TRP: Goro, Hansel, and Mishka (Driders)

**Coyote:** at 8:15
PM

[Setting: Mishka and Hansel accompany Goro on a trip to
Calimport. Goro is going for vacation purposes; Mishka and Hansel are going so
Mishka can locate and memorize a teleportation circle hidden in the Golden
City. They have been on the ship for over a week now.]

Mishka awoke slowly, feeling oddly groggy. His body felt…
heavy, and slow, which wasn’t usual. He dragged himself up, blinking blearily
around the room.

Mishka had paid extra for a private room aboard the ship. It
was small, and fairly cramped, but it was fine. There was a bunk bed. Mishka
slept practically on top of Hansel inside the narrow bottom bunk. Goro usually
slept on top.

As usual, Hansel was warm and heavy beneath him.

Something was… off, though. Everything felt too quiet. The
back of his neck prickled. Dawn’s light showed through the porthole, but there
was no noise around them, no footsteps, no people calling to each other on
deck. He slipped out of bed, glancing at the top bunk. Goro was gone. Huh.

He and checked outside the door.

Empty.

Mishka went back inside, shut the door, and shook Hansel
urgently. “Hans. Hans, wake up. Something’s fucked.”

**Izzy:** at 8:24 PM

A familiar bolt of adrenaline went through Hansel as he
woke, but it was dulled. He reached for his trident almost uncertainly, finding
it where he'd left it, straightening out from the bunk with a stumble to grab
his shield. Everything felt a little slow, like he was working on a delay.

And the ship was still, which set him on edge in a different
way. And quiet, save for Mishka, and -- he glanced back -- Goro was missing.

He started to ask Mishka where Goro was, but had the sense
that he wouldn't know. He moved for the door without saying anything, cracking
it open and looking around, then looking back to indicate for Mishka to follow
him and stay behind his shield, if he weren't already.

**Coyote:** at 8:35
PM

Mishka almost lifted his hand to stop Hansel. He had
invisibility magic; he could just vanish, then scout out the ship more. Without
putting Hansel in danger.

But something was still off. He'd need his magic. No need to
waste it now. So he dropped his hand, nodding. He grabbed his rapier and dagger
from near the bed and buckled them on.

As they checked around the ship, there was almost no one.
The cook, who normally awoke first to prepare the morning meal, was still
slumped in bed. Mishka rested his fingers on her neck and found no pulse. He
raised his eyebrows at Hansel.

Everyone on the ship was either missing or unconscious.
Or... dead, with no markings on them.

Mishka worked it out aloud. "Someone drugged the
crew." As quietly as possible, lest anyone be around to overhear. "Looks
like some overdosed. Cook's dead, maybe some others. No captain..." Huh.

Mishka checked around deck. They were docked on a small
island. They should've been close to Calimport by now, but this place was too
thick and green to be Calimport. Mishka padded back to the room, grabbed, his
boots, slipped them on.

**Izzy:** at 8:51 PM

There weren't many options here. Hansel trailed Mishka back
to their quarters, pacing outside the room, considering. They'd all been
drugged, with no concerns for whether they actually survived, and moored next
to some little island with Calimport no where in sign. He hated not knowing
where on the ocean they were -- this place was unfamiliar and it was too light
to get any bearing by the stars.

So he guessed he was just going to have to go down to that
little island and stab throats until someone told him where this island was,
and where Goro was, and if he didn't like the latter answer, he'd have to stab
a few more.

Once Mishka was ready, he led the way down to the gangplank,
then paused as he glanced around the dock. The shield that the kitsune had
given to him strapped to his arm, leaving that hand free to quickly pull Mishka
in for a kiss.

"Luck. Y'know." He grinned, tense. Something about
this did feel like years ago. Like the equal parts watered-down and dramatized
pirate stories Mishka liked to tell. He wasn't going into that sort of
situation without taking a quiet moment to kiss his husband one more time.

He stepped onto the gangplank first, putting his shield up
between himself and whatever might come.

"Let's go get Goro and fuck up whatever's in the way,
eh."

**Coyote:** at 9:06
PM

"God yes," Mishka said.

There was a jittery feeling crawling just beneath his skin.
He told himself it was excitement; he always loved and hated situations like
this.

(Goro, though. Where the fuck was Goro? How long as they
been out? Had Goro woken alone and wandered off to check things out, or had he
been dragged? Whoever had drugged them hadn't been deeply concerned about their
safety. What if Goro were-- well, dead?)

Mishka stopped himself there.

He should've been more careful, somehow. Should've locked
the door three times instead of just twice. Should've asked Goro to do that
Alarm spell thing. Should've... checked every bit of his food for narcotics or
for poison. Something. Fuck.

He followed Hansel down the gangplank and into the jungle.

**Izzy:** at 9:15 PM

Hansel walked quietly, slowly, looking from side to side up
and down the beach. Driftwood, but nothing big enough to hide anything dangerous
-- though he locked up briefly at a movement that turned out to just be a crab
poking up from the sand and returning to sea.

There was a clear path in the thick trees, starting where
the wooden dock ended. He eyeballed it for traps, but clearly no one was
supposed to be here except ... whoever had brought them here. He pushed
forward, stepping as lightly as he could, ears sharp. Not as sharp as they used
to be, but still pretty fucking sharp. Nothing so far. Just his own footsteps,
and Mishka's behind him.

Which indicated something on its own. No birdsong. No
animals. Just trees thickening overhead the further they went, and silence.

**Coyote:** at 9:23
PM

And then-- a noise. Voices, ahead. Mishka tapped a finger on
Hansel's shoulder to stop him. Just in case Hansel's ears hadn't caught it.

There were glimpses of clothing through the trees far ahead,
maybe thirty feet away. Clothing and movement. Mishka spoke quietly. "You
stay here, I'll scout ahead?"

**Izzy:** at 9:24 PM

Hansel hesitated, but Mishka could turn invisible, could
teleport out of danger. He nodded.

**Coyote:** at 9:32
PM

Mishka braided his hair loosely out of his face. He briefly
considered kissing Hansel (for luck, again, maybe, or...)-- was he allowed to
do that yet? Then dismissed it. Shoved it aside, locked it up.

Other shit to think about. Gotta get Goro before the kid
got... sacrificed to an evil serpent god, or whatever was going on. Mishka
could invent two dozen scenarios about what could've happened to the kid, and
none of them were nice.

He vanished.

He slipped ahead, watching carefully for dry twigs that
might snap under his feet. He emerged silently into the small camp. There were
only two men here, both members of the crew. The men were silent and nervous,
almost jittery. One sat on a crate, eating an apple. The other paced. Mishka
glanced ahead, further up the path. No one else in sight.

Mishka made his way back as quickly as possible. "Two
men," he murmured. "Both with swords. Lookouts, maybe. Drag marks
leading further down the path. They're alone. Kill one, catch the other?"

**Izzy:** at 9:39 PM

He had to make himself not tap his foot or fidget with his
trident while he waited. Stay still, stay stealthy. He wasn't any fucking good
at stealth. Just kept his eyes trained up ahead, ready to charge forward if
there was the tiniest motion.

Mishka's voice, soft, beside him. He chewed his lip,
thinking about it. "Or just kill'em both and follow the track," he
muttered.

Strategically, there was probably some information to be
gleaned from them, but realistically, it didn't matter what that information
was. He was going to stab anything that got in is way, whatever it was that'd
split him from his crew.

Mishka probably had the right idea, though. He shifted his
grip on the trident. "I'll spear one, you hold the other in place with magic?"(edited)

**Coyote:** at 9:48
PM

"Sounds like a plan." Felt pretty good, planning
this shit out with Hansel again. Felt familiar, like discovering an old jacket
and slipping it on to find it still fit.

Mishka's mouth twitched as he had an idea. He stopped
himself from smiling.

He brushed down the path ahead. He didn't bother to hide his
entrance, boldly sauntering down the path. The men both looked up, startled.
One got off the crate, drawing his weapon. "Hey you there!" the
sailor shouted. "Hold!"

Mishka smiled. He reached out his hand and clenched it. And
both of them, not just one, froze in place, eyes wide with fear. He felt both
of them struggling against the spell, panicked, but neither managed to break
free. Mishka looked back at Hansel, smirking.

"Look, I made it easy for you," he said.

**Izzy:** at 9:56 PM

Hansel had started to take a step after Mishka when he'd
just wandered off down the path, then stopped. He was going to do something
dumb, needlessly dramatic, and amazing, and Hansel was going to let him,
because he frankly really fucking missed watching Mishka work against other
people.

The two sailors froze in place, straining and panicking.
Hansel pressed the button on his trident to shift it into a longsword as he
strolled up, then briefly planted his feet, gestured between the two of them
idly for a second, and threw everything he had into swinging the sword through
the nearer one's neck.

Decapitation was a little harder than it looked. Really had
to get between those bones or you'd just end up with your blade lodged into'em.
Hansel was very good it.

He wiped the blood off against his pant leg and turned to
the one that was still alive. Without looking up, he mildly asked,
"Anything you'd like to tell us about, friend?"(edited)

**Coyote:** at 10:10
PM

God, Mishka loved it when Hansel was intimidating. It was
somewhere between completely true and absolutely an act; Hansel didn't enjoy
killing, but he was really fucking good at it.

He loosened his control over the man, but left some power
there, finessed it so the man was still partially paralyzed.

"Specifically, we are looking for a friend of
ours," Mishka said. "Shady-looking skinny fuck, dark hair, olive
skin, half-elf, eyes like a storm at sea... lies through his teeth, carries a
mace... oh, you were on the ship, weren't you? Goro. It's Goro. The fellow we
were bunking with."

He sat on the partially open crate. "Anyway, do educate
us. Help us out and we'll let you live. Fair?"

The man cleared his throat. He seemed to keep his resolve.
"Fair. Look, Captain Avantika..." Then he broke down. "I
didn't-- know about any of this until yesterday. She said-- She said we could
either drink the ale and be drugged, too, or we could-- or we could join her. I
wasn't-- I wasn't fucking hired for this! I thought it was a normal protection
job, I swear!"

**Izzy:** at 10:17 PM

Hansel tilted his head. He was telling the truth, or he was
a decent liar. Either way, he'd been all but useless.

He shifted his weapon back to a trident and slipped it onto
his back, catching one of his axes on the way back and stepping up to the
sailor, pressing the finely-honed blade against the man's immobile throat,
staring into his eyes and speaking to Mishka.

"I dunno. I kinda wanna kill him. You think he can say
anything to make me change my mind, motek?"

**Coyote:** at 10:25
PM

"Beloved. I'm almost certain. He's undoubtably just
about to tell us everything," Mishka said. Gaze flickered from Hansel to
the half-paralyzed man. "Right, sugar-plum?"

The man shuddered at the touch of cold steel at his neck.

"I don't know what's going on," the man said,
swallowing. "But-- Captain Avantika took your... friend?... your-- the guy
bunking with you, they took him, and-- a bunch of the others, unconscious--
further down the path, to... the caves. I don't know what she wants with them.
She said to wait here, and everything would be fine." He shuddered again,
this time more violently. "Me and Jack saw something down the path. A
creature. Looked like a spider, we thought at first, but... then it came
further up the path."

The man made Helm's protective sign over his heart: a
four-pointed shield. "It was some kind of monstrosity. Half-man,
half-beast. Skin gray and black, like coal dust. It was watching us, we
thought. Then it disappeared a few minutes ago. I don't know anything else, I
swear. Just that we were hired to do a job, to work for Captain Avantika,
and... we did it."

Mishka patted the man. "Ah, thank you. Is that
all?"

The man nodded shaking.

"We're done, then," Mishka said to Hansel, and
hopped off the crate.

**Izzy:** at 10:32 PM

There was always just a little bit more, if you applied
enough pressure. Some people liked the slow, subtle approach, but Hansel had
never been much good at that. He left it to others. People like Mishka, or
Goro, for that matter. Hansel's style was more ... glancing over his shoulder
to read Mishka -- as if he had to -- and biting the blade into the sailor's
neck.

It was over fast -- he went deep enough to cut the spinal
cord. Wiped the blood on the dead man's clothes this time, and spun his axe
back to its holster and he turned to Mishka.

He drew his trident. "Driders, huh."

**Coyote:** at 10:35
PM

Mishka wiped a fleck of blood off his boot. "Fucking
driders, Hansel. Dark elves, too, maybe," Mishka said, smiling a bit too
widely. "Good gods. Everyone in Alabaster thinks they're extinct. I would
if we can talk to them, or-- no. No, they're trying to kill Goro, or something.
That's no good."

He sauntered off down the path again, a bit too quick this
time.

**Izzy:** at 10:38 PM

Hansel rolled his eyes slightly but smiled, catching up to
Mishka in a few strides and settling a pace ahead of him, shield up. "Goro
first. Then you can talk to your long-lost cousins or fuckin' whatever."

**Coyote:** at 10:48
PM

Mishka snorted, letting Hansel get in front of him again.

It was-- fucking charming when Hansel did that, but also
painfully unsettling. The way that Hansel just automatically put his body
physically between Mishka and the danger every time.

"Hansel, I just discovered drow might not be extinct
thirty seconds ago. It's going to be an awful shame if we have to extinct them
again." He hummed quietly. "Fine. I suppose I still need Goro for
things. You're right."(edited)

**Izzy:** at 10:59 PM

"I'll do my very fuckin' best to not murder an entire
sub-species of elf, but no promises." He glanced up into the trees. Maybe
it was his imagination that there were wisps of web up there. Fuckin' driders.
He'd never fought one before; he bet it'd be interesting. All the legs, and the
webbing and shit, and he was pretty sure they made magic.

Probably shouldn't be so excited about it. Eh, he was sure
Goro was fine. That fucker was a survivor. They just needed to get to him
sooner rather than later.

The jungle became thicker and thicker overhead, darker, and
he stepped quietly, listening for any other sailors, or any animals -- anything
moving in the trees. Eventually the path led to a cave, its entrance partially
webbed over to cut the light, but open enough for a couple people to drag a
body in.

He looked back at Mishka. Seemed to be the place. "You
wanna go first and try diplomacy on whatever jumps out at us, or should I go
first and try my version?"

**Coyote:** at 11:04
PM

"Mm. Here's the thing. See, in Alabaster, they taught
us drow are unspeakably evil masters of manipulation and chaos," Mishka
said. "So on one hand, y'know, maybe we just oughta go in, trident
swinging. On the other hand, I figure I might get along with 'em, y'know?"

