Ask Misadventures

[Emryc Thorne]

Emryc couldn’t help but smile as Jaikus enthusiastically went along with the plan to scale the roof, even offering suggestions of his own. He followed along as the Axxilan remarked on the motifs, pausing to take a few pictures to document the findings. However, he found his gaze returning to Jaikus each time, feeling a deep sense of affection towards the other man that he had, in many ways, never experienced before.

As Jaikus remarked about the Holomovie re-enactment, Emryc couldn’t help but grin. In response, he held the other man very tightly and kept him place, keeping him from going anywhere. The first drops of rain began and Emryc didn’t let go even then, “Oh yeah, I want to recreate all the sappy scenes all right,” He said as the rain picked up. He knew the other man would get annoyed and wet and it made Emryc grip him even tighter, leaning in to shower his face with multiple kisses. The half Sephi began to chuckle out loud, clearly in a very playful mood that was usually extremely rare from the stoic man.

Emryc finally released Jaikus, coiling the Force around him. The Axxilan would feel a very familiar sensation as he suddenly began to skid towards the entrance at top speed. He would be gliding as if on ice, expertly maneuvered by the half Sephi along the entire length of the path to lead to the entrance. It wasn’t unlike their very first moment on Telos when he had circled Jaikus around himself.

At the same time the half Sephi began to conjure his own use of the Force with magick. It was a testament to his incredible abilities with the Force that he expertly manipulated both at once. Jaikus was gently left standing directly in front of the entrance and below shelter.

Within moments, he would see a strange formation of particles directly next to him. The green particles quickly began to take shape and form into a tall figure. Jaikus would soon see Emryc materialize before him from the use of an advanced Dathomirian teleportation technique. The half Sephi was there in the flesh, fully formed virtually from thin air. He spun to look back at Jaikus, hands stuff in his hoodie pockets. He flashed the Axxilan a grin and a casual wink as he stepped backwards inside the temple ahead of him, disappearing into the shadows.

The layout of the main chamber was large and rectangular. The sides were lined with columns and indents that once held figurines in them. There was a damp, musty smell inside and it was several degrees cooler here than outside. There were three different paths to take, all with the same archway and not designating one from the other in any way.

Mr. Goat was casually napping on a platform to the side. The corner of the room was already decorated with Mr. Goat's 'gifts'.

@Altaris

 

[Jaikus Thorne]

In that moment, there was an exceptionally gleeful expression on Jaikus’ face – emerald eyes still fixed on temple ahead while Emryc held him close. He could have lingered there all day, and yet the rumbles from above served to encourage them finally towards the temple. However, Jaikus quickly found himself unable to separate from the half-Sephi, feeling the arms tighten around him.

The Axxilan tilted his head back, listening as the man spoke. As if on que, the first droplets of rain began to fall – one of them hitting the Jaikus right between the eyes. “Emryc I just got dry—” He groaned out, squirming in the other mans arms in a vain attempt to avoid getting soaked again. When Emryc began to shower him with kisses, however, the Axxilan relaxed his struggle entirely – a smile suddenly tugging wide across his features. He couldn’t help but begin to giggle and snort stupidly just then, his characteristic laughter weaving into the air in between the shower of quick kisses from his partner.The rain picked up a bit more, and the Axxilan was unbothered for the moment.

When Emryc finally released him, Jaikus took a moment to look up at the half-Sephi. “I knew you liked those movies.” He grinned playfully, tilting his head up to steal one more kiss. Before he could move towards the path, however, the Axxilan felt the Force coil around his slender body.

“Wha—”

Without much time to react, Jaikus immediately felt his body being skid across the path at high speeds. It was a strikingly familiar sensation as when he had been maneuvered back on Telos, and the Axxilan did not resist the coil at all – remaining perfectly still as he was moved to the entrance.

His boots skid to a halt, and Jaikus didn’t have more than a few seconds to look around before his attention was immediately drawn to a stirring to his left. He watched with wide eyes as viridian particles coalesced into a tall, familiar figure. The Axxilan blinked a few times, eyebrows raised and mouth slightly agape as Emryc suddenly appeared out of thin air.

Truth be told, Sith Magick – let alone the specific techniques of the Nightsister’s – was a complete mystery to Jaikus. It was something that fascinated him, and seeing up close and personal was something that was both impressive and intriguing. A faint grin tugging at his lips when he caught wink from Emryc.

“Show off.” He quipped, a playful tone to his voice, though he was clearly impressed. With that, the pair finally made their way inside the temple entrance.

Jaikus was immediately hit with the musky smell of the rectangular chamber.. and the smell of something else. It didn’t take long to locate, and from that point on Jaikus tried very hard to ignore the sight of Mr. Goat’s gifts. Of course the little fucker had to leave a pile inside the temple entrance, where ventilation was much poorer. Perhaps this was the universe getting back at them for ignoring the tent earlier in the day.

The Axxilan walked over to one of the columns, running his hand very gently across the surface. While he was greatly interested with the architecture and historical value of everything, there were no details about the path ahead that seemed to stick out.

“I guess we ought to just pick one.” He finally admitted. As much as he had researched the site, they knew nothing about the temple itself. It was a complete shot in the dark and they would both know it. “The middle, maybe?” The path in question looked identical to all those around them, shrouded in darkness just past the entrance.

He paused for a moment, as if he’d just remembered something. Jaikus spun on a heel and moved behind Emryc. He unzipped one of the pockets of his pack, riffling through it for a moment while it was still on the half-Sephi’s back. After a moment, the Axxilan pulled out a rather small

flashlight, waving it in front of his partner.

“Told you I came prepared.”

@Sreeya

 

[Emryc Thorne]

Emryc was still walking backwards when Jaikus accused him of showing off. He flashed the man a grin, “Why wouldn’t I want to show off for my very sexy partner?” He quipped back, his tone still light-natured and playful. He finally spun around after a moment, ignoring the stench of Mr. Goat’s presents that made him want to gag.

As much as he hated it, there really was no way to tell the paths apart. Jaikus’ random guess was just as good as his. The half Sephi stood in silence, rubbing his chin in deep thought as he looked at all the paths. He felt the Axxilan walk behind him to rummage through his pack. He eyed the other man as he waved about what appeared to be a glorified laser pointer in victory. Emryc crossed his arms over his chest, entirely unamused.

“All our problems are solved now,” Emryc muttered dryly, “Take your pack back, you lazy shit,” He muttered, though there was a grin on his face, “I see you walking just fine now," That detail wasn't entirely true, he mainly wanted to make Jaikus blush again.

The half Sephi walked with Jaikus down the middle entrance, silently irritated that they ended up actually needing that stupid flashlight. Lighting the way revealed that the path descended down towards a chamber that...had a large pool of water in the middle with a platform on the other side. Emryc’s immediate thought was to shrug and find a way to get across. However, he stopped there, glancing down in the water and spotting some sort of mechanism at the very bottom. Something that looked almost like a complex lever that would need more than just manipulating with the Force.

