Chapter Text
It had been at least a year since the Krew returned to the material plane. They had earned their money from Madrick Roslov and paid off Mr. Garou. Luckily, the group had ample funds left over to restart their carnival. They continued operations even better than before, with Kremy making sure to upgrade a few things, being more careful with how much or how little he paid his employees (he didn’t want another angry mob chasing them out of town after all), and running a few cons here and there, of course.
More recently, they had been trying to pack up the carnival in order to begin traveling once again. Though, this process had been draining as all nine hells for everyone involved…
It was the equivalent of December and the sun had already set. A flurry of pure white snow danced through the crisp winter air in a small town near the Grizzlepaw mountains. The miniature white specks were almost indistinguishable from the stars that shimmered in the sky.
That evening, the Krew had all decided to go out together for some well deserved fun and relaxation. So, they all crowded into the town’s local tavern for the night.
Inside of the building, Gricko and Torbek were both going to town and chugging mug after mug of booze. The two were having a lengthy conversation with each other in Goblin about something or other. They were clearly very passionate about whatever subject the conversation comprised of, but who knows with those two.
A few feet from the pair of goblinoids, Frost spent his time playing mind games. He bet on the results with other patrons, hoping to make some extra coin using his abilities.
Sitting further away from the rest of his friends, Gideon was having his usual fun as well, taking part in two of his most favorite pass-times:
Flirting with women and drinking some great booze.
Kremy- Well, he was sitting by himself over at the bar, quietly watching his friends as he sipped his drink and rested. The winter weather had been taking it’s toll on his reptilian body. Sapping up almost all of his energy and making practically all his normal responsibilities much more difficult to deal with.
He sighed as he glanced over at Gideon, noticing how the other man was indulging in his usual… frivolities… A small frown formed on his snout at the sight. He turned his head away towards his drink again, taking another swig trying to ignore the nagging feeling deep inside his chest…
'I’m too exhausted t’ deal with this right now… Why does this always happen whenever I’m supposed t’ be havin’ fun, dammit…?'
The thought made his brow furrow. He was used to this feeling, especially after what happened at the Witchlight Carnival, when he’d somehow ended up getting married to Gideon. Damn that drunk old satyr priest-! He knew he shouldn’t feel this way. Their marriage was totally ironic anyways! Totally…
His brain flitted through memories, reminiscing on them, wondering where he went wrong and when things had gotten so damn complicated between him and his supposed "best friend".
He glanced at the bartender when he ordered his next glass of rum, he spotted the wedding band on the man's left ring finger. The sight made his chest constrict horribly, his hand starting to feel empty and bare without the presence of his own. A ring that didn't exist, a ring from a man he wanted so badly, and a ring he knew he'd never receive.
Gideon was having a great time. There wasn’t a single worry in his mind as he used his charm on one of the women at the bar. He grinned proudly, taking a swig from his tankard. She was a fairly pretty halfling woman with tan, freckled skin, dark, curly auburn hair, and icy blue eyes. She was wearing a black dress that showed just enough skin in just the right spots to gain interest, and covered just enough to spark curiosity. Gideon had easily fallen for the trap, and he sure as hell didn’t mind it too much.
'Damn… Nights like this 're pretty fuckin’ great after all that feywild bullshit...'
He thought to himself as he absentmindedly cracked another flirtatious joke.
'I wonder what the others are doin’ anyways-'
He too decided to look at his friends. He chuckled to himself when he saw Frost being handed some gold pieces from a grumpy patron who lost at one of the games. He also found the sight of Gricko and Torbek making a bunch of questionable hand gestures and suggestive goblinoid noises to be quite amusing. Mirth filled his chest as he looked over the different scenes and took in how far they'd come. Then, finally, his gaze landed on Kremy; who was probably scamming some rich fuck’s brains out- Wait…
He squinted his eyes when he caught a glimpse of the gator’s expression, a frown tugged at his lips when he saw how… tired he looked…
'Huh… The hell’s up with Kremy…? Nothing happened today, right-? Did I forget to do somethin'?? Nah- He woulda' snapped at me if that was it… Maybe I should go check on ‘im? Jus' in case, y'know?'
The fire genasi thought about it for a little while longer, nodding absentmindedly at whatever the woman he’d been flirting with had said as he tried to decide what he should do about his clearly bummed out friend.
Eventually, he came to the conclusion that he’d give it a little longer before checking to see if Kremy looked any different. THEN he’d go over there.
Anyways, back to what he was doing~
For the next half an hour or so, Gideon had went back to his charming antics and continued flirting his fiery heart out. He forgot almost completely about his concern for Kremy as he busied himself with drinking and chatting.
After some time, though, his tankard was empty. The genasi huffed at the realization when he went to take another swig and nothing came out, before he gave the halfling woman a small apology and a chuckle as he slipped away. He carefully avoided using any names since he’d pretty much forgotten hers right away-
During that same stretch of time, Kremy had been doing the same thing as before. Already having ordered and finished a few more drinks, all while silently watching Gideon and that random lady with almost pained, frustrated eyes. The alligator’s mind just replayed the same thought over and over….