Mishka thought it over. Then he shrugged.

"I don't think we have time for diplomacy," he
finally said briefly.

Then he rested his fingers on Hansel's shoulder again.
"Stay with me. Don't fly ahead. Worst comes to worst... we roast the
place. Put all those dainty webs up in flames, right? Don't want to... roast
you too, love."

**Izzy:** at 11:12 PM

Hansel grinned crookedly. Good plan. Less talking.
"Works for me. Just, uh, maybe make sure you know where Goro is before you
go setting the place on fire, right? Don't wanna roast him either."

He set forward into the murk. Times like this he was glad
for his orc father -- that blood let him see further ahead than a human would.
He kept his shield up, keeping Mishka on his off-side so that he could cover
him as well, arm tensed and trident at the ready.

The webbing got thicker as they went, lumps wrapped up in it
that could have been egg sacs or future meals. Turned his stomach again. None
of them were of a size to be Goro, though; they could all burn if needed.

He stopped suddenly. Though he heard something, up ahead,
but again his ears weren't as keen as Mishka's. He glanced to see what Mishka'd
made of it.

**Coyote:** at 11:30
PM

Mishka vanished and moved ahead automatically, slipping past
Hansel. His breath was stuck in his throat.

A voice. He fucking swore he heard a voice.

"I'll be back," he whispered as he darted ahead.
(He always had to let Hansel know he was coming back, always, he just needed a
minute to see, to make sure-- that had sounded like--)

He made it about a hundred feet down the tunnel before he
broke out into a larger chamber. It was maybe fifty feet across, maybe sixty,
and there was a drop straight down under his feet. It looked like the center of
a web of tunnels.

There were three driders in the room. Captain Avantika was
there, too, collecting payment from one of the driders, looking bored and
pleased with herself... only she looked different now. Her clothes and demeanor
were the same, but--

She was a drow.

Illusion magic. She'd disguised herself aboard the ship. A
drow captain taking willing passengers to this deserted isle to feed to her
drider brethren. Made sense. Clever bitch. Mishka was going to kill her. Well--
he rather admired her, honestly. It was a solid scheme. But still. She'd threatened
him. She'd threatened Hansel, and she'd taken Goro.

And then Mishka's eyes caught on something.

Goro.

There... there was Goro.

Alive. Fucking alive.

He still looked fully conscious, thank the fucking gods. One
of the driders had bound him securely in webbing. His face-- his eyes and
mouth-- were tightly covered in thick white webbing. They'd left his nose free,
though, just enough for his to breathe.

He looked like he was panicking. Pulling hard against the
webbing. Chest moving fast, breathing hard through his nose.

There were five others stuck in the webbing, too. Mishka
noted them briefly, but made no note if they were alive or dead. Didn't matter.
Other shit to worry about. Goro was about twenty-five feet from the cave
entrance where Mishka stood. How could he get there?

**Izzy:** at 11:45 PM

Hansel waited a beat, and then the beat went on too long. No
additional sounds to tip him off -- just a gut feeling. He stayed close to the
wall and crept closer, feeling with his shield for the gentle bump into an
invisible Mishka, but he didn't have to make it that far. Came up on a big
fucking chamber instead, and pressed himself more firmly against the wall to
avoid being spotted. Wished he had some way of contacting Mishka without making
a sound -- god knew where he fuckin' was.

The chamber was full of webbing. Some bits of it moved, and
he zeroed in on those, spotting the edge of Goro's robes between the white web.
Moving, breathing, panicking by the look of it, but alive. Mishka was invisible,
here, somewhere -- not trapped -- hadn't been enough time for that. But there
were fucking driders, and -- the captain, he thought, but different. Drow,
maybe. Elven, For sure. His fingers drummed against his trident.

One plan would be to just charge in. Mishka could join him.
They'd slay the driders and the drow in a dramatic, heroic fashion that Mishka
would get to tell stories about.

But Goro was the priority. He'd been chained up and
powerless to some fucking dangerous bullshit long enough. Hansel wasn't leaving
him there any longer than he needed to, and as a matter of fact, he no longer
needed to.

Hansel stepped towards him, still keeping his feet light,
and knocked into something invisible. He grit his teeth, then put his lips
where he knew Mishka's ears would be, barely speaking: "You firebomb them.
I'll get Goro."(edited)

**Coyote:** at 11:54
PM

Mishka didn't say anything, just blindly grasped for
Hansel's hand. He found it gripped tight over the trident, and he joined it
there, then let go.

He moved further into the chamber. He climbed a nearby
stalagmite to give himself the higher ground. As soon as he started casting
offensive magic, the invisibility would drop, and he'd be the most obvious
target in the room. Good. Maybe he could keep the driders from targeting Hansel
while Hansel cut Goro free.

He watched Hansel out of the corner of his eye, moving
quietly as he could towards Goro. Good.

Mishka heaved himself up onto a flat space in the wall. He
dropped the invisibility. "Hey!" he called. "Avantika,
darling!"

Her head whipped around.

"Fuck you," he said, and snapped his fingers, and
the largest fireball he could summon exploded in the room.

His rage was stronger than he expected, somehow, the emotion
keener than he liked. Too late, he realized he'd made the explosion too strong,
too large, and had to fight to contain it, to keep it from reaching Hansel or
Goro. The flames licked the edges of the Goro web Goro was in, melting it
partially.

November 27, 2018

**Izzy:** at 12:04 AM

Hansel moved for Goro as soon as Mishka acknowledged him,
shifting his trident to his off hand and drawing an axe. Goro moved slightly --
as much as he could -- when he came close, likely feeling the vibrations and
assuming it was a drider, so he went for the webbing muffling Goro's hearing
first, slicing into it carefully and murmuring, "It's Hansel and Mishka.
It's okay."

A second later, Mishka loudly announced his own presence.
The heat of the fire scorched Hansel's back, its flames licking at the webbing
close to Goro. He dropped his axe and grabbed his trident instead, switching it
quickly back to a sword and cutting one decisive slice between Goro and the
flames, revealing the edge of his robes and grabbing for them to rip him
gracelessly out of the webbing and tuck him tightly between Hansel's shield and
chest.

He turned to see what mess Mishka had made of the cavern. He
was, despite himself, a real big fucking fan of Mishka's messes.(edited)

**Lina:** at 9:48 AM

When he first heard Hansel's voice, Goro's first thought
was, Oh, of course they're behind all this.

Motherfuckers. They could have at least filled him in on the
plan first.

He gasped for breath, clinging to Hansel's chest, and tried
to squirm free so he could run on his own two feet. No use, Hansel had him in a
fucking vise grip. That and he felt weak and dizzy still, from whatever had
knocked him out in the first place. And the panic. Apparently some people got
super strength when they freaked out, or so Goro had heard. But him? Feeble as
a fucking baby.

Given the bedlam erupting in the cavern, and how
protectively Hansel was holding him, Goro got this weird feeling that maybe
this wasn't a "plan" so much as "some shit that happened."
Like... Hansel and Mishka had come to help him?

Nah. Fuckin' nah.

**Izzy:** at 10:10 AM

Goro made a move like he wanted to get away, but that wasn't
happening. He could be all touch averse once he was safe. Hansel cast a glance
around the chamber and decided Mishka could handle it for a second -- at least
for the second it took him to lift Goro off his feet and bolt back for the
tunnel, where the fire was less likely to spread and Goro would be out of the
driders' immediate sight.

Then he let him go, mostly, holding him against the tunnel
wall with one hand to look him over. Didn't seem injured. Just a bit out of it,
and freaked out. Hansel had briefly considered whether their best move might be
to grab Goro and fuck off, not deal with fighting the three driders -- he
didn't know how tough they'd be -- but looking at Goro now, he'd had a change
of heart.

"You all right?" he asked lowly.

Those things were gonna fuckin' die regardless.

**Lina:** at 1:20 PM

Goro took a minute to catch his breath. He couldn't look
Hansel in the eye. He dragged his fingers through his hair, pushing it off his
forehead. Still... sticky. Fucking hell, he was gonna throw up.

"Oh yeah," he said. "I'm great. Having the
time of my life. What the hell's going on?"

**Coyote:** at 1:38
PM

Mishka watched Hansel rescue their darling kidnapped kitten
from the corner of his eye. Safe.

The driders weren’t paying attention to Hansel and Goro.

They were paying attention to Mishka.

Captain Avantika lay dead, burnt to a crisp. The three
driders were charred, but still standing. The room stank of burned hair and
charred meat.

Two of the driders headed directly towards him. The third
broke off, dashing into one of the nearby tunnels. The driders were fucking
fast. They scaled the ground in an instant, then began scaling the wall without
even pausing. Those creepy long, black legs flashing. Shit. Mishka summoned a
second fireball, exploding it at their feet to slow them down, but they were
still bearing down on him fast.

He had to dimension-step out. Not yet, though— he needed to
give Hansel and Goro more time. He stayed where he was, drawing his rapier. He
threw the dancing rapier into the air and commanded it to attack the nearest
drider just as it reached him.(edited)

**Izzy:** at 3:36 PM

"Y'know, kidnapping, poisoning, monsters, normal
fuckin' day for us." Hansel leaned back to check on Mishka. He'd be
surrounded soon, need to teleport away.

He looked back to Goro, considering. Might be too shaken to
be much use in the fight, but there could be other driders or drow in the cave
system, so there wasn't going to be any telling him to get out on his own. He
pulled Goro close again -- only option -- kept him under his arm on his shield
side.

"Stay beside me, motek. Watch my back."

Hansel stepped out into the tunnel entrance and bashed his
trident against his shield, drawing attention to himself from the remaining
driders (there were two now; the third was bound to crop up when it would be
least convenient). Mishka's rapier was in the air. He needed to regroup with
Hansel before they got any closer.

"Khochav!" Hansel yelled. "I'm gettin'
fuckin' bored over here!"

**Lina:** at 7:27 PM

Motek.

Motek?

Was Goro remembering that word wrong, or did Hansel think
Mishka could hear him from that far away, or...

Goro let Hansel drag him back to the chamber entrance, too
confused to resist. Watch my back, Hansel said. Fine, Goro could do one better.
A warding bond, to help him resist damage, by letting Goro take half of it
himself. Goro reached a hand up and laid it over Hansel's heart, whispering a
prayer. A silvery blue light suffused his hand, then sank into Hansel's chest.

Mishka next. Goro couldn't cast the bond again, but he'd
help him some other way. He darted away from Hansel's side, trying to catch the
guy off-guard, but Hansel yanked him back and held him even tighter.

"Mishka," Goro yelled at Hansel, still flailing
against him. "Let me go!"

**Coyote:** at 7:36
PM

Mishka caught a flash of movement out of the corner of his
eye. The third drider—the one he thought had run away—crawled on the ceiling
above him, hidden behind a stalactite. Mishka’s eyes widened.

It dropped down before he could react, slamming into him.
They tumbled down the slope and onto the ground below. The enormous, heavy
beast pinned him down. He hadn’t seen it in time, he realized, heart roaring in
his ears. He’d been too fucking busy watching Hansel and Goro out of the corner
of his eye. This was what being emotional got him. It got him fucking
distracted.

He used to be better than this.

He used to be colder, more calculating. Fucking teammates,
making Mishka... fucking soft.

The drider used its two forelegs to pin him, then bent and
bit down on his shoulder. Mishka screamed hoarsely, crumpling, as he felt
something... pump... through the bite. Poison. Fucking agony. Felt like acid,
almost.

Mishka focused teleporting to Hansel, then snapped his
fingers. But his fingers were slick with blood, and they slipped. No crack. The
teleportation spell didn’t trigger. He couldn’t concentrate long enough to cast
spells; too much pain. The dancing rapier fell to the floor with a clatter.

As the poison pumped through the bite, it burned like
wildfire, and he writhed in agony. God, if he could just get the fucking
drider’s teeth off his neck, he could concentrate through the pain and
disappear away, but it was too fucking big, too heavy, practically crushing
him—

**Izzy:** at 8:08 PM

The driders weren't distracted by his shield -- Hansel
guessed Mishka was too close, too easy of a target. But he wasn't concerned
about it. Mishka would just teleport away, come back over to him, and they'd
have a solid front to repel them from. Goro would probably calm down once
Mishka was there, anyway. It'd be fine. He'd get to add driders to the list of
weird shit he'd killed.

Then two concerning things happened in rapid succession:

Goro pressed his hand against Hansel's chest, and a blue
light passed between them, and a feeling of warmth flooded Hansel's body at the
same time a chill went down his back, and he abruptly thought, Oh, fuck.

And before he could consider that any further, the drider
he'd lost track of dropped from the ceiling and onto Mishka, crushing him. He
could still teleport away -- he should appear at Hansel's side any second --
but he fucking didn't and Hansel wasn't fucking waiting. He was already moving
when the thing bent down to bite into Mishka, grabbing the axe he had left from
his belt to fling it at the monster, hitting it in the spine. That got its
fucking attention -- it flinched and twisted its head, locking eyes on him.

Too late, though. He drove his trident through its neck and
shoved the thing's body off of Mishka. Huh. Could he do that normally? Maybe it
was that spell. Maybe he was just real fuckin' angry.

He'd dragged Goro along, automatically -- to keep him from
running ahead rather than to keep him from running away -- and finally let go
of him once they were close. Mishka was pale, bleeding, clearly in terrible
pain. The bite already looked horrible. Hansel fumbled for his bag, where he
knew he had some antitoxin -- kept some on him, now, always, even though there
were poisons it couldn't combat -- but wasn't finding it and just gave up and
threw the bag at them. Goro probably had a spell that could do it, but maybe he
should save his magic.

"I got an antitoxin in --," he started, but raised
his trident and looked away from them just in time for a second drider to smash
into him, knocking him away from them. The fucking thing managed to impale
itself on the trident, but it didn't die right away -- just scrabbled at his
face in pain and screeched, and was answered by another screech, from the one
that was still alive.

Then there was darkness. The kind he couldn't see through --
the magic kind that tieflings could make. And, apparently, driders. Fuck.

**Lina:** at 8:51 PM

Goro was on his knees at Mishka's side as soon as Hansel
released him. He patted Mishka down, searching for the bite wound. Hansel's bag
smacked into his side.

"I got an antitoxin in --," Antitoxin? What did
they need a fucking antitoxin for when Goro could--

When the drider smashed into Hansel, Goro felt a lurch in
his gut from the warding bond, like having the wind knocked out of him. Nothing
too bad, though. He could still focus. Mishka. Drider bite. Probably venomous.

