TRP: Goro and Hansel (Beach Proposal)

LINA

[Setting: Day 284, Glimmerton.]

Hansel seemed suspicious of the prospect that Goro "knew a guy" who was gonna lend them a boat. But it was true.

"What?" Goro had said. "I met him in town. We're buds."

Made it kind of embarrassing when Goro took Hansel down to the docks and had to actually introduce them. He tried to do no introducing at all, but Dinghy (whose name seemed to be... something different, in Shou Leng) eyed Hansel up and down, grinning and chewing on his pipe.

"This your special guy?" he asked. He had a lazy eye, untamed salt-and-pepper hair, and a peg leg.

"Uh huh," Goro said. "So, um, the boat?"

"What's your name, sonny?" Dinghy asked Hansel.

IZZY

"Who's askin'?" Hansel eyed the guy. Goro's bud. Uh huh.

LINA

Dinghy just kept smiling and chewing his pipe. Eesh.

"Uh," Goro said. "Listen, it's... already almost noon, and I wanted to get out while it was still morning, so uh, you still good on your offer, or what?"

"Oh, yeah. Little fishin' vessel's what you wanted, huh? A one-manner?"

"Well, it needs to fit two."

"Oh, don't you worry. This one can fit three."

Goro tugged at his collar. "But it's... just gonna be the two of us." He gestured between himself and Hansel.

"Sure is." Dinghy bobbed his eyebrows. "Right this way."

Goro cringed and shrugged at Hansel, and followed Dinghy as he limped out onto the pier.

IZZY

Hansel snickered and wrapped his arm around Goro. "Like your pal, ahuv," he said lowly.

LINA

Goro grumbled. Dinghy led them to a small boat moored near the end of the dock. It would fit three people, sure, but it could also comfortably fit someone Hansel's size without having to squish, which was nice. It was some fifteen feet long, with two sets of oars, and already stocked with poles and fishing line and bait and shit. Just, fishing shit.

"Thanks, Dinghy," Goro said. "Should have her back by sundown or so." He hadn't actually asked Hansel how long he wanted to be out. Eh. They'd packed a hearty meal, anyway.

"Wellsir, not so fast." Dinghy eased himself down into a crouch beside the boat. "You told me you ain't much of a fishin' sort, yourself. Lemme show you a few of the basics, here. See, this here's called the hull--"

"Um, it's fine," Goro said quickly. He jerked a thumb at Hansel. "He was a sailor for, I don't know, fifteen fucking years. He's gonna show me how to catch fish, and all. He knows boats, and shit. It's fine."

Dinghy peered up at them and raised an eyebrow at Hansel. "That true, young man? You know what you're doin'?"

IZZY

"Ain't got the fuckin' foggiest," Hansel deadpanned, just for the sake of continuing to fuck with Goro.

LINA

Goro groaned. "Hansel."

Dinghy gave a shake of his head. "Nosir, that won't do. Gory, come down here, so you can learn a thing or two. See, this here's the hull, and back here we have the catalyzer. And that connects to this doohickey, here, that's called the jumbler. Now, if you're startin' to take on water, all you gotta do's pull the gyrator, here."

Goro gave Hansel a long, hard look, one that said This is your fault. Now they both had to suffer. Although Hansel, perversely, seemed to be enjoying himself.

Finally, Dinghy stood back up and nodded approvingly down at the boat. "That should just about do ya. Make sure you boys clean up after yourselves, alright? Have a nice day." He winked at Goro, then started off up the dock, peg leg thumping against the hollow wood.

"Kill me," Goro muttered.

IZZY

Hansel hid a laugh by clearing his throat, and kept a straight face, nodding along at the instructions seriously. He gave the old man a salute to see him off, and once he seemed like he'd be out of earshot, grabbed Goro to muffle a laugh in his shoulder.

The he straightened and ruffled up Goro's hair, grinning. "A'ight, Gory. Y'got all that, cap'n?"

LINA

"Psssh, shut up." Goro wiggled away, trying not to grin. He hopped down onto the boat and looked up at Hansel expectantly, because he sure as hell was not going to actually be in charge of actually driving this thing. He'd help with rowing, if Hansel told him to, though honestly he'd probably just slow them down.

IZZY

Amused, Hansel climbed in carefully, since it was a smallish craft and he had the feeling that it might capsize a little more easily than he'd prefer. He unlooped the mooring line and pushed away from the dock automatically, giving them a good sturdy shove to get them on their way and sending the skiff wobbling just a little.

He settled one set of oars into place, testing to make sure they were steady and secure. "Where to, ahuv?"

LINA

"Um." He wrung his hands. "Uh. Upstream a ways." He'd heard talk in town of some beautiful scenery a couple miles up. The forest was thick and lush there, with shady beaches along the bank. Perfect picnicking spots, and good fishing, too.

IZZY

"Aye." He got them out into the current proper, and let it do most of the work from there. "Why the sudden interest in fishin', anyhow?"

LINA

Shit. He hadn't come up with a good story for that. "Just, y'know. In case of emergencies."

IZZY

"Uh-huh." Hansel bought it. Yup. He sure did. (Shady little bastard.) "Good you're thinkin' ahead."

LINA

"That's me. Always prepared for the worst." He watched Hansel rowing for a bit. (Nice, fuckin' nice, seeing the muscles work under his shirt.) "You need any help? I don't know much about driving boats, but."

IZZY

"Drivin' boats?" Hansel grinned at him.

LINA

"Yeah. What?"

IZZY

"Nothin'."

LINA

"Psh." Goro crossed his arms and kicked his feet up on the edge. "You need any help, or what?"

IZZY

"Nah. River does most of it, anyway. Wouldn't want you to get yourself all tired out."

LINA

"Pfff. Don't give Dinghy back there any ideas." Goro ran a hand through his hair and turned his face up toward the sun, closing his eyes and enjoying the warmth. Then again, they could... if they had a really private beach...

Yeesh. Goro's face turned even warmer. Frankly, he was too fucking nervous to really entertain thoughts like that. It had taken him days just to work up the guts to ask Hansel to come out here with him.

"So, uh," he said, and failed to think of anything to follow it up with.

IZZY

"Uh-huh."

LINA

Goro sat up straight, hunched forward, and started chewing his thumbnail, narrowing his eyes at Hansel. "Something funny, Bell?"

IZZY

"Nope." Hansel grinned at him "Why? You think so?"

LINA

"You're fucking with me!"

IZZY

"Ain't fuckin' with you," he promised. "Just think you're real cute, all lounging in the sun, gettin' embarrassed and shit. Was thinking about that nice tan you got in Calimport. Thinkin' about how clever you are, sayin' you're gonna bring me on a date and then makin' it one where I gotta do all the work," he teased, like Goro hadn't offered to help row. It was a fuckin' boat. Like there was any doubt Hansel would be taking care of it.

LINA

"Pffff." Goro flipped him off with both hands. Really, he wanted to crawl over there and put his hands all over Hansel. Looking all fuckin' strong and shit, rowing the boat. Goddamn. "Maybe there's something I could do to make the work part a little more pleasant for you, huh?"

IZZY

"I got an idea for somethin' you could do with your mouth, yeah," Hansel said innocently.

LINA

"This is gonna be a joke about me talking or some shit, ain't it."

IZZY

He snorted. It was gonna be a joke about how Goro could entertain him with a sea shanty, but not anymore. "Nah, I was gonna tell you to lean over here and suck my cock."

LINA

Goro's eyes widened. "Yes, sir, weapon's master." He looked Hansel up and down. "What, for reals?"

IZZY

Hansel grinned at him and raised his eyebrows, jerking his chin up.

LINA

"Hah." Goro grinned back and saluted him. "Well, orders are orders." He climbed over the bench and settled on his knees.

[fade to black]

Was too bad there wasn't enough room in the boat for Goro to sit next to Hansel, or on his lap or whatever, to cuddle him. Ah, well. Once they pulled ashore for a picnic and shit, Goro would snuggle the hell out of him.

For now, he sat on his own bench again and squinted at their surroundings. "I don't have a fuckin' clue where we are anymore, but I guess it's impossible to get lost as long as you're sticking to one river. Right?"

IZZY

"Nah, we're lost as fuck," Hansel deadpanned. He looked over to the eastern shore. There were some cleared out areas -- probably the sorts of places people had camped and fished before. That'd be good. "We fuckin' live in the wilderness now. S'too bad. You distracted me."

LINA

"See, though? This is just the kind of thing I was talking about. Emergencies. You're gonna teach me to catch fish, and..." He frowned. "Guess you'll eat berries, or some shit."

IZZY

He snorted. "Hey. S'what bears eat, mostly. I'll make do. We'll find some wild veggies and start a garden. Gonna be real nice." He starting angling them towards the shore.

LINA

Hansel rowed them to the shore, and Goro hopped out a couple feet early so he could help drag the boat up onto the beach. He'd seen some of the fishermen in Glimmerton doing that; thought maybe it'd make Hansel impressed. The momentum of the boat meant he didn't really have to use much strength to do it effectively; just pulled to keep it going.

Then he stepped back a couple feet and started fidgeting, fiddling with his bracelets. Yeesh. Nerves again. Maybe he could just... not give Hansel the ring today. Then it'd be a normal date, perfectly nice, nothing to stress about.

IZZY

Hansel gave him an amused glance. Bein' all proactive and shit. Cute. He climbed out of the boat, bringing along their picnic basket, and scooped Goro up by the waist to carry him on up the beach a little way, so the tide wouldn't come in and wash the basket away from where he dropped it. Kept hold of Goro, though, curling his other arm around him and letting his feet dangle, just grinning and looking at him fondly.

LINA

Goro kicked his feet a little. "I can fuckin' walk, you know." But he was grinning like a loon. Ah well.

IZZY

"Says who?"

LINA

"Fff." Too nervous still to put up much of a fight--or maybe just thinking about how they were gonna fucking get married made him too sappy to want to get away. He leaned his head against Hansel's shoulder, nuzzling him as best he could when he was being held off the ground like that.

IZZY

Hansel squeezed him, then shifted to hook his arms around Goro's thighs, hold him that was instead. "Hey, chatichi."

LINA

"Yeah?"

IZZY

Hansel kissed his head. "Wanna get naked and make out in the river?"

LINA

"Psh, fuck yeah."

IZZY

He snickered. "I could prob'ly find some spiders and get you all fuckin' covered in webs, if you want."

LINA

Goro stared at him blankly for a second before he realized what he was talking about. Then he dove forward to put his face against Hansel's neck, snickering. "Sometimes I... fuckin' forget all that part. Hah."

IZZY

Hansel grinned. "Wasn't the best fuckin' part, but ..."

LINA

Nah. But... wasn't honestly that bad, either. Once he was cut out of the webbing, at least. It'd been exhilarating, and... raw, afterwards, Hansel walking him to the cove. He'd been in a weird headspace. Things might've turned out real fucking different, if he hadn't been.

"Wanna hear something embarrassing?"

IZZY

"Uh-huh." Hansel rocked back and forth in place, swaying him gently.

LINA

"You know that was the first time you called me motek, right? In the cave." That wasn't the embarrassing part, but he had to make sure Hansel knew.

IZZY

"Sure do. Hey. Hey, me first." If Goro was gonna be embarrassed, Hansel fuckin' was too.

LINA

"Psh." Goro nuzzled him again. "Nah, listen. That's the thing. It fucked with my head, when you said that. I kept thinking I'd heard wrong, or... misunderstood, or something. And then... ah, I don't know, you offered to carry me, or something. And I knew you were the kinda guy who'd do that for your crew, no joke. But it just kinda blew my mind, anyway, thinking... god. This guy... cares about me, maybe."

Goro shook his head rapidly, falling back into it for a second. The awful fear that went along with it, that he might be wrong.

"Anyway, I wasn't hurt that bad but I thought about faking it, just to see if you'd really carry me." He snorted. I wanted you to touch me, he thought, but that part didn't quite make it out.

IZZY

"Would've," Hansel told him without hesitating, kissing his head. He figured Goro probably did know that, now. "Thought you, uh. Y'know. Never wanted anyone to touch you, 'cept maybe Larkin and Nixie, so I didn't wanna ... push." He paused. "I didn't -- mean to fuckin' say it. Was just what I was feelin', so it came it. Soon as it did, I thought, ah, fuck, what the fuck, did I really just fuckin' ..." He scoffed. "Little slow on the fuckin' uptake. An' then I figured I probably fuckin' scared you off, but ..."

Or else? he'd challenged, and Hansel couldn't back down then.

LINA

Goro scoffed. He couldn't resist digging his fingers into Hansel's side, to tickle him just a little. "God. God. Yeah, I didn't want anyone fuckin' touching me. But... I needed it. God, I needed it. And you... you got through."

IZZY

"Mmhm." Hansel squeezed him and kissed his forehead, closing his eyes contentedly, still swaying. "I know."

LINA

Goro enjoyed the quiet for a moment, just basking in being held. Still needed to be touched, so bad. Same as being hungry and thirsty. And being around Hansel was always a fucking feast.

One that he got to enjoy for the rest of his life, he guessed.

"Hey," he murmured. "Before we go swimming."

IZZY

"Mm?"

LINA

Shit. Shit, why had he said anything. "Uh."

IZZY

Hansel smiled, eyes still closed. He kissed Goro's head again. "Fuck, ahuv, do I get to see the fuckin' ring or what?"

LINA

Goro froze for a second. Then he started squirming. All four limbs, flailing. "Ah. Ahhh."

After a second he rallied himself and managed to say, "No. S'dumb."

IZZY

Hansel squeezed him tight. "Ain't."

LINA

"How would you know? You haven't seen it yet. Wait." Goro pulled back and glared at him. "Did you see it?"

