eidxiety | Sticks & Bones // IC Inbox

[He shouldn't, and yet...Wolfwood ain't movin'. He's still got his head tilted back a little, and he feels...a weird melancholy feeling deep in his chest, because he keeps thinking about how fragile his time really is. He could be in the Grove for another hundred years, or just one more day. He has no way of knowing, and that's honestly more terrifying than he'd ever like to admit. He never feared death before when he constantly faced it every day, but...it's never felt more real than it does now.

Ain...is helping, believe it or not. And Wolfwood's expression only softens further, turning a bit wry as he tilts his head forward until theirs are almost touching.]

I'd almost think you like catty assholes, then.

Isn't that what I said? [Ain's voice is lower now, soft and husky, and he mirrors that head tilt.] In more words, I suppose.

[It is stupid dangerous to be fucking around like this, if only because Ain knows better than to think he can keep someone whose heart is tied elsewhere — to other people, to a world Ain doesn't see himself going to ever unless it's with the rest of the El Search Party via portal and they're helping fix things. He doesn't know about Wolfwood's real ending. He can't say he'd pay a visit if he knew.

Yet... the way he sort of leans their heads together, not quite closing the gap between their lips, says risk. It's a willingness. It's the need to be cared for and close to someone, the desire to be wanted, and no one ever said Ain wasn't a slave to his own emotions. Despite how hard he wants to run from them...

Part of his brain is telling him he can't have this. Anything like this. Not someone from another world. And part of it... wants to keep flirting and being gross and getting closer. But God, his brain says, you know better. You're only gonna hurt yourself.]

But you've got this... this kindness about you that I really, really like too. You're not all rough around the edges. You're...

[Takes a breath.]

Ich will dich. I don't think it's good for me.

[The moment they're sharing is definitely charged with something alright; that isn't just something Ain is experiencing. Wolfwood, granted, is still in a lot of pain, but it's less than it was when he first got here by a huge amount thanks to Ain's healing. It means it's reduced to a dull, distant throb in the background now as they look back at one another. He's almost forgotten that Ain's hands are still on his chest, because the feeling...

It's nice. Really nice.]

Yeah? I mean...I coulda' told you that. I ain't good for most people.

[He says that with a sort of humorous lilt, sarcasm tinging his words because he has no idea what it is Ain just said to him, exactly. He's safe, for now.]

...but I appreciate the vote of confidence. I do.

Mm...

[Is it a vote of confidence or is Ain just really really into Wolfwood, one wonders... the answer is both actually, but still. He... should probably do something else. He should not close that gap between them, he should go get Wolfwood like a tylenol or something. His magic only does so much God why is he useless and bad aaaaaaAAAAAA—

Ain swallows thickly and ekes out the most awkward, quiet laugh he can manage. It's not his usual loud ones, even though most of the time that is something of a verbal tic. It's muted, it's not really there, and he slides off of Wolfwood's lap with his cheeks red and his eyes on the floor.]

...well, you don't need me mucking everything up for you. [He does not explain, he just chews on his feelings and swallows them and then ducks down to grab the destroyed clothing off of the floor.] I'm— I'll— you should wash up while I take care of these for you. It'll be a few hours, so take your time.

[Oh bye...Wolfwood watches with his head still cocked to one side as Ain suddenly gets up, and just like that the tension between them breaks and melts away a bit. No, he doesn't quite get what he means by "mucking everything up" other than maybe messing with his wounds a little too much, or something? But...hm. Hm hm...

He sits up a little further, rubbing at the side of his face with the heel of his hand.]

A'ight...I'll go to the bath house, then.

[Sorry to everyone who has to see Wolfwood just walk there tits out because Flamebringer decided to flamebroil his clothing.]

You can drop by the church t'give it back. I'll...prolly hang out there afterwards until evening.

[Which is what he's been doing, lately.]

Haha, I'll try to have it done before evening. I sew pretty fast.

[Kinda have to, y'know. But...

Ain does not meet Wolfwood's eyes as the man ducks out. He is very, very nervous. The vibe is very much "high schooler with a crush" or something stupid like that. He will probably faceplant into Wolfwood's blazer and cry about it when the man's gone.