The moment Goro singled out the bloody bite marks on
Mishka's shoulder, everything went dark. "Fuck," he said, looking
around frantically. He waved a hand in front of his face and detected only the
faintest movement. Without thinking he touched one of his rings, trying to
illuminate it with a light cantrip, but it had no effect.

Right, right, magical darkness. But Amari had shown him
something new, last time he saw her. Something she said could be useful in
exactly this sort of situation.

Well, not the driders and shit specifically, but close
enough.

He stood up and pointed to a spot directly overhead. Closed
his eyes, and prayed. When the spell took effect, he could tell even through
his closed eyelids. A sphere of light, bright like the sun at midday.

He opened his eyes and promptly had to shield them with his
hands from the glare. "Holy shit."

**Coyote:** at 9:00
PM

Mishka fought to focus.

There was blinding darkness, then stinging light. Everything
felt over-sensitive and raw-- like heat on a sunburn.

Goro was beside him. Mishka held his breath, waiting for the
relief of a healing spell, but it never came. He swallowed back choked noises. Crying
out was only going to distract Hansel from defending them. Instead, he tried to
draw his rapier, the normal one he kept at his side. His hand was too weak with
pain. He couldn't clasp it.

He went for the bag instead, weakly pawing through it. His fingers
on his left hand, nearest to the bitten shoulder, rapidly began to go numb.

Don't scream. Hansel will think something is wrong. He's
busy.

**Izzy:** at 9:11 PM

The darkness only lasted for a moment -- just long enough
for Hansel's eyes to try to adjust to it, and for him to stab out in the
blackness, lodging his trident deeper into the drider on top of him and making
it stop moving, stop screaming. He'd fight in the dark if he had to, by sound
-- he still had enough of a sense of where Mishka and Goro were, he'd get back
to them, stay low, listen for the one that was left --

Then he snarled and flinched as the spot he'd been staring
vacantly at erupted in light. What the fuck. It wasn't a fireball -- that
wasn't Mishka's magic. Goro could do that? Fuck. That was impressive.

He blinked through it and struggled out from under the
speared drider, having to take a moment to wrench his trident free of its body.
His back and shoulder ached from slamming into the floor. Never used to notice
those things in the moment; used to take him hours to come down and feel a
battle's injuries again. He rolled the shoulder he'd landed on as he pushed
himself to his feet, half-propping on the trident, and cast a look around for
the monster that was left.

It'd taken the flicker of darkness to get closer to them,
but it was cringing in the light, now, shielding its eyes. That probably
wouldn't last for long. He might not be able to get to them before it did, and
Mishka was still on the ground, and Goro seemed stunned. Quick decision. He
switched the trident to the arm that didn't hurt and took a brief run up to
hurl it at the fucker, lancing it through the abdomen -- the spider part -- and
sinking the head of the trident firmly into the ground.

It shrieked and strained, insect blood slicking the trident,
but those fucking dwarves had known what they were doing. It was stuck.

Hansel shambled over to his crewmates and dropped down next
to Mishka, taking the bag from him and finding the antitoxin, then realizing
his hands were shaking. He grabbed Mishka's hand tight with his and held the
bottle out to Goro.

**Lina:** at 9:21 PM

Goro pushed the bottle away. "Save it." He dropped
to Mishka's side again and laid hands on him. Mishka shuddered and retched as his
body rejected the poison, pushing it back out through the blood oozing from his
wounds. Goro set to work on those next, using up every charge of his Foxtail
wand. Still not good as new, he could tell, but Mishka looked a hell of a lot
better at least.

**Coyote:** at 9:26
PM

It felt like Mishka had been on fire and Goro had dumped a
bucket of the sweetest, coldest water on him. Mishka sat up, still breathing
hard. He clasped Hansel's hand tightly, with both hands, and pressed his
feverish face into Hansel's cool arm.

The last drider was still alive, writhing and shrieking on
the trident. Stuck.

Hansel didn't move, though. Just stayed there, gently
holding his hand.

Mishka finally managed to get a hold of himself. Still
shaking, nerves still raw, he staggered to his feet and drew his rapier to
finish the last beast off.

**Izzy:** at 9:39 PM

He was better. Not perfect, but not dying. Fuck. For
fucksake -- that shouldn't have been so close. Next time they'd have to strategize
better, or --

Next time. There was always a fucking next time.

Hansel wanted to grab at Mishka and make him rest, but that
would mean him getting up to kill the drider himself, and the impact of that
one was seeping into his bones. Sometimes he got a second wind at times like this,
but it was like he wasn't hurt quite badly enough for it to kick in -- just
badly enough to feel like shit. So he let Mishka go, staying on the ground,
holding his hand until it slipped away and muttering, "Be careful."

Then he glanced to Goro. He was fine, at least. Hansel
thought the little motherfucker had nerves of steel, just showed it in a
strange fucking way. Everything about him was goddamn strange. Shit.

He gestured upwards. "Good thinking. The light."

**Lina:** at 9:43 PM

"Thanks," he said, in Orcish.

**Coyote:** at 9:49
PM

Mishka drove his rapier into the drider's throat. It took
both hands to do it. He yanked it out and let the rapier clatter to the ground.
Mishka surveyed the room. All three driders were dead. Captain Avantika was
dead. Ha. They'd fucking won.

He was still panting for breath. His throat felt raw. The
room was quiet and still. Some of the webs were burning.

He limped back over to Goro and Hansel and collapsed on the
ground next to them. Then he wrapped his arms around Goro's shoulders and
pulled Goro half into his lap. He rested his fingers lightly on Goro's wrist,
on his pulse. Alive. All good.

Then he just sat there, still breathing hard.

**Lina:** at 10:01 PM

Goro froze up when Mishka pulled him close, not sure what to
make of it. They hadn't interacted a lot since that last day in Skyport.
Certainly hadn't been hugging or otherwise touching each other.

Mishka was... taking his pulse? The fuck. Fine. Goro took
Mishka's hand and checked his pulse back. "Should we take Hansel's next,
you think?" he quipped, and stuffed down his true reaction, which was
alarm at how fast Mishka's heart was beating. It was to be expected, though,
after what they'd gone through. He let go of Mishka's hand and scooted away.
"So, either of you want to tell me what the fuck all that was about?"

**Izzy:** at 10:20 PM

Hansel watched Mishka pull Goro in close and take his wrist
without saying anything. The way Goro locked up, then moved away, quickly
deflected. Odd. Something familiar about it.

He pushed himself up to go yank his trident out of the dead
drider. "Captain was a drow. Sold us for food." He planted his boot
on the monster, grunting and finally managing to wrench the trident free.
"Drug wore off me and Mishka before they could come back for us, I
guess."

He slipped it onto his back, leaving his shield on his arm,
for now, just in case, and picked up Mishka's rapier as well. He went back to
retrieve his bag and axe, then offered them each a hand up. Could probably carry
Mishka out of here if he needed to. Maybe both of them. Thinking about it made
his back twinge, though.

"We should probably fuckin' go in case there's more
of'em deeper in the caves."

**Coyote:** at 10:23
PM

"Mm. Hm. Okay, but, ah," Mishka said. "Where
are we going? Back to the ship? The ship doesn't have a captain, Hansel, and we
killed two of the..."

Mishka stopped dead midsentence.

His expression slowly changed, a smile breaking across his
face.

"Huh," he said, rocking back. "The ship needs
a captain, does it now."

**Izzy:** at 10:30 PM

Hansel snorted. "Aye, Cap'n."

He let Mishka sit there and be gleeful about reliving his
glory days, moving past them and grabbing Goro's shoulder as he did, dragging
him to his feet and propping an arm around him. See how he'd react. No danger,
this time, so he wasn't going to force him to stay -- just see if he'd mind it.

**Lina:** at 10:34 PM

Goro crossed his arms, shoulders tense. He glanced up at
Hansel. "What? Why are you looking at me like that?"

**Izzy:** at 10:42 PM

"Like what." Not moving away. Not threatening to
incinerate him.

Hansel glanced over his shoulder at Mishka cheerily cutting
free the other captives. Right. Supposed they would need a crew. He'd forgotten
about them.

"Hey, khochav. You good on your own?" He jerked
his head to indicate he was heading out. Fresh air and real sunlight seemed
like a good idea.(edited)

**Coyote:** at 10:43
PM

"All good, neshama. I'll hop to you if there's a
problem," Mishka said. "'bout half-power right now. Still a good
amount left."

**Lina:** at 10:44 PM

Goro slipped out from under Hansel's arm when Hansel seemed
distracted with Mishka. All casual-like.

**Izzy:** at 10:48 PM

Hansel didn't push it. Just gave Goro an amused look for
slipping away, like he thought Hansel might not notice he'd done it. Cute.

Shit.

He jerked a thumb over his shoulder. "You gonna stay
with Mishka in the creepy fuckin' cave where we almost died, or you comin' with
me back outside?"

**Lina:** at 10:50 PM

"I'll come out," Goro mumbled. He glanced over his
shoulder at Mishka. "You... you sure we should... that drider had him in a
tight spot."

**Izzy:** at 10:51 PM

"Hey, Mishka," Hansel called, moving on, "should
Goro be worried about you?"

**Lina:** at 10:51 PM

"Shut the fuck up," Goro hissed.

**Coyote:** at 10:53
PM

Mishka snorted. In Orcish, he said to Hansel, "Look,
just drag him out. He'd probably like it."

**Izzy:** at 11:01 PM

He snorted again. Goro had responded to him in Orcish, but
it didn't seem like Mishka realized he knew it. He caught Goro's eye and
grinned. Was it worth it? Goro wasn't as twitchy as Mishka had been. A little
manhandling probably wouldn't damage him irreparably at this point.

Hansel tossed his arm around Goro's neck again, pulling him
on, waving over his shoulder to Mishka in case he was looking.

**Coyote:** at 11:01
PM

Mishka smirked and went back to cutting the cocoons open.

**Lina:** at 11:02 PM

"What the fuck. What the fuck. Hey, I'm gonna throw up.
Hansel, I'm gonna fucking puke. If you don't let go of me right now I'm gonna
puke on your boots."

**Izzy:** at 11:03 PM

"My boots've had worse. What, you need me to carry you?
I'll do it."

**Lina:** at 11:06 PM

Goro pulled away, staggered to the side of the tunnel, and
braced himself with a hand against the wall. He leaned over and vomited up
whatever the hell his last meal had been. He couldn't even remember. It hadn't
been good going down and it was no better coming up.

He stood up and turned toward Hansel, wiping his mouth with
the back of his hand. "What?"

**Izzy:** at 11:12 PM

Ah. Hansel kept doing this thing where he forgot other
people got fucked up by this sort of shit. He thought for a second, keeping his
distance, then said, "I really will carry you out, if you need me
to," more seriously. "Or if you need to me to fuckin' back off,
that's fine. But you should probably get some fresh air, either fuckin'
way."

He unhooked his waterskin from his belt and held it out.

**Lina:** at 11:15 PM

"I'm fine." Goro took the waterskin. He squirted
some into his mouth, swished, and spat, then repeated a couple times, followed
by a few sips to hopefully settle his stomach. He passed the waterskin back to
Hansel. "I need a fucking bath, is what I need. I'm still all... sticky
and shit, god. Can you carry me to a nice place to take a bath?"

**Izzy:** at 11:38 PM

"Fine. Mmhm." Hansel considered the logistics of
actually carrying Goro back out to the coast and dumping him into the shallows.
It'd be hilarious, sure, maybe a little ... chivalrous, or something, but it'd
also be real fuckin' embarrassing if he only made it halfway there and got a
cramp or some shit.

Instead, he pulled Goro against his side again, not giving
him any choice but to rest most of his weight against Hansel, and started back
towards the cave exit. Compromise. "Spotted a little cove on the way in to
save your ass. Probably a good place to get clean." He could have phrased
that differently, and it nearly came out, but Goro had just thrown up. Probably
wasn't in the mood to be ... vaguely flirted at.

Fuck, and that was what Hansel wanted to do. Shit.
Goddammit. Fuck.

November 28, 2018

**Lina:** at 11:32 AM

What the hell was up with Hansel? Why was he being so...
touchy-feely all the sudden? Like fine, maybe Goro wasn't feeling a hundred
fucking percent, but he didn't need help walking. And then there was Mishka,
checking his pulse and shit. The two of them acting like Goro was on the brink
of death.

"I am fine," he muttered. He debated whether to
push away from Hansel again, to prove it. Actually, he was pretty sure that
wouldn't help. After Diva, when he really had been half dead from using the
Leech, he'd tried to run and tell everyone he was fine and no one believed him.
Goro had a history of claiming to be fine with everything from unconscious to
fully-healed and well-rested. There were no degrees in between. Maybe he needed
to start giving degrees.

And what would Hansel do, exactly, if Goro were mostly not
fine? What if he really did need to be carried out? Things Goro knew about
Hansel were that he wasn't much of a liar, and that he took his duties to his
fellow crew members seriously. Both of those suggested he really would carry
Goro if he couldn't walk. Still, it was hard to picture.

So hard to picture, Goro was tempted to fake it to see what
happened.

...nah. Nah, that'd be ridiculous.

They emerged from the cave entrance into a thick forest.
Goro looked every which way, eyes and ears alert. Weird fucking place. Utterly
unfamiliar. "Where the hell are we?" he asked. He was leaning on
Hansel a little heavier than he needed to.

**Izzy:** at 12:18 PM

"No fuckin' idea," Hansel said easily. He wasn't
thinking about the fact that they were some-goddamn-where in the middle of the
Calish Sea and he was probably going to have to pay attention to navigation and
sailing now instead of hiding belowdecks whenever possible. Still on land for
now. This was all fine.

That probably wasn't particularly reassuring, though, so as
he led Goro out of the deeper part of the forest, he added, "We'll still
make it to Calimport. Don't worry." Mishka and I used to run this fucking
sea, he thought about saying. You couldn't be in safer hands. Seemed a bit
braggy, though. And probably wouldn't come across that genuine from someone who
had a tendency to freak out at the beach when the tide came in.

They passed by the two sailors Hansel and Mishka had killed
on the way in. Well, Hansel had killed. Considerable pools of blood had soaked
into the sand where they'd fallen. He guided Goro around the scene without
addressing it.