IZZY

"No." Hansel laughed. "But I fuckin' want to. Ain't gonna be dumb, shemeshi. Why would it be, eh?"

LINA

"Ah, 'cause... ahhh." Goro scoffed and buried his face against Hansel's shoulder. He wasn't gonna get away with staying there, though. The ring was right in his fucking pocket.

IZZY

"'Cause what?" Hansel snuggled him viciously.

LINA

"Mmmph. Alright, put me down."

IZZY

He didn't. "You gonna run off? 'Cause you know I'm just gonna chase you down, if y'do."

LINA

Goro snorted. "No. Promise. Jeez. You think I wanna prolong this shit?"

Though once it was out of his mouth, he realized he kind of did. This was a fucking special moment. One he'd only get to do with Hansel once.

IZZY

"Why not?" He propped his chin on top of Goro's head. "I do."

LINA

"Yeah." Goro closed his eyes and squeezed him tight. "Yeah, me too."

IZZY

Hansel went quiet, just holding him, kissing his head now and then.

He did really fucking wanna see that ring, though.

LINA

After a minute, Goro smiled. "Maybe we drag this out so long you just forget all about it, huh? Then I get off scot free."

IZZY

"Not fuckin' likely, ahuv."

LINA

"Alright, then. Put me down, eh?"

IZZY

He made a show of grumbling, squeezing and clinging to Goro a moment longer before easing him back to his own feet. Still kept hold of him, arms wrapped loosely around his waist, but leaned back a little to take him in.

He just felt ... relaxed. Content and at peace, like a calm day at sea, like floating on the surface and staring half-lidded at the clear sky, closing his eyes and enjoying the warmth of the sun.

LINA

Goro was blushing already. He chewed his lip viciously, looking at Hansel. Was a funny thing, feeling so awkward about it--they were already fuckin' engaged.

Goro just really, really wanted him to like the ring.

He pulled it out of his pocket and held it up, using his free hand to hide his face.

IZZY

Hansel stared at it for a moment. Ah. Ah, fuck. He knew Goro'd been looking for a ring for a bit -- they'd been fucking busy anyway -- war and shit -- but even with that, he'd been spending a lot of time in Skyport, sneaking off in Calimport and Gentleglen like Hansel wouldn't notice and guess what he was up to.

He saw why, too. Because it was fucking ... perfect. The silver and black, like Mishka's ring, the tiny bit of gold, the sun -- the sun.

His sun.

He scooped Goro back up because he couldn't fuckin' help himself, hefting him up high to hide his grin in Goro's chest, fuckin' -- giggling, honestly, because he was fucking giddy, because it was so good, Goro was so fucking good --

All that came out was a muffled, "Shemeshi. Oresi," as he pressed his face into Goro, holding onto him like he meant it.

LINA

Goro hugged Hansel's head, kind of automatically, even though he was bewildered. He kept the ring tucked tight against his palm.

"Uh," he said. "So. It's alright?"

IZZY

"S'fuckin' good. Goddamn great." He lowered Goro back down enough to fucking beam at him, lean their foreheads together -- squeezed him hard and spun him in a circle because he was too fucking excited not to, too fucking excited to be still. He made himself rest Goro back down again, though, and snapped his fingers a couple times before holding his hand out impatiently, still grinning so hard it hurt. "A'right, fuckin' put it on me, goddamn."

LINA

Goro blinked a few times, still bewildered, but starting to smile too. Hansel was... so excited. It made Goro's chest hurt. God. God, yeah, he'd been really uncertain about the ring, but he sure as hell must've done something right to make his fiance that happy.

Got a funny feeling behind his eyes--no tears yet, but goddamn. Happy Hansel. Exuberant Hansel. Fuckin' great. Made Goro's own emotions feel like a boiling pot he was trying to slap a lid on.

He steadied Hansel's hand and slipped the ring on, then kissed Hansel's knuckles. And then he waited to be scooped up again, since it seemed inevitable, and was exactly what he wanted.

IZZY

As soon as the ring was on, Hansel curled his arms around Goro's waist to scoop him back up, chest-to-chest, leaning their foreheads together a beat before kissing him -- once quickly, then again, then longer. He only stopped to murmur against Goro's lips, "I love you so fucking much."

His thumb idly explored the ridges of the new ring, getting used to it. It was going to be there forever, now, but it only got to be new for a little while, and he was going to enjoy the feeling.

LINA

Goro put his arms around Hansel's neck and squeezed his eyes closed.

"Love you so much too." He sniffled. "I wanna make you this happy all the time."

IZZY

Hansel crushed him 'til his back popped a little, wanting to say you do, you do -- a more reasonable part of his brain thinking that's not really how relationships or life work, love, but it wasn't like Goro didn't know that. It was the thought that counted. Counted for a hell of a lot, too.

"I know," he said, swinging Goro back and forth a little. Just had to move somehow.

LINA

Goro kissed Hansel's cheek a bunch of times, then rested his own cheek against it, brushing back and forth to enjoy the scratchiness of his beard. He breathed deep to take in the scent of Hansel's skin. Just needed as much of the Hansel experience as possible.

"Pain in the ass for me to get that ring," he confided. "I found one really close to it, but not quite right. Had a moon instead of a sun. I asked the guy if he could do one with a sun. And when I gave him your ring size he said, 'Ooh, big fella, huh?' Pfff. I said, what, like he never made rings for half-orcs before? But I was all fuckin' red probably."

IZZY

Hansel snorted and grinned. He could picture that. Goro gettin' all embarrassed. Going out of his way to get the perfect ring, though -- god. Made Hansel feel a bit bad that the one he'd gotten wasn't so special. He kissed Goro's head. "Sounds real fuckin' cute."

LINA

"Psh. Y'know, I never used to blush and cry and shit so much. You got me all fuckin' emotional and shit."

IZZY

"Uh-huh. All my fault." He leaned back to give Goro his toothiest grin. "You weren't just fuckin' like that already or nothin'."

LINA

"I wasn't! Goddamn. Never felt shit." He knew Hansel wouldn't believe him, so he just pulled Hansel's beard instead.

IZZY

"Uh-huh," Hansel said again. He pulled his beard away from Goro's grabby little hands, making a face, and leaned back in to cuddle him. "I believe you, ahuv."

LINA

"Pfff." Goro squeezed him as hard as he could. "Fuckin'. Shit. Well, you're a... you're a big meanie, you know that? A jerk. Making me feel things. Just lucky you're good-looking, honestly."

IZZY

He snickered. God. Adorable. What the fuck, honestly. He squeezed Goro back. "Yeah, all right. If that's what did it, then I'm real lucky, yeah."

LINA

"What can I say? I'm a sucker for a handsome face." He nibbled Hansel's chin.

IZZY

Hansel shifted to kiss his forehead, murmuring, "Chatichi."

LINA

"Hey, don't turn it around, asshole."

IZZY

"Gorgeous," Hansel insisted, half-teasing to mess with him, but not about the compliment itself. "Deific."

LINA

"Pfff." Goro went for Hansel's chin again, biting harder this time. Wouldn't be successful unless he came away with a beard hair in his teeth.

IZZY

"Krishi," Hansel crooned.

LINA

"Aruchati," Goro managed with his mouth full.

IZZY

Grinning, Hansel dropped down to his knees, then pressed Goro's back into the sand so he couldn't get away and dug his fingers into Goro's sides.

LINA

Goro gave up on the chin-chewing, even though he hadn't snagged a beard hair. "Hey! What the fuck. No fair."

IZZY

"Pirate, ahuv."

LINA

Goro squirmed, even though he didn't stand a fucking chance. "Oh no, guess you're just gonna have to ravish me, then."

IZZY

He snorted again. "Oh no, in-fucking-deed. Whatever will you do, huh?" He started quickly kissing Goro's face, moving down to his neck.

LINA

Goro put his hands lightly on the back of Hansel's head, grinning. "Scream, maybe. Think there's anyone around close enough to hear?"

IZZY

"Hmm." Hansel made a show of looking around. "Don't think so." He grinned down at Goro again. "Maybe some idiots that just got engaged and came out here to have some privacy."

LINA

Jeez. Hansel looked so beautiful with the tree branches overhead as a backdrop, sunlight peeking between the leaves. Goro reached up to stroke the side of his face, smiling, probably looking all sappy and dreamy-eyed.

"Lucky bastards, those guys."

IZZY

"Mm. Mmhm." He wanted to tease one of'em more than the other, but Goro would probably just mix up which one of them he meant. And he looked so happy right now -- soft and relaxed -- that Hansel didn't even want to tease him. Just thought about Goro saying he never felt trapped under him, how he used to flinch away when anyone got too close and now he just seemed comfortable and safe and happy for Hansel to be all over him -- shit, he sought it out, now.

He leaned more of his weight into Goro and kissed his cheek, rubbing against him like a cat. "Real lucky," he agreed softly. "Can't even believe how lucky, sometimes."

LINA

Goro was trying not to giggle. Didn't wanna sound like that much of a sappy fool.

Then again, why the hell not? Hansel was the one so giddy he was spinning in circles. They were both a couple of sappy fools. It was fuckin' great.

So he went ahead and giggled. But since he couldn't resist teasing, he added, "Big tough pirate loves his fiance, huh? Wants to spend the rest of his life with him? Sucker."

IZZY

"Yup." He switched to scratching his beard against Goro's face. "You got me."

LINA

"Damn, that's almost as embarrassing as... I don't know, picture some overgrown street rat turned illegal cleric, just some asshole who goes his own way and doesn't need nobody, almost as embarrassing as him falling head over heels in love. Boy, his face must be real fuckin' red."

IZZY

"Mm." Hansel grinned and nodded, giving his face a real pointed look. "It sure fuckin' is." Then he leaned his forehead back onto Goro's, closing his eyes. "Y'know what I like, though? How his face used to get all red 'cause he didn't believe anyone was serious about lovin' him, and now he gets red 'cause he knows it's true."

LINA

"Aw," Goro muttered. He put his arms around Hansel, most assuredly turning red, yeah. "Well. Jeez. You make a real strong case."

A second later, he blurted, "Bah, I love you so fuckin' much. Just... more and more, every day. You're so fucking good, Hansel. So amazing."

IZZY

"Psh." Hansel kissed Goro's face a couple time, then stretched up to tug his shirt off over his head and dropped back down onto his back in the warm sand, pulling Goro on top of him. He held his hand up to look at the ring for a moment, how it fit with Mishka's, the curled his fingers into's Goro's hair to guide him down and kiss his forehead. "Love you too, shemeshi."

LINA

Goro wiggled out of his own clothes, trying as much as possible to do it without dislodging Hansel's arms, even though Hansel naturally moved anyway. Ah well. When he was down to his underwear, he sat up and looked around, eyes and ears peeled, making sure they really were good and alone.

"Only nice thing about drider webbing was it made me too desperate to get every stitch off to care," he remarked. He pulled his underwear off and tossed it aside. "Got me hooked. Now I'm a skinny-dipping maniac."

IZZY

Hansel grinned and made an approving sound, looking him over. That usually got him all flustered, and Hansel loved that shit almost as much as he did looking at him in the first place. "Here I thought maybe you just wanted to show off, once I called you sweetheart," he teased.

LINA

"Ffff." Goro climbed off Hansel, stepped just out of grabbing range, and kicked some sand at his head. Then he bolted, heading for the water's edge, and plunged in. He dunked under as soon as he was waist-deep, coming up for air a second later. It was cold, but refreshingly so, not torturous like that night at the harbor a few weeks back. "Ain't the Calish sea, but it'll do," he called.

IZZY

Hansel snorted at the kick, and at Goro running for it like a coward straight after he did it. He sat up to watch Goro leap into the river, taking his time to pull off his boots.

He kind of wished he'd waited for something like this, to give Goro his ring -- something special. Taking him to a lighthouse. Somewhere high up, with a nice view. A real date, instead of a hastily scrounged meal stolen between moments of preparing for a battle.

Their relationship was both of those things, though. Maybe it was good they'd done it both ways.

He finished with his boots and straightened to ditch his pants as well, this time, leaving everything in a neat pile and ambling out into the water, dropping down and pushing off to collide with Goro, grinning, launching them further out into the river, into the depths.

Hansel kissed him as he shoved him down, under the surface to be surrounded by the cool water again. He closed his eyes and wrapped around Goro tightly, enjoying the feeling of every godly inch of his skin, holding him under until neither of them could breathe anymore.

Then he fought back to the surface, pushing Goro ahead of him and breaking it a beat after him, shaking the water out of his hair and face and keeping his arm looped around Goro's waist to keep him afloat, and keep him close.

LINA

Goro rested his arms over Hansel's shoulders and kissed him a few more times, pausing in between each one to smile at him.

That whole sap thing was running through his head again, making him a little embarrassed--but god, he needed to just let that go, already. There was no reason to be embarrassed, when he actually thought about it. That kind of thing was just lingering bitterness from when he'd been alone, and he wasn't alone anymore. He thought instead about how it had made him feel to see Hansel so joyful and excited--how it'd melted him inside, made him want to cry happy tears almost.

Hansel might just fucking feel the same way about seeing Goro happy. What a concept.

So, Goro let him see. He brushed off the voice in his head always trying to tell him something was wrong, wrapped his legs around Hansel's waist, and just fucking beamed at him.

"Hmm," he said. "I think I like this better than the first time. Lack of drider webbing, you think?"

IZZY

Hansel meant to answer, say something clever, about ... how they owed a lot to those driders, and they shouldn't talk shit, or something, but the sight of Goro so happy -- holding onto him and smiling so much his eyes crinkled up, little beads of water clinging to his lashes like crystals, the sun beaming into his eyes and bringing out all the different shades of green and gray and gray-blue, so fucking gorgeous --

Yeah, he didn't have anything. Not a word. All he could do was just keeping looking at Goro softly in something like wonderment.

