bang bang bang

am i the wolf or the savior?
is my smile too sharp or just my teeth?

Perhaps things are different between them because where Danta had few and far between chances to sleep outside, the butcher often spent many nights under a variety of roofs. There were the occasional (but rare) times he slept atop the same hot rock, the same twinkling stars, and the same reflecting orange veins that cracked through the surface here and there; and there were the other nights where the stars may have been close enough to be the same, but rather than the Climb’s harrowing comfort, he often saw the greenery of wilderness or the gray fog of nothingness.

At any rate, the butcher follows the Maverick toward the fire that dries his clothes, sitting beside him against the log. The fire continues to warn his bones, his neck and shoulders soaking up the majority of it before Danta is fitting himself into his lap. And yes, absolutely, the butcher won’t last when caged with such warmth. His arms immediately slink along his hips, lacing together at the small of his back as the butcher tilts his head lightly into the kisses that press into his hair.

“You are quite warm, darling.” He murmurs, as if he didn’t need to think up warm thoughts because the blonde was there to be his heat source. And it’s enough that he forces his face in against the other man’s neck, only to promptly sack out for a moment or two, arms limp as they sag against his lower back and the butcher’s face remains buried in against his neck, Danta is greeted with the soft snores of his exhaustion finally catching up with him.

Astaroth

come a little closer

idealism sits in prison
chivalry fell on his sword

"Why thank you. I made the heat all myself," Danta quips, grinning and settling further to feel Asta's hands lace around him - not that it lasts very long, of course. Tilting his head ever so slightly to welcome the other man's head against the side of his neck, it takes an even shorter amount of time than the Maverick had expected before Asta's soft snoring fills the Glade.

Letting out a content sigh, Danta is happy enough to watch the flames while they wait for the butcher's clothes to dry off enough to get home. In the meantime, he picks up where Asta left off, wisps of fire threading through his fingertips as he passes them through damp hair, leaving it in soft, dark waves by the time he's finished.

Danta doesn't nod off himself, enjoying the strange moment of peace far too much, but night has fallen by the time he thinks Asta will be able to be comfortable in his clothes, and he tries to gently stir him with a few kisses pressed to his cheeks. "Come on," he invites softly, "let's get you dressed and head out of here. You'll sleep better at home."

Dantalion

I slithered here from Eden
just to sit outside your door

am i the wolf or the savior?
is my smile too sharp or just my teeth?

Exhaustion takes him so swiftly that he can’t help but to simultaneously cling and become boneless at the same time, sunk into the Maverick’s warmth like a heat blanket. It’s perhaps the most peaceful sleep, the soft snores and warm breath nothing more than that – no threat of the sharp teeth at the blonde’s neck, nor even a sound to escape him aside from the proof that he’s just as exhausted as he had appeared.

Now, he’s fully dry and his clothes are good enough (which he honestly has zero idea about, given he feels like only two minutes have passed by the time Danta’s waking him up). The kisses do their job, rousing him slowly as he blinks and shifts slightly, fingertips twitching against Danta’s shirt as he finally starts to wake up. He withdraws with a soft “mm?” before the blonde’s words have fully registered in his mind, and as they slot in a heartbeat of a second later, he’s withdrawing more fully so that Danta can move, the butcher’s hands lifting to rub at his eyes and through his hair. “S’only been a few minutes, has it not?” Of course, he hasn’t had a moment to register that it’s dark outside, until he blinks his eyes open again and scans Danta’s face illuminated only by the flame. “Oh.”

Astaroth

come a little closer

idealism sits in prison
chivalry fell on his sword

"There is a broad definition of a few minutes, so you aren't wrong, technically," Danta says, smiling another kiss to Asta's forehead before slowly rising to his feet as the other man's grip loosens on him. "It will probably get pretty chilly tonight, though, so I'd quite like to get going." Still, it's with reluctance that he parts from the sleepy Ancient, Danta reaching up to snag his shirt and shake it out, before slipping it around Asta's shoulders for him to do the rest.