**Lina:** at 12:34 PM

Goro's eyes were glued to the corpses as they walked past.
"Uh," he said, "should we be worried?" He scrutinized the
bodies a little closer. "Ah. That's your work, isn't it? Never mind. Well,
I'm lucky you fucks found me. Saved my ass, as you put it. Thanks." He
paused. On our way to save your ass, was the wording Hansel had used. Goro's
stomach flipped. That made it sound like they'd gone to all that trouble just
to rescue him. "What brought you all the way into that cave, anyway?"

He braced himself for the answer. Rumors of treasure, maybe.
Wanting to know what the fuck was up with the secret drow captain. The sheer
thrill of adventure. Not "our weird little cleric pal was missing."
God, if that was the answer... Goro thought he might throw up again. That
undeniable longing for the possibility that someone might care about him,
coupled with the certainty that he was fucking wrong, again, like always. He
was never going to learn.

**Izzy:** at 12:51 PM

Hansel gave him a look that was equal parts puzzlement and
amusement. Goro was one of those smart people who were also complete idiots,
somehow. He shouldn't find it so goddamn endearing, honestly.

"We thought a dank fuckin' cave full of dangerous
spider people would be good for our health," he deadpanned. "Nah,
dead fuckers back there said you'd been dragged in there. No luck to it. What'd
you think, we'd just fuck off and leave you?"

The cove was up ahead -- a little crescent of white sand
shaded by palm trees and sheltered by a few rocky outcroppings, clear blue sea
beyond it. It was, just objectively, fucking beautiful. Hansel thought of the
beach back at the Sanctuary and his stomach tightened a bit.

Goro had fucking gone swimming fully clothed that day. God,
what a weird little fuck. It'd been funny as hell until it'd -- stopped. No sea
monsters today. He'd already hit his quota for that shit. Nope.

**Lina:** at 1:16 PM

Alright, that was fine. That was normal. People saving their
companions, and shit. He shouldn't feel sick about it. He lost all interest in
having Hansel potentially carry him. Couldn't even stand to be leaning on him
anymore, really. Goro pushed off and sprinted a few paces ahead, head down,
running a hand through his hair. Still fucking sticky. Gross. Everything was
sticky. His skin, his clothes. Oh what, Hansel didn't give a shit about that?
Didn't care if he got web residue on him as long as Goro was alright?

The cove looked so inviting, and the closer Goro got the
more desperately he felt the need to get clean. As he stomped up to the water's
edge he was already shedding his robes, tugging his shirt off. God, who even
gave a shit anymore. Let Hansel see him. He pulled his pants off, too, and
waded into the water naked as the day some lady had birthed him.

When he was waist-deep he dropped down and plunged underneath
the water. He rubbed at his face furiously, trying to get rid of the
stickiness. It came off easy enough, but the suffocating fear still clung to
him. Not fear of the driders, oh no, that would be a nice normal kind of fear
that anyone could relate to. No, it was something else. Something sick and undefinable.

He stayed under until his lungs were close to bursting, then
came up for a gulp of fresh air. It made a sharp, stabbing pain in his chest.
Hm, was that another broken rib? Ah, right. The warding bond. He turned his
head toward Hansel, wiping water out of his eyes. "Hey, do you need me to
heal you?"

**Izzy:** at 2:03 PM

Huh.

Hansel couldn't tell what had set him off, but the running
away and shit was fine so long as he wasn't running towards danger, or trying
to disappear ten seconds after they'd just gotten him back from Diva. He could
bolt out into the ocean if he wanted -- the fuck was he going to do, swim to
Calimport?

Wouldn't have predicted him stripping down, either,
especially considering the last time they'd been on a beach, but that was ... fine.
Right. Sure. This was all completely normal, and they were both very normal
people. Hansel strolled after him, collecting his clothes into one pile as he
dove under the surface.

Always running away and vanishing. Yeah. This was fucking
familiar. And Hansel was a goddamn rube for falling for it again.

Ah well.

He unbuckled his shield and dropped it into the pile,
followed it with the bandolier his tridents attached to, then his belt and
axes. Goro resurfaced as he was tugging off his shirt and toeing off his boots.

"Nah." Bruises were already showing up purple and
yellow from the drider smashing into him, but they were nothing compared to the
scars he already had -- stabs, slashes, burns, arrow holes, that one time a
shark had tried to eat him. This was nothing.

He waded in, keeping his pants on in the vague hope that
some of the blood would wash out of them. It'd probably already dried and set
in. Eh. Maybe he'd give up on it and change his mind in a minute.

"That spell you did before." He tread water,
keeping his distance for now. "The fuck was that, anyway?"

**Lina:** at 2:28 PM

Goro took in the sight of Hansel shirtless, not bothering to
hide his stare. Apparently he wasn't bothering to hide anything today.
Whatever. That was a nice fucking view. Hansel was probably used to people
enjoying it.

"Which one? The Daylight? New trick I picked up. Or you
mean... yeah, you mean the warding bond, don't you?" Goro shrugged.
"Makes you a little harder to hit, or easier for you to dodge out of the
way, and shit. And when something does get you, it doesn't hurt you as
bad." Not hiding anything? Not hiding anything. "Because I take half
the damage myself."

He rose out of the water enough to point to the bruising on
his own ribcage.(edited)

**Izzy:** at 2:49 PM

Evasive little shit. At least he'd come clean. Hansel
narrowed his eyes at the bruising. He had enough of his own scars, under it,
but still. Didn't mean he needed more.

"The fuck, Goro. Don't do that shit again." Taking
hits for other people was half of what he did. It didn't work the other way
around -- Goro was too fucking scrawny to survive a drider to the face.
"Why're you fuckin' asking me if I need healing? Heal your damn self,
dipshit."

Without thinking about it, he swam closer, like he could
physically make Goro take care of himself. Or at least intimidate him into it.

**Lina:** at 3:12 PM

Goro didn't move, too startled by the sight of Hansel
swimming toward him.

**Izzy:** at 3:18 PM

He acted like he was in shock or some shit, not responding.
Which was fair, Hansel guessed, even if it was a delayed reaction. Or -- or he
actually had freaked Goro out by coming closer. Fuck.

Hansel scowled and shifted his weight in the water, leaning
back. He was still going to make this point, though, goddammit. "I mean
that, motherfucker. You use that spell on me again and I'll fuckin' demonstrate
why it's a bad idea."

**Lina:** at 3:57 PM

Alright, the nakedness was starting to feel like a bad idea.
Goro chewed on his lip, pulse thudding in his throat.

He wasn't sure he bought it, though. Hansel threatening him
to not cast a fucking support spell. Goro cleared his throat. "How?"

**Izzy:** at 4:08 PM

Hansel could think of a few ways to show Goro which one of
them would give in to pain first.

"I'll have Mishka fuckin' set me on fire and we'll see
who passes out," he said smoothly, instead of any of the things he had in
mind. "My money'll be on you, chatichi."

He liked that Goro knew orcish. That was fun.

**Lina:** at 4:24 PM

Goro let his breath out through his teeth with a hiss. So,
not so much threatening as flirting. Or flirting in the form of threatening. Or
threatening in the form of flirting...?

He lowered himself into the water up to his chin.
"Fine," he whispered, suddenly short of breath. He wouldn't have
given in that easily, in most cases. But he was fucking naked and shit. Hansel
was between him and the shore. Between him and his clothes. Not the best time
to be pushing an argument.

Or maybe it was. Maybe it was a really good time. Show that
even when he was defenseless, he couldn't be had.

So he added, "Dick."

**Izzy:** at 4:57 PM

Hansel gave a soft, quiet laugh and moved closer as Goro
sank down sullenly. Good. Not completely cowed. It wasn't fun if he was
genuinely fucking scared. Surely he had to know by this point that Hansel wouldn't
actually hurt him. Well, maybe a bit. Just for demonstrative purposes.

"Eh. Call me names if you want. S'for your own
good."

He dove under the surface, opening his eyes to the salty
sting, studying Goro's body through the clear water. He was close enough to
touch him now. Grab him, pull him under, make him hold his breath. Might be too
much, though -- actually scare him off. Fuck, he wanted to, though.

Instead he resurfaced quickly, only a breath away, grabbing
Goro's wrist to keep him from escaping right away, instinctively.

Eyes like a storm at sea, Mishka'd said.

"Tell me to back off," he said lowly. He would.
He'd drop Goro's wrist, and the pet names, and bully him gently into returning
to shore and healing himself, and they could dry off and go back to the ship.
And Mishka could have him, if that was what they wanted, and Hansel would
happily stay out of it. Otherwise --(edited)

**Lina:** at 5:24 PM

Goro pulled back against Hansel's hold on his wrist, but not
hard. Not a struggle. Just... testing.

Looking into Hansel's eyes, it seemed pretty damn clear what
he had in mind, but Goro had a hard time grasping it still. This was all
unexpected, even considering a suggestive comment Hansel had made once, weeks
ago, while they were both drunk. A comment Goro still thought about on a
regular basis. Wondered if he'd remembered wrong, or read too much into.

He still couldn't draw a full breath. His heart was
pounding. Hansel could feel it, probably, with his fingers pressing against
Goro's pulse.

"Or else?" he said.

**Izzy:** at 6:55 PM

Goro's wrist tugged away in his grasp, but not fully. Hansel
wondered if he would've made a break for it, if Hansel hadn't been holding him,
or if it was all show. He could ask -- gently, quietly ask him what he was
comfortable with. He was fuckin' skittish. Hansel didn't want to lose any ground
with him.

But he was fucking daring Hansel, now, and Hansel couldn't
back down from that.

He hooked his other hand around the back of Goro's neck and
dragged him under abruptly, pressing their lips together, giving Goro no choice
but to share his air. They were weightless, the water cool away from the
sunwarmed surface, and he let go of Goro's wrist to pull him closer by the
waist. He didn't feel as scrawny as he looked -- more wiry, hidden tense
muscles under Hansel's hand, against his chest.

Every time Goro had tried to fight back when Hansel'd
grabbed him, he'd lost. Hansel thought of that suddenly, and opened his eyes
and let himself drift away, bubbles escaping his mouth as they broke apart. He
left the hand at Goro's waist -- not holding, just touching. Watching him. The
way the sun played through the waves on his skin, pale scars stark in the
light, dark hair a cloud around his head.

He was fucking beautiful. Hansel wanted to kiss him again,
wanted to drag him onto the beach and push him down, not let him breathe again
until he was done with him. Or else? Hansel would fucking show him what else.

But he waited. That was -- almost as good, just to be
suspended in this second, looking at him.

**Lina:** at 7:51 PM

Goro pushed upward and broke the surface, gasping for air
and closing his eyes against the sun. His chest hurt, but every other inch of
him was alight with pleasure. Those few brief seconds of Hansel's body pressed against
his. Skin on skin. What a miraculous feeling to discover. Hansel's hand was on
his waist still, a reminder of how good it had felt.

He took a deep breath and went back under. Pressed their
lips together again. Wrapped his arms around Hansel's shoulders and his legs
around Hansel's waist, touching as much of him as he possibly could. Digging
his fingers into Hansel's back. God, the muscle on him. Strong, but gentle. The
feel of someone who had the capacity to hurt him, but wanted to keep him safe.
Ahh. This was what Mishka loved.

Goro kissed him until he felt like his head was going to
burst, then went up for more air.

**Izzy:** at 8:23 PM

There was something desperate about the way Goro returned to
him, wrapped around him. He was by no means small, but he felt it, for a
moment, colliding with Hansel, both of them sinking deeper. That familiarity
again. Hansel realized it didn't make him think of Mishka -- it reminded him of
himself, clinging viciously to whatever attention he could get, starving for it
no matter how malign or manipulative it might be, refusing to admit he needed
it at all.

Goro always fucking flinched away. He had the good sense to
be defensive -- Hansel had seen him even go limp and unresponsive when his
mother hugged him (and Hansel had made fun of him for that, fucking made him
cry, and didn't he feel like shit for that now). But Hansel wanted to work it
out of him, like a knotted muscle, slowly and tenderly and then hard and
forceful until he was relaxed.

He made himself be gentle; Goro didn't have to, holding onto
him, fingertips pressing into the bruises on Hansel's back until he had to go
back up for air. Hansel chased him, barely pausing for breath, catching him
around the ribs -- careful -- and kicking onto his back, pulling Goro to his
chest and just -- holding him. Tight. One hand curled in the hair at the nape
of his neck, lips close against his ear.

Seemed like he should say something. He didn't quite have
the breath to.

**Lina:** at 8:40 PM

God. This felt glorious. Too good, to be this close to
someone. And he felt the urge to say something--something cutting. Something
snarky. Something to put distance between them, remind Hansel that he had sharp
edges. But...

Fuck. It just felt too nice.

So he said nothing.

**Coyote:** at 9:05
PM

By the time Mishka went looking for Hansel and Goro, they
were gone. Outside, Hansel had said, making some mention fresh air and not
wanting to be inside the caves, but it looked like they’d fucked off entirely,
not just gone to wait outside the cave entrance.

Mishka backtracked. He found the trail easily. Scuff marks
on the dirt from where they’d wrestled with each other. Broken twigs and
bruised branches. Hansel hadn’t exactly tried to disguise their path. Mishka
rubbed his shoulder as he walked; it still ached and stung from the poison, but
at least it was mostly healed.

He stepped out onto a small, lovely beach with white sand
and a palm tree.

And—

Goro and Hansel. Were in the water. Together.

Goro rested in Hansel’s arms, leaning into him. Maybe Goro
had started to drown and Hansel had pulled him out or something, or maybe they
were mid-wrestle. Mishka snorted. He stuck his fingers into his mouth to
wolf-whistle, already preparing a dirty remark—something about how it looked
like they were about to kiss.

Then he stopped dead, watching a little closer. He took his
fingers out of his mouth and took a step back, out of sight, and just watched
for a few beats, gathering information, recalculating. Goro didn’t move, still
tangled in Mishka’s husband’s arms. Goro’s clothes were on the shore, all of
them, which suggested Goro was, in fact, naked in Mishka’s husband’s arms.

The weirdest mixture of emotion passed through him in an
instant.

It was like getting hit by a lightning bolt: a searing mix
of the most intense emotions he’d ever felt. So brief he wasn’t sure what they
were. Mishka took several more steps back. Feelings. Too many of them. That
wasn’t good.

Mishka had imagined this sort of thing before, and it made
him feel—fucking envious. He didn’t give a fuck if Hansel slept with other
people, not exactly… it wasn’t the idea of Hansel sleeping with someone else—or
the idea of Hansel loving someone else, honestly, even. It was the idea of
someone having something Mishka was not allowed to.