LINA

"Nah." Goro answered his own question, in between more kisses. "Not the drider webbing. It's 'cause this time, we're fucking in love. Engaged. Know we're both playing for keeps."

Much as he loved looking at Hansel, and the way Hansel was looking at him, he was starting to get that feeling like he couldn't stand to be not touching Hansel as much as possible. So he wrapped around him tighter, squeezing him, resting his head on Hansel's shoulder.

IZZY

"Uh-huh," Hansel finally managed, blinking a little and then just closing his eyes again, curling both arms around Goro and leaning back in the water. His thumb spun the new ring automatically.

LINA

Goro kissed Hansel's neck and collarbone, letting up on the hug for now so he could enjoy the feeling of his arms drifting weightless under the water. He was getting sleepy, floating out here in the sun, warm against Hansel's body. So fucking perfect.

IZZY

Hansel's ears pricked. Sounded like a boat, oars cutting through the water. He cracked an eye open and shifted his weight so Goro was submerged up to his neck, looking around for whatever fuckin' fisher had come this far along the river to fuckin' bother them.

LINA

It brought Goro back to full alertness, Hansel shifting him back under the water the way he did, a slight tension returning to his shoulders. Goro looked around, blinking, and then he heard it too: some splashing, further up the river. He hoisted himself up on Hansel a bit to get a better look.

At first he thought he was seeing people standing on the surface of the water -- fuckin' freaky -- but nah, they were just on a flat raft. Three humanoids, looked like. Two of them working the oars and one who was looking around, scanning the banks.

Goro sank right back down. His first thought was to go invisible, but he didn't have his amulet. Could still dimension step, though. "I'm fuckin' stepping into the woods," he muttered. "You wanna come with? Or are you gonna let them see these gorgeous fucking muscles in broad daylight?" He tapped a fist against Hansel's bicep.

IZZY

Hansel snorted, keeping his eye on the raft but kissing Goro's head. "Go on. I'll bring your clothes. Left'em on the beach."

LINA

Goro gave him a peck on the cheek -- that raft was coming up real damn fast -- and snuffed out.

On the raft were two humans and a half-orc. All three of them were unkempt, with scraggly hair and beards and dirty, ragged clothing, although they clearly weren't ill or malnourished. They had a pile of supplies and burlap bags between them, including one long bag tied with ropes that looked not unlike a body.

The lookout -- the smaller of the two humans -- noticed the fishing boat on the beach first. Then he saw Hansel. He said something to his companions to alert them, and they started rowing toward the shore, angling for the boat.

IZZY

Yeah, that was fuckin' shady. Hansel didn't like it a fucking bit. He made his way back to the shore quickly -- he had a lead on them and he was a strong swimmer, still, coming up alongside the skiff Goro had gotten and fixing them with a look as they came closer.

Was a good thing Goro'd stepped off. He'd be all sheepish and embarrassed about hiding in the water or standing there naked -- Hansel wasn't, and a man who'd stare three others down unflinchingly without any apparent defenses on him was usually one you didn't wanna fuck with. It'd worked out well for him before, anyway.

He leaned on the boat, not making his usual effort to look friendly and approachable, and jerked his chin up when they were near enough.

LINA

The three men pulled their raft ashore. The smaller human and the half-orc hopped off and ambled toward Hansel, while the other human stayed back, standing with arms crossed and one foot on the raft.

"Afternoon," the short guy said, giving Hansel a lookover. He glanced at the boat, then at Hansel and Goro's discarded clothes, gaze lingering there as he took in Goro's pack and Hansel's weapons. "Hope we're not interrupting somethin'."

IZZY

"Sure fuckin' are," Hansel said flatly, looking down at him. "Help you with something?"

LINA

The guy looked up into the woods, back to the pile of clothes, then out over the river. Then he looked at Hansel. "Ought to be asking you the same thing. You new to these parts?"

IZZY

"You got a point you're gettin' to, I suggest you get to it or fuck off. I'm busy."

LINA

From a short ways off in the woods, there came a snapping sound, as though someone had stepped on a big twig. The human and the half-orc both turned their heads that way.

"That your friend?" the human guessed. "Ben, why don't you go take a look? New to the neighborhood, I figure. Wouldn't want 'em to miss the welcoming committee."

Ben started for the trees.

IZZY

"Hey," Hansel said sharply, straightening. Could feel the thrum of magic -- the water on his skin and the beach underfoot were ready to help him out. "One more fuckin' step over there, Ben."

LINA

Ben ignored him, continuing toward the woods.

IZZY

All right. Hard way it was, then. Motherfucker wasn't getting any goddamn closer to Goro.

Hansel slammed his foot into the sand, and the little plants under the surface listened, pushing up, growing stronger -- there was something symbiotic about it, he felt like, some magic he was feeding into them to urge them up, and they responded with delight for the energy, happy to help him in return. Same kind of thing as the blackberry whip. Wouldn't last forever, but for right now, hungry vines clawed out of the sand to tangle around Ben's legs, climbing up as high as they could reach and stopping him in his tracks -- dragging themselves up the others' legs, too, and springing alive around all of them for about twenty feet.

Hansel stood just outside the radius, a tall stalk-y plant coming up next to him and growing too heavy for itself, leaning towards him. Good job, he thought, pleased, running his hand along the stem a moment. Thanks.

Then he started circling the growth, still aware of the hook it had in his head, the effort of keeping it alive, and headed for his and Goro's shit.

"I fuckin' told you," he said calmly.

LINA

"Motherfucker," the human snapped, wrestling uselessly against the vines.

"He's a spellcaster, Finn!" wailed the other human back by the raft.

"Yeah, I fucking noticed!" Finn yelled. He scowled at Hansel, worked around the one hand he had free, and recited something in Infernal. His eyes flashed red for a brief moment.

A cloud of mites and fleas appeared in the air above Hansel and descended on him, swarming and biting.

IZZY

Hansel waved at the  bugs, slightly annoyed. He looped his bandolier over his head and picked up his shield, which all their clothes were piled up on, and Goro's bag.

"Look," he said, "I don't give a shit what you're doing out here. I just suggest you do it a little further down the river, 'cause this spot's fuckin' taken."

He started for the treeline, keeping that hook in his head, holding the plants firmly.

LINA

Ben kept struggling, and managed to tear himself free of the plants. He crawled through them toward the second human, pulling a knife off his belt to try and free him.

Finn narrowed his eyes at Hansel retreating. He bowed his head and grasped a black stone pendant hanging from his neck, murmured another spell, and reached his arm toward Hansel.

IZZY

Hansel froze, partway to the treeline.

It was familiar. Hadn't happen in a while. Gavi'd done something like it, but this was holding firmer. All he could do was go tense -- barely even that much. Still. Powerless. He tried to throw it off, thinking about Goro in the trees, without his focus -- he could still do a little casting, right? He wasn't -- he wasn't going to be helpless. He'd be okay. It'd be fine.

Totally fine, except -- unless -- yeah -- unless that wasn't the only trick that son of a bitch had, and -- next he'd tell Hansel to take his trident off his back, and --

LINA

Goro watched from his hiding spot in the trees, smirking to himself. Aw, yeah. That was his fiance, alright. Fucking badass, making those vines sprout up, and shit. Waving off those bugs--was that the best that loser bandit could do?

But then... something was wrong. Goro saw the way Hansel came to a halt, going rigid. Made his hair stand on end. He didn't have to detect anything magically to know Hansel wasn't doing that of his own accord.

And that really, really pissed him off.

"Hey!" Goro abandoned his hiding spot and came stomping out of the trees. The half-orc and the burly human had got free of the vines, but the scrawny guy--the spellcaster--was still stuck. Just as well. Goro marched right past Hansel so he was close enough to glare at the guy.

"You motherfucker," he snarled. It was a Hold Person spell, he was pretty sure. Fucking child's play. He reached behind him toward Hansel, not even looking, and muttered a prayer. He made a twisting motion with his hand, dispelling the magic, snapping the spell like it was a fucking twig.

IZZY

The magic let go.

Hansel didn't think. Not for a second, because that might be too long -- might give them more time to use him for something else, make him hurt Goro, or just make him stand there, fucking still and useless, and watch while they did it.

He spun, pulling his clockwork trident off his back and launching it at the man who'd spoken infernal. The tines of the trident found their home in his throat, pinning him on his back in the sand.

Then Hansel rounded on the other two, snarling, putting himself between them and Goro.

LINA

"Fuck! Let's get the fuck outta here!" The human scrambled back onto the raft, and looked like he was about to take off whether or not Ben hopped on with him.

Ben put his hands in the air. He dropped to his knees. "Wait, wait! Please. Don't kill me."

IZZY

Hansel swing the silver trident off his back and jabbed it at Ben's throat, teeth still bared. "Make it worth my fucking while," he growled.

LINA

Ben looked truly distraught. Goro frowned.

"Reggie, hang on!" Ben called over his shoulder, turning only as far as he could without taking his eyes off Hansel. "Just hang on!" To Hansel, he said, "You're... you're one of them druids."

IZZY

Hansel pressed the trident against his throat.

LINA

Ben leaned away, as much as he could on his knees. "Please." He sounded on the verge of tears. "My brother."

IZZY

Hansel hesitated.

He looked to Goro.

LINA

"Aww, fuck, Ben," Reggie called. "We gotta fuckin' go!"

Goro was becoming more aware of the fact that he was completely fucking naked in front of these assholes. It'd been one thing when he figured they were gonna kill 'em all, but now this guy wanted to talk.

He seemed sincere, though, whatever the fuck he wanted.

Goro shifted a little closer to Hansel to hide his body better. He narrowed his eyes at Ben. "What about your brother?"

"He died." Ben sniffled. He tilted his head back, pointing it toward the raft. There did appear to be a dead body wrapped up on it, Goro saw. "Last night. I... was just gonna bury him at sea, but... I heard that druids..."

IZZY

Hansel shifted in tandem with Goro to hide him. He pulled the trident back just a little. "You heard druids what."

LINA

"You heard they can resurrect people," Goro filled in. Wasn't much fucking else someone could do for a dead body.

Ben sniffled again and nodded. "Please. Please. I can pay anything."

IZZY

Grimacing, Hansel pulled his trident back further and jammed the staff into the sand. "Yeah, and what were you and your little fuckin' buddies planning to do here, huh? You wanna rob us, then you're gonna turn around and beg me to resurrect someone? Are you for fuckin' serious?"

LINA

Ben hung his head shamefully. "Well, that was... before I knew you were a druid."

Goro scoffed. "When you say you can pay anything. No offense, but you don't look fuckin' rich. How much you got?"

Ben looked over his shoulder at the raft again. He looked back to Goro warily. "Couple hundred gold."

Goro's shoulders slumped. Ben didn't even seem to realize how pathetic that sounded. Made Goro feel kinda sorry for him. He stepped close enough to Hansel to lean against his back a little.

"Dunno, ahuv," he said quietly. "What's the going rate on raising the dead these days?"

Zero, Amari would say. Zero. But these guys had tried to fuck with them.

IZZY

Hansel scowled. He wasn't interested in taking all of this fucker's savings. If they were gonna raise his brother, Hansel would say they -- well, Goro -- just ... do it. Either do it free or not at all. Shouldn't be down to how much he could pay.

He considered for a beat, then jerked his chin at Ben and demanded, "If you'd've made it t'the woods and found my fiance, what were you gonna do next, eh?"

LINA

"Uh." Ben looked a little nervous to be asked. "Grab 'im. Drag 'im back out here."

IZZY

"And?"

LINA

Ben's eyes trailed up to Goro, peering over Hansel's shoulder, then back to Hansel. "Well. Uh. It was gonna be up to Finn."

"Be real nice to him, prob'ly," Reggie threw in. Goro rolled his eyes.

IZZY

Hansel bared his teeth. "And why the fuck," he said, "should I be fucking kind and generous about your goddamn brother when you were gonna do fuck knows what to my defenseless, innocent fiance? Your brother a real fuckin' saint or did he do whatever the fuck Finn wanted, too?"

Defenseless and innocent in-fucking-deed, but it was better to keep the illusion up that Hansel was the one with power, here. No need to give anything away.

LINA

Goro shrank behind Hansel a bit, both to lend credence to what he was saying, and so no one would see him smirking.

Ben seemed to be in the process of realizing he was in a real fucking pickle, here. He started to back away on his knees, still keeping his hands up. Eyes on Hansel to make sure he wasn't about to get skewered, he climbed slowly to his feet.

IZZY

In elvish, Hansel asked, "You want me to kill'em, love?" without taking his eyes off Ben.

LINA

"Eh. I'd rather not have a bunch of corpses cluttering up our date beach, y'know?"

Ben's eyes darted between them as they spoke in elvish, and he kept creeping backwards.

"Hey," Goro said in Common, throwing an arm out to point at Finn's body. "Take him with you."

Ben looked at the body, then at Hansel, as though checking if he had permission to move that way.

IZZY

Hansel grunted. He passed his shield to Goro, so Goro'd have something to hide behind, and kept his eyes on Ben as he stalked forward to wrench his clockwork trident out of the dead man's throat. It'd nearly taken his head clean off.

That was what he fucking got for trying to control Hansel.

Then he crossed back to stand by Goro, guarding him, and jerked his chin at Ben for him to go on. "You fuckin' do what my fiance tells you to do."

LINA

Ben hurried the rest of the way to the corpse. He gathered Finn up in his arms, not very tenderly, just kinda looking uncomfortable about it all. He carried him over to the raft, bickered quietly with Reggie for a moment, ending with a louder, "Let's just fucking go, Reg."