'Why does Gid always have to pay so much attention to people he barely even knows…?'
He had turned away to continue frowning at the counter of the bar just as Gideon walked up to refill his drink…
The fire genasi had confidently ordered a refill and handed the barkeep his empty tankard. He gave the man a grateful nod before fully taking in Kremy’s presence beside him. A large smile split onto Gideon’s face when he spotted his pal, but it softened just a tad when he remembered how the gator had been looking earlier, and the fact that he still looked just as down in the dumps as before…
“Oh- Hey Kremy! What’cha doin’ sulkin’ all by yerself, man?”
Kremy’s head snapped up when he was addressed- He hadn’t even been paying enough attention to realize Gideon had arrived. His eyes widened in surprise before they softened as he took in the warm glow of Gideon’s flames and the heat they emitted…
'Baron below that feels nice…'
His tail flicked behind him at both the warmth seeping into his scales and at how his… best friend… was smiling down at him.
'Dammit, LeCroúx… Get your shit together- You’re supposed to have one of the best poker faces in Agwé-!'
“Hm…? Oh, hey Gid…~”
Kremy schooled his expression back to his usual proud and smooth look as he greeted Gideon with a casual smirk.
“I dunno what ya’ mean, though…- I haven’t been sulkin’.”
He continued with a small chuckle, playing off his earlier frown and distant behavior with a slight slur in his voice from the rum he’d been drinking.
Gideon only responded with a raise of his brow, crossing his arms over his broad chest as he stared down at Kremy with a skeptical smirk.
“Ya’ sure, man? I saw ya’ lookin’ all bummed out ‘n’ shit at least half an hour ago. Then jus’ now before I got here ya’ still looked upset about somethin’…”
The warlock let out a tiny chuff at that response, scaly lips twisting into a tiny frown for a moment before he forced it to relax again, deciding to stare down at his newest drink instead.
“Yeah, well whatever… ‘S not like it’s that important anyways, Gid.”
The dismissive response made Gideon frown. He didn't like that Kremy was ignoring his emotions, it made Gideon feel like the gator was hiding something from him. They should be able to trust each other dammit-!
He had no idea why Kremy had been acting so distant recently. They’d go out and have a grand old time at some tavern or casino- And Kremy would just be sitting off in some corner away from everyone else. Even then, he’d usually still be scamming someone at LEAST! Now he was just sitting and moping like some heartbroken drunkard.
“Krem… C’mon man. What’s got ya’ down…?”
Gideon asked a little more seriously this time, sitting himself down next to the gator at the bar in order to get a better look at him. Gideon leaned over to look at Kremy’s face, his elbows resting on the bar top as he heard the man sigh.
He grumbled a little more before finally answering, taking a small sip of his drink as he spoke.
“I’m just real tired from all the packin’ up we’ve been doin’, Gid. Plus, this Baron forsaken weather keeps gettin’ to me… Makes me move so damn slow I can barely get any shit done. It’s a reptile thing.”
It was an excuse, but a damn convincing one at that. Kremy was known for his incredible lying and secret keeping skills. He always refused to let anybody know the truth about anything unless he specifically wanted them to. He felt a bit guilty, surprisingly enough. Lying to Gideon's face about why he was really upset right now just felt… wrong…. Sure, both of the things he’d mentioned were technically true- But in reality they were only inconveniences. He could never tell Gideon the real reason he was acting like this… He just couldn’t…-
Gideon processed the response for a moment. He definitely wasn’t the smartest guy around, that’s for damn sure. He was generally known as the himbo of the group when it came to certain social situations and book smarts (Though, he was incredibly knowledgeable when it came to engineering and the like). Things like this were not his strong suit, so he very easily believed Kremy’s explanation, even if it made him frown.
“Yer body like… Stops workin’ if it gets too cold…?”
Gideon asked slowly, clearly finding the admission concerning. He didn’t know too much about reptiles other than the fact that they laid eggs, loved shiny things, and liked the sun a lot. Or something like that, at least- Animals and beasts were Gricko's thing anyways-!
Kremy chuckled softly at Gideon’s obliviousness to the topic, an amused grin curling on his maw as he started to explain.
“Yep. I’m cold blooded, remember? My body can’t produce its own heat. If the area around me gets too cold my body shuts down.“
This was just common knowledge for Kremy, so it was relatively easy to admit. He was already used to this part of himself and how it affected his life, even if he’d never really talked about it much before.
Though, Gideon’s face scrunched up further at that response, and his expression remained concerned as he spoke up.
“Damn- How come ya’ never told me about any o’ this, Krem…?”
Kremy just shrugged and sipped his drink. He didn’t believe that this was all too important, but he went along with it to keep the real cause of his sour mood hidden.
“Jus’ never thought it was too relevant, Gid- We always move towns every few weeks or whatever, so I never really stay cold too long. It’s just been extra cold this year… I didn’t think the weather would get t' me this much.”
“Yeah… I guess yer right about that- But that don’t mean I gotta like it.”