Hunger burned through him like flashfire.

Then he snuffed it out, and it was gone.

That was not a useful emotion. He had slept with Goro
himself. It was hideously hypocritical of him to upset about this. He was just…
so… fucking hungry, though. It was worse, seeing them together. Amplified,
somehow. Maybe because he wanted both of them.

Mishka silently slipped around to the other side of the
rocks. He needed a moment to gather himself. His ugly fucking feelings were not
anyone else’s problem. If he were a better person, he’d be happy about this,
not fucking… envious. He would gather himself, and when they came back to the
ship, he’d make more jokes about it, flirt with Goro, call Hansel neshama and
beloved and love. He’d keep his ugly feelings in check, and it would be fine.

His white, longsleeved tunic was sticky with
blood—particularly where it had run down his arm. He rolled up his sleeve and
lay down on a rock and closed his eyes to sun himself. When they came back this
way, they’d run into him, and the three of them could walk back to the ship
together.

And Mishka would pretend it was not fucking killing him.

It was fine. It looked like they’d had a lovely moment alone
together. Mishka was not going to ruin it.

**Lina:** at 9:14 PM

There were footsteps, coming out of the forest.

Goro jerked to attention, slipping off Hansel and crashing
into the water. He backed away from Hansel, staying low and shielding his chest
with his arms. "There's someone. Someone was walking by here. Did you hear
that?" Whoever the footsteps had belonged to wasn't visible now. "Was
it Mishka? Where is he?"

**Izzy:** at 9:31 PM

Hansel tipped upright in the water immediately. He hadn't
heard anything, but then he hadn't been fucking paying attention. Great job he
was doing. He studied the shoreline, saw that his weapons -- and Goro's clothes
-- were still in place, and silently gestured for Goro to follow him. Hopefully
it went without saying by this point that he should stay behind.

If it was Mishka, Hansel wouldn't put it past him to creep by,
go invisible. Probably find it amusing to spy on them or some shit. A lot of
the time, though, he had this innate sense for when Mishka was lurking nearby,
and he didn't get that now -- didn't mean he might not still be there, but it
didn't seem like it.

Could be driders. Could be drow. Could be something had
happened to Mishka and he'd been unable to teleport away again. And Hansel had
been out here fucking relaxing in the sun. Fuck. Goddammit. Wait, wait -- he
grabbed at the locket around his neck. Still shiny. Mishka was safe. All right.
Calm.

He scooped up his shield before anything else, waving for
Goro to stay close to him without looking back, kicking the pile of clothes
behind him.

"Mishka?" he called. "That you? Fuckin' swear
to god if I have to kill more spider things, I'm gonna be pissed."

**Coyote:** at 10:31
PM

Mishka grimaced. He'd been hoping for a longer second.
Hansel was good at reading him and might notice the upset. That was no good.

Well. If Hansel did, Mishka would pull him aside and
explain, briefly. Saw you hanging out with Goro. Fucking hot, loved it, sorry
for watching. Made me feel a bit overwhelmed, though? Reminded me of how you
and I used to be. Just needed a breath.

Mishka Plans.

He called out over the ridge. "No, it's not me. It's
more spiders. Come slay me."

**Izzy:** at 10:37 PM

Hansel snorted and relaxed. He bent to scoop up his belt and
bandolier, ignoring the shirt and boots for now -- not much sense in putting
them on when he was still drenched -- buckling his weapons back on as he headed
up the beach towards the rocks. Felt safer that way. Part of him felt like he
shouldn't have ever taken them off. Shouldn't have been unprepared.

"Tempting," he called, then glanced over his
shoulder to Goro, adding more lowly, "Be back. Get dried off, eh?"

**Lina:** at 10:39 PM

"Yup," Goro said. Naked. Shivering. Trying to
twist himself to somehow hide as much of his body as possible.

**Coyote:** at 10:41
PM

Hansel hopped over the ridge, shirtless and fully armed. God
fucking damn, Mishka thought, then cleared his throat to talk. He didn't have
anything to say, though. He just sat up on his big flat rock. "No
Goro?"

**Izzy:** at 10:46 PM

Hansel gestured vaguely over his shoulder. "Getting dressed.
Y'know, for someone who didn't take off a single fuckin' layer last time we
were at a beach, the motherfucker didn't waste any time stripping down. Drider
thing freaked him out, I think."

He paused, sitting down heavily next to Mishka. He had the odd
sensation of being cool and warm at the same time, warmed by the sun but still
chilly from the water. Vaguely achey, still. He considered, for a moment.
"I kissed him."

**Coyote:** at 10:52
PM

Good gods. And there was that same feeling again, that intense...
whatever-it-is.

Mishka held onto it longer this time, long enough to examine
it. It wasn't just envy. It was something else mixed in with that. Affection,
maybe.

And then, weirdly, Mishka realized what it was. It was a
mixture of his feelings for Hansel and his feelings towards Goro. Affection and
amusement... and desire, and... protectiveness, and... satisfaction. That was
weird. It was a good feeling, but... overwhelming, right now.

Mishka wet his lips. "And?"

Was it any good?

**Izzy:** at 10:57 PM

He shrugged, studying Mishka's reaction. They'd never made
any promises to be exclusive -- not even when they'd been married. Still, he
wondered if he should feel guilty. He'd imagined holding Goro down in the sand
and -- he couldn't do that, with Mishka. Not yet. Didn't want Mishka to feel
... left out, he supposed.

"Just wanted you to know. You told me." He paused
again. "S'pretty fuckin' great." I fucking miss you, though. "Is
that ... all right with you?"

**Coyote:** at 11:03
PM

Mishka sat there, fucking torn.

'Alright' didn't describe it. He couldn't just say yes. He
bite back his automatic response, which was that it was fine. His gaze shifted
from Hansel to the ridge where Goro supposedly was, likely drying off and
dressing. He couldn't say yes and he couldn't say no.

Hansel's eyes narrowed at him, picking up on the tension, no
doubt. Mishka had paused too long.

"Sorry," Mishka said. "I, ah-- saw. Good
fucking gods. I mean, it's fine, don't-- don't stop. Kinda hot, actually. Gotta
let me watch next time. Just... it..."

I'm not going to fucking lie to you anymore, Mishka had
said.

"It was a bit," Mishka said, "overwhelming. I
left to catch my breath. It reminded me of how-- y'know, you and I used to be.
I fucking..." He put his head down. "I fucking miss you, Hans."

**Izzy:** at 11:07 PM

Hansel winced and looked away for a second. "Fuck, I
--." I'm sorry almost came out, automatically. "I fucking miss you
too, ahuvi."

**Coyote:** at 11:10
PM

"Mmm." He disliked this honest talk business. Made
him feel naked. Maybe he should feel naked in front of his husband, though.
"Sharing a bed-- that's been-- that's been good, yeah? Maybe, ah. Once we
get back, we ought to... keep doing that."

He was easing into it. Relaxing.

**Izzy:** at 11:11 PM

"Fuckin' absolutely." No hesitation.

**Lina:** at 11:12 PM

Goro dressed himself hastily. He felt like he'd woken up from
a dream--he was groggy, and dizzy, and he wanted to go back to sleep. It was a
good dream, for once. Albeit embarrassing. Seriously, what the fuck.

His clothes were still sticky. And now the insides were wet,
since he hadn't bothered to dry off as Hansel suggested. There'd be some
chafing. Ah, well.

The Foxtail wand was out of charges. He was afraid to use
the Leech, after what Deandra had told him about it breaking. Better to save it
for a day when he might really need it. He still had some magic left in him,
though. Enough that he could heal the whole lot of them at once. He climbed
over the ridge, shaking his sleeves back and holding his hands in the air.
"Prayer time. Gather 'round, penitents."

**Izzy:** at 11:16 PM

Hansel looked up, amused at Goro's tone. He looked real
fuckin' dignified, clothes still covered in webbing and sticking to him from dampness.
Eh. Hansel supposed he didn't look much better. Felt better, though.

"About goddamn time." He pushed himself up and offered
a hand down to Mishka, commenting, "Y'know this fuckin' idiot thought it'd
be a good idea to use some spell that'd hurt him when I got hurt? He's lucky he
didn't fuckin' die."

**Coyote:** at 11:20
PM

Oh, that felt better. A wave of relief spread across Mishka,
easing the ache in his shoulder.

Mishka took Hansel's hand and pulled himself up.
"Fuckin' Goro." Then he moved to check on Goro, patting him down.
"My darling kitten. Are you alright? Not traumatized again? This is almost
the third time you've gotten kidnapped in... what, two weeks?"

**Lina:** at 11:22 PM

Goro skipped out of his way, scowling. "Kitten? What
the fuck. Wait, what... third time? What was the..." He paused, frowning,
trying to think if there was a third kidnapping he forgot about.

**Coyote:** at 11:23
PM

"Oh," Mishka said. "The time just now. This
one right here. This is the third time. Where you're getting kidnapped by two
roguish pirates. Frankly, it's a fucking shame you keep getting yourself in
this situation, but at least this time your captors are handsome, eh?"

**Izzy:** at 11:31 PM

Hansel snorted and draped his arm around Mishka's shoulders.
"Damn shame." Fuckin' Goro. Knowing Orcish and shit. Made it
impossible to keep a secret. He turned to murmur in Mishka's ear -- in Orcish
anyway, and eyeing Goro -- "Do we keep the captive in our bed too,
Cap'n?"

**Lina:** at 11:35 PM

"You fuckers," Goro said. Then he got real
interested in a seashell on the ground by his feet, kicking it a few times. He
looked up and looked around for any signs of the ship. "Which way are we
going? If this is a kidnapping, it's fucking slow. Let's get it over
with."

**Coyote:** at 11:40
PM

"So ungrateful," Mishka said, wrapping an arm
around his shoulder. He pulled Goro over so that Goro was forced to march
between them. "Kitten, darling, adorable precious baby darling. You need
to learn some fucking manners. We saved your life. Now, last time I so
heroically rescued you from death's door, I was gracious. I said we were even.
But this time..."

He glanced at Hansel. "What d'you suppose we want from
him, Granger?"

**Izzy:** at 11:44 PM

"Hmm." Hansel scratched at his beard. Nothing he
could say out loud at the moment, that was for goddamn sure. "Dunno,
Captain. S'long way to Calimport, still. I'm sure we'll think of
something."

**Lina:** at 11:45 PM

"Fuckin' let go of me," Goro said, wiggling out
from between the two of them and walking backwards so he was a few feet behind.

**Coyote:** at 11:51
PM

"Mm." Mishka's gaze shifted to Hansel. In Common,
without disguising his words, he said, "I gave him a safeword. If he says
'mercy' that means we need to stop and let him go."

**Izzy:** at 11:55 PM

Hansel nodded. "Hm. Good to know." He reached back
to snatch Goro's shirt and drag him back up alongside them, curling his arm
around Goro's neck. "I just told him to tell me to stop, and he fuckin'
refused. You're right. No goddamn manners."

November 29, 2018

**Coyote:** at 12:00
AM

Mishka matched Hansel on the other side. He saw Goro dig his
heels in, start to struggle, to pull against Hansel's grip on his neck. It
reminded him of something.

Goro pulling against the metal cuffs, testing them. Eyes
wide and dilated, breathing hard.

Mishka gripped Goro by the upper arm to help hold him in
place. There. Now they were both holding onto him. Now Goro could fight as much
as he pleased without worrying about actually getting away. Really, Mishka was
doing him a favor. "Do you suppose we out to try and teach him some
manners? Or should we just... y'know.. fuckin' gag him the whole trip?"

**Izzy:** at 12:04 AM

"Can't safeword if we gag'im, Cap'n," Hansel
reminded Mishka, and reached over with his other hand to ruffle Goro's hair.
"We can tie him to the mast, though."

**Lina:** at 12:16 AM

Goro ducked his head away from Hansel's hand. His jaw was
clenched tight and his body tense, but no amount of pulling was getting him out
of Hansel and Mishka's grip. He'd been wondering about the safeword thing. If
that was real, or a fucking joke. He just... hadn't wanted to stop anything so
far, with Mishka. But god, the two of them together? He'd be fucked. Absolutely
fucked.

And being dragged along now, between them, was getting to be
a bit much. He'd had quite enough feelings in the past couple of hours to last
him a while, thank you. He didn't want them to ditch him or anything, but he wondered
if they'd really let go of him if he said the word. Or if they'd just laugh it
off. And then what? He'd kick and scream and...

"Mercy," he blurted. "Let go of me."

**Izzy:** at 12:25 AM

Hansel loosened his grip immediately, only holding onto Goro
enough to kiss the top of his head briefly, then dropped his hand to Goro's
back for a moment before pulling away entirely. Not sure what the line was,
there. Better to be safe.

**Coyote:** at 12:28
AM

Oh. Fuck.

Mishka's stomach dropped. It felt the same way as when he'd
first realized Goro was fucking terrified of him, and not in the fun way.

He let go and took several steps back. He watched Goro's
expression carefully, paying close attention to his body language. Looking to
see if he'd missed anything. If he'd misread the kid, again. "Too far? I
mean... we can tie you to the bed and not the mast, if you'd find that more
comfortable."

Hm. Maybe not the best joke. "Ah, I didn't mean that,
that was a joke. I mean, we can tie y'to the bed if you like, but you'll have
to ask nicely..." Damn it. More sass. Okay. If he focused hard, he could
talk in a straightforward manner with no bullshit. "You okay?"

**Lina:** at 12:33 AM

"I'm fine." He folded in on himself, staring at
the ground. Damn, that had worked... really fast. And Hansel had kissed him.
All quick and hurried, like... like he couldn't help himself. Just pure
affection. What the fuck.

Goro scuffed his foot on the ground, then glanced up at
them. "I'm fine," he said. "Keep walking."

But he almost wished they'd... come hold him again, or
something. God, what a piece of work he was. Make up your fucking mind, Goro.

**Izzy:** at 12:43 AM

Hmm. Yeah. All fine. Sure. Hansel tentatively slipped his
arm around Goro's shoulders, gently this time. Not holding holding. If he locked
up, or moved away, Hansel would drop it -- if he really wanted to be left
alone, that was okay. But he didn't fucking look like he wanted to be left
alone.

**Lina:** at 1:02 AM

Goro ducked out from under Hansel's arm and backed away. And
he realized, too late, that it had been pure habit. Hansel wasn't pushing it,
either. He kept his hands to himself, didn't chase Goro down.