Hah. Hansel had done that. Reduced two big burly guys to a couple of squabbling chickens.

As the raft drifted into the current, wobbling some with the men's frantic and uncoordinated attempts at paddling, Goro said, "Aw. I forgot to have you put out their eyes."

IZZY

"Hmm. Still got magic." The river would listen to him, he bet, especially if he got closer and stood in it. "Can pull'em back if you like, ahuv."

He was mostly joking, 'cause he figured Goro was, but also -- if Goro said yeah ...

LINA

Goro watched until the raft was almost out of sight, then took a step closer to Hansel and put his arms around him. "Nah. No one's gonna believe 'em anyway. 'Oh yeah, we came across this naked guy, and he made vines erupt out of the ground, and almost took Finn's head clean off with his trident'--please."

He kissed Hansel's shoulder. "You alright, love? The--the paralysis." God, it still pissed him off to think about.

IZZY

He grumbled, still watching the raft. Couldn't just have a normal fuckin' nice day. "S'all right," he muttered. "Won't be fuckin' doin' it again."

Thinking about it made his skin crawl, so -- he tried to just not think about it. Jabbed his tridents into the sand and started pulling his pants back on, instead.

LINA

"Aw," Goro said softly.

IZZY

"Psh."

LINA

Goro pouted. Kind of for reals. They'd been having a good fucking time, and all. And... well, it'd been kinda fucking troubling to stand there naked in front of people, but honestly, wasn't like he was any worse for the wear now. He didn't feel any less like swimming.

So he waved at Hansel dismissively and went back down to the shore, plunging in again. He'd just do it by himself.

IZZY

Hansel grumbled and brought his bandolier and the rest of their shit closer to the shore, stabbing his tridents into the sand and plopping down beside them to watch Goro, and the river.

LINA

Goro paddled out deeper, keeping an eye on the current, as much as he could see it. Didn't look like much, but he already knew how swift it could carry a boat.

Man, though, if he did get sucked away, Hansel would probably jump in to save him. That'd be hot.

He rolled in the water, tipping onto his back and floating, hands linked behind his head. He let his hips bob to the surface, exposing everything, and grinned since he knew Hansel was watching. "The water's great," he called. "Sure you don't wanna come in?"

IZZY

Hansel grumbled again. Yeah, looked fuckin' great. "Keepin' watch," he called back.

LINA

Goro snickered. That was adorable. Hansel was so great. He ought to treat Goro like his canary in a coal mine, though--if Goro wasn't spooked, he shouldn't be either.

Then again, main reason Goro wasn't spooked was 'cause Hansel was there, so...

Eh, that made him feel a little guilty.

"You want some company?" Goro called, splashing and paddling around. "Maybe I could give you a neck rub, or something. Y'look tense."

IZZY

He scoffed. Sounded nice, but on the other hand. "Just enjoyin' the view. I'm good."

LINA

Goro snorted. Well then, might as well give a good show. He rolled over to paddle on his front for a bit, making sure to stick his ass in the air on the way.

Really was nice just to swim. They'd have to start using the lake for that, now that it was warming up.

Once he'd had his fill, he made his way back to the beach and walked up to Hansel, smiling and dripping, to give him a kiss.

IZZY

Hansel watched closely for a bit, eyeing the river. Goro was fuckin' distracting, though. Eventually he gave a quiet psh, grinning despite himself, and went to grab their basket and put together a couple of sandwiches. He got a few bites of his before Goro came back, dripping all over him -- Hansel had just started to dry off a little, too. Ah well. Since it was a lost cause anyway, he straightened enough to drag Goro down into his lap by the waist, kissing him back and just letting himself get soaked again. Wasn't so bad.

He pulled the blanket they were supposed to sit on around Goro's shoulders to shield him, and offered him a bite.

LINA

Goro chomped, just shy of grazing Hansel's fingers, and savagely tore off a bite of sandwich. "Mm-mm," he said, mouth full.

IZZY

Hansel narrowed his eyes, grinning. "Krishi." He leaned in to kiss Goro's forehead hard enough to push him back a little, and nuzzled into his wet hair for a moment before leaning back again to muss his fingers through it. "You actually wanna learn how to fish or was that all a fuckin' elaborate scam to get me alone, eh?"

LINA

"Oh, it was a scam, alright. Might not be a bad idea, though, eh? In case I'm ever starving, or some shit. And out of magic." He opened his mouth and pushed forward, chomping air, trying for more sandwich.

IZZY

"Uh-huh." Hansel considered playing keep-away the sandwich, then decided not to and just teasingly drew it back from Goro's snapping teeth a second before holding it back out for him. "You know how to build up a campfire?"

LINA

"'Course I do," he said around a bite of sandwich. He swallowed and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. "Y'know, before all you yahoos came along, I was Joan Ripley's number one guy. She heard about some cool shit out in the middle of nowhere, I was her guy."

IZZY

"Oh, yeah?" Hansel asked, amused. "'Cause the way I remember it, you fuckin' bailed on our first job even before Roddy an' Larkin did. Number one guy, huh."

LINA

"Well, someone had to go deliver the news of how the rest of her new recruits got their dumb asses eaten by a troll." Goro nuzzled Hansel's face. "Rest of you got a lucky break, eh?"

IZZY

"Uh-huh." He nuzzled Goro back. "Real lucky me an' Raef are badasses, is what."

LINA

"You fuckers stuck dynamite up its nose, or some shit! Don't badass me. That's like saying I was clever enough to outwit Diva, when the real clever thing would've been to not give her the time of day in the first place. Pfff."

IZZY

"Hey, now, hey," he protested, amused. "I didn't stick the dynamite in the fuckin' thing's nose. That was all your favorite cousin." He supposed it'd never really come up, exactly how things had gone down after Goro -- and then Roddy and Larkin -- had left. "Me an' Raef just stayed back after it woke up and killed it so it couldn't keep stealin' kids or whatever the fuck. Heroes, y'know."

LINA

"Psh. You gotta make up your mind. You a marauding pirate, or a defender of the innocent?"

IZZY

"Depends on the day."

LINA

Goro clucked his tongue and took another bite of his sandwich.

IZZY

Hansel crammed the rest of the sandwich into his own mouth, forcing out, "Mine," around it and growling.

LINA

"Oh. Jeez. I didn't know. Guess you work up a hell of an appetite, menacing off a bunch of river pirates."

IZZY

"Defendin' my innocent, helpless fiance." He swallowed part of it and grinned. "S'aright, though. Ocean pirates're bigger 'n river pirates."

LINA

"Psh, what about me, huh? Who d'you think broke that spell you were under? Plus I've been swimming and shit." He pouted.

IZZY

"Guess somebody's gotta catch some fish."

LINA

He pouted harder.

IZZY

Hansel kissed his head and snuggled him. "If only someone was around that could teach you how, huh?"

LINA

"Well, alright, then. Let's get to it." He snapped his fingers a couple times. "Teach me."

IZZY

"Nah." Hansel kept snuggling him. "Don't feel like it right now."

LINA

Goro scoffed. He squirmed and dug his fingers into Hansel's ticklish spot.

IZZY

Hansel snickered and resisted it for a moment, then shivered and pushed him away. "Jackass."

LINA

Goro grinned at him toothily. "Oh, did you see a reflection of yourself in the water?"

IZZY

"Those ain't the words of a man lookin' to get taught how to fish."

LINA

Goro made a big show of rolling his eyes. Then he clasped his hands under his chin, stuck out his bottom lip, and batted his eyelashes. "Please, sir. Won't you please teach me how to fish?"

IZZY

He snickered and dragged Goro back in, kissing his head a couple times just because he wanted to. 'Cause he could. "Hmm. S'pose you can be trusted with a trident? We can spear fish. Lot more interesting than rod fishin'."

LINA

Goro's eyes widened a little, in total sincerity this time. "You'd let me use it?"

IZZY

"Mmhm." Hansel gave him an amused look. "Long as you can actually hold it an' shit anyway." He poked Goro in the arm. "Kinda scrawny."

LINA

"Pff, you underestimate me. Never watched me swing a mace." Actually, he was fairly sure that wasn't true... and Hansel probably hadn't been impressed.

IZZY

"Thought that weapon hangin' off your bag was for decoration," Hansel teased.

LINA

Goro scoffed, but that was all the defense he could muster. "So anyway."

IZZY

"All right, all right." Hansel laughed. He pushed himself up and offered a hand down to Goro, jerking his silver trident out of the sand and spinning it to hold it out once Goro was up.

LINA

Goro took it uncertainly. It was heavier than it looked. "Fish are quick little motherfuckers, aren't they?"

IZZY

"Eh, some of'em." He unwound the blackberry vine from the middle tine and curled it around his wrist, instead. Strangest thing -- he'd noticed that no matter how he turned the sprig, the thorns never seemed to catch him. Magic shit, he supposed. He hefted up the clockwork trident. "We chum the waters, get'em distracted eatin', then they're a little more sedate. Here, like this."

He demonstrated how to two-hand the trident -- loosely towards the blade, firmly back along the staff, showing how the metal slid in his front hand and stayed secure in his back hand.

LINA

Goro watched carefully and copied him--or tried to, at least. The trident wobbled some in his grip, off balance. "Eh."

IZZY

"Not bad," Hansel said approvingly. "Oughta get you out choppin' wood some time. Best fuckin' workout there is."

He jabbed his trident back into the sand and came around behind Goro -- nudging his feet further apart for a stronger stance. It was different from fighting with a knife, trying to be quick and agile and slip in where you could. Something the size of a trident -- someone the size of Hansel -- dominated and directed the fight, stayed grounded and planted.

"Taavit taught me how t'fight with this trident," he commented absently, shifting Goro's hips to pull his weight lower. "Was more your size. Stronger from climbing in the rigging and such, but you'll do all right."

LINA

Goro was trying not to be distracted by the way Hansel was standing behind him, manhandling him a little. He probably wasn't doing it... on purpose.

"Hey, d'you think it'd be hot if I got all buff and shit?" Goro tried stabbing the trident at the air with a soft hya, and just about dropped it. Shit.

IZZY

Hansel snorted and adjusted Goro's grip, shifting the staff of the trident back so he could handle the head more easily, distributing the weight better. He kept his hands over Goro's, holding loosely.

"Sure fuckin' would." He nodded, and kissed Goro's shoulder. "'Cause it'd be you."

LINA

"Pffff."

IZZY

Hansel pfffft'd back at him teasingly and nudged him. "Give it another go."

LINA

Goro did, and this time, he did drop it. He hissed and swore under his breath, ducking down to grab it again, putting his hands back like they were and letting Hansel guide him into just the right place. Gave another thrust, but was just all off balance again.

He was hot now from embarrassment, but he wasn't gonna let this damn thing get the best of him. He evened out his breathing and repositioned his feet, shifting back and forth between them to check that he was sturdy. He gave it another shot, and this time it felt better. Like there was actually some force in it.

IZZY

Hansel grinned. "There y'go. Killin' trolls in no time, ahuv." He kissed Goro's shoulder again, then his neck, and pulled his hands away from the trident to rest at Goro's waist instead. He leaned his chin down on Goro's shoulder to whisper, "Fearsome pirate, Goro Voronin."

LINA

Goro scoffed. "Hey, I'm doing my fuckin' best."

IZZY

"I know. I ain't makin' fun." He squeezed Goro's waist affectionately. "Pretty fuckin' good for someone who ain't ever even touched a trident before."

LINA

Hm. Well. Everything Goro knew about Hansel, and everything he knew about reading people in general, suggested Hansel was being completely fucking sincere. Still was weird. Flustered, Goro made another thrust. A little less good than the one before, but not terrible. Eh.

IZZY

"Gettin' better," Hansel told him, pleased. "You wanna try it out one-handed?"

LINA

"Ehhh." Goro wasn't sure that was a good idea. "Is that how you gotta do it for fishing?"

IZZY

"Nah, I just thought it'd be hot."

LINA

Goro scoffed again, growing still more flustered. He rammed his hips backward into Hansel, just to be difficult. "Fine. Show me."

IZZY

Hansel grinned. "A'right. Gotta have the counterweight, though."

He pulled away to scoop up his shield, offering it to Goro.

LINA

Goro accepted it, and tried to rebalance. The trident wobbled all over the place. "Oh yeah, real hot like this," he muttered.

IZZY

"Mm, yeah, fuckin' agreed." Hansel eyed him up and down, still grinning.

Then he retrieved the other trident and showed Goro how to brace the weight of the weapon along his forearm, against his elbow. It still took a considerable amount of wrist strength, but it was easier that way -- more stable. He tapped the end of the staff into the sand to shift his grip down, and lunged forward, getting the most range he could get out of it and wrenching it at the end point, other hand folded behind his back with no shield. Was more like fencing, one-handed. Made him think of teaching Mishka how to handle a rapier.

LINA

Goro made one thrust forward and barely kept hold of the thing. He repositioned his grip, rebalanced his feet, and tried to get in the right frame of mind. Same as before, when he'd done good. Breathe in, breathe out. Be hot for Hansel.

On his next attempt, he managed to put some good force behind it--but in the wrong direction. Pulling back a little bit for extra power before he stepped forward, he accidentally thwacked the end of the shaft right into his ribs, hard.

"Ooh," he yelped, dropping the trident and staggering forward, doubled over. "Ah, fuck."

IZZY

"Ah, shit." Hansel stabbed his trident back into the sand, putting his arm around Goro to help hold him up. He was more concerned than amused, but it was a little funny. "You okay, motek? Wanna sit down?"

LINA

"Nah, nah, nah." Goro shook Hansel off and grabbed the trident off the ground again. This motherfucking thing. "I got it."