Gideon grumbled in a gruff tone. He never liked it when Kremy was uncomfortable, especially if it was something Gideon could fix for him. Hell, the whole reason the warlock had even picked him up off the street was so that he could fix things and protect him. Even if they were good friends now, Gideon still felt passionate about the job that had gifted him true freedom.
Kremy only shook his head fondly at Gideon’s reaction, a small snort leaving his lips as he glanced at him and saw his slightly grumpy expression. A genuine smile graced his face for the first time that night as he gazed warmly towards his buddy.
“You worry 'bout me too much, Gid…~ I’ve survived over 40 winters so far. ‘S not like one more’s gonna kill me.” He chuckled, anything winter related obviously did not concern him. Finally, he lifted his glass with a slender hand, dumping the final sip down his throat and finishing off the last of his rum.
Gideon rolled his eyes at the casual response, emitting a low, rumbling laugh from deep in his chest when Kremy tried to get the remaining drops from the empty glass to drip onto his tongue.
Kremy’s heart stuttered an embarrassing amount just from that sound alone. He glanced at Gideon once again with a more sheepish gaze, realizing how ridiculous he must've looked trying to shake the last bits of rum out of his glass like some child.
“Y’know, Krem… It both impresses ‘n’ concerns me how damn careless you can be about yerself."
The comment gave Kremy pause, watching Gideon's hand as it landed on his shoulder and gave him a firm pat.
"If it was too cold out, ya’ shoulda' told me. I’d gladly help ya' with packin’ some more if it means ya' aren’t freezin’ yer tail off in the snow.”
The large man sighed, muttering a quick 'thanks' to the bartender as his refilled tankard was finally handed back to him. He decided to wait a little longer before he would return to his halfling lady friend. Gideon wanted to talk with his buddy for a bit, anyways.
Meanwhile, Kremy’s poor heart leaped and swelled at the kind offer as fluttery, giddy feelings warmed him up better than any summer sun ever could. His thick tail began to swish just a tad quicker behind him as his smile grew, and he actually almost forgot to respond for a moment- He just stared up at Gideon’s face and quietly admired how handsome the man was before he snapped out of it.
Oh yeah- He was in the middle of a conversation-
“A-are ya’ sure…? I don’t wanna give ya’ too much extra work, Gid-”
Kremy finally managed to murmur in a softer tone than before. He felt embarrassed that his cold blooded nature was debilitating him so much… He always prided himself on being fairly independent, and this was no exception.
The other man just shook his head, reaching over and patting Kremy on his shoulder as he smiled warmly at the alligator. “Hey, don’t even worry about it, man~ Y’know I can handle pullin’ some extra weight every now and again!”
Kremy opened his jaws to respond, before he thought on it for a moment and just deciding to give up. He would just let Gideon win this one. Besides, he much was too tired and tipsy to argue against it wither way.
“Fine, you win. You can help me out, I suppose…” He grumbled with a petulant chuff, flagging the bartender over to get himself another drink as Gideon snickered beside him.
“It’s settled, then~ I’ll probably come find ya’ again in a while, but for now there’s someone I’ve kept waitin’ on me for a little too long-“ Gideon said with a hearty laugh, patting Kremy on the back before grabbing his new, full tankard and returning to his companion from earlier.
Kremy stayed silent, smiling weakly as he waved goodbye and watched Gideon leave. His face fell the moment the other man turned away and returned his focus to the woman at his table… The warlock frowned and snapped his head away, sharp teeth clenching as he grabbed his drink and downed half in one go. His claws scraped the glass with how hard he was gripping it, chest constricting as he desperately fought off the emotions that were weighing on his heart.
’Oh there’s someone you’ve kept waiting too long, that’s for sure. That lady doesn’t even know the half of what waitin’ on you feels like… Oblivious bastard…’
He stayed there staring at his glass for a while, though he wasn’t entirely sure how long. Just thinking and cursing himself for not being able to get his shit together and stop focusing on these feelings for once. He was a busy man! He had bigger things to worry about than some little crush-!!
‘Fuck this…'
Kremy finally thought to himself,
‘If Gid gets to have a good time then I sure as hell deserve one too-!’
He hyped himself up as he grabbed his glass once again and finished it up in a single gulp. He was quite a bit tipsier than before as he pushed his empty glass away and stood up from his stool. He was determined to have a great time, even if Gideon wasn’t paying any attention to him….
The sound of dress shoes aggressively clacking across the tavern floor grew louder as he grew closer to Torbek and Gricko, who were further down the bar and about to start a drinking contest with each other. A few of the patrons in the bar had already placed bets on who they thought would win, excited chatter floating through the tavern as Kremy approached, the sudden arrival making everyone pause.
“Wait a damn minute-! I’m joinin’ y’all.”
Kremy called with a raised hand, a barely noticeable slur already impacting his speech as he huffed and plopped himself down at the bar stool beside Gricko.
Gricko and Torbek immediately gasped, looking between each other in shock as their jaws practically fell to the floor. The two goblinoids had never seen Kremy participate in any antics like this besides the time at the Witchlight Carnival, when they all did the cake eating contest.
