Archive of Our Own ^beta

There was very little Polipo wouldn't do for those he cared for. Whether that was picking Nahia up from getting the shit beat out of her from a returning husband the yuan-ti didn't know existed, trading in beer tokens for her when she'd been told to 'get lost' from one of the kitchen staff who… got a little too emotionally invested in a hookup, to getting flowers for Eitif when she was sick, just… anything really.

So when the two started dating… when he saw that she might be… the one for him… he started saving money. There was nothing wrong with their dorm rooms in the Tower's barracks or servants quarters. They were perfectly suitable for each of them. Separately. He felt poorly that he had to… basically announce to the entire floor that he was being intimate with Eitif whenever he entered her room. It was true, of course, he only had one hour of privacy with her and they liked to utilize it fully. Even if they were only kissing.

He was saving money, going out with Nahia only using the beer tokens he'd accrued. Everything else was spent on Eitif or squirrelled away for his eventual investment. With the money he made, the royals were quite generous, his girlfriend never had to work if she didn't want to. She didn't anyway, not with the guaranteed basic income provided by the government to all citizens of Telaris… but she'd not want for luxuries if he continued to work on the honour guard.

The human had asked for more suburban patrols, to get a feel for the areas that… they might like to live together in. Some day. When he'd saved enough money. Which… Eitif isn't a superficial person, but a nice home with a yard? That… she should have that. So he patrolled less around the rowhouses and more around the individual dwellings. Ones that didn't need to be raffled off to fill the Telaris coffers, but not minuscule.

Why are we out this way again? Boring as hell.

We're on duty, Traxan. It should hopefully be boring.

No, like, out here in less crowded areas. At least there's some movement in the… holy shit. Polipo winced as he was found out. You're house hunting! Eitif's got you by the balls—You want to get a house with her?!

Well… yes. I love her.

No no no no no no—next you'll be telling me you want babies, and will try to keep me from drinking! No fuckin' thank you.

What's… what's wrong with wanting kids?

I'm—!

…

Trax?

You can't have kids…

Why no—

…not with me around.

The man paused, looking at a house with a small strip of green in the front, perfectly symmetrical windows flanking the front door. Cute… I wonder if Eitif would like something less cozy…

You wouldn't hurt an infant, would you?

I'm fucked up, but I ain't that fucked up—

So what's the issue?

Traxan was quiet, and Polipo let him be. Something was going on with Traxan as of late, and he couldn't quite pin down what it was. Was it something to do with Her Majesty's offer? It couldn't not have at least some part of whatever his problem is. He continued walking, Traxan's quiet making him… concerned. Traxan nearly always had something to say. About everything.

It's not like I could stop you from drinking or enjoying your hour, Trax. And besides, that's a far, far, into the future thing, I'd think. He turned the corner, shining his flashlight down the street before continuing his march. The houses here were all nice, but every time he tried to picture himself and Eitif in them, nothing seemed to quite click. I'd like to be… married before that.

Both souls were quiet after that, and when turning the corner once more to head down the next lane, Polipo had a moment of panic.

Traxan?

What?

Just… Just making sure you're okay.

…yeah.

The cantina was buzzing with excitement. Something was happening, but Eitif couldn't really figure out what. Luckily, sitting next to her twin made the whole thing come into clear focus. Kiftie was slapping a dark black flyer, equal parts exuberant and annoyed.

"Can you believe it?! What a fucking bonkers idea. I don't know what they're thinking!"

Kaelee was sitting across from the gnome, nodding at Eitif as she sat by her sister. The woman pulled the flyer close after setting down her tray of food.

"It'll bring in a lot of money for them to keep helping others," Kaelee said. "But it still makes me nervous."

Eitif frowned, putting the flyer back and spearing a few eggs. A hundred thousand platinum was one million gold. A million gold… to have whatever you wanted… Yeah, there would be no shortage of people lining up.

"How are they vetting the wording? Are they going to look through every single applicant?" Kiftie asked, incredulous. "Like, 'Hi, yes, I'd like to have 500 copies of my wife for reasons I think are obvious'. Where's the line here?"

Kaelee laughed. "If that were an option, I doubt Her Majesty would cast it anyway. Still… she can't know what the ramifications of every Wish spell would be… right? What would you wish for, if you got a free ticket?"

"I'm not sure." Kiftie shrugged. "Undoing the past is… kind of a no-no from what I understand. Too much messing with a timeline can fuck everything up. What'd she call it?"