The half Sephi had to bite back to keep from throwing his head back and groaning.

@Altaris

 

[Jaikus Thorne]

Jaikus couldn’t help but smile wide when Emryc spoke. That casual compliment brought a renewed flush of red to the man’s cheeks, lingering on those words for a few seconds while an unmistakably giddy expression played out across his features. “Because if you keep it up, I may just want to drag my very sexy partner off to do anything except progress further into this temple.” He quipped, his tone flirtatious and playfully as he wiggled his eyebrows at Emryc.

With that, the pair made their way into the main chamber. His guess at the middle pathway was exactly that – a guess. There was no rhyme or reason, although there was clearly a renewed desire to leave the central chamber as quick as possible. Mr. Goat probably had something to do with that.

Jaikus fished out the flashlight from his pack, overdramatically holding it above his head and waving it around. “You’re very welcome.” He was entirely aware that Emryc was unamused, and the Axxilan smirked smugly in response. As if to enunciate that point further, Jaikus flicked the light on and flashed it down the dark passageway, shining what was effectively one step above a laser pointer into the shadows. It didn’t illuminate the entire path, but it was better than nothing.

He grinned wide when Emryc muttered his comment about the pack. “What, getting tired of showing off already?” He smirked, gesturing to the half-Sephi hauling both of their supplies. He shook his head, giggling a bit before reaching over to snag the bag and strap it to his back. That last comment, though, was successful in drawing out another blush from the Axxilan, emerald eyes suddenly going wide.

He knew that last detail was a crock of shit, and Emryc knew it too. He blinked a few times, once more completely flustered and incapable of response. He cleared his throat a few times, tugging at the collar of his shirt while shuffling down the passageway.

The Axxilan blazed a victorious trail ahead, lighting the way with his pseudo-laser-pointer. They walked for quite a while before entering into the larger, water-filled chamber. Just as Jaikus passed through the archway into the chamber, he paused abruptly - reaching back and planting a hand on Emryc’s chest to stop him in place. The doorframe was just low enough for his partner to smack his forehead on, and Jaikus was very much expecting that to happen.

Turning back ahead, Jaikus shined his light into the chamber - revealing the path ahead of them for the most part. The platform ahead of them was raised over twenty feet above and on the opposite side of the pool of water, making a jump - Force assisted or not - unlikely. Though the chamber was dimly lit, the pair could see what appeared to be a door there. Curiously, there was what looked to be four sluice gates lining the walls on either side of the chamber, held closed and locked by an unknown mechanism.

Unlike Emryc, Jaikus made no attempt to hide his displeasure at the situation. He groaned audibly, his voice echoing through the stone passageway. He saw the mechanism at the bottom of the pool of water, and he briefly considered turning around and trying a different path instead. However, it occurred to him that, knowing their luck, the most inconvenient path was likely to be the correct one.

He took another step forward, gingerly dipping his fingers below the surface, groaning against as he did so. Just as he suspected, the water was absolutely frigid.

Wonderful.

"So help me, if this lead to another exit." Jaikus grumbled, making a very clear reference to the underwater tunnel on Telos. He shrugged the fur-lined coat off of his shoulders, folding the garment neatly in his hands. He chucked it towards the platform ahead, a gentle push of the Force carrying it over the ledge. It was the one article of clothing Jaikus preferred to keep dry, at least for the time being.

With that, the Axxilan took in a breath, briefly closing his eyes as he drew the Force into himself, his breath beginning to slow to a stop. It was a very basic version of a technique he had practiced in the past. It was enough to sustain him for only a few minutes at best, but would hopefully be enough to get them through this first puzzle.

He briefly looking back to Emryc, giving him a nod to confirm that the half-Sephi was ready. With that, Jaikus took a step back before lunging forward, diving into the pool of water. He swam downward to the bottom of the pool of water, reaching the complex mechanism that was found there - a vaguely wheel-shaped lever. Curiously, the mechanism was situated on top of a brightly colored tile in the center of the floor. There were six other multi-colored titles on the floor, forming a hexagon shape with the present lever located in the middle.

Jaikus gripped onto both spokes of the wheel, struggling with the mechanism for a moment before it began to turn. As he did so, one of the colored tiles on the floor began to shift, sliding back to reveal another wheel-like mechanism rising from the ground. It appeared that turning one caused the other to emerge, and the pair would need to work in tandem to maneuver through all six.

@Sreeya

 

[Emryc Thorne]

When Jaikus made the quip about Emryc getting tired of showing off, the half Sephi got a moody expression on his face. Without a word, he snatched Jaikus’ backpack right back, clipping it back onto his own and walking off further into the temple. He was largely silent the rest of the way, much as he had been on Telos. It was clear that Emryc had a way about him when he was actually exploring ruins and temples. He took in sight of every little detail and engraving he saw along the way, committing all to memory. At least whatever he could make out with the stupid laser pointer.

Emryc paused when Jaikus put a hand on his chest, eyeing him curiously before he looked up at the low ceiling he was about to collide with. The gesture was simple, and yet it drew out a smile from the half Sephi as he looked at his partner briefly before ducking under the doorway to keep walking.

He watched Jaikus take off the coat and prepare to jump. Emryc quickly grabbed his wrist, “Baby wait,” He spoke quickly, “You need to take everything off. You will continue to lose heat and experience hypothermia if you come out of the water with wet clothes. And also …” His face suddenly began to turn pink, “...you might catch a cold..” Emryc cleared his throat and released his wrist, staring off at nothing as he began to get undressed himself.

Emryc peeled off every article of clothing before jumping into the brisk water. It was largely unpleasant, but he had done similar exercises on the station to prepare for landing on planets. He saw where Jaikus spun one wheel and how it revealed another. Emryc floated over to that and pulled with all his might, both men operating the wheels. For a moment nothing happened, but a glance up told Emryc that what appeared to be a wall in the pool was actually a door. It began to recede to the ground as the water rapidly drained.

As the water splashed out, Emryc rapidly coiled the Force around Jaikus because he knew the man would be too busy gawking to catch himself on his feet. The half Sephi plopped down next to the wheel, easing Jaikus down as well as he looked ahead.

The water drained out over the edge of the platform they stood on. There was an entirely new chamber revealed before them. It had platforms, drops and contraptions all around.

Emryc stared for a moment until a ticking noise began to erupt. The wheels they had turned began to turn back, a trickling of water beginning. The half Sephi cursed internally before he coiled the Force around their belongings up on the platform, quickly calling them over to himself.

“Move it!” He shouted to Jaikus as he ran towards the new chamber before the wall began to rise again. The flow of water from the ceiling began to grow thicker as the temple worked to return to the state it was in.

@Altaris

 

[Jaikus Thorne]

Jaikus already had his coat off and was preparing to jump when Emryc grabbed his wrist, causing the Axxilan to pause what he was doing. He listened as the half-Sephi spoke quickly, brow raising a bit when the man’s cheeks began to turn pink.