Kremy was always so… well- Sensible compared to the rest of them. Other than Frost of course, but that didn't make them any less excited about it though-
Gricko immediately grinned and pat Kremy on the back.
“O’ course, Kremy!!! The more the merrier!” The goblin said with a happy laugh, Torbek nodded eagerly in agreement, and Kremy only grumbled in response.
The three of them pulled their glasses over and got ready to start. An elf woman who was tending the bar and preparing a row of drinks for the competition began counting down.
“Three…”
Kremy took a deep breath.
“Two…”
He gripped the glass.
“One…”
He glanced at Gideon and that woman and glared.
“GO!”
Right when the words left the elf’s lips, Kremy lifted the glass and opened his large gator jaws. He tilted the cup of liquor and dumped it down his throat, the sting making him hiss as it burned on the way down. This was definitely stronger booze than the rum he'd already been sipping all night. So he made quick work of the next glass, then the next, and the next, paying no mind to anything around him. He was determined to win and forget about everything that had been bothering him lately.
Eventually, he did start to feel a little nauseous, and his throat hurt from downing so much alcohol so quickly. Though, luckily, he was an experienced man and had a large advantage compared to his opponents. Gricko and Torbek struggling to hold their liquor as well as him. They looked close to giving up.
When he noticed this, Kremy sped up. Dumping more drinks down his gullet and forcing himself to swallow. Taking larger breaths of air more frequently as he felt the nausea from all that alcohol start to build up. After a few more long minutes went by, Gricko tapped out first, then Torbek gave up a little bit later as the bugbear tried to keep what he’d eaten earlier down.
The small crowd that had bet on Kremy cheered and clapped as the other patrons grumbled and handed over coins. Meanwhile, the man in question was a little out of it, feeling sick and dizzy from everything that he’d chugged so far. Somehow, he still managed to keep himself together long enough for everyone to walk off toward their tables again.
Once he was finally left alone, Kremy jumped up from his seat, but he immediately regretted that decision when he almost fell on his ass. Shaking his head and taking a deep breath, Kremy stumbled forward and rushed towards the tavern’s bathroom, almost smacking into Gideon’s table as he went.
Gideon was startled out of his conversation as Kremy ran past and almost tripped over himself. The man looking over and growing exasperated wondering why his friend was bolting through the tavern all of a sudden.
“The hell is that gator doin’ now…?”
He mumbled to himself as he noticed where Kremy was headed, glancing towards where he’d come from instead. When Gideon saw Gricko passed out and Torbek clutching his stomach next to a pile of empty drink glasses, everything easily clicked in his mind.
Luckily for him, he didn’t need to make up an excuse to tell the woman he’d been chatting with that he had to leave. She was already waving at her own friends and apologizing for needing to go early. Gideon waited until she was gone before getting up and rushing over to the men’s bathroom that Kremy had stumbled into only moments before.
The moment his boots hit the tile floor, he could hear the sound of retching in one of the farthest stalls back. Gideon cringed at the sound, feeling pity toward his poor friend as he walked over and knocked at the door.
“Hey Krem…? You in there, man-?”
He asked cautiously, waiting to see if gator could even respond. Kremy only choked out a quiet ‘yeah’ before vomiting again.
“Can I come in…?”
He spoke up again after a moment of silence. He wanted to help Kremy out as much as possible. Meanwhile, the warlock could only lift his head away from the toilet long enough to unlock the stall door before he had to puke again.
Gideon took that as an invitation to enter the stall. He awkwardly squeezed his hulking frame into the stall beside him. He crouched down next to his friend’s hunched over figure, reaching up to grab the gator’s purple top hat and hold it out of the way. At the same time, his other hand began gently rubbing and patting Kremy’s trembling back.
Kremy’s head hurt, his throat burned, he kept retching over and over again, and he felt dizzy as all nine hells. Adding onto that, Gideon was there and watching him. Which was incredibly embarrassing for the warlock. It’s not like he could do anything about it though, he was too busy puking his guts out.
“‘S alright man… I gotcha’…” Gideon said in a soft tone as he did his best to comfort Kremy, sighing heavily when the gator only barfed again in response. “Damn- You really went and did a godsdamned drinkin’ contest with those idiots?? I never thought you’d be the type, Krem~” He joked lightly, attempting to lift the mood with their usual friendly banter as he continued rubbing Kremy’s back.
Kremy, on the other hand, could only get a small eye roll in as he continued to get sick in the tavern’s toilet. This went for a few more minutes before he was finally all puked out. Gideon made sure to keep him company and entertain him the whole time. So all the gator could do once it was over was sigh in relief…
“Baron Below… My head feels so damn fuzzy-” He murmured in a hoarse voice. He lifted one of his hands to rub at his throat, which burned from all the retching.
“Yeah- I’m not too surprised, Krem… You were barfin’ yer goddamn brains out for almost 5 whole minutes there!” Gideon said with a hearty laugh, clapping Kremy on the back before cringing in realization when the man coughed and almost started gagging again. “Shit- Sorry bud-”
“Y-you’re good…- I just need a damn drink… Water this time. I can’t handle alcohol too soon after that fuckin’ shit show.” He croaked out in response. He took a moment before he stood up and took his hat back.