Great fucking work. What was he supposed to do now, go up to
Hansel and wiggle his way back into his arms for a hug? Fucking ask for a hug?
God, that'd be hilarious. He wondered if the safeword worked in both directions.
Mercy. I need a hug.

His hair was still damp, and the breeze gave him a chill.
His clothes were chafing, as predicted. He remembered being in the water, how
amazing it had felt. How amazing Hansel had felt. And Goro had fucking blown
it. Now he had to stand alone, all cold and uncomfortable in his clothes.

Maybe he could pretend he couldn't walk, after all. Yeah.
There was an idea. Just fucking swoon and fall down, right there.

He could tell them he'd just been testing the word out to
see if it worked. But he didn't want them to think he was making light of it.
He liked knowing it worked.

Fact was, he'd stood there long enough that the panicky
feeling from before was gone. So he could try just being honest, or whatever.
Not hiding anything, that was the theme of the day, right?

"I..." Felt like a fucking chump. But hell if he'd
be a lonely chump. "I feel better, now." He stepped forward, close to
Hansel again.

**Izzy:** at 1:17 AM

Hansel narrowed his eyes and looked between Goro and Mishka
for a beat. Mishka'd backed off -- way off. For the second time something
seemed familiar to him today and he couldn't quite fucking place it yet.

But Goro had come closer again. He looked a bit miserable,
but not like he felt pressured into anything. He had no problem shoving away
from them and he'd used his safe word -- if he was actually coming back, that had
to be genuine. Surely. Mishka -- didn't realize that, maybe. Hansel hadn't
really considered that Mishka would be concerned about hurting Goro, too. Hmm.

He stepped between the two of them and offered each a hand.
"Let's go back to the ship," he said calmly. And fucking talk about
this like adults. I know, I fuckin' hate it too.

**Coyote:** at 1:25
AM

Mishka waved dismissively without looking at him. He didn't
take the offered hand. Instead, he kept walking.

His left arm-- the one whose shoulder was bitten-- was still
stick with blood, all the way down to his fingers. Pity he never found time to
wash it off.

The ship 's masts were visible just over the next ridge.
Shouldn't have made it weird, being odd and snarky and freaking Goro out.
Better just leave it, worry about it later.

"Right," Mishka said. "The ship. We'll have
to show some of the civilians a couple things, but we can make it
work..."(edited)

**Lina:** at 11:33 AM

Goro took Hansel's hand. Seemed... weird, like the kind of
thing only young lovebirds did, but hey, why the hell not. He'd held his hand
before, while he said his prayer of healing. Wasn't all that different.

Mishka apparently had a reason for the why not. The more
Goro calmed down, the worse he felt about losing his shit; they'd just been
messing around, and he'd gone and made it weird. Now Mishka was distant. Goro
didn't want that. He wanted Mishka to come back, and be a hand-holding chump
like him, and talk more about how they were going to tie him to the bed or
whatever. Now that he knew he could... stop it, if he needed to.

Damn it. How were they supposed to get back to that now? You
couldn't walk into a party, stab someone, then tell everyone to keep having fun
in their shocked silence. Goro had tried that once, actually. Needless to say,
the party had ended.

"Mishka," he said. "Hey, Mishka. Get over here.
Do you need more healing? I can give you more." He said it in Elvish. Not
for privacy reasons; Hansel spoke it, and there was no one else around. But something
about it felt... softer. Closer. Using the language of Mishka's childhood.

**Coyote:** at 7:37
PM

Hm. Now Goro was trying to lure him back. Suspicious.

This felt suspiciously like real affection, not fake,
over-exaggerated affection. Mishka wasn't sure about that. Hmm.

Mishka checked around automatically, noting-- or maybe
reassuring himself-- that no one else was around, just Goro and Hansel. Hansel
was safe, and Goro was... well, Goro was Goro, and Mishka wasn't going to touch
that thought further, because he was mildly concerned that Goro was safe, too.

Mishka dropped the bullshit for a second. "Why'd you
say mercy if now you want me back? Are you really alright? All good?"

Still checking around, briefly. All good. No one to overhear
Mishka being honest.

**Lina:** at 8:07 PM

Goro sighed and looked at the ground. Seemed like his own
damn business, why he'd said mercy. But he supposed it was Mishka's business
why Goro wanted him back.

"I was just..." Fuck. Too hard to explain. Too
many goddamn feelings. "I wanted you to let me go, but not because I didn't
like it, but... well, I sort of didn't like it, but just because too much was
going on, and--" He breathed in and out through his teeth. "I wasn't
sure. If it would work, when I said mercy. I didn't know. I had to check."
He gave Hansel's hand a brief squeeze, involuntarily, like a spasm. "But
you can come back over here now. For fuck's sake."

**Coyote:** at 9:06
PM

Hm. Mishka checked around one last time, then, satisfied,
decided: fuck it. He returned to the other side of Goro, not taking his hand.

Holding hands was weird and he wasn’t doing it. He was the
Terror of the Calish Sea. He did not hold hands with pretty boys.

**Izzy:** at 10:04 PM

This was all going strangely well. Almost -- easy. Like shit
could actually work out, or something.

Hansel had the feeling he was about to ruin it, but he was
going to do this anyway.

"Fuck," he said abruptly. "I left shit back
on the beach." He gave Goro's hand a quick squeeze -- because he'd done it
first, so it seemed safe -- before dropping it, and nodding to Mishka.
"Come with?" Glanced to Goro. "We'll meet you at the ship,
chatichi."

**Coyote:** at 10:10
PM

Mishka shrugged and started heading back to Hansel’s clothes
immediately.

He got the sense it was something else, that Hansel needed
him to come with for some reason. And of course Mishka would. They were partners.

“Don’t try to run while we’re gone, we’ll just hunt you down
and drag you back,” he called after Goro. “Wait, no. I’ve changed my mind. Go
ahead and run. I’ve talked myself into it. It sounds fun, now.”

**Izzy:** at 10:25 PM

Hansel snorted at Mishka just flipping it off and back on.
He thought about making a comment about how that wouldn't be a fair fight,
because Mishka could just teleport straight to him, so he might have to take
Goro's side on this, but then he was just going to fucking get distracted
flirting with them again, he needed to fucking deal with this first.

Because he'd seen Mishka's face when he thought he'd hurt
Goro, and the way he'd refused to touch him again. Either of them. And what
he'd said on the rocks, about missing Hansel, and being uncertain if they
should sleep in the same bed -- Hansel realized he might have fucking overlooked
something Mishka was struggling with because he was too goddamn busy dealing
with his own problems.

On the beach he unstrapped his shield and bandolier,
dropping the former on the sand and stabbing his old silver trident into the
ground while he grabbed his shirt.

"Listen." He was going to be fucking blunt about
this. "The thing -- about us sharing a bed again. I really fucking want
that, okay?" He pulled his shirt over his head to give himself another
second to think. "I want you -- near me. All the fucking time. You don't
need to worry about pushing me." He picked his words carefully. "I'll
fuckin' let you know if I need to stop. All right?"

**Coyote:** at 10:29
PM

Mishka tensed, eyes flickering to where Goro was, over the
ridge again, out of sight. Maybe he should’ve found an excuse not to come.

“Alright,” he said. That doesn’t help.

Maybe it would help. He might have to test it, see how he
felt when he pushed and Hansel inevitably told him to stop and back off.

**Izzy:** at 10:36 PM

Hansel studied him for a second. He didn't seem sure about
it. "On the ship," he said slowly, "you tried to kiss me, and I
fuckin' -- left. I didn't mean you ... should never kiss me again." He
just fucking wanted this to be easy again. No negotiations. He hated that he
had to say any of this. "I want you to."

**Coyote:** at 10:48
PM

Mishka’s gut clenched. He looked away without saying
anything.

It had been nearly a month since that night. He wanted to
say: You waited four weeks to tell me this? He had brought it up, let Hansel
kiss him, then dropped it, waited for Hansel to bring it up again, even though
not talking about it was killing him. And apparently Hansel had just not considered
it.

Maybe Hansel hadn’t even noticed.

It made his gut clench, again. It made him angry and hurt,
which wasn’t a reaction he ought to have towards someone he broke.

Wasn’t helpful.

So he nodded and said, “Alright.” He’d go back to the ship with
Hansel and Goro, and he’d flirt and play along, and Hansel would relax and have
fun, and it’d be fine. Mishka sat took a step back towards the ridge, but
waited for Hansel to finish dressing.(edited)

**Lina:** at 10:51 PM

As soon as they were out of sight, Goro backed up to the
nearest large rock and sat, resting his head in his hands.

Hansel had squeezed his hand. Hansel had called him chatichi
again. First time was a fluke. A joke. A throwaway. Second time was... meant to
stick, or at least it felt like it.

Hansel had not wanted him to come with. They were going to
have a Conversation. The nerve-wracking possibilty: They were having a
conversation about Goro. The more likely possibility: They were having a
conversation about the fact that Mishka wasn't looking Hansel in the eye, was
staying more than an arm's length away from him.

Up until today Goro had been content to stay out of whatever
was going on between them. It was part of why he'd sort of avoided them on the
ship, so far. They had shit to work out. He didn't even know what stage of the
working-out they were in. Wasn't his business. Whenever he inadvertently
learned anything about it, he tried his best to forget the details. Let them
have their space. Let his mind be freed up for things that concerned him.

And now... now what had happened? He was entangled with both
of them, too close not to notice, even though it still felt like he shouldn't
be noticing. He was the short third leg on a stool, making everything wobble.

He was fucking worried about both of them. And himself.
Maybe he needed to... try staying out of the way again, for the time being.
Maybe by the time he came back from Calimport, whenever that was, they'd have
gotten to a better place, and he could slide up close to them again.

Listen for Hansel to call him chatichi again.

Watch for Mishka to look truly and utterly happy, for once.

That sounded like water at the end of a desert walk. Yeah,
he could wait a couple months for that. That would be good.

November 30, 2018

**Coyote:** at 7:34
PM

Hansel finished fixing himself up quietly, and Mishka
watched him from the corners of his eyes. Admiring.

Then he remembered this was his partner, and frankly, he
could look if he liked. So he turned his head and watched blatantly.

He remembered-- looking at Hansel then, dressing-- the way
he used to wolf-whistle at Hansel from the top deck. The way Hansel would
scowl, the corner of his mouth turned up against his will. Unwilling to admit
he liked it. The time Hansel dragged him down into the hold and made him stay
there. That had been good, that night.

He'd have to think more about the kissing thing, he just
needed...

He'd think about it later.

Now wasn't the time for it. They had their precious darling
kitten waiting for them. Why waste time like this?

He settled on a response. "Thanks for, ah, clarifying.
Maybe another talk later. Or maybe we'll just say 'fuck it' and do what we want
without talking about it, who knows. Anyway." He jerked his head at where
Goro was. "What're we gonna do with him? I mean, I assume we're joking
about tying him to the bed. But also..." He couldn't stop the smile that
split his face. "I chained him to the wall the other day." He added,
shamelessly, "You should hear the little noises he makes when he gets
off."

**Izzy:** at 8:46 PM

"Fuck," Hansel commented mildly. "And I
thought I was pushing it by giving the little motherfucker a hug."

He finished tugging on his boots and strapped on his gear
again. Mishka was smiling -- he couldn't help smiling back. This was actually
fine. He hadn't fucked it up. All right. Impulsively, he grabbed Mishka around
the waist one-armed and lifted him off the ground to look up at him
thoughtfully. "Hm. Enjoy it while it lasts. Might have to tie y'both to
the mast." He started back up the beach, towards where they'd left Goro,
carrying Mishka whether he liked it or not. "We'll see how I feel. 'Til
then --" at this point he was fairly sure Goro would be able to hear him
-- "I say we don't let him leave the captain's quarters for the rest of
the trip without permission, one way or another. S'our damn ship now. We can do
what we want."

Hansel grinned up at him again.

"We are fuckin' pirates, after all."

**Coyote:** at 8:53
PM

"Mm," Mishka said, wrapping his arms around
Hansel's neck. "Shall we take turns and compare notes? I'll be a gracious
captain and allow you to go first." He attempted to look imperious, which
was difficult when being carried.

**Izzy:** at 8:56 PM

"Cute how you think you have any goddamn say in the
matter, Cap'n." He set Mishka down when they got closer to where Goro was
sitting. Had to save his energy. Might have to toss each one of them over a
shoulder and carry them both back to the ship.

"Hey, fucker." He nodded to Goro. "Ready to
go?"

**Lina:** at 8:58 PM

The sight of Hansel carrying Mishka caught Goro off guard.
Well, shit. Maybe things weren't so sour between them as he'd assumed.

He stood up, working his mouth around to hide a smile.
"Yeah. Hey, what were you guys talking about just now?"

**Coyote:** at 9:10
PM

"Scheduling," Mishka said. He wrapped his arm
around Goro's shoulders and began leading him down the beach, as though they
were close confidents. "Serious business. Logistics, you know, fascinating
stuff."

**Lina:** at 9:13 PM

"Oh yeah? I'm good with logistics. Maybe I could help."

**Coyote:** at 9:16
PM

"Oh goodie. Well, here's the thing. I figure I'm
captain-- and I'm a generous, gracious captain at that. A prince among men. I
figure I'll go handle getting the ship put together while Hansel--" Mishka
paused delicately. He hummed to himself. "Well. Actually, I don't know
what Hansel is going to do to you."

**Lina:** at 9:19 PM

"Mm. That's, uh. Yeah." Goro glanced back at
Hansel. "I'm sure he can... figure something out."

**Coyote:** at 9:20
PM

"Oh, doubtless," Mishka said. "Anywho, I
figure once I'm done getting everything ship shape and we sail away towards
Calimport, by then he'll probably be done with you, so..."

**Lina:** at 9:21 PM

"What happens when I need to leave the bedroom? You
know, to uh, eat and whatnot."

**Coyote:** at 9:25
PM

"Well, like I said. I'm a generous captain,"
Mishka said. "I'll consider letting you leave if you ask sweetly enough. I
was so kind to you last time, hm? Gave you what you wanted right away. Gave you
the exact words to say, even."

He felt hot all over when he thought about it.

"I'm not going to be that nice this time," he said
pleasantly. "I want you to know that." His voice roughened a little.
He kept walking, lowering his arm to Goro's waist and tightening it
possessively.

**Lina:** at 9:27 PM

"Hm. Oh, well, uh." Holy shit. Never mind on the
keeping his distance thing. Fuck. "I mean, I am being kidnapped, here.
Defenseless, and all. I suppose I'll have to take whatever you give me."

