left for Calimport, when you
were giving me shit about... you know... Mishka." Goro was out of things
to say, so he just stuck his tongue out at her.

**Jen:**

 "Aw, buddy. Don't be mad. I just didn't think you
wanted to know that much about me."

**Lina:**

 "Listen, I don't need details on your damn sex life.
But, you know, if you've found a guy who makes you happy in other ways--other
ways, Larkin--then yeah, of course I wanna fucking know."(edited)

**Jen:**

 Larkin smiled down at her hands in her lap and started
digging at her fingernails. "Yeah, that's the thing. I like him but,
uhm." She shrugged. "I don't think I can have something like- you
have. With Hansel, y'know. Don't think I fucking want to either, but even if,
getting attached like that would be a damn stupid thing for me to
do."(edited)

**Lina:**

 "Hah. You know, the funny thing is, up until recently I
would've said the same thing about myself. Not in my wildest fucking dreams did
I think I'd get what I have with Hansel."

He'd fucking cried about it, against Hansel's chest. I
thought I'd always be alone. Just thinking about it--about how wrong he'd been,
about the fucking miracle that was Hansel loving him--gave him that painful
feeling in his chest again, like his heart was being squeezed.

He cleared his throat. "You never know, Lark. You never
fuckin' know."

**Jen:**

 Larkin made a noncommital noise, not laughing it off, nor
agreeing. She didn't buy it, not really.

Azriel was cute and amusing and she loved the bullshit and
the biting jackass underneath when he'd dropped the facade. But even if she
could imagine them being an actual couple of sorts, even then she shouldn't aim
for that. He'd be in even more danger than she was already putting him into.
Also, there was still the tiny secret of her being the Basha's niece. How ever
would he take that news?

"Actually, I'm surprised Renar hasn't married me off to
one of the Melaines yet. Them or some cousin from the Calimport clan. Maybe he
thinks I'd shank the guy in his sleep and destroy his pretty
alliance."(edited)

**Lina:**

 "Yeah, if you were my niece I wouldn't fucking try to
marry you off, that's for sure. Who's the Melaines?"

**Jen:**

 "Ha, thanks, Goro. Appreciate it." Larkin
hestitated a moment. God, why, though? This was Goro, she could tell him.
"The Melaines are a family clan in Moorland. They rule the place. Renar's
had good connections to them for decades. They even used to visit but they
haven't done that in a few years." One of her earliest memories was
playing marbles on the floor of Renar's sitting room, with some other kids,
while the adults were clinking glasses next door.

**Lina:**

 Goro snorted. "So crime families make marriage
alliances just like nobility, huh. Guess it makes sense. Hey, you never know,
maybe one of those kids grew up to be handsome."

**Jen:**

 "Eh, maybe. But I'd probably not get that one."
She stuck her tongue out at Goro. "I'd get the one looking like you."

**Lina:**

 "Hansel thinks I look like a god."

**Jen:**

 "Hansel also thinks Jonn's a good kid. He's
delusional." Larkin winked, and then, wanting to take a bit of the sting
out of the tease, added, "Can only hope he'll also be a friend like
you."

**Lina:**

 "Psh, you think that's gonna make up for that other
shit you just said?" Goro flicked his wrist, deploying the springblade
she'd gotten him, and pretended to jab it at her.

**Jen:**

 "Sure do. Mask." She hid her eyes behind a hand
again. "Okay fine, you're a handsome guy, alright, but god, that's
probably also what Hansel thinks and I really don't wanna know anymore 'bout
that."

**Lina:**

 Too bad, she was gonna. Goro couldn't stop himself from
smiling. "He calls me chatichi. It means handsome, in Orcish. Actually, it
means my handsome. 'Cause I'm his."

**Jen:**

 "Nope," she announced and gestured at the
springblade. "Changing topics now. How'd you like your present?"

**Lina:**

 "He also calls me shemeshi. It means 'my sun.' I don't
have any good names for him, though. Maybe you can help me come up with
some."

**Jen:**

 "This is my place but I will walk out on you."

**Lina:**

 "Alright, alright. Change of subject. What sweet names
does your special guy have for you?" He grinned.

**Jen:**

 "Oh god." She stuck her tongue out.

**Lina:**

 "Yes. I fucking win. Buy me a drink. Ah, shit, I don't
drink. Make it up to me some other way."

**Jen:**

 "Oh, no. I meant, that's what he calles me." She
leaned in, grinning with her canines bared. "Oh. God."

**Lina:**

 "Oh, god, is right. Fuck." He put a hand over his
face and snorted. "Never mind. You win again. God."

**Jen:**

 She snickered. "This is too fucking easy. You're
adorable, Goro. But I should probably stop before you get used to it,
huh?"

**Lina:**

 "Too late. I'm fucking leaving." He retracted the
spring blade and stood up, dusting himself off. "I mean--because I'm
actually tired. I gotta go get some sleep. And get back to my boyfriend, and
all. I didn't even tell him where I was going, shit."

**Jen:**

 "Yeah, just leave me here alone, in this damp shit
hole. Your best friend. The one who saved your life on several occasions and
suffered your questions about tails and horns." She leaned her head back
against the heart, eyes closed, and flapped a hand at him.

**Lina:**

 "Psh. Come sleep in the castle, Lark. It's nice and
warm."

**Jen:**

 "I gotta kick Cat's ass in the morning, about not
following orders." The castle was nice and warm, though. And the doors
were thick, sturdier than the whimsical thing in this place. And Goro slept
just across the hall. Ah, damn.

**Lina:**

 "Oh, come on. You can kick his ass at noon."

**Jen:**

 She stared at him for a moment longer, then got up.
"You're a bad fucking influence, Goro Flatflower."

**Jen:**

 [END] Title: Pet Names, Summary: Goro and Larkin hang out
after a day of killing Ghosts. She shows him her place in Glimmerton. They talk
about their love affairs and Larkin agrees to stay in the castle.