IZZY

Hansel put a hand on the staff to still it. "Nah, I think you've had enough." He was a tenacious fuck, that was for sure. God, Hansel loved him. "Y'did all right two-handed. I think you can get manage to spear some fish without hurtin' yourself." He paused. "Maybe put on some pants, though."

LINA

Goro snorted and giggled. He aimed a kick at Hansel's shin. "Not 'til you make it worth my while that I got naked in the first place."

IZZY

"Psshh. A'right." He dug a spare copper out of his pocket and held it ready to flip. "Call it. Heads or tails." He winked.

LINA

Goro narrowed his eyes. "Heads."

IZZY

Hansel flipped it with a ting and caught it on the back of his hand, revealing a head. He grinned. "Lucky boy."

LINA

Goro grinned back and waggled his eyebrows. He hopped back and forth from one foot to the other and reached out for Hansel's wrist. "Well, c'mon then," he said, attempting to drag Hansel back toward their picnic blanket.

IZZY

"Whatever you want."

[ftb]

Hansel wrapped them both up in the blanket to cuddle Goro, all safe and snug back hidden in the trees a bit. "So about that fishin'," he murmured after a moment.

LINA

"Mm. Don't really need to learn fishin'." He patted Hansel's arm, resting his eyes. "Got this big strong guy who'll do it for me."

IZZY

"Mmhm." Hansel felt like he oughta argue, maybe say something grim about what'd happen if he wasn't around, but -- eh, why pull down the mood. "Sure do."

LINA

Huh. That didn't seem right. Goro was expecting him to argue. Well, he'd better take advantage.

"Alright." He patted him again. "Go on. Go catch me a fish."

IZZY

"Nah." Hansel didn't move except to keep actively snuggling him.

LINA

"C'mon. Chop chop." Goro wiggled, not trying to get away, just jostling. "Your fiance's hungry. Can't just let him waste away."

IZZY

"I think he'll make it. Ate half my damn sandwich earlier, an' all." Hansel shifted to drop more weight onto Goro and hold him down.

LINA

"Yeah, but." Goro couldn't really think of a good argument. "Do it anyway. 'Cause I said so."

IZZY

"You don't fuckin' tell me what to do," Hansel said, lazily.

LINA

"Yeah huh. Starting today, I'm gonna call the shots."

IZZY

"M'kay." Hansel got comfy and closed his eyes like he was just gonna take a nap. "You do that."

LINA

"Hey. Yeah. Keep cuddling me, just like that. Relax. Good boy."

IZZY

Hansel snorted.

LINA

"You like that, huh? Good. Glad we've come to an arrangement."

IZZY

"You're fuckin' adorable." Hansel shifted again so he could kiss Goro's face a couple times, grinning. "So cute. Precious."

LINA

Goro scoffed and made spitting noises, shaking his head to try and dodge the kisses. "Nuh uh. I'm a cold hard asshole. Nothing cute about me."

IZZY

"Oh yeah? How 'bout this." Hansel pinned him and kissed his nose. "This part's pretty cute too." His hair. "Really like these." His eyelids. "Hey, y'know what my favorite part is, though?" Down his neck to his collarbone. "Hm. Nah, actually." He pulled the blanket away to move down to Goro's chest. "All of it. All of it's fuckin' cute. Mm."

LINA

Goro giggled so hard he sounded fucking hysterical. "Stop. Stop. You're making a fool outta me. I order you to quit it."

IZZY

"Oh, yes, sir, right away, sir," Hansel teased, and didn't.

LINA

"Can't believe you're mouthing off to me like that. You're gonna pay later. I'll get you."

IZZY

"Mmhm. Tell me how you see that workin' out." Hansel stopped to prop on his elbows, most of his weight still on Goro, and give him an amused, patient look.

LINA

Goro grinned up at him. "No. I ain't giving away my secrets. Gonna catch you off guard."

IZZY

"A'right." He went back to kissing his way around Goro's body.

LINA

Goro snorted and flailed as much as he could. "Hey! Thought you were gonna be good!"

IZZY

"Never said that."

LINA

"God. God. Go catch me a fish! Do it now!"

IZZY

"Naw." Hansel wrestled him onto his stomach to keep kissing his shoulders and back.

LINA

"Nooo!" Goro wailed so loud he practically shrieked. "This is not allowed! You understand orders, asshole? Didn't you serve on ships and shit? Not allowed."

IZZY

"Shame, that." He kept it up. "Musta missed that bit. See, normally, it's me givin' the orders."

LINA

Goro wheezed from the effort of trying to fight him off, and trying not to laugh. "You sure are slow on the uptake."

IZZY

"Mm," Hansel agreed. He decided he was done, and curled his arms under Goro to cuddle him again, pulling Goro up against him, and nuzzled into his damp, sandy hair. "You got me. Too bad, huh?"

LINA

"Nah." Goro twisted underneath him to kiss his chin, then snapped his teeth for good measure. He grinned. "Think I came out on top in the end, anyway. Well, not on top on top. Not literally."

IZZY

Hansel snickered, then kissed the back of his neck and worked around, along his jawline, up to his lips. "Always do, ahuv."

LINA

"Motherfucker," Goro said fondly. "Hey, what's it like being able to get people to just listen to you and do whatever you say? God."

IZZY

"Ain't so bad." He raised up to press his weight down into Goro's back through his hands, massaging him languidly. "Secret's just to tell'em to do shit they already wanna do, y'know?"

LINA

Goro flushed. "Pfff. Oh yeah? Let's try it. Gimme a kiss."

IZZY

Hanse gave a theatrical gasp and leaned back down to kiss him, then grinned and murmured, "Lookit you. You're a natural."

LINA

Goro grinned and closed his eyes, content as could be. He lay quietly for a couple minutes, just enjoying the attention Hansel was giving him. Finally he piped up. "Alright, I wanna give that trident another go. Catch fish, and shit."

IZZY

"You gonna whack yourself again?"

LINA

"I mean, probably. But I'll get good at it eventually."

IZZY

"Psh. Yeah, all right." He pushed himself up, smiling a bit, and offered Goro a hand. "Ain't gonna tell you how many times I hurt myself on that damn thing 'fore I got good with it."

LINA

Goro accepted the help up, then put his pants on finally, sticking his tongue out at Hansel as he did up the laces. Then he rubbed his hands together eagerly. "Alright. Show me how it's done."

IZZY

Hansel grinned and threw his arm around Goro's neck to pull him on out of the trees, stopping to swap out the blanket for the two tridents -- he almost automatically tossed the silver one to Goro, then thought, ah, maybe not, and just handed it to him instead. He scooped some tiny shreds of meat from their basket and angled his head for Goro to follow him on back over to wad into the river.

"Won't lie," he said, "fishing's boring as fuck. Some people find it's relaxing, or some shit, but eh."

He tossed the bait out into the water, where some floated on the surface and some sank down. The water was clear, glinting yellow in the afternoon sun, and even as it got murkier in the depths, there was movement visible below the ripples.

"Elitash used to spend fuckin' hours at it, buildin' up our supplies. Never had the patience, so I learned how to spearfish instead. Better out in the ocean." He shot Goro a grin. "Most shit is." Then he looked back to the water. "Diving down, world's all blue and slow around you. Have your fucking pick of dinner. Butterflyfish, angelfish, tang, flounder -- big fuckin' grouper'll feed half the goddamn crew. Ain't gonna catch that on a rod."

He couldn't help sounding proud of himself. It'd been good fucking times. Good people. And he'd gotten to make himself useful to them, in plenty of different ways.

Then he shrugged. "Ain't as interesting just standing by the shore, waiting for something to come up. Bettin' we can get a catfish, though, or a couple bass. Feed you real good."

LINA

Goro tried to listen carefully, but he got a little distracted just... drinking Hansel in. He loved watching him talk about shit like this, shit he knew real well, felt confident about. He ought to ask Hansel to teach him new things more often. Got real dreamy.

"How do you get--y'know, shellfish and shit? Clams, oysters, I like those." He tapped the end of the trident's shaft against the surface of the water a couple times. "Probably not in a river."

IZZY

"Nah, you can find'em sometimes." He kept a close eye out, poising his trident over the surface of the water, holding it the way he'd shown Goro -- front hand guiding, back hand ready to drive the tines into the first fish that came close enough. "Gotta scavenge around rocks and such. They like bein' near the shore. Ones that live in the ocean are tastier, though. Fuckin' pre-seasoned -- just gotta grill'em up real nice in some butter. Maybe a bit of pepper."

He said it all kind of absently, forgetting that he couldn't eat meat anymore.

LINA

Goro glanced at him. "You still eat shellfish?"

IZZY

"Nah. Nah."

LINA

"Oh." Goro shifted his grip on the trident, copying the way Hansel was doing it. He tried to watch the water, but kept stealing glances up at his fiance. "You think you'll ever... again? Any kind of meat?"

IZZY

Hansel was quiet a moment. "Dunno."

He readjusted his grip on the staff, remembering -- vaguely, in flashes -- pitching himself off what was left of the Albatross, stumbling through the streets, trying to find somewhere safe and familiar, following the scent of food. How, as starving as he'd been, he'd retched as soon as the smell of crackling grease and blood reached him. Jonn had stopped eating meat because it'd upset him too much, even by the time he'd been fucking lucid enough to notice.

"Maybe," he said. If it wasn't bloody. Fish, yeah. Something like that.

LINA

Goro didn't say anything more. He didn't care one way or another that Hansel was a vegetarian; he only wondered because sometimes, the way Hansel talked about meat, it seemed like he missed it.

He got to pondering what Hansel's favorite foods had been, back before. His mind wandered until he remembered that Larkin's dad--his uncle--was the ship's cook. That was fuckin' weird. "Hey. What's my uncle like? Kheman."

IZZY

Hansel glanced at him again, puzzled for a second. Ah. Right. God, that was fuckin' weird, when he thought about it. He wasn't sure just exactly how old Kheman was, but he always thought of them as being about the same age, and he thought of himself and Goro as being about the same age, as well. He vaguely realized Larkin was a little younger, sure, but it was still strange.

"Uh," he said. There was probably shit he could say about Kheman that Goro wouldn't wanna know about a family member. Fuckin' debauchery, back then. Strange to think it wasn't all that long ago, too, in reality; just felt like a fuckin' lifetime. "Easygoin'. Always kept us all grounded. Y'know what me an' Mishka can be like when we get together -- Eli and Hunter, they were the same way. Kheman was, uh. Kinda the voice of reason, sometimes. Got us outta the scrapes we'd get into, him and Serena. Dependable, y'know? Good fuckin' gambler, too -- the fuckin' poker face on him -- and he, uh. Knew when to quit. S'why he always got all my goddamn gold."

LINA

Easy going. Well, that sure as shit didn't describe any of the other Bashas they knew.

"Was he--I mean, is he--you know, a good person? Or whatever?"

IZZY

"Yeah." Hansel frowned, still studying the water. "Yeah, I mean -- shit, he didn't even wanna be a pirate. Just a sailor. Always ..." He shifted the staff again, a bit uncomfortable. "I mean, he's fuckin' harmless, y'know? Regular fuckin' person."

LINA

Goro mused on that for a while. "The Basha viciousness," he said, "skipped a generation, with him."

IZZY

"Yeah," Hansel agreed. Wasn't any viciousness in Kheman. Just ... negligence. "Yeah."

Motion flickered under the surface of the water. Hansel's arm jolted into action instinctively, and he came up with a mid-sized trout on the tines of his trident. He offered it to Goro proudly.

LINA

"Oh." Goro blinked. He wasn't sure what to do. "Uh. Shit, I barely saw that. Wasn't paying attention. Do it again."

IZZY

He snorted and pulled the fish off, tossing it on the rocky shore behind them. "Can't do it on command, y'know. Gotta wait 'til there's a fish." He demonstrated the movement, though, slowly --  pushing with his right hand, the staff sliding easily through his left, piercing the river. Then he pulled back and waited, again, for movement.

LINA

Goro watched, and copied. Stood tense and at the ready, staring at the water, trying not to blink.

"Skipped a generation with Bakir, too."

IZZY

"Mm. Theo says he's a fuckin' nerd," Hansel said, fondly adding, "Must take after his brother."

LINA

"Pfff. Yeah right." Goro kept staring at the water. "You think I ain't got a vicious streak? How long have you known me?"

IZZY

"Still a fuckin' nerd."

LINA

And--there. Goro spotted a fish. He thrust the trident down, too slow, not taking into account the added resistance of the water. "Pfff. Don't say it. Don't you dare fuckin' say it."

IZZY

Hansel grinned. "Ain't sayin' shit, ahuv."

LINA

Goro scoffed and got back into position. He tested out a couple more jabs with the trident, trying to get a feel for how it moved through the water. Then he stood and waited.

"Too soft for a proper Basha," he muttered, "too sharp for the rest of the damn world."

IZZY

"Nah," Hansel said. "Think you're just about the perfect sorta softness and sharpness. Wouldn't change a thing."

LINA

Goro scoffed. "Well, you would say that." A second later though, he let the trident fall to his side. He held it out of the way as he stepped up behind Hansel to hug him one-armed, face buried against his back.

IZZY

Hansel couldn't really hug him back like that, so he let his trident drop, too, and turned to wrap his free arm around Goro and kiss his head. "Mmhm. Sure would."

LINA

"Thank you," Goro said, muffled against his chest now. Not thank you for loving me or thank you for being so good to me or anything like that. Just vague. Gave him more plausible deniability.

Then he pulled back and waded a few paces away, readying the trident again. Before it was entirely in place, he saw a fish, and reacted without thinking. Basically just hurled into the water. "Ah. Damn it."

