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4c woke up in the sewers again. Had he woken up? Maybe he hadn't even fallen asleep.
He knew it shouldn't be surprising, the amount of times he sought the quiet solitude of the tunnels. His eyes flicked down to the small puddle formed next to him, observing himself and reforming his slime into something more human.
There were new people today, Nom had made sure 4c wouldn't hide away from them on their first day.
"Give them a chance!" He had said.
The slime got up, stabilizing himself on the wall when his body reacted poorly to the sudden change. Probably due to his lack of food.
He straightened his cape and started back towards blue kingdom.
He could now hear voices up ahead, he strained his ears to separate the voices.
Graecie, a knight who 4c was familiar with. She reacted well to 4c's arrival and kept him company during his days in blue. She cared for him, making sure he was okay. She had even yelled when a group of children made a game of throwing stones at him.
There was another voice that 4c could not recognize. He could almost swear he's heard it before.
Finally, Nom was above. 4c's closest friend. The only one who would venture down into the dark sewers to find him. Nom was like a brother to the slime.
He looked up through the trapdoor separating the sewer from the outside. His eyes adjusting from the light.
....maybe he shouldn't crawl out of the sewers like a mad person.
As 4c wandered back up towards the castles entrance, he realised his advantage. If any of the new members tried to hurt him, he'd know the terrain far better. His hands stopped shaking slightly at that thought.
He climbed up on the castles front balcony. Feeling the small breeze and observing the damage. He had seen it all before. The blue kingdom had really taken a hit.
Sighing, 4c pulled up his hood and started moving towards the other group.
Maybe if it were dark he'd try sneaking up on them. But the sun was just rising, which did mean 4c was not late. (for the first time in forever.)
Up on the outside castle wall, all that separated him and the group was a railing, a jump and a bounce (or two).
Besides, a bouncy slime gave off a better first impression than a timid slime. The more you think you know about someone, the less you look.
4c looked back once more at the shadows in the castle.
It would be so easy to go back into the sewers and find Nom later.
"Give it a chance, please?"
He would do it, if only for Nom.
He landed gracefully, hearing Graecie giggle slightly and the stranger looking at him in a sort of amazement. She clearly was not familiar with the slime. (Eugh he'd have to explain it so many times today.)
He focused his gaze at Nom, who was staring at him with a warmth commonly found in his eyes.
"Someone's bouncy today." Graecie gave a nod as a greeting.
"Yeaa he's always like this." Nom whispered not-so-quietly in the third person's ear. "Where have you been man? I haven't seen you in a while!"
Hiding from today, In a sewer system. Where i wish I was right now.
"Aghh you know! Just... skulking around." 4c made a particularly sour expression. He knew Nom saw right through it. "What about you guys?"
"Rebuilding, trying to kill all the spiders in the castle." Graecie groaned, "The exterminators haven't gotten back to me yet! It's been weeks! Im going crazy!"
"I've been trying to find people to get things done! We are really in need of repairs." The stranger rolled her eyes. 4c was so sure he'd seen her before.
He agreed with the 'needing people to do things'. Any leftover civilians who weren't a knight, rouge or mage sat around and either moved temporarily or made do with the leftovers.
The sun shone brightly down over the wall, making 4c glad his hood was up to block his eyes from it.
"I've been cleaning up in the well." Nom said casually.
"The we- why were you in the well?" 4c did a double take, his friend hadn't mentioned a well before.
"I live there!"
"You live IN A WELL?"
"YES!"
"Thats what I said! It's kind of odd, Nom." Graecie sighed.
"It's a really nice well. I moved in because I always say 'well well well' and it'd be a nice pun!"
"I agree, but really?"
"C'mon I'll show you."
4c laughed quietly as they headed to the well, he thought he had lived in weird places.
A hammock in a tree, farther in the woods where he'd only sleep during the days he'd disappear. If he slept at all.
During the bounty, he had slept in many weird places so he'd have enough energy to keep walking. Inside a hollow tree, behind a waterfall, he'd even slept in a sirens cove! Which to be fair, the siren who owned the cove was his friend and he left before she came back anyways.
But a well? He didn't think he'd like it much.
--=---=--=---=--=---=--=---=--=---=--=---=
4c quite liked the well.
It was dark enough in spots to go invisible and the actual house and cave in the well was a surprise.
Also- no one would ever come down here. Nom had specifically put a sign that said "Do not enter". (Which 4c put in shaky writing "except for 4c".)
It'd be a nice place to rest a night. As long as Nom was okay with it. And as long as it was a night where 4c felt stable enough to not cry in his sleep.
Maybe he got distracted by stuff inside the house when Nom was having a conversation with the swan lady.
And maybe Nom caught him...