Emerald eyes widened a bit when he held the last thing that Emryc had said, causing Jaikus to blink a few times. There was something about those words that was unmistakable tender and sweet, bringing a renewed flush of red to the Axxilan’s cheeks. “Oh.. Right. Good point.” He cleared his throat a few times for no real reason.

He mimicked Emryc and peeled away every article of clothing he had, folding them neatly before helping to levitate both his and his partner’s clothes and supplies to the platform above. With that, he dove down into the pool of water. The rapid drop in temperature was incredibly unpleasant, but Jaikus powered through it none-the-less – diving down towards the complicated wheel in the center of the floor.

Jaikus began to turn the first wheel, and Emryc quickly rotated the next. The men worked in tandem together to shift and move to each succeeding wheel, finally reaching the last wheel of the six – and the top of the hexagon – after a few minutes of working. A few moments of silence would pass before the wall-turned-door began to move, sliding downward and into the floor and causing the water to quickly drain out.

Just as Emryc predicted, Jaikus was entirely enthralled at the sight of the door, not paying attention to his feet. He had taken to reading some of the curious engraving on the stone slab when Emryc suddenly reached out with the Force. He blinked a few times, feeling his body gentle eased back down onto his feet.

When Emryc called out, Jaikus didn’t gawk or delay any longer – quickly breaking into a sprint and making his way through the wall before it rose back into place. Flow of water from the ceiling continued to grow thicker, and the Axxilan leapt over the wall just as it rose to waist-height – landing with his bare feet onto the stony ground of the new chamber.

The wall behind them continued to rise as the water refilled the chamber, stone slabs grinding together until they finally came to a halt – sealing the way back the way they came. With that, Jaikus finally turned to the chamber ahead of them, inspecting the path before them.

It was filled with dozens of different square platforms, each separated from each other a distance too far to leap across. The spaces between the platforms were flooded and filled with water. If they stared long enough, the pair would be able to see dark shapes moving below the surface. Curiously, on a handful of the platforms, there were tall stone figurines fixed in place – weathered with age and covered with barnacles, as if this chamber too had been flooded at one point or another. There was one such figurine on the platform they now stood on.

“Well. At least we won’t be freezing our asses off in this chamber.” He quipped, moving to grab his pants back from Emryc. Unsure if he’d be required to quickly strip again, the Axxilan didn’t bother putting back on his coat or shirt this time – merely slipping back on his pants and shoes before preparing to continue on to the next chapter of their adventure through the temple.

Jaikus paused for a moment then, remembering Emryc’s quick reaction that saved him from falling on his ass in the previous chamber. With a smile tugging at his lips, Jaikus quickly turned on his heels and stepped towards the half-Sephi – pulling him by the shoulder and planting a brief kiss against his cheek.

“Always looking out for me, Emy.” He spoke, his words soft and tender. That simple term of endearment and nickname caused the Axxilan to smile a bit wider as he said it, even as it seemed to pass from his lips as naturally as he took his next breath.

With that, Jaikus finally turned back to the chamber ahead of them, inspecting the figurine closest to them. While the stone figure had no remarkable details across its surface, there appeared to be smooth tracks on the ground beneath it – as if indicating the statue could be turned or slid across the ground – though it would clearly require the both of them to do it.

"I think this one rotates. Help me turn it."

@Sreeya

 

[Emryc Thorne]

Emryc took a moment to put all his clothing back on before he hoisted both their packs back on his shoulders. He clipped the straps around his waist as well before gazing out at the platforms. His mind was already beginning to guess at the different puzzles when Jaikus abruptly pulled him by the shoulder. The half Sephi went with the motion as usual, always feeling a flush of warmth whenever the man kissed him.

The nickname, however, was one he hadn’t heard in his entire time of being alive. The half Sephi’s ears had perhaps never been this animated, the tips of them flicking frantically a few times. His face skipped the pink and went directly to tomato red. Emryc was frozen in place, his eyes wide as he blinked a few times in rapid succession. There were many layers to why such a simple term hit him so hard. Not only was it endearing and familiar. But it was tenderness and a sense of attachment to his very name. The name that had been fashioned from nothing but the code he had been given as a Cadre specimen.

3MR1K.

He had never given the name any thought beyond operatives deciding to fashion a name from the code and barking it at him since he was a toddler. This was the first time in his entire life that the name had been adopted into something that was wanted and desired. It was the first time the name was said in a way that had no designated greater purpose like president or Cadre or soldier. It was just from the affections that Jaikus felt. And it was entirely his to use so effortlessly that he hadn’t given it a second thought.

Emryc’s jaw tightened slightly and he wordlessly pulled Jaikus into a tight embrace. He said no words, breathing quietly against the man for a few moments. He didn’t want to explain, he didn’t want to elaborate. But he knew Jaikus wouldn’t push. The half Sephi lingered there for several moments, closing his eyes as he buried his face into the other man’s neck.

“Say my name again,” He whispered softly, just as he had before. But this time he wanted to hear that new name, the one that now held warmth to it from the cold and sterile he always knew it as.

Emryc remained holding Jaikus for a bit longer before finally letting go. Though he stepped back and looked away, Jaikus would see the slightly red tint and glassed surfaces in his eyes. Something that was virtually impossible to draw out from the stoic half Sephi.

He focused quickly back on the task at hand, walking over to help turn the statue. There was a whirring noise as soon as they did so and a platform rose slowly from beneath the water to bridge the way to another platform. The next platform, however, did not have a statue and therefore would be a dead end. Emryc stared in that direction for a moment before looking around for a different sequence.

@Altaris

 

[Jaikus Thorne]

Jaikus couldn’t help but smile as he moved to plant a kiss to Emryc’s cheek, that nickname and term of endearment passing from his lips without the man really thinking about it. Emerald eyes immediately fixated upon every little reaction that played out across Emryc’s face.

While Jaikus had been the expressive movements of Emryc’s eats in the past, something that always filled him with warmth, they had never been quite this animated. He saw how the man’s olive skin quickly shifted to tomato red, and those familiar silvers went wide.

When Emryc abruptly pulled the Jaikus close, the Axxilan felt himself melting into that sudden embrace. His arms instinctively wrapped tightly around the back of the half-Sephi’s neck, the fingers of one hand moving to tenderly caress the back of his partner’s hair. Jaikus didn’t ask questions or inquire as to the reason for the sudden embrace. He didn’t need or want to.

Instead, he simply remained there for as long as the moment lasted. The new chamber was largely forgotten as he closed his eyes and hugged the man tight, profound warmth washing over him from the feeling of familiar arms wrapped around him.

“Emy..” He whispered softly, repeating that new name that his partner wished to hear.

It was a name Jaikus had seemed to speak so effortlessly, passing from his lips without quite realizing the weight that it carried for the half-Sephi - still ignorant to the half-Sephi’s Cadre past or the origins of his name. It was a name, tender and warm, that had been born entirely out of Jaikus’ affection for the man before him. For the man that was his.