"The butterfly effect?" Eitif asked, pondering Kaelee's question. What would I wish for?

"That's it!" her twin nodded, "So, like, there goes most of my ideas. Enough money to do whatever I wanted, I guess?"

Kaelee nodded before the talk devolved into the frivolities of nobles. Their Majesties mostly excluded, for their gains were made in proper ways. Not by harming their citizens. What would I wish for? To be able to turn off the voices of my abusers? I… I think I can do that by myself. It'll just take… time. I'm getting better, I know I can do it. Then what would I wish for? An immediate thought sprang to mind, but was that… selfish? Shouldn't she Wish for the greater good or something?

"If I had a free ticket," Kaelee continued, grinning at their jokes about napkins costing a month's worth of wages, "I'd ask for a huge bakery with a house attached to it. Two in one."

"Does that count?" Eitif asked. "Like… could you have a list and ask for everything on the list to come true?"

"I think it's like…" Kiftie hummed. "The rules as intended versus rules as written? Like, the Waterfront Order of Transcribing Conjurers says Wish is more likely to fuck up the more complicated it is. Like if you wished for, I dunno, a million platinum, that's not a huge deal. If you wished for an entire noble house to perish, that's a bit more complicated. It's magic, I don't know."

"What about you, Eitif?" Kaelee smiled, canines on full display. "What would you do with your free ticket?"

"...I'm not sure."

"Oh come on… You must have something!" Kiftie elbowed her twin. "Beachfront resort?"

"That would be nice." Eitif smiled, relieved that her twin went back to chatting with their triton friend instead of pressing her. Her idea might fall under the 'too complicated' line anyway. What had Polipo told her?

"Her Majesty said he's alive within me, or not at all." He shrugged apologetically. "I know it's rough only having an hour together like this, but… I can't just condemn him."

What if he didn't have to? What if Eitif wished for Traxan to have his own body back to live out the rest of his life? Not that it could happen, anyway, not with that type of money… for a chance to get chosen. And for what? For just having more private time with Polipo? Silly.

He stared at the crumpled up flyer his sister handed him, drinking a coffee with far too little cream in it. It was… something alright.

"Well?" Their gravel voice drew his eye. "What do you think?"

"I think it's… going to be tricky to pull off. A good way to line the royal coffers but—"

"No, dude," they scoffed, leaning back against the wall to watch the guards go through their drills. "I mean, what are we going to wish for?"

"You want a ticket?" Polipo blinked. "What for?"

"That's why I'm talking to you, dumbass." Nahia grinned his way before her eyes snapped up. "Markowski, get your shit together, man!"

The man had been flipped onto his back, again, by the same move. "Sorry, Solkis!"

The yuan-ti shook her head, turning back to their coffee buddy. "Seriously, I can't quite figure out how to word it, but you're smarter than me, we can come up with something good."

"What are you talking about?" The human chuckled, "There's no way I'm spending a million gold on a possibility of a Wish spell. What would I wish for anyway?"

They looked at him with shock. "Really, dude?"

"What?"

"I dunno, maybe the same fuckin' thing I'd be wishing for? The reason I brought it up?"

"Which is?" He smiled, not sure what kind of shenanigans his sister was up to now.

"Giving Trax his own body. Duh."

…

"Oh."

There's… no way she'd try to buy a ticket for my sorry ass. Even if it did free you up a bit. That's just stupid.

"Traxan doesn't believe you."

"Pfft. 'Course he wouldn't, the bastard." She rolled her eyes. "It's like the two of you don't understand how family works or something."

"You're so much better," Polipo frowned.

"Yeah." Nahia growled. "I think I am. Mine are going to be on-planet next year. Uncle and brother. And you can finally meet them… And they can meet you two bastards I call family. How's your Mom?"

"That's… That's not fair, Nahia."

"No?" They weren't looking at him, was watching her troops angrily. "But I'm so much worse at family, hm? Because I can't find someone who wants to stick around, is that it? Or is it that I'm not enough of a sibling for you?"

"Hey, I didn't mean—"

"Markowski!" They shout, stalking over to the ring, "Get your ass up, now!" Her summoned guan-dao had everyone else fleeing to the outside of the sandy pit. Markowski was going to be covered in bruises, but wouldn't fall for the same trick again.

…Traxan, am I a bad friend?

Not that I have many of em… but yer a decent brother. You take care of her as much as she takes care of you. She's not the only one taking care of a drunken sibling.

