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It was a pleasantly cool morning, the path they walked was peaceful and the breeze was soft and warm as it gently wound through the trees.
Torbek hated this. These long stretches of traveling with nothing to do but walk, and nothing to hear but the sounds of their footsteps crunching on the trail underfoot
Often Torbek would be content just to listen in on Kremy and Gideon's easy camaraderie, to laugh along with their jokes and listen to the stories Gricko would animatedly read to Hootsie. But as usual with a long day of travel, eventually everyone had settled into a calm pace. Gricko riding Hootsie in the front, feeding her rat snacks and cooing at her, followed by Kremy and Gideon. Morning Frost followed a few feet behind them, and lastly there was Torbek bringing up the rear.
Torbek liked to be able to see all his friends, to keep them all in his line of sight. If something were to jump out Torbek wanted to be ready! He couldn't stand the thought of any of his friends getting hurt.
‘of course they'll get hurt idiot, YOURE here aren't you? and you know it won't be long until I get out and sink our teeth deep into the hearts of every one of them’
a cruel voice echoed in his skull as images of tearing and ripping (and blood, so much blood) flooded Torbek's mind. Torbek’s hands reached up to grasp the fur around his face, shaking his head desperately trying to find any relief from the unwanted other that resided within him. Quietly he groaned “Stoooop. Please, Torbek doesn’t want to think about that! Torbek would never let that happen”.
in front of him he saw Frost's ears flick back, did he hear him? ‘Ha! guess Frost will finally see what a lunatic you are. It won't be long now before they leave you behind for good’ Torbek whined softly, he brought his hands together and began wringing and pulling his fingers "Please, just be quieeet."
"Are you okay Torbek?" Torbek opened his eyes (when had he closed them?) to see Frost calling out to him softly over his shoulder as his pace slowed slightly.
"Oh! Torbek is fine, please don't worry!! Torbek was just thinking out louuud, sorry Frost"
Frost nodded, mercifully not pressing the bugbear on his frantic tone of voice and turning back to the path ahead of them. With eyes no longer on him Torbek sighed and let his shoulders fall. That was a close one. He set his eyes on the ground, preparing for a few more hours of nothing but walking and being alone with his thoughts. his horrible, suffocating, thoughts.
Gods Torbek wishes he had a drink.
A movement caught his eye and he looked up quickly. The tip of Frost's tail was twitching slightly. It bounced slowly and then began to sway gently back and forth. Torbek peeked over Frost's shoulder inconspicuously, he had a book opened. Was he reading something interesting? Torbek lowered his gaze again to the tabaxi’s tail, looking carefully at the black tip, the beautiful deep oranges and black stripes with an occasional shock of white. It looked so soft, and the colors were sooo pretty, swaying gently like the world’s softest metronome.
Torbek watched Frost's tail as they walked, and with his attention focused on something outside his stormy mind his usually harsh breathing evened out. Before he knew it just the beginning hints of dusk had begun to come upon them.
Kremy found a clearing and quickly declared it to be the campsite for the evening before instructing Gideon on where to set up their tents. Torbek doesn't know why they bothered to put up both of theirs, everyone knew Gideon always came out of Mr. Kremys tent in the mornings anyway.
When the Krew started to decide on who would do which chore, the bugbear quickly spoke up, eager to be useful in any way to his friends "Torbek will go find firewood right away!" With Gricko’s small stature, Kremys dislike of dirtying his suit whenever he could avoid it, and Gideon’s desire to never leave the gators side, being firewood-fetcher was usually the task everyone bickered about the most. Frost could do it Torbek supposed, but Frost's body was a graceful thing, not at all like Torbek’s. He'd hate for Frost to get scraped up rummaging through the sticks and branches of the forest floor.
"Alright Torbek sounds good. Frost that means you're on water duty. Gricko, go help Gid set up “
"Heard, chef!" Gricko saluted and then energetically scampered off towards the clearing with Hootsie hot on his heels, Torbek didn’t know where Gricko got all the energy from. It was fun watching his play chase and scamper around with Hootsie all day, but just watching him only reminded Torbek of how sore he was. His body was tired from walking and his back ached from his bad posture plus the additional unwanted weight of the witchlight cannisters.
