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Nom had a habit of hoarding riches.
As much as he teased Mae for being drawn in by shinnies, he himself was no better, and Scott often times catches him just holding up his gold after a Farkle win so the light hits its surface. It was honestly adorable, Scott had thought, and he’s glad the other at least had an outlet to freely give his all into, even if it was something as silly as just liking the glint of gold.
The subject of Nom having a hoard he refused to share never went undiscussed. If anything, the Lion had been pestering him over and over about the exact situation, trying to get the other knight to contribute more of his hoard to the Kingdom’s growth and rebuilding phase. Scott remembered watching from afar as Nom all but strolled away, whistling about and feigning innocence before bidding Owain farewell for the night, turning over to stifle his laughter from the latter.
Scott knew a good amount about the hoard. Possibly more than most, since he knows where Nom keeps it and has also seen it for himself a good few times, but is still relatively clueless about what specifically was in the hoard. Simply put, the mage knows enough about Nom’s stash and doesn’t have any intentions of knowing more.
It was safe to say, he was going to know more.
Because one day, a blissfully sunny afternoon, Nom had decided he wanted to fully cover Scott in his riches until he was a walking golden mannequin.
This was a dragon hybrid thing, Scott concluded as Nom was practically dragging him to his house in the well, where the hybrid simply decides they must combine the things they love together into one perfect bundle they could cherish. And Scott, although new to the way dragons express emotions, was all the willing to join in. If he could be a safe space for Nom as the other was for him, then he’s more than happy to be.
As he entered the well and followed the other deeper down, Scott realized how he was definitely going to stay here for a good chunk of today, hindering his duties within the fields and putting a pause to his magic studies. Though, as much as he could make up all the excuses in the whole world about being dragged here without any say in the matter, but in all honesty, he just wanted to be around Nom. The other had a soothing, ridiculously charming comfort to him that seemed to ease all Scott’s worries away without much effort. Even now, with them being a… thing, Scott’s still endlessly surprised at how easy the other makes him feel all the time. He really needs to talk about this to someone; he might just melt into a puddle if he doesn’t let go of his spirals at some point.
They stopped at a room Scott’s never seen before, and he could probably guess why. Towers upon towers of gold and pearls lined the walls, glimmering emeralds and diamonds stacked on each other in corners, with the most notable pile of treasures laid out on the floor center to the wall. And while Scott wasn’t someone usually captivated by riches, but even he had to stare. It was magnificent, a throne of wealth he’ll never find the end of. Was there even an end to it? Was there ever supposed to be?
Nom probably noticed Scott staring and huffed, completely unfazed. He walked over to a smaller pile off to the side — still notably tall and intimidating in its own right — and pulled out a few necklaces.
“Not really sure where I got this from,” Nom muttered, just loud enough for the two of them to hear, as if it were a secret kept from the universe, “but I think it’d look good on you.”
Nom turned over, hands holding a particular emerald necklace, gold lacing around each gem and giving everything a bright, illuminating shine. Scott never really had any interest in jewelry himself, he’d unfortunately stain them working with flowers and plants all day, but he walks forward anyways, letting the other move around to wrap the metal over and around his neck, then securing it from behind.
“How do you not know where a whole necklace came from?” Scott mumbled, a teasing glint present in his voice, as with every time he talks to Nom now apparently. “Did you manifest it into existence one afternoon?”
“Meh, maybe the universe told me I needed to get a gift for you.” Nom replied, not hiding the affection in his voice. “Besides, I’m sure Red Kingdom wasn’t using it anyways”
Scott spun around on his heels. “You stole it from Red Kingdom? Then why’d you say you didn’t know where you got it from?”
“I said I wasn’t sure where I got it from”
“Nominalgravy.”
Laughter bubbled out of the dragon, wings flapping gently behind his back as Scott got up in his face and glared. Nom backed up, hands in the air to gesture surrender, and continued laughing.
“They don’t do anything with their gold anyways, clearly didn’t secure it enough if a knight could just wander into their lands and take valuables right out of their citizen’s chests without any issue. Seriously, it’s their fault they didn’t value it enough.”
“Right, who did you steal this from.” Scott sighed, holding up the necklace from his neck like it was poisonous. It does look really pretty though; emeralds catching the light from where they’re placed above his chest, dazzling with wealth and status. Two things Scott is famously known to not have.
Nom only shrugged, spinning around and walking slowly away while whistling, causing Scott to pull out his staff and bubble the guy to force him back. He shrieked, flailing around in the bubble for a second before being dropped unceremoniously in front of the disappointed light mage, still laughing about the whole ordeal.
“I mean, it’s fine, they won’t be all that peeved, I’m sure of it.” Nom chuckled, before his eyes zeroed in on Scott with the necklace, a look of awe glazing his features. “You look really nice with that.”
“Thank you.” Scott only managed to smile, ears bouncing a little from the compliment. “It’s lovely.”
Nom only grinned wider, a million sparkles flashing behind his eyes, before he went back to the pile and looked for more.