"4c you better not be stealing my stuff-" Nom walked in to see the slime with his hands in his barrel.
"No, im not a theif."
"This guy.." Nom sighed and started fake-attacking 4c. The slime dodged out of the way, sidestepping so that if they were in actual combat, he'd be able to backstab him. Nom wrestled him a bit, they didn't have much room to fight so he just wrapped his arms around him, trying to find what 4c stole.
"No-no! Im not a thief-" 4c was cut off by Nom finally giving up and ruffling his hair.
"Get outta here you two!" He hadn't noticed the rouge who had also started looking inside Noms house, which was probably their whole job.
4c couldn't help but laugh with Mae.
--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--
4c was very apprehensive about the whole 'magic' situation.
Not that he hadn't seen magic before! Infact there was a very kind witch who lived in the swamps! But she did more potions and hexes, she made it clear who she would hurt. She had protected him in some days during the bounty, until he felt guilty by the amount of soldiers turned into frogs and left to rot.
But these mages seemed... less trained. And used their magic alot less... blind.
The flower one was definitely new. Scott, he saw Nom soften a little at Scott's fumbles. He definitely wouldn't worry about him stabbing anyone in the back. His troubles were not fake.
The swan one, definitely blinded him. Not only was it wind but it was also a beam of light!
Slimes were very easy to blind. Since back at the swamp, the tree's and the fog that never seemed to leave blocked the sun all the time.
He remembered when the particularly rude old lady had taken to using a mirror whenever 4c came too close. Nom had noticed and promptly broken the mirror.
The depths were no exception to the dark, Probably why he enjoys it so much.
The water mage panicked him alot. How was he supposed to know Nom was okay in the bubble!? Maybe if everyone hadn't panicked he wouldn't have been so scared for his friend.
Luckily Nom caught his eye and mouthed an 'I'm fine' across the street.
Still, he didn't like it. He was lucky that his slime didn't have nails that would do damage whenever he fumbled with his sleeves.
"How much have you stolen from me, today?" Nom glared at 4c, though he could see the laugh behind his eyes.
"Uhmmmm" 4c smiled as he succeeded, dropping Nom a spruce log.
They stared at eachother.
4c noticed the rest of the group leaving them, but he would find them later.
Nom shook his head, "i swear im going to start keeping track."
"Hey you're wanting me to give them a chance, I'm going to steal from you!" 4c stuck out his tounge.
Nom put his hand up in surrender.
"You have any thoughts on them yet?" Nom started leading him where he thought the group had went, walking slowly so they wouldn't overhear this conversation.
"Oh, uhm.. well, Graecie is nice."
"That doesn't count, she's been in blue."
"... i think Mae would make a good rouge."
"Yea, if she got her love for shiny things out of the way-"
"Hey! Shiny things are great!"
"You rouges are all cats i swear..."
--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--
4c knew that there would be questions.
He knew the inevitable comments that would come. They always did in every place he went.
The only time he was at peace was the days he'd hide away. Resting near a stream of water to heal any small cuts or scrapes, maybe asleep tucked away in a dark corner.
When he had first arrived, the kingdom took his arrival well... Until they realised he was a person and not a pet.
Apparently a sentient slime creeped them out.
So when Owain asked "What are you?"
4c's automated response "oh- ima slime." Was natural.
"You cannot say that." From El was unexpected, but 4c appreciated the sentiment.
"You can't just ask people that!" Noms step forward was a little less unexpected, but still very endearing.
"Yea its a little disrespectful.." This could be a chance to stop others from doing it aswell.
As much as an annoyance, it wasn't anything 4c wasn't used to. He remembered the night Nom had confronted him about it.
_~×☆×~_
"Hey 4c, can I ask a question?" Nom had taken 4c out to explore, there was always a trinket you could find in the thick pine forests.
He knew there was more than a simple adventure, Nom had been jittery, as if he wanted to ask something. 4c really hoped it wasn't something about his self destruction.
"Ask away!" 4c smiled at Nom when they stopped walking. He leaned against a tree, silently wondering if he was in trouble.
"So, you tell me that your kind doesn't get the most respect. You wanted to change that.?"
"Mhm!"
"But people in the kingdom, they don't really respect that. I know you notice it and it really pisses me off. Why do you never say anything?" Nom seemed genuinely concerned for him, stepping forward and putting a hand on his shoulder.
"Well, I mean back in the swamp if I did say something? I'd probably get punched or stabbed for it." 4c shivered, remembering the time he had done that. He tried to ignore Nom stiffening, he could tell he thought that had happened in blue. "And being in blue? No ones attacked me! It'll happen regardless, trust me I've tried-"
4c paused as Noms grip tightened, waiting for him to calm down. "It's okay. Actions speak better than words, I'll prove myself so they won't do it."
