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westwhere2022-04-07 11:03 pm
blackscales) wrote in westwhere2022-04-07 11:03 pm
[ CLOSED ] Twisting, constricted
WHO: Wrathion & Visitors
WHEN: April: Beastmaster's Arrival & Aftermath
WHERE: Ke-Waihu & then... the forests around Ke-Waihu. Cosy caves.
WHAT: Wrathion clocks the Beastmaster arriving and immediately Nopes Out. Plot here!
WARNINGS: Awkward cuddling huddled by a blanket ft UST in a cave.
As soon as the Beastmaster draws near to Ke-Waihu, Wrathion slinks from the village and takes flight through the forest. He can be seen, occasionally, flying over the tree-tops in the area being pursued by the Beastmaster's creatures. Those who know him well, or those good at following tracks, can find him hiding out in a cave avoiding them while he waits out the Beastmaster's powers fading.
WHEN: April: Beastmaster's Arrival & Aftermath
WHERE: Ke-Waihu & then... the forests around Ke-Waihu. Cosy caves.
WHAT: Wrathion clocks the Beastmaster arriving and immediately Nopes Out. Plot here!
WARNINGS: Awkward cuddling huddled by a blanket ft UST in a cave.
As soon as the Beastmaster draws near to Ke-Waihu, Wrathion slinks from the village and takes flight through the forest. He can be seen, occasionally, flying over the tree-tops in the area being pursued by the Beastmaster's creatures. Those who know him well, or those good at following tracks, can find him hiding out in a cave avoiding them while he waits out the Beastmaster's powers fading.
LEAVING IN A HURRY (ANDUIN):
He can feel it.
The creatures are strange, wrong, and a creeping pull has already begun to nag at him.
They've run out of time. He has to leave.
Slinking across the village, Wrathion pulls together a light bag of things to take then ghosts his way to the wise man's house. He checks Anduin's room, jostles open the window and slips in. Pulling out a wrapped box containing his jihui set he rests it atop of the bed along with a folded piece of paper:
Anduin;
We have run out of time once more, and the Beastmaster is upon the village. I know you would rather I not leave you this way, but once these creatures sense me I fear being swarmed. It would be better I am away from the village when that happens.
Keep this safe for me. If I find a secure place I will send you the location.
Wrathion.
Satisfied, he glances around the room one lasts time before turning back to the window.
The door clicks, and he realises he's taken too long.
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And finds someone else already inside.
He stands for a moment in the doorway, blinking at the man before him.
"Wrathion?"
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Wrathion's eyes flit to the parcel he's left on the bed, then back to Anduin. He takes another step to the window and pushes it open again.
"I need to leave," he says simply. He suspects, in truth, Anduin doesn't really need him to say more. He can infer everything else easily enough. They've discussed this possibility before, it isn't exactly a surprise. They just hadn't known when it would happen. The time, it seems, is now. It's better if they do this quickly.
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A letter. Wrathion's jihui set.
In that space of time Wrathion is already crossing to the window and Anduin feels as if he is taking all the air in the room with him as he goes.
They had spoken of this. Anduin has had this moment in the back of his mind ever since, the possibility of it. But -- understanding that it has come...
Anduin feels himself taking a step toward him without really knowing what it is that he intends to do. Just understanding once Wrathion climbs back out that window, that -- might be it. This might be it.
They have only just found each other again. This -- whatever it is between them -- has only just started.
...he's not ready. This is too soon.
"He is here?" he asks, though he already knows at least something of the answer.
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Which means Wrathion really shouldn't hang around.
Still, he doesn't move. There's a thread of tension between them, and he's not entirely sure how it's going to resolve. Anduin will be upset, he's sure. He will let him go in the end, he's sure. It's the in-between part that's muddy. Will he plead for them to go together? Will he ask Wrathion to wait, until they're completely sure there's no other choice?
It isn't as if Wrathion wants to leave. He'd stay, if he could, stay in the warm comfort of Anduin's room. It's too dangerous, though. The risk he could hurt someone is simply too high.
Especially Anduin himself. He couldn't live with that.
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A small, very childish part of Anduin wants to reach out to him. To close the distance between them, grab on and hold on tight. It wants to offer, insist on coming with him, but he knows that if he truly wants to give Wrathion a chance at getting through this, then he needs to let him go.
There are a number of difficult things that Anduin has done in his life. He's never tried to rank them, though if he did, he suspects this would be up there near the top.
Anduin's eyes drift back to the package on the bed. To the letter beneath. Wrathion's intended goodbye, Anduin realizes with a lurch somewhere deep within his chest, perhaps a bit after-the-fact. He had not meant to speak to him at all.
"Do you know where you will go?" he asks, forcing the question past a lump in his throat.
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If it doesn't -- well, obviously he won't be sending any kind of message.
Hopefully it won't come to that, however, hopefully they can hang on. Find a solution.
He hesitates, then Wrathion lets his bag -- drops it beside the bed and steps across the room to Anduin. One hand lifts to stroke his cheek, draw his attention up into the intensity of his gaze.
"Remember what I asked of you, please."
As much as Anduin would rather not think of it, it's important to Wrathion. A reassurance. His fear is of being allowed to hurt people, he wants to know that will be stopped.
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He can feel his breath catching in his chest as Wrathion drops his bag and moves to step toward him. As Wrathion reaches forward and tips his face up to meet his own, the leather of his glove rough but warm from his hands as it slides across the skin of his cheek.
Remember what I asked of you. Anduin's attention snaps to Wrathion's as he recalls the exact phrasing of his companion's request. Do not let me share my family's fate.