Torbek watches his friends for just a moment longer, seeing everyone set off to quickly finish their tasks so they could all finally rest for the night. Torbek's heart felt warm in a way he wasn't used to. He really hoped they let him stay. He set off towards the treeline, determined to get the best, most flammable wood Mr. Kremy has ever laid eyes on! Once Torbek proves how helpful and useful he was, and how eager he was to please, Mr. Kremy and the crew will never ask him to leave! Content with his plan, the bugbear quickly made his way to the treeline.
Only an hour or so after everyone had set off to their tasks had the crew begun to reconvene. Torbek tossed the huge armload of branches and kindling he’d found onto the firepit Gricko and Hootsie had messily dug with a muted thump. Gideon lit it easily with a flame produced from a snap of his strong fingers while Frost returned with the water needed for cooking and drinking. Soon everyone was settled around the fire, warm, tired and content with bellies full of Kremy’s cooking. The alligator liked to play cold and indifferent, but his affection for his found family shone through with every breakfast, lunch, or dinner he caringly fixed for them (even if he liked to complain during).
Frost ate as he quietly watched his compatriots. Gricko animatedly told a story to Torbek while Gideon laughed along at the funny bits and Kremy rolled his eyes at the gross ones. Hootsie lay in front of the log Gricko and Torbek sat on, nestled below her Papa’s feet happily munching away and trilling whenever her name was said
Frost liked this. He cherished it actually. The small moments in between battles, chaos, fae curses and gods know whatever other dysfunction the crew managed to find themselves in on a worryingly regular basis.
The soft moments where they just enjoyed each other's company, a true sense of belonging in all of their hearts. It all made Frost feel warm and content.
Speaking of hearts, Frost's began to beat faster as he allowed himself to watch Torbek while he was focused so intently on Gricko. The bugbear’s lips turning up into a shaky smile or his eyes widening in concern as Gricko recounts his various tales.
Frost had finished eating, and as he collected up his plate and cup to put in the basin Kremy had set up for dishwashing nearby he looked to Torbek and Gricko’s plate, planning to offer to take care of theirs as well just so the goblinoids wouldn't have to stop their fun. Seeing his best friend and …new friend? Not-a-crush? getting along so easily was a beautiful sight and Frost didn’t want it to end just yet. Looking to Torbek's lap he saw that his dish was clean but...why had he chosen that bowl?
The bowl in question was small, made of polished wood as were all of the crew's dishes, but this one specifically was Gricko-sized. Barely a small soup bowl to anyone else! Frost frowned, Torbek was the largest in the party, and one of their strongest fighters! Certainly his appetite was bigger than that? With the bugbear’s large frame he should be eating portions closer to Gideon’s not Gricko’s.
Continuing on that line of thought, Frost's eyes stared intently at Torbek. His long but slender limbs, his broad chest and shoulders. His extremely thin waist.
Gricko might call him “snatched” but suddenly all Frost saw was malnourishment.
Looking to the large cooking pot that still sat over the fire he saw there was still plenty of food left. Enough for Gideon to keep nibbling on as they all chatted, and come back for fourths during his evening watch. Does Torbek think he doesn’t deserve to nourish himself? Is he afraid of overstepping? The realization pops into Frost's mind, his heart dropping as soon as it did.
Of course. Torbek never did eat that much, insisting he was full. Never asking for help with his tent or his tasks, never asking for a break during their days of walking, so afraid of becoming a burden to the friends he only recently reunited with.
Anger rose into his chest. Anger at himself for not realizing this sooner, it had been very obvious if only he’d cared to look. Frost's stomach filled with unease as he thought of all the ways they took the gentle bugbear for granted.
Quickly, Frost summoned his mage hand to snatch a large dinner plate from the stack a few feet away. Scooching forward on the stump he was using as a seat he leaned over the pot, grabbing the ladle with one hand and taking the bowl from his mage hand with the other.