Nom lingered a second, "I'd say something if you ever want." His voice wasn't unkind, more likely laced with worry for his friend.
4c still couldn't shake the feeling he had done something wrong.
_~×☆×~_
The lion unsettled him, even more so when he handed 4c an axe and made it clear he wanted 4c to swing at him.
Which 4c wouldn't ever do.
--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--
He knew he couldn't stay in close proximity with Nom the entire day. Still he felt nothing but dread as he led Mae into the sewers.
He had tried to get Nom to come. But the stubborn knight refused and gave the slime a knowing look.
4c was so going to steal from him later. If the buzzing in his head wasn't the end of him.
Still, he might as well get information. "So why are you in the blue kingdom? How long have you been here?"
Mae hummed "oh, well I don't think you'd know this but I used to be pretty popular around here!"
"Really?" He had not heard of her before.
"Yea! But my dad kinda you know.. sucked. Like really sucked."
Mae continued with her ramble on her life. She talked about her family, stepping up to be 'the best rouge ever'. 4c chuckled, knowing she wasn't joking.
"Yeaa.. well! How about you? Why are you here? It seems like you've known Nom for a while."
4c looked away, debating what to tell her. He didn't want to lie to the only other rouge in the blue kingdom. However it was Noms secret.
"Slimes aren't really.. appreciated in many kingdoms. We're only ever really seen as rouges. Half the time others forget we're still people!" 4c decided to just skip the part on how he met Nom. "We aren't respected much. You'll probably see that in many of the civilians here. So im here to change that!"
He failed a pickpocket. "Im not helping much." He laughed, lightening the mood.
"Neither am I!" 4c decided he liked Mae.
--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--
He watched the sunset from the broken castle. Knowing that the kingdom wouldn't get much sleep. He wished the night would lull the kingdom and he could peacefully walk in and out of the wreckage. Though he was sure the civillians would be asleep so he would atleast get a break from that.
There were only about 20 left anyways. The rest were families who had moved for the sake of their children. 4c was not lucky with the draw for the ones remaining. Pretty much all of them were repulsed whenever 4c was in the radius.
There was a light near the mines, in the small open area. 4c had better sight in the dark. (Contrary to humans) Nom was there.
There was an old farmer talking to Nom. 4c stayed in the shadows, waiting for them to leave. When Nom handed them an iron hoe and still continued their chat, 4c nudged Noms arm slightly. Telling him to hurry it up.
He got the message and told the man to leave. Making an excuse of 'so much to do!' As if they weren't just going to gamble.
He felt a little selfish, stealing Nom away from this person. But he also knew that Nom wouldn't have sent them away if he didn't want to talk to 4c.
"Soo how was your play date with Mae?" 4c found it quite funny when Owain lifted his head from the house adjacent to his.
4c stayed silent and invisible. Watching Nom realise Owain thought he was talking to him. Quickly, Nom reached over to where he knew 4c was standing and shook him until he was visible.
"You aren't going to make me look crazy today!" Nom let go of 4c once Owain went back to work and sent a farkle request.
He wasn't sure why the gods had decided to create a magic farkle table whenever someone wanted to play- but he wasn't complaining.
"Y'know you don't have to wait for someone to leave to show yourself." Nom rolled three fives
"Oh well the last time I saw that guy he threw a hoe at me for stepping too close to his wheat field... something about my slime being poisonous?" 4c rolled a farkle.
Nom scowled, "I'll send him to another knight next time he asks for a new one then." Nom rolled a one, rerolled and got three 5's.
"Did they actually do that?" Scott seemingly appeared out of thin air. 4c had to remind himself the mage probably did.
Still, he winced, remembering the part of the story where he had hit him dead on. "Yeaaa Luckily he missed." He found himself lying smoothly. Farkling as if from bad karma.
"Thats horrible." Scott looked very concerned for someone who had met 4c about 15 hours ago.
The slime tried to laugh it off. However Nom piped in "It is. Got any poison flowers to put in his field?" He rolled three ones.
"Those are called weeds, Nominal." 4c laughed again, this time genuine. Rolling again and getting a 1-2-3-4-5-6. Then four ones.
Nom looked at 4c's dice. Then up at him. Then at Scott, "got any spells to stop 4c from cheating at farkle?"
4c realised Nom and Scott had become fast friends. Maybe a small part of him was jealous. But that small part would stay small, especially when he saw the smile on his brothers face.
Scott would be good for him.
4c had noticed the nights he saw Nom leaving the kingdom to go for a 'walk'. He had spent nights being a shout away from Nom, incase the knight decided to do something he'd regret.
The nights were getting colder in the kingdom and 4c threw another log on the fire that was made in the middle of the path.
He moved closer to it for the next Farkle game. Nom said nothing, but switched sides so 4c was even closer.