Following Kremy’s lead, Gideon stood up next. Which caused them both to become pretty squished in the stall. They laughed a little as they tried to shimmy out. They washed their hands once they were freed, Kremy casting prestidigitation on their clothes just in case and reapplying his mustache before returning into the crowded tavern again.
They both headed over to the bar together in a calm silence. Gideon’s hand absentmindedly resting on Kremy’s shoulder as they sat down and the gator ordered some water for himself.
“Sorry about all that, Gid… I dunno what got into me-“ He mumbled in an embarrassed tone after gulping down about half of the water.
The gator glanced shyly at the other man as he spoke. But Gideon only laughed, shaking his head and patting Kremy on the back.
“Don’ even worry about it, man. ‘S been a goddamn while since you let yerself party hard enough that ya’ puked!” He reassured in a playful tone, grinning down at Kremy as the alligator man huffed sheepishly in response.
“Whatever…” Kremy muttered petulantly, chugging the rest of his water before crossing his arms and grumbling to himself.
“Ugh- I need a smoke… Ya’ wanna come with, Gid?”
Gideon blinked in surprise at the offer. Though he wasn’t upset about it, that’s for sure- They just… Hadn’t been able to go for a good smoke break together in… Well- He didn’t even know how long…
A grin split across his face, a happy chuckle echoing through his ribcage as he immediately hopped off of his bar stool. His heavy chains clanked as his boots hit the tavern floor. “Hell yeah! C’mon, Krem! What’re ya’ waitin’ for?”
The fire genasi agreed excitedly, his sudden enthusiasm making Kremy’s heart flutter with relief… He didn’t know why, but for some reason he’d been worried that Gideon would turn him down-
Deep down, the gator knew damn well his buddy would never pass up the chance for a smoke break. A smaller, softer smile formed on Kremy’s maw. He nodded in response, getting down from his own stool with barely any sound as he gestured for Gideon to follow.
As the two of them walked side by side, Gideon’s arm draped over Kremy’s shoulders once again. The casual gesture was just a reflex by now, and he easily leaned into Gideon’s strong frame.
If Kremy had been a mammal, he would’ve most certainly been blushing right now. As Gideon’s body heat flooded over him and warmed up his cold frame, the warlock’s smile only grew. He began to feel his heart swell now that he was the main focus of Gideon’s attention…
He led the genasi over to one of the quieter corners of the tavern, the two of them getting comfortable in a small booth as Kremy let out a relaxed sigh. They both reached for their respective pockets, Kremy grabbing his cigarette box, and Gideon grabbing a cigar tube. When Gideon took out his cigar, he easily lit it on his beard flames and began to smoke, while Kremy looked on with a soft gaze…
After a moment, the alligator forced himself to look away before Gideon could notice him. He took out a cigarette and placed it between his teeth, grinning playfully as he nudged his friend’s shoulder and turned to face him.
“Mind if I light up?” Kremy asked with the cigarette held by his scaled lips, the two of them used to this little ritual by now as Gideon smirked in return and leaned over. “O’ course… Can’t leave my buddy hangin’~”
The large man said with a low chuckle, watching as Kremy’s snout came a little closer so that the alligator could light his cigarette on the end of Gideon’s cigar.
They stayed there for a moment, both of their eyes watching the ends of their smokes while they waited for Kremy’s to light. When it finally did, his silvery gaze slid up towards Gideon, their eyes locking for just a moment as a warm expression graced his scaly features. Eventually, he slowly pulled himself back again.
He took a long draw from his cigarette, smiling and leaning back into the plush seats of the booth as he exhaled and let the smoke waft out through the gaps between his rows of gator teeth. “This is nice… I missed gettin’ to have some peace and quiet together~” Kremy said in a smooth drawl, crossing one leg over the other as he got cozy in his seat, soaking up all the warmth around him and feeling much more at ease.
“Mm. Yeah, It really has been a while…. Huh, Krem?” Gideon mused in a low grumble as he took a drag from his cigar as well, glancing toward his friend and smiling a little to himself now that Kremy seemed to be more comfortable. The fire genasi was glad that he was able to make the man feel better, though he still wasn’t entirely sure why the warlock had been acting so off a few hours ago.
“Uh-huh.” The alligator nodded in response, taking another drag and exhaling as he quietly resisted the urge to scoot closer and snuggle up against him… Dammit, why was he being so mushy today…? He brushed it off and he continued with a laugh as he turned his head to look up at his friend again. “I definitely feel a lot more sober after all that pukin’, that’s for damn sure~”
“Yup, that’ll do it.” Gideon responded with a low laugh. “Speakin’ of which, y’know I always got my flask on me if ya’ want~?” He offered as a shit eating grin spread across his face, grabbing his never-ending flask from his other pocket and holding it up for Kremy to see. This made the gator’s classic sly grin return, Kremy’s sharp teeth glinting in the low lighting as he nodded and took up the offer, going right ahead and grabbing the flask to take a good swig before passing it back again.