For now, though, once Wolfwood is out, Ain runs to the inn to get fresh water again and start scrubbing both the clothes, and while those dry, the floors need to be mopped and he needs to pick up the stuff he dropped and he needs to scream just a liiiiiiittle bit. Why do you have to be so pretty and so attractive you're bullying him by being hot he cannot have you (according to him anyway).

Wheeze.

Anyway, Dachie will follow Wolfwood around for the next several hours because when you are moderately emotion-tied with your owner, turns out when your owner really wants to be with a guy, you get the impulse to be with the guy as well! Hi he loves u! Did you know his dad also loves you—

Ain will be along to the church this evening, though, with sewn-up clothes.]

[Well, if the owldog wants to come along, Wolfwood isn't going to stop him. Though, he's not sure how much he'll enjoy the bath house. Do Dachies like water? He has no idea.

Anyway, he is- as of right now- oblivious to Ain's struggles. He does feel kindof bad for foisting this on him in specific, but...he felt like Ain could help him with both his clothes and the wounds, and then he wouldn't have to bother the clinic about it. It's a win-win.

And also maaaaaaaaybe he wanted to see Ain again. Just a little, but you can't prove anything.

Anyway, he showers and scrubs the blood off himself, then takes some time to soak because he's learned this is a thing he can do and greatly enjoys, actually. It helps work some of the tension out of his muscles, to the point where he nearly just fucking falls asleep in there...but Dachie probably barks and wakes him up, at which point he'll dry off, put his pants back on because they're the only thing that survived, and then head to the church.

When Ain comes in, he'll notice that all of the church pigeons are congregated around where Wolfwood is sitting in the pews, either pecking at the floor or loafed on the pews and other objects nearby, some of them up in the rafters. Quite a few are circled around Dachie preening him, and Wolfwood...

Well, have you ever seen a shirtless Priest hunched over a pew as if in prayer, when in reality he's just kindof? Sitting??? Cause that's where he's at.]

[Ain briefly wonders if Wolfwood doesn't own any other shirts... why is he here shirtless.

(Dachie loves water, to answer the question, and he will bark if Wolfwood falls asleep and he will let the pigeons preen him.)

The signal to Ain entering the church before Ain himself has even said anything, other than the door creaking, is Zinnia flying in and circling and cooing before she lands right on Dachie's back. Then, there's a breath, and he calls out:]

Mr. Fa— [—ther Daddy Priest, but it doesn't finish leaving his lips even as a joke, because he still has bees in his brain and they're still horribly, terribly loud.] ...Haha, you must only own this shirt. You know Mr. Shopkeeper sells other shirts, don't you?

[Comes around the pews and sits down next to Wolfwood to plop clothes in his lap. Here you go! They're repaired, with only a very thin stitch line to indicate they were ever torn and burnt in the first place. There's a single pink hydrangea tucked into the pocket of the blazer, a little hidden and lumpy. Wolfwood might find it now, he might find it later, and maybe he recalls their conversation about flower meanings the other day when they went on their not-date.]

Ah, well. Don't got many others I like as much, really.

[It's both that he probably only owns this pair (mostly) and because...while he DOES have a couple other articles of clothing because he's not insane, they're all back at the house and he doesn't really want to go there right now. So: shirtless Wolfwood is here. He is stupid.

He is, however, impressed by Ain's stitch-work. He had prepared himself for a bunch of ugly scarring (not much unlike his body, these days), but instead it's almost as if it was never damaged to begin with. He lets out a soft, impressed huff as he lets his fingertips brush over the stitching.]

You did a damn good job. I wouldn't'a even known it was ripped if I didn't know where the holes were.

[As for the flower...he'll find it later, when he's rummaging around for his cigarettes or lighter or something. He'll pull it out and know it's from Ain, and then be too dumb to remember exactly what that one means. He'll ask Ain about it one of these days though, don't you worry. Wolfwood will remember this etc etc.

Anyway, he's pulling both undershirt and blazer back on now, buttoning the undershirt up halfway before tossing the blazer on overtop. There. Now he looks like a professional slob instead of a complete one.]

...thanks, Ain. Sorry I, uh. Kinda...just came and bled all over your shop like that. I can come back and clean your floor later, if ya want.

Oh, I already cleaned it. It's fine. I'm... glad you came to see me anyway. This is gonna sound bad, but I...

