TRP: Azriel, Goro, and Larkin (Criminal Reunion)

[Setting: Day 268. The beach where everyone's reunitin'.]

Theo was okay. His sister was safe. She wasn't even hurt, or anything; just sleeping like a fucking rock, something Goro guessed must've come from the Baker side of the family.

And once he heard the full story of what had happened, he figured there was someone he owed a fucking thank you to.

Azriel was sitting on a rock, looking as put out as a cat that'd had a bucket of water dumped on it. Goro sidled up to him gradually, hunched and arms crossed. He realized he was probably glowering, not on purpose, but because that was the form his face naturally fell into when he was in this kind of mood.

He came to a stop a few feet away from Azriel's rock, and kicked at the sand idly.

IZZY

Azriel glared out at the ocean. He was exhausted, low on magic, sweaty from the trek yet still, somehow, cold. The outdoors were uniformly awful. The rip in his waistcoat from the attack had been exacerbated by twigs and branches and the like catching him, and there would be no salvaging it, now, unless perhaps someone had a mending spell. He would be damned if he'd ask for help, though. Absolutely not.

The first group had come over to the beach -- Larkin's cousin, but no Larkin, alas. He closed his eyes for a second. He just wanted to see her.

There was a scuffling sound coming nearer to him, and he opened his eyes again and saw Goro come skulking up. He waited, for a second, in case Goro was going to say something, then turned slowly to look at him when he didn't. No, he was just standing there.

"Can I help you with something?" Azriel asked shortly.

LINA

Goro sniffed loudly and kicked some more sand. "Nah. Just..."

IZZY

Azriel waited again, staring him down.

LINA

"You saved my sister," Goro said. In the back of his mind, he was very fucking aware that this was not a proper thank you.

IZZY

Azriel scoffed and flicked a hand at him dismissively, and looked back out to the anchored ship, shifting his legs slightly and crossing his arms around himself.

LINA

"She's coming," Goro offered. "Larkin is, I mean. Probably the next boat."

IZZY

"Hmph." It was a dreadful thing, admitting that you cared for people. "Well. Good," he muttered.

LINA

Goro rolled his eyes. He considered telling Azriel how badly worried Larkin had been over him, how she'd been losing her mind even if she didn't say a word, Goro could just tell--but he decided he'd spare her the indignity. "Anyway. I just wanted to say thank you. For getting Theo out."

IZZY

"Think nothing of it," he said absently, then scoffed again. "As if I would leave a child in the hands of those ..." He struggled for a moment, because he typically insulted people by called them savages or barbarians, but that just sounded rather racist, when applied to orcs. "Those motherfuckers." Undignified, but very well.

LINA

"They got kids of their own, you know. You gonna go back and rescue all of them?"

IZZY

"I presume they haven't kidnapped all of their own children and thrown said children's caretakers into cells," he said snippily.

He glanced over at the orc boy they had ... ostensibly rescued. Returned him to his mother, apparently. Still seemed wretched to have killed the boy's cousin in front of him. The wizard had burnt him to ashes, they'd said.

LINA

Goro shook his head. "Alright, whatever. You don't want my gratitude, I'm taking it back. Fuck you too, buddy."

Well. He could say that, but he did still feel grateful. Annoyed, but grateful.

IZZY

He gazed up at Goro coolly. "I truly do not have it in me to care less."

LINA

Goro crossed his arms tighter. There was some unpleasant feeling sinking into him, one he didn't have the fucking energy to examine. "Oh yeah? What's a matter, you use up all your tears crying over a broken nail?"

IZZY

"Yes." Azriel raised his middle finger. "Do you want to see? It's tragic. Snapped right off as I teleported your baby sister out of the literal arms of an enemy general."

LINA

"Oh, so now you want credit for it, huh? Well, that's fucking convenient. Just flip back and forth depending on what the situation calls for." Goro held up his own middle finger, wagging it back and forth. "Who is this mysterious Azriel Melaine? The selflessly altruistic protector of children, or the stuck-up son of a bitch who can't stand being talked down to by some ratty cleric?"

IZZY

"Oh, it's the second one, darling, I assure you." He flicked his wrist at Goro again and looked back out to the ship.

LINA

Goro clenched his teeth and dug his fingernails into his arms. He shouldn't fucking stab Larkin's boyfriend, but man. "I fucking hate people like you," he bit out, intending to follow it up with a list of reasons why, but he felt too fucking empty to think of any. There wasn't anything he could say to get a leg up. He despised rich kids for having everything come to them easy, but he couldn't even find any stubborn pride in having crawled up from the gutter by himself. Azriel was a fucking bard. He could do everything Goro could do, probably better. He was richer and better looking, even with the broken horn and fucked-up eye.

Of course he looked down on Goro. People like him always did. Only difference here was Goro could usually pick their pockets to make himself feel better, but Azriel would just fucking pick it right back.

Yeah. Goro wasn't shit to Azriel. And here he'd come crawling over, wibbling a thank you about Azriel saving his sister. Fucking sucked.

IZZY

Azriel rolled his eyes dramatically, looking to Goro again. "Did you miss the part where I don't give a shit, Basha? Hate me all you like."