As he whispered, Jaikus slid a hand down to find Emryc’s – wrapping their fingers tightly together. Slowly but surely, Jaikus brought the half-Sephi’s knuckles up to his lips, planting gentle kisses against each digit. When Emryc finally drew back, Jaikus took a moment to admire the man before him.

Even as he turned and looked away, the Axxilan did not miss the lingering tint of Emryc’s cheeks, or more notably, nor did he miss the glassed surfaces of his eyes. It was a reaction that Jaikus had never seen from the stoic half-Sephi before, even through all of their adventures and moments together, and the significance behind it now was not lost on him.

Without another word, the Axxilan took a step towards Emryc before the man moved to the task ahead. He pulled his partner close for a moment more, leaning forward to capture the man’s lips for a brief, tender kiss. “My Emy.” He whispered, laying his head against the man’s chest whilst hugging him tightly.

Only then, after a long while more, did Jaikus step back - finally releasing his partner and turning his attention back to the statues and the task at hand - emeralds fixating upon the strange statue a few feet away. After a few moments of struggling to turn the statue and the whirring noise that followed, Jaikus watched as the new platform rose from the murky water below, serving as a bridge between the one that they were standing on.

He blinked a few times, emerald’s narrowing a bit upon the dead-end platform. There was no bridge that connected a platform with a statue, and the distance between the next was clearly too far to jump. Curiously, as the dead-end platform rose from the water, a single tile in the middle of the floor rose a few inches above the rest - indicating some kind of mechanism to be stepped on.

@Sreeya

 

[Emryc Thorne]

Emryc largely forgot about the temple or their entire purpose for being here beyond holding Jaikus. He felt the man grasp his hand, feeling tender lips kiss lovingly along each knuckle. Simple gestures confessed far beyond words ever could and Emryc had learned to read these languages now. His thoughts were clouded, and he had to actively draw back the emotions that were far too pronounced on his face. Hearing that name again caused his ears to twitch all over, an almost irritating effect he couldn’t control.

When he stepped away, he didn’t expect Jaikus to close the distance again. The half Sephi snaked an arm around his waist, leaning into the kiss. He cherished the taste of those lips every single time, and he lingered there purposely. Both had wet, matted hair and damp skin, goosebumps lining their bodies in an ancient temple. It was almost poetically romantic for the passions that drove both men.

Emryc couldn’t help but smile at Jaikus when the Axxilan uttered the words, his face once again burning hot. He closed his eyes as he held the man close, Jaikus able to clearly feel his heart thundering against his chest. Emryc tilted his head slightly to kiss his cheek before finally pulling away. He knew they’d never make progress if they kept lingering like that as much as he wanted to.

The half Sephi began to make his way over to the dead end platform when a sound made him stop in his tracks and his blood run cold.

‘Baaaaaah’.

He whipped his head around fast enough to almost cause pain in his neck. Up ahead on a platform clear across the room was Mr. Goat. He gave the men a very bored and unamused look, doing a sideways chewing motion as he slowly blinked at them.

The half Sephi was frozen in place, his jaw tightening. His left eye twitched just the slightest bit. When he spoke, it was through gritted teeth, “How,” His tone had venom, “Did he get in here,” Emryc was practically internally shaking with rage and bewilderment at this infernal beast that plagued the galaxy worse than any Eternal ever could.

However, while the thing was here, Emryc decided to put him to use. The Force coiled around Mr. Goat and he was floated over, a long chorus of protest bleating echoing as he did so. The half Sephi plopped Mr. Goat down on the switch on the platform. This brought up another platform a short distance away, but they would still have to jump.

As Emryc began to move towards it, Mr. Goat walked off the switch, making the platform drop again. The half Sephi placed the goat back on the switch. He pointed a finger, “Stay,” He wagged that finger as Mr. Goat stared at him dumbly, “Stay, boy!” Mr. Goat blinked a few times and gave a belch in response.

Emryc rubbed his temples for a moment before placing Mr. Goat back on the switch and turning to Jaikus, “Get across, I’m coming behind you,” He gave the Axxilan a stern look that said ‘I don’t wanna talk about this’ before he turned back to now applying stasis on Mr. Goat to keep him on the stupid switch. If things went according to plan, both men would make it across to the new platform.

@Altaris

 

[Jaikus Thorne]

Jaikus couldn’t help but smile, giddy and ridiculous as ever, when Emryc snaked an arm around his waist. More than he could ever put into words, he cherished the taste the half-Sephi’s lips and the familiar way that the half-Sephi hugged him close. It was everything he wanted and needed, and he hadn’t even realized it until Emryc came into his life.

A part of Jaikus detested when each moment such as this come to an end, desiring to linger exactly as they were for hours on end. And yet, the Axxilan did not protest when Emryc finally pulled away now. He knew that they weren’t going to get very far otherwise.

Emerald eyes fixated on the platform ahead of them, having only moments before risen up from the floated surface of the chamber. While there was no statue to be seen, Jaikus’ head tilted to the left slightly, eyeing what appeared to be a switch on the ground. It’s purpose was unclear, but there was only one way to find out.

Without another word, the Axxilan began to make his way over to the dead-end platform, trailing behind Emryc by a step or two. The familiar sound of bleating suddenly caused Jaikus to stop dead in his tracks and a chill to run down his spine.

It was a sound right out of a Hallowe’en horror film. The kind of sound that plagued children with nightmares and made grown men screech like little girls, and it was successful in causing a bit of the color to drain from Jaikus’ bronzed complexion.

“Baaaaaaaah.”

Positioned behind the half-Sephi, Jaikus heard Mr. Goat before he saw the damned beast. After a few seconds of pause, the Axxilan slowly but surely grabbed onto either side of Emryc’s shoulders, comically peaking around his broad partner.

“Oh, what in the actual fuck.” He blurted out. His voice wasn’t so much anger as it was genuinely concerned.

The last time Jaikus had seen Mr. Goat, the animal had been casually sleeping in the main chamber – resting amongst the toxic wasteland it had wrought. And now, as if materializing out of thin air, the animal was standing on an isolated platform to taunt them. Jaikus narrowed his eyes harshly on the goat, his mind immediately working in overdrive – attempting to rationalize some possibility for the animal’s sudden arrival.

Maybe he took one of the other paths..?

Jaikus’ mind was transported back to the main chamber when they first entered, where the Axxilan had simply guessed at the middle passageway instead of the others. They hadn’t actually explored the other possibilities, and neither of them could say where they led.

Perhaps one of the others led to this point, bypassing all the bullshit with the water and wheel-mechanism?

The Axxilan looked comically dumbstruck. His shoulder slacked and mouth hung slightly agape as he stared at the goat. He was becoming increasingly convinced that Mr. Goat was some kind of Force apparition sent to haunt them. He lingered on that thought, blinking a few times.

..Maybe?