I shouldn't have said that to her… We hardly see each other now with shiftwork. And… They wanted to talk about spending money on us. A fucking Wish spell… I'm a dumbass.

Well, we all knew that one.

I appreciate the vote of confidence. Polipo winced as Markowski's lizardfolk body slammed into the sands; catching an unfathomable amount of airtime before crashing loudly. She's… really upset.

It ain't happening, even if she were full on earnest.

You don't know tha—

We spend a million gold, right? That's for a chance to get pulled. For a chance against the hundreds, maybe thousands, of other people entering the raffle? Get real.

It… It could happen.

Would be stupid to try, though.

I mean—

What are you going to do? Wave a wand of blue irises around? Hope is stupid, nothing real to it. I prefer to gamble with odds in my favour. Besides… she didn't mean it.

Eitif was enjoying the crispness to the air, the autumn leaves turning more red and orange now. The yellow fading from the landscape as time marched on. And yet, there was something… something off. She couldn't quite place what it was, but something was bothering her psyche. And not the memories of abuse… that feeling she knew intimately. It was on one of their outings, a lovely date to look over the corn and pumpkins that would soon be ready for harvest, enjoying hot cups of cider and the fresh air… that she mentioned it.

"And you don't know what it is?" Polipo asked.

"No… just something feels… strange." She shook her head. "I know it's weird, I just can't quite figure it out. Something is… off." He gave her hand a squeeze as they wound their way back towards a more major street. Whatever it is, there's no use worrying over nothing I can't quantify. "What would you Wish for, in the raffle?"

"...What?"

"You know, if you had a free ticket to the Make-A-Wish raffle." She glanced up to see him watching her, eyes full of… something. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah… yeah. Just… something Nahia said the other day. We had a bit of a fight."

"Oh no… I'm sorry to hear that." She squished his hand. "Is it something you think… you can mend or…?"

"I hope so." He cleared his throat before they crossed the street. "What would you wish for?"

"Well… I did some thinking yesterday, and I know what I'd wish for. It's… maybe it's silly."

"If it's something you'd spend a Wish on, then I doubt it." His smile made her heart melt. "Is it a secret?"

"No," she laughed, "it's not. I was thinking about you and Traxan, and—" He'd stopped mid-stride, causing her arm to wrench slightly. "Are you okay?"

"What is it with you two?" Traxan said, bright green eyes glaring down at her. "First Nahia, now you? Don't you bitches have anything better to think about?"

"W-What?"

"You heard me."

"Why are you angry? I thought you'd like to—"

"Don't fucking pretend like you give a shit about me. I'm nothing but a parasite hitching a ride in yer man's brain."

"I don't thi—"

"Fuck you. Didn't take you for a liar, Tiffy."

Her eyes watered, and she yanked her hand away from him. She had forgotten she was holding it. "Stop that. What's gotten into you?"

"I hate broads like you. Thinking they can change me. I'm no good, sweetheart. And if I had my way, the whole universe would know it."

A hot tear ran from her eye. "I-If that's true then why would Polipo save you?"

Green eyes flashed with a scowl before a blink had them disappear. Along with his angry expression. Replaced with Polipo's soft yellow eyes. "W-What happened? Oh, Eidi, are you okay? Traxan, you asshole, what did you do?"

"H-He just scared me a little." She sniffed, taking out a handkerchief as her boyfriend knelt at her side. "I'm okay."

"Traxan, what the fuck?! She's been nothing but kind to you—" He frowned, closing his eyes. His brow furrowed, and she could tell from how violent the tics were that he was screaming at the other man. His eyes opened, confused. "He's… not answering. I… I'm so sorry, Eitif. What did he do?"

"He was… angry that…" she cleared her throat. "I'm not sure I should say."

"He hurt you, tell me what he did and I'll—"

"Polipo?" She took a deep breath in. "It's not my place. I'm okay."

"...I won't push you, as long as you're sure." She nodded, taking his offered hand.

The gnome was crying. That's all he was good for, anyway. Scaring hoes. "I-If that's true then why would Polipo save you?"

Fucking bitch. He scowled, dropping out of the driver's seat. I don't need this.

"W-What happened? Oh, Eidi, are you okay? Traxan, you asshole, what did you do?"

"H-He just scared me a little." She sniffed, taking out a handkerchief. I'm glad I did. Don't forget who I am, Tiffy. I'm not a nice guy. "I'm okay."

"Traxan, what the fuck?! She's been nothing but kind to you—" His eyelids shut.

WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU DO?! TRAXAN!!! HOW DARE YOU?! TRAXAN! ANSWER ME, YOU PIECE OF SHIT!

That ain't happening. I'm doing my best not to look at her through your eyes, I sure as shit ain't going to be talking to you about it.

His eyelids opened. The girl's eyes a little puffy. "He's… not answering. I… I'm so sorry, Eitif. What did he do?"

"He was… angry that…" she cleared her throat. "I'm not sure I should say."

…What the fuck?

"He hurt you, tell me what he did and I'll—"

"Polipo?" She took a deep breath in. "It's not my place. I'm okay."

"...I won't push you, as long as you're sure." She nodded, taking his offered hand.

Not her place? What the fuck does she think just happened? I was angry that—what? What did she… I fucking hate gnomes. Always in someone else's business. Always… ruining things.

Answer me, Traxan.

"I thought… I thought I'd use my Wish on you and Traxan." She cleared her throat. "Give him his own body."

And you scared her for that? What the fuck is wrong with you? She's not like Nahia who you can't intimidat—Answer me!

"That's… very sweet."

"You wouldn't like it?" She asked, voice soft.

"Well… No, I don't think it would be a bad thing. But… I guess if we got a free ticket that would be different." Answer me, Traxan! "Nahia mentioned the same thing. Right before I… said something I shouldn't have."

"Oh… I'm sorry if my Wish idea was insensitive. I guess you'd be pretty lonely if he suddenly left."

"You're okay, Eitif. I'm… I think you're right about something in the air being 'off'." A soft squeeze of his hand. "I hope it passes soon."

Answer me, Traxan.

Traxan…

…please?

Why did Nahia and Eitif, the two most important women… the most important people, period, in his life… why did they both consider the raffle as a… possibility? Like a real thing they'd try to work towards? Was it even viable, to give Traxan's soul a body? Samiya had said within Polipo's body or not at all. Would a Wish override that? Traxan hadn't spoken to him since he'd scared Tiff… and his girlfriend was still keeping the man's secret. She's too sweet for me.

He couldn't stop pacing. No matter how many times he called for Traxan the man refused to answer. It was driving him mad. The human forced himself to pick up his crystal tablet, typing a missive out to the goddess.

Hello, Imperial Empress.

I was hoping to ask your opinion on the Wish spell in regards to my situation. Would something like that be a viable option for Traxan and I to have our own bodies? I appreciate your time, thank you.

Sincerely,

Polipo Saltre

Traxan didn't even have anything to say about that message, and Polipo was a slow enough typist that the old man had plenty of time to chime in.

Talk me, Traxan. I just… I just want to know what happened. You don't normally take over so violently like that… haven't since you wanted to speak to Eitif that time in the garden and to celebrate at the coronation party. And I truthfully can't recall the time before that.

Are you punishing me for calling you a piece of shit? We've called each other far worse before.

Trax?

What happened?

Nothing.

The purple-haired man swallowed thickly. He just wanted… He started typing a new message.

Nahia, I'm sorry. You're more family to me than anyone. I'm sorry I said that, I didn't mean for it to come out that way… I didn't mean to hurt you. Traxan isn't answering me anymore. He said something to scare Eitif, and neither of them will tell me what it was.


I don't know what to do.

I'm sorry. I… I really need you. You're important to me, and I'm sorry if I made it seem like you weren't.

He jolted as a reply ping noise sounded.

One New Message. From: Samiya Bronze.


Hello, Mr Saltre.


I… Truthfully, I am unsure. Wish is a very powerful spell, but so too was the magic that entangled you both together in the first place. I think… it could work. Being honest with you, you would not be a viable candidate for the Make-A-Wish raffle this year with the rules we have set in place regarding finances. In a more general sense… I don't know that someone of a lesser calibre than a deity would be able to provide enough magical 'juice' to power such a Wish spell with your needs in mind.

I cannot Wish away the worries of each of my vassals, no matter how it hurts.

Sincerely,

Samiya Bronze.

He sighed. That was a lot of… unknowns. His pad bleeped again, the instant chat application gaining a red dot.

Nahia ➤ It hurt, man.

He quickly tapped out his message, thankful to see someone outside the royals willing to talk to him. To hopefully bring good news.

Polipo ➤ i kno i'm so fucking sorry

Polipo ➤ your my sister

Nahia ➤ *You're

Nahia ➤ You gotta learn how to type, man.

Nahia ➤ A pigeon could do better than you at this point.