IZZY

"Gotta be patient," Hansel said affectionately, echoing Elitash. "Good instincts, though. Want me to help?"

LINA

"Umm." He thought about it. "Nah. I'm gonna get it."

IZZY

Hansel stabbed his trident in between them to prop on, and leaned the distance to kiss Goro's shoulder. "I know."

He leaned and waited again. He lashed out again -- just a shrimpy little minnow this time, about cleaved in half by the trident. Grunting at it, he worked his thumbs into the wound and easily wrench the tiny fish inside out, and tossed it over near Goro's spot to chum it again.

LINA

Goro flinched a little when Hansel tossed the bait over. But then he went back to holding perfectly still. Made himself wait, even when a couple bigger fish came up, nibbling at it. Darting in and out for one little bite at a time.

He watched, trying to get a feel for how they moved. The rhythm of it--wasn't much to speak of, but that in itself was good to know. He waited. Steadying himself. Then he jabbed the trident at one, hard and fast as he could, and felt a satisfying hit, followed by thrashing against the prongs.

He lifted it out of the water, whooping. "Motherfucker, showed you!" he yelled, pointing at the fish.

IZZY

Hansel broke into a big grin, laughing. "There you fuckin' go!" He splashed over to hook his arm around Goro's waist and lift him up, spinning him a bit and looking up at him proudly. Just felt so fucking good to see Goro all happy and triumphant like that, pleased with himself. "Terror of the Starlight River, Goro Voronin."

LINA

"Hah. Damn straight I am." He kissed Hansel's face a few times. "Quick, though. You gotta let me get it to shore before it escapes."

He checked the end of the trident again. On second thought, that thing didn't look like it was gonna be going anywhere.

IZZY

"Yeah, nah, it's dead as fuck, ahuv," Hansel told him, still grinning. "My tridents kill what they're s'posed to kill."

LINA

Goro gave him another kiss. "That's hot."

IZZY

He snorted and set Goro down. "A'right, go build a fire, killer. I'll gut the fish."

LINA

"That's a little less hot." Goro winked and handed him the trident, then waded onto the beach. He went back into the woods, gathering up fallen branches and some dry underbrush to serve as tinder. Out on the sand he collected some river rocks together to make a fire ring. He'd told Hansel he knew how to build a fire, and by god, he was gonna show him a good fire.

After he'd arranged the wood, he used a match to get the tinder going, and blew on it gently until the kindling caught. Then he sat back to enjoy the results, arms around his knees.

IZZY

Hansel snorted and swatted his ass as he left.

With the fire made, he came back with both fish gutted and cleaned in the river, and stabbed his tridents into the sand as he settled in next to Goro. He passed Goro's catch to him, and pulled the picnic basket over to get out some other supplies -- salt, assorted herbs, a lemon.

"Slice that real thin for me," he asked, holding the lemon out to Goro. "Just about ... six good slices outta the middle." He leaned in to kiss Goro's forehead, too, adding, "Nice fire, too."

LINA

Goro leaned into the kiss, smiling. He pulled out a spare knife from his pack to slice the lemon.

"There's one problem with you teaching me this method," he said as he passed the slices back to Hansel. "I ain't got a trident of my own. 'Cept for that ghost one I whack people with sometimes."

IZZY

"Yeah, think you're probably a better shot with that one," Hansel said, amused. He stuffed the fish with herbs and lemon slices, and jabbed the fire with a stick to even it out, arranging a good spot to carefully nestle their catches under the cinders to bake. "Think it can probably kill a fish pretty good."

LINA

"Pfff. Well, I'll give it a shot." Goro wormed his way under Hansel's arm once Hansel was done getting the fish squared away. He grabbed at Hansel's hand, holding it in front of him so he could see how the new ring looked. Had been too embarrassed to really check it out, before.

IZZY

Hansel grinned at him, turning his hand a bit so the flickers of firelight caught on the ring. "Did I say it's perfect?" he asked. "'Cause it's fuckin' perfect."

LINA

Goro snorted, face turning warm. "Probably you'd say that even if I got you something awful and hideous."

IZZY

"Psshh. Oh yeah? What would that've been, huh?" Hansel squeezed him in tighter to kiss his head. "What d'you think woulda made me go ah, fuck, changed my mind, don't actually wanna ring from the most charming, gorgeous, clever sweetheart I ever met?" He punctuate each compliment with another kiss, then nuzzled against Goro's hair, well aware it'd all embarrass him. "Fuckin' silly. That ring don't exist, shemeshi."

LINA

Goro kept pfffing, acting like he could play it cool even as he failed to fight off a grin or not nuzzle back against Hansel. He grabbed Hansel's hand again to still it so he could keep looking at the ring.

He'd fuckin'... cried, a few weeks ago, because he hadn't been able to imagine Hansel wanting to show off to the world how he and Goro were together. Still was hard to wrap his mind around. But Hansel never took off his wedding ring to Mishka, and Goro had to figure he wouldn't be taking off the new ring, either. Just... constant.

It felt like the kind of thing Goro would normally have to fight for--recognition, respect. But no. Hansel was just giving it to him, all the time, without him having to do a thing.

He held up his own ring finger alongside Hansel's, admiring them next to each other, then wove their fingers together. He closed his eyes, feeling content.

IZZY

Hansel held him for a while, pleased at all his scoffing 'cause it was cute, and at his lack of any actual argument. What was that thing Goro had said, about getting cuddled for saying nasty shit about himself? Yeah, that did the trick. Hugged it right outta him.

After a bit, he leaned back into the fire, prodding the fish and determining they were done. Only then did he pull his hand away from Goro's, 'cause he needed them both -- setting the fish on the warm rocks around the fire and deftly slicing off the lemony, slightly bittersweet fillets, giving them a sprinkling of rough salt. He'd always liked leaving the charred skin on them, getting that woodsmokey flavor and the extra crunch.

He started to leave the skin on one and ask Goro what he preferred, then remembered he wasn't eating it at all and stalled out a moment, knife in his hand. He blinked and caught up to himself. "Uh. D'you want the skin? Always liked it. Some folks don't like the burned thing, though."

LINA

Goro snorted. "It's edible, ain't it?"

IZZY

"Psh. Lotta things're edible, chatichi. Don't mean you gotta eat'em." He handed Goro the fillet and waited for him to try it.

LINA

Goro took it, blew on it, and crammed as big a bite as he could manage in his mouth. Shit though, this was like, nice food. He shouldn't scarf. He switched to more nibble-sized bites after the first one. That was hard, though, 'cause it was real fucking good. "Real fucking good," he said, mouth full.

IZZY

Hansel watched him with a big grin. Goro'd probably say that about anything Hansel made him, or anyone made him, honestly, but the fact that he wasn't shoveling it in all at once -- looked like he was slowing down and enjoying it -- that was satisfying. "You like the crunchy bit?" he asked, prodding.

LINA

Goro focused on that part more in his next bite, rolling it around on his tongue a little and tapping it between his teeth. "Yeah. I do."

IZZY

"Good." Hansel picked at the other fillet, popping a bit of skin in his mouth. Was all but charcoal at this point, anyway. Didn't taste of anything but ash. Just nice and crunchy. "You ever eat raw fish?"

LINA

Goro paused with the fillet halfway to his mouth, staring at Hansel eating that piece of skin. Huh. Maybe he... did that.

He took another bite. "Yeah. Few times. Why?"

IZZY

"Oughta make you sushi some time. Sticky rice an' seaweed. S'good." He wasn't gonna push it with the fish, though. Dug into the picnic basket again to pull out some cheese, and crisp crackers he'd baked to munch on that instead.

LINA

"The fuck's that?"

IZZY

"Sticky rice and seaweed," Hansel repeated, amused. "An' raw fish. S'from Kara-Tur, I think. Salmon's good." He squinted out over the river. "Might be able to catch some here."

LINA

Sticky rice. Why would rice be sticky? Goro pondered it as he finished off the first fillet. "Didn't know you could eat seaweed. Tastes alright?"

IZZY

"Nah, fuckin' terrible, but I was gonna make you eat it anyway," he teased.

LINA

"What's it taste like?" Goro asked, undeterred.

IZZY

"Hmm." He scratched his beard thoughtfully. "Salty. Green. Dunno."

LINA

Goro frowned. "How the hell can a food taste green?" He eyed the second fillet.

IZZY

Hansel laughed and pushed the fillet towards him, across the rock what was keeping it nice and warm. "A'right, fucker, explain to me how that fish tastes. Tastes like fish, right?"

LINA

"Yeah, 'cause fish is a food. Green ain't a food." Goro picked up the second fillet and started chomping. He'd savored the first one, so he was gonna scarf this one to his heart's content. Karish, indeed.

IZZY

"Seaweed tastes like seaweed, then, I s'pose."

LINA

Goro's mouth was too full to scoff, so he just shook his head. He peeled off a little fish skin and offered it to Hansel. "Mm?"

IZZY

"Nah." He started to just brush it off, then hesitated, and added, "Not, y'know. Pushing."

LINA

Goro stuck the skin in his own mouth and chewed, watching Hansel wordlessly.

IZZY

"What?"

LINA

Goro swallowed. "Nothin'. Just a real handsome guy, is all."

IZZY

He snorted. "Yeah, okay. Same to you." He leaned in to hold Goro's chin to angle his face down, and kissed the top of his head. His hair was drier, now, and sticking up in odd directions. A little less wild as it grew out and weighed itself down, though. Hansel ruffled it, petting his head before he leaned back. "Chatich."

LINA

"You got weird taste, buddy." He shoved the last of the fillet into his mouth.

IZZY

"I got good taste."

LINA

"You think green is a flavor."

IZZY

"You ain't ever had sushi."

LINA

Goro gave an exaggerated shrug. "How about other colors? Can shit taste pink, or blue?"

IZZY

"Mm. You ever had candy floss? That fluffy stuff that make at circuses and shit?" He nodded to himself. "Tastes pink an' blue."

LINA

Goro squinted. "No."

IZZY

"You've never had it or it don't taste like that?"

LINA

"Never had it."

IZZY

"Psshh, all right, well. We'll have to fix that." He'd bought Luci candy floss at the circus, that day -- well, wasn't a great day, but that part'd been good. She'd never had it before, either. "I can't make it, but we'll find some for you."

LINA

"Sounds dumb," Goro said, tentatively, in case he didn't end up liking it.

IZZY

"Hey, now. It's sugar. Sugar ain't dumb."

LINA

Goro tried to think of an argument, but he couldn't, really. He did kind of like the way Hansel liked food, and how Hansel got him to like food, too. He shrugged again. "Hey, well. Thanks for the fish. Was fuckin' delicious."

IZZY

"Yeah, 'course."

LINA

Goro scooted what tiny distance was between them, put his arms around Hansel's waist, and rested his head on Hansel's shoulder.

IZZY

Hansel kissed his head and munched on a few more crackers, then nudged them and the cheese towards Goro in case he wanted some and reached for the picnic basket. He pulled out a bottle. "Hey, you ever had champagne?"

LINA

"Some kinda wine, right? I've had wine." Goro grabbed a cracker.

IZZY

"Uh, kinda." At least, he thought so. Hansel didn't know shit about fancy booze. "People save champagne for, y'know, special shit. Weddings. Blessing new ships. So."

He fiddled with the cork a moment.

LINA

The corner of Goro's mouth twitched. "Yeah? What's the special occasion, then?"

IZZY

Hansel scoffed lightly. "Some jackass thinkin' he was gonna surprise me with a ring."

LINA

"Psssh." Goro shoved him. "How the fuck did you fuckin' know?"

IZZY

He grinned. "'Cause you asked me to teach you how to fish. Hey. You're s'posed to shake champagne 'fore you open it, here." He passed Goro the bottle. "Plus, you were nervous as shit."

LINA

Goro narrowed his eyes and shook the bottle. "Hey. Hey. Knowing how to fish is useful."

IZZY

"Sure is," Hansel agreed, watching him.

LINA

Goro stuck his tongue out and passed the bottle back.

IZZY

Hansel took it, angled it at Goro, and wrenched the cork out, spraying him.

LINA

Goro yelped and sputtered, holding his hands up to shield himself even though it didn't make a lick of difference.

"Hey," he yelled, and attempted to tackle Hansel. Mostly so he could kiss him.

IZZY

Hansel snickered, letting Goro knock him onto his back just so he could wrap his arms around him and crush him.

LINA

"Jerk," Goro growled, grinning and kissing him all over his face. "That a customary use for champagne, or what?"

IZZY

"Yup." Hansel grinned back so hard his eyes crinkled. "Real old tradition."

LINA

Goro cuddled him a moment longer, then made grabby hands at the bottle. "Well, c'mon. Lemme see what it tastes like."

IZZY

Hansel straightened, holding Goro on his lap, and took a swig out of the now somewhat empty bottle before passing it to Goro. Ech. He wasn't a fan of champagne, really. Just kinda wanted to see if Goro'd like it. That, and it was what people did to celebrate, and shit.

LINA

Goro took a drink, and made a face. "Uck. Burns. Bubbles and shit." He smacked his lips and took another drink. He shuddered.

IZZY

"Then don't keep drinkin' it," Hansel said, and knocked the bottom of the bottle up to tip more into Goro's mouth.

LINA

Goro choked a little, surprised, and threw the bottle aside. He coughed into his elbow and reached over to pick it up so it wouldn't all spill. He gave Hansel a half-hearted glare. "Hey."

IZZY

"What?" Hansel acted innocent.

LINA

"You sure love making me choke on shit." Goro took another swig of champagne, then offered Hansel the bottle.

IZZY

"Sure do." Hansel gave him a toothy grin, waving the bottle away. "S'the matter, you gonna act like you don't like it too, now, huh?"