Before Jaikus’ mind could spiral down that particular possibility, as if remind him that the animal was very much real, Mr. Goat looked the Axxilan dead in the eyes, letting out a long, drawn out bleat in-between its sideways chewing. Jaikus blinked a few times in response.

“Maybe he copied that little teleporting trick of yours.” Jaikus finally quipped, playfully nudging Emryc with two fingers to the ribs. He heard the immense irritation in Emryc’s voice as he spoke, responding by immediately falling back on his characterstic light-hearted humor in even the most aggravating moments.

Jaikus folded his hands infront of him, watching silently as Emryc levitated the goat onto the switch. He tilted his head to the side slightly, observing the battle between the half-Sephi and the goat and the struggle to actually keep him in one place.

He opened his mouth, about to say “..Maybe you should ask nicely”, but ended up biting his lip and silencing himself before that particular quip could be vocalized.

Jakus blinked a few times when Emryc placed Mr. Goat into stasis and then spoke, gesturing for him to move ahead. His partner’s expression clearly meant business, and Jaikus wasn’t about to argue with him on that point.

Never-the-less, as Jaikus rounded around Emryc and moved in front, he brought a hand up to caress the half-Sephi’s cheek, as if attempting to quell the pronounced rage that the goat seemed to draw out from his partner.

“Ever the gentleman.” He spoke softly, smiling softly before turning to the path ahead.

With that, Jaikus took a step backwards and gave himself a running start – easily making the jump across the water and to the new platform. It was significantly closer than the others, making the leap across significantly easier. Without a word, Jaikus reached out a hand, applying pressure to Mr. Goat through the Force and relieving the burden from Emryc.

“Your turn.” He called out, jutting his chin for the half-Sephi to make the jump and join him on the platform.

Luckily, this newest platform did have a statue – sharing the same tracks along the ground that indicated it could be turned and spun into place. The pattern to make their way across the room was becoming increasingly clear, consisting of turning the statues and applying pressure to the switches in order to progress.

Infuriatingly, this meant that Mr. Goat just became an invaluable tool in their adventure.

@Sreeya

 

[Emryc Thorne]

No amount of Jaikus’ lighthearted quips improved Emryc’s mood from seeing the goat. This was also because the stupid goat ended up being clutch to getting across. The two men moved statues and pressed switches, each one bringing up a new platform until they made it to the one Mr. Goat was on earlier. Emryc looked to the side expecting to see a clear path from which Mr. Goat descended into this room.

And he saw none.

The half Sephi’s ears almost flattened entirely, a chill running up his spine. Emryc glanced over at Jaikus, eyes slightly wide. He knew the Axxilan would notice the same thing. How did Mr. Goat make it over here? It was a very disturbing thought that plagued both their minds. Emryc paused to simply stare at the animal, genuinely wondering what unnatural powers it possessed.

The goat blinked a few times and Emryc looked it in the eye. Was there a higher intelligence there? Was the goat messing with them? He began to channel the Force to try and penetrate Mr. Goat’s mind but was interrupted as the animal began to urinate on the platform right there. Emryc sighed, snapping himself back to reality before focusing ahead. There was a simple lever next to the piece of wall before them. As soon as the half Sephi pulled it, the wall began to churn and rumble, splitting down the middle to open the next chamber.

This entire chamber was simply a wide and large sheet of ice with a door on the other side with short platforms where the men stood and by the other door. Emryc’s eyes narrowed slightly as he stepped forth. It wasn’t until both men entered the chamber and fully onto the platform that the wall behind them abruptly slammed shut. Mr. Goat, as usual, smartly chose to stay behind.

The half Sephi stared back at the frozen lake. Before he could do anything, there was a slight crack somewhere in the middle of the frozen sheet. Emryc blinked a few times, speaking quietly to Jaikus, “No, that was not my heavy ass causing that,” He said with a hint of concern.

@Altaris

 

[Jaikus Thorne]

Jaikus made his little quips as he always did, and yet none of it seemed to improve Emryc’s mood. Not that he could blame the half-Sephi, of course. Mr. Goat had proven to be a source of immense irritation for the both of them. The only silver lining – the only solace that Jaikus could take – was that the animal hadn’t decided to shit all over the present chamber or any of the platforms they had to maneuver across. Not yet, anyway.

Jaikus moved in sync with Emryc the entire way, taking turns moving Mr. Goat like a giant paperweight and moving the statues into place. When they finally reached the original platform that the animal had materialized on, just like his partner, Jaikus immediately began to search the surrounding area for some kind of passageway or door that Mr. Goat came from. Some logical explanation for why the fuck the animal was down here.

Nope. Not a damn thing.

Jaikus saw the way that Emryc’s ears flattened, and Emryc would be able to see the clear concern that was etched into the Axxilan’s face. At this point, he was genuinely starting to believe that Mr. Goat was more than he appeared.

Maybe he IS a Force Apparition?

That would certainly a possibility. The nature of the planet was mysterious, and the presence of some Force-Entity within the temple wouldn't have been that much of a stretch. Of course, this opened a whole new boatload of questions.

Chief among them, were force apparitions capable of normal, bodily functions as they’d witnessed from Mr. Goat? Or, had they merely been victim to some kind of illusion this whole time? Had all the shit been a lie?

While Emryc began to peer into the supposedly-goat’s mind, searching for some kind of higher intellect, Jaikus continued to stare. He squinted at the animal, and it was almost as if one could see the cogs turning behind the Axxilan’s eyes. His very deep thought process was summarily interrupted when that the goat decided to take a piss right there – as if flipping the proverbial middle finger to their inquiries.

This only served to reinforce Jaikus’ suspicions about the true origins of this god-forsaken goat. Why? Because he was not convinced that an ordinate goat was capable of the degree of spite that Mr. Goat had demonstrated in the very short time in which they’d known one another.

Shaking his head, Jaikus then turned his attention to the path ahead of them – watching as Emryc pulled the lever and the wall began to split in two – revealing the icy chamber ahead of them. Unlike the previous chambers, there were no complicated levers or mechanisms to be seen.

He narrowed his eyes, walking shoulder to shoulder with Emryc until they were both fully inside the new chamber. The Axxilan couldn’t help but jump a bit when the door suddenly closed behind them, somehow caught off guard by the third door thus far slamming shut behind them.

He blinked a few times, realizing that Mr. Goat had chosen to stay behind once again. It didn’t make much of a difference, since Jaikus was convinced that the stupid goat was going to be waiting for them on the other side of the frozen lake.

With that, Jaikus turned his attention back to the frozen lake. When the sudden crack echoed through the room, the Axxilan’s body immediately tensed. Instinctively, Jaikus reached down to grab Emryc by the wrist, emerald eyes snapping down towards the man’s feet – searching to find the crack directly beneath his partner.

When he found no such crack, he blinked a few times, looking up at Emryc and hearing the hint of concern in his voice. “Well it wasn’t Mr. Goat, babe." He quipped, looking back to the path ahead of them. The sheet looked stable enough, but there was no way to be quite sure of that fact. “Ditch the packs. We can pull them to us once we are across.” Losing any additional weight was probably a good idea, after all.

