Stratos Caelus (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
auspex_caelo) wrote2016-06-24 12:21 am
auspex_caelo) wrote2016-06-24 12:21 am
And the Stars Turned Back [for smartass_captain ]
Once they’ve picked up Felix, Stratos leads the way back through their door. It’s left to his little brother to unseal the wards and stay back to set them back in place before following. The tribune-turned teenager conjures a light – that he can do, still – and shows Jim up the sloping tunnel beyond. The stone walls look like a mix of natural erosion and worn masonry, lit by intermittent torches mounted along the way.
It looks like a straightforward path, bending this way and that but leading steadily upward. Stratos, however, is well aware of the illusions laid to give that impression and he keeps Jim close. He’s frowning deeply as they climb, trying to ready himself for what’s to come. Trying to convince himself that all will go well when he presents himself to his subordinates.
It feels like a much longer climb than usual, though his legs can’t be that much shorter.
“Are you hungry?” he asks Jim over his shoulder abruptly. That’s one thing he can be sure of remedying anyway.
It looks like a straightforward path, bending this way and that but leading steadily upward. Stratos, however, is well aware of the illusions laid to give that impression and he keeps Jim close. He’s frowning deeply as they climb, trying to ready himself for what’s to come. Trying to convince himself that all will go well when he presents himself to his subordinates.
It feels like a much longer climb than usual, though his legs can’t be that much shorter.
“Are you hungry?” he asks Jim over his shoulder abruptly. That’s one thing he can be sure of remedying anyway.
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Now Jim sounds just plain confused. The look suits him the way his hair sticks up at every angle with a piece of straw sticking out of it. He shifts to get up and that's when it's become clear that Jim was a bit more prepared in his sleep than Stratos was. He's wiggled out of the far too small pants when they started becoming uncomfortable.
Woops.
"Oh. Oh! Shit yes."
Jim's eyes have finally flown open, brilliant and blue and shining with excitement at seeing Stratos the way he should. And himself after a quick glance but...oh. Uh. There's a delayed half-hearted attempt at decency when he pulls one of the covers over himself, more for Stratos' decency than his own.
"Clothes are going to be a must..."
"Hey. Felix." Jim can't keep the smile out of his voice when he calls over, before reaching and nudging the other on the shoulder, already unconcerned about matters such as getting dressed again.
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"They certainly are. I'll see about that in just a minute." He finishes securing his boots before he stands and rolls his shoulders, taking a moment to just appreciate being his own, fully grown battlemage self again.
"Mmmh. Jim, no need to rush. We don't have beeper alarm... things here." Felix just rolls closer and tries to pull the captain back. But Jim isn't as small as he was expecting, and Felix ends up blinking groggily at nothing before he rouses enough to look up at Jim. Give it a second for the pieces to join up...
"Holy Magnus." He pushes himself onto his elbows, wiping his face without taking his eyes from Jim. "You're back. You're already back." He'll notice Stratos in a minute, but for now he's just taking in Jim's face, a grin spreading over his own.
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Blue eyes, messy hair and...not dressed by any means apparently. Jim's grin could light up the room, bright and thrilled as it is. He pushes at Felix's shoulder again, laughter bubbling up as he does so.
"Didn't think you could get rid of me that easily did you? Stratos is fine too. Everything's...fucking fantastic, actually. I'm so goddamn happy right now.'
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He catches sight of Stratos looking at them - thoughtful, sort of amused - and suddenly feels oddly self-conscious. He pulls back far enough to cup Jim's cheek in one hand.
"Thank all the gods we didn't have to go on some years-long quest to get you both back. Although you were a terribly cute ten-year-old. You'd hardly notice the difference with Stratos." He looks up at his brother. "But I am glad to see you back to normal, too."
Stratos nods stiffly, last night's argument still weighing on his mind. "As am I. Though now I must see to unmaking all of the arrangements I had to put in place. When you are... ah, ready, I suggest you help the captain find some clothing."
"Ah." Felix looks down, taking in the full view of Jim as his brother makes a strategic departure. He flushes a very little,, but he's grinning when he murmurs, "I suppose I had better. Since the tribune insists."
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He laughs at Felix's assessment of his child self, unable to find it in him to pout or even have a moments worth of embarrassment. He's just glad they're back, and the fears of the day before are waylaid and far behind him. Like a very vivd dream, really.
"Well, I don't mind walking around like this, but we might as well do as your brother says since we're in his place after all."
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"You can stay right there. I'll be back with clothes."
It won't even take him long, since one of their friendly neighborhood cavaliers has read all these stories about curses and thought to keep a pile of clothes handy in case of further unexpected transformations.
Anything else or scene?
Jim calls out playfully when Felix leaves the tent. He'll take a moment to stretch and appreciate that he's his proper self again. Being something other than that seems to be a thing in the Nexus Jim isn't sure he approves of for how common it seems to be.
It's a good distraction anyway from realizing he meant those words completely.