[ OPEN ] split tomorrow from today

[godshattering]

Who: Claude and various
When: November + December
Where: Nocwich, Cadens, TBA
What: Catch all for both months
Warnings: None currently, will add/mark as needed


( Open and closed starters in the comments! Also good with prose or brackets and please feel free to wildcard into the open prompts with something else. If you'd prefer plotting first, you can find me at indech, arboria#1862, or by PM at any time! )

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[philancer]

[ Claude, you are officially the worst. ]

No, we're not going to hunt down some elusive horse-sized scorpion in the middle of the desert. [ He's putting his foot down. Firmly.

He's also not moving away from the grip of those gloved fingers against his jaw, peering up at Claude from where he still kneels at his feet. ]

How does it feel? Does it still sting?

[ He's not content to just take Claude's word for it, though. He's tentatively reaching out with that magic he's been working on mastering over these past few weeks. Skimming over the emotions he can pick up from Claude on top of whatever answer the man gives him. ]

[godshattering]

I didn't say anything about scorpions this time. Sheesh.

[ An important clarification! Easier to think about continuing to be difficult than the look Sylvain's giving him right now with his chin still in his hand, even if there's nothing behind it. All clinical, that concern, those questions. None of it tied to bets, massages, banter. All things he shouldn't be thinking about in the middle of a desert so Claude shoves them away to glance at his leg since it's the actual topic. ]

It's fine, Sylvain. It'll take a lot more than a scorpion of any size to keep me from being in one piece.

[ This, at least, is genuine and not an act since his leg does feel fine. There'll probably be some residual pain appearing later on if this poison's anything like other ones he's dealt with but it's nothing worse than, say, being hit with Thoron. He'll take this over that any day.

It's finally enough for him to let go of Sylvain's chin - with some reluctance - as he sits up, leans back on his perch on the rock, and shifts his gaze back to the scorpion carnage around them. If Sylvain reads that as sliding a veil back into place, he wouldn't be wrong. ]

We're certainly going to be paid well for this, so that's doubly worth it.

[philancer]

[ Claude's emotions don't actually offer him much clarification here, because they seem to be as confusing a jumble as the one Sylvain so often feels when it comes to the other man.

But he does note that hint of reluctance as Claude finally pulls away from him, those walls between them going up to secure him behind them once more. Which he finds interesting, and he mentally notes that to poke at later when they're not in the middle of the desert. ]

I'm not in the mood to fight a horse-sized anything right now, those things were more than enough. [ Sighing, he pushes to his feet and surveys the carnage they'd left behind. ] We just need their stingers for the extra pay, right? Stay there, I'll collect them and then we can head back to the city.

[godshattering]

[ As Sylvain stands Claude goes about rolling his trouser leg back into place, pulling his boot back on, and then standing up like he hasn't been told to do the opposite. Sitting there might mean continuing to dwell on everything he's valiantly trying to ignore. Considering all of it, what little he tells himself there is of it, is better left for later. There's also a wave of a hand to dismiss it and/or any incoming protest once it's noticed prior to securing his bow on his back, considering he's not about to just comply all because he was asked. Kind of. ]

I know, I know. I'm difficult or whatever it was you called me earlier, but this'll go a lot faster with both of us working on it.

[ Claude's not going to leave room for any argument, at least not in the sense that any argument's going to keep him from from tackling their next project. He retrieves a dagger meant to double as a knife for this stinger removal step from his satchel then stops to consider something. Sylvain's lance might double well enough as a makeshift knife, sure, but on second thought Claude pulls the dagger tucked in his sash out to hold it out to Sylvain hilt first with a slight smile. ]

Even if most of them are burned to a crisp, this might come in handy. And thanks for the healing too, by the way.

[philancer]

[ He's pretty sure you're so far beyond the point of 'difficult' that he's not sure what the next level of exasperating you've actually arrived at by now.

But Sylvain just sighs and sets his focus to the tact of gathering what they need to collect their bounty. ]

Fine, but if your leg does fall off half way home, you're on your own taming your horse-scorpion for a mount and making it the rest of the way back yourself.

[ Which is a blatant lie, because Sylvain would never leave anyone behind. Especially if they were hurt. Doesn't mean he can't gripe at the other man anyway, however. ]

[godshattering]

Is that a dare or a threat? I can't tell.