[Bite back your feelings bite them back eat them swallow them kill them—]

...I like being the one you come to first when you need something. [Whew, that was almost extremely gay for a second. Could've said something like "the other healers don't need to see you shirtless". What would Harque think!! (Probably "oh god this man is hurt" honestly.)] I guess you really only needed me for my ability to sew, though, so... haha, nevermind.

[Kill him kill him kill him.]

...did you really wait in here all day for me to finish all that?

[MMMM I dunno Ain that was still pretty gay...

But Wolfwood seems to take it in stride as he sits back against the pew, letting his arms rest along the back of it.]

I mean, y'kinda also patched me up. That counts too, I think.

[Otherwise he'd probably have bled out long before now, so!!!

He tilts his head back a little, looking forward at the front of the church ahead of them. The confessional is there and growing dust because nobody uses it (Wolfwood is NOT the person you want to come confess to right now, his brain is too full of shit for it so he gets it), and his Punisher sits at the pulpit like a proper cross, even though it's anything but.]

Hah? Mm...I guesso, yeah. Wasn't tryna' rush you or nothin'.

[Ain doesn't want to ask the elephant in the room question: "You didn't go home?" If Wolfwood went home, he would've said he was going home. If he'd gone home, he'd probably have another shirt. Despite Wolfwood saying this is essentially his favourite fit, Ain isn't dumb: He's sharper than he lets onto. He knows Wolfwood has other shirts because he's seen the guy in other shirts. That beach fit didn't just disappear into thin air.]

You still could have come by if you wanted to just hang out, haha. You must be... lonely in here. It's been hours.

[...scoots... like an inch closer... it's not gay if their knees touch shut up.]

Mm...yeah. Didn't wanna bother ya, though.

[Something something ruining his concentration etc

As Ain comes closer, Wolfwood allows it. He's Manspreading(tm) as he does, so Ain really won't have to go that far at all to be in touching range.]

But it's alright. I'm used to it, I guess. Used t'spend long weeks in the desert, just me and my thoughts. I didn't have a car, so I just walked where I needed t'go.

[Because Stamp HATES ME where is Angelina if she doesn't show up in S2 I will throw hands at Orange]

And...been a long time since I've spent this much time at the church. I guess I felt like I was startin' to neglect it.

[He's...not sure when, or even if, he'll ever tell Ain about what happened here. About the book burning, Elsword's subsequent possession, and the fallout of the aftermath. Elsword was Ain's friend, so...he can't imagine Ain would enjoy hearing about it. But that's why he's been away for so long. The associations were still too fresh. At least now, he has something else occupying space in his brain just a bit more.]

Because you don't seem to get it, I like when you bother me.

[Mmmm we are not EATING OUR FEELINGS are we!!!]

I must not be making that obvious enough for you, haha. I even sat in your lap and everything and you still don't get it!

[Well, Ain, it's not like you say anything, mister runs from his feelings and avoids saying words. Like way to go dumbass this is your entire fault.]

If you think this one is neglected, you should see Elrian churches. Humans don't really use them anymore, and all the angel statues they have left are all offensive. We don't have big, feathery wings, and we're not even really humanoid to a point. We all start out as little balls of light and do our things like that. I dunno why you're all obsessed with images of humans with wings.

...those're seen as offensive?

[Haha, oh. Whoops-

WELL Wolfwood isn't the one who decided angels would be depicted that way, so whatever. He settles back a little more, carefully crossing his good leg over his other knee.]

I dunno where it all started, exactly. I just know that there's other depictions, like...the more biblically accurate, that are literally just huge balls of tons of wings and eyes and interlockin' halos. Not quite as kid friendly, those ones.

[He'll reach over and rummage in one of his other pockets (not the one with the flower) until he produces.........not a cigarette, but a lollipop. Two of them, in fact, held by the sticks between his fingers as he offers one to Ain. Should he take it, he'll keep the second for himself, peeling off the wrapper so he can pop it into his mouth.]

N'if that's the case, I'll just come stand around your place whenever I wanna smoke. How's that?

Ooh, I like the not-kid-friendly ones~. We don't look like that, but the other angels have masks over their eyes and I know you heard how my voice gets when I'm in the other form. There are other things that are probably surprising, but those are for some other time.

[He will take the lollipop, though, it is going in his mouth immediately. Om nom nom.]

Deal, but if you choke out my flowers, I'm going to use you as fertilizer for them.

[Beams like he didn't just threaten murder... but y'know after today's incident? He's pretty sure he won't have to worry about it.]

