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Dream a Little Dream
Chapter 10: Hot Water and What Comes Next

Chapter 10: Hot Water and What Comes Next

It's not that far, but both are quietly swearing by the time they make the cart, and the ride back to town is a quiet one. Many people lost to their own thoughts.

Chago flashes Kiersten another grin once he's settled in the carriage and Genny is with him. He's got a fine sweat covering his head, even after the help and he's careful to pull 'his' satyr close for the ride. "Hey Boggan!" he calls then.

Before he can say more, the boggan says "Stephen, please." in a nervous voice. Yeah, he's still scared, but he's feeling a touch more confident with his friends back.

"Yeah. Whatever." is Chago's answer. "Just be careful as hell driving, alright? Ain't none of us dying, but we're all screwed up and we don't need bounced around." And with that, he leans back and closes his eye, missing the assent from the boggan.

A while later, they're let out at the inn and other than getting out, the injured redcap makes himself walk on his own to get to the room. He drops into a chair near the door and leans toward it to shout "Hot water. Lots of it! We both want baths and long soaks!" to someone that can start heating it for them. Then he points to the bed as he focuses on Genny. His expression should say how badly he wants to yell at her too, but he asks "How bad?" instead.

She makes it to the bed, sinking down on the edge of it and rubbing a hand over the back of her neck. "I didn't get a stick shoved through my leg, so I think ya win." Her fingers press gently against her ribs and she winces, "Bad enough though." Genny pauses, studying his expression and offers softly. "I'm sorry. I jus'...it was a good idea. It was one 'f the only things I could figure that would work."

Chago puffs up as he does just before he's about to really explode on someone. Even before the words come, the weight of a redcap's nature can be felt pouring off him from just the baleful expression.

Then it deflates and he nods. "It was, but you overestimated me." he tells her. "I ain't -that- good at Wayfare yet. If I was, I could have kept watching Eric and just pulled him to us without his guards when we got ready. If we'd been in the mundane, I could have opened a door through his wall, but here..." he shakes his head then, growling softly at last. "Damn it, Genny, I could have lost you and only been able to fecking watch!" His fist snaps out and slams the wall, bringing a yelp and a splash from the hall. Looks like those baths are going to be a few minutes longer.

"Chago." She pushes to her feet, walking to him. "I know ya, an' I knew you'd come." Genny meets his gaze. "I know what ya've been through watchin' others suffer, bu' this chance was the best we had. I stood there in Eric's custody, an' I didn't break, didn't lose myself. An' ya did come jus' when I needed ya." She cracks a wry smile, which starts the split lip bleeding again. "Ya ain't gonna get rid 'f me THAT easy."

Chago leans into that touch, anger and fear both melting away. Her last comment brings a grin and he reaches up to grip hair and horn together to pull her to him. His tongue flicks out to touch her lips and taste that blood before he grins. "Better not. You taste too damn good." he teases then before pressing a kiss to muffle any answer.

After who knows how long for that, he draws back and licks his lips. "Let's get cleaned up and then if we hear from the Three Amigos, we'll see if maybe we can get into the local bale more easily with them backing us. I think we both could use it."

Genny leans into the kiss, her free hand moving to rest on his shoulder. When they part, she nods. "Cleaned up would be good. Feel like I could sleep fer a few days, bu' wanna make sure when we wake, we'll both be there." Yeah, she's berating herself a lot more than he did, realizing now that she maybe should have come at this a little different. "An' the bale is a good idea. I can heal some 'f what's ailin' us. Jus' could use a boost."

The knock at the door signifies the first of what will be several batches of hot water and Genny let's them in, pulling Chago over where they can begin cleaning each other's wounds and taking in the extent of the damage done.

Chago grins at her a little as he watches her face after the kiss. Yeah, he vented and is doing a lot better already. Go figure. He might carry some things with him, but most stuff he can face and go on. Like being mad at her.

As he checks her injuries and nods slowly to the damage she took, he says "Looks like his usual work. Nothing that'll scar so he could still use you. Screwed up your piercings though. That's gonna be a bit messy. Might be best to just heal it all and have 'em redone." he decides. Then he looks for the worse damage, the broken, deeply bruised, cracked, or otherwise messed up insides that he can find.

"Looks like you chipped some pride too." he blends to the list. "You did right, babe. Maybe bad timing, but if you'd waited, I don't know if I could have agreed it was right with it being your ass in the sling." Go figure that -he- can read her when she's needing it.

Before she answers, he holds a hand up and a moment later, a knock says the next hot water is there. Only after that load is in and the folks gone does he turn back to listen to her answer.

"Prolly someone here that can redo the piercings." She raises her eyebrows slightly. "Might be a good time ta get somethin' new done too. Commemorate the thing, an' us."