Polipo ➤ i'm tryin

Nahia ➤ Wasn't Eitif supposed to teach you this shit?

Polipo ➤ how do u type so fast???

Nahia ➤ My fingers have the skills to pay the bills.

Polipo ➤ ew? fair but ew

Nahia ➤ Didn't seem so 'ew' when you came to me for help, did it? ;)

He smiled softly, watching her little bubble's ellipses tell him she was typing more.

Nahia ➤ How is that going, by the way? You two still good?

Polipo ➤ yea. i miss u outside of work

Nahia ➤ Then stop playing tonsil tag with your GF for five minutes and meet up with me.

Polipo ➤ ok. im sorry

Nahia ➤ First round is on you, hm?

Polipo ➤ deal!

Nahia ➤ You off around dinner tomorrow?

He double-checked his schedule on the calendar program, just to be safe.

Polipo ➤ yes i checked again 2 b sure

Nahia ➤ Let's get dinner then. Eitif can come too, if she wants. Tell Traxan I say 'hi'. Good night.

Polipo ➤ ok i will. goodnite

Traxan? Nahia says 'hi'.

Can you just… say one thing so I know you're still there?

Anything?

Please?

… I'm sorry.

Polipo felt tears well up. He wasn't even sure why he was so relieved. Traxan and he weren't friends. He… He killed my father. We can't… We can't be friends.

Thank you. I… I'm just…

Goodnight.

"So," Nahia's gravelly voice was, Eitif found when she got used to it, oddly soothing? "Where's the next date?"

"Oh… um…" The gnome smiled, looking at Polipo's relaxed face. Traxan hadn't taken over, for whatever reason, and her man was enjoying a nice glass of whiskey. "I don't think we've decided yet."

"I've got a good spot." Nahia hummed. "If you promise not to go yapping about it to everyone you meet."

"It's a secret?" Eitif was intrigued. The yuan-ti was an open book for the most part, so anything she deemed worthy of a secret would be interesting.

"I mean… It's my secret romance weapon." Yellow snake eyes winked. "If you don't mind a little sap."

"Going to need a little more context." Polipo grinned, a little lop-sided. "Why sap?"

"Alright, alright. You get a picnic going, and check out this place in the forest. I'll show you. Fuckin' magical."

"I'm looking forward to seeing this secret romance spot," Eitif said. "Is that how you get all the ladies?"

"No… just where I take those I think might want to have more than two dates." The couple exchanged glances as their yuan-ti friend tipped back their mug to finish her drink. "It hasn't worked so far, so maybe it's actually a bad-luck spot."

"I think we'll try it anyway," Polipo said. "A forest picnic sounds lovely."

Eitif watched the two converse, they really were siblings. More so than she and Kiftie were now, she felt. Kiftie was always going to be there for her and vice-versa… but it was difficult to share space without the buffer of other people sometimes. However, these two…

"Traxan, you gotta carve time out for me," Nahia chuckled, "I'm out a drinking buddy these past weeks, what's with that?"

Polipo's eyes rolled back before being replaced with venom green ones. Eitif tensed, wondering if he'd rip her a new one again.

"I don't always have the ability to take control when you're available," He seemed… normal? "Sometimes he's playing tonsil tag, and then you are."

"Traxan!" Nahia grinned, leaning forward to give the man a hug. "Did you see the woman in here earlier? The redhead?"

"With the giant tits? Hard not to notice." Bright eyes slid to her pink ones. "...Eitif."

"Traxan." Maybe not so 'normal' after all. "I didn't mean to offend you."

"You… didn't." He let out a breath. "Sorry for… The kid's right. You been nothing but nice to me. I just don't know why."

Nahia blinked, looking between the two of them. "This about the… thing?"

"Yeah." He looked back to Nahia. "Where do you get off, tryin' to make a bullshit offer like that, anyhow?"

"Oh, you know, just thinking how much nicer it'd be for everyone involved if we could make it happen." She shrugged. "It's not like it's impossi—"

"Nahia. Why would you do that? We both know altruism ain't either of our strong suits."

Eitif watched the two with wide eyes, absorbing the information. While Polipo and Nahia were clearly siblings… she wasn't sure what to make of Nahia and Traxan. Frat brothers? But no… there was something else.

"I like you, dumbass." She flagged down the barkeep, "And I think both you boys deserve your own private time with your own hands."

"You know I'd get more pussy than you."