Without another word, slowly but surely – still connected to his partner by the grip on his wrist, Jaikus began to blaze a path across the ice sheet. Which translated into the Axxilan very slowly shuffling his feet as he went, trying to distribute his weight evenly.

The pair wouldn’t make it more than a very steps into the chamber before another crack – much louder this time – echoed through the room. Just like the first, the sound did not originate from Emryc’s weight, but instead came from the middle of the frozen sheet. “Wha—"

Before Jaikus could speak, the center of the lake abruptly cracked and shattered apart, chucks of ice flying upwards from a blow originating from below the surface. Within moments, gigantic claws rose up from the frigid water, pulling what appeared to be some kind of Crustacean-monster to the surface. Spotting the two men, the creature immediately let out a shrill, angry screech.

Jaikus immediately went wide eyed, staring in horror at the creature that just crawled out nowhere. “THAT IS NOT A KILLIK!”

 

[Emryc Thorne]

Emryc quirked a brow as Jaikus abruptly grasped a hold of his wrist as the ice cracked. At first he was going to make a quip about the man being afraid and grabbing onto him. In truth, that was very much something Emryc did not mind, an all too pleased look beginning to form on his face. However, he quickly realized Jaikus had done it out of concern for him falling through. Both of those things hit him in different ways to where he was left with a complicated expression on his face. He was pulled out of it when Jaikus spoke.

“You don’t know that,” He stated flatly, entirely serious. For all they knew, Mr. Goat was working some sort of obscure magic to put them through hell. Emryc blinked as Jaikus suggested ditching the packs, the idea making him scoff a bit. As if losing the packs would help with his bulky form which weighed almost 300 lbs. Nevertheless, he dropped the backpacks, rolling his shoulders and stretching. He hadn’t even realized how sore he was starting to get from carrying both packs, and he made a mental note to make Jaikus give him a backrub at some point when they were out of this mess. The Axxilan was a bougie noble so he was probably used to massages and being pampered. It was about time Jaikus put that knowledge to use. Emryc realized he was vacantly staring and daydreaming as Jaikus began to drag him across the ice.

As expected, his lumbering form and an icy surface did not go together. Hairline cracks began to appear beneath his feet and he attempted to tug his wrist out of Jaikus’ grip, “Baby, I’ll drag you down if I fall in. Need you to stay on the surface if that happens, you know,” He muttered. He barely got another word in before the center of the sheet cracked and giant claws protruded out to reveal a giant crustacean beast.

Emryc stared at the thing while Jaikus made his quip, “Well technically judging by the carapace and merus positioning, one could argue-” He was sent hurtling backwards as the crab slammed down one of its massive pincers, sending a concussive shockwave that was entirely unnatural. If Jaikus were still holding onto his wrist, both men would be sent toppling back. A crack formed beneath Emryc as the half Sephi quickly recovered and rose to his feet. Or he tried, anyway. It was hard to find footing and he slipped and fell again, trying to catch himself with his hands.

The crab scuttled towards them, hissing as it attempted to swipe its massive pincer horizontally towards Jaikus.

@Altaris

 

[Jaikus Thorne]

Jaikus couldn’t help but grimace when Emryc spoke, dismissing his assertion that it wasn’t, in fact, Mr. Goat that was responsible for their current predicament, and renewing doubts as to the contrary. The mere suggestion caused a chill to run down Jaikus’ spine.

After all, Mr. Goat had vanished from the scene, just as everything had starting to go to hell. In that moment, the Axxilan couldn’t help but wonder if Mr. Goat had been responsible for all of their woes thus far.

What sort of telekinetic powers did Mr. Goat possess?

Had he been responsible for the incident at the cave, or the planet’s sudden shift in gravity? It was an entirely unsettling thought, and every time Jaikus closed his eyes, he could see those evil, beady eyes staring down at him.

Jaikus shook his head, attempting to put the thought into the back of his mind for the moment. Instead, He watched as Emryc ditched the packs as suggested, rolling his shoulders and stretching now that the additional weight was abandoned.

Seeing this, Jaikus couldn’t help but feel a mild pang of guilt for allowing Emryc to carry both of their packs this long, and quickly resolved to snag his pack once they retrieved them later. He could tell his partner was sore, and additionally made a mental note to pamper the man when they left the temple.

The Axxilan glanced downward just then, noticing the hairline fractures that formed beneath the half-Sephi’s feet. It was cause for immediate concern, but the cracks – for the moment – didn’t appear to split all the way through the ice sheet – instead spiderwebbing a few inches below the surface.

While he didn’t say anything, it was something that Jaikus very closely monitored the entire time, memories of the cave chamber quickly returning to the forefront of his mind. His lapse in awareness at that moment – not seeing the ledge give way until it was too late – had nearly been the death of Emryc. He wasn’t going to make that mistake again.

As soon as Emryc attempted to tug his wrist out of Jaikus’ grip, the half-Sephi would be met with harsh resistance. His fingers immediately tightened, and the Axxilan paused to face his partner – emerald eyes fixating on him for several seconds.

He didn’t have to say anything, because the look he gave the half-Sephi spoke volumes. There was absolutely zero room to negotiate, and The man would likely have to physically pry Jaikus’ fingers away to escape, risking an entire debate in doing so.

Jaikus continued to stare for a few seconds more before turning back to the path ahead, just as the surface broke apart and the Crab-monster rose up to greet them. While immediately horrifying the Axxilan, his terror was dashed the moment Emryc began to debate his point on that thing 'not being a Killik'.

He blinked a few times, turning back to look at Emryc with narrowed emeralds. He opened his mouth, about to issue a very logical and reasonable rebuttal about Killik anatomy, only to be sent toppling backwards by the shockwave. As expected, Jaikus refused to let go of Emryc’s wrist even then, falling backwards onto the ice with a loud thud.

Immediately, Jaikus scrambled a bit on the ground, attempting to spring back to his feet and mount some kind of graceful defense. This only resulted in his legs spreading in different directions, arms flailing as the Axxilan comically tumbling back to the ground, landing on his elbows and narrowly avoiding hitting his forehead on the ice.

He grumbled, lifting his eyes from the ground just as the Crab-monger approached, swinging its claw right for his head. Realizing that attempting to get up was a lost cause, Jaikus thrust his palm infront of him, using a moderate push of the Force to send his body skidding back across the ice, narrowly avoiding being decapitated by the crab.

Once his skid came to a halt, the Axxilan finally moved to counterattack. Rather than damaging the frozen ice sheet further, Jaikus reached out with the Force, coiling tendrils of energy around one of the jagged, razor-sharp chucks of ice that the Crab-monster that broken apart with its sudden entrance. He lifted it into the air, and with a flick of his wrist, the Axxilan sent the chuck of ice hurtling towards the back of the creature.

