He's not terribly comfortable with the word friend, but he nods, because that's close enough. "I am somewhat fond of both." Pure bad luck, he supposes.
They settle in closer, delicately laying their head on his shoulder. It's
strange to get inside somebody's personal space to do something other than
deliberately aggravate them.
"I don't doubt that the next few weeks are going to be excruciating."
He's still a bit afraid of touching them, but this close, he musters what strength he has and reaches out with his magic. It feels good just to have again, enough to be worth the effort, and with a bit of sparkle, he brushes his fingers close to a bruised cheek with cold clinging to them. A living ice pack is perhaps the most useful thing he can be. "At least thou didst avoid the memory-stealing. That atop this incident... wears on one."
"My power is sealed here, but my affinity to water hath not abandoned me entirely, at least." He doubts he can keep this up long, but if they're enjoying it? The air around them is a bit too dry with his efforts, but he manages to summon enough to cool both hands, pushing their hair back and letting his fingers trail lightly, avoiding the bruises directly but cooling close to them.
Unlike Trouble, he does have a vengeful streak, and it's probably best that he doesn't even know the pair of hands that did this.
The cold is lasting for now, though he can feel the slivers of magic trying to escape. "In port, yes. He went in search of thee after we spoke." And he got himself killed before he saw how that ended, but they can probably deduce as much.
"He did." And as he didn't think it worthwhile to ask Trouble why they didn't go to the infirmary with this, he leaves it up to them to open any discussion of why they sneaked away from him in the first place. Or not.
"I would have followed had I not been injured enough to slow the search," Fou-Lu says lightly. And then his magic does go out, the light fading, the cold slipping away to only the background air of chill that always follows him. "...'Tis the end of what I can maintain, I fear."
"Nay, at the camp." He doesn't want Jake blamed for anything he didn't earn. "He saw me as far as the central tent where the others were. 'Twas my own fault that the second blow came. I was close by, checking snares, and I underestimated the danger." He brought this on himself.
Fou-Lu is in the awkward position of having them both complain at him about the other. He defended Trouble to Jake more strongly than he plans to defend Jake to Trouble, but he does give the man his due. "No doubt he'd have found some quest regardless, but he did worry for thee."
Fou-Lu turns his head a little to nuzzle into their hair, after taking a moment to make sure he won't get near any unsuspected bumps. "Thou hast a ready excuse in thy recuperation. With luck, I may be the only one so rude as to disturb thy repose."
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2021-07-20 05:51 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2021-07-20 05:58 pm (UTC)"That's very bad luck, darling."
They settle in closer, delicately laying their head on his shoulder. It's strange to get inside somebody's personal space to do something other than deliberately aggravate them.
"I don't doubt that the next few weeks are going to be excruciating."
no subject
Date: 2021-07-20 06:02 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2021-07-20 06:06 pm (UTC)"I can't imagine," they murmur, shivering in pleasant surprise at that cold touch. "Oh. I didn't know this was among your many talents."
no subject
Date: 2021-07-20 06:14 pm (UTC)Unlike Trouble, he does have a vengeful streak, and it's probably best that he doesn't even know the pair of hands that did this.
no subject
Date: 2021-07-20 06:24 pm (UTC)Trouble hums, their eyes falling closed. Even if this does end up being a momentary pleasure, they'll enjoy it while it lasts.
"...Have you seen Jake recently?"
no subject
Date: 2021-07-20 06:31 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2021-07-20 06:33 pm (UTC)They can.
"...Did he mention that he'd already run into me, or was this a little earlier on?"
no subject
Date: 2021-07-20 06:38 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2021-07-20 06:43 pm (UTC)Trouble rolls their eyes.
"Ugh. Idiot. I would have thought that he'd have gotten the hint when I left him to his own devices in the first place. Why didn't he stay with you?"
The question isn't why Fou-lu didn't stay with him. Jake's meant to be the responsible one.
no subject
Date: 2021-07-20 06:50 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2021-07-20 06:55 pm (UTC)"It's alright, darling, I didn't ask you here for the fringe benefits."
It's said quickly, that whole matter dismissed in favour of:
"You were injured and he left you alone in that wilderness? I'm going to - I don't know. He won't enjoy it."
no subject
Date: 2021-07-20 07:00 pm (UTC)"Nay, at the camp." He doesn't want Jake blamed for anything he didn't earn. "He saw me as far as the central tent where the others were. 'Twas my own fault that the second blow came. I was close by, checking snares, and I underestimated the danger." He brought this on himself.
no subject
Date: 2021-07-20 07:19 pm (UTC)"I'm still annoyed at him," they decide. "He found somewhere safe and then just decided to go swanning off on some heroic quest regardless."
They're not preemptively worried that he was hurt or killed and that it'll feel like their fault! Not at all!
no subject
Date: 2021-07-20 07:31 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2021-07-20 07:33 pm (UTC)Trouble sighs deeply - which hurts - and then deflates.
"You're right. I'll just avoid him until he comes looking for me."
no subject
Date: 2021-07-20 07:38 pm (UTC)