LINA

"Thanks for the fucking permission." Goro spun around, kicking up more sand--preferably onto Azriel, this time. Petty as shit, but then, so were most rich kids.

He was so fucking out-of-his-mind upset as he stormed away, he practically had tunnel vision, and it surprised him when he ran into Larkin. He stopped walking for a second to stare at her, feeling a surge of anger at her just for her association with Azriel. Not fair, no, but life wasn't fucking fair. Still, he wasn't gonna pour it out on her, or anything.

He thought about making some snide remark, anyway. Hope you're ready to give your boyfriend some serious comfort; he got a little dirt on his clothes.

There was no fucking joy in it, though. There wasn't fucking anything. He just ducked his head and hurried on past.

JEN

The cross over to the beach took way too fucking long to be true. As soon as the boat hit the sand, Larkin lept out of it and started running towards where she's spottet Azriel sitting and talking to Goro.

They'd gotten out. All alive. Everything was fine.

She hardly noticed Goro running into her, and she only had a fleeting glance for him. He stood, staring, something clearly wrong but it could fucking wait a minute. Until Larkin had hugged Azriel, and touched his face, and confirmed that he was healthy and in one piece.

She didn't stop running and when she reached him, flung herself against Azriel and wrapped her arms around him tight.

IZZY

Azriel went from giving Goro a disgruntled look to spotting Larkin, and his entire demeanor changed. He straightened, but didn't have time to stand before she'd collided with him, knocking him quite off the rock he'd been using as a perch and into the sand on his back.

Pebbles or shells or some such outdoorsy nonsense were digging into his back, and he didn't remotely care. He wrapped his arms firmly around her and kissed her everywhere he could reach -- cheeks, nose, lips, forehead, horns -- only pausing to let out a breath and whisper, "You're safe, you're safe, fucking Mask, I thought I might not see you again, love."

JEN

Larkin stopped him by pressing her lips to his and pinning his head to the sand beneath them. When she let up she was breathless and it took her a few moments before she buried her face in the crook of Azriel's neck and muttered, "I was gonna gut every single one of 'em, you know it."

IZZY

"Yes, well." He gestured vaguely with one hand, as though she could even see the motion, before wrapping that arm back around her. "I would like to tell you, ah, no, I took care of it myself quite cleanly, but in reality that was mostly the work of my sister and that boy with the long hair." He kissed her temple and clicked his horn against one of hers. "God, though, Larkin, I thought that -- you know, if they were able to overpower the entire Sanctuary, what must they have done to you and yours."

JEN

"I'm fine," she said without taking her face out of Azriel's shoulder- then she sat up straight and looked him over, wide-eyes. "Are you fucking hurt? They do something to you?"

IZZY

"No, no, I'm quite all right." He pulled at her, then thought, ah, perhaps they shouldn't just lie there in the sand like a pair of ... things that typically resided in the sand. Crabs? Crabs, possibly. He straightened as well, instead, to hug her again that way. His back did appreciate the lack of rocks. "Deviants ripped my vest, but apart from my pride I am entirely uninjured, I promise." He gave her a grin. "Else I would be complaining much more."

JEN

"God. Mask." Larkin took his face in both hands and kissed him again. "Never gonna let you outta my sight again," she said against his lips.

IZZY

"Mm. Mmhm." That was as coherent as he could make it through kissing her back. "The feeling is mutual."

JEN

"Don't you fucking dare leave me. I love you."

IZZY

"Oh, do you?" He leaned back to grin at her. "Do you love me? Tell me more about that. I'd like it in writing. Larkin Basha has a heart." He kept talking in the hopes that it might camouflage how very foolish his grin was, and how he blushing with delight.

JEN

"You want it in writing?" She gave him a shove in the chest. "Lemme carve it into your forehead real quick."

IZZY

"Absolutely unacceptable. How will I see your declaration, then?" He offered his inner forearm, where his sleeves were cuffed up. "Try here, instead."

JEN

Larkin took the arm and wrapped it around herself. "I can tell you as much as you fucking want. It's everyone else who's gotta know who they're fuckin' with. No one's touching my Azriel."

IZZY

"Hmm." He closed his eyes and enjoyed the sound of that, his grin turning terribly smug. Then he settled back against her, quite comfortable despite all her little sharp edges. "Tell that to your cousin," he remarked dryly. "Apparently, he hates people like me."

JEN

She snorted. "Yeah, he ain't one to talk. When I hated his boyfriend, that was because he almost killed my dad. Goro just doesn't like your face." Larkin traced a finger along Azriel's cheek, smirking. "He doesn't know what's good."

IZZY

Azriel snickered at the compliment, opting to overlook the frankly baffling comment about Goro's boyfriend having almost killed Larkin's father. This group, really. He couldn't keep track of their intricate dramas.

"Well, at least someone else around here has taste," he said daintily, reaching up to take Larkin's hand and kiss her knuckles.

JEN

"So, uh. What was that about anyway?"

IZZY

"Oh, it's a mystery." He waved it off as if it were nothing, then remember that Goro was Larkin's best friend, so he likely ought to give the situation slightly more than a passing thought. "He thanked me for saving Theo, I told him to think nothing of it, he told me to go fuck myself or something along those lines. Puzzling, really."