**Izzy:** at 9:28 PM

"You sure fuckin' will," Hansel chipped in.

**Coyote:** at 9:31
PM

"Anyway," Mishka said. The roughness was gone in
an instant, and he was back to perfectly smooth and sweet and pleasant.
"D'you suppose that sounds reasonable?"

**Lina:** at 9:33 PM

His head was spinning. He felt... too good. He reached for
his arm to pinch it, but decided Mishka didn't need to see that. He reached
down and pinched his thigh, instead. Clenched his teeth and sighed to hide it.
"Yeah. Yeah, you're benevolent captors, I see."

**Coyote:** at 9:35
PM

"Goro," Mishka said. "Sugar-plum. You
misunderstand. See, I would simply loathe the idea of you feel pressured or
coerced... You must convince me of your enthusiasm."

**Lina:** at 9:38 PM

Goro grinned and gave his head a quick shake. "Alright,
well, what's the best way to convince you?"

**Coyote:** at 9:46
PM

Good god. So many ways.

Mishka's gaze shifted to Goro's thigh, where he'd seen Goro
pinch himself a moment before. The way he'd shifted to hide it. Then his gaze
shifted up, looking Goro in the eye. He could distract Goro from that.

They were close to the ship, now. It was high tide, and the
ship was docked just beyond another outcropping of rocks. Mishka made a
decision and paused there. He spun Goro around, gripped him by the collar, and
pushed him out of sight against the wet black rocks.

There were about to board the ship. And he wasn't done yet.

"I think it's going to have to be a process," he
said quietly. "But the very this thing I want you to do, precious sweet
sugar-cube, is tell me that you're a whore who wants Captain Mikhail Haeth and
Weapon's Master Granger to fuck you, use you, and trade you back and forth like
the desperate little bitch you are."

Maybe that was too far. He watched carefully.(edited)

**Lina:** at 9:58 PM

Goro was already grinning when Mishka pinned him against the
rocks. On hearing that, the smile dropped away, replaced by shock. He gave a
half-hearted laugh. His chest rose and fell against Mishka's hand.

"God," he breathed. He tipped his head back and
closed his eyes. "Mask. What did I get myself into." He reached up
and rubbed a hand over his face. He bit his knuckle, hard enough to hurt but
not to bleed.

Oh, fuck yes.

Why not? He was on vacation.

**Izzy:** at 10:04 PM

Hansel had been trailing behind them, letting Mishka do the
talking, because Mishka was good at that shit -- and in all the time they'd
been together, all of Mishka's attempts to be intimidating or menacing or
dominating had bounced directly off of Hansel, and he was really fucking
enjoying seeing the effect it had on Goro. He couldn't tell if he wanted to
keep watching and see how far Mishka would go or -- fuckin' grab Goro and
protect him, or something. It was confusing. He liked it.

Then Mishka pushed Goro behind some rocks, and got real
close and quiet, and Hansel followed instinctively, arms crossed, standing behind
Mishka and eyeing Goro -- checking his reaction.

It was good.

But it wasn't good enough, clearly. "Don't think that was
the answer you were lookin' for, Cap'n." He bared his teeth at Goro in a
grin. "Want me to rough him up for you?"

**Coyote:** at 10:07
PM

"Oh, by all means," Mishka said. "You know
how I love watching you work, Hans."

**Izzy:** at 10:28 PM

Hansel stepped forward, shouldering Mishka out of the way
gently, and not at all gently making a fist in the front of of Goro's
still-damp robes to lift him up, with his back against the black rocks and his
feet several inches off the ground so that they were eye to eye. Hansel gave
him a considering head tilt. There were a lot of options here.

He picked the one he liked best and pressed his fist into
Goro's chest to hold him in place, kissing him hard -- and he already knew he
could hold his breath longer, so he had no trouble pushing him, waiting for him
to make little struggling sounds, then waiting a beat longer. Then another.
Maybe one more.

Fuck, the thing Mishka had said -- about the sounds he made
when he came -- Hansel wondered if he could get those sounds out of him without
tying him up. Make him sit still and be good. Make him want to. Hansel got the
feeling he just needed a little positive reinforcement.

He pulled back and shifted easily, pulling Goro across his
back and holding onto one arm and one leg (careful to keep him away from the
tridents, of course), and turned to start walking, expecting Mishka would
follow.

"Ship," he said shortly. "Now."

**Coyote:** at 10:46
PM

Mishka memorized every fucking detail of Hansel kissing Goro
for the first time.

Well-- it wasn't the first time, he supposed, just the first
time he'd been privy to it. The way Goro shifted, leaning into the kiss like he
was dying for it, dying for someone to touch him, anyone.

Not anyone, though. No. That was wrong. Hansel,
specifically. Like he was dying for Hansel to touch him. Fuck, that was good.
The way that Hansel held Goro against the rocks like it was nothing, like the
weight of him was meaningless. The slow, hard way Hansel did whatever he
fucking wanted and made Goro take it.

But... at the same time... the way he carefully made sure it
was something Goro wanted, too.

The way Hansel checked Goro's reaction. Like he was
simultaneously checking to make sure Goro was good and savoring his response.
Mishka could already imagine what was going to happen; he knew how Hansel
worked. The way Hansel would slowly make him come undone and break him apart,
gently coaxing it out of him. The way Hansel fucking refused to yield and took
what he wanted.

Yeah. Okay, there was that feeling again, the intense and
wildly confusing one Mishka couldn't untangle. A jolt of... absolute...
affection, and, okay, maybe a bit've-- lust--

"Yeah, ship," Mishka said breathlessly. Then
cleared his throat. "I mean. Of course. Agreed. Ship."

And he vanished automatically, teleporting there. He was
getting fucking overwhelmed. He couldn't handle being around this. Too heady,
too intense, watching it. He waved from the deck to Hansel and Goro, fluttering
his fingers delicately. He set the gangplank in place again.

**Lina:** at 10:59 PM

Goro used his free arm to wave back to Mishka. Somehow it
was exhausting. It was a good thing Hansel was carrying him, because he was
getting lightheaded.

Hell, Hansel's shoulders. Like fucking rocks. Not really.
Goro had been pressed up against actual rocks not a minute ago, and Hansel's
shoulders felt a lot better. That was a preferable surface to be held against.
Yeah. God. Fuck.

December 1, 2018

**Izzy:** at 12:05 AM

Hansel stopped briefly by the gangplank to kiss the top of
Mishka's head. Not wanting to torment him, just -- a reminder. Hopefully that
was ... good. He knew they were going to need to talk about this more, later --
work things out -- but not right now.

Right now Goro was his focus, laying across his shoulders
limply. He guessed he hadn't expected much resistance. Goro had -- been through
a bit, today, and Hansel had been responsible for part of it, really, and he
aimed to make that better. He booted the door to the captain's quarters open
and kicked it closed behind him, pausing to dump Goro onto the unmade bed --
not particularly gently, because it was a fucking bed, and he'd be fine. Then
he went back to lock the door and shrugged off his bandolier again, dropping it
on the floor and his shield next to it. There was a chair next to the door, so
fuck it -- he jammed it under the doorknob.

Then turned back to Goro. He'd stayed where he'd been put,
shifting in place slightly, staring back at Hansel steadily, intensely. Mishka
had chained him up, and fuck if Hansel didn't like that idea too, but -- at the
same time -- that moment of floating in the cove, holding him -- that had been
really fucking nice. It seemed like something Goro ... needed. And Hansel knew
he was seeing Nixie, but he also seemed to be terrified of her most of the
time, and Eldath knew that getting that kind of shit out of Mishka was a
fucking process. (Getting there, though -- goddamn.)

He crossed the room again and bent to hold Goro's face in
his hands, and kissed him, softly this time, willing him to relax. Settle. Not
that Hansel wasn't going to hurt him -- but not right this second. Not today.
Probably not tomorrow. He was keenly aware of how goddamn long it'd been for
him, but he could wait. This was more important.

Hansel drew back. He had to -- fuckin' say some shit, or
something. "Listen," he said lowly. It was easier to just do shit,
but he was trying new goddamn things. "I'm not gonna fuck you. Not 'til
I'm satisfied you actually want it. And I decide when that is. 'Til then you
and Mishka can do what you want, and I'll be here after. That's how this is
gonna work."

And he sat on the bed and pulled Goro in close against his
chest, fitting Goro's head under his chin. His hair was still wet. Again, he
felt oddly small for a moment. Hansel thought about asking him if that worked
for him, but actually, he wasn't giving him any options here. People didn't
always fucking know what they needed. He, at least, was positive that they both
needed this. Maybe a fucking nap. And once Mishka had had a chance to calm
down, he could join them, and Hansel could wander off to give them some
privacy, and -- at some point he wouldn't have to wander off.

Until that point, he took a deep breath, and closed his
eyes, and held Goro tight.

**Lina:** at 12:43 AM

Not 'til I'm satisfied you actually want it. And I decide
when that is.

Goro was... frankly too riled up and out of breath to do
much talking, but he carried on a tirade in his head. Oh, look at this asshole,
thinks he knows what I want better than I do, well tell you what big guy,
Goro's been Goro for going on thirty-three years now and Hansel can't just
waltz in and decide he's got me fucking pegged after all that bullshit outside
making me think we were gonna--

And then--

Hansel pulled him close, tucking him under his chin and--

Oh.

Oh, god, this again. Yeah. Alright, yeah.

Goro turned his head so he could bury his face against
Hansel, kiss the skin at the hollow of his neck, breathe in the scent of
him--smelled like the sea, still. He squirmed against Hansel's hold until he
could grasp Hansel's tunic, which he dragged free of its belt, and then he slid
his arms up to rest against the sides of Hansel's chest. Ah. That was better.
Skin. The warmth and the texture of it; smoother than you'd think, looking at a
man that rough.

Goro let out a long breath and melted against him, feeling
himself loosen and let go of something he'd been holding onto for gods knew how
long.(edited)

**Izzy:** at 5:35 PM

He gave in easily -- Hansel'd thought he would. Wasn't
really giving in when it was something you actually wanted, and Goro seemed to
realize he wanted it. There was still a quiet fear in the back of Hansel's head
questioning whether Goro really believed he could get away, whether he was just
going along with this because he thought it was his only option. But he
reminded himself that Goro wasn't particularly fucking passive, ordinarily, and
-- he didn't think someone with lingering doubt and tension would move against
him the way Goro did.

Fuck, that was gratifying.

He wished he'd done this months ago. Goddamn Goro. They'd
barely even met when Goro had gone with him to Mishka's estate and helped him
save Jonn -- sure he didn't fuckin' think back fondly on that, now, but it'd
been intriguing. Goro hadn't acted like it'd meant anything. Like he just
thought it was just what a person did. Hansel fucking respected that. But he
hadn't wanted to be close with any of them, hadn't said anything. He should
have.

And he got that feeling again, that he should say this now,
that he should say something instead of just staying in his goddamn head, but
instead he tangled a hand in Goro's hair again and shifted, pulling him down onto
his side and keeping him close. Thinking. (He'd punched Goro. He'd made him
cry. He'd kept grabbing him and pinning him and not letting him leave just
because he could.) It'd be real fucking easy for these thoughts to spin out of
control, and he focused, instead -- for a moment -- on the salt and ocean air attached
to Goro and the fact that it did not -- at this moment -- make him panic.

He'd had no fucking idea how Goro would react when he'd
kissed him, and he'd done it anyway, and it was working out pretty fucking
well. He hadn't -- really known he was going to do it. Never seriously
considered it until Goro had pressed that idiotic spell into his chest and the
feeling that had flooded him hadn't been magic.

Which was fuckin' stupid of him, in retrospect, but also not
surprising given everyone on the Red Blade had known he was in love with Mishka
before he'd even known he tolerated Mishka. He grinned to himself and kissed
the top of Goro's head as that reminded him of something else.

It probably wasn't a great fuckin' memory for him, but
something about Goro straining against the chains in the Basha warehouse and
the Glutton's hold on him, screaming at them to kill her, ferociously shouting
that he loved them all -- it had fucking stuck in Hansel's head. He hadn't said
anything about it since then. Hansel wasn't sure if it was embarrassment or if
-- he just thought it was what a person did. Cared about their crew.

"Hey. Chatichi." He was quiet, but he couldn't
keep the grin out of his voice. "You still love me?"

**Lina:** at 5:45 PM

Goro jerked, scrambled against him, and pulled away a few
inches. Stared Hansel down, suspicious as fuck. "Huh?"

**Izzy:** at 5:47 PM

"You said it before." Goro's reaction only made
not grinning about it harder. "You forget already? Shit."

**Lina:** at 5:49 PM

"What--when--when did I--" He froze. His eyes
tracked off to one side, remembering, then flicked back to Hansel. "What
are you talking about?"

**Izzy:** at 5:52 PM

Hansel snorted and made to pull him back in. "All
right, calm down. I'm not being fuckin' serious." Maybe a bit. Wasn't the
kind of thing you usually said to a person out of the blue, though.

**Lina:** at 6:20 PM

Yeah... not serious. Hansel always seemed at least a little
serious about everything, though. He wasn't a complete bullshitter, that was
for sure.

Goro tried to remember what exactly had gone through his
head that day. He'd been desperate, he knew that much. He knew he only had a
few seconds, and then he might not ever speak to any of them again. It gave him
a lurch in his gut to think about it, still. Here he was, alive, in control of
his mind and body again, folded up in the arms of... whoever Hansel was to him
now (teammate, yes; friend, yes; lover, not yet but--). And yet the memory made
the feeling just as poignant as the moment he'd lived it. That despair and
fear, not that he'd never escape but that he'd never see them again. The people
he loved. The people he'd made his family. The people who put up with him.

Remembering it made his heart beat faster, even if the
danger had passed. Fucking ridiculous how that worked. He pressed himself
against Hansel even tighter, hiding his face against Hansel's chest, like fear
couldn't find him there.

Fear was what kept him from saying anything, though; just a different
flavor of it. For years it had kept him from telling Amari he loved her. She'd
told him she loved him all the time, and he never said it back until the day he
left her at the Sanctuary thinking he might die. Because once you said it, once
you made it known, you were putting it out there for someone to snatch away. To
laugh at it and crush it underfoot. But if you held it close to your heart and
never showed anyone, it was your little secret, safe forever.

