Scene Packs From Other Stories

③⑧•DND

♡My two favorite men from my (future) campaign. They're both assholes♡

"Bloody Stubborn"

FANDOM: None??? Does DND count?

Pairings: Thael (Theodoric X Merik'aelum)

Synopsis: Kael and Theo narrowly escaped capture by some of Sorceress Urgana's men, Kael in awful shape. Theo has to resort to other means of healing spells to save him. Ones Kael hates.

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In the dimly lit cave, Theo's hands tremble, a desperate movement playing on Kael's behalf. Blood, thick and crimson, stains the rocky floor, the price of their narrow escape. Theo grumbles to himself within his own mind, "Life's just a liquid game, isn't it?" He glances at Kael, unconscious and bleeding.

Inhaling deeply, Theo bites his cheek, not from the biting cold, but from the frustration at Kael's recklessness. Foolish, he thinks bitterly.

Shifting his hands, Theo feels the power surge beneath his skin. Hairs stand on end as he channels the essence itself. Kael stirs, his eyes fluttering open. He grasps Theo's wrist, urgency in his gaze. "No," he gasps.

"You're dying," Theo states, clinical.

"Don't...ca—care—"

"Sorry—"

Kael convulses, nerve endings sparking with an electric jolt. His body arches in agony, every muscle a marionette to unseen strings. Breathless, he seizes, fingers curling like an animal. The pain, unbearable.

Theo persists until the wound heals in grotesque, bubbling flesh. Kael cries out, limbs limp and unresponsive. Gasping for breath, he slumps against the cave floor.

"What was that?" an unfamiliar voice echoes. Other voices join in. "This way!"

Theo, already moving towards the exit, shifts Kael closer to his chest. "Don't you ever talk like that again," he murmurs. "I don't care about the cost. Your life is worth every secret. Every sacrifice."

Theo moves with determined strides, the passage out of the cave stretching before him. Kael, now in Theo's arms, wheezes for breath, the residual effects of Theo's unconventional magic still coursing through him.

As they emerge into the moonlit night, a new wave of urgency propels Theo forward. He glances over his shoulder, gauging their distance from pursuit. His voice, a low rasp, brushes Kael's ear. "You're worth more than they can fathom, Kael. I won't let them take you."

The night air is crisp, carrying the scent of damp earth and pine. Theo finds a secluded spot, away from prying eyes, and gently lowers Kael to the ground. The tiefling's breathing stabilizes, though he remains a pale lavender, exacted by Theo's drastic healing.

"You're bloody stubborn, you know that?" Theo mumbles, more to himself than to Kael. He starts rummaging through a small satchel, pulling out herbs and vials. "But you're my friend, and I won't let you bleed out in some derelict cave."

Theo sets to work, mixing a poultice with deft fingers. The rhythmic sounds of the night— whistling winds and the croaks of frogs amidst the swamp, paired by the distant murmurs of Urgana's forces serve as a discordant backdrop.

"Think you can forgive me for the shock therapy?" Theo quips, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. Kael manages a weak chuckle, a raspy acknowledgment of both the pain and the remark, though snide.

After what feels like an eternity, Theo leans back, surveying his handiwork. Kael looks more alive now, a stubborn glint returning to his eyes. The tension that had gripped Theo eases, replaced by a sense of quiet accomplishment.

"Let's get you back to the others," Theo suggests, helping Kael stand. They move through the night, shadows cloaking their passage. The cave, a distant memory, recedes as they make their way to safety.

For now, Kael remains alive, because of the lengths Theo would go to preserve the ties that bind their unconventional group.

[Word Count: 621]