“You know I do, Gid~” He chuckled out as he watched Gideon take a swig as well.
The two of them continued to chat while they smoked and drank, slowly growing more and more buzzed, so to speak, as they got more and more comfortable. Kremy even forgetting to hold himself back as he eventually just leaned into Gideon’s side, humming happily as the warmth seeped into him directly and he could feel the large man’s strong frame against him. Though the fire genasi didn’t care much, too busy laughing uncontrollably at a shitty joke he’d made just before as he took yet another swig.
“Hehehe- Yer soooo damn cuddly when ya’ get drunk, Kremy~” Gideon laughed out in a slurred voice, his movements a little more loose and exaggerated as he draped his arm over Kremy’s shoulders. Letting his head loll over to look down at his equally drunk companion.
Kremy let out a dramatic sigh, allowing his own head to loll about and land on Gideon’s shoulder as he mumbled a response. “Hhhhh… Yeah I knowwww… You’re jus’ so damn warm though, Gid…~”
Gideon could only continue his drunken laughter, Kremy taking another drag from his cigarette and relaxing against the other man’s sturdy frame.
But soon enough after a little more drinking, the two men had gotten jittery and bored. Kremy couldn't take it any longer and piped up after he spotted some people dancing near the tavern band. He grinned and turned to Gideon as he spoke.
“Hey, Gid! Wanna go dance~?”
Kremy asked with a large, drunken grin. He'd already stood up and was swaying a bit as he looked over to Gideon.
The fire genasi perked up right away, clearly excited since dancing was all he knew- Until he remembered, and his smile dropped. A low, dramatic groan left his throat as he began pouting…
“Awwwww dammit-! I can’t dance anymore after that stoopid trade, remember…?” Gideon reminded Kremy with a huff, crossing his arms in an exasperated manner and frowning at the floor.
Kremy only laughed warmly at the sight, though it sounded more like slurred together giggles from all the alcohol he’d consumed. “Who cares~! We’re drunk out of our damn minds anyways~ Nobody will think a damn thing about yer dancin’, Gid…”
Luckily, those words seemed to reassure Gideon enough, as the fire genasi’s smile returned, just a little bit more shy this time as he rubbed the back of his neck and finally stood up.
“W-welllll… Alright then- But if I look real stoopid, ya’ better drag me the hell outta there before I make a damn fool o’ myself-“
He grumbled as he wobbled a little as well. A large hand clamped down on Kremy’s shoulder as he stabled himself. His chains clanking about from the movement. The gator’s sharp toothed grin grew brighter, and he quickly grabbed one of Gideon’s chains in order to drag the man over towards all the dancing. The two of them stumbled over, giggling and laughing to themselves as they made it over.
“Don’t even worry about dancin’, Gid. If you’re that nervous about it, ya' can jus’…. Uhhhh-"
Kremy drifted off, his alcohol clouded mind taking more time to form a coherent thought…
Then, an idea struck:
"OH! Ya' could jus' spin me around instead of actually dancin’ yerself. That sound alright~?” Kremy offered in a quieter, yet equally lighthearted tone after he'd noticed Gideon looking a bit self-conscious. The large man was clearly worried about dancing due to his missing rhythm.
“Okay… Fine, man… Let’s do this~”
Gideon finally said with a self-assured nod, taking a deep breath before watching as Kremy started to dance.
The warlock only took a few moments to find the beat. His ability to dance that came from living in Agwé shone through brightly even in his drunken state. He did his best to lead Gideon as he spun about to the music and smiled, using the other man’s chains almost like marionette strings in order to help Gideon "dance" like he used to.
“See, Gid~? It ain’t so bad~!” Kremy said with a happy laugh, watching as his friend stumbled about in front of him. Thought even if he couldn't dance on his own, it was clear that Gideon was having a good time based on the wide grin he was sporting.
“Yeah- I guess you were right~ But yer still wwwwaaaayyyyy better at dancin’ than me…“
Gideon said with a small chuckle, smiling down at Kremy and admiring how he easily swayed to the melody. Meanwhile the warlock continued pulling Gideon along with him, happy to assist his friend as they goofed around together.
___________________________________
Gideon found himself staring a little as he watched Kremy move in front of him. He was used to it by now, he almost always started feeling oddly mushy towards Kremy when he got drunk. That’s what he told himself it was, at least…
Kremy looked so much happier now, and that made Gideon's flames flicker brighter. He loved watching this uptight bastard have some fun every once in a while.
'He looks real pretty when he's laughin' like that…. I dunno how nobody's swiped him up yet.'
He cursed to himself internally, refusing to let that train of thought continue.
Gideon soon refocused on the task at hand, and he tried to move in time with the beat like Kremy was. Though, he was no longer physically capable of dancing the way he wanted to. Damn those darklings… Anyways, he was having fun, and that’s all his drunken mind really cared about right now.