He holds Wrathion's gaze for a long moment, searching his face and trying not to let his emotions get the better of him.
"I promise," he says, softly. Hesitating for the fraction of a second longer before being unable to stop from tugging Wrathion forward into an embrace, wrapping him up tight.
"Be careful out there," he says, turning his face to press into Wrathion's shoulder, breathing in the smell of his jacket and trying to memorize everything he can about the wonderful, ridiculous, beautiful creature in his arms -- before he will have to let him go.
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"Always," he promises, and tightens his grip on Anduin. Their bodies press together, and he feels some strange combination of relief and anxiety building in his chest. Relief to hold Anduin like this, anxiety over having to let go. "Here," he says after a moment, and releases the priest slowly. He turns to move the letter off the jihui board, slides it out of the cloth and opens it up. From an interior compartment he unfurls a strip of fabric and lets the cuff fall out into his hand, turning to Anduin and offering it out to him. The lionhead symbol is the same as in his drawing, two blue gems set into its eyes. For Wrathion this is a fairly pedestrian design, but there's still a great deal of detail in it. The inside of the band is at least unadorned, other than the faint BP signature in one corner.
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Anduin is confused for a moment, unsure where this is going, waiting uncertainly as Wrathion tips something from it and turns to hold out -- the cuff from his design. It may be fairly pedestrian for Wrathion, at least by his standards. But to Anduin himself...
"It's lovely," he says softly, glancing up to Wrathion as he does. "It's finished, then?"
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Not that he won't be able to use his communicator, but -- well. It had meant to be if there was an emergency, or something they needed to be sure wasn't heard by anyone else. This seems like it may be that time.
He takes Anduin's hand, gently rolls up his sleeve and slides it into place around his wrist. Partly to make sure it fits correctly, but also to see him wear it. There's something satisfying about that.
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He smiles down at the cuff, its twin gemstones twinkling up at him from its inlaid eyes, before glancing back up to Wrathion again.
"And the spell?" he asks. He remembers when Wrathion had demonstrated, on the shore outside the lighthouse. His blood hot -- almost painfully so -- against the skin of his forehead, his voice low and soft as it had echoed through his mind.
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Wrathion hesitates, lets his fingers slide around to brace Anduin's lower arm.
"Stay safe here." Since he won't be there to look out for him, to guard him from danger himself once the Beastmaster arrives. "The Beastmaster's fliers can act like mindbenders, parasitic aberrations attaching themselves to and controlling you. Keep your distance from them. I know you want to search for answers, but do not risk yourself in the process."
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"I will be careful," he reassures, gently, moving to turn his hand to grip Wrathion's arm in return, squeezing slightly. He cannot promise too much more, uncertain what is to come. He cannot sit back and do nothing after all, it is not within his nature. But he will do his best not to be reckless in his choices, for the both of them.
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He's not going to suggest Anduin do nothing, that isn't his style.
"I'll see you soon," Wrathion assures him, "look after that for me. I'll be wanting it back."
The jihui box. He tilts his head to it, offers Anduin what he hopes is a reassuring smile.
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Anduin's chest feels tight. He knows he has to let Wrathion leave, that he cannot keep him here much longer, for Wrathion's sake. For Wrathion's safety. He needs to let him go.
To let him go...
Anduin presses his lips together, offering him a tight nod and the most convincing smile he can to follow.
"Of course," he says, thickly.
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This is why he hadn't wanted to see him beforehand. It's too difficult, too difficult to let go. Too difficult to leave him behind after finally having this, finally being allowed this closeness. Wrathion is a selfish creature, he's not one to give up warmth and comfort after being offered it.
Yet he has to, he has to.
There's a pressure in his chest, building up, a frustrated urge to act.
His fingers tighten their grip on Anduin's arm slowly, until they're almost too tight, then Wrathion breaks -- lunges forward and pulls the priest into a rough kiss. It's clumsy, unpractised, but if he's going to throw himself into hiding from a dangerous enemy he wants to have at least done this before he potentially loses the chance.
He pulls back quickly, swallows down the wave of unease and flicks Anduin a smile.
"I'll see you soon," he repeats more quietly, and begins to let go so he can move back to the window.
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He had not prepared himself for this, however.
Eyes widening in surprise, Anduin raises his free hand to catch himself on Wrathion's chest as the dragon crashes into him. His breath leaving him at once in a muffled huff of surprise against his companion's lips.
And then Wrathion is pulling away, stepping back toward the window, and --
Anduin's hand flashes out, quick as lighting, to grab a fistful of Wrathion's jacket and tug him back in for a kiss of his own. It may not be the grand, romantic gesture he might have envisioned otherwise, but Anduin's lips are soft and warm, and it is less of a crashing of lips than it is a melding of mouths. A proper kiss. And by the Light, if this is the only chance he gets, let him at least have the opportunity to do this properly.
He forces himself to pull back before he gets carried away though, face flushed a brilliant scarlet. This is probably not what Wrathion had in mind, but -- he has no regrets. He flashes his companion a self-conscious smile, before replying, "For, ah. Good luck."
The corners of his mouth edge wider, even as he makes himself take another few steps back, away from the window and Wrathion himself.
"Now go," he says, "before I find another excuse to try and keep you here."
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He feels as if he should say something, but he cannot think of anything to say. He's already said 'I'll see you soon' twice over, if he says it again Anduin will think him a fool. If he doesn't already.
For a moment Wrathion just blinks, mouth slightly open, then he presses his lips together and nods.
Leaning down, the dragon picks up his bag once more and slips out the window. There's nothing more to be said, anyway. He can only he hasn't taken too long.