[ Is this something he should launch into teasing about? Nope. But when one finds themselves dutifully removing scorpion tails to shove into a bag to haul back with them, sometimes it's better to think about anything else even if it's still nightmare material bug-adjacent.

That does give Claude another thought, however. It's one that's arguably more important than winding up (irritating) Sylvain a bit more. ]

Now that I think about it, we probably should've taken some horses - actual ones - from the stables. Or maybe look into getting our own to keep there if any of us are going to be out here more often, since I know a couple other Summoned have managed that.

[philancer]

Yes.

[ There's a smirk in Sylvain's voice as he shoots back that equally vague answer. But he's bent over a pile of half-burnt scorpion corpses, so he'll just let Claude keep guessing.

At the follow-up statement, he just gives a thoughtful hum before answering. ]

We could have rented some from the stables, if you wanted. Bridgette does have a few for sale, though, if you were looking for something more permanent.

[ Although none of the mounts available in Cadens were anything like the quality of mount he was more accustomed to. Was he a horse snob? Absolutely. Plus, none of them were trained for the sort or uses he was often mounted for. ]

[godshattering]

[ There might be a quiet dramatic muttered under his breath after that confirmation which answers nothing. For good measure.

The mention of anything 'permanent' in regards to Abraxas, though - that's enough to make him uneasy in a way where even Claude doesn't have the right words for, but fortunately he also doesn't feel like voicing it. ]

I dunno about permanent, but... I guess that's the close enough term for it. [ Hmm - ] I'm assuming that'd cost a fair amount of money and there's some other things I'd rather check off the list first. Because this is just a hunch I have, but I'm thinking maybe everyone else might want more living space before we start thinking about horses.

[ And also: Claude should probably finish paying for the goggles made by Viktor he'd commissioned, but that'll be saved for a surprise for later. ]

[philancer]

More living space might definitely be something we want to look into soon. I don't even know how much something like that would cost here. Have you ever looked into it before?

[ He spares a glance over in Claude's direction before going back to his task. ]

But either way, I bet I could talk Bridgette into some sort of arrangement for us if it's something we're going to need.

[godshattering]

No, I haven't. Mostly because I wasn't inspired to thanks to listening to one of the merchants I help out complain about how high his rents are, though I suppose that might be for businesses only. I've still always had the sense Mag's cutting all of us a deal even before everything else she does for us, but more space would be helpful.

[ Crouching down now that the sting's mostly been resolved and they aren't likely to be attacked again, Claude studies one of the scorpions up close. Still less unnerving than what they'd encountered on the trip to Solvunn, somehow. He'll file that information about Bridgette away for later since it's certainly something else they'll need eventually. ]

I've heard others have found apartments and I think Steve moved out to some kind of house so there has to be options out there if we start looking for them. Price will probably be our only obstacle then.

want to start wrapping this?

[philancer]

Well, there are five of us now to help pitch in, we should be able to find something we can manage. [ How hard could it be? Not that he's ever had to worry about something like this in his life before, being who he was. ]

I can ask Bridgette, too. She's good with money, she might be able to give us some advice, being a native.

[ He collects the last few stingers from the remaining corpses before straightening and looking around, making sure he hasn't missed any. ] Is that all of them? Should we start heading back, or were there other nests out here you wanted to check out?

it's a wrap!

[godshattering]

We've certainly got the numbers on our side compared to last time I looked, that's for sure.

[ As convenient as the inn's been, there's plenty of Cadens left to explore. Surely between all of them they can find some space that'll work, especially with aid from someone who knows a variety of people. Maybe it wouldn't hurt to ask his merchant employers either since with those connections they'll be well ahead of where he was months ago.

If nothing else, their haul today is a good start, too. ]

Nah, I think we've done enough damage for today. [ There's a pointed glance Sylvain's direction, because - ] To the scorpions, before you get any ideas. Let's head back to town and I'll buy you a drink for your troubles and to offset that sunburn if you're getting one.

[ With a friendly clap on the other man's shoulder, Claude picks up his own haul of bug parts and set off that direction after waiting for Sylvain to fall into step with him. Maybe next time Hilda can provide some other hat options. ]