This, of course, accomplished all of nothing. As soon as it hit the crab, the chuck of ice broke apart into a thousand different pieces, the equivalent of trying to murder the creature with a snowball. What this did do was infuriate the monster even further, causing it to screech loudly and make a beeline for Jaikus.

“..Shit.”

@Sreeya

 

[Emryc Thorne]

Emryc felt Jaikus grip his wrist harder when he tried to pull away.

“Jai, you-” He saw the stern look on the man’s face and it was one of the most terrifying things the half Sephi had ever seen. When paired with how much Emryc cherished the man, it gave him complete pause, “-yes, dear,” He involuntarily blurted out into a barely coherent mumble. His wide eyes blinked a few times before Jaikus turned away again. Emryc couldn’t remember the last time someone had sternly put him in his place like that. All he knew was that he needed to steer clear when his partner had his mind set to something, a fact he should have remembered from his Telos stubbornness that rivaled bantha and blurrg combined.

When the crab attacked, both men were a complete mess with their inability to stand on the ice. Emryc was flat on his ass when Jaikus launched an ice shard attack. While it failed spectacularly, the half Sephi actually didn’t make fun of him this time.

“Aim for an eye!” He shouted, spotting the small beady targets that were weak points.

The crab slammed a foot down, making the ground crack and split off. Emryc was on a surface that broke off from Jaikus, separating the two men. He glanced down and noticed the water underneath. It was a brilliant turquoise but looked very unnatural. There was an ethereal shimmer to it that made Emryc uneasy.

As the creature charged at Jaikus, Emryc called the Force and coiled it around one of the legs. The crab rotated as a result, skidding down to land on the ground. However, it opened its mouth and shot what appeared to be a hard projectile directly at Jaikus. Emryc’s eyes widened in horror, not having expected it while he had the Force still coiled around it.

“JAI!”

@Altaris

 

[Jaikus Thorne]

Jaikus fixated upon Emryc with that stern, unwavering stare, and it was clear that the man meant business. After the incident at the cave, Jaikus was in no mood to argue about this point in particular – keeping his partner close and connected at the wrist.

Never-the-less, the reaction it elicited from his partner caught Jaikus off-guard entirely. He heard the muffled response from Emryc, immediately causing him to pause in his tracks, blinking several times. It was a response he never could have expected from Emryc, and he nearly turned around to look at his partner, just as the crab broke free from the ice. Thus continuing the trend of random shit appearing at the worst moments possible.

There was an exceptionally grumpy look on Jaikus’ face when his first ice attack failed, reminding him a bit too closely of the incident on Keldooine with the kitchen knife. Luckily, this time Emryc offered legitimate advise rather than chastising.

Jaikus winced when the crab slammed its leg against the ice sheet, splintering it apart and separating the two men from each other. The Axxilan immediately looked down towards the water between them, noting the ephemeral shimmer and unnatural color.

Considering that the monster had crawled out of it, Jaikus didn’t need to know what properties the water possessed specifically to know he wanted nothing to do with it.

“Emy! Don’t move!”

Without really thinking, Jaikus reached out with the Force, tendrils of energy latching on to several floating chucks of ice. He brought them together, clustering around the platform where Emryc was currently standing. This, of course, meant that Jaikus wasn’t paying nearly close enough attention to the crab, attention only snapping back when Emryc cried out his name.

Jaikus quickly dove to the left, though his reaction was far too delayed to avoid the projectile completely. The razor-sharp spine passed, carved a path across the Axxilan’s shoulder and tearing through the first inch of flesh before continuing on and embedding itself into the ice behind him.

The Axxilan immediately let out a pained cry, reaching up to instinctively grab at his shoulder. Given the fact that Jaikus – for whatever fucking reason – hadn’t put a shirt back on, a flow of crimson beginning to trickle down his arm, leaving scattered droplets across the ice sheet.

Growling, Jaikus immediately reached out with the Force, coiling his grasp around the spine that was sticking out of the ice. He yanked it free with a swipe of his hand, sending it back towards the crab like a javelin hurtling through the air – and going off Emryc’s earlier suggestion – towards the creature’s eye. Much to his satisfaction, the projectile sliced right through one of its beady eyes, spraying the floor around it with light-green ichor.

“I’m fine!” Jaikus called out to Emryc, not bothering to address the wound on his arm for the time being. “Aim for the legs! Keep it off balance and don’t let it face you!”

With that, he reached out with the Force once again, yanking the projectile spine from the ice and bringing it back for a second strike.

@Sreeya

 

[Emryc Thorne]

Emryc still wasn’t used to that nickname and it gave him pause even in the middle of a crisis. On top of that, it wasn’t like he was going anywhere. The half Sephi struggled repeatedly to rise, slipping comically a few times. He had instead shifted focus entirely on using the Force on the creature.

It was as if he watched it happen in slow motion - the spine sailing through the air and just out of his grasp. Silver gaze widened in horror as it carved right through his partner’s bare shoulder, blood pouring out of the wound. The half Sephi was stunned at the sight before rage began to bubble within him. Eyes were yellow and there was a noticeable pulse in the Force that was almost tangible. He barely heard what Jaikus said, an icy gaze fixated on the creature.

The Force wrapped around one on the creature’s legs, extremely fine motor Force use being applied as the pressure coiled around the joint. After a moment, there was a sick crunch as the crab shrieked. One of the giant legs twisted at an impossible angle and was torn clear off, tossed aside across the room. It landed with a heavy thud as Emryc finally rose to his feet. He didn’t even look at this partner then, beyond enraged.

The projectile that had embedded itself into the creature’s eye was violently yanked out with the Force, Emryc snatching it out of the air.

The Sith Lord jumped from his icy platform and towards the platform with the beast on it. He landed on the edge, but he abruptly skidded down to drop onto his back, sliding clear under the creature as it launched another projectile above him. As Emryc passed beneath the beast, he raised the spine and slammed it upwards beneath the crab’s mouth. There was a guttural noise as the spine pierced through a sac that had been there to produce the spines. That same green ichor splashed down on the ground, but Emryc already kept sliding. He dragged the spine along the crab’s underbelly, cutting through any soft points between the plated armor.

Emryc’s little trip ended when he reached the length of the crab from underneath it and he grabbed a hold of the back leg to stop himself from going into the water. The half Sephi hoisted himself up as landed in a crouch behind the crab as the beast half collapsed and slammed every other appendage down forcefully in an effort to crush Emryc.

@Altaris

 

[Jaikus Thorne]

Even as sharp pain pulsed from his arm and radiating through his body, Jaikus remained entirely focused upon what he was doing – not allowing the crab to take advantage of any lapse in his attention. He send that spine to slice through one of the crab’s beady eyes, and immediately prepared to repeat the maneuver with the other eye.

At that exact moment, Jaikus felt a distinct pulse ripple through the Force all around him, causing his attention to snap immediately to Emryc. He saw the way his partner fixated upon the crab, clearly noting the yellow tint that glistened in the half-Sephi’s eyes.

