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Chapter Text

"Get away! Who are you!?"

Those were the words Tango heard as he collapsed. Someone had hit him in the head. Zedaph had fired an eldritch blast after one of the attackers had broken their sneak attack by accident. He had taken two down, but the other two from the squad had surged forward. As black dots danced across his vision and threatened to pull him under, footsteps announced another figure entering. From his position against the leaf litter, the new figure was wearing a long, pure black cloak, save for a twelve-pointed star on the hood. Under the hood, they were wearing a hawk mask.

"The blaze-boy's just a Tek. Grab the warlock and go."

What? Why do they need Zedaph? He heard his boyfriend hit the dirt and blacked out, confused.

Zedaph

Grab the warlock and go. What?? Why did they want him? What do they mean 'just a Tek'? Too many things were happening at once, but only one thing that mattered. Tango was kicked backward by who must've been a monk considering the force behind it, and he hit the tree like a ragdoll, his back to Zed. He must've passed out, right? ..right?

"Tango!? I- I'll kill you all!! Don't touch him!"

He'll curse himself over the tremor in his voice later because he truly meant what he said. By now, he was on the ground, but he fought with every fiber of his strength, all the way until he couldn't anymore.

Six hours later.

Tango woke to Martyn frantically shaking him.

"Tango! What happened, dude!?"

His head felt like a thousand daggers were trying to force their way out from inside his skull. The six blazerods normally circling his head were colder than they should be, and they were shaking and moving at different speeds, clinking off each other, mirroring his pounding headache. The flames normally crackling merrily, or at least smoldering while he slept or was afraid, against his blonde hair and tail, were completely extinguished. His sunny yellow skin was cold, as if he'd been sitting in a cold room all day. That might've been expected, considering how long he'd been outside, if it weren't for the fact he normally ran hot. Martyn was pressing something against the back of his head.

"hnn, wha.."

"Ah, shit. Ren! Get your ass over here!"

Ren ducked under a tree bough, carrying a roll of gauze. He handed it to Martyn. His chocolate brown dog tail was whipping back and forth, and his ears were pressed flat on his head, portraying his concern despite his face seeming perfectly calm.

"I didn't see Zedaph, I ran back to the camp to check if he'd somehow come back while we were searching, no luck. I figured i'd grab this, though."

Tango was having quite a bit of trouble focusing, but he felt Martyn remove the pressure against his head and throw it aside. It was a thick piece of gauze. It was completely soaked through with blood. Tango's blood. Martyn and Ren kept talking in hushed tones, and Tango didn't bother listening on account of the fact he was devoting a lot of his energy to just keeping his eyes open. Finally, they seemed to come to an agreement. Tango barely noticed when Ren bent down and started carrying him, bridal style. Tango was quite light, only being about 5'6 at the age of 23. Even if blazeborns were usually petite, he was definitely still small. Ren and Martyn set off at a brisk pace to their camp. Tango was still keeping himself awake, maybe he shouldn't push himself, but he was afraid how long he'd be out if he blacked out again. There was still a question on his tongue, but he thought he knew the answer. He just didn't want to admit it.

Where was Zed?

Chapter Text

Soon, they were in the medical bay. Scott was next to Etho, gently cleaning the wound running from just under his eyebrow to a few inches below his collarbone. Scott didn't look up.

"Wait your turn patently unless you're actively dying."

He had meant it jokingly, but Martyn frantically grabbed his shoulder.

"He is dying, Scott!"

Etho swished his tail lazily.

"I'll be fine, go."

Scott finally looked up, eyes half-lidded until he spotted Tango cradled against Ren, shivering.

"Oh! Go set him over there."

Tango wasn't quite sure what happened after that, since he'd slipped back into unconsciousness.

Sundown

Tango woke again. His limbs felt like they were made of lead, and it was difficult to think, there was a distant ringing that never left. He looked around, hoping maybe he was wrong, but no. Zedaph was nowhere to be found. He could hear his blazerods softly clinking off each other, out of sync. He carefully slid his legs down from the bed and hopped off. Damn, was it always so cold out? Tango put on his vest, someone must've taken it off of him. It didn't do much, considering it was sleeveless, but he didn't care. He shuffled outside, watching people eat around the camp, under trees, on the few benches, on steps, but he didn't care. His delayed gaze was scanning for Zedaph or Impulse. Impulse was chatting with Skizz, he figured he shouldn't bother his older brother. Zedaph was nowhere to be found. Impulse called to him.

"Tango! If you won't bedrest, at least come sit over here!"

One.

Two.

Three seconds.

"Uh.. okay."

He made his way over to Impulse and Skizz. Tango sat down next to Impulse, who was in the grass. Impulse was a netherborn, as was Tango. He had two black horns from the crown of his head, and a wiry tail, much like Tango's. He looked down at his younger brother, concern sparking in his deep red eyes.

"You feelin' alright, Tango?"

One.

Two second delay.

"..mhm."

"You don't sound like it." Impulse threaded his fingers through Tango's. "You're cold, buddy. You really shouldn't be out here.."

One.

Two. 

Three.

Four seconds.

"I'm fine. I should find Zed.."

"Nuh uh! Martyn and Ren already looked, and Grian and I are going to the next town tomorrow to ask around. You are staying here."

One.

Two more seconds.

"I'll go with you.. Red Velvet Keep isn't that far.."

Impulse made a heavy sigh. "..if you insist. I'm making you wear something warmer though."

"Okey."

"You should eat something. Gem and Pearl made some really good stuff tonight."

One.

Two.

Three seconds.

"I'm not hungry."

"..if you say so."

Chapter Text

Tango, bundled up in one of Zedaph's leather jackets that he found in his room, had gone with Impulse and Grian to Red Velvet Keep. Impulse had his arm around Tango's shoulders, gently guiding him along to a nearby townhouse. Impulse himself had a yellow and black puffer jacket on. The brothers, both from the nether, were quite often seen with this sort of attire, even in late August, like it was currently. They'd left the inn a few minutes ago. Grian had learned from the bartender that one of the people in this house was quite the explorer, always telling the village children new stories. She would be their best bet.

KNOCK

KNOCK

A tall, broad-shouldered woman opened the door. She had deep black horns protruding from the crown of her head, darker than Impulse's.

"..hello? Did you need something? I've never seen you in town, you need directions?"

"Hello! Are you Sable? We're looking for a missing person from our village, we heard that you might be able to help?" Grian piped up. Sable nodded, eyes drifting to Tango.

"Oh.. yeah, I might have a lead. Tell me the story."

As Tango wrapped up his retelling of the cultists, another netherborn slipped out from behind Sable. He was a red-hued blazeborn, and he seemed familiar to Tango, although he couldn't grasp why.

"Hey, i've been looking for something to do, the Keep is so boring, yknow? I could hang out with you for a bit, help you find your friend if you want."

Sable and Grian had talked right over the second blaze, as if he weren't right there, but Tango was too tired to think about that for very long.

"Mmh, sure."

"Okey! Name's Torchie. Here's the deal. Your boyfriend was taken by a cult in the forest, but Sable just said that. We'll find him in no time."

Tango nodded, and a few minutes later they bid farewell to Sable, heading back home to Dogwarts.