LINA

"Pfff." Goro flipped him off and took another drink. Wasn't so bad, aside from the fizz. Less objectionable than whiskey.

IZZY

"Pfff," Hansel said back. "Thought you didn't like it."

LINA

"I've had worse. Why'd you bring it if you're not gonna have any? You trying to get me drunk?"

IZZY

"Aye. Gonna getcha drunk and have my way with you." As he was saying it, he pulled his flask out and turned it up. Had to catch up, after all.

LINA

"Oh, my. Humble church boy like me?" Goro put the bottle to his lips and chugged as much as he could stand.

IZZY

"Pssh." Hansel gave him an amused look. Fuckin' lightweight was just gonna make himself sick. "Shit, don't make it too easy for me. Maybe I like a li'l bit of a challenge."

LINA

Goro set the bottle aside, pressing a hand over his mouth, feeling a little sick. He gave Hansel a help me look.

IZZY

Hansel scoffed. He shifted behind Goro so he wouldn't get puked on, and kissed the side of his head and rubbed his back. "Dumbass," he said fondly. "Gotta learn how to pace yourself."

LINA

"How," he croaked.

IZZY

"Well, don't fuckin' chug anything, is a good place to start."

LINA

"Noted." Goro groaned and leaned back against him. "Don't you?"

IZZY

"Motek, I been drinkin' a lot fuckin' longer than you have. Got a tolerance built up." He cuddled Goro aggressively, more for show than actually being rough, 'cause he didn't wanna jostle him too much. "You're a humble church boy. Ain't got the gut for it."

LINA

"Pff. Not really, anymore. Got corrupted by pirates." He closed his eyes and tipped his head back, exposing his neck to Hansel. "Oughta start drinking like 'em."

IZZY

"Hmm." Hansel leaned over him to kiss his throat between thoughts. "Mmhm. Okay. That case, you're on the right fuckin' track. First time I ever drank, I was sick as a fucking dog. Thought I was gonna keel straight over. Same a few times after. Y'know why? 'Cause I wasn't fuckin' pacing myself."

LINA

Goro snorted. "Dumbass."

IZZY

"Yup, shame I didn't have anyone to tell me better."

LINA

Goro paused, trying to think of how to turn that into another dig at Hansel, but it was actually kinda fuckin' sad. He lifted his head up and kissed him. "Aw."

IZZY

"Don't aw me," Hansel told him, still amused. "Dumbass. "

LINA

Goro looped his arms around Hansel's neck and started kissing his face all over. "Takes one to know one, I guess."

IZZY

"Uh-huh. No argument there." Hansel pushed him back into a position where he wouldn't puke on anything important if it still happened. He grabbed his waterskin and put it in Goro's hand.

LINA

Goro pushed the waterskin back at him, shaking his head. "Too full for more liquid."

IZZY

"Sure, enjoy your hangover." Hansel kissed his head and set the waterskin aside.

LINA

"I'll heal it away." Goro scowled, noticing belatedly the way Hansel had pushed him away from face-kissing range, and forced his way back in.

IZZY

"Tried that last time, didn't work." He cuddled Goro close again when Goro shoved in, 'cause eh -- supposed he still might get thrown up on, but he wasn't that good at holding people away.

LINA

"Did so," Goro mumbled against him. "'M a good healer."

IZZY

"You are," Hansel agreed. "Still didn't work though. Ain't how hangovers work. Gotta drink water."

LINA

"Psssh. What'd'you know. Ain't a cleric. Don't know bodies n'shit. I'm a hangover expert."

IZZY

He scoffed back. "Between you an' me, which one d'you really think is the expert on hangovers?"

LINA

"Mmmph." Without looking up, Goro started grasping around for the waterskin.

IZZY

Hansel stealthily moved it away from him.

LINA

"Mmm," Goro grumbled, more aggressively. "Where. Gimme."

IZZY

"Drank it all since you didn't want none."

LINA

"Hey." Goro frowned, eyes still closed. "Go get me s'more."

IZZY

"M'kay." He put the canteen into Goro's hand.

LINA

Goro held onto it for a second, then snorted. He sat up and took a drink. "You. You. Thinkin' you're so sneaky."

IZZY

"Yup," Hansel said, smug. "Was, too."

LINA

"Pfff." Goro gulped down some more. Wasn't queasy anymore, just pleasantly fuzzy. He passed the waterskin back and flopped backward, figuring Hansel would catch him.

IZZY

Hansel caught him, wrapped him up, and kissed the top of his head. "Feelin' any better, humble church boy?"

LINA

"Mmhm." He smiled, eyes drifting closed again. "Time for you to ravish me."

IZZY

"Uh-huh." Hansel kept cuddling him. "Soon as I feel like it."

LINA

Goro grumbled. "Always about you and when you feel like shit." He nuzzled Hansel. "Neat. I like this guy."

IZZY

Hansel snorted. "Good t'know, 'cause you ain't gettin' outta marryin' him now." He flashed the ring in Goro's face.

LINA

Shit, Goro couldn't even pretend to play that cool. Made him fucking giddy, grinning like an idiot. "Good. Good." He laced his fingers through Hansel's, lining up their rings.

IZZY

"Mmhm." Hansel squeezed his hand, admiring the rings, feeling all smug again. He got to marry Goro. God. Fuckin' amazing. Ridiculous. He was so fucking lucky. "Hey. What kinda wedding d'you want, anyway? Somethin' private, just family?" Family was getting pretty big, though, to be fair. He propped his chin on top of Goro's head and swayed back and forth, teasing, "Or should I invite the whole fuckin' city of Skyport to tell'em all how much I love you, huh? You can hide in the bushes for it."

LINA

Goro groaned, covering his face. "God. You can't do that."

IZZY

"Why not?"

LINA

"Just can't. Ain't how weddings work."

IZZY

"Hey. Hey. Between you an' me, who has more experience with weddings, huh?"

LINA

"Me. Cleric, and shit."

IZZY

"Uh-huh. How many you been to?"

LINA

"Fuckin', I don't know, fifty or some shit. People get married at the abbey. How about you, mister?"

IZZY

"Hmm, fifty or some shit weddings and you still didn't have any good ones," Hansel mused, petting Goro's hair absently. "Naw, I think those must not count."

LINA

"Oh, so it's only good weddings that make you an expert. I getcha. Alright, then, and you're telling me that a good wedding can be one where one guy hides in the bushes and the other stands up in front of all Skyport to proclaim how much he loves him, huh?"

IZZY

"Could be." Hansel snuggled him.

LINA

"Nuh uh. Too fuckin' embarrassing." Goro snuggled back.

IZZY

"A'right. What d'you want, then?" He scratched his beard against Goro's hair affectionately. "What's Goro Voronin's dream wedding, eh? Tell me all about it, chatichi."

LINA

"Mmm." Goro twisted into a better position for pressing his face against Hansel. "Dream wedding? It's marrying this guy. S'all I got."

He smiled, since his face was hidden anyway. God, it was just... too good. Too amazing. Big wedding, small wedding, whatever Hansel wanted. Goro didn't really care anymore, long as the person at the altar was right.

Well... "Maybe kinda small. I dunno. We got a big family as is."

IZZY

"Hmm. Mmhm. Was havin' the same thought."

Hansel shifted to get a little more comfortable, thinking absently that maybe they should just camp out on the beach tonight, instead of going back to the castle. Alone time, and all.

"Gotta invite Amari, and my mom an' Leigh. All the other Runners -- everyone in the castle. Who else?" Was quite a guest list already.

LINA

Goro frowned, thinking. Wasn't like there'd been a ton of important people in his life before the Runners. Pretty much just the one, in fact.

"Jonn," he said, not sure if Hansel had been counting him already and just forgot to name him. He kept wracking his brains. "Would you, uh... want to invite Kheman? I don't... I mean... he's family, I guess. Doesn't sound too bad. Don't think I'd ask him just for myself, but you two were close and all."

IZZY

"Uh." He considered for a minute. "Huh. Dunno. Feel like maybe you oughta ... meet him before then. See if you wanna. If you get along, and shit."

Kheman was easy to get along with. Hansel didn't know how the whole him-marrying-a-nephew-Kheman-didn't-even-know-about thing was gonna go over, though. Still seemed fucking weird when he thought about it like that. Didn't know if Goro would actually like Kheman, either.

"Dunno if he'd wanna come for me, anyway," he added absently. He was still keeping his distance a bit. Was more because of his own awkwardness than any discomfort on Kheman's part.

LINA

"Oh. Uh. Yeah. Good point. About seeing if we get along, and shit."

Fuck, that thought made him instantly nervous. Jeez. Larkin's dad. Hansel's crew. What if he didn't fucking like Goro? Goro couldn't fathom why he would, honestly. Probably be weirded out. He started chewing his thumbnail, thinking about it.

IZZY

"Yeah." Hansel propped his chin on Goro's head, eyeing the thumbnail in his mouth. He gently took Goro's hand and pulled it away, bringing it up to kiss the knuckles one at a time, slowly, as he added, "I mean, he's gonna think you're great. Don't even fuckin' worry about it. S'just, y'know ..." He hesitated. "He ain't a lot like Larkin. Dunno if you're gonna like him any or not."

LINA

"Doesn't gotta be like Larkin. Just... I dunno." He moved his hand along with Hansel's kisses, then went right back to biting his nail as soon as his hand was free. He's gonna think you're great. Pff.

IZZY

Hansel took his hand again. "Just what, ahuv?"

LINA

"I dunno," Goro mumbled again. "Fuckin'... haven't had great luck with long lost family, is all, except for her."

IZZY

"Theo," Hansel pointed out. "Bakir, too."

LINA

"Fuckin'. Doesn't count."

IZZY

"Uh-huh. How come?"

LINA

"'Cause I said so."

IZZY

"Hm, interesting. I said nah."

LINA

"What? Hey." Goro wiggled up so he could frown at Hansel. "You don't get the final say on everything."

IZZY

"Do too."

LINA

"Says who?"

IZZY

"Me."

LINA

"Doesn't count. You can't appoint yourself king."

IZZY

"Hmm. Can so." He kissed Goro's head.

LINA

"Oh yeah? Well, I'm appointing myself emperor. And I say you're fired."

IZZY

"M'kay." Hansel pulled away, but not far. "Guess I'll throw myself into the river, then. Don't need me anymore."

LINA

"Hey." Goro pushed in and latched onto him. "No. The emperor forbids it."

IZZY

"Too bad." He shifted to hold onto Goro and started walking towards the river.

LINA

Goro snickered. He hadn't wanted to stop swimming anyway. "You're fired from being king, but I still need you for hugs and stuff."

IZZY

"Oh, yeah?" He walked about knee-deep into the water. "So I'm your concubine now, huh?"

LINA

Goro grinned. "Oh yeah, I fucking like the sound of that."

IZZY

"Hmm," Hansel said, like he was considering it, and then dropped down to dunk Goro into the river.

LINA

Goro reacted just fast enough to open his mouth in protest, and ended up taking in a big mouthful of water. Snorted some up his nose, too. He squirmed and beat his fists on Hansel's chest.

IZZY

Hansel snickered and let him up.

LINA

Goro came up in a coughing fit, going totally limp otherwise. Hansel could do the work of holding him up, the dickhead. Once Goro could breathe again, he flicked water in Hansel's eyes.

IZZY

Hansel kept snickering, closing his eyes and hefting Goro up to snuggle him. He walked on out into the water, keeping Goro's head above the surface.

LINA

Goro took in a mouthful of water and spat it at Hansel like a fountain.

IZZY

"I'll dunk you again," Hansel threatened.

LINA

"No you won't. Mercy." Goro got another mouthful of water and kept spitting.

IZZY

"Fucker." Hansel slowly lowered him back towards the water.

LINA

Goro thrashed. "Hey. Hey! I said mercy!"

IZZY

"Yeah. I'm not dunking you, am I?" He kept slowly, slowly sinking lower.

LINA

Goro thought about safewording out of that, too -- still had a hoarse throat from all the damn coughing. Was running out of time to decide, though. He hooked his legs around Hansel's waist and grabbed onto his shoulders.

IZZY

Hansel squeezed him, and dropped down enough that they were both up to their shoulders in the water. He nuzzled into Goro's neck. "See. Ain't so bad, is it?"

LINA

Goro grumbled.

IZZY

Hansel grumbled back teasingly and kissed him a couple times. Was getting late -- the river was cooling off. "Hey. You wanna head back to the castle or camp out here?"

LINA

"Hmm." Goro walked his fingers along Hansel's back. "Well, I did tell Dinghy I'd have her back by sundown. He probably wouldn't be too sore if we were late, though. Suppose we could do either."

IZZY

"Mm. Hmm. Good ol' Dinghy. Can't disappoint your pal Dinghy."

LINA

"Frankly, he'd probably be disappointed if we brought the boat back early." Goro rolled his eyes a little. That damn weirdo.

IZZY

"Oh, yeah? He gonna be disappointed you didn't get laid? We can tell him better if y'like."

LINA

"Listen," Goro said, but couldn't come up with anything to explain. "Hey, are you putting me under the water or not?"

IZZY

"Nah, dummy. You want me to?"

LINA

"I couldn't decide. Thought you might give me a real good kiss down there."

IZZY

"Hmm," he said again, raising the pitch a little in approval. "Maybe I woulda. Guess you'll never know, now."

LINA

"Hey." Goro swatted him. "Emperor commands it. How about that?"

IZZY

"I ain't too good at followin' orders, your fuckin' holiness, or whatever."

LINA

"Aw, but you love me, don't you? Don't you wanna make me happy?"

IZZY

"Uh-huh. Gonna make you happy by makin' you wait for it."

