❝ ριεcε σғ cαкε ❞

[ OKAY hello friends, i’m finally here ( after a late night, delayed flight sobs ) 

“ Hope these are gonna be enough. Of course, sweets aren’t something I’m familiar with, but hah, you know that, don’t you. ”

Outstretching a hand, soft lips twitching into a grin…twisted questions floating in the dark mind of the mage. ODD questions—INFILTRATING ONES. Diving deep into the personal life of another. Learning more, not getting too close though, like an animal.

Certain past experiences with the Plegian dark mage and association with desserts could have been a red flag for the sweets loving thief... but damn all that, he’s achin’ for some butterscotch.

Gaius was a good man, and having made that doubly evident between them made her feel a bit more at ease. It helped to keep her hands from shaking from the memories of last night. Were he truly a mercenary and thief, he would have taken her mother’s pendant and been just as happy to kill her in her sleep the next night, cashing in twice for the same job.

As he pressed the necklace back into her hand, Emmeryn brought her other hand up to clasp over his. Giving his hand a slight pat and squeeze, as if they were friends. He might have noticed the slightest hint of a tremble in her grip, but she did a good job of hiding her shaken nerves. 

“A very generous offer, Sir Gaius. I think I’ll pay the knights in gold, though. My mother’s pendant is a bit of an heirloom, really,” she admitted, letting him know the true faith she had placed in him with that gamble.

She took the necklace back and clasped it back together around her neck.

“But you have proven my point. You’re not as heartless as you claim to be… and for that I am grateful. Had Plegia hired any lesser man then…”

... Nah, as much finagled reason Gaius could attempt to conjure, he knew. The Exalt was a nice lady--he knew that much when he learned the truth of the raid and decided to turn his sword toward his employers--and, even he had to admit ( to himself ), that Gaius didn’t have the heart to pocket that necklace. 

The way her words trailed off however, was more than enough indication of a facade breached, violated with a crack that life’s cruelties would always come to guarantee.

“Then you wouldn’t be standing here right now, right? ... But there’s no sense in worrying about that; cause you’re still alive.”

Gaius and Asugi © Fire Emblem

moroccan fried honey cakes

When his body still sings ever fervently so with the aftermath of fresh wounds. Some will heal whilst others much deeper, much more pointed with their dire afflictions sadly never will. Scars run thicker than the tides of their time where he would just as soon accept the repeated lick of a dagger’s slicing bite cutting and sinking into him a thousand breath stealing and whimpering cries more. All of this and so much more before having to remain tied to this ‘green’ world with every reminder screaming at him just why it forbids the release of sleep and keeps him awake into the loneliest depths of frost bitten night. 

Contrary to what intricately woven tales the adorably ignorant are born and raised to believe, the grass is not, in fact, an eternity of gleaming emeralds, a god given gift of golden prosperity awaiting everyone just a frolick on the other tease of a side. Much rather, it is a lifetime of everlasting pain and suffering where promises turn to blackened lies and pleas rot to shameful ashes in their tormented mouth. Oh, lucky him, hm? What could have possibly possessed him to even do such a thing? Cover a friend in arms when he oh so direly needed it. For one good cannot possibly hope to rectify the seemingly endless bout of wicked wrongs he has committed and each spark of newfound pain elicited from heavy breaths does more than well to remind him. 

“Aww, do you really want to get rid of me that quickly?” A low chuckle hums at the base of his throat. “If you just wanted help goin’ to bed--get you some warm milk, hold your hand--there’s no need to be shy, Patches.” 

Though he says such words in a half-hearted jest, Gaius would be lying if he confessed to not possessing problems sleeping in the past. Everyone’s got their share of nightmares, of no-good dreadfuls prowling around where they have no business being. Who doesn’t?

      Practically tripping over himself in his haste, Morgan scrambled to catch up with Gaius before he lost sight of him. After hearing the news, he’d been trying to track down the elusive older Shepherd for almost an hour. As he approached, the teen didn’t even think to ask if now was a bad time to talk to him (as he often did). Morgan’s expression was bright and cheery, and he clapped his hands together in triumph before speaking.

“Heh, bottomless bag of sweets, eh?” That didn’t sound too bad. It would make transporting and storing all his prized goods much easier, that’s for sure. 

Alas, one’s oh so savory dreams ( or another’s not so savory rumors ), was mere fantasy. ... But that doesn’t mean he had to entirely divulge the truth just yet. Maybe this could be fun.

Well, hmm... maybe Sunshine could whip up a curse for that... He’ll into it later.