Frost piled the bowl high with potatoes, cubed meat, and root vegetables from the stew Kremy had whipped up. He dipped the ladle into the rich still-steaming broth and poured some over the dish. He carefully filled it as full as he could get, while still leaving just enough space that the clumsy bugbear wouldn’t slosh or spill. Torbek already dealt with such unnecessary guilt, and Frost was sure accidentally wasting food would only worsen those thoughts of low self worth.
No one paid him mind or noticed as he willed the magehand to take the bowl, gently gliding it through the air just a few feet to Frost’s right where Torbek sat near Gricko. Noticing the bowl Torbek startled, his ears stood up straight and he looked up at Frost with surprise.
Gently pushing his thoughts to just the edge of Torbek’s mind, trying not to intrude or assume Torbek was comfortable with such communication, he glanced at Torbek and smiled slightly before turning away to face the fire once more ‘You need to eat more Torbek, I’m concerned for you. And besides, Kremy overdid it this time. There’s no way we could all finish this off’.
Frost was fibbing of course. More than likely Gideon would have wolfed it down at some point, if not later during his watch then tomorrow before they all set off again. But by that time Kremy would have already fixed everyone a hearty breakfast. The fire genasi was never left hungry, his flames just allowed him to snack constantly.
Frost did enjoy Gideon’s figure though. Having seen it all just from their various travels, as well as the fae-fueled fuck frenzy outside the witchlight carnival...and although his feelings for Gideon were platonic, he could easily admit that Gideon was very physically attractive. Frost always had like larger men. Strong and Muscular, but with plenty of softness around their chest, stomach, and thighs for Frost to sink his teeth and claws into.
He chanced another glance towards Torbek. The other man hadn’t replied, but the confused and timid look on his face made it clear he had heard him. Frost watched the slight pink blush color Torbek's muzzle as he hesitated. His eyes followed the curve of Torbek's jaw, the fluffy soft looking hair there that continued all the way down, down, down to his large, broad chest.
The Tabaxi quickly blinked away that particular train of thought and looked back up to Torbek's face. He was smiling slightly, although Frost could see some turmoil there. He watched as Torbek subtly glanced at Hootsie on the ground. Her belly was obviously full judging by the contented way she lounged near her fathers feet, idly clicking and nibbling on a bone with her little beak, then to Gricko who’d long finished his plate as well as a few hearty cups of a rich ale that Gideon had swiped off of some stand from the last village they passed through.
Next he glanced to Gideon, the hot blooded man had several plates and bowls piled neatly on the ground near his feet and beside him Kremy was smoking lazily, clawed hand resting on his own full stomach happily as he enjoyed the company of his troupe.
Satisfied that Frost was correct, that all his friends were indeed fed, happy, and well, Torbek gently took the spoon from his original bowl (much too small Frost’s mind supplied again) and began to eat from the plate Frost had so carefully made for him. Torbek's eyes closed, his ears falling limply to the sides of his head as he smiled and hummed happily around the mouthful.
After a while, gently in his mind her heard
‘T-thank you Froooost’ he glanced towards his happily munching friend, smiling softly. ‘you are welcome Torbek’.
As he looked away he noticed Kremy giving him a sly look from where he was seated across the fire. Fuck. Frost guessed he wasn’t quite as sneaky as he thought, but then again Kremy was always the sharpest of the group. After Frost himself, obviously. Regardless of the raised eyebrow Kremy cocked his way, the gator never brought it up or teased Frost about it as he often did with all the crew whenever something embarrassing was discovered.
Instead, he just took a knowing drag from his cigarette as Frost averted his eyes away from his. Kremy smiled to himself and shifted his weight ever so slightly so his thigh was pressed flush with Gideon’s.
And if in the soft light of the morning Frost noticed that all but one Gricko-sized bowl had conspicuously gone missing from the crew's set, Frost only smiled gratefully. No words were needed, he knew that Kremy understood.