You should come over more anyway. [hhh] I normally sleep at the inn, though. [stop talking] You can come see me there, too. [please stop talking]

Hah. Fair enough.

[He thinks using him as flower fertilizer might just kill them faster, but shhhh.

He rolls the lollipop from one side of his mouth to the other, the candy clicking against his teeth as he sighs and looks up into the rafters again.]

We'll see if they let me in the Inn any time soon. I kinda...shot at the outside of it, when I fought that guy.

[Oops!!! Nobody was on the other side of that wall, so legally he cannot be held accountable for the damage caused. The Inn can repair itself, it's fiiiiiiiine.

Ain did mention his other form, though, which prompts Wolfwood to kindof look over at him sidelong without moving his head.]

...but sure. Maybe I can be convinced t'drop by. But only if you show me that form again when I do. I wanna get a better look.

[The way Ain is gradually becoming more like 👉👈 as this goes on... Embarrassing. He wishes he could get a grip, but it's real hard when all of their interactions are so charged. He's pretty sure he can't even read one of his romance novels now without thinking of Wolfwood kissing him and aaaaaa—]

Aww, you mean you wouldn't just drop by because I'm cute and you wanna spend time together? And here I thought you liked me!!

[Dramatics aside...]

Are you really itching to see it again? I could show you now, you know... We're alone. It's just us here.

[But the unholy, gay things Ain wants them to do are probably not for church, are they?]

Hah. Wouldn’t you like t’know?

[They absolutely the fuck are not!! But the mention of Ain showing off his Angel form again does pique Wolfwood’s interest, prompting him to sit forward slightly and actually look at him directly instead of out of the corner of his eye.]

You ain’t worried the flash bang in the church is gonna make people suspicious?

[Its kindof getting late, so most are probably indoors by now…but you never know. Also it’s not like half the grove doesn’t already know anyway Wolfwood-]

The lights are on, aren't they? I don't shine that brightly!

[Hm hm...]

Unless you want me to pop into the confessional booth. That's all dark, isn't it?

[And realistically, how many people come in here... Ain's pretty sure he's one of like three people??]

Up to you. It’s gonna be all dusty and cramped in there though. Your pretty wings will get all squished.

[But judging by the look on his face, it seems like Wolfwood is all for it. Like sure, fuck it, why not? He wants to see him Angel again. Let him see Angel please-]

They're light and wispy, they'll be okay.

[They're not actually used for flight, that's what Ain's magic is for. No sweat. Although, yeah, they're gonna bend a bit.

He's quick to finish that lollipop first though. It's not huge, he gets through it easily in a few minutes and then tosses the stick in the trash before he hauls himself into the confessional. It'll help to not get flashbanged anyway... He knows he's bright. Like the last time, there's a brief flicker of light — hidden mostly by the booth doors — and then Ain steps out in his angel form again.

The ribbony wings get a little caught up in the environment as he steps out, tail swaying, and then leans casually in the doorway.]

You really like this form, huh? Is it 'cause you're religious?

[Wolfwood watches as the inside of the confessional floods with light, and just a moment later, Ain steps out in all of his angelic glory. And it truly is something else, for Ain to speak and seem like he’s coming from everywhere at once. It makes him feel some kind of way, that’s for sure. He is more than a little interested, let’s just say.

But now that the immediate danger of the light show has passed, Wolfwood is able to take a good look, gesturing with a nod of his head.]

Y’could say that, yeah. Now c’mere so I can see.

[Well!! If Wolfwood is gonna be (playfully) demanding, Ain will just have to come over then! He stops right in front of the man, looking down at him...

Ugh why is he pretty.]

Haha, should I do a little twirl for you? Should I start posing?

[... He's gonna do the little twirl actually. Whee!!]

Hah, well, looks like I wasn't gonna be able t'stop you anyway.

[Wolfwood smirks as Ain twirls around, showing off his shimmering wings, long tail (??? TAIL?????) and other little wispies included in the package of being an angel. He stops in front of him, looking down at him, and...

Ough. Wolfwood is very suddenly met with this feeling he hasn't felt before, and that's "oh, god, I am being looked down upon by what is essentially a deity and that is making me feel things I was not expecting".

So. Without thinking, he finds himself reaching up with a gesturing hand, encouraging Ain to come even closer.]

You're somethin' else, like this.

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