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Glances seemed to be their only form of communication now. Across duel grounds and ocean shores. They shared one more before Hob approached the teatime table with Rue and the other guests.
The glance asked if it was okay that he joined, and Rue did not deny his request.
“Ah! I see that we are partaking in the wonderful vials that have been provided for us. Though to be quite frank, I haven’t the slightest clue what any of them do”
“The captain! So wonderful for you to join us!”, Lord Airvis opened his wings in welcoming Hob. The rest of the group shared his greeting, spare Gwendolin and Wanessa who looked at him with unease.
“The enigma that comes with the vials is half the fun captain”, Rue added softly.
“Why, I suppose you’re right, I shall lean into the mystery of it then!”, Hob closed his eyes and randomly grabbed a vial, popped it in his mouth, chewed up the glass, and swallowed it, “Mhm, delectable”.
As he opened his eyes, Hob glanced at Rue, but nothing in his manner changed, “I do not feel anything different in the moment, perhaps it is a delayed one! Like a sucker punch when you least expect it! That would be delightful and properly rambunctious!”.
The group agreed with Hob and continued their previous conversation with the human about human affairs such as bowels and jazz.
Except for Rue, who stared at Hob in slight confusion. They saw the flash of pink in his paw, and the first glance towards Rue. There was no instant charm as Wanessa had, and he was not close enough to Andhera to be within his anti-charm sphere.
Was this the pebble falling down the mountain that preceded the avalanche? Was this a sign that the bloom was withering in Rue’s hands? A vial not working turns into dozens of other vials not working, which turns into ruin.
They knew they shouldn’t have listened to Wuvvy, not even an hour in and things were going wrong.
No, no Rue was smarter than that. Perhaps the colors were mixed and something else was happening. Rue needed to find out.
Hob noticed Rue staring at him, an odd mix of emotions across their face. While everyone was engaged with the panicked human, he pulled Rue aside.
“Are you alright? Have I done something to offend?”, the last remark was pointed. More sharp than he had hoped, but a jab, nonetheless.
Rue wasn’t able to hide the wince that accompanied Hob’s statement, “No, I’m sorry my dear captain I didn’t mean to…well offend. I know all the vials I made them myself. Are you sure nothing has happened? Thoughts can be heard, plants moving towards you, a tail has disappeared, anything?”.
Hob looked a bit more at ease, but still guarded, “No, no nothing has changed. Do you know what the vial’s intent magic?”.
“I do yes”
“Would you care to share it?”
“It was supposed to make you enamored with whoever you first glanced at”
“Ah, well I feel no particular change of my own feelings towards anyone in our group. Perhaps it was a different one”
“Do you see Wanessa?”
Wanessa was staring at Rue, barely answering any of the questions being asked of her as Andhera went to go speak with someone else. It was abundantly clear she was as close as humanly possible to having hearts bulging from her eyes.
“Ah, I see. I took the same thing she did?”
“Yes”
“Perhaps it was a dud then”
“Do I look like I make mistakes captain”
The two beings look into each other's eyes. In Rue’s glamor form, they stood at maybe 6 feet tall. In their true one, they were eye to eye with Hob.
“No”, he responded with, almost softly, “I don’t believe you do”.
“You looked at me first when you finished drinking, apologies, eating the vial”
“I believe you to be correct”
“But nothing changed”
“Yes”
“My dear captain, are you already enamored with me?”
“For me to be anything but enchanted with you would simply mean my heart has been ripped away”
“Did you know?”
“I had an inkling, but I feared saying it would cause your friend to appear from thin air and smite me for the gall”
Rue stifled a laugh, “You’re not entirely foolish for thinking as such. I will not apologize for Wuvvy’s actions, she was only doing what she thought was best and she is my friend. But she did not act at my behest”.
Hob’s guarded face crumbled into confusion, “She didn’t? Then why? I have been wracking my mind as to what I did to offend you! And now to learn it was not even you I offended! What have I done that has caused so much injury to demand satisfaction?”.
“It was no fault of your own captain, but mine. I’m afraid that I’m quite taken with you”
“You’re- what? ”, something in Hob’s mind just stopped. It was like learning the ocean didn’t exist or that trash wasn’t delicious. It just simply wasn’t comprehensible that Rue, Rue the master of ceremonies, the beautiful owlbear, the kind and understanding and honest Rue, was taken with Hob.
“It is not easy to be known for truthfulness in the realm of the fey. Usually those with that title are, well fibbing. You do not though. You are truthful and honest, and I need truth and honesty in my life. That is why I revealed my true form, and that is why I am telling you this”
“You are the most beautiful creature I have ever met”, Hob said as he stared at them enamored, not unlike Wanessa not too far away.
“I-I can revert back to the other form if you’d like, I don’t mind”
“No, no it’s alright. Rue I would be taken with you in any form you take. I quite your true one though, you are bewitching”
“Do you really think so?”
“Rue, my hands reach my ankles. Physically, I don’t think I should exist. But I don’t mind it. You, however, you are beautiful”
Rue searched his face for any sign of deceit, of the potion talking instead of Hobb, but he did not earn his reputation of honesty for no reason. He was enamored with them without the help of the vial.
“Shall we rejoin the party then”, they held out a wing for him to take.
Instead of locking their arms as they had done so many times with others, Hob gently took the end of their wing, and intertwined his claws and their feathers, “We shall”.