JEN

Larkin rolled her eyes. "Uh-huh. Yeah, sounds like Goro. Anything you're not telling me, honey?"

IZZY

"Well, I did return the sentiment, which he didn't seem to appreciate."

JEN

"So you're telling me we won't be having fancy double-dates with Goro and his boyfriend...s?"

IZZY

"We could, but I suspect he may fling food at me," he said solemnly. "I could bear the indignity for you, however."

JEN

"Don't worry. I won't make you. Can't think many worse ways to spend an evening."

IZZY

"Ah, thank Mask." He sighed in relief that was only a little bit for dramatic effect. "I mean, I know he's your cousin, and all that, a fellow Basha -- but what an unpleasant gremlin of a man."

JEN

"Yeah, I mean..." Larkin shook her head. "Dunno. I know he's difficult but I love him. Okay? But fuck, I really don't wanna talk about Goro right now." She just wanted to take Azriel home and out of his torn clothing, then pamper him until the bruises faded and he didn't look so defeated anymore. But they weren't done here, yet.

IZZY

"Mm, yes. Nor I." He kissed along her cheekbone a couple times, and caught her lips again, and gave another sigh, contented this time, as he leaned his forehead against hers. "We'll do something nice, once this nonsense is over. Just you and I. Something criminal, perhaps."

JEN

Larkin threaded her fingers through his sweaty hair, pulling them together. "Yeah. Something without fucking orcs. Hey. You need new clothes after this."

IZZY

"I need new clothes immediately. It's an emergency, frankly."

JEN

"Well," Larkin said and leaned away a bit. She tugged at a rip in his waistcoat that went all the way through his shirt. "It does get me a nice view of the goods. Makes you look rough. Dangerous. It's kinda hot."

IZZY

"The goods?" He grinned. "Excuse me. The goods are up here, darling." He gestured to his face.

JEN

"Mmhmm, it's all good." She kissed the root of his broken horn, then traced his face with kisses down to his lips.

IZZY

He kept grinning. Mask, he was weak for such compliments, coming from her. He had wooed and been wooed with eloquent poetry and prose, but all it took was a few simple words from Larkin and he had all but forgotten their current dreadful situation. "Well, I suppose we're well matched, then."

JEN

Larkin grinned, then gave his face a gentle shove with her open hand. Charming bastard.

IZZY

He snickered, scrunching up his nose at the shove and coming right back to prop his forehead against hers. She wouldn't be rid of him so easily.

JEN

"Mmhmm." She made a low humming sound and closed her eyes. Enjoying Azriel's touch and the smell of his sweat and breath. Fucking Immanuel and Levi. To bad one of them had already kicked the bucket; Larkin had a few pieces of her mind to given them over making her worry so for Azriel.

Again she wished they could just go back to Skyport and sleep for a fucking day or two, just them in a bed and no assholes to disturb them.

But those fucking orcs had to make fucking problems.

"Are you going to help us get Amari?" Larkin asked.

IZZY

"Mm, if you like." He wasn't entirely sure why the woman was significant, only that the Graverunners had been quite keen on finding her. It truly was impossible to keep track. "Who is she to the lot of you, anyway?"

JEN

Larkin winced. "She's the one who took Goro off the streets. His mom, if you will. Joan's wife."

IZZY

"Oh. That's dreadful." He frowned. He had encountered Jasmilia Basha, of course, but hadn't been clear on the details of where Goro had actually come from, so to speak -- given that the Basha woman had abandoned him. Amari had been terribly calm and serene when she was in the cell with the rest of them. It was ... difficult to imagine such a woman being responsible for someone such as Goro.

Azriel no longer had any love left to lose for his own mother, but Amari seemed like an awful parent to lose. He supposed that was why Goro had been so snippy, before. Unfortunate.

"At any rate, yes, of course," he said. "I'll help however possible."

JEN

"I mean- I didn't mean you'd have to." Larkin frowned and opened her eyes, looking into Azriel's.

IZZY

He grinned at her. "What, do you think you could make me, if I didn't want to? I'd like to see you try."

JEN

"Oh." She laughed. "I can make you do a lot of things, no?"

IZZY

"Yes, and I like to see it happen."

JEN

"Hmm. Stop twisting me 'round your finger. Makes me wanna take you places. But..." Larkin gave a dramatic groan and dropped her head to Azriel's shoulder. "Fuck. We still got shit to do."

IZZY

He laughed quietly, and leaned his head against hers. The rest were gathering together -- it seemed all of the Runners were ashore, having had their reunions and now preparing for their next step. He wrinkled his nose; they were lighting torches and summoning mage lights, grouping up and counting heads before trickling back into the forest. He had hoped they would return to the ship, where presumably, there were beds.

"Well. Let's not get left behind." He kissed her nearest horn. "At the very least you can pet my hair and whisper sweet nothings to me by some ..." He gestured. What did people do, when they camped? "Some rustic bonfire. We'll make the best of it."

As they stood, he kissed her again, and grinned at her smugly.

"And -- by the way -- I love you, too."

[END]