The stupid thing was, he knew that was wrong. Nothing bad
had happened after he told Amari. Nothing bad would ever come of it. But he
still couldn't bring himself to pry his stiff little fingers off his feelings
for anyone else.

Except for that time he'd blurted it out to a whole group of
them. God.

"Diva made me say it," he muttered against
Hansel's chest.

**Izzy:** at 6:35 PM

"Mmhm." Diva was probably the one making him put
up with being held, too. Sure. "M'kay."

Hansel did feel a bit bad about reminding him of it at all,
though. He'd kind of wanted to ask if Goro had been able to hear them. If it'd
made things ... better, at all, the little things they'd tried to do over that
long goddamn night to keep him company. Hansel assumed that if it hadn't, there
was no reason to mention it now, but thinking again -- maybe it'd mean
something to Goro to know they'd tried.

"I believe you," he said softly. "So since
you don't fuckin' know, when that fucking thing had you, we all tried to -- I
don't know, fuckin' help. Before we could kill her and get you back -- we
stayed with you. So, y'know." He was fucking dancing around saying this.
"Fuck you. I know you're going to Calisham to get away from everyone for a
bit, but we'll all fuckin' come get you back again if we have to."

**Lina:** at 6:50 PM

"Mm. Yeah." Goro turned his face to the side so he
could talk easier. "I know. I could see what was going on, sometimes. I'm
not sure exactly about what was real and what wasn't, though, because she
would..." Was this too much? Did he really need to tell his whole sob
story to yet another person? He laughed weakly, remembering how the first
hallucination, the one that made him start questioning everything, starred none
other than Hansel himself. "She made me hallucinate. Really, really good
hallucinations. Er, believable, I mean. They definitely weren't nice good. You
know, you guys hurting me, or just saying awful shit. It was fine. I figured
out how to tell the difference between real and fake, after a day or so. I
mean, uh..." He hadn't even been in there a day. "Not a day. Uh. I
couldn't tell time right. Well, Mishka probably told you how it worked."

**Izzy:** at 7:24 PM

Hansel hesitated. It wasn't his place to talk about what
Mishka had been through -- he got the sense it had been a lot fucking worse
than Mishka was letting on. And Goro seemed fucked up by it, but Ripley seemed
fine. He didn't fucking know what to make of all of it, and he knew he couldn't
snap his fingers and just fix it.

The thing had made Mishka think he'd killed Hansel. For days
at a time he hadn't known if it was real or not, he'd said. Because it was --
plausible, Hansel figured; because it was entirely possible for Mishka to kill
him. Control magic. Fireballs. Teleporting him somewhere he couldn't escape
from. Shit, they'd had a talk not that long ago about the ways Mishka could
kill Hansel, if he needed to. It wasn't a stretch for the Glutton to make
Mishka think he'd actually done it.

And it made Goro think that they would hurt him. Or just say
mean shit to him. That was the plausible thing that Diva tortured Goro with.

Fuck. He realized his fingers were digging into Goro maybe a
little too hard and loosened them. His jaw had clenched. It was fine? Oh, he
was going to fucking fix this. "Fuck Diva. I'd fucking kill her again if I
could. And fuck what she showed you. And fuck joking around, all right? I love
you."(edited)

**Lina:** at 7:48 PM

Just. Say it. Back.

Fuck. What was so hard about that? His mouth felt numb, and
his jaw wouldn't budge. He'd gone rigid again, his muscles tight and his hands
clenched.

He tried taunting himself into it. If you don't say it, he's
going to push you away. Fucking believed it, too. They couldn't stay here like
this forever. And Goro being a quiet, tense, loveless little prick would give
Hansel the perfect excuse.

But Hansel couldn't push him away if Goro beat him to it. So
Goro squirmed free, using his knees and elbows and feet, all his sharp corners
so he could make a point. And he had the thought--this stupid, obvious thought,
probably planted in his head by someone like Amari, that it was actually more
trouble to push people away than to hold them close. Well, fuck.

He threw himself back at Hansel, nestling into exactly the
same position he'd had before. Hansel was going to think he was a lunatic,
which was fair. "Sorry," he said, clearing his throat. "Just,
ah, getting comfortable."

**Izzy:** at 8:05 PM

Hansel found this entire show pretty amusing. He probably
shouldn't -- Goro had gone all fucking tense for a moment there, and that
hadn't been his intention, but -- fuck, he didn't think these things through.
He didn't have conscious intentions. It'd just been his gut reaction, angry and
protective, and shit, Goro had said it first. He couldn't lie to himself and
really convince himself that it wasn't different, though, Goro yelling it at
all of them when he probably thought they were all going to die against Hansel
saying it quietly, alone in a room, directly to him.

But either way, the little shit came back. All struggle and
complaint and then right back where he'd started. Fuckin' Goro.

Hansel mussed up his hair. "Hm. Hope you're comfortable
then, chatichi."

He'd tell him again later, maybe. Just to fuck with him a
little bit. Watch him squirm. Or maybe have some fuckin' conversation with him
about how it didn't change anything if he said it back or not, some time they
could both fucking bolt in opposite directions once it was over with. This was
too comfortable to ruin with words, for now.

**Lina:** at 8:23 PM

"Getting there." I love you. I love you. I love
you. Nah. It'd sound weird. It was too long since Hansel said it. Wait, had
Hansel said it? Did that really happen or did Goro just think about it so much
he made himself remember it happening when it didn't? Son of a bitch. In any
case, the moment had passed.

**Coyote:** at 8:57
PM

Mishka finished putting the crew together and instructing
them— and finished telling them tales of how he’d heroically rescued them all,
of course. Some of them were still shaking off the effects of the drugged ale
from the last night. Some of them looked a lot like they didn’t goddamn care
who saved them, they just wanted to get to Calimport.

He was pretty sure he knew where they were. Only about....
four days to Calimport from here.

Somehow that felt like—not enough time.

Why did that feel like not enough time? Why did he want more
time aboard the ship? Suspicious, again. He didn’t like it. He’d spent a good
fifteen years aboard the Red Blade. He should’ve had his fill. Maybe he wanted
this to last longer for a different reason.

Huh. Maybe he just really wanted to have sex with Goro. That
was probably it, right?

Mishka had simply assumed, for a very long time, that was
not... attracted to people like that. Sex was a passing interest, something he
did to please Aleksei. He has assumed he was broken, or there was something
defective about him. Everyone else seemed to want it.

It was so odd, being attracted to Goro now. The rush of it.
Mishka wanted to fuck him for days. It was fascinating, really.

He wondered why it worked that way for him... Sometimes ice,
and sometimes wildfire.

Now that Goro and Hansel were gone, he calmed down. He went
and rapped on the door. It’d been a good amount of time.

**Lina:** at 9:11 PM

Goro jumped like he'd heard an explosion, flying out of
Hansel's arms and sitting upright. "Uh, I'll get it," he said, and
scooted to the edge of the bed, wondering if he was supposed to get permission
or if the tying him to the bed thing had been entirely a joke or...

He moved the chair away from the door, undid the locks, and
opened it to reveal Mishka. Which made him realize it might have not been
Mishka, and he hadn't bothered to check first. Fucking brilliant. He'd good and
well lost his mind.

**Coyote:** at 9:17
PM

Huh. Still fully clothed.

Mishka gave them both a deeply amused look. Had they really
not gotten past hugging? Maybe he’d misread the situation. He stepped inside
and shut the door behind him.

It was just past nightfall, and the cabin was warm and quiet
despite the chill outside on deck. Mishka could feel the steady rock of the
boat under his feet, hear the quiet crash of waves outside as they headed out
to sea.

He knew Hansel hated this place.

But Mishka had always loved the sea. Wild, and unpredictable,
yet quiet and peaceful. Powerful and massive.

Yeah. He’d just... enjoy his time here.

Enjoy this.

Mishka lit a brass lantern on the table. “D’you need more
time? Didn’t get past the part where you take off your clothes, I see. I can
help with that.”

**Izzy:** at 9:20 PM

Hansel stretched out on the bed and yawned, crossing his
arms behind his head. He gave Mishka a lazy, amused look. "My bad. Must've
forgot how this works."

**Coyote:** at 9:31
PM

... Yeah. Yeah, this wasn’t going to work. He’d calmed down
out on deck, and now the casual reminder of his situation with Hansel killed the
last of his libido.

He was tied up in anxious knots now, not— well— horny.

Maybe he could pretend. If Goro still wanted to have sex. Or
maybe he could work his way into it. He used to try that a lot with Aleksei.
Never worked, just made Mishka deeply uncomfortable— trying to force his body
to have a reaction it wasn’t having— but hey. Maybe he could do it better, this
time.

And now he was fucking... wrapped up in his own head again.

“I can give you more time, if you like,” he said, nodding towards
the door.

He really just wanted to— lie in bed with them. It was a
large bed, firm, low to the ground, built into the wall. Well-carved. Heavy.
They could just sleep. He hadn’t realized how drained he was until he stepped
into the room. Maybe he could just lie against Hansel and close his eyes. Safe
and warm.

Maybe he could... lie against both of them and close his
eyes.

Safe. Yeah.

**Lina:** at 9:46 PM

Goro rubbed the back of his head, glancing between Hansel
and Mishka. Mishka looked tired. Hansel looked like he had no interest in
leaving the bed anytime soon, and Goro couldn't blame him. Seemed like there
was a real obvious answer to this dilemma.

Goro walked back to the bed and flopped onto it, beside
Hansel. "Don't rush off," he said to Mishka. "It's getting late.
Maybe it's just... nap time. You know. For all three of us."

**Izzy:** at 9:54 PM

Hansel straightened a bit and gave Mishka a once-over. Maybe
he was just tired -- he was having a hard time reading him, right now. It'd
been a fuckin' day. But he had a harder time reading him, now, in general, than
he used to. All the time he'd taken learning Mishka's peculiarities was kind of
fucking wasted when everything had changed between them.

Eh. Not everything.

He beckoned Mishka over. "Chatichenu's got a point.
It's late. Come to bed, khochav." He hesitated, and more softly, added,
"If that's all right."

**Coyote:** at 9:59
PM

“If you insist. You’ve talked me into it. I’ll do it. For
you.” Mishka flopped on the bed and closed his eyes without undressing,
unbuckling his sword-belt, or taking off his boots. “I demand you both pay
attention to me. Hansel, kiss my head and tell me I’m pretty. Goro, cuddle
duty.”

**Lina:** at 10:08 PM

Goro climbed over Mishka so Mishka could be between him and
Hansel. "Seems fucking backwards, to me. I'm no good at cuddling. No
experience, really." Even so, he curled up next to Mishka, wrapping an arm
and a leg over the top of him. Then he cursed and grabbed at the hilt of a
rapier that had jabbed him. "You trying to kill us all, here, or
what?" Tentatively, he started to slide the end of Mishka's sword belt out
of the buckle. He never knew where the line was with Mishka, so he watched him
carefully to make sure he wasn't going to get touchy about that. As recently as
yesterday he wouldn't have dreamed of even doing that much, but, well, things
seemed different now.

**Coyote:** at 10:12
PM

Mishka’s eyes flickered open for a moment.

He regarded Goro, eyes half-lidded.

He closed his eyes again.

Then, subtly, he shifted to allow better access, and allow
Goro to unbuckle the belt and slide it off.

**Lina:** at 10:25 PM

Huh. That was a good sign. Also slightly erotic, but Goro
was going to try not to think about that for the moment. Cuddle duty. It was
possible he liked the cuddling more than sex, actually. Sex was over relatively
quickly, but cuddling apparently could just keep going. This was going to be a
good night.

Or... or a weird one. Goro had not shared a bed with anyone
since he was sixteen years old. Closest he got was when Nixie dragged her
bedroll up next to his when the Runners made camp. Nah, last time he'd actually
been under the covers with somebody, he'd woke up with a knife in his side.

He froze, blinking, in the middle of setting Mishka's sword
belt aside. No. No, he was not going to think about that. He had cuddle duty.
He could... slip off once they were asleep, or something. Or just scoot really
far to the edge of the bed.

He wrapped himself around Mishka again, gave him a peck on
the cheek, and tucked his head against Mishka's neck. Yes. This would be a good
night.

**Izzy:** at 10:42 PM

Hansel snorted. So gracious, his captain. Downright
magnanimous.

Fuck, Hansel was really glad he'd said yes.

He settled back down, slipping alongside Mishka after
watching Goro take the swordbelt off him -- a bit surprised that had gone over
as well as it had, actually -- surprised, but pleased, because it meant Mishka
felt safe -- and fitting Mishka under his chin this time as he sprawled an arm
across the both of them.

Yeah. This was good. This was going to be fine. If nothing
else it was real fuckin' great right now, and he was going to enjoy it.

He kissed the top of Mishka's head. "Very pretty."
Teasing, but also not. "The prettiest. Brightest star in the sky. Deadly pirate
captain too, I heard. Fucked up a galleon with one fireball. Killed a trickster
goddess." Eh, he forgot the rest. He kissed his husband again.

**Coyote:** at 11:02
PM

Huh. He had directly said what he wanted, and they’d given
it to him. Huh. “I didn’t actually mean—” That was a lie. “I was just kidding
about the cuddling and the kissing—” He hadn’t been. Fuck, he needed this. “I
mean, don’t stop, I’ll endure it. For you.”

He checked the door automatically. Locked. Teleportation,
dancing rapier, regular rapier…

Teleportation wouldn’t work anymore. If there was a
problem—say, a sea monster attacked the ship—he couldn’t take them both with
him. His magic only allowed him to grab one person at time. He’d have to start
keeping a closer eye on his magic, reserving it more… that way he could make
multiple trips if he had to, if they ever had to bolt. He made a mental note of
it, then…

He needed to make sure they weren’t drugged again. When they
got to Calimport, maybe he’d buy some kind of magic that allowed him to detect
poison, maybe. Use it on everything he ate from now on.

Goro had almost fucking died.

Fuck. That had been so close. Not okay.

Until then, maybe they could stagger times that they ate so
that one of them could show the adverse affects before the others partook… or
maybe Mishka would make sure to feed the passengers first, then the three of
them could eat a couple hours later, just to make sure nobody dropped dead or
passed out…

Then he made himself relax.

It felt so fucking good to just lie here. He kicked off his
boots. He let out a shaky breath, leaning back into Hansel and wrapping his
arms around Goro. Safe. All good.

He didn’t have to think right now. They were all together.
And for the first time in a long time, Mishka’s mind went quiet, and he felt safe.

And calm.

**Coyote:** at 11:10
PM

[END]