In the mean time, he goes back to grab his pants, reaching out his free hand to help the butcher to his feet so they can get him decent enough to head out of the Glade. Around them the trees and the Oasis are alive with sound and movement, though of course it's impossible to see anything beyond the halo of the little fire they've built. "I didn't realise it would get so dark so quickly," he admits.

Dantalion

I slithered here from Eden
just to sit outside your door

am i the wolf or the savior?
is my smile too sharp or just my teeth?

It’s a lot of words for the butcher to piece together immediately while his mind still feels heavy from sleep. But he does the best he can, shifting once Danta’s stood up and offered his hand so that he can pull himself to his feet and brush off any lingering grasses or dirt. The shirt is slipped over his scarred torso, the pants slipped on and the shoes slipped into, and with everything in order the butcher finds himself a combination of warm and cold still. His clothes feel starchy and heavy, but at least they’re dry.

Stretching out and hiding a yawn, the butcher snags the satchel of bladed pieces and the antlers from the stag before he sidles up beside the blonde — listening to the sounds that rage through the woods this time of night. He glances around to spot nothing in the darkness, but does straighten up his posture just in case, trying to shake the exhaustion from his mind. “I did not expect to fall asleep.” He laments a little, leaning a touch closer to Danta. “I am sorry.” Comes the soft hum.

Astaroth

come a little closer

idealism sits in prison
chivalry fell on his sword

"No need to apologise," Danta assures him as he leans in, the Maverick stepping in against his side to share his warm and lean up to nose against the line of his jaw. "You were exhausted - you needed it." Still does, if the look of Asta is anything to go by, but they need to get going first. Settling back to glance around at the darkened woodland, Danta draws the fire down low before allowing a few motes of flame to burst back to life around them, illuminating the way they (hopefully?) need to take.

"Alright. So we find a wagon trail and fingers crossed that one comes by pretty soon," he decides with a smile over his shoulder to the butcher, crunching through leaves and trying not to trip over any deadfall. "Then once we get back to town, I commission someone to come out here and build an inn that we can stay in next time. How's that sound?"

Thankfully it doesn't take long for them to find the worn dirt tracks of a road, though it really is pitch black out, even under the blanket of stars, and Danta finds himself staring up at them as they walk as if seeing them properly for the first time in a long while.

Dantalion

I slithered here from Eden
just to sit outside your door

am i the wolf or the savior?
is my smile too sharp or just my teeth?

His head tilts slightly into the touch that brushes against his bearded jaw, his arm growing tighter around him as they walk through the Glade in the darkness of the just fallen night. “I typically do not just… Do that.” He admits with a touch of confusion – perhaps it has been so long since he’d done it that he didn’t have a choice but to recover from the toll it had taken.

At any rate, they crack twigs as they step over them, the snap echoing amongst the woods and the noises from animals within them, though he pays it little mind as he watches the motes of flame dance ahead to illuminate their path. He nods, on board with everything thus far, until the mention of the Inn has more of the butcher’s dramatics arising to the surface. “Gods, that would be lovely.” The thought sparks all kinds of creativity in his mind despite the exhaustion – and maybe it’s because he’s just eaten and he’s still carrying the stag’s antlers, but he shoots Danta a crooked, sharp smile when he adds, “perhaps it could double as a hunting lodge?”

The walk continues, the butcher’s feet finding the worn tracks first before he realizes it, and while Danta’s so captivated by the stars above them, the butcher’s captivated by the blonde at his side – his dark gaze glancing over and staying as he notices the way it seems like it’s a first for him. The butcher’s hand starbursts at the Maverick’s side and it’s his turn to nose his way to leaving a soft kiss to his high cheekbone, trailing his nose and lips along his jaw. “It is stunning, isn’t it?”

Astaroth

come a little closer

idealism sits in prison
chivalry fell on his sword

"You don't, do you?" Tilting his head, Danta smiles softly at the realisation; the butcher doesn't ever switch off unless it's the time and place for it, let alone falling asleep out in the middle of nowhere. Choosing to take it as a compliment, he grins to hear Asta's approval of his new venture, hopping over a couple of brambly vines until they reach the wagon trail and the open sky. "Now that's an idea. I imagine something like that is probably in demand anyway."