“I said I’m fine..” Jaikus mumbled flatly, watching as Emryc abruptly sprang into action – tearing of the creature’s legs clean off. He felt the spine torn from his grasp and did not resist, instead watching as the half-Sephi proceeded to slide across the ice, dragging the spine along the creature’s underbelly and showering the ice sheet with green ichor.

Jaikus finally heard as the beast shrieked, citrine eyes suddenly going wide when the crab rose its appendages to crush his partner.

The crab rose its appendages, razor sharp claws pointed towards Emryc, and yet they never lowered towards the ground. Each limb remained suspended in the air, twitching slightly as they strained against invisible resistance.

Just behind, Jaikus extended both of his hands towards the crab, enveloping tendrils of the Force around it. Citrine eyes seemed to luminesce a bit brighter in that moment, narrowed into slits and remaining fixed into place.

Without warning, Jaikus suddenly curled his fingers towards claws, eliciting a renewed shrieking from the creature. Emryc had opened weak points along the creature’s underbelly, creating gaps between its armored plating, and that is where Jaikus focused his attention.

The Axxilan sunk vicious claws into those openings, pulling them wide and tearing open. As Jaikus pulled his claws hands in opposite directions, the chamber was filled with a sick series of cracking and pops, armor plating and exoskeleton shattering out of place – green ichor pouring like a fountain from every fracture. All the while, Jaikus remained deathly silent.

There was a final, bloodcurdling crack that echoed through the chamber before the crab finally went limp, the noise from its mouth finally dying. There was a single, large crack that ran up the center of its carapace, effectively splitting the creature’s shell in half.

Only then did Jaikus finally release his hold on the crab’s legs, limbs flopping down limply as it collapsed onto the ice. Citrine eyes remained fixated on the crab for only a few moments before switching to Emryc. Almost at once, the rage-filled glint of yellow died down, instead shifting to border on emerald as they often did around his partner.

Still ignoring the wound on his arm, Jaikus quickly crossed the distance between himself and the half-Sephi, breaking into a short jog to reach him.

"Emryc!"

@Sreeya

 

[Emryc Thorne]

Emryc stood in stunned silence as his partner applied the Force and suddenly unleashed vicious assaults on the crab. It was one of the rare times where even the Raze side of him stopped to marvel. It took a second for him to collect his thoughts and get back in action, forcefully yanking and twisting the leg he used to anchor himself. It was pulled out of its socket, only adding to the fatal blow Jaikus inflicted on the poor beast. Near the end of it, he wasn’t sure who was the monster - the crab or the two men.

The half Sephi stepped away from the beast and was about to make his way back over when he saw Jaikus jogging towards him. He couldn’t help but quirk a brow as he saw the man run towards him. It was almost as if he were running in slow motion, emerald eyes full of concern and adoration to run into Emryc’s arms. Except the half Sephi knew his partner and he knew the man wasn’t nearly as graceful as he thought he was.

Emryc opened his mouth to tell Jaikus to stop running, but he instead watched as the Axxilan casually slipped and fell right on his ass and hurtled towards the half Sephi like a torpedo. Emryc went to move but almost stepped in crab guts and he didn’t want to touch anything. As a result, he hesitated and was promptly barreled into as if a bowling ball ran through some pins.

The half Sephi lost his footing and unceremoniously tumbled over, plopping down atop Jaikus and just barely catching himself with his hands on either side of him. One of his hands was in the green crab blood and he was beyond disgusted. However, he focused on his partner, glancing down at the man and blinking at him. He decided to parrot something similar to what Jaikus said on Telos.

“While normally I wouldn’t be opposed to having you under me,” He flashed Jaikus a grin very similar to the one he gave him, “I don’t know if now is the time,” Emryc rolled off the other man, noticing fractures forming under him from both of them falling.

“Are you all right?” He asked as he helped the man up, “I will need to stitch this,” He said with a grimace as he looked down to inspect the wound. He touched Jaikus’ cool skin and exhaled, pulling him close, “Why did you leave your shirt off, you bantha?” Emryc summoned his pack to himself, stepping them away from the ice that had cracks to begin working on the wound.

@Altaris

 

[Jaikus Thorne]

In that moment, Jaikus didn’t really consider that running across the ice was a terrible idea. Never mind the fact they had both just spent the past several minutes slipping and sliding. The crab was dead due to their combined efforts, and the Axxilan fixated all of his attention back onto Emryc. Citrine eyes gradually faded and shifted back to their natural, emerald hues – suddenly filled with concern and adoration for the half-Sephi.

He only made it a few fast, long strides towards his partner before he lost his footing – just as Emryc had predicted, those emerald suddenly going wide as Jaikus’ feet shot out in front of him. “Wha—” Though he fell flat on his ass, his forward momentum didn’t decrease in the slightest. Instead, Jaikus proceeded to slide like a torpedo across the slick ice, making a bee-line for Emryc.

It was, quite frankly, a miracle that Jaikus didn’t passright through the pile of crab guts that now decorated the ground. Instead, he glided across the ice and slammed directly into the half-Sephi – accomplishing his initial goal of reaching the man while additionally knocking out his legs in the process.

Jaikus blinked a few times, staring up at Emryc looming over the top of him. He glanced up, catching sight of his partner’s hand in the puddle of crab blood, immediately causing him to grimace. He knew exactly how much his partner was probably internally screaming, given his general aversion to touching things.

His attention was drawn back when Emryc finally spoke, catching him entirely off-guard. He immediately recognized his own words from back on Telos, that chapter seeming a lifetime ago. The repeat of them now brought a renewed flush of red to the Axxilan’s cheeks, rendering him completely flustered and incapable of a witty response.

He stared up for a few more moments, watching as Emryc rolled off of him – largely oblivious to the cracks forming beneath him. “I’m fine, babe. Really.” He responded softly, steadying himself back onto his feet with the half-Sephi’s assistance. Despite downplaying the injury, the gash clearly was clearly in need of stitching.

Jaikus paused for a moment when Emryc spoke, a faint grin tugging at his lips at the Bantha comment. Still, the Axxilan didn’t actually know why he had omitted putting back on a shirt up until this point, especially considering the fact they were now in a largely-frozen section of the temple. He blinked a few times, a grin gradually tugging at the corners of his mouth.

“Why wouldn’t I want to show off for my very sexy partner?” In lieu of any legitimate reasoning, he opted to mimic his partner’s own words from before.

As Emryc moved to begin working on the wound, the Axxilan placed a hand on Emryc’s chest to halt him momentarily. “Wait,” With that, Jaikus reached out with one hand, coiling the Force around his pack levitating it into his grasp, propping it on one knee. After a few moments of riffling through empty granola bags and supplies, the Axxilan finally found what he was looking for.

He pulled out a small packet of wet wipes which he’d packed, alongside a mini bottle of hand-sanitizer to go with it. He popped open the lid to the wet wipes, extending them towards his partner – jutting his chin towards the crab-blood soaked hand.

@Sreeya