She pauses as the new water arrives then takes a deep wincing breath. "I should have talked ta ya first, bu' the idea hit me an' I knew that it would jus...work." Genny's voice lowers slightly. "Bu' the thought 'f puttin' myself inta that scared the shit out 'f me, an' if I brought it up… I...I think I would've chickened out."

In Chago's case, the worse is the leg. Lots of bruising, too many small cuts and scrapes, and some signs that his left hand is either broken or bruised to the bone. Hitting a troll with a closed fist is a painful thing. Once he's satisfied with her condition, and that the people are done carrying water in, he finally answers her in a truly Chago style about it all. He reaches out and grabs the wrap she found to wear to pull it away from her with a sharp tug.

"You did good, babe. I saw you before I came through. I made sure how you were holding up before I tried it. You was rough, but you handled it. I could see -you- and not just your fear." he explains as he twists that wrap up and ties it around his thigh to put pressure on the injury. "I'm proud as hell." And with that, he rises with a hiss of effort and picks her up. He walks carefully and favors that leg a lot, but with the bandage holding pressure there, he's able to carry her to the tub to lower in carefully. "Just take it easy. You got beat up pretty hard."

Yep...love Chago style, and that more than anything relaxes the satyr from head to hooves. She gives a soft hiss as she sinks into the hot water, which is followed by a happier moan. Hot water is a good thing. It begins to lift blood away quickly, and everything will have to be bound until it can be healed but looks like everyone is going to survive. She leans her head back, looking up at him. "I was walkin' the edge there fer a bit, bu' jus' kept remindin' myself that there was a recap out there that was madder'n hell comin'. I couldn't afford ta go over the top an' make ya more pissed...na ta mention I would have missed the end, an' I wanted ta see that."

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Chago laughs and nods his head. "No shit. I'd hate to have had to knock your ass out before I got to have any fun." he jokes a he settles into the hot water as well with a low groan. Once he's comfortable, he leans back and his eye closes to let him just enjoy the heat. "Damn... I didn't know so much could ache at once." he mutters. "We're getting to a bale somewhere tomorrow. Screw this shit." As if it's that easy.

Then again, considering everything they've done, maybe it is.

"Hah...and knockin' my ass out in that condition is definitely an...inconvenience." She picks up a rag as they relax and slowly begins to wash his face. It's a deft gentle touch, easing dirt and blood from flesh. "I figure by tomorrow I should have enough glam to get yer leg stable. Then we can go politely kick in a door at the Freehold an' ask fer bale time." She pauses. "I'll give it a few days, bu' I want ta know who bound Shova too. May be other heads what need kickin' in, bu' it can wait."

Chago snorts softly. Then he shakes his head as she continues. "Screw my leg. Tend to your ribs. You could hurt yourself good if you ain't careful. I'm planning to bind them after we've soaked some. I can tie a bandage on my leg and get by." And while he's not trying to bully her into doing what he wants, his tone is one that says he expects it to be how he wants it.

He goes quiet to let her do her washing and eventually cracks his eye to look at her again. "Think we'll see those three again, really?"

"I think we will. Na many folks would recognize that Shova's bound 'r what it means. He, at least, will come lookin' fer us sooner 'r later. Don't know 'bout the others. The sidhe...Kiersten whatever...was frightened. She may avoid us."

As she washes him, he reaches for a shampoo-like soap and then shifts to return some of the favor.

"I think she might. She recognized Amy's name and then she got mine. She'll check on if I was telling the truth, but she'll come once she knows. She'll wanna know more about me and her. Hell, that boggan twerp is the most likely to not come back, and he'll be here to keep an eye on them other two."

He keeps working shampoo into her hair and then her fur as he speaks. "Got any ideas about what might be going with that satyr?"

Genny goes a little limp as he starts in on the shampooing. Even as hurt as she is, she might just start purring. It's several seconds before she speaks, her eyes closed. "Got a good idea. Someone bound him, an' I'd like ta know who cause it's a shitty practice. Bindin' shuts off a satyr from our homelands, keeps 'em from usin' bunks an' callin' on Pan or passion. That he's still got dreamcraftin' means whoever did it was either a shoddy hand, 'r he's got a strong enough spirit ta have broken part 'f it."

Chago's fingers curl in her fur lightly, like he started to fist them as he hears what was done. "I'll kill the asshole did it myself, if Shova don't want him. Slow." His voice is a low and dangerous growl when he speaks, giving lie to the careful scrubbing he continues on her legs. "I seen how you got when you was cut off from your passions. Being cut off from everything..." he shakes his head and stops before he gets even more angry.