"Nah, that's not possible." She hissed out a laugh, requesting more rum for herself and checking the others' cups. "Besides, you're what? 50-something? At least when you got sucked in?"

"So?" He scoffed, "No one hates a silver fox."

"No one hates a hot butch." She thanked the barkeep for the refill. "How about this? You get yourself a body and we can take a vacation to a planet I haven't yet conquered. Keep it an even playing field."

"...We both know that ain't happening."

"Listen… if it's a million gold… between the two of us, that's half a mil, yeah?"

Eitif cleared her throat. "The three of us." Traxan's glare in her direction was a little uncomfortable. "I mean it. Three hundred thirty four thousand. Ish."

"You ain't part of this."

"Y-You've yet to give me a reason, Trax."

"You're his first… don't think you'll be his last."

"...oh."

"What the fuck dude?" Nahia hissed, "You trying to start shit?"

"Just statin' a fact."

"No, that's just cruel, I thought you liked Eitif!" The warlock looked pissed as hell, and the whiplash from Traxan's mean words and Nahia's defense of her person was… a lot. "You make her cry again I'll beat the shit outta you and heal Polipo every time you try to cut out early. What's wrong with you? You've told me you like he—"

"Shut up, Nahia."

"No, fuck you, we ain't putting our money on the line so you can shit all over us." Nahia growled. "You'd think your selfish ass would… would…" Her face softened. "Oh, dude… We want to."

"Shut the fuck up. You just like a drinking buddy because no one else'll have you."

Eitif's eyes grew wide, glancing over at the black-haired woman. Her grit teeth spoke volumes.

"Yeah? You're a great family man yourself. So you shut the fuck up and stop trying to push us away, dipshit."

"Thing with me sweetheart," Eitif knew the difference between that word said with affection, and with the intent to be condescending. And he certainly wasn't being affectionate. "Is that I don't actually want a family. I'm happy fucking bitches. You want someone to love you. Good fucking luck."

It happened fast, Nahia's fist making contact with the green-eyed man's face. The grunt as he fell to the floor. Nahia breathing heavily over the man's prone form, his lip starting to bleed.

"F-Fuck you."

"You just know I'm right."

She dove for him, and Eitif wasn't sure what to do. Everyone around her were either chanting for the fight to continue or, at least a few people, ran outside to try to flag down a guard. It was all happening so fast. Traxan wasn't just using his words, either. Fists flew, the thunk of flesh hitting flesh making her stomach roil. It wasn't Polipo… but it was. It was his body.

"How dare you—" another knuckle-forward punch to the face. "—I love you, you piece of shit! How fucking dare you?!"

"No, you don't!"

Another fist slam down, then pale yellow eyes were revealed. "N-Nahia?"

The yuan-ti slumped over, rolling off his torso. Breathing heavily. "Sorry man… Here." She reached into her Bag and pulled out a potion, passing it over to him. He downed it, letting himself breathe a little easier. The woman had a forearm over her eyes, covering them completely. "Traxan's a fucking asshole."

"N-Nahia?" Eitif carefully picked her way over, avoiding the overturned stools. "Do you have a potion for you?"

The woman whispered. "...no."

"What… what happened? Damn." Polipo sat up, holding his head. Then, louder for the rest of the bar. "Sorry! Next round's on me!"

Cheers erupted, and the avian barkeep looked only marginally pacified. Eitif looked back to the woman on the ground… and if she saw a tear roll down the side of their face? That was… a trick of the light. Eitif knelt down, pulling out a handkerchief and hiding her motions from the crowd. Dabbing Nahia's cheek.

"For your lip."

"...Yeah. Thanks." White fingers took the fabric, wiping her eyes before blotting her lip. It looked nasty. Nahia held her gaze a moment. "...Thanks."

Eitif nodded, turning to help Polipo stand as much as she could. He talked with the barkeep, a rather irate looking eagle, so he could pay for the inconvenience his parasite gave. Once that was squared away, Polipo turned to the others once more.

"What… What happened?"

"The bastard's tryin' to stop us from talking about the raffle." The yuan-ti cleared her throat, settling heavily into a bar stool and slumping over the bartop. "Doesn't want us spending our crowns on him because he thinks he's too badass to have people care about him or some stupid shit." She glared at Polipo. "Traxan, you fucking know better, ass-wipe."

"But…" Polipo looked between them. "Why'd you two start throwing fists?"

"He… said some things that don't bear repeating." Nahia shrugged. "Lying to make himself feel better, I'm sure."