Based on the number of hunters (monsters and game) that the Grounds possesses, there can never be too many lodges or outposts or places to stay. For now, though, it's walking until they can get the attention of a wagon (or not, depending on whether one appears) and enjoying the stars in the meantime. "Mm?" Grinning and turning his head into the affection, Danta nods and drags his gaze away from the stars above.

"Yeah, it is. I never appreciated how much the light from The Climb ruined the view." With constant lava flow and fire from Ancients, light pollution had been quite high in their old home. Here, though? Danta can almost understand why so many people turn to Safrin.

Dantalion

I slithered here from Eden
just to sit outside your door

am i the wolf or the savior?
is my smile too sharp or just my teeth?

A sound akin to mhm escapes the butcher in agreement to the fact he doesn’t just drop off like that – too much in control over his own location and what exactly he’s doing that he has a time and a place for such endeavors. Out in the middle of the woods after one deer hunt was decidedly not one of those times, and yet the butcher found himself sacked out against Danta, leaving him to keep watch (if it mattered much to keep watch). Perhaps it says something to the comfort the Maverick brings more than anything else, and he’s content to believe that more than believe something was wrong with him as they walk and step over vines to reach the trail. “I would be honored to help with it.” Given that he’d likely be utilizing it a lot.

Anyway, as Danta is captivated by the sky above them, the butcher is captivated by the sunshine blonde beside him, his affection knowing no limits. So much so that he rests his cheek against Danta’s, parting only when the bounce of their steps bring them apart. “The stars are different now.” He admits softly. “Time, and Safrin, likely, have changed them since we were last awake.” He would know, he often utilized the stars to find his way back home. A navigator, who was lost in this second chance, who luckily doesn’t have the same job position. “I believe I prefer these stars over the previous.” He admits softly, and while it was because it was more of a mystery or because he has the ability to actually enjoy their beauty is another story.

They continue to follow the path, avoiding the vines that reach out to snare, and after a few moments there’s the quieting of the forest for a sharp hollow knock of what sounds like a hammer hitting wood. An odd thing to do at night, but as they approach, they’ll find one of those wagons they were looking for – and the owner, trying desperately trying to get the wheel back into place with an oil lantern for light that isn’t appearing to do much.

Astaroth

come a little closer

idealism sits in prison
chivalry fell on his sword

"I'd be honoured to have you," Danta says cheerfully, smiling through the pale moonlight towards the other man. "I'm sure there used to be a guild or something to do with that, didn't there?" He swears he's heard Kiada bang on about it at some point. (It isn't used to be, it still very much exists, not that the Maverick had been listening properly to realise). "Maybe we can ask her about it as well."

Regardless, the imaginary outpost or hunting lodge isn't going to do them much good right now, and he considers himself lucky to have the spray of stars overhead to distract him. "Oh, they are?" Smiling at that, Danta loses himself again for a moment in trying to read constellations that will likely never make much sense to him. "I'll have to take your word for it. No one really taught me anything about the skies," he admits. "It is beautiful, though."

Drawn from their conversation by the dull thud of a mallet, the Maverick frowns and grows the motes of fire around them by degrees until the man and his broken wagon comes into view. "Well that's bad luck," he trills out to him, sounding far too happy for the words to correlate.

It doesn't take much to provide more light for the wagon driver to see by, and Danta is quick to procure a ride for them if they help to fix the wheel. "I reckon if we help hold it steady, we can take some of the weight while the wheel gets tightened up?" he suggests to Asta, the man nodding his enthusiastic agreement.

Dantalion

I slithered here from Eden
just to sit outside your door

am i the wolf or the savior?
is my smile too sharp or just my teeth?

“I believe so, yes.” Asta hums thoughtfully, despite having little to no understanding of whether or not it was around still or what had all changed. A conversation with Kiada was likely important to figure it out – perhaps something that could be made in hand with the current guild so they had a place to stay. “We should ask her.” He agrees, growing a little bit softer as he considers the stars ahead and how different they were in comparison to how they had once looked. He lets Danta continue to peek up at them, an attempt to understand them, before he’s focusing on the statement. “I could teach you a few tricks once we start our starwatching dates?” He muses a little playfully, nosing another affectionate nuzzle into Danta’s cheek before he’s withdrawing to hear the smack of the hammer.