Scott noticed, "Does the cold bother you?"
4c shrugged, "It does more than it would for you. Slime aren't really built for cold winter. Im literally a liquid, freezing over is not pleasant."
"Doesn't it snow here?"
"Yup! Not a fun time for little ol' me! I've been told I look cool though-"
"You do! Sometimes there's like snowflake patterns in your slime!" Nom piped in from where he was winning 2000 - 1500. Grabbing 4c's face for extra enthusiasm.
He stuck out his tounge, remembering when Nom had to explain that 4c did not creep him out and instead looked 'awesome!'. He slipped out of Nom's hands, which were somehow always warm. He wished he hadn't almost immediately.
"I hope you guys aren't betting any gold on this.."
Nom and 4c looked at eachother, they had put 2 gold on the line.
"Noooooo?" Nom blinked at the mage.
"... you know what? As long as it stays in the kingdom."
4cvit wanted the night to stay forever. Scott and Nom were quite a duo and in his opinion perfectly balanced eachother. The buzzing had even died down. Though the cold sunk into him.
He even pretended not to notice the looks civillians traveling to the castle for the night shot him. He pretended the worried looks of Nom and Scott were unprecedented.
When the moon had passed midnight and the kingdom had fallen silent, Scott yawned and told them he had a temporary place he'd go sleep at. 4c felt himself droop a bit more, trying to push the tiredness away.
Nom offered the well, saying they 'could have a sleepover!' Plus, it'd be safer than a broken down building.
Which led to them all in the well, with Nom explaining it was a house in the well. Not just a well with water at the bottom.
4c tried not to laugh when he was able to go invisible almost anywhere in the cave.
In the end, Scott decided he didn't want to intrude and left to go sleep.
Nom asked for 4c's help getting cobwebs in high places, which were only accessible by climbing. He did it, with a little more struggle than usual because of the hour and the buzzing.
Then Nom led him to his couch, which was a relief. He wouldn't admit how much he yearned for a silent nights rest. "How was your first day?"
(Technically it was the second, but no one slept the first night and everyone skipped past it after Mae and 4c's mission.)
The slime shrugged, "I think alot of the new members aren't as mean as the old ones."
"Thats good, I'd hate to have to stop supplying them with their hoes." Nom sighed and dramatically flopped onto 4c's shoulder, taking up most of the couch.
They talked for what felt like hours, though it could only have been minutes.
"Hah!- Wellll, if you want to sleep I should probably go-" he tried to get up, easily sliding out from under Noms head. He stood up and took a step towards the door, only for Nom to grab his arm.
"4c."
He stopped dead in his tracks. Nom's tone told him it was important. The last thing he wanted to do was look back. Still, as he heard Nom get up, he let Nom hold his hands up to his face and guide his gaze back to him.
"I know you didn't sleep last night."
Okay, well that was true-
"And I know slime don't need as much sleep as humans."
Had 4c told him that before? Maybe he had, but he was pretty loopy tonight..
"But you need to sleep, okay?"
4c's eyes had been trying to avoid noms, staring anywhere but direct eye contact. Nom squeezed the sides of his head slightly, moving his hand to simulate scratching a cat behind their ears.
He leaned into the touch, finally looking at him in his eyes and was met with a stare of pure concern. "i guess..." 4c closed his eyes and held his hands up to Noms.
Nom had a small smile and moved his hands to allow 4c to look away. He tried to ignore the loss of warmth.
"C'mon. Let's get some sleep." 4c let pure exhaustion carry him to follow Nom to his bedroom and lazily take his Cloak off.
There was a clunk as Nom took his armour off. 4c just numbly sat down on the edge of the bed. Still, not looking at Nom.
He wasn't sure if he couldn't look at Nom for the fear of the unmistakable look of pity, or maybe even disgust at 4c's autonomy. Realistically Nom wouldn't ever do that.
Or if he avoided his gaze out of fear that Nom would be able to see just how tired 4c was. Maybe it was because he knew that this late at night, Nom would see his slime drooping, his colour faded. Maybe Nom would know how many days he'd spend sitting restlessly near a stream of water, scared to enter the blue kingdom again.
Nom hesitated, seeing 4c shrink in on himself. Still, he knew he couldn't leave 4c out on the couch. He wouldn't even try to sleep.
The mattress sunk as Nom laid on his back, 4c curled up next to him. His head rested on Nom's chest, rising and falling with their breaths. Nom laid his arm around 4c loosely.
It was comforting for both of them, reminding Nom of when Katie was younger. Reminding 4c of his sibling.
4c dared to look up at Nom's eyes.
Slime were not made to be cold.
And all that 4c saw when he finally looked up at Nom in his eyes,
Was warmth.