Berk Homecoming
Where: Air Tram Station
When: Late evening.
Who: The Berk expedition
What: The battered crew returns.
Warnings: Berk spoilers.
( ... )
When: Late evening.
Who: The Berk expedition
What: The battered crew returns.
Warnings: Berk spoilers.
( ... )
If he was overprotective at the moment, it could have been forgiven. The things they'd seen, and the battles they'd fought just to get back to each other, were nothing compared to the nightmares the mist had thrown at them when they did. Though he wasn't sporting any injuries at the close of the adventure, Goliath was exhausted from healing from night after night of the wounds of battle. He was looking forward to a quiet night, and a dawn that brought sleep that was actually restful.
What concerned him was not his weariness, or the crew's injuries. They would heal with time. What did concern him was their lack of success, and the effect of it, which was written on their faces. What had they accomplished, aside from learning firsthand exactly how dire the threats they faced could become, if the Mist spread? And what would this do for their morale, as the battle to force it back continued?
He walked closely beside Elisa, reaching unconsciously to put a hand on her shoulder. He stopped himself before he did, remembering that the weight of his talons might aggravate her wounds. It bothered him to see her in pain, but aside from making sure she got to her home safely, there was not very much he could do about it.
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With a tired and slightly crooked smile, Elisa turned to look at her friend. There would be plenty of time to discuss the repercussions of what had happened. Right now, it was time to try and relax.
"We missed Halloween," she commented. She hadn't given much thought to the holiday before she'd met the gargoyles, but any holiday that allowed her to walk down a New York street with Goliath was bound to be a favourite.
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He'll make it up to her, somehow. It will be easier, now that they're in a place where he can walk down the street with her any night of the year. Like this night, for example.
Goliath takes a break from troubling thoughts of the mission to return her smile. "There will be other holidays."
And they can share them, here. That is a pretty big deal.
"Surely we cannot miss all of them."
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Despite what had happened that might, she'd always treasure the memories of their first Halloween. They'd walked down the street together and danced together and it hadn't mattered that they were human and gargoyle. They'd just been two ... friends enjoying each others company.
It was strange to think that they could do that every night in the Academy, theoretically. Which was wonderful, of course. Wonderful but strange. She'd spent so long trying to keep the gargoyles secret that she wasn't entirely sure how to deal with that.
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Halloween or not, he knows there is a village near the Academy, but he doesn't know if going there would be the best idea. He has no reason to. The Academy is his territory, and everyone he cares about is here, or far away in Manhattan.
But Elisa might like to go, and he wants to share that with her, if he can.
"I heard there is a village nearby," he says, "If you would like, when your wounds have healed, I would have you visit it with me."
And maybe there will be dancing. On a roof somewhere, perhaps, but dancing nonetheless.
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“That sounds great,” she said, sincerely. “It isn’t New York, but it’ll be fun.”
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He looked away as he said this, thinking of the wide world and the things they had already both seen in it, some of which were discouraging, more of which gave him reason to believe that the times, as they changed, changed for the better for the gargoyle race.
This was a good enough reason for Goliath to want to push his boundaries, territorially and socially. But really -
"And we almost never have time, or a place, to simply enjoy each others company." He looked back at her, still wanting to put a hand on her shoulder or take her hand in his, but settling for walking beside her, conscious of her injuries, sincere in his satisfaction at simply being able to walk beside her, here, in a place where other humans can see. "I want to take advantage of having both, while we have them."
The question is - does she want this too? And if she does, will she admit it?
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She resisted the urge to sigh - after all, it would have made her ribs ache even more - and merely nodded. She’d spoken a little about the gargoyles before Goliath had arrived in the Academy and a lot more freely afterwards, and no one who had heard her talking about him could fail to see how important their friendship was to her. But that was all it was. That was all it could be.
“I like the sound of that,” she said, ignoring the tumult of emotions that bubbled to the surface in the wake of such a simple statement. “We could have dinner at the inn, then go for a walk through the town.” She grinned again, knowing full well the sort of scrapes they managed to get into. “Maybe we’ll manage it without any interruptions.”
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Still, a night of just the two of them, with no interruptions -
"I like the sound of that, too."
They were together - they were important to each other - and he would have her company, and that was better by far than not having it at all. If that was all she could give him, it wasn't perfect, but it was well worth having.
With so many things unspoken for Goliath to sort through, yet with a promise of time for them to be together, he was content to change the subject. "You should rest tonight." His concern for her wellbeing could only be put off for so long. "You stay awake to protect us so often, and forget to sleep yourself. It concerns me."
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Although she might not stay awake long enough to enjoy a meal. Elisa raised a hand to her mouth to stifle a yawn, but she was only half successful and winced at the pain that accompanied it.
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A perfect night for flying. Which would be smoother, after all, than walking.
"We'll get there faster by air."
Goliath uncaped his wings with a smile and offered Elisa his hand. At least he could do this for her.
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"That sounds great."
(She knew that she didn't have to remind Goliath to take care of her ribs when he picked her up, so she didn't bother mentioning it.)
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Maybe she would never get used to flying, but he would never tire of flying with her. That flight was a convenient transportation was logical, and a good reason to carry her from place to place, but it was also reason to hold her in his arms, and for her to hold him back. No stigma, no question of what they were. Just the person he liked most in the world, safe in his arms, holding her and being held back. It was a comfort he had not grown tired of; he doubted he would.
When he was sure Elisa was comfortable, Goliath spread his wings and cast off into the void. He wheeled in a downward swoop and caught an updraft that carried them over the station and above the trees, where it became a wind to ride back to the academy. The breeze was strong, and the stars were growing bright in the sky. It was a good night for flying.
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"It's beautiful," she marked, savouring the sight of the stars and the clear sky. "You don't get views like that in Manhattan."
There was a bit too much light pollution for that.
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She'd known that all along, of course. She'd known that since she'd met the gargoyles for the first time and realised exactly what they could do for Manhattan. But meeting people at the Academy - people who'd also seen things that the majority of humans didn't believe to - had made her realise just how lucky she was. Elizabeth had found herself in a world of undead pirates. Elisa had found herself in a world of protectors of the night.
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