She nods. "Precisely. An' the real hell 'f the thing is that if it’s the spell I think it is, it comes with a geas where ya can't talk 'bout what happened, save ta someone that recognizes it first, an' most folks don't have a clue. They jus' think yer bad at cantrips 'r a slow study an' don't know what it does." She catches her breath as he hits a nasty scrape before relaxing again. "Were ya serious 'bout settlin' here?" It's a curious question. She doesn't seem bothered by the possibility, but intrigued.

"What have we got to go back to Canada for but bad memories and old headaches?" Chago asks. "Lyn, kinda. But if she really gave a shit, don't you think she'd have tried to come? Or at least said something about wanting to? She's got Dork the Troll now. She don't care about us no more. The rest of 'em... Hell Khev is probably glad we're gone. Anyone else wants us, they can find us." Change of subject at least helps him calm back down some and Chago's touches gentle still further.

"From what I'm seeing, either we got to go somewhere there ain't no one but us, or we got to take over if we want to be left out of cleaning up other people's bullshit. We'll still be cleaning it up if we -do- take over, but we can slap the stupid ones around for making us do it if we're in charge." He's got no illusions that being in charge will stop the troubles. Still, he does have a point about what it -would- change. "I'm thinking we set up somewhere near the bay so we can have the trod at the Rock at our back as a bolthole to leave by if it ever gets that bad. Once I'm established and everyone acknowledges I'm a witch king, we'll have it easier. And if Shova can make us a safer door to the Dreaming for everyone else, we're gold."

"Personally, I like the idea. I'm fond 'f the sea when the water is freakin' warm, which it never was back in Canada. There's really no one ta miss us." She doesn't sound bitter, just a touch sad and shifts slightly into his touch. "I like the idea 'f the Bay. It's na a place anyone would expect bu' the territory there is nice an' from what little we've seen here I don't think the nobility is going to blink at us carvin' out a niche. We get Shova and his friends to join on, pick up others like 'em and bring the crew here. Ain't a bad set up at all."

"It'll be nice to not be playing with Monopoly money too. I hate that shit. And those damn coins. Calling it a looney is right. Dumbest idea ever." Not that coins aren't common in the Dreaming, mind. But there's a difference between a pouch on your belt and a wallet in your pocket too.

Chago grins a bit, warming to the idea more, now that she's shown she likes it too. "So, here's the plan then. First, we help Shova and get the Three Mousketeers on our side. Then we find where we want and set up a spot. From there, he builds the links for us, while we go find something to light our own damn bale. When we gett back, I claim my territory and the fun begins. I wonder if that sidhe bitch of theirs would like to be a Herald. She's got the look to be a messenger. If she's got any balls left, I bet she could do the job."

Genny considers the idea and nods, "She'd do well if she just learns to buck up a bit. And I'd bet if we get Shova unbound, she'll be even more willin'. Those two 're a heartbeat away from truehearted. I bet he's been holdin' off cause 'f the bindin'. Afraid if he goes looney he'll hurt her, which is valid. So we solve that fer them an' they'd be a strong couple. Their friend acts the part 'f the foolish, bu' I get the impression he's over actin'. They're all old enough ta be useful an' pretty much take care 'f themselves, but young enough ta know who's the boss an' train up the way we want 'em. Prolly more like 'em out there too." She absently draws a finger down his ribs, thoughtful. "I think somethin' like the diner we were considerin’ is a better cover on the mortal side than another club, at least at first. Kink was good fer meetin's that we didn't want closer ta home, bu' also brought a lot 'f grief wi' it. I'd like ta see us wi' better middle ground from the get go." Yeah, they're dark, but not evil. More...very grey.

Very, very grey. "Yeah. I like that idea too. We can still meet folks, but a restaurant means anyone can show up and not look weird, long as it ain't too damn highbrow. And if someone pisses us off, we can always serve 'em." Chago deadpans that far too much to be a serious idea, but most people would wonder, more than likely. "Considering where we are, it wouldn't be too hard to have some kinda sideline later, if we end up needing a skankier place too. The restaurant comes first though." he agrees as he begins scrubbing the soaps out of her fur. After a brief silence to enjoy her touch and to let her enjoy his, he finally speaks again. "Water's getting kinda cold. How about we dry off, lay down, and worry about this tomorrow to take our minds off how bad we're gonna be hurting once these bruises really bloom?"

No, it's not really a question, no matter how he worded it.

"Sounds good to me." Tomorrow is enough time to worry and to hurt.

With a little bit of interesting effort and some grunting and swearing they both make it out of the tub, dried off and bandaged. The joy of hot water is getting blood flowing again, but also means that open wounds tend to weep. Sleep comes hard and Genny stays curled up against his side, her breathing shallow but warm. He keeps a hand on her at all times. She's not going anywhere this time, no way.