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It was a dangerous fall. Parts of the ruined city collapsed all around them as they tumbled into the dark. The rest of the party scrambled away from the hole that had suddenly opened in the floor, watching in horror as their companions slipped from sight.
Despite the danger, they made it to the bottom relatively unscathed, thanks to Yasha's wings and Beau's, well, Beau-ness. And, taking stock, they were actually closer to their destination than the rest of the group, who hadn't been able to follow. From above, Jester used Sending to let them know that she and the others had found a safer but longer path and were on their way.
So now, all they could do was wait.
Beau's clothes were torn, and Yasha's hair was artfully mussed. In the gentle blue glow of the buried city, their breath curled around their faces, creating a hazy, dreamlike atmosphere. They looked like they belonged on the cover of one of Jester's books.
Except if it was a book, Caduceus wouldn't have been there too.
Caduceus enjoyed watching Beau and Yasha dance around each other. Really, he did. The spark between them, the energy, the flare. It was remarkable.
But this… this was ridiculous.
After getting to a junction where the others could find them, Beau, Yasha, and Caduceus sat in awkward silence. Occasionally, conversation would start, but it petered out just as quickly. The two women kept covertly looking each other over, eyes warm and bold. One would catch the other's gaze, and they'd both smile, bashful and excited and ready…
And then they'd remember Caduceus was there too and break off their eye contact in embarrassment or disappointment.
He was starting to feel like a voyeur.
"Okay," he said, standing with a grunt. "I can't take this anymore. I'm going to go check that last room again."
Yasha looked up in surprise and began to climb to her feet.
"Do you want me to--"
"No," he said, firmly. "I'll be within shouting distance. You two just. Stay. And enjoy the time you have."
He started down the passage, using his staff to light the way. Beau's shouted warning not to get eaten again echoed behind him.
Honestly. As if he couldn't handle himself for a few minutes.
Once he was far enough away to offer them some privacy, he settled down to brew some tea and meditate. He figured he should give them about half an hour. Plenty of times in his childhood, his mom had kicked all the kids out of the house for some alone time with dad. He remembered her telling them that, if they came back before half an hour was up, she couldn't be held responsible for what they might see.
So, half an hour. Plenty of time for a pot of tea and some contemplation. He didn't really expect Yasha and Beau to do what his parents did during their private time, not here and now. As a matter of fact, Caduceus didn't have any expectations for them at all. But privacy had been hard to come by recently, and a lot had happened. The two of them deserved some time to themselves.
He was on his third cup and feeling more relaxed, despite the circumstances, when he heard it.
A scraping noise.
From a shadowy hole in the back corner of the room.
He stood, swiveling his ears toward the sound. His hopes that it might be the rest of their party dwindled as it drew closer. There was a wetness to it, and the cadence was jilted and uneven, nothing like normal footsteps.
Caduceus quickly decided not to shout for help and give his location away to... Whatever this was. Instead, he ducked behind some debris, wincing at the noise he made as he tried to hide. He fixed his eyes on the shadows as the creature came into view.
The first thing he saw were tentacles. Tentacles with something on the ends… were those barbs? Spikes? Teeth?
He didn't have long to process as the head came into view- massive, eyeless, mouth lined with rows of razor sharp teeth. It snuffled a few times. Then, it's head turned directly toward Caduceus.
He turned to run, but it was on him in a single bound. A tentacle shot toward him, tearing into his flesh and pulling him towards the creature's maw.
"Uh, sorry to interrupt," he shouted in the direction of his friends. "But I think I might need--"
The rest of his words were cut off as he was forced down the creature's throat, plunged into the rank and wet darkness of the monster's stomach.
Uh-oh, he thought. Beau's not gonna be happy about this.
Yasha's strong arms pulled him free not long after. She held him as Beau scouted the perimeter to make sure nothing else had been drawn in by the sound of combat.
"Are you alright?" She looked him over with serious eyes. The tingling sharpness of her healing energy danced across his skin, closing wounds and easing bruises.
"I think so," he said, breathing deeply, trying to ignore the mess he was covered in as well as the ruined creature lying dead nearby. "Thanks."
"Of course," she said. "Maybe we ought to stick together from now on, yeah?"
"That sounds like a good idea," he said. "Did you at least make the most of the time you had?"
Yasha's cheeks were a delicate pink as she glanced over at Beau.
"You know, I think we did," she said. "Thank you."
"You're welcome," he sighed. Leaning his head back against her, he prepared himself to receive the worry-induced tonguelashing that Beau doubtless had ready for him.
It was all worth it, he thought. For his friends.