In that same moment, Kremy was smiling brightly as they danced. His heart felt much lighter and warmer as he stared up at Gideon’s equally tipsy grin. He always got so happy whenever they spent time together like this. He missed the old days where the two of them had only just started traveling together. The days when they would party and goof off every night, the days where every con was more interesting than the last…
The days when Gideon actually paid attention to him…
Dammit. The moment that thought crossed Kremy’s mind, his heart sank. His smile faltering just barely before he fixed it again. The idea was sobering, and the haze of alcohol that clouded his mind lifted slightly. He was supposed to be having fun. Not thinking about how rare it was for Gideon to dance with him, or smoke with him, or just… Spend quality time alone with him in general. Nowadays, they only hung out together when the whole group was there. Which was literally every day- But when their friends were there, it was obviously different than if it was just the two of them…
Kremy found himself silently yearning for more moments like this. It made his heart ache. A feeling he was very familiar with by now, even as he continued to dance and help Gideon along like nothing was different.
“Ya' havin’ a good time, Gid~?”
He eventually asked, wanting to know for sure that Gideon was really enjoying this as much as he was. Though his speech was still slow and mushed together from his inebriation.
Gideon laughed and nodded as he used his chains to spin the gator around.
“Hell yeah I am! It’s been wayyyyy too damn long since we’ve been able to have some real fun~”
The man responded with an amused grin, his gaze locked on how Kremy, who easily let himself be pulled by the chains and spun towards Gideon. He was laughing and smiling brightly the whole way. How this man was so graceful even when they were drunk off their asses never ceased to amaze Gideon. It did make him a little jealous since he couldn’t dance anymore, but he was having too much fun to care right now.
“Whew-wee~! Ya’ like spinnin’ me around or somethin’ Gid~?
He exclaimed in a teasing tone as one of the other man’s chains twirled him around and tugged him closer yet again. A half-amused, half-flustered smirk grew on his scaly lips as he continued dancing.
“Oh you know it, Kremy~”
Gideon responded with an equally slurred chuckle, his grin grew even more teasing in turn as he watched the gator sway.
Kremy’s heart pounded like crazy whenever Gideon spun him, and it had gotten even worse because of the fact that he was currently being held right up against the other man’s strong chest while they danced. His skin was heating up and he felt happier than he had been in quite a long time. His body swished to the tune. His body moved in a way that was almost innate to his being after growing up in Whipporwallow Swamp as a hatchling and living in Agwé as an adult. He just couldn’t keep the wide, sharp-toothed grin off his face even if he tried.
The two men went on like this for a little while longer. They were smiling and joking with each other as they danced. Eventually though, the music from the band started to die down, and the other patrons started to clear from the dance floor.
They were both a little disappointed that it was over so soon, but they left that part of the tavern and stumbled back over to their booth. Oh, and they started chugging more whiskey from Gideon's magic flask again- To the point that they both started hiccuping like idiots in an old minor image. But who's really surprised by any of that?
“Baron hic- below, it’s been toooooo long since we’ve danced~”
Kremy said with a dramatic sigh as they sunk down into their seats, smiling warmly over at Gideon as the man nodded in agreement.
“Yer goddamn right it’s been too- hic- long…~ I missed dancin’…”
The man said with a small hint of sadness in his voice, looking off at some random spot in the tavern as thoughts flitted through his mind.
The alligator’s gaze softened when he took notice of Gideon’s tone and expression, bringing a wobbly and scaled hand up to rest on the fire genasi’s broad shoulder.
“I know, Gid… But- hic- don’t beat yerself up about it toooooo much. We can always go- hic- dancin’ again, right~?”
He offered with a hopeful smile, leaning over to look at Gideon’s slightly down-turned face. The warlock had to grab the table for balance so that he didn’t topple over in his current state. Meanwhile, the thumb on his free hand began gently rubbing over the soft fabric of the other man’s shirt.
Gideon managed to crack a small smile at the prospect of more moments like this, glancing over at Kremy and chuckling softly as he nodded.
“Yeah… More dancin’ sounds- hic- good… Especially if it’s- hic- with you~”
He said playfully as he nudged the warlock with his elbow, earning yet another set of drunken giggles from Kremy in return.
“Oh hush~ You’ll- hic- dance with anyone~”
He said with a dismissive wave of his hand, his snout turning away shyly as he looked at the ground like some girl with a crush- He was definitely flustered by the thought of Gideon wanting to dance with him more…
Gideon laughed at Kremy’s embarrassed reaction, smirking at his friend and patting the man’s back before resting his hand there.
“Alright, hic- ya’ got me there- But yer always the most fun to dance with, hic as far as I know~”
Kremy’s heart skipped in his chest when he heard that. His smile growing a little more shy as he looked up at Gideon and mumbled sluggishly. “Hic- You really think sooo…~?”
Gideon’s expression softened, nodding and smiling a bit more gently down at Kremy even as he swayed a little where he sat.
“O’ course I do… Hic- Yer the one who first taught me to dance after all~”
When he heard those sluggish words leave his friend’s lips, Kremy’s mind cleared just enough to get a flashback of the earlier days of their friendship.