Not long after, the knight emerged with a pair of earrings. They were tear shape, beautifully crimson in what Scott could only assume are rubies. It looked as if a weeping deity’s cries were crystallized into a pair of jewelry one could simply wear on themselves, if that deity cried ichor and their ichor was blood red. Scott didn’t ever see himself being suitable with colors like that, but he assumed Nom had held them up for a reason. Maybe they were for Katie. Maybe they meant Nom himself was weeping.
Instead of explaining where they came from, Nom just walked over and hooked them to Scott’s pointy elven ears, stepping back a little to get a better look.
“You know, if you don’t take in the rest of your outfit, you could pull it off.”
“Really?” Scott heard himself questioning incredulously. It seemed strange to think about, him with Nom’s colors. Part of him thinks that Nom just said that to give himself an excuse to keep going. Scott finds that he could try anything in the world Nom wanted him to.
“Yeah, really.” The dragon smiled, crossing his arms over his chest. “Your ears help with the aesthetic. With the drooping and such. It looks good on you, I mean it.”
Scott felt his face heat up a little as he touched the metal hanging from his ears. “Thanks.”
Before long, Nom was already turning around to burrow through his treasures and trinkets, with Scott happily obliging with every request. Even if the other didn’t demand a thing, Scott would still follow him anyways. Wherever he went, wherever he’ll traverse, Scott’s sure he’ll find his way by his side.
~<>~
It was raining.
Scott didn’t pay much mind to the storm as he trekked through the bushes and thick overgrown trees. It only serves to protect him from the agonizing sunlight anyways.
It’s been forever since he’s wandered through these areas, he wasn’t sure if he’d even gotten the right location. After all, this looked nothing like the towering, lively kingdoms he remembered, just a bunch of rubble and debris that’ve been abandoned for what looked like centuries. Scott sighed. He’d missed so much of what happened here.
No one’s still around, he figured. Why would they be? Even if some could be alive, there’s nothing left of this place to fight for. The home was the people, and now the people were gone. Why would anyone stay in this barren wasteland of a kingdom?
Scott would’ve loved to.
Instead, he finds himself walking on once familiar paths. Traces of what once was were still here, and if he looked closely, he could locate every old building with ease. Some things just never change, and some things don’t seem to erode away in time. Just like Scott himself.
The well’s dried up, not an ounce of life remaining. He would guess that beneath the stone, there’s still a house waiting for an owner. Something about seeing it overgrown with leaves and vines feels torturous. It feels like what he would imagine a stake to the heart feels.
Scott turns to leave the well. Nothing good could come from him going down anyways.
He lets muscle memory take over him as he treks on a familiar mountain, the rain still persisting as he climbs up each step. He must look so much different from the half-elf that once walked here, he’s sure of it. And he wants it to be that well, after all.
That half-elf died long ago, on the same day his lover did. Scott’s only here to bury him properly.
His feet stopped him in front of a creaking tree, one of the last of its kind that still exists here. Right behind it stands a weathered tombstone, still maintaining its ridiculous shape and the stupid crafting table on top.
Here lies Nominalgravy
He remembers etching the words onto the wood, eyes watering, trying his best to keep his composure in front of the two Red Kingdom members. He remembers trying to convince himself to be happy, to smile and to glee, because that’s what Nom would’ve wanted him to do. But every attempt at a smile wobbled, and every attempt at a laugh turned into a sob.
He hopes they’re all happy in whatever afterlife they went to.
Carefully, he makes a grave right to its left, this one with a red tulip on top. It wasn’t hard, he had stone on him, and it wasn’t like he was a stranger to these things now. He’s buried more than he’s known. He’s also slayed even more.
Here lies Katie The Brave.
He moves quickly, already placing down the stone for the next grave before he could stop to think about it. He’s sure the younger knight of the two siblings already has a grave somewhere at home, if she had a family after all this. He doesn’t pay it much thought. She deserves to rest near her brother.
The one to the right, he places a slime block, entwining a few red and blue flowers together to line them at the stone.
Here lies 4cvit.
He hopes the slime had a good life after all he’d been through. He would’ve loved to see what 4c became after the war. Did he use the morning star for good? Did he fight a valiant battle? Or did he live a quiet life by the beachside instead? Either way, Scott’s sure he would’ve done good. He’s sure he would’ve been better.
Mining up some more stone, Scott moves to make a third grave. This one, who was less deserving of a goodbye, was still important to the people buried here. He would do them a disservice if he didn’t leave them to rest with their friend.
Wildflowers were still blooming after all this time. Scott plucked a few and stuck them into the ground, placing stones behind it until a headstone was made. He finds a lily in his pocket and puts it on the grave, beginning to crave the final name onto the wooden plate.
Here lies Scott Springwell.
And that’s a job well done. Scott Goldsmith straightens up, giving each one a final glance over, before walking down the path he came from. As he leaves, twin crimson tear earrings bounce along his steps, dangling from his still-pointy ears and shining with a radiance he no longer finds in himself.
He guess he did fit the earrings after all.