LINA

"Nah. Nah. Sometimes, you gotta let me boss you around. For variety."

IZZY

"Nah."

LINA

"Why nooot." Goro flicked more water in his face.

IZZY

"'Cause." He responded automatically, wrestling Goro against him to keep any more vicious attacks at bay, then considered. "You really want to?"

LINA

"Uh." Goro hesitated. "Yeah. Uh huh."

IZZY

"Uh," Hansel said, uncomfortable, and didn't elaborate.

LINA

"Wait, wait, wait. You asking if I wanna like, tie you up and shit?"

IZZY

"Uh ... yeah. And shit. That ain't what you meant?"

LINA

"You'd let me?"

IZZY

The moment of not feeling fucking awkward passed. "Nah, I uh ... Nah."

LINA

Goro narrowed his eyes. "What's up with that?"

IZZY

"Iuno. Don't like it." Mishka'd done it once and he hadn't fuckin' freaked out or anything, actually -- not fully, anyway. Had just a moment, there. "Being out of control and shit."

LINA

"Me neither," Goro said right away, without really thinking about it. "Huh. Why the fuck do I like being tied up?" He kept frowning. "Just a freaky fucking bitch, I guess."

IZZY

Hansel snorted. "Nah, it's, uh." Normal, was what he was gonna say, but he felt like he ought to say more, or Goro would just roll his eyes about it. "Y'know, sometimes -- people that don't like being outta control -- uh, someone told me one time that havin' someone else to just take control and not give'em any other options is just ... good. Relaxing, and shit." He paused, and more quietly added, "Just don't work like that for me."

LINA

"Hmm." Goro thought about that for a while. Made sense, he guessed. Sort of. A lot of the fun was in the struggle, but... yeah. It did kind of relax him.

He rearranged his limbs more comfortably around Hansel and kissed him on the cheek. "You saying you don't relax when we're messing around?"

IZZY

He made a non-committal sound.

LINA

Goro pulled back a little and stared.

IZZY

He grumbled more and pulled Goro back in.

LINA

"Hey." Goro squirmed. "Don't fuckin' do that. I asked you a question."

IZZY

He grumbled a bit more, mostly to give himself a bit to think and put shit into words. "Just gotta pay attention, is all. Ain't like I'm not having a good time. Just ... gotta pay attention."

LINA

Goro squinted, open-mouthed, thinking. "Do I space out, or some shit? I..." He trailed off, blinking. Felt kinda bad, pressing Hansel about this. He was obviously uncomfortable, for whatever reason.

Goro squeezed him. "You don't gotta explain, I guess."

IZZY

Hansel mmph'd against Goro's hair. It gave him a second to think a bit more. "Y'don't space out, really. Just ain't gotta, y'know." He mulled it over. "When you're, y'know, in control -- you gotta be real mindful you don't do anything fucked up or hurt the person you're with, and shit. And I don't ... like being fuckin' vulnerable, like that. Not with anyone. Can't do it."

Made him feel fucking broken, defective somehow. He didn't like saying it out loud. Still fucking felt that way even after Taavit was all nice and careful about explaining why he shouldn't be.

LINA

Goro didn't really have a clue why, but Hansel sounded... ashamed, or guilty about it. Well, that was stupid. Fucking Hansel, and his fucking feeling bad over shit he shouldn't have to feel bad over.

Goro squeezed him tighter and nuzzled him. "Hey. Whatever. Nothing wrong with that. Nothing wrong with you. God damn it. You know I love you, right? Exactly how you are."

IZZY

Hansel gave another mmph, doubtful. Not over Goro loving him anyway, and shit, just ... in general. "M'kay," he said, muffled against Goro's hair. "Love you too."

LINA

"M'kay," Goro said, right back at him. Jackass. He was so fucking cute.

IZZY

Hansel grumbled a bit. It was getting easier to buy. He chanced being vulnerable -- chanced getting hurt, because he knew it wouldn't happen, no matter how much his gut screamed that it might -- and poked, "How come, though."

LINA

"How come what? How come I love you?" Goro cracked his mental knuckles, fucking ready for this shit.

IZZY

"Mm."

LINA

Goro adjusted his hold on Hansel, scaling up him a little so he could look down on him and kiss his forehead.

"Because," he said between kisses, "you're you, and I love you so fucking much, ain't nothing that could stop it. God, I love everything about you, Hansel. I love how you're warm and sturdy, and all strong and tough but so fucking soft inside. How you got so much love in you, you can't seem to hold it all. Just spills out. You get so excited when you see me you just grab me and kiss me, even when I'm just walking down a fucking hallway scowling to myself. Precious. Perfect. My beautiful boy."

Goro paused there, still kissing. Not because he was done, necessarily, but just to see how Hansel would handle it. Make sure he wasn't gonna lose his shit or whatever.

IZZY

"Pssshhh." Hansel hid a grin against Goro's hair, blushing. "A'right then."

LINA

Goro grinned. Okay, good. He could keep going.

"Love how you're all big and mean when you wanna be, but you're so gentle the rest of the time. God. It's fucking... amazing, and beautiful, and hot, too." He snickered a little.

"And I love you 'cause you're a good listener. The best listener. It's fucking great when you talk, too, but the way you just listen to me go on and on, and you're actually taking it all in? No one fuckin' does that."

IZZY

He snorted at and hot, too, and pressed his face into Goro tighter. "Pffff."

LINA

Goro hugged him as tight as he knew how and kissed him again.

"Feel like I'm not being totally up front with you, though," he murmured against Hansel's cheek. "'Cause the truth is, I love you even when you're not listening. I love you when you forget to be gentle. Love you when you walk past me and don't hug me." Rare as that fucking was. "I just fucking love you, Hansel Bell. All the time, everywhere, no matter what you're doing. Just 'cause of who you are."

IZZY

"Mmph." Fuckin' ridiculous. Fuckin' Goro. No goddamn sense. Hansel squeezed him back anyway, and kissed his hair.

He figured if he said, Nah, nah, you got it wrong, chatichi -- hadn't seen me at my worst, don't know what it's like -- Goro'd just argue with him, insist he had, insist it didn't matter, that he was still right. Sometimes Mishka would do that, all gentle and persistent, and Goro was learning to do it, too. Felt kind of shitty that they had to, but -- wasn't like Hansel asked for it. They just did it. Fuckin' ... thought about what he needed and gave it to him.

"Psshh," he said again, sniffling a little. "A'right, a'right." He kept kissing Goro's hair. "A'right."

LINA

Goro was grinning ear to ear. Aw yeah, he'd fucking won this round.

'Bout to make a fool of himself, though. "Hey. Uh. I got a question?"

IZZY

"M'kay."

LINA

"Am I gonna take your name after we get married, or what?"

IZZY

"Dunno. You want to?"

LINA

"Uh. Do you want me to?"

IZZY

"Ain't my fuckin' decision, ahuv." Fuckin' puzzling. Goro had just gotten his last name. Wasn't like Hansel was gonna insist he change it right away. "Last names ain't ever been that important t'me. Mishka uses mine sometimes, but you haven't got to."

LINA

"But--" He deflated a little. "It's what married people are supposed to do, and shit. Not like you're gonna take Voronin, right? Or would you?" Be fucking weird, but Goro couldn't put his finger on why.

IZZY

"S'pose it's what married people are supposed to do in some places," Hansel admitted. "Dunno. S'what they do in Shepherd Hills. Only reason me and Leigh got the last name Granger is 'cause my mom had to."

Made him a bit uncomfortable. Wasn't like he had any attachment to his mom's parents, any more than he did to Elijah, but just knowing that he should've been a Bell or a Novad, when Granger had never done fuck all for him -- made him tetchy, he guessed.

"Dunno," he said again. "You just got Voronin. I just got Bell. Don't see any reason to change'em."

LINA

"But--" he tried again. Didn't have anything, though. Just kinda slouched there, trying not to pout. He stuck his face in the crook of Hansel's neck to help with that last part.

IZZY

"But what?" Hansel kissed his hair, still confused. "D'you ... want my name?" He knew it was important for Goro to feel like he was really a part of shit, part of the family. Maybe taking Hansel's name was some sorta symbol of that.

LINA

"It's what married people do," he insisted, feeling at a fucking loss for how to explain it better. Maybe he just didn't want to admit what was going on in his embarrassing head.

IZZY

"Fuck what married people do." Hansel petted him. "What do you wanna do?"

LINA

"Be married."

IZZY

"A'right. We'll go find a captain or some other cleric and do it right now."

LINA

"Pffft."

IZZY

"Pffft nothin'. We'll do whatever you wanna do, ahuv," Hansel promised.

LINA

Goro let out a low groan. "You'll laugh at me."

IZZY

"Won't."

LINA

Goro kept his face hidden. "Won't be real married, just fake married, if we don't do the shit married people do."

He knew it didn't make any fucking sense, but he couldn't shake the feeling anyway.

IZZY

Hansel frowned. "Nah. Gonna be married no matter what, Goro. Nothin' we do or don't do is gonna change that."

LINA

Goro groaned doubtfully.

IZZY

Hansel grumbled back at him and cuddled him.

LINA

Goro groaned louder.

IZZY

Hansel cuddled him harder.

LINA

"Guess you're alright with fake marriage," Goro mumbled, well aware he was just being a shit.

IZZY

"Ain't gonna be fake. Me marryin' Mishka wasn't fake, either," Hansel reminded him, and pulled back to look at him properly. "Listen. Ahuv. D'you wanna take my name? Would it make you feel better? I mean -- y'know, could also do what Roddy did, combine the names, or something." He stroked Goro's hair. "Whatever you want, my sun."

LINA

"Mm." Goro rested his head on Hansel's shoulder--not hiding this time, just wanting to be close. He closed his eyes. "Dunno. S'a lot to think about. Figured you'd just tell me how it oughta be. Not--not bossing me, just letting me know, 'cause I don't have a clue."

IZZY

Hansel shrugged. "No wrong answers, ahuv."

LINA

"Stupid. Oughta be some guidelines, so you know if you're doing it right."

IZZY

"What'd I just say about how there ain't a wrong way, huh."

LINA

"Okay, but."

IZZY

"Nah."

LINA

"Yes. Emperor says so."

IZZY

"Shame."

LINA

"If you won't follow the laws, you're gonna have to be punished."

IZZY

"Like to see you try, ahuv."

LINA

"Fine, then." Goro squirmed, trying to get free. "Hey. Let go."

IZZY

"Nah." Hansel cuddled him. "Mutiny. Or fuckin' ... whatever it's called on land, and shit."

LINA

Goro snorted. "'Whatever it's called on land.' Listen to yourself. No condition to be ruling on your own. Now fuckin' let go."

IZZY

"Nah."

LINA

"Alright, you asked for it." Goro worked his fingers against Hansel's sides and started tickling him.

IZZY

Hansel grumbled and kept holding onto him.

LINA

"I sentence you to endless tickling until you release me."

Goro managed to keep it up for a few more seconds, but soon he was panting with the effort of tickling and trying to squirm free. "What the fuck. Why." He slumped against Hansel.

IZZY

Snickering, Hansel kept right on cuddling him.

LINA

"Alright. Fine. Be that way. I sentence you to endless cuddling. Better not fuckin' let go of me."

IZZY

"Hmm. S'pose I can tolerate it."

LINA

"Hah. Got you, finally."

IZZY

"Uh-huh. Sure did. You win." Hansel kept cuddling him.

LINA

"Say 'you win, your holiness.'"

IZZY

"Aye. You win." Hansel dunked him, and while he was under, added, "Your fuckin' holiness."

LINA

Goro thrashed while he was under, and came up coughing and spitting, flailing his hands blindly.

Once he'd swiped the water out of his eyes, he pouted at Hansel.

IZZY

Hansel cuddled him again. "So cute. Precious."

LINA

Goro pouted harder.

IZZY

Hansel cuddled him harder

LINA

Goro sniffled.

IZZY

"Aww." Hansel petted his hair and hefted him up higher, kissing his forehead. "Poor oresi. Hey. How about I cuddle you some more, huh? Endless cuddling, eh?"

LINA

"That was supposed to be the punishment, yeah." Goro sniffed again.

IZZY

"Mm. Mm-hm. And you're the emperor, huh?" Hansel teased. "So whatever you say goes, an' all. I'm all powerless."

LINA

Goro narrowed his eyes. "Yeah, that's right. Listen, Bell. I know something about you. A deep, dark secret."

IZZY

"Do y'now? And what's that?" Hansel started back for shore.

LINA

"You fuckin' love cuddling me," Goro accused. "Fuckin' addicted to it. So if I order you to do it, you will. Fuckin' powerless, indeed."

IZZY

"Mmhm. You got me. Gonna do it whether you tell me to or not, motherfucker," Hansel said placidly.

LINA

"Hah. So... god. God fucking damn it. You still fucking win. God. I hate you."

IZZY

"Uh-huh." Hansel knelt down, laying Goro out on the beach and leaning over him to kiss his face and twine fingers in his hair. "Y'know what happens when I win, ahuv?"

LINA

Already grinning, Goro lifted his head to kiss back, landing one on Hansel's cheek and one on his chin. "What?"

IZZY

Hansel propped his forehead against Goro's, grinning back. "You still get to come first."

LINA

Goro opened his mouth in surprise--half fake, half not. "Nuh uh."

IZZY

"Uh huh." Hansel nuzzled him.

LINA

Goro nuzzled back and whispered in his ear. "Prove it."

IZZY

"Aye, your holiness."

He did.

[end]

Title: Beach Proposal. Summary: Goro takes Hansel on a date as a cover for giving him a ring. They skinnydip, fish, and fend off some river pirates together.