A little over a year after he’d first found Gideon stumbling through the streets of Agwé and convinced the near-dead fire genasi to work for him and shake his hand. Kremy had recently been able to get Gideon’s eating habits back to normal. Which was a major accomplishment after how starved the man was on that awful train. He’d even started looking healthier too, though obviously not as large and bulky as he'd become in the future.
They’d been traveling through towns after a con, and one night Kremy took Gideon along with him to a tavern like usual. The warlock remembered going off to dance while Gideon sat at a table and watched.
He also remembered how shy and embarrassed the fire genasi had looked later that night. When they returned to the inn and Gideon had asked Kremy if he could teach him how to dance.
The memory brought a fond smile to Kremy’s face. Their eyes met and his heart swelled yet again at the sight of the Gideon’s face and how the flames in his hair and beard flickered lazily around it.
“I guess I- hic- was, huh?” He mused quietly in response. He giggled softly to himself as Gideon sported another lopsided grin.
“Mhmmmm. I remember how goddamn awkward I wuz at first- Hic- Like a newborn foal~”
Gideon joked as he reminisced on his past clumsiness. The thought split a bright smile across Kremy’s maw as he nodded along and continued.
“Oh definitely- Took me aaaages to teach ya’ how to remember yer- hic- right leg from yer left~”
The gator gave a playful jab to Gideon’s shoulder with the tip of his claw, punctuating his words and falling into a fit of giggles. The leftover effects of the alcohol and his exhaustion made him feel much lighter and easier to amuse.
Gideon gently swatted Kremy’s hand away in a faux offended manner. Though his wobbly grin never seemed to fade. “Oh whatever- It wasn’t thaaaaaat bad…”
They only stayed at the tavern for a short while longer. Frost finally finished gathering his winnings as he rounded everyone up.
Kremy and Gideon both drunkenly bickered the entire walk home. Meanwhile, the tabaxi made sure his extremely drunk friends didn’t all face plant into the gravel road.
Though, now exposed to the biting winter cold, the lizardfolk's body shook violently as wind whipped down the street. He hugged his tailcoat closer to himself. Cursing under his breath about hating winter and needing some better layers even as he wobbled lazily with each step.
On the contrary, Gideon found the cold to be rather soothing on his flaming hot skin. He took in a deep breath of the crisp air and sighed as he trudged along next to his warlock companion.
His pointed ears eventually perked up just a tad when he heard the bone chilling sound of chattering alligator teeth echoing through the night.
The noise sent a cold shiver up his spine. His flames began to flicker a little faster as anxiety clouded his mind- That is, until he remembered that Kremy was right behind him, and that sound was just a result of how badly the gator man was shivering. Phew-
He almost felt relieved for a second. But luckily his fuzzy brain cleared up at the realization that Kremy was obviously extremely cold. Gideon turned his head to take a look and frowned deeply at the sight of his pal trembling and walking much slower than usual.
“Aye- hic- The hell’re ya’ doin’ all the- hic- way back there, Krem? Get yer scaly ass over here so I can- hic- warm ya’ up...”
Gideon called over through his hiccups in a gentler tone than usual. He stopped walking down the street, gesturing for the gator to come up beside him as he made his flames burn a little hotter.
Kremy’s head snapped up when he was addressed, though the movement was much slower than he anticipated. The cold was making him so, so exhausted. But he forced himself to catch up even through the protests of his frigid body.
The moment he drew close enough to sense the heat radiating off the genasi's skin, he could feel himself relaxing. He almost melted as he sidled up next to Gideon, sighing heavily as some of his sluggishness faded.
“Th-Th-thanks- hic- Gid…~”
He chattered out quietly. He tried so hard to resist the urge to throw himself onto his friend and cling on for dear life. Much to his rational side's dismay, the primal urge to burrow against his newfound sun-rock was too difficult to ignore.
"Mmm….~ Sooo- hic warm…."
He purred as the man’s strong arm found it's way around his shoulders and he cuddled into Gideon’s side.
A grumble of pure relief and comfort escaped his nostrils, and Kremy subconsciously started letting out low bellows from deep in his core. His second eyelids even started to close a little as heat seeped through his clothing and into his scales.
The noise was so soft and low pitched, Gideon didn’t even notice until the wind died down long enough for his ears to pick it up.
A mirthful chuckle left the genasi’s lips once he’d realized where the sound was coming from. He could even feel vibrations emitting off of Kremy’s body as the man grew more comfortable.
“Heh heh! Krem… Are you- hic- purrin’ right now~?”
If reptiles could blush, Kremy would’ve been redder than Gideon. His eyes shot open to the size of watermelons as he sputtered in embarrassment and crossed his arms. Kremy had to try ridiculously hard in order to fully force away his bellowing.
His gator jaws snapped as he shot back to try and save his ego. “Wh- N-no! I am- hic- NOT “purrin‘“ Gid! I don’t know- hic- what yer talkin’ about-!”
“Awww… Don’t get all- hic- shy on me now, Krem~ I’m jus’ glad yer cozy, bud.” He teased, stumbling as they finally reached the carnival.
“Ugh… Whatever, Gid…”