Work Text:
- Year 3, Regarden Academy
“Workner, are you-“ a voice came through the wooden door of the room Workner shared with Ed. Pausing with his shirt in his hand, Workner got a first-hand view of a disheveled Edward practically throwing the door open and off its hinges.
Seeing Workner half-naked, the teen shut his eyes hastily. Workner laughed.
“Hello to you, too, Edward,” he chuckled. Edward’s eyes snapped open, and he glared.
“Don’t give me that,” Ed snapped, aiming a finger at Workner’s chest. “That idiot Lin came barreling into Professor Anwen’s class, practically screaming they needed a medimage at the training grounds, saying some student got gored and was bleeding all over the place, and…” Edward trailed off, looking Workner up and down in surprise.
Workner sighed as Edward’s eyes fell on the bandages around his abdomen. Finally, Edward asked in awe, “how are you- they all said you took a horn to the gut. How are you standing? How are you conscious?!”
Edward walked forward, and got up in Workner’s face. “Explain. Now.” He growled.
Workner sighed, and sat on his bed. Ed sat on his own bed across from him. He was still staring.
“You know my father’s family comes from a long line of knights turned nobles, right?”
Ed nodded. Workner knew he had explained how his uncle had inherited the current title, and Workner’s parents had moved to make a living elsewhere.
“Well, according to family legend, our house began way back during the final stand against the Celestial Host, when our ancestor performed heroic deeds and was mortally wounded on the battlefield. As they lay dying, the Mage Queen was passing by with the first wands. She took pity on my ancestor, and cast a healing spell so strong it brought them back from the grave itself. The act of having my ancestor’s soul ripped from the jaws of death turned their hair white and eyes gold. Ever since then, a few kids are born each generation with pure white hair and golden eyes.”
Workner paused, then pressed on. “Those of us born like that have insane healing. Off the charts, blow-a-hole-through-my-chest-and-I’ll-walk-it-off, healing abilities. It’s said, “As long as a Norgram has a pulse, they’ll fight on.” My parents didn’t believe it at first, but I got badly injured when I was four. Spike of a giant Parkypine through my shoulder. I healed within a day.”
Workner grinned at his disbelieving friend, and spread his hands wide. “It’s not something I like to test out, but that Mergent horn didn’t even hit my spine! I'll give it a few hours, tops.”
Edward looked like he wanted to say something else, but instead he nodded stiffly. Then he stood. “Very well. Since you’re not, in fact, dying; I’ll be going.”
Workner got up, touched that the dark-haired teen had been worried on his behalf. On impulse, Workner reached out, and dragged the teen into a sideways hug.
Edward’s hair smelled really nice, Workner thought, as he brought him in. They were the same height, so his nose just brushed Ed’s cheekbone. Workner felt Ed tense, but he held on.
“Thanks, Ed, for checking in on me. I promise I’ll be more careful from now on.” Workner said earnestly. He felt Ed sigh in his hold, and when the mage walked away, Workner let him. Edward stopped at the door, and turned.
“See that you do, Workner. I’m not looking for another roommate so late in the year.” Then, he left, leaving the door open. Workner grinned at his retreating back.
Ed really was a softy.