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It had been a couple weeks since the stranger had saved Shepherd from Freezing to death.
Traveling with Gideon, Shepherd had discovered, was a nice thing. The Fire Genasi wasn’t overbearing, but he wasn’t dull either. More humorous relief for the group after a nasty battle. The taller certainly knew when to hold his tongue, but at the same time when he did speak he had no filter; he was an open book. Gideon had vaguely told of his old friends, Whom he got lost from when a ‘Feywild Curse’ sent him to the mansion; he’d refused to explain further than that, and Shepherd respected that.
They’d gotten closer in the past few weeks, with the Taller man finally willing to fight if they got in an issue- and Shepherd was pleasantly surprised to find out Gideon was shockingly useful in more than just that regard. He remembers, vividly, of when they’d seen The big man’s ability to set himself on fire and come out unphased by it. Shepherd may have had a bit of a panic attack from memories, but he’d gotten over most of that panic after the first few times Gideon had sparked or set lightly Ablaze. Every time Sarnax attempted to pray to Gherix through Gideon or something Similar, it was an amusing scene in Shepherd’s opinion.
Another thing Shepherd learned was that Gideon’s fire appears the most when he’s angry, he sparks when he’s annoyed. In the past, it’s been light, like his hair catching or a barely crackling flame; never fully Burning like a smoldering bonfire, Filled with murderous rage. Never like Now.
Shepherd turned away from Clayton and the others that were fretting over Shepherd’s wound where the beasts had gotten the jump on him, managing to get him badly in the arm and face a few times. Looking over, he saw Gideon, Alight like a bonfire with his eyes filled with nothing but rage as he pummeled whatever attacked Shepherd; The monster hunter couldn’t even tell what was anymore. It was a bruised, mangled, Burned and bloody spectacle. He could hear the breaking of bones, flesh, and Shepherd could smell the wretchedness that was burning flesh.
What had set Gideon off? Why was he so furious at this monster unlike any time before? A thing that showed only after Shepherd had gotten hurt. Turned the Taller into a thing made purely of anger and fury. Shepherd observed as the Fire-made man stopped, the thing dead- unrecognizable. No face to remember it by, only its withering, crippled corpse. He was still aflame, shaking with anger. The other creatures, faces contorted with fear, stared at Gideon. The Genasi turned to them, clearly intending to give them the same treatment he had for their friend.
Without a thought, Shepherd stood, ignorant to the distraught yelps of his teammate as he approached the flaming man, the flame crackling around. Before Gideon could take another step, Shepherd’s hand wrapped around Gideon’s suspenders making the big man pause and turn to shepherd, the Rage simmering slightly to mild annoyance but he made no move to walk away, rather he turned to face Shepherd.
Shepherd tugged the taller to lean down by his suspenders and pulled his sleeve down over his hand, rubbing it against Gideon’s face gently as Gideon’s fire slowly died out, the beasts making their retreat.
“Hey, Big guy. You got some of it’s blood on your face.” Shepherd said gently, not faltered in the slightest by Gideon’s lack of response. In fact, he seems more calm than before. Shepherd pulls his hand away allowing the latter to blink for a moment before speaking; “Are you okay?”
“I’m okay, Big guy.” Shepherd answered and he stared curiously for a moment before he had to ask: “Why’d you get so mad?” he asked, Making Gideon go quiet for a moment, “it hurt you.” Gideon answered softly, “it- it made me angry.. This time.” Shepherd smiled, “Good to know you care, huh? Let’s get to town and you can get a bath.”
“And proper medical attention for you, Shepherd.” Clayton chimed in, causing the others to giggle and Shepherd to grumble.