Parting from the Maverick as they approach, the butcher utilizes the fire to try and determine what exactly they’re approaching when he sees the exasperated man doing his best with a wagon full of goods (and thankfully space for the two of them, too). The man perks up to hear Danta’s tone at least, and as Danta’s suggestion hits the air, the butcher’s smile is one of traditional politeness as he straightens up and nods his horned head. “I absolutely believe that is doable.” The man seems quite relieved about it as the butcher sets down his prize of the antlers and the satchel of blade portions to free himself up to pick up some of the weight to make it easier for the man to tighten.

It goes much smoother and there’s plenty of praise from the wagon owner for the quick job they make of it, with small comments about how he’d thought he’d be out here all night trying to fix it just to hopefully get back to the Inner Quarter by night the next day – and that’s provided he didn’t sleep at all.

Astaroth

come a little closer

idealism sits in prison
chivalry fell on his sword

"I'd like that," Danta decides with a warm smile, offering a gentle and playful snap of his teeth in response to Asta's obnoxious nuzzling, before they're called upon to be responsible citizens. Still, with hunting lodges and stargazing in their future (near and far), it's with a burst of energy that the Maverick gets to work. "Perfect." He grins to the butcher, supporting the wagon from the other side of the man as he works to get the wheel back in place.

Quick to offer reassurances and gratitude of their own for the wagon owner being able to take them back to the Inner Quarter, soon enough it looks as though they are more than in a position to be on their way. Giving the pair of horses at the front of the wagon a quick pat on the neck and accepting a handshake from the man, Danta soon hoists himself up into the back of the cart, offering a hand out for Asta to join him.

"There. A good deed done, and we'll be home by midnight with any luck," he says.

Dantalion

I slithered here from Eden
just to sit outside your door

am i the wolf or the savior?
is my smile too sharp or just my teeth?

It’s truly quick work, and while Danta is bolstered by the plans they’ve made, the butcher is still just as exhausted despite looking forward to decorating the interior of the hunting lodge with the multitude of bones he’s collected like a magpie. It’s quick work, much quicker than it would have been for the wagon’s owner and the horses that wait, snagging bits of grasses and ferns in the interim while they toil away to fix the wagon.

Asta dusts off his hands and plucks a splinter from one of his fingers as Danta provides all the gratitude for them to join, it’s with a smile and a nod of gratefulness from the butcher toward the wagon owner – stepping away to collect the antlers and the satchel of blade pieces, to return to the end of the wagon precisely on time for Danta to offer a hand out for him. He takes it swiftly, hauling himself up along the Maverick, careful to not trip over one of the bags that’s starting to come loose (that looks as though it’s full of apples). “What a relief, now come here before we start moving and you get left behind.” Asta says playfully, plenty of dramatics in his voice as he shifts to sit against one of the crates, reaching up to tug Danta down with him as the wagoner begins to move – the darkness of the forest around them remaining but vanishing far faster than they had while they walked.

And it has the added bonus of the wagon and horses sound to blot out the lively woods. (Not that the butcher was afraid, but he’d rather not want to let the flapping beat of wings ruin an otherwise good day).

Astaroth

come a little closer

idealism sits in prison
chivalry fell on his sword

"You would never let me get left behind," Danta objects with a grin, though he nonetheless quickly hunkers down beside Asta, ensuring the bag of apples doesn't spill out everywhere and that everything remains tucked upright and as it should be in the cart. (Ordinarily he'd not care, but given that this might well be their only chance at a ride home, they should probably behave).

Shifting to get comfortable, the Maverick leans up to press a surprisingly gentle kiss to Asta's cheek, raising an arm to offer for the other man to lean in and against him. "At least here if you want to fall asleep again, it's not the wilderness and you can make the choice before it's taken from you," he says with a crooked smile and a shrug. And given the steady pace, he's liable to join the butcher in a nap too.

Dantalion

